Chapter 349: Episode 6

Cold.

I just feel cold. It is merely a warning signal sent by the body; there is no particular pain. Consciousness is neither hot nor cold in the abyss of slumber, and it is easier for me to let go of myself without resisting.

My field of vision is pitch black. My body is covered in soil. I feel that I am underground without Quinn. I was likely crushed to death by the dirt and sand. As compensation for the loss of Quinn, the number of eggs has also decreased significantly. The inventory is down to just a few.

We should be happy to be alive. I was luckily saved, including my immediate all-out defense, and the death price of the vow is still on the edge.

The cold has robbed the body of its freedom. It is as cold as ice. At first, I thought my body was severely injured, and this injury numbed my senses. But my senses were not going crazy. The temperature was actually dropping.

I don't know what happened, but at this rate, I am just waiting for death. Born and raised in a tropical climate, I seem to catch colds easily. Regardless, dig out to the ground.

If you don't wear a coat, you can't even move. I managed to pass through the soil and aim for the top, but the closer I got to the ground, the colder it became.

There must be a Sun on Earth. Shouldn't it be a wilderness full of scorching heat? Why is it getting colder? Am I ascending or descending? Physical strength is exhausted, and the limit of activity is approaching.

Just when I was about to be unable to move, I finally saw the light of dawn. I thought I was saved because of it, but what I saw was completely different from being saved.

This is a world covered in ice and snow. There is not a single sign of life, and the cold wind rages. A hailstone the size of a fist fell from the sky, cracking the thin ice covering the ground.

Suddenly, an explosion sounded. Frozen dust rolled up from the bottom of a huge basin. Next came lava. When it erupted, it spewed blue lava with cold air, taking away the heat known as warmth.

It can only be described as a spectacle from another dimension. And there is no time to figure out why this is happening. I cannot move my body. All I can do is maintain the minimum visceral function of the coat.

Reluctantly using "Idolatry". I incarnate as Quinn, carrying the main body on my back. Without egg soup, it is difficult to ensure the Aura required to maintain Materialization. Even so, to be active in this cold environment, it must be a constant-temperature human body.

Under these circumstances, the long-term operation of Quinn is impossible. Just maintaining body temperature consumes a considerable amount of Aura. To run, you must also wear a coat to strengthen your body. Even if you rush into the battlefield once, you will instantly exhaust your Aura and die. This time, true death awaits.

There is no time to hesitate. Start running. With every step, the frost pierced the soles of my feet, peeling off the sticky skin and causing intense pain. It is easier to keep running on my numb legs until the pain disappears than to try to repair the wounds.

A violent hailstorm fell. The wounds were not repaired. To run as far as possible, you must conserve your Aura. I had to endure the biting cold.

It is not very cold, but it is bearable and does not hurt. The human body is weak. Even with a trivial stimulus, it produces an allergic reaction, and the feeling of pain tortures the body to the point of being unable to act. I cannot escape the pain through the vow.

This is very painful, but it is also a blessing. I can feel that I am still alive, and I want to live. I have lost the willingness to accept the death of slumber. Biting through the pain, I move forward.

Is it to escape this cold crater first, or to exhaust the breath first? He continues his endless escape.

＊＊＊

The Dark Continent is a melting pot of monsters and disasters. Huge creatures run rampant, and the harsh natural environment runs rampant. It is not a place where people can live.

My view was naive. I knew nothing about the severity of this place. Because I am a Chimera Ant, I can use Nen Ability, so I thought I could manage it.

Looking back now, that wilderness was a singularity. On this continent, calm is an anomaly. That empty wasteland was the first and last paradise, and I destroyed it with my own hands. Until now, the world I thought of was nothing more than the back of a giant Snake, and I only just learned that I was nothing more than a quiet Parasite on it.

After running through the ice field and barely escaping, a dazzling steep cliff appeared. It seems that the place where I was buried is still on the top of the mountain. The cold continues, and with my main body barely able to move, I descended from the almost vertical mountain face with my own body. I was desperate.

