Chương 8: Rising era
11K words, rounding down. Enjoy.
Maybe a bit violent... Reader's caution is advised?
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/Kick!/
"Dammit… Even here, nothing's changed."
Somewhere in the forest behind the Palace was a young man with thin eyebrows and sunken eyes.
He seemed depressed as he kicked a tree lightly, holding down the urge to cry.
He was emotional and cowardly, wishing life had been kinder to him, but he knew full well he had no one to blame.
"The only thing I ever wanted… Was to just go on about like everyone else…"
'Why did we pass through this?...'
/Kick!/
He kicked the tree again, shaking its leaves.
'Why are others allowed to live freely and calmly, but I have to deal with all of this crap?'
/Kick!/
/Shake…/
[Your Skill, Beaten dog Lv0, has activated]
[Your body endures. You must live on]
His legs complained in pain, but he persisted. This much was nothing compared to their pain.
The System seemed to comfort him, but he interpreted it another way…
"Even in a world of fantasy and magic, I'm still the Beaten Loser, huh…"
/KICK!/
/Crack…/
He kicked the tree with everything he had, and the faint echoes of wood cracking reverberated through the woods.
"Even if I grew a little sturdier, I'm still the loser of this story…"
[Your Skill, To live another day has activated. Adversity gives you strength!]
[Skill, Beaten dog Lv0 -> Lv1]
"And… Nothing's changed. Of course it hadn't… What was I even thinking?"
"Why am I this… Weak?..." He said deeply as he rested his head against the tree, biting his lips in pain and indignation as he looked at his hands
/Punch!/
/Punch!/
He punched the tree, cracking its bark but injuring his fingers.
"I tried to change, again and again… But the only thing this world gave me…"
/Punch!/
[Your Skill, Beaten dog Lv1, has activated]
[Your body endures. You must live on]
'Right. Endure they said, endure… It'll end one day… Wasn't that right? Sister…'
'What did endure do to us? To you?...'
/Punch!/
"The law isn't on our side, the people aren't willing to listen, and if we do something as daring as defend ourselves, we'll be squashed and laughed at…"
"They call themselves civil but act like animals. People think modernity has changed our nature… Ignorant fools… Lucky fools…"
'What I wouldn't give away to be like them?'
/Tighten…/
"How's any of this fair?!"
/PUNCH!/
/Splat…/
He punched the tree again, shoving a splinter deep inside his palm…
But he barely batted an eye, right now, the only thing that mattered was…
"... What should I do? Is it my fate to be a seat for someone to stand on?"
'I… I don't want that.'
[Your Skill, To live another day has activated. Adversity gives you strength!]
[Skill, Beaten dog Lv1 -> Lv2]
"Shut up… Stop mocking me."
/Crunch…/
He closed his fists, adrenaline coursing through his body.
'I'll end this tonight… Regardless of what happens to me.'
"A man… Can't live like this… Can he?" He said drily as he smiled lightly
/Drip…/
Blood seeping through his fingers, he took a step back, stepping out of the woods.
His eyes were determined and focused… But he failed to notice his trembling arms and legs.
He was fearful of the future, of the consequences of his actions, of what failure may bring to his well-being… But he decided that whatever the future as it was had to offer… Death was a much more forthcoming answer then continuing such a pathetic life.
It was a form of escapism, of achieving something he never dared to do before…
Wouldn't it be better if everything ended just like that?...
[Your Skill, To live another day has strongly activated]
[Your Class, Beaten Loser has begun to quake]
Without realizing it, he was starting to change.
…
/Shake…/
"Hm? Someone's there?"
Turning his head to look at the silent forest, Philip's eyes sharpened as he saw the birds fly in the sky.
'There's someone nearby… They left.'
'Light steps… Water?... No. Blood.'
The air brushed against his face, carrying a sweet scent with it.
After a moment to think, he puzzled together what had happened.
"Did someone just punch a tree? Actually… Forget it."
'I have better things to do.'
He turned back to face the library, looking for its entrance.
To the right of the stone path was a small wooden sign with some directions, telling him this place was indeed what he had been looking for.
Or was it?
"Is this the right place? It does look abandoned but not much. The simplicity of the place makes it stand out quite a bit. As if it didn't belong here…"
'There's plants everywhere. The ground isn't well maintained, the stones are old and broken, the wood looks half rotten…'
'Compared to everything I've seen before, it's almost as if they want this place forgotten… But if that's the case, why not take it down anyway? It's not like it would be hard to move the books around… Unless there's a reason why they can't take it down.'
(Image)
'Hm…'
Philip had a few suspicions about this but he passed through the front "garden", getting inside the old library.
/Creaaaak…/
"Damn these old hinges… Hello?"
'This place is cleaner than expected.'
The library was rather plain-looking compared to the rest of the Palace. And while the wood on the ground was rather old it had been properly maintained, being shiny clean and sturdy.
'I can't smell anything. There's some dust in the air and walls too… How long has it been since anyone's been here?'
'But how come the place is clean?'
/Step…/
The moment he took a step into the library, something interesting happened:
[DING]
[You have entered the Royal Library. Please remember the rules:
1-No excessive noise
2-Treat the books with dignity
3-No fights
4-No weapons inside the library
5-Do not take the books out of the library! Most books have a copy that can be requested at any moment.
6…
]
The list went on and on…
"A system prompt? But why?... No. How?"
'Do the people of this Kingdom genuinely have full control of the interfaces?... Is privacy only an illusion?'
'If they do… Then there's no point in hiding my info.'
'But that doesn't quite make sense given how they've acted so far… Not like I have much to base myself around anyway.'
'Hm, could it be a trait of this library? The reason it's special?'
'It could be "magic" as well. But that wouldn't explain the symmetry between this System prompt and my System.'
Philip touched his temples, massaging them as he calmed down.
'Anyhow, I just have to go confirm things.'
…
/Echo…/
The library's silence was almost deafening, amplifying his footsteps to an unbearable degree.
'It's more empty than I imagined.'
Its layout was straightforward. It was a straight line from the entrance until the back end, where a pair of stairs led to the next floor.
A narrow library with little space to sit down and study.
'Two rolls of bookshelves to my left and right… But there's barely a few dozen books in each.'
'Maybe what I thought before ended up happening. They did remove all of the important books and in the end, this place was left here abandoned, perhaps as a historic piece.'
'Someone must come here from time to time to clean it up and make sure it doesn't fall flat, but given how massive the Royal Garden is, from the perspective of the King, maybe this place doesn't even exist whenever he has to deal with the statistics of the place.'
'There's always a place that's forgotten when one cleans the place, and from one King to the other, what happens if one corner isn't spoken of?...'
"Enough thinking."
Philip turned to the right, looking at a tiny rusty badge with a number embedded in each bookshelf.
"001… 002… The ones on the left are odd, while the ones on the right are even… Alright."
'...010...016...019...020...022?'
"Twenty-two? What?..."
'Where's 021?'
'If I want to read all the books like he told me to… So it isn't going to be so easy, huh?'
'If old man Vista was truly a Hero of the past, I can only hope his information isn't too outdated. Wouldn't it be quite the loss if someone just came here and decided to make sure no one could gain that Title anymore?'
'Fuck me if that's the case… Let me take a look around the place.'
Philip began his investigation, starting with the ground because of the old marks the shelves imprinted on the wood.
"... It's very faint, but I can see some marks."
'The distance between sheves number 019 and 023 is also relatively large, which means… They moved shelf 021 away and tried to hide it by bridging the other shelves close to each other…
'They also put in a small table between shelves 019 and 023 to try and hide this fact even more… But why?'
