Just… one… more…
She sharply exhaled as her arms gave out, the rocks she had been holding rolling away under the relentless force of the waterfall.
Ayu’s breaths were ragged, her hands trembling uncontrollably from the exertion.
She closed her eyes, calming her racing heart with a few minutes of meditation as the icy water pounded against her back. The sound of the cascade drowned out her thoughts, grounding her in the present.
A full minute passed in ...
2025-01-15 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
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I step forward cautiously, my blade raised in a guard position, eyes locked on his.
His body is still, but I know better than to trust that.
Stay calm. Don’t overthink. Just move.
I feint left, a quick step and flick of the wrist to draw him out, but he doesn’t move.
Fine. I press forward, slashing diagonally toward his shoulder.
He parries cleanly, the steel ringing as he deflects my blade to the side and counters with a thrust aimed at my ...
2025-01-14 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“My real skill?” he says, his voice low, amused. He lets the seconds pass, his gaze on me but seemingly unfocused, lost in his own thoughts.
“Fine,” he finally speaks. “For this exchange and this exchange only.” He pauses, a grin tugging at his lips. “You can come at me anytime.”
Something shifts. I can’t explain it, but as I stare at him, I feel it. A change. Is it in my head? Apprehension? Nervousness? Fear?
No. It’s none of that.
I step forward s...
2025-01-13 01:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Go inside? The same place I was with Darius?
I stay silent, turning the idea over in my mind.
“How exactly does that work? I thought me being in that place was a rare occurrence because of my half-dead state at the time.”
“And it was,” Houston replies. “Something I hadn’t initially considered possible. But… anything that happens once can be reproduced. In this case, the idea is to disconnect your mind from your body while keeping you consc...
2025-01-11 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Warning: The first part of this chapter contains an explicit sexual scene. Reader discretion is advised. If you’re not comfortable with such content, feel free to skip it—it is not essential to the main storyline.
***
I wake slowly, the world around me coming into focus in pieces. The first thing I feel is warmth—soft, undeniable, and pressed entirely against me.
Ayu’s body is curled close, her head resting on my chest, her l...
2025-01-10 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“So, you’re from Thailand?” I ask as we walk through the Isles, the faint sound of waterfalls cascading in the distance.
She nods, her eyes wandering over the scenery around us.
“Oh,” I say, the memory surfacing naturally, “I was there once. Spent New Year’s Eve in Phuket.”
I send her a series of images, the vivid memory of fireworks exploding against the night sky, colorful sparks raining down over the crowded streets. I include glimpses of the festivities, ...
2025-01-09 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
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“Houston?”
“…”
“Houston, fuck, are you there?!”
“Hmmm? Well… this is certainly une—”
“HAHAHAHA!” I laugh loudly, letting it all out. Finally… I really missed that voice.
“So the red orb, huh? And that new item, it looks promising.”
“Oh, come on, you just came back. Take a break. Chill out with Darius and—”
“Darius? How do you know that name?”
Shit...
2025-01-08 01:00:05 +0000 UTC
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My senses pick up a subtle shift in the air—faint, far, fast.
I dig my heels in and twist, rolling forward.
BOOM!
The sound slams into me, rattling my core, hitting after the tendril slices past.
I hit the ground, and I know. Another is coming. And another. And another.
BOOM! BOOM!
Thin or thick. Faster or slower. Over and over.
One mistake. That’s all it would take. The slightest delay, a break in rhythm—dead. ...
2025-01-07 01:00:06 +0000 UTC
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As soon as the fourth orb shattered, Chiara noticed the shift. The remaining three orbs began to glow, and a third tentacle rose, bringing the total to three evenly spaced tendrils dedicated purely to defense.
But something else caught her eye. A new tentacle began moving. It was different—thinner along the edges, sharp. It didn’t carry the blunt force of the others; if that thing hit at those speeds, it would easily cleave a body in half.
She saw Alonso and Ayu retreating, pu...
2025-01-06 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The first wave of jellyfish surged toward them, a mass of glowing, translucent bodies weaving through the Riftflow like spectral predators. Chiara adjusted her stance, sending out subtle, disruptive EM pulses through the air. The ripples distorted the swarm's formation, forcing several jellyfish to falter in their trajectory.
“Arjun, three incoming from the left.”
“On it,” he replied instantly.
The snap of his sling echoed as a stone zipped through ...
2025-01-04 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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So… this is it.
