Chapter 55
This is a fictional story by realTensai
"Alvis?"
His eyes shot open as the voice of his wife reached his ears. He stared at her, his vision of her alternating between reality and her without her head. Vomit pushed all its way up to his mouth, though he gulped it down, together with all his doubts.
I've respawned.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just need some fresh air."
"Should I come with you?"
"No, I also need some time on my own."
Alvis left the hotel, leaving Lia behind without looking back. He knew he would falter if he saw her anguished face right now. Even though he had respawned, his mind was still trapped in the last run, making staying calm a trial of insanity.
"It's over, it's over, it's over…"
Like a mantra, Alvis repeated these few words as he made his way through the Mana Forest. With no particular goal in mind, Alvis came to a halt once he was far enough away. The chilly evening breeze cooled his steaming head, enabling him to take a deep breath in and out for the first time since this run had started.
"It's over."
He slapped himself, and the loud clap made birds fly away. His burning cheeks somehow calmed him down, the tension in his body easing up. By clenching his fist and drilling his nails into his palm, he forced his body to stop shaking and activated his brain to analyze the past run and forge a new plan. No matter how much he wanted to just run away and leave everything behind, the trial hadn't ended yet. And with the limited time he had, every second was valuable.
So where do I start?
The deciding battle of the last run was still fresh in his mind, considering how it only happened a few minutes ago. Alvis figured analyzing what went wrong there would be the right move.
With the information he had, his plan had been perfect, and it had even worked. They killed Voyzez and his level should have ended right there if it wasn't for his ability to take over other bodies. Alvis clicked his tongue.
How many more op abilities does he have?!
Only because of this new power Alvis hadn't known of had they lost. Once hit by Voyzez's insanity shadows, one became a potential host for his soul. So getting hit once without being immune to it in some ways meant not only losing your sanity but also your body. Alvis' face grew grim as he realized how it diminished his potential strategies. However, despite that, he still made a decision that would lessen his possibilities even further. It was something he just had to do after seeing how the last run had ended.
I won't involve Dane and Lia any further.
Alvis' eyes were filled with resolve, not even his rational brain questioning this decision. Even though he could respawn, seeing them die even once more would make him insane. Alvis was still a human with a heart and soul. Even if it would take him more runs until he could clear the level, if he didn't rely on their strength, he would still make this decision without the slightest hesitation. As long as it was only him that died, he had no problem with it.
I'm the only one who has to suffer.
He could respawn and try again as long as needed. Yet if he were to see them die again, even if he were to respawn, the emotional wounds of the past run would be too great for him to stay sane. Alvis would give in to despair and fail the trial of insanity.
However, this wasn't the only reason not letting them take part in his fights was the right choice. Both Lia and Dane didn't have the means to defend themselves from Voyzez's insanity shadows. Alvis had his high-grade mind protector spell and Priest Zaini his immunity against curses, but Lia and Dane had nothing. If they were to get hit once, which wasn't unlikely, they would have immediately lost the battle. Killing Voyzez once was hard enough, but beating him after he would take over Lia or Dane was impossible.
Alvis exhaled deeply, finalizing his decision with a nod. He moved on to the next problem that arose from his choice, namely the lack of battle power.
Lia's and Dane's strength were the reason they could even kill Voyzez and without them, defeating Voyzez would be impossible. The only one Alvis could use in a fight right now without having to worry that this person would get possessed was Priest Zaini. Alvis considered Ms. Myth for a second, but she also couldn't defend herself from the insanity, so she fit in the same category as Dane and Lia. Even if she had mastered a mind protector spell, adding her strength still wouldn't be enough to kill Voyzez. After fighting him three times, Alvis knew damn well what it took to beat such a monster.
"Seems like I'm in quite a pinch."
Alvis sighed. However, even though he was in such a hopeless situation, he didn't lose his calm. Yet this wasn't because Alvis was fully in control of his state of mind, but because his brain had already delivered him a solution. There was still a way.
He would rely on his wild card.
An icy shiver jolted each fracture of his spine as he just imagined the pain they had caused him. One unpleasant death memory after the other reappeared in his mind and Alvis shook his head, trying his best to leave the past behind. They were his only option left. If it came to battle power, Alvis couldn't think of someone who exceeded them. It was a gamble Alvis was ready to take.
——
"We are here!"
The sun glazed upon them as they entered the sand field. The vast ocean stretched across the horizon, its dark blue trapping Alvis' eyes. He tried to stare down the abyss, to see what the endless depths looked like where no sunlight would reach, though he would never find out. Just like with the human heart.
"Woooaaahhhh!!!"
Leaping off with a sprint, Tristan and Dane battled over who would get into the water first. The loud splash caused by them simultaneously jumping in was the kick-off for the class' beach fun. The other guys followed, though Alvis couldn't care less, his mind being somewhere else.
It will happen soon!
The sea invited him to swim, but he said no, all his focus on his sole purpose.
And then it began.
The world around Alvis changed as killing intent aimed at his heart increased the gravity for him. However, instead of backing down and getting overwhelmed, Alvis pinpointed the location of the attacker and stared them down. His eyes couldn't see them, yet it didn't matter. He knew they were there, and the assassin knew Alvis knew.
So the attacker stopped and released Alvis from their grip. In the next instance, Alvis couldn't even feel an ounce of their mana, making it obvious that they vanished. Still, he waited a few seconds before he breathed out.
This was intense!
Cold sweat ran down his forehead, the strength of his attacker still engraved on him. However, Alvis could only smile, satisfied with how everything went out. After all, everything went just as planned.
I hope they understand my message though.
——
Branches crackled as Alvis made his way through the Mana Forest. He held the card in his hand, reading its contents for the 100th time, and still got annoyed by the unclear instructions.
Awaniko, Mana Forest. How the hell I'm supposed to find them just by that?
However, he just kept walking, wandering deeper into the mystic forest.
"Stand still."
Alvis' heart dropped straight into his pocket, his body freezing on the spot. Why didn't I notice him?! The man was standing behind him, and Alvis didn't dare to turn around. One wrong movement and he was dead. He couldn't even sigh.
"Who are you, and what do you want?"
"I'm Alvis Silva and I want to talk to your boss."
The man didn't answer; the silence making Alvis' blood pressure go up. But then Alvis felt a hand on his back and before he could even think about turning around, the scenery changed and he found himself in a dark hall.
"What the—?!"
The trees vanished, replaced by countless of man wearing white. Within the dark hall that was only lit by torches, they stood out like warning lights. They stood on the side, perfectly arranged, forging a straight path to the throne. As Alvis' eyes followed the path and looked to the front, a dark throne befitting of a king met his gaze. And sitting on top of that throne was a single man.
Suddenly, Alvis fell to his knees. The pressure emitted by all the assassins forced him to take a bow and lower his head. Every cell of his ordered him to stay down, his brain trying its best to find a way out of this situation.
Yet, Alvis shut it all down, ignoring his body's natural submission to greater strength. He forced his head up again and his legs followed soon.
Now isn't the time to cower in fear!
His eyes met the gaze of the boss and Alvis didn't even have to use Assassin's Eye to know that it wouldn't work. One glance was enough to realize that he was of the same caliber as Voyzez. If Alvis had come there to fight, he would probably be shaking in fear right now. However, this wasn't the reason he was there. That was why their strength only increased his resolve.
"Speak. What do you want?"
"I'm here to talk about your offer."