Albedo stood atop a building, overlooking the city below. The cold gusts of wind made his light blue robe flutter, while his fiery red hair swayed with the breeze. His lime green eyes scanned the chaos unfolding beneath him.
"What are we going to do, Lord Albedo?" Mira asked.
"Evaluate the citizens, Mira. I have somewhere I need to be."
"But where?"
Before she could ask further, Albedo had already vanished.
"Great. He left the job to me again," she muttered.
Mira grumbled to herself, but after a moment, she stopped and let out a sigh.
[Skill: Target Lock(III)]
[Mystical Art: Forced Teleportation]
Spiritual energy surged from within her as she cast a massive teleportation spell. In an instant, all the civilians—those who were not awakened—vanished from the city.
"What a hassle," she muttered, her gaze falling on the monsters swarming into the city. Among them, she spotted the Abyssal creature.
[Skill: Appraisal (VII)]
"Those monsters are being strengthened by that Infliction skill."
***********************
Jin and Luke sprinted toward the city gate. As they drew closer, they spotted the monsters.
"How did those monsters break into the city?" Luke asked.
[Mathematician: Information calculation]
"It's not the monsters, it's that Abyssal creature in the back."
"A-Abyssal creature?" Luke scanned the horde and quickly spotted it. The creature stood out, its appearance too unique to miss.
"So that's the one."
"Be careful. That creature has a skill that injects a deadly virus. In fact, all these monsters are infected by it."
"Got it."
The monsters noticed them as well, launching an immediate attack. A wave of creatures charged at them.
[Spirit Art: Energy Bullet]
Bullets made of spiritual energy formed in Jin's hand, launching at the monsters with high speed.
'And now.'
[Mathematician: Damage + 1000]
The bullets pierced the infected bodies of the monsters on impact, killing them instantly.
Luke tried to rush toward the gate but was stopped by an infected hobgoblin. The creature wielded a rusted, single-handed axe, its green body infected by the virus, which had strengthened it beyond its natural limits.
'It's a hobgoblin, threat level upper 1,' he thought as he stopped in front of the monster. 'I can win this.' He took a deep breath, steadying himself.
[Demonic Art: Aspects of the Devil - Demon Claws]
Luke's arms transformed into demonic limbs, ending in razor-sharp claws.
Luke attacked first with a slashing strike, but the monster, using its enhanced agility, dodged effortlessly. Undeterred, Luke unleashed a barrage of slashes and cuts. The monster managed to dodge most of them, while the few that connected were blocked by its axe, which let out a sharp cracking sound under the pressure.
"Damn it. It's too fast," Luke muttered, furrowing his brow.
[Demonic Art: Aspects of the Devil - Demon Eyes]
Luke activated his demonic eyes, unleashing a wave of fear that pierced the hobgoblin's heart. The creature froze in place, paralyzed by the overwhelming terror that radiated from him.
With his demonic claws, Luke thrust at the monster's chest.
'Got it,' he thought, feeling a surge of confidence.
Just before the moment of contact, Luke heard a sound-a sickening noise of severing flesh that sent chills down his spine. A haunting memory surged to the forefront of his mind, one he had desperately tried to forget: the horrifying moment when his own head had been severed from his body, the pain and fear overwhelming him in that instant.
"Aaaaaaa!" Luke screamed, agony coursing through him as he was momentarily paralyzed by the vivid recollection.
The hobgoblin, now free from the effects of Luke's demonic eyes, swung its rusty axe, slicing a deep wound across Luke's chest.
Luke fell to the ground, blood pouring from the cut.
Seizing the opportunity, the hobgoblin lunged at him.
"Damn it!" Luke cursed.
The hobgoblin swung its axe repeatedly, each blow coming closer to finding its mark. In that moment, Luke felt certain he was going to die, so he closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable.
[Mathematician: Damage × - 1]
After a moment, Luke noticed that his injuries no longer hurt. Am I dead? he thought. He could still feel the axe slashing at him, but it was strangely painless. Slowly, he opened his eyes and found that he was still alive. To his surprise, the hobgoblin was still there, swinging its axe with no effect. In fact, with each swing, Luke felt even better.
'W-What the?! Is it healing me?!' he wondered.
