Chapter 7: The Countdown to the End Has Begun
I remember the warning message before the pain, but it still didn’t make any sense. One moment, the Orb of Truth had crowned me with SSS potential, and the world seemed to bow beneath the weight of my awakening. The next, the system’s harsh flashes of [Error] carved into my mind like shards of broken light.
Then came the agony.
It was raw, unrelenting, and absolute, so much more than pain. It was as if my very being was splitting apart, every fragment of my soul dragged in a different direction. I couldn’t think, couldn’t scream; I was drowning in a sea of needles and fire, a storm of sensations that tore through the fragile fabric of my mortal form.
Somewhere, distant and muffled, the system’s robotic voice tried to speak:
[Warning—]
[Akashic Key—]
[Resonance—]
The words broke into static, dissolved into a meaningless hum, and still the pain persisted, infinite and unyielding. I felt my consciousness flicker, a candle in a hurricane. My body had no strength to resist, and my mind had no anchor to hold onto.
Then, darkness claimed me.
When my eyes finally opened again, the world was calm. Too calm. The ceiling of my bedroom stared back at me with familiar carvings, warm morning light spilling through the windows as though oblivious to the storm that had just ripped me apart. Even the soft rustle of the silk sheets could not soothe the phantom ache lingering in my bones.
I sat up slowly, my breath uneven, a tremor running through my fingers. For the first time in either of my lives, divine or mortal, I felt small. Fragile. Afraid.
My voice cracked the silence, raw and unsteady:
"What the hell was that, System?"
The reply came, hesitant and almost... regretful:
[Apologies, Host.]
[The Akashic Key began resonating with our vessel after the awakening.]
[I attempted to suppress it, but the resonance exceeded safe parameters.]
I closed my eyes, letting the words sink in. The memory of the pain lingered, a shadow over my thoughts. I never wanted to feel that again, yet I knew, deep down, that this was only the beginning.
"Show me my status."
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Name: Alash Vortex
Age: 10 years old
Potential: SSS
Title: Aegis Healer
Special constitution: Stamina, Intelligence, Willpower
Core: F - Grey
Stats:
Strength: 15
Agility: 23
Stamina: 84
Perception: 18
Magic: 11
Intelligence: 103
Willpower: 87
Attributes :
Healing : Lv 1
Barrier : Lv 1
Special : Main part of Akashic key [1/5]
Countdown: 9 years 10 Months
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The first things that caught my attention was the title below my SSS potential. Focusing on it, a new panel opened beside my status window.
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Title: Aegis Healer
This title encompasses a man who excels in both restorative arts and protective barriers, symbolizing not only his skill in mending wounds but also his mastery of shielding allies from harm. It implies a figure of strength, safety, and unwavering support in any magical conflict.
Effects:
- Greatly enhances healing abilities and efficiency.
- Barrier creation and reinforcement are amplified based on willpower.
- Stamina regeneration significantly increased when protecting allies.
- Unlocks unique spells exclusive to the Aegis Healer title.
—————————————————————————————
I stared at the panel, my mind turning over the words. Healing... barriers... protection. Unlike other SSS potentials, which were often offensively oriented or destructive in nature, mine seemed tailored for defense and support. A subtle irony, considering my lifelong preference for inaction and sleep.
’System, does this mean I’m some sort of... guardian?’ I asked, my eyes still fixed on the glowing letters.
[Affirmative. The Aegis Healer is a defensive archetype specialising in protection and recovery.]
[However, due to the Akashic Key’s integration, your class and growth potential far exceed any known archetype.]
I frowned slightly, leaning back against the headboard. "So I’m... supposed to protect people?"
[Correct. Your title and abilities are perfectly suited for defending allies and supporting their growth.]
A wry smile tugged at my lips. "Figures. I finally get an SSS potential, and it still sounds like work."
The system remained silent, though I could feel the faint hum of its disapproval in the back of my mind.
My eyes drifted back to the panel. The first lines of my new life were written here, plain as day, and yet all I could think about was how warm my bed felt and how much easier it would be to just... close my eyes again.
But the path ahead would be anything but quiet.
