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Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic by droopyauthor
Harry Potter & Anime X-overs Xover Rated: M, English, Adventure & Fantasy, Daphne G., Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, Words: 142k+, Favs: 21, Follows: 21, Published: Jun 30 Updated: 21h ago
2Chapter 3: 003 Chaos or Order – 1st World (I)
In a white room with no doors, two laser-like beams met each other.
One was deep red, not unlike blood, but more dreadful and devious. The other was pale blue, like a colored mist, but more streamlined than its counterpart.
At the point of their contact, a figure began to take shape.
The two beams kept tracing the insides and the outsides of this figure as if it was printing it in solid form. It was certain by then that these beams had a certain blueprint to follow.
Only a moment had passed after the two beams had completed the figure when it exploded with a booming sound. Blood, flesh, and bones splattered around the room, reaching to the corners of the roof.
The two beams died away as the white walls absorbed the filth and soon the room with no doors was empty again.
Four more beams came out of nowhere and made contact with each other. Two red and two blue.
The process of creation had slowed down with the increase in the number of colored beams. But the figure was the same, and unfortunately, so was the result.
The explosion came out at the same time as the last.
More beams came, more blasts shook the room, and more time passed with every turn…
100 years passed, but there was no one to appreciate the efforts of the creator. The numbers of the two different colored beams had risen to over ten thousand combined.
Soon, cracks began originating from the white walls as well. A black slimy liquid came out of the cracks as if the walls were bleeding.
The red room shook, chunks of walls fell into the blood puddle, gathering after each fleshly explosion, along with the slimy black liquid.
Just as the time came for this figure to explode, the beams didn't fade away but went inside this hideous red-black puddle.
With an unseen ferocity, it condensed, forming a nail-sized object in no time.
More solid than a liquid, but not solid enough either.
All the laser beams fumed with exhaustion and pushed the queer object into the figure's chest.
Cracks appeared on the boy's figure, and the time of the explosion had come and gone. The cracks kept appearing and disappearing, and the object embedded in the figure's chest kept losing its size.
The beams could take it no longer and disappeared, with no sign of coming back.
The room had regained its whiteness, but the cracks in its walls stood out.
The price had been paid.
When the object had all but vanished in the boy's chest, the widening cracks on his body paused. Then they started to close up. The bones mended, the flesh sewed, and fresh skin formed.
When the last crack over his chest was getting closed, a grain-sized thing could be seen churning just right of the figure's heart.
Whatever the object had meant to do, it did it wonderfully and… survived.
Finally, the figure was complete. A wave of freshness filled the room. It was like a sudden gust of wind, which comes and goes as it pleases. It engulfed the figure, filling its lungs, and all the organs, veins, and every other part of the body.
The chest rose and fell.
Once more.
Kai's eyes snapped open, his pupils narrowing from the sudden whiteness. He had to blink several times to not get overwhelmed by the blinding color.
What is this? Where am I? I… Didn't I die? Questions bombarded Kai's mind.
The moment he realized he could think, his eyes went down to his body. He was shocked. There were no injuries and only a phantom pain squirmed in his chest.
Kai touched his chest, and the last scene of his death came back to him. Suddenly, his mind spun, and he snapped his head left, right, and back. But aside from the white walls, he could find nothing.
He isn't here, Kai told himself. He is dead.
"Hello," Kai could do nothing but say out his thoughts aloud. "Is anyone…"
As if waiting for him to say something, a reply came to him.
…
[Welcome to the Primordial Tower, Kai Stormborn.]
…
The voices echoed within the room, for voices they were. Kai could distinctly hear two different voices saying the same sentence. The strange thing was that he didn't find it odd. It seemed perfectly natural for these voices to be together, as if they were meant to be like this.
"Who is this?" Kai shouted, now warily. "Where am I?"
Trust was a word Kai had erased from his mind long ago. He certainly had died. But the condition of his body told a different tale. He had revived, in a condition he could scarcely remember himself to ever in the last two years.
All the more reason to be cautious, Kai told himself. Is it the fabled Resurrection?
Kai waited, remembering what he could about a senseless topic he had never cared about, and the voices replied.
…
[Kai Stormborn, you have been found worthy to be a Contestant of the Primordial Tower.]
…
Worthy? Kai already doubted whatever was coming next. He had heard such tones and words many times.
…
[
The Primordial Tower is a battlefield where Contestants put their lives on the line to use the benefits of the Systems.
It is also the means to gain unmeasurable power and strength.
