NOVEL SIMPLE 128 – Settlement: Barren Wasteland
When the sharp burst of light faded and Ezekiel split apart, another transformation overtook Genji's body. His grey hair whitened further, losing all its luster, resembling ash. His skin sank deeper against his bones, losing the support of the muscles beneath. His life force withered further, reaching a fatally low level.
Then, a surge of repressed exhaustion washed over him, stripping away all his strength for good this time. He had overexerted himself multiple times, and no amount of willpower could alter that fact.
Suddenly, his sheath heated up, and Bruce manifested beside him. Observing Genji's fragile state, Bruce let out a soft whimper, saddened by his diminishing life force.
"Don't be sad. It's only death," Genji weakly uttered, attempting to comfort the sorrowful nightbane.
But his casual attitude only deepened Bruce's distress. How could he not be saddened when his friend had endured so much suffering? Stupid master, why did you not let me out? We could have fought them together, and the outcome wouldn't be like this. Why did you have to fight alone and leave me like this?
"I can barely take care of myself. If you came out, you would have died as well. Might as well let you hide."
Bruce's eyes welled with tears, acknowledging the truth. Despite his abnormal strength, he paled in comparison to the demons. This was the distinction between combat skills and mere physical might.
But it was because this was the truth that it hurt. Bruce hated himself for this, but he was powerless to change the outcome. How could he be so useless? Wasn't there anything he could have helped with?
Why did he have to watch his friend die like this? It was unfair. He didn't deserve this. He was so powerful, but fate was so cruel. Now, Genji didn't even have a shred of vitality left, leaving him to die.
Then, a faint hope dawned on Bruce. 'Vitality. He's dying because he exhausted his life force. Can I replenish it then?'
Another thought struck Bruce. Wasn't there vitality in the blood? Wasn't that why Genji had Bruce drink so much demon blood? Maybe this could be used to prolong his life.
It was a distant hope, but Bruce clung to it fervently. Any comfort was welcomed in despair. Without wasting another second, Bruce pushed his blood absorption abilities to the limit, manipulating nearby blood to seep into Genji's skin. However, it proved futile as the blood slid off his fragile skin.
"What are you doing now?" Genji inquired, noticing Bruce's efforts. Bruce didn't respond, intensifying his concentration, attempting to draw more blood in hopes of a miracle. He yearned for it desperately, yet it only ended with greater disappointment.
Genji wasn't a vampire and couldn't absorb life force from blood. That was Bruce's ability, not his. Genji had given up on it after careful consideration and held no regrets.
After all, he wouldn't have reached this point if he had altered his race. Vampires simply lacked the offensive capabilities Genji had demonstrated in numerous prior battles.
"If you have time for this, can you find my other dagger? That guy threw it somewhere, and I want it beside me when I die."
It was a simple request, but Bruce struggled with it. Agreeing meant relinquishing all hope and acknowledging that Genji's death was inevitable. Nevertheless, he eventually headed out to search. It was his friend's last wish, and he would try his best to honor it. At least that way, they could bid farewell peacefully.
"Stupid horse," Genji murmured with a faint smile. Why would he concern himself with weapons now that he was dying?
The request was an excuse to send the sentimental friend away. Genji didn't want Bruce to witness his miserable state and wallow in grief. Bruce had endured enough sorrow, so the distraction should ease his mind. By the time Bruce returned, everything would be over.
However, if Genji could name a negative aspect, it would be that Bruce would be stranded in this realm with no escape. But since Bruce chose to keep quiet about it, Genji wouldn't dampen the mood.
At worst, Bruce would be alone, but free. Genji had exterminated all threatening demons, and he doubted the weaker ones would act recklessly after such a devastating loss.
"I suppose this was never meant to be."
That was Genji's last thought before losing consciousness, his body too weak to sustain awareness. Minutes later, Bruce returned with a bloody dagger in his mouth, his tail swaying in the aftermath of his success in the task, intending to spend the remaining time with Genji.
