Lee laughed hysterically as if she was on the verge of losing her sanity, her gaze fixed on the dark ceiling above as Lumi lay unconscious in her arms. In a sudden shift, she tilted her head, whispering cryptically, "So, he beat me just by his intuition..."
Gently, Lee laid Lumi on the ground, her actions watched closely by Elodie, who wondered if Lee had finally succumbed to madness. However, Elodie's unease grew as she noticed that Lee had opened her own status tab, and a mysterious air hung around Lee.
"Enough playtime," the voice from the shadows growled, signaling the grim finale. With deliberate, menacing movements, it inched closer, as if savoring the fear it stirred within Lumi, Lee, and Elodie.
"Show me your emotions of despair!" The atmosphere was heavy with impending doom.
Elodie, standing back with bated breath, watched as Lee walked purposefully toward the source of the ominous voice. Lee moved with an air of mystery that hinted at an emotionless feeling.
As Lee slowly approached the epicenter of the predatory movements, Elodie began to feel a glimmer of hope rekindle within her. She had almost given up on any chances of survival, but something was different about Lee's demeanor.
In the midst of it all, Lee, with an unreadable face, held up a book in her left hand. Elodie couldn't help but notice the words that Lee muttered, "Intelligence Books of Narcissist Art Unlocked."
Suddenly, a notification popped up, listing a newly unlocked skill: "Egoist Puppeteer. Mana will be used upon using this skill. (Cooldown: 60 sec)."
While Lee was unlocking this new skill, on her other hand, she had a quick glance at her status, which revealed remarkable changes.
Name: Lee
Class: Manipulator
Title: Untouched Murderer
Level: 40
STR | Strength: 200
DEX | Dexterity: 200
MND | Mind: 200
INT | Intelligence: 39,200
ARC | Arcane: 200
Alien Skull Available: 0
Lee's level had skyrocketed to 40, and her intelligence had dramatically surged to an astonishing 39,200. It left her dumbfounded, as she pondered, "I guess this is what I got from all the killing," despite the otherwise expressionless face that Lee wore while looking at her title.
The voice in the shadows, becoming increasingly agitated, questioned Lee's distraction, "Where are you looking, huh?" As the creature emerged from the darkness, its true form came into view.
It had a humanoid shape, with the skin covered in overlapping armored scales, similar to a pangolin. The scales had razor-sharp edges, extending from its back to its long, spiked tail, which swayed menacingly in the air. With bated breath, Elodie watched as the scene unfolded.
Lee calmly replied to the threat, "Silent... I'm thinking here."
With those words, the alien creature, previously full of killing intent, collapsed to the ground, rendered completely immobile. The creature, bewildered and unable to comprehend what had just occurred, mumbled, "What the hell?"
The alien initially believed it had stumbled due to a misstep during its jump, causing it to fall back before lunging toward Lee once more. However, as it prepared to attack, Lee locked eyes with the creature and uttered a single phrase, "Stay quiet."
The effect was instantaneous. The alien halted in its tracks and jumped back, agitated and angered by how Lee had managed to command it. It couldn't accept being ordered by a mere human. In its fury, its form shifted, and the razor-sharp edges of its scales grew even more sinister, resembling blades capable of cutting through anything they touched.
From a distance, Elodie watched in awe as Lee faced one of the alien lieutenants with astonishing ease. Even Beatrice, whose level was quite close to Lee's, paled in comparison to the sheer menace of Lee's presence.
The tense standoff came to an abrupt and horrifying conclusion when Lee, with a commanding presence, ordered the alien lieutenant to do something.
In a sudden and desperate act of defiance, the alien turned its deadly tail towards itself, slashing through its own head. The gruesome display of self-inflicted demise was a chilling testament to the alien's inability to resist Lee's command.
The lifeless body of the alien lieutenants crumpled to the ground, a showcase for the newfound power Lee possessed. Elodie, still cradling the unconscious Lumi in her arms, watched in stunned silence as the extraordinary scene unfolded before her.
Elodie, still cradling the unconscious Lumi in her arms, observed the shocking turn of events, her fear for Lee grew.
