"I take it back!"
I let out annoyed yell as I fell to the ground.
"I don't wanna make history anymore! It's too goddamn hard!"
I complained in a pissed voice after I woefully failing.
Pfft! AHAHAHAAHAAHA!
Oi! The hell are you laughing?!
Take a look a bro...'Aight about time we made history'
My inner voice mimicked me in a mocking voice.
Blud really thought he was Ayanokoji.
Shut up!
Can't believe you actually thought you could beat Nikola Tesla in a game of wits! Oh God, I can't with you...AHAAHAHAHAHA!!
My inner voice laughed uncontrollably, forcing a temple to grow on my forehead.
Like you can do it!
I retorted angrily.
Did I say I was Fang Yuan?
You-!
I gritted my teeth and hissed, "Tss..."
"Whatever...Death darting eyes can wait...", I muttered with a slightly pissed tone.
Lying in the dark, I uttered a command.
Stats...
[Name:] Alex
[Title:]???
[Level:] 5
[EXP:] 73/200
[Skills:] Oversaturation, Mind Palace, Reverb Mapping, Art of Learning, Body Constitution, Battle Arts, Anti-Lip Sync, Invisibility, Manipulation, Vast Knowledge Base, Pickpocket, Panoramic Vision, Resistance, Fear Inducement, Thousand Tongues, Death Darting Eyes
[Aliases:] The Mastermind, The Fool, Skeleton Horror
[Debuffs:] Partial Hearing, Myopic Vision, Anti-Lip Sync, Rizzless
[HP:] 100/100
[Achievements:] Flash of Power, Combat Novice, Beat the Odds
I glanced through my stats interface, taking in everything it showed before frowning.
"Huh?"
EXP...200?
[EXP:] 73/200
I glanced at the EXP counter and noticed a change to it.
"It was 100 before...right?", I asked myself before nodding in confirmation.
It was definitely 100 before...so now that its in 200...does that mean what I think?
I brought a hand to my chin and thought for a moment.
Do the levels have some sort of sequence to them...? If accumulating 200 EXP is what is required to cross the threshold then by that logic...once I reach Level 10 it would be 300 EXP or 400 EXP? 300 if its going by counting numbers and 400 if it were counting in multiples of two...but multiples of two doesn't start with 1...so by 10 I'll have to accumulate 300 EXP.
Even though my conclusion was logically correct, my intuition said otherwise.
Tss...I can only find out once I reach Level 10...though.
I paused and then mumbled, "Level 10..."
Won't I be crazy powerful at Level 10?
I thought about how it would feel to wield the power of Level 10 but soon chased the thought away. It's not like we were going to be in Untethered that long anyway.
".... Probably.", I spoke in an uncertain tone as my thoughts wandered, after a moment of silence I asked myself, "I wonder what's going on in the real world?"
I glanced up in the darkness, thoughtful.
Are my parents aware of this yet? What is Director doing now?
These thoughts slowly begun to gather but a noise suddenly silenced them.
GROWL!
My stomach churned, eager to be fed.
I brought a hand to my stomach and said, "Oh that's right...I still haven't eaten...or drank anything yet..."
Leveling Up may have repaired my body but it didn't fill my stomach nor satiate my thirst. I still needed to eat food and drink water.
Sadly, I didn't have any of those.
That's wrong...you have food.
My inner voice spoke.
My head perked up in anticipation and my eyes glistened.
Really?
Yes...the cockatrice.
My face momentarily fell, W-what?
Nothing better than fresh chicken meat straight from the source, right?
No, that thing is cursed!
Huh, won't a crazy person eat it? I thought you're supposed to be crazy?
At my inner voice's perverse logic, I paused.
I need fire though...
A crazy person wouldn't need fire.
Shut up and get me a match!
You know we don't have those...
Bullshit! Inventory!
