Chapter 113 New Power
Alex had remained unconscious for three long days.
During that time, his mind drifted in a deep, endless darkness silent, heavy, and without form. There was no sense of time, no sense of body, only a vast void that seemed to stretch forever.
Then suddenly
A voice echoed through the darkness.
It was deep… ancient… and carried an overwhelming authority that made the very space around it tremble.
"I will grant you my blessing."
The voice paused briefly, as if observing him from beyond the veil of reality.
"As for my kin… she has already been blessed. After Alduin was slain, she will grow stronger."
The moment those words faded, the darkness shattered.
Alex's eyes snapped open.
" HAAH!"
He suddenly sat upright, gasping for air as if he had just been pulled out of deep water. His chest rose and fell rapidly while sweat streamed down the side of his face.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
His heart pounded violently inside his chest. For a moment, he struggled to steady his breathing, still trying to process what had just happened.
What… was that voice?
Before he could even gather his thoughts
A familiar blue screen suddenly materialized in front of his face.
The translucent interface glowed softly in the air.
"Congratulations. The system has been updated."
"System security has been increased."
"Unknown sources will now be detected and removed more quickly."
For a brief second, Alex simply stared at the screen.
Then his face lit up with pure excitement.
"YES!!!"
He clenched his fist in triumph, unable to hide his happiness.
Finally! The system security upgrade!
But before he could celebrate any further, another blue screen appeared, overlapping the previous one.
"Congratulations. You have obtained the ability: Pause."
Alex blinked.
"Pause…?"
The screen continued displaying the details.
Pause
Activation Method:
Open the System Inventory and say the word "Pause."
When activated, the world will freeze completely.
All movement and actions will stop.
However, the user will only be able to move within a small circular area with a radius of 30 centimeters.
If the user moves beyond this 30 cm radius or closes the System Inventory, time will immediately resume.
Usage Limit:
This ability can be used three times per day.
Alex read the explanation once. Then again.
And again.
His brain struggled to fully comprehend what he was seeing.
Slowly… his eyes widened.
"W–What…?"
His entire body froze.
Then he suddenly shouted in disbelief.
"WHAT?!!!!" His voice echoed loudly throughout the house. A power that could freeze time itself. Even with restrictions… the ability was completely absurd.
Alex stared at the floating blue screen in front of him, his mind racing with countless possibilities. His heart pounded even harder than before. This wasn't just a simple skill. It was a power that could break the rules of the world itself.
His loud shout was heard by Astrid and Emma outside the room.
Astrid immediately smiled in relief when she heard his voice. Without hesitation, she rushed inside.
"Alex! Alex!!! You're finally awake!"
She immediately hugged him tightly.
Alex smiled as well, though slightly surprised.
"Oof… why are you so happy? It's only been three days, right?"
Astrid then began telling him everything that had happened during the three days he had been unconscious.
Alex looked surprised.
"Wait… you managed to master Firebolt in just two days?"
Inside his mind, Alex began thinking.
(Wait… that voice said it gave us a blessing. Could Astrid mastering magic in just two days also be because of that blessing?)
He then snapped back to reality and spoke.
"It seems that both you and I have been blessed by some powerful entity. That's why we've become stronger."
Astrid looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
Alex explained.
"While I was unconscious, I heard a voice speaking to me. It said that we had been blessed. More specifically, it said that after Alduin was defeated, we received its blessing."
Astrid looked uncertain.
"Are you sure about that?"
Alex nodded seriously Astrid then asked,
"If that's true… then who blessed us?"
At that moment, Emma entered the room and spoke.
"Isn't it obvious? It must be Shor who blessed you both."
Alex rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Hm… that's possible. But my power seems more related to time… so I'm not sure. Maybe it was Akatosh who blessed us."
Astrid suddenly remembered something.
"Wait… could it really be Akatosh? Do you remember what Paarthurnax once said? Something about a rebellious child?"
Alex recalled the memory.