'If the contents of the books were so critical, then why keep it here and not in a more secure place? Am I seeing something wrong?'
'And why make it so obvious? People aren't dumb. It's obvious that several people will notice that something is missing here if they keep those numbers around.'
'Although it's not like there are too many visitors around…'
"... Perhaps there's a clue somewhere?... But if I don't find any, perhaps I could use that guy…"
'But that would reveal something to him… I still don't know much about that guy's mentality and intentions. The more I make use of his powers, the more it would tell him about me.'
Scratching the back of his head, Philip started with the shelves, trying to see if there was any clue around.
'Worst comes to worse, I'll do a detective move and read every single one of these books. It'll take me a day or two and some sleepless nights, but I can do it before training begins for real.'
"Let's see… Reymond Gyng: The complexity of the weather… This sounds so damn boring…"
"Kuhybs jhyu: Below the mud, Finger eating bugs… The what now?"
"Namanarotratatiu on the relations between species… Who named this poor guy?!"
Philip placed the books back in place, sighing out loud as he got frustrated.
"Just some random boring books…"
'It doesn't seem this place has any clues… But you never know.'
"... This one should do I guess."
'Golden Word: The History of Language by Adyr.'
"I'd rather read this than… Whatever those books were on about."
'Although I can't deny that the finger-eating bugs got my attention…'
/Sit…/
"Still, if I have to read all of these…"
'It seems these Titles will be a pain to acquire…'
[DING]
"Hum?"
[Entity "Hero" has been detected…]
[Checking for the requirements… The requirements have been met]
[Opening phantom library]
'The what?'
[Playing message...]
"This…"
'Wait wait wait. You are going too fast…'
A young man appeared before Philip, smiling lightly as he sat before a table very familiar to him…
[... Is this recording?... Okay… A-Ahem]
[If you are hearing this. It means you are either very lucky or very attentive… And that, somehow, you have accomplished all of the requirements. Congratulations, from the bottom of my heart]
'This looks familiar…'
'This man is bizarrely similar to old man Vista…'
Philip kept listening.
[Given the chance of anyone stumbling onto this place, I'd say it's most likely I sent you here…]
[It's good to see I haven't lost hope yet. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. Anyhow, we don't have a lot of time… In fact, we almost have none. You see, it's almost my time to go back… Back home… But I had to be careful, I couldn't let them see what I am doing…]
[Even if this makes our meeting a little shorter]
[At this moment, you must be looking around for clues about this world, right? If you are here, you must be looking for… Ah yes… The Title… Of course it's that Title; why else would someone come to this old place?...]
The young Vista laughed lightly as if mocking someone…
[It is a significant Title I'd say. Although honestly, I had forgotten about it… It's been quite a few years since I got it, after all… I always end up forgetting something. What do I do about those things… Ah yes, you]
[Anyway. You must be quite disappointed right? What you have been looking for isn't there… So where is it?] He asked out loud as he pointed at the shelf behind him, smiling slightly as he pulled one of the books from the shelf to shake it before him
That book wasn't there anymore.
[This isn't a trap nor a plot of the Crown to seal information… It was none other then me who did it. Although it wasn't me who made the System you are hearing right now… That was my brother]
"System… If this is old man Vista, where did he learn that word from?"
'Old man Vista was born before World War Two and assuming he was summoned as a child, there's no way he'd even have this word in his vocabulary at the time…'
'Well… I should stop trying to make sense of things for what they are… All things considered there's a chance one of them divined future earth or one of the Heroes was pulled from the future.'
'That would be quite odd…'
"Still, if he was the one who manipulated the System… How did he do it?"
[This should be about the time you're wondering why I did this… Hide this Title, this place from others… It's simple]
His expression tensed, wrath evident in his face as he tore the book in his hand to pieces. That explained why it wasn't there anymore…
[This Title killed my friends… There were many more factors, but it was the spark that led to their early deaths. And me, being the unlikable guy of the ground decided to preserve it to not make their sacrifices in vain… And to mock those who took them down]
[That being said… Do you still want to seek it? To be cursed with this Title? Be warned… This world won't let you go freely once they realize what you can do]
[I am not going to lie to you. This Title is very important, more so than most. And I am sure it would be pretty hard to get it outside… Fixed places where you can gain Titles are of immense value to any organization… Much less one of this caliber, in a very easy-to-access place… With a simple condition of just reading some damn books…]
[But getting it will most likely set you against many people… People fear what this Title can give you… Even more when it's properly developed and trained]
[... Can't you see? The potential of this Title?] He asked with a faint smile as he looked directly at Philip's eyes
"What?!"
Philip took a step back in shock, what was going on? Was this not a recording?!
The man laughed drily as he saw Philip step back in shock, going back to his narration:
[I will be frank. If you can't hold a lie well, you might as well never get this Title]
"..."
The man waited a few seconds while Philip took a deep breath, but before he could form any coherent thoughts…
[… Still here?]
/Smile…/
[Then let's begin]
/Swosh!/
Suddenly. A large pile of books manifested atop the table.
[These are all of the books on shelf 021, hidden in a separate dimension by my Ability. As long as you sit in one of the four chairs, you may read them]
[But there is one small catch… After one month, these books are going to disappear]
"!"
[I didn't want that… It's just that the energy I stored inside the dimension will end after a set period of time. Perhaps even sooner. I couldn't make it last longer since I didn't know when someone would meet the requirements… So I went with the safe route]
[To maintain this place for as long as possible, and even if no one came, the energy within the dimension would protect the books even if meant destroying them one at a time…]
[Also, don't even think about getting the books from inside there… You are a newbie while I am a veteran with over a decade in my belt… Perhaps you could remove it if the other heroes summoned with you, helped... Although I doubt they would do so]
[I wonder how they're acting now? Are the Heroes bickering with each other? Has conflict risen already? I still remember when we were called…]
[I feel old now… HAHAHA!… Haa…]
Vista stopped laughing, touching his chin as he looked at the ceiling.
[Is there anything else?... Oh yeah! Remember! Don't trust the crown! Nor anyone associated with them. I did so once, and now look at me, being sent back home as nothing but a slave…]
[Although… I wonder how long it will take for someone to hear this… 100 years? Or maybe 200? The library won't last longer than four or so centuries…]
His eyes softened as his tone grew serene:
[... Perhaps in your generation, the people will be slightly better than in mine?...]
[Pfftt!... As if that was possible] He said as he laughed out loud
[Hm?... Oh, time's almost up!... Is there anything else to say?... Hum… Well… I guess the usual]
[Remember to increase your potential, and if you have the time, to look for the "remnants". There are many out there. Relics from past Eras and Heroes]
[You see, being a Hero is more than just being a little special, it's about authority… Not that it'll matter to you anytime soon]
[What matters is that everything that's directly connected to us can usually just be used by our kind or those directly connected to us by bloodline, so don't get yourself too heated up, friend, alright? Hahaha!...]
[… Oh yeah! The fountain! Don't forget to throw a coin or two in there. Not just any coin. It has to be one of the… Oh no]
[Message end]
"..."
'That was abrupt… Is this how this is going to end?'
'I swear he was looking at me at a certain point. Was it a fluke or… Sigh.'
Philip looked at the pile of translucent books on the table.
'How many are in here?'
[DING]
[Phantom library administration has been transferred to you.]
[138 books have been detected inside the library]
[You may read the books at any time]
[Time until the energy depletes: 20 Days 20 hours 1 minutes 56 seconds...]
"Wh…"
'Only 20 days?! I thought I'd have a month!!'
'138 books to read in 20 days… An average of around 7 books per day.'
