"Ugh, my head's killing me."
Marshmallow slowly came to. The first thing he felt was being snugly wrapped in warm blankets like he was nestled in a cloud. Clearly, he hadn't slept this well in ages. With his eyes still heavy with sleep, he noticed the sky painted in bright reds and oranges, a sure sign that dawn was just breaking on the horizon.
A steady, rhythmic movement hinted he wasn't in a stationary place. He was lying in a moving wagon. Beside him lay his adventure buddies: Dam, Samantheye, and Goat Horse, all resting in an almost sacred silence as if even the slightest whisper could disrupt the peaceful flow of their dreams. Judging by the peaceful look on their faces, they seemed to be fully healed from the wounds they had sustained earlier.
With cautious movement, Marshmallow felt around his body for the sharp pain he expected to find. The memory of fire burning him was still vivid in his mind, yet, against all logic, he found no trace of those injuries. His skin, smooth and unmarked, bore no signs of the burns that had tormented him before he blacked out.
Perplexity enveloped him like a thick fog as he tried to piece together the puzzle of this bizarre situation. Was it all just a strange dream? Or perhaps, somehow, they had been healed while he lay unconscious? The question wormed its way into his mind, insistent and without immediate answers.
With a deep sigh, he forced himself to lift his head to survey his surroundings, hoping to find some clue that could shed light on the complex situation he found himself in.
Are we on the wagon to the afterlife or something?
His question made sense, oh yes, it did. Just a moment ago, he and the group were facing off against the Novgovians. They were about to be killed when the... colonel showed up to save them?
"You're awake. Finally."
It was Colonel Steelgrave speaking to him, seated at the edge of the wagon. He wasn't the one driving it, but a girl was, turned away from him to manage the two horses. The puzzling part was that they weren't in the Gear Savannah anymore; they were on a dirt road for wagons as if they'd suddenly landed in medieval times.
And then, all of a sudden, Marshmallow was literally flooded with screens.
Hold up, hold up! I can't read all this!
Level 6 E Rank Novgovian killed!
50*6 = 300 XP gained
Level 7 E Rank Novgovian killed!
50*7 = 350 XP gained
Level 7 E Rank Novgovian killed!
50*7 = 350 XP gained
Level 10 D Rank Novgovian killed!
60*10 = 600 XP gained
Level 11 D Rank Novgovian killed!
60*11 = 660 XP gained
Level 28 B Rank Novgovian killed!
100*28 = 2800 XP gained
Level 34 A Rank Novgovian killed!
150*34 = 5100 XP gained
Total XP gained:
10160 XP
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!
Congratulations! You’ve just obtained the Unique Skill “Stasis Shock”!
Congratulations! You’ve just obtained the Very Unique Skill “Lumokinesis”!
Congratulations! You've just beaten the “The Prismatronic Core” quest. You have +60/4 = 15 Assignable Points!
Marshmallow's jaw dropped as the status update notifications kept flashing before his eyes, one after the other. Each new screen brought a surprise more incredible than the last. He'd nearly doubled his level in one fell swoop, a leap so huge it felt surreal.
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"Stasis Shock? Lumokinesis?" he muttered to himself, almost in disbelief. His mind struggled to wrap around the enormity of what was happening. A Unique Skill and a Very Unique Skill had just been added to his arsenal, massively boosting his combat abilities.
My first two skills, hell yeah!
Then, Marshmallow remembered what he had to do to gain this power. He had to kill people in cold blood. For a moment, a chill ran through his veins.
It's war. Can't help it. It's kill or be killed here, no other way.
He shook his head, trying to refocus on the upgrades. And the Prismatronic Core? Marshmallow knew all too well how crucial that item was. The whole quest had been a mad scramble just to get it. A wave of anxiety hit him as he frantically looked around, hoping to spot that essential device somewhere.
"If you're looking for it, it's over there," Colonel cut in, breaking Marshmallow's stream of frantic thoughts. Following the Colonel's gaze, his eyes landed on a corner of the wagon where the Core lay, carefully wrapped in a rag to protect it from any bumps.
A sigh of relief escaped him. It was there, safe and sound.
"What's it actually do?" Marshmallow stared at the object as if it could reveal its secrets just by looking at it.
The Colonel watched him for a moment, then began, "The Prismatronic Core is a device capable of altering the rules of this world. It can create space-time portals, allowing us to travel to specific points on the map with incredible accuracy."
Marshmallow stayed silent, soaking in every word. The idea of manipulating space itself for travel was beyond anything he could imagine.
"Its main power," the Colonel continued, "is not to be underestimated. These portals can be used to overcome obstacles or shorten distances that would otherwise be insurmountable."
