=--=--=(The Following Can Be Skipped)=--=--=
{The Book: AND~ Here we are, starting the chapter with a comedic intro due to an argument between our corner fighters!
In our left corner, we have~ THE AUTHOR!}
[Fake Applause]
(AN: YOU @%&#$%^%**$^* PLOT, IF I TELL YOU TO EXPLAIN, YOU EXPLAIN!)
{The Book: In our right, we have~ THE PLOT!}
\Plot: I'd never fuck your mother, now suck it up and write where I told you to.\
(AN: NO! I'm not going to BRAZENLY SKIP all of their CONVERSATION! #&6$ YOU!)
\Plot: I'm a concept, I can't be fucked, not literally, nor to deal with your temper tantrums.\
(AN: YOU-
{The Book: We'll take a break and let the two hash out their argument out of site and out of the hearing range so you won't hear all the profanities.}
=--=(A Month Later)=--=
(AN: NO!)
\Plot: YES!\
(AN: N-
{The Book: YOU #@^&#$* JUST WRITE! I'VE BEEN DROPPED FOR FOUR DECADES DAMNIT!}
\Plot: ...It's only been a month.\
(AN: ...I'll get to it.)
=--=--=(Rant Over, Chapter Starting Here)=--=--=
\Plot: In the end, the Author listened to me. So leave the conversation to your imaginations or until Chapter ##.\
(AN: $&#! you.)
\Plot: I love you too.\
=--=(One Month Earlier)=--=
(AN: Never said I can't do a flashback!)
\Plot: ...You win this time...\
((Serious Note here, this chapter will be the last with this much breaking of the fourth wall. The others will just be there for fi- *cough* I mean plot purposes.))
Gray was speechless hearing the insult come from a straight and serious expression. Seraphina continued despite the listlessness present on Gray's face.
"Don't try to fool me damn it, I know you're one of the people who came back in time."
This time, Gray was confused for a moment.
"How many?"
Unbothered by her mini-rant, Gray asked.
"42"
"You, are joking. Right?"
"Nope."
"So, there are 40 people to find."
Gray thought for a good few minutes before turning towards Laine and saying.
"39"
Seraphina followed his gaze and looked upon the 'Son of Gaia' with a complicated glint shimmering in her eyes.
"Is that all?"
Seraphina asked.
"...Maybe 37, but let's talk about this another time. We're nearing 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 after all."
Seraphina nodded in response and checked on Marina before smiling and leaving. As Gray heard her leave, he thought.
'Well, her being back makes my job easier.'
=--=(Present Time)=--=
Gray is currently waiting for time to pass so that he could leave the infirmary. Sadly, doing such a thing is difficult when you can't even see the clock. Easily anyway.
Slowly, time passed as Gray waited, and waited, and waited. He listened to the music playing in the background, (AN: False Confidence, if you want to listen and read.) he smelled the incense meant to increase healing that was made by Seraphina. The air tasted fresh with a metallic tinge to it.
*Click*
The door snapping open and the pitter patter of the footsteps of people trying to be quiet didn't escape Gray's enhanced ears that had their capabilities increase after losing his sight. He decided to fake being asleep and listen, his faded eyes closed and his hearing ready for even the smallest sound.
Gray sent out a scanning pulse, which is what he calls the harmless EMPs, and saw the room and people in his mind's eye, allowing him to 'see' it. The people who entered consisted of three. One had short, curly hair accompanying his chubby facial features and his tall physique. He was carrying a bag of chips. Gray had to resist the urge to get up and snatch them, lest he misses the conversation.
The other two were both girls, one had long and wavy hair while the other had a ponytail from, presumably, long and straight hair.
Gray's ears perked up as he listened in to the conversation between the three, who weren't bothering to hide it.
The boy spoke first. It was a nostalgia inducing voice for Gray, he deciphered their identity almost instantly.
"For now, we shouldn't do anything. Once the Venlier encounters the storm, we'll go around and secure the places I remember." - The Boy
"Fine, but you should double check your memories in case we miss some deaths." - Girl 1
"Right, we need to prepare everything else as well. Otherwise we won't be taken seriously when we begin the plan." - Girl 2
"Right, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 part especially, we need to make sure 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 works." - Boy
Gray heard the plan and took a minute to think.
'If this really is that idiot, then we have a huge problem. If this bastard saves 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, we're fucked. I need to take precautions against this. First would be to be there for the death of 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. If that fails, I'll need to assassinate 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 in their sleep. If that fails... I'll try something else. If the thing I think of fails. I'll wing it. If winging it fails. *sigh* I'll tell Seraphina.'
Gray's attention snapped over towards the conversation again. They were discussing a plan. With a sacrifice... Gray's gut feeling immediately told him to run, disappear, leave. TO GET OUT FAST.
