The world had fallen into despair when two worlds opened their mouths to each other, letting the monsters and other monsters [humans] meet each other.
This world was normal; you can't expect supernatural power to be bestowed upon those foul creations without a reason to change.
The world twisted and refined itself to be more fitting for this unbidden change. It had transformed into a battlefield, giving birth to powerful beings like sentries. The effects were gradual, not
Sentries were humans, divided into three categories.
Bodily sentries, magic sentries, and lastly, imaginary sentries.
Those who gained bodily sentry had a tremendous physical enhancement. One's strength could reach an unimaginable state; it could be endurance or sharpness. However, the problem with it was that they could only gain in a single area of the bodily enhancement; only the high tiers could have multiple enhancements. If it was strength, it was strength; if it was durability, then it was durability. Moreover, due to gaining overwhelming power that exceeded one's body limitation, in final adjacent to such change permits no further change in growth. If you gained low-tier strength, you would be stuck there forever regardless of endless exercises or training.
On the contract, Magic sentries had an upper hand in it. They can gain, as the magic suggests, powers like controlling fire, healing, air, etc. The downside? Perhaps, this is not the typical fantasy where magic is endless or requires one to rest to reset his powers; here magic doesn't manifest out of nothingness, it messes with nature itself.
Take healing…
If you want to heal someone, you at least need some material around you. Take a small rock; you have an injury. You take the rock, break it into an energy state, and then modify it afterwards. The enchantment works like a machine that decodes one material and converts it into very identical tissues that the body requires. It's more complex but better not go to deep…
Well.. the problem…
Not every rock or tree branch will work like a charm. Like not every mushroom is edible; some are poison. A similar thing applies to healing; the wrong material can kill you. The best material to be used is earth clay.
In the last, imaginary sentries, they are the rarest. With a sudden jolt, one goes to a slumber, and there he can obtain the power he likes. It's like imagining your own power, and when he's aroused, he has it. Sounds simple, but it's not; they are called the rarest for a certain reason.
First, you will have to imagine your power when imagined. You have to perfect it, make it more vague and more realistic, more like fathoming its nature. Those who achieved it didn't know themselves how they did it. But the phase that comes after imaginative power is a test. You have to fight your emotions, mostly fears. This part is where barely a few people succeeded in completing it. They die while dreaming or turn insane to the point of no return. Even those who return have lost something within them.
"But why are people acting so strangely? Even you feared me."
"Don't you get it? That dark cloak and red eyes? And that…" He looked down at the black sword. "Only Black Mammoths dress like that. Oh right, you don't know who they are; perhaps you're one of other people. "
"A notorious group or organization." I said, guessing.
"Sort of, but not evil; however, they are cruelly strict. I took you one of them, certain my head would be lopped off, even though I didn't do anything wrong." Bentend said.
"Stealing." I reminded him.
"More correctly, taking back what was mine by rights. She was high-born and had stolen my, well, ex-girlfriend's ring that I bought with all the blood and sweat, only to be cheated."
I sensed the emotion emitting from his body; there was not a trace of a lie in his words, only rage and sadness that were writhing, wrestling with each other.
"You could have told the officer." I said.
The man's eyebrows twisted; he looked at me as if I had said the most lackwitted thing.
"Money even blinds justice, humans… They don't even know what it is. Only their imaginative order." Bentend rubbed his nape and twisted his lips.
"Can I go now?" He asked.
I tossed a golden coin at him. "Take it. It's for the information."
The man observed the coin in sheer astonishment, blinking and turning it. I took notice of it; from that kind of expression, this was valuable.
Well… I wasn't planning to give him anything, but seeing how powerful his sorrowful emotions were. Better that a coin could soothe him. After all, even money can fix broken hearts, my master had told me once.
That fool not only taught me killing, but he also taught me helping others. But we, most of the time, never encountered anyone to help out; that experience was ruined and never mattered. Better to use someone in return for help.
Surprisingly, the man handed back the coin. "I can't take it. It's too valuable, and I have no way to pay back, nor is there someone I can spend it on."
Whirling, I said, "Keep it; I will be in need of your help in the future."