In the blizzard, I walked down the cliff with the determination to die. My vision was blocked by snow clouds, and I could not see a few meters below the cliff. I don't know how far I would roll if I missed a step. Sometimes, I remember, "volcanic activity" started, and the ground shook violently. As the eruption began, the blizzard intensified.

It survived hunger by eating the moss that grew slightly between the rocks. Eating it can make eggs and extend Quinn's activity time. Quinn died while he was trying to figure out how to survive. Instead of sliding down, they were eaten. In an instant, a huge demon bird held Quinn in its mouth and flew away.

I am not pessimistic. I know that Quinn will sooner or later slide off the cliff and die. I can no longer call Quinn. For the main body to be active in this cold, it must go all out to maintain "Ryu". Cutting off the "Mantle" would mean freezing to death on the spot, so while keeping that Aura, I can only use a few minutes of Cultivation time each day. The descent time is only a few minutes. The ant's body can overcome some bad footing, but one mistake could lead to death.

If you can find a crevice on the rock where you can rest, you are lucky. Most of the time, I had to spend my days and nights in the blizzard, clinging to rocks that could collapse at any time. The descent was slow and slow. Many times I thought it would be better to let go of my feet and let myself fall freely. If it were in a state of "Hard" with all its might, it might be able to withstand the impact of the fall. Ordinary ants would not die no matter how high they fell.

Insects do not die even if they fall from a high place because their bodies are light. Susceptible to air resistance, the descent speed naturally slows down. Finally, I did not expect the law to apply to my body as it is. What happens if a dense object about 20 cm long and weighing several kilograms falls? No matter how I strengthen it with Aura, I have no confidence that I can erase the impact on my internal organs. Without any confirmation, I cannot place a bet.

One day, he found a deep crack in the rock. It was a one-meter-long crack. There was enough space inside for me to use. Moss grew in the back. There is evidence that the time required for so much moss to grow on the unstable ground shaken by volcanic activity, this crack existed without being crushed. A space where I can eat, be protected from the blizzard, and rest. I was surrounded by a sense of accomplishment, as if I had completed the descent.

For a while, when I was working hard to recover my strength in the crack, I could see the clear sky. Perhaps the clouds were blown away by the wind, but the blizzard just stopped for a moment. In that fleeting good omen, I stared at the world under the cliff and cursed this world. I could see the road to the bottom; it was too far. I don't know how many years it will take to complete.

I had no choice but to keep moving forward. Sometimes a huge white bird would brush past me spewing cold air, and sometimes a pack of wolves would gallop down the vertical wall as if defying gravity. Repeatedly wearing and Training, continuing to descend the cliff to death. Gradually, he mastered Aura, and the time he could act increased. As the descent progressed, the temperature rose, and my body began to move.

And reached the bottom. On one side is a pitch-black forest. Trees and animals are eroded by black. Its true identity is mold. Half-dead giants with carrion roam. The air is poisoned.

Further ahead, a large red river blocked the way. Countless giant fish that might be mistaken for Dragons were swimming. All of them looked like lampreys. They bit their comrades' bodies with suction-cup-like mouths, sucked each other's blood, and killed each other.

Bypassing the river, there was a group of strange plants. Large carnivores like dinosaurs were helplessly eaten by the plants. Beyond that was a lake of light that displayed hallucinations. A thundering valley. A forest with thin air. Fortunately, they could still be understood.

A plateau where strange monkeys lined up. A river overflowing with colorful lumps of meat. Strange rock formations flying in the sky. You face threats you don't even know what they are.

No matter where you go, there is no place to rest. The Dark Continent is such a place.

＊＊＊

Quinn is taking a walk in the woods. Her bright silver hair is coiled on top of her head, hardened with mud. Mud is also applied to her whole body to make the skin color less obvious. Her body is still delicate; no matter how hard she tries, she cannot build muscle, and even her skin is not sunburned.

As I found out later, this seems to be the influence of the "cannot change design" Constraint. In other words, strength Training is meaningless. Even if I imagine the body trained during Materialization, it is still the same as before. It seems it can only be the number set at the beginning.

Damage is not a design change; it is just treated as damage, so the condition will not change. However, if bleeding continues, it will constantly consume a large amount of Aura to maintain life, so it must eventually be repaired. If vital parts such as the head or internal organs are fatally injured, it will die like a normal person and cannot maintain the activated state.