In Primordial Tower, either you die a cruel death or get to live and become an overlord.
There are only two paths and it will be YOU who will decide which path to choose.
]
…
Two paths, Kai wondered if it was really so. But he restrained himself from voicing out his doubts.
"System? Unmeasurable Power? I don't understand any of it," Kai said. The big words sounded cool to him, and the prospects of gaining power which solely belonged to him were mouth-watering. But Kai had learned that every rise in strength comes with a price.
What price will I have to pay this time? Kai remembered his life and asked himself.
As if answering his thoughts, the space in front of him twisted and a hologram appeared. It was an immense tower, more like a spire than a cylinder. It hovered there, rotating on its axis, shining brilliantly in red and blue like an exquisite gemstone.
Kai couldn't take his eyes off it. Something about it made him uneasy, but not in a bad way. The feeling leaned more towards the expectancy than the fear of the unknown.
…
[
The Primordial Tower has 7 sets of 3 floors each and every 3rd floor is a roadblock filtering out the worthless.
The Contestants of the two Systems battle each other on each floor from time to time.
Contestants can gain Mission Credits for completing a Mission and Attribute Points to increase their strength along with many Skills and Items in the Random Worlds.
If the mission is not completed in the specified time limit, then the Contestant will be judged unworthy.
]
…
Kai needed not to be told what the voices meant by the word judged.
From the example and the emphasis on the Random World, Kai could tell that the only way to become stronger was to complete the missions. The battle within the tower was nothing but the price for that power.
A world where strong becomes stronger, and weak becomes weaker, Kai thought, his expectancy turning in elation. I like it.
He didn't understand the idea of Random Worlds, and Credits and Attribute Points, but he was sure when it came to killing, he could hold his own no matter where he was to go.
When he was young, Kai had believed knowledge was supreme. Seeing his mother and father, whose face he didn't even remember, surrounded by people with happy faces, he could see himself as a scientist then. But the coming years had brought him to reality.
Those who only seek knowledge will be slaughtered like animals, Kai told himself. What I need now is Absolute Power to serve as the backbone for my knowledge.
Kai looked at the tower, like a precious treasure made only for him, when he noticed something odd.
7 sets of 3 floors each, he counted, but there are 22 floors on it.
Before Kai could ask about the 22nd floor, the voices spoke again.
…
[
All Contestants are divided among the two Systems of the Primordial Tower.
Now you must choose, to which System you will give the authority to judge you, Kai Stormborn.
Chaos or Order.
]
…
Chaos or Order, Kai dared not answer.
He had seen Order in his last 2 years of life when his eyes and ears weren't clouded. What looked orderly was actually rotten from within. He had also tasted Chaos, a flavor of blood. One drop in the mouth, and one can forget to ever get rid of that sensation. That taste grew over you, consuming senses and thoughts alike.
Kai wanted no more lifelong enemies. He only had one, and he had already killed him, blasting him to pieces alongside himself.
…
[
All worlds, imagined or real, consist of both order and chaos.
Order, as the name suggests, assign missions that are in the favor of balance. Chaos prefers imbalance.
The direct battles of the Tower's floors are the manifestation of the indirect struggles within the Random Worlds outside it.
Aside from their inherent nature, both Systems work identically. They don't do favorites, neither do they know mercy.
In the end, those who are unworthy will be judged the same.
]
…
Balance doesn't mean good or evil, Kai reflected.
He did not care about it either, but the lack of data given by the voices troubled him. He knew there was more to it than what was told to him. I just don't know what to ask.
The voices continued, uncaring of Kai's furrowing brows.
…
[
Before your first transfer to the Primordial Tower, you must undergo an Initiation Mission.
By selecting one of the two missions that will be given to you, you can submit your choice.
The Initiation Mission is to make you familiarize yourself with your Stats, Abilities, Skills, and general working of future missions. The difficulty setting will be the lowest, and your pain factor will be reduced for free this one time.
If you complete the mission within the time limit, then you will be transferred to the Tower, otherwise, your existence will be erased.
]
…
Cruel and blunt, Kai noticed. Now it feels more natural.
The towering hologram disappeared, and rows of dull gray-colored words materialized in front of Kai. Kai couldn't tell if the words had appeared in his eyes or in the room's space. Seeing these words, he even doubted if the hologram of the Tower was real or not.
…
[
Mission: Assist Thunder Faction in saving the life of Beedle the Bard
Mission Summary: Mr. Beedle has completed the book which can alter the course of the future.
