Chapter 358 - This one is for you (Patreon)

It really looks like a fun event. Seeing that many people all around, some of them sitting on the grass in groups as if on a picnic, others on benches that are all around, some from terraces of houses further behind.

The four screens are big enough to see what's happening from far away.

Even though it's just a bit after midnight, I don't think that many people are sleeping, all of them excited about the event. It's an opportunity to compare themselves against people from here. To group up and challenge them together without worrying about dying.

Maybe they can win and stomp the face of a Hell difficulty person that annoyed them. Maybe they can earn a nice amount of shards that would allow them to buy a higher grade passive.

I can totally understand that.

(What are people saying?) I ask through the link.

This time Dennis answers, (They are excited but worried. I don't think many people will challenge you, and Channeler and his harem are careful, saving the most persuasion for the third challenge.)

His brother follows, (They also know the challenges will remain so they don't mind watching others try it first before using their shards.)

(Are they not worried about early birds beating my Avatar?)

(Not that much,) Sophie notes. (Isabella checked the emotions around and mostpeople are still scared of you, even with everything we tried. But the fear of missing out will kick in at the third attempt, and with a bit of help from our side, a lot of people will try.)

(You might lose! What level were you at the end of the third floor?) Aaron asks.

(Around 120, I think.)

(What? Are you serious?)

(Yes.)

(What the fuck.)

(Yes, what the fuck!) Dennis follows it. (Some people from Hell are on the 5th floor and barely over 150, and you were 120 during the third floor?)

(Do you think I lost so many limbs just for the fun of it?)

(Do I have to answer?)

Little twerp, just wait.

(Anyway, I can't imagine my avatar losing, even if they have a few hundred people challenging me,) I say.

(But there are 231 people here from Hard difficulty, your avatar might not be able to face them all. They will have no [Restriction] and some of them are decent,) Sophie notes.

(It will be fine.)

(If you say so...)

Five minutes remain until the challenge starts and the screens flicker, lighting up. On it, a forest appears with multiple big clearings. The trees there are normal-sized and vibrant green, all of them of the same sort, something akin to oak.

It's a bright day with few clouds in the sky.

In the shot, my Avatar appears. He stands in one of the clearings, not moving. He has no expression at all, in some way it feels different from my usual self. Behind his eyes, no life shines.

The most interesting part about him is the colors. He looks as if drained of them. His skin, clothes, and hair look grayish. Only his glassy eyes have the same color as mine.

So, third-floor restriction.

Back then, I still didn't have my subclass and I didn't have my skill upgrades removed. I only had Mana Circuit trait and my mana stat was around 400, and then doubled by my attribute upgrade. There was no [Regalia] or [Mana Domain] or [Infusion]. 

If I remember correctly, I had [Focus], [Mana Manipulation], [Perception], [Redistribution], [Armament], [Mana Surge], [Mana Infusion] and [Resonance].

As for my constructs, only Kinetic Mana Heart, Reinforcement, and Mantle. And importantly, no epic passives.

It's interesting, as I'm sure there is no Hard difficulty member at that level. There is something I think will happen after reading the rules of this event and if it goes as I think, there is no need to worry at all.

Three minutes remain and too many people start moving around, so I offer Lily my hand and place an anchor, teleporting us onto the roof of a house nearby.

More lights appear around the common area. Some from skills, some from items, and even some normal lights powered by batteries. Though we've been here for a few days, it still feels weird seeing the latter here in the tournament.

The chatter is playful and groups of people are fixing their clothes, doing stretches, and preparing weapons. Some are even seemingly planning formations.

On the screen my Avatar stays at the same place, unmoving.

When just a few seconds remain, I stop the conversation I had with Lily. We can theorize about giving me a second heart later.

I check the notification.

Challenge 1/3 - 5 seconds remaining

Number of challengers:

Easy - 31

Normal - 41

Hard - 80

Collected entrance fees: 2,965 shards

That's a lot more than I expected for the first challenge. Not like I’ll complain. Their entrance fees will be mine and they will get a lesson for being greedy after my shards.

No lesson for me, but that's fine after what the system and past Nat, screw that weirdo, put me through.

All of the challengers disappear when the challenge starts and the common area becomes quieter, people changing to whisper instead of talking normally as hundreds of eyes turn to the screens.

The moment they enter, my Avatar uses his kinetic energy and lifts up high in the air. I know he is using [Perception] to judge the danger.

Afterward, he lands back on the ground, judging there is no need to waste mana on flying. He moves with calm determination, emotionless with a single objective in mind.

On the other side, the group of a bit over 150 people quickly splits into multiple smaller groups and starts using their detection skills.

I find myself unable to take my eyes off the screen and continue to watch.

Back on Earth, I was never a fan of sports like football or hockey. I didn’t find it interesting and didn't understand what brought so much joy and interest to so many people. Yet, right now, I can understand that partially.

Watching my Avatar walk under the trees while knowing they detected him and surrounded him is somewhat exciting even though it's not me fighting. And it's not even because of my shards that are at risk. Just being around so many people and seeing challengers inside allows me to take in some of their emotions and excitement.

