章節 149: The Acceptance Of Greed 1 (ATG Jump Start)
The alley was dark, damp, and littered with the refuse of a city that had long since given up on places like this. Trash bins overflowed, rats scurried in and out of the shadows, and the faint scent of rotting food mixed with stale alcohol lingered in the air.
Dim neon lights from a nearby bar flickered weakly, their glow unable to pierce the suffocating gloom.
"Bleigh!" A large amount of blood fell from my mouth as my organs were turned into Swiss cheese.
"That was for wasting our time," the man sneered as he retracted his foot from my stomach. Before I could even react, he wound up again and slammed the bottom of his shoe into my upper chest.
All I could do was scream in pain as I felt my ribs crack—no, shatter. I tried to flip over, desperate to draw their focus to my back instead of my chest, but one of them grabbed me by the scruff of my shirt.
"You know," said one of the men, slurring his words, "when we decided to mug you, we didn't think you'd literally have nothing." His breath reeked of alcohol as he tossed me into a nearby wall like I was a piece of garbage.
I hit the wall hard, and my vision swam. A wave of nausea and searing pain flooded every nerve in my body. I crumpled to the ground. Most people would wonder why this was happening to them, but for me, it was just another Thursday.
Another day scavenging through the trash, I thought bitterly. Jumping from district to district, hunting for anything remotely edible, like some kind of human raccoon. Bars and restaurants were the best places to find scraps—leftovers that weren't entirely spoiled yet.
This time, however, it seemed I'd bitten off more than I could chew.
As I struggled to stand, maybe to crawl away, another man swung the baseball bat he'd been holding.
It struck my knee with a sickening crack.
"AAAAHHHH!" I screamed, clutching my shattered left knee. The pain was beyond anything I'd ever felt.
The other two joined in, grinning like hyenas as they took out their own bats.
CRACK! The first blow landed on my upper right arm. The bone snapped like a twig.
CRACK! The second hit struck my shoulder blade, sending agony coursing through my body.
CRACK! The third blow landed dead center on my back, and I felt my spine shift unnaturally.
I dragged myself forward with my left hand, trying to escape the onslaught. My broken limbs screamed in protest with every movement, but I didn't care—I had to get away.
And then they laughed. Drunken, cruel laughter filled the air as they watched me crawl.
"Come on, little man, can't get up? Let me help you with that," one of them taunted. He grabbed my shattered right arm, yanking me upright before hurling me into a trash bin.
I slammed into the bin with a metallic clang before collapsing in a heap. My body refused to move anymore. I gripped the edge of the bin, attempting to stand, but all I managed to do was fall over again.
The laughter continued as two of them dragged me back to the wall, pinning me against it. Their punches came hard and fast. One struck my cheek so hard I thought my jaw might shatter. Another hit me in the stomach, forcing me to vomit up what little food I'd scrounged earlier.
They finally stopped after what felt like hours. As I slumped to the ground, I turned my head toward the street. There were people there—onlookers who watched the beating in silent apathy. A few walked away.
My vision blurred, but I managed to focus on one of my attackers. With my one good arm, I grabbed the front of his filthy jersey, pulling him close, and slammed my forehead into his nose.
The pain that followed was exquisite, but it was worth it. He staggered backward, clutching his face.
It didn't last long. His friend grabbed me by the collar and unleashed punch after punch into my face.
"You disrespectful piece of shit!" he growled, punctuating each word with another hit.
Mixed signals, buddy, I thought bitterly, unable to say it out loud.
Eventually, they'd had enough. One of them knelt beside me, delivering a final slap to my face before spitting on me.
They left me there, broken and bleeding, their laughter echoing down the alley.
I wanted to be angry. I should have been angry. But what was the point?
My vision swam again as I rolled onto my side, crawling toward an abandoned bench in the alley. The man who had been sleeping on it earlier was gone, leaving me to claim it as my own. I collapsed onto the bench, resting my head against the cold wood.
Was this the end? I had no meds, no splints, no hope of recovery. Darkness danced at the edges of my vision.
I was so tired.
They say life is the greatest gift one can give. I'd say it's the opposite—or at least it can be. Most kids my age grow up with phones, decent food, and parents to take care of them. My access to the internet came from libraries, and my food was the leftovers others wouldn't touch. Half the time, it was moldy.
Since the day I was born, I've had nothing. An orphan dumped at a run-down orphanage run by a drunk woman who barely kept it running. She'd sell the kids for… less-than-legal purposes if she thought it would buy her another bottle.
The cops were no better, and the priests who visited with their hollow blessings were worse. I left when I was ten, running from that hellhole with nothing but a ragged backpack and a drive to survive. Now I'm twenty, and here I was. Maybe this really was the end of the road.
