Vermur felt a tingle as he shivered back to reality and the present of this horrible situation that his flashback had gotten him out of.
His avidity was now verified as his eyes saw something that only he could see. The dim silvery glow of the system window that had popped up from before.
And on the new information that was once cur of by the sudden flashback disruption was seen clearly yet barely by the anxious Vermur.
[Notice]
Spark and mind integration progress:
■■■■■■■□□□/ 75% complete.
The short but clear information that was displayed by the system window that calmed and exited Vermur.
For now that he understood many things unlike before he came to many conclusions about this situation.
Could he survive if this mind and spark thingy had completed?
If so, then how would it help completely?
Yes, it was very very useful to the point where he understood what many words he thought and spoke meant.
He was now partially capable of analysing the situation not like before.
He was fully aware of his surroundings which in turn gave his body the partial benefit of break it had given since customly forcing itself to adapt to the harsh nature around the even weaker victim.
But what then again what was the real benefit from this?
How was he going to protect himself from the upcoming danger far away. Well. At least for now.
And that's why he knew it, painfully and regretfully so.
So much that he bit his lip just from the shire frustration of the thought that an iron taste filled his mouth not long after.
He didn't care that much as he even desperately sucked the blood that trickled from his lower lip and and into his throat.
The taste was alarming and bitter but his hungar one that he hadn't realised up to now that his body possed got the better of him until the bitter iron taste stopped gradually.
He released his lower lip from his frustrated bite as the cold blurry gushes of wind patched the wound that had already been sucked dry. The sensation of it was horrible so. So much that thin trails of scarlet perked from the corner of Vermur's eyes. He clenched his fists as well as the pains of the cold and frustration seeping into his very body made him want to kill himself but he had to hold strong.
Crack.
Tsszt!
"Hm?"
For the greater piece of attention his mind ought to be on lain right a head of him. Far but he knew that moment whatever happened to that egg before the system could fully finish the spark and mind integration, he would be a breathe away from death once more.
But right now...
"Huhhh? The heck is this?"
His face contorted with worry and his body trembled, feelings and sensations that old clueless him would have never completely reacted to.
His eyes darted from left to right shortly as he read the information that was displayed on screen.
[Warning!]
You are in a Red Teir 4 danger zone!
Reason; You are currently in the hatching area of an evolving Anomaly Teir 2 Vigilis!
Master Vermur is encouraged to evacuate tk to safety immediately.
Survival odds: 0%
[Warning!]
Vermur. Being the old that he was would have never understood the gravity of the situation he was in. Its meaning. Or whatever the information on the screen meant. But at least... at the him then... would have felt the same sensation that the current him felt ver very regretfully.
And that was... fear.
The current him analysed three things from this warning. One, was that he was mostly definitely screwed. Two, that his understanding of this meant that he actually had to run further away from here or completely.
But third was a flurry of questions that he just couldn't answer.
The system told him to escape the area that he stood in, but was there really anywhere safe to escape to?
If so then how long would it take to reach that place? For he at least knew that no safe place was close to this area.
But... if the system told him to run then he could actually get somewhere safe right?
A grin happy but barely tugging at his skin, hopefully yet fake flashed on his face as he looked back at the screen that bore the integration's progress info.
[Notice]
Spark and mind integration progress:
■■■■■■■■□□/ 85.69% complete
His eyes bulged and his breathes tightened and rapidly increased as he gazed upon the system window.
Crack, crack, crack.
[Warning!]
You are in a Red Teir 4 danger zone!
Reason; You are currently in the hatching area of an evolving Anomaly Teir 2 Vigilis!
Master Vermur is encouraged to evacuate tk to safety immediately.
Survival odds: -10%
[Warning!]
His eye twitched his and straightened back hunched as it that finally lost it. Why though?
"Ahhhh! Since when in the good name of peaches was there ever a negative chance if surviving???!"
He saud as he stkmped his foot to the ground in annoyance repeatedly as he then straightened up again as he called out, "Hey Pyxlus!!! I need you please!"
His call soon turned into a loud and desperate cry that was haphazardly interrupted by Pyxlus's voice soon after.
[Yes Master Vermur?]
Vermur's eyes snapped wide open with a glint of desperate flashing in them as he said, "Yessss! Pyxlus!"
"You cameeee!"
He said as he jumped for joy as tear fell from his right eye. Freezing faster than it felt as it hit the snowy ground.
Tha sharp sting of the cold brought Vermur back to his senses as he looked from his left to right as he then remembered that he couldn't see Pyxlus only here his close yet mysterious voice loom in his mind.
But then he paused.
Crack.
His breathes slowed.
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
His thoughts ceased.
Crack, crack.
His blood flow softened as it slowed as well.
[Warning!]
[Warning!]
His body loosened faintly as he then looked up.
Not into the sky but just at his sight height level. And he realised something. Not the beauty of the cold place. Not the danger that was growing larger and closer to him. But, a strange calmness that was haphazardly tipped with a hint of boredom in his eyes.
He didn't know why he felt this way. And why he felt like this now. But one thing was for sure.
"Yo, Pyxlus."
[Yes.]
"How long do I got until that egg hatches and pops out of that ugly as vomit looking beast?"
[....]
[...Three minutes]
Pyxlus spoke a hint of hesitation gleemed beneath his calm systematic and alive voice.
"Ahhh, okay."
"What are my supposed chances of survival?"
[They have lowered to a diminishing -25%, Master Vermur.]
"Ahhh, okay... okay... okay..."
Vermur responded his voice slim and playful now like a normal child his age was supposed to be but... was surprisingly laced with a cold calculation that lingered aside.
He then smirked blissfully and added, "Then... from what I can remember..."
He pondered as his gaze fell back on the screen that bore integration progress as it read 91.78% complete.
And said, "There has to be a way... a way to reduce those negative chances and make them as weigh in my favor right?"
He said as a sudden silence hung in the air slowly filling with a feeling that...
[Yes, yes there is.]
Even Pxylus felt.
And it was a heavy pride. That radiated from the young boy who once knew nothing more than his own name.
Crack!
[WARNING!]
THE HATCHING IS COMPLETE!
AN ANOMALY TIER 4 VIGILIS HAS SPAWNED!
YOU ARE ADVISED TO EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!
Survival odds: -50%
[WARNING!]
"Uhhh, it was just 25 just a minute ago and now us when it decides to hatch?"
Vermur groveled with a hint if exhaustion in his voice as he looked in the patch from which he came.
And his gaze sharp like the beast's in this blurry snowy territory caught a glimpse of what was going on just a head.
And when he did...
"Uhh, Pyxlus?"
[Yes, Master Vermur.]
"If I run now, will I survive?"
[No, a tier 4 Anomaly beast can simply track your scent like it did earlier. This time its evolved body will make it even more efficient to hunt. Even here where the cold could sharply kill one without realisation.]
"Mch, fine.... give it to me."
[Please specify what is it you need?]
"Pxylus, I need you to tell me how I can increase my chances of surviving this... if that's even possible at this point?"
[Yes Master Vermur. Surprisingly so, yes there is a chance for that but you will have to cooperate to maximum and trust everything I tell you.]
Vermur raised a brow.
[Because if you even question a single instruction of mine. You will die.]
He said as Vermur unconsciously swallowed a small bit of saliva down his throat. One to warm his freezing throat and two...
STOMP!
Because they had some company.
"Crap."
That arrived sooner than it should have.