Chapter 391: My Cowardice Is My Strength

The results were already out, even if the Explorer was unwilling to accept them.

The truth could not be changed in the end.

The revelry in the livestream room continued, with comments flooding in: "Accept your fate, Explorer," "The Dao of Following One's Heart is still a Dao," "Hurry inside and see the mysteries of the Coward's Dao," and other such prodding and teasing.

The rapidly scrolling text truly struck a nerve.

Although he had been teased for over two years, teasing and system certification were entirely different matters.

From now on, his sophistry would no longer hold any power.

It was truly frustrating!

But since the evaluation system had already given its answer, he felt he still had to go inside and take a look.

To see exactly what was going on.

Ignoring the frenzied comments, he stepped down from the high platform and came to a halt before the Gate of Cowardice.

Instantly, the vortex at the center of the great gate accelerated its rotation.

Without further hesitation, he lifted his leg and stepped across the Gate of Cowardice.

The scene before his eyes changed in an instant; once the distorted surroundings settled, he found himself standing in a pure white room.

An interface with selectable options popped up in his mind.

[Aura - Cowardice]:

Domain Aura (Level 1): Release an aura of cowardice, forming an invisible domain of pressure centered on oneself.

Range: Affected by the aura's level; at Level 1, it can cover a radius of 30 meters centered on oneself.

Level 1 Aura Characteristics:

Willpower Disintegration: Targets within the aura domain will passively perceive immense unease stemming from instinct; their desire to attack and fighting spirit will suffer continuous weakening. For targets whose strength or will is far lower than the user's, their fighting spirit may be completely disintegrated, causing them to fall into a state of shrinking back or fleeing.

Function Interference: Targets severely affected by the Cowardice Aura will experience decreased efficiency in internal energy circulation and slight disorder in limb coordination (manifesting as reduced attack accuracy, slowed spellcasting speed, hesitant movements, or trembling).

Aura Concealment: A strong tendency toward self-preservation and weakened presence; after releasing the aura, one is less likely to be prioritized and locked onto by hostile detection methods (though low-level auras carry the possibility of being detected by higher-tier perception techniques).

Compatibility: 82.7%

Compatibility Introduction: Compatibility is related to the player's own personality and emotional traits; the higher the compatibility, the lower the Sacrificial Power cost to activate (upgrade) the aura.

Cost to Activate Level 1 Aura (Original Price): 1 million Sacrificial Power.

Price after Compatibility Reduction: 173,000 Sacrificial Power.

"Hm?!"

The Explorer, whose mood had originally been low, suddenly became interested after reading the introduction for the Cowardice Aura.

It mentioned that after releasing the aura domain, one could conceal their aura and reduce their own presence.

This was simply a divine technique for the Exploration Faction.

When venturing out, what he feared most was encountering monsters or falling victim to ambushes.

With the Cowardice Aura, perhaps passing monsters would not bother to glance at him, or even upon seeing him, feel too lethargic to attack.

This aura was simply fantastic.

What surprised him even more was that comprehending the Level 1 Cowardice Aura would only cost him 173,000.

It was essentially cost price, a discount of 1.73 fold.

Filled with curiosity, he immediately asked the Guide for the reason.

At this moment, the Guide opened its sleepy eyes and said with a lazy expression:

[This is also why compatibility testing is required in the early stages. Under normal circumstances, to master a certain 'Momentum' and condense it into a domain that can be wielded, one's own emotions and personality traits must resonate highly with this 'Momentum.' A compatibility of at least 70% is considered having the seed, above 80% indicates the potential to cultivate it into Momentum, and to truly project the 'Momentum' outside the body to display its power requires a perfect 100% fit.]

[This process is incredibly difficult, requiring vast effort to comprehend oneself, constantly simulating, constructing, and adjusting one's emotional frequency to attempt approaching the origin of the Momentum.]

The Guide yawned and continued to explain slowly:

[Players generally cannot meet the entry-level requirements, so the significance of the Aura System lies in constructing this Momentum out of nothing, turning the release of Momentum from learning, mastering, and forming a domain into a one-click switch. This requires filling in the part that the player does not possess.]

[Your personality and emotional traits have reached an 82.7% fit with the Momentum of Cowardice, meaning you have saved on the vast majority of the 'learning costs.' You only need to pay a small amount of Sacrificial Power to fill in the unperfected parts, which is the current 173,000 Sacrificial Power. Simply explained, this is an emotional power that inevitably exists in every living being, but opening this door requires crafting a key; the more you possess yourself, the lower the cost to craft the key.]

Hearing the Guide's explanation, the Explorer nodded in sudden understanding.

The spectating crowd in the livestream room, who had also heard the Guide's explanation, immediately became unsettled.

They had originally wanted to watch the Explorer suffer embarrassment, but unexpectedly, he had actually unlocked it.

