NOVPUBInside The Grey Terminal
Alaric faced a horde of Delta 800s with a smile on his face, his fist dripping with blood. Each abomination, slightly larger than a human, reeked with corrupt energy.
Severed limbs and body parts of their fallen comrades polluted the dilapidated streets. After witnessing him killing one of them with a mana blast to the head, the other grew wary of him.
Unfortunately, they were quick enough to dodge the mana blasts, especially since he had to divide his attention among several enemies.
For the last hour, he had annihilated several hundred Z variants with tens of Delta variants. His mana reserve was running dangerously low. If a strong Beta variant were to suddenly emerge now, it could end his run.
Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his posture. Although he was running low on mana, his willpower hadn’t been depleted in the slightest.
Now, let’s see what my new oathskill can do. Clenching his fist, he vanished and reappeared through the guard of Delta #857.
Before the zombie realized what had happened, he squeezed a drop of willpower into the attack and drove his fist into its gut with a silent chant - Disruptive Pulse.
Its torso obliterated, erupting into a splatter of blood and gore as he felt the grip of exhaustion on his mind. Immediately, he launched a mana blast at its head, destroying it.
Hmm…not bad for the first try. The attack packed more power than his empowered fist yet consumed one-tenth of the mana - for now. However, it took a toll on his willpower.
The zombies lunged at him and Alaric kept evading, quickly decimating the horde with a combination of silent chants and mana blasts.
Once he had taken care of all the enemies, he climbed on top of a nearby skyscraper for a quick rest. The beauty of the skyline eased the slight headache he felt after wielding his new oath skill so many times.
Claiming a spot on the edge of a boundary wall, he swung his legs on the other side. He was progressing fast for now. But there was no doubt in his mind that it would take him months of effort to deal with the higher-ranked enemies.
Still, he couldn’t help but smile. After all, how many young cultivators his age could claim that they had managed to defeat enemies of the final zone?
But a sense of unease still gripped his heart. Something was not right about this zone. The enemies felt too different, much more elaborate.
Will I be able to conquer this zone? He shook his head. Of course I can. Especially now that I have formed a powerful Self-Contractual Oath.
He decided to re-read the description of the Self-Contractual Oath to reaffirm his belief.
Chant of Empowerment - Your voice serves as the conduit through which your will reshapes reality. The strength of your intent, infused into your words, determines the impact of your chant.
This power is governed by your throat chakra, with greater vocal expression demanding an increasing depth of willpower. 𝓃𝓸𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Silent Chant: Minimal willpower required, subtle influence on reality.Whispering – Stronger intent, heightened effect.Utterance – Requires considerable willpower, capable of extreme alterations.Battlecry – Demands immense willpower, allowing for reality-altering effects at a fundamental level.Each use strengthens the expression of power, but also increases its willpower cost. Attempting to invoke it without sufficient willpower can lead to severe backlash—ranging from temporary exhaustion to irreversible damage to your will.
Associated chants: Disruptive pulse (Oathskill)
The use of oath skills was one of the best ways to refine one's willpower, and a self-contractual oath enabled him to do that precisely.
Furthermore, partially awakening the third-eye chakra demanded a strong willpower tempered by extreme resistance. So that was a double benefit.
For now, his willpower was strong enough to silently chant his oath skill a few times in succession. Perhaps if he exerted his willpower enough, he could whisper a chant during an emergency, although he suspected not without suffering a mild backlash.
The final two stages of chanting were definitely beyond his reach for now - he would have to sharpen his willpower further to manifest their powers into reality.
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Regardless, the silent chanting had been potent enough to obliterate the low-ranked Delta variant zombies. It packed more force than a strike infused with empowered mana.
And, currently, the power of the oath was at its weakest since it would only grow stronger with each successive usage.
Clearing his thoughts, he scanned the description of the associated chant and linked oathskill.
Disruptive Pulse (Rare+) – A unique skill forged through the power of your oath, allowing you to unleash a concentrated blast of unstable energy, infused with your will. This pulse destabilizes both matter and energy at a fundamental level, disrupting their structure and causing devastating effects within its range.
Note: Refer to the associated oath for further details.
A grin spread across his face. When his mana-scrambling wave proved futile against Beta #91 - unable to disrupt the energy fueling it - he resolved to craft a skill that would be undeniable.
A fusion of his two most potent mana skills - mana scrambling wave and mana blast. Disruptive pulse functioned exactly as he envisioned, although he still had a long way to go in order to unleash its full potential.
A Rare+ skill stood at the pinnacle of all other rare skills, teetering on the very threshold of the next rank. It was, without question, his most formidable skill at the moment.
