Chapter 4
Augus leaned against the railing of his apartment's balcony, bathed in the warm sunlight. He took a moment to check the money he had earned over the last few weeks. As he counted the currency, his mind wandered to the peculiar nature of the infamous gamer system he now possessed. It didn't function like the overpowered systems he had encountered in most of the stories and fanfictions he had read.
In those tales, characters would gain incredible skills, items, or hear triumphant notifications of their level ascending. But for Augus, it was different. The system seemed to operate more like a GPS, alerting him only to specific missions and events depending on what he needed or what he encountered. It was as if the system tailored itself to his circumstances.
"What's the deal with this system?" Augus muttered to himself, his voice tinged with frustration.
Beside him, a stray cat that had taken up residence on his balcony stretched lazily and meowed. Augus chuckled. "You've got it easy, buddy."
As he continued to count his earnings, Augus realized something else. He was slowly building a reputation in this world. The couple he had first encountered, whose apartment he had inadvertently destroyed while dealing with a curse spirit, had initially been understandably furious. However, they were now free from the malevolent presence that had plagued them for so long, thanks to Augus' intervention.
His thoughts turned inward as he contemplated his situation. The couple had offered him payment for his services, but Augus had declined. The system had already rewarded him generously, thanks to his decision to max out the reward stat.
"Money's nice, but it can't replace what I've lost," Augus mumbled, his voice tinged with sadness. He thought of his friends and family, the people he had left behind in his previous life. The faces of his loved ones flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of longing.
With a sigh, Augus gazed down at the sprawling city below him. The sunlight felt warm against his skin, but it couldn't fill the void left by the absence of his dear ones. "I wonder if they're doing okay," he whispered, as if speaking the words aloud might bridge the gap between this world and the one he had left behind.
Suddenly, the stray cat nudged Augus's leg, as if sensing his melancholy. Augus crouched down and scratched the cat's ears gently. "You're lucky, you know. You've got no worries, no responsibilities. Just the freedom to roam around."
The cat purred in response, as if offering its own form of comfort.
Augus straightened up and looked out at the city again. "But I can't give up on finding a way back. This power is amazing, but it's not worth losing the people who matter most to me."
As he stood on the balcony, lost in his thoughts, Augus couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to return to his former life. He missed the laughter of his friends, the warmth of his family's embrace, and the familiarity of the world he had known. The power he possessed here was tempting, but it couldn't replace the people he cared about.
A deep sigh escaped his lips, and he murmured softly to himself, "I'll find a way back, no matter what it takes."
Page Break
Gojo Satoru and Kento Nanami stood in the dimly lit, abandoned storage room, surveying the aftermath of destruction. The air was heavy with the lingering traces of curse energy, and Gojo hummed thoughtfully as he examined the surroundings.
"Hmm, interesting," Gojo remarked, his eyes glinting with curiosity as he traced the remnants of the curse energy with his fingers. "Looks like someone had quite the party in here."
Nanami, ever the stoic and practical one, picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a few moments, he nodded in acknowledgment as the call was answered. "Yes, we're here," Nanami stated calmly. "You were right about an unregistered sorcerer on the hunt for curse spirits."
He glanced around the room, taking in the extensive damage, and continued, "The place is a wreck. It seems our mystery sorcerer didn't care about collateral damage one bit."
While Nanami handled the call, Gojo's keen senses picked up on something familiar in the midst of the chaotic curse energy. His brows furrowed in concentration, and he mumbled to himself, "That's strange... I recognize this energy, but there's a clear distinction between the two."
Gojo's voice held a hint of intrigue as he continued to analyze the aura. "The energy of the spirit I met weeks ago had this eerie sense of emptiness. But this one... it's a mix of hate, dog, bloodlust, and... time?"
Nanami finished his call and turned his attention to Gojo. "Find anything strange?"
Gojo couldn't help but smirk mischievously at his colleague. "Oh, Nanami, you wound me with your lack of trust. Of course, I found something strange."
Nanami let out a soft sigh, clearly unimpressed. "Just tell me."
Gojo's smirk widened as he leaned in closer to Nanami, ready to deliver a joke. "Well, you see, I detected a strong—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Nanami cut him off with an exasperated tone. "We're leaving for the next lead."
Gojo's expression fell, and he stammered, "Wait, wait! You didn't let me finish my joke!"
Nanami, his patience clearly wearing thin, shot Gojo a stern look. "Gojo, I don't have the time or the patience for your jokes right now."
Gojo pouted playfully, feigning disappointment. "Aw, come on. You're no fun."
As they prepared to depart, Gojo couldn't resist one last tease. "But you know, if you had let me finish that joke, you would have been in for a good laugh."
Nanami didn't dignify that with a response. He simply turned and walked away, leaving Gojo to follow with a playful grin on his face. Gojo trailed behind, still determined to get a reaction from his colleague.
"Hey, Nanami," Gojo began.
Nanami quickened his pace, clearly trying to escape Gojo.
Gojo chuckled to himself and decided to push a little further. "Oh, come on, don't be so serious all the time. Life's more fun with a little laugh."
Nanami's response was to quicken his pace even more, leaving Gojo trailing behind, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. Despite the annoyance he caused, Gojo couldn't resist the opportunity to liven up the situation with his humor.
Oh wait did I say humor I meant straight up insanity.