However, this fleeting respite shattered when Bruce spotted the unconscious Genji. The dagger slipped from his mouth in his shock. How could this be? How could it be so fast? Shouldn't there be a few more minutes?
Bruce galloped over, resembling a grieving child, and gently tapped Genji's shoulder. With no response, Bruce's eyes swelled with tears, and he began wailing—a cry full of heartbreak, like a child witnessing the passing of a beloved family member. Bruce cried with heartwrenching sorrow, crushed by his own powerlessness more than anything else.
If only he had been stronger. If only he possessed the capability to fight. If only he had mastered the abilities that came with this body rather than squandering that month in gluttony.
If he had, maybe things wouldn't have ended this way. If only... But it was too late for that now. He had indulged in his desires, and his friend had paid the price.
Regret brewed within Bruce like a seething volcano before exploding into metamorphosis. Resolve replaced his regret as Bruce confronted his pain in the only way he knew how—emulating his former friend's way of handling it, by consuming it as nourishment to grow.
Then an intense desire for strength ignited within him, determination blazing in his eyes. He yearned to become strong, strong enough to never endure such tragedy again. He swears on it!
As if responding to his vow, the sky shattered, a colossal spatial turbulence sweeping across the world. Witnessing this, Bruce cowered in fear, his prior determination faltering. It seemed like doomsday had arrived, seeking to eliminate a budding threat.
What would Genji have done if he were in this position? Bruce questioned himself and instantly found an answer. Yes, Genji would never cower in fear.
Instead, he would laugh in the face of danger before plunging head-first into it. That's what made him memorable to Bruce. Thus, Bruce followed his friend's footsteps, baring his teeth at the sky and revealing his resilience.
So what if the sky fell? So what if the world came to an end? Why fear any of it when he was his own being? Why should he care about any of it? At worst, it was only death.
With his resolve firm, Bruce swaggered back to the dropped dagger and retrieved it. He might be going down, but he wouldn't leave his friend's weapon behind. At least that way, everything would be together when he met his end.
Then he arched his back like an agitated cat, ready to face his foe. 'Bring it on! I'm not afraid of you.'
As if accepting his challenge, the sky thundered, shifting into various shades of violet against an ominous red backdrop. Suddenly, a blinding flash overwhelmed Bruce, causing him to squint in pain. Despite this, Bruce refused to shut his eyes, determined to witness the cause of his demise.
In the next moment, a scorching heatwave enveloped Bruce. It was a familiar heat, all too familiar since he had traversed countless miles under its blazing rays. This was the desert, displaying its dryness in all its power. Bruce couldn't believe this change, but the heat was unmistakable. After all, he had gotten tired of that environment after so long.
In the next instant, Bruce realized he was in a staring contest with the sun and hastily closed his eyes. He might be courageous, but going blind served no purpose.
Numerous questions raced through his mind, but before he could get any answers, a spatial fluctuation enveloped him. Suddenly, Bruce found himself in the void, the same void where he had gained his new life.
[Grievous injuries detected. Commence healing?]
[Commence healing?]
[Commence healing?]
[It has been detected that the subject has lost consciousness. Permission override. Healing initiated.]
Minutes later, Genji stirred with a groggy head. At first, he couldn't believe where he was, but he eventually accepted his luck. After all, he had survived so he couldn't complain.
Suddenly, he was tackled by a powerful force. He almost retaliated with full force, but he reigned himself back when he sensed Bruce's familiar presence.
"Okay, okay. I'm fine. No need to get so worked up," Genji reassured as Bruce nuzzled his neck. Yet this did little to calm the excited nightbane; instead, it intensified his emotions. After all, Genji was alive!
Genji smiled and patted Bruce's neck before reviewing the missed notifications.
[You have slain 17 Demon Generals and Demon Shaman Ezekiel]
[Your maximum energy has increased by 345 points. You have reached your bearing capacity.]
[You have obtained 18 epic items.]
