“He did… what?” Chiara asked, confusion flickering across her usually composed face.
“He went swimming to the tunnel,” Ayu repeated, her voice light, almost playful.
Chiara stayed silent for a moment, processing. “What exactly did you tell him?”
“I told him about the outcrops in the middle, the spiders, and the rocky path,” Ayu said with a shrug, her tone casual.
Chiara sighed, eyes narrowing slightly. “Then why didn’t he take the rocky path? Wait… let me guess. You told him about Siddharth, about him returning in at least two, maybe three days, right? So he didn’t want to risk an encounter…” She paused, tapping her chin. “But even then, he could’ve taken the path in the morning, gotten his stage progress up, and made the swim back easier.”
“He was doing fine the last time I checked,” Ayu said with a smirk. “I’d say his chances aren’t too bad.”
Chiara raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear. “Really? So, he’s got some trick to fool the sharks using EM senses? Interesting.” Chiara's gaze sharpened on Ayu. “Let me guess. You conveniently left out the part about only one expedition being allowed in the tunnel at a time?”
Ayu grinned, not at all fazed. “He’s already a prisoner and technically not part of any faction or an official expedition. So… I’d call that a gray zone.”
“A gray zone?” Chiara chuckled. “You’re here because you think things might get messy when he comes back, aren’t you?”
Ayu gave her a playful thumbs-up, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Chiara shook her head, a grin tugging at her lips. “Shouldn’t be too much trouble. How well do you think he’ll handle the spiders? You did explain him about the fear, right?”
Ayu’s playful expression froze, and she suddenly looked like she’d been caught off guard.
“Wait… what does he know about the spiders?” Chiara’s voice was calm, but her gaze was sharp.
Ayu hesitated. “Well… he knows… there are spiders in the tunnel.”
Chiara blinked, staring at Ayu like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“What did he take with him?”
“A sword, a sling, and… some trunks.”
For a moment, Chiara kept her serious expression, then, unable to hold it in, she burst into laughter. “Okay, I shouldn’t be laughing, but seriously? He went in with that? You realize he’s probably going to die in there, right? Even if he makes it to the outcrop, without knowing how to handle the fear, and going in alone...”
Ayu shrugged, still smiling but a little sheepish. “Well… let’s say he miraculously doesn’t die. Could you be there tomorrow at seven? You know, just in case?”
Chiara gave her a long look, still amused. “You really have a lot of faith in this guy, don’t you?” She exhaled and nodded. “Alright, I’ll be there.”
"Also… if he does come back, I think it would be a good… investment to—"
"Even if he does come back, Ayu, the odds of him defeating Siddharth are zero, even with that. The only chance we have is me convincing that stubborn monk—but we both know how hard that would be," Chiara paused, studying Ayu’s expression. "But hey, they’re yours, so do whatever you want with them."
Ayu stayed silent for a moment, her gaze dropping to the ground. After a brief pause, she nodded with a small smile and turned to leave.
----------------------------------------
He could feel it. The sharp legs coming at him, brushing past his face. He could see them as if his eyes were open, as if he were watching a video in slow motion that he could fast forward or pause at will.
He saw the entire 3D model of the spider, predicting where it would strike next. So, he simply moved his body.
That feeling... He was getting there.
He still remembered that fight in the purple ring, back in the white rooms. The sensation he had felt back then—the feeling of not thinking at all. Letting his body act purely on primal instincts, instincts that had grown sharper as his mind became stronger.
Alonso knew it, even as the wind from the spider’s leg grazed his hair, mere inches from piercing his skull. He… was thinking too much. He was overcomplicating reality, forcing his brain to perform endless calculations and simulations. But… why waste time? Why force it?
It was like table tennis or badminton—there was only so much you could consciously think about in the moment. Sometimes, you had to let your body react. Train it, teach it, and then let it take over. Let your body find the optimal path in the least possible time. Let it… learn.
Another attack. It was aimed at his decoy, so it would miss him as long as he slightly tilted his head.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
He felt another wave of wind as the attack passed close to his face.
He would enhance and train his body. He would learn. He would master.
The three foundations of his new style.
