Miracles often come to those foolishly brave. Yet bravery ignites only from the deepest desire to achieve—and that desire always stems from the roots of belonging.
The infinite cycle of emotions and actions turns, ticks, twists the labyrinth of consciousness. A cycle none escape. We build logical systems, adhere to discipline, yet in the end, the heart's boundless threads of emotion always prevail.
May call it Sin as Sin is never merely sin. It does not root solely in evil but often sprouts from virtues worthy in their own right. And virtue? Without evil's shadow, it could not be called good.
So what is wrong? What is right? What doctrine should one preach? What path should one follow?
Is the answer power?
The victor, the conqueror, the one who scales the peak—they decide right and wrong within this eternal cycle? Only those who stand above all may glimpse the end?
But.
What of the broken? The ones deemed weak? Those who have lost everything, who lie shattered below all?
Simply saying, what about the one below all'.
"Oh, Guide of the Damned... what wisdom do you offer?"
Ha!"
Atlas woke with a start, his ears ringing as though the echoes of his own dreams still clung to him. The clarity of those visions—the vividness of their colors and emotions—left him shaken. It was no ordinary dream; it felt something real, something visceral wrapped in chaos, delivered directly into his consciousness.
He turned slightly, careful not to disturb Eli, whose golden hair fanned across his arm. Her good hand rested possessively on his chest, while her injured arm remained tucked safely beneath her waist. Even in sleep, she radiated strength and vulnerability simultaneously—a paradox that fascinated him endlessly.
Her beauty struck him anew each time he looked at her. He remembered their first meeting vividly—not just her striking appearance but the magnetic pull of her personality. She had captivated him instantly, stirring a hunger within him so intense that he'd been willing to bend reality itself just to keep her close.
Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. A wave of calm washed over him, tempered by the lingering ache of exhaustion. Last night, she had consumed every ounce of his energy, leaving marks all over his body—scratches from her nails, bruises from her teeth, bite marks scattered across his neck and chest.
'Hmmmm… I think she's the only one who's lasted this long with me,' he mused silently, recalling fragments of his old life on Earth. Maybe it was because he too had been pent up, desperate to unleashyears week's worth of suppressed desires. Whatever the reason, he hadn't held back. He'd taken her relentlessly, exploring every curve of her body until sheer exhaustion claimed them both.
Eli moaned softly in her sleep, shifting closer. Her plump chest pressed against his side, reigniting the fire smoldering deep within him. Atlas clenched his fists briefly before forcing himself to relax. No, he couldn't indulge again—not yet. He'd already pushed her limits far enough last night.
As he ran his fingers absentmindedly through her hair, something caught his eye. Amidst the golden strands, a streak of silver gleamed faintly under the dim light filtering through the canopy above.
'Silver hair?' Atlas blinked, leaning closer to inspect it more carefully. 'Did she dye it? Or is this natural?'
Then it hit him. Memories surged forward like floodwaters breaking through a dam. Silver hair belonged to them. The ones he had faced in the game.
"Nahhh…" he whispered, shaking his head dismissively. "It can't be."
[NOTIFICATION]
The sound jolted him fully awake. For a moment, he'd forgotten about the system—the omnipresent force guiding his existence in this strange new world. His mind, still foggy from last night's exertions, struggled to process the flood of information now pouring in.
When he finally accessed his stats, his eyes widened in disbelief.
'Wow… What am I, Hercules?'
[System
Name: Atlas Von Roxweld
Age: 14 (32)
Body: C => A+ grade
BODY
Bone: 10 > 60
Muscles: 19 > 69
Organs: 8 > 108
Brain: 15 > 60 (Locked)
Heart: …(Processing)
Mana Nerves: …(Processing)
SKILLS
- World Understanding (SS+ Grade)
- Voice Control (C++ Grade)
- Prince's Aura (A Grade)
- Truth Eyes (B Grade)
- Death Decay (B Grade)
- Sharpness (C Grade)
- Nerve Enhancement (A Grade)
- Iron Skin (B Grade)
- Supersonic (A Grade)
- Earth Manipulation (A+ Grade)
- Enhanced Strength (A Grade)
Points: 64 > 678 ]
"Ohhhhhhhh!!!! I got them points. Damnnnn." Atlas thought in sudden excitement, his mind racing like a wildfire through dry grass.
"What the fuck happened? Did I die to gain these points...oh yeah, I did. Again. Jokes on me. Hehe hehe…"
His muscles tingled with newfound energy as he processed the information flooding his system. "My organs are plumped with stats—that's why my digestion is so great. I feel energetic right away after eating something."
