The Final Desperation

"Hello everyone. I'm sure you're all anxious to start, so I won't delay any longer," Cake greeted the crowd and brought out a plethora of items.

The audience's eyes lit up at the quantity, and they clenched their wallets in anticipation. This time, they were determined to obtain these potions, and nothing could deter them.

"500,000," someone called out, wasting no time and jumping straight to the winning bid from last time.

However, the others didn't relent because of this. Due to the ample time since the last auction, they had gathered plenty of spare income. "510,000."

"515,000."

"525,000."

The price soared rapidly and eventually settled at 620,000 coins. Once it reached this point, the party leaders instantly gave up on further bidding. The potion was desirable, but they didn't need to fight so hard over it. There were plenty available, after all.

The winner happily walked up to Cake and initiated the trade. Moments later, he returned to his seat and placed his next bid. "600,000."

"Ogre, you've already won one. Leave the rest for us," one acquaintance called out.

"Nonsense. Haven't you heard? The more, the better."

"You really think you're the only one with money?"

"Of course. Why else would you all give up so easily?"

"Hmph, that's only because we aren't willing to pay that much."

"Then why are you complaining to me? If you're capable, then top my bid."

As such, the price of the second item soared again, stopping at 660,000, being bought by the same person. The other leaders shot him annoyed stares and dropped their waiting attitudes.

If this was the Ogre they knew, then he should have enough to win 3 or 4 more bids. At that time, the competition would be more intense, and the final price would be higher than the current bid. Since that was the case, why would they let Ogre have such an easy time?

"Tsk, this guy really knows how to scam people," Zepher, who was watching this scene, clicked his tongue in amazement.

At first, Zepher only joined this auction for fun, but the outrageous prices quickly discouraged him. Why would he participate when he could directly buy from the creator and save himself a lot of money?

The bidding grew fiercer, but Zepher lost interest and left of the room. After walking through the grand hallways for some time, he found Genji's lab door and knocked.

"I don't know how you keep doing it, but you managed to scam some more people," he greeted Genji as he entered.

"A man's got to earn a living somehow," Genji replied, looking up from his mixing. "And it's not my fault they decided to compete so much. If they agreed to work together, they could easily buy everything at a normal price. That's the starting bid after all."

"Yeah, like I'll believe you. Which person stops at the starting bid anyways?"

"Exactly. It's an auction, not a shop. But the choice is still there."

"I don't understand why you keep playing these tricks. As long as you sell normally, you can easily earn more than what you're currently earning."

"That's true, but I don't want to make potions all day. It's too tiring."

This response caused Zepher to stare at him in disbelief. Was he seriously complaining about making too much money right now? Doesn't he know how many would kill to have that income? How dare he complain like this.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm serious. If I make any more potions, I won't have much time to train. It's gotten so tedious that I'm even considering outsourcing the less important items."

Zepher balled his fist as if wanting to punch Genji in the face. Unfortunately, this was EverRealm where violence was forbidden. Eventually, he accepted this unfair situation and relaxed his fist.

"Okay, braggart. Just give me the same stuff as last time."

"Coming right up," Genji replied, bringing out a prepared box of items. Zepher transferred the money, took the box, and walked out, unwilling to deal with Genji's pretentiousness any longer.

"I wasn't lying, thought," Genji muttered with a light shrug.

A few hours later, Genji got a notice that his equipment was fully repaired. He put down his flasks and cleaned himself up before heading over to Markus's room.

Markus was Genji's go-to blacksmith for repairs since he was far more skilled than others. Very strong as well. Even with Genji's improved strength, he had a hard time distinguishing his exact level.

However, this was expected considering River Stream had introduced Markus as the blacksmith of his parents. There was no way someone who could repair their equipment could be weak.

One has to know that Genji still couldn't figure out how they pulled off the preferable treatments that River received. One such example was River's spatial storage. Under normal circumstances, servants shouldn't have access to such a convenience, but River somehow got one. It was surprising, to say the least.

