Abilities Middle tier Dragon Scales: Your skin will harden and will become as durable as a dragon’s scales, while being resistant to most elemental attacks. Dragon Aura: With your bloodlust as a trigger, you will be able to impose the almighty force of a dragon. 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 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.
Scott perused the system's message, munching on dry rations. I wonder how Slim and Zara would react when they find out that I’m now in level 17, he chuckled at the thought. His limpid eyes gazed at the serene waves, a longing for some reckless challengers surfaced.
“This is one of those nights I crave a bit of action to test out my newfound strength. A good fight would do wonders to keep me centered,” he muttered.
Remaining motionless, Scott divided his attention between the undulating waves and the luminous moon overhead.
“I doubt anyone will meet the three-day deadline. Even if they do, they'll just be shipped elsewhere. Looks like it's solo mode for me in the coming days. Hopefully, I can reach Togan in under two weeks.”
Scott shifted his focus to his status window, noting the increased probability of possession—now at 17%. Contemplating in silence, he pondered, Can I prevent it from happening?
The eldritch knight lay there, eyes fixed on the solitary moon. Although his recollections of the eldritch gods were hazy, he understood their incomprehensible power. Faced with such a formidable entity attempting to seize control of his body, victory seemed an elusive prospect.
As time passed, Scott remained entrenched in the same spot, observing two tranquil nights unfold. Positioned beneath the shelter of a towering tree, he reclined with his arms behind his neck, surveying the crystalline waters. Surrounding the half-human were remnants of gruff wine and empty water bowls, scattered in the gentle breeze that caressed the beach.
The Syman Road is about to emerge! Champions should prepare themselves!
“It's about time,” Scott muttered, as he rose leisurely from his seat. A wave of his hand made the empty vessels vanish into his inventory. The half-human stretched his arms and legs, accompanied by the satisfying cracks of his neck as he turned it from side to side.
A sense of curiosity overcame him about what might unfold next. Despite enjoying the tranquility of the past few days, boredom had crept in. The prospect of traveling in the dark seemed tedious, and he couldn't fathom how it would unfold.
Leaning against a tree, Scott sighed. His eyes, filled with curiosity, remained fixed on the shore, where a myriad of thoughts danced through his mind.
The Syman Road is emerging!
Tremors jolted the sea the moment the system's message materialized, causing Scott's brows to shoot up. Cracks marred the once-pristine surface of the water, as if cleaving the world into halves. The seas withdrew, sculpting an immense, motionless tidal wave on the horizon. Trees and rocks in the vicinity quivered in unison with the tremors, releasing a whirlwind of dirt, leaves, and assorted debris.
Scott fixated on the colossal waves, his demeanor tense and tinged with agitation. It's motionless now, but when it moves, this island will plunge into the depths.
The eldritch knight swallowed hard, shifting his gaze to the cracks spiderwebbing across the ocean floor.
How massive does it intend to become? Scott pondered, observing as the cracks expanded with each passing second. Moments later, the tremors subsided, and a fresh system message materialized.
The Syman Road has emerged! The Syman Road will remain open until midnight!
“I suppose it's time to move,” Scott muttered, taking a step forward. His narrowed gaze alternated between the colossal waves and the deep fissures in the earth, seemingly stretching into the abyss. The eldritch knight approached the shore, studying the lattice of cracks on either side of the towering walls of water. Scott turned toward the tranquil forest for a moment. I wonder if any of them made it out.
He shook his head before continuing his journey. “I just need to keep walking straight ahead. I should cover as much distance as I can in the first couple of days.”
Scott burst onto the road, sprinting with all his might without looking back. The farther he ran, the deeper he descended into the sloping path. The crystal-clear walls had grown even larger, seemingly reaching the heavens. However, Scott remained focused on running; nothing else mattered.
Meanwhile, at the beach, Deevok shot out from the earth, gazing in the direction Scott had departed. I wish you good luck. Your journey will only become more difficult from here, he thought before submerging.
The cold of the night once again replaced the day’s warmth. The towering water walls remained unmoving, but unlike before, they sparkled, basking under the silver radiance of the moonlight. Scott, walking at a measured pace, ran his fingers along the permeable barrier as he continued his journey. Condensed air escaped from his nostrils with each step, and his hair stood on end. Unlike the beach, the temperature within the road was significantly lower, with a thin layer of ice covering the ground.
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I’m fucking lucky I took the dragon pill. I can tell it’s ridiculously cold, but I don’t feel a thing. Scott stared at his fingers and the ripped portion of his clothes. A thin, crimson layer pulsated underneath his clothes, fighting off the biting cold.
Scott raised his head toward the skies, the reflection of the crescent moon painted on his eyes. Midnight shouldn’t be that far away. There should be… He sighed mid-thought while shaking his head. There’s no need to think about that. There’s still a long way to go.
Maintaining the same walking pace, he occasionally glided his fingers along the absorbent barrier while attempting to contact his companions, but he received no response.
The Syman Road is closing! Warning! Champions who haven’t embarked on the journey to Togan are advised to do so before the road closes!
