Chapter 95: Restored

Chapter 95: Restored

Attention, a milestone reached. Entry into Irreversible Narrative Progression has been detected for all the groups. In accordance, the Community Interface will now be deactivated for all groups within Hell Difficulty of the 5th round of the Tutorial.

Well, that's interesting, isn't it? It seems that the end of the second floor is getting closer and closer.

“Nathaniel, did you get the notification as well?” Kim moves closer to me, breathless and with small wounds all over his body. I also feel that he is under the effect of his [Gravity Well], using it to increase gravity on him and to train.

I'm kind of jealous, but he does the same every time I ask him, so I forgive him.

He still doesn’t feel as comfortable with me and I see that he is still not over Kevin's death. But I guess that's something only time will solve.

“Did you try to access the community?” I ask.

He nods, “I can’t join it and Aaron and Dennis are the same.”

I've already tried it too, and I had the same result as he did. That's it, I guess. More information would be nice, but it just wouldn't be the system we love and hate. Mostly hate. My level is currently 68 so I still need a bit more for that side quest.

Side quest:

Reach level 75

Rewards:

Upgrade token

And as for the main quest.

Floor quest:The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñøv€l-B1n.

Witness the end of the world.

It talks only about witnessing. The first floor's floor quest was to survive.

So does it mean witnessing is safer? Or is it just the weird way the system said it? Another thing is, is the end of the world the same for every group in hell difficulty? There could be things that they or we do that would change it for the group and blocking the community probably serves to make us focus on our quest.

Overall, the community feels more like moral support than a place to share information. Sure, we can exchange tidbits of info but the system censors a lot of it. So I have a feeling that the community serves just as a place to vent and not feel alone.

Still, would the system be so caring after putting us here and in such danger?

Well, there is no time to worry about things I can ́t change.

“Ruby, level 110 for me, if you will,” I ask the redhead.

I just need to become stronger, prepare as much as I can, and then give it my all.

But first, the goal is to level up and improve my skills as much as I can.

[Shadewalker Panther - lvl ?]

The Shadewalker Panther emerges, its sleek figure slowly becoming visible. Its fur is a deep midnight black as if absorbing light rather than reflecting it. Its lean, muscular body moves with graceful stealth, each step soft and calculated.

The panther's eyes gleam a vibrant green, radiating an eerie glow. Its tail sways low and controlled, a silent metronome ticking off the seconds until an attack.

What I can feel from it could be best described as lethal elegance.

I gain four more levels and a bit later Ruby’s master appears again, this time with a young, petite, black-haired girl.

Lily seems to be terrified and immediately runs to me, for a moment it looks like she will jump into my arms but she sees my face and pauses for a moment, slowing the walk and stopping near me. There are some tears in her eyes as she looks towards Ruby’s master.

“Nat, she just appeared in my room, just out of nowhere and then she kept asking me questions and just brought me here. What's happening?”

“Be quiet for a moment, okay, Lily?” I take a step towards the grey-haired woman, keeping Lily behind me. I don’t think she would hurt her but it should make the girl feel safer.

Briefly, our eyes meet, her firm gaze meeting mine. I can see that she still hasn’t given up, still desperately looking for an answer.

For a moment I feel pity and realize the situation she is in. Just how many copies of her were made before for other people in the tutorial? Tens, hundreds? A copy of a once proud and powerful woman turned into the toy of the system. Back prompt for this stage.

“Push him harder.” That's the only thing she says to Ruby before she disappears again.

I put some time into calming Lily down. I talk to her carefully, making sure she feels safe. Slowly, I can see her getting calmer. The fear starts to leave her eyes and she becomes less anxious. She starts to become more cheerful and I can't help but notice she's got something on her mind, something she's eager, almost impatient, to share with me.

So, I steer our conversation in that direction, patiently and slowly until she feels ready to spill it. Eventually, she takes a deep breath and finally says what she's been holding back.

“I think I can restore your arm now.” Her smile is bright and like a child, she reaches out and puts her hand on my shoulder.

I barely stop myself from stepping back.

What?

All of this feels strange. It just came out of nowhere, too quickly. I already have my own plans on how to deal with my missing arms.

“I got a new skill.”

I feel her mana trying to enter my body and for a moment I let my mana fight back, pushing hers away, but in the end, after looking at her I just sigh.

Sure, I'm worried about the circuit, flow, and all this stuff, but the longer I wait the worse it will become as I will most likely continue to grow stronger faster than Lily.

Her eyes meet mine and I can see no bad intentions in them. Just simple, gentle kindness and a small smile on her lips.

"You must have suffered a lot," she whispers. I feel her mana probing my body as she uses more and more of it, preparing to heal me. Strangely, I sense some connection between her and my body. What is she doing?

“This skill is called [Sacrifice]” she says.

Called what?

Immediately my mana rouses up as I try to stop her, but it's too late and my mana barely detects her mana as something dangerous now that I let it in.

"Be a bit more careful and take care of your body, okay?" Her smile is so gentle that it makes me feel guilty.

Warm mana engulfs my body and at amazing speed, I see my left arm growing. Bone, nerves, veins, flesh, circuit, mana pathways. Everything appears and looks exactly the same as in my right arm.

As if it had never been obliterated, my left arm is restored to perfection. The only difference is its striking paleness, the new skin never having been exposed to the sun.

Amazed by the result I am late to notice and Lily's body falls against my chest, breathing and seemingly okay but unconscious.

But I notice one thing.

An empty sleeve of her dress at the place where her left arm used to be.