Chapter 168 - System Evolution (Part 2)

Her legs and arms were frozen from not only fear but his ability. 

Gray who had his clothes drenched in water, slowly walked towards her. 

Infront of his was a large interface. It was completely different compared to the one he had known all this time. 

[Name: Gray Caliber.] 

[Level: 7] 

[XP: 1320/1400] 

[Pause Coins: 800] 

[HP: 17/40] 

[Strength: 38] 

[Agility: 39] 

[Stamina: 35] 

[Sense: 27] 

[SP: 19] 

[Skills] 

[+ New Skill: Energy Manipulation.] 

[Quests] 

[Shop] 

With every step he'd leave a small puddled pool on the previous spot. Crimson red blood flowed down the side of his lips, but that didn't stop him. 

'Energy Manipulation...' He thought to himself. 'I almost died trying to figure out how to use this skill... But I think I've finally got it.' 

*Pssss* 

'What's that sound...?' She question as he drew closer. 

A strange screeching sound could be heard coming from him, steam slowly began to seep out of his body as a result. 

The water was evaporating as a strange coating of Aura flowed around his body. 

[Energy Manipulation Level 1: Thermal Energy.] 

'H-How's he doing that...?!' She cried out inwardly. 

His eyes were widen open, looking ahead right at her. 

'I escaped after bursting out the accumulated energy...' He thought to himself. 

The closer he got, the bigger her fear. 

'Ah right... I can accumulate energy with this skill can't I?' He questioned, his mind still fuzzy from almost drowning. 

Eventually, Gray stopped right ahead of her, looking at her paused exposed figure right in the eye. 

[Unpause.] 

He unpaused her mouth. 

"One question..." Gray asked with bloodshot eyes. 

As he opened his mouth to speak, he ended up realising something, and instead shook his head. 

"Nevermind." He said. "I'll find out myself." 

He was going to ask what that guy who he had failed to kill at the ceiling was, but it didn't matter. 

With his hands now free, he gripped down tightly on the sword before raising it before her. 

Her lips began to tremble in fear, and it was then and there that she realised she could speak again. 

"W-Wait! I promise I'll leave you alone! I won't hurt your people, I'll even help you! I'm sorry for trying to kill you, I was just following orders! "Y-You wouldn't hurt a girl... Would you!?"" 

Her last line made a vein pop out on his forehead. The muscles in his arms bulged out before he swung the sword down with almost all of his remaining strength. 

In that final moment, she blurted out the first thing which came to her mind. The only thing she thought that could save her life. 

"I can tell you about our leader and tell you where he is!" 

Gray's sword halted just before her face. 

"...You have five seconds..." He muttered with his bloodshot eyes sending even more chills down her spine. 

- 

- 

- 

"...Is that all?" He asked. 

"It is, I promise! I told you everything you need to know so please let me go!" She begged. 

Gray lowered his sword. 

He turned his back away from her before walking towards the counter and tables where the pans of food were set up. 

Seeing this, she felt relief rush throughout her body. 

He let her go. 

She wanted to cry, she could feel the tears rushing in even with her body paused. 

But above all, she could feel the embarrassment. She felt ashamed to death for giving the enemy information. 

That shame slowly bloomed into a deep solidified anger towards Gray. 

'He turned his back... Does he really think I'll let him go just like that?' 

'He can barely walk, he's staggering everything and is covered in internal wounds... As soon as I can move again, I'll rush to get reinforcements... And then...' 

'I'll kill him myself.' 

As he reached the pans he dropped to his knees. 

His breaths were heavy and frequent. 

'Fuck... The drowning only made it worst... My organs feel like they're about to spill out from my mouth.' 

*Cough* *Cough* 

[Timer on pause ended.] 

[Unpause.] 

She dropped to her knees. She could freely move her body now without any problems. 

Seeing this, a killer grin grew on her face as she released out all of her bloodlust. 

"Haha... Hahahaha! You... You're fucked. You should have killed me when you had the chance." 

Those were her final words before leaping away towards the door. 

She was on her face to get reinforcements. 

He was weakened and if the reinforcements came, there'd be no way he'd survive it. 

But something felt off to her. 

It was only after she leapt that she realised. 

*Splatter* 

Her eyes widened as she watched both of her arms float away from her body while she was mid-air. 

"What? But how-" 

*Thud* 

The world spun around for her before her lead landed on the pool on blood flowing on the floor. 

An expression of confusion, that was the final expression which she bore. 

"When did I say I'd spare you?" He asked calmly. 

Gray didn't turn around to confirm her death, there was no need to. 

The instant she had told him what he needed to know, he slashed at her body while she was paused. With the aid of fast-forward she hadn't even realised it. 

[You have killed a Kessha.] A/N: Kessha, female Kessho. 

[You have earned 140 XP]. 

[XP: 1460/1400] 

[LEVEL UP!] 

[Level: 8] 

[XP: 60/1600] 

*Cough* *Cough* 

Gray coughed out more water mixed with blood, he felt sick. 

The entire world was spinning around and around, still he got up. 

[Level Up Options.] 

[1 - Full Body Recovery.] 

[2 – 100 Coins.] 

[3 – Three stat points.] 

[4 – Stat Boosting Pill (50% Increase).] 

With his eyes narrowed, he skimmed through the options. 

They were different than before, the two hundred coins options became one hundred, the two stat points became three and the fourth option was no longer the mystery wheel but a stat boosting pill. 

While the pill sounded good, the thing Gray needed the most right now was to recover. 

He had at least a minute at most before he bit the bucket so he needed to make a decision fast. 

Would he waste this level up on a recovery option, or would he get a stat boosting pill? 

Gray clicked his tongue. 

"I'll choose neither... System open the shop.] 

[Shop] 

[... Shop is open. 

Select your choice... 

1. Consumables 

2. Items 

3. Masteries.. 

4. Weapons <Locked> 

....]