So far, Quinn has died countless times. I have become accustomed to swearing death. Now I can reduce the cost of death by sacrificing a few eggs. I used this to my advantage and started using Quinn as bait just to escape from strong enemies with the main body.

I don't think the decision itself was wrong. In fact, in some cases, the main body might have already died. However, at that time, I underestimated the existence of Quinn too much. I even regretted why I created such a useless ability. I thought if I had created an ability that matched my system instead of crossing multiple systems and using a large amount of Memory, I would have lived more easily.

As if reflecting this thought, the operation accuracy of Quinn dropped. The amount of Aura consumed skyrocketed, and just maintaining activation was enough to fill my hands. At first, I couldn't understand the reason for this obvious performance degradation.

I think the reason is the slackness of the Constraint and the Promise. The agreement of "Idolatry" means that the user will die if they do not keep it, but this is no longer a disadvantage for me who has multiple lives. A covenant is an unfavorable condition that binds you and draws power corresponding to your determination. Treat it as a word game, and while I was preparing for loopholes, I was not prepared enough. The vow of "die if not kept" is just another way of saying "sacrifice eggs".

For ordinary people, there is only one life. Betting is the determination of a vow, and it is a price to be paid. When I first mastered Idolatry, I was still afraid of death. I was afraid of how much punishment I would receive if I really broke the vow, no matter how many lives I had. I was somewhat prepared for death. I no longer cared about it dying, killing Quinn. As a result, the role of the covenant was weakened, leading to poor performance of the ability.

At this rate, it will become a useless ability, just a waste of Memory. Most importantly, Quinn's power is weakened because he denies the ideal self he created.

With this thought, I swore again. Originally, once the content of the ability is decided, it cannot be added or changed later. That is why I decided to define the concept of "death" mentioned in the vow more specifically. "If you do not keep the promise, you will lose more than one-third of your life limit." The maximum number of eggs I can have is about 1000. If you break the vow, the penalty is at least 333 lives. Assuming you have enough inventory, the limit on the number of times you can safely activate the ability in a row is two. It can be used up to three times for the time being, but killing that Quinn will also kill the main body.

The number of one-third is still sweet, depending on how you look at it. But for now, this is my limit. A person named Quinn is too helpless on this Dark Continent. The promise of "only" dying twice in a row is heavy. This is a vow that acknowledges Quinn's existence. Thanks to this, I am now back to my previous performance. However, it is still weak.

But to survive in this world, you must draw the power you have to the maximum. I realized that Quinn's value is enough to use the content of the vow more severely. Compared to her body, she is extremely fragile, but this body has its own advantages. Not all abilities are inferior to the main body.

One of them is the ability to perceive danger. The five senses of the human body are much sharper. Avoiding battle here is crucial. The ability most needed for this is to judge the situation quickly, and the ability to collect information is the foundation. It can be said that combat power is secondary.

The skills I have practiced the most over the years are undoubtedly "Absolute" and "Hidden". "Absolute" is a technique that cuts off the flow of Aura and eliminates signs as a living being by completely closing the body's semen. It also has the effect of increasing elasticity by keeping the Aura inside the body. "Hidden" is an application technique of "Absolute", a technique that can hide the existence of the breath itself. "Absolute" erases a person's existence, and "Hidden" hides the breath emitted by a person.

One of the strengths of Nen Ability users lies in this "Hidden". This technique cannot hide its own existence, but it can make weapons and Nen beasts created by intent invisible. This secret also applies to the Nen doll Quinn. Moreover, even if Quinn herself uses Aura, she can use the main body's "Hidden" to hide, so in practice, "Absolute" and "Hidden" can be used at the same time.

However, during that time, the main body cannot be cut off (when the semen is closed, Aura cannot be transmitted to Quinn), so there is still some discomfort. If you really want to erase your sense of presence, the best way is to spend time with Quinn and the main body. However, in this state, it is impossible to strengthen, so Quinn's weakness is an obstacle. Since the strengthening of the five senses is also dull, the perception ability will also decrease.

