「@*@#? is awakening...」
'What? That skill? The skill that I couldn't even view before?' I ponder.
Suddenly, I felt power surging in me. "Wh-what!?!" I blurt out, confused. But then I realized; this must be the power from the skill!
"Let's go! This MUST be my isekai protagonist cheat, right?" I mean, with this power, I feel like I could take over the world! However, as suddenly as it came, the power left me, making me feel empty.
"Wh-where did me power go!?!?" I once again blurt out in confusion. Understandably so too, I just lost so much power. To elaborate, imagine if you were blind. Suddenly, you gain your vision. As you jump in joy about the fact that you regained your vision, it immediately goes away. The only thing you can think in that situation would be something like 'Why did I even get it in the first place if it's just going to get it taken away?'
And that's the exact thought I'm having right now. WHY CAN'T I JUST HAVE OP ISEKAI PROTAGONIST POWER FOR ONCE! I mean, I guess I have a few cheats, but those still require me to train and stuff! Why can't I just be isekai'd with unbeatable power!
Wait...what if I'm thinking about this wrong? What if I'm actually one of those weak to strong mc's who needs to work hard to get op? Well, if that's the case, I'm screwed. My procrastination would never let me work hard.
Well, at least it's better than being a cunning mc who's completely weak. I mean, I love novels like that, but I personally could NEVER. I'm not good at being cunning at all! I'm the type of person to smile when telling even the slightest of lies.
'Anyway, I'm getting too off track here.'
I open my status to check the trait that just awakened.
「Trait: @#@*?
「This is a trait of the user's soul since he is a #@$#%% of )#*@)#$*. The user cannot view anymore about this trait at their current level. Skills: soul's voice (lvl 1)」
Wow. I won't even tell me the name! Wait, what does it mean by it's a trait of my soul? Aiya, I guess if I want to know more about what this "trait of my soul" is. I mean, I can barely see one sentence of it!
Anyway, the only other lead I have on this trait is the skill it gave me and the fact that I'll know a bit more as I level up. 'Since checking the skill is something I can do right now, I guess that's what I'll check out first.' I think until I heard a voice very similar to mine echoing in the back of my head.
'Run'
Before I could question it, my body instinctively moved away from the spot I was at. At the same time, a deep claw mark appeared where I was standing. A claw mark so bad it would've killed me the second it touched me.
"Not bad. At least, for a human."
"Wh-who are you?" I say to the being shrouded in darkness in front of me.
"Ha! A mere Avatar Realm weakling like you doesn't even deserve to know my name!" it said before slashing at me again. However, I was actually prepared this time. I summon my stick and move it to the place at which the being was about to slash at me. Thankfully, I made it in time. However, even though I blocked the attack, I was pushed back quite far. Not only that, I feel like a few of my internal organs got hit from the impact.
I immediately cast my great heal to heal as much as I can. Thankfully, I had time to do this since the shadow was just standing there.
"How did-HOW DID A PATHETIC AND USELESS AVATAR REALM LIKE YOU BLOCK MY ATTACK!?! NO, HOW *DARE* YOU BLOCK MY ATTACK?!?" The being said in a fury. "AND YOU DARE TO HEAL IN FRONT OF ME?"
Suddenly, it slash at me again. However, I was prepared this time. As its big, indigo claw sped towards me at high speeds, I use my manifestation, topped with frost mana, hoping it was enough; spoiler alert, it wasn't.
I was sent flying yet again. This time, however, the frost mana had enough defense to save my insides. I started racking my brain to find a way to survive this situation.
'Ok so, looking at how he's fighting, I get the feeling he went for a glass cannon build. At least, I seriously hope he went for one of those, because if not, I don't stand a chance! With a glass cannon build, he would most likely go down easily. Now I just need to figure out how I can get that hit in...' I think, multi-tasking as my animal instincts go into overdrive to block as many hits I have being sent my way as possible.
'Wait...maybe my way of thinking has been...too in the box. So far, I've only been using my manifestation for a bladed weapon, like a sword or a spear...but what if I can make more weapons? What if...I can make a shield?'
SHIING!
Suddenly, a clashing sound was heard. The shadow around the being fades just a bit to reveal the being's shock, which is second to only my shock as I look at the beautiful, light cerulean shield that was branching off from my stick.
"HA! I WAS RIGHT!" I yell like a madman. However, I wasn't going to let my excitement ruin this opportunity. I quickly turn my shield into a spear, getting ready to thrust it forward. As I was about to reach the being, it lets out a maniacal laugh.
"FOOL! YOU REALLY THOUGHT YOU COULD TAKE OUT A PEAK DEMI-GOD BEING LIKE ME WHILE BEING AN AVATAR? HAHAHA! DO YOUR WORST!"
Just as I heard this, I felt an immense pressure on me. However, I didn't mind this as my mind only thought one thing: 'So you can help me with my ascension quest?'
With my newfound strength that stemmed from the rewards I would get from beating this being, I put my all into my strike. Sure, he's right. A NORMAL Avatar wouldn't be able to take him. But guess what? I'm the something of something! I can't lose here!
"Well then, don't mind me!" I say, trying to imitate an isekai protagonist. Then, with all my might, I pierce through the being's body.
The shadow surrounding the being suddenly disappeared as the being who was laughing hysterically just now adopted an ugly face.
"I-impossible! You're only an Avatar rank! You shouldn't be able to kill me! Wait, could it be that those bastards lied to m-" The being spouted. However, I didn't even let him finish his sentence as I changed my spear into a sword and sliced straight up, cutting the being in half.
I quickly jump back in case the being was about to pull some absolute bs. However, after waiting for a few minutes, it didn't seem like it was going, so I heave a sigh of relief.
Phew!
That might've been my hardest opponent yet!
While I feel a bit remorseful that I need to kill to survive, I'm starting to accept it. After all, he tried to kill me first!
Besides, I can't think about that right now. 'He said something about bastards telling him something...is someone...after me? Who could it be?'
Because of this, I don't have time to be worried about killing.
As I try to convince myself that I'm doing the right thing, I check to see if the being is actually dead or not. After confirming it, I start walking away. However, a shining orb caught my eye. Right! The skill core!
As I move to pick it up, I get a system notification.
「Due to tutorial simulation stopping abruptly, ascension quest requirements have reduced」
「New Ascension requirements: Kill 10 demi-gods OR kill 1 peak demi-god」