[Due to the massive loss of World Essence, your current world will undergo a reshuffling.]
[Reshuffling failed - Insignificant World Essence. No backup sources were found. All balance has been lost.]
[The world has started collapsing.]
[Parallel world detected.]
[World fusion has begun.]
[Spatial turbulence detected.]
[Coordinate found.]
[Dwindling life force detected. Initializing judgment.]
[Subject possesses an Honor Merit.]
[Initiating emergency protocols...]
[Substantial energy combusted. Forcibly stabilizing spatial passage.]
[Initiating teleportation...]
[Teleportation finished. You have returned to EverRealm.]
[Your merit has been consumed.]
It was times like these when Genji appreciated staying on good terms with EverRealm. If EverRealm had delayed even slightly, he might have perished. After all, he had fainted from his low life force. It was uncertain how long he would have lasted, but certainly shorter than the turbulence's duration.
Just consider his time in EverNight; he had to confront the vampire king because the turbulence lasted multiple days. As for the Honor Merit, Genji speculated it was from clearing the vampire world. His actions did usher in a new era of prosperity, after all.
Though uncertain of the hidden system's purpose, Genji didn't regret using it like this. Besides, EverRealm expended an unknown amount of energy to forcibly teleport him out like this. Plus, couldn't he earn more merit in the future? He had already achieved it once so how hard could a second time be?
"Alright, alright. Haven't you cuddled me enough?" Genji asked Bruce, who was dozing off on his shoulder.
Bruce responded with a quiet neigh, showing no signs of moving. Genji let him be and reviewed his world summary.
Settlement: Barren Wasteland
Achievements:
- Defeated Scarface and his group of bandits
- Slaughtered 231 sandworms (2 achievements)
- Participated in the raid against the dark cultists (2)
- Fought off the EonRealm defenders (2)
- Killed a River Crocodile (2)
- Raided second hideout of Dark Cultists (3)
- Killed Enforcer level violater
- Participated in Demon Summoning Event (2)
- The main contributor in killing the summoned Demon (2)
- Discovered a valuable food source (due to your lack of action, this achievement has been reduced to the minimum)
- Thwarted the plans of an Enforcer from SanguineRealm (2)
- Killed the Desert Stalker (3)
- Raided a pharaoh's tomb (2)
- Killed the Tomb Guardian (3)
- Killed 24 demon scout teams (2)
- Annihilated a group led by a demon captain (3)
- Killed the Claw Demon and his party (12 achievements)
- Killed through the demon encirclement (2)
- Killed 3 powerful Generals during your escape (7)
- Slaughtered countless normal demons(7)
- Passed the Trial of Resolve
- Passed the Trial of Will
- Killed 17 Demon generals (28)
- Killed Demon Shaman, Ezekiel (4)
Total Achievements: 95
Total world time: 1 month, 15 days
Rating: Champion
Note: Your combat record is worthy of a Nightmare rating, but your mission completion rate wasn't up to par. Also, due to the collapse of the world, countless problems have popped up and require attention. As such, your rating has been downgraded. Furthermore, the legendary reward for your achievements will deducted to pay for this loss.
Note 2: You're supposed to be a nightmare to others, not your own realm.
Coins: -579,294 (This is the debt of healing)
Stat Points: 30 (This is the limit of this world)
Calculating other rewards...
The debt was manageable this time because it was easier to restore his depleted life force than to purify his mutated body. It made sense since Genji's poisons were optimized to kill his opponents in the most stable ways. Even using them to mitigate his injuries didn't make them easily curable.
Of course, he only dared to do that because he was confident in EverRealm's miraculous healing abilities. If he had to deal with the problem himself, then there would be one more Squidward in this world.
Regarding the deducted legendary equipment, Genji couldn't care less. While many coveted such items, he remained indifferent. With plenty already in possession, acquiring one more or losing one wouldn't significantly impact his combat prowess.
