Chapter 469 - Awakening (Patreon)

After Dennis and Aaron return, I give all of them an explanation of what happened. Lily is listening especially carefully as someone who will soon enter Beyond.

Telling her about the trial is impossible, as the system censors it, but Beyond information seems to be allowed, so I tell her anything that comes to mind.

“So you don’t know how to clear the 1st floor of the dungeon and enter the second?” she asks.

“Yup, no idea at all. The plan is to reach the safe zone, learn more information there, and then continue from there. We should be able to do it in three days when you and Tess get stay tokens.”

“Won’t we need a bigger group?”

“Possibly, but Tess said Gareth promised to join. If it won’t work, we can time it so we do it in six months—at the scheduled meeting with Leticia and the others. Or I can jump in once for a day or two, leave another message, and we can try sooner.”

Tapping on the armrest of the manabloc chair I made for her and the twins, she smiles. “I’m so happy I don’t have to think of these things! Just point me at the monsters.”

“Is she cosplaying Nat?” Dennis pokes Aaron.

“Remember that article where it said that to pick up girls, you should try to mimic them a bit? Similar movements, behavior, and that it helps a lot. Maybe she read it as well,” Aaron nods seriously.

“I will fuck you up! Both of you!”

“Totally like Nat.”

“Yes. It has to be on purpose at this point.”

“Now Nat will increase the difficulty on that cursed orb.”

“We have expected that. Bring it on!”

I do just as they said, and for a while, they have no part of their mind to spare on the chatter.

I turn to Lily. “What do you think of Specter’s arm and the pieces of Whitey’s heart?”

“They’re in terrible shape and weakening fast. Soon, they’ll likely turn to dust.”

“Either it’s the system messing with us or all the lurkers are like that, turning to dust so they can be recreated one year later. But wouldn’t it make more sense just to fix the body over a year and then use it?”

“Maybe it will happen; just the arm is considered lost?”

“Could be.” After weakening the orbs the twins handle, I address the entire group, “Three days, and we will head deeper into the central region. It might finally complete that side quest, and we will start collecting more information.”

Thinking of it all, I spin my now not cube but thermal pyramid that floats in the middle of us, each face having a different color from pale yellow to dark gold, each emitting a different amount of heat.

As it spins, it’s somehow hypnotizing, and I continue, “We will find some smaller group and take over, so we will have a nice place to sleep. Something with a great view. Before you ask, yes, you can rename it to Angry Kittens, I don’t even care anymore. The training will continue for you two and Lily too. We don’t need to sleep that much, and we will test how far I can push you guys before you start hallucinating.”

“What?”

“[Mana Manipulation] will be the main focus, but we will improve [Connection] afterward. Lily will focus on body modification and [Disintegration],” I start also voicing my own plans, saying it out loud making it easier to schedule, “I will improve [Resonance], train stances for kinetic energy, and there is a great idea I have for my own mana technique, and with Lily’s help, I could get a new skill too.”

Feeling that the single thermal pyramid is not enough, I create multiple evil orbs, making them spin around me while I also deal with their effects, “I will disassemble most of the damaged arcane items and sell one or two. The goal will be to build a facility to create arcane item with all these materials.”

Biscuit comes closer, and I watch as he lays on the ground near Lily, putting his small head on his front paws.

“I will try to come up with ways to modify and recreate Restrictive Training Emblems or Burden Enhancement Inscriptions so they can be used for you. I just need to be careful so they won’t stop your brain functions, heart from beating, or chest from moving, making you suffocate.”

“WHAT?”

I'm really going to be busy I realize and say out loud, “You know that feeling when you think you have a lot of free time to do your stuff and then you start going over everything and find you would need even more time to fit it all in. Anyway, for a few weeks, I think my priority will be mana and kinetic energy, in that order. The rest will be fit in somehow.”

“Maybe things like Floor quests? I mean, we are here for quite a while but still haven’t found out how to leave,” Dennis reminds.

“It’s probably something as simple as helping one of the beings from the five, now four, containment cells to escape and let them deal with the rest.” I yawn, speeding up the spin of the pyramid.

