Chapter 49 - The third scenario s■tar■■ts■!
Adam had to force himself to stop, taking several deep breaths to calm his laughter, his first expression of true happiness in several years. Once he had settled down, he wasted no time in summoning his status window to check what had changed in him after he had lost consciousness.
⌠Name: Adam Scholar ⌡ ⌠Age: 1⌡ ⌠Species: Demi Lich (Variant) - Rank E⌡ ⌠Points: 367⌡ ⌠Potential: D⌡ ⌠Merits: None⌡ ⌠Titles:⌡ ⌠Ghostmarked Warden: Bound and Cursed⌡, ⌠Luck's Last Laugh⌡, ⌠Overmind’s Champion⌡ ⌠Skills:⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision (Mutation) Lv4⌡, ⌠Lesser Undead Control Lv2⌡, ⌠Ghost Phasing Lv2⌡, ⌠Mental Resistance Lv8⌡, ⌠Mark of the Damned LV10 (Sealed)⌡, ⌠Sinful Covenant Lv1⌡, ⌠Parasitic Undead Plague Lv1⌡, ⌠Soul Ingestion Lv1⌡, ⌠Soul Corruption Lv1⌡, ⌠Hivemind Lv1⌡, ⌠Autosealing Lv1⌡, ⌠Resist Hunger Lv1⌡, ⌠Parasitic Mutation Lv1⌡, ⌠Vitality Predation Lv1⌡ ⌠Treasures:⌡ ⌠Necronomicon Single Page [1/5] (Replica) - Rank F⌡, ⌠Spectronomicon - Rank ?⌡, ⌠Thaddeus’s promised reward x1 (Pending)⌡, ⌠Overmind Parasite - Rank A+ (Assimilated)⌡ ⌠Treasure Skills:⌡ ⌠Insanity Aura Lv1⌡, ⌠Mgehye'lloig Lv1⌡, ⌠Ghoul-Type Manifestation Lv1⌡, ⌠Feral-Type Manifestation Lv1⌡, ⌠Drake-Type Manifestation Lv1⌡, ⌠DeathKnight-Type Manifestation Lv1⌡, ⌠Demon-Type Manifestation Lv1⌡, ⌠Light of the Six Sins Lv1⌡, ⌠Wraith Creation Lv1⌡, ⌠Dark Consumption Lv1⌡, ⌠Summon: Sacred Guardian of Envy Lv1⌡, ⌠Spectral Parasitic Biomass Lv1⌡
Adam was stunned by what he saw. In an instant, he had gained several new skills, earned another title and even his race had changed to a variant of Demi-Lich. All of this thanks to the parasite now residing in his head? Incredible. And while he was eager to go through each of the new skills, especially the ones in the newly appeared "Treasure Skills" tab, the most pressing matter was to check what had changed with his new race, his title, and why his [Cursed Vision] now had a tag labeled "mutation".