Then he realized that it was Jin who was causing the healing.
Jin's hand seized the hobgoblin's head, and with a tight squeeze, the creature's skull burst open. Its headless body collapsed onto Luke, blood spraying out in a gruesome torrent. The body was small and repulsive, heavily influenced by the virus, its color darker than it should have been.
"Ahh... disgusting," Luke muttered.
Jin extended a hand to help Luke stand. As Luke got up, his scarf fell away, revealing a deep scar that ran across his neck, as if it had been chopped and then stitched back together.
"You all right?" Jin asked.
"Do I look fine to you?"
"No, you smell awful." Jin pinched his nose with his hand.
"Thanks to you," Luke shot back.
He glanced around and saw that all the monsters had already been killed, except for the Abyssal creature, which stood in eerie silence.
"So what's next?" Luke asked.
"I'll let it be for now; we can interrogate it later," Jin replied.
"We found you," the creature spoke.
"Found who?" Luke asked.
"Not you, weak human. I mean him." The creature turned its gaze to Jin. "He who possesses the strongest ability."
Jin narrowed his eyes. "Who sent you here?"
"Our queen," the creature replied.
'The creature is actually answering', Luke thought. 'No, it's just buying time.'
"Jin, you should finish this quickly. The O.R.D.E.R. awakened are coming. You can't let them spot you."
Yeah, but it knows about my ability, Jin thought.
"Who is this queen of yours?" he asked.
"You're asking me? I'm sure you know her very well," the creature replied.
"What are you talking about?"
The creature lunged at Jin, ready to attack.
"Let me see how strong the strongest is."
[Mathematician: Damage x 0, Motion × 0]
The creature unleashed a barrage of punches. The force of each blow devastated the ground behind Jin, culminating in a final punch that created a massive hole in the earth. The shockwave from the punch sent Luke staggering backward.
As the dust settled, Jin stood unharmed, effortlessly blocking the creature's final punch with just the tip of his finger.
"You truly are strong," the monster marveled.
[Skill: Infliction (IV)]
Suddenly, a long, slimy tongue sprouted from the creature's mouth and launched toward Jin.
[Mathematician: Abyssal Creature's Life × 0]
But before it could reach him, the creature collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"That was disgusting," Jin muttered.
Without even glancing at the creature's state, he turned and began walking away.
"Hey, we should go," Jin said, picking Luke's scarf.
Luke, who had been thrown back, stood in awe. "Just how did you kill it?!!"
"A small trick," Jin replied.
"A small trick?!!"
"Stop thinking about me and focus on yourself. You almost got killed." Jin handed Luke his scarf.
"I know... but?" Luke took the scarf and tightened it around his neck. "I... I can't seem to kill anything. Whenever I try, I always remember that moment... I... I don't know how to explain it."
Jin stared at Luke, listening intently.
"That scar on your neck... it's from the demon summoning ceremony, right?"
"Yes, they called it the Festival of Awakening."
Jin sighed and placed a hand on Luke's back. "It's fine. You'll be okay. Not being able to kill isn't a weakness; it's a unique path that not many can take."
"Yeah... I-I want to say thank you. Ah... for saving me and..."
"Found you." A mysterious voice echoed through the silent world, and in that moment, time seemed to stop.
'Wh-what's going on?' Luke tried to move, but he couldn't.
"Don't panic. Someone has stopped time. It didn't affect you because I was touching you when my ability countered it."
Luke attempted to ask a question, but no words came out.
"Oh, give me a moment." Jin placed his head against Luke's.
"What's going on?" Luke finally began to speak again. "Wait, I can talk again!"
"Well, I've given you the ability to speak while time is stopped, although it's temporary," Jin explained.
"Wait... wait, what's happening?!!!"
"Calm down," Jin said, trying to soothe Luke's rising panic.
"So we meet again," the mysterious voice spoke once more.
"Who are you?" Jin demanded.
"Oh my, have you forgotten me?"
A young lady in her early twenties materialized in the frozen world. She had raven-black hair and a white mask covering her face.
"Actually, I don't care who you are. Now die."
[Mathematician: Target Life × 0]
Jin activated his ability, intending to kill the mysterious woman instantly. He sighed, feeling an unsettling movement in his heart as he looked at her. He despised that feeling; it made him uneasy.
