Now clad in the 'Veil of the Fading Whisper'. The 'Whisper of Rot' resting at my side.
I turned to face the exit. Only stars. A few faint clouds. I slowly walked towards the gates of my freedom feeling the icy wind on my pale features.
Wherever this was… it was high. Cold. Bleak. Before I knew it, the metallic corridor came to an end and for the first time I could truly see the world in its grandeur for myself.
My assumptions were correct. I was on top of an impossibly tall mountain, on a jagged, snow-capped peak, the rocky cliffs blanketed in layers of snow. The rocks were a dark grey, almost black in colour; it was unnatural how dark the landscape was. As if it had been sapped of life or corrupted. I looked further below and there was a sight which made my skin crawl…
A blood red forest. Not autumn. Not beauty. Rot. The trees were a malevolent red, Each branch—twisted. Contorted. Splayed in every direction. Uncaring. Indiscriminate. They writhed—like they wanted to move. To reach. But they didn't. I couldn't make out any more details, I was so far away but I knew this…
That place is…
Wrong
Twisted
Alive
Waiting
Dangerous.
Cold air filled my lungs. I steadied myself. That hellish topography was hundreds, no, thousands of kilometers away. I don't think I'll be going there anytime soon. As I thought that I wouldn't have to go to that place— I saw something…
A light, no wait— It was a conglomerate of lights. Far off into the distance, beyond the blood forest. Lights.
'Other p-people'
The thought hadn't crossed my mind. Meeting others in this unfamiliar world. My conscience was screaming at me that people are dangerous I shouldn't trust anyone. I agreed with it mentally but— I had no other choice.
Even though this was the real world, I knew nothing about it; what this game-like system is or anything. It was as if I was born again; forced to learn everything from scratch all alone. And if I wanted to survive…
That light was my one and only salvation.
But it was far, further than the twisted forest. I knew one thing. The next few weeks of my life are going to be hell on earth. I was dead set on travelling over what looked like 4000 kilometers or more (approx 2500 miles in American).
I had no choice.
It was do or die.
Freeze.
Starve.
Or worse.
Cautiously, I took my first step. Leaving the confines of my personal prison I was free. The air was understandably thin due to the altitude; yet it didn't affect me. Maybe because of how long I was in the simulation; I became resistant against altitude sickness. Continuing to move forward, I moved past the jagged— ebony clusters of rock. Each cluster was malformed, lifeless.
The most unnerving thing was that although I was on a high peak— there was no sound. Apart from my very own breathing and the sound of crunching snow with every step I took; it was dead silent. Not a single sound, not even the wind was loud enough to produce sound.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
'I'm just being paranoid,' I told myself.
My descent had commenced. My long. Perilous. Journey to civilization. The descent had started off quite easy. I thought that this wouldn't be that bad of a trek. I was in for a rude awakening. Before I knew it, I hit the brutal shift between summit and slope.
The gentle downhill walk had transmuted into a terrifying, tiring steep climb down. Gripping onto each ledge and rock, I descended. Each movement— careful. Strained. Calculated. a single mistake would cost my life. The life I'd only just taken back.
My forearms— sore. Bones— creaking. Lungs— burning. I had no other choice. I had underestimated how monstrous this mountain was. Whatever amount of distance I had descended— not even a dent in how far I needed to go.
"Fuck me, this is going to take weeks."
My raspy voice groaned whilst I rested on a small ledge. I sat on a jagged fragment of cold— black rock. I stared off into the distance. My tired eyes locked on the prize. That light—my lighthouse. In this estranged land, it was all I had. To be honest, everything was so strange. I didn't even know if I was still on Earth. I hoped I was still on Earth. Or somewhere where humans weren't prey.
Frankly— I was exhausted. My fingers throbbed. Felt like they were going to rip off. I had truly undermined the journey but I wasn't going to give up. Not at all. As my breath fogged in the air, I let my curiosity take the better of me. I wanted to know what this 'Veilbreaker' is, and what 'rank: Neo' meant.