“You mean beings on level of Champions?”

“Yup,” I nod. “You remember the 4th floor, right? Our quest was to kill one of the Calamities, and the big part of the solution was to pick the right one you could face with your group or abilities. This floor might be similar, picking the right prisoner to release. That dickhead Champion we met clearly wasn’t it.”

“Would just that be enough?”

I shrug, “If it’s not, we will release them all and let them break this prison apart and sneak out while they do so.”

“Yeah, I hope Tess’s or Sophie’s group will find out more.” Aaron doesn’t seem to like my idea for some reason. Well, I don’t mind them not trusting me, but from my experience, simple methods often work the best.

I lean back in my chair and open up the pouch with deer jerky I have. Taking one piece out, I take a bite and start chewing on it.

Somewhere from my right where Lily sits, I hear a quick, surprised movement.

I take another bite.

(Bitch!) the word I haven’t heard in a long while comes. I think Biscuit learned it from Lily.

I take two more bites, and Biscuit appears in front of my face, floating and seemingly angry but finally giving me his attention.

“I’m sorry,” I say sincerely, apologizing for cheatings on our future Overlord. Then I put my hands on my lap and return his gaze. “But, Biscuit, aren’t you also letting other people pet you?”

That seems to shock the corgi as if the thought hadn’t come to his mind, and he avoids my eyes.

Reaching into the air, I grab him and put him on my lap. He lets it happen, his nose constantly sniffing the pouch with deer jerky.

I take out another one before closing the pouch and offer the jerky to him.

He hesitates for a bit, but after glancing at me, he starts carefully biting on it, trying not to touch my hand.

***

The next day, we get longer messages from the others.

Tess, Min-Jae, and Maya are heading deeper into the center of this region. They can’t share more because of censorship, but I think they learned a bit more about the four remaining containment cells and are headed to one of them.

Izzy also sends a message, confirming that she and Sophie are safe and heading west. She mentions people with abilities similar to Sophie, so what comes to mind is the closed-off city of mind mages.

It’s something even people outside the central region mentioned with big disdain. Asking more, we have learned most people with such abilities gather in a single place. Either for protection or some goal. Sophie and Izzy are headed there.

There is also one thing I would love to ask Sophie, like really like to ask.

The others might have forgotten, but I did not. The Champion Caius’s bond didn’t die back in the containment cell called Mana Desert. I have thought of it a lot. Two thylarin brothers died, unable to carry the parts of the bond Izzy sensed, but what if that asshole Champion tricked me? What if he expected these two pieces to be discovered, or just in case there was one more, much smaller and weaker but very well hidden?

There is also a chance Sophie knows about it. When it comes to these things, she is often equal to me, and in certain situations, she does better.

But the biggest confirmation of all is that feeling, a flash of shared memory I get from Biscuit. The corgi refuses to share more with me, but it’s apparent he made some sort of deal with Sophie for him to stay quiet about it.

Our newest Beyonder and her little sister, heading toward a city of mind mages, carrying a piece of the Champion’s bond with them.

Sophie sure is working on some interesting stuff.

***

A day passes, and I appear in front of Whitey again. The area around us this time is the 1st floor; more accurately, it is the clearing with the bus that took all of us here.

Whitey stands in front of it, tapping with the tip of his finger on the side of it, each tap sending audible vibrations through the air.

Curious, I observe him doing so. He seems like he is concentrating on something, examining it deeply. All while his heart beats in slow, but powerful, bursts.

“Got it.” He nods, satisfied, and taps on the side of the bus for the last time.

In an instant, a surge of concentrated kinetic energy explodes outward. The force is incredibly focused, sending a perfectly round shockwave through the metal. The place of impact collapses inward as if struck by a meteor, with the ripple effect moving outward in a visible wave.

Each part of the bus caught by the wave is thrown back violently, but the energy dissipates just past the bus itself, leaving everything beyond untouched. The roof compresses, the windows shatter inwards, and the entire vehicle collapses into itself, forming a deep, circular indent exactly where Whitey’s finger touched.