[Inventory:] School Uniform, Blade of Grass, Rock Pebbles, Twigs, Acolyte Leaves, Glass Bottle, Box of Seasoning, Hunting Knife, Quill-Book, Leather Map, Silver Lining
"Ah...you're right...", I spoke in a dejected tone.
After a moment, I ruffled my hair and sighed, "What do I do now?"
Although, I had triumphed over the cockatrix and killed it, my situation was still precarious. I was stranded in the dark, deprived of sight and fundamentally lost.
I didn't know where I was and how to get out.
"Damn...", I cursed under my breath before falling silent.
I remained silent for a while before a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Hey, while I was fighting the cockatrice...there was a certain place it struck me to that felt strange...
...I don't get....
My inner voice responded in a confused tone.
Yes, there was...it felt like a smooth surface!
So what?
That area...might be an escape route!
Or a route to some accursed place?
Don't be so pessimistic!
My inner voice went silent.
"Tsk...I get you as well but a route is better than none."
I got up to my feet, feeling the bloodied loose strands of my rags swaying around my body. Cold air brushed against many places, highlighting how damaged my clothing was.
Fuck clothes...I need food and water now...
Once I got up to my feet, I took a deep breath and then outstretched my hand wanting to summon Silver Lining but then stopped.
Do I really need it to create a loud sound?
I smirked as I raised my hand, crouching close to the ground.
"Of course, not...am Level 5 now."
Besides, it isn't good to mishandle swords like that...I might chip the blade...
I thought with a somber expression before turning back to the ground.
Let's see how much stronger I've gotten...
I balled my hand into a fist, raised it up and then brought it down at a dangerous velocity.
BAM!!
My fist connected to the ground with a loud booming sound and I felt a net of cracks spread out from the impact point.
"W-woah!"
In complete awe of my newfound strength, I momentarily forgot why I had punched the ground in the first place.
Am really strong! Like really, really strong!
I thought with wide eyes, staring in the direction of my fists. My eyes had sparkles in them, as I praised myself.
Focus, fool!
My inner voice snapped me out of my trance.
Right, right!
I took a deep breath as I closed my eyes, trying to listen to the dispersing reverberations; activating another skill in the process.
[Skill: Reverb Mapping is active.]
The moment the system spoke, my visualizations took shape becoming rather vivid. I spawned myself within the 3D space and looked around. I was in a rock chasm; the circular walls were rough and uneven, except for one area...
Huh?
I turned to the area which I had found and strange, observing it.
This isn't part of the wall...
I thought as I approached the area both in my mind space and in reality.
It's...like a block! Big, smooth and polished...in front of the wall!
I thought excitedly as I approached it.
Was it used to seal a route or something?
As I approached it, I stretched out my hand in the real world wanting to touch it.
Here we go.
I thought as my hand touched the polished surface but then trembled slightly.
"This...this doesn't feel like a block...!"
I exclaimed as my hands went over the polished surface inspecting it before coming to a halt, my eyes flickering.
"It's not a block, its wood...and it's not just wood!"
I flicked the wooden object, causing a 'pock' sound to disperse; instantly affirming my suspicions.
It's hollow inside...which means that it's a box! A wooden box!
Upon this realization, an anticipation began to surge within me.
I grabbed the wooden box, moving my hands around it; trying to find a way to open it.
Come on...come on...
CLINK!
My hands brushed over a part of the box, eliciting a sound of metal clinking. Immediately, I rushed over to the part and began to fondle with it.
This is it...
CLICK!
With a 'click', the lock on the wooden box came undone.
"Yes!"
Without wasting anytime, I grabbed the lid of the box and pried it open.
"HRRNGH!", I let out a grunt of effort as I pushed the lid open.
THUMP!
The lid fell open with a loud thump and the smell of dust permeated the air.
"HA...HA...", I panted slightly before proceeding towards the box, eager to inspect its contents.
I thrust my hands into the box and instantly grabbed hold of an item.
"Huh? What is-?"
Just before I could finish my sentence, I saw a flicker...
And then a flame.