Chapter 3: Oblivion, non-logical world: Hell and Heaven

Running and running…Running and running…Running and running…

My footsteps are the main identity in this long hall; darkness and never-ending are what this tunnel consists of. I ran until I found something relevant to what I was searching for. The dim light of an enormous door with the smoke inside leaking out was opened, it was supposedly to greet someone it had found valuable and ethical.

“I want to get to know you, my comrade.”

I ran forward to the white door that looked like a portal, similar to the entrance to a boss fight in Soul Games. I exclaimed, "This must be where the figure is prohibiting!".

I reached this place through meditation, which trained my spiritual sense so that I could speak to and dive deeper into myself. It also strengthened my mind; I once experienced its place, high mental energy absorption.

In addition, I did not only train my mind, I also trained another thing…

The portal sounded wistful as I entered. A figure covered in black but its appearance was…similar to me? Last time, I did not have a chance to see how it looked because I could not open my eyes.

The figure showed an amazed face, it started to speak,

“So, you figured it out?”

“Yes…I want to know what you are trying to do, this whole mess gave me unusual feelings. And, this is out of the government’s knowledge. But…”

“But…?”

“I feel interested, I want to be a vigilante. From what I witnessed until’ this day, I want to immerse myself in these dangerous situations because my life has been boring since the day I was born.”

“You already had it, KInter. I chose you to be my acquaintance, and it was shown that I was right.”

“Do you hate humans that much? You said you want to clean and remove those who are not pure and good. Are you trying to create a world with only cleansed people? I felt this was a tremendous issue, erasing criminals and imposters like that is very cruel…I think…”

“Yup, if you save humanity, will they obey you as you hope so? Will they admire you, or, the other way inside?”

“...”

“You cannot change all mankind. Humans are a cunning species, you will not know everything until you can see the truths.”

I cannot agree more, this is what I was always thinking about. Bad people are everywhere; real good people are just ditching on a small ground in society. For example, when you got helped by someone, did they mean to do it? Or could it be a type of copycat they learned to do?

Never mind. This place is surely taking a hella amount of my spiritual energy. I started to get a bit kicked, but it was just an ant bite, after all. Holding a katana tightly, I did not know why…I was holding it like it was my sake.

“Wanna fight? I need to get an update on your current strength. Holding a katana, huh? Do not say that you…?”

“Yup, I learned the atomic manipulation.” I finished the figure’s sentence off.

“It must have been the fusing occurrence…fortunate enough, I intended to give it to you after this conversation but you already exceeded my plans.”

The training was flimsy, I took a week to understand how the ability worked, and I only produced some useless things to get it. After figuring all of it out, a week passed. I bet myself to meet the figure, which I do to see my potential, the “instinct” of myself, my ancestors.

“Only a week, huh? Interesting…let’s see what you got!”

As usual, it read my mind, and then the vibrations began. I could see the particles, the atoms, small as dust; they carried charges, positive and negative. They were visible, probably because I have an atomic left eye, too.

Specks of dust began to form around its hand, and the shape of a katana was shown. Elements such as iron and cellulose are gathered, woods are made of cellulose and iron is its blade, it is all I know, I am not an expert in chemistry, what a shame.

In an instant, the figure already had its sword, ready to fight.

“Do not hold back, if so, I will not be able to know…”

“I knew, I knew.”

“This is our first time fighting each other right? Make this as memorable as possible.”

“Negative.”

As the two remaining people in the cold and watery dimension ended the small chat. They gave a malicious look to each other, meaning…they would not hold back in this examination,

Two swords clashed, spreading a loud noise over the area; water started to splash in the handful of each impact. I and the figure fought with intensity, each gave a powerful strike that could lead to fatal if not serious. Additionally, Small sparkling lights from parries looked like a blacksmith gearing his or her precious sword, making it a fight straight out of animated movies.

“Great strength, great speed, great endurance, great stamina, and great mind. All are over average. Magnificent!”

