Albedo stood atop a building, overlooking the city below. The cold gusts of wind made his light blue robe flutter, while his fiery red hair swayed with the breeze. His lime green eyes scanned the chaos unfolding beneath him.
"What are we going to do, Lord Albedo?" Mira asked, standing beside him.
"Evaluate the citizens, Mira. I have somewhere I need to be."
"But where?"
Before she could ask further, Albedo had already vanished.
"Great. He left the job to me again," she muttered.
Mira grumbled to herself, but after a moment, she stopped and let out a sigh.
[Skill: Target Lock (III)]
[Mystical Art: Forced Teleportation]
Spiritual energy surged from within her as she cast a massive teleportation Art, using mystical symbols of Time and Space. In an instant, all the civilians—those who were not awakened—vanished from the city.
"What a hassle," she muttered, her gaze falling on the monsters swarming into the city. Among them, she spotted the Abyssal creature.
[Skill: Appraisal (VII)]
"Those monsters are being strengthened by that Infliction ability."
---
Jin and Luke sprinted toward the city gate. As they drew closer, they spotted the monsters.
"How did those monsters break into the city?" Luke asked.
[Mathematician: Information Calculation]
"It's not the monsters, it's that Abyssal creature in the back."
"A-Abyssal creature?" Luke scanned the horde and quickly spotted it. The creature stood out, its appearance too unique to miss.
"So that's the one."
"Be careful. That creature has an ability that injects a deadly virus. In fact, all these monsters are infected by it."
"What?! Umm... Got it. Thanks for that."
The monsters noticed them as well, launching an immediate attack. A wave of creatures charged at them.
[Spirit Art: Mana Blast]
Spheres made of spiritual energy formed in Jin's hand, launching at the monsters with high speed.
"And now." The voice smudged.
[Mathematician: Damage +1000]
The bullets pierced the infected bodies of the monsters on impact, killing them instantly.
Luke tried to rush toward the gate but was stopped by an infected humanoid monster. The creature wielded a rusted, single-handed axe—might have picked it up somewhere. Maybe from the dead body of an Awakened.
Its green body was infected by the virus, which had strengthened it beyond its natural limits.
'It's a Horquse—threat level, upper two. It can wield human weapons,' he thought, halting in front of the creature.
Horquse weren't particularly strong, not compared to other monsters of similar rank. What made them dangerous—and worthy of their classification—was their intelligence. They could learn to use human weapons, albeit in a crude, rudimentary way. Not to mention the virus enhancing its strength.
"I can win this," he told himself, drawing a deep breath to steady his nerves.
[Demonic Art: Aspects of the Devil – Demon Claws]
Luke's arms transformed into demonic limbs, ending in razor-sharp claws.
Luke attacked first with a slashing strike, but the monster, using its enhanced agility, dodged effortlessly. Undeterred, Luke unleashed a barrage of slashes and cuts. The monster managed to dodge most of them, while the few that connected were blocked by its axe, which let out a sharp cracking sound under the pressure.
"Damn it. It's too fast," Luke muttered, furrowing his brow.
[Demonic Art: Aspects of the Devil – Demon Eyes]
Luke activated his demonic eyes, unleashing a wave of fear that pierced the Horquse's heart. The creature froze in place, paralyzed by the overwhelming terror that radiated from him.
With his demonic claws, Luke thrust at the monster's chest.
'Got it,' he thought, feeling a surge of confidence.
Just before the moment of contact, Luke heard a sound—a sickening noise of severing flesh that sent chills down his spine. A haunting memory surged to the forefront of his mind, one he had desperately tried to forget: the horrifying moment when his own head had been severed from his body, the pain and fear overwhelming him in that instant.
"Aaaaaaa!" Luke screamed, agony coursing through him as he was momentarily paralyzed by the vivid recollection.
The monster, now free from the effects of Luke's demonic eyes, swung its rusty axe, slicing a deep wound across Luke's chest.
Luke fell to the ground, blood pouring from the cut.
Seizing the opportunity, the creature lunged at him.
"Damn it!" Luke cursed.
The Horquse swung its axe repeatedly, each blow coming closer to finding its mark. In that moment, Luke felt certain he was going to die, so he closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable.
[Mathematician: Damage × -1]
After a moment, Luke noticed that his injuries no longer hurt.
'Am I dead?' he thought.
He could still feel the axe slashing at him, but it was strangely painless.
Slowly, he opened his eyes and found that he was still alive. To his surprise, the infected monster was still there, swinging its axe with no effect. In fact, with each swing, Luke felt even better.
'W-What the?! Is it healing me?!'
Then he realized that it was Jin who was causing the healing.