⌠Species: Demi Lich (Variant) - Rank E⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠A variant species created from an intelligent organism whose transformation into a Lich was interrupted and then infected by a foreign parasitic entity, it possesses fewer weaknesses and abilities than a full-fledged Lich or full-grown parasite.⌡ ⌠*Half-Undead (Variant) Psyche (Innate)⌡ ⌠As a variant of a half-species, the Demi Lich (Variant) mind can manipulate its own psyche thanks to its parasitic infection, it can enhance, reduce, or block any emotion or physical sensation at will.⌡ ⌠*Sleep Immunity (Innate)⌡ ⌠The Demi Lich (Variant) is immune to the status effect [Sleep]. It has lost the ability to sleep and to dream.⌡ ⌠*Malediction Reversal (Innate)⌡ ⌠Boons and Curses have the opposite effect on the user. Buffs and Debuffs from those sources are inverted.⌡ ⌠*Fire Extreme Vulnerability (Innate)⌡ ⌠Any Fire attribute damage to the Demi Lich (Variant) is extremely increased.⌡ ⌠*Divine Vulnerability (Innate)⌡ ⌠Any Divine attribute damage to the Demi Lich is slightly increased.⌡ ⌠*The Hunger (Innate)⌡ ⌠The Demi Lich (Variant) is tormented by the lack of vital energy as a member of the undead race that is necessary for the parasite in its body to stay alive. It needs a constant source of vital energy absorbed from living beings, if the levels of vital energy are lower than a certain threshold, the Demi Lich (Variant) will activate ⌠Vicious Devourer (Innate)⌡ automatically.⌡ ⌠*Vicious Devourer (Innate)⌡ ⌠The Demi Lich (Variant) is in critical condition due to the lack of vital energy to sustain its body, at this point, the ⌠Half-Undead (Variant) Psyche (Innate)⌡ skill will be deactivated and it will enter into an uncontrollable feral state, exponentially increasing all its abilities to prey on every living thing in the vicinities until the levels of vital energy return to maximum capacity.⌡
⌠Titles: “Overmind’s Champion”⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠You have assimilated a parasite, part of the ‘Overmind Main Body’ outer entity, it has recognized you to be one of its champions, and as such, it has blessed you with some of its unique skills.⌡
The description of his title was already concerning, though somewhat expected, and it explained why he had suddenly acquired so many new skills. On the other hand, the description of his [Cursed Vision] remained unchanged, at least on the surface. However, the real issue lay in the changes to his innate abilities as a Demi-Lich, especially the last two... What in the world did it mean that he was now obligated to absorb the life energy of other living beings to survive?
The words he had uttered when creating the parasite in the shop echoed in his mind like a haunting refrain: "No matter the consequences"... Even if he had thought that back then, this was too much. But unfortunately, there was nothing he could do when his own life was at risk. And besides, how would he even carry out such an act if he wanted to? Still cursing under his breath, Adam searched his new skills for something to answer his doubts. He found it relatively quickly, and with it, a glimmer of bittersweet hope.
[Skill: Vitality Predation Lv1] [An Overmind Parasyte needs vital energy from a living host to survive, by touching a living target, the user can absorb the life itself from it in a very painful siphon.] [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Warning: The vital energy absorption is a slow process, it’s best to have a target that cannot move.] [Hint: As a Demi Lich (Variant), the user will regain health and energy simultaneously as the parasite.]
[Skill: Resist Hunger Lv1] [As the first Half-Undead parasitic host, the ‘Overmind Main Body’ outer entity has blessed the user with the passive skill to resist ⌠The Hunger (Innate)⌡ racial trait outside the scenarios.] [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Notice: Any effect of ⌠The Hunger (Innate)⌡ racial trait will be nullified outside a scenario.] [Hint: Indications that ⌠The Hunger (Innate)⌡ had been activated manifested as a feeling of anatomical hunger for the user.] [Warning: If this skill is forcefully deactivated, the user will enter⌠Vicious Devourer (Innate)⌡ state automatically.]
[Skill: Autosealing Lv1] [The perfect assimilation with the 'Overmind Parasyte' allows the user to control various functions of their mind at will, enabling them to maximize the capabilities of their body and senses, lower them until they're completely suppressed, or even seal skills and the sensation of adverse effects if necessary.] [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Warning: Senses (like pain), skills, and adverse effects under the sealing effect do not disappear, the user just doesn’t feel them.] [Hint: This skill cannot be used on racial traits.]
There really wasn’t anything to stop the effect of his new racial trait, but thanks to whatever this ‘Overmind Main Body’ was, he had a way to resist the urge outside of scenarios and track when he was suffering its effects, giving him a bit of leeway to work with, in a sense. Not to mention, for now, at least, it was clear that his curse and the Undead Empress were under control… Trying to focus on the positive side of things, Adam turned his attention to what the information window said about this entity.
