Koshin's eyes fluttered open as he found himself back in the Omni-Realm, his body gasping for precious air. He wheezed and sputtered, his chest heaving as he fell to his knees, desperate to fill his lungs with the life-giving breath he had been denied moments ago.
His hands trembled as he clutched at his throat, feeling the residual ache and phantom pressure that still lingered. The memories of being choked out by his own clone flooded his mind, amplifying his sense of vulnerability and violation. Each labored breath sent shivers through his body, a chilling reminder of the thin line between life and death.
Koshin's vision blurred with unshed tears, a mixture of fear, frustration, and relief welling up within him. The realization that he couldn't die in the Omni-realm washed over him, but it did little to alleviate the raw emotions that coursed through his veins. He had been brought to his knees, both physically and emotionally, and the experience had left an indelible mark on his spirit.
"Why am I doing this?" Koshin whispered, his voice heavy with exhaustion and defeat, he then laid down on the ground, gazing up at the vast expanse of the sky.
'Wealth? Power? Freedom? Kinship? Is it even worth it to suffer for those things?' Koshin pondered, his thoughts drifting into a sea of uncertainty. The weight of the question pressed upon him, causing his mind to wander through countless possibilities.
Minutes turned into moments, as his contemplation unfolded, exploring the depths of his drive to move on.
"Enough of this nonsense," Koshin muttered as he slowly got up. His voice carried a mixture of frustration and determination. "I've been given a chance to change my fate, and here I am, wasting time contemplating useless questions like 'why'.
Staring down at the ground, Koshin closed his eyes and slowly breathed in and out a few times to calm his emotions. When he opened his eyes again, a sense of peace washed over him. "Sigh~ now I should ask myself the real 'whys'
Massaging his temples Koshin placed the experience of his death in the back of his mind, he then thought about the clone's twisted expression, 'Why did that happen?'
He thought of all the possibilities even going back to his abilities and re-reading them over, "There," He said as he looked at [Accelecrator]
'I remember feeling a strength increase at the end," he muttered as he absentmindedly rubbed his throat. ' Also this 'killing intent' mentioned, is it a physical manifestation?' Koshin questioned.
His thoughts then went back to the frightening air and twisted expression the clone had before it killed him.
Suddenly, a realization hit him like a bolt of lightning, 'Wait, the clone, was it using skills during the fight? It had to be right? Tch, that's why even though we're the same it felt like it had the advantage,' Koshin thought, he also smacked himself for his stupidity.
"I have a lot to learn," Koshin said as he disappointedly shook his head.
Meanwhile, deep within the dark recesses of Void Crow City, a clandestine chamber lay concealed, enveloped in an eerie veil of obscurity. The place buzzed with hushed whispers, teeming with ten scheming individuals who appeared to be discussing something important.
The chamber hummed with ominous tension as the flickering lights from an enlightened ensemble of candles cast bizarre shadows on the men's faces, lending them a frightening air. They sat around an old wooden table, their eyes gleaming with veiled intentions.
After a moment of silence, a man who had a crooked expression on his face leaned forward and spoke, "The Avalon artifact, we need it," he growled, his voice barely above a whisper.
The figure opposite to him, shrouded in a cloak of darkness, nodded in agreement. "Indeed," he said in a gravelly tone. "The Harbingers of Havoc require the artifact for... a grand purpose as you all know," he continued, a malicious grin spreading across his face, half-lit by the candle's glow.
One of the other men then clicked his tongue, "Tch, Can you guarantee that Void Crow won't be in dire straits because of this 'Grand Purpose',"
The shrouded man quickly responded, "There's going be consequences, but you'll just have to bear with it. I mean, there's no way we can safely kill the heir of the Avalon family and them not retaliating in some way," he shrugged.
Upon hearing this the other man got up and slammed his fist onto the wooden table making it crack, "AND WHO WILL BE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CONSEQUENCES, YOU?! NO, VOID CROW WILL!"
Seeing as things were getting out of hand, another mysterious person spoke, " Enough! Calm yourself, Sir. Magistrate,"
The shrouded man smiled as he heard this person speak up, he then laid back in his seat while moving his body around a bit to get comfortable.
"Kaelen! Do you have any idea of the consequences we will face if we do this inside these city walls?!" The man who was called Sir. Magistrate quickly retorted.
"I understand, but we have no choice, the patriarch of the Avalon family is shrewd enough to not let any information about his son's location be divulged. We would waste too many resources trying to find out where he is right now, but, there is one thing we know for certain, and that is he's going to be coming to Void Crow by the end of this month," He assured.
He then continued, "So instead of wasting our time trying to kill him outside, it is better to let him come into the Emberclaw's lair. We'll just have to play it smart when he does arrive, as I am sure that he will have ample backup, as for the city lord, let me deal with him, I am sure I can play it off. You just deal with your end,"
"This, I-I don't like this, t-this plan, I think we can come up with a better safer option," the man called Sir. Magistrate urged.
