Chapter 98: Tumultuous Voyage

I strode down the artery tunnel, feeling icky from the damp air and black gooey puddles. My stomach churned as each step of mine, sunk into the fleshy ground beneath, making me feel deeply irritated.

Ugh...what makes this even worse is the absence of any means of washing up...

A very true statement.

Which was further emphasized by the fact that I hadn't taken a proper bath since the day I entered Untethered.

Although the process of levelling up, typically cleansed my body, it still couldn't replace the sensation of taking a dip in a tub.

Haa...I want out of here.

I groaned as I continued to walking, making sure to keep clear of the revolting pools of black goo.

"Maybe I should have taken a dip in that lake as well."

I said with a regretful sigh, shaking my head.

My classmates...I wonder if they're still in that lake...

My thoughts seemed plausible but also unlikely.

No matter how interesting or amazing something was, human beings will eventually grow bored of it.

A child who's given an ice cream continually will eventually come to treat it with disinterest.

And my classmates were a bunch of fun-seeking teenagers, barely no different from kids. It was very likely that they had probably ditched it for some other place.

"Unless they encountered some dreadful creature or stayed out at night, then they're probably alive."

I concluded with a bored tone.

But of course, considering my previous encounters and how hard it is to find shelter, it was highly unlikely that they were alive.

The Wyvern Woods are very unpredictable after all...but who knows...

My eyes glinted with a hint of amusement.

If maybe...just maybe my classmates did manage to survive...then they'll definitely undergo a change...and oh...how interesting such a change would be...

I thought as I walked.

Watching the potential of human beings bloom was a hobby of mine.

Although I hadn't really dabbled in it much, which was typically because my environments hadn't really accomodated such a hobby.

School was rarely a place that drew out people's potential...

Oh...what is this? Normal human behaviour? From you Alex? Impossible.

I let out a chuckle and added.

Oh did I mention that I actually watched their potentials bloom so I could crush it later.

At my words, my inner voice let out an audible sigh.

It's voice had been getting more perceptible these days.

Ugh...how could I forget what you did to Vicki? I take it back. You're an absolute psycho...

I laughed at the comment.

...and an eternal virgin.

I choked, nearly stumbling into a pond of black goo.

Tsk! You bastard...!

My inner voice had been so agreeable lately so I hadn't expected such a jab.

It had once again reminded me of my infuriating debuff.

[Debuff:] Rizzless: No words needed.

Hahahaha!

My inner voice broke into a bout of laughter as I growled.

"Shut up!"

...

A couple of hours later, I was still in the artery tunnel, walking, but having covered a pretty considerable distance.

Hoo...

I breathed, in trying to absorb the World Energy but failed.

Again.

Still the same huh...

This was another lingering problem.

My inability to absorb the World Energy.

This issue had first arose when I diverted out of the Giant's trachea. It had been a serious cause of alarm and confusion, making me even think that my Aperture was somehow damaged.

But overtime, I came to the realization of why.

It was simple really.

The air existing in the Giant's body was extremely World Energy-deficient.

Meaning that, the volume of World Energy contained in every breathe I took was so low it could be compared to nothing at all.

And to pair with that, it was also contaminated...stained with the Breathing Giant's affinity.

It was why I had been rationing the World Energy in my Aperture, and hadn't used it to augment my body during my previous clashes with the heads in the artery.

TMP. TMP.

As I walked, my gaze fell onto my left hand, staring on the circle behind it.

There were quite a couple of experiments I had wanted to perform with my teleportation ability...but this damn problem got in my way...

I sighed before opening a part of my panel.

[Saturation Technique:] Art of Magic Circles.

[Path:] Invocation

[Spells:] Spoken Phantom Blink

This interface had been a reward for completing the achievement, A Great Step-an achievement for actively using magic for the first time-and of all the rewards I had gained, it turned out to be the most awarding.

Except the EXP though...

Describe.

I thought forcing the three sections of the new interface to expand.

[Saturation Technique:] Art of Magic Circles: A specialized technique that allows a user to expel, manipulate, or refine one's World Energy. Each Saturation Art follows a unique methodology, the Art of Magic Circles is a structured magic system that uses intricate geometric formations to cast spells.

[Path:] A variation to a Saturation Art. Invocation is a branched path under the Art of Magic Circles, which involves on the use of True Names.

[Spell:] Spoken Phantom Blink: A spell of the second tier in the Art of Magic Circles - Invocation Path. It performs the miracle of basic teleportation.

As one could see, these descriptions although vague at first glance, gave one immense amounts of insight into magic.

It made magic seem more like a structured system, rather than something esoteric or incomprehensible.

TMP. TMP.

I smiled while walking.

"Although I hate you very much Untethered, even probably the developers as well...but at the same time I am deeply in love."

A game like this which was breathtakingly realistic, rich in lore and seemingly alive was probably something that only seemed possible in fiction.

The very nature of Untethered was so strange and mindboggling that despite my deep hatred for it, there was also a part of me that yearned to understand it.

A part of me that adored it.

A part of me that wanted to understand the mind of the one who made this game.

"Despite the immensely prominent stature of H20 Software, I doubt they were the ones who made this game though."

In fact... it is precisely because of their stature that they wouldn't make such a game.

A game filled with terrifying monsters, eldritch horrors and deeply convulted mysteries.

A game where one could grow both in mind and body.

A game where one could die or succumb to madness.

I chuckled, "Yeah...I don't think H20 made Untethered...I believe that there's something deeper...someone with even greater influence behind them...am sure of it."

I remained in deep thought for a moment before shrugging.

Ugh...none of this really matters if I don't get out of here or end up dying.

GROWL!

My stomach let out a ravenous sound, forcing me to stop and bring a hand to it.

It was at this moment that I also realised how dry my throat was.

I sighed.

"Time for a break."

I mumbled, summoning a meat stick and a stone gallon from my inventory before plopping down to the ground.