NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: If the Mind perceives...
Lots of talking, as always, but I plan to add a few more fights before the story goes as planned.
Enjoy!
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"Wait… He did what?..."
"Yeah… The specifics are a little complicated to go through right now. Simply put, he did not destroy them, for the Dwarven race was already pretty much gone."
"What matters to us is that such a blow led to their civilization's collapse and the destruction of many important relics and sites we could've used… And for the battles we'd have to face in the future, we wouldn't be able to count on the Dwarves for any of them."
If that wasn't enough, their enemies did not lose this chance and acted while they were down.
Even though Dwarves were a pretty neutral race, having many allies. Their state was so precarious that even their allies decided to close their eyes and turn around.
That s how it is, allies only as both sides are equal…
"Although the Dwarven race brought their own destruction, we can't allow that to happen."
"They are responsible for simply too many things… It is far too important for us to turn a blind eye. Not to say the cruelty of it all."
"How so?"
"That would take too long to explain. And given it's almost ten, we should return to our dorms now. If possible, since we live next to each other, we can continue from where we left off there, but I assume we won't have the chance."
"We should meet each other later, you know where."
"... Fine."
/Step step…/
Dae turned around to leave, but Philip intervened:
"This guy sounds more dangerous than helpful… Are you sure you want him alive?"
"... You are right, but the danger he represents is little before a hopeful future."
'Even if history repeats itself… No matter what, he can't die.'
'Not yet.'
"... Oh yeah, before I go, I suppose late is better than never, but try to study magic if you can. You will need it…"
"Then you're in luck. I've already been studying it. Albeit mostly out of curiosity."
"Excellent. I had a hunch you'd be interested in that kind of thing…"
"As for tomorrow, don't worry too much about tails; it's pretty unlikely they will put one in you, but take the least precautions so that none of the others follow you."
"That I know… Goodnight then."
"Thank you. I've been wanting to have a peaceful night's sleep for quite a while."
"... Was the Chamber of Silence that bad?"
"... Worse than you think... I haven't had a proper meal in weeks. But right now... I want to soak in a hot tub."
…
"There he goes…"
"This is getting interesting…"
'I quite enjoyed my stay in the Palace, but I was thinking about the world outside quite a bit.'
'Many dangers are waiting for me out there. However, I can't shake off my yearning for it… Can I even call it that?'
'Now, it seems I have a reason, and a way to seek out whatever's out there.'
"As for magic… I've already done what I could; there's still much for me to try and scan, but I'll be fine with what I gathered."
'With everything I did, I suppose I could pass by as a 1st Rank Mage. But with everything that I've pumped into the Phantom Library, maybe I can pose as a Higher ranking one with Scholar Vision.'
'The issue is that I haven't condensed a Magic Circle, so performing magic is a little rough for me… But it's not like it's a requirement.'
For a magician, the path of Magic is like a tower, with mana being the bricks and the Circle being the foundation and its beams.
Building a tower without them is possible, but it's very hard, if not impossible…
Like Dae, as long as he has enough Mana, knowledge, and the skill to do so… Anything a Mage can do, so can he.
It may seem an easy and convenient art to learn, but it's not. After all, what would probably take 2-3 years for a normal apprentice to read, memorize, and comprehend, Philip did in a few weeks due to his unique abilities… And that's not something easily replicable by others.
Especially since magic was only apparent to some, and of those few, only the extremely talented would succeed.
Thanks to that, the process can be simplified quite a bit, although that doesn't remove the fact that he will have to properly comprehend them all one day.
Nonetheless, Philip has no desire to follow the path of the traditional mage, so this much is alright. Having magic knowledge was a phenomenal thing already.
But for the traditional mage, they would have to learn the theory and also put it into practice… Which takes a lot of time.
Unfortunately for Philip, his skills did not allow him to use his stored knowledge practically. Otherwise, he would've considered himself a 4th Rank, if not higher Mage…
As its name dictates, Scholar Vision is, at the end of the day, an ocular Skill…
"Time to leave."
"Boys, we're wrapping things up here."
/Shaa…/
Gray mist slowly seeped from the cracks in the wood and the gaps between books and furniture, covering the area around him up to his knees.
From within, a hundred tiny hands slowly reached out from its depts, holding onto everything, including his clothes, as if intending to drown him in the gray ocean.
"Clean up the area. I'm going back to my room."
""Guagagehe…""
"..."
'I still can't understand you all…'
The messengers, however, obeyed his orders.
While they did not convey emotions through their vague faces, their hand movements were more than enough as a method of communication.
And with each of them having their own decor, such as hats, gloves, and the like, it was easy for Philip to differentiate them.
'I've learned much about my Skills in the last month. Especially Mental Power, which is the strongest ability at my disposal.'
'Mental Power can be seen as the ability to influence the world with one's mind, as such, what does that make of them?'
'Messengers were once servants of the Moon Presence, the Great One who twisted reality to create the Hunter's Dream, using them to convey its intent and guide Hunters to perform its will.'
