<[CHAPTER 5]>
[The Awakening of the Corrupted!] [Part 2]
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The echo of the roar still vibrated in the air.
It wasn't just sound.
It was weight.
With it, he not only emitted a sound, but also released a pressure that made the grass ripple under an invisible pressure, as if the world itself were being compressed.
The air became dense, almost solid. Near tried to move. Nothing happened. His body didn't respond, his chest tightened, and his breath failed.
The roar had sounded like a decree of imminent death, and the heavy atmosphere worsened this feeling.
–"Damn it… move!"
His thoughts were causing him to collapse; his knee buckled, not from fear. It was much worse, absolute exhaustion. The interface appeared and the system didn't lie, the zero stamina made his body give up before his mind.
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[STATUS]
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• HP: 20 -> 0
• SP: 25 -> 0
• MP: 25 -> 0
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[ATTRIBUTES]
━━━━━━━━
• RES: 10
• PER: 15
• PHYSICAL APT: 10
• APT Mag: 15
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The boy's body was ordinary, but in that state any direct attack was a real risk of death. His senses were slightly above average, allowing him to detect details of the environment even under that pressure. His movements were basic, unrefined, his physical combat was limited. His magical potential was slightly above average, his control was unstable… but promising.
And with those statistics, facing such adversity, the boy was simply surviving.
The weight of the numerical data in The OtherWorld was very significant in practice. Surprised, he tried to assimilate everything in search of a solution.
–"So that's it? Numbers… deciding whether I live or die…"
A low laugh escaped.
–"... what a joke... I refuse!"
In the midst of his thoughts, a silhouette passed by his side, and instinctively he rolled over.
BOOM!!!
The ground exploded behind him, earth and grass were thrown into the air. He barely dodged, but luckily the attack was directed at some red balloons hidden in the grass.
Then she appeared... the unknown entity had approached; she wasn't like the other monsters in the area, something was wrong in that place.
Her body, covered by a worn cloak, something moved inside, pulsating, expanding, contracting... as if the space inside was being devoured...
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[NOTIFICATION]
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• Entity released a debuff.
- Mobility reduced by -40%.
- Current survival chance 0.3%.
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–"This… is going to kill me!"
Then… the world froze. A strange noise echoed in his mind. It sounded like something breaking, awakening.
–"…no, not now… it's not your time yet!"
That voice. It was cold, familiar, and very wrong. His eyes darkened, he ceased to exist, and something else took over, causing the air around him to collapse. Dark energy leaked from his body, distorting space like a broken reflection.
The ground He sank.
A distortion, his mind glitched, and the world seemed to freeze. Then, something inside him responded…
–"Vortex of Dissipation!" "
He intoned with a broken voice, the brief period of time in control was enough.
The vortex appeared after those words, a black distortion in his hand.
In what seemed like pure instinct, he didn't think, nor was he controlling his own body.
The sphere was launched against the creature.
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[ABILITY]
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•Name: Vortex of Dissipation
•Rank: F
•Type: Active
•Cost: 10 MP
•Description:
- Suction ability, allows to suck targets into the sphere.
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He had regained control, surprised, his face frowning as he observed the impact of his ability. The creature was erased, and with it the balloons that were nearby trying to escape, but at a price.
He fell.
Something dormant inside him had awakened, the sealed thing, the monster, that presence that his own parents had placed within him, and the voice emerged again.
–"...you would really die without my help, regrettable!"
The boy froze, his body trembled, he tried to get up, but fell again, the interface flickered.
–"...shut up... shut your mouth!"
A sudden silence.
–"...damn it, I need to rest...without it, I don't think I'll be able to fight..."
He wondered to himself, and the system appeared to him in Response.
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[NOTIFICATION]
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• Status!
- Very low SP, next physical action will trigger automatic fall.
- Very low MP, no magic skills available in a conventional way.
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–"...funny, this stopped being a game and turned into an execution... but, I used magic... how?"
He fell to his knees and talked to himself.
He tried to remember the moment he lost control of his body.
–"..."
FLASHBACK, the system glowed red.
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[CRITICAL WARNING]
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• Vortex of Dissipation
- Use in a negative state.
- Forced use state.
• Mana use in a negative state.
- Risk of exhaustion detected.
- Possible permanent damage.
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The controlling entity didn't care.
–"Vortex of Dissipation!"
He uttered… the air collapsed, even without mana, he forced it, [•Mp: 0 -> -10] the pain came along.
His body froze for a moment, but the magic surged and the system converted.
Even in collapse he executed.
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[CONVERSION]
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• VORTEX OF DISSIPATION
- 10 Mana
- 15 Magical Aptitude
- ×1 Rank F Constant
• RESULT
- ( 10 + 15 ) ×1 = 25
- 25 Strength + 25 Speed = 50 Final Damage.
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The flashback ended and there was no time left.
Returning to the present…
POOF!!!
The entity reappeared, not whole, but fragmented, divided into smaller creatures that emerged from it, and unlike them, the balloons that had been pulled were distorted and erased from existence.
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[NOTIFICATION]
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• MONSTER DETECTED.
- Identification: Dire Rat (E)
• Providing information.
- Searching the database…
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[Skill]
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•Bite (E)
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[Status]
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•HP: 50 -> 20
•SP: 40
•Mp: 30
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[Attributes]
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•Res: 20
•Per: 20
•Physical Aptitude: 30
•Aptitude Magic: 10
━───────────━
• MONSTERS DEFEATED
- Orange Balloons (5)
- Providing information…
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Orange Balloons
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Description: Balloons are inorganic monsters that float and bounce across the plains of the Kingdom of Isenai, with the Orange ones being the most common and weakest among them; when defeated, they drop balloon skin.