The book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is an anthology telling many strange stories. It is written in the runic alphabet and enchanted so that none other than the wizard himself can read and make sense of its contents.
If he were to die before delivering the book in safe hands, the book will very well rot away without revealing its secrets. Because of the power of Magic, Mr. Beedle must hand over the book personally.
The Thunder Faction is tasked to provide a safe passage to the wizard.
Mission Objective: You will be a guard in the unit, where the Captain of the Guard will give you certain tasks which may be counted as part of this mission.
Mission Time Limit: 48 hrs
Mission Grade: E-
Note:
A Mission Grade can differ from Contestant to Contestant even if they are in the same Random World.
A Contestant's Mission Grade can differ from the Overall Grade of a Random World
]
…
Kai stared at the sentences, reading them over once.
The mission seemed simple, the details even simpler. But that hadn't made him doubt what he was reading.
Beedle the Bard? The Tales of Beedle the Bard? These words were strange to Kai.
The words in Kai's eyes faded and a new notification appeared, shining dull gray, but with an unseen ferocity.
…
[
Mission: Kill a Thunder Faction's guard assigned in saving the life of Beedle the Bard
Mission: Assist Thunder Faction in saving the life of Beedle the Bard
Mission Summary: Mr. Beedle has completed the book which can alter the course of the future.
The book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is an anthology telling many strange stories. It is written in the runic alphabet and enchanted so that none other than the wizard himself can read and make sense of its contents.
If he were to die before delivering the book in safe hands, the book will very well rot away without revealing its secrets. Because of the power of Magic, Mr. Beedle must hand over the book personally.
The Thunder Faction is tasked to provide a safe passage to the wizard.
Mission Objective: You must kill at least one guard assigned personally for the safety of Mr. Beedle to loosen their defense.
Mission Time Limit: 48 hrs
Mission Grade: E-
]
…
This left a bitter taste in Kai's mouth. But there was one more pressing question.
Which one is issued by the Order, and which one by the Chaos?
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Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic by droopyauthor
Harry Potter & Anime X-overs Xover Rated: M, English, Adventure & Fantasy, Daphne G., Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, Words: 142k+, Favs: 21, Follows: 21, Published: Jun 30 Updated: 21h ago
2Chapter 4: 004 Chaos or Order – 1st World (II)
Kai was in a conundrum.
For all he knew, killing could restore Order, as much as saving, like a flutter of butterfly wings could cause Chaos.
What to do now? Kai asked himself. Just as he finished reading the notifications, the vanished mission returned by its side.
Both missions flashed, luring his eyes towards them, like the bait of a wild beast, and Kai dared not bet his future on a wild guess.
This choice would dictate his future; his end if he were to be wrong.
Kai closed his eyes.
Scenes after scenes raced by his mind, like a blurry photo reel. Most of it was blood and pain. The rest was claimed by unending screams, and hidden in the gaps were events of Kai trying to deceive others, using them, manipulating them.
I am a loner, yes, but without the people surrounding me, I am not truly alone, Kai realized. Only when there is Order, there can be Chaos.
Kai's eyes opened, the doubts were gone, hesitations, if any, erased. He knew what his choice was, or he had always known what it would be.
"I choose to assist Thunder Faction in saving the life of Beedle the Bard."
As soon as he spoke, the mission to kill faded, diffusing into the room's space, leaving behind its counterpart to take the center-stage.
Kai waited for more words to appear to show the results of his well-thought choice. But dizziness hit him sooner than that, rocking his mind to the gates of darkness.
When vision returned to him, he found himself in a small room.
He was laying still on a bed and the roof above was soggy wood. Then the smell hit him, damp and a touch of rot mixed in.
Kai sat up and noticed there were clothes on him, unlike before. A short coat over loose pants. They were old, just by the appearance, and torn from the seams.
Servant? Kai passively guessed. He stood up and looked around. There weren't many things in the room. Including the bed, there was a table, a stool, and a closet, its handle all gone leaving a wooden stump.
With brisk steps, Kai stepped to the table.
A few yellowish papers were laid there, their texture felt like rough flaky skin when Kai touched it.
Parchments, he recognized. Kai had read about them in one of his home lessons.
Besides the parchments was a bottle of black ink, a cork dug deep in its mouth. Placed behind the ink-bottle was a quill, its nib blackened, and red-brownish feathers at the other end.
Now what? Kai thought.
The quill answered his thoughts.
