(AN: OMNISCIENT POV)
After Eshwar... After Eshwar's body defeated the demoness, he fell unconscious on the blood-dyed village, and after he woke up, there were several system notifications in front of him.
[Level 12, Rank-S ------ has been slain]
[800 experience points acquired]
[Level 7 (8490/12000)]
[Level 8, Rank-B Zack has been slain]
[30 experience points acquired]
[Level 4, Rank-E Tom has been slain]
[Hunted hunter level is too low, 0 experience points acquired]
......
....
.....
[Level 2, Rank-E Shawn has been slain]
[Hunted hunter level is too low, 0 experience points acquired]
[Level 10, Rank-A Ben has been slain]
[200 experience points acquired]
[Level up]
[Level up]
[Level 9 (24,091/96,000)]
"F**k....." Eshwar mumbled while trembling in fear; whatever had just happened, there was a possibility that it would happen again, and he didn't want that. He was moving according to somebody else's will.... This was the first time he had experienced something like that, and he was absolutely terrified of it. It was only now that he understood how terrifying it would be to be moving according to somebody else's will while actually being aware of it.
'Fate.' That was the word that came to mind, because some just shrugged it off, the negative or positive things, by blaming something that was supposedly non-existent, but now that wasn't the case, because even though fate really did exist, none believed in it, and even if they did, it didn't matter as long as they weren't aware of what was about to happen. But in Eshwar's case, he knew that something he experienced moments ago would happen again, so he was terrified. He didn't know what he should do or how he could avoid it, but he knew that the same thing would repeat itself again and that there would be absolutely nothing he could do about it.
'I can't avoid it no matter what.' Eshwar thought, slowly falling into a pit of despair, it was then,
DING
The system's chiming sound woke him out of his daze.
[Title: One from the Infinite acquired.]
[One from the Infinite: Peer into the possible future. (Active even when unequipped)]
[Title: Murderer acquired.]
[Murderer: Gives off an aura of a killer. (Blood lust level – 5) (Active even when unequipped)]
Thin, blood-red lines formed around Eshwar's pupillary zone, and even though he wasn't really releasing his aura, the air around him had turned threatening, which Eshwar was able to hide with a slight focus.
'....stats.' Eshwar mumbled in his chaotic mind.
[Status window:]
===
[Name: Eshwar]
[Race: Cosmic human.]
[Title: Indifferent Berserker of the Twilight (IBOTT), Murderer, One from the Infinite.]
[Perk: Growth]
[Class: Martial Artist (Proficiency: Rank-D (+)) (Rank: common)]
[Age: 1721 years.]
[Level: 9]
[Rank-B (+)]
===
[Stats:]
---
[Strength: 10 (+39)] (MAX)
[Agility: 10 (+39)] (MAX)
[Defence: 10 (+39)] (MAX)
[Perception: 10 (+39)] (MAX)
[Intelligence: 10 (+39)] (MAX)
(Stat limit 10 for all races)
===
[Class-exclusive skills:]
---
[Heaven Defying Martial Body (Legendary)], [Energy Manipulation (Rare)], [Martial Footwork (Common)]
===
[Skills:]
---
[Pause-Play], [Wish], [Black Hole], [Break]
===
Eshwar shuddered when he saw the IBOTT title in his status window, but remembering how the being didn't disappear even when he deactivated it, he thought that it wasn't what helped the being take control of his body. He decided that he should use everything in his arsenal to get stronger.
Thinking about the words the being spoke, he couldn't help but shudder violently; the fear instilled in him was so great that he was continuously feeling terrified, even though he was in a state of indifference.
To calm down, he wanted to rest in a place that he could call his, and without wasting another moment, he rushed towards the outskirts of the capital, since he knew the way to 'that' place only from there.
***
Now, I was contemplating whether I should speak about what happened a week ago or ignore it. 'If I decided to ignore it, then it would mean that I was breaking my promise, but if I decide to speak up about it, then Isha would be caught up in something troublesome.' I muttered in my mind as I cuddled with Isha, as she lay on top of me, facing the ceiling, while I slept on the couch, hugging her from behind.
I had spoken about how I got out of the tutorial as she kept asking about why I hadn't teleported directly to the academy's entrance, and I had also spoken about how I got a murderer title and other things with made-up stories that were slightly on the low end of the probability scale but seemed believable.
"Alright, what are you hiding?" Isha asked, Heh, how could she not notice when I was being so obvious?
"Haaaa...." With a deep sigh, I decided to speak about it since it would seem like I was looking down on her if I hid it.
"You are inciting me to grow a kink with that choker around your neck." I commented with a playful smile, trying to change the topic, because no matter what she thought about it, I absolutely couldn't bring myself to talk about it. It wasn't that I was embarrassed about losing; the being in question was too strong, maybe stronger than Isha in her perfect goddess form.