'Since this is a lot like a system web novel, if I say system, something should pop up' I mused in my mind.
"Cough cough— Status." I said with a forced deep voice. Why did I do that, it's not a fucking girl to impress, I doubt it could give a shit how my voice sounds damn I'm retarded.
Ping…
My assumption was correct, I'm a genius. Before my eyes a holographic— black tablet materialised in front of my eyes. With the usual titanium white text. I had already gotten used to this visual. I don't know if I should be concerned about that, but I didn't care. I looked at this screen carefully. This screen had my stats. After I read it…
────────────────────────────────────────────
⟢ SYSTEM INTERFACE ⟣
[ VEILBREAKER STATUS ]
────────────────────────────────────────────
» NAME: Kerrigan
» BLESSED TITLE: Veilbreaker
» RANK: Neo (10,000 XP to Rising Rank)
» AFFINITY: None
═════════ STATS ═════════
▪ Strength: 3 [+2]
▪ Agility: 18
▪ Intelligence: 7
▪ Mana: 15,000 MP
▪ Sense: 15 [+3]
▪ Vitality: 20 [+5]
═════════ SKILLS ═════════
[ Slot 1 ]: Choose Skill
[ Slot 2 ]: Unlocks at Rising Rank
[ Slot 3 ]: Unlocks at Eminence Rank
[ Slot 4 ]: Find Skillbook
[ Slot 5 ]: Find Skillbook
═════════ EQUIPPED ITEMS ═════════
Whisper of Rot
> +2 Strength
> When infused with mana, coats the blade with poison.
Targets decay over time on hit.
Veil of the Fading Whisper
> +5 Vitality, +3 Sense
> When infused with mana, negates all sound from the wearer.
Silent as the grave.
────────────────────────────────────────────
I genuinely wanted to crash out.
This 'system', this motherfucking 'system' described me as a fucking cockroach. 3 STRENGTH! I beg your dearest pardon, I'm not that weak (Author's note: He's coping). Why don't I have an affinity, I can't use magic, that's some bullshit. Why on earth do I have 15000 MP when I can't even use it, no wait, it's probably for those skills.
That's beside the point, why do I have the perfect stats to be called a cockroach, high health, high agility and sense, shit strength. No— wait a minute, I understand now. I'm not a cockroach. I'm… I'm a tactical escape artist. Yeah. Totally different. (Author's note: He's coping hard).
My mood was lifted when I read the descriptions for the 'Whisper of Rot' and the 'Veil of the Fading Whisper'. These were seriously good. A poison coated blade that causes decay; a ninja suit which makes me a stealth master, sign me up! I then wondered, why did the Benefactor leave me items this good. What was their angle. Their aim. Because I knew one thing, whoever they were; they wanted me to live. Why? I have no idea.
After coming to terms with my unfortunate reality, my eyes locked in on the skill tab— more specifically '[ { SLOT 1 } CHOOSE SKILL ]'. With an eyebrow raised in curiosity, I clicked on that option. The white text tranmutated on the onyx tablet forming a new page. This page was dedicated to skills. It had 3 options for me to choose from.
────────────────────────────────────────────
⟢ SKILL SLOT UNLOCKED ⟣
[ SLOT 1 — CHOOSE ONE ]
────────────────────────────────────────────
[ OPTION 1 ] ◈ Appraisal Eye
❝ The eye sees gold...
but cannot blink away the rot beneath it. ❞
› Grants the user the ability to perceive value with unnatural clarity.
› In its base form, items of worth shimmer faintly in the user's vision—
as if stained by greed itself.
[ OPTION 2 ] ◈ Hyperdrive
❝ To move faster than fear
is to outrun your own soul. ❞
› Grants the user brief bursts of supersonic speed.
› Movement becomes a blur, rending air and twisting perception.
› Can cause strain or bodily harm if used recklessly.
[ OPTION 3 ] ◈ Hunter's Intuition
❝ You follow the trail so well...
you never notice when you become it. ❞
› Temporarily awakens primal senses buried beneath civility.
