Chapter 2: | Betrayal!
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Billions of years had passed since that time.
My very existence diminished repeatedly with each failure.
Until I decided to split my soul in two, so that the universe and those maggots wouldn't notice my Emergence, but perhaps I am at my limit.
I could feel myself disappearing after just a few more attempts...
I couldn't afford to die now.
Light passed through the canopy as the leaves rustled in the wind.
The wind was exquisite to inhale, the scent of citrus could be smelled from afar.
It was both comforting.
Just like her scent, the scent of my first love, who had died tragically in front of me.
I was driven into insanity by her death, until my lady, Elara Sae Acoustine, saved me from the darkness.
She gave my already dim life meaning to live for.
And for that same reason I will build the life that we both want.
The life we risked for, fleeing from the grasp of her father, the Duke of the Blizzard Kingdom, so that we could live happily.
The wind howled, signaling an impending danger.
Screams, wails of a woman, could be heard from a distance.
It was too familiar.
Too eerily familiar to ignore.
When my eyes opened, I saw it, the horrific scene unfolding before me.
Splash!
The grass was tainted red as blood dripped from the bark.
Pain struck my nerves, as I gasped for breath, but I couldn't.
My throat was cut, bleeding profusely.
Her screams echoed as lances made of water became a blur.
Crash!
Elara was sent reeling into the air, blood gushing from her eyes as she crashed into the sea of grass.
Coughing and rolling in pain, her cries echoed.
"Alister! Help me!"
Then her screams turned into a muffled cry as a sword entered her mouth, skewering her insides.
Her struggles ceased into a final whimper.
"Boss! This bitch is dead!"
His voice was rough as he grabbed Elara's head, then kicked her stomach again and again as he shouted.
"Damned bitch! Ignoring us and ordering us like dogs just because you're born noble!"
What was this insanity before me?
Why did these brothers of mine kill her and now shame her dead body, when all she'd done was help them survive... on our missions, on war, on dungeon exploring...
Why did they plan all of this?
"Why did you betray me, Ceasar?"
Ceasar's scarlet red eyes gleamed with violence as his red hair fluttered.
His hand gripped my neck as he smiled, chuckled, then shouted.
"Well, no harm, right? We're just doing as we were ordered to do... so long, friend, okay?!"
His smile was wide and predatory as he brandished his saber and slashed.
Splash!
My vision dilated, then blurred, as I couldn't breathe...
Then pain struck my head as I felt an axe chopping it off.
They dismembered our bodies.
Why did these people whom I had trusted and bonded with for decades betray us for just a few measly gold coins?
Does brotherhood only amount to this?
Why was I so foolish as to trust these dirty bastards with my life?
My trust led to this!
This betrayal before me!
I was too naive, too trusting, to bond with these beasts.
It was my mistake that my beloved died, that I died.
I was too close, yet too far, to achieve our dream, to live and retire in the countryside, to live a virtuous life.
This was the last mission, to finally gather a thousand gold to buy a house near that lake.
But these bastards took that opportunity from me, killed me, dismembered me, and her, just so they would be the lapdogs of Elara's father...
Truly, life without the strength backing it up was nothing more than a fantasy...
To dream of the impossible was to die early, to trust was to be betrayed, and weakness itself was a sin.
I remembered all of it, the memories of my past, but perhaps in the next life, I would finally be freed from this hell.
To forget everything, to forget about the woman who played with me, to forget the ecstasy of love itself.
Ahhh!
How sweet love is.
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Years passed.
I could feel it, the familiar experience, the chance to live anew, to be born again, only to suffer.
Warmth encased my body as viscous liquid surrounded me, it was these very liquids that made me alive.
I glanced at the shell that trapped me as my form slowly developed into something humongous, into something beyond.
I, the Harbinger, have restarted my life yet again as dim light phased through my shell.
Perhaps today marks the day I would be reborn as the progeny of a mighty dragon.
I smiled, fantasizing about it as I licked my lips.
Wait for me, you damned bastards, for I, the Harbinger of Myth, shall return and tear the heavens asunder in my ascension!
I was a being born to seek perfection, to be the perfect being, to be acknowledged by the Mother of All.
And for that, I need to devour everything with insanity, to tap into the immense power I couldn't devour in my prime.
The very essence that made the fabric of reality itself, something so primal that it couldn't be described.
For I will return and be the paragon of all.
I chuckled at the revelation before me as I rammed the shell again and again.
Crack!
The shell cracked as I rammed it for the last time.
Crash!
A poetic scenery appeared before me, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the beings before me.
Oh dear, it seems...
That I have been born in an awakened world!
I closed my eyes, trying to recall the keyword to see that 'hologram thingy' that I hadn't encountered for tens of thousands of years.
Dimensional Record, appear before me.
A hologram with my information appeared, and I couldn't help but laugh with delight.
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[ALISTER VON FAI]
Titles: The Accursed One | The False One
Race: Whark [1★]
Stage: 0
Tier: 1
Level: 1 / 5
EXP: 1 / 100
Class: (Locked)
Subclass: (Locked)
Inventory: (Locked)
Equipment: (Locked)
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Stats
Health: 10 / 10 (+1 per level)
Stamina: 10 / 10 (+1 per level)
Mana: (Locked)
Physique: 0.03 (+0.1 per level)
Mystique: (Locked)
Charm: 1
Luck: -100
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Bloodlines:
Harbinger Of Myth | Sealed [9/10]
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Bloodline skills:
Myth Voracity
The core ability of the Harbinger of Myth, allowing them to devour the myth—skills and stats—of others. However, a powerful curse has severely weakened it. Now, rather than guaranteed absorption, it only grants a chance to consume these traits. Despite this, it still feeds on the myth of those the Harbinger consumes.
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Affinity:
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Skills:
Bronze Stomach [Passive | Level 1]
The Whark's stomach lining is extremely resilient, allowing it to consume and digest tough materials like bone, shell, and even some metals. This not only provides a source of sustenance from nearly anything it devours but also grants resistance to ingested toxins and corrosive substances. The digestive system is slow but thorough, ensuring that even the hardest materials are broken down over time.
Enhanced Teeth [Passive | Level 1]
The Whark's teeth are not vestigial—each row is lined with razor-sharp, serrated fangs designed for tearing through flesh and bone. As new teeth grow in constantly, they never dull, ensuring consistent cutting power. A Whark's bite is not just powerful but designed to rip and shear, making escape nearly impossible once it has latched onto prey.
Scaled Hide [Passive | Level 1]
The Whark's skin is layered with tough, armor-like scales, reducing the impact of blunt and slashing attacks. The scales are not rigid like plate armor but instead flex under pressure, absorbing force before it can reach vital areas. While not impervious to damage, this natural defense makes cutting through a Whark's flesh significantly more difficult.
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Unique skills:
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