............Aashi paused, listening intently. The sound came again, a weak cry. They immediately searched for the source and found what appeared to be the remains of a house, left in ruins after being devoured by the Malice Creatures. Beneath a pile of rubble, they lifted the debris and found a young girl, her body battered and bruised, but barely alive. Her eyes were shut, and her body quivered nonstop from all the pain.Erick immediately used his Origin arts to heal her and fed her a life-saving potion he carried in his storage. Before long, the little girl was cured, and her body returned to a healthy state, making Erick and Aashi sigh in relief.“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” Aashi said softly, lifting the girl gently.The girl coughed, opened her eyes, and whispered, “Thank you…”Erick knelt beside them, his expression softening. “You’re a brave one, aren’t you? Can you tell us if there are any others?” he asked, seeing the girl calming down.The girl shook her head weakly. “E
............"Splash...!!""Whoa... how much energy did you put into that attack, Master?" Aashi asked in wonder, looking at the explosion and the water splashing over their shield."Not much, but enough to crush that annoying portal to bits," Erick replied, glancing down to ensure no traces of dark, foul energy remained. While the area was cleared, some fish-shaped Malice Creatures had been flung into the distance and were being erased slowly."Master, can you leave the rest to me?" Aashi asked, sensing her master's thoughts."Oh, okay. I'll take care of little Yuyun for you," Erick smiled and nodded before crouching down to pat the little girl on the head."He he... Big Brother!" Little Yuyun giggled, enjoying the affection."Okay then, watch how Big Sis handles those bad monsters!" Aashi said with a smile. She stepped onto the water's surface, running across it just like Erick, without causing any ripples."Boom... Bam...!!"Loud noises echoed as Aashi handled the Malice Creatures
............Aashi gently pried Yuyun from her embrace, whispering soothing words to the frightened child. "Alright Yuyun, let's go. We need to save those big sisters and brothers over there, okay?" She placed Yuyun on her back and quickly moved towards the cries.Erick and Aashi turned and sprinted towards the explosions. Aashi headed to where the injured were, while Erick ran towards the Malice Creatures attacking the elven guards.As Erick reached the first defense wall, he saw the extent of the destruction. The once strong barrier was now a smoldering ruin, and dark, twisted Malice Creatures were pouring through the breach."Boom... Boom... Ahhhh...!" The elves were fighting valiantly, but they were clearly outmatched. Their traditional weapons and combat techniques were ineffective against the Malice Creatures, which seemed impervious to normal attacks.Erick moved forward, energy leaking from his hands, blades of wind and fire shimmering with a strange, ethereal light. "Let's
********** ..... ..... Jak stood out from the crowd with his slender figure and plain, average features. Despite being the youngest in his family with three elder sisters and two older brothers, he was held to the same standards as his siblings and never received special treatment. His school days were comprised of mediocrity, as no matter how hard he studied, he always placed third in the yearly exam. But, little did Jak know that his life was about to change in a way he could not have imagined. After living a monotonous life in his small village, he developed a strong longing for adventure and the thrills that came with it. Being unable to join his peers and complete his college preparation due to health issues, he had grown increasingly isolated and had retreated into his own world, watching animes and reading light novels to escape reality. After some time, he developed a severe case of anxiety and was unable to face or even leave the house. Having had enough of the restrictiv
********* ..... ..... I felt my heart pounding as I stepped onto the path that followed the river’s course. I'd heard stories of the dangers that lurked in these depths, and I was taking a huge risk even setting foot on the path. I cursed my lack of swimming prowess – if only I'd taken my lessons more seriously, I'd have more confidence in the river's depths. As I trudged along, I hoped that the men who had promised to come to my aid were well equipped – I knew I'd be in big trouble if they were not. "Ring........!" My heart raced as the communication comma suddenly rang. I thought, not now, please not now. I could feel the trepidation rising in my chest as I cautiously answered the call. "Yes, J10 here," I spoke softly, a sense of dread washing over me. "Huff..huff.. its bad, enemy...huff...got our position and they have snipers with them, run... get to meeting point ..huff..huff." My stomach dropped, a pit of fear welling up inside me. I knew it was true - I had felt it bef
********* ..... ..... ////// JAK POV \\\\\ I stirred from my deep slumber, groggily trying to place myself in my surroundings. Strange noises had interrupted my peaceful sleep, and now I found myself in a dark and unfamiliar place. "Where am I?" I mumbled, my voice echoing through the empty space. "It doesn't look like hell or heaven. And why can't I see myself?" As I tried to clear my thoughts, a pounding headache reminded me of how I had died – drowning in the river. Panic threatened to engulf me, but I pushed it aside, determined to find a way out of this eerie silence. "Hello?" I called out tentatively, hoping for a response. "Can someone tell me how to get out of here?" Suddenly, a voice rang out from the darkness, causing me to jump in surprise. "Hey, you can still joke in this kind of situation." Relieved to hear someone else's voice, I replied, "Whoever you are, please show yourself. I can't see a thing, and it's freaking me out." "Of course, kiddo," the voice said, a
********* ..... ..... As I delved deeper into my training with the Goddess, my thirst for knowledge grew stronger. I had learned about the basics of cultivation and now, I was ready to dive into the tiers. These were the levels of power that beings in this world were divided into, based on their physical and soul strength. The first tier was for the normal mortals, whose lifespan was limited to a mere hundred years. Within this tier, there were three stages - Low, Mid, and High. The Low-stage was for those who lived an ordinary life, while the Mid-stage was for martial artists, athletes, and elites of society. As for the High-stage, it was for the elite of the elites, those martial artists who had mastered their techniques to the highest point. Their punches could stir up the air, create gusts of wind, or even shatter boulders into dust. Moving on to the second tier, these were for the mid-mortals who had a lifespan of up to 200 years. Similar to the first tier, it was divided int
********* ..... ..... " " Conversion or Speech, ' ' Thoughts, [ ] System Talking. ..... ..... The air in the hospital's I.C.U. ward was heavy with anticipation and worry as a well-built man in his thirties paced back and forth in the hallway, his eyes filled with anxiety. His wife was inside, undergoing a delicate procedure to bring their child into the world. As he waited, he couldn't help but imagine the worst-case scenario, his mind racing with every possible complication. But after what seemed like an eternity, the lights in the I.C.U. ward dimmed, signaling that the procedure was over. Heart racing, he sprinted to the door of the I.C.U. ward, eager to see his wife and child. As he entered the room, his eyes fell upon his wife, her face contorted with exhaustion, but the sound of a newborn's cries filled the room. The relief he felt was palpable as he approached the doctor who had just finished checking on his wife and child. "Doctor, how are they? Is everything okay?" h