[Skill: Mark of the Damned LV10 (Sealed)] [Serves as proof of the curse imposed by a powerful entity with the "Undead" attribute. It corrupts any skill or treasure obtained with level 10 / rank A or lower, significantly reducing their effectiveness and branding them with the "Cursed" attribute. While marked, the bearer will suffer continuous mental damage, weakening their resistance to memetic attacks. While in the (Sealed) state, the skill cannot be used. ] [Cursed Vision Knowledge] [Notice: Its will is now (Sealed).]
Perhaps Adam wasn’t fully grasping the gravity of the situation he had landed in, but in his inexperience, the joy of finally freeing himself from the curse that had plagued him—while still keeping all of his other skills—completely overshadowed his sense of urgency. It was something that might cost him dearly later on. For now, however, there was only room for celebration through more exploration.
With a burst of energy, he jumped out of bed and headed for his bedroom door. He paused for a moment, glancing at the pile of unread books stacked on his desk. Normally, he would have picked them up and finished them, as the information they contained still had value, even if his circumstances had changed. Yet, for the first time in his life, Adam chose to walk away, leaving the books untouched. He was driven by an exhilarating feeling he had never experienced before.
Once outside, Adam was hit with the incredible surprise that the lobby was no longer an entirely white space. Instead, it now resembled a massive, empty stadium. The floor was made of white tiles, the walls of wood, and the place was bathed in an eerie light, despite the absence of visible lights and the ceiling being pitch-black. What had happened while he was unconscious?
Luckily, he wasn’t alone. In fact, the entire group—except for Sebastian—was there, chatting excitedly. It was quite a peculiar sight, especially considering how apathetic Li and Nikolai usually were.
He quickly approached close enough to hear what they were saying and noticed that everyone was wearing a different set of clothes from their usual attire. They were all sweating heavily as if they had just finished an intense workout.
"Is everything okay?"
Adam asked, still trying to process the change in the lobby and the group’s unusual appearance. The four were startled by his question and quickly turned to see who had returned. Instead of expressing confusion, they greeted him with warmth, which was quite surprising given the circumstances in which Adam had last seen them.
"What... what’s going on? Why does this place finally have a floor, walls, and a ceiling?"
Kazue spoke up almost immediately, eager to fill Adam in on everything he had missed while unconscious. She explained that after he had passed out, Drake took him to his room to let him rest since the system had indicated that the "Heal Up" option wouldn’t work on him due to the lack of physical damage. Once he returned, it was Sebastian's turn to choose how to spend his points. However, before he could do much, "someone" had helped him see certain options in the shop menu that no one had noticed before.
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Thanks to this mysterious intervention, they discovered the option to upgrade the lobby from level 0 to level 1 had been unlocked. Though they weren’t entirely sure why, upgrading the lobby had caused the environment to change, transforming it into a space that looked and felt more like a real place.
“‘Someone’? Who helped you? Was it one of those Patrons?”
“No, no, it’s… Let’s just say you already know, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise, right now Grandpa Sebastian is in his room, working, so just wait for him to finish.”
Working? That was strange—working on what exactly?” But Adam didn’t have time to ask more questions, as Kazue continued with her story. She explained that the lobby upgrade had brought additional options, one of which was the lifting of the restriction on using the shop before a scenario, which would be incredibly helpful if they got new people again. Another option allowed them to "add" additional spaces to the lobby.
"Additional spaces?"
“Yes! We have the best training area you could even imagine!”
Kazue continued, explaining that they now had an area specifically designed for training and friendly combat at the peak of their abilities, as it included a self-healing function once the training session was over. And where had they found something so convenient? The answer came quickly when Adam learned that they had discovered that the redeemable item [Thaddeus’s Promised Reward] could also be exchanged for a 'Stratos Technology' environment. This was suggested to them by that mysterious guide, allowing them to acquire the testing ground where the company experimented with all the new technology and dangerous weapons, which was immediately absorbed by the lobby and transformed into what it was now—what they had been using for several hours.