The figure created a binary of attacks and kicks, a pseudo-combo. I could not know when it uses kicks or when it attacks, in return, I will dodge and attack, dodge and attack. If the strikes are too dangerous, I would retreat and create another weapon for range, a Kusarigama or a bow.

After a while of dueling, I started to feel heavy in every attack I landed on the figure. My mind must have been sucked out, very outdated. However, my attacks were stubborn and brave, saying I would not give up on tiny issues.

The figure noticed that my senses were getting dumped, it took the advantage.

Teleportation was launched, and vibrations started beating up the water. The figure faded away, transforming into absolute atoms. I could not hear or spot it coming—a higher level of hiding that executes sound!

“No way,”

Not hesitating, it appeared behind me…bringing the sword up high, and it slashed down the corridor. A long path strike caused an earthquake…

“I got you, apprentice.”

“Huh?”

Quickly parrying the attack, I stayed in the position with the figure.

“What you tried to do? I cannot understand…”

“This is what I was hoping for.”

A glacier from the void flew at light speed toward the figure. I prepared it before the match because I was going here for a fight to know my current strength. What I did not expect was that it asked me for a duel beforehand.

When I entered the portal, I created a glacier from a far distance. The figure could not feel it because I was consuming particles of the area when standing in front of it.

The figure thought I was the main merchandise; good products are getting all the attention, a natural psychological fact.

“I did not only train my mind.”

“I got it. I got it. That is how you escape from me reading your mind, damn it!”

Also, I did not think in my head about the plans. They came naturally from my muscle memory, which meant reflexes. That is why the figure could only read a part of what I thought but not the entire of it, creating a circumstance that puts me in the winning stance.

But, the difference in strength was obvious…

“You nearly got it, I admitted.”

A shield was instantly made, and vibrations quickly shattered the sound barrier. Does this mean that the figure was frustrated? Its speed was supersonic, this is the first difference I saw.

The glacier I prepared was pulverized into pieces.

“It was not my atomic manipulation.”

I shot up, it was not atomic manipulation?

“....Magic?”

“It was indeed. This was the combination of magic and my talent, you must convey this level first to stand against me next time.”

Because the speed of light made objects bring a lot of devious power; it could annihilate the Earth if an object such as a needle was chosen to.

The magic enhanced the shield, but, I could not see how it was coated. It must be the invisible magical energy from the figure— particle energy!

Stolen story; please report.

“In this world, we have the “antithesis”. Everything will have its opposite sides or multi-sides that are varied from each other, there must be. Take a look at the term “logic”, logic is the basis for making up everything, and create “sense”, it tells how this works or that works. While the antithesis of logic is imagination, apart from science and reality, it was made up of human visualization. Therefore, magic and others from imagination and visualization are made up from here, the “Oblivion”...”

“So what you mean is…”

“That is right, this place is the dream-core but magic is the only thing that can be brought out and used. Particle energies are magic-relevant, it has color effects when unleashed, and it based on the user’s characteristics, also, positive and negative charges are shown throughout the launch.”

At that rate, I gained more information about the habitant of the creature staying inside my body; it is an imagined world with its unique philosophy and systems, it has a government and everything else, but, it was antithesis. Additionally, I want to know more about the systems and the mysteries lying beyond this “not logic” world made of imagination.

“Also…”

“Yea?”

“After I know how humans work, I will live as a human but inside is a different species. However, humans are still dangerous, I need to clean and eliminate all the potential threats and upcoming apocalypses.”

I thought the creature had something to say, but then it paused, ending the dialogue. Although the figure's dreams and desires were interesting, something within me was irritating.

“Enough talking. Staying in this place so long will drain up all of your mental and spiritual energy.”

“Yup, it is time to get back to my realm. Thank you for determining my strength. I will meet you next time.”

A white portal briefly opened in front of me, and then, the figure was backed up, looking at me with drooping eyes. It seemed cool and nonchalant.

