The entire coffee shop had been reduced to rubble, engulfed in flames, but above the wreckage and amidst the enveloping smoke, a shield of magic protected them, serving as their only defense against the devastating beam.
"What the hell? Just blocking that one attack took almost half my mana," Enti exclaimed, visibly drained.
Malachi's footsteps were slow and calculated as he approached the group, his gaze fixed on Ivan, not wavering once as he drew nearer. Then he suddenly stopped.
"You see, in my many years of living, I had only lost one of my lives. Even then, it was an intense battle, a spectacle I will never forget to this day. I did not die easily," Malachi said with a hint of reminiscence.
"However, I lost my second life to you, and what did it take? Just four words. That was all it took to kill me," Malachi exclaimed, his tone carrying a mix of bitterness and intrigue.
"You know that, and you still came before me. Rather stupid, don't you think?" Ivan responded, maintaining a calm and steady voice, though inwardly, he was far from composed.
The situation puzzled him. It didn't make sense that Malachi was here, and what did he mean by having three lives? Malachi wasn't a player, and what bothered Ivan even more was the fact that one attack from Malachi now would be enough to end his life.
The power disparity was immense, and Ivan felt the weight of his own mortality hanging in the air.
His status screen confirming a single life left only reinforced what Ivan had already suspected – this was not like the game. If he died in real life, there would be no respawn; it would be a permanent end.
"I have lost value for my life now. All it's worth is an attempt at finding out what you truly are," Malachi declared as a massive magic circle appeared over Ivan and the others.
"Iris, should we attack?" Greyson asked, drawing his sword with uncertainty.
"No, don't be stupid," Ivan whispered urgently.
"He can kill everyone present here with ease. Just be ready to defend while I stall him," Ivan instructed, fully aware of the overwhelming power Malachi possessed.
"Well, if you kill me, how would you find out anything about me?" Ivan replied to Malachi, his eyes focused on the floating window before him.
[ Stat Override
Can give player 1 - 10X their stats at the cost of XP.
Rank = D ]
This was the skill Ivan had obtained after defeating Malachi the first time and might be precisely what he needed to escape the current situation.
[ Stat Override
10X = 50000XP/sec ]
He had considered running as fast as he could after multiplying his stats, but the XP consumption was far too much, and if Malachi could track him here, nothing would stop him from following again. Ivan had to ensure Malachi wouldn't return.
"Ivan, who is this? What are you planning?" Iris whispered, clearly concerned about thier situation.
"Do nothing and say nothing. If he starts attacking, we are all dead," Ivan instructed, determined to handle the situation cautiously.
The fate of everyone present now hinged on Ivan's ability to outmaneuver Malachi.
"Then, are you willing to tell me what you truly are?" Malachi questioned in response to Ivan's inquiry.
"Well, what's the point in hiding it?" Ivan replied, his resolve firm.
"Then go ahead," Malachi urged, seemingly intrigued.
"I am the creator," Ivan announced as he initiated the override.
[ Stat Override will start in 01:00
XP will be consumed at a rate of 50000XP/sec ]
With his current XP, Ivan had less than one-tenth of a second to achieve whatever he needed.
"What do you mean?" Malachi questioned, somewhat taken aback.
"Exactly what I said. The tower they climb in search of power, the dungeons they traverse in search of wealth, the very world of Oasis, a canvas of hope, dreams, and death – all began as a mere imagination, my imagination," Ivan revealed.
"You speak nonsense. It seems I must force the real truth out of you," Malachi responded as the magic circle before their heads grew brighter.
"No, you've already made a mistake," Ivan retorted with a dark tone.
"What mistake? Not vanquishing you all from the start?" Malachi challenged.
"No, coming here. Before you face me, your strength should be worthy. I'll let you off with a warning, but listen closely. If you come before my presence still this weak again, then I will end your miserable existence once and for all," Ivan declared with a chilling tone.
[ Stat Override will start in 00:00:01 ]
[ Stat Override has begun ]
[ Stats:
- STR: 440
- AGI: 360
- INT: 16 ( inaccessible )
- DEF: 300
Ends in 00:00.00.05 ]
A mere fifty milliseconds, that's all he had.
Ivan's body became a blur of motion, yet no one present could comprehend what had just occurred. Not the Awakened surrounding them, not even Malachi himself, and the wind refused to whisper a word about it.
The air molecules carried on undisturbed, oblivious to the extraordinary event that had unfolded before them. In the blink of an eye, Ivan had closed the distance between them, reaching Malachi in an instant.
Summoning all the strength he could muster, Ivan unleashed a devastating punch like a force of nature. The impact was cataclysmic, but in the briefest of moments, it was almost as if time had suspended itself to bear witness to the destruction that followed.
For a fraction of a second, the world stood still, and no one realized that Malachi had been struck. The ground beneath them seemed unaware that it was about to be shattered, and the air remained silent, ignorant of the impending combustion from the sheer speed of Ivan's attack.
In that fleeting moment, propelled by his incredible velocity, Ivan seemed to be the only entity capable of movement. And just as quickly as it had begun, the fifty milliseconds had elapsed.
[ Stat Override ended. XP exhausted. Cooldown: ? ]
The aftermath was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The force of Ivan's punch cracked Malachi's bones, and the ground around them crumbled like a forgotten memory.
Then, like a launched projectile, Malachi was sent hurtling backward at breakneck speed, smashing through numerous buildings in his path.
As this catastrophic event unfolded, a deafening sound followed, and a shockwave surged outward, pushing everyone present back in its relentless force. The aftermath was nothing short of devastation, leaving everyone in stunned silence.
[ HP: 18 (-82)]
Ivan's body also suffered from the power of this attack.
Quickly, Ivan reached for one of his health potions and swiftly consumed it, feeling the restorative effects as his health returned to one hundred.
[ Game Developer Class Level Increased (1) ]
[ Skill: Game Gate Unlocked ]
His head was throbbing, and waves of sharp pain coursed through his entire body, causing his vision to blur before he finally collapsed to the floor.
******
Regaining consciousness, Ivan struggled to find his bearings, feeling the pounding in his head persist. As he tried to get comfortable on what he concluded was a couch, confusion washed over him. "Wait, I don't have a couch. Where the hell am I?" he muttered to himself.
"Lower your voice; you'll wake up the others," Iris whispered, laying on another couch nearby.
Ivan turned to see the members of her guild lying on small mattresses on the floor. "Where are we?" he whispered.
"My house," Iris replied.
"What happened?" Ivan asked, then muttered "status" to open his status window.
"Well, after whatever it was you did, you fell unconscious, and we immediately brought you here in case that thing came back," Iris explained.
"Thinking about it now, it seemed to be looking for you, so bringing you to my house wasn't the best idea. What if it comes seeking us out again?" Iris expressed concern.
"It won't if it takes my threat seriously," Ivan asserted.
"What if it doesn't?" Iris questioned.
"Then we all die," Ivan responded bluntly, gazing at the new skill before him.
[ Game Gate
Allows the Game Developer to leave and enter the game at will.
0/2
Rank: D ]
"This can't be real," Ivan murmured to himself.