"But that only means I can get stronger."

Genji put aside these thoughts and knocked on Markus's door. The next moment, the door opened and the usual heatwave smacked his face. Markus moved aside and led him inside to a metal table that held his items.

Genji walked over and examined his repaired equipment with a satisfied nod. Everything was exactly the way it was before his battles.

"Still as reliable as ever," Genji praised as he sorted through everything.

Markus hummed in response and watched Genji methodically arrange his items.

"Before I go, can I ask something?"

"What is it?"

"Can you upgrade this?" Genji held out [Kraken's Grasp]. "I figured I should ask since you upgraded it initially."

Among his equipment, this armguard was the most underwhelming one since Genji rarely used its strongest ability. It simply cost too much energy and wasn't worth it for Genji.

While it could kill opponents stronger than him, it wasn't that exaggerated. If the target outranked his stats by too much, he would have wasted all his energy and become a sitting duck.

Additionally, this margin for stats was less than those provided by Berserk, making it redundant. This was especially true now that he broke through and unlocked cutting intent.

The opponents that Kraken Summoning could finish weren't dangerous to Genji, while those that it couldn't could still be killed with cutting intent. No matter how he looked at it, this armguard was the worst in his arsenal. That was why he wanted to see if Markus could upgrade it and make it befitting its legendary status.

Markus glanced at the armguard briefly before raising his gaze to Genji's face. It was as if he was asking why Genji was so suicidal. This was a cursed item that often attacked its owner, and he wanted to make it stronger? Was he that eager to die?

"You don't have to risk your life like this, you know? You can always step back and hide until you become strong enough. It's never too late for revenge. What's important is that you survive until then," Markus advised Genji, believing that Genji had made some enemies and was desperate for power.

The corner of Genji's eyes twitched as countless outbursts flashed through his mind.

'What do you mean by that? Do you really think I would be bothered by strong enemies? It's the opposite. I can't wait for stronger opponents to show up. Why are you saying it like I'm throwing away my life to fight them? I'm just asking a normal question. Don't twist my words into something it's not.'

Genji suppressed these thoughts and simply asked, "Can you do it?"

*Sigh* 'Youngsters nowadays, so impatient for results.' But Markus didn't voice these thoughts and gave an honest answer. "The foundation of this armguard is resentment. As long as you can fuse enough resentment into it, it will upgrade naturally."

 

 

 

"That's why I'm asking. My current method is not fast enough, so I was hoping you have a different way."

"I know one way, but it will require a lot on your end."

"I'm listening."

"One of my friends is a spirit necromancer. He specializes in using souls to form an army of undead. If you can get a Spirit of Resentment, he can infuse your equipment with it. Of course, this will be costly, and he might ask for other requests from you."

"That's fine. As long as he's credible. So what's a Spirit of Resentment, and how can I get one?"

"I don't know," Markus replied bluntly.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm a blacksmith, not a spirit controller. The stuff I know is limited to what he blurts out during our drinking sessions. Apparently, there's a small chance of it forming when a powerful being dies full of hatred. Most people tend to avoid it because it attracts calamities to the owner.

"When you use a Spirit of Resentment to forge an item, there's also a high chance it becomes a cursed item, especially if you're the target of resentment. The difference is that this curse is strong enough to even threaten the lives of 4th step existences. But if you want to upgrade a cursed item, a Spirit of Resentment is your best chance."

That was all Markus could tell Genji about the spirit. If Genji wanted to know more, he would have to find the necromancer friend. Unfortunately, he wasn't in EverRealm right now, so Genji would have to wait.

Nevertheless, Genji thanked Markus for the information and kept it in the back of his mind. If he could get a Spirit of Resentment in the future, he would upgrade [Kraken's Grasp], but it wasn't a loss otherwise.

He wasn't in a hurry because the armguard could keep up with him for some time. Plus, even if he upgraded it now, he wouldn't be able to control it. He was only in the 2nd step, so matters of the 4th step were beyond him. For now, this would remain a long-term goal until he got strong enough.

