[Limit]: Temporal Debt
[Description]: Every time you use your ability, you borrow time from your own future.
Melvin stared at it for a while and almost burst out laughing. How can the system call a blessing a curse? A limitation, more so?
As much as he was concerned, having the ability to borrow time from the future was not bad. But… a sudden realization dawned on him as he remembered what his main ability entailed.
'Ah, I was crazy not to have seen the debts…' he mused, 'but the description isn't complete, is it?'
As if responding to his thoughts, the runes shone before him once again.
[There are rules >>>]
It indeed shattered Melvin's current happiness. But it was to be expected anyway; after all, anywhere rules were applied, nothing… most things don't seem to turn out good.
'Besides, what are those rules?'
At his command, the runes changed again and began to list down a set of information.
[Rules]:
» The Fixed Point must be possible.
» Usage must cost Fragments.
Just two rules.
Melvin stared at the rules, trying to decipher what could be the proper description for each of them.
He understood the first one very well. It was only trying to let him know that even though he can set points for a future self as immutable, the ability didn't make them a miracle.
It won't turn a weak version of himself into a god all of a sudden. Even though the ability gave him the power to declare certain statements for himself, they were still limited.
For example, he can't set a goal as "I will defeat this monster" – when he physically lacks the power to. Or, "I will be unharmed" – when total destruction is unavoidable. Or even when facing a demon king or a stronger being, declaring his defeat when he knows too well that the outcome has zero probability.
Fixed point was all about cause and probability, not necessarily time control.
Hence, instead of using the phrase "I will defeat this monster," it was better to simply declare his survival by saying, "I will survive."
In situations that seem impossible, that simple survival statement can have possible outcomes. He can be able to escape, endure long enough for help, retreat strategically, or even cause a distraction.
'No, that would somehow render the ability useless, as I would be doing the most work. I can even say something like "I will escape," right?'
Melvin thought, considering his later analogy to be better than the former. Using the word escape was going to make it clearer and even narrower. It can trigger his ability to find the correct opening for his runaway or somehow make his enemy mistime devastating attacks.
'If I learn how to use this ability well, I can even turn the impossible into a possible outcome,' Melvin surmised, already visualizing a situation where his enemy mistimes an attack and he uses the chance to his advantage.
But it was all going to require training, and most importantly, experience.
Now, there is the second rule, which to him is even meant to be the only applicable rule of a limit termed "Debt."
The usage of Fixed Point was going to cost him his Fragment points… like, what in the heavens was the system or flux or whatever was responsible for creating that rule supposed to mean?
In this world, and among flux carriers, Fragments were just numerical representations of their Soul Flux, and this was what determined one's essence and strength.
This meant that the more fragments he expended as cost, the weaker he became.
'In that situation, will there be a way of recovering those fragments? Or will I have to engage other monsters to do so?' Melvin thought.
"I really don't like how…"
Melvin was about to utter a hateful speech and possibly curse the situation when the system's voice resounded again.
[Return, Aeon's Eye!]
Then, the bright void spun and disappeared.
***
"I survived!"
A lone figure, walking in deliberate steps, came out of a shimmering blue portal, enough for its shadow to loom behind. In the left hand, this figure held a long, silver whip affixed to a golden handle dripping in blood.
The figure, finally out of the portal, which closed behind it, was that of a young boy clad in a purple, slime suit. He was tall and lean, but his exuberance possessed a different aura.
He came to a halt immediately after the rift finished disappearing, his gaze still fixed on the ground… or what seemed to be a ground.
Then, as if to be certain, he jerked his head upwards and reluctantly tilted it to his back to see that the rift was gone.
So, he smiled.
The boy returned his gaze to the front and flipped his whip around to wrap his body, locking itself with a click to its handle.
When he looked up, his gaze revealed two amethyst purple pupils, enough to pierce through a person's heart if it were a dagger. His wind-swept silver-white hair looked in order, as if nothing had happened to him.
His entire being was pristine, as if he had never been engaged in a life-and-death situation his entire life.
Even after being asked to return by the system, he currently found himself in an environment that was strange. It was so new to his sight.
Looking around, he took some time to discern the scenario, and he was able to register a few descriptions. He was currently in a very spacious hall.
The walls curved seamlessly upward, forming a perfect half-sphere of sea-blue stone. Faint veins of pale light ran through the surface like frozen lightning, pulsing slowly with each second that counted.
Against these walls, arranged in a row, rested several raised counters that looked like gaming pool machines, with the same color as the walls of the hall, but darker, swallowing light instead of reflecting it.
However, these counters didn't prevent the luxurious illumination of the hall. In fact, only when the young boy was able to take note of a few things did he realize he was in an expansive, circular hall.
But which building could this be? And where could it be located?
The young boy was drowned in his reverie when a very familiar voice sounded a distance from his front.
"Melvin… you made it.. back!"