Scott pulled himself up from the ground, engaging in a grueling combat with multiple champions, his movements betraying signs of exhaustion. Despite his weariness, each strike he delivered carried enough force to incapacitate his opponents efficiently.
Meanwhile, Orion, surrounded by hundreds of clones, fought with a combination of grace and brutality. Despite the thirty-second limitation, the mage occasionally directed some of his duplicates to inspect specific corpses or opponents, regardless of the potential repercussions. As the asura faced off against robust champions targeting it, it adapted its fighting style while taking advantage of its numerous limbs, ruthlessly dispatching its adversaries. With each passing moment, a growing pile of corpses surrounded the trio, despite their various regenerative capabilities. Scott and the asura began to show signs of fatigue as the battle wore on, while Orion, aside from his intense expression, seemed to possess an otherworldly level of endurance, remaining unfazed by the ongoing conflict.
After barely twenty minutes since their arrival on the battlefield, the electrifying music abruptly ceased, and an eerie silence fell over the arena. Strangely, no new champions had entered the fray for the past five minutes. Suddenly, a mysterious force enveloped all surviving combatants, and multiple system windows materialized before their eyes.
Congratulations! You have completed the 31,456th performance! EXP: 30000! Congratulations! You have leveled up! Congratulations! Your physical stats have improved! Congratulations! You have attained a remarkable achievement! Congratulations! Several of your Skills have upgraded! Rank: 20!
Physical Stats Strength: 30 (+2) Agility: 31 (+1) Endurance: 24 (+5) Dexterity: 30 (+2) Toughness: 34 (+4)
Abnormal State Chaotic Maniacal
Scott stood there, bewildered by the messages flashing before him. In that very moment, radiant lights descended from the heavens, enveloping the motionless champions in their comforting glow. The lifeless bodies wilted under the intense illumination, while the surviving champions began to regain their physical and mental composure.
“This is absurd,” Scott muttered inwardly. “System, show stats,” he demanded silently.
Champion Interface Basic Stats
Name: Scott Dorsey. Level: 31 -New! Experience Points: 600/3200 – New! Eldritch Energy Capacity: 2000/2000 [Lower Tier] – New!
Race:
* Eldritch Spawn.
* Half-human.
Class: Eldritch Knight.
Tier 4
* Eldritch Nova: You can unleash a massive burst of eldritch energy, dealing massive damage to all enemies within range.
* Arcane Mastery: Your mastery over magic allows you to cast spells more efficiently.
* Eldritch Avatar: You become an avatar of eldritch energy, gaining incredible power and abilities.
[Tier 5-10 Locked]
Party Members:
* Slim the Grim.
* Zara [Party Leader]
Title:
* Chaos Caller.
* Minion 01.
Rank: 20.
Energy Sources:
* Abyssal Void.
* Madness!
Abnormal State: Chaotic Maniacal. Achievements: You completed the 31,456th performance in the theatre!! Sponsor: None!
Physical Stats Strength: 30. Agility: 31. Endurance: 24. Dexterity: 30. Toughness: 34.
Skills Carpentry (Level 1). Running (Level 2). Survival (Level 3). Madness (Level 4) – New! Hastur’s Gaze (Level 2) Hastur's Whisper (Level 2) - New! Mental Manipulation (Level 4) – New! Party Communication (Level 1) – Party Dependent Skill. Basic Eldritch casting (Level 2) – New! Hammer Mastery (Level 3) – New! Combat (Level 4) – New! Fishing (Level 1).
Hastur's Vessel
There’s a 50% chance your body will be possessed by Hastur the Unspeakable.
Temporary possession inactive!