Interesting, to say the least, and Adam would be lying if he said he wasn't pleasantly surprised and eager to check it all out. However, what truly mattered at that moment was that he also spoke up and shared everything that had happened after he assimilated the parasite.
"I understand... I also need to confess something to you all, and I apologize in advance."
Said Adam slowly. It didn't matter that he apologized for withholding information when they had given him their merits since it had worked out. However, he felt it was necessary to do so if he was going to explain everything about his parasite and his new state anyway.
He didn't hold back at all and spoke openly, even showing them his new information window, although they weren't able to see the hidden data—or so it seemed. At that moment, Li's left eye glowed with a reddish light, indicating that he had detected something. Adam didn't know it, but that new eye enhanced Li's [Analyze] skill. While it wasn't comparable to Adam's [Cursed Vision], it did provide more information than usual.
"That doesn't sound good at all; in fact, I would say it's dangerous just to be near you."
Nikolai said this after Adam specifically mentioned "The Hunger" and its effects on him, leaving Adam unsure of how to respond since he had a point. As long as there was a risk of losing control and attacking them without warning, it was indeed dangerous to be near him. However, to everyone's surprise, it was Li who spoke up with a rather blunt denial.
"I don't see any problem with it. Just 'feed' on the NPCs in the story when you feel hungry... Okay, fine, feed on the enemies we encounter in the scenario. It doesn't matter; you won't lack for prey, trust me, it didn’t even say here that it’s a deadly skill, just that it’s painful."
Li said, shifting his stance when he noticed the looks everyone gave him when he initially suggested using any NPC. Ultimately, it was indifferent to him, but no one could deny he had a valid point, perhaps the situation wasn't as dire as he had feared, and it might even be manageable. After all, he preferred having something that, while terrible, he could control in some way rather than being a puppet of a much more powerful entity that only viewed him as a toy.
"But anyway, that doesn't matter. What I want to try right now are all those new skills you have. I have to admit, the others surprised me quite a bit for being newcomers, so I want to have a sparring match with you too."
That declaration from Li took Adam by surprise, as he hadn't expected them to ask him for something like that, even though it was clear they had been doing it for quite a while.
"But even if you say the training area has a healing function, I think it might be very risky considering the effects of some of the skills that..."
But his words were interrupted by Drake, who placed a hand on his right shoulder to reassure him that everything was fine. After all, they had been using him at full capacity for more than just a couple of hours.
"Don't worry, the training area is completely safe. Come on, take a look."
Following the rest of the group, Adam took just a few steps until he reached the designated area, which was nothing more than a huge rectangle the size of an official sports field drawn on the ground. Was that all? It seemed like he was missing something, and it wasn't until he stepped into the area that a system window materialized before his eyes.
⌠Training Area⌡ ⌠Space specifically reserved for conducting tests and practice combats. Once inside, it is possible to use any type of Treasure or Skill without their effects or results leaving the designated area. If the end of a test or fatal damage is detected on a user operations within the area will cease, and every active Treasure and Skill will be forcibly deactivated momentarily to restore the user to the state they were in when they entered the training area.⌡
Well, that answered his questions, and it seemed like it was truly safe after all. Instead of using levels or ranks, it appeared to be an authority of the system itself enforcing the conditions of the area. Before he knew it, he was already at one end, with Li at the other, staring at him intently while summoning his new spellbook.
"Attack with everything you've got; don't hold back, because you can be sure as hell I won't."
Normally, this was something Adam wouldn't have wanted to participate in. After all, the mere act of fighting without reason was something he couldn't understand. But given the circumstances... Not only would there be no consequences, but he was eager to test the efficiency of all the new skills he had read about. Moreover, deep down, he still felt some resentment toward Li for everything that had happened in the previous scenario. So the idea of releasing stress through aggression was something he had never thought he would enjoy considering. However, before starting, something crossed his mind.
