Regressor In A Strange World

With my hands pressed against my knees, I struggled to calm my rapidly beating heart.

Thump... Thump...

My breath in particular felt restrained and forced:

"Huff... Huff."

Almost as though numerous unseen hands were tightly clenched around my neck.

I wanted nothing more than to rest, but I knew now was not the time.

Glancing at Klaus who was breathing heavily, but definitely still in a better state than I was.

I said amidst my heavy breathing and defeaning heartbeats:

"We should get going?"

Klaus nodded.

Taking one last glance at the towering structure- surrounded by an obsolete darkness-, we quickly made way for the iron barricade.

Tok-

Tok-

With only ten seconds left, we didn't need to be told, to know to run with everything we had got.

Especially when considering the threat of a noble family still looming right above us.

'10!'

Tok-

Tok-

'9!'

Tok-

Tok-

I could see it.

Thump... Thump...

'...We weren't going to make it in time.'

Tok-

Tok-

'8!'

I could feel it now.

Despair.

It was slowly crawling its way towards me.

Slowly eating me from the inside.

I-...it was slowly trying to consume me.

"Huff... Huff."

I strained my muscles, running even faster, the deafening echoes of my heartbeat echoing through the stifling silence.

Tok-

Tok-

Each step was a battle against the stifling quiet and the suffocating pressure pressing in on us from all sides.

"Huff... Huff."

Despair and desperation.

I could feel them now.

They were slowly pooling around me.

S-slowly coiling and tightening around my chest, like an iron vice.

Before long-,

Tok-

Tok-

'6!'

"Hu... Hu."

The very act of breathing started to elude my grasp.

'...We won't make it- ... we can't...'

It became increasingly difficult to breath.

And-,

Tok-

Tok-

Just when despair and desperation were on the verge of overwhelming me.

J-ust when-,

Thump... Thump...

I was the verge of giving in to them.

"Waaa!!!"

Klaus dragged onto my arm and then he lunged me forward towards the iron barricade.

"Noo!!!"

'...Why would he do that!'

I yelled inwardly.

'...Doing that basically meant he'd cut off his own chance of escaping.'

Just as various chaotic emotions warred within me.

I plunged into the iron barricade.

Gritting my teeth.

I gazed backward.

And then-,

Craka!!

The ground beneath him shattered into pieces and fragments, and within the blink of an eye, his speed rose to greater heights.

A smile crept up my face, fleeting as it might have been.

A light sigh of relief escaped my lips.

'...Four more seconds.'

I grimaced.

And-,

Clang!!!

Claaaang!!

Immediately began with the grueling ascent.

With practiced precision, Klaus launched himself at the iron barricade. His feet struck the bars in quick succession as he ascended effortlessly.

'3!'

Climbing rapidly through the openings in the towering iron barricade, by the time I reached the top, my muscles were burning and same could be said of my lungs, but-,

'2!'

Thump... Thump...

I managed a clean flip before landing on solid ground.

Crack!

The ground beneath me shattered- giving away a harrowing clue that we had been here, but-,

Thump... Thump...

I could care less about that.

Claaaang!

Clang!!

Dean literally flew up the barricade.

And now at the top of the towering barricade.

'1!'

A final leap sent-,

'0!'

Him vaulting over the top, landing with the grace of a seasoned acrobat as he rolled across the ground to disperse the effect of his impact.

Zzzzrrr!!!

The arcane rune etched onto the lock lit up and-,

Thump... Thump...

We both glanced at each other and without being need to be told.

Tok-

Tok-

We started running, our steps in tandem with the frantic pace at which our heart raced against our chest.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

Tok-

Tok-

Every single moment- every single second- in and of itself- was a battle against the suffocating pressure pressing in on us.

Thump... Thump...

***

By the time we reached the car, we were gasping for breath.

"Huff... Huff."

"Huu... Huh."

BAAANG!

BAAANG!

We slammed the doors shut, a harrowing sense of apprehension running through the car.

Thump... Thump...

The silence inside the vehicle was broken only by the defeaning echoes of our racing hearts.

Kicking the gears with practiced precision, Klaus wasted no time in starting the car as the engines roared to life.

And before I could even slow down my rapidly beating heart or stop the sonorous tremors running through me.

I trembled.

Vrroooom!!!

The car engine busted forth with a bright bluish shade and I only had time to hear a few set of words from Klaus before-,

"Hold on tight!"