Unless it possessed a unique utility like [Eye of Horus], he wouldn't suffer a substantial loss. After all, his Legacies were already at the High-Legendary level, and few could surpass their power.
[Achievement calculation completed. Please specify a direction of strengthening for Lethal Opportunity]
"Spirit for both upgrades."
A few minutes later, the blue light enveloping his equipment faded, and they gently floated down into his hands.
[Lethal Opportunity]
Rating: High Legendary
Damage: 37 (no change)
Durability: 420/420 (up 10)
Effects: no changes
Legacy Liberation: Deadly Severance
- +25 Sharpness for 30 seconds. Wounds inflicted during this duration can't be healed within 10 seconds. Cooldown of 1 month. (+5 sharpness, +20 seconds in duration, +5 seconds in healing lockout)
Note: The power of your liberation has increased but its spirits haven't reached maturity. Try to use this sparingly.
Description: A pair of deadly daggers that can cut anything if they go all out.
[Shroud of Terror]
Rating: High Legendary
Defense: 41
Durability: 260/260 (up 5)
Effects: no changes
Legacy Liberation: Terror Unleashed
- +50% energy intensity for 3 minutes. Cooldown of 1 month. (Duration increased by 2 minutes)
Description: A powerful cloak customized to bring the most out of your energy.
Note: Let me show you what it means to truly unleash the terrors of the shadows.
After examining the stats, Genji found himself teleported back to his room.
"You know the deal. Just don't overeat," he said, passing the promised credit card over. It was the remainder of his money from the last session, but it should suffice for Bruce to satisfy his cravings. Then, without looking back, Genji threw himself into bed, embracing some well-needed rest.
Bruce inspected the card before setting it aside and joining Genji in his slumber. They had been through too much during this time, and Bruce wasn't in the mood to eat right now. For two whole days, they slept like logs, undisturbed by the outside world.
Upon awakening, Genji stretched his stiff body and made his way downstairs. Unlike previous returns, this time was much quieter as Cake was still in a world. It was that time of year for her, but Genji wasn't worried. With all his support, it would take a disaster to kill her. After all, her world sessions weren't like his, where he dived into one danger after the other.
With nothing else to do, he headed for the strengthening hall and added 6 points to his special stat, reaching 49 points. When he tried to increase it further, EverRealm prompted him.
[You have reached the benchmark for promotion. Continue?]
[Warning: You must enter the Spatial Battlefield at least twice before your promotion. Should you choose to continue, then your next world will be canceled, and you will join the Spatial Battlefield after a month.]
Seeing this warning, Genji instantly declined. Enter the battlefield with his current strength? Who was he kidding? He had barely survived the last world so risking his life again wasn't a smart move.
Plus, if he entered now, his chances of survival were slim. He was still too weak compared to all the powerhouses roaming that battlefield. Just one wrong move and he would be dead.
Moreover, he had significantly angered Silver Empress, so returning stronger was imperative. Otherwise, he'd be forced to hide, giving up the contribution points needed for the [Void Egg]. No matter how he looked at it, this was a terrible decision so he distributed his points elsewhere.
[Enigma]
Health: 4,560/4,560 (Con x 120, up 720)
Energy: 1,460/1,460 (Int x 20 + cloak bonus = 780 + 680 = 1,460)
Con: 30 -> 36 + 2 from equipment = 38
Str: 30 -> 36 + 2 from equipment = 38
Dex: 31 -> 38 + 2 from equipment = 40
Int: 34 -> 39
Spc: 42 -> 48 + 1 from equipment = 49
While his energy capacity was high, it was only temporary. After completing the upgrade process, he entered a meditative state and reformed his Shadow Core. This time, the process was much smoother due to his experienced control.
[You have lost 680 maximum energy.]
[You have condensed a Shadow Core.]
Genji felt the strength return to his heart and clenched his fist. Yes, this was the feeling. It felt so good to get stronger after a struggle with death. Genji got up from his position and headed for the training hall, ready to experience his newfound power.