--1 week later--
--Crack!--
The sound of something akin to a breaking glass could heard as an egg shapes cocoon, began to crack slowly but surely.
At this point and time, the black roses on it had morph to that of vampiric bat like designs, the cocoon continue to crack as a bright crimson red light reveal itself behind the cracks.
The cocoon began to slowly beat like beating heart, as a slow badump sound could be heard in the infinite field of black roses, as the heartbeat move along with the cold flowing wind.
Eventually the cocoon began to expand like a balloon, and due to increase in size it went beyond its capacity, as a loud popping sound could be heard echoing throughout the empty field.
--pop!--
A bright light emerges and bright crimson blood that was glowing in the dark surrounding, lit up the area in a beautiful scarlet, the cocoon pop like a gross pimple, causing glowing crimson blood to fly in every direction, splattering and staining the beautiful black Mer of endless roses.
And what came from the bloody mess was a tall man at least 6'8 in height, he was fairly muscular, he was completely naked his skin was really pale, if anything it look inhumane, he had long beautiful scarlet red hair that touches the ground, so much so, it looks like a small sea of hair beneath him, it was soft and silky to the touch, in his mouth were razor sharp teeth's that were pointy to the touch as well, his handsomeness could only be call supernatural.
He had red claws that were pointy, the man had the appearance of someone in his early twenties, the figure lay flat on the ground as he slowly opens his eyes, revealing a pair of beautiful purple eyes that were cold to the touch.
This was Author after his rebirth to a Scarlet Ghoul, he slowly began to regain consciousness, and rise from the ground, he began to rub his eyes, still adapting his vision to current surroundings.
"Ha... I feel extremely refresh, more so than how I felt when I was talking to Shalvaveesha earlier."
Spoke Author who, had a way a younger voice prior to before, the changes to his voice were so drastic he actually questions it.
"Egh... who talking?"
"There it goes again."
"Hmm... is this my voice, I sound like a spoil and rich young master from those annoying teen romance shows, how disgusting this is definitely a minus in my book."
Author then saw a weird pool of red liquid beneath him, it was a scentless liquid that was glowing, he didn't pay it much mind, and instantly look into the pool of red liquid which reveal his reflection, his face had genuine shock to it for two reasons.
"Why do I look this beautiful, this is disgusting I can't intimidate no one with this face, if anything this is more of a curse that a blessing, and what's up with this excessively long hair, their no way I can fight with such excessively stupidly long hair."
But just when I was complaining about my appearance, I heard an all too familiar voice, but this time it didn't sound like it was coming from everywhere, no it sounded like it was literally behind me.
"You know appearance alone can be an unbeatable weapon that can play in your favor in more ways than one, charm is an overpowered ability believe me when I say this."
I slowly turn around and before me was a woman 5'7 in height she was dress in a full black dress that reach the floor, it was coated with many skeletons like decoration, she had long black gloves that reach her elbow, her face was covered in a black veil that block her facial features.
But what came out from behind it, was long straight purple hair that reach her heal, she was bear-footed, on her back or more so behind her was pair of floating bone wings both black in color.
Although I can't see her face, I could still feel her glare that felt like it was piercing the very fabric of my soul, I could tell she was observing me from under her veil that was so dark even light itself refused touch it.
It gives one the feeling of being stare by a peerless entity from an unreachable void, her melancholic voice pierced my ears as she began to speak to me.
"I must say this level of power is satisfactory."
My eyes couldn't move from her, I was definitely sure her unseeable eyes was glazing straight at mine, but it was only till my sense of danger felt as if her gaze was washed away, I was able to move my own body once more, which gave me a leverage to speak.
"I presume your Shalvaveesha."
I ask the woman, who suddenly appear behind me.
The woman before me, simply nod her head in reassurance as she replied as such.
"Greeting Author-Sama, how are you feeling."
"Honestly, I feel a lot better compared to before, the only complaint I have is this new appearance of mine it's too flashy especially for someone as simple as me."
"You look good thought, and honestly speaking, in term of mere looks and appearance your easily in the top ten without a doubt."
"Thats even more annoying."
"But wasn't your current facial feature was also stunning, although very intimating with that glare of yours."
"It the very reason I hid my face, it scared too many people to begin with."
"Quite ironic, isn't it?"
"Sigh whatever I guess."
"You know you take thing little bit too seriously."
"It the way I am I can't help it."
"But this new appearance is a good thing."
"I beg to differ to your current claim, but regardless of that lets not waste any more time, but before we do anything else, can you help me with hair problem, it little a bit too much for me."
"I can do that much, but before that let me help you with clothes problem first."
Upon saying those words Shalvaveesha stretch out her right arm towards me and fired a blue ray that engulf me, I didn't feel pain, instead I feel something emerging and manifesting upon me.
And that's when I realized that I was magically equipped with basic set of clothes, and on me was nothing more than a full red tunic that favor the ones from ancient Greece, while on my feet were a basic pair of leather sandals.
"Yeah, that should suffice for now."
Said Shelvaveesha, who gave Author some clothes to cover his naked body.
"Is it comfortable?"
"Yes, I can move my body freely in this attire, although it doesn't give me the best form of protection."
"You can worry about armor later, for now come here let me fix your hair in a hair style that won't get in your way too much."
Said Shalvaveesha as she summoned a simple wooden chair to sit on, as she points towards the ground implying for Author to sit down so she can do his hair.
