The Fruit of Ascension sat on the table, its unblemished skin making everything around it look surreal and out of place. The hands of the three in the booth itched to snatch it, to devour it whole. Yet, everyone simply stared at what looked like — If one ignored the deep instinctual desire for it— a simple yet perfect apple.
"Half and half, that was our deal," Milly sternly said, a blade of perfect steel materializing in her hand.
Giuliano nodded, his eyes fixed on the Fruit. "Exactly. Cut my half in half."
Milly arched an eyebrow but complied, her blade slicing through the fruit with a single, clean stroke before carefully handing the first half to Giuliano, who immediately turned to Zac. "Here," Giuliano said, his voice firm as he handed one of his pieces to Zac.
Zac's eyes widened in surprise. "G, I…"
"Just take it," Giuliano interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We’re in this together."
Zac took the piece, his fingers trembling slightly. He glanced up at Giuliano, a mix of gratitude and determination in his eyes. "Thanks, G. I won't let you down."
You better not, Giuliano's inner voice sneered, the words laced with a domineering tone that brought a wave of disgust and anger crashing over him. I'm just you. You thought of this.
Giuliano's stomach churned, the familiar self-loathing bubbling up as he forced a curt nod, trying to push the voice away before turning his attention back to Milly, who was observing the exchange with a thoughtful expression.
"Fair is fair," she said, offering the other half to Giuliano. "Let's hope it’s worth it."
Giuliano accepted the piece, "It better be," he replied, his voice filled with resolve.
The Fruit of Ascension resembled an apple so perfect that the world around itself looked dirty in comparison. It was as if the cosmos should change itself to better accommodate such an existence.
Why can't I see Ether? Giuliano pondered, his vision was modified by [Etheric Blood], allowing him to see the blueprint of the new world, yet the fruit lacked any Ether lines or the grayness that covered most things in his vision. Giuliano still saw just a perfect apple, colors and all.
It’s weightless, Milly thought as she lifted her full half of the fruit. It has no smell, she noted, sniffing it cautiously.
It's rather bland, Zac thought as he lightly licked the fruit's skin.
With a shared glance, Giuliano, Zac, and Milly each brought their pieces of the Fruit to their lips. The moment the juices touched their tongues, a flood of sensations overwhelmed them. It tasted like everything good they had ever experienced amplified a thousand-fold. It was as if the essence of every delightful taste had been distilled into a single, perfect moment.
For a brief second, they savored the extraordinary taste, looking at each other with a mix of awe and satisfaction. Then, the warmth spread from their mouths through their bodies, an intense heat that seemed to ignite their very cores.
"Is it just me, or is it getting really hot in here?" Zac asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"No, it's definitely getting hotter," Milly said, wiping her brow.
Giuliano felt the heat rising within him, a fierce, all-consuming fire. "Hold on," he said, trying to steady himself. "Something’s happening." The heat became unbearable as dark and oily sweat cascaded down their bodies, "What’s this black stuff?"
The oily sweat soon became black gunk seeping out of their pores, sizzling as it touched the air, and eating at the fabric of what remained of their clothes.
"It’s... it's coming out of us!" Milly exclaimed, her voice filled with both fear and amazement.
The room's effects kicked in, forcibly cleaning the air and their bodies of the corrosive substance. The stench was overwhelming, a potent mix of a thousand types of smoke, industrial cleaning products, and a million other tiny smells that couldn't be pinpointed. The gunk hissed as it evaporated, leaving their skin feeling raw and exposed.
The fruit effects escalated, their bodies convulsed in unison, every muscle sent in overdrive. Giuliano’s reaction was the most violent. His body spasmed uncontrollably as dark red blood gushed out of his throat, growing clearer and more pristine with each heave. The pain was excruciating as if his very essence was being torn apart and remade.
Ability [Etheric Blood] is being enhanced.
The torment peaked as Giuliano's body expelled the last of the black gunk and a wave of crystal clear blood pooled beneath him. He collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.
Etheric blood
Let the essence of Ether flow within, enabling the discernment of hidden mysteries. Allows finer Ether control.
Giuliano lay there, his body still trembling slightly from the ordeal, his vision sharper than ever before, now seeing the intricate weave of Ether in the air, the patterns and currents that had been hidden from him until now.
Zac was gasping for breath beside him while equally stunned, his eyes wide with the new sensations coursing through his body. "G... are you okay?" he asked, his voice a little shaky as he saw the last remnants of blood and gunk disappearing from the floor.
