[DING! GOBLINS LV 3 × 4 ELIMINATED.]
[DO YOU WANT TO DEVOUR?]
— Haaa…
Remedy stepped forward. The command was mental, instinctive:
Devour.
A gaping, green, translucent mouth appeared in the air above him. The goblins' bodies were sucked into a swirling vortex of sickly light, reduced to a dust of luminous particles before being swallowed whole.
[DING! MONSTERS SUCCESSFULLY DEVOUR: +300 EXP ×4, +3000 PR ×4]
The green light in his eyes, already sharp and vivid, intensified further.
{PLAYER INTERFACE — SDR ACTIVE}
NAME: REMEDY
LEVEL: 5
STATUS: HOST
ROLE: CREATOR – INJECTOR – LINKER
ZONE: 5 METERS
HEALTH: 100% (500/500)
ENERGY: 100% (500/500)
EXPERIENCE: 14% ➔ 38% (700 ➔ 1,900 / 5,000)
REALITY POINTS (RP): 0 ➔ 12,000
— Resource used for creating Concept-Viruses and leveling them up.
---
ACTIVE CONCEPT-VIRUSES:
• Weight of a Feather — Level 1 (0/100)
---
TALENTS:
• ??? (SEALED)
— Unlock conditions not met.
}
---
Night fell, on the eve of the exam, in Remedy's room.
— Alright, explain this to me.
[TARGETS ELIMINATED BY THE HOST ARE CUT OFF FROM THE WORLD AND REALITY. THE HOST OBTAINS OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR REALITY AND CAN THEREFORE DEVOUR THEM.]
— What does "cut off from reality" mean?
[THEIR REALITIES, WHAT MAKES THEM REAL, WHAT ALLOWS THEM TO EXIST, RETURN RIGHTFULLY TO THE HOST. WITHOUT THE HOST'S PERMISSION, THEY CAN NEVER REINCARNATE, RESURRECT, OR BE REBORN…]
— Uh… Make it simpler.
[VERY WELL. IMAGINE REALITY AS AN INFINITE BOOK.]
[EVERY LIVING BEING IS A PAGE IN THIS BOOK. THEIR STORY, THEIR SOUL, THEIR EXISTENCE IS WRITTEN THERE.]
[WHEN THE HOST ELIMINATES A TARGET, HE TEARS OUT THAT PAGE.]
[THE PAGE BELONGS TO HIM. IT IS OUTSIDE THE BOOK. THE ORIGINAL NO LONGER EXISTS.]
[THE HOST HAS TWO CHOICES:]
[1. KEEP IT (AND POTENTIALLY, ONE DAY, REATTACH IT ELSEWHERE).]
[2. DEVOUR IT (REDUCE IT TO DIGESTIBLE INK AND PAPER TO GENERATE RP).]
[DEVOURING THE PAGE ERASES THE BEING FROM ALL CYCLES, ALL MEMORY OF REALITY… AND TURNS IT INTO FUEL FOR YOUR OWN STORIES (THE CONCEPT-VIRUSES).]
Remedy covered his mouth. He nearly vomited.
— No… This is too cruel. I can't do this.
[THE HOST NEED NOT WORRY. REALITY WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH ANOTHER PAGE TO RE-EXIST.]
— Oh, that's much better.
— I thought I was going to become a monster.
He laughed nervously.
[…]
But it seemed the system hadn't told him everything.
— Alright. What are concept levels for?
[LEVELS DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF TARGETS INTO WHICH THEY CAN BE INJECTED.]
[PERMANENT INJECTION OF A CONCEPT CONSUMES RP.]
[TEMPORARY INJECTION OF A CONCEPT CONSUMES ENERGY: DURATION DEPENDS ON AMOUNT.]
— And links?
[LINKS ARE THE HOST'S AUTHORIZATION TO OTHERS TO USE THEIR CONCEPTS. THIS CONSUMES NO RESOURCE.]
— Oh? Is that how it works?
— I think if I use this properly…
— Ah yes! What's "ZONE: 5 METERS"?
[THIS IS THE HOST'S OPERATION RANGE. THE HOST CAN USE THESE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS ON TARGETS WITHIN A 5-METER RADIUS: STORAGE, INJECTION…]
— I can use storage without touching the object?
[YES. BUT THE OBJECT MUST BELONG TO THE HOST.]
— I see.
A silence. Then a slow smile formed across his lips.
I understand.
Hehe…
I'm very excited for tomorrow's exam.
---
Remedy moved through the forest.
His hammer was too conspicuous. He had stored it away, preferring three daggers retrieved from the goblins he had slain earlier.
Reaching a clearing, he stopped short.
— Come out, he said calmly. No need to hide.
Nothing. Just the soft silence of the woods.
He threw a dagger into a clump of tall grass.
Thoc.
A clear, precise sound of metal embedding in flesh.
Then…
A low growl, followed by four others.
Shapes slowly emerged from the darkness, glowing eyes fixed on him.
A pack of four gray wolves — (Lv. 4) ×4 — commanded by an alpha wolf — (Lv. 5) — distinguished by a massive frame and silver fur with bluish highlights.
They circled the clearing, jaws quivering.
Remedy grinned broadly, almost familiarly.
— Long time no see, guys.
The wolves were the most formidable monsters in the outer zone.
Their speed, near-perfect coordination — enabled by their pack telepathy — and especially their alpha, an intelligent monster capable of executing complex tactics, made them the absolute nightmare for training students.
Suddenly, a wolf — [WOLF 1 – HEALTH: 95%], slightly injured by Remedy's thrown dagger — charged at full speed.
It leapt, its front paw swiping to tear.
Remedy crossed his two daggers in front of him.
BAM!
The impact was violent, pushing him back two steps. His heels dug into the ground.
KRIIK…
A dry, sinister crack ran through the blades.
TCHAAAK!
The daggers shattered into a dozen metal shards that scattered across the grass.
Remedy looked at the broken handles he still held, then let them drop casually.
He stepped forward, arms spread in a clear invitation. A daring smile stretched across his lips.
— Alright… Shall we do a second round?
Immediately, Wolf 1 charged again, repeating the same attack.
Its paw slashed through the air toward Remedy's face.
Without flinching, he moved his hand aside.
And the giant hammer appeared there.
The wolf froze, surprised — but in midair, it was too late to recover.
Remedy tightened his grip on the handle, knuckles whitening.
Then, with a circular swing sweeping the horizon,
He violently sent it flying to the side.
BOOM! A heavy, muffled sound of crushed bones.
Wolf 1 — (Health: 0%).
Remedy rested the hammer on his shoulder like a familiar crutch. With his other hand, he made a small, casual gesture, fingers curled toward him.
— Come closer.
The alpha wolf stepped forward, growling, teeth bared.
— Finally decided to move?
Remedy adjusted his grip, seriousness now etched into his expression.
Then—
The three remaining wolves repositioned in a single fluid motion, forming a perfect triangle around him.
They began circling, slow and synchronized, tightening the noose step by step.
It seemed the alpha wolf had already analyzed Remedy… and devised a strategy worthy of a general.
— Hoho! Worthy of a pack leader, Remedy said, his eyes shining with a new light. Interesting.
---
Chapter 6 – End