I walked off, moving outside of the valley again. Bentend followed, "Where are you going?"
I didn't answer. Only my stomach rumbled; for a whole week I was able to eat only a few pieces of berry-white.
"I can take you to a nearby restaurant; it's not big, but it still has good food to serve you." Bentend said.
My stomach's urge to devour food was far stronger than my resistance; combined with a faint headache, it was worse.
I followed behind; it was no more than a small cubic shop with a window where the cook was handing off the plates. Outside it, chairs, tables, and canopies (umbrella's canopy) were settled.
We were seated in the center area, and Bentend gestured towards a female in a strange dress. It's black and white, a tight trouser and gray tunic. On her waist a strap of blue cloth made from wool was fastened.
Not so commonly dressed, I presumed.
The girl gazed at me; hesitation crawled visibly in her eyes as she glanced at Bentend, questioning this stranger.
Bentend gave a wan smile; he didn't know how to explain it to her. "He's a foreign friend; I thought of bringing him to the best place he had never seen."
The woman stooped her head before raising it. "I apologize. Would you like the special or the usual one?"
Bentend dug in his pocket to find any sign of money; from his dismayed expression, I could tell he had nothing on him. The woman saw it and said.
"You can pay later." She walked away.
"People are dressed so strangely." I subconsciously muttered, and Bentend heard it.
"What do you mean? By the way, now that my mind has started working, I want to ask, are you an Intiverse?" he asked.
Intiverse… that was something new; curiosity flooded in. "What's that?" I asked.
"It's gonna be a little hard to explain, but like people or monsters that accidentally or intentionally enter into our world. Although monsters or other types of species enter our world through bent space or a hole but intiverses are different; they enter accidentally, like the world itself forces them into another world. So far, there have been eighty. They aren't consider foes rather allies. but six of them had been killed; the reason is unknown."
He continued, "Intiverse also has a popular name, solo levelers. Since they could grow with each fight without the need of external help. Not sure how far they can grow, but it's estimated they can grow as powerful as planetary tier."
I shut my eyes, pondering and processing this complicated system. Imaginary, bodily… so much stuff they have. My mind was struggling.
"You alright?" Bentend asked.
"How do you know all of this?" I asked.
Bentend rubbed his temple with his index finger, slyly smiling at me. "Let's just say I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to gaining information."
It wasn't long before the food arrived at our table. The smell wafted around my nose, an aroma that I had never smelled, nor had I ever seen this type of food.
I heard the girl asking Bentend, "How did it go?"
A sorrowful expression appeared on his face, but then it turned to a rictus. "It was great, but she said she isn't ready yet." He said.
"I see, have to go; we will talk about it next time," said the girl before walking away to another table.
I observed the face; when he noticed my gaze, he panicked, "I didn't lie to you!" His arms wiggled left and right. He lowered his voice, calm but weak. "It's not easy telling others."
"Why tell me then?" I picked up the fork, and stared at the… Worms like things swinging in the bowl, eggs, and a few green leaves. What was this?
Noodles… A faint voice whispered in my ears. The information was received.
"What choice didn't I have…" Bentend looked at me with a dumbfounded face as I munched all of the noodles in the bowl.
"Better ask for another one." I solemnly said.
Such dishes would be the rarest of the food in my world. Has the advancement of humans led them to create such exquisite food? Although what were considered exclusive items, like forks or such hard plates, were available to nobles only, here they were common. The most cherished thing in my world—here they were only another normal trivial thing.
Bentend saw my face, although it was cold-looking. He seemed happy. "Why don't we try something else?"
Several dishes were brought; some I had seen, some were modified, and some were new to me. I had finished each plate in no less than fifty seconds. No speckle of food was left on the mouth.
That fool. I was concerned; I had to leave this place to find him somehow. He might have escaped that place or perchance entered this world with me.
"Where will you go now?" He asked.
I stared at his face blankly. My mind was blank on that part. I needed to find my master, but at the same time, without entirely knowing about this world, I couldn't move around.
"You have a home."
"Just because I have no money doesn't mean I'm homeless… wait… you…" His eyes widened.
"For a few days."