Void Bank
* Calming Woods
* Slime Party
* ??? Void
Abilities Low Tier Hammer Strike: Fueled by eldritch energy, delivers significant damage to a single target when using a hammer. Quick Step: Increase movement speed by 10% for five seconds. Nature’s Bounty: Increases the odds of finding food and resources by 5%. Build: Construct a structure or item using wood materials. Repair: Restore damaged structures or items. Middle Tier Imprint of Madness: All physical stats will rise by fifteen points. Odds of landing a critical strike increases by 22% when Imprint of Madness is activated. All physical stats will drop by 7 if mental state is overridden with madness. Limit: 7/20 - New! Mind Control: Odds of manipulating beings without mental resistance increases by 30%. Mind Control’s effectiveness increases by 20% when combined with Imprint of Madness. Mental Resistance: You’re immune to all mental attacks from beings below sainthood. Chaos Missiles: Unleashes twenty bolts of raw eldritch energy.
Dragon Scales: Your skin will harden and will become as durable as a dragon’s scales, while being resistant to most elemental attacks.
Abyssal Blizzard: Creates a burst of icy energy from the void. Void Blast: Shoots a significant nightmare flame to a single target. Nightmare flames devour negative emotions to fuel its rage. Void Levitate: This version of Levitate is infused with the power of the Void, allowing the caster to slip in and out of existence. While levitating, the caster becomes intangible and immune to physical attacks, but also unable to interact with the environment in any meaningful way. Curse of the Nightmarish Fog: Creates a fog of eldritch energy that inflicts both poison and madness upon enemies caught within it. Siegel: 30% chance of corrupting an item with your eldritch energy. Items bearing your Siegel have a 35% chance of corrupting the mind when used by other beings. Hastur’s Gaze: Peer into the status screens of other beings! Only beings above Level 50 will escape your gaze. Hastur’s Whisper: Strengthened with your connection to the abyssal void, you can summon low and middle tier level entities of eldritch origins. Shapeshifter: No one will see you for who you are.
Dragon Aura: With your bloodlust as a trigger, you will be able to impose the almighty force of a dragon.
Stolen novel; please report.
Fusion: Empowered by a dragon’s mythical knowledge, you will be able to combine two or more synergistic abilities to create brand new abilities. Depending on the synergy between energy sources, it’s also possible to combine them. Warning! Fusion of energy sources could have unprecedented consequences.
High Tier Tongue of All: You will understand every language, written and spoken, native or foreign to your world!
Eldritch Regeneration: Born from the fusion of two abilities, the user can restore health to themselves and others, healing wounds and injuries over time. The user is also capable of regrowing any part of their body that has been damaged or lost, as long as they do not die. Warning! Beings of non-eldritch origins are highly likely to succumb to their inner insanity when healed from Eldritch Regeneration.
Quests Main Quest: Survive the Theatre – Completed!
Scott scanned the system panel, his confusion and surprise hidden behind his mask. Soon understanding swiftly trailed his initial reactions. So, this is the reason they all fought like suicidal maniacs, he mused, though skepticism lingered. But surely this isn’t sustainable.
Turning to Orion, Scott noticed a mirrored expression of bewilderment. Then, his gaze shifted to the asura, where a troubling sight awaited him. The malevolent creature had somehow grown larger and more menacing since their last encounter.
Lost in contemplation, Scott barely registered the emergence of another system notification, accompanied this time by a melodious symphony that enveloped the immobilized champions.
The 31,457th performance will soon begin! Note: Champions will be forcefully eliminated after thirty seconds of inactivity! Note: The 31,457th performance will span three years only! Note: Champions who make it to the end of the performance will receive 70,000 experience points! Note: Champions eliminated before the end of the performance will only be rewarded experience points according to the number of opponents eliminated!
Three years? Scott's eyes widened in surprise, and he wasn't alone in his reaction. The champions suddenly grasped the sheer fortune of their timely arrival. It dawned on them that few, if any, from the initial group of performers in the 31,456th iteration had likely endured until this point in the performance.
No matter how greedy one may be, there’s no way anyone would believe they can last that long, right? Scott thought to himself while glancing at nearby champions.
