I still felt some sort of apprehension at the fact that the other person in pursuit had escaped, but that was beyond my power now.All I had to do now was focus on what came next, and honestly, I had no idea what to do.‘Genesis, if only you were here,’ I thought to myself. ‘You'd know what to do.’Just as I finished that thought, I was startled by a sudden notification in my mind.NOTICESystem upgrade completed. Rebooting.A progress bar appeared, counting from 0% to 100%.The progress bar steadily crept towards 100%, and I couldn't shake the thought that Genesis would once again be available to me. ‘It'll be back, I'm sure of it,’ I thought, and I felt a surge of optimism and relief washing over me. The assassin, sensing my distraction, cleared his throat. "Do you have a plan?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice."For now, we return to the safe house. I'll need some time to think things through." My response seemed to placate the assassin, and he nodded in agreement.We mad
As Vladislav shared his experience with the Player Wars, I couldn't help but grin, a spark of recognition in my eyes. "I've been through it too," I admitted, nodding in solidarity."So you know what it's like then," he said, a sense of camaraderie growing between us."Yes. The Player Wars are no joke. They're brutal, but I survived. I'm still here." I said, a sense of pride and resilience in my voice."Looks like we have more in common than we thought," Vladislav replied.Curious about the skills that made him such a formidable assassin, I asked, "So, what are your skills? What's your main specialty?"Vladislav's eyes narrowed as he considered my question. "Assassination, obviously. My skill set includes Shadow Cloak, which lets me become invisible for a limited time. Silent Stalker, which muffles my footsteps and masks my presence. And, of course, Bloodlust. The more enemies I kill, the stronger I become.""Not to mention my enhanced senses. There's also Silent Strike, which allows
[Skill Created: Celestial Shield (Lv. 1)][Skill Activated: Celestial Shield (Lv. 1)]A shimmering, silver-white energy shield manifested around me, just in time to deflect the beam of light with a resounding CLANG!Though I still felt the intense heat, the shield held, protecting me from the destruction of the safe house. My whole line of sight was enveloped in smoke, and my vision was hazy.Suddenly, another panel manifested before my eyes.[Skill Created: Celestial Gust (Lv. 1)]I raised my hands, channeling the power of the wind to clear the smoke around me. With a simple gesture, I activated the new skill:[Skill Activated: Celestial Gust (Lv. 1)]A burst of air rushed through the safe house, scattering the smoke and revealing the aftermath of the destruction.The whole surrounding area was left in ashes, and right next to me was a horrible sight.Remains of Vlasdilav’s body lay there on the floor, a pile of bones nearly burnt to ashes.I felt the anger well up within me, whoeve
As the garments glowed, Genesis's voice rang out once again, its appraisal clear and concise.[Holy Garments of the High Pontiff (Legendary, Level 70)][Effect: +300 Intelligence, +5% Holy Damage, +15% Resistance to Dark Magic, Spell: Holy Shield, Blessing of the Pontiff]I considered the garments carefully, recognizing the potential they offered me. While I couldn't use the Grimoire, these robes could prove invaluable in my journey.It was from one high level equipment to another, but I couldn't keep this up for long.Considering the amount of damage they could potentially cause to my world, as well as the constant sneak attacks, I knew I had to get moving…quickly.However, there was still one more thing I needed to confirm."Genesis, the skills I obtain each time I'm attacked, are they permanent?” I conveyed my thoughts toward it expecting a response.[Damon, the skills you obtain through the Counter skill are indeed temporary. Cognos provided you with the ability to create these t
“Genesis, I don’t intend to engage them in a prolonged battle. My plan is simple: I’ll transport them to a specific location in another world, use Starforge to unleash an all-out attack, and then transport myself back to my world before they can retaliate. I won’t give them a chance to regroup. It will be swift and decisive.”I stood firm in my conviction, determined to see this through, despite the risks.Genesis remained silent for a few moments, processing the information.Genesis let out a long sigh, almost as if the system itself was struggling to come to terms with my proposed plan.[Damon, with the potential for so many things to go wrong, I must give you a more honest assessment of the situation. Based on my calculations, I estimate your chances of success at only 10%. This is an extremely risky endeavor. If even one variable does not go as planned, you could be facing a formidable enemy without my support, and your odds of survival would diminish drastically.]I took a deep b
My big break had finally arrived; I guess fortune had finally smiled upon me. I’d been yearning for this promotion for a very long time, and finally, it began to materialize. The atmosphere created around me by my team and everyone who came to celebrate my promotion with me felt surreal. Laughter, toasts, and congratulations filled the air, and I couldn’t be happier. As a 40-year-old marketing consultant, I, Malcolm, had nothing to show for it but a shady apartment, a salary that could barely take care of my needs, no girlfriend – I mean, I didn’t even have a car. Pretty sad, huh? But I wouldn’t think too much about it. Right now, I just enjoyed the pleasant demeanor around me and drank the night away.“A toast to the brand new marketing manager of Moonwolf Corporation, cheers!” Everyone retorted as they began clicking their glasses together in a rather noble fashion. The rest of the night went on as a blur as the effects of the several wine glasses I’d had finally began to take
I screamed in terror as I awoke from what seemed to be a terrible nightmare. "Where am I?" I thought, gripping my chest tightly, desperately scanning for any sign of injury. To my relief, I realized I was perfectly fine.'Huh, that’s not right,' I blinked in confusion, finding myself seated in a university lecture hall. My experience in that alley felt too real to be a dream— the blood, the pain, that unforgettable face. ‘What the hell was that!’ I thought. The new surroundings were familiar, giving me a sense of nostalgia, and the faces around me seemed very familiar, like I’d seen them before.I furrowed my brow, putting two and two together I remembered where I had seen these faces. These were my classmates back when I attended cram school. But why would they be here and why now? I’d already graduated from university more than over a decade ago, so what was happening?And then the realization hit me – could it be possible that I've been transported back to my past? I quickly ru
I squared my shoulders, staring at the two bullies who once made my life miserable. The alley felt tighter, and the dim light flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows as if nature itself anticipated the showdown. My heartbeat thudded in my ears, but this time, it wasn't the rapid pulse of fear. It was a rhythm echoing newfound resolve.The leader of the duo, a broad-shouldered guy with a menacing smirk, stepped forward. "So, what’s this, heh? Malcolm suddenly thinks he can fight back? Well, think again, pal. There’s two of us and only one of you." His accomplice chuckled, cracking his knuckles.I clenched my fists, my palms sweaty but unyielding. "I'm not the same person you used to bully," I snapped back, the words escaping my lips with a confidence I never knew I possessed.The bullies exchanged glances, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. "Enough talk. Give us your money if you know what's good for you," the leader snarled.I merely stared back coldly, my focus unwavering. "