It lifted by itself. The cork over the ink-bottle popped out gently. As the quill dipped its nib in the mass of liquid blackness, a parchment left its restive post and hovered at Kai's eye level over the table.
Magic!
Kai's eyes shone with an unmatched brightness. Even in his previous world, there was only technology and death. All strange things had only one origin, Oxycron, the virus. If there was anything worthy to call magic in his world, then that was harnessing the blood essence of a beast.
Kai straightened his back and eyed the quill kissing the parchment. Held by a force, he knew nothing about, it wrote in beautiful cursive writing:
[
The history of Magic is as old as the time itself for some; even longer for others. It is everywhere, and yet only a few are worthy to see its wonders.
To some, it remains elusive; to some, it grants power more than a man could ever need.
Books aren't enough to cover everything about it, only enough to amaze the feeble minds of readers.
This is a world of magic, wonders, dreams, and desires that can either make you the brightest soul or can show you darkness, where even light is afraid to reach.
15th century AD, magic is booming, old myths are dying, and magical technology is advancing like never. But throughout history, Change has been resisted by people.
Few look favorably to see Magic growing more than it already has. Mr. Beedle, one of the many wizards, is caught between these two extremes.
Chaos welcomes you, Kai Stormborn - Help Mr. Beedle to spread his tales throughout the Magical World of Harry Potter.
]
…
So it is Chaos, Kai noted, ignoring the unfamiliar words like Harry Potter for now.
Kai was happy with either of the two Systems, if he was being honest.
Only power mattered.
The Quill left the parchment, its nib trailing dry lines on the rough texture. A quick dip in the ink-bottle, and it was back on its task.
…
[
You are to be mindful of the following things from now on in all the Random Worlds:
You must reveal nothing about the Systems or the Primordial Tower to any character within the Random World
A Main Mission is subdivided into many Side Missions. To score a 100% clear rate, you must complete all the Side Missions. The Side Missions will give individual rewards, and the clear rate of the Main Mission will decide your overall rewards
Hidden Missions can be triggered anytime during your stay in the Random World. Like the Side Missions, you need to do certain tasks or interact with certain in-world Characters to trigger them. The Grade of Hidden Missions is, generally, higher than your Main Mission's
Your body stats are digitized from now on. You can access your stats by thinking or saying Status
A storing space of 1 cubic meter and a weight limit of 1000 kg is accessible to all Contestants. You can access the space by thinking or saying Inventory. The space and weight limit can be increased using Mission Credits or as an effect of certain Titles, Skills, etc.
Once your HP (Health Points) becomes 0, you will die. Once your MP (Mana Points) becomes 0, you will pass out. Once your SP (Spiritual Points) becomes 0, your soul will be damaged
You can obtain Loot by killing Contestants of Order in Random Worlds
Note:
You can decide to not accept any of the Side Missions. In that case, completing the Main Mission will be counted as passed with the lowest clear rate
You can decide to not accept the Hidden Mission. Once accepted, the time limit will be adjusted accordingly
Only Items with stats can be stored in Inventory
]
…
The quill had left the parchment, giving Kai enough time to read the notification many times over.
So I can't know about the Side Missions and the Hidden Missions beforehand, Kai thought with a grimace on his face. Troublesome indeed.
What really caught his eyes, though, was the word - Loot.
Not waiting any longer, Kai called out, "Status."
A dull-gray colored notification window appeared right into Kai's eyes.
…
[
Status of Contestant: Kai Stormborn
Code Name: Not Set
System: Chaos
Main Mission World: Harry Potter
Main Mission Status: On hold
Mission Time Limit: 48 hrs
Mission Grade: E-
Equipped Title: Not Applicable
Mission Credits: 0
HP: 100
MP: 70
SP: 60
Active Attributes-
Strength: 12
Agility: 14
Stamina: 10
Perception: 12
Correspondence: 7
Breath: 6
Passive Attributes-
Charisma: 20
Luck: 2
Worth: 100
Abilities-
Elementary Slither Footsteps (Proficiency 27%)
Elementary Twin-Saber Style (Proficiency 35%)
Skills- Not Applicable
Glitch- Blood Devour (hibernating)
Items- Not Applicable
Pain Factor: 0.5 (Beginner's Benefit)
Inventory: 1 Cubic Meter-1000 kg
…
Note:
Your Stamina is a measure of your Life Essence and dictates HP
Your Correspondence is a measure of your Magical Affinity and dictates MP
Your Breath is a measure of your Spiritual Affinity and dictates SP
A Pain Factor of 0.5 means 50% reduction in Contestant's pain stemming from physical sources only
]
…
Kai didn't know much. Even then he could tell something was disastrously wrong with his Luck and Worth.