Am I? Giuliano nodded slowly, still processing the transformation. "I think I am," he said, his voice hoarse.
For a moment, the room was silent, each of them lost in their thoughts and sensations. They marveled at the newfound clarity and power coursing through their bodies, the remnants of the Fruit of Ascension still lingering on their tongues.
The air felt different, richer, almost alive.
"It's like... I don't even know." Zac murmured, still absorbing the new sensations.
Milly was equally engrossed, her hands tracing patterns over her skin as if discovering it for the first time. "This is unlike anything I've ever experienced," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.
The silence stretched on, a shared moment of awe and introspection. Then Zac's eyes flicked downward, and a deep blush spread across his cheeks.
"G... we're naked!" Zac stammered, his voice rising in pitch.
Giuliano glanced at himself, then at Zac, taking in his flustered state, "Looks like it."
Zac's eyes were wide, his face a mix of embarrassment and confusion, "Seriously, G, we're just standing here naked!"
Giuliano met Zac's gaze, his expression calm and unbothered before replying, "So we are," in an even voice.
Zac stared at him, incredulous. "Just skin? You’re not even a little embarrassed?"
Giuliano shook his head, a faint smile on his lips, "No, Zac. It’s just skin."
Milly, still focused on the changes in her body, barely registered their lack of clothing. Her fists clenched and unclenched, she stretched her legs and back, feeling every inch of her altered self.
Zac fidgeted his fingers, trying to keep his manliness covered with his hands, "But... what about clothes?"
Giuliano turned to Milly, "Can you materialize some clothes for us?"
Milly paused, thinking for a moment before reaching out with her mind, willing the room to respond to her needs. Almost immediately, the room reacted, fabric shimmering into existence and draping itself over them.
"Seems like the room can do it," Milly said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she adjusted her new attire.
Zac let out a sigh of relief, quickly donning his clothes. "Thanks, Milly. I feel a lot better now."
Giuliano finished dressing and looked around at his companions. "We did it," he said, a note of triumph in his voice.
Silence filled the room as everyone focused on their bodies, marveling at the changes. The quiet was filled with only the sound of their steadying breaths.
Zac was the one to break the silence, "Hey, Milly, we should team up for some quests."
Milly instantly shook her head, "I appreciate the offer, Zac. But I want to stay alone for now, you know," She said with a friendly smile, "Would like to first know how all this works before start teaming up for real."
Zac looked disappointed but nodded in understanding, "Alright, I get it. But if you ever change your mind, just scream over in the hub, and if we hear you, we can help."
Giuliano remained silent, feeling a wave of relief wash over him with her denial. Glad that Milly was firm in her position. He liked her independence and respected her choice to stay solo.
Fewer people equals fewer complications and variables, Giuliano's inner voice started, And easier to abandon if needed.
Night Time Alert.
Transportation to assigned rooms in 10 minutes.
Zac glanced around, the reality of their situation settling back in. "Looks like this is our time."
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Giuliano nodded, his mind already shifting to the next steps, "We need to rest."
Milly gave a brief nod, "Good luck, both of you. Stay safe."
"You too," Giuliano replied, his voice sincere.
The room began to shimmer as the countdown continued, signaling their imminent transportation.
As the shimmering intensified, Giuliano exchanged one last look with Zac, "Quest Hub early on?"
Zac smiled, a mix of excitement and determination in his eyes, "Absolutely."
With that, they were transported to their assigned rooms.
***
The next morning, the auction was gone, replaced once more by the stadium. But this time the murmurs and movement weren’t happening inside it, but around it. Shouting matches erupted, and several fights began to break out as soon as people manifested back in the hub.
"You think you deserved that item more than me?" a burly man shouted, his fists clenched as he advanced on a smaller, wiry figure.
"I bid fair and square, Jonas! Just because you lost doesn’t mean you can bully me!" the smaller man retorted, his voice shaking but defiant.
Nearby, a woman with fiery red hair squared off against a tall, muscular man. "You cheated, Ren!" she accused, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Get over yourself, Lisa," Ren replied coolly. "If you can't handle losing, maybe you shouldn't be here."
Another argument broke out between two young men. "You knew I needed those pills, Mark! Why did you outbid me?" one of them yelled, his face flushed with anger.
"Needed them? We're all in the same boat, Chris," Mark shot back. "Just because you want something doesn’t mean you get it without a fight."
