CH13 The World Is Fair
***
This is the belief of most people in the world, especially the so-called Scholars.
This belief comes from the fact that the World equally blessed both sides of the Human-Beast War.
Humans had their Gifts while Beasts had their Nests.
Whenever Beasts gather together and a leader amongst them is chosen, the World grants this leader the ability to create a Pocket Dimension, which has more space than they appear from the outside.
These pocket dimensions are called Nests.
The Beast Core of the leader of the Beasts in this Pocket Dimension is the Nest Core.
Nests allow Beasts to grow their number and strength right under the noses of humanity which is determined to wipe them out.
Whenever the carrying capacity of a Nest is exceeded, the Nest breaks apart, releasing all the beasts inside.
More often than not, when this happens, it leads to a beast tide, the same phenomenon that created the situation that resulted in the deaths of Zora's parents as well as the deaths of many people in the slums of Pryford town, as it seemed beasts were hotwired to find and attack humans settlements whenever they are released from a Nest Core.
It was important for Hunters to find and control, if not destroy these Nests before the breakout or the consequences were severe.
As for the other side party in the conflict in this World, the Outer-World Monsters, well that was another story entirely.
The reason why Leo recalled the earlier saying was how outrageous he always thought it was.
'The World is fair? Yeah, right.' The teenager always thought.
The situation he was in further proved this point.
The World seemed hell-bent on wiping him out of existence for whatever reason.
-
[Notice!]
[Due to the intervention of the World Consciousness, the strength of the Fated Misfortune has far exceeded what was agreed. User has the following options.]
[Option 1: Kneel and plead with the World Consciousness for forgiveness.]
[Possible Outcome:
1. User dies
Or
2. User lives, but the reward of Fated Misfortune is forfeited.]
[Option 2: Enrage the World Consciousness further. This will cause the strength of the Fated Misfortune to increase further (if possible)]
[Possible Outcome:
1. User dies.
Or
2. If User survives, the reward of Fated Misfortune is increased significantly.]
[User may decide his choice now.]
-
Leo had a queer expression on his face when he saw the message, which then turned into ridicule and mockery when he noticed a change in his surroundings.
The pressuring phenomenon had stopped.
He was still stocked to the Awakening Core, likewise, Rowland was held in place, but the pressure had reduced.
It was like the World was telling him to make a decision.
'Kneel or be smite off the face of the earth!' Leo seemed to feel it say.
Leo would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid.
In fact, if it wasn't for his improved control of self, he would have soiled himself right now.
However, more than fear what Leo felt was unyieldingness.
"You want me to submit? Nay, I would rather die than submit!" Leo roared inwardly.
-
[Notice: User has chosen option 2.]
-
[Notice: User's decision conforms with the traits of the Martial Sovereign and the Grand Space Pirate King.
[Condition for interference met!]
-
[Note: Martial Sovereign is interfering with the Fated Misfortune.]
[Note: Curse of Gluttony is fully released!]
-
Suddenly, Leo felt an extreme hunger within him.
However, what he wanted to eat wasn't normal food but something much more...
-
[Note: Grand Space Pirate King is interfering with Fated Misfortune.]
[Note: Unknown interference performed.]
-
Leo stopped paying attention to the messages from the Arcane Sanctuary as a change occurred.
The enraged World activated the Awakening Orb, or rather the Nest Core and created a Pocket Dimension with Leo at its centre.
Rowland was also pulled into the Pocket Dimension.
Rowland tried to release his Domain when he noticed the change in Spatial coordinates, however, how could the Domain of a mere 7-rings Awakener compare to the Pocket Dimension formed from the fundamental laws themselves?
Not to mention these laws were being controlled directly by the World itself.
A stronger pressure locked the S-Rank Hero in place as if the World was going to make him watch as it made an example out of Leo.
Another bout of pressure pressed down on Leo, causing the teenager to cough out a mouthful of blood.
Leo's unyieldingness got the better of him.
Even as blood leaked from the side of his mouth, the boy looked up at the cloudy skies of the Nest Dimension and laughed.
