Scott stared at the stream of notifications, his brows knitting together. You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m really close to becoming a demi-god? he thought, glancing down at his body in a daze. I feel no different, though. He scrutinized his form, his mind churning. Could it be because I haven’t fully shed my mortal roots? The more he considered it, the more the theory made sense.
His expression darkened as memories of the massive hands invading the nihilistic zone surfaced. I can’t believe those bastards can reach that far… But another question lingered. Who was the one that intervened, and why did they feel so familiar? No matter how hard he tried, the answer eluded him, though he vividly recalled the strange sensation the encounter left on his body.
Scott shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. No point racking my brain for answers I don’t have. He surveyed his surroundings: endless stretches of jagged rocks draped in moss and vegetation, shrouded by a permeable fog. The skies above were painted in a reddish hue, swirling spiral patterns twisting across them like celestial tornadoes.
He turned his attention back to the flashing notifications. For the Administrator and the tower to acknowledge this... it’s no ordinary feat. His gaze lingered on the final message, unease creeping into his thoughts. But choosing a timeline could bring trouble. Could those scheming gods have spread their influence to every timeline? His brows furrowed deeper in the growing silence.
“Orion, are you there?” Scott called over a private channel.
“You’re back already?” Orion replied with a chuckle. “We can’t see you, though. Where are you?”
“In a different territory,” Scott replied curtly, then asked, “What do you know about demi-gods?”
“Oh?” Orion’s tone shifted, intrigued. “Where did you hear about that?”
“That’s not important,” Scott said, his patience thinning. “Just answer—”
“No, it is important,” Orion interjected. “I can only give you an accurate answer if I know where your information came from. Stepping into demi-godhood means shedding all mortal roots. At that point, you’re on the path to claiming authority—or fighting for it, in your case.”
Scott’s tense expression eased slightly. “I got a notification about shedding part of my mortal roots—”
“Part?” Orion interrupted, his surprise palpable. “Not all your mortal roots?”
“Just a part,” Scott confirmed, glancing back at the message. “I’m staring at it right now. I’m guessing this isn’t common?”
Orion chuckled softly. “That’s putting it lightly. Normally, champions only receive notifications after crossing the threshold—not before, and certainly not when they’re close. Your case is... highly unusual.”
He paused, tension thick in the silence. “And I must admit, I’m intrigued.”
“Does the Administrator usually congratulate champions who reach demi-godhood?” Scott suddenly asked.
Orion burst into laughter, his amusement echoing across the channel. His cackle grew louder and wilder before he finally calmed himself, only to break into another fit.
“So it’s that unheard of, huh?” Scott muttered, unimpressed.
Orion finally composed himself. “The Administrator barely acknowledges gods, let alone demi-gods, who rank even lower in the hierarchy. There’s no reason he’d congratulate someone—unless…” His voice trailed off, tension rising again.
“Unless what?” Scott pressed, his curiosity piqued.
As if on instinct, Scott’s hand moved to his chest. For the first time in what felt like eons, he sensed a faint, rhythmic throbbing—a heartbeat. His hand pressed harder, and the vibrations grew clearer. Is that... my heart? He clutched his shirt, the sensation grounding him.
Orion’s voice broke through again, now thoughtful. “You know, there are a few reasons the Administrator might take notice, though most are just speculation. Maybe the Tower of Champions itself acknowledged you. Or perhaps the Administrator has a personal connection to you—or,” Orion hesitated, “your achievements might be so remarkable that even he had to take notice. It’s hard to say, but any of those could be possible.”
Scott listened to Orion’s words through the party channel, but his hand remained planted on his chest. Slowly, he removed his clothing, his eyes narrowing as he examined the strange phenomenon beneath his skin. The formless mass occupying his chest surfaced again, bubbling and throbbing with an unsettling rhythm, almost like a living heart.
Scott’s hand hovered, trembling slightly as he reached for the pulsing entity. With each inch he closed, the mass throbbed harder, reacting to his presence as though it sensed his intent.
Is this what it’s like to feel nervous? Scott thought, his face contorting into an array of unfamiliar expressions.
When his hand was mere inches from touching the mass, his body jerked violently. Staggering forward, Scott managed to plant his feet firmly on the wet ground, forcing himself to regain composure. Yet, the throbbing intensified, its rhythm reverberating through his core, even though his hand had pulled back.