My eyes grew heavier. I blinked once, twice, fighting to keep them open. But the exhaustion won, and the darkness claimed me.
Yet when I opened them again, the world had changed.
The alley was gone. The bench was gone. Everything was gone.
I blinked hard, sitting up despite the ache still radiating from my body. Around me stretched an endless cavern of glittering gold. Mountains of coins and jewels rose and fell like dunes in a desert of wealth. It shimmered in the dim light, refracting countless colors that danced across the walls.
My breath caught as I spotted treasures beyond my wildest imagination. Swords inlaid with glowing runes, golden chalices crusted with gemstones, statues of creatures I didn't recognize. And in the distance, I swore I saw a diamond pony.
Am I dead? Is this what happens before you die? A final vision of what you always wanted?
The ground shook beneath me, the vibrations rattling through the mountains of treasure. A cascade of gold tumbled down one of the piles, and my heart stopped as two enormous reptilian eyes emerged from the shadows.
The pupils were narrow slits, cutting through pools of molten gold that shimmered with ancient, unknowable power.
The gold shifted, cascading like waterfalls, as something massive began to rise from the hoard. The eyes belonged to a creature so large I thought I might have hallucinated it. Scales the color of blood glistened as they caught the dim light. Each step it took sent tremors through the cavern, and the pile I was sitting on began to slide.
I scrambled backward, panicking, as the gold shifted beneath me.
The beast stepped fully into the light, and I found myself face to face with a dragon.
It was larger than anything I could've imagined, its horns curling backward like twisted obsidian spires. Its claws gleamed, sharper than any blade, and its wings stretched far enough to brush the cavern walls.
I froze, barely daring to breathe. Maybe if I stayed still, like in Jurassic Park, it wouldn't notice me.
The dragon's eyes locked onto mine.
"That is not how dinosaurs work, and you know it," a voice rumbled in my head.
I flinched. My gaze darted toward the dragon again, a ridiculous question floating to the surface of my mind. Does sleeping on gold hurt?
"You would be surprised how comfortable it can be when your scales are harder than the toughest diamond," the voice replied, the faintest trace of amusement lacing its words.
The dragon took another step closer, and I braced for the worst. But instead of attacking, it tilted its head curiously, as if examining a strange new insect.
"You are an odd one," the voice continued, rumbling through my mind like distant thunder. "I have wards layered upon wards protecting this place—defenses that could withstand the death of thousands of multiverses. And yet, here you are. Pathetic and broken, but alive."
Its gaze swept over me, and I felt like my soul was being peeled apart layer by layer.
I tried to sit up straighter, but my shattered ribs screamed in protest. My breath grew short and shallow, and my vision blurred.
The dragon's voice returned, cold and clinical. "Ah. It seems one of your shattered ribs has punctured your heart. You're going to die soon."
Great, I thought bitterly. Even my hallucination is telling me I'm screwed.
The dragon leaned closer, its massive head filling my vision. I barely had the strength to lift my left arm, but I managed one last act of defiance.
I raised my hand and flipped it off.
The gesture was ridiculous. Stupid. Petty. But for once in my miserable life, I felt like I'd won.
The dragon recoiled slightly, its enormous eyes narrowing. And then, to my utter shock, it began to laugh.
The sound was deafening, shaking the very walls of the cavern. It wasn't cruel or mocking—it was amused.
"You mortals never cease to surprise me," it said, its voice still filled with laughter. "Even at death's door, you cling to your arrogance."
Before I could muster a reply, it reached out with one massive claw. It pressed the tip to my chest, and I flinched, expecting the worst. Instead, a soft glow emanated from where it touched me.
Red light spread through my veins, coursing through my body like fire. Every bone in my body began to shift, snapping back into place with excruciating cracks.
I screamed, biting my lip so hard it bled.
"Where was that bravery a moment ago?" the dragon teased.
The light finally faded, and I collapsed onto the pile of gold, gasping for air.
"Your bones are healed, but only just. Don't get too comfortable," the dragon said. It straightened, its colossal form towering over me like a living mountain.
I looked up at it, my head still spinning. "Why…?" I managed to croak.
The dragon tilted its head, a strange expression in its eyes. "Because you are interesting."
The dragon studied me for a moment longer, then leaned in closer. Its massive face hovered over mine, and its eyes narrowed.
"You are nameless," it rumbled, its voice like an earthquake in my mind. "You have nothing. And yet, you dared to insult me with your presence. Why?"
I didn't have an answer. All I could do was stare back at it, my lips trembling but no words forming.