The spider was invisible to his EM senses and sight, but he knew exactly where it was through everything else.
Propelling his body forward, he thrust his sword while subtly twisting his entire frame, channeling more than 80% of his body’s mass into the strike. The blade pierced the exoskeleton, killing the creature in one blow.
He crouched and picked up the orb.
> Stage 1 - 2.950%
The last one. The 49th spider had fallen.
"What's the time, Houston?"
"1:22 AM. Still more than five hours until the rocky path. We're also 1 km away from the exit."
Alonso nodded and began running the final stretch, avoiding a few spiders along the way. After that, he leaped forward, scaling the vertical path with incredible speed.
Finally, he was outside. The sky was still dark, with stars shining brightly above him.
He sat down in a meditative state.
"Wake me up at 3 AM."
"Roger."
----------------------------------------
"It's time."
Alonso slowly opened his eyes, taking in the view of the tranquil lake stretching out as far as he could see, with the Oasis barely visible in the distance.
“So, here we go, Houston. Ready for the first stage?”
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“You know, I’ve been thinking, Houston. I’ve been thinking a lot about… what you are. And it’s strange, because at first, I could identify you as just a voice inside my head—something not too far-fetched, considering what I went through: losing my humanity, suffering, killing.
I saw you as a coping mechanism. Someone to joke around with, have fun, and discuss ideas from two perspectives. But… as time went on, without me realizing it, you started changing.
You see, what happens when a mind is broken, but also evolving? I feel it. I can see how you’re evolving just like I am, but… as something separate. You stay awake when I sleep, you calculate things while I focus elsewhere. You come to conclusions, offer ideas that don’t feel like they came from me.”
“...”
“It’s like this sword. I never really thought about it until recently. Why does the sword belong to a climber and disappear with him? What’s so special about it? Sure, its edge never dulls, its shape is perfect, unbreakable, at least for now. But there’s more. The weight, Houston. Why does the sword always feel the same even when my strength is increasing? Shouldn’t it feel lighter? Which means... the sword’s weight is increasing as my stage progress does.”
“...”
“And I think it’s the same with you. Maybe an anomaly—something that happened when my mind broke while it was evolving. Because if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that our evolution is centered around the mind, even though the body gets enhanced too. The real growth is in the mind, and that’s where the test lies in this world. That means any small change in the brain could have huge ramifications.
And now, I feel it with you, Houston. You’re another me. A different version of myself—dependent, but growing independently. An anomaly. So, Houston, tell me... what do you desire? Because... I don’t know.”
“... Aren’t you afraid? Afraid of what might happen if you acknowledge me as something more?”
“I am. I’m afraid of losing myself, of waking up one day and finding I’m inside the body of a young man named Houston. Of course I am. But… at the same time, I’m glad. I’m glad I have you. Because, Houston, I know you. You’ve always been there. I know you, and because I know you… I don’t fear you anymore.”
Alonso heard a familiar chuckle in his mind. “Well, don’t come crying to me later, boy.”
Alonso smiled.
“Shall we start then?”
image [https://i.imgur.com/EPU265m.png]
September 3, 2024 - ?
Climber Siddharth Kumar, ID 1191352, Potential: Red (90% confidence, low data gaps)
Climber Alonso Shemson, ID 3129132, Potential: Orange (60% confidence, significant data uncertainty)
Current predictions: 99.7% – Alonso’s death
“Expand on that 0.3%,” a voice, calm and heavy, broke through the stillness.
Climber's potential remains unclear, the screen responded, its tone indifferent, methodical. Available data is insufficient to make an accurate assessment.
"But why the 0.3%?" the voice pressed, its owner leaning in closer, eyes fixed on the shifting projections, as if willing an answer from the cold glow of the display.
There is a possibility, albeit extremely low, that Climber Alonso’s style could alter significantly or reveal an unknown factor previously unaccounted for. However, the likelihood of this being sufficient to overcome Climber Siddharth remains statistically less than 1 in 300.
The old man exhaled quietly, his weathered fingers tightening on the armrest of his chair.
“Let Madeleine know I want her in Melbourne within the next 24 hours.”