"Absolute" and "Hidden" each have their pros and cons. Unlike Absolute, the hidden state can be seen through an application technique called "Fixed", which concentrates Aura into the eyes, so it is not an omnipotent tactic. In fact, it is often seen through by monsters lurking in the forest. They shouldn't be able to use "Hard", but they will find this point using their innate physical functions. I still am.

"——……"

For some reason, I feel like I have been captured by the enemy, although I am not sure. The other party is also a fierce person living in this world. It is not easy to make people aware of their existence. But I also live in this world and stand here. I learned from monsters how to hide their existence and how to find them.

To perceive the surrounding situation in detail, the commonly used technique is "En". This is an application technique of "Ren" and "Ten", creating a circular spatial perception area centered on oneself. You can perceive the shape of all objects within this circle as if you were holding them in your hand.

The size of this circle is not determined by talent, but by individual constitution. Just because you are a good Nen user does not mean you can make a large circle. As far as I am concerned, the radius is about 5 meters. Some people use En, with units ranging from tens of meters to kilometers, and I can say that I am not the type who uses En.

To make up for the narrowness of the "Circle", I have put a lot of effort into "Prediction". This is a technique that gathers Aura into a part of the body. If you focus on your eyes, you can gain insight into the enemy's Aura and detect suspicious Aura movements. You can also increase the attack and defense of that part by collecting them on your limbs. In this way, the attack and defense power of other parts is reduced, so you need to decide where to use agility based on the enemy's movements. The technique is "Ryu".

Explore using "Finger" and eyes. Not stopping there, the next step is to explore using ears. Listen to the sounds of nature. Next are the nose and Tongue. Smell the subtle differences in scents and check the taste of the air. And the skin. The slight tremors in the air, feeling the predetermined movement of the Wind. A series of tasks are "Flow"ed into a cycle.

At first it was awkward, and this work did not produce any results. However, as he repeated it frantically, the speed of "Flow" increased. Eventually, you will be able to complete this cycle in one beat. At the end of this process, I reached a state of "synesthesia."

For example, some say that every number has its own color. The number "1" has a "red" image, and when you actually see the number, you can see red. This is a phenomenon where "Sight Vision" and the "color perception" that is part of it induce synesthesia. Some say that olfactory and visual synesthesia can cause smells to appear to have colors.

The action of different sensory organs working in synergy. As a result, it is possible to understand information in areas that a single sense cannot grasp. There is also an anecdote about a person with synesthesia who can see the color of sounds (voices) and guess another person's physical condition just by hearing the color of their voice.

Just in case, I named this technique for inducing synesthesia "kyo," which is a derivative technique of "ki." Through the interlocking of the five senses, a transcendent perceptual ability. This is hard to express in words. Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and experiencing them all at once—I personally don't really understand it. My brain cannot process all this information at once; in a feeling of momentary fainting, a piece of information appears from a completely different angle.

"Down?"

Just as he jumped back from the spot, the ground where Quinn had been standing collapsed. The hole widened as if it had caused a massive ground collapse. Soon, a mortar-shaped basin formed. A vortex swirled in the center of the pit, exposing the culprit of this Disaster from the bottom of the pit.

It was a giant insect, looking up. It had a bumpy, spotted body, an abnormally large abdomen, and a thin upper body that looked like it could be torn apart. It had an unbalanced body with a large, sharp jaw. I don't remember an insect that looked like this, but I know there is an insect with a similar ecology.

It is an anteater. It builds a mortar-shaped nest in soft sand and preys on insects that slip into the hole. The only difference is that this is not a sandy area, but a dense forest, and I don't know if it is uprooting trees while churning up soil and rocks like a blender. I want to tell you what is happening in the soil.

In the vortex that suddenly appeared on the ground, I observed the situation while looking at the scaffolding between the trees that were being dragged into it. I wasn't that nervous. That said, this is not the first time I have encountered such a Hell-type monster. I have fought you once before.

When I first saw it, I was really surprised. Escaping the vortex of the earth itself is not difficult. But he is very Stick. No matter how far you run, it will chase you through the ground. Even if it breaks, it's useless. It was captured once, but in the end, it pursued with great persistence. And if I encounter a stronger enemy on the way, I will run away. When I managed to get out of that predicament, he chased me again.

