~What other choice do we have? We fight!~ Charles’s voice came out of the speaker beside me as I lay on the mattress.
“So that’s your plan. Interesting…”The discussions after that were one-sided since Charles was explaining his strategy to the Camp executives.The summary of the matter was that a couple of scout teams would be sent to scour the area in order to confirm the possibility of a horde approaching.The scout teams had two days to complete their mission and return to the Camp to warn them of any impending danger, or assure them of the absence of any.The scouts were going to be a group of two each, and a total of four teams. They were sent to various areas to make the exploration faster.~In order to be safe, I’d like us to be as thorough as possible.~ Charles added. After they had agreed with this decision, Charles began making plans for Anne’s team to retrieve my remaining supplies in the Base“Erm, I don’t really know since I wasn’t present when it all happened…” Adam stated flatly.His response wasn’t the kind that Chloe wanted, making her freeze in disappointment.As a penitent, Adam made it his policy not to harm anyone and to be as good as he could to everyone.“I can’t accuse Anne of something I didn’t see her do.” He mumbled, looking at Anne’s face.She nodded at him with approval, showing him respect.“You did the right thing, Adam.”Anne’s praise made Adam’s heart feel warm. He always liked being complimented for doing the right thing, another reason why he always did it at any given opportunity.Well, another reason was that he respected Anne a great deal.“So, you’re picking her side over mine?! You’re the worst, Adam!” Chloe whined.Adam, upon seeing that his girlfriend was deeply hurt by his actions attempted to embrace her as he usually did, but she quickly ste
“Hahahahaha!!!” I laughed uncontrollably. It was too amusing to hear. While I couldn’t watch what had transpired in Charles’ office, hearing it was the next best thing, and trust me, it was so funny I couldn’t help but laugh.“So, Chloe is coming to apologize… and Adam is coming with her?” A few chuckles managed to escape from my lips as I slowly ceased my loud laughter.Still, it was weird hearing Adam sound like that. There was no way I wouldn’t recognize his voice, but all he said felt so wrong.“He really has changed, uh?” In any case, I tried to concentrate on the rest of the conversation so I wouldn’t miss anything else.~You are dismissed, Chloe. The sooner you give your apology, the better it will be for you.~ Charles’ calm voice sounded.I was pleased that the prideful man knew his place and had enough sense to rightly judge the matter Anne had brought before him. He certainly gave me a good time
“Oh? You were speaking? I had no idea… your voice was too low for me to hear, after all.” I replied to Chloe’s annoying banter.This made her deep scowl become even more intense.“Could you repeat what you said? I truly couldn’t hear you.” I asked with an innocent tone.Of course, Chloe already knew I was faking it. The disgrace she was experiencing was my fault, and I was taking pleasure in it.“Damian. There’s something you should know. I wanted Chloe to go first, but maybe I should.” Adam suddenly said, interrupting my little chat with his girlfriend.“What is it? You’ve come to bully me again? Chloe did say she was bringing you to visit next time. I suppose the both of you have come to gang up on me.” I smiled at him.I didn’t know whether it was him being foolish, or just as a pretense, but Adam instantly became flustered by my clever use of words and quickly shook his head.“N-no way! I didn’t come he
“ ” My lips moved instinctively, and everything went back into [Subspace]. The soda in my hand, the speaker on my mattress, even the comic book I’d stashed somewhere to relieve me of boredom at some point. They instantly vanished, and right on time too. Anne walked in, seeing me laying on the mattress. I appeared startled, looking in her direction as she walked towards me. “O-oh, you’re back?” I mumbled, still feigning surprise. “Yeah. Sorry to leave you all by yourself. You good?” She asked with a warm smile. ‘Is she pretending to be worried about me, or…?’ Somehow, my paranoia acted up and I couldn’t shake off the conversation Charles was having with her moments ago. “I am… a little hungry though.” I smiled. I tried reading her facial expressions. Someone as honest as Anne was bound to find it difficult to lie or pretend. If I could read her reaction somewhat, then I would be able to decipher what it was that Charles told her. “Damian… you got a sec? There’s something I ne
Peter, Lily, Larry, and Daniel arrived not long after my conversation with Anne ended, saving both of us from the awkwardness within the room.For breakfast, we took stone-hard bread, with watered-down milk. It felt like torture for my mouth to chew the hard substance and make it soft enough to go down my throat. As for the milk, I couldn’t even taste anything creamy within it.‘It’s like white-colored water!’ I nearly gagged.I wondered how they were able to get milk, though, since they had no way of preserving it.‘Maybe they used Peter’s ice ability?’ I reasoned.When I asked about it, the answer was entirely different. Apparently, the Camp used powdered milk, and not evaporated ones, allowing them to preserve it well.‘Still, I wish I could exchange this for the milk I have in [Subspace].Since I couldn’t act like I didn’t appreciate the meal, I endured the breakfast and as soon as it was over, I beckoned to Anne to take me to Charles.“We’ll be back soon.” She told the others as
