I ran as fast as I could, and the spider quickly approached me, darting its legs in a sickening run. I knew that I couldn't outrun it because it was much faster than me, so the only way out was to fight. So while I was running, I aimed my bow, but quickly realized that it wasn't a good idea, because my arrows missed the target by far. To land a hit, I needed enough distance, and shooting randomly while I ran would do me no good.
Unfortunately, the spider didn't give me that opportunity. It attacked me with an extremely strong grip, flinging me into the air and then against a tree. "AUGH!!! FUCK!!!" Panic gripped me as I realized that it didn't look good for me, especially since the spider was now too close. In my excitement, I tried to sink my knife into its head, which gave the spider the perfect opportunity to bite my left arm. The pain was unbearable and made every part of my arm cry out in pain.
"FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!" I cursed, feeling helpless and desperate. But then I remembered that I could use my other hand, and with a surge of mana, I punched the monster in the face, making it let go of my arm. "SHIT!!!" My bow lay broken on the ground, probably shattered from slamming into the tree. Suddenly a terrible pain ran through my body, as if it was burning from the inside out. And then I remembered.
Blood gushed from my now useless arm, staining everything in sight with its thick, red liquid. The huge beast moved with frightening speed, leaping from tree to tree with such ferocity that it was impossible for me to keep up with its movements. My blood boiled from the venom now coursing through my veins, and I knew there was no hope for me.
Death was the only thing that awaited me in this dark, eerie forest. Suddenly I heard something calling out to me, a voice that seemed to be beckoning me. I couldn't see anything, but I knew someone, or something, was there. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear. And then, in an instant, everything went black.
I was swallowed up by the void, surrounded by a never-ending sea of nothingness. But then, just as suddenly as it had disappeared, the voice was back. "FOUND YOU," it whispered, sending a shiver down my spine.
“FOUND YOU” Echoed a voice in my mind.
The world came to a standstill, as if frozen in time. Not a breath of wind, not a single sound could be heard, the leaves that had previously fallen gracefully from the trees now floated in the air, and even the spider that had rushed toward me only moments ago no longer moved. Suddenly I was overcome by a wave of heat, but it didn't burn, instead it enveloped me in a soothing and comforting warmth that penetrated to the very core of my being.
+-------------------------------------------+
| Initiating integration... |
| Damage to the user detected |
| Repairing... |
| Repair concluded. |
| Welcome user! |
+-------------------------------------------+
The heat grew more intense, driving every ache and fatigue from my body. 'What the hell is happening?' I thought, unable to speak or even move in this frozen world.
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Previous registered user recognized|
| Hello Kala. |
| Initializing menu... |
| ERROR, SAVED DATA HAS BEEN DELETED|
| Recuperating... |
| One recoverable Skill detected. |
| Rebooting... |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
‘What the hell is going on?! Am I dead?’ Suddenly another one of those floating purple boxes appeared.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
User: Kala
Level: 1
XP: 0/100
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Weight: 0/130
Attributes:
Free Points: 0
Strength: 5
Constitution: 5
Agility: 5
Intelligence: 5
Stamina: 5
Spirit: 5
Skills:
[Retrocognition LV: 1]
Equipment:
[Torn Clothes]
Inventory:
[Empty]
Quests:
[Kill [Venom fang] 0/1: A mere spider dares to challenge the weaver's apprentice. Show your might.]
Reward: [Analyze LV: 1]
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The world began to move again, but it was different now. It was as if everything had been submerged in a thick, molasses-like substance that slowed everything down, including my own body. But even as I watched the spider's attack coming, I felt a flicker of hope within me. This new, slowed-down world might just give me the fighting chance I needed.
Without hesitation, I began to coat my body with mana, pouring every ounce of my concentration into the process. And to my surprise, I found that even though everything else had slowed down, my mana moved at the same lightning-fast speed as always. In no time at all, my body was strengthened beyond anything I had ever achieved before.
With a newfound confidence, I launched myself at the venomous beast. I punched it hard in the head, feeling something crack beneath my fist as green blood spurted out. The spider screeched in pain, but I barely registered the sound in the slow, distorted world around me.
My hand darted to my knife, and I rushed at the creature once more, aiming for its eye. The knife connected, but I hadn't been paying attention to my surroundings. A leg slammed into my ribs, and I felt myself flying through the air. But instead of pain, all I felt was the force pushing me higher and higher.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
As I landed on my feet, I knew I had to keep moving. I rushed forward, dodging the spider's attacks with newfound agility. And then, in a single, swift motion, I plunged my knife deep into the creature's skull. It fell to the ground, lifeless.
My heart pounded with triumph as I surveyed the scene before me. I had won, against all odds. The world started moving normally again, as I felt cold and empty inside.
+-----------------------------------------------+
Quests:
| [Kill [Venom fang] 1/1 |
| Quest Completed! |
| Rewards have been credited! |
+-----------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
User: Kala
Level: 1 → 2
XP: 0/100 → 0/400
HP: 30/100
MP: 0/50
Attributes:
Free Points: 0 → 10
Strength: 5
Constitution: 5
Agility: 5
Intelligence: 5
Stamina: 5
Spirit: 5
Skills:
[Retrocognition LV: 1] → [Retrocognition LV: 2]
[Analyze LV: 1]
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
“Huff… huff. What are you? And what happened there, why did everything slow down?”