'In the world of memories created by multiple Great Ones distorting and reshaping reality, one could see as Messengers being existences outside of the "common" reality… And so goes for a Hunter's abilities as well.'
'However, even before I developed my Mental abilities, I retained my abilities and was able to manifest them in reality thanks to the System's influence. Which isn't odd since the System can manipulate reality as it deems fit. It never tried to hide that fact since that same message plays whenever I take off and equip my Class.'
'On that note, if messengers have retained their abilities, I've realized I've been misusing them. Limiting their actual potential… And at the same time, it means I could, theoretically, extend my abilities into the realm of dreams despite not having the proper Skill to do so.'
'Messengers exist in-between reality and imaginary, and as they belong to me, I can also, to a certain degree, mold it as well.'
'So after much experimentation, I developed this…'
/PULL!/
The messengers suddenly pulled Philip into the gray mist, having him vanish from the world…
/Shaaa…/
Soon after, the mist slowly dissipated, leaving behind a neatly, organized library, as if Philip and Dae… Had never been there.
…
/Shaaa…/
At that moment, back in the dorms, gray mist began to cascade down the walls like a waterfall.
/Step…/
From behind it, waving his hand around to push the mist aside, Philip stepped out with a faint smile before turning around and opening his right hand.
""Guagagehe…""
From inside the mist, one of the Messengers slowly emerged, holding the strange artifact made to create the barrier where they conversed before.
"Dae left without taking it this time. He must've been quite tired… Thank you, that shall be all for today."
/Whispers…/
Echoes of distant, incomprehensible voices echoed from the mist, but Philip felt no fear because he knew they were all positive.
/Close…/
The waterfall dissipated, and he stretched his arms as he walked to the bathroom.
'I need a shower to cool off my head.'
…
/Shuaaa…./
After a hot and relaxing bath, Philip left the shower with a relaxed smile as he threw his towel on a couch before opening his wardrobe.
Once he put on some simple clothes, he laid down on his bed and opened his Status.
"Hm…
[
Name: Philip Vinten
Race: Type 1 Pure Human (+)
Home World: Earth (+)
Registered World: Eden (+)
Level 0
Class: None (+)
Title: Evolver(Mental Lord) (+)
/Resonation Effect: Brain Sponge/
All Titles:
Exterminator of Nightmares; Hunter Genius; Ancient Explorer; One man army; Jack of all Trades; Number 1; Scholar; Martial enthusiast; Magical enthusiast; Mental Lord; Pioneer; Blessed; Evolver; Soldier
-Vital info-
(+)
Mind> 45 (99) (+)
Physical> 52.1 (59) (+)
Energy> 47.3 (+)
Spiritual> 39.4 (45) (+)
Mystique> 25 (+)
>Abilities:
Mental Force Lv2 (Hybrid)
Mental Force Manipulation Lv7 (Hybrid)
Mental Domain Lv1 (Hybrid)
Arcane Manipulation Lv2 (Hybrid)
Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts Lv1 (Hybrid)
Falling Fist of the Beast Lv1 (Hybrid)
(...)
>Skills:
Gamerverse (???)
Intermediate Skill Fusion Lv14 (Hybrid)
Western Continent Language Lv0 (Hybrid)
Scholar Vision Lv7 (Active)
Combat Genius LvMax (Passive)
(...)
>Traits:
Castle Town ***** (Weakened)
Hardworking
Unyielding
]
"I went a long way…"
'It took me a while, but with Eriny's guidance, I acquired the basic Arcane Manipulation Ability. It essentially represents my overall skill with handling Mana.'
'The Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts are a conjecture of manuals representing one of the highest schools of combat exclusive to the Imperial Family.'
'It wasn't meant to be taught this soon. The first month of training was about gauging our abilities and getting used to this world. But I learned most of the manuals composing it, either through reading in the library or the instructors.'
'It's decently strong, and it'll help me greatly as I train, be it now or in the future, since there shouldn't be that many better techniques out there. This is already exclusive to elite soldiers of the Imperial line; anything better than this is either meant for those high bloodlines or rotting away in some ancient ruin.'
'Good enough for me to refer to until I find or create something better… Maybe I can use it as a foundation for that. After all, this has hundreds of years of knowledge poured into it; everything I know was created by a few geniuses within their lifetime… Which wasn't long for once.'
'Aside from a few I learned here and there…'
'I don't want to undervalue their efforts, but its simply different magnitudes of time and resources poured into it.'
'Finally, Falling Fist of the Beast is one of Berinou's techniques she passed on to me. I have no idea where it came from, if she made it or what, since she never told me.'
'All those three are low-level because I haven't gotten them recently. Arcane Manipulation was the first I got, and even then, it's just Level 2.'
'That aside, My control over Mental force has increased considerably; lots of repetition and the study led me here. But it'll take me a little more than that to master it.'
'And this growth is reflected in the other Skill, Mental Domain.'
'A mental domain is an area around me where I can exert control using mental power, the effective range where I can extend it per se. Thus, being intrinsically connected to my other Skills.'
