Silence shrouded Dream. He was shocked as he saw the man in the mirror.
"That's me?" He whispered, lifting a trembling hand towards the glass. His reflection moved in tandem, yet it felt detached, as though the man in the mirror was someone else entirely. He searched his mind for memory - for the life before ethe void. But nothing came. No family. No friends. Only his name, Dream. Everything else was a mist.
"System" he said, voice low, heavy. "Why don't I remember who I am?"
[ Host's previous life memory appears to be sealed....]
"Is that all?, how do I get my memories back"
[ The system is unsure but probably by returning to the earthly realm a fragment or two should return to the host]
".... I see, fine then" he turned from the reflection, from the ghost of the self he no longer knew.
The map flared before his eyes, colors shifting. Where before it had been mostly black, new lights appeared-- scattered patches of green, more dots of orange, and even more of red. His lips curled faintly in understanding.
"So the void hides itself until I'm strong enough to see it"
[ Correct. As host grows in power, the void reveals itself]
The system confirmed.
" Open inventory"
Light spilled into his vision.
There it was --- the fragment of the void core, pulsing faintly like a heart torn from some great beasts.
Beneath it lay more.
A sword, it's hilt dark, blade gleaming with faint golden light. He pulled it out, staring at his newly acquired blade.
" I'm guessing this is a reward from the boss of this zone"
[ Correct]
[ Item: Sword]
[ Rank: Gold]
[ Effect: Attack power; +30%
Passive: Sharpness Unyielding]
[ Description: A blade that can cut through steel like butter]
"Interesting" he said admiring the beautiful blade, but then the system's voice cut in.
[ Host has killed every beast in this area. This zone will now be transformed into a temporary safe zone]
The zone he stood in flickered, turning pure white. The familiar barrier of the first safe zone he was in appeared again, this time alot clearer to him. A safe zone-- no beasts would come here. A temporary sanctuary. He thought briefly of returning to where he had begun, but saw it still burned red on the map. Dangerous. Unforgiving.
"Alright,Then forward it is".
He set out.
....
The hunt became a massacre.
He went to the next green zone, eliminating every single beast , including it's zone boss with extreme ease. His gold- rank sword sang with every swing. The weak beats he once feared now feel like grass beneath a scythe. Their claws shattered against his glass walls. Their fangs dulled against his blade. Experience trized in ...
+40xp
+40xp
+40xp
+40xp
... +50xp
To little, way too little to satisfy his XP pool, though it stacked like rain filling a river but was still too little.
He carried on his way deeper until the map glowed orange ahead. A challenge.
The moment he stepped into the orange zone, they appeared. Beasts like leopards with black spots on their grey skin- their eyes glowing crimson. It gleamed with feral hunger, their movements sharp.
At last.
"Reveal" he whispered
[ Host has activated passive skill: Reveal(lv.1)]
Up until now, he had not bothered using his affinity skills. And it was because of this ...
[ -30 void energy]
Earlier when he had used the glass wall the system had deducted 100 void energy out of his 1,000. Might not seem like a lot was deducted but then this message came in right after the 100 deduction.
[ Without void energy, host can not use affinity]
[Host can recover void energy by absorbing the void.]
[ Note: absorbing the void recovers a very strong mind to avoid corruption and insanity]
[ Host is advised to absorb the void with a mind of 100]
Although he still had 10 undistributed stat points, he didn't want to just allocate in a haste. Plus none of the beast had given him a reason to use any affinity, but maybe this one's would.
The void shimmered. His new passive unfurled, their stats spilling into his sight. Strength, agility, defense, stamina.
[ Name: Void- leopards]
[ Attack: 25]
[ Speed: 30]
[ Defense: 15]
[ Stamina: infinite]
"Hmmm?... Infinite stamina?" He asked as he tightened his grip on the blades hilt. The blade thrummed, eager.
The beast lunged. He moved.
There where about 8 of the them. Steel rang out as his sword carved through the first, a flash of golden light spraying crimson into the dark. Another clawed at his back, but the glass wall erupted into existence, jagged and sharp, shattering on impact and sending shards into its flesh.
[ Glass wall activated]
[ -100 void energy]
Dream spun, cutting its throat in a clean arc as he gave a slight smile.
Something strange was happening... The fight, it thrilled him. Unlike the weaklings before, these made him move -- made him dodge, defend, strike--- made his heartbeat, his blood boil. The void pulsed within him, feeding the flow of battle.
' what is this feeling ' he wondered, his expression showing one of peace as he smiled.
And when he stood among the broken bodies, blood steaming on the ground, the system flared.
[ +4,000 XP
+4,000 XP
+4,000XP
...
+5,000
He exhaled sharply wiping blood from his cheek.
[XP: 33,000/12,000]
[ Level Up]
[+1 to all stats]
[ XP: 21,000/15,000]
[ Level up]
[ +1 to all stats]
[ Goal Quest Level: 12/25]
[ XP: 6,000/18,000]
[ +20 available stats point]
"20 huh?.... Tempting"
Breathing steady and calmly, he surveyed the map again.
The small orange zone dimmed, turning green as it fell under his control. But his gaze slid forward-- t v the pulsing marker deep ahead. The second fragment of the void core.
His hand closed tightly around his sword.
" Another step closer" he muttered.
He set off, the void whispering around him, the fractured path leading towards the next shade that would decide his fate.
....
Meanwhile at a certain part in the void, blood like energy swirled around a cocoon. The energy seemed weak but the cocoon was alive, moving like a heartbeat.