Which Author comply as he sits beneath her legs, so she can fix his hair for him, Shelvaveesha grab his hair and began to slowly rub it, as she said.
"Your hair is extremely soft and silky to the touch Author-sama, as a woman myself I'm quite envious of you, it hurts my pride a little to see you have softer, silky, and a more beautiful hair than myself."
"I still think its unneeded, but I will take your advice about the whole charm thing."
"Don't fret too much about it, the good news is your hair is a rather deadly weapon if anything it insanely durable as well."
"Are you trying to imply that it can be use as wires."
"Precisely so, they're like a thin sharp wire that can cut, perfect for assassination."
"I see."
"Well, this might take a while so is there anything you want to talk about to pass the time?"
My eyes perk up at this question, because it would be the perfect time to reconfirm something, so I re-asked a previous question that I got a negative response to earlier.
"Yes, since I have been reborn properly into this world, do I now have an aptitude I could rely on or do I not!?"
"Either way I'm already satisfied with the limitless potential of the scarlet ghoul, so it's not like I'm complaining or anything, after all, along with the other abilities it possesses plus my years of martial art training in several different martial arts I learned in my previous life, I'm sure I will be fine even if I don't have one that I can rely on."
I didn't turn around to meet Shalvaveesha glare instead I listen intently, if I had an aptitude then lucky me, if I don't well such is life, we all can't be winners and it's not good to be too greedy, the scarlet ghoul race alone was enough for me, I am man that believe hard work pays off.
So honestly speaking I don't need an aptitude to survive in this world, my fist and my legs are enough, to be honest I prefer it that way.
And just when I was thinking on ways I could take advantage of the limitless potential of the scarlet ghoul, Shalvaveesha replied to me as such.
"Yes Author-Sama, unlike before I didn't sense a single aptitude in your soul at all, but now I could indeed sense traces of the universal root deep within you."
Yet another term I didn't understand, so as usual I ask my questions.
"What a universal root?"
"Remember when I said that an aptitude and the individual source of each person is like a talent they specialize in, and the aptitude itself will always correspond with the source they are capable of manipulating better than others.
"Yes, but what does that have to do with the term you use earlier."
"Universal root is basically just another way of saying, that both your source and aptitude is properly been awakening, meaning your skill tree has finally started to grow."
"I see, that good new I guess, so how do I tap into it."
"Well since this will probably take another hour or so to properly do, I can teach you how to enter your realm."
"My realm."
"Yes, each person has a realm, it how they keep track of all their fruits that has grown on their tree."
"And how do you enter this so-called realm?"
"It very easy to enter, you just have to clear your mind, and think about nothing but that one talent you possess, sometime it takes people more than one try to figure it out so don't be feel discourage if you do...
"Ha... hey Author-sama are you awake."
Ask Shalvaveesha as she notices that Author was unconscious and unresponsive.
"No way did he master it right after I barley explain it to him, what a terrifying learning speed he possess."
Deep within the soul of Author he found himself slowly getting up in an unknown location, he raised up himself as he looks around to see where he had ended up, and before him was a giant library that seem endless or maybe in was just too big to for him to see a definite end.
But the only difference is that, in this giant library that could easily house millions of books, there wasn't a single book in sight.
All the shelfs that seem to be the size of three-foot building were completely empty, not a single book was present in this place.
Author find this rather suspicious, why would a library that could easily house millions of books be empty, so he walks forwards to see where he was, and after walking for an hour he found out two things.
One this place seems never ending and there was two no book presence within the vicinity at all.
"I don't see how a place like this could house a tree, all I see is nothing but shelves for miles on end, their seems to be no one here but me for miles on end."
And just when I was thinking about this, I felt someone behind me, I know there was someone behind me, simply because the temperature in the room drop drastically and a cold freezing sensation of death hit me.
I slowly turn around and to my surprised I found a little girl, she was 4'9 her skin was as pale as mines, her body seems to be covered in nothing but beautiful leaves, her left eye was blue as the sea, while her right eye there was nothing but a single red rose that was growing out of it, her hair was as red as mine but slightly darker if you look between the lines, it was flooding the ground similar to how mines did when I first awaken.
I instantly know that I had some connection to this little girl, so I walk towards her, she had an indifferent expression, and when I was literally right in front of her, I stoop down to her level.
Her eyes and facial feature devoid of all emotion, she stretches out her small and pale arm toward me, as if she wants me to grab it.
"You want me to grab your hand?"
The mysterious girl nodded her head.
"Is there a reason you want me to grab your hand."
The mysterious girl nodded her head once more.
"Can you not talk."
The little girl shakes her head in denial.
"I see."
So, I stretch out my hand towards the little girl as my hand intertwine with her and as I did that, I heard my own voice played in my head which took me by surprised, and what I heard was this.
[Aptitude: Plot armor]
[Source: Plot control]
[Now unlocking first passive skill]
[You have acquired the passive skill "Embodiment of the plot"]
[Now opening first acquired skills]
『Embodiment of the plot』
. By virtue of being the author favorite character you have the full support of the author, any disease that befalls you will magically go away, any life-or-death situation that will end in your absolute death or doom, will be label invalid as the author will find a way to resurrect you, any sticky situation that you find yourself in will be countered with time, the world is your story and since it is your story it revolves around you.
Upon hearing the voice in my head, I instantly raised an eye, as all I could say at this time and moment was these three words.
"Say what now?"