"As for my Abilities…"
'Skill Fusion increased when I tried to fuse all of the trash Skills that accumulated over the month; they weren't many in number, but there were some.'
'Relying far too much on Skills is not the way. Any that aren't essential or perform a unique role are better removed.'
'I do not need a Skill that helps me run, punch, or swim better; I'll leave that for my training to fulfill, not Skills rewarded "artificially".'
'The best option is to stick with a certain loadout of core Skills and fuse all of the others away… If I can, otherwise, I can keep them for later.'
"But I was careless… I ended up fusing all of them at once. Causing them to break and disappear as they weren't compatible with one another."
'Skill Fusion can remove restrictions in the Skills, but it can't make up for everything, at least not in its current Level.''
"No harm done anyway. Those extra things weren't relevant to me and they served a purpose in the end. Either way, I can just do it all again and acquire them again if necessary."
'As for my language Skill, it was previously labeled as "incomplete". However, it became whole as I studied and gathered more language books.
'I imagine it will level up once I properly study those books.'
"I plan to eventually ditch or fuse the Skill away. Because I shouldn't need a Skill for something as simple as talking."
'Mastering dozens of languages is a little complicated, however, so I suppose it's there to stay for a few more months, if not years…'
'Scholar Vision's improvement also grew at a desirable rate. I can't improve it with use, but it has proven quite useful.'
'Aside from its direct effects, Scholar Vision allows me to see someone's level up to five above mine per skill level.'
'The Skill started at Level 0 and is currently Level 7, so I should be able to observe someone's level up to 40 that of mine… Which is helpful to keep track of the Heroe's progress but still useless for everything else since everyone in the Garden, even the Blue Knights, seems stronger than that… But I haven't tested it on everyone either.'
'I used it a few times but stopped in fear of someone noticing my probing.'
'The rest didn't change at all.'
Philip looked at his window tab, particularly at his Trait…
[Castle Town ***** (Weakened)
Type-Trait
Description: In the depths of one's consciousness lies the gem that is the 'Self'...
Your definition, your image… A reflection of what is never revealed.
The power of the Mind that can shape reality… What you perceive shall become the truth.
Shaped from nothing, the world within another world, one you can call your own.
Beyond the reach and authority of others, may this place be your sanctuary… Your sacred land… Let your Will take root and spread throughout this reality.
If you will it, a pine tree shall grow in the desert, and water shall fuel fire…
How will "I" shape this world?
Effects:
*All previous effects of the previous Trait have transformed into subdivisions inside the Mind space*
>Brain Field balance: The manifestation of your "Human" side.
Calms or enhances your emotions when they surpass a certain defined threshold.
Your mental state can affect the world around you, and you may control and influence others' emotions and feelings to a certain extent.
(+)
>Domain Core Processor: The potential hidden in the flesh.
Terrifically Improves all mechanical functions of the brain. Including memory, learning speed, reflexes…
As long as this subdivision stands, it may work as a secondary processing Unit, allowing perfect parallel thinking.
If necessary, the brain's limiters can be released for a short period.
(+)
>Half World: A seed on the verge of sprouting.
As a world that exists independently from reality, it cannot be easily influenced by anything other than yourself. And even if something does, it'll only be before an unbreakable barrier and the might of your Mind.
However, as a Half World, it lacks all that is present in reality, being only a shadow of a possible paradise.
From the inside to the outside, this world's integrity is one; hence, it has no internal flaws, and for as long as it remains stable, so will your consciousness.
(+)
/Added Effects/
>Mind *****: A Mind ***** protects the Castle Town.
He is constituted by your mental fortitude. His mere presence strengthens its defenses and will exist for as long as your mental fortitude remains.
In case of death, he will reappear when enough mental power is gathered.
His strength grows as he is fed more mind power. But his strength can never surpass that of what the Fortress can hold.
The Mind ***** is currently hibernating due to the absorption of *****.
Hence all of its related abilities are currently deactivated as it passes through the final moments of its transformation.
Time remaining: 14.1 hours…
Mental Library: Due to the absorption of the Phantom Library, a new subdivision has taken shape inside the Castle Town.
The Mental library will greatly help you in all activities revolving around the acquisition of knowledge.
All books that you read will gain a copy inside the Mental library.
(+)
]
"..."
'I have the feeling it's growing longer as time passes… It's expected given its complexity.'
'The stronger the ability, the longer its description will be. Unless it's so fundamental that a single word already encompasses it, but I suppose it's up to the System to define all of that.'
'A half-world… Now, I need to find out how to turn this into a proper one. I wonder what are the benefits of that. But considering Dae's reaction, I dont think this will happen any time soon.
As he stared at the ceiling, he opened his inventory and took out a light snack for him to munch on, thinking about what the future had to offer for him…
"I think I have some time… I didn't dwell too much on this before since I was too occupied, but I guess I have some time now."
/Fwoop…/
Philip closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, he was now in an entirely white world.
Everywhere he looked, there was only white.
"Hm… Where is it?..."
/Tremble/
The white space seemed to tremble as suddenly, a massive city protected by tall black walls emerged from the ground.
"There it is."