"Oh! One moment, please!"
The boy exclaimed as he dashed out of the training area toward the shop area, leaving everyone there in stunned silence at the comical moment. They watched from a distance as Adam seemed to search for something on the system's screen. It didn't take long for him to find what he was looking for, and he quickly returned to his previous spot, taking a deep breath afterward.
“Alright, then let’s get started.”
After these words, his page from the Necronomicon appeared in one hand, while the Spectronomicon materialized in the form of a ghostly skull above his head, cackling ominously as it circled him. Finally, a massive rectangular shield appeared in front of him, instantly recognized by everyone present. It was the same shield used by high-ranking soldiers of the Ironclad Armada to unleash their debuff techniques, adorned with a golden emblem shaped like a dragon's head, just like the one Adam had seen the first time they were in the ‘Stratos Technology’ armory.
…None of the spectators were prepared for what they witnessed next. The display of power was overwhelming from the very start, with Li unleashing his new spells while Adam summoned specters from within his own body.
Guided missiles flew through the air, exploding against flying spectral horrors, while the head of a fire dragon breathed its intense flames against a sea of specters resembling enormous medieval soldiers, who blocked the advance of the flames with their massive shields. Li, encased in metallic armor similar to that worn by Admiral Jasper Merrick, exchanged powerful blows with Adam, who was enveloped in a miasma-like substance that granted him sharp claws, elongated limbs, and a maw that split open into four different jaws.
The spectacle culminated almost a couple of minutes later, with a massive, glowing green serpent of energy crashing directly into a spectral arm so large it barely fit within the confines of the training area.
When the fight had finally ended and the smoke from all the impacts dissipated, only Adam and Li remained in the area, both lying on their backs on the ground, panting from the immense physical exertion they had just endured. It was strange that, despite the system having healed all their wounds and even restored Adam's cursed energy, exhaustion was the only thing that remained unaltered. As a result, it took them a bit longer to even attempt to get back on their feet.
"Not bad, Adam"
“...?!”
It was the first time Li referred to him by his name instead of calling him "boy" or "kid," which surprised him but didn't bother him much. He had to admit that, while he still felt some animosity toward that man, a significant portion of his resentment and annoyance had faded after they had exchanged blows so openly… This was something Adam wasn't used to, but certainly, men could come to understand each other better after physically sparring, which could lead to a beautiful friendship.
"Can you tell me what the hell you're talking about?"
Nikolai said with one eyebrow raised, revealing that the last part had merely been Kazue's delusional narration, she was thrilled to witness a classic scene from her favorite series unfolding in real life and couldn't help but let her imagination run wild.
"Hahaha, let her be. She might be exaggerating, but sometimes the best way to relieve frustration with someone is indeed through a good fight."
After that hectic day, exactly a day and a half passed, according to each person's internal clock. During this time, the group's dynamics gradually strengthened. Instead of locking themselves in their rooms as they had after the first scenario, they returned only to sleep and would wake up to continue chatting, training, and even eating together. Everyone, except for Sebastian, who stayed locked in his room, never venturing out, and whenever Adam asked about him, he only received a "be patient" in response, along with a few playful giggles from Kazue.
The final day of training had come to an end, and it was safe to say that everyone had a clear understanding of what the others could and could not do—essential knowledge for teamwork. The only remaining unknown was Adam's feral mode, but that was something they couldn't force out of him anyway. They had just finished their last sparring match, where Nikolai had finally shone by not being instantly defeated by Kazue for the fifth consecutive time when an alarm sounded in the vicinity, announcing that the third scenario would soon begin, along with the arrival of the newcomers.
As soon as everyone had gathered, a brief flash of white light enveloped the area, making way for four figures who appeared out of nowhere—four new members, bringing the total number of people to ten. But who were these newcomers?