What the fuck is going on? Emotions surged through Scott’s form, each one foreign and overwhelming. His visage shifted uncontrollably, cycling through a myriad of expressions.
I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all.
He gritted his teeth, forcing his features to settle. But before he could regain full control, his body convulsed once more, and this time, a flood of memories—both familiar and alien—assaulted his mind.
Scott roared, unleashing a guttural scream that reverberated through the territory. Above him, the heavens responded in kind.
“Scott? Are you there?” Orion’s voice crackled through the party channel, tinged with alarm. “I heard a roar. What’s going on? Do you need help?”
Scott ignored the call, his screams growing louder as the sky darkened. Thunder boomed, and lightning tore through the clouds, illuminating the massive, all-seeing eye that slowly manifested above him.
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But it wasn’t the same eye Scott had seen before.
Staring at the transformed eye, Scott’s breath stilled. Those eyes… he thought. They’re the same as mine in the nihilistic zone. How is that possible?
The thought had barely formed before the regal projection unleashed a blinding luminescence upon him. The light moved faster than Scott could react, piercing his forehead instantly.
He let out a baleful scream as fissures erupted across his form. The throbbing mass in his chest pulsed violently, and fine blackened tendrils erupted from the abyss within him.
As Scott’s screams intensified, so did the tendrils, multiplying endlessly. The radiant beams from the eye dissipated, but Scott’s cries persisted, twisting into a deranged laughter that sent tremors across the entire territory.
“Scott! Are you there!” Orion’s voice howled again through the channel, but Scott remained indifferent.
The tendrils wrapped themselves around Scott’s body, attempting to seal the countless fissures that covered him. But it was futile—the more they repaired, the more cracks appeared, as though his form was caught in a never-ending cycle of destruction and renewal.
A sharp, resonating crack echoed from the throbbing mass in Scott’s chest. The tendrils froze before shattering into countless fine fragments, vanishing into nothingness before they could touch the ground. The mass followed, dissolving in the same way.
Scott’s laughter ceased abruptly, replaced by a haunting stillness.
“Scott! Tell me where you are!” Orion’s voice rang out once more, louder than before.
“I’m fine,” Scott finally replied, his lips quivering as he managed a smile.
“What do you mean, fine? That didn’t sound fine!” Orion shot back, his tone laced with frustration. “I’m done with most of the main work. My clones can handle the rest. Where are you? I’m coming over.”
Scott raised his right hand, summoning a nihilistic portal. But unlike before, this one exuded a new and unfamiliar chaos. Its edges were writhed with a foreign energy that seemed to twist the air around it.
Before Scott could speak, Orion’s form was hurled from the portal, landing on his feet mere moments after his arrival.
“I told you I was fine, didn’t I?” Scott said, his smile widening with an unsettling amusement.
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Orion raised his head, his brows furrowing the instant he locked eyes with Scott. His expression darkened, apprehension creeping into his features.
What happened to his eyes? Orion thought, recoiling slightly.
Scott’s eyes glowed with chaotic brilliance—silver and grey swirling with alien glyphs, while flickering golden sigils pulsed erratically within their depths. The chaotic patterns were mesmerizing yet deeply unsettling, radiating a power that seemed alive.
“You don’t look okay to me,” Orion said, forcing himself to remain calm. “What happened? Do you even realize how different you look?”
It wasn’t just Scott’s eyes. Orion’s gaze traveled down to the rest of his body. Though Scott appeared physically fine, his upper body was now covered in countless infinitesimal blackened marks, as numerous as strands of hair, scattered across his exposed skin.
“What do you mean?” Scott asked, his voice dazed but cheerful. “I’ve never felt better in my life.”
Orion frowned, his mind racing. Did he succumb to madness? He wondered but quickly dismissed the thought. No… he’s incapable of that. But something has definitely changed.
Orion took a step forward, his attention fixated on the blackened marks. There’s no way it’s that, right? His expression soured, anxiety spreading across his face.
“Scott,” Orion began, his voice steady but probing. “Do you know what those marks are?” He pointed at Scott’s chest, his tone betraying a growing unease.
Scott glanced down at himself, his gaze casual. “Oh? When did these get here?” he asked, his tone light and unconcerned. Looking back up, he added with a faint smile, “I have no idea, but something tells me you do. Isn’t that right?”