A woman with long dark hair intervened in another dispute. "This isn't helping anyone!" she shouted, trying to break up a fight between two others.
Meanwhile, Giuliano and Zac watched from a distance, away from the chaos. Giuliano shook his head, "This is exactly what I meant, Zac. If we had openly gotten that fruit, people would hate our guts even more."
Zac nodded, looking troubled. "Yeah, I see it now. But why is everyone so on edge?"
Giuliano sighed, thinking for a moment. "It's a combination of things. Almost dying, not knowing what's happening, the sheer stress of this situation. People are looking for a way to vent their frustration and fear. They need an outlet, and unfortunately, this is how it’s manifesting."
Zac frowned, "It's like they're all just... snapping?"
"Exactly," Giuliano agreed. "They can't process everything that's going on. It’s too much, too fast. This whole situation is designed to push us to our limits, to see who cracks under the pressure."
Zac looked around at the fighting and shouting, a deep worry settling in his gut. "So what do we do?"
"We keep our heads down and focus on what we can control," Giuliano said firmly. "We need to stay strong, stay smart, and not get dragged into these pointless conflicts."
Zac nodded, his face hardening with determination, "Right. We need to stay focused."
"Let's start by looking for a good quest, then buying some things. You still have your points, right?"
"Yes, all 30 of them," Zac sheepishly said.
His words halted Giuliano, "What do you mean with, 'all 30'?"
"Before finding you today, I got really excited and went to buy something to drink. You know? To commemorate our victory yesterday," Zac nervously said.
Looking Zac up and down, Giuliano found a glaring lack of drinks, "What do you mean?"
Zac sighed, looking embarrassed while rubbing his neck. "After I bought a barrel of honey ale, I got a notification that it was sent to my room."
Giuliano stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. "Alright, he's not a dumb dumb, just a dumb," he muttered under his breath.
Zac chuckled nervously. "I thought it would be a nice surprise."
Giuliano sighed but couldn't help but let his lips curl upwards, "Let's just find a quest and get to work."
As they made their way to the quest hub, they noticed groups of people already forming, those without grudges coming together to find common goals. The 'Quest Hub' was just the large runic circle where people manifested. People stopped manifesting the day before the auction, and now floating screens showcasing various quests floated around.
A few people were already there, examining the quests and discussing strategies. Giuliano and Zac approached, watching as one group pulled down a quest screen.
Collect 12 Flame Orchids
Difficulty
Medium
Time Limit
6 days
Ambient
Volcanic Field
Rewards
15 Survivor Points and Fire Resistance Potion
Another group excitedly grabbed another quest.
Kill a Crystal Drake
Difficulty
Very Hard
Time Limit
15 days
Ambient
Mountain Field
Rewards
100 Survivor Points and Crystal Essence Pill
Giuliano's eyes scanned the screens, looking for something suitable, while Zac, on the other hand, seemed drawn to the more challenging quests.
"Hey, look at this one," Zac said, pointing to a screen, his eyes burning with greed, "Subdue and capture a Vine Wyvern. Worth a lot of points."
Giuliano shook his head. "We have no clue what that is. We should go slow and steady, take one of the gathering quests to start."
Zac leaned in, trying to persuade him. "But G, think about it. If we pull off something big like this, we'll be way ahead. We have the fruit's power now. We could handle it."
Giuliano crossed his arms, keeping a firm expression. "We might have more power, but we still don’t know how to use it, much less about the world out there. We need to be smart, not reckless."
Zac sighed, frustration clear on his face. "Alright, but we need something more than just easy stuff."
Giuliano touched a screen, bringing up another quest.
Collect 18 Frozen Lillies
Difficulty
Easy
Time Limit
4 days
Ambient
Frozen Lake
Rewards
5 Survivor Points
"This one," Giuliano said, pointing to the Frozen Lilies quest. "It’s simple, straightforward, and we can get a feel for the environment without too much risk."
Zac looked at the screen, still not entirely convinced. "I guess it's a start," he said reluctantly.
Giuliano confirmed the quest, and a system screen appeared before them, detailing all the information.
Quest Accepted
Collect 18 Frozen Lillies
Difficulty
Easy
Time Limit
4 days
Ambient
Frozen Lake
Rewards
5 Survivor Points
Please state the names or aliases of those accepting this quest.
Giuliano glanced at Zac before responding. "Giuliano and Zac," he said clearly.