"What the hell was that feeling?"
"You want to kill me that badly," the lady replied.
"What... it can't be!!! How are you still alive?!!" Jin's eyes widened in shock. He was astonished beyond belief. Never had he thought his ability could fail.
'No, no, no, no, no... It's impossible. Nothing can counter Mathematician. Not even the Outer Gods can counter it. It's impossible.'
"Damn it!!!!!!"
[Mathematician: Spiritual Energy Output× 1 Trillion]
****************
"What was that? I thought I felt a strong spiritual energy from him, but his output is only 48. Besides, spiritual energy can't be used while time is stopped," Mira wondered aloud.
[Skill: Appraisal (VII)]
"And now I can't even see his spiritual energy output. How strange."
"Of course you can't see it; it's beyond your appraisal level." Albedo suddenly appeared beside her.
"So you finally came."
"Sorry for the delay," Albedo apologized.
"What do you mean my appraisal can't see it?"
"Well, you can't, since we're inside his spiritual energy."
"What do you—"
Mira suddenly realized what he meant. They were actually inside Jin's spiritual energy, which was so vast it enveloped the entire city.
"But... how is he using spiritual energy while time is stopped?"
"By neglecting the laws of time."
"What?!!! But what is his spiritual energy output?"
"It's exactly 48 trillion."
"What?!!! What do you mean by that?!! Do you realize that... that makes it the highest in recorded history?"
"You are correct. It's the highest."
*****************
"Incredible. Even in my true form, I can't possess such a high spiritual energy output," said the masked lady, her voice dripping with a mixture of awe and disdain.
"I don't care who you are, but you must die," Jin declared firmly, his resolve unwavering.
"Is that so? You really have forgotten about me," she taunted, her tone playful yet menacing.
"Shut up," Jin snapped, irritation creeping into his voice.
"Then so be it," she replied, a sinister smile creeping beneath her mask.
In an instant, she lunged at Jin with incomprehensible speed-far faster than the speed of light. But just as she was about to reach him, she came to an abrupt halt.
"What?!!! It's so dense!" she exclaimed, her expression shifting to one of surprise.
She struggled to penetrate the dense spiritual energy surrounding Jin.
When spiritual energy reaches a certain threshold, it creates an impenetrable force field around the awakened, one that even she could not breach.
[Mathematician: Spiritual Energy Mastery Level +10]
[Spirit Art: Aura Thread]
Jin's spiritual energy began to coalesce, taking the shape of glowing energy ropes that swiftly bound her in place.
[Spirit Art: Aura Blade]
The lady's spiritual energy transformed into blades, extending from her arms like deadly extensions of her will. With a swift, fluid motion, she sliced through the ropes restraining her, freeing herself from Jin's grasp.
[Spirit Art: Aura Wave]
In response, Jin swung his arm, channeling a massive amount of spiritual energy that surged forth, taking the form of a colossal wave. The air crackled with energy as the wave grew, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
Albedo, sensing the impending danger, quickly teleported Luke just before Jin's devastating attack struck.
The wave was so destructive that it obliterated the entire city in an instant, leaving nothing but rubble in its wake.
"What's going on?" Luke screamed, his voice filled with panic and disbelief as he witnessed the devastation.
"How can he be this strong?" Mira proclaimed, her eyes wide with shock and fear as the magnitude of the situation sank in.
Both Luke and Mira were shielded by Albedo from the cataclysm, their surroundings remarkably intact while the city outside was reduced to ruins. The only building remaining standing in the holy city was where they were standing, a stark contrast to the chaos that enveloped everything else.
"What about all the awakened? I haven't teleported them yet," Mira asked.
"I've teleported them as well," Albedo replied calmly.
As the force of the wave continued to ripple through the air, the lady's mask began to crack. Piece by piece, it shattered, revealing a young woman with an extraordinarily beautiful face and striking golden eyes that shimmered with an unsettling mix of malice and familiarity.
"You... Sahara..." Jin said in disbelief, the name escaping his lips like a whispered confession. "No, of course, Mathematician didn't work on you, sister..."
"And with that, I remember everything."