“I-I see…” Charles mumbled, clearly impressed with the strategy I had devised.Rubbing his chin, he mulled over my words carefully, considering if they indeed had no defects.I smiled, watching him patiently while I awaited his decision.“I-it’s actually very decent, even more efficient than what I initially considered. And it’s only going to be possible with your assistance…” Charles stated, now looking me in the eye.“So, what do you say?” I said, already knowing he couldn’t refuse.“Is there anything left to say? I’m in!” ‘Smart choice.’I rose from where I sat and used my Skill to return the milk bottles from both my end and Charles’ to [Subspace].“Very well then, as per our agreement, I’ll provide more food and water supplies while you fulfill your end of the deal. Once the scout teams return, you will take action immediately.”Upon saying this, I left Charles’ office a
I started the rumors, of course. It was a very simple task, and all I had to do was engage in some mischief. After overhearing everything that went on in Charles’ office, I decided that it was the most effective way to resolve the problem.‘Charles isn’t willing to do whatever it takes, so I just have to motivate him a little.’I was a ‘kind’ person, after all.While the Scouts who rested in their lounge were conversing about the Horde and what they saw, I managed to manipulate a few Camp members to pass by the door. Also, by using to reduce the intelligence Stats of all the Scouts, the already tense people lost their self-control and rambled on about the Horde to one another.Their voices were loud enough to leak out of the resting area, causing random Camp members to hear their conversation.The Camp members weren’t exempted from my ability, as I reduced their intelligence levels as much as possible so that the
“A carefully planned strategy is in place and our victory is assured as long as we make up for our lack of numbers… so, as fellow Camp Members, I will ask you… who is willing to join forces with the expedition force in order to form the appropriate subjugation team and protect the camp?!”Absolute silence filled the air. The once noisy mob shut their mouths and ceased moving.Charles was stunned by the response of the crowd. In all fairness, he had expected this much to happen, but seeing something occur before your very eyes is always the best way to confirm it.“Anyone?” Charles repeated, his voice echoing through the vast building.No one dared to meet his eyes, looking uncomfortable by his declaration. Even in the absence of words, the Camp Members made their stance clearly known.‘No one is volunteering… because they don’t want to die!’ I smiled, watching Charles’ expression turn sour.Surely, he had realized it
In the quiet aftermath of the tumultuous ARMAGEDDON, I found myself standing at the precipice of a new reality. The remnants of the battle lingered in the air, and I could feel the residual power and (G) Essence coursing through the fabric of existence. As I gazed upon the aftermath, a solemn determination settled within me – a resolve to forge a reality free from the influence of both Demons and Gods.With newfound purpose, I raised my hands, drawing upon the remnants of power that swirled around me. As I concentrated, the very fabric of existence seemed to warp and bend to my will. The Demons and Gods, the Administrators of this chaotic universe, were to be left behind in the debris of ARMAGEDDON.In a surge of cosmic energy, I began to shape a pristine reality, one untouched by supernatural forces. The skies cleared, the land became fertile, and the seas calmed. I meticulously crafted a world where the laws of nature reigned supreme, untouched by the meddling hands of higher bei
"Oh well, there's nothing else I can do…" Even if I was annoyed about the whole thing with Arthur, it was still a fact that he lost.Thanks to their emergency escape, the Pariah party missed their chance to challenge the Hidden Floor of the Tower Of Conquerors.Not only that, but their plan to use Leah and the others as hostages didn't work. They were in my [Subspace].'It's not like they matter to me at this point…'I could simply keep them as (G) Karma Point banks.Now that I could once again resort to farming (G) Karma from people, wasn't this the perfect opportunity to gain as many points as I could?'Ah, but I need quite the number of Points to advance to B Rank…'My Gift was currently in C Rank. While the abilities were pretty broken at this point, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited me if I could get a higher Rank.'With this whole gods business, I need to get as strong as possible…'With a smile, I gazed upon the warbling portal in front of me."Speaking of stronger… I sh
What happens when a person keeps climbing the Tower?Yes, with each Level Up, wounds heal and the body is restored. However, mental fatigue is something that piles up. The strain a person has is something that gathers over time.The Rankers knew this quite well, so they all agreed to climb together. It was very obvious what they were planning on doing.—Letting the other person die!In this world, there were many ways to get stronger. It was also possible to use certain loopholes in the System—especially if one wasn't an Evil Aligned yet.Since the Rankers were in a Party, they must have been very certain of their Alignments, making them completely 'trust' one another.But, these things could be deceptive.Just as I managed to kill a bunch of people without a change in my Chaotic Neutral Alignment, the same applied to a lot of people—especially in a dangerous place like the Tower.As they fought monsters, it was certain that Rankers would get weakened. Then… if, by chance, some 'accid