Tremors once again jolted the area, causing Scott to pause mid-step. The walls of the surrounding space drew relentlessly closer to each other. In a frantic dash, Scott raced to the center of the road, turning anxiously as the encroaching walls threatened to converge into a seamless whole.
Turning around, Scott found himself unable to discern where, or how far away he had walked from the island. Although the distance remained uncertain, his attention was captivated by the barrier forming in the upper reaches.
The tremors heightened as the two halves of the ocean once again merged, leaving a daunting darkness in their wake. The ensuing tsunami swallowed the island, dragging every creature within the lush jungle into the ocean's depths. Then, as abruptly as they started, the tremors ceased.
The moon's reflection painted itself across the now pristine waters, but neither Scott nor the island revealed itself beneath the crystal-clear surface.
The Syman Road has closed!
Several thousand kilometers into the calm sea, Scott remained fixed in position, his entire being immersed in an abyss of pitch-black darkness.
“I thought he said this place would be dark. Why is it so bright?” Scott pivoted from side to side. Unbeknownst to him, the yellow sign revolved in his eyes and on the mask of the eldritch knight.
A peculiar citrine hue, creating a hollow vacuum, tainted the path ahead. Scott lifted his head, gazing at the thin layers obstructing the surrounding waters. The makeshift vacuum, spacious enough for five people standing shoulder to shoulder but only tall enough for someone just over fifteen feet, extended deep into the boundless expanse of nothingness.
“Anyone here?!” Scott bellowed at the top of his lungs, yet the vacuum responded with complete silence. Undeterred, he shouted again and again, but the void swallowed his voice. Frustration mounting, he kicked a nearby pebble, only to find it produce no sound as it silently traversed the ground.
The Mask of the Eldritch Spawn has started absorbing your madness!
Already? Scott’s right brow shot up. I won’t run the risk of running mad with the mask and the war-hammer with me. Scott then focused on the path ahead. I only need to focus on getting to Togan as fast as I can.
With his course decided, he continued his lonely journey; unable to differentiate night from day. He tried intermittently to contact Zara and Slim, but once again, silence greeted his messages.
“System, can you establish a connection with the lesser god of illusions?” Scott asked mentally.
Request Denied!
Scott averted his gaze from the system's notification, choosing to dismiss the reason behind the denial of his request without bothering to read it. Instead, he carried on along the path, taking occasional breaks. Days blurred by swiftly, with Scott deliberately overlooking the system messages announcing the eldritch knight's mask consuming more madness. Yet, he remained unfazed.
The surrounding waters and the desolate path revealed neither living nor deceased creatures. Despite covering considerable ground along the Syman road, the glorious sunken city of Togan remained elusive to Scott's probing eyes.
How could an unsponsored individual endure this trial without succumbing to madness? He thought.
The silence was so profound that he couldn't even hear his own heartbeat. Though he was spared from insanity, he had never felt more bored to death. “I'd give anything to see a damn fish or an ant, or something alive—heck, I don't care if they're dead. Anything to prove I'm not alone," Scott muttered, his visage contorting behind the mask.
“Don't be weak!” a raspy voice thundered in the mind of the eldritch knight, jolting him from his stupor. Scott scanned his surroundings but found no source for the voice. Then, a thought filled his mind, and he instinctively reached for the mask. Was that the war-hammer of the Mad God?
Calling out to the sinister weapon, Scott was met with silence.
I knew it wouldn't answer, but oh well. For a moment there, it felt as if I was losing myself, he reflected, his expression turning serious behind the mask.
Normally, my other senses should be heightened, but the air is devoid of any smells, and the dragon scales have dulled my sensitivity somewhat. Anyone who survives this hell is a true monster. There’s no way they won’t have some loose screws upstairs. Perhaps Togan is a city filled with lunatics, Scott mused.
Time slowly counted down as Scott continued his lonely journey. He frequently spoke to himself, laughing and smiling at his own jokes and thoughts. In between his irregular sprints, he played random games with the surrounding rocks on the ground—anything to keep his mind off the tedious and lonely journey. The concept of day and night no longer mattered to him; after all, everything bathed in a citrine glow.
As he ran, Scott pondered, who would win in a fight between Luffy and Naruto if they were both stripped of their unique abilities, and could only fight with their fists, and without weapons too? Scott prepared himself to settle the debate, but a voice suddenly thundered in his mind.
“Can anyone hear me?”
Scott paused in his tracks.
“Buddies, are you guys there?”
His heart thumped faster than ever as he struggled to contain his smile. He readied himself to respond, but a system message suddenly flashed across the screen.
You are approaching Togan’s border! Warning! You won’t be able to leave once you step foot in Togan!
Tremors rocked the vacuum, but it only lasted a moment. However, a diverging path suddenly appeared in front of Scott. One led straight ahead, while the other branched off to his right.
Do you wish to maintain your current path? Or do you wish to continue through the Syman Sea? Should you continue your current path, you will arrive in Togan in about 80 km! However, if you continue through the Syman Sea, you will arrive at the fourth test stage in 2000 km! Which path do you wish to choose?