Depressingly, the feeling was right.
"Alright, I will be the sacrifice for the plan. If I di-"
"No! W-"
Gray sat up suddenly and shocked the people keeping quiet. They all watched, agape, as he stood out of his bed and walked out of the room under their surprised gazes, all while sneakily grabbing the bag of chips.
Gray only had one thought behind this action.
'I'm not going to listen to the hero-complex bullshit, cringe talk and little cliché idiot is going through. I ain't got time for that.'
He then realized something.
'36'
Gray took a breath and calmed himself down. He opened his blind eyes and began to think about when he got blinded while opening the chip bag.
'Even if I dodged that, I most likely wouldn't get another easy shot at his head like that. Until I get to half-ascended, or the next rank, I'll need to work on my physique a bit more than normal, otherwise I won't be able to resist attacks like that, much less of 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 caliber. Either way... I have to train.'
Frustrated by his lack of strength, Gray left to go to Layer 3, the training room, in order to further his physique.
The walk to the elevator was uneventful, at most was a small conflict his SP scanned in the distance. As soon as he arrived, however, another person was behind him.
His SP didn't sense this person, since they weren't touching the ground to begin with, nor did they have any metal on them. Gray wouldn't sense them since his SP would simply pass right through them as it wasn't adapted to detect the change in the air yet. The person simply gave a look over of Gray before looking away towards the corridor where people were coming.
They didn't bother with Gray at all, whether it was for a special reason or not... who knows.
Nonetheless, Gray wasn't concerned with this as his focus was on his recovery.
'Although I got away from those lunatics, my physical condition has worsened because of it.' Gray thought 'Should I have stayed?'
He immediately discarded that thought.
'My mental health comes first.'
A light bulb appeared above his head and he used his status to confirm his thoughts.
========================
Self Analysis Spell: 1st Circle, 4th Compendium.
Name:
[Gray Helnes][Rank: 12 {Human: Normal]
New Details:
10% Progress {Left} | = / ↣ {◉}
5% Progress {Left} | - {○}
Physique:
[ 2/14 | 0% ===↣◉◉◉◉◉◉ 100% (40%) ]
[Affinities]『Understanding』:
〘Lightning〙
[ 4/11 | 0% ====↣◉◉◉◉◉ 100% (50%) ] 『0th Root: 𝓞𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓲𝓷』
〘Order〙
[ 6/11 | 0% ======↣-○◉◉ 100% (75%) ] 『19th Root: In depth Learning』
〘Time〙
[ 1/11 | 0% =↣-○◉◉◉◉◉◉ 100% (25%) ] 『24th Root: Learned of』
Purities:
[ 2/10 | 0% ===↣◉◉◉◉◉◉ 100% (40%) ] 『Lightning Root:-0-』
[ 0/10 - Error | 0/5 - Error ] 『No Order Origin Root Usable』
[ 0/10 - Error | 0/5 - Error ] 『No Time Origin Root Usable』
--------------------------------------------------------------
Elemental/Martial/Neutral Skills:
"Origin Lightning" - Half-Ascended Skill
"D̶r̶a̶g̶o̶n̶ ̶F̶o̶r̶m̶ ̶[̶I̶I/̶V̶I̶I̶]̶" (Sealed)
"B̶l̶o̶o̶d̶l̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶P̶u̶r̶i̶f̶i̶c̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶" (Unusable)
"SP (Sonar Pulse)" (Usable)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Bloodlines:
None
==========================================
'It registered.'
Now, if you're wondering how a blind man can 'see' it. Those who read a lot of system novels will assume the information is sent directly to their brain in the form of a screen. That is exactly what this spell does.
*Ding*
Gray's head looked towards the elevator and he stepped towards it.
Only to run into someone.
"Apologies. I didn't see you there."
Gray voiced out his apologies and the person turned, about to retort when he noticed his faded eyes.
Not expecting the person bumping into him to have been blind, the person simply clicked his tongue and accepted his apology with a sarcastic comment.
"Thanks, next time, watch where you're going."
Gray's eyes twitched.
'Now isn't the time, I'm weak still, I don't have anywhere near the strength I had before, I should just ignore them.'
He took a few breaths before activating his SP and was able to see the area and the people.
'I'll just beat the shit out of them later.'
Sure enough, his impulsive nature wasn't eliminated in either life. He stepped into the elevator before waiting for the door to close. The people who went into the infirmary also came in after catching up to him, as the door was about to close, the cold cactus in the form of Laine grabbed the elevator and entered. After that, in the same manner of entering, Alicia and her friend with some walking supports entered.
Gray's (debatable) patience was rewarded in half an hour.