After a heartbeat, the bus releases all the built-up energy in a single blast. The side panels explode outward, flaring out like petals. The energy transfer is so precise that the ground beneath the bus is untouched.

Whitey steps back and turns to me, “Interesting materials that thing is made of.”

He stomps, a single wave of kinetic energy blasting from him, bending the grass, and for a moment, the wind stops blowing, encompassing us in deep silence before it returns. His eyes glow dangerously, the look more similar to the lurker that tore people apart rather than when we met a day ago.

“I have thought about it, human. I even respected you for a bit for defeating me, but what you have killed was nothing more than an empty puppet. A fucking disgrace to all the effort I put into developing my abilities.”

Another gentle stomp, and everything around is sent floating into the air. Pieces of the bus, the bus itself, stones, pieces of wood. He levitates these, frozen in the air by his ability.

“You want my kinetic energy? The result of my blood and tears and something my heart beat for only? The thing I threw everything else away for just so I could pursue it. Okay! That was our wager, and I’m someone who always kept his word.”

More and more energy radiates from him, his eyes becoming redder and redder. Whitey now feels taller, slimmer. His white hair waves as if caught in a hurricane, and his black horns feel like they are absorbing the light. Just the beat of his heart generates enough energy to slowly push me away.

More than any time before, he feels like a demon.

“You don’t have a proper heart, you’re only human, your talent is the worst,” he says, a dangerous smile crossing his face, almost like he's recalling an old memory. “But maybe, just maybe, there's something I can work with. You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. If you’re ready to get broken down and put back together, I’ll teach you.”

Whitey steps closer, his eyes glowing with a fierce intensity. “I’ll show you what it takes. You’ll understand what it means to let every heartbeat become a weapon, every pulse of blood a force that could crush mountains.”

He pauses, letting his words sink in.

“You already said something similar,” I say in response.

Even though he is smiling, it feels very dangerous, as if I'm poking a sleeping bear while locked in a cave with him. A bear with a mini nuclear reactor instead of a heart.

“I don’t expect you to understand me or to think the best of me right away.” I roll up my sleeves and shake off some tension from my arms and legs, “Words are cheap, and your actions tell more about you, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes,” he answers simply.

I nod, “Not that long ago, there was someone similar to you who tried to teach me. She is the most powerful person I’ve met so far. Far more powerful than you are.”

Closing and opening my fist, I think of all that happened ever since I found myself here. There are things to improve, but I can say to myself a single thing.

I’m proud of my efforts and of my progress. I like the person I’m becoming.

Looking back at Whitey, I say with a sharp smile appearing on my face, “She didn’t know me as well as she thought and pushed too much. From you, I will take what I want and what I have won. I don’t care if you beat the shit out of me; I don’t care if I have to bleed and crawl through the dirt just to get it.”

“You would make a decent demon.”

“My disciple said the same.”

“Let us begin then.”

“Yes.”

***

POV Earth

“It’s as we were worried, director. The animals are getting bigger. That polar bear in Southern Hudson Bay is three times bigger than any polar bear ever recorded. Another impossibly huge moose was discovered in Newfoundland, and a giant lynx is hunting grizzly bears in the Yukon.”

“Sometimes I just wish I didn’t have to deal with it, damn it. Prepare a report for me, and I will go through it before passing it to higher-ups.”

“We will pass it to Public Safety and Armed Forces?”

“Yes, as before. They can deal with it.”

“Got it, boss!”

***

POV Earth

“Sir, the situation in the Pacific just got a lot worse. There’s a shark out there—one the size of a ship. It was spotted near the Mariana Trench.”

“A shark? That big? Are we sure?”

“Yes, sir. It’s already disrupted shipping routes, and a couple of research vessels have gone missing. Satellite images show it circling, almost like it’s guarding something down there.”

“Great. Just what we needed after that damned spider. Send out an alert to the naval forces and tell them to keep all civilian ships out of that area.”

“Understood. And should we inform the public?”

“Not yet. Let’s just keep this between us and monitor its movements.”

***

POV Earth

“So, we’re just all gonna pretend there isn’t a giant spider hanging out on the moon?”

