Chereads / Intolerance / Chapter 2 - | 1 the Man and the Beast

Chapter 2 - | 1 the Man and the Beast

{2 hours before the cataclismic event}

the sky was Grey, filled with Dense clouds, the Air smelled of rain, A Young man with beautiful Brown short hair, Black opaque eyes, and small facial hair, pedaled his bike vigorously, his job? food delivery, he could sense that It was going to rain soon so he was in a hurry to deliver the food

'Shit, its going to rain, my house is far as hell man ' he Said as he reached the customer's house, he was tired and wanted to sleep more than anything, taking the food bag from his bike he felt a droplet fall on his face and went in a hurry to the door, pressing the House doorbell

'Oh you finaly came, you took your Sweet time huh, but thanks for the delivery nonetheless, here is the tip, and put a jacket on, its cold!' Said the old Man as he entered the house to escape the small rain

The Young Man returned quickly to his bike and the delivery app warned him that the money from the run came in his bank account, 'achoo! Sniff* this hustle is everything but healthy, its cold as hell and its gonna rain, i though the fucking weather Guy Said It would be Sun all day'

Going for another run in the rain, and another, and another, and another, the rain seemed almost over as he came back home

As he pulled up to the red light, the world around him fell into an eerie stillness. The only sounds that penetrated the silence were the steady patter of rain on the asphalt and the rhythmic thump of his own heartbeat. The road, devoid of any other vehicles, sent a shiver racing down his spine.

Just as the light turned green and he prepared to accelerate, an unseen force hurled him from his bike. He crashed to the ground, the impact jarring his senses. As he scrambled to look up, his breath caught in his throat. Looming over him was a humanoid figure, its skin a grotesque landscape of corrosion. Toothless, its mouth gaped unnervingly, and its eyes, glowing with an otherworldly white light, bore into him. Paralyzed with fear, he felt an instinctive certainty that one wrong move could mean his end.

A scream tore from his throat, raw and primal. The monster recoiled, its expression twisting with irritation at the noise. With a swift, brutal motion, it kicked his bike aside. The force was incredible, the metal frame crumpling like paper under the creature's strength

Seeing the beast's raw power, the young man sprang to his feet and bolted, a desperate cry for help tearing from his lungs 'help! Help! there is a fucking monster trying to kill me!' His voice echoed unanswered in the desolate streets. His legs, weary from a day of relentless pedaling, finally betrayed him, forcing him to stop. Gasping for breath, drenched by the relentless rain, he sank to the ground, his eyes darting frantically in search of his pursuer.

As he looked up, horror washed over him—the monster stood menacingly on the roof of a nearby house, its glowing eyes locked onto him. Panic surged anew. He struggled to rise, but the creature was upon him, pinning him with terrifying strength. Just as it poised to tear him apart with its grotesque, monstrous hands, a voice rang out in the stillness 'if you had power what would you do with it?'

In that surreal moment, everything halted—the monster, the rain, time itself. Confusion clouded his mind, but a primal will to survive surged forth. He shouted into the abyss,

'I would kill this monster and survive!'

Suddenly, a floating window materialized before the young man, shimmering with ethereal light. Words began to form, their meaning almost too fantastical to believe

{Congratulations, Earthling. You have been granted the strength to fulfill your wishes. You are now the proud owner of newfound powers that stem from your world's desire. The one you have received originates from [Dharma]. Enjoy!}

The young man read the message, rendered speechless by its absurdity. Then, incredulous laughter bubbled up from within him. 'Oi, oi, just an hour ago I was a food delivery guy. a monster tries to kill me, and now the universe decides to give me powers? What the hell is happening here!?'

[ Hability sheet ]

Possible usable characteristics:

Physical prowess. unlocked (new!)

Fire affinity. unlocked (new!)

Cinder's essence. Locked

Complete flame control. locked

Natural cleanse. Locked

???. Locked

Possible usable skills:

Rare! [ignis spark]: The user flicks their fingers, releasing a small yet volatile spark of fire that Upon contact, ignites into a concentrated explosion no larger than a fist, but with enough force to send enemies reeling. Though small, the explosion generates an intense burst of heat and concussive force. Unlocked!

???. Locked

???. Locked

???. Locked

[Would you like to apply the available characteristics?]

With time stopped he looked at the monster as he finished Reading what the floating screen showed him, he found strange but understood that, If he didn't accept, he would be killed right there

'yes apply the characteristics please' the screen vanished, the Man suddently felt his body Go numb and a extreme Headache, he felt like his Brain would melt, his organs Felt like being burned in a furnace, his skin shook with the pain, his eyes burned and changed colors from black to a strong orange

{Fire affinity aplied}

His muscles Felt like they were being torn apart and he instantly threw up a Black/green-ich liquid

{Physical prowess aplied}

He got up from the ground Rising from the earth, he felt a surge of power coursing through him, his body no longer burdened by the frailties of his former self. Every muscle felt New, honed with newfound strength. "What the hell," he muttered in awe, flexing his limbs. "I feel like a varsity athlete, there are muscles here I didn't even know existed."

But as he reveled in this strange metamorphosis, the rain began to pour, drumming against the earth like an omen. Then, through the mist of the downpour, he heard it, a menacing growl that reverberated through the storm. The beast leaped from the shadows, its jaws wide, aiming to crush his skull in its maw.

For a fleeting second, the young man faltered, time freezing as fear clouded his mind. But in that single heartbeat, something primal stirred deep within him his instincts, sharpened like a blade, took over. The fog lifted from his thoughts, and clarity washed over him. He raised his hand, fingers flicking with an effortless precision.

"A single spark can set the world ablaze," he whispered, his voice brimming with power. "Ignis Spark!"

In that fleeting moment, the young man's hand, still pressed against the beast's chest in a desperate attempt to hold it back, suddenly began to glow with a fierce, otherworldly yellow light. Energy surged from deep within, growing hotter, brighter, until the tension broke.

With a thunderous crack, a small explosion tore through the air. The blast punched a perfect, smoldering hole through the monster's chest, its heart obliterated in a flash of raw power. The creature's lifeless body collapsed onto him, its weight pinning him to the rain-soaked asphalt.

They lay there, both still, one, a lifeless husk; the other, staring up at the dark sky, rain mingling with blood and sweat, feeling the eerie calm of victory, even as the storm raged around them.

[Special titles received:

first slayer: 4+ years life expectancy, 70% confidence boost

monster killer: 12% more damage to monsters]