Philip took a step forward, and immediately after, he found himself atop the city's walls.
Like being in a dream. In here, he could do whatever he desired, whenever he felt like it,
The city itself wasn't that big, just a few hundred meters in radius. However, it was mostly empty, like an oversized model of a large city.
Of all the empty and redundant buildings, a few stood out for having some consistency to them.
A massive library attracted his attention…
"The Phantom Library… That's where I spent most of my time."
When Philip sleeps, he lets his body rest with a portion of his brain while he dives deep into his consciousness, reading books until morning.
Of course, like everyone else, he'd often just close his eyes and sleep, enjoying his dreams and the ridiculous scenarios his brain crafted for him.
His dreams were somewhat unique, and he'd take control of them more often than not, having fun before waking up.
Curious enough, he hasn't had a nightmare in a long time.
"Hm…"
Moving on from the library, right in the middle of the city and right before a massive castle, were two statues, one that looked like an enormous wrinkled brain and one that looked like your standard computer desktop.
"These… The representation of the Domain Core processor and the Brain Field Balance."
"They are really quite ugly and out of place… I don't like it."
Philip decided to make things more… Pleasing to his eyes.
/Tremble…/
The statues began to crack as they were molded into something larger…
The first statue that looked like a computer flew high above the ground… Finally, it stopped around three hundred meters above him.
"Let's give it a sci-fi look since this is supposed to be a computer…"
/Crunk…/
The mass of energy slowly changed as Philip waved his arms around.
He elongated it, making it seem like a tube, before connecting its ends to make a ring…
Once he was done, he added as many details as he could to it. Once he was done, a massive spaceship had been born above the city.
"Good."
He changed his attention to the brain, which, by now, had become a large white orb.
He didn't even realize when, but it seemed his unconscious ideas took hold as he was distracted.
With a faint smile, Philip put the orb right in the middle of the ring, as if it had been built around it…
"If we say the orb is this world's sun… Then that spaceship kind of resembles a Dyson sphere."
"Cool."
'Now this looks more presentable. I'll have to change the city eventually but it looks alright from afar.'
'Alas, this is nothing but me playing around. No matter how much I try to make it real, it'll never be… Not until this place becomes a real-world.'
"Either way…"
'When you think of a library, you have to think of Babylon… Right now, it looks like one of those boring museums…'
Philip changed the library's shape to that of a massive tower that went all the way to the sky, passing right inside the flying spaceship as it vanished in the clouds.
"Now it's way cooler."
But he wasn't done.
/TREMBLE!/
This time, it was a big change!
Everywhere one looked, the whole world seemed to be affected!
The first thing he did was make the city's walls perfectly circular and then put the castle in the middle, as he preferred symmetry.
However, after molding the castle, he hesitated as to how he would fill in the gaps.
So, in the end, he filled everywhere around the main castle with open green fields with signs that said: "In construction".
This seemed to bring him some peace of mind, even if little.
As a bonus, he constructed a small house made out of stone that would serve as the Mind Paladin's residence... If it even needs that.
"Everything else should be inside the Castle; there is no need to mess with it for now. That castle represents my consciousness. It's best if I don't mess too much with it."
'If the things I messed with so far were nothing but additions that can be repaired and changed, then the castle is intrinsic to my being. Or something around those lines…'
"I guess I am done for now."
Philip looked at his strange yet seemingly fit world, and it felt as if he was playing a 'sim game'.
Now, a grandiose castle surrounded by walls stood proudly at the center of the white world.
At its South was a massive tower that led to the skies.
Above it was a massive glowing star, and around it was a massive metal ring.
As for the name… For some reason, Philip couldn't come up with one, so he decided to name it someday in the future.
…
Satisfied with his work, Philip looked at the horizon of the white space to see a strange-looking egg; he knew that was the previous Mind Paladin going over an evolution, so he did not disturb it for now.
As he floated in the sky above his creation, his expression underwent drastic changes as he considered the many possibilities of the future…
"... Tomorrow, I'll rush outside, and I bet I won't have much time for myself once I'm on the run..."
'Not to say I'll need every bit of strength at my disposal… Maybe it's time for that…'
"Carryl Runes… If not now, then I can't say when I'd ever need them."
'The language of the Great Ones is powerful enough to alter reality itself. I feared that relying on them would corrupt my mind and lead me stray, that it was better for me to have forgotten then…'
"But I haven't forgotten them. Those memories are still within me. Once etched, unless completely forgotten, I'm afraid they'll be going nowhere."
'This must include the mark of the Hunter, albeit I wonder if it remains with the Moon Presence's demise…'
"They're just sealed in some distant corner of my mind. Which means that my worries are somewhat unfounded."
'They're already here, so there's no point in evading them… I have to make a choice.'
"I either cut off all of those memories and leave this portion of me behind… Or I embrace them."
'There's no guarantee that cutting those memories off will diminish or clear any corruption from my mind, if I have any, that is… But there's no guarantee of what may happen if I actually try to embrace them.'
'My Mental World is a common ground between both my Main and Secondary Status, if I bring the runes just like that… What would happen?'
