[You have slain a dormant human, Name: Unknown.]
As I heard the voice of the Spell, I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment because I didn't receive a Memory.
I leaned against the wall behind me, panting, as my blood ceased its acceleration. It was intense.
This was my first kill.
I raised my hand to stare at it,
but saw nothing.
No trembling.
My emotions were calm. I simply... didn't care.
Everyone here besides me is an illusion created by the Spell. Killing them is my legitimate right to survive.
I am a predator.
I am a hunter.
I am a monster building its path with blood-soaked steps, leaving mountains of corpses behind.
In fact, compared to what I plan to do, killing one man is nothing. Soon... very soon, I will build the first mountain of corpses behind me, walking in its wake toward a future of my own making.
As my breathing began to steady, I realized I had to leave soon. Sooner or later, they would discover the body, and when they come, I won't be there. Before leaving, I searched the man's pockets and found some coins. Well, that's good. Perhaps I should stop near a shop to buy some food.
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Hmmmm... I was now in a street I could barely call a market. Despite the presence of shops selling various things, the general atmosphere was extremely suffocating. Hahaha, what stupidity; the atmosphere in all parts of the Forgotten Shore is suffocating and lethal. If I were to describe it correctly, I would say it felt like the Sword of Damocles hanging over everyone's neck.
In the end, while I was thinking, I was also watching the sparse movement in the market and was able to estimate the money I had and what I could do with it. My eyes settled on a dilapidated shop made of rough black stone, featuring a table with some bread on it. Beside the table was something resembling a jar; I bet it contained water.
Well, I guess this miserable money I have won't bring me anything but a piece of bread and some water. To hell with you all. Next time, I'll make sure to kill someone richer. Anything would be better than this miserable man. Hmm, maybe I should have tortured him more?
Eventually, I approached the absent-minded seller and asked him while pointing to a dry piece of bread with some mold on it. I bet I'll need to accelerate my blood just to take a bite out of it.
"How much for this?"
The man turned toward me with clear annoyance, staring at the spot I pointed to. "This bread is five copper coins, and if you want half, the price will be 3 coins."
Hmm... I looked at my hand and found seven coins; I took them out and placed them on the counter. "Can you give me water as well?"
Before I finished my sentence, the seller had taken the coins while tossing the bread at me, and shortly after, he placed a cup of water as well.
"Thank you."
I drank the water and left, carrying the bread in my hand as I walked toward the church.
This bread was...
disgusting. Loathsome. Tsk. Well, it's not like I have another choice.
The option of eating the meat of the man I killed was there, but I was certain the scent of blood would attract the soldiers or whatever they call the Awakened here.
As I finished the last crumbs of bread, licking them from my hand, I raised my head to stare at the building in front of me. It was beautiful. Majestic. This was the Cathedral where Sunny lived in the Dark City. And also, it was the residence of the Priestess who would later become the Fallen Terror, the Crimson Terror. Hahahaha... now she is nothing but a beautiful young lady.
I wiped my hands on my clothes as I walked calmly into the church. The moment I stepped inside, I felt something. A gaze. As if something was examining me. After a while, that feeling left, and I continued walking. If I'm right, this must be the Guardian of the Cathedral. The Fallen Devil that tore Sunny apart. This means he is at least an [Ascended] now.
Inside the room was beautiful and spacious. The stone walls were engraved with intricate patterns, creating an atmosphere of sanctity and elegance. The furniture was made out of pale polished wood. The room had no windows, however, there were light wells cunningly hidden here and there.
However, none of this was what made one feel awe. That feeling stemmed from the statue at the far end of the hall. For a moment, the statue looked like a living being looking at everyone in the hall. The statue depicted a delicate woman whose features were covered by a dark veil, while her head looked downward.
Well, nice to meet you too, Lady Goddess.
I approached the first chair I found on the left side and sat down. I was at the far end of the hall, at the closest point to the gate. I raised my head slightly to stare at the people present. There was a man quietly lighting candles on the platform without making any sound. I turned to my right to find a woman holding a flower in her hand while bowing her head to pray.
Hmmmm... I focused on the way she held her hands and tried to imitate her. After a few attempts, I felt I had mastered the method well enough. I lowered my head quietly as I began moving my lips as if I were reciting a sacred text.
What was I saying?
"To hell with the Spell, to hell with Weaver, to hell with the Forgotten Shore, to hell with the Daemons, to hell with the Gods, to hell with everyone who played a part in bringing me here, to hell with you, to hell with you, to hell with you."
On the other side, the man lighting the candles looked toward me, smiling, while his gaze carried a certain warmth. To hell with you too, old man.
And so, I kept my head down, my features frowning and sad, while I cursed everyone who came to mind. After all, the only certain thing is that I will stay in this position for a long time. And well... it's fine; I have a good list of people to curse.
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The Author here. Hello everyone, I hope you are all having pleasant nights and sleeping well. How are you doing?
Honestly, I am writing this to apologize for the mistakes that occurred in the previous chapter. I am certain they were incredibly annoying, and I don't blame you for that; I hate it too. In my defense, I hadn't slept for two days at the time the chapter was posted, and I felt too exhausted to review it properly, especially since I was traveling and away from home.
Now, the other reason I'm writing this is to vent a little. I had actually pre-written several chapters to ensure a consistent posting schedule without any interruptions, but suddenly, I felt they were terrible and ended up deleting them all. Now, I'm stuck here with no back-up chapters, and I have to rush to publish something. I'm not sure what exactly is stressing me out—is it my desire to keep this Nightmare short? Has the lack of sleep finally caught up to me? Or is it that writing my first combat scene is straining my nerves more than I'd like to admit?
Anyway, that is all. I wish you all a wonderful day, and thank you for your continuous support. Don't forget to comment, send Power Stones, and leave reviews—you are the reason I keep going.