On an island so far away from civilization, the bodies of countless monsters were stacked in a desert. Nikolai sat on top of the corpses as he kept absorbing their stats while eating meat bread.
After consuming a lot of his mana, Nikolai found that his appetite returned. Of course, there is also the possibility that he lost his appetite because of leaving Sergio, but he didn't know. He was just glad that there was still a human part of him.
"Well, to eat on top of corpses is a weird definition of being human," Nikolai laughed to himself. "However, humans are nothing but cruel."
As he debated which direction to take next, Nikolai heard a sound from within the giant worm beneath him. It was a grumbling sound, and he realized that the gases were trying to leave the corpse.
"Okay, time to leave," Nikolai stood up as he didn't want to stay here as the corpse decomposes. His stats have seen quite the increase since he fell into this island, and they now looked like this:
[Vitality: 62]
- [Blood Energy: 15.]
[Strength: 65]
[Agility: 59]
[Intelligence: 53]
[Mana: 70]
[Rank F]
[Fae Talent: A Wise Choice.]
[Dark Talent: Dark Echo.]
[Skill: N/A]
The staggering of his intelligence bothered him because very few monsters dropped these crystals on the island, but Nikolai, this was a habit from the past. After all, he wasn't only a gunman now but a multi-weapon user.
Overall, his stats increased nicely, but it came at the cost of his Fate Points which has dwindled into a miser 14. His Fate Points never seem to be enough, no matter what he does.
He thought his act of letting go of Sergio would grant him a few Fate Points, but it did not. The event of Sergio and him coming to this island didn't happen in the past, so it wasn't any impactful or 'fate stealing.'
As he walked away from the corpses, Nikolai fell into a sense of urgency. He needed to obtain more points before the world changes beyond what he knew. But, of course, that was far in the future, as some things like the war were destined to happen.
As he resumed his search of the skill, a giant monster rushed toward him from within a dune. However, Nikolai was quite prepared, and he used his stealth and dodged.
It was a Sand Foxman, a monster that was a realm above Nikolai's rank. This monster was of the E-rank, and it wasn't something that the previous Nikolai could handle.
Nikolai walked around the fox as he took out his weapons. As he left his stealth, his petals followed his weapon as it struck the monster. The Foxman grabbed his weapon with its claw as its bared its teeth. However, when they touched the sand, the petals exploded with darkness, and the monster's arm scattered into the wind.
"Awooo!"
The monster howled as it rushed forward, duplicating in the process. Nikolai noticed that its duplicates were also missing an arm, which amused him greatly.
As he slipped back into the shadows, Nikolai waited for the monster to expand its mana using the skill before he struck again, taking out another limb.
The method was a bit underhanded, but it was the most effective. After repeating the process and taking out one limb after the other, the Foxman died.
"Hm?" Nikolai didn't think that it would drop something because he didn't use any Fate Points. However, what it dropped wasn't a Stats or Skill Crystal, but a piece of glowing talisman.
Nikolai could feel a power coming from within the piece of paper. After he grabbed it, the light of the enchantment written on it glowed.
"There missing words," Nikolai realized as he saw that the enchantment was cut off as if someone ripped the talisman to pieces. "But what do you do?"
Despite asking it, Nikolai knew that it had something to do with the skill. So he kept the paper away as he looked around the desert for any other monsters.
Everything here existed because of the skill 'Absolute Shield,' and it made sense that this talisman piece would somehow lead Nikolai to it. However, a single Foxman was at the E-rank, so what about the others?
"Power chooses us, and not the other way around."
This is a common phrase between Defiers, as it signified that only those worthy of power could obtain it. Thus, the skill would not be a crystal waiting to be picked up, but a power that you need to pass obstacles to get.
Most attributed this fact to the world being fair. However, Nikolai didn't understand how that was fair, as only the powerful can grow more powerful.
"There is also luck," Nikolai muttered as he traversed the desert, looking for his next kill. "That was the absolute fairness of the world. Everyone has an equal chance of obtaining stats, of obtaining skills, of obtaining power. The more you try, the more you can receive. However, there's an exception to that rule."
As he was keeping himself company by mulling over such idealistic thoughts, Nikolai found another bizarre thing in the middle of the desert.
The black desert was indeed an expanse of wasteland. However, there was a pillar of light that was a few meters tall, hiding between a few dunes.
"What is that?" Nikolai wondered to himself as he walked forward. "Can it be a trap?"
Even if it was, Nikolai had to go forward and see what it is. It was better than staying in this abyss forever, after all. At the moment, any change was a good one.
As Nikolai got close to the pillar of light, the light escaped from it and touched his body. Then, the light washed over his body without harming it, scanning Nikolai's body in the process.
"Ah, an assessment of strength," Nikolai was surprised. "I guess that's how the man obtained the skill despite being weak."
After the light finished scanning his body, the pillar of light shone brighter, and it shot out a beam toward the sky. The darkness was dispelled for a fraction of a second before a ripple spread over the island.
Then, the light died down anticlimactically. Nikolai looked around and found that nothing changed about him. However, there was something about the island.
It felt less dangerous, but there was a nauseous feeling about it. Then, as he thought that things might turn for the worse, it did. A shard split from the pillar in front of him before morphing into a child.
The child of light stood there harmlessly, and it stared at Nikolai innocently. However, if there were one creature that Nikolai feared, it would be children. Something was terrifying about a child appearing in the middle of the desert.
"What are you?" Nikolai took out his weapon as he looked around, waiting for the child to reveal its true colors. Instead, however, there was a sense of familiarity as Nikolai looked at the child.
"I am..." the child looked around blankly before staring back at Nikolai. "I am you."
"Okay, that's enough for me to kill you." Nikolai was creeped out as it is, and he didn't want to accompany a monster disguised as a child.
"You think that I'm a monster, but what if I'm not?" the child spoke to him coldly.
As he said those words, Nikolai paused. He was about to attack because he was convinced that this creature was a monster, but what if it was someone trapped within the pillar?
'If he is indeed a child and I killed him...' Nikolai lowered his weapon. 'Not even I can do that,' he shook his head. There were limits to how ruthless can be before they turn into a mindless killing machine.
"I'm glad that my future self has some heart left," the child said with a smile that uneased him. "Furthermore, if you kill me, you won't obtain the skill."
"What are you talking about?"
"I was created by the skill to test you, and you need to protect me as you collect the talisman. I may be a manifestation of your mind, but that doesn't make me any less real than you are."
"Wait, you said 'future self' earlier. Does that mean that you are me as a kid?" Nikolai frowned as he stared at the child's features. As he came to that conclusion, he began to recognize that dark and cold face.
"I told you; I am you," the child repeated, and Nikolai could now tell that this was indeed how he looked like as a child. Of course, it was a vague memory after two decades, but this was indeed how he looked like as a kid.
"And if I can protect you until I gather all the talismans?"
"Then you will obtain the skill of protection, Absolute Shield," his younger version smiled as he walked toward Nikolai. "I can see that you are no longer human, so I will look like this when I'm older?"
"I never knew I was this annoying," Nikolai sighed.
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