Page Break
Augus, clad in his tuxedo and gripping his cursed nail like a sword, cautiously ventured deeper into the abandoned building. The owner he had interviewed had warned him that something sinister was lurking on the floor he now explored. What had once been a decent place had transformed into a depressing and eerie setting, with newspapers strewn about, broken glass crunching underfoot, and tattered curtains swaying ominously.
His senses heightened, Augus felt a sense of foreboding hanging in the air. Every creak and rustle made him tense, ready to draw his blade at a moment's notice. He had grown used to dealing with curse spirits, but the unpredictability of each encounter still sent shivers down his spine.
Then, out of the shadows, came a loud crash. Augus spun around, his curse nail raised and ready to strike. His heart raced as he saw a cat emerge from the darkness. He blinked in surprise, his tension evaporating in an instant. "Just a cat," he muttered, lowering his guard.
Augus couldn't help but chuckle softly at his own jumpiness. "Guess I'm getting spooked by a stray feline now. Must be losing my edge."
As he relaxed for a moment, his gaze fixed on the cat, which seemed entirely uninterested in him. It continued to prowl around, its tail flicking lazily as it explored the abandoned room. Augus found solace in the ordinary presence of the animal.
However, his respite was short-lived. Without warning, something massive and sinister lunged from the shadows, accompanied by a cloud of smoke. Augus barely had time to react as the hideous curse spirit crashed into him.
As he grappled with the spirit, Augus's thoughts raced. *What is this thing's ability?* he pondered, his mind working quickly to analyze the situation. *It didn't simply grab me; it used some sort of illusion or substitution. If I hadn't used time-skip at the last second*
Although the he did admit the name Time-skip was a bit leading when it came to the process. Instead of skipping time he was erasing frames and replacing it with a hypthetical future. The basic explaination is that he was erasing a series of events that leads from point A to point D. By erasing the spirit's timeline of him in its grasp, he was therefore not 'grabbed' and essentially he 'avoided' it at the last second.
Augus's keen instincts kicked in as he focused on the spirit's movements. He watched its eerie form closely, trying to predict its next move. *It's not just brute strength; there's something more to it,* he thought, his eyes narrowing.
The spirit's grotesque features contorted, and it let out a guttural, distorted cry of pain and surprise as Augus's cursed nail pierced its form. Augus's grin was equal parts amusement and satisfaction.
But as he kicked off his cursed nail, sending it spiraling back into his hand, Augus remained on high alert. He had a growing suspicion that this spirit possessed an ability beyond its physical appearance. He had faced enough curse spirits to know that appearances could be deceiving, and this one was no exception.
Augus and the spirit locked eyes, a tense silence hanging between them. His mind raced, running through various scenarios and trying to predict the spirit's next move. The adrenaline coursed through him, fueling his readiness to face whatever supernatural abilities the spirit might unleash.
The spirit rushed at Augus with relentless fury, its grotesque form closing in fast. Augus knew he had to rely on his unique abilities to survive this encounter. He activated his Time Skip just in the nick of time, and everything around him seemed to slow down as he effortlessly evaded the spirit's charge.
As the spirit passed him by, Augus attempted to counter, swinging his cursed nail with precision. His aim, however, was slightly off, and the spirit narrowly dodged the attack. Augus paid the price for his missed strike as the spirit's foot connected with his gut, sending him hurtling backward. His back collided with the cracked wall, but he felt no pain; his body quickly recovered.
Augus's agility came into play as he avoided the spirit's rapid punches, weaving and ducking with calculated precision. With each evasion, he inched closer to an opportunity to strike back. The spirit's final punch proved to be its downfall as Augus swiftly kicked its foot, causing it to trip and lose balance.
Not wasting a moment, Augus swung his cursed nail with all his might, and the spirit's arm flew off, a spray of dark energy following its trajectory. The spirit roared in agony but quickly regenerated a new arm, its features contorting with rage.
Augus braced himself as the spirit's new arm descended with tremendous force. The impact was deafening, causing the floor to crack beneath them. Augus narrowly blocked the attack with his sword, his muscles straining against the spirit's relentless strength.
Pushing against each other, the two adversaries engaged in a desperate struggle. Augus knew he needed an advantage, and he decided to risk it all. He activated his Time Skip once again, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
With his cursed nail aimed to bisect the spirit, Augus swung, only for the spirit to suddenly duck under his blade. Before he could react, it grabbed him by the leg, and Augus was dragged along.
They plummeted from the building, 50 stories above the ground. Augus couldn't help but growl in disbelief, "You're crazy son of a b****!"
As they fell, Augus felt a surge of adrenaline and desperation. He needed a way out of this dire situation. In a split-second decision, he swung his sword, slicing off the arm that held his leg. The spirit's wails of agony filled the air as its arm separated from its body.
With his descent momentarily halted, Augus pointed his finger at the plummeting spirit and commanded, "Bite!"
In response, a monstrous, horrifying head manifested mid-air. It was a demonic dog with six pairs of bloody eyes and a dripping maw of bloody drool. The monstrous head snapped shut around the spirit, swallowing it whole.
Augus's heart pounded as he hung from his sword, high above the ground. He caught his breath and let out a relieved sigh.
The monstrous canine head turned toward Augus and asked, "Master, may I devour this one?"
Augus nodded his agreement, his voice tinged with exhaustion (mental). The monstrous head vanished without a trace, leaving Augus to contemplate his situation. Now, suspended in mid-air, he couldn't help but sigh once more, this time with a hint of exasperation.
He muttered to himself, "Now, how am I going to get down from here?"