I stare out at the Riftflow through my mask. Waves of jellyfish swirl around like ghosts, drifting eerily over the barren wasteland.
My grip tightens on the sword in my hand. Gauntlets are secured, a sling hangs from my waist, and a bag full of javelins is slung across my back. I don’t have Houston, but Darius can manage Overdrive, so it should be okay.
Ayu stands at my side, fully equipped and ready. She notices my gaze and meets it, her eyes sh...
2025-01-03 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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He finally comes into view—casual expression, carefree smile, and a massive backpack slung over his shoulders. Not exactly what I expected from a climber standing in front of me.
Then Ayu steps forward, smiling, and they… they just start talking.
Mandarin, I suppose? It’s refreshing to hear Ayu’s voice, but the situation baffles me. Am I seriously being ignored here?
I can’t deny it—a not so small jab of jealousy hits me. Whether I like it or not, i...
2025-01-02 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Chiara’s fists were clenched, trembling despite her efforts to steady them. She couldn’t deny it—she was nervous.
Addressing all the climbers, their piercing gazes fixed on her. These weren’t ordinary looks; they were the gazes of people who had blood on their hands, who had fought and survived to make it this far. And now… now she had to say it. What she had to become for them…
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
The white rooms never truly ended. Th...
2025-01-01 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“I know what I did deserves no forgiveness, and I will ask for none. I just… want you to know the truth. The reason he was like that back then, the words he said… I… I am at fault, Ayu.” Chiara’s gaze stayed on Ayu, heavy but unwavering.
Ayu remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ground. She had suspected the reasons behind his departure, but she’d thought it was his choice. It was a decision she didn’t like, but she had hoped to confront him about it when the t...
2024-12-31 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
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“So that’s what you did… the Dual-Overdrive Protocol?” I ask, my focus drifting to the note in front of me.
“Yes,” Darius replies. “It was the only way to save you and Ayu at that point.”
“So you took control of Overdrive and put me and Houston on the same stage… even though he had never been through it.”
Darius stays silent.
My fist clenches hard, and I grit my teeth. The fact that Houston even managed to endure it for as long as he did is a mira...
2024-12-30 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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The sixth floor.
A large screen dominates one end of the room, with a plain sofa positioned in front of it. The design of the space is minimal, resembling some kind of movie room.
Darius stops and looks at me, his gaze steady. Is there something important here too? Some answers, maybe?
I glance back at the screen and step closer. As I focus on it, a flood of data appears before me. Memories. My memories.
Each one is numbered, starting from 1 and stret...
2024-12-28 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Darius? It’s an odd name, but… why does it ring a bell?
“So, where to start?” His gaze locks onto mine, steady and unblinking. Despite his wild, untamed appearance, the way he speaks and looks at me feels oddly familiar—like we’re old friends meeting after years apart. Strangely, it doesn’t feel out of place.
Seconds stretch into what feels like an eternity as he remains still, his eyes fixed on me like a predator watching prey. But there’s no killing inte...
2024-12-27 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Ayu gritted her teeth, every muscle in her body screaming in protest. She pushed forward with everything she had, ignoring the searing pain tearing through her battered frame.
She clutched Alonso tightly, his weight pressing down on her like a mountain, each step a battle against her failing strength.
Her ribs ached with every breath, sharp jolts of pain stabbing her side. Sweat poured down her face, mixing with the blood and grime clinging to her skin.
Her vision blurred, b...
2024-12-26 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
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So… this is how it ends.
It’s sad…
Very, very sad.
Ayu felt his embrace, his arms holding her tightly. At least she had this in her final moments.
She had sent him everything she wanted to say and show, hoping it would ease his pain. But… he still wanted to push through, still clinging to some desperate hope.
She mused about a miracle. It would be nice…
She truly wanted to live those memories she had sent him. She wanted to see h...
2024-12-25 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The landscape glows with pulsing fissures and ghostly jellyfish drifting lazily around us, their translucent forms casting an otherworldly light. We keep moving, their presence barely registering against the surreal, barren hues surrounding us.
Ayu sends me a timer. Two minutes left. Not that I wasn’t already keeping track.
I send her back a thumbs-up.
As we run, my curiosity gets the better of me. I think back to the last event—how did the crabs swarm into the jungle? A...
2024-12-24 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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My eyes widen, unsure how to react, an embarrassing smile creeping onto my face.
