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I inhaled and held a bit of my breath as the ray of purple light start to shower my body. I ran to the bug-looking monster direction and as I jump, I immediately summon the 'Infinite Sky' blade.
As the monster roar, I cut their throat open, deep enough it could cut their head all together. But unfortunately it didn't happen like what I was expected. The monster quickly regenerate from the cut I made. "...Haha.. fuck."
Before their hands reached out to throw me, I immediately avoid it and backed away. "Ace! did you see that!?"
"Yes, I see them clearly with my eyes, so these monster can regenerate huh.."
"For a common grade to have such a ability, the system must've like to torment their Espers." I spoke as I get back on my feet again.
"We talk later, that ugly bug is approaching us!" Ace spoke in a stronger tone as he warned me about the monster. He jumped and aimed the blade to their upper chest, but it was no use at all.
Even after the purple energy stab into their body, they immediately regenerate back again. Dear me, was the system crazy??
I went after Ace with a sprint, "What if we cut them into two?" Say while running along with him.
"..We can try that."
I quickly gave a command on how we cut them into half cause my power couldn't fully do it unless there was a stronger power as its reinforce. "Ace you cut the front while I cute them from the back!"
Ace looked at it with disgusted expression, as expected he hate it so much since its a bug— but alas he had no choice but to agree. As both of us jump at them, using all of our strength to cut it in two half.
As expected, we actually cut it fully but turns out it was a bad idea. While the lower body part turn into dust the upper one regenerate another lower body.
"Shit! Ace! Send me few more starlight!" I shout and even though Ace was silent and the request, but there was a notification right the next second I said it.
[Esper
[You have received 300 Starlights current balance : 300 Starlights.]
I quickly use it to level up my strength, while Ace was buying time fighting the approaching monsters.
[300 Starlights has been successfully invested on Starlights.]
[Strength Lv. 3 >> 5]
[Due to your high strength, the skill 'Abyss' will enhanced to division 2.]
Already to division 2...?
It was quite shocking even for me, but anyway it's a good thing because until now I hadn't use the 'Abyss' skill and was always depending Infinite Sky. Now that it got leveled up to the division 2 thanks to my strength, I assume it'd more stable now.
[The skill 'Abyss' division 2 had been activated.]
Just like before, the air was suffocating. I tried my best to breath properly, but the skill was stronger than I imagined as blood start to trickled down from my nose.
[The skill 'No Corruption' has been activated.]
Even though the blood still flowing down from my nose, my mind slowly become clearer and I could breath a bit properly. At least, it wasn't as bad as before.
I snapped back as I heard Ace screaming while he was being surrounded by bunch of monsters, "Hurry up! I can't buy anymore time at this rate!"
I straightened up my body as I felt a strong energy of the skill 'Abyss' start to rose from my body and my pupils begun to have purple gradation in it.
"Thank you for waiting Ace."
"Cut the crap, now we have to aim at their stomach, I assume it's the critical point."
"Sure thing." I smirked and he just shifted his gaze away from me. Yes, I was cheeky enough to felt happy over using my first big skill.
[The skill 'Abyss' has been activated. Now you are allowed bring a power from the depth of underworld.]
[Please choose the following sub-skill.]
Two notification flashed inside my head. There were three choices.
On the first row was
'Flame Of Eternal Hell'.
It was clear just based on the name I could acquire an ability to control over flame.
The second was '7 Pandora's'
this time I have no idea about what the hell was that skill.
Then the last one was 'Reality Distortion'.
Despite I managed to activate my 'Abyss' skill, it was no use for the persistent system, because the only skill that idle for me to use was only 'Flame Of Eternal Hell'.
I click my tongue for a second before choosing the sub-skill on the first row. Along with a burning sensation, I summoned my weapon. Until I got a full grip of my Infinite Sky, the flame burst out and supposed-to-be focused on the blade of the Greatsword. But because the lack of control over my skill, the fire still spread out to my hands.
Actually it wasn't supposed to be hurting but again lack of control, I hissed over a clear pain on my hands.
