I splash water over my face.
It feels unbelievably refreshing. The last time I had anything close to a proper bath was days ago. And even then, scrubbing with a rock while splashing myself with cold water barely counts. But it’s as good as it gets. Soap, shampoo, a heated shower—those o...
2024-12-12 07:08:03 +0000 UTC View PostAs my words hang in the air, I see one of them launch forward, his eyes burning with fury. Oh, the kid from back then.
I stay calm, sliding my sword back into its sheath with a casual motion.
“Long time no see,” I say, deflecting a projectile with a smooth flick of my arm...
2024-12-12 07:05:54 +0000 UTC View PostChiara stared ahead, her eyes slightly widened at the scene unfolding on the coast.
How… how is he so strong?
She swallowed hard, her body twitching as if to take a step forward, to go and help. But she stopped herself. The idea was foolish. By the time she reached him, the...
2024-12-12 07:04:12 +0000 UTC View PostI push Overdrive to the top again.
I rush forward.
The pincer comes straight at me. I slow my pace, letting it close the distance. As it reaches for me, I change direction sharply and accelerate.
The pincer crashes down with a deafening thud. The shockwave blasts me forward, lif...
2024-12-06 03:26:08 +0000 UTC View PostAs I leap from the cliff, time seems to stretch.
The roar of the wind engulfs me, whipping against my face, cold and sharp, like an old friend pulling me into its embrace.
I grip my sword tightly, channeling my waves into it. The energy surges through the blade, and with each pulse, i...
2024-11-23 07:02:43 +0000 UTC View PostWere they… were they supposed to kill that thing?
Did they even have a choice? The crabs had claimed the only viable territory so far, leaving nowhere else to settle. The volcanic region might have been manageable for food, but water? The Swamp was the only alternative, and its murky dept...
2024-11-23 07:01:27 +0000 UTC View PostChiara let the memories of the past days flow through her mind.
Seven days since they’d exited the waiting room. Four since she’d last seen Alonso.
The camp had found its rhythm, though not without losses. Five Climbers never made it to the initial camp, and three more had fallen ...
2024-11-23 07:00:23 +0000 UTC View PostMore.
They’re coming again. The third batch already. Faster. Rippling. Like ghosts twisting in the air.
Blue cores pulsing. Tentacles slicing.
I laugh, the sound bursting out of me uncontrollably. “Let’s go!” I shout, slamming the Overdrive lever. Hard. The surg...
2024-11-23 06:59:05 +0000 UTC View PostI keep Overdrive at a controlled level, slightly higher than usual—and for good reason: I’ve stepped into the Riftflow.
The air here is dense—humid and heavy, like a wet cloth clinging to my skin.
The faint, acrid smell of something faintly metallic lingers, mixing with...
2024-11-23 06:52:13 +0000 UTC View PostThose damn signals!
I picked them up first thing in the morning.
They freaked me out, honestly. My first thought was that it could be some herd of creatures communicating with each other, each signal bouncing in intervals. I’d nearly jumped awake, scanning for the source. B...
2024-11-23 06:51:09 +0000 UTC View PostI take a deep breath, letting the sound of nature seep into me as I look around. For some reason, the place feels… a little emptier, a little quieter.
I close my eyes, focusing on the world around me, letting my mental waves pulse out.
It feels strange, almost foreign, like tapping ...
2024-11-23 06:50:16 +0000 UTC View PostAlonso frowned slightly. Keep going like this? What was the problem?
"Alonso, you're getting addicted to full Overdrive," Houston’s voice was stern, unyielding.
Huh?
"Listen, Houston, we’ve been through this. I’m using full Overdriv...
2024-11-23 06:49:02 +0000 UTC View PostAfter finishing off the last of the crab meat, Alonso strolled into the jungle, scouting out a good hiding spot. As long as he was away from the coast, tucked deep within the trees and concealed behind layers of broad leaves, it’d be as safe as it gets. Houston would manage the EM cloaking thro...
2024-11-23 06:35:32 +0000 UTC View Post"Hmmm. Another fight?"
“You’re not seriously gonna—”
Alonso changed course with a grin.
“Oh, come on, Houston. Maybe it’s a poor soul in need of help,” he replied, voice tinged with mischief.
“You’re low on energy right now. Seriously, I’d ...
2024-11-23 06:33:29 +0000 UTC View PostAyu moved cautiously through the thick, lush greenery, dense leaves brushing against her arms, the air heavy with the scent of earth.