I stepped into the portal, a mixtape of sounds like souls traveling in movies and games, you can visualize what it is. I caught a glimpse of the figure looking at me with crossed arms, its left eye opened while the other closed. Stop looking at it, I stepped in completely, A gigantic lightning shined brightly, it made my eyes flash for a second.

I popped into my room and rose from my bed; it was a lucid dream. The mystery was not yet fully discovered, and the feeling that I had felt a moment ago bore me. Thus, I thought it was…

The right eye.

The secret I have not unveiled.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I woke up from my lucid dream through meditation. The room was nice and cozy because it was evening. I started to feel tired, but I needed to get something to eat.

I picked up my phone and I found a piece of news that was straight out of fiction books.

“Monsters got found in Zalek, a pile of corpses were found dead. Scientists are examining the species…”

I was astonished and wanted to know if they were alive. “Monster” is just the name of a different species, it could be the other way around, maybe? It could potentially harm humans or ordinary figures to humans, despite whatever the reasons, humans would do something to greet and adapt simultaneously.

Then, the room shook crazily, and objects fell, even my expensive computer. I did not know what was happening to me. It seemed that mysteries were showing themselves randomly and consecutively, and they wanted to attract a lot of attention to my eyes, just like the delusional thoughts that I had concluded.

“Why me?”

After asking myself that question, no miracles were there to explain to me. I looked down at my bed and I saw a big circle surrounding it.

I fell into the big circular hole.

Falling for a while, I started to feel hot, but, it did not make me sweat, I started to recognize where am I falling but it completely different from what it was always telling of.

“A hell? But it is not a hell…What is this place?”

Falling deeper and deeper, I saw a magma river, flowing constantly. I thought I could not evade that, so, I used my left eye: atomic manipulation!

I was absorbing the magma, and its elements were shown from the particles: Potassium, phosphorous, silicon, and others. Transferring to my left eye like slurping, I felt very excited, and I did not know why. It could be that I improved my manipulation a little better. In an instant, the whole river was absorbed completely into my eye.

I landed on the surface with a soft impact, then something came up to me. It was…a person.

“Outstanding of you, your ability is very awesome, hah…if I had your ability, I would…no, it would not turn out great.”

“Who are you? And what is this place? Are you living here?”

“Yes, I am living here as a free man, I have no boss to serve, I have no organization to participate. Overall, I am just a mere free man. And, this place is hell, but it is different from the hell you were told about; the temperature is cold and freezy. This realm branched from the imaginary world, “oblivion”, it is based on the world of human philosophy, hell, and heaven. The imaginary world, which is a non-logical world, would have the same thing but different systems and ways of everything.”

“I want to know the reason why the circle appeared in my room and now I am standing in another realm without knowing what happened.”

“...Actually, I summoned you.”

“You summoned me for what?”

“For a crucial reason, there is a monstrous creature wandering in this realm, and it wants to massacre the creatures like us. You have to help me!”

“But what do you know about me? How can you be sure that I will able to beat it?”

“You were chosen by that stone, right? The first one to get picked by the high-ranked species in Zalek. It must have found something in you to save you.”

So, it was the thing inside me. I did not know it is a high-ranked species and those creatures want to save humanity from pollution. They want to live with humans without conflicts and discrimination.

“I do not understand, the reason is so dubious and confusing to me. I have not yet fully understood about the “instinct” it lectured me.”

“So, you already heard it. Do not worry, all you need is to enjoy the power you have now. This is my request, I need you to slaughter that figure, and the prize is a legendary bracelet.”

Great! It was the first time that I became a bounty hunter, the excitement and joy brought me to think of different ways of using my atomic ability that I have not pulled yet to defeat the creature and back up for myself. But first, I need to do this…

“Can you tell me what the bracelet was capable of?”

“It will make you use less energy for atomic manipulation ability.”

“Good, but why did not you fight it?”

“...”

“Give me a fight.”