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT!][The Tower Of War Has Been Cleared!]Torrents of thoughts flowed in my mind as I looked at the System Window displayed in front of me.'What the hell…?'Why?How?Who?It didn't make any sense.The average Level for the current denizens of the world was 50. The strong ones were about to reach Level 100, but I didn't expect anyone to have attained Level 150 talk-less 200.The Levels and Grades of the monsters climbed as one advanced through the Floors, and since the Towers had similar difficulty, I expected others to receive the same treatment I experienced.No one could have succeeded in that venture, but me. It wasn't pride… but reality!However…'Could it be.—?!'Perhaps it was something I failed to consider. I had always suspected it, but after the Tutorial ended and I kept a watchful eye on the Leaderboard, Auction, Tower Updates, and several other elements of this new world, my doubts were cleared.There shouldn't have been anyone else who was granted somet
"Rise and shine, sleepy head." A voice greeted Abhoth as he opened his astral eyes.His vision blurred, but it only lasted for a moment.Soon, he could see everything around him. It was the exact scene he remembered before dying—the underground room where he was brewing his Elixir.Did he not die? Had he managed to survive?Countless thoughts lurked in Abhoth's ghost-like body… until he realized the fact… that he was in a ghost-like body.He nearly shrieked, seeing as he had a near-transparent form, and floated like a ghost. A purple aura emanated from him, and his body was incorporeal—well, nearly.He was made of energy, and he could even see his actual body—his corpse—lying on the ground.Abhoth didn't need a prophet to tell him that he was dead.'Ghost Magic…?!' His thoughts rang, and imaginary cold sweat broke out on his forehead.He was a ghost, so he couldn't really sweat.Still, Abhoth understood the implications of what had happened to him. As an expert in Magic, he knew of th
The audience was astonished!Sweat fell from their brows and their bodies shuddered. Even though they were protected by the sturdy pink layer, none of them were immune to the chill that coursed through their bones.The group had thought they saw the full extent of the Masked Man's powers—or at least close to it. However, his current actions shattered their preconceived notion."I-impossible…""This can't be real… right?""I can't believe this… is he really human?""Masked Hero! You're so amazing!"They all had different ways of expressing their shock.For starters, the group didn't know how it was possible to clear the battlefield of corpses. They had seen so many dead bodies—like an insurmountable sea—yet, in an instant, the Masked Man cleared them all.It was a feat like none other.As if that wasn't amazing enough, a massive Dragon suddenly emerged from a dark cloud and soared into the sky. The Demon—a being that far surpassed anything they had seen up until that moment—charged bri
There were many ways to win.I knew that from the get-go. I could use [Subspace] to shave off parts of the Dragon's body, reducing its health until it completely fell apart.I could use my purification to severely weaken it and blast the monster to kingdom come. An easy solution would also be to use the seventy-one Treasures OF War to impale the beast on all ends. If I added my Mana to them and increased their efficiency, the monster stood no chance.I could keep going on and on as to how I could win, but what was the point?Once in a while, a person needed some excitement in their life—I was no exception."COME!"My declaration prompted the Dragon Of Storms—or rather, what was left of him—to charge at me with frightening speed.>WHOOOOSSHSHHH
The area around the beast was charred, and nothing but black, sooty grounds surrounding it. Impaling it were several weapons; ranging from spears to blades.They all looked very powerful and valuable.There were seventy-one of the weapons that pierced the monster's body… most likely what killed it.My eyes narrowed on the dead beast, and a wry smile appeared on my face. It now made sense why I sensed such powerful energy from beyond the gate back then.This monstrosity was the cause.Laid on the ground, surrounded by destruction and carnage was one of the most powerful races of Demons that existed.—A Dragon!Judging from the battle scene, I had a fair idea of what transpired here… at least what the narrative of this Floor was.A battle occurred, and the several races combined forces. They had a common enemy, and that was the fallen beast at the center of the battle. I had an idea of the difficulty if seven hundred thousand individuals ganged up on the creature.'It's at least a Grade
I realized my childish body was too inefficient.In so many ways, the fact that I was below average in height and build was going to impede my future plans… which was why I decided to solve the problem.Using Lara’s Gift, now my Skill, I could shape-shift into any form I desired. However, it consumed Mana, and it also had a duration despite how much I maxed it out. Since I couldn't maintain it for too long, the ability was useless as a permanent solution.Scouring for a solution in the SHOP, I finally found my answer. It was a Potion known as the Perfect Growth Compound. After reading its description, I understood its function.The potion simply elevated whoever drank it to their ideal, most perfect physical state. As a result, it could take me to the peak I could ever attain physically.I was a little worried that I was going to remain short, but seeing as there was also a Reversal Potion being sold, I decided to take my chances.Who would have thought… it actually worked!I grew to