Then there was this Glitch, Blood Devour.
Without considering Kai's doubts, the quill scratched the parchment again.
…
[
Contestants can allot Attribute Points to Active Attributes only.
You can know more about your Stats using Mission Credits or from other Contestants.
Once you leave this room, a timer of 48 hours will be turned on. You must complete your Main Mission within the time limit.
]
…
Everything revolves around these Mission Credits, Kai reflected.
The quill went for a quick splash and came back.
…
[
A one-time service of allotting a Code Name is available to all Contestants.
This Code Name will be visible to all Contestants, in the Primordial Tower and the Random Worlds, during certain scenarios.
Set your Code Name…
]
…
A Code Name… Kai took a deep breath.
All the experiences of his previous life flashed by his mind.
How the people cursed him, calling him Blood Demon… How they framed him as a Murderer… How they labeled him as a Monster…
Then Kai remembered the one being who had made it possible for him to exact his revenge. The beast who had sacrificed itself to be a part of him, granting him strength and identity.
"Call me…"
The image of a huge serpent with slitted eyes bubbled in Kai's thoughts.
"… Red."
A tussle of parchments arrested his attention.
Once more, the quill lifted and scribbled all the details Kai had already seen before in the White Room - The Main Mission, its Summary, Objective, Time Limit, and Grade.
The moment quill finished its task, it fell lifeless away from the parchments.
A notification flashed dull-gray in Kai's eyes right away.
…
[
Congratulations Contestant Kai Stormborn
You have triggered a Side Mission
…
Main Mission: Assist Thunder Faction in saving the life of Beedle the Bard
Side Mission: Hand over the Proof Letter to the Captain of Guard
Side Mission Summary: The Captain of Guard will have many guards serving under him. As it is impossible to see other Contestants Stats, you must provide a Proof Letter to him to prove your allegiance to Chaos
Side Mission Objective: Acceptance of your Proof Letter
Side Mission Time Limit: Not Applicable
…
Do you accept the side-mission?
]
…
"Yes."
Kai grabbed the Proof Letter and walked out of the room.
…
[Main Mission Timer is triggered.]
…
The notification flashed twice before disappearing.
The wooden floor creaked under Kai's feet as he stepped down the stairs.
First, it was the stinging smoke, then came the powerful smell of alcohol, both hit his nose unwantedly. They were closely followed by a cacophony creeping up in his ears from downwards. Down the stairs, with every next step he took, the noises became louder but distinct.
"The Wizard's Council is at it again! I tell you…"
"I thank Late Ms. Ignatia Wildsmith every day. How in God's name wizards used to commute before…"
"Go on! Don't dawdle here, yeah, I am speaking to you…"
A push shoved Kai down the stairs, and a plump man crossed him from behind, giving him a disgusting look.
It was then their eyes matched.
The plump man stopped and the disgusting look on his face all but vanished. Touching his hat, he gave an apologetic smile to Kai and then walked away.
What… was that? The stark contrast between the expressions on man's face before and after looking at him shocked Kai.
"It's your Charisma." A voice crawled up the stairs.
Kai's gaze followed the voice to its source.
It was a black-hooded man, with a black-white stubble on his chin and a bald upper lip.
Even though there was a cloak around him, Kai could tell the man was big, both in height and weight, just short of being called fat.
The man turned around and began walking toward the main door of the inn as Kai stepped down, almost forcing him to follow. "Charisma is not only a face-card value, but it influences a Contestant's interactions with the in-world Characters, too," he continued. "It also dictates how the in-world Characters will perceive a Contestant in different scenarios."
The System had informed Kai about the Captain of Guard.
So it didn't come as a surprise to Kai that either the Captain of Guard had come himself or had sent another guard to receive him.
"Got me?" the man asked, his head twisting left and right warily as they walked out of the inn.
"What's there to get?" Kai shrugged. "I am handsome. I know it."
The man suddenly paused, making Kai almost bump into him. Mechanically, he turned around and stared at Kai with a stunned expression in his brown eyes. "Hahaha!" he suddenly broke out with a feat of laughter. "Whoa! A newbie with a sense of humor?! How did you die? Rolled over the bed or something?! Hahaha!"
When Kai didn't reply, the man continued the walk through the alley, pitter-patter of rain buzzing in their ears.