Jin's hand seized the creature's head, and with a tight squeeze, its skull burst open. Its headless body collapsed onto Luke, blood spraying out in a gruesome torrent. The body was small and repulsive, heavily influenced by the virus, its color darker than it should have been.
"Ahh... disgusting," Luke muttered.
Jin extended a hand to help Luke stand. As Luke got up, his scarf fell away, revealing a deep scar that ran across his neck, as if it had been chopped and then stitched back together.
"You all right?" Jin asked.
"Do I look fine to you?"
"No, you smell awful." Jin pinched his nose with his hand.
"Thanks to you," Luke shot back.
"That must be his Mark of Rebirth," the voice said, and advised Jin not to ask of it. After all, it was the greatest curse of Awakened.
Jin's crimson eyes left Luke, glanced around and saw that all the monsters had already been killed, except for the Abyssal creature, which stood in eerie silence.
"So what's next?" Luke asked.
"I'll capture it for now; we can interrogate it later," Jin replied.
At that moment, the creature's dark Abyssal eyes met Jin's crimson eyes.
"We found you," the creature spoke. This time in human language.
"Found who?" Luke asked, surprised by the abomination's ability to speak. Then again, most high-ranking ones do. And there was no doubt that the creature was one. A very high-ranking one at that.
"Not you, weak human. I mean him." The creature turned its gaze to Jin. "He who possesses the strongest ability."
Jin narrowed his eyes. "Who sent you here?"
"Our queen," the creature replied.
'The creature is actually answering,' Luke thought. 'No, it's just buying time.'
"Jin, you should finish this quickly. The O.R.D.E.R. awakened are coming. You can't let them spot you," the voice suggested.
'Yeah, but it knows about my ability,' Jin thought.
"Who is this queen of yours?" he asked.
"You're asking me? I'm sure you know her very well," the creature replied.
"What are you talking about?"
The creature lunged at Jin, ready to attack.
"Let me see how strong the strongest is."
[Mathematician: Damage × 0, Motion × 0]
The creature unleashed a barrage of punches. The force of each blow devastated the ground behind Jin, culminating in a final punch that created a massive hole in the earth. The shockwave from the punch sent Luke staggering backward.
As the dust settled, Jin stood unharmed, effortlessly blocking the creature's final punch with just the tip of his finger.
"You truly are strong," the monster marveled.
Suddenly, a long, slimy tongue sprouted from the creature's mouth and launched toward Jin.
[Mathematician: Abyssal Creature's Life × 0]
But before it could reach him, the creature collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"That was disgusting," the voice muttered.
Without even glancing at the creature's state, he turned and began walking away.
"Hey, we should go," Jin said, picking up Luke's scarf.
Luke, who had been thrown back, stood in awe. "Just how did you kill it?!!"
"A small trick," Jin replied.
"A small trick?!!"
"Stop thinking about me and focus on yourself. You almost got killed." Jin handed Luke his scarf.
"I know... but?" Luke took the scarf and tightened it around his neck. "I... I am not able to kill anything. Whenever I try, I always remember that moment... I... I don't know how to explain it. But there is a contract between us. Which I can't break."
Jin stared at Luke, listening intently.
"That scar on your neck. No, your Mark of Rebirth... it's from the demon summoning ceremony, right?"
"Jin?" The voice sighed, as Jin ignored its suggestion. It was the first time. And then the voice was shocked.
"Yes, they called it the Festival of Awakening."
Jin sighed and placed a hand on Luke's back.
"It's fine. You'll be okay. Not being able to kill isn't a weakness; it's a unique path that not many can take."
"Yeah... I—I want to say thank you. Ah... for saving me and..."
"Found you."
A mysterious voice echoed through the silent world, and in that moment, time seemed to stop.
'Wh-what's going on?' Luke tried to move, but he couldn't. He tried to speak, but his mouth remained half open.
"Don't panic. Someone has stopped time. It didn't affect you because I was touching you when my ability countered it."
Luke attempted to ask a question, but no words came out.
"Oh, give me a moment." Jin placed his head against Luke's.
"What's going on?" Luke finally began to speak again. "Wait, I can talk again!"
"Well, I've given you the ability to speak while time is stopped, although it's temporary," Jin explained.
"Wait... wait, what's happening?!!!"
"Calm down," Jin said, trying to soothe Luke's rising panic.
"So we meet again," the mysterious voice spoke once more.
"Who are you?" Jin demanded.
"Oh my, have you forgotten me?"
A young lady in her early twenties materialized in the frozen world. She had raven-black hair and a white mask covering her face.
"Actually, I don't care who you are. Now die."
[Mathematician: Target's Life × 0]
Jin activated his ability, intending to kill the mysterious woman instantly.
He sighed, feeling an unsettling movement in his heart as he looked at her. He despised that feeling; it made him uneasy.
"Wait, are you feeling something?" the voice reacted.