› The world turns monochrome—distractions vanish.
› Scents curl like smoke. Footprints burn like coals.
Blood sings in pulses.
────────────────────────────────────────────
CHOOSE WISELY — THE FIRST SKILL BINDS
────────────────────────────────────────────
My eyes momentarily widened as I observed my skills— they all were useful in their own way. 'OPTION 1' was completely useless for my goals as it's mainly for human magpies. 'OPTION 2' was far more useful for my goals— the increase in speed would allow me to kill before the victim even knew what happened. 'OPTION 3' was equally useful as it would help me track my prey— human, animal or monster— effectively.
Sitting there on the ledge— observing the onyx tablet, I contemplated which skill I was going to pick. After 5 minutes of focused thinking— I found what would be my first skill. My finger— without a moment of hesitation— travelled deftly selected my choice.
Ping…
────────────────────────────────────────────
◈ SKILL ACQUIRED: HYPERDRIVE ◈
────────────────────────────────────────────
[ YOU HAVE CHOSEN — OPTION 2 ]
[ { SLOT 1 } → HYPERDRIVE ]
› Assimilating skill with Awakener…
› Synchronizing neural pathways…
› Warning: Physical strain threshold may be exceeded.
› Initialization complete.
❝ To move faster than fear
is to outrun your own soul. ❞
────────────────────────────────────────────
— VEILBREAKER: FIRST STEP TAKEN —
────────────────────────────────────────────
Vuamm…
Instantaneously, a rush of energy flooded my core and spread throughout the body. As quick as it came— it disappeared. I had picked 'OPTION 2', the skill 'HYPERDRIVE'. Why did I choose this skill? Simple. My stats were already geared towards a movement archetype— my agility stat being 18. It made sense to pick a skill which complimented that. Oh no… I just basically agreed with the system's judgement of me being a cockroach. FUCK!
"Hahh…" I sighed.
The tablet before me transformed back into the usual status screen. I only had one more thing to check. What is this 'Veilbreaker' Title I've been 'bestowed by the primordials'. I then clicked on the text: '[ { BLESSED TITLE } VEILBREAKER ]' — the onyx black table once again changed; now solely dedicated to the blessed title— more specifically what it is.
________________________________________
[ { BLESSED TITLE } VEILBREAKER ]
[ { WHAT IS A BLESSED TITLE ? } THOSE WHO CARVE MIRACLES INTO THE FABRIC OF FATE EARN THE GAZE OF THE PRIMORDIALS. IN SILENT JUDGMENT, THEY BESTOW THEIR BLESSING— A FRAGMENT OF ANCIENT POWER THAT SETS THE BEARER ABOVE ALL AWAKENED. ]
( TO BE SEEN BY THE FIRST IS TO WALK APART FROM MEN. )
________________________________________
My eyes widened in shock at what a Blessed Title truly was. To accomplish a feat that no one else has done. 'Hehe…' I thought. I found it quite comical that escaping my digital prison was notable enough to gain the attention of these 'Primordials'. The tablet then transformed once again to what I wanted to see. What I wanted to truly know. The question which plagued my mind: 'What was Veilbreaker?'.
────────────────────────────────────────────
◈ TITLE: VEILBREAKER ◈
────────────────────────────────────────────
[ { VEILBREAKER } ]
A TITLE THAT GROWS WITH ITS BEARER.
SHATTERS ILLUSIONS, SPOKEN LIES, AND HIDDEN DECEPTIONS.
THE STRONGER THE SOUL, THE GREATER THE FALSEHOOD THEY MAY UNMAKE.
[ { BANE } — MASK OF THE FOOL ]
A CURSE BORN FROM SHATTERED LIES.
OVERUSING VEILBREAKER WEAVES A MASK UPON THE BEARER.
FOR A TIME, ALL TRUTHS THEY SPEAK ARE SEEN AS LIES.