"Name's Desmond," the man introduced himself, taking a right turn.
Kai kept following the man, his eyes darting around, trying to find the barest hint of any trap.
After a few minutes, Desmond stopped. "We are here."
It was a small hut, Kai observed. The trail of smoke coming out of its low chimney was thin and blurry under the drizzle.
"You have been trying too hard, you know," Desmond said, knocking the hut's door rhythmically. "Haha! Never heard of Harry Potter, have you?"
Kai's hazel pupils narrowed.
The hut's door opened with a creak. "An advice…" Desmond smiled as he stepped in and said, "Forget everything you have learned before dying. It won't be of much use here."
Kai tried to follow Desmond, but his steps faltered involuntarily, an incredible expression surfacing on his face. What the…
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Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic by droopyauthor
Harry Potter & Anime X-overs Xover Rated: M, English, Adventure & Fantasy, Daphne G., Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, Words: 142k+, Favs: 21, Follows: 21, Published: Jun 30 Updated: 21h ago
2Chapter 5: 005 Awakening Glitch - Blood Devour! (I)
Kai couldn't believe it.
The hut, which looked like it could fall with a slight shake of wind, was even bigger than the Inn's ground floor he had left behind. A hall, draped beds, closets full of books, and the blazing hearth. It was like stepping into whole another world.
It was more mystical than anything Kai had ever seen in his previous life.
It was…
Magic… The word bubbled in Kai's heart, stirring the old, buried strings of a youth he had never experienced.
"Come here." A commanding tone reached Kai's ears.
He took his eyes off the things and focused on the people. In the middle of the hall, surrounding a big round table, were three people. Desmond's hood had fallen back, letting others see his short black hairs. A few white patches lingered on his head as a sign of age.
Kai approached the table, searching for an exit, but couldn't find one. The door behind him had shut the moment he had walked into the supposedly small hut.
A dangerous place, Kai concluded.
In the middle, there was man, leaner and younger than Desmond. Clean shaved, he had shoulder-length blue hair, and his head was down, looking at the map.
The third one was a woman, taller than both men.
"He is… uh?" Desmond stuttered.
"Don't tell me you haven't even asked his name?!" the woman asked, shocked.
"It doesn't matter, Sonia." The same commanding tone came out from the middle.
The blue-haired man struggled to take his eyes off the map, but he won the battle in the end. His eyes were blue, too.
"Let me do the honors, Captain." Desmond stepped out, his face already red from the intense stare of the woman. "You know me, right? She is Sonia, and we both are from the 2nd Floor. Shae, the one glued to the books over there, is another newbie. Then there is Simon, from the 1st Floor. He is in the basement, guarding You-Know-Who."
There is even a basement, Kai thought, feeling more amazed the more he got to know about it.
"You seriously have the gall to make jokes, Desmond," Sonia rebuked.
"Oh, come on, that would have floored him if he knew what I was talking about." Desmond felt wronged and shrugged at Sonia.
"You mean…" Sonia gasped.
"A newbie who knows nothing about this world…" the man muttered with a brilliant shine in his eyes. He looked Kai up and down, and smiled. "I am Arlen Willey, Captain of Guard of the Thunder Faction."
Kai matched Arlen's gaze. "Red."
Shae approached them from the other corner. Her hands were wrapped around a thick book, her hair was blond, and hidden behind her glasses were ebony-colored pupils.
Kai noticed how Arlen kept looking at Shae as she came. His pupils narrowed. A weakness.
These were all killers, according to the rules of the Primordial Tower. Kai felt he had to up his game if he wanted them to dance on his fingers.
"Go on then, hand over the letter," Arlen demanded, looking away from Shae reluctantly.
The casual atmosphere suddenly turned sharp. Even Desmond's cheery attitude vanished at the mention of the letter. Sonia walked away from the table, and Kai found her stopping on his right. Shae was already on his left, backed up by Desmond.
I am surrounded, Kai observed.
With a flick of his wrist, Kai thew the Proof Letter toward Arlen, who caught it midair.
Under the heavy silence, Arlen went through the letter, his blue eyes shifting left and right. Suddenly, his calm expression stirred, his face distorting in absolute rage.
"Apprehend him!" The Captain of Guard ordered menacingly.
What… Kai raised his eyebrows, every inch of his muscles entering the battle mode. Before he could get an explanation, Sonia was upon him.
Kai had seen she was tall, but when her kick came, aimed at his head, she felt even taller. He ducked, moving to his left. The kick missed but followed his head. It had come fast, and now it was faster.