Ferns as tall as her shoulders towered on either side, and vines dangled from tree limbs that seemed to stretch endlessly upward. Everything around her was a...
2024-11-23 06:28:23 +0000 UTC View PostAlonso emerged from the river, droplets trailing down his skin. With a swift motion, he ran his hand through his hair, scattering water in every direction. At the bank, he grabbed a wide piece of sun-dried bark he’d set aside—smooth enough to use as a makeshift towel—and rubbed it briskly a...
2024-11-23 06:27:46 +0000 UTC View PostTwelve hours had passed since Chiara had sent out the gathering call.
The uniform EM field blanketing the entire stage had been a godsend. While they'd agreed to regroup if the opportunity arose in this trial, the ease with which she could coordinate through this field was an unexpected adv...
2024-11-23 06:26:55 +0000 UTC View PostHe dashed forward, feinting toward the crab’s right pincer, but at the last moment, he shifted sharply, propelling himself in the opposite direction. The crab reacted a split second too late, its left pincer slamming shut with a spark that sent a shock through the air. But Alonso was already ou...
2024-11-23 06:26:17 +0000 UTC View PostStage 1 - 3.320%
That should be enough for today.
Alonso jumped off the carapace and gave it one last look. Should I take something with me?
He considered it, but shook his head. Making armor now would just waste time. ...
2024-11-23 05:26:35 +0000 UTC View Post“So, that over there should secure us a source of drinkable water,” Alonso said, locking his gaze on a narrow, winding stream carving its way down the cliffside, its clear water pooling in small basins among the rocks below, surrounded by lush patches of primitive greenery and thick ferns. 2024-11-23 05:25:57 +0000 UTC View Post
He had just crossed a little over 20 kilometers when the first interruption appeared. Another of the arthropods.
He hadn’t seen it coming—only now, as it charged at him, did he register the ground’s vibrations.
“How are you feeling?” Houston asked, a tinge ...
2024-11-23 05:25:13 +0000 UTC View PostAs the creature barreled toward him, each of its many legs struck the ground like hammer blows, sending tremors through the rocky terrain.
The air vibrated with the force of its approach, and Alonso could feel the power radiating off it—a heavy, unyielding presence that only grew stronger...
2024-11-23 05:24:29 +0000 UTC View PostThe ground under Alonso’s boots was rough, almost coarse, dotted with fractured stones and patches of cracked earth that flaked at the edges.
A faint layer of dust clung to everything, stirred only by the occasional soft gust that whispered through the empty expanse. The air was heavy, ca...
2024-11-23 05:23:43 +0000 UTC View Post“Well, that wasn’t too bad,” Alonso said, grinning as the wave training session ended, Overdrive lowering from 36% to his current resting state at 7%.
“There is improvement,” Houston replied, “but just a reminder: after some training myself, I can already stack 73 w...
2024-11-23 05:23:09 +0000 UTC View PostAlonso’s eyes widened. 79% Overdrive? What the hell?!
“But I don’t understand. How could I override your control of Overdrive with my waves in that state? And… how did this happen? Why didn’t anything like this happen during the fight with Siddharth?”
Hou...
2024-11-23 05:21:54 +0000 UTC View PostAlonso’s eyes flickered open.
A dull ache radiated from every inch of his body.
He tried to move. His muscles screamed back, stiff and heavy. His chest rose in shallow, uneven breaths, each one a struggle, raw and painful.
The room was a blur, the edges softened, colors muted....
2024-11-23 05:20:42 +0000 UTC View PostAlonso held the blade steady, feeling his heart pound as his muscles, tense and burning from the workout, finally relaxed. His grip loosened slightly, and he let out a slow breath, savoring the moment of stillness after the relentless motion. Sweat traced lines down his face, neck, and bare chest...
2024-11-23 05:18:58 +0000 UTC View PostAlonso suddenly opened his eyes and gazed at the numbers on the wall. They were still the same.
“How much time has passed?”
“6 hours and 18 minutes,” Houston answered.
Alonso took a deep breath and stood up. He walked straight to the barrel, opened it, ...
2024-11-23 05:17:53 +0000 UTC View Post“Another white room?” Houston’s voice broke the eerie silence.
Alonso stood still, shirtless, his chest rising and falling heavily with each breath, muscles taut from nearly 18 hours of constant exertion.
His face remained unreadable, an empty expression that mirrored t...
2024-11-23 05:17:05 +0000 UTC View Post