Ace ran back to me as he fished up lot of monsters behind him. That man... really knew how to stir up chaos.
I swung the Greatsword on my hand and before I could warn Ace about the upcoming wave, he had disappeared from the vicinity. Dark flames roared altogether with a sharp energy from my weapon, rushing forward and cut perfectly everything on its way.
The voices of screeching could be heard and the monsters were roaring in pain. Without a slightest care, I ran towards them and proceed to cut them more to pieces, making sure they won't have time to regenerate.
---
There was still 30 minutes of given time for clearing the quest. As for me and Ace, the battle over these bugs were finally over. And of course we acquired lot more targets than what we needed.
I was standing there head down as I wiped the pale blue blood from the monsters I cut just now from my chin. I lift my head as I felt Ace's presence getting closer to me. Then, I smiled to that man who just helped me clear this mess up. I could see he was about to shout my name but stopped midway, and only staring straight to my eyes.
Just as I was about to ask, my vision suddenly blurred. I could feel my buffs evaporated and my strength reduced in crazy pace. The last thing I remember was Ace screaming out my name. I fall on my knees as my vision blurred then just like that,everything went dark.
huh...?
---
I woke up in an unfamiliar room. Yes, again. This time, I almost freaked out because I thought I just transmigrated to whole other shit again. Until I heard Ace spoke while leaning on the door frame, "Stop struggling so much. Your internal body still suffering from the force of your skills." He stepped closer to me while holding a bottle of mineral water and two good of unwrapped pills.
"Where are we?" I asked with a clear concern written all over my face.
"A building not far from where we hunt." he answered, as he stuffed the pills to my hand.
I looked at his face and I thought, in split seconds I just saw his eyebrows were bent down a bit, before quickly return to its original shape. Well, maybe I saw it wrong then?
"Sit down. You can do it right? drink properly."
"What is this for?" I asked as I was puzzled about why did he gave me the medicine.
"Can't you feel it? you're burning."
I didn't notice it at first, but now that Ace said it, I could feel the discomfort and dizziness. Geez, I thought headache would be my sworn friend in the future.
"I'm fine. It's not even that high." I uttered my thoughts. Ace who was checking on the menu windows suddenly turned his body and protested, "It 'was' that high. I tried to wake you up but you kept on sleeping like a dead meat."
I startled as I saw Ace's expression hardened. Was it a big deal? I mean, beside feeling a bit hazy, I was completely fine.
"Ace..?"
Realized his expression wasn't right, he hurriedly pulled his head away and turned his back facing me.
"Just drink it. It'll be troublesome if your fever return later after all."
I decided to just went silent and obediently drunk the medicine. For moments, it was silence between us and only faint sounds from the snow raining down outside the room could be heard.
"Have we... by any chance ever met before?" Ace asked me without turning his back. So I couldn't tell his expression at the time.
Though I was a bit surprised by the sudden question, I quickly return to my original pace and answered calmly, "...no, we never."
Seeing Ace silent by my answer, I added, "You know, I'll definitely gonna remember such a person if we ever met." I chuckled a bit.
But it was a lie if I said I felt light-hearted right now. The fact that I've known him for a goddamn 14 years, the fact that I learned how to write stories just so I won't forget about him.
The fact that I learned how to draw so I'd feel like he was always with me, beside me. I want to blurt it all out. I hate to say this, but I wanted to be known by him too.
"Why would you ask anyway?"
He glanced at me from sideways and answered, "Nothing big. I just feel a bit familiar with you."
...of course you'd feel familiar with me.
「"His name is Ace, and he will be the one who protect you when I'm not around."」
I knitted my eyebrows as a long time ago memory rushed in. It wasn't a bad memory, but wasn't very pleasant either. It was like something you'd like to forget but you can't. Or rather, you don't want to forget it.
"It's just strange enough with you, knew some things about me. I wonder..." He cut his words halfway as he closed the menu windows and stepped closer to me.
"How did you know about it."
I shifted my gaze away, and spoke, "...you'll learn about it, sooner or later."
It was a real pain for me, remembering that he would probably discover more darker truth, especially once 'that' woman appear.