The hair on Kai's neck stood up, knowing the damage this kick would do if it were to land.
He didn't know what to do.
But his body did, the muscle memories kicking in at last.
Kai's toes applied a burst of force at their tip, and his legs slid like tracing the track of a snake, slithering and undulating as if they were on the sand.
The kick landed on the floor with a bang, but Kai had dodged it, shifting to his left again in one smooth motion.
Sonia was shocked. No way he just dodged all that! She was a 2nd Floor's Contestant, where Red was nothing but a newbie.
Shae stepped back, keeping herself away from the fight. Desmond frowned, thinking the same.
However, Arlen's eyes lit up, picking up the not-so-obvious detail.
"Humph!" Sonia snorted. She spun, kicking the floor, and sent kicks after kicks at Kai. Head, legs, hands, and stomach, her slim and large legs covered all. Her loose long pants couldn't hinder her movements at all. It was just… she couldn't touch Kai.
By the width of a hair, Kai dodged her kicks, sliding his legs on the floor in a slithering motion. He wasn't even controlling them as this sliding motion was encoded in his muscles and bones.
"Grit your teeth, kid," Desmond suggested.
Suddenly, a heavy, nauseating feeling overtook Kai, almost making him vomit if he hadn't gulped it down back. He looked at Desmond and noticed the light golden hue churning in his brown eyes.
What's this?! Kai was struggling to bury that deep nausea inside him, but Sonia didn't wait to follow up on Desmond's assistance. She sent a roundhouse kick at Kai's chest, too fast to dodge.
Shockingly, Kai didn't even try to move out of the way. He had been waiting for it all along.
Sonia's kick landed right where he wanted.
A trace of blood trickled from Kai's mouth as he was sent flying backward.
"Sonia! This was not…" Desmond roared, but couldn't finish his sentence.
What happened next left them all flabbergasted.
Kai rolled on the floor, and just as he approached Shae, he jumped to his feet with unbelievable nimbleness.
Shae was still petrified from the events when Kai lunged at her, climbed on her back, and wrapped his legs around her waist. Simultaneously, his hand went to his back and pulled out a knife hidden above his hips under the short coat.
It looked like this wasn't the first time he was doing something like that.
The sequence of motion was too smooth.
"Ahh!" Shae cried, finding the knife's edge at her throat.
Kai felt the slight tremors in his body as Shae trembled, but it didn't prevent him from tearing the skin over her throat to give the knife a touch of blood.
Ignoring Desmond and Sonia, Kai eyed Arlen and… the wooden stick in his hand. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He had already lost 20 HP, but the threat buzzing off from the wooden stick surpassed all nauseating feelings.
"Let her go," Arlen said slowly, the wooden stick in his hand trembling.
"Huh!" Kai snickered. "You guys attacked me for no reason, and now you think I would just let her go?"
"Arlen… Captain, the kid's right." Desmond stepped forward, eying Kai strangely. "Sorry for testing you like this, Red," he told Kai, sharing a glance with Sonia. "Every small step and decision in this world can cause death… and bring doom upon all members. We couldn't just let anyone be a part of the Team. We just wanted to make sure you can handle yourself or not. But… things got out of hands…"
"Something's wrong," Sonia chimed in. "Hey! Do you… have an Elementary Ability?"
"Of course, he has!" Arlen barked, sounding angry, surprised, and greedy simultaneously.
Desmond had his doubts, but now he gulped. "Red," he said, his breath pausing, "wha… what's your Worth?"
Kai narrowed his eyes even further. He didn't tell them about having not one but two Abilities. Instead, he saw a chance to know more about this Worth which stood out among his Stats. "Around 10," he replied vaguely, keeping the value close to his Active Attributes.
However, even with this value, Desmond's jaw dropped and Sonia's lips paled.
Arlen's pupils shook, his grip on the wooden stick loosening. "Damn it!" he tsked. "What a headache! OK, I accept your proof letter. Let her go now."
As soon as Arlen said the words, a notification appeared in front of Kai.
[
Side Mission: Hand over the Proof Letter to the Captain of Guard
Side Mission Status: Success
Side Mission Rewards: 50 Mission Credits
]
Kai vomited… for the third time.
So this is a soul attack, effecting my SP, Kai reflected. Desmond had already apologetically told him about it.
The sudden turn of events, and drastic changes in others' behavior around him, had made Kai see his Worth Attribute in a new light. He'd rather not think about what could have happened if he had uttered a bigger number.