'It's not impossible, but I can't stay in the library all of the time!'
'Even with my stats and "skills", this task would be quite difficult if you take a look at these books… They are thick! True bricks.'
'I have a little bit over 3 hours to read each, but that's under the assumption I continuously read them 24/7... I believe I can reduce that to less than an hour per book with my current set of Abilities, maybe less… But that would still be cutting close.'
'Besides, if it's comprehension of the books and not just reading… Things will get quite hectic…'
"I should be able to copy them, right?..."
'The Bath messengers should be able to copy them, but I imagine only I can see the books, so I would have to read them out loud. And there's no guarantee I'll still get the Title if I read their handmade copies.'
'Not to forget, I still have many other things to do such as getting the other four Titles, one of which I don't even know what it is.'
'Twenty days for these ones… How long do I even have in this place anyway?'
"... Let me open one first and see what it is all about!"
The first book of the pile…
[The world of Eden]
'No author?'
'In any case, before reading this. I need to find a way to hide my actions.'
'From my perspective, I will be reading a book, but from other people's perspectives, I will be staring into the table like a mental patient.'
'I don't think anyone will visit this place but I can't leave it to luck.'
'So I need a disguise.'
…
"... Excalibur."
/Catching!!/
/Flash!/
Back in the dormitories, a man raised his right hand and called forth his weapon, materializing a pristine sword with rays of prismatic light.
/Sheen…/
The sword seemed to beckon him, call him forth like the heroes of legend and tales he was so entertained by…
But this time, he was the Hero.
/Twitch…/
Yet… He hesitated.
"Huff…"
'That dream… That cursed dream… Why am I reminded of it now?' Dae thought faintly as a bead of sweat fell from his forehead
'Tonight I had a strange dream. A dreamed of a beautiful place, of an incredible adventure…'
'Monsters, friends, powers… Love… War… Fire, blood, destruction…'
'A dream that slowly destroyed itself bit by bit as strange faces I can't remember… Vanished one by one.'
'A dream so vivid my heart skipped a beat several times. My emotions were so strong I drenched my blanket in cold sweat.'
'Never in my life had I ever felt so connected to a dream… Whatever distant it may be…'
'It was so intense that I felt fear to even leave my bed, dread halting me in my tracks… My body was warning me of something. That I should stay put and not walk away… I ignored it, barely.'
'Had it not been for what today entailed, I wonder… Would I now be the sole one in my class still back on Earth? Was that a warning? Precognition? The ability to divine some say Humans can experience in their dreams?'
'If so… What was all of that? That destruction, the fear I felt, the horror I experienced, the dread that haunted me?... Is that my future? My destiny? My… Fate?'
"I… If so… Should I take it? Should I take this blade? If I do, where shall it take me? If I don't… Where will I end up at?"
'They say that while running away from fate you often make it reality. In that case, should I take my weapon and face my destiny head on? Would that change anything?...'
'I feel fear. A primal urge to run away and forget all of this… But there's nowhere to run, no one to take me, to comfort me… To fight for me.'
"Why were we called to this place? To fight? Kill? To be pawns in an otherwordly chessboard?"
'I… Don't want that.'
There was only so much space for fear and indignation. When both gather; when one is pushed to their limits, if they don't break… No, even if they do break…
If one holds desire…
Resolve manifests.
/Shine…/
"It's too grim to imagine things will turn that way, but this situation is far from ordinary. Holding onto our modern beliefs will only lead us down a crooked path."
"A dream is just a dream, I plan to make it remain as such."
/Grab…/
"I have to change myself, to adapt and transform, only this way… Will I survive."
'And not alone… Together.'
"I'd prefer if there was another way, that we weren't forced to grab onto weapons and fight… But be it here or Earth, Humans have always been fighting."
'From cold blades to sharp pens, I'd say this is just us returning to our roots.'
Dae inspected his weapon, his expression serious and focused as he raised it above his head.
"Excalibur… The sword of the ruler… I don't like it. I'm no king, nor I wish to be… But if the world ahead is anything close to my dreams… Then leading others away from it shouldn't be too much, right?"
/Shine…/
"... Do you agree with me?... Let us defy our Fate… Together."
/Tremble…/
The sword hummed lightly as if agreeing.
[Excalibur accepts you as its rightful wielder]
[A Great Accomplishment!]
/Shaa…/
"What?!"
A strange fire suddenly ignited at the blade's tip, immediately traveling down its length and his hands, startling Dae so much that he threw his blade away.
Yet the fire didn't leave, however, it didn't hurt either.
{~So far from home, a tiny flame ignites…~}
{~Are you the one who dares set things right?~}
[The Sword of Light and War manifests]
[You are one step closer to realizing your Class' Fate]
"This…"
The flames slowly receded, leaving a strange rune at the back of his right palm.
A symbol of purpose and responsibility…
'This… Why does it feel so familiar?'
"That dream again? Am I walking straight into it…"
/Clench…/
Dae clenched his fists.
/Grab…/
He immediately grabbed his blade, stepping outside the room.
…
/Later…/
"Phew…"
'It took me around… Fortyish minutes… Not bad.' Philip said as he took a small pocket watch from his inventory
'It was about the world itself, not going into that many details about everything.'
'It talked about the seasons and moons, the stars and constellations. From the lands around to the seas unbound… Together with some interesting sights and myths of this world.'
'In short… Eden is the fourth out of the six planets in this solar system.'
'It has three moons of diverging sizes and several rings around it, albeit they're hard to see for some reason, which goes against what I'd expect from giant rings reflecting sunlight in the sky but for all I know the rocks may be made of a very dark material… If they're rocks at all.'
'I'm used to things in the sky not being what they're supposed to be anyway.'
'The planet mostly consists of water like Earth. But it has three known continents which alight in a triangular formation called the Nimbus triangle.'
'We are currently on the Western continent. And as you expect, there is one continent to the Northeast and one directly to the East… However, this isn't quite intuitive.'
"The System assumes this place to be the Western Continent, hence, it has a centerpoint… But where?"
'Directly in the middle? But that would make things a little strange… Should we be called the Southwestern Continent then?'
'Besides, why would the System take the center of the three continents as a measurement basis anyway? Is there something there of any significance perhaps?'
'Or is it just taking from the people in this continent? Like in a way where the more people agree with something, it eventually becomes the norm and thus the System adopts it since it's just a term and not really a definition?'
'Food for thought anyway, I won't be traveling outside anytime soon…'
'Still, while on the subject, the book implied that there might be more continents since the amount of land the three continents occupy is far too little compared to the size of this planet.'
'That said, this planet is far too big…'
'In scale, the Eastern continent is relatively round. As round as a continent can be, shaped almost like an egg on its side.'
'If all of these measurements are to be believed, then this continent is almost 60% larger than Pangea, the ancient supercontinent that covered a third of Earth's surface.'
'And this continent isn't that big... Even the triangle where the three continents reside is just about a small point of this world… The explored world at least. The book does go a little further into mathematical formulas to try and calculate its circumference, but it never actually finishes any… Although I got lost halfway through it anyway.'
'Even then, those values make little sense.'
'This would make this planet as large as some gas giants if not bigger… But then again, it's not like I don't believe it… Magic and stuff, I guess…'
'If Gamerverse can tap into infinite Universes, then eventually I'll find some crazy worlds as well…'
'Anyhow, I'm afraid that if it were put this triangle back on Earth, it would've completely covered it's surface, if not more, since the distance between continents isn't clear.'
'No, who am I kidding? If I placed the three continents side by side alone, it would likely cover the whole world on land.'