'What would be the consequence of that?'
"... I can always manipulate my own Mind if things take a wrong turn. As for the Great Ones… Maybe I should trust the System in that regard."
'I don't think the Great Ones will just come after me. This isn't their universe after all, but their views of the universe and creation may be too much for me to bear.'
'They may observe me, sense me, look around out of curiosity. But for all I know, all of my powers are powered by the System, simulating how it would've been for them to still be around.'
"In the end, it is a form of fake strength… Or power drawn from universal concepts far beyond my current understanding…"
'... I've made my choice.'
/Tremble…/
The heavens began to quake above the city as Philip reached deeper inside his mind.
'I'll start with a single rune. If I feel any danger, I'll just cut it away and move on with my life.'
"Remember… That dark symbol…"
The clouds in the sky darkened as a faint shape gleamed from beyond...
Something was coming…
[Ding]
[Castle Town ***** has been breached by a foreign force!]
[Defenses are being raised!]
[Castle Town ***** is trying to protect your mind from outside forces]
/Crunk…/
Behind him, the city shook as the walls shone with light, raising a massive barrier surrounding it.
"..."
'Hahaha… What's the point of a barrier like that when it doesn't do anything?... Well, it's nice to look at.'
Given this was a mental world, the barrier was just a representation of his defenses. Hence, it was a little redundant.
Either way, the message it tried to send was clear…
[DING!]
[Your Mental World is under attack!]
"... I suppose it is."
Philip tried to keep himself calm, but he couldn't be more tense.
[Your mind is being corrupted!]
[A foreign shape takes root inside your mind]
[Castle Town ***** is trying to protect your mind from outside forces]
"Urg… I remember it now… The feeling of having a rune shoved inside my head with those ghastly tools…"
'I don't need them anymore, at the very least… I can do the rest myself, but it seems I won't need to...'
'This is worse than I thought… The rune is still etched in me… I was half right from the looks of it.'
'The System seems fully able to seal these powerful words away…'
/Crack!/
"Hm?... That…"
As he kept digging into his memories for the rune, something unexpected happened:
The cocoon where the Mind Paladin was supposed to awaken from shook, cracking ever slightly.
[***** is enraged!]
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
"This… Mind Paladin?"
'I see... You've shown extreme aggression to everything that doesn't belong here ever since you awakened...'
/Boom…/
Immense mental power shook at the edge of this world as the Mind Paladin quaked inside its cocoon.
/Boom…/
Like a giant striking a mountain, it fought for its freedom, regardless of the consequences.
[Ding]
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
"This…"
'It hurts… Each time it strikes, I feel like a hammer is striking my brain each time…'
[***** requests for strength!]
[Provide ***** with mind power?]
"I…"
'This is bad; too much is happening at once. If I give it more power, I could end up losing consciousness or worse.'
'I can't stop this process either… Maybe I should've waited a little longer…'
"... No point crying now."
Philip's eyes sharpened as he looked at the cocoon, raising his hand in its direction
/Boom…/
/Crack…/
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
With each strike, the timer for its awakening reduced… But Philip couldn't wait for that either.
He knew he wouldn't be able to last that long, so he provided it with as much power as it neeed.
A bet, but if he failed, the end result would be the same. So rather then waiting for the inevitable, he bet on the off chance something else may happen.
/Boom…/
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** fails]
/BOOM!/
"!"
[***** attempts to break out of its seal]
[***** succeeds]
/SHAAA!!/
A torrent of mental power washed over Philip's mental space as a ray of light beamed past him like a comet!
[The Mind Paladin has successfully absorbed ***** and awakened from his hybernation]
[Influenced by *****, its previous shell has been discarded, and a new form has arisen…]
[The Mental Knight steps forward to annihilate all foes!]
[It yearns to cleanse its home world]
[It desires for even more strength!]
"I..."
A bead of sweat falling from his forehead, Philip watched in slight surprise and awe as he felt the Mind Paladin's rage grow higher and higher…
'This… Do I have such feelings suppressed within me?'
"... Do as you wish…"
/CRUNK!/
"!!"
'My head!'
Philip felt as if his brain was being squished!
Everything he had was being drained from him!
The world shook as the Knight… Pierced through the clouds…
/CRUNK!/
"Huff… D-Damn…"
From the skies, the Knight returned, clutching onto several chains as he fell down with immense momentum.
/Boom!/
He landed on the white void outside the city, scattering the chains as he materialized several long nails, piercing the chains onto the solid ground underneath.
"... What is he doing?..."
'He's shaping the mental world, but for what purpose?...'
/CLANG!/
/CLANG!/
/CLANG!/
Once all five chains had been secured, the Knight confidently moved to the side, and with a mighty tug, it pulled on the chains, dragging whatever was deep in the clouds down!
/CROOOM…/
Air was ripped apart as a black obelisk was slowly dragged from the heavens!
As soon as it appeared, the obelisk slowly began to float back to the clouds, and as it did so, Philip felt a strange feeling of somberness rise within his heart.