All hell broke loose!

The cat jolted forward, the sudden acceleration pinning me to my seat.

Before I could protest,

Thump... Thump...

Klaus hit the nitro button to its maximum effect.

Vrrrroooommmm!!!!

The car surged upward, its rear tyres the only ones on the asphalt floor, before-,

Vrrrooom!

It tore through the streets at breakneck speed. Streetlights blurred into streaks of green and red as Klaus demonstrated his impeccable driving skills- one almost bordering near-supernatural!

Drrrifft!!!

The tires screeched as he twisted the steering wheel sharply, narrowly avoiding a collision as the G-force threw me to the left.

Screeetch!!!

Hitting the numerous gears, the car once again sped through the streets, the chilling, night wind howling past us.

Fortunately, we encountered no military patrols, and as the nitro's effect waned, the car's pace finally slowed.

"Huff... Huff."

I panted, clutching the seat beneath me.

My glare met Klaus's light smirk.

"...A more detailed warning would've been great."

I said each word one after the other.

Clearly trying to pass on the intended message, as I gritted my teeth, the chilling wind still seeping into my bones.

Klaus shook his head.

"...Time wasn't on our side."

True.

I couldn't refute.

But nevertheless,

"Huff... Huff."

I still shot him a glare.

He simply laughed lightly.

"Would you rather stay and get caught into the higher-ups' scruffles. Once again. Or be forced to endure this."

He smiled.

Clearly hitting the spot.

I didn't say anything.

But the answer was very much obvious as he let out a light laugh:

"...I guessed as much."

...I guess I could say- my face said it all.

"Hah!"

Letting out a light exhalation.

I no longer paid Klaus any attention.

Reclining against the seat as I gazed outside.

The streets was rather empty and pretty much desolate with only a few bars and various manufacturing companies in sight.

'...But it was called for anyway. The bars were present because the rich needed then- or to be more precise, the spoiled brats of higher ranked families. And well- with the manufacturing companies being one of the main incomes of many well-to-do family. It made sense that the curfew law didn't apply to them.'

Shaking my head.

Gazing at the crimson moon that sent a calm serene feeling rippling through me.

I let out a light exhalation.

Enjoying the calm while it still lasted.

"So... where are we headed for?"

Klaus's voice broke the silence.

Shifting my gaze towards him.

"I don't know," I admitted with a shrug, "...Somewhere we can rest for the night- obviously."

A light smile crept up his face as he spoke up:

"...Well well- aren't we rather lucky."

His smile soon turned into a wide grin:

"Hehehe... I've got just the right place."

Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this.

I stared at him with a skeptical look.

But before long-,

We arrived at our destination.

And-,

"Oh- Zouteland Motel."

Shaking my head with a light smile:

"...Guessed as much."

I could only try my best to restrain my laughter.

Klaus let out a light cough.

"Of course. Not only is it accomodating. The services are one of the best in Dark Orleans."

My mouth twitched slightly and I had to refrain myself from laughing.

'How shameless!'

Shaking my head:

"... I'm more tended to believe you came here for the free food."

With a wry smile, Klaus scratched the back of his neck.

I simply shook my head and alighted from the car.

After a brief exchange with the receptionist, we secured a key and made our way to the room.

And-,

***

That brings us to the present state.

I exhaled deeply, watching Klaus collapse onto the bed with a satisfied groan.

For a moment, I let myself some moment of peace.

"Eeuf."

But just then,

Thump... Thump...

Something suddenly crept into my mind.

'...The system did grant us a reward for completing the side quest.'

With a narrowed brow, my hands created a soothing rythm against the desk situated before me.

'...I wonder what it's.'

Willing for the information on the bell of Subtlety:

The familiar screen suddenly popped up:

[Mystical Item: Ethereal Bell Of Subtlety.]

[Type: Item ]

[Appearance: A small silver bell engraved with spiraling runes.]

[Effect: When rung, it momentarily alters the perception of those within a 10-meter radius, causing them to overlook the wielder's presence or perceive the wielder's action as non-threatening.]

[Limitation: The effect lasts only seconds and is ineffective against creatures with strong wills or high supernatural awareness.]

"...Not bad."

I nodded.

In a world where almost every nook and cranny reeks of danger. This mystical item was a "lifeline" I couldn't take for granted.

With a light exhalation.

"Gotta freshen up," I said, rising from my seat.