As they are about to surround him fully, my Avatar sets the forest on fire. From him at the center explodes the thermal energy he was collecting, burning in dark yellow.

The challengers, knowing what he is trying to do, have some people trying to jam detection they judge he might have and push at him quicker.

Like a flamethrower, more flames shoot from my Avatar as he moves around.

When the first person attacks, the Avatar doesn't hesitate at all, an orb shooting and hitting the head of a Normal difficulty challenger who appears outside. The challenger curses but quickly joins a group of his friends in the common area who laugh shortly and turn to the screen.

In quick succession, ten more challengers, all Normal or Easy, appear. Hitting them with grape-sized orbs, the Avatar spins around himself while setting the forest on fire. The heat doesn't touch him at all and I know it instead only fuels his flames.

“Pyromaniac,” Lily whispers nearby.

“Back then I really liked to use thermal energy,” I note.

When I think about it, back then I also liked to use the upgrade of [Redistribution], Symbiotic Transference, to use kinetic and thermal energy to strengthen my body. Plus some stuff from [Armament], some disrupting of mana, and early testing with thermal orbs.

Damn, I’ve grown quite a bit. The third floor Weirdthaniel was quite scary, experimenting with his heart, but in comparison to me now, he feels so weak.

But even that seems to be enough to trouble the challengers. My Avatar is picking them up one after another, the flames growing bigger and hotter, a huge patch of the forest ablaze. That seems to cause trouble for people without good perception skills or weaker physical stats.

Once in a while, my Avatar absorbs heat from the flames, turning them into speed or strength, and just brutally smashes heads of challengers with a mace-like weapon he creates.

As the system said, the Avatar's single objective is to defeat opponents as effectively as possible, so he does just that.

When a group of 10 Hard difficulty challengers reaches and attacks him, he ignores their attempts to slow him down or disrupt his mana. Mantle takes care of that easily.

Flames close to him weaken and disappear and he moves at a much higher speed. The mace in his hand turns into a sword, the blade resonating and cutting through the barriers they make. No matter if made from mana, stone, or even wood.

Their skills fail to damage the Avatar as he disrupts them or blocks them with armor made of mana. Even now, he doesn't go full out, saving most of his mana, and just steamrolls through the attacking group.

Ten Hard difficulty challengers appear outside.

From a range, they start bombarding him with attacks, but they are too slow or inaccurate due to all the smoke, and the Avatar rushes at them. The flames in the forest die off as he passes by, his speed increasing further, even pushing himself with kinetic energy.

He disrupts a barrier they stack, flames shooting ahead. He concentrates them more and a laser-like stream moves around, cutting multiple people apart.

Someone attacks him up close only for the Avatar to sling orbs that were spinning around him at the attacker. A few of them get blocked, but the skin of the attacker is unable to endure more, and he soon succumbs to the barrage.

The following fight doesn't take that long, and my Avatar hunts down the remaining challengers, not even going full out, nor examining opponents' skills, or trying anything fancy. 

Just like a machine, he mows through them and when the last one appears outside. 

The screen flickers, the last shot of the gray Avatar standing in the burning forest before the screen turns off.

Channeler and some of his group were inside, also challengers, and now they move around, laughing and waving their hands, downplaying what my Avatar did.

They do it carefully, and I feel a bit of admiration. I think after a minute of that I would be drained of my social energy. Hm, maybe there is a primordial version of it?

(I keep forgetting how scary you can be,) Dennis notes.

(You dumbass, he just nuked the army of monsters during the second event, how can you forget,) his brother answers instead of me.

(But look at him. No mana you could feel from him and other than looking around like a cat, he seems like a grumpy grandpa rather than a walking bomb. Then he does the shit like the thing with Tent Creep. The more you know him, the more he feels like a very very grumpy, but soft grandpa who has trouble showing his emotions. That, or a cat.)

(Dennis,) I call.

(You fucked up, you dumbass,) Aaron immediately pokes.

(Yes?) Dennis asks carefully.

(This one is for you, little jerk. Sophie?)

(Do not pull me into this, Nat. I'm not interested in childish…)

(A few days ago, Dennis said you have a smaller ass than Maya, but that he would let you squish his head in your thighs or something like that. I listened with only half an ear because I was practicing.)

Someone tries to destroy the connection with a very strong hint of panic. Over and over again, attempts are sent through, but Sophie pushes them away, keeping the web and the connection alive.

I continue, (He also said group 4 girls have disappointingly small chests with the exception of Maya and maybe Tess.)

The attempts increase.

(Oh, he did?) Sophie's voice is cold.

(Yes.)

After that, the connection cuts off. The web is quieted down by its creator.

When I look to the side, Lily is staring at me with big eyes, “You are evil.”

“I didn't lie. They often sit around in the living room with Brainiac and Lootenant and forget that I'm there training. So I catch a thing or two. You would be surprised by what i have heard.”

Then I check the rewards.

Congratulations, your avatar ended victorious in the 1st challenge! You have received 2,668 shards. The final reward will be given after the end of the 3rd event!

Not bad. Is this what they call passive income?

***

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