"Are you that afraid of me?" He mocked.
"Are you afraid that I will dominate everything in this world? Is that why you, the oh-so-mighty World Consciousness, conspires against little ol' me?" He mocked.
The dark clouds thundered as if warning the boy of his insolence.
However, things had already gone beyond the point where Leo would step back now.
He laughed nigh crazily.
"What? Are you angry because I am right? Ha-ha, I am honoured. The World Consciousness conspires against me, Leo, son of the Swordsman of Storms and the Chain Queen. Ha-ha. How many people have received such honour? How many people dare to receive such a honour?"
"Only I do!" Leo smirked.
Rowland couldn't believe what he was hearing from his nephew.
He knew the boy had a hidden darkness within him, but he didn't think it would manifest like this.
"No matter what you do, you, World, shall never forget the name, Leo Xander!"
-
[Congratulations. User has thoroughly enraged the World.]
[Reward:
1. The Fated Misfortune has been confirmed to be the highest possible
2. User has earned the Title, 'World Challenger'.
3. Reward from Fated Misfortune will increase exponentially should User survive.]
-
Leo didn't pay the message much heed. Instead, he continued to look at the sky.
The dark skies rumbled loudly and threateningly.
"What? You angry? First, you pulled out my fangs, now you want to smite me?
"Come! Let's see if your bite is as strong as your bark!" Leo roared back.
"Damned brat! Stop speaking. Do you want to die?" Rowland shouted at him.
"Uncle, I'd rather die on my feet than bend the knee." Leo answered.
The teenager ignored the stunned middle-aged man and turned back to the sky.
"Come on. What are you waiting for? We don't have all day!"
This time, the dark clouds responded to him. It sent down a milky-white lightning bolt directly on Leo's head!
Bang!
Leo's full head of hair disappeared instantly as the lightning Mana pierced through his head to every fibre of his skin.
Leo gritted his teeth in pain, refusing to scream out loud.
Leo's toughened body resisted the damage but his nerves all cried out with pain.
But then, Leo noticed a change in his body.
The Curse of Gluttony organ attached to his stomach had morphed into a vortex without his notice.
It was then Leo recalled the message about the full release of the curse of gluttony.
The vortex exuded a pulling force which sucked all the lightning Mana into it. Then an instant later, the energy from the lightning Mana was released back into Leo's body, healing all his injuries and further toughening his body according to the method of the Ultimate Martial Body Tempering Technique.
Leo felt his body get noticeably stronger.
The teenage boy smiled and looked defiantly at the sky.
"Is that all? That barely tickled." He dusted off his body and now bald head.
-
Bang!
Immediately, the second strike descended. This time, the lightning was blood red.
Leo shifted his body a bit and took the hit on his back.
This lightning mana targeted Leo's blood. The teenager felt his blood boil. His skin became blood red as blood oozed out of the pores and caked on top of it.
The lightning energy snaked through his body twice before the black hole finally sucked it up. His body went through the healing process again. The blood he lost was replenished rapidly.
Leo looked up once more.
"You have to do better than that."
-
BANG!!
The third, green-coloured, lightning bolt landed on his back.
The lightening mana snaked through his skin, into his muscles and tendons. Leo felt an increasing level of pain.
It felt like his muscles and tendons were being stripped fibre by fibre.
Fortunately, before it passed his pain threshold, the black hole sucked up the energy too.
The muscles and tendons slowly regenerated. He could feel their toughness as they reattached themselves.
His body size didn't change but the teenager could tell his muscles now contained more power!
It took him some time to come to terms with the fact that the pain would continue to increase. He wondered if it was necessary to continue to court pain like this.
Then, he recalled the situation he was in. He remembered he needed all the help he could get.
Pain aside, the lightning strikes were a good way to improve his strengths.
While they didn't improve his strength by too much, Leo felt the upper limit or potential of his skin, muscles, tendons and blood had improved significantly. At least twice folds
He tucked away his trembling and fear.
He turned to the sky once again.
"Yeah, that hit the spot. I admit I felt that. But still... you can do better... right?"
(To be continued...)