"What?…"
'That thing…'
Before he could process the situation, the Mental Knight jumped after the obelisk, his two hands raised high above him, he condensed an incredible amount of energy, shoving the pillar down, forcing it to crash against the earth.
/CRACK!/
Immediately after, he secured the chains around its length, materializing thousands of nails to pierce its body, locking it in place.
/Sheen!/
Once the obelisk had been trapped by the chains, forced to remain floating above the ground, it shone with light as a strange rune was magically imprinted on its surface.
"... Moon…" Philip uttered in a low tone as he finally remembered the rune's name
"Shit, I think I get it now… URG!"
Backlash from the sudden expenditure of energy finally caught up to him.
[DING!]
Within the blink of an eye, he lost consciousness as a series of System notifications played by his ears.
…
/Clang!... Clang!.../
"... Urg… I hate this clock… Clock? Wait…!!"
The following day, Philip abruptly opened his eyes, immediately realizing what had happened as he jumped out of bed.
"Did I… Lose consciousness?"
'Of course that was going to happen… I never pushed myself that far. I should be happy nothing bad occurred.'
Philip walked to a mirror to check himself, thinking about everything that happened before, step by step.
His thoughts felt stiff and slow; without a doubt, his mental world had been strained considerably, but it didn't seem to be in any form of danger or have suffered damage.
'Seems like it'll take a little while for me to recover. It's like I have a hangover… Although I had never experienced one before. Never drank that much in my life, wasn't a fan of it.'
"... This feels just like before. Losing consciousness during an important period only to wake up sore…"
'I didn't phrase that well…'
As he went to the bathroom, Philip opened his notifications to confirm what had happened:
[...]
[DING]
[The Mental Knight has contained the source of corruption, bringing it under your control]
[A new Sub-Ability has developed within Castle Town *****]
[An outstanding achievement!]
[DING]
[You have created a (@#*$(% n@#er seen b-before!]
[An achievement beyond any other!]
[Processing… Error!]
[An interfe@r&n%...]
[...]
[...]
[Contacting *****]
[Contacting has succee… Failed]
[Your Skill, Gamerverse is forcibly taking control of the process]
[You dared to face the unknown, and rather than cowering, you accept it. Some may call you brave, others… A madman]
[For your attempts in comprehending that which all fear, you've been granted the Trait, Incorruptible]
[You have gained the Skill, Awake in Nightmares Lv0]
[Gamerverse is allowing you to move one of your skills from your current Class and transfer it to your main status]
"... I'm beginning to have suspicions…"
Philip moved past the mirror and splashed his face with water, fully waking up as he got ready to leave his room.
There was no time to shower, a simple brush of the teeth was all he did as he took of his clothes.
In the meantime, he thought about what just happened.
'I never thought the System could glitch out like this, but the fact it has... Says quite a bit. Especially about my previous suspicions.'
'... Something is beginning to form here. Gamerverse was already strange given its abilities, but there's something about it that's rubbing me the wrong way.'
'But to make sense of all of this…'
"If I were to try and single out everything that happened…"
'Bringing forth the sealed memories should've been an achievement in itself. Because from what I understand, I'm essentially creating something never seen before, even if I wasn't its actual creator.'
'The reason the System hasn't rewarded me yet is that everything is contained within another interface… Which is under the jurisdiction of Gamerverse.'
'However, it was brought forward to the main System's influence, so it can finally calculate and reward me… But it couldn't do so… And I think I can see why.'
'How can the System calculate something it has never seen before? It broke down, but then… It tried to fix itself, but the moment it tried to… Gamerverse interfered.'
'Why?...'
'I think I'm starting to understand things a little… This all ties back to that strange thing I got from the trashcan that eventually fused with me as I crossed to Eden.'
'... I have every right to believe Gamerverse either has some degree of authority over this world's System, or it can influence reality similar to how it can.'
'That would mean both can perform the same functions… Or that they're competing.'
"... I wouldn't admit its against the System, but its clear that it has a purpose."
'Let's just hope this purpose aligns with my own.'
'And somewhere in this sea of confusion is Dae... He knows something. He definitely does...'
'Even if not the conditions or circumstances, if I give him the overall layout of the situation, he should be able to give me an answer, but...'
'If the System is censoring things from me, then wouldn't the same happen to him?'
"The crux of the matter seems to be that I'm just not qualified to know things yet..."
'And that royally pisses me off.'
Before leaving his room, Philip opened his stat sheets:
[
Name: Philip Vinten
Race: Type 1 Pure Human (+)
Home World: Earth (+)
Registered World: Eden (+)
Level 0
Class: None (+)
Title: Evolver(Mental Lord) (+)
/Resonation Effect: Brain Sponge/
All Titles:
Exterminator of Nightmares; Hunter Genius; Ancient Explorer; One man army; Jack of all Trades; Number 1; Scholar; Martial enthusiast; Magical enthusiast; Mental Lord; Pioneer; Blessed; Evolver; Soldier;
-Vital info-
(+)
Mind> 45 (99) (+)
Physical> 52.1 (59) (+)
Energy> 47.3 (+)
Spiritual> 39.4 (45) (+)
Mystique> 25 (+)
>Abilities:
Mental Force Lv2 (Hybrid)
Mental Force Manipulation Lv7 (Hybrid)
Mental Domain Lv1 (Hybrid)
Arcane Manipulation Lv2 (Hybrid)
Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts Lv1 (Hybrid)
Falling Fist of the Beast Lv1 (Hybrid)
(...)