"I feel so bad; I just checked, and it requires paying 530,000 to master the Level 1 Courage Aura, yet you only need 170,000. I feel the Momentum of Cowardice doesn't suit you; hurry and switch, go switch to the Momentum of Courage right now. Compatibility can be compensated with Sacrificial Power, but you can't lose Iron Face."

"The smile on my Iron Face suddenly froze. I want it too. Who cares about being a coward or not? Saving Sacrificial Power is just too appealing."

"As expected of the strongest coward certified by Qi Die. I dare not imagine how terrifying you could become once you grow stronger in the future. Wherever you go, there will be peace and no conflict; everyone will be cowering under the influence of your cowardly aura... I heard players from the Research Faction say that cultivating Momentum to the extreme has the potential to advance into Rules. This path is simply too suited for you; hurry and choose it (image of Explorer wailing loudly.jpg)."

Glancing at the comments, the smile returned to his Iron Face.

Although deep in his heart he still stubbornly refused to admit he was what the comments called the "Chosen Coward."

But the 827,000 Sacrificial Power saved was very real.

It felt like being forced to accept a "Lifetime Coward Qualification Certificate."

But the attached discount voucher amount was so absurdly high that while he cursed inwardly, he couldn't help but think it was genuinely delightful.

"Ahem."

He cleared his throat, attempting to salvage his wavering, or perhaps non-existent, image in front of the livestream:

"It's resource optimization. The cost-performance ratio is very high; it would be foolish not to take it, right?"

Before making his choice, he tried his best to appear as though he was conducting a shrewd strategic investment, rather than passively accepting a customized brand of shame.

What he received in return was the spectating crowd in the livestream flooding the screen with "kneeling and bursting into tears" emoticons, along with middle-finger emoji responses.

No real payment was required during the testing phase.

Ignoring the collective mockery in the comments, the Explorer locked his gaze on the "Confirm" option and touched it with his consciousness.

Instantly, the interface switched.

[Aura - Momentum of Cowardice]:

Aura Specialty Points: 100 points.

Hint: Aura Specialty Points can be used to strengthen specific tendencies of the aura, shaping a unique path of Momentum. Please allocate them according to your style of action and needs (point allocation is not permanently fixed, but subsequent adjustments will consume Sacrificial Power resources).

Available Specialty Tendencies for Allocation:

[Range Expansion]:

Effect: For every 1 Aura Specialty Point invested, the radius of the aura domain increases by an additional 1.25 meters.

[Intensity Focus]

Effect: For every 1 Aura Specialty Point invested, the effects of Willpower Disintegration and Function Interference within the domain are enhanced.

[Aura Concealment]:

Effect: The basic effect is already possessed; investing Aura Specialty Points can strengthen the aura concealment effect.

[Presence Dilution]:

Effect: The basic effect is already possessed; for every 1 Aura Specialty Point invested, the probability of being detected by perception methods (including visual confusion, aura perception, investigation spells, etc.) is reduced (cannot dilute rule-level perception).

[Malice Avoidance]

Effect: Reduces malice directed at oneself from external living beings, enhances one's own perception of killing intent, and slightly interferes with such locking (requires investing at least 50 points in "Presence Dilution" to unlock).

[Environment Assimilation]: Greatly reduces one's own presence; disturbances caused during movement (sound, air currents, etc.) are reduced, making it easier to blend into the environmental background (requires investing at least 70 points in "Presence Dilution" to unlock).

[Slowing Field]:

Effect: For every point invested, the desire to act of all targets other than oneself within the coverage of the aura domain is reduced.

[Arduous Steps] (Invest 20 points): Within the aura domain, the movement speed of enemies will be subject to a slight but continuous slowing effect.

[Energy Stagnation]: The energy recovery speed of enemies within the domain is slightly hindered (requires investing at least 50 points in [Arduous Steps] to unlock).

[Focus Blurring]: Interferes with enemies' judgment of threat levels within the domain, making them more inclined to attack other targets rather than you (effect depends on the enemy's willpower and specialty level).

[Cowardice in Battle]: When enemies are covered by the aura domain, all targets within the range generate feelings of cowardice in battle; specific effects are influenced by the domain level and specialty level....

Sweeping his gaze over the dazzling array of specialty options, the Explorer's eyes immediately lit up.

There were 128 selectable specialties for the Momentum of Cowardice.

It was evident that this was a combat system capable of deep customization.

Especially the [Aura Concealment] series, which was simply tailor-made for someone like him in the Exploration Faction.

More importantly, Momentum was the only power that could be released without any consumption.

Unlike Soul Souls or skills self-taught by players, the use of Momentum, according to the explanation from the Research Faction, belonged to skills with no cooldown and no consumption.