The cavern shook again, the dragon's aura radiating like a tidal wave of pressure. My bones, freshly mended, felt like jelly under the weight of it. Every instinct in my body screamed at me to look away, to bow my head, to submit.
But I didn't.
Even as my legs trembled and my heart raced, I forced myself to meet its gaze. If I was going to die, I would do so on my terms, staring this godlike creature in the eye.
The dragon's aura faded, and to my surprise, it grinned.
"You are a stubborn one," it said, the faintest hint of amusement returning to its tone. "I have lived billions of your lifetimes, and very few can look me in the eyes without trembling."
It stepped back, its massive claws clicking softly against the piles of gold.
"You have so much greed, so much hate," the dragon mused. "And yet, it is not pouring off of you. Your mind is like a dam, holding it all back. Fascinating."
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions in check. But the dragon's words cut deeper than I expected. The memories came flooding back: the years of starvation, the nights spent shivering in the cold, the endless, burning envy of people who had everything I lacked.
I didn't want to feel it. I didn't want to acknowledge it. But it was all there, boiling beneath the surface.
The dragon tilted its head, its curiosity unmistakable. "You want to say it, don't you?" it asked, its voice almost coaxing. "Say it, nameless one. Let it out."
I gritted my teeth, my nails digging into the flesh of my palms. "I…"
"Give in," it whispered, leaning closer.
The pressure in my chest built until it felt like I might explode. The memories, the pain, the hunger—they all surged forward, drowning out everything else.
"I WANT IT ALL!" I screamed, my voice raw and desperate.
The echo of my words filled the cavern, reverberating off the walls until they faded into silence. I gasped for breath, my chest heaving as the weight of my outburst settled over me.
The dragon didn't laugh. It didn't mock me. Instead, its grin faded, replaced by something almost… pitying.
It reached out a claw, gently stroking my brow. The unexpected kindness shattered the last of my defenses, and tears spilled down my cheeks.
I sobbed, my body trembling with the release of years of pent-up pain. The dragon didn't speak, didn't move—just watched as I let it all out.
When the tears finally stopped, I looked up at it. To my surprise, the dragon had changed.
Its colossal form had shrunk, and where the towering beast once stood, a man now knelt before me. His body was covered in crimson scales, his face distinctly humanoid but otherworldly in its sharpness. His golden eyes still carried the weight of millennia, but they were softer now.
He bent down, his hand reaching behind my back, and pulled me into an embrace. I stiffened at first, unsure of what to do, but eventually, I relaxed.
"I will not judge you," the man said, his voice a low, soothing rumble. "You are afraid to admit what you truly want. You have never truly lived. But you are still young. Do not be ashamed."
I hesitantly returned the embrace, my arms weak but steady.
When he pulled away, he summoned a second chair from the ground. Before I could move, I found myself teleported into it, facing him.
"Sit," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He placed his hands on my shoulders, his gaze piercing but not unkind.
"I believe introductions are in order," he said. "Since you have no name, I shall give you mine. I am Calduin, the one who stole the principles of domination and supremacy. I am the one who devours the defeated. Thousands of universes have fallen to my strength."
His hands tightened slightly, and I felt the weight of his words.
"And now, you have a choice," he continued. "I have merely stalled your inevitable demise. If you wish, I shall end your pain now—quickly and painlessly. As thanks for entertaining me, I will send you to my angelic friend. You shall live in perpetual bliss."
He waved a hand, and before me appeared a vision of endless fields of golden reeds, mountains that scraped the heavens, and rivers so clear they seemed to glow.
I instinctively reached out toward it, longing for its serenity.
"But," Calduin said, his voice cutting through the illusion, "I have another deal for you."
The vision disappeared, replaced by his piercing gaze.
"You have shown me something I have not seen in eons: willpower. You felt the weight of my mind, even a fraction of it, and you resisted. For that, I offer you something greater."
He stepped back, his claw slicing across his palm. Blood, rich and shimmering with endless colors, floated into the air.
"Become my son," he said, his voice ringing with power. "You shall no longer be nameless. I will sponsor you, teach you, and give you the power to take everything you desire. But remember, power comes with a cost. I will not give you more than you can handle."
The blood hovered before me, a swirling orb of pure energy.
"This is your choice," he said, his tone softer now. "I will not judge you for either path. Choose wisely."
I stared at the blood, my heart pounding. The vision of endless bliss still lingered in my mind, but it felt distant, unattainable.
I don't deserve it, I realized. I've never even lived.
My eyes returned to the blood, its swirling colors mesmerizing. With a shaky breath, I reached out and cupped the orb in my hand.
It was warm—so warm—and I brought it to my lips without hesitation.
