Blood seeped into the soil, staining it black.
My jaw clenched. I didn't want to save them.Not out of kindness, not out of duty. Playing the hero never suited me. But if I stood by and did nothing, society would brand me a coward. Someone had to step up… and if it had to be me, then I'd make sure the world remembered who did it.
Kang Sok, of course, didn't move an inch. He leaned lazily against the wall, eyes tracking the carnage with cruel amusement.
"Go on, Yujeo," he said, voice silk and teeth. "Be the good little savior with that calm face of yours might make the tree hesitate. Or maybe…" He let the words hang, smirk widening. "Maybe you'll die with the rest, and I'll be the one laughing at the end."
I ignored him.
The Mangrove's branches tore through the air in a frenzy, but I slowly walked forward. My breathing was steady, my gaze unflinching. Its roots writhed, probing at me, yet they didn't strike. The tree wasn't mindless. It could sense intent and emotions.
It could sense the hesitation,fear and Greed in it's surroundings like me yet it didn't care because they didn't do any harm.
I had neither Greed,fear or hesitation.
I stopped near the roots, close enough to smell the rot and damp bark on its body. My hand slipped into my pocket, pulling out the can of soda I'd bought earlier from a vending machine. The hiss of carbonation filled the tense air as I cracked it open.
Kang Sok tilted his head, amused.
"Oh, a soda? How very dramatic. Planning to toast your own funeral or just stalling for sympathy from a monster?"
I didn't answer.I poured the soda over the roots.Soon, bubbles seeped out from the broken floor.
The Mangrove shuddered violently. Its branches curled inward as the sound of splintering wood echoed through the clearing. And then—
Thud!!
Something heavy dropped from its branches as it rolled across the floor until it came to rest at my feet.
I picked up
The others stared at the fruit while being terrified to even move closer .Kang Sok's eyes narrowed as his smirk grew wider and sharper.
"Well, well," he murmured. "The tree chose you. Or maybe… it just found someone more dangerous than itself."
I let a smirk tug at my lips.
"Dangerous? No. I'm inevitable. The tree didn't choose me.It recognized the difference between prey and predator.And here,I'm the predator."
Don't mistake what just happened.It's not the tree showing mercy. I cut off its vascular system. Without me, they'd still be hanging on its branches, waiting to die.
But then I took a bite from the fruit as I felt a surge of heat expanding within my body.Soon,my vision blurred as I closed my eyes.
But when I opened my eyes, there was nothing except only an endless expanse of darkness. Then, without warning, a crack split through the void. Blinding light burst forth, radiant and consuming, as if a supernova had ignited within that abyss. In an instant, the darkness vanished. The world turned white, so absolute that even my shadow ceased to exist.
When I blinked,I was back at the subway station.
[You have awakened]
[Aeternum System has been initiated...]
[Sync with the Host has completed]
"Well… that was weird," I muttered under my breath, rubbing the back of my neck as if that would ground me in reality.
A smirk tugged at my lips. Alright, show me myself.With a single thought, the familiar interface shimmered into existence, crisp and obedient, like it had been waiting for me all along.
---
[Status Window]
|Description Section|
Player:Kim Yujeo.
Alias:None.
Rank:E.
Level-1.
Age:27.
Race:Human.
Status:Awakened.
Class:None.
Title:The Last Player of Infinite Abyss,The First Awakened,The Blood Progenitor's Favoured.
Trait: Hyper-Ultra Mana Sensitivity.
|Stats Section|
Strength:5.0
Agility:8.0
Stamina:7.0
Endurance:6.5
Defence:5.5
Mental Fortitude:9.5
Charima:9.5
Mana:♾️
|Skills Section|
Gamer's Eye(Lvl-1), Culinary Arts(Lvl- 10), Mind Hub(Lvl-2), Devil's Charm(Lvl-5), Aikido(Lvl-40),MMA(Lvl-35), Gamer's Instincts(Lvl-1),Save Point(Lvl-1), Explorer's Compass(Lvl-1), Parallel ID(Lvl-1) And more...
---
I opened the skill details of
---
[Skill Details]
Skill: Gamer's Eye.
Rank:A+.
Grade:Unique.
Status:Class.
Type:Active+Passive.
Lvl-1.
Description:This skill is a skill for the Hidden Class{Gamer}.
Sub-skill:
1.Appraisal :Allows the user to view Information of a target.
---
[Skill Details]
Skill:Mind Hub.(Incomplete)
Rank:S.
