LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 7: Critical Change
—Ding!
[ Aura of Depth is in effect! ]
[ Changes are being made to the world... ]
[ Changes have been realized! ]
[ Displaying... ]
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Character: Kael Celeste
Rank: E
Description: The main character of [Hero's Downfall]. Originally a simple person born in this world with the fate of a hero. Now, he's different. There's something more to his past. His origins — one brought over from a different world.
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"...The fuck?"
My eyes widened. My main character wasn't anything special! He was supposed to be a simple existence striving for the top, with desperation and determination hand-in-hand.
Now that he had become a reincarnator from a different world...
"Shit's gonna hit the fan."
And it did.
—Ding!
[ Detected the presence of the {={Protagonist}=}! ]
[ Detected the changes caused by Aura of Depth! ]
[ Error! ]
[ Error! ]
[ Error! ]
[ Detected a severe incompatibility. ]
[ Due to the nature of the {={Protagonist}=} being that of a reincarnator, the world must undergo an overhaul. ]
[ Searching for appropriate Causality... ]
[ Found! ]
[ Source of Causality: Arcine d'Vyde ]
[ Applying multiplier... ]
[ Aura of Depth has gained infinite range. ]
[ The world shifts! Beware of its secrets! ]
I...
What..?
What was happening?
What were all these screens? The overload of information was a swarm that I had to slowly filter.
And yet, the System was not done.
—Ding!
[ Aura of Depth is in effect! ]
[ Changes are being made to the world... ]
[ Changes have been realized! ]
[ Displaying... ]
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Trait: Author's Authority
Rank: N/A
Description: A trait wielded only by the creator of all things. Originally a simple Trait that affects the world around the {={Author}=}. It has now taken on a different form.
Inherent Passive: Aura of Depth -> Butterfly Rewriter
Inherent Active: -> Conscious Rewriting
***
Skill: Butterfly Rewriter
Description: The changed world now bears a complexity worthy of a True Realm. All actions will be scrutinized by the complexities of its Laws. All things have become elaborate and connected. It continues to grow infinitely, with webs of cause and effect proceeding without concern for entropy.
When the butterfly flaps its wings in this world, gods will die and demons might ascend.
***
Skill: Conscious Rewriting
Description: What is a Creator without His ability to create?
Effect: Influence Points (IP) have an additional purpose: a deliberate declaration upon the world. Create something out of nothingness with enough IP.
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"But... I just got this... Why has it undergone an evolution already? A stroke of luck? An invariable miracle?"
I couldn't help but gape. An ominous premonition assaulted my mind. I could feel eyes peering at me from the shadows.
The Laws that now bound me.
The world was observing me.
Its people, its secrets, its consciousness...
Everything had become aware. Aware of their own existence — not in a world created by a novel, but in a world in and of itself.
...Something about it becoming a True Realm.
I had my guesses as to what it meant...
"I still can't believe how fast that escalated." Those mutters left my lips, truly indicative of my confusion.
Had my novel become real simply due to my rebirth within it? Although it was apt, it was eerie in the way it had occurred.
Questions aplenty flooded my mind... But I had to deal with the person I had just seen.
***
Arcine had visited this place to take something that the protagonist was going to stumble upon in the months to come.
Due to Kael's frequent visits to this Wilderness Park, he eventually stumbled upon a vial embedded in the roots of a mysterious tree. Inside this vial were the tears of a Phoenix.
Tears.
Plural.
Not just one, but enough to fill a vial.
It was an item of legendary quality, and it would save the lives of a lot of characters in the future. It was a tool that Arcine had used to keep important characters alive despite crazy amounts of combat.
Now, however... The world was real.
Arcine wanted those tears as a powerful resource. In his hands, he could achieve more than simply healing characters from an inevitable death.
At first, he wanted to see what changes would occur to the vial because of his Aura of Depth. Now, however, he wanted it for himself no matter what.
He needed it.
Dearly.
Otherwise... he felt like his Fate was going to eat him alive. Furthermore, his fear of terminal illnesses nagged in the back of his mind.
To succumb to sickness... Arcine dreaded it more than anything.
He was, in essence, traumatized.
Even if he had to kill Kael for it, he would take that vial.
***
Walking briskly through the forest, I felt a small sense of relief. It looked like Kael wasn't going any deeper than the outer areas of the park.
He was only here for a stroll while I had a clear goal.
Still, I did not let my guard down. If my presence here had caused a butterfly effect leading to someone stumbling upon that vial before me...
I would have two choices presented to me.
Murder or...
'No,'
I will kill for that vial no matter what.
Thus, I rushed to the deepest part of the Wilderness Park. Hurriedly. Even if my stomach began to burn from the draining of my stamina.
Even when branches began to slash wounds across my skin.
Even when I twisted my ankle on the roots of a tree.
Even when the darkness had grown eerie and the gazes of wild animals fell upon my solitary form.
I did not care about anything other than that vial.
***
"Gods... Hah... Fucking... Hah... Damn it..."
Stumbling into the clearing where a large willow tree lay at the center, I wheezed. Wholly out of breath, my body had been screaming in defiance.
Yet I lumbered forward, uncaring and unyielding.
[ > WIL: E-Rank (0/9) -> D-Rank (2/27) ]
Yeah. It was to that point. I don't know how badly I pushed myself, but getting to this area this fast should have been impossible at my level.
It was like asking a physically unfit person to complete a marathon — the Wilderness Park had greater gravity the deeper in that you went.
I was standing upright due to sheer Willpower, and somehow it was working out. Right. It was either a strong will or a boundless physique that allowed one to head into the park's depths.
In my book, I had no explanation for this.
However, now that the world was real... I was sure that it wasn't simply there for no reason. Perhaps the library would have the answers to this phenomenon, especially since there were several Wilderness Parks throughout the sprawling metropolis.
"Now..."
I heaved.
"Where's that vial?"
I was eager to store it in my own pockets.
***
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Name: Arcine d'Vyde
Race: Shadow Demon [F-Rank (0/3)]
Age: 15
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TRAITS
> Author's Authority: N/A
> Angelic Light (Elemental Affinity): F-Rank (0/3)
> Shadow Demon Body (Physique): E-Rank (6/9) [Hidden: E-Rank (0/9)]
> True Shadow (Racial Trait): F-Rank (0/3)
> Eight Senses (Unique Trait): F-Rank (0/3)
PHYSIQUE
> STR: F-Rank (1/3) [Hidden: F-Rank (1/3)]
> DEX: F-Rank (1/3) [Hidden: F-Rank (1/3)]
> RES: F-Rank (1/3) [Hidden: F-Rank (1/3)]
MAGIC
> INT: F-Rank (0/3)
> FLUX: F-Rank (1/3) [Hidden: F-Rank (1/3)]
> M-RES: F-Rank (0/3)
MISC
> LCK: F-Rank (0/3) [Hidden: F-Rank (2/3)]
> PER: F-Rank (0/3)
> CHA: F-Rank (0/3)
> WIL: D-Rank (2/27) [Hidden: D-Rank (12/27)]
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