Orion inhaled deeply, bracing himself. “You inherited memories you weren’t supposed to, didn’t you?”
Scott, still wearing his unsettling smile, let out a soft chuckle, entirely unperturbed. “How did you know?” he asked, his voice tinged with amusement. “Don’t tell me these marks are the answer.”
“I wish it were that simple,” Orion replied, shaking his head. Without hesitation, he summoned an item from his inventory: a mummified corpse encased in a tube of faintly glowing pink liquid.
Scott’s expression remained unchanged as he studied the tube. But then his brows shot up. On the corpse’s desiccated skin were twenty blackened marks—nearly identical to the ones now etched across his own body.
Orion’s voice broke the silence. “Those marks are evidence of the great sin you’ve committed,” he said, stepping closer. His tone turned grave as he continued, “I’m sure you’re aware of this: there are beings capable of communicating directly with the gods. When these people die—or even while they’re alive—their memories, especially those tied to the gods, are strictly forbidden from being spied upon, investigated, or even observed in any capacity.”
Orion paused for emphasis, his eyes narrowing. “Those who violate this law are plagued by the curse of extinction. To ordinary people, it might seem like you’re simply looking at images or watching a recording, but it’s far more sinister than that—”
“What are you trying to say?” Scott interrupted, his voice sharp.
Orion sighed deeply, his shoulders stiffening. “Unlike in pictures or movies, where the subjects are unaware of being observed, the gods are always aware. It doesn’t matter if the memory is thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years old. The moment you spy upon those memories, they become aware of your existence. It rewrites history itself—they’ve known about you since then.”
Orion reached into his inventory again and retrieved another tube, this time containing the floating body of a male human.
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Scott’s chuckle broke the tense atmosphere as he stared at the man suspended in the liquid. Recognition dawned, and he tilted his head. When did he do this?
The body inside the tube was a perfect clone of himself.
“I apologize for not telling you about my little experiment,” Orion said, his tone measured but calm. “I assure you, I had no malicious intentions.”
Scott’s eyes remained fixed on the clone.
“I created this as a precaution,” Orion continued. “And now, I’m thankful I did.”
“What do you mean by that?” Scott asked, finally tearing his gaze away from the tube to meet Orion’s eyes.
Orion pointed directly at Scott. “The curse of extinction has already taken hold of you. Death is imminent—there’s no avoiding it. Right now, your existence defies the natural order, muddling history itself. Neither the gods nor the universe’s laws will permit this paradox. Soon, you will be wiped out completely—in both body and soul.”
Orion paused, his gaze steady. Then, gesturing toward the tube containing Scott’s clone, he said, “However, there’s a way to avoid the extinction of your soul—or, as I call it, your consciousness.”
Scott’s eyes narrowed slightly, drifting back to the tube. “And what is that?”
“Your consciousness will be extracted and purged of the impure memories, then implanted into the new host,” Orion explained.
Silence fell between them, heavy and charged. Scott stared at the tube, his gaze thoughtful. Then, to Orion’s surprise, Scott’s smile brightened as he turned his attention toward the first tube with the mummified corpse.
“You’ve done this before,” Scott said, his voice carrying an edge of dark amusement.
Orion let out a soft chuckle, glancing at the corpse encased in pink liquid. “Curiosity does have its demerits,” he admitted. “Thankfully, I’m quite resilient—and resourceful.”
Taking a step closer, Orion’s expression grew serious. “We don’t have much time. The curse is insidious, Scott. It doesn’t just destroy—it corrupts. The most terrifying aspect is how it warps the host’s personality. Once that happens, there’s no coming back.”
Scott tilted his head back, his laughter erupting suddenly and violently. “I think it’s too late for that,” he managed between bouts of deranged cackling.
“What do you mean?” Orion asked, his face tightening with apprehension.
Scott lowered his head, his grin widening into something manic, his eyes alight with chaotic brilliance. “I’ve already devoured the curse,” he declared, his voice trembling with exhilaration. “Not just the curse—I’ve assimilated all the memories.”
“What?!” Orion took a step back, disbelief flashing across his face.
“I know exactly where those fuckers are,” Scott continued, his tone venomous yet gleeful. His aura pulsed violently, shaking the ground beneath them. “And I can’t wait to meet them.”