A Regressor
[Initial reward on mission completion: Regression.]
In the blink of an eye, the neon light in the sky brightened more. The disassembled cubes around the convenience store floated up from the floor. And one toppled over the other, just as they were at the beginning.
Likewise, falling embers vanished from the air. As a matter of fact, the Chrono's wolf's body faded away from existence as if it had never been there. Its blood wiped off the metal that had pierced its skull.
The most jaw-dropping part of this strange event was Leon standing back up a few metres from the funhouse.
He opened his eyes right after he felt his heart beat. Even he himself felt he had a strange feeling about this. And as a part of him expected, the screen faced him at eye level.
[Paradox System Activated!]
Leon heard himself say, "Paradox System? What the hell is that..."
A strong sense of déjà vu washed over him, freezing the words in his throat. This had happened before, he told himself. The next thing he saw was the rod buried beneath a heap of sand.
Leon gaped. In an instant, he turned to the funhouse behind him.
Leon maintained a steady gaze. He searched around for traces of blood around the iron gate. But dust covered it instead.
A strange feeling rose in him, urging him to go and check if the gunshot injury was on his forehead.
The sequence of events and feelings... Leon had done them before. But they were all repeating themselves.
"Did I... go back in time? Before the Chrono Wolf killed me?"
He turned at the screen; confusion and wonder etched themselves into his features.
"Tell me," he said aloud, unable to hold the frustration in. "Did you reverse time to right the moment I woke up in this world? What makes me then? A..."
The screen switched to a longer message.
[A subject possessing the Paradox System is a threat to the world on his own...]
Leon mumbled, "What...? A threat? How?"
[... It is because you can never die.]
Leon held his throat tight.
[You became a "Regressor" on gaining this system, being the only survivor in Dragon City. Being a 'Regressor' means you get to experience the future before you die. Then you will rise back from the dead, returning to the past time with your memories intact.]
Leon's wide eyes immediately searched the surroundings. Doesn't being a regressor at this point mean he would face the Chrono Wolf again?
He pleaded to the system, "Don't make me face the monster again. I beg of you, system!"
Brim! The system switched interfaces, producing an otherworldly sound.
[Subject Information.]
[Congratulations on officially becoming a Paradox Player!]
Name: Leon Vale.
Age: 18 years.
Rank: Trainee
Personal traits: Adept at trickery, determined, not bold, disloyal, good at calling out for help.
[Stats]
Level: 1
Strength: 5
Agility: 7
Intelligence:10
Stamina: 15
....
[Reward: New skill,
Blink Dash: This ability allows you to cover a distance of five metres in an instant. You leave an afterimage behind.
***
Leon swallowed. He stared with intent at the stats he possessed. If not something else, then how could he have such high figures? He could recall the day he attempted to awaken an ability in a company at Dragon City.
As an undergraduate aiming to be an Ascendant, this was his best moment. The respect the staff gave him before he even awakened, the gears he promised he would buy... It was a day he could never forget.
Actually, Leon was someone very observant of time.
So, he knew it was already time, at eighteen, to take care of his father. His foster father, the one who gave him his surname 'Wale'.
Meanwhile, Ascendants make tons, aside from being very strong. Thus, Leon wanted to have a go at awakening.
However, at the end of the whole process, he ended up as a Failed Awakener. One of the 0.1% category of humans that have both equal-to-zero stats and no special abilities. Sadly, the Dragon City government still hasn't passed laws to let these people do more than be dungeon porters.
"This is strange. These stats... they are of an E-rank Ascendant, not someone like me..." Leon wondered in a low, weak tone.
He swallowed hard. This made him wonder if today was when he got this strong. And exactly why the gunshot on the bridge didn't kill him.
Did he get lucky, or was there a stronger reason why the system chose him?
Rumble!!!
The ground trembled with a deafening roar, as it had some moments ago. Leon's instincts kicked in straight away.
But having anticipated such, he stiffened his body so much that he didn't succumb to falling.
He knew it; the Chrono Wolf was here again.