I maliciously threw a high-speed sword I created from atomic manipulation to the “human” standing in front of me. The speed increased, so it must be from the last dialogue between me and the figure.

The man immediately dodged, his reflex was ok. But, he flicked his middle finger and thumb together creating a sound to activate something.

Whatever he pulled, I was assured he would not kill me because the summon would be nonsense.

Creating another sword, I jumped toward him with extraordinary speed. I slashed down and horizontally continuously.

“Wow!”

The man dodged all of my attacks but he did not attack and counter back. I asked myself if he was underestimating me, but the next circumstance told me the reason why he did not fight back.

I froze the man’s legs, he could not move. I gave a horizontal strike to see if what he did was relevant to the moment I was executing him.

It turned out I was right.

“I cannot cut you, why did I stop my sword all of a sudden.”

“Let me tell you this, I am already not a fighter. It was my ability that stopped you from going to kill me.”

“...”

“My ability has taken your definition of killing and it also took your fighting spirit.”

So that is why I cannot land a single hit on him. I knew the fact that his speed was not fast, thus I slowed down because my spirit and the definition of killing were taken.

“Your power is brilliant. As promised, I will take on this quest. Tell me what is it that I am going to fight?”

“It is a non-existent dragon. Its body is a mere human but the head is a dragon. I cannot stop it because it is vulnerable to the spirit taken, only pure strength will be the solution to fight it. Its power is tremendously great, it can slash through a whole mountain, which is very insane!”

After hearing that, I was getting a little bit anxious. But I quickly squashed away the literal feeling that always stops me from being successful. “This creature is no match to the strength of the figure.”, I concluded this because I already had a full match with the figure t so why would I be scared of a lower obstacle?

“Good. I give you its location.”

The location of the dragon was transferred to me. I started to vanish to the destination. When I appeared, a scene of destruction was welcoming me; afar, a standing person with a dragon head was firing fire from its mouth.

Noticing me, it looked back. I caught its malicious aura, very notched and exaggerated.

It took its katana from the back, getting in a ready pose. I started to create something to fight it. However…

The monster played dirty, I was creating this weapon to test it but it did not let me finish. It blew fire at me so I instantly absorbed the particles and transferred them to the weapon to craft faster.

I finished; it was a kusarigama, a long-range weapon from the Japanese. Not getting a moment of looking, the monster was holding its sword upward going to slash me into half.

“Calm down, buddy.”

I vanished. Appearing far away from my position but still in front of it, I threw the tail that had a ball with spikes toward the face of the creature.

It dodged and held the chains; it pulled the string backward thus I was flying toward it. Holding the sword in the pose that is going to slash horizontally, it gave a powerful radiation strike toward me.

Because I could not absorb something magical and radiation, I left the weapon and created another one that I could create faster, it was a katana.

I jumped at the monster with the sharp point of the blade heading to its head. It cramped the edge right away with its spiky teeth.

“Wow!?” I stunned

The creature held my neck tightly and threw me down to the surface. The impact made me a little bit shocked. However, however,...

…

…

It was what I was looking for! This position, this exact timing. Everything was according to my plan!

“Just kidding.”

An invisible object stabbed into the monster’s head, making it confused and suffering in pain.

I rose and briefly explained,

“I used shadow matter to create invisible objects. Dark matter is not yet fully understood, but it had the property of dark and it meant invisibility.”

Only those who have the eyes of atomic could see it swiftly. I gathered the particles around my right arm, it was pure dark, like nothing. The figure completely falls for it since the dark matter cannot be felt.

“I did not think something not fully discovered or remaining a mystery would work on mysterious figures like you. What I concluded is that this was the rule of life. The “not expect” will exceed the outcome or change the situation completely.

“Gahhhhh…” the monster grunted

“Ready for round two!” I got into a ready pose, saying something that seemed like an energetic guy. Of course, the monster would feel that and be ready, too.

Then, both went for the strike simultaneously.