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Skills
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•Bite (E)
•Flotation (F)
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Status
━───────────━
•Hp: 20 -> -20
•Sp: 20
•Mp: 20
━───────────━
Attributes
━───────────━
•Res: 10
•Per: 10
•Phy: 10
•Mag: 10
━───────────━
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He tried to look at the notification more calmly, but there wasn't enough time.
As if that wasn't enough…
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[NOTIFICATION]
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• MANA EXHAUSTION (Detected)
- Subsequent actions will reduce Magic Apt. by 20%
- Risk of disorientation or fainting if aggravated.
- Risk of complete immobilization in five actions.
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–"Seriously? I won't be able to survive…"
He breathed heavily, before he could react a rat jumped on him.
And then a blade crossed the air. The rat was split in half, in a clean and precise cut.
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[ABILITY]
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•Name: Hunter's Territory
•Rank: E
•Type: Passive
•Cost: Zero
•Description:
- Allows reading of enemy field and patterns.
– Increases combat perception by +20%.
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–"So, you're screwed too…"
The voice came out calm.
It was almost irritating how normal it was amidst the situation. Near looked and observed a young man removing his thrown sword from the rat's body.
He sat in a meditative position on the grass and preferred to relax, adopting a firm meditative posture.
"At least now I won't die alone..."
He murmured to the young man. The latter sighed, picking up the hilt of his other sheathed sword.
"What a shitty optimism you have!"
He advanced, making another cut and killing another rat.
"I am Akaza... Akaza Greid, and boy, if you're going to die... try not to get in the way."
He spoke without even looking back. Near smiled slightly, but sincerely.
"Fair enough... Near William, by the way!"
He murmured as he saw someone arriving to help him.
In response to the interaction between the two, the atmosphere changed again, now seeming lighter for them.
"...sources of danger identified." The individual murmured.
"Eleven monsters remaining… an unknown monster in the distance… and the instability of that face is the worst!"
He paused.
His hand rested on the hilt of his sheathed sword. The unsheathed twin blade vibrated, responding to the still environment after the execution of the previous attack. He was no ordinary adventurer; he possessed lineage and, above all, training and discipline.
"You look like a novice, your condition is critical. But you're still fighting… I admire that! Now, I'm eighteen years old and I don't intend to die a virgin… so, let's finish off these monsters quickly."
He knew that even he wasn't prepared to face this, especially alone. So he was betting on the little one, but something bothered him, and it wasn't the boy's courage, it was the abnormal way he was handling the situation.
Akaza advanced, quickly assessing himself.
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[STATUS]
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• HP: 30 -> 0
• SP: 35 -> 25
• MP: 15 -> 0
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[ATTRIBUTES]
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• RES: 10
• PER: 15
• PHYSICAL APT: 20
• APT Magic: 5
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–"For me… magic is useless here, so I'll solve this the old-fashioned way, you do what you can!"
His physical aptitude was superior to his low magical aptitude; hand-to-hand combat was ideal.
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[ABILITY]
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•Name: Fencing of Acceleration
•Rank: F
•Type: Active
•Cost: 10 MP
•Description:
- Allows the use of acceleration force in fencing.
- Increases speed in combat by +10%.
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He drew his other sword and used his skill without hesitation on each one.
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[CONVERSION]
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• ACCELERATION FENCING
- 10 Stamina
- 20 Physical Aptitude
- ×1 Rank F Constant
• RESULT
- (10 + 20) ×1 = 25 (+10% for Speed)
- 25 Strength + 28 Speed = 53 Final Damage.
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Even without knowing each other, they were fighting together.
Akaza advanced, with the first movement a creature was cut in half. The second, slower but heavier, another rat was split in half as well.
But then… silence remained, the air… grew heavy.
It wasn't like before, it was worse. This time… the murderous intent was much greater; the entity watching from afar truly existed and was observing.
The shapeless mass of rats contracted and then… they seemed to respond, simultaneously stopping as if they had received an absolute command.
"This isn't instinct… it's total control!"
Akaza murmured, his breath failing.
He gripped the hilts of his swords, trying to control his muscles trembling with fear; his body screamed to stop.
But even so, he advanced against the rats, savoring that moment.
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[NOTIFICATION]
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• MAIN THREAT DETECTED
- Estimated Rank ???.
- Extreme power difference.
- Chance of victory 0.1%
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Akaza, after finishing off two more rats, smiled upon receiving the notification.
–"Of course it couldn't be that easy!"
Near, in turn, stood up, laughing weakly.
–"At least 0.1% isn't exactly zero…"
Having risen after a brief rest, he prepares to act.
–"Hey, Akaza… thanks for the time you bought for me, now I can help you. It's not much, but I'm 20% recharged."
The brief meditation had helped a little; he was almost out of HP, SP, and MP… but he was still alive.
And that… in The OtherWorld was already an admirable achievement.
Elsewhere, on the same plain.
At the top of a distant hill in the opposite direction from the confrontation, a figure observes the boys fighting.
Standing silently with an overwhelming presence.
–"Interesting… let's see how far you can go… maybe I won't even have to intervene!"
He took a step. Walking calmly across the plain towards the confrontation, meticulously analyzing every detail.
Back to the confrontation with the rats.
BOOM!!!
An immense pressure weighed on the young adventurers. The creature appeared before them amidst the rats, inside a small crater.
Instantly, they both froze, and the debuff began to take hold. Fear returned, and neither Near nor Akaza could move or react.
The creature attacked.
It opened its mouth to devour the boys; for them, the world around them began to distort. Their bodies wouldn't react, their breath caught, and yet they forced themselves forward because in that world, stopping meant dying.
The slow die, it was that simple.
And then…