'At the very least, I know how the other Continents look like.'
'The Western continent is around the same size, but its shape is… It's not really a shape, almost like an "X" but very curly?'
'The Northern continent is even bigger than the Eastern continent, but not by much.'
'As far as the book told me. The continents don't have proper names because of how each race names them. So they were called East, North, and West continents to facilitate trade and studies on them.'
'It went into many boring details about how it did all of the calculations and measurements. But like I said before, it never told just how big this planet was. It just said it was one.'
'Why? Guess the author made it the fuck up… Heh.'
'That was most of the book. Very decent information but not as precise as I needed, regardless, quite the eye-opener.'
He put the translucent book away, stretching his arms as he sighed out loud.
"This world…"
Philip shook his head.
'Next…'
/Shine…/
"Hm?"
A strange feeling loomed over him…
'It's you.'
This feeling could only be…
'Summon Messenger Shop.'
/Sha sha…/
/Rise…/
Like before, the tiny pale creatures were invoked, shaking their arms around as they tried to get his attention.
"Is it done?"
/Gagegegea…/
The tiny beings muttered something unrecognizable before a few extra pairs of arms rose from the depths of the fountain, pulling his sword from its depths as they displayed it to him.
Once upon a time Philip used to wonder just how many of them were living inside that tiny fountain, but after seeing it so many times, it kind of lost its magic.
Now it's just normal… That's how madness tends to form.
Back in the dream, when chaos and bloodthirst became the norm… That was when Mind Fort stopped protecting him.
"Thank you. It's perfect."
'It smells a little odd… Like my grandma's house, I'd say. Yeah, it smells old… But I'll take this over whatever it smelled like before.'
/Clap clap…/
As he took the blade, the messengers clapped their tiny hands as if pleased with being praised.
"You guys always work quite hard… Here, a present." Philip said with a small smile as he took a hat from his inventory, giving it to the messengers
/Touch touch…/
The messengers took the hat and pulled it into the fountain. The next moment, they all took tiny hats from the turbid pale waters, put them on their heads, and clapped their hands in happiness as they did so.
'Such simple creatures…'
"Since we're here… Can any of you see this?"
/Reach… Grab…/
"Oh?..."
The messengers took hold of the translucent books without any issue, opening them to read as they clumped together in a pile.
'Interesting… Although I don't want to risk interfering with the Title acquisition process, maybe I can handle the books I've already read to them for copy, just in case…'
"That'll be it for now. I'll check with you all later for the pistol. See ya later."
With that, he deactivated the Skill, sending the messengers back to… Whenever they lived.
"Now then, happy?" He asked out loud as he raised an eyebrow at his sword
/Silence…/
'I'll take that as a yes.'
'Guidance from the Sword has always been sparse and vague, but as I strengthened both the Moonlight and Sunlight swords and eventually fused them together, it became clearer and stronger.'
'It could've also been due to my Levels… Regardless, they've been of great help throughout my journey. I was a little afraid something would change to them once I returned, but I'm glad it did not… Although, to some degree, I also expected it to just turn into a "normal" blade…'
'It remains to be seen if this will be good or bad for me.'
/Shine…/
The blade glistered faintly, prompting Philip to lay it by the table while he focused on his next book.
There was much to read still.
'This will take too long… My Trait does allow me some degree of parallel thinking… Can I read two books at once?... That would look a little goofy.'
'How do I invoke my Mind Paladin? Is that even a thing?... He's kind of an imaginary construct…'
'Actually, why am I thinking of cutting corners here? Since when have I been so lazy? Humph…'
'If you don't bleed now, when you will?' He thought proudly as he smiled slightly, nodding to himself
"... But I'd much rather bleed my muscles than my darned mind…"
Feeling a headache coming, Philip focused on the books, pulling the next one on the pile…
…
For the next few hours, Philip used his head to its utmost limit as he read as many books as humanly possible.
It was little, but he was progressing, walking his own path, even though it was more like crawling…
Still, everyone begins somewhere, right? And he was certainly not the only one who thought the same…
/Fwoosh!/
[DING]
"Huff… Ha!"
Somewhere deep in the forest, a silver haired boy finished wiping out his dagger from the blood of the bunny on his feet.
(Image?)
Smiling happily, he opened his System tabs, gloating at his success.
"A Level up? Good. That's how things are supposed to be. Start small, hunt weak mobs, gather items, raise your Stats, and eventually… You challenge a stronger monster."
He looked back at the forest in the Palace's direction, distrust written all over his face.
"... I don't trust these royals. They are always the bad guys… Driven by self-interest or worse."
'I'm no different, but in the end, it all goes down to self preservation.'
'... I need to get strong enough to leave this place as soon as possible… Even if not…'
/Rustle/
"Huh? Another prey… I'm a bit tired but I can't give in to sleep yet."
"Phew… 10 more should do…" He said as he took a deep breath
'Isn't nature beautiful?...'
/THROW!/
/SWUSH!/
The knife in his hand flew in the air, piercing through the leaves and between the trees, precisely hitting a bunny's forehead hidden in the bushes.
[Your Skill, Critical strike, has activated!]
[DING!]
[Throwing Lv6-> Lv7]
[The blood of your enemies enhances your strength temporarily]
[You have gained another stack of "True strike"]
[Your skill, Bird of prey, is looking for another enemy nearby]
His eyes flashed with light as a target-like symbol formed before his irises, spinning slowly as he looked around.
He crouched next to the bunny, frowning.
"These bunnies are so strange… They keep coming at me instead of fleeing… And they are carnivorous or something?"
'I thought this place was supposed to be safe… Unless these Nobles enjoy some hunting as well.'
'I wouldn't say they've hid things from us… But something sure smells fishy.'
/Splurge/
The boy removed his knife from the bunny's head without a single bit of remorse or disgust.
"Guess I should thank my father for those hunting lessons in the past. They're perfect for this Class." He said with a smirk as he swung his knife around
'Or should I say, my Class is perfect for me…'
/Swing… Cut!/
He slashed into the tree, surprisingly cutting straight through it.
Such power was simply inhuman, and even if sharp, there's no way a blade's sharpness could make up for such a difference.
'Heh… Can I get this skill to Level 10 before dinner?'
…
/Clang!/
"Haaa…"
/BAM!/
"Huup!... Ninety-nine…"
/Clang!/
"One… Hundred… Hooo…"
/CLANG!/
Inside the training area inside the Adrius Palace, a tall burly man could be seen pulling some weight, exercising as if nothing in this world could bother him.
(Image?)
"One… hundred and… ONE!!"
/BANG!/
The massive weight fell on the ground as he let go of it, slightly shaking the machine.
Still… The ground proved itself superior, not denting in the slightest before the weight's tyrannical power.
"Sh-shit… I let go of them…"
"But this… My body… It did change. This isn't a dream."
'It's far too long to be one…'
'Yesterday, I could barely bench press 100 Kg consistently. My one max rep was around 230 kg, which I was very proud of. But in a single day, this changed to me being capable of easily bench pressing 150 Kg in the same rhythm as before. My stamina's also increased considerably.'
'My body's changing… Maybe too fast for my tastes…'
[Your Skill, Muscle is Truth! Lv0 has enhanced the effects of your training]
[Your Skill, Fast Rest Lv0 has decreased the time needed for your muscles to recover]
[Skill, Muscle is Truth! Lv0 -> Lv1]
[Strength +0.05]
'This again… Just like those games.'
"... So training raises my Strength? But for how long?..."
'Do other forms of training raise other stats? Does cardio improve stamina? What about squats? Do they improve leg strength?...'