"This is a prime opportunity, I don't see why we shouldn't, and before you respond. You said that I won't be paying for the consequences? Are you not a part of this? It isn't me who would be taking responsibility, it is 'us,' the shrouded man said.
"You don't understand I-" Sir. Magistrate said, but before he could finish the man named Kaelen intervened.
"Stop, That's the end of that Sir. Magistrate, we will go through with the plan," Kaelen said leaving no room for further discussion
"But-" Sir. Magistrate said but was cut off again.
"I understand your worries, but like I said, we'll handle it," Kaelen said as he stared Sir. Magistrate dead in the eyes.
"Sigh~ Okay" Sir. Magistrate gave up.
"Good, now let's plan on how we will proceed on this. Remember, our main goal is to retrieve the Enigma's Heartstone from the heir of the Avalon family, which means killing him, but that's going to be difficult as I am sure his bodyguards won't let that happen easily," Kaelen said as he looked around.
The ten individuals resumed their intense deliberations. Their whispers filled the air as they wove their intricate and nefarious scheme, meticulously plotting the audacious plan to secure the Enigma's Heartstone.
Back in the Omni-Realm, Koshin could be seen going toe-to-toe with his clone again.
"HA!" Koshin's roar echoed through the Omni-Realm as his uppercut connected solidly with the clone's jaw. The attack catapulted the clone a few centimeters off the ground, a testament to the power behind it.
The tattered Koshin who was bleeding all over had 'Intense Focus' activated and could see the clone slowly flailing its arms as it was suspended in mid-air. The clone then lost its momentum and began slowly falling to the ground, Koshin then quickly thought of his next move.
As the clone hit the ground it was left in a daze, Koshin then seized the opportunity to attack again. With a swift motion, Koshin launched himself forward, placing his right leg in front which was squarely positioned in line with the clone's head.
The clone was caught off guard, its eyes shooting open in shock and realization. But it was a split second too late. The bottom of Koshin's foot collided with its face, and an appalling crunch then echoed through the air. It was a chilling sound, the kind that would plague any normal person's nightmares for weeks - it was the sound of the clone's neck snapping under the brutal force of his stomp.
After breaking the clone's neck, Koshin stepped back a few times and looked at the body.
"I won?" He questioned, but just as he was going to celebrate the clone's body began convulsing. He felt the air around the clone turn sinister causing his skin to prickle and his senses to recoil in uneasiness.
"Had a feeling that it wouldn't be that easy," Koshin said as he calmed himself. He then smiled, "I can do that too!" Koshin shouted as his Omni-Blood cell entered his heart.
Accelerator quickly activated and Koshin felt a significant power boost. Koshin next watched as the clone quickly jumped up, then with a bone-chilling crunch, it deftly realigned its neck, eliciting an unsettling sensation that sent a shiver down his spine.
'Huh good to know that I can do that,' Koshin thought as he steeled his nerves.
Without missing a beat, Koshin charged at the clone, activating 'Intense Focus' and striking at its head. Koshin then saw the clone moving at the same speed as him, and instantly knew that it had also activated 'Intense Focus' and was trying to block his punch.
Koshin's punch quickly collided with the clone's open palm, but instead of the clone's palm stopping the punch, it instead sent the clone reeling backward.
Not giving the clone any chance to breathe Koshin rushed forward and began peppering the clone with a barrage of punches. But to his surprise after the first three to four hits, the clone began effortlessly dodging them all.
'Damn, 'Intense Focus' is way more busted than I figured,' Koshin thought while his fists were relentlessly hammering at the clone. 'Feels wrong to complain, seeing as I can do the same thing, but it's just not fair. I can't use intense focus as much as the clone can, or I'll cut my time in the Omni-Realm short because of the mental stress," he mused, frustration welling up within him.
Upon ducking one of Koshin's wild punches, the clone outstretched its right palm and stabbed into Koshin's stomach.
"Ack!" Koshin shouted as he felt the pain for a split second, luckily the pain had disappeared as quickly as it came, this was one of the perks of 'Accelerator'
Not giving the clone a chance to do any more damage, Koshin sent a punch which landed smack dab on the clone's jaw. Yet, the clone showed no reaction, it didn't even flinch.
'I have to end this, and fast,' Koshin's mind raced, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. 'Intense Focus' then surged to life within his eyes, amplifying them to their limits. 'I can feel it... Its hand... rummaging around in my gut. It's definitely trying to yank something out.'
Koshin's gaze darted down to the clone's feet, a split-second decision being made. With a surge of strength, he lashed out, his own foot connecting with the clone's right leg. He then propelled himself forward, throwing his full weight against the clone. The two of them then fell down and rolled a few times only stopping when one of them stabilized himself on top of the other.
Koshin who was on top locked eyes with the clone. His hands shot out, one gripping the clone's neck, the other grabbing the clone's hair. His fingers dug into the soft flesh and hard bone, blood seeping between them as he tightened his grip.
