“Hey, you, you're finally awake.”
A voice inside his head brought Rue out of his stupor. He opened his eyes, his vision blocked by loose bandages. He blinked twice, steadying the haze across his vision. The dull darkness of the prison cell settled over him like a blanket.
Dripping water had formed a small puddle near his palm where it pooled against the rough stone. He snapped upright, wincing instantly as his weak body scraped against the coarse wall. He still couldn’t stand, and he was put in the corner instead of the single small bed across the cell.
When he touched his neck, a spasm of raw, hot pain blared like a hot coal pressed against him.
That Demoness.
“That bitch,” Rue mumbled.
It was a struggle to keep his neck straight thanks to this pain. Rue had to rest his head awkwardly with his left cheek almost touching the prison wall.
As if these were not confusing enough, the voice inside him called out once more.
“Rue Hazard? Is that your name? Please confirm. Your last name became Hazard because of an unidentified sickness, which spreads at an alarming rate on your planet… I must say, a world without magic sure has it rough. Usually, Mana Spillage was a Blessing.”
“Ah, I’m distracted. Please pardon me. Where are you now? You’re outside of the Tutorial boundary, and that wouldn’t do. We can’t seem to locate you. Strange. Anyway, am I talking to myself? Can you respond? I know you can hear me. Just align your thoughts to respond to me. It's easy.”
Not only was his body a high-value pi?ata, but now people could enter his mind?
Rue ignored the voice, trying his hardest to make sense of everything. In a way, this was not much different from his usual situation. A demoness was now trying to turn him into her slave. Would he at least have his legs back? That would make things bearable at least.
Even just an hour a day.
“Truly, what a bad thrall.”
Rue lazily lifted his eye. Through the steel bars, he saw the Demoness again. This time, she was not naked. She wore a jade nightgown, where a thin dark tail lifted the green dress a bit as it rose just enough so the tail’s end could sway around. The Demon dragged an exact look-alike by her collar, hauling her across the ground. “Oh, this? This is one of my daughters, and she just tried to save all of you. I might as well give her the front seat…”
“Mother, please,” the other creature spoke.
“Lire, child, you need to learn,” the Demoness said.
Lire's body was thrown roughly down and quickly hauled up by two Imps.
Imps… Rue had to do a double-take at the sight. Those Imps’ bodies were small, half the size of the beautiful Demonesses. Their heads bowed respectfully, careful not to hold their gazes with the mother Demoness.
When a gate screeched closed, one of the Imps quickly knelt by the Demoness’s feet. “My Lady Sruka. We had made all of the arrangements for Lady Lire.”
“Good,” Sruka remarked. She pursed her lips, then knelt to inspect something. She ran her finger across a marking etched into the stone floor. “The runes, they’re well?”
Runes. Rue noticed them all around him by now. Maybe the darkness was on purpose so he could not see them at first, or maybe he was just thinking too much since the Demoness—Sruka casually asked it in front of him.
“Yes, M’lady.”
“Keep it up. Also, better have more potions and foods ready here. These people are all incredibly… brittle.”
“As you wish, more is now being brought.”
“Very well, Uzak, don’t disappoint me. Now, I want that one, and… that one… then…”
Sruka’s smile settled on Rue, but not her finger.
“That one,” she pointed to a cell beside Rue’s.
The Imps, which sounded like there were more than two of them, began dragging three bandaged humans. Cries echoed through the prison. One girl, and two boys. All of them must be younger than Rue.
[Rue Hazard is out of Tutorial’s boundary]
[Recovery Initiated]
[Watcher Assigned]
[Observer Assigned]
All three were thrown by Sruka’s feet. They whimpered, begging for her mercy. Rue just watched, his eyes bored into the sight. He wanted to live, but it seemed the world wanted the exact opposite of him.
“Do you know why the three of you were dragged here?” Sruka asked, only to answer her own question. “Because you communicated with the Observer. Now, I believe common sense should apply anywhere. Should I, your captor, let you communicate with others inside your head?”
The three cried harder, shaking their heads.
“I’m glad you understand, which is why I’ve decided the three of you will be my first Warlock.”
Sruka stepped back. The girl tried to reach for the Demoness, but her hand did not extend far enough. A circle of red light suddenly flared beneath them, and an agony-filled scream tore their mouths. The light grew so bright that Rue had to close his eyes, but he let a sliver of vision to watch still.
One boy’s body bulged into three circles and exploded, sending a clasp of air to swirl around the prison as his figure collapsed. The other boy’s head was straight-up blown apart.
Light snuffed out.