'That doesn't seem like it though. Training a single set of muscles seems to affect my whole body; how odd… But convenient. I never liked leg day anyway.'
'My Skills are changing too, I guess I'm doing something right.'
"If those games taught me anything it is that maximizing your stats before Leveling up is the way to go."
'But this is reality.'
He looked at his hands, and the calluses in his palms, thinking deeply about the future.
"I need to keep myself focused."
"HEY! Partison! It's almost time for dinner!"
A voice came from inside the changing room, calling out to him eagerly.
"Well… There's time for everything I suppose."
'A good diet is half the way for muscle growth.'
"I'm going."
…
/Buzz…/
Below a dimly lit lamp, a blond-haired young man rested on a wooden bench with a pensive expression as he watched the birds bathe in a gorgeous stone fountain.
(Image)
"... Wealth." He said as he lightly raised his head to gaze at a golden coin in his palm
Many would gasp at his beauty and gestures.
A gentle man with a sharp gaze that invoked safety and respect from others…
"Wealth is a form of power."
His voice was youthful and smooth. Holding the confidence of a successful CEO…
/Cling…/
Lightly inspecting the coin, he threw it in the air before grasping it tightly.
[Spend 1000 Tullios to raise Intelligence?]
'What leads man? Honor? Valor? Power?...'
'Love?'
/Chuckle/
"Can wealth truly buy everything?"
[Intelligence has been raised by 0.5]
[The Golden Vault shrinks. Your Stats decreases]
Behind him, the faint outline of a golden palace manifested, turning dimmer…
"... This is so interesting…"
"A merchant only has power when money is in their hands. Influence can only be achieved by taking… And giving. Supply… And demand."
"But Humans aren't so simple, we are no slaves to the material… We are slaves to the emotional."
'Most believe to be beyond it… But all have their prices, they just don't know it.'
'Fools overestimate themselves, calling themselves… "Priceless"...'
'While successful individuals know where theirs… End.'
'And those with determination… The Rulers of society… Hold their bars with pride. For they know that step by step, polish by polish, achievement by achievement… They'll make their lowly rotten bar into the grandest golden throne.'
'All under the hateful and envious gazes of the undeserving.'
/Caw!/
He looked at the birds as they jumped around the place, splashing water everywhere, some even flying next to him to dry off under the lamp.
"..."
'... There are also those who can step away from either, monsters amidst men… Beasts without morals.'
'When you throw away your bar… While there isn't anything to stop you anymore… Could you still be considered Human, then?'
'That would be the easy way… Or so I believe.'
"But what do I know?"
/Flap flap flap!/
The birds flew away, leaving him all alone.
"... A merchant has power when money is in their hands…"
"But he loses his worth when he doesn't have any. Is this the extent of wealth? It has value in beheld but none when neglected…"
'Speculation versus materialism…'
"Power… Isn't it also a form of speculation? Speculate to receive speculation… Hahaha…"
'All of that… Thanks to the power of a transaction. Trust.'
"Society is built on trust. Wealth has no value… When it serves but one man."
He looked back at the fading coin as he vanished in his hand…
"Then what do I call this?"
He thought and thought, pondering over his reality as he looked at the water ripple before him…
"... Maybe it's like a service… I'm buying something to serve me a purpose… Like owning a cup, a car… A gun."
"But if I'm the customer… Who's the seller?"
/Silence…/
/Smile…/
He smiled, his eyes filled with curiosity and desire.
"An arm's length transaction… But I wonder about the rates…"
He took another coin from his pockets, gazing at the unfamiliar symbols within…
"... This isn't enough… Not even close…"
'There's so much potential hidden in this tiny coin… But I can't extract it.'
'If only I had something more practical to serve me… Something like Dougle's Skill: Wealth to Power…'
"No matter. This will only make things take a little longer."
'I don't have much, but… If you don't risk it… How can you achieve success?'
He grasped the coin tightly.
"... Use Skill, Golden city."
/Shaa!/
A new hologram manifested behind him, pushing everything around him back.
A glorious golden city!... But it was bare. Empty with little but a single building left.
[You have spent 1000 Tullios to enhance the strength of the Golden City]
[The foundation of the Golden city has been strengthened]
[The Golden Vault shrinks. Your Stats decreases]
[Your talent towards swordsmanship when using a knife has increased slightly]
"Ho?... That's quite decent."
/Shum…/
'Maybe this is Fate as well.'
"Sometimes, a merchant has to get their hands dirty…" He said as he got up from his seat, pulling his sleeves back
/Shum…/
He opened his inventory, taking a sharp kitchen knife from within.
'When you have no resources… You must acquire some.'
He got up and walked into the darkness.
…
/Sha sha shaa…/
In a forest filled with tubular-like plants, similar to bamboo, an old man wielded his sword calmly, focusing as the wind danced through the leaves…
(Image)
/Inhales.../
"KAAAA!"
/SWUSH!/
/Silence…/
/Ka-tcha!/
The tree was cut. Half of it fell to the right, and the rest remained upright.
The bamboo had been perfectly cut in half.
"Hoo…"
The old man looked at his palm, opening and closing it with a surprised expression.
His body felt so… Foreign.
"... My body… I feel thirty years younger… Like when I could actually work."
[DING]
[Your proficiency in the Taima-Senkō style has reached a minor gate]
"This darned thing… It always startles me whenever it appears."
"... Minor gate?... Is it talking about those fraudulent theories in the practice books?" He asked our loud as his expression sharpened
'I collected many antique technique books in my life. They were nothing but baseless superstition, but I found happiness in collecting them… It was a hobby to accompany me… As imagining something became my solace when my body began to fail me.'
'I loved to go through all those martial arts bullcrap written in the manuals... Even if they were just superstition. It made me wonder at the creativity of men.'
'Those martial arts that did not hold any value back on Earth… They were only supposed to be…'
A dangerous thought formed in the old man's mind:
'... Could it be they weren't purely senseless? That in the imagination or madness of their makers, there was some degree of logic to it? A logic that functions or is supported in this world?'
"Sigh…"
'What am I thinking... In the past I would've brushed this side without a though… Am I finally losing it?'
"Hm… Let me remember…"
The old man placed one foot in front of the second and breathed deeply as he recollected some of those strange movements and theories he read in the past.
"I shouldn't be doing this… My old body may not…"
'... If I mess up, my muscles may tear, and then…'
"No... My body isn't the same anymore, things aren't the same anymore."
/Inhale…/
"Hupp! Kuoo!"
/Shush!/
The old man ran forward with immense momentum before slashing at a nearby boulder.
His swing was so fast it momentarily faded from view!
/SLASH!/
"Harf… Harf…"
From tiredness to surprise, disbelief, understanding…
"It… It can't be… I did this?"
Hope…
Before him was a rather large fissure, only 3 cm deep, but this represented something completely unthinkable for the old man.
After all… His saber wasn't supposed to strike against the stone. No swordsman would waste their blade's edge against solid rocks…
"... Is what they said true?"
"This isn't Earth anymore… Here, the possibilities are… Endless."
He looked at his blade. It fumed with faint mist from his previous strike.
"I've made up my mind. It is time I wake up and follow the young ones. Being disconnected and distrustful will only pull me down…"
"Anyhow… What were those kids talking about?... Magic? Ki?... Hum… I don't quite understand their ideology… I've grown far too old…"
He sighed once again before looking at the air before him.
/Unfold…/
A large scroll unfolded before him, displaying multiple values and information in a rather confusing way, even for him.
"Status page… Was that what they called it?"
'Skills and whatnot… There's much to master.'
