Sleeping Player (Project Chrysalis Book 3) by John Gold (novel24 TXT) 📕

I’m going to kill them all! How does he know who I am?

My assailant doesn’t appreciate my silence, and he squeezes my neck harder.

Damage received: 63510 (ignored: 81422)

6400/6400

And that’s with just one hand! He’s incredible.

“I know you could’ve killed my snakes instantly, could have forced me to the ground or just attacked. But you’re only defending yourself.”

“Ma–”

He releases his grip.

“Dragon breath! Maximum!”

That damn monster didn’t even twitch!

“Is that all? Just eight million? That’s your maximum? Stop playing with me, you worm!”

He lets me down, though a powerful kick sends me flying toward the dorm. I break through the wall, a wooden wardrobe, and a doorjamb before tumbling into the hallway.

“Worthless! I know you can do 25000000 damage across an enormous area. Do I need to kill everyone for you to treat me like an enemy?”

Exploding walls, an all-incinerating flame, a wild roar, and a shiver running through my body are the last things I notice before I die. Incredible!

***

Tiamat was sitting in his office drinking coffee. Idzumi teleported directly there, and Set appeared a second later.

The only greeting exchanged was Tiamat pouring two more cups of coffee. The three sat down, their eyes fixed on the battle in Kkhor playing out on the screen in front of them. Flames engulfed the mage quarter.

Ten minutes later, one of the guilty parties teleported into the office.

“Why did I have to come here through three worlds? For a worthless kid? He couldn’t do anything! A measly eight million, and that’s his strongest attack? Sure, he can take a beating. But this is your chosen one?”

Krash was still in his cat appearance, and his uncontrolled emotions poured out with a hiss. He paced the room, cursing Sagie under his breath.

“You saw the recording yourself, so you know I’m not lying. I can vouch for the fact that an attack transcending the world order was made—go see the container bodies of the dead gods if you don’t believe me. We sent a report to Akashi as the one responsible for humanity.”

“But why didn’t he attack me with everything he had? Why didn’t he show me what he could do?”

“What was he feeling?” Idzumi asked.

Krash, an empath and test subject expert, had been sent to review Sagie. The cat stopped suddenly. Slowly, his appearance went back to human. He was albino, about thirty years old, and wearing a light mage’s radiant set outfit.

“He enjoys fighting strong opponents. He ignored ten percent of the pain, just relishing the strength I used. The worst is that he didn’t take me as an enemy—we could have had fun if he had. He doesn’t have enough combat experience, and he didn’t notice the trap I set, though he’s practically as perceptive as Akashi himself. No combinations, no tricks; just raw strength. He needs more battle experience and possibly experience working with a team. Really, he’d make a great scout, but he’s still too inexperienced.”

Krash poured himself some coffee and sat down happily. Four of the world’s strongest beings were sitting with him watching the fire be put out in the mage quarter.

Tiamat glanced at the body of the boy in the center of the demolished building.

“First of all, he doesn’t have any equipment whatsoever. He’s wearing the simplest clothing he could find in the slums. Second, he didn’t think it was worth fighting you—he knew it was a lost cause. Note that he did his best to avoid destroying the building by using only simple spells. Third, you watch yourself! I invited and teleported you here because this is a special case. And you’re already drinking coffee in my office!”

Krash looked out the window.

“Ah, screw him. A couple of years won’t change anything for me, so I’ll stop by every once in a while to rough him up. That’ll make sure he doesn’t relax.”

Tiamat opened his mouth to say what he thought of his guest, though he just grinned when he saw Krash’s sly smile.

Krash was part of Akashi’s team, the previous wave of wanderers in that world. As soon as Sagie showed back up in Project Chrysalis, Akashi was told and sent the cat to check him out.

***

I woke up outside the city walls, in the suburban slums.

Your respawn point was destroyed.

You were taken to the nearest public respawn point.

I can’t help but worry about that evil death curse. I hope everyone was able to get away.

Also, my reaction to seeing a strong opponent was, at the very least, ridiculous. Why was I happy? Why did I enjoy it so much? My hormonal field is messed up, which it certainly would be after such a wide-reaching stroke. But problems with my personality and modified behavior are really bad.

As I think, I run back to the city along the country road. I have my map, at least, so I know exactly where I am. My old clothes burned up too, so I buy a new set from a roving trader.

I knew I was going to lose, so I didn’t even bother attacking. He’s a monster! The shapeshifter used his light aura to do mental damage, increased the strength of gravity ten times over, attacked with Dark and Air Magic… And it was all just a demonstration. Only the last attack was for real, aimed at killing me, and I estimated his level based on his attacks. After the first few, I thought it might be around 3000; after the last one… Maybe, 6000 or 7000. He was wearing the clothes of a light mage, though, judging by the gravity at the beginning, he was a space mage, too. And a shapeshifter!

A shiver ran through me as I thought back to the battle. Incredible! It was like a dessert, like the best meat you