The room once again filled with serene calm. The taste of blood invaded Rue’s sense of smell.
The girl’s head wrapping loosened, revealing her white hair, just like Rue and those who got afflicted by the illness. Her eyes shot open. She stood. Her legs supported her, and she rose tall and strong. She was facing Rue’s cell, and he could see that her face was void of emotion.
“You may smile,” a chilling voice commanded.
The girl smiled.
Rue’s mouth twisted. Maybe death was better…
“My Warlock,” Sruka cooed. She rushed toward the girl—tried too, but then her knee buckled, and the demoness fell with one knee. “Ah, shame. It seemed like I would require more…” she paused. ”Time for the rest of you. Now, I expect the best behaviour. Don’t talk to the Observer, or think badly of me. Because I would know.”
--
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
--
Rue tried not to think. He squeezed his eyes closed, focusing on the shifting darkness. But what would this do?
No, no, no. Just don’t think. Remember what she said… what she said…
He brought his hands up quickly to his mouth, eyeing the imps’ patrol that appeared every minute or so. When they left his vision, he whispered. “She doesn’t know I insulted her earlier out loud.”
“This work? Test? Hello? Observer?”
“Hey,” Rue tried calling the observer, keeping his voice low enough. “Can you hear me?”
“You responded! What happened to the three? They suddenly got cut off.”
“They died, our captor can hear our thoughts.”
“Then speaking it out is safe?”
“I—I’m not sure.”
“Then let’s make this quick. One of the three has told us about Sruka’s marking. Sruka is a Succubus, quite a middling famous figure, I must say. Favoured by many males who travel all over the world for her highly rated brothel with sublime reviews—”
“How do I get out of here?” Rue cut him off.
“Oh! Of course. The System had failed to protect a small number of its participants before they fully entered the Tutorial. As such, compensation shall be enacted further for you, Rue Hazard. This shall help greatly when you rejoin the Tutorial.”
“I’m curious about this Tutorial, but how are you going to get me out of here?”
“Watchers shall be sent to you. They’re the System's special soldiers. The System’s own forces are often dispatched as a policing army. Although fair warning, since the Last World and the Last Tutorial announcement, they have been quite busy. But, giving Integrators a fair chance in the Tutorial is one of their highest duties, so they will come for all of you. For now, we need you to hold on.”
“Just hold?” Rue bristled. What a ridiculous thing to ask for in his situation.
“You’ve been granted special compensation.”
A brief silence followed. Then the voice spoke again in an official tone.
“Rue Hazard, you will be allowed to choose two classes immediately, despite being out of the Tutorial Library’s boundary. You will be allowed to purchase your Arch core immediately, and you will be allowed to unlock your Authority despite not being in your first stage of the Tutorial.”
“I shall guide your class choice to better your Authority.”
“Hold on, what is all of this?”
“Let’s start from the very bottom. A power needs a shape, a kindle, an origin. That is Authority, each person could only have one Authority, and that’s it.”
Name: Rue Hazard.
Creation Point: 1,000,000
Authority:…
…
…
[Authority Detected]
[Authority of Frost]
Name: Rue Hazard.
Creation Point: 1,000,000
Authority: Authority of Frost.
“A Core is a potential. It defines your rate of growth and spells proficiency increases, and well… various other things. Under normal circumstances, an Integrator aimed to get enough Creation Points to buy Arch Core so they didn't have to raise them organically. But you can just buy it, and it will be worth your investment.”
[Purchase Arch Core?] [Creation Point: 500,000]
[Yes/No]
“Yes.”
Name: Rue Hazard.
Creation Point: 500,000.
Authority: Authority of Frost.
Core: Arch—Core.
“Class is a blueprint of your future possibilities. They’re what will shape your spells and your combats. You have been blessed with two, so I shall separate this into two groups that work well with your Authorities.”
[Knight, Berserker, Duelist, Guardian, Warden]
[Archer, Marksman, Mage, Arcanist]
“These classes have been reported to synergize well with Authorities of Frost as long as you only take one from each. Now to go through them… I see you have already chosen. Very safe choice, although a bit boring, don’t you think?”
“Boring suits me well enough. Not that I think it's boring,” Rue said, staring at the prompt.
[Mage]—a class of those who are ready to walk the path of the arcane. Mages fight not with a sword or brute force. Mages fought by tapping into a well of magic within them and shaping it into power.
[Knight]—a class of those who are ready to walk the path of arms and armor. Knights fight by utilizing their equipment to full capability as they’re a walking arsenal of their own creed.
--
Name: Rue Hazard.
Level: 1
Class: ArchMage-Knight.