"I'll let you know if I ever find one," Genji said as he walked out. "Then you can introduce me to your friend."

"Don't get your hopes up too much. That's a dangerous item you're seeking," Markus called out after him.

"Doesn't matter. It's not like my life won't be endangered if I give up on it."

Genji said this statement casually, but Markus interrupted his words as an acknowledgment of his guess. "People nowadays. Why do they make so many enemies? Isn't it good to keep living?"

It was a good thing Genji had left or he would have a lot of unsavory words for Markus's wise man act.

 

---

 

[You have returned to your original world.]

[It has been detected that you possess power beyond the limits of this world.]

[Your stats have been capped at 30 points.]

When Genji appeared, he felt metaphorical chains wrap around him, restraining his body. He assumed EverRealm had limited him this way because he had unlocked cutting intent since the last return didn't have this restriction, despite him possessing stats over 30.

This wasn't a surprise since the output of all abilities always depended on stats. If he had his original stats, he could easily cause a disaster with a casual wave. But that didn't mean his strength was weak since 30 points was still a considerable amount.

For comparison, the Behemoth from the Corruption World had 20 points in strength and constitution and easily shrugged off a military barrage. According to the history of that world, they needed a whole missile to take down a creature of that level.

That was with 20 points in two stats. Genji had 30 points in all stats. There was simply no way to compare it. The difference was so big that Genji was confident that nothing short of a nuke could threaten him. Of course, he wouldn't stand in the area long enough for a nuke to actually hit him. Unlike the giant behemoth, he was nimble enough to avoid that.

"Really makes me wonder how I compare to other 2nd step members," he said out loud, exhaling a visible mist amidst the falling snow.

It was winter again, so his boots crunched against the airy flurry with each step. Above him, the tree branches rustled under the snow's weight and released some icy precipitation. Genji casually moved aside and allowed the coldness to brush past him.

"There's just something about winter that gives me peace. I wonder if that had any influence on my legacies' mental space."

Genji lightly pushed off the ground and glided over the snow gracefully. On his descent, he kicked off again, leaving a single footprint every 10 meters or so. At this pace, he quickly returned to the city and entered his regular shop.

"You're in luck today. I have a lot of scraps that people don't want," the shop owner said as he walked in.

"Shouldn't you be selling a lot of wood in this season? Why do you have more of it?"

"Because firewood is only good if it's dry. These are all wet from the rain a few days back."

"I guess that's one way of using wet wood," Genji shrugged and set up in the usual place.

A normal knife appeared in his hand before Genji closed his eyes to familiarize his motions with cutting intent. 'Control. I need to adjust the output so that the wood doesn't disintegrate under one swing.'

Then, the image of a clock tower appeared in his mind and became the template for this session. Genji tightened his muscles and prepared for multiple fast-paced strokes, but he immediately stopped.

That was because, after the first cut, Genji felt the wood loosen in his palms, a change outside of his expectations. A cool air blew past, and the outer casing of the wood shattered, falling aside to reveal the rough outline of a clock tower. Genji stared at this for some time before bursting out laughing.

"Yes, cutting intent. It cuts to my will, not my body. It doesn't matter if my body can't make the motion. As long as my mind desires, cutting intent will follow. How did I not realize until now? It's so obvious that it's in the name, but I've just been treating it as a glorified blade."

It was simple, but sometimes, simple things were the hardest to understand. After all, how often does one understand the real reason behind a given name?

Genji calmed down from his outburst and adjusted his training plans. Since he didn't need to worry about control, he would train his mind. To sharpen his focus and better define the cuts. That way, he could capitalize on the slightest opportunity revealed by his opponents. 

With that goal, he concentrated on imagining a clock tower as detailed as possible. Once he reached that point, he would continue onward, adding details that he would never have considered when performing external cuts. Little by little, the gears of the tower appeared in his mind as he incorporated his meager knowledge of mechanics.