"T-that!!! Don't change the topic!!!" Isha elbowed back towards my stomach, prompting a chuckle.
'F**k my luck.' I cursed inwardly.
"The thing is..."
*
... No, I didn't say it the first time. I tried my best to change the topic and spoke about something else in a roundabout way too, but nothing worked. Isha seems to be a bit too smart for me.
After a half hour or so, under Isha's persistence, I couldn't help but open my mouth, and after I revealed everything, Isha was speechless and terrified beyond belief. I just truthfully told everyone everything I felt. I didn't know if I exaggerated or underestimated the being's strength, but I knew for sure that not one thing I said was a lie, even though everything I said seemed to be exaggerated.
"..... What should we do?" Isha asked in a slightly trembling voice. At this point, I didn't know how to feel about this; I know that I too would be in the same condition as her if she were in this kind of predicament, but I really hoped she wouldn't get involved in it. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but the moment she said "we," I knew that she would involve herself in this matter no matter how I pursue her not to.
"Haaa.... Getting stronger is the only way." I mumbled under my breath; I didn't know if it was because of my twisted mentality, but I had no other way through this predicament except strength.
"Do you want to use it?" Isha asked, pointing at my left hand as she sat on her knees on the couch in front of me. Glancing down, I saw the clock of fate in my grip. Maybe it was intentional, but I had this in my hands after I woke up.
*
After a few minutes of pondering,
"No." I shook my head, dismissing all the annoying thoughts that were forcing me to use it.
'If I use it, I get back all of my powers, mana and all, but' I thought, and at the end of my thoughts, 'This contains my power,' I remembered what the being had said. I should at least learn from my past, so no matter what, I never want to regress, again.
"No, I won't use it." As soon as those words left my mouth, the clock trembled violently as its hands began to turn at an extreme rate.
SSSHHHHHHIIIINNNNNNNN...
BOOM
With a subtle explosion, the clock busted, releasing a pitch-black smoke that engulfed both Isha and me in it.
"!!!!"
[One from the Infinite activated.]
I, Isha, and the ever-scribbling, pitch-black masked figure stood in front of each other; no one spoke for a few seconds until Isha took a step forward, towards the masked figure, who instead flinched and took a step back as his gaze and indifference flattered, soon turning into one of melancholy.
"Eshwar?" Isha mumbled, covered her mouth with her trembling left palm as she tried to reach the masked figure with her extended right arm. Confused by the situation, I, unable to bear her calling someone else by my name, held her wrist, pulled her back, and glared at the masked figure as I yelled, "What did you do to her, you basta*d?!!!!"
"!!!!" With a loud gasp, I snapped out of my daze and noticed that the pitch-black smoke had yet to completely engulf us.
'What was that?' I muttered in my mind.
And then the smoke engulfed us completely. With a sense of deja vu, I looked around, finding ourselves in a strange black space filled with stars. It was strangely similar to my domain of vigilance, but entirely different, as it was stronger and a lot more omnipotent. Yeah, it felt something like that.
"Who would have thought that would reject my power..." The masked man materialised in front of us, but his words halted as soon as his gaze landed on me and Isha—no, only Isha, to be more precise.
"You, why have you brought her here?" The masked man abruptly yelled at me, but I couldn't figure out his intent behind those words, as it felt both glad and terrified at the same time. Neither of us spoke another word after that.
"Eshwar?" Isha mumbled and took a step forward, and the scene I saw when I was under the title's influence began to repeat itself in front of me. Since I too wanted to know what was going on, I held in the urge to pull Isha back, since no matter what, she was stronger than me now, as she was a goddess, and the system's reset hadn't really affected her while the pocket system only helped her grow stronger.
"Answer her." I mumbled out loud involuntarily, speaking out my inner thoughts without even being aware of them. My voice carried a strange, commanding power, slightly similar to that of the masked man.
With flattered steps, the masked man began to pace around. I didn't know why, but I felt like he was pondering how to handle the situation, just like I did when I didn't want to answer Isha's questions just a few moments ago.
"You... you are me?" Unable to hold it in any longer, I mumbled out aloud, only to notice the masked figure halt in his steps.
"Y-yu-you said you'd speak to me no matter what how dangerous it was, so if you don't speak to me, then I won't ever speak to you again, "Eshwar." And you know how stubborn I can be, so speak." Isha said, and both mine and the masked figure's bodies froze as we gazed at Isha as if she had betrayed us.
""You can't do that; it was that son of a bit*h's fault!!!!"" Both I and the masked figure spoke in unison, pointing fingers at each other.
"....."
"..."
"..."
"Why were you putting on airs then?"
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