+-----------------------------------------+
| User question detected. |
| Activating artificial EGO... |
+-----------------------------------------+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Hello, Kala. |
| You may call me Alan. |
| I am an artificial mind created to help you. |
| With understand the workings of the system. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
"Are you seriously invading my mind?! How dare you! And what in the world do you mean by 'system'?"
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| It would be more correct to say that I'm in your soul, |
| But if it does help you to understand, yes, I'm in your head. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| As for the system... |
| You could say it's a tool sent by your master to help you |
| Get stronger and properly learn the path of the Weaver. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
“What do you mean by ‘my master’! I have no such thing!”
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| You Don't have enough authority for that. |
| So let's start with something you can learn about. |
| You just unlocked the [Analyze] skill. |
| Try using it on your status. |
| Just think about wanting to use it while willing it to work. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Can't believe this. One moment I was battling a monstrous spider, fighting for my life, and now I find myself standing here, facing... whatever the hell this thing is.
My mind is spinning, my heart pounding with fear and confusion. This is all too strange and unsettling.
But I can't back down now. I grit my teeth and try to compose myself, forcing out the words through gritted teeth, "Let's just get this over with."
I don't know what's coming next, but I'm bracing myself for the worst. Whatever it takes, I'll make it through this. I have to.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [Analyze] has been activated! |
| Analyzing HP... |
| HP is one of the abilities conceded by the system, negating any real damage to your body until it's depleted. |
| If the user was hurt when the HP stat was 0, the system will heal the user by the amount of HP REGEN per hour until there are no more injuries. After that, HP will regenerate normally.|
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
“Damm, this is extremely powerful. So that is why getting hit by the spider didn’t hurt.”
+----------------------+
| That is correct |
+----------------------+
This feels so strange and unsettling. But if this mysterious force is truly attempting to assist me, then maybe just maybe, I can somehow provide Clarry with a brighter future.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [Analyze] has been activated! |
| Analyzing MP... |
| MP is a tool to numerically perceive how much usable mana is left in your body. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
“Wow," I exclaim, marveling at the strange device in front of me. "So, it basically keeps track of my mana, huh?" My mind races with curiosity as I ponder how this thing could possibly work. It's almost as if it's alive, as 'Alan' speaks to me just like any other person would. And those floating, shimmering purple boxes hovering around? They're completely untouchable - my hand passes right through them as if they were mere illusions. It's all so weird, yet fascinating.
“What do those ‘Free points’ do?”
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
| You can use them to increase your status |
| Do you need me to describe them? |
| The names are pretty self-explanatory. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+
"Allow me to surmise. Strength, the epitome of might and brawn that courses through my veins. Constitution, the fortitude and resilience that resides within my very being, determining the extent of my vitality and the depth of my health. Agility, the agility that enlivens my movements and allows me to move with nimble finesse, unmatched by any other. Intelligence, the incandescent brilliance that illuminates my thoughts and processes, allowing me to unravel the most perplexing of riddles with ease. Stamina, the boundless energy that fuels my body, enabling me to traverse great distances without succumbing to weariness. And last but not least, Spirit, the essence of my very soul, the spark that ignites the flame of my being, the source of my mana and the driving force behind my every action. Is this correct?"
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| You got almost everything right, congratulations. |
| Spirit, however, is how aligned you are with your mana. |
| The more aligned you are, the easier manipulating it becomes. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Oh... I suppose it does make some sense, in one way or another. But now, before I go using up all these free points…
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [Analyze] has been activated! |
| Analyzing [Retrocognition LV: 2] |
| Retrocognition is a powerful skill that can give the user an edge in any situation. With Retrocognition, the user's thought processes speed up to such a degree that time seems to slow down around them. This allows the user to make lightning-fast decisions, react with lightning-fast reflexes, and generally outpace anyone and anything around them. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
It all became clear now. This was the explanation for the world's sudden deceleration. It's a game-changer, no doubt. If I can slow down time every time I engage in a fight... I'm beginning to develop a liking for this ability. Now is time to spend some points.
+----------------------------------------------------+
Attributes:
Free Points: 10 → 0
Strength: 5
Constitution: 5 → 10
Agility: 5 → 10
Intelligence: 5
Stamina: 5
Spirit: 5
+----------------------------------------------------+
As I stand here, a wave of warmth suddenly engulfs my body, and with it comes a feeling of immense power. It's as if every fiber of my being is imbued with a newfound energy, and I'm bursting at the seams with potential.
As I move my limbs, I can feel my body responding with a newfound flexibility and ease of control. It's like I've been reborn with a brand-new physicality, one that is more resilient, and more adaptable than ever before.
And then there's my skin. It feels different somehow, tougher yet still supple and flexible. I can sense that it's better equipped to protect me, to shield me from harm and keep me safe.
I can't help but feel a surge of excitement coursing through me as I realize what this system can do. I'm already falling in love with it, and I can't wait to see what else it has in store for me.