It could be toggled on or off at any time, with zero consumption throughout.

After all, this was a kind of emotional power originating from oneself, rather than a consumable energy like spiritual power or blood qi.

This was also why "Momentum" was very close to Rules.

It was equivalent to turning one's own emotions into a kind of rule-like area of effect, merely unable to achieve the absolute logic of true Rules.

For the 100 specialty points at Level 1, he chose to allocate them all to the Aura Concealment series.

After completing the allocation, he clicked Confirm again.

Instantly, a formless power surged into his body.

It was as if he heard a low hum coming from the depths of his soul.

Formless "cognitions" continuously flooded into the depths of his consciousness.

The feeling was somewhat similar to after embedding a Soul Soul; the process of comprehending an ability was different from knowledge infusion, resembling an instinct long sealed away that was suddenly unlocked at this moment.

He naturally understood how to mobilize the emotion of avoiding danger hidden deep within his heart.

With a slight movement of his mind, he attempted to catalyze this power according to the feeling in his heart.

There was no imagined brilliance or overwhelming, majestic eruption.

Centered on him, a thin, grayish-white aura so faint it was nearly invisible to the naked eye quietly spread outward.

Like a drop of ink falling into clear water, it rapidly diffused, forming a weak field with a radius of thirty meters.

Standing within this domain of pressure, one felt an inexplicable silence.

Even one's own "sense of presence" gradually blurred.

He felt as though an extra barrier had formed between himself and the surrounding environment; his emotions were amplified and radiated outward.

It felt as if he were telling others: do not pay attention to me; even if they did notice him,

they would be influenced by his emotions and then cease to focus on his existence.

This emotion carried a sluggishness that made people lose interest and instinctively retreat.

If an opponent's emotion carried aggressive intent, it could be viewed as a flame.

His Cowardly Pressure, however, was a handful of icy cold water, causing the temperature of that emotion to drop rapidly and stagnating its boiling momentum.

Unable to stir the thought of killing, they naturally could not drive their bodies to act against him.

He lowered his head to look at his hands, and an unprecedented, wonderful sensation surged into his heart.

"It seems... it really suits me."

This thought arose involuntarily, making the expression on his Iron Face instantly become somewhat complex.

There was both the joy of gaining a new ability and a hint of indescribable awkwardness mixed in.

He still did not want to admit that he was a coward.

Glancing at the live stream comments, he summoned the event interface within the function panel.

In the interface, the eight categories of pressure corresponded to eight different trial paths.

Each path displayed a distinct style.

The path behind the Gate of Crimson Rage resembled a lava hell, while behind the Gate of Cyan Sorrow lay a misty rainforest... as for the path representing the momentum of cowardice, it was an unusually calm, even somewhat inconspicuous, grayish-white trail.

[Trial Name: Path of Cowardice]

Trial Requirement: Reach the safe zone at the end of each stage without engaging in combat; encountering battle or provoking monster disturbances will lower the score.

"Not be discovered? Reach the safe zone?"

Looking at these requirements, the Explorer did not feel surprised.

The momentum of cowardice was never meant for combat-type pressure; making him clear stages through fighting would completely contradict its design.

Most likely, only emotions related to courage or anger would feature a combat-clearance Cultivation Mode.

Without hesitation, he selected the Cowardly Pressure trial, his consciousness touching to confirm.

The pure white space before him twisted and transformed once again.

[Stage One: Restless Woodland]

After the golden characters floated before his eyes, they gradually faded and vanished.

He found himself appearing in a dimly lit woodland dense with vegetation.

The air was filled with the damp scent of rotting leaves and the fishy odor emanating from some wild beast.

From afar, low growls and the sound of branches colliding drifted closer, moving from distant to near.

Realizing danger was approaching, he immediately activated his pressure, causing the thin grayish-white aura to quietly diffuse.

He carefully chose to move through shadows and areas of dense vegetation, trying his best not to make any sound.

Just then, the figures of monsters appeared.

They looked like enlarged gray wolves, massive in size, with bared fangs and fierce eyes.

After appearing nearby, they occasionally scraped the ground with their claws, appearing extremely agitated, as if any slight disturbance might trigger their attack.

As if smelling something, they glanced a few times in his direction, their nostrils twitching; but upon contacting the nearly invisible gray mist, their fierce gazes quickly turned somewhat puzzled and listless, as if he were merely an insignificant little stone unworthy of their interest.

The feeling given to the Explorer was this:

Even though they had clearly seen him, they simply could not generate any emotion toward him.

To his delight, the three beasts low-growled twice before pacing away.

In this initial test, the effect left him extremely satisfied.

He simply summoned his courage to probe further ahead.

Along the way, he occasionally encountered monsters, but relying on the emotional infection of his Cowardly Pressure, he passed through the dense woodland safely despite a few scares.