/Swoosh…/
He sheathed his sword and left the forest without hesitation, his purpose now set in stone.
…
/Step… Step…/
/Crunch…/
"Ahh!... Oh… That was me… Ahem."
As night rose, casting shadows in the forest, another brave soul stepped within its clutches.
A beautiful girl with bright red hair walked cautiously through the woods, flinching with every step.
(Image)
"This much… Should be enough, right?"
She took deep breaths to calm herself before looking around, touching her cheeks to try and boost her confidence.
"A-Although this is a tad scary, it's just like the simulations!"
"I have to activate my Skill and protect myself first…"
'I hope this works… It's kind of embarrassing doing this, but… It has to be done.'
'If I don't do this, I'll be left behind… And I've read enough fantasy stories to know where this is going!'
'I'll take hold of my own Fate!'
/Pull…/
She took a massive staff from her inventory, a long metallic cane with a large gray gem in the middle, being almost two meters long.
"Well… Here it goes… A-Ahem…"
She cleared her throat, stabbing her staff on the ground as she closed her eyes.
/Shuaa…/
The air seemed to react, knowing what was about to come.
"~From the depths of the plane where the damned rest for eternity. I call you, lost Soul. Vault the gap between our realities and make a contract with me!~"
"~Hear my call and become my shield and sword, and I shall grant you the strength to stand adored~!"
/BING!/
/Shine…/
A dim dark green light shone in her eyes and hands as the crystal of the staff shone in bluish light…
A strange circle containing hundreds of strange intertwined runes appeared, floating in the air with her head at the center.
"~Bridge the gap, transcend your birth.~" She said as she spun her staf, placing its tip against the ground
/Turn…/
The magic circle in the air inverted, causing the atmosphere to shift.
[You have used the Skill, A call from beyond]
[Your Trait, Death Spirit interferes in your summoning ritual]
[A newly born spirit of the resting plains answers your call]
/Breach!/
The ground split, revealing a dark chaotic fissure.
/RISE!/
A hand burst from within, bursting with green flames, it climbed from the darkness beyond, standing before the girl with its enormous two-meter frame.
It didn't have any sort of unique characteristics… It's just a skeleton from a really tall person. But it had a strange aura to it…
An oppressive gaze fell upon her.
[You have summoned an Undead! Would you like to see its Stats?]
"Wait wait wait… Let me breathe a little." She said quickly as she took a step back
'This is scary! OI!'
'Standing face to face with a moving skeleton…'
[Your Trait, Optimistic, helps you in keeping your focus]
"Okay… I think I am fine now."
'But I hate this! It makes me sound so childish!...'
"... Open Stats!"
[Name: N/A
Level 0
Grade: Pure
Race: Undead
Sub Race: Human
Class: N/A
Skills:
Deathly Presence Lv0
Spirit Absorption Lv0
Enhanced Body Lv0
Status...
]
As she read the Skeleton's Status page, her eyes began to glow in ephemeral dark light…
[Your Class, Arathul Necromancer deciphers the dead]
A rune flashed before her, and another Status screen manifested:
[Description:
From the Miasma's ash, its body is forged.
From the Hellflames heat, its spirit ignites.
From the Still river's depths, its ego surfaces.
From your Soul, its drive is set in motion.
This is a very rare, newly borne pure undead from the resting plains.
Such an undead only appears when the Hellflames burn the Vile Miasma running down the Still River.
Not only that, this undead has absorbed the Vital force of another being from the Hellplains, gaining two skills and increasing its potential in the process.
Finally, this undead has been strengthened by its necromancer's affinity, even though she wasn't proficient in her summoning.
One may call this… Beginner's luck.
]
"I am… Speechless…"
'So pretty much…'
"This skeleton has immense potential…" She said out loud as she looked at the skeleton burning in faint green flames
'... Wasn't that what the Beginner Help info told me to find?'
She recalled its words…
[... Every necromancer has a certain amount of space within their soul. They can use this space to link with an Undead of their choosing… If they have space and strength to tame it, that is]
[Make sure to find one with great potential since you only have so much space to spare. This is because of the...]
…
"So you have potential?"
"..."
"You aren't one to say a lot…"
'By the description, this skeleton is quite rare and difficult to make… I think it's a very good option for my first linked undead.'
'If I am lucky, it might stay with me until the very end… That was ominous…'
'I could try again, but there's no way another undead of this caliber will answer my call. Even if one does, it may be too much for me to handle…'
'Then the answer is obvious.'
"Alright, I've made my choice. Welcome to the team!" She said as she raised her staff, knocking it against his skull, finalizing their contract
[DING!]
[You have linked ---- to your Soul!]
[By the effects of your Trait, Death Spirit, your undead's potential has been massively improved]
/BURST!/
A blue flame suddenly lit up inside the undead's skull, seemingly giving "life" to its previous inanimated stare.
'Erm… What…?'
[Name: None
Level 0
Grade: Pure
Race: High Undead
Sub Race: Human
...]
'Did it… Evolve? Was that even possible?'
'Am I lucky?... Or am I that amazing?' She thought with some pride as she circled the undead
'I need more information…'
"Hum… But you need a name… Billy?... No… Husby?... Chochoco… Not there yet…"
"..."
The undead remained silent at its master's terrific naming sense, maybe it was for the best it was unable to comprehend the absurdity of his name…
"Karl… Ka… Ke… Kelius… Yeah. Kelius! I liked that!"
"Your name shall be Kelius!"
[DING]
[You have named your first Undead!]
[The undead strength has greatly increased! Its potential rises!]
/Chattering…/
The skeleton smacked its jaw, as if trying to replicate her way of speech, only to fail miserably…
[Kelus greets its master]
"Erm… Don't do that again…"
/Fall!/
"Huff… Wha…"
'Urg my head…'
She checked her Status, paling at the sight.
'Jesus! My mana bar is almost depleted!'
/Thud…/
The skeleton got into its knees and bowed to her, raising its hand to help her stand.
"Huff…"
'It… It's smart enough to understand such things?'
She looked at the sky, it had already gone dark with the moons shining brightly above.
"... It's getting pretty late but… How about we try your power Kelius?"
/CLACK!/
The skeleton clenched its mouth in agreement.
"... I need to get used to that…"
[Name: Kelius
Level 0
Grade: Pure
Race: High Undead
Sub Race: Human
Class: N/A
Skills:
Hell pressure Lv0
Soul drain Lv0
Strengthened body Lv0
Will of the dead Lv0
Soul connection Lv0
Resurrection Lv0
Traits:
Talented
Motivated
…
]
"..."
'This is the most busted Skeleton soldier I have ever seen… And he doesn't even have a class… How do I give him a Class?'
"Should I summon some friends for you Kelius?... I still have some humph in me!"
/Clack/
The skeleton just hit its teeth against each other once more.
"I think that was a yes! Just let my man regen a little... Where is that potion I got with my Class?…"
The little necromancer continued with her spells, playing with fire under the moonlight…
…
/SMACK!/
"ARG!"
The moon's radiance only went so far…
While a fairytale unfolded on one side of the forest, somewhere else… Darkness brewed.
/Punch!/
Life wasn't often fair… No, one may say it was mostly unfair…
In truth, life was impartial. Fairness came not from it but from those derived from it…
/Kick!/
Humans were social beings. As a pack, they rose to the pinnacle of the food chain.
If one decides to walk away from said concept, they must possess the capabilities to survive alone… Because one day, they'll face a pack. And when that time comes, they'll wish to have someone to stand for them because only then they'll realize…
How flimsy life truly is.
/Smack!/
"Arg!..."
