“Hera?” I muttered.

“Yes, it is I. You should be grateful that I’m granting you assistance from the System, since I’m not allowed to meddle in human affairs.”

“You gain enjoyment while I gain triumph. Tell me how to win.”

She chuckled.

“Quite a feisty one, huh?” She said before continuing. “Do you remember that odd feeling last time we talked? When I was in your head?”

“Yes.”

“That’s because of a substance called ‘Magicules’. They’re what keeps the world from imploding on itself, and everyone has some level of magicules in their body, but only the talented ones that manipulate them for their own benefit.” She explained matter of factly.

Magicules...

Magicules depended on your level of magic in RealmQuest. A higher level would result in a higher concentration of magicules, allowing a player to use more complicated spells more frequently.

Body strenghtening was one of the many spells that the player was able to cast.

“And how do I do that?” I asked.

“Do I have to explain everything to you?” She sighed.

"You are able to command those minuscule threads of magic by recollecting that sensation in your subconscious and channeling them into a specific focal point, where you will have to visualize some type of barrier, for it to work.” Remember the feeling, and move them throughout my body by using my mind...

I tried to absorb her instructions. It seemed like a monumental task, but I was willing to learn whatever it took to harness this mysterious power.

Though there was one problem: I couldn’t get a grasp on the magicules.

Or rather, I couldn’t feel them.

“Hurry up. You have one minute before I let time resume again.” She said, her voice condescending.

“Wait, hold up, I can’t learn it that-”

“Oh, right. I forgot to mention, but failure to use body strenghtening will result in your death. You’re not the only one who can use magic~”

That little...

[ The one minute countdown has begun! ]

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Time stood still, the world frozen in a moment of suspended animation. I could feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead as panic threatened to consume me. A minute wasn't nearly enough time to grasp this newfound power, let alone put it into practice.

Hera's voice echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of the impending deadline. "Tick-tock, my dear. The clock is ticking."

I closed my eyes, desperately trying to recall that elusive sensation she spoke of. Magicules, those minuscule threads of magic, remained hidden from my perception. It was like grasping at smoke, slipping through my mental fingers.

In my mind's eye, I envisioned a barrier, a translucent shield that I willed into existence. But without the magicules, it was an empty gesture.

I took a deep breath, and tried to regain my internal locus of control.

"Focus," I muttered to myself, beads of frustration mixing with my sweat. "Concentrate."

I scoured the depths of my consciousness, seeking that faint resonance, that elusive connection to the magical threads that coursed through the world. With each passing second, my desperation grew, and my heart pounded in my chest.

Then, like a dim light flickering to life in the darkness, I felt it—a subtle tingle, a whisper of power. It was as if I had touched the very essence of magic, a connection that had eluded me until now.

I summoned every ounce of focus, directing the newfound magicules toward the mental barrier I had created, to finally materialize it.

The translucent shield in my mind began to shimmer ever so slightly with a faint, ethereal glow.

Then, a split second later, time had resumed from its stationary phase, and Kyle’s hand, like a guided missile, came down to deliver a devastating punch.

... And though I was knocked back some feet, I barely felt anything.

I looked at Kyle’s face, his of confusion and doubt about his own strength evident to everyone.

Though I had no time to relish in this moment, as I had a fight to finish.

Although his speed and reaction time were fast, mine were even faster.

I channeled whatever magicules I was able to muster and focused them towards the shin of my right leg as I closed in the distance.

Hera had hinted that he might be using magic in this fight as well, though I had my doubts.

Kyle’s the guy who’d want to end a fight as quickly as possible.

That meant that he was subconsciously using magic.

In other words, he can’t set up a barrier or enhance his attacks through will alone.

Swirling like the wind, I was able to narrowly dodge whatever he threw unto me.

This time I was in the offensive.

This time I was in control.

With one swift motion I raised my right leg up, and like an axe I brought it down with all its fury towards his thigh.

“Ah, fuck!” His powerful thigh had been rendered effectively useless, a sharp pain coursing through his leg no doubt. The sheer force of the blow broke his posture for a single, crucial moment.

I swiftly planted my foot on the ground and shifted into an upright stance. Time was a luxury I couldn't afford in this high-stakes moment.

Focusing my inner strength, I began channeling every available magicule into my left fist, infusing it with explosive power.

My knuckles crackled with potential energy as I pulled my fist back, readying it for a devastating strike.

With calculated precision, I launched my charged fist forward. Kyle, although somewhat defensively prepared, couldn't anticipate the sheer force I unleashed. My fist pierced through his defenses like a battering ram, connecting with the vulnerable target of his throat.

A guttural, agonized noise escaped his lips, echoing the impact of my blow.

He was sent hurtling backward through the air, his massive frame propelled like a rag doll. As he crashed to the ground, he folded in on himself with a violent force, resembling a collapsing tower struck by an unstoppable force.

Silence ensued in the next moments, only broken my Kyle’s occasional attempts for cries for help.