The possibilities the Core offered seemed limitless, a source of unimaginable strategic advantages.
"However," the Colonel's tone grew more serious, "this capability is not without risks. Using the Core emits a powerful energy that can be detected, potentially attracting the attention of the Novgovians."
Marshmallow nodded, fully aware of the gravity of those words. The possibility of drawing such dangerous enemies was not to be taken lightly. The momentarily eased tension snapped back, coiling inside him like a cold, silent serpent.
Caught up in these thoughts, his gaze drifted back to the Colonel, the imposing figure who had turned the tide of their last battle. "Colonel, why are you in the Survivor Game?" The question slipped out almost without him realizing it, driven by a curiosity he didn't know he had.
The Colonel stared at him for a moment, his piercing gaze seeming to delve deep into his soul. Then, with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand battles, he replied, "It's personal, Marshmallow. It's got nothing to do with the war."
His voice softened a bit, almost reflective. "After I was discharged, because of the paralysis that hit me, this was the only place where I still had a chance to feel... alive." A pause. "And then there's a man I need to kill. I knew he'd be in the game. BloodLust."
The Colonel's words echoed in the air, heavy with unasked questions. "Why?" Marshmallow couldn't help himself. He had to know.
"That's none of your business," The colonel replied curtly. There was a finality in his tone that brooked no argument.
Marshmallow felt the invisible wall the Colonel had erected with those words. He decided not to push further, understanding that there were personal battles to be respected, secrets that even in a world as open as the Survivor Game, remained hidden in the hearts of those who carried them.
After a brief silence, in which the Colonel's words seemed to still hang in the air, Marshmallow found the courage to break the impasse. This time, his curiosity was about the abilities he had just acquired. "Colonel, could you tell me more about Unique Skills? How do they work?"
The Colonel eyed him for a moment, then nodded, seeming to weigh his words carefully. "Unique Skills, Marshmallow, as you know, are innate to the players," the Colonel began, his voice steady despite the constant rumble of the moving wagon. "But you, you're an exception. As a Jolly Rank, you have the unique ability to take on other players' Unique Skills."
Marshmallow nodded, feeling the weight of that revelation. It was an incredible ability, yes, but also a great responsibility.
"Your power isn't limited to just one ability. You can take on Very Unique Skills from A Ranks, or Unique Skills from B Ranks," the Colonel continued casting a scrutinizing glance at him. "Of course, this would require a confrontation, and the implications of clashing with an A Rank are significant."
"I'm well aware, I've already seen that firsthand," Marshmallow replied with a heavy heart. He knew all too well how tricky yet incredible it was. In one fell swoop, albeit with help, he had gained a Unique Skill and a Very Unique Skill. No small feat.
The Colonel nodded as if reading Marshmallow's thoughts. "That's why you need to be careful. Unique Skills can be powerful tools, all kinds of powers, but Very Unique Skills, like the ones we A Ranks have, are on another level. They control fundamental elements, forces of nature, or even abstract concepts. See, that girl over there is an A Rank too, just like me. You can call her Lynx. As for me, my Negakinesis allows me to manipulate antimatter, one of the most destructive and uncontrollable forces known."
Marshmallow remained silent, pondering those words. The Colonel could control antimatter? How incredible! The idea of accessing such vast and powerful abilities was both thrilling and terrifying.
"I see," Marshmallow responded, still mulling over the power of Very Unique Skills. But then, the question came naturally to him.
"And Lynx? What kind of power does she have?"
Before the Colonel could speak, Lynx answered with a hearty laugh that echoed through the wagon like thunder. "You really wanna know, huh?" she exclaimed, turning towards them with a vibrant smile that lit up her energetic face. Her red hair, wild and untamed like flame, seemed to throb with a life of its own.
Without further ado, Lynx lifted one hand towards the brightening sky while continuing to hold the reins with the other. "Watch and learn kid!" she said, and with a fluid, confident motion, she bent her wrist at a perfect right angle.
Immediately, it seemed as if nature itself heeded Lynx's call. On the sides of the road, from nowhere, thin sprouts emerged and, in the blink of an eye, grew at an astonishing rate. They twisted and intertwined with each other, rising above them to form an astonishing structure: a natural archway of branches and leaves, a veritable green portal that seemed to invite one into an enchanted world. And there was more: flowers, in their variety of colors, bloomed rapidly along this arch, completing the picture with a riot of colors that took one's breath away.
"Let me introduce you to my Xylkinesis," Lynx proclaimed proudly as she gestured broadly to the creation that stood before them. Her face beamed with untamable pride, and her green eyes danced the same wild and vibrant force of unexplored forests.