Zac quickly interrupted, "Wait, we should use aliases if we want to be lowkey."
Giuliano froze, caught off guard. His inner voice immediately chimed in, Outsmarted by the dumb, huh? That's a new low.
"Uh, okay," Giuliano stammered, feeling slightly embarrassed. "What names?"
Zac's eyes lit up with excitement. "You can be Ghost-whisperer, and I'll be Chainmaster."
Giuliano's inner voice scoffed, Ghost-whisperer? Seriously? How about Phantom Slayer? Or Specter-knight?
Giuliano cringed at each suggestion, feeling his face flush with second-hand embarrassment. "Maybe something a little less... dramatic?" he suggested hesitantly.
Zac, still enthusiastic, thought for a moment. "How about Spirit-seeker for you? And I'll stick with Chainmaster?"
Chainmaster? Really pushing for that edgy vibe, aren't we? his inner voice mocked.
Giuliano sighed inwardly but nodded. "Fine, Spirit-seeker and Chainmaster it is."
Giuliano addressed the system. "Spirit-seeker and Chainmaster," he stated firmly.
The system acknowledged their entry, and the quest details solidified on the screen.
"Let's start by going by the 'Supply Shop'," Giuliano said, walking out of the runic circle.
Zac nodded, still glancing longingly at the more challenging quests but trusting Giuliano's judgment.
They made their way through the bustling crowd, weaving between groups of people discussing strategies and forming alliances.
The shop was the same as the others, a blank screen greeted everybody passing by and had a distinct lack of doors. The only indication of the use of this building being the large sign written 'Supplies' at the top.
Welcome to Supplies Shop
Please, select a form of service
System Interface
Construct
Giuliano reached out and selected "Construct."
The screen lost its black coloration, turning see-through and giving a view of a blank mannequin. Then, the transformation began. Mud-like substance started to crawl up from the base of the mannequin, coating it in a slow, deliberate manner. The mud moved with purpose, crawling and spreading across the mannequin’s surface, as if alive.
Once the mannequin was entirely covered in the mud, the substance began to solidify, the outer layer crystallizing into a hard, icy shell. The transformation continued as the surface took on a deep, icy blue hue. The construct's form was now solid and imposing, exuding an aura of resilience and frost. Its head had a single, piercing eye that glowed with a cold light.
Before them stood the humanoid figure, its body radiating an aura of chilly strength.
"Welcome," the construct said in a voice that echoed with a frosty timbre. "How may I assist you today?"
"We need supplies for our quest. Something to help with gathering in a frozen environment."
The construct nodded, its movements smooth and deliberate. "I can provide you with mundane items suitable for your needs. Please specify your requirements."
Zac glanced at Giuliano, then back at the construct, "We need tools for gathering Frozen Lillies, something to keep us warm and basic provisions."
The construct's eye glowed brighter for a moment. "Understood. I can offer you insulated clothing, a fire-starting kit, gathering tools such as knives, containers for the lilies, and a week's worth of rations."
"Perfect," Giuliano said. "We’ll take those."
The construct raised its hand, and the requested items began to materialize in front of them. Thick, insulated jackets and gloves, sturdy knives, containers designed to keep the lilies fresh, and neatly packaged rations appeared.
"Here are your supplies," the construct said, gesturing to the items. "Is there anything else you require?"
"No, this should be enough," Giuliano said, gathering the items. "How do we pay?"
The construct's eye glowed. "The cost is 15 Survivor Points. Please confirm the deduction."
Sending Giuliano a look, Zac walked forwards before nodding his head, the points were deducted from his account in the next moment. As they finished, the construct's form began to fade, leaving them alone with their supplies.
Zac looked at the items, a frown forming on his face. "G, the quest only pays 5 points, and we just spent 15. How does that make sense?"
"Do you know what an internship is?" Giuliano asked.
Zac blinked, taken aback, "Yeah, but what does that have to do with this?"
"This quest is like an internship. We gain experience, learn the environment and understand how things work. The points will come later. Right now, we need to be smart and build a foundation."
Zac still looked skeptical, "I don't know, G. It feels like we're wasting points."
Giuliano gave him a reassuring smile, "Trust me on this. We need to start somewhere, and it's better to start with something manageable."
Zac sighed but nodded, "Alright, I'll trust you this time. But we better see some results."
"We will," Giuliano said confidently. "We’re ready."
With that, both disappeared in a flash of light.