Creation Point: 500,000.
Authority: Authority of Frost.
Core: Arch—Core.
Mana: 200/200.
Strength: 9
Dexterity: 5
Constitution: 7
Mind: 8
Sense: 6
Arcanery: 9
[Knight Spell (1/3)]
- Frost Sword [0] [Fragile-Piece] [Common]
[Mage Spell(1/3)]
- Frost Blast [0] [Fragile-Piece] [Common]
--
[Arch Spell Choice Impending]
A brief satisfaction in denying Sruka made him smile like a child. But then his head dropped. He pulled his feet up and sighed onto his knees. Fear started to drum in his veins, faster and faster.
“Rue Hazard, I’m sure you’re celebrating the use of your legs now, but we need to keep going. Your Spell Choice has not chosen yet—”
“My feet?” Rue looked down at the knees he brought up.
The world jolted up, and tall—so tall. He was standing, looking over the bed. He backed into a corner. His breath accelerated.
Tears welled around his eyes, streaming down his cheeks.
I’m standing.
“Rue Hazard, did you just communicate through your thought? Answer me!”
“Shit,” Rue cursed. “I did.”
A flurry of footsteps rushed across the narrow corridor, and the cruelty dawned on him. Just when he tasted a bit of freedom, it was taken away again.
Not, not again.
“What do I do?” Rue asked the observer.
“Your Spell Choice. Ah! Don’t read them. Just pick the one I told you to. Time of Obsidian Ice. Put all of your Creation Point Investment into it. Do you hear me? Do It. This is the only window you can—”
(Time of Obsidian Ice) (Rare) - Ice can stop even time, as it's the conqueror of time. Encase your body with dark obsidian ice, Harder than steel, sharper than blades, tougher than shields. Instill the Ice Obsidian properties into your skills of creating. Stop any wound you receive before casting this spell.
(Frost Forged) (Rare) – ForgeMaster needed to earn their title by perfecting their craft for hundreds of years. But it's not necessary for you. Summon all kinds of weapons imbued with frost property. A mere swipe of your hand will materialize a weapon millions could have dreamed of holding.
(Dead Frost Parade) (Rare) – Death is not the end, especially if you require more use out of a dead body. Raise fallen enemies of your own killing. If you imbue frost property onto their remains, they will serve you, fight for you, and sacrifice themselves for you. They’re your own perfect soldier.
(Call of Mist) (Rare) – The most terrifying enemy is one you can’t see, also one you can’t catch even if you do see them. Transform your body into mist. Wrap yourself as you want. Strike your enemy as they’re inside of you. The mist is your very own domain, part of your being, more terrifying than your hands could ever be.
[Time of Obsidian Ice] [0] [Fragile-Piece] [Rare]
[500,000 Creation Point Investment…]
[Stasis of Obsidian Ice] [50,000] [Archon-Piece] [Mystic]
(Stasis of Obsidian Ice) (Mystic) - Ice can stop even time, as it's the conqueror of time. Encase your body and weapon of frost with dark obsidian ice, Harder than steel, sharper than blades, tougher than shields. Instill the Ice Obsidian properties into your skills or equipment that are filled with frost properties. Stop any wound you receive before casting this spell, and heal them with the time you spent on obsidian ice. As the Stasis of Obsidian ice comes to an end, it will surge the healing properties of frost through your body.
Cold coiled around Rue, and everything for him stopped. The moment the black ice spread across his body, the pain inside and outside of him was gone like a drip of water joining a wide-open sea that stretched across the horizon.
He opened his palm, and dark smooth glass skin looked back at him, revealing his reflection as a creature encased in obsidian ice.
“Spear! Spear!” Five Imps crowded the corridor just beyond his cell, and before he knew it, five spears aimed directly at him.
Rue lifted one arm, and a dancing frost gathered. The blue swirling spell turned into a deep, dark. The moment spears went sailing from the Imps, a crackling echo of frost sounded between the space of Rue and those creatures. He blasted his Frost Blast down on them—a cascade of dark frost rushed forward—freezing the Imps and their cell bars, encasing their bodies in dark frost.
Mana: 120/200
They were not dead yet.
New steps followed, and Rue had no time to waste.
He lurched forward, running and bounding toward the cells.
His arms rose, and a sword of ice formed in a long, thin steel. Dark ice took over the spot where Rue’s hand touched the hilt, and the sword, shrouded in midnight.
When an Imp arrived just beyond his cell, cold vapor rose like unruly smoke following Rue’s crescent strike. He cleaved down, slicing apart the Imp’s body along with his cell.
[You have slain…]
[Level Up]