>Skills:
Gamerverse (???)
Intermediate Skill Fusion Lv14 (Hybrid)
Western Continent Language Lv0 (Hybrid)
Scholar Vision Lv7 (Active)
Combat Genius LvMax (Passive)
Awake in Nightmares Lv0 (Hybrid)
(...)
>Traits:
Castle Town ***** (Weakened)
Hardworking
Unyielding
Incorruptible
]
[Awake in Nightmares Lv0
Description:
From your perspective, there is no distinction between the wake and dream worlds, and you may transition from either at any moment.
…
]
"... "no distinction"?... I'll have to experiment with this when I have the time."
'I still have many questions about this… From Gamerverse's true abilities to its role in all of this mess… And mine as well.'
[
Name: Philip Vinten
Class: Old Hunter (Rare)
Subclass: Military veteran
Caryll Runes: N/A
Insight: 26
Blood echoes: 22376920 (707617 for next Level)
Level 278
Vitality: 99
Endurance: 90
Strength: 99
Skill: 90
Bloodtinge: 50
Arcane: 40
Abilities:
Lady Maria Combat Technique Lv9 (12)(Hybrid)
Gehrman's Footwork LvMax (10+3)(Hybrid)
Ludwig's Combat Technique LvMax (10+3)(Passive)
SuperHuman senses LvMax (10+3)(Passive)
Greater Riposte LvMax (15+3)(Passive)
Perfect Throwing technique LvMax (Hybrid)
Stealth Mastery Lv5 (8)(Passive)
Handcraft LvMax (Passive)
Butchering LvMax (Passive)
Medicine LvMax (Passive)
Tinkering LvMax (Passive)
Smithing Lv9 (Passive)
(...)
Skills:
Summon messenger Shop Lv8 (Active)
Predator's presence LvMax (Hybrid)
Critical strike LvMax (Active)
Multi-Task LvMax (Passive)
Beastify Lv3 (6) (Active)
Eviscerate Lv3 (Active)
Traits:
Old blood infusion
Inventory(+)
]
'There isn't much left to improve from this. Even if I raised my remaining Stats, I wouldn't grow that much stronger. But if there's room for improvement, I'll keep trying.'
'I'd say that I would reach the limit in terms of Skills within another month, maybe even less if I just focus on getting this done. But that's not the right mentality.'
'And in the end, if I can even pass on critical Skills to my Main Status, I may not even have a reason to dwell on it any longer, it would basically just serve as an inventory of old items since I don't have a "Hero" inventory like the others.'
'This leaves me with my last reward… Moving one of my skills…'
'Usually, I'd choose one of my combat techniques, but right now, with my newest Skill… I think I have a better choice.'
"Transfer Summon Messenger Shop!"
[Gamerverse accepts your choices]
[Summon Messenger Shop Lv8 has been transferred to your main status]
[Ding]
[Skill Fusion has detected two Skills suitable for fusion]
[Summon Messenger Shop Lv8 + Awake in Nightmares Lv0]
"Oho! It's been a while since this effect activated…"
'Skill Fusion has a low chance of identifying when compatible Skills appear. During the transfer, when I first received the Skill, it could also tell me how compatible they were. But that was likely a feature belonging to Beginner Help Info…'1
"There's no reason not to fuse them now. Leveling those Skills Up would only increase the proficiency of the fused Skill afterward…"
'I'm a little on the fence about what could happen with those little guys, but I'll put faith in this.'
"Fuse."
[Fusing… Fusion complete]
[Critical Fusion!]
[You have acquired a new Skill, Somnium Courier Lv0]
[Proficiency is being recalculated...]
[Somnium Courier Lv0 -> Lv2]
Philip wasted no time, immediately activating his newly created skill:
/Shaaa…/
Gray mist immediately covered his whole view, making it difficult to tell where he was in the room.
'I feel a little different... Like when I enter my mind but... This time with my whole body?'
/Shuum…/
From the depths of the mist, a tall being slowly approached him.
Covered in a long cape, only its long and thin limbs could be seen. Inhuman yet still human-like…
It's face covered by the darkness of the cloak, it bowed down gently to Philip.
In its silence, Philip could feel it. Right now, it was giving him its greetings and proclaiming subservience.
"..."
'It reminds me of a Pthumerian somewhat… But it's not it.'
"Are you alone?"
/Shuaa…/
Multiple hands encroached from the mist, and with a thin smile, Philip noticed that the messengers were still there, waiting.
"Phew…"
Satisfied, Philip gave the pale being a nod of acknowledgment as he explored the Skill's features.