Without anyone to protect them, without the ability to stand out for themselves…
The only fate that awaits them is to be devoured… And in those moments of weakness, humanity's true appearance is unmasked.
Humans have and always will condemn those unrelated to them, they may show concern and cry once but the moment someone calls for responsibility… They'll turn away.
Some may hear and listen, but can those be deemed better? Stronger?... Foolish?
There is a word for this bypolar behavior…
/SMASH!/
"That's enough. I need him conscious." Someone on the side said as they noticed things were going off the rails
A serious-looking guy with sharp eyes and a dark vibe, one look would be enough for anyone to tell he wasn't someone you should associate yourself with.
He seemed arrogant from how he looked down at this situation from his high seat on a boulder; No, he was arrogant. Extremely so…
Three against one, could there be greater cowardly than this?
"..."
He looked towards the fallen men, saying:
"I don't think this is a coincidence, right, my friend? For us to meet like this?... You were waiting for us. I commend you…"
"Petter."
"Harf… Harf…"
Petter spat blood on the ground, his eyes weak and weary… But they still looked ahead.
Seeing this, the man got up from his seat.
"Petter. I will be straight with you since you took the initiative."
"At this point in time, there is a need for us to change your debt. Since as you can see. There is no way you can repay those 45 thousand you borrowed."
"Whsh… Do yooo... Pro-p… pose?"
How utterly gut-wrenching, to be beaten up to such a degree one could barely even talk…
"I have something I need you to do… Something only you can do right now."
"Take my hand… And accept my conditions. If you do this, consider all of your debts cleared." He said as he reached for him
"..."
Petter's expression did not change… Instead, he felt dread. How many times did he hear this?
Not only him… Everyone before…
But this… Would be the last time. He would clean this debt and come clean once and for all…
Even if he had to sell his Soul.
So he just nodded. Quietly and drily.
"Good."
'Since he accepted, this should count, right?'
'Activate Skill, Loan shark.'
[Skill, Loan Shark has awakened]
'... Is this not enough? Fine. What a troublesome Skill…'
"The conditions are simple. All of your debt, for a Skill."
"?! A Sb-ill??"
"Yes. It can be any. So, what will it be?"
"...OKAY!"
/Smile…/
The man smiled widely, sending shivers down Petter's back… But albeit he hesitated…
He took the Devil's offer.
They locked hands, the contract…
Had been made.
[All conditions have been fulfilled]
[Skill, Loan Shark has activated]
From the center of their hands, a blue light traveled across their arms.
"Huff…"
Petter instinctively tried to take his arm back, but he found out he was locked in place by a strange force, as if glued to one other, even if the man wanted to stop, he could not.
While Petter remained in fear, the man paid attention to his notifications only he could see:
[You are collecting your debt]
[Total value to be collected: 45K Dollars]
[Loan Shark is looking for an equally valuable Skill…]
[Loan Shark has found its prey]
'GOOD! It's working, let's see how this Skill works.'
/Shaaa…/
Traveling down the man's arm, the blue light condensed into the shape of a turbid creature.
It "swam" across his arm, reaching for Petter's arm…
At that moment, he felt a primal fear… Had he truly made the right choice? Maybe, just maybe… There was another way to free himself of his chains, to take his first steps into this new world as a free man…
A hopeful man…
When he thought about what he was about to lose, he feared… He could feel it, he was about to lose something far more precious than even his life.
He refused, he did not want to lose anything else.
[DING]
[Your Skill, Rock Bottom Lv0, has activated]
[There's nothing else to lose, keep moving]
/Buzz!!/
"What?!"
Just as the blue light reached Petter's chest, golden sparks ignited in the air, dispersing the blue light and sending it recoiling back to the man's arm.
[Skill, Rock Bottom Lv0 -> Lv1]
…
Meanwhile…
"What?!"
'Did something go wrong? Did I forget a condition?'
[DING]
[Error! A strange force has blocked Loan Shark from devouring the Skill]
[Skill, Loan Shark has deactivated]
'WHAT?! NO!'
'If the Skill fails… Wouldn't that mean I've made a loss here?'
'This world won't let me run things as I used to back on Earth. If I am to collect my debts, it has to be now!'
'If this waste runs away and ends up realizing I have no power here, then… I can't let that happen.'
[Loan Shark is left famished]
[Loan Shark is going berserk!]
'What the…'
"ARRRG!"
From behind the man, the shadow of a terrifying blue shark appeared. Its bloodshot eyes peered into the goons on the side, sending shivers down their backs.
They stepped back, yet that did little as they were still within it's immense maw's range…
/Growl…/
The beast growled, about to devour both whole…
"...Arg… The… Skill…"
The man on the ground didn't give up yet, under the weight and pressure of his Skill, he stood up, clenching his teeth.
"Wake… Up… You… I call the shots… Here!!" He said out loud as his eyes flashed blue
[Your Skill, Command Lv7 has activated]
"..."
For a moment, clarity returned to the shark's eyes… But its hunger remained.
"That's right. He was your target from the start…"
"Wh… Tsh… Tha-t washnt… the d-deal…"
"Eat him whole."
"N-NOO…"
It made its way to Petter who was screamed in fear as he tried to run away, yet his arm was still bound to the man.
""...""
His gons looked away, pale.
/Open…/
The shark opened its bloody mouth and...
/SNAP!/
""...""
But no blood spilled.
/RIP!!!/
From within Petter, the Shark slowly ripped something from his body… Like a piece of thin, translucent fabric… Devouring it whole within a few quick bites.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Petter felt as if his soul was being torn apart, a fragment of him was being pulled away.
/SNAP!/
The shark bit again, sinking its teeth deep into Petter's shattered Soul.
'No… NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!'
'P-Please, someone… Anyone…'
But no one came.
/SNAP!/
And like that, Petter fell unconscious…
/TEAR!/
The blue shark successfully tore the last piece of the translucent fabric.
Satisfied, the shark slowly "swam" in the air, gleefully returning to its owner.
It entered the body of the trembling man, who slowly recovered from the pain and strain on his body.
"Huff… It's done."
'This Skill… If I don't use it wisely… It'll devour me instead… How fitting.' He thought quietly as beads of sweat fell from his forehead
[DING!]
[Loan Shark's hunger has been satiated]
[Loan Shark has devoured the Trait, Cowardice. Would you like to fuse with it?]
"... Cowardice?... All of that, for something like this?..."
"Cowardice… Cowardice… Ha… Haha… HAHAHAHA!"
The man began to laugh maniacly as he put his hand before his face, trying to hide his smile.
"Foust?..."
One of his companions tried to reach for him but the faint energy surrounding his body repealed his hand away.
"SO!! THE TRASH WILL REMAIN TRASH UNTIL THE VERY. BITTER. END!"
"AFTER ALL THIS WORK AND PAIN I HAD TO SUFFER. YOU GIVE ME THIS TRASH OF AN ABILITY?! ARE YOU FUCKING WITH ME, PETTER?!" He asked out loud as he kicked Petter again
"..."
But Petter did not answer him.
"... I don't want this trash Trait. It's yours."
[Loan Shark is happy to receive an extra meal]
/BITE!/
[The meal strengthens the Shark]
[Loan Shark Lv1 -> Lv3]
"Oh?..."
'Perhaps this wasn't as useless of a trip as I thought…'
'To think Loan Shark can devour skills and get stronger… I thought only by using it constantly, would the Skill Level Up like the others… The difference is quite apparent as well.'
'If even a trashy Trait like this can offer such value… Maybe this was why the Skill failed before. Petter's debts are in no way equal to the value of his Skills and Traits.'
"I understand now… What I must do."