"Ah… that could be it. Because Alduin became rebellious and stopped listening to his father, Akatosh. And since we managed to defeat him… maybe this is Akatosh's way of giving us a reward."
Astrid nodded.
"That makes sense. Well it's a good news right?"
Alex slowly stretched his arms above his head, his joints cracking softly as the stiffness in his body protested after days of complete stillness.
"Uugh…," he groaned quietly while rolling his shoulders. "Not moving for three days really made my body stiff."
His muscles felt strangely heavy, as if they were only now remembering how to move again. He flexed his fingers, then rotated his neck from side to side until a faint popping sound followed.
After a moment, Alex pushed himself up from the soft sofa inside Emma's house. The wooden floor creaked faintly under his feet as he stood. He took a few careful steps toward the door, his body still adjusting to being awake again.
Then he stepped outside.
The moment he crossed the doorway, a gentle breeze brushed against his face.
Alex inhaled deeply.
"Haaah…"
The air of Sovngarde was unlike anything in the mortal world. It was crisp, clean, and carried a faint scent of wildflowers and fresh grass. Each breath felt refreshing, almost as if it washed away the fatigue lingering in his body.
Before him stretched the vast, breathtaking landscape of the Nordic afterlife.
Endless golden fields swayed gently beneath the warm glow of the sky. The grass shimmered softly like threads of sunlight, moving like waves across the land whenever the wind passed through. In the distance, majestic mountains rose proudly against the horizon, their peaks glowing under the eternal light that bathed this realm.
The sky itself was mesmerizing painted with deep amber and soft gold, as if the sun were forever caught in the perfect moment between dawn and dusk.
Alex gazed across the peaceful scenery, his expression slowly softening.
"Haaah…" he exhaled again, this time more quietly.
"It's such a shame… we'll have to leave this beautiful place soon."
There was a hint of reluctance in his voice.
Behind him, Astrid stepped out of the house as well. She watched Alex silently for a moment, the gentle wind lightly swaying her hair.
A small smile formed on her lips.
"We could spend one more day here together, you know."
Her voice was soft and warm, almost like a quiet request.
"There's nothing wrong with that."
She looked at him with slightly hopeful eyes, as if asking him for a small favor she truly wished for.
Alex turned his head toward her.
For a moment, he simply looked at her face the gentle expression, the way the golden light of Sovngarde reflected softly in her eyes.
And just like that…
He knew he couldn't refuse.
A small smile appeared on his lips.
"Alright, dear."
Before Astrid could say anything else, Alex leaned forward slightly and gently kissed her on the lips.
Astrid's eyes widened for a brief moment, surprised by the sudden gesture, but she quickly relaxed into the kiss. The peaceful wind continued to blow around them as if the entire realm quietly blessed that small moment.
When they pulled away, both of them were smiling.
And so, they decided to remain in Sovngarde for one more day.
That day felt strangely peaceful almost dreamlike.
They walked together through the endless golden fields, their footsteps brushing softly against the tall grass. Occasionally, Astrid would stop to admire the flowers growing between the golden blades delicate blossoms in shades of white, blue, and violet that seemed to glow faintly in the warm light of the sky.
At times they simply wandered without speaking, enjoying the calm silence that surrounded the Nordic paradise.
Later, they rested together on a gentle hill overlooking the vast landscape.
Alex lay on the grass with his hands behind his head, while Astrid rested beside him, her shoulder lightly touching his arm.
Above them stretched the magnificent sky of Sovngarde vast, radiant, and filled with drifting clouds that glowed like molten gold.
The air was calm.
The wind was soft.
And for once… there was no battle waiting for them, no danger lurking in the shadows.
Just peace.
For that one quiet day, they simply stayed there talking, laughing softly, watching the clouds drift across the glowing sky, and enjoying the warmth of each other's presence.
Surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the Nordic afterlife, Alex and Astrid spent their time together like a simple date in paradise.
And for a moment, the world beyond Sovngarde felt very far away.
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