Not letting Koshin just do as he pleased, the clone retaliated by also grabbing Koshin's neck with its bloody right hand, its left hand also searched for Koshin's neck but the position it was in made it hard to do so.
After feeling the clone grab his throat Koshin then saw blood flying everywhere. His eyes flicked to the side, catching sight of a gory handful the clone now held. It was a part of his throat, torn away in a savage gesture, leaving a chilling sight for him to behold.
Despite the shocking sight, an odd sense of calm descended on Koshin. There was no choking struggle for air, no constriction in his windpipe. He could breathe. It was an unsettling realization, a stark contrast to the bloody display before him.
Yet, his heartbeat thundered in his ears, a frantic rhythm that seemed to echo the brutal, desperate struggle they were locked in. Koshin's focus narrowed in on the clone and the fight, his every sense heightened to an almost unbearable pitch, fueled by adrenaline and the determination to win.
'DIE!' Koshin screamed in his mind. Outwardly, it was nothing more than a choked gurgle forced through his clenched teeth, an inhuman sound of defiance.
Koshin's hands squeezed harder as he tugged upward on the clone's neck and hair. "ARGGGGH!" Koshin's features twisted in a grimace of rage as he used every bit of strength that he had in his body. The clone's neck then began to rip as he continued to yank upward.
'Almost!' Koshin roared inwardly. With a surge of adrenaline-fueled strength, he gripped tighter, every muscle straining with effort. Then, with a final, ferocious jerk, he ripped the clone's head right off its shoulders. Tendons snapped, muscle fibers were shredded, and vertebrae crunched under the ruthless force of his pull.
Blood sprayed out like a macabre fountain, painting both Koshin and the immediate surroundings in a gruesome mix of scarlet and gore.
A sickening squelch filled the air, followed by two thuds hitting the ground. One was Koshin who fell backward, and the other was the clone's head which flew off into the distance.
Quickly getting up, Koshin looked at the clone's body. "Taaa uui?"
"Huh?" Koshin voiced dumbfoundedly. His hand instinctively rose to his throat, his fingertips gingerly probing the damaged area.
A sickening reality washed over him as he traced the gaping wound. There was a substantial chunk of his throat missing, torn away in the clone's last-ditch effort. The skin and muscle that once contoured his neck were now nothing more than a rough, ragged mess.
'What? How it's this even possible?' Koshin thought. He then breathed in and out and found that even though a good chunk of his throat was gone he could still breathe properly.
Not only that, his body was currently in a bad state yet he felt completely fine. 'Accelerator'. What a scary ability,' Koshin thought.
He then continued 'If I'm going by what the skill description said, then after I deactivate Accelerator then I'll feel and take the original pain and damage. Best not to do so'
After weighing the pros and cons Koshin asked the Omni-Realm to restore his body, and only after it did so did he deactivate 'Accelerator'
Looking around Koshin noticed that the clone's body had already disappeared, "I have a feeling, most of my fights are gonna be like that," he said as he held his head from the sudden thumping headache. He had gone through a tough fight and was feeling weary even though he was fully healed, this was the Omni-Realm telling him that his time was soon up.
"Sigh~ Time to leave," Koshin said as willed himself out of the Omni-Realm and opened his eyes to his dark room.
"That was tiring," Koshin sighed.
He then slowly crawled to his window and opened it. Upon doing so his eyes instantly looked up at the glowing full moon, paying no attention to the lit streets below.
'Looks like it's not even midnight yet, guess I'll need to be stronger, or do something less stressful if I want to stay longer inside the Omni-Realm.
For now, I should rest, I have another long day tomorrow,' he thought as he closed the window and laid down in his bed.
Closing his eyes, Koshin's thoughts replayed the fight he had with his clone in the Omni-Realm.
'That was an awful fight, but I guess I did better than the first time, I mean I even won, if you could call it that. I'm sure if I wasn't in the Omni-Realm and had a fight like that, then I would most definitely die afterward,'
'I'll need to make some Omni-Throm cells to keep me alive when I get into fights that injure me that bad,'
Koshin continued to think about his fight with the clone until he eventually fell asleep.
The next day, the noise of the hustling and bustling passerby's woke Koshin from his static sleep.
"Morning already?" Koshin said while yawning and stretching.
'Didn't I just close my eyes?' He thought, Koshin wanted to go back to sleep just for a little bit, but he knew that he had to get up and head out so he could afford 'rent' and food.
Getting up Koshin lazily walked to the small table, sat down, and opened his map.
'Alright, the plan, Emeria's Grove. First, I need to get there safely, hopefully, the area is safe, which it should be since it's close to the city and then there's me also being a cultivator, that should be enough assurance.
Secondly, I'll need something to carry the things I gather, a simple satchel should do, I guess I'll need to stop by the market again.
Lastly, Selling, I should look around first to get a gist of the prices of these herbs, I don't want to get robbed because I lack information,' Koshin thought as he looked at the map.
He then closed it and got up stretching his body one last time before exiting his room.