"What the hell was that feeling?"
"You want to kill me that badly?" the lady replied.
"What... it can't be!!! How are you still alive?!!" Jin's eyes widened in shock. He was astonished beyond belief. Never had he thought his ability could fail.
"No, no, no, no, no... It's impossible. Nothing can counter Mathematician. Not even the Outer Gods can counter it. It's impossible," the voice panicked.
"Damn it!!!!!!"
[Mathematician: Spiritual Energy Output × 1 Trillion]
---
"What was that? I thought I felt a strong spiritual energy from him, but his output is only 48. Besides, spiritual energy can't be used while time is stopped," Mira wondered aloud.
[Skill: Appraisal (VII)]
Using her Skill, she determined Jin's spiritual energy output by ORDER's number method.
After looking at Jin again, she sighed.
"And now I can't even see his spiritual energy output. How strange."
"Of course you can't see it; it's beyond your appraisal level." Albedo suddenly appeared beside her.
Then, she looked back at Albedo.
"So you finally came."
"Sorry for the delay," Albedo apologized.
"What do you mean my appraisal can't see it?"
"Well, you can't, since we're inside his spiritual energy."
"What do you—"
Mira suddenly realized what he meant. They were actually inside Jin's spiritual energy output, which was so vast it enveloped the entire city.
"But... how is he using spiritual energy while time is stopped?"
"By neglecting the laws of time."
"What?!!! But what is his spiritual energy output?"
"In ORDER's terms, it's exactly 48 trillion."
"What?!!! What do you mean by that?!! Do you realize that... that makes it the highest in recorded history?"
"You are correct. It's the highest."
***
"Incredible. Even in my true form, I cannot manifest such an immense spiritual energy output," the masked lady remarked, her voice saturated with a mixture of awe and disdain.
"I don't care who you are. You must die," Jin stated firmly, his resolve unwavering and absolute.
"Is that so? You truly have forgotten about me," she mocked, her tone both playful and ominous.
"Silence," Jin responded, his voice calm and crystalline. Despite the tension in the air, there was no trace of irritation within it.
"Then so be it," she murmured darkly, a sinister smile tugging at the corners beneath her mask.
In a flash, she lunged at Jin with incomprehensible velocity—faster even than the speed of light. Yet, mere moments before impact, she was brought to an abrupt halt.
"What?!!! It's so dense!" she gasped, her expression contorting into one of stunned disbelief.
She strained against the overwhelming density of the spiritual energy that enveloped Jin.
When spiritual energy surpasses a certain threshold, it forms an impenetrable barrier around the awakened—an ethereal force field even she could not infiltrate.
[Mathematician: Spiritual Energy Mastery Level +10]
[Spirit Art: Mana Thread]
Jin's spiritual energy began to condense, weaving itself into luminous, rope-like strands that snaked forward and ensnared her with unrelenting force.
[Spirit Art: Spirit Blade]
The lady's own spiritual energy crystallized into jagged blades, erupting from her arms like extensions of her will. In one graceful, deadly motion, she cleaved through the threads restraining her, shattering them and liberating herself from Jin's grasp.
[Spirit Art: Mana Wave]
In retaliation, Jin swept his arm forward. A tidal surge of spiritual energy erupted from his body, coalescing into a colossal wave of raw power. The very air crackled and splintered beneath its force as it barreled forward, poised to consume everything in its path.
Albedo, perceiving the imminent threat, reacted swiftly—teleporting Luke away just before the onslaught reached its peak.
The wave decimated the entire city block in a blink, reducing towering structures to mere fragments of rubble.
"What's happening?!" Luke shouted, his voice laced with panic and disbelief as he surveyed the apocalyptic scene.
"How can he be this powerful?" Mira exclaimed, her eyes wide with alarm and awe as the sheer scale of destruction settled over her.
Both Mira and Luke remained protected within a sanctuary of undisturbed space, encased by Albedo's shielding spell. Outside their haven, the holy city lay in ruins—the lone remaining structure standing beneath their feet, a stark and eerie monument to the chaos beyond.
"What about the other awakened? I haven't teleported them yet," Mira questioned, her tone tight with urgency.
"I already moved them," Albedo responded coolly, his voice composed despite the devastation.
As the residual energy pulsed through the air, the lady's mask began to crack. Sliver by sliver, it disintegrated, revealing an exquisitely beautiful young woman. Her golden eyes gleamed—radiating a chilling blend of malevolence and familiarity.
"You... Sahara..." Jin whispered, the name escaping his lips like a confession torn from his soul. The foreign feeling that haunted him now grew ever stronger.
"No wonder... Of course Mathematician didn't work on you, sister..."
And with that realization, something shifted within him—an ancient memory buried deep within his psyche began to stir