The most troublesome thing is summoning that powerful enemy. Making such a flashy scene, even if you don't like it, you will stand out. Frankly speaking, there are many monsters worse than this Hell-type. Some you must prepare for death the moment you meet them. That is why I desperately try to Hidden my existence. If you don't "shut up" immediately, it won't be good.

A course of action has already been decided. Quinn stopped on a tree that slid into the center of the vortex, letting the water Flow. The opportunity to attack is fleeting. Be prepared when the time comes. Quinn strikes a pose.

Many Nen users are mainly engaged in melee combat. Some use projectiles, but after all, one's own body is best suited for reinforcement with Aura, and it becomes the most convenient "weapon" itself. I also don't use tools in battle. Always naked.

However, it can be said to be armed in a sense. The main body is close to Quinn's right hand. This "ant body" is Quinn's weapon. The hardest exoskeleton is the plant's cellular structure, which is harder and more durable than animals, and incorporates the properties of metal. There is no reason not to utilize this power. The figure covering the right hand is like a gauntlet.

The main body enters "Hard." This is an application skill of "Together" and "Kneading," which can significantly increase the defense of the whole body. When using matoi's defensive power as a standard, kata is equivalent to about 5 times that power. The synergy between the exoskeleton and the breath increases the offensive and defensive power by dozens of times, condensing it into the main body.

Quinn's punch power is added there. Quinn makes full use of the physical ability raised to the limit by "Kneading," and leaps up with the momentum to break through the scaffolding. Piercing the enemy's void, approaching rapidly. I used all my strength to hit the waist with my right fist.

It's not over yet. Adding more techniques when hitting. Just like the derivative technique "Heavy" that I developed independently, "Together."

When I was practicing my own style, I thought of this idea. Flow is a technique that quickly transfers the offensive and defensive power of the whole body to various parts according to the situation. In other words, it is a high-speed usage technique of "curling" in battle. Even if you are inferior to your opponent in the amount of Aura displayed, if you are excellent in this technique, you can overthrow a powerful opponent. If you concentrate your breath on your fist only at the moment of punching, the power of the punch will increase, and you can concentrate your defense on the area being hit only when you are attacked by the enemy, or strengthen your legs to dodge.

However, if this technique is used improperly, it may lead to the exposure of fatal weaknesses. Concentrating breath in one place is equivalent to ignoring the reinforcement of other parts. It would be fine if the enemy moved as expected, but reality is not that sweet. After fully anticipating this risk, one must always consider how much Aura to allocate to which part while fighting. This is the current technique that includes this risk management.

For example, if 60% of the total Aura is collected in the fist, it is "60% offensive and defensive power of the fist: 40% for others." The defensive power of the body other than the fist is reduced to 40%. Thinking about how to allocate 100 points of offensive and defensive power is the original way of using it, but suddenly a question arose. There are countless auras in my body, it is me, not me. This is the egg's Aura. If this offensive and defensive power can move freely, perhaps a reinforcement rate of 120%, 200%, 300% can be achieved instead of 100%.

Successfully passed the Aura itself. The idea is to transfer it after converting it into offensive and defensive power. The technique he designed this way is the "Dragon" derivative technique "Heavy." This allowed Quinn to surpass his limits. "'Hard' solidified main body defensive power (power as a weapon)" + "'Heavy' super-reinforced Quinn." Releasing a fatal right straight that includes these two powers.

A dark red glove was hammered into the enemy's torso. The impact vibrated the air. The solid reaction of shattering the enemy's armor. The giant insect sank into the ground while kicking up dust. Quinn used the recoil of his strike to blow himself backward, landing outside the hole.

Then, without delay, they began to retreat. He used "Hidden" to erase his existence and then fled the scene. There are already some signs approaching here. There is no more time to fight the monsters that gathered after smelling the commotion. If you misjudge the timing, you will lose your life.

On the way out, I glanced in the direction where the Hell-type was. Only the traces of the mortar-shaped nest remained. The enemy was nowhere to be found. After he ran to the ground. If I caused so many wounds, they wouldn't chase me anymore, but I regret a little that I couldn't finish them.