“Oh, yeah, totally normal stuff. Just a massive spidey, chilling up there like it owns the place.”

“Honestly, at this point, I kind of respect it. Been up there for over a year, hasn’t moved an inch. Probably just waiting for us to get comfy.”

“Yeah, it’s like a horror movie villain on a coffee break. Just taking its time, planning out its next big move.”

“Right? Meanwhile, we’re all down here hoping if we ignore it, maybe it’ll go away.”

“Hey, maybe it’s shy!”

“Or it’s sizing up the planet like, ‘Alright, if I ever need a snack, I’ll just reach over. Not today, but someday.’”

“Yeah… let’s just hope it stays on break.”

“Just look at it. We all know it’s just a matter of time.”

***

POV Earth

"Ever since its appearance over a year ago, the 'Moon Spider,' as it’s been dubbed, hasn’t shown any signs of movement or aggression. It's just… there. Hanging on the surface of the moon, as large as the entire state of Colorado, with its many legs spread across the lunar surface, all turned toward Earth. For now, it remains completely motionless. There’s no observable activity, no indication of feeding or even the most basic of life functions. We've been monitoring it constantly, trying to understand what it is, how it got there, and why it remains so eerily still. Initial scans show an incredibly dense biological structure, unlike anything we've encountered. It doesn't fit into any known category of life as we understand it. The spider is silent, and despite all efforts, there’s been no response to any signals or attempts at communication. But the question remains: why hasn’t it moved? It’s been over a year and multiple months, and it hasn't so much as twitched. Speculations start from theories about a deep hibernation state to suggestions that it’s some sort of cosmic warning. Public, after early bursts of panic, is now used to the spider's presence. Even though it still remains a threat, no one knows if it’s just watching… or waiting. That was until two weeks ago."

“What happened?”

“A group of a few dozen people appeared near the collapsed tunnel in Osaka, Japan and Moon Spider showed a movement, a slight turn in direction where Japan was at that time. These individuals appearing in Japan were later identified as the very same people who were presumed dead in the tunnel collapse just a few weeks before the Moon Spider appeared.”

“Continue.”

“Yes, thank you, sir. Reports indicate that these people possess… unnatural abilities. Physical and mental capabilities that defy our understanding. The Japanese government and military have done their utmost to keep this under wraps, as most of these people have been cooperative, sharing information since their return. Recently, Japan provided us with some of this information. They’ve suggested that more individuals like them may appear and noted that those who have returned so far belong to what they call the ‘Easy Difficulty’ tier.”

“You said most cooperated. What happened to the rest?”

“Two refused and attempted to flee. One was subdued with the assistance of the other returnees. The Japanese have taken to calling them all ‘returnees,’ sir, and we’ve adopted the term as well.”

“Understood. What happened to the last one?”

“Kazuki Sato, a twenty-year-old, was neutralized with an anti-materiel rifle. Prior to that, he survived an anti-tank missile strike and killed a team of twelve members from the Japanese Special Forces Group. We’re awaiting further reports, along with photo and video documentation.”

“Please continue with your briefing.”

“Thank you, sir. Since the arrival of the first returnees in Japan, certain animals in the area where the returnees appeared exhibited remarkable growth in both physical capabilities and intelligence. Holographic windows have begun appearing before people who come into contact with the returnees. The returnees refer to this phenomenon as a ‘system message.’ It’s incredibly infectious—proximity alone to someone who possesses it can spread it. Those affected have shown signs of what the returnees call ‘awakening,’ allowing them to access a ‘status’ view of their abilities and granting each of them two of what they call ‘skills’.”

“What does the message they got say?”

“It reads: ‘Congratulations! The earliest participants of the tutorial have completed it, and Earth will now gradually awaken. More information will follow after the tutorial concludes! Welcome!’”

***

Next Chapter

***

Author Note: 

And with this chonky boi chapter, Book 5 ends! There might be smaller changes, but overall, I'm quite happy with it, and even the ending is also something I'm satisfied with (currently – might change my mind in a few weeks).

Book 6 will start right away tomorrow!