"Among the champions, a common trait emerged—a palpable greed veiled their eyes. For many, the windfall from the previous performance surpassed their wildest expectations. Their survival only fueled delusions of grandeur, festering in their minds.
Please indicate if you’d like to return to your area or remain in the theatre! Remain! Leave!
Scott turned towards Orion and the asura, a silent and mutual understanding passing between them. Without hesitation, they decided to depart. Simultaneously, other champions made their choices. Crimson beams cascaded from the heavens, enveloping tens of thousands of champions in a blinding flash. Meanwhile, the lively music from earlier gradually intensified, marking the beginning of another performance. Scott observed as the battlefield descended once more into chaos, soaring skyward.
Moments later, Scott and the champions who opted to leave found themselves in a vast field stretching beyond the horizon.
“Where are we?” Scott murmured, scanning the area for Orion and the asura, but they remained elusive.
With thousands of champions congregated in the same space, caution prevailed among them. After all, there was no certainty whether they had been summoned to the field for the purpose of engaging in battle with one another.
Please select from the following floors! Rave Town. Odon Peaks. Dreamland. Laughing Hills. Sauna City. Silent Hill. Nameless Valley.
Scott stared at the system message, and barely a second after it emerged, a rogue tendril raced toward an option, clicking it with satisfaction.
You have decided to visit the Nameless Valley! Please enjoy your stay!
With his mouth agape, Scott observed as the ground beneath his feet split open, plunging him into free fall amidst turbulent clouds. Beneath him, a vast valley emerged, its vegetation obscured by thick fog. Despite the ominous surroundings, Scott's attention fixated on a darkened tower nestled in the heart of the forest. Though barely discernible, a flashing yellow sign atop the tower caught his eye, resembling a beacon guiding who knew what.
Welcome to the Nameless—
The system message abruptly glitched as a red taint covered the usually blueish interface.
Carcosa is thrilled with your arrival!
Scott narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting between the message and the ominous tower below. The raging skies seemed to carry his form toward the towering structure, and the closer he got, the more intimidating the building appeared.
The blackened tower, constructed from a unique material, was responsible for the thick fog blanketing the valley. What’s more, the vegetation closest to the tower was far more robust and enchanting, seemingly moving along with the raging winds that stormed the valley. About five hundred meters away from the tower, in an area shrouded with the densest fog, Scott's eyes penetrated through the mist, staring at the churning pool with flashing streaks of yellow hidden from the ordinary eye. The yellow sign appeared in Scott’s left eye, blinking in sync with the ominous flashes of yellow from the pool.
The eldritch knight soon landed on a large podium extending outward, with a tiled pathway leading to an ivory door adorned with golden accessories. Scott took a cursory look at his surroundings as the howling winds struck against his body. With each passing minute, his frown deepened, and an unsettling feeling gradually welled up inside him. The fact that the system message announcing Carcosa was thrilled with his arrival hadn’t disappeared only made him more cautious and anxious.
I hate the fact that this place feels oddly familiar despite it being my first time here, Scott frowned as he turned his attention back to the ivory door—the only entrance into the tower.
“I guess I don’t have any choice,” he muttered, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor as he approached the magnificent entrance.
On his fourth step, however, the grand doors swung open with a hiss, billowing out copious amounts of steam. Scott's attention, however, was drawn to the towering figure before him, clad in attire that seemed plucked from the future, a stark departure from anything he had encountered or imagined. The figure's glowing blue eyes, set in a sleek head devoid of nostrils, ears, or mouth, only heightened Scott's wariness, casting an eerie glow upon the scene.
Is that a robot? Scott's thoughts raced as he braced himself for a confrontation. Despite the lack of reaction from the warhammer at the sight of the mechanical being, Scott remained on guard, unwilling to take unnecessary risks.
The mechanical entity halted its advance just over ten feet from Scott, its luminous blue gaze locking onto the eldritch knight's ominous eyes. With a graceful bow, it emitted a mechanical voice that reverberated through the air, “Welcome back, Great One!”