Klaus gave a distracted nod, his gaze fixed on an azure ring held in his hand.

"From the system?"

"Yeah."

He nodded.

"Alright."

With a light sigh, I headed into the bathroom and opened the shower.

Drip!

Drip!

It was at first a subtle flow of water.

But before long, a soothing barricade of it washed over me.

While-,

***

I had my bath, Klaus was busy assessing the ring.

[Transcender Status]

° Retracement Level: [0%....100%]

° Bloodline Status: Dormant

° Sequence Level: Nill

° Spiritual Anchor: 99%

° Bloodline abilities: Nill

Mystical Item: Thunder Fang Dagger

~Momentum Ring

Metaphysically clicking on the momentum ring.

[Mystical Item: Momentum Ring.]

[Type: Item ]

[Appearance: An azure monolith made into a ring. When worn, it feels unnaturally warm to the touch.]

[Effect: Allows its wielder to maintain or slightly increase their speed and strength during continuous attacks. With each consecutive strike, the force of the wielder's strikes grows stronger for a short period of time.]

[Limitation: The effect is canceled if the wielder hesitates.

…And overuse causes fatigue.]

"Hmm."

With a narrowed brow.

Klaus tilted his head.

"Still within an acceptable range."

With a light sigh.

He straightened his bones and rose to his feet.

He shifted his gaze to the bathroom's door.

'...Is he planning on staying there forever or what-.'

Letting out a light, almost inaudible laugh.

He shook his head and then headed out of the room, of course not without leaving a letter behind.

Tok-

Tok-

Before long, he vanished into the horizon.

***

To be honest.

I had finished my bath a long time ago.

But,

Drip!

Drip!

I just stood under the shower, and allowed the soothing water to fall over me, soothing me in its cold embrace.

'...I really needed it.'

Thinking about the mysteries behind my transmigration to the various life-endangering encounters I'd been through within the span of a mere few hours since I transmigrated to this world.

I just had this-,

Thump... Thump...

Bad feeling.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

'...That my life would. No. That my life- starting from today- had become nothing short of a walking nightmare.

And to make matters worse-,

'There was t-his weird feeling that sent chills slithering down my spine.

This cold sense of certainty that:

'...I would soon prove to be correct.'

And to be honest:

I really hope that's not the case.

I really hope so.

Exhaling lightly.

I forced myself to calm down.

Clenching my hands tightly.

I tried to quell the sonorous tremors running through my hands and even if it wasn't doing so well as to work out for me.

I-...I still continued.

~Clench.

I still continued for reasons unknown to me.

Reasons that eluded the grasp of my understanding.

With a sharp exhalation, I closed my eyes.

Forcing myself to calm down.

'I can only take things one step at a time.

'...Anymore and I will really collapse.'

That much:

'...I was aware of.'

That much I had to avoid.

"Eeuuf!"

Drying myself and adorning a cloth that was neither fancy nor mild.

Tok-

Tok-

I steeped out of the bathroom.

"Klaus?"

I frowned slightly.

Klaus wasn't in the room

Thump... Thump...

My heartbeat accelerated tremendously as I cautiously approached the door.

Tok-

Tok-

Each step of mine echoed through the stifling quiet.

And then-,

Whooosssh!!

I felt a cold breeze howl past me.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

Flinching back.

I caught sight of nothing, s-save for the opened window.

That seemed to reduce the rapid pace at which my heart raced against my chest.

Albeit just barely.

'..It was still better than nothing.'

Forcing myself to calm down.

I closed the window.

Clang!

And then-,

Tok-

Tok-

I headed for the door.

"Hum!"

Taking a gulp of saliva.

My hands trembled as they moved towards the door.

Click!

I frowned.

'The door was locked.'

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

Just then-,

Tok-

Tok-

I spotted a note.

Tok-

Tok-

Grabbing the note, I read its content.

-Gone to grab some food. Don't worry, you'll soon see my dashing face once again. Yours sincerely, your charming older brother.-

…A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

'Typical Klaus.'

I flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling until-,

Click!

The sound of the door clicking open drew my attention.

Tok-

Tok-

Klaus walked in, his arms laden with packages.

"...Next time, leave a less cryptic message,"

I grumbled.

I could still remember how I'd freaked out, luckily no one was there to see that.

"Fair enough," he said, handing me a bag.

Inside were a few sodas and bacon burgers. A stifling silence swept through the room as we ate.