It’s unfortunate I can’t see her expression behind the mask. Is she angry? Blushing? Both?
Suddenly, a wave hits me.
“Stupid.”
Huh? What the…
English? Ayu speaks English? No way.
I blink, still processing, and quickly send a wave back.
“Do you speak English?”
Nothing. No response.
It’d be strange if she spoke...
2024-12-23 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
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“Ayu is what?!” Chiara’s eyes went wide, her usual composure cracking for a moment.
“Yeah, she’s learning English,” Lukas said casually, scratching his head. “She asked me yesterday to start teaching her through the neural network.”
“But… all of a sudden?” Chiara blinked, her mind already running calculations. “Well, I mean, with our current brain capabilities, it should be relatively easy. Especially English—it’s straightforward enough. And it’s true...
2024-12-21 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Stupid, perverted, dick-brained, shameless, idiotic, arrogant, selfish asshole!
How could he be so… so stupid?
Appearing out of nowhere with no shame, no apologies, and then complaining that it’s his place? Fuck his place! He could drown in that shitty pool for all she cared.
Damn it, she hadn’t hit him hard enough. She should’ve punched him again. And again. AHHH!
Why? Why was he like this?
"Stupid," she muttered under...
2024-12-20 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck this shit!”
I growl, the words escaping through gritted teeth. My legs scream with every motion, my entire body trembling under the strain. The thick tree trunk balanced across my shoulders feels like it’s trying to crush me into the dirt. Sweat pours down my face, stinging my eyes, but I don’t stop. Not yet.
“Forty-nine… one more,” I mutter, my voice strained and hoarse. Overdrive pulses through me, pushing my muscles to the brink, but damn if it d...
2024-12-19 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
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September 30, 2024 - ???, India
The general leaned forward at the table, his sharp gaze fixed on Siddharth. Beneath his calm demeanor lay a hint of deep respect, though it was buried under the weight of his responsibility. “What’s your assessment of this batch?” he asked, his voice measured and serious.
Siddharth, seated with his usual composure, his hands resting lightly on the table, responded without hesitation. “They’re similar to th...
2024-12-18 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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“Now this is life, Houston,” I said, sinking deeper into the makeshift hot spring bath I’d built in my cozy cave.
The water, naturally heated by geothermal vents I uncovered nearby, laps against my shoulders. The air inside is warm but not stifling, and the occasional breeze flows in through the window-like holes I carved into the stone walls. Through them, the view is nothing short of breathtaking.
Outside, the landscape stretches endlessly, a lush tapestry of vibrant green...
2024-12-17 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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For a moment, there was nothing.
The pain dulled into silence. The oppressive heat felt distant, the constant buzz from the lizards’ EM waves disappeared, and even the blood running down her face seemed to stop. Ayu’s world shrank to herself—a solitary, calm center surrounded by chaos.
Her thoughts stilled, like a calm before a storm. She wasn’t sure if she was falling apart or coming together, but she let it happen. She let herself be carried by whatever this was.
T...
2024-12-16 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Ayu finally reached the edge of the Molten Crest.
The place was hellish, like a battlefield that had been scorched and broken over centuries. Jagged black rocks jutted out like crooked fangs, and molten rivers snaked through the cracks, glowing an angry orange. Heat rolled off the ground in waves, making the air shimmer and cling to her skin.
It was hard to breathe, heavy and dry, but that didn’t bother her. Ayu didn’t come here for comfort.
Her sharp eyes scanned the fi...
2024-12-14 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The roar of the crowd was deafening.
Ayu sat on the edge of her seat, her small fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Her father stood in the center of the ring, his towering frame illuminated by the harsh overhead lights. The sweat glistened on his skin, muscles taut and coiled like a predator ready to strike. He looked invincible. To Ayu, he was invincible.
She barely blinked as the fight began. Her father moved with the grace of a tiger, his footwo...
2024-12-12 07:11:17 +0000 UTC
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I sit beneath a leaning tree, holding the finished mask in my hands.
It’s carved from dense, polished wood, shaped to fit snugly over my face. The grain is smooth where I sanded it down, a dull sheen from the resin coating.
The antennae trail from the top, made of intertwined neural filaments from the arthropods’ antennae, humming faintly as they respond to my mental waves. I test them with a small pulse; they vibrate perfectly, amplifying my range.
I slip the mask on. I...
2024-12-12 07:09:49 +0000 UTC
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