The lifeless body of the alien lieutenant lay still on the ground as Lee, with an unchanging and emotionless expression, turned away from it.
Her gaze was fixed on Lumi and Elodie, who were left in a state of uncertainty. It was unclear what fate awaited them as Lee walked toward them, her intentions shrouded in mystery.
As Az and Beatrice ventured through the dark underground path, Beatrice couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity nagging at her. She decided to seek some clarification from Az about his apparent fixation with Lumi. It was an opportunity to understand more about their relationship, given the circumstances they found themselves in.
"Why are you so fixated with Lumi?" Beatrice inquired, her voice filled with curiosity. They walked together in search of an exit, unsure of the fate of their other team members, and Beatrice saw this as an opportune moment to unravel the mystery that seemed to envelop Az and Lumi.
Az considered Beatrice's words carefully. "Sorry, I can't reveal much, but she's important to me," he replied to her question regarding his relationship with Lumi.
As they continued their search for an exit, Beatrice seemed to share her own feelings.
"Yeah, I know that feeling," Beatrice said, her tone expressing her affection for Elodie and Arnold, who were part of her group.
Az glanced at her, slightly puzzled. "Nah, yours doesn't seem quite the same as my relationship with Lumi," he commented, his gaze scanning their surroundings for any signs of an escape route.
Beatrice continued walking playfully along the rubble, her demeanor suddenly shifting to a more somber one. "I don't mind talking about them, unlike that 'someone,'" she teased, casting a meaningful glance at Az.
"Suit yourself," Az responded, maintaining his air of secrecy.
Then, Beatrice's expression grew melancholic, and she decided to share something personal with Az. "I told you that I met Elodie after being sent to Earth from the simulation, right?" she began.
Az nodded in acknowledgment. "What I didn't mention is that it was her birthday on the first day of the invasion, and she and her family were celebrating together."
Az listened intently, his curiosity piqued. "And the reason she chose 'searcher' as her class?" he asked, finding it an unusual choice given the dire circumstances of an alien invasion.
Beatrice took a deep breath and clasped her hands together. "It's because her parents left her behind to save themselves," she revealed, her voice heavy with the weight of the revelation.
"Isn't it funny how, in dire situations, we tend to reveal our true human nature?" Beatrice mused, her voice tinged with a sense of irony.
She continued, "The reason I'm so attached to Elodie is that as she was searching for her parents for those three days, she found me—a complete stranger," and then let out an awkward laugh.
Beatrice knew that if she continued talking about Elodie, she might break down in tears. So, she decided to switch to another story and began, "After I met Elodie, we scoured the area for other survivors, and that's when we stumbled upon Arnold. Can you believe that guy? He looked like a frail stick, and I couldn't fathom how he managed to survive the simulation."
Curiosity piqued, Az couldn't help but ask, "I'm genuinely curious, Beatrice. What did you and Arnold have to face in the simulation, if you don't mind sharing?"
With a playful grin, Beatrice responded, "Ah, now the mysterious Mr. Secret is showing some interest, huh?" Az just rolled his eyes, playfully acknowledging her comment.
Beatrice continued with her story, saying, "The alien I fought in the simulation looked like a giant turtle. Lucky for me, its shell was quite heavy, so its movements were slow. I had some support from my Félagi; he assisted me in the fight against that turtle." She turned her attention to Az and asked, "Your Félagi must have given you some valuable tips as well, right?"
Az, concealing the true identity of his Félagi, just rolled his eyes and responded, "Yes, of course."
Beatrice, seemingly just sharing her experiences, laughed and said, "I'm not trying to show off, but hehe, I managed to clear my simulation in just two days." She then inquired about Az's progress, asking, "How long did it take you to clear yours?"
Spontaneously, Az replied, "I cleared mine on the first day."
"Whatttt..?!" Beatrice was utterly astonished by Az's unexpected response. "Wow, your Félagi must have been incredibly helpful, huh?" she added.
Az simply nodded awkwardly, not revealing the whole story behind his swift victory in the simulation.