The nameless creature raised its left arm, and the mist underneath it formed into a lengthy parchment, almost illusory.
Philip immediately noticed its resemblance to the previous menu he used to interact with whenever he invoked the Messengers.
"Hm… It seems I can still do everything I did before, but there are far more options…" He mumbled out loud as he scrowled through everything.
'I'll have to explore this all intently in the future.'
/Bow…/
The pale one bowed, taking a step back as it vanished within the mist.
The mist receded, as if it was never there.
'Strange… For a moment there, I think I moved elsewhere.'
'The messengers are still there but I gained... A mega messenger? There are more options as well but it doesn't look like something intended for direct combat. Although one can say many dangerous things began like that...'
'... This Skill's uses seem elusive so far.'
"There isn't much left to check…"
Before he left, he opened one last interface:
[Castle Town ***** (Weakened)
Type-Trait
Description: In the depths of one's consciousness lies the gem that is the 'Self'...
Your definition, your image… A reflection of what is never revealed.
The power of the Mind that can shape reality… What you perceive shall become the truth.
Shaped from nothing, the world within another world, one you can call your own.
Beyond the reach and authority of others, may this place be your sanctuary… Your sacred land… Let your Will take root and spread throughout this reality.
If you will it, a pine tree shall grow in the desert, and water shall fuel fire…
How will "I" shape this world?
Effects:
*All previous effects of the previous Trait have transformed into subdivisions inside the Mind space*
>Brain Field balance: The manifestation of your "Human" side.
Calms or enhances your emotions when they surpass a certain defined threshold.
Your mental state can affect the world around you, and you may control and influence others' emotions and feelings to a certain extent.
(+)
>Domain Core Processor: The potential hidden in the flesh.
Terrifically Improves all mechanical functions of the brain. Including memory, learning speed, reflexes…
As long as this subdivision stands, it may work as a secondary processing Unit, allowing perfect parallel thinking.
If necessary, the brain's limiters can be released for a short period.
(+)
>Half World: A seed on the verge of sprouting.
As a world that exists independently from reality, it cannot be easily influenced by anything other than yourself. And even if something does, it'll only be before an unbreakable barrier and the might of your Mind.
However, as a Half World, it lacks all that is present in reality, being only a shadow of a possible paradise.
From the inside to the outside, this world's integrity is one; hence, it has no internal flaws, and for as long as it remains stable, so will your consciousness.
(+)
/Added Effects/
>Mental Knight: A Mental Knight protects the Castle Town.
He is constituted by your mental fortitude. His mere presence strengthens its defenses and will exist for as long as your mental fortitude remains.
In case of death, he will reappear when enough mental power is gathered.
His strength grows as he is fed more mental power. But his strength can never surpass that of what your Half World can hold.
The Mental Knight has transformed upon successfully consuming ***** and has grown immeasurably stronger. Due a unique circumstance, it has grown beyond the expected parameters, unleashing even greater, inner potential.
At will, the Mental Knight may be conjured in the real world to fight by your side!
>Mental Library: Due to the absorption of the Phantom Library, a new subdivision has taken shape inside the Castle Town.
The Mental library will greatly help you in all activities revolving around acquiring knowledge.
All books that you read will gain a copy inside the Mental library.
>Obsidian Obelisk: Given the nature of the Great One's language, a special subdivision has been created by the Mental Knight to house and contain their essence.
The Obelisk has absorbed a portion of the broken ***** that was released upon the premature awakening of the Mental Knight, strengthening and permitting its unique features.
The Obelisk seals and extracts the strength of whatever is contained within, slowly breaking it down into core components.
(+)
]
"... As expected."
'I had a hunch about what it would be, but it ended up being like this.'
'... I suppose this was what I desired deep down… Control.'
'The Mental Knight only acted to protect me while performing my Will… One I may not even be aware of.'
"Alright... This marks the end of it."
'Quite a bit changed in one night, but it's not like it's the first time this has happened. Today as well, something big will happen.'
/Growl.../
"... I'm hungry..."
'Breakfast will begin soon, I might as well eat something nice one last time before leaving to do what is required of me.'
'Roy's still sleeping, so I may as well go and wake him…'
"Wait… How do I know he's still sleeping?"
Philip reached out for his head as he looked around.
He could feel it albeit faintly, or rather, he just knew… That several individuals around him seemed to be sleeping…
'Dreaming can be said to be a form of mental state, but I never felt it like this before due to all of the barriers around… Albeit I felt some unpleasant things before…'
'Did this new Skill strengthen this ability of mine?'
"So many surprises…"
/Creak…/
Philip opened the door, stepping outside.
...
.
.
.
Notes
There was a lot of new things here. And I hope it came down as I wanted them to.
We're starting to see major changes in the plot and this will continue, I may even end up removing certain sections of the chapters all together. For example, I took out around 1.2 K words of conversation between Philip and Dae to make the story flow better, although I plan to re-add it later.
I even have plans to scrap entire chapters! Although that's just me... Enjoy!
The second part of this chapter may be released today, its considerably smaller around 10 pages long but we'll see how things go.
Until.