I stood right before that invisible line.
The line where everything bright and green turned dark and wrong.
Behind me, sunlight hit soft leaves and gold grass.
And ahead, the bark was darker, the air heavier, even the color of the light felt… off.
Like someone had taken a paintbrush and just turned goth halfway through the world.
Even the air that came my way from there felt heavier.
Not to mention the concentration of mana.
I stretched my arms, rolling my shoulders till they popped while scrolling through the shop with the most comforting list imaginable - bombs.
Right then, a ding cut through the air.
-Ding!
{Quest is Optional. The host may turn around if it is too much.}
I blinked once. "You calling me a little bitch, system?"
-Ding!
{No.}
"Good," I said, lips twitching, "'…cause those days are gone now."
My thumb hovered over the same thing I'd used to barbecue Laro and his boys.
Still one of my finest moments.
{
Alchemic Incendiary (Uncommon): Impact-triggered containment charge.
Upon collision, the shell ruptures, spraying thermic gel that sticks to surfaces.
Keeps burning for at least 10 seconds at around 1,200°C.
Resists water.
Price: 20 Credits.
Warning: Reckless use may result in severe burns, suffocation, or fatal immolation to the Host. Use responsibly.
}
I bought four. Then three Grade 9 healing potions, and a Grade 9 mana potion that could recover 100 MP.
-Ding!
{Cart Total: 285}
And the next moment, my credits dropped to one-eighty.
Bought these not for the wyvern. Nah.
These were for everything between here and that flying nightmare.
Besides, if I wanna bring Mom back, I'll have to start taking stupid risks.
Time's already short.
The longer I take getting stronger, the more time I'll have to undo later… and that means more mana.
So I can't take my time.
Can't stop.
Can't rest.
Gotta rush it.
And that means treating suicidal missions like morning walks.
"Funny how the time guy's short on time," I muttered, half-laughing, half-tired. "Still… think I got an idea how to kill that thing."
I popped open the status window just to be sure everything was full.
[Protocol: Chronos]
Name: Arlen Hale
Race: Human
Circuits: 2
Affinity: Time, Red Lightning
Level: 7 (Tier , Mid-Stage)
XP: 1,642 / 1,708
Status: Normal
Stat Points: 0
Stats
STR: 1
AGI: 1
EDU: 1
DEX: 1
MP: 36 / 36
MP Regen: 0.1/sec + 0.5/sec (Ambient Mana)
LCK: 1
Magic
Red Lightning Reinforcement (Epic) (Active) (Min. 5 MP/sec) (7 Circuits for Optimal Function)
Skills
Precognition (Legendary) (Active) (Min. 2 MP/sec) (2 Circuits for Optimal Function)
Gear
Crossbow (Heirloom), Partisan Spear (Rare)
Credits: 180
Tabs: [Shop] [Inventory] [Map] [Crafting]
"Back to full," I muttered. "But still 0.5 MP/sec more in regen… would this increase the deeper in go?"
The map blinked next before my vision with a satellite view of my surroundings.
A little blue arrow for me, an orange dot far ahead for the wyvern.
Everything between us fogged out like the system just refused to spoil the surprise.
Only the parts I'd walked before were visible.
And on the compass bar above my sight, that same orange dot pulsed.
14.2 KM.
That's it.
Fourteen point two kilometres between me and the dumbest idea I've ever had.
And with a final deep breath, I stopped just before the line.
My heart wouldn't slow down from all the excitement, and the rush of doing something that only ever happened to people inside novels.
There was also fear mixed in. It's a wyvern I'm out to kill, after all… and I just read even goblins here can regrow limbs and reproduce like weeds.
So yeah, mixed feelings would be the words.
I took another breath, rolled my shoulders once, and stepped forward.
And as I did, a faint shimmer rippled across my vision as pale letters faded into view.
{Monster Territory.}
They lingered for a few seconds before fading like mist.
"That's new…" I muttered to myself.
I waited for something to happen.
But nothing did.
So I started walking.
At first, it felt almost normal. The air was cool if a little damp.
But the deeper I went, the quieter it got.
No birds chirped.
No insects made… You know, insect noises.
Just the rustle of leaves in the wind and the dull sound of my boots hitting grass.
The forest wasn't darker because of shade or clouds…
Like someone had turned down the world's brightness.
The air felt thicker, too, not choking or magical, just dense.
Every breath felt heavier than the last… yet strangely filling.
I could also feel the mana in it.
"No turning back now…" I chuckled, "There never really was a turning back… I stripped myself of that option the moment I decided to resurrect her."
My words had barely ended when, somewhere far to my left, a faint howl drifted through the trees.
Not loud. Not close.
But enough to remind me what side of the line I was standing on.
"Yeah…" I muttered, tightening my grip, "Just… keep calm."
I pulled my spear out just in case, keeping its large blade angled low and ready before I started walking again.
And then the minutes stretched thin.
Ten, maybe twelve, since I crossed that line.
Then I heard it.
A faint rustle from the bushes ahead of me.
I stopped dead.
Not moving, not daring to even breathe, just listening.
Could've been the wind.
Or death's little knock.
Half curious, half cautious, I began stepping closer, slow, careful, reading the spear in my hand as Precognition came alive.
And a heartbeat later, I knew.
A goblin.
Another heartbeat later, it knew it was about to spot me.
The instant that thought hit, a sharp cry tore through the stillness.
"GRAAAH!!"
The bush exploded as the thing leapt, shrieking loud enough to sting the ears.
The next moment, a bright red dot flashed on the compass bar at the top of my vision, and in the instant, the entire compass bar was filled with those red dots, each signifying an enemy.
-Ding!
{Advisory: Run.}
I stared at that for a second instead of the goblin, spear still half-raised.
"…You don't say."