Thump... Thump...

Just when it was starting to get rather uncomfortable-,

"So... the shapeshifter." Klaus said, swallowing a bite. "Are we still going after it?"

Taking a gulp of the soda, he added:

"You should know the security companies will probably soon deal with him- perhaps more so- before we do."

"True."

I nodded.

'...With how the case connects to the Tulane family. The shapeshifter would be eviscerated in a day or two- at most. It simply depended on how eager the higher-ups were to get rid of him."

I hesitated for a second, sipping my soda before I spoke up:

"...Let's see how things play out. If the higher-ups don't handle it, we will."

Klaus nodded.

'You mean if the higher-ups don't deal with their mess right?'

Shaking his head, he nodded:

"...Well. That's as much of a plan as we can get."

Leaning back, a blissful smile spread across his face as he took another bite of the burger.

"Hah! Nothing beats bacon burger."

I simply shook my head.

Based on the memories I had of the previous Xavier.

Klaus truly believed bacon burger to be the best food in the world.

How laughable.

I mean-,

'...If bacon burgers were truly the best. Then it would be hoarded by the rich, and the less privileged wouldn't have access to them.

Sighing lightly.

'...I knew that was just how the world runs.'

But since that clearly isn't happening. It simply meant Klaus's claims weren't justified.'

But that aside.

The bacon burger was surprisingly good.

Each bite melted into a savory burst of flavor, the kind that made me forget about the chaos of the day, if only for a fleeting moment.

And before long-,

Our plates were clean.

Tok-

Tok-

Klaus stretched with a light yawn before flopping onto the bed.

I followed soon after, the meal settling comfortably within me as I leaned against the pillows.

Klaus turned to me with a lazy smile.

"Goodnight Alexandros."

His words caught me off guard.

For a moment, I didn't know how to respond.

It had been so long since anyone had called me that. Long enough that I couldn't remember when or why the name started to fade.

But tonight, it sounded warm.

Familiar.

Like an echo of a life I never thought I had.

"Goodnight, bro," I finally said, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Closing my eyes, I let the weariness of the day take over. Right now, sleep felt inviting, like a gentle tide pulling me into its depth.

But then-,

Ding!

A notification jolted me awake.

[The abomination is going through his Arcane Trial, triggering an unforeseen reaction.

[You shall now go through your Arcane Trial!]

"What the-!"

Klaus shot up, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief.

My own thoughts were racing.

Thump... Thump...

This wasn't right.

Thump... Thump...

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

Usually the Arcane Trial only began after one's soul core has been saturated to its peak mortal state and even after that, one still had to be chosen by the Arcana spell.

But this...

Thump... Thump...

This was wrong.

"Damn system!" Klaus growled, fists tightly clenched. "What the hell are you saying?"

His frustration boiled over into curses, but the system, as always, remained indifferent.

[Countdown to the Arcane Trail shall now begin.]

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

Klaus fell silent, realizing there was no reasoning with it.

His grim expression mirrored my own.

Thump... Thump...

[9... 8... 7...]

My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

I was terrified.

No preparation.

Thump... Thump...

No warning.

Just this countdown dragging us towards the unknown.

Thump... Thump...

[6... 5... 4...]

Every single second.

Tick-

-Every single moment-, stretched into eternity, each tick amplifying the dread in my chest.

"What the hell is going on?"

Klaus broke the silence, his voice cracking under the weight of fear pressing in on us.

I exhaled shakily.

"I don't know."

And I didn't.

This wasn't how things were meant to unfold.

Klaus clenched his jaw, his unease shifting into a simmering anger.

"Whoever this abomination is, they'd better pray I don't find them."

There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, but it only made me feel more hollow.

Thump... Thump...

[3... 2...]

I tried to steady myself.

Tried to find even a sliver of calm amidst t-his chaos.

'Just stay alive,' I told myself.

'Whatever happens, just stay alive.'

"Good luck, bro," I murmured, forcing a smile.

A strained smile.

Klaus looked at me and nodded.

"Good luck, Xavier."

And then-,

The world vanished.

***

An endless darkness swallowed us whole.

Somewhere in the void, a voice began to whisper.

It was soft, almost soothing. But-,

Thump... Thump...

There was something in its tone.

S-omething vile.

Something. Evil.

S-something that prickled my skin and froze my soul.

[Aspirant! Welcome to the Arcane Spell.

...Prepare for your first Trial!]