The first and most noticeable was a robust adult man with serious features and short hair, dressed in a military uniform. The second was a young girl with pale blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a black school uniform, her serious and apathetic expression stood out. Another of the new arrivals was a slightly older girl than the last one with pink hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in sportswear and holding two cheerleading pom-poms, she wore a completely confused expression, trying to make sense of what was happening around her. Finally, there was a young boy with slightly dark skin, short hair, and a battered school uniform, his body showing numerous scrapes and covered in dirt.
It was a colorful group, but the real challenge was about to begin—communication. While it was true that the shop was no longer disabled before starting the next scenario, it would still be difficult to get everyone to calm down and follow instructions. In fact, panic was already beginning to spread.
The man in the soldier's uniform was visibly agitated, shouting for answers while looking around frantically. The blonde girl stood frozen in place, gripping one of her arms tightly as she trembled, seemingly paralyzed with fear. The young boy appeared confused but wasn't doing much—possibly due to the exhaustion shown by the dark circles under his eyes. Finally, the pink-haired girl was spinning around, looking at everything and every one as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Eh... Excuse me! Does anyone understand me?"
Adam spoke up, but his words were completely ignored by three of the newcomers—except for the pink-haired girl. The moment she recognized the language, she whipped around and rushed toward him, stopping so abruptly in front of him that Adam leaned back, startled by how close she got.
"You! Do you know what's going on here? I was at home just a minute ago, trying on my uniform and remembering that... Wait, I can walk? I can walk!"
That reaction had been extremely strange, so Adam didn’t know how to respond. He was so caught off guard that all he could do was watch as Kazue and Drake had already stepped forward to try and calm the others, with no success. Perhaps the only thing he could do now was try to explain to this girl what she needed to do first so she could speak with the others. However, before he could say anything, a gentle but booming voice echoed around them.
"Excuse me, your attention, please!"
All the newcomers, including Adam, turned toward the voice, revealing that it was none other than Sebastian, who had finally emerged from his room, wearing a large trench coat and sporting slightly messy hair. But the most noticeable thing was the strange megaphone in his hands, which the old man used to continue speaking, asking for their attention as he approached, with his small aviatrix perched on one of his shoulders.
[Language Speaker - Rank D ] ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠Megaphone created by user Sebastian Rüegg and scientist Isaac Volta, allows the speaker to utilize the skill [Multi Language Lv1] when speaking through this treasure.⌡
The surprise at the usefulness of that item was immediately overshadowed when Adam read the content of the information window that appeared. Isaac Volta? How? When? What?! Adam's mind was a whirlwind, but before he could ask anything, Nikolai spoke up, taking the megaphone from Sebastian and sticking out his tongue, revealing a strange silver tattoo on it before he began.
“Hello, hello, please pay attention. I’d like everyone to calm down for a moment... Deep, relaxed breaths—yes, that’s right. Now, please do the same as me and select the option I’m about to tell you.”
[Skill: Silver Tongue Lv1] [No info available]
To Adam's surprise, all the newcomers calmed down and obeyed, following the instructions of the long-haired boy and purchasing the option "Let's have fun together" so they could finally understand each other. At that moment, Li, Drake, and Kazue took the opportunity to quickly explain to them what was happening, meanwhile, Adam approached Sebastian, who seemed very happy to see him again. He hurriedly asked him about the mention of the scientist Isaac in the description of his item.
"Oh, well, you see..."
But at that moment, the main screen of the stage appeared in front of everyone, along with a robotic female voice that began to read it aloud... However, something didn't seem right; both the voice and the text appeared to be glitching as if there were some sort of error.
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"That doesn't sound good at all."
Said a familiar voice near Adam, which took him a moment to recognize due to the strange situation. He soon realized that the one speaking to him was the small Falk, who was still perched on Sebastian's shoulder.
“What?”
"Hey, kid! I haven't seen you in days. I'm glad you're okay!"
“What?!”