But then his thoughts snagged on darker territory. "Brain is locked. What the fuck? Weird, hmmmm. Heart and nerves are… processing?"
He pressed a hand over his chest, feeling the erratic beat of his heart. His mana surged erratically, pulsing through him like liquid lightning.
"…I've got a bunch of skills too. Thanks to World Understanding. There will be more to follow," he mused aloud, his voice low but sharp-edged with determination. "This is the only hack I have compared to Lara. She's still in her growing stage—quite weak by comparison. Able to kill mid-level land dragons, sure. But if she entered the Dark Continent…"
Atlas trailed off, lost in memories of endless nights spent playing the game, tweaking every variable, unlocking secrets others couldn't even dream of. "By then, she would max out ten of her major skills, turning them into SS rank. That's what players can do."
Ouu!
A sharp pinch shot through his chest, pulling him back to reality. He glanced down at Eli, who lay beside him, awake now, watching him intently.
"…oh, you're up?" he asked casually, trying to mask the flutter in his stomach.
"Yeah," Eli replied, her tone laced with accusation. "I sensed you were thinking about another woman."
Atlas raised an eyebrow. 'Sixth sense?' he wondered silently before smirking. "Eli, I see you woke up grumpy. Come on, let's eat something."
"…I can't," she muttered, looking away.
"Huh… why?" Atlas questioned, concern creeping into his voice as he sat up.
"My le…a…hi…" she whispered, her words trailing off shyly.
"…Eli, I can't hear you. Are you feeling sick?" he prodded gently, leaning closer.
Eli turned bright red, finally meeting his gaze head-on. "…I said my legs and hips are not in good shape!" she blurted, glaring daggers at him. "You plowed me until I came thirty fucking times… it's your fault."
Atlas froze, stunned for a moment before embarrassment burned across his cheeks. Slowly, guilt twisted his features into a sheepish grin. Maybe he 'had' gone overboard. "…I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. You were so damn gorgeous—why are you so damn Hot? Come on, don't blame me."
Eli softened, her anger dissolving under the weight of his sincerity. Her cheeks flushed again, this time with pleasure rather than irritation. She'd heard those compliments countless times before, but never had they pierced her soul quite like this. Not from anyone else. And as she stared into his golden eyes, she decided—her heart fluttering from his simple words.
Without warning, Atlas scooped her up into his arms, eliciting a surprised squeak from her lips. "Oh!" she gasped, falling against his muscular chest. "Hehe… my knight in shining armor," she teased, tracing circles on his skin.
"I thought 'you' were the knight," Atlas countered, amused. "Remember when I used to call you Captain? Man, it's still hard to believe you're just a knight."
"Oh yeah… yeah, I am… a knight," Eli stammered awkwardly, avoiding his gaze. "What did you think? I was lying… haha?"
Atlas only smiled, shaking his head as he carried her toward the edge of their makeshift camp. "Veil! You there?!!!" he called out, his voice cutting through the darkness.
"Oh Atlas. You rest well? I'm here… Look above," Veil's voice echoed ominously from the shadows.
Atlas tilted his head upward, gazing into the void where Veil resided. The previous darkness that cloaked the area had shifted; now, countless glowing eyes blinked into existence, accompanied by rows upon rows of jagged teeth stretching infinitely.
"…I heard so much noise from the place you two rested. Specifically her… Eli, was it? Why was she screaming all the time???" Veil questioned, amusement dripping from its tone.
Atlas nodded slowly, glancing down at Eli cradled in his arms. Her face turned a deeper shade of crimson as realization dawned on her.
"Veil's asked a good question," Atlas said, his smirk widening. "Why 'were' you screaming huh?"
________
[System
Name: Atlas Von Roxweld
Age: 14 (32)
Body: C => A+ grade
BODY
Bone: 60 > 100
Muscles: 69 >150
Organs: 108 > 148
Brain: 15 > 60 (Locked)
Heart: …(Processing)
Mana Nerves: …(Processing)
SKILLS
- World Understanding (SS+ Grade)
- Voice Control (C++ Grade)
- Prince's Aura (A Grade) > (S Grade)
- Truth Eyes (B Grade) > (S Grade)
- Death Decay (B Grade)
- Sharpness (C Grade)
- Nerve Enhancement (A Grade)
- Iron Skin (B Grade) > (S Grade)
- Supersonic (A Grade)
- Earth Manipulation (A+ Grade)
- Enhanced Strength (A Grade) > ( S Grade)
.
.
.
Points: 678 > 128 ]
****
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