Leon glanced forward. He sighed in a weak manner, "Hell... Why is it that I never believed in myself due to my past traumas? Mama dying, friends framing me at school for stealing exam questions... and no one but Clara ever trusting my innocence... why have I always been insecure about my past? I unknowingly made them dictate my present and future..."
Leon clenched his fist.
The rumbling sounds echoed in his ears, warning of the incoming threat.
"Now, I get it. The unique system, the skills and everything else... they are all for one thing. Same as this apocalyptic world. Survival. Fight, gain new rewards... or fight, die, and start all over again. That's getting stronger, surviving and facing resistance."
Leon stepped closer to the wolf. Although his legs threatened to freeze him in place, he moved on. What use was having a goal to recreate his world if he couldn't even win a damn E-rank monster?
And if he loses now? Then he would die and start all over again. At this rate, Leon didn't mind how many times he would end up regressing.
He picked the rod back.
Yah!
The wolf snarled, charging towards him.
Leon held his ground; he gripped the rod with both hands. In one split second, the monster closed in and lunged. But Leon found himself able to dodge the attack with a mere sidestep.
That was when a fact stood out in his mind. It was that everything was all about determination. The strongest driving power for those who have a lot to lose.
He sighed after evading the attack. Then he told himself, "I should risk an attack too."
Leon rushed towards the monster in the blink of an eye.
That was when the concept of Blink Dash echoed in his mind. Somehow, he felt like he had learnt the skill already. Closing the gaps finally, the monster lunging, Leon halted and screamed out loud.
"Activate Blink Dash!"
With an otherworldly burst of speed, Leon swept past the monster's attack with precision. He washed past its lunging arms.
Swoosh!
Even he found himself dumbfounded by the realisation. How did he move that fast? Immediately, he turned his wrist and slashed at one of the wolves' bony legs.
Yah!!!
It hissed in pain.
In a heartbeat, the joint at its knees shredded under Leon's attack. Its tibias and phalanges cracked, disintegrating like white rocks to the ground.
Surprising Leon, it lifted him suddenly right before it could fall. His eyes grew wide.
It smashed him into the ground.
Smash!
A cloud of dust rose on the spot. The ground cracked beneath him. As soon as it reverted its grip, driving its other leg at Leon, he rolled off. And the wolf ended up hitting the bare floor like earlier...
It lost its balance and fell.
Crash!
The system screen flickered at the right moment while Leon knelt, trying to catch his breath.
[Cooldown of ten seconds met. Blink Dash is available now!]
Leon rushed forward, sliding over the ground to pick up the metal rod. He jumped and then shouted, "Activate!".
In a split second, he landed on top of the wolf.
He raised the rod with a roar, "Yahh!" and drove it into its eyes.
Grtt! - the monster screeched in pain.
But Leon neither stopped nor allowed himself to lose balance off the wolf's body. He jabbed the rod in with force, the acrid blood heating up his face as it had before.
"Die!!!"
Blood smeared his hands with the rod as he continued.
Stab, stab, stab, stab!!!
He couldn't afford to stop. What if this wouldn't kill the monster like it recently did?
What if he regresses again and must experience the struggle all over again?
The scent of blood felt so familiar to his senses. Earlier than he had expected, the monster was becoming less violent and aggressive.
At that moment, Leon paused.
Pant, pant...
He panted to catch his breath. He swallowed his thick saliva, pressing his fist against the wolf's rough body with great force.
It seemed...
The system screen appeared.
[You received 100 EXP for placing heavy damage on the Chrono Wolf. Congratulations, you have levelled up!]
[You have received an extra 300 EXP for killing the wolf. Congratulations, you have reached level three!]
[You have a balance of 100 EXP.]
[Upon reaching level 3, you have unlocked a new attribute - Paradox Stability!]
[Paradox Stability has a long cool down. So you should use it wisely.]
[Your Paradox Stability Attribute reached level 1. Now, you're ready to create your first paradox.]
Leon's heart skipped a beat. First paradox... Does that mean he could now return to his original world?
[... another bonus for being a resourceful player. You gained
A smile broke on Leon's bloodied face. He clenched his fist, leaning forward.
"Are you serious right now!? You mean, I can actually use my Attribute to remake the Dragon City world?"