Suddenly, he detected a powerful presence in the distance. Rising to his feet, he cracked his neck before plunging down. It was time to deal with another cyborg.
***
Beta #87 proved far more formidable than the last. Although it appeared the same - with the exception of its eye and hair color - the creature utterly outclassed him in strength and agility.
Alaric barely managed to defend himself after channeling a drop of his root chakra. He suspected even that was only because the cyborg wasn’t taking him too seriously. Intelligence gleamed in mad eyes, its face locked into a manic grin.
The creature was playing with him. Alaric hurled another mana blast, hoping to inflict considerable damage. If only it didn’t dodge the attacks.
As if reading his mind, the cyborg decided to lock his elbows and take the mana blast head-on instead of dodging. A surge of electricity fared outward as the swirling blue ball of mana slammed into its frame, detonating on impact.
Smoke and debris obscured his vision, but he perceived the cyborg still standing on his legs. It was unscathed, the barrier of electricity nullifying the power of the mana blast.
Compared to Beta #91, it was only four ranks above, and yet, it demonstrated how much more powerful the enemies became with each rank.
Alaric could deliver more powerful mana blasts, but they required sufficient time for charging. The cyborg approached him with steady steps, the manic grin still marring its face — as if daring him to launch another attack.
So, you think I’m out of options? Let’s see how you handle this.
As soon as the cyborg got within range he exhausted a hefty chunk of his willpower and swung his fist. Swallowing the sharp pain that shot through his brain, he whispered - Disruptive Pulse.
A visible orange pulse surged through the surrounding area from the point of contact - where his fist smashed into the cyborg’s chest. His vision turned white.
The cyborg bellowed — mirroring his own agony. The power of the impact destroyed his fist, painting it red and fracturing the bones of his arms. Alaric cycled the energy of his sacral chakra to endure the ordeal.
When the smoke and dust settled, he witnessed Beta #87 crouched on one knee, smoke billowing from its frame. The flesh of its torso charred and melted, exposing the metal alloy beneath.
It was gravely wounded, but not enough to prevent its recovery or retaliation. Alaric felt his limbs go limp, the power leaving him after the previous attack. For now, a whispered chant was too much — his most devastating attack.
And yet, it wasn’t enough to defeat the being before him. It stood up, marching toward him with a conviction to end him.
The cyborg looked more menacing than ever —half of its face melted away, revealing the metallic framework beneath.
Just as Alaric braced for the final blow, the cyborg halted in its tracks before kneeling with its head bowed.
What’s happening now? For a moment, Alaric was confused, before a crackling surge of red lightning erupted to the side—announcing the arrival of a presence far more formidable.
Aahh...there we go. A new enemy. He tried to push himself up but failed miserably. He could exit the rift and come back later, but that would be cowardice. Besides, he had a rare opportunity to learn more about this new enemy.
Unlike the creatures he had encountered before, this one was clad in red armor—which in itself made it look much more formidable. But the sheer presence it exuded left no doubt — he couldn’t defeat the new variant.
Subject Alpha - #9 - More machine than flesh, Subject Alpha stands at the pinnacle of cybernetic monstrosities. Engineered with advanced augmentations and adaptive AI, these elite cyborgs are faster, stronger, and vastly more intelligent than their lesser counterparts.
Designed for absolute lethality, Alpha variants possess cutting-edge weaponry, adaptive combat systems, and near-indestructible bodies. They are not just killing machines—they are precision-crafted nightmares, the final evolution of synthetic warfare.
Yes, why don’t you invite the boss and end the show? Alaric chuckled, grumbling to nobody in particular.
He wasn’t afraid, just a little pissed — he had noticed more than once that new enemies joined the battle before he could even conclude the ongoing fight.
Although this time, it had saved him. Well, he wasn’t saved yet.
Alpha #9 tilted its head, simply observing him for a while before turning its head to Beta #87.
“Leave,” it commanded in a chilling, mechanical voice. The inferior cyborg was swift to obey the order of its superior, disappearing in a flash of electricity.
“Alaric, you still have much room for growth,” it continued in the same chilling mechanical tone, addressing him. “We are sincerely praying for your success.”
Alaric was at a loss for words. How did it know my name? His heart pounded as he struggled to process the information and connect the dots.
However, before he could reach a conclusion, he had to brace for impact as Alpha #9 tilted its head.
A small section of its shoulder armor split apart, revealing a short, thick metal tube housing an oval object—a deadly missile.
Ahh…here we go. The missile launched itself with a blast of smoke and fire, closing the distance in a fraction of a second. And then — BOOM.