❝ TRUTH ANSWERS ONLY TO THOSE
WHO DARE TEAR THE VEIL. ❞
────────────────────────────────────────────
— VEILBREAKER —
────────────────────────────────────────────
[ { TYPE OF TITLE } GROWTH ]
[ { GROWTH STAGE } NOVICE ]
⟡ ABILITIES ⟡
[ { WHISPERS OF VERITY } — PASSIVE ]
A VOICE MURMURS *"LIE"* WHEN FALSEHOODS ARE SPOKEN NEARBY.
ONLY THE BEARER HEARS IT.
STRONGER LIES DISTORT THE WHISPER.
[ { REVEAL THY SIN } — ACTIVE / INCANTATION ]
SPEAK THE PHRASE TO UNRAVEL AN ILLUSION OR DISGUISE WITHIN SIGHT.
WEAKER GLAMOURS SHATTER INSTANTLY.
STRONGER ONES MAY RESIST.
────────────────────────────────────────────
✦ TO ADVANCE TO ADEPT STAGE ✦
────────────────────────────────────────────
› [ ILLUSIONS SHATTERED ] — 10,000
› [ WHISPERS HEARD ] — 10,000
› [ LIE UNDERSTANDING ] — BASIC COMPREHENSION OF DECEIT
────────────────────────────────────────────
As I read through each line of white text— saying mindblowing was a fucking understatement. I was essentially immune to deceit— to a certain level. My excitement grew when I realised it was a growth type. This meant I'd be getting more abilities in the future. I would essentially win every game of poker I play with this. Especially with the Title's drawback.Okay getting back on track.
"Close system"
The onyx tablet in front of me disintegrates into nothingness. I stand up and stretch my sore legs, forearms and back. It was time to continue my descent down this monstrous peak. I made sure everything was ready and set. I took out a nutrient cube from my black storage ring; chucked it in my mouth for some energy. You know one cube has 2200 calories, I only need to eat once a day! I also drank some water from the spatial water bottle. After putting the bottle back in the storage ring and—.
KKhhr… Khha… khhharrrr…
'What the fuck was that!'
A cacophony of what sounded like croaks rang out. It was coming below me. My blood turned to ice. The sound was guttural— deliberate; as if trying to get my attention. It did that part right. My heart slowly began to race as the croaking became louder— more insistent— more screeching.
KKHHR… KHHA… KHHHARRRR… KKHHR… KHHA… KHHHARRRR…
'What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck'
My mind was in shambles. That sound—whatever made it—I didn't want to see it. I didn't want it to see me. Instinctively I crouched down— trying to protect myself; simultaneously I unsheathed the Whisper of Rot— holding it with a vice grip in my right hand. I calmed my breaths and slowly injected my mana into the blade. The blade slowly produced blotches of black— which grew larger and larger. Coating the silver blade in an all-consuming blackness. The process was stunning but I couldn't get distracted. Something was trying to lure me out.
KKHHR… KHHA… KHHHARRRR… KKHHR… KHHA… KHHHARRRR…
It's croaking became more like a banshee.
Movement.
I heard shuffling below me. It was moving— very fucking fast. My knuckles went white from how hard I was gripping the Whisper of Rot— almost painful.
Silence…
I didn't hear anything for a while. I didn't trust this false sense of security that was seemingly offered to me. It couldn't have just decided to go away. It knew of my presence, it was trying to make me go to it. It was toying with me— its prey. I held my breath— seconds felt like hours.
'I do NOT plan on dying today nada I have too much to accomplish'
I heard it again. Shuffling but something was different.
It was more audible.
More clear.
It sounded closer.
Then I felt it.
Five blade-like fingers wrapped around my left forearm. Their touch was cold— even through the fabric of the Veil of the Fading Whisper. My heart stopped. My eyes dilated in fear. My breaths ceased. Danger signals blaring in my skull. It's grip tightened piercing through the fabric— then my skin— then my flesh.
Kkhhr… khha… khhharrrr…
It was behind me.