Grade:Mythic.
Status:Mind.
Type:Passive.
Lvl-1
Description:This skill is a mimicry of [The Constellation:The One who attained Nirvana]'s
Sub-skill:
1.Clear Mind: Suppress Psychological and emotional triggers and attacks.
---
[Skill Details]
Skill:Devil's Charm.
Rank:S.
Grade: Mythic.
Status:Charm.
Type:Active.
Lvl-1.
Description:This skill is a mimicry of [The Constellation:The Fallen Morning Star]'s
Sub-skill:
1.Charm: Allows the user to seduce a number of targets.
---
[Skill Details]
Skill: Parallel ID.
Rank: SS.
Grade: Unique.
Status:Class.
Type: Active.
Lvl-1.
Description:This skill creates a clone which is not merely a body double.It exists as an independent player account with its own stats, experience, and presence on leaderboards.
Sub-skill:
1.Clone: Allows the user to create clones.
---
Ho,ho!Looks like I've got a lot to do but let's see what I can do with this.
As soon as I thought that my blackish Red eyes glowed crimson.
[Skill:{Gamer's Eye}has been activated]
[Sub-skill:{Appraisal}has been activated]
My glowing crimson eyes landed on the «Mangrove of Greed».
[Appraising Mangrove of Greed]
[Appraisal completed!]
[Entity Details]
Name:???
Race:Former Human, Rootbearer.
Rank:D+.
Lvl-45.
Age:???
Class:???
Status:Weakened,Trance.
Title: Mangrove of Greed,Fallen Climber,Child of the Great Mother.
Weakness: Keyhole of Freedom,Fire, Lightning,Poison.
Strengths:Super Regeneration(Weakened), Sharp and flexible Branches(Weakened), Tough and Fast Roots(Weakened), Resilient Bark Armour(Weakened).
I smiled because of what I saw.I didn't know about any great mother or rootbearers becoming Mangroves.There was nothing like this in Infinite Abyss but due to it becoming a reality has revealed to me countless things.
I gave out a wicked smile as Kang Sok went to the Vending Machine and took out a bottle of acidic drink.
I tried to calm myself for what was going to happen.Anything Acidic or Basic has the potential to kill a tree but it depends on the amount and pH level.
Earlier,I poured a highly basic drink with pH level of 9.5.It had caused the Mangrove's Xylem and Phloem to temporarily stop working and had put it in a trance.
But seeing what that idea is gonna do?I will have to fight it.
Kang Sok crouched near the roots and poured all of the acidic drink while I drank the leftover basic drink.
A vile smile crept across my face as «The Mangrove of Greed»'s Branches snapped as red sap like blood came out and a shriek filled with agony came out forcing Kang Sok to close his ears.
The Mangrove had come out from its trance all thanks to Kang Sok like I wanted.
My lips curled into a smirk as I leaned against the subway chair as my eyes glinted with mischief.
"Well, well, Kang Sok… I see you've discovered your hidden talent," I drawled as my voice driped with mocking admiration. "Who knew one wrong move could awaken a centuries-old tree monster? Bravo. Truly… heroic."
I let out a slow, theatrical clap. The sound echoed through the subway like nails on wood.
"I mean, really," I continued tilting my head, "look at everyone staring at you. Every branch snapping, every leaf quivering… all because of you. You didn't just wake it.You gave the rest of us a front-row seat to your spectacular failure. Outstanding work."
My grin widened, and I stepped closer, whispering in a mocking conspiratorial tone.
"I'll be honest, I was hoping someone else would make a mistake for once… but no, Kang Sok, you had to go all out. Don't worry .We'll remember your name forever. Mainly as a warning, though."
I straightened, flicking a leaf from hiis shoulder, and added casually.
"Next time, maybe try keeping your mouth shut and doing anything. Or, you know, just not exist for a minute. Saves everyone the trouble,you know."
Soon, the mangrove throwed one of its branches as I pushed Kang Sok from its path.
Then I remembered,the warmth I felt during my awakening. Yes, that was it. I remembered mana, and something connected to it, something I could use right now.
Soon, I stood up and focused on my body. My heartbeat was already loud in my ears, thanks to this cursed tree. But as I concentrated, I felt a warmth deep in my chest. I tried guiding that warmth into my hands, and just as it was about to form a magic circle, blood spilled from my mouth. That's when I saw it.The mangrove's branch, piercing straight through my heart.
[To be Continued...]
[End of Chapter 7: Between Prey and Predator]