'Who cares about money? It's just a tool anyway… What matters are Skills, Ability! True, tangible power!'
'I know what I must do… Loan Shark. I'll devour everything.'
'This is my path…'
"Boss Foust? Are you okay? What happened?"
His two goons slowly approached Foust.
"... This trash wasn't as useless as I thought."
Foust spit right into his face before he turned around.
"These university students aren't really that impressive right?" One of them said as he snickered at the unconscious Petter
"What should we do with him?" The other asked as he looked at him
"Leave him. Who knows what those purple knights might do if we do too much to him? He's their asset, not ours anymore."
"And although I doubt they would act… Given they allowed us to do as we wished… Let's not take it too far."
"Let's carry him to a safe zone so he can crawl back to safety."
"If he ends up dying to some meager beast, they might put the blame on us. Let's avoid that."
'Thinking of that, maybe next time I can test and see if Loan Shark can eat away at memories too. If I can have it do so… I'll trully be unstopable.'
""Yes sir!""
…
"Huff… Whash hap… ?!?!"
Several minutes later. Petter woke up feeling immense pain in his chest and head.
"AHHHHH!"
'My body! My chest! MY HEAD!!'
'WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!'
He rolled around in pain, but no matter what he did, the pain only intensified.
He knew right then and there… He was dying.
[Your Soul is disintegrating due to the loss of its core]
'No… NOOO! DO SOMETHING! FUCKING ANYTHING!'
[Your Skill, Beaten dog Lv6, has activated]
[Your Skill, Rock Bottom Lv1, has activated]
"AHHHHH!"
[The time until the fragmentation of your Soul has increased]
…
"Ahhh… Ahhh… P-Please…"
Petter continued to squirm in pain and agony for the remainder of the entire night, his voice already broken and his stamina depleted; he resolved himself to face death…
'Noo… Nooo… Not like this… Sister… Father… This is all so unfair…'
But deep inside, Petter's anger kept rising, preventing him from going into the light.
'Faust… Faust… Right… I remember… I'll never, ever…'
"I'LL KILL YOU FAUST!!"
[Your Skill, To Live Another Day has strongly activated! Adversity pushes you past your limits!]
[The time until the fragmentation of your Soul has increased]
/Shine…/
The sun started to rise in the mountain. It was the beginning of another day…
The first day of their adventure! The start of their legend!
"ARRRG!!!"
And Myth…
[Skill, Beaten dog Lv19 -> LvMax]
[Skill, Rock Bottom Lv9 -> LvMax]
[You have lasted through the pain of Soul tearing and have resisted the shattering of your soul!]
[You have made an outstanding Achievement!]
[You have gained the Title, Risk Runner]
"I… I will…"
With barely any energy left, Petter's eyes began to waver…
[Your Class, Beaten Loser has begun to quake]
[Your Skill, To live another day has strongly activated. Adversity gives you strength!]
[You have gained the Trait, Unshakable Will]
[Unshakable Will is lodging itself into the void in your Soul, healing it from its tattered state]
[In adversity, you thrive, in cowardice, you wither. Your Skill, To live another day has broken past its limits!]
[To live another day -> To live another day Lv0]
[Your resistance marks your existence, to always walk forward, even if in thorns]
[Skill, To live another day Lv0 -> LvMax]
[You have gained a new Ability! Soul Phantasm!]
[You have gained a new Trait! Hardened Soul!]
[Your new Title, Risk Runner has been automatically equipped. Your injuries are being healed at a fast rate]
[Your Title-related Skill, Death run has been activated due to your near-death state. All of your Stats increase temporarily]
Under those notifications, Petter closed his eyes.
…
/Shine…/
/Chirp chirp…/
Sunlight shone on his face, awakening the sleeping Petter.
His face sunken and his eyes heavy, he slowly got up, remembering what he had just experienced.
"I felt as if I was going to die… No… Maybe I did…"
And then it came. Overflowing anger. Something he had never felt in his entire life.
Always suppressed, always the latecomer, endure and endure for there is no space for anger in modern society… Not anymore.
This wasn't Earth. His body screamed and his Soul proclaimed: There was only one solution for both to remain at peace…
He wanted to MURDER Foust!
/Clench…/
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his skin. He clenched his teeth, blood flowing through his gums…
Such a feeling was… Foreign to Petter. He once felt anger, but that was many years ago.
When he was still in school, a teenager that knew little about the world.
A time when he could still smile at the morning sun.
"That… That fucker… Swindler… Left me to die…"
'That's how he was, how's he always been… To devour and brush aside…'
"Power… It's all about power… But in here, you have no influence; we're all the same."
'If words are not enough, then our bodies shall talk.'
His eyes turned fierce as his expression turned cold.
At that moment, Petter felt clear-headed, never before had he ever felt so sure of what to do with his life.
"Just you wait… Just like you took my Trait… I will take it back… With interest."
He looked at the sun in the sky, he could feel it, a lifetime of resentment. It wanted to be left out…
[Your Class, Beaten Loser has begun to quake]
"I WILL TAKE EVERYTHING FROM YOU!"
Petter screamed with all of his strength, but even that was still rather low.
His vocal cords were already worn out from screaming throughout the night. He could not utter even a single proper word at this point.
"Huff…"
After screaming, Petter slowly walked back to where he had been beaten in the forest, it wasn't hard, given there was a trail from where his body had been dragged.
Just looking at it made him sick.
Gathering his fallen items on the ground, Petter stepped forward, walking not toward the dormitory, but the forest.
Right… Petter… Wasn't afraid anymore.
[DING]
[Your determination to get stronger has given birth to a new Skill]
[You have gained the Skill, Power Fantasy. May your efforts be rewarded]
[DING]
[Skill, Power Fantasy Lv0 has automatically activated]
[You have triggered a quest! Vengeance is best served cold]
[Conditions:
Get your revenge on Faust before you leave the Nadir Royal Garden in 29 days
The better your revenge, the better the rewards.
Mission rank: ???
]
"... Heheh…"
The moment he read the notification, instead of confusion, Petter felt… Glee.
The bloodied Petter, laughing in the barely lit forest, looked rather eerie…
"I will become stronger… Much, much stronger…"
'Until nothing else in this world can hurt me anymore.'
'Only then… Can I be at peace.'
[Your class, Beaten Loser has transformed into Bloodied Survivor]
[Your Fate changes]
Petter walked with long strides, not hesitating in the slightest.
(Image?)
…
"Ahhh… Sunlight. Isn't it beautiful?"
'How could I miss my first sunrise in another world?'
Above the Palace, a young girl smiled brightly at the sun, already expecting the glorious future ahead…
(Image?)
[The Golden Sun purifies your body]
[All of your Stats have been increased]
"Thank you~" She said eagerly as the sun rose on the horizon
…
"ZZZzzz… N-noo… No more… Monsters… Stay back… ZZZzz…"
Everywhere around the Palace, those destined for greatness began to rise, taking their first steps toward achieving their destinies in this foreign land.
An era of Heroes was fast approaching… If this was for the greater good of the world or not… Only the Gods knew.
…
.
.
.
Notes
Thank you for reading! For those unware, this and the previous chapter used to be one, but I cut it since it was a bit too big.
There were soooo many POVs I wanted to add here of other Heroes buuuuuuut I cut them out since, you know... If I add 1K words for each Hero things will surely spiral out of control.
But I think this is good enough to know how each Hero is. I plan to develop them more as we go but that's all for now.
As always, suggestions welcomed! For anything really.
Did any of the Heroes spark your attention? Do you want to see something specific?
See you later, until the next chapter!... I'll sleep now.
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