For the first time in a long while, I wasn’t sure I’d be allowed to sleep so freely anymore.
Then my eyes fell upon the details of my special constitution. Looking over my stats, I could deduce that it granted a remarkable enhancement to specific attributes. The pattern was clear: stamina surged far beyond my other physical stats, while intelligence and willpower reached unprecedented heights.
It was not a random blessing. The Akashic Key had carved me into a vessel uniquely suited for resilience, intellect, and unwavering determination, qualities that would define my role as both shield and saviour in the days to come. The realization settled over me like a weight, yet I could not help but marvel at the precision of it all.
Even in my laziness, the universe had shaped me to endure, to protect, and to think beyond the fleeting whims of mortals.
Focusing on the stats, another panel opened with the description of each.
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1. Strength
Strength measures physical power and raw force. It affects melee combat damage, the ability to lift or break objects, and feats of might such as carrying heavy loads or forcing open gates.
2. Agility
Agility represents swiftness, reflexes, and coordination. Higher agility improves dodging attacks, accuracy with ranged weapons, stealth, and acrobatic movements.
3. Stamina
Stamina reflects endurance, vitality, and overall physical resilience. It governs health points, resistance to fatigue, and how long one can sustain physical exertion or survive harsh environments.
4. Perception
Perception covers awareness, observational skill, and sensory sharpness. A high perception allows detection of hidden traps, spotting enemies, and responding quickly to subtle environmental cues.
5. Magic
Magic measures the strength of one’s spells, as well as one’s control over mana and resistance to magical effects.
6. Intelligence
Intelligence reflects reasoning, problem-solving, and knowledge. It improves success with complex tasks, understanding of magical or ancient lore, and efficiency in learning or crafting.
7. Willpower
Willpower represents mental strength, focus, and determination. It enhances resistance to fear or mind-altering effects, allows for greater magical control, and sustains abilities that require concentration over time.
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I continued staring at the luminous status screen. My focus drifted past the neat columns of attributes, the tidy arrangement of Strength, Agility, Stamina, and the other measures of my mortal potential.
They were impressive, yes, and yet my mind brushed them aside, drawn irresistibly to the small, unforgiving line at the bottom:
Countdown: 9 years 10 months
It pulsed faintly, a quiet reminder of inevitability.
"What does this countdown mean?" I asked aloud, my voice cutting through the silence of my room.
[It is the amount of time left before the divine shield disappears] the system intoned, its voice carrying a gravity that seemed to sink into my bones.
For a moment, I simply stared. The air around me felt thicker, as if the walls themselves had inched closer, pressing in with the weight of invisible threats.
Nine years. Less than a decade before the only barrier that kept this peaceful world hidden from the tides of gods and demons would collapse.
I leaned back against the headboard, my fingers curling into the sheets. "So, when that countdown reaches zero..."
[The world will be exposed. Demons will arrive first, and shortly after, other higher beings. The era of isolation will end, and conflict will begin.]
A tremor ran through me, despite the warmth of the morning sunlight. I had spent ten years in this body floating through life, sleeping, watching, drifting in lazy comfort. And now, a line of glowing text whispered of the storm beyond the veil.
The shield that had cradled this world for thousands of years was fading, and the hole I had torn in it meant the end would come sooner than fate intended.
I had always thought of the mortal world as small, safe, and distant from the rumbling struggles of the celestial realms. But now, the truth was clear: the quiet life I had clung to was only a fleeting dream. Beyond the horizon of time, the predators of the universe were already waiting, patient and hungry.
I swallowed, my eyes fixed on the relentless pulse of the countdown.
Nine years and ten months.
Time enough to prepare.
Time enough... if I could wake from my own slumber.
[Host,] the system said, its tone sharper than before, [you must understand, those who arrive after the shield falls will not hesitate. They will kill, corrupt, and consume without mercy.]
I exhaled slowly, letting the weight of its words settle in my chest. For the first time since my awakening, true awareness pierced the haze of my laziness.
The world outside my cocoon was more fragile than I had ever allowed myself to believe.
"I guess it’s time," I whispered, not entirely sure if I was speaking to the system or myself. "Time to finally do something."