17. Confusion
The ability I gained upon reaching Sequence 8 had significantly enhanced my threads. They had become stronger, sharper, and more responsive to my control. At least against normal humans, I doubted anyone could break them now unless they specialize in physical strength.
But there were four new abilities that accompanied my advancement: Detection, Poison, Repellent Evil Eye, and Night Vision.
I'd already grasped the basic principles of each of them when I ascended to Sequence 8, but until now, I hadn't had the chance to fully test them and grasp its full capability.
Night Vision was the most straightforward ability. It enhanced my sight in the dark — no matter how dim the surroundings, I could see as clearly as if it were noon. I wasn't yet certain how it would perform in complete darkness, but for now, I had no doubt about its effectiveness.
Poison was more versatile than I had expected. I could generate various kinds — paralytics, fast-acting toxins, slow-acting killers — but all in liquid form. I could coat my threads with it or deliver the venom through scratches and bites. I couldn't create gas-based poisons — not yet, at least — and I still wasn't sure if I could apply it to other weapons or if I was immune to other poisons. The potency of the poison was also questionable.
Detection was an active skill. When used, it should allow me to gather information from my surroundings—maybe even more. But the effective range, sensitivity, and limits? All unknown.
And then there was the Repellent Evil Eye. This ability was ridiculous — it was as if my very gaze carried a force, a pressure that could push anyone or anything away. The power and range of the effect were still unknown, but the idea of blowing someone away with nothing more than a glance was oddly enticing. I wasn't sure how much control I had over it yet, but I knew it could become a weapon in the right situation.
My new sponsor: Demon-like Judge of Fire.
Among the five options I had, two were instant no's. If I could meet them in person, I'd punch them just for thinking we were the same type.
The others, Enemy of Injustice and Protector of the Weak, sounded noble. Too noble. I'm no hero—I'd be a hypocrite to pretend I am.
In the end, Demon-like Judge of Fire was the most tolerable. Demons had flexibility. I could work with that its not that different from my system anyway.
then, our search for Yoo Da Hee had to be postponed.
Not long after the sponsor selection, Main Scenario #2 had begun.
'The scenario area has been contaminated. Quickly, head to the underground!'
The announcement echoed, its tone cold and urgent. As if on cue, a thick, purplish smoke began descending from the sky. It wasn't just any fog—it was toxic, a sickly hue that seemed to scream poison as it spread. The air became heavier, as if the very atmosphere was being laced with something deadly.
"Chris!" NaRi's voice cut through the rising tension. Her panic was unmistakable as she watched the descending fog, her hands clutching her younger siblings closer.
"We need to get underground, now," I said, my voice calm as I quickly analyzed the situation. "We'll look for your sister there. I'm sure she'll head underground too."
"You know where the nearest entrance is?" I asked, already scanning our surroundings.
NaRi looked around, her eyes darting as she tried to locate the entrance. After a moment, she nodded, determined. "Yes, I know the way. I'll lead."
"Hand over Da Mi," I said, offering to carry the younger siblings. We couldn't afford to waste any time.
With NaRi leading the way, we moved swiftly toward the underground entrance. By the time we reached it, Jae Hee and Da Mi had already woken up, groggy but awake.
"Are you alright?" I asked, my concern evident as I looked at NaRi, who was breathing heavily, her face pale from the exertion.
"Hah... How are you still fine after all that?" she gasped, clearly struggling to catch her breath.
My strength had clearly increased after reaching Sequence 8. "I exercise every day," I said, shrugging casually. But I could see the doubt in NaRi's eyes—her expression clearly said she didn't believe me for a second.
"Let's go, we're blocking the entrance like this," I said, ignoring her skeptical look as I pushed forward into the station. She followed without further comment, though her gaze lingered on me for a moment longer.
Inside, the underground station was already crowded, with people seeking shelter from the poisonous fog. The number of people continued to grow by the second.
After finding a spot by the wall, we finally got a chance to rest. Fortunately, there were a few empty seats nearby, so we let the two children sit down while I leaned against the wall next to them. There was another seat for NaRi, but she refused to sit. I knew she'd probably take it once she was too tired to stand any longer, so I didn't push the issue.
I stayed silent, my gaze drifting around the dimly lit station. NaRi was busy looking after her younger siblings, her hands moving with the gentle care of someone who'd done this a hundred times before. The quiet moments felt a bit strange
A brief respite. There was nothing that made sense in this world anymore. How had I ended up here, It was already bizarre enough how I ended up becoming Chris. And now, here I was, in South Korea—as Chris—but this world was nothing like the one I remembered. Was this even the same South Korea I once knew? Do I even know about South Korea? Is the system helping me or controlling me? who was D anyway? How was I able to become beyonder?
No matter how many times I pondered the question, I knew I wouldn't be able to make sense of it. Yet, no matter how illogical it seemed, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The questions gnawed at me, pulling my thoughts in a thousand different directions, even though I knew I had no answers.
Sigh...
I should keep myself busy. The chaos in my mind wasn't helping, so I shifted my focus to the unchecked abilities I had gained.
Night Vision was the easiest to test. As we entered the station, the dimming light barely affected me. It was as if the night had no hold on my vision. I could see as clearly as if it were still daylight. The passive effect was straightforward, no surprises there.
Then there was Poison. I couldn't do much with it without a test subject, so I put that aside for now.
Next was the Repellent Evil Eye. It also needed a target, so I'd save that for later as well.
Finally, Detection. This one seemed to be the most overpowered. It had the potential to help me in ways I couldn't even fully comprehend. I was eager to try it out.
The moment I activated Detection, my world turned into a chaotic whirlwind of sensory overload. The sheer volume of information surged into my mind, too much to process all at once. It felt like I had a pair of eyes in every direction, ears that could hear everything, and an unnatural sense that connected me to everything around me. It was as though I could feel everything in my vicinity, and the rush of data was suffocating.
It was disorienting, overwhelming. It was like a bull was rampaging through my mind, every movement, every sound, every shift in the environment crashing through my consciousness all at once.
"Aghh!" I cried out in agony, instinctively turning off the detection, but the damage had already been done. My head throbbed violently, each pulse a reminder of how much I had just overwhelmed my senses.
Before I knew it, my knees buckled. My body collapsed against the cold wall of the station, struggling to catch my breath, trying to ground myself in the present moment.
"--ris..."
"--pa!!"
I could hear distant voices, but they were muffled, unclear. Everything around me started to fade, and I felt my consciousness slipping. It was as though my brain had gone into survival mode, shutting down in an attempt to protect itself from the chaos I had just unleashed.
*Bzzt
'Contact with special being had been confirmed'
'Placing anchor….'