Stairs and internal designs soon followed, culminating in a complicated construct. With this image in mind, Genji brandished his carving knife again and allowed the shavings to fall with the snow.

"Seems like I'm far from achieving perfect execution," he thought, shaking the carving and listening to the clunking sounds inside. That was the sound of detached gears bouncing around inside.

The problem was that Genji needed to recall every detail the moment he swung, or the result would be flawed. This was easier said than done since he had incorporated countless exquisite details into his mental image.

Recalling all of that within a single moment was something Genji wasn't used to, as he usually focused on follow-up attacks, not what his opponent would look like after the cut.

The latter was something only a delusional person would do since it distracted them from the actual fight. Yet, to improve his skills, Genji had no choice but to unlearn these instincts and become a delusional person.

"So what if I become delusional? At least I dared to imagine and dared to risk it all, unlike some people who become stuck in their ways and stagnate."

Like this, Genji fell into a cycle of recalling as many details as possible, as fast as possible. Hours passed like this before a child's head peaked out from around a corner. This was Alysha, who had come to check if Genji was around.

Behind her, Kosa nervously fidgeted with her fingers, praying that her deranged acquaintance wouldn't be back this month as well. Unfortunately, her prayers were unanswered this time.

'Holy shit. This guy's aura is heavier than last time. How many did he kill in these two months to form such a bloody presence? What a complete psycho.'

"Genji!" Alysha cheerfully called out and skipped over to join him. "Whatcha doing?"

Genji looked up from his thoughts and lightly smiled at her. "Nothing much. Just thinking."

"Thinking? About what?"

"How I can improve this," he answered, passing over a rough clock tower.

"But can't you just add more cuts? Why do you have to think so much about it?"

"What I'm after isn't external improvements, but internal ones."

"I don't really understand, but if you're doing it, then it must be right." Alysha plopped down beside him, taking out her own knife and joining him in this chilly weather.

"Alysha, I hate to interrupt you, but we should probably head back," Kosa said after a few minutes.

"But why? I finally met Genji again!"

"Because your parents will be worried. It's pretty cold right now and if they find out you're playing so much out here, they'll ground you. You know they are always looking for an excuse to stop you from carving after the scare you gave them at the festival."

"Do I have to?"

"Unless you want me to tell them myself," Kosa said with a crafty glint in her eyes.

"No, don't! Anything but that." Alysha jumped up in panic.

"Then we have to go home now. Your parents can't ground you if you don't give them a reason to. Let's behave so you can continue carving in the future."

Alysha had an unwilling look, but she eventually accepted her situation. Giving Genji a reluctant stare, she said, "Sorry Genji. I have to go now. I'll try to come out tomorrow to meet you."

Seeing this, Kosa inwardly complimented herself for her quick-wittedness. 'Go, Kosa. Now you don't have to stay near the psychopath anymore. How smart of you to use the weather as an excuse to leave.'

"Don't worry about it. I'll visit you tomorrow so you don't have this issue."

Instantly, Kosa's sudden joy collapsed, realizing that Genji knew where Alysha lived. 'Shit. I was so caught up with getting away that I didn't consider that. Okay, deep breaths Kosa. Happy thoughts. Don't get depressed. Happy thoughts.'

"Thanks, Genji. You're the best." Alysha gave Genji a hug and followed Kosa home. 

'Think on the bright side, Kosa. At least you get a few extra hours of peace. Yeah, that's something to be happy about. It's happy, right? Right?' For some reason, Kosa felt a resentful stare on her back, but she quickly dismissed it as her imagination.

'Yes, that must be it. I must be too tired from the scare. Otherwise, why would anyone give me such a glare? I'm beloved by everyone.'

But as much as Kosa tried to convince herself, she couldn't shake the goosebumps forming on her back or the sudden premonition that her trained instincts were screaming with. Something was terribly wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what.