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Fly-Chi
Chapter 20

Chapter 20

John was dissolving into the void, feeling a profound sense of betrayal. His proposal had been straightforward, and despite my arrogance, I emerged victorious only to be deceived. I anticipated another cheat code, but it was not to be. In this avaricious dungeon, John vocally lamented his unjust fate when silence would have been wiser. Yet, he never grasped that lesson in life. Suddenly, an overpowering force enveloped him. John's consciousness faded. The dungeon, for the first time, experienced fear. A presence far mightier than itself whisked John away during the transfer to the designated floor. The dungeon was irked by John's success, but not entirely. It had a peculiar fondness for what John termed 'music.'

John drifted in the emptiness of the void when he suddenly awoke. Before him floated a creature that shimmered like the night sky. John, taken aback, stammered, "Are you the dungeon?" Apologetically, he added, "I was just venting, but being alive is a victory in itself. Let's pretend I never entered the dungeon, my apologies." The starry being chuckled, "I am not some mere dungeon. You've tapped into a magic that is uniquely mine, and now I'm curious about your perception of time. Your answer could very well grant you an immense boon."

Time is often depicted as a linear progression, but this representation may not fully capture its nature. Time is relative, meaning that it can vary depending on one's location in space, typically determined by three coordinates: altitude, longitude, and latitude. If time is indeed relative, it might also necessitate triangulation for accurate measurement. On a clock face, where three points are marked, we could be at the position of the second hand. Observing the clock, numbers directly across from each other always subtract to six, possibly because this represents the necessary six points for locating oneself in space-time: three for time and three for space. Applying this to space-time with a base measurement of 60, we get 60 hours as a day, 60 days as a month, and 60 months as a year. This is because time is relative to the space one occupies. This standard applies within a system orbiting a star, but beyond that, in the expanding edge of the unknown, time measures expansion at a set rate. Time does not travel in a straight line but spirals outward. Three points in space rotate just as the hands of a clock do. Therefore, knowing one's precise time and space could allow predictions of the universe's position during expansion using relative measurements. Thus, time could be seen as a measure of growth or the expansion of knowledge. John looked up at the star man and asked am I correct?" the man only laughs "only time will tell." then john mind went blank.

John's entire body ached, and he was seething with anger. "What the heck," he shouted in frustration. "I've been duped twice; I did as I was told and got nothing in return. What's with that lousy joke, 'Time will tell'? I thought he was 'Time,' but he told me nothing. Fantastic, so what's next? They say good things come in threes. Who's going to deceive me next? After I complete some ridiculous tasks, then bam—betrayed." Sometimes, John really needs to learn when to remain silent.

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The sound of clearing thoughts echoed in John's ears. "Crap," he muttered, the first to break the silence. His vision, blurry at first, gradually sharpened until he could see her—a girl with long, straight white hair cascading down nearly to the ground. Her eyes were a stark grey, a shade John instinctively wanted to call 'death grey,' sending a shiver down his spine. There was something unsettling about her. "Hello, I'm Seraphina," she introduced herself, extending her hand. But before John could respond, a message appeared: "World Achievement Unlocked - 'Tested Time After Time'. Reward: Unknown. It's not time yet. Special Item Storage Space: 10 slots. Note: Accessible via stat sheet. Items stored will not be affected by time." As the stat sheet unlocked, John felt an overwhelming surge of power flood his body and spirit. Max's voice resonated in his mind, "John, your stat sheet can't display your stats; they're showing as question marks. I've been speaking with the dungeon, and it's willing to assist, but with your new storage space, it can't make the correction since it was instructed not to tamper with your information."

"John, this may hurt, I'm sorry," Max's voice echoed in John's mind. Before John could voice his protest, a searing pain erupted not in his mouth, but on his tongue. It was transforming into silver. "John, you've gained the title of Silver Tongue," Max continued. This title bestows upon you an enhanced influence over all creatures you converse with. Should they be undead or dark creatures vulnerable to silver, your words will inflict quintuple damage. Moreover, if they are of the opposite sex, the damage you deal will be tenfold. This isn't physical harm, but a mental assault that weakens your opponent's mental defenses.

John blinked as a hand reached out to him. "Sorry, I was just going over my stats, and it's quite exasperating. Oh, I'm John," he introduced himself, offering his hand. When Seraphina heard his voice, her knees almost gave way. Had she not been of a much higher level, she might have been alarmed. John, noticing her expression change at the sound of his voice, had the impulse to facepalm. It felt like an undue advantage. This wasn't the cheat code he meant to activate. Darn, even though he was attracted to her, this felt incredibly inappropriate. John grappled with the effects of his compelling voice. It looked like he would have to keep quiet. Then, a sharp pain shot through his left hand. Glancing down, he noticed the number ten seared into his skin, yet curiously, he was clad in silver while everyone else wore black. John was still holding her hand john looked up and she was staring at john and spoke "what are you?"