The moment I swallowed it, my body erupted in pain. My veins burned as the dragon's power coursed through me, reshaping me from the inside out.
Calduin caught me as I collapsed, cradling me like a newborn.
"Welcome to the world, my son," he said, his voice filled with something I couldn't place. Pride, perhaps.
And then everything went black.
(The Blue Polar Star – Outskirts of Floating Cloud City)
I had never felt so warm.
When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a field of soft grass, surrounded by endless plains. The air was clean, crisp, and unlike anything I'd ever breathed before.
As I sat up, I noticed my clothes had changed. What had once been tattered rags were now flowing robes of deep red and gold, embroidered with intricate patterns.
In the distance, I saw a city unlike anything I'd ever known. Ancient Chinese architecture stretched toward the clouds, surrounded by towering mountains and misty peaks.
A piece of paper lay beside me. Picking it up, I read the words scrawled across it:
"Hello, son… Your journey begins here."
The letter crinkled slightly in my trembling hands as I scanned its words again.
Hello, son,
This is your benevolent, amazing, endlessly magnanimous father, Calduin. I imagine you must be overwhelmed right now, so allow me to explain briefly:
You have been sent to a world far beyond your own, a world I specifically chose for you—a realm of immortal warriors, divine beasts, and endless conflict. This is a world from a WebNovel, and in it, the rules of survival are far different than the ones you've known. Strength is everything here, and normalcy and morality is nonexistent.
But fear not. I wouldn't send my child into such a world without the proper tools to defend himself.
I paused, swallowing hard. The next section of the letter shimmered, the words shifting as if written in real-time:
You are likely feeling strange… perhaps stronger, perhaps different. That is because I have blessed you with boons befitting my bloodline. You will find tattoos marking your body, symbols of your newfound gifts. Each represents a portion of the power I've granted you.
Your first gift lies in your right hand. The spiral tattoo glowing green will activate when you focus on it. Use it to summon an artifact that will aid you in your survival. However, your current strength only allows you to unlock this first boon.
More abilities and items will become accessible as you grow stronger, but for now, focus on learning and surviving. Your mission is simple: endure for 16 years. During this time, you must carve a path for yourself in this world. Only then will I deem you worthy.
One more thing: while you are my son, this world does not care for who you are or where you come from. It will break you if you are not vigilant. Survive, grow strong, and remember this: I am always watching.
With infinite wisdom and arrogance,
Calduin, The One Above Greed
As I finished reading, the letter disintegrated into golden embers, the ashes swirling around me before being absorbed into my skin.
A rush of energy coursed through me, and I instinctively raised my right hand. The green spiral tattoo glowed faintly before flaring to life, and in an instant, a small jade sphere appeared in my palm. It felt warm and almost alive, its surface swirling with light.
The knowledge of how to use it flooded my mind, as if my father had directly implanted it there.
I clutched the artifact tightly, its weight grounding me.
This is real, I thought. All of it.
The city in the distance loomed large, a marvel of ancient architecture perched on cliffs that seemed to defy gravity. The mountains surrounding it were covered in mist, their peaks stretching into the clouds. I could see flying ships in the sky, glowing talismans decorating their sides. Small figures—too far to make out—darted across the city's stone streets, their movements unnaturally fast.
A new world. A dangerous world.
My stomach growled, and I remembered the ache of hunger that had plagued me since the alleyway. Even now, after the healing and the strange infusion of power, my body felt weak. I needed food.
Looking down at myself, I noticed a ring on my finger—simple but glowing faintly with a purple hue. As if on cue, another rush of information filled my mind:
Dimensional Storage Ring:
Linked to your boons. Currently holds starting provisions and other items. Accessible via thought.
I touched the ring, focusing on the thought of food. Immediately, a loaf of bread and a flask of water materialized in front of me. The bread was fresh and warm, its scent almost intoxicating. Without hesitation, I tore into it, ignoring the crumbs that fell onto my new robes.
The water was crisp and clean, better than anything I'd ever tasted. I finished both in minutes, letting out a satisfied sigh.
For the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt… full.
The wind picked up, rustling the grass around me as I stood and brushed the crumbs from my robes.
Looking at the city again, I felt a strange mixture of dread and determination. Sixteen years, I thought. That's what I have to survive. Sixteen years in a world I don't understand.
I clenched my fists, the green spiral on my hand glowing faintly in response. My father's words echoed in my mind: "Define your life yourself. Be proud. Be greedy. Learn and grow strong."
I took my first step toward the city, and then another. Before I knew it, I was sprinting across the plains, the cool wind whipping through my hair.
I laughed—a sound that felt foreign, even to me.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票