It would have been my doom! What else? Kai answered himself, remembering the greed in Arlen's eyes.
He vomited again.
"Here, drink this," Sonia approached him and threw a leather water pouch with a stopper at its mouth. "And now we are even."
Even? The demon within Kai smirked murderously. There will come a time… when I will let you know there's no such word.
Kai caught the water pouch, and a notification popped up above it.
…
[
Item: Sellsword's Water Pouch
Grade: Common
Specification: Spring water mixed with rare herbs and spices. Capacity - 600 ml
Requirement: HP 0, SP 0
Attributes: Not Applicable
Skill: Not Applicable
Effect: HP ( 5) per 100 ml
Quality: 70%
]
…
This was the first time Kai had held an Item. He could feel a strange aura coming off it as if it didn't belong to him.
Kai threw open the stopper and gulped down two big mouthfuls of the water.
The moment it went down his throat, Kai felt a burning feeling in his stomach. In the next moment, the feeling spread through his entire body like fire.
Kai's HP restored to its actual value within seconds. Impressive!
"Don't mind her, she's like that," Desmond said, smiling and nearing Kai and Sonia.
"You two know each other?" Kai had noticed Desmond's familiarity with the tall woman.
Desmond smiled wryly and winked.
Sonia rolled her eyes.
"What's this all about Worth?" Kai asked, handing over the Water Pouch. He'd rather not remain in dark about his own Stats, especially after seeing Arlen's reaction. "What's it got to do with having Abilities?"
Sonia sighed, taking the Item. "I should have realized that was an Elementary Ability the first time you had dodged my kick."
Desmond licked his lips. "Worth is the trickiest Attribute," he whispered, forcing the distant Shae to come closer to listen. "Some call it The Tower's Judgment, some System's Wrath."
Sonia nodded. "Abilities are the hardest to obtain in the Primordial Tower, because they are much more innate to a Contestant," she added. "If you have a high initial Worth after resurrection, then the chances of you having an Ability from the get go also rises.
"Moreover, the higher the initial Worth, the higher it will rise. There is no proof, but its theorized that Worth also affect a mission's progression and results. So, having a Contestant with high Worth in your team is a bonus no one would deny."
Ah! Kai nodded to himself. So that's why Arlen didn't act on his anger even when I was climbing his bitch!
"Get this…" Desmond said, smiling, "… me and Sonia are 2nd Floor Contestants, but our Worth is still 1. Arlen over there is a 3rd Floor Contestant, and his Worth cannot be greater than 3. Believe me. Not only that, if you can obtain more than 5 Attribute Points in your Worth within the 1st Set, then you will be called the luckiest Contestant."
Kai's pupils trembled. I… must… never… reveal my actual Worth to anyone, he promised himself.
"Move aside," Arlen said, putting himself between Kai and Shae. He threw a map between them and took out the wooden stick.
Wand… Kai called out the name, noticing the hate hidden behind Arlen's words. Desmond had already told him about the basics of this Random World and the magical tool used by the wizards and witches here.
Kai saw the map. Two dots were shimmering over it, far from each other. The names of places were fluttering like flags in a storm, and tiny magical beasts were roaring, flying, and jumping, signaling their presence here and there.
"We have come here two days before you newbies," Arlen said. "Now we must take Mr. Beedle from our current location to here." He pointed a red dot on the map, with the name Dufftown hovering over it, shining menacingly under its hue.
"So we are in London," Kai said, looking at the blue dot. The distance was too far, and it didn't seem to him they had the means to cover it in 48 hrs. "How are we supposed to go there in such a short time?"
"That's why we were waiting for you and Shae," Desmond said, standing behind Sonia. "We will need… Broomsticks."
Kai saw Arlen mumbling something inaudible and suddenly a dull-gray colored notification appeared in front of his eyes.
…
[
Congratulations Contestant Kai Stormborn
You have triggered a Side Mission
…
Main Mission: Assist Thunder Faction in saving the life of Beedle the Bard
Side Mission: Assist Contestant Desmond in stealing a Broomstick
Side Mission Summary: The distance between London and Dufftown is long and treacherous if covered by ground. The only sure way is to use Broomsticks and travel through the air. You must secure enough broomsticks to escort Mr. Beedle with Thunder Faction's full strength.
Side Mission Objective: Secure at least one Broomstick
Side Mission Time Limit: Not Applicable
…
Do you accept the Side Mission?
]
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