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. "
I squinted my eyes as the rays of sunlight creeped through my curtains hitting my face, illuminating my room as I stirred awake. It was time to face reality –all this was not a dream. I reached for my phone on the shelf as I felt it vibrating, realizing that I’d gotten a text from none other than my father.His text stated thus: "Remember, Malcolm, use your allowance wisely."‘As cold as ever,’ I thought.I blinked my eyes to try to get the remnants of sleep away. Checking the calendar, It was a new month, the date being the 17th of August 2002 and there, staring back at me, were the stark numbers. 49 days until my final entrance exam into Columbia university– just a bit over a month and a half. The responsibility weighed down on my shoulders , and I was brutally reminded of the task ahead.I directed my attention back to my phone as my allowance had been sent, my fingers swiping across the screen."$10,000," it read.An amount that would seem like a lot to the average student bu
Logan sat in the bustling, ever busy office of Hudson Investments, going through social media on his phone as he sat in his booth sipping his coffee during his lunch break.He was living the life of a basic stock broker, sitting in his stall each day, waiting for a job from potential clients.“Sigh, I never have anything to do, look what getting that degree got me , a crappy life stacked with debt with no friends, family, and as usual horrible bosses,” he said in a tired voice.His life wasn’t the perfect spectacle that most people would imagine as though he was an office worker and worked for *Hudson investments*, a financial giant at the time, he was experiencing a financial crisis.He was in debt, a lot of debt and had no active income that he would make use of to clear his bills.The stock market's unpredictable dance had kept everyone on their toes and actively expecting its next fluctuations, and even in these moments of constant anxiety, the air was charged with anticipation.L
As I sat alone in my lonely apartment, I embraced the solitude of my room as my mind began to dance around my memories and thoughts of my past life.I could vividly recall who Logan was and the significance he held in my past life. He was a stock broker and my friend, in fact my only friend.He was genuinely a good person, but he’d made a lot of bad choices and financial misjudgments here and there which caused him to rack up a large amount of debt, a lot of debt which he had no active source of income to pay back with.You could say that the major prerequisite of our friendship was the fact that we both had financial issues and lived crappy lives, and Logan, my friend, became my intricate guide into the world of stocks and the possibilities it presented. And he was probably my main drive toward my passion for stocks in my past life. I threw myself into studying how it functioned, the fluctuations in the rates and I knew the most profitable investments at that time.I was practically