Daniel's mind was dumbfounded as he stared at the page. Not level three. Not four. Direct level five.
His fingers moved along the text, eager to catch every detail of his status page.
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(Page: -1)
Name: Daniel Dikson
Class: Human
Companion: Veilintina (Lust demon)
Exp: 100/2500
Level: 5
HP: 1100/1100
Mana: 300/300
Strength: 5
Charm: 3
Skill: {Voodoo Trap}
Ability: none
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He narrowed his eyes at the new option written in red letters.
"What? an ability…?" he whispered.
He flipped backward, page by page.
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(Page: -3)
{Ability}
Veil's Third Eye: This ability grants the power to view the status and life description of any living being.
Upon activation, a small window appears beside the target for five seconds before fading.
Mana cost: 5
[Locked]
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"Wait… locked?" He frowned . "Is there something i missed?"
He kept on turning pages.
———————
(Page: -4)
(Unlock at level 10)
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Next, Blank, Empty. All of it.
Until he reached the fourth page from the front.
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(Page: 4)
Human,
I am genuinely impressed by your performance. I did not expect you to gather essence so swiftly. For this accomplishment, I will grant you one of my abilities as a reward.
To unlock my third eye ability, you need to draw a circle (a new ritual circle). It should be large enough for you to stand in the center and chant the words.
"Veiliquandè mikora jim bos ariqueisà."
During the ritual, time will slow to half speed from outside world. External sounds will be silenced. An invisible barrier will conceal the ritual from outsiders unless they step inside the circle.
Remember, the higher the quality, the more EXP you gain, and the easier it will be to climb the levels.
———————
"And… that's it?" He whispered. "Then whom am I waiting for…"
He slipped the book inside his satchel, and casually walked outside, a quiet satisfaction settling over him.
From his parents' bedroom, came a faint hum of Marnie.
But when he stepped outside, he froze near the door.
'Wait… sounds will be blocked from the outside world? what does that mean…'
A flicker of unease stirred in his gut. He felt odd, something suspicious and evil in the phrasing. But he pushed his instinct aside, thinking what's the worst that can happen. 'I've already banged a Milf, even if i die now, I don't have any regrets.'
He ran straight to the backyard, his mind was full of courage and bravery like a soldier marching into a battle, for the first time.
He quickly checked the area one last time.
Kitchen door closed. Wet laundry draped over the line by the well. Marnie still inside the house.
It's a solid green light.
Squatting down, he drew the ritual circle with his index finger.
(A large circle enclosing an inverted triangle, a smaller circle at its centre holding an eye that looks like the Eye of Horus)
He stepped inside, and turned his face for a final cautious, then closed his eyes and drew a deep, steadying breath.
*Huuuuuh…*
"Veiliquandè mikora jim bos ariqueisà"
As soon as the chant left his lips, the sand grains around him coiled around his feet, anchoring him to the ground.
A familiar numbness spread through his body, as if his body is no longer his own.
Deep down, Daniel was scared inside.
His spine straightened involuntarily, postute rigid like a soldier in an attention position, not moving at all.
Only breathing normally.
Then, without warning, his left eyelid shut down on its own, sealing it tight against his will, leaving right open.
Panic rose in his heart.
Helpless, he watched his right hand rise, fingers flexing with deliberate slowness toward his face.
'Don't tell me, it's going to... NOO!!!!'
The right eyelid stretched wide, skin pulling taut. In a single thrust, his fingers plunged into the socket and tore the eyeball free with brute force.
"AGHHH!!!" he screamed out loud.
His right eye was gone.
His vision plunged into darkness with a throbbing soft red void. The pain was intense, unimaginable, and brutal. Excruciating beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
No mercy, No hesitation.
Yet, within a few minutes, his vision came back to life, clearer and sharper than before. The pain and agony began to fade slowly.
He looked down.
His severed eye lay on the sand ground, slowly sinking and absorbing it like an offering. Warm air enveloped him, soothing and unnatural. His breathing began to steady, in a calm rythym.
The blood splattered across his face and clothes seeped inward, vanishing into his skin without leaving any trace behind.
Finally, his left eye fluttered open, obeying him at last, as if the invisible strings controlling his body had been cut.
His mind was blank, exhausted, and speechless. The sand loosened its hold on his feet, sinking seamlessly into the ground.
The ritual was complete.
Daniel sank down to his knees on the ground, eyes half-open and unfocused. Stomach hungry and empty. Next level of exhaustion, that sank into his bones, far beyond anything his eighteen year old body had ever endured.
In the distance, he heard a sound of water splashing on the ground. It was marnie, lauling the bucket up from the well.
*splash-splash*
He turned his head slowly southward, toward the laundry swaying gently in the warm afternoon breeze.
Marnie stepped into view, holding a basket on her hip. Her eyes fell on him, kneeling there in the backyard, staring blankly at her.
She didn't say a word, no surprise, no questions. Just ignored him and averted her eyes and continued past him towards the hanging clothes.
"Mom…" he whispered, and toppled sideways into the dirt.
*THUD*
"Ahh… Son!!"
The last thing he heard was her mother's worried voice, before fainting on the ground.