The new technique "Heavy" is certainly powerful. Using Quinn's original specifications, you can reach a reinforcement rate that you could never pull out. However, it consumes a moderate amount of Aura. This technique is not just collecting Aura with "curling." To be precise, it is a technique that temporarily increases the amount of manifested Aura (aop).

I said a lot of new techniques, but in fact, the same thing can be reproduced by enhancing the attack. The amount of Aura (aop) that can be converted into attack power and defense power at one time in the body has a limit value determined by each person, with a maximum value of 100, and is allocated to various parts of the body as appropriate. (deathblow) can increase this aop. It is possible to increase the reinforcement rate to 120 or 130 offensive and defensive power.

I managed to reproduce it by making full use of "Spirit Synchronization" and application techniques, but it is not a technique that can be used by manipulation-type ability users. Unless it is a special attack, it is impossible to Exchange breath with others, let alone Exchange offensive and defensive power. There is a burden because this is a forcibly constructed technique.

Using "Heavy" puts a great burden on the body. It can be said to be a natural compensation because it surpasses one's own limits. Especially the burden on Shoko is great. Due to the unreasonable operation of offensive and defensive power, the pores that serve as channels for breath become tattered. For enhancement-type ability users, they may have already enhanced Shoko itself, so they can use it without any problems.

This is why the weight should be given to Quinn instead of the main body. Once, when the main body tried to use weight as a test, it was attacked by pain as if the muscle fibers of the whole body were torn. For a while, my Shoko became useless, and I had to live without it for about a week. It is a Miracle that he didn't die.

The same phenomenon occurs when Quinn uses it. Severe pain to the point where consciousness flies away, and the body and Shoko are damaged. However, Quinn, who is a Nen doll, can repair wounds by emitting Aura from the user's main body. He uses "Heavy," while repairing his body faster than it breaks it. To be honest, the amount of Aura required for this repair is huge, and it must be healed with an Aura value far exceeding what Quinn needs for reinforcement. This is not a technique that can be used widely in body and spirit.

And although it is a finishing move finally mastered in this roundabout way, it is not much different from killing the enemy. Looking at the ecosystem in this forest, its power is even enough to deal an effective blow to a small fish like the Hell-type from the bottom.

A primitive body, a primitive body ability not reinforced by breath. It is just overwhelmingly strong. This is an isolated difference from the human Quinn.

For now, I don't think it's possible to defeat it using "Sacrificial Cradle." The power of that technique alone is extraordinary. However, to defeat the enemy in front of me, the price is too high. There is absolutely no strength left to fight the enemies that follow.

I have not changed my commitment to this ability. On the contrary, if the power is reduced by blurring, it is a wish, and it will come true. It is too inconvenient to use. No matter how focused you are, the egg consumption exceeds 500. If you use it twice, the body will die. Perhaps, the cost of this technique will not be lower. I created this ability with the thought of a "deathblow." This is more like "I sacrificed more than half of the eggs to get high power" than "I got high power because I consumed more than half of the eggs in my promise." The way of death is fundamentally different from "Idolatry."

Currently, the Aura income and expenditure involved in Quinn's operation are quite limited. Use "Hidden" to intercept signs, "Coordinate" to search for enemies, and other minimal physical enhancements. I managed to make ends meet by running 1000 eggs at full capacity, and tried to recover by cutting off the eggs that had exhausted Aura, and taking shifts to rest. If you use "Sacrificial Cradle" to halve the number of remaining eggs, the Aura will definitely be exhausted. Until the number of eggs recovers, Quinn has no choice but to give up and spend it completely. If Quinn dies in this state, he will take another 333 damage eggs. This is damage in an area where the main body might die.

When I was running in the forest, I heard a roar from afar. Something huge collided near where I had just fought. The monster I cannot contend with now, as if it were a matter of course to build an ecosystem, is engaged in fierce survival competition. Under his feet, I can only hold my breath and let it pass.

If he didn't have a human heart, he might not have been scared by the huge shadow passing over his head. It is indeed an ant. It is an existence equivalent to an insect.