A Guide and a Shadow

Having never relied on sight, her brain could not immediately understand the barrage of visual information. Colors, shapes, and movements flooded her senses, but without context or understanding. She was confused and, perhaps for the first time in her life, slightly afraid. Her brain attempted to reconcile this new sense with her existing perceptions of the world. The surreal environment that enveloped her—a maelstrom of hues and forms for which she had no names—seemed both bewildering and mesmerizing.

As the initial shock began to subside, her heightened senses of hearing, smell, and touch tried to anchor her to something familiar. The sound of the mysterious voice that preceded her newfound vision now had a direction, a location in this kaleidoscope of visual stimuli. She reached out tentatively, her hands seeking the solid certainty of touch to confirm the reality of what she saw. But there was nothing there.

She lost balance and fell. As she touched the floor, it felt... strange. What type of floor was this? It seemed smooth and soft, yet at the same time solid enough to support her. The fall did not hurt, either.

Just as panic began to swell within her, the voice spoke again, gentle yet resonant, cutting through the cacophony of her thoughts. "Fear not," it said, its timbre rich and comforting, "for you are not alone in this new world."

She froze, listening intently. The voice seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere, a presence both ethereal and profoundly grounding. It continued, "You have been chosen to transcend your mortal confines, to witness realms beyond the reach of those bound to the earth of your past life. Think of this, if it eases your heart, as passing through death into a realm of existence beyond—be it what mortals might call heaven... or perhaps, to some, hell."

Trying to process the voice's message, she found herself grappling with disbelief and awe. The notion of being chosen for something beyond her comprehension, yet distinctly divine or infernal, stirred a mix of fear and curiosity within her.

"You stand now at the threshold of a new understanding, a new sight not just of the eyes but of the soul," the voice continued, now soothing, almost melodic. "I am here as your guide, a sentinel to lead you through this initiation. You may call me Lumière, a beacon in the darkness, a fragment of the light that illuminates this world."

As her eyes adjusted, and her other senses began to integrate with her newfound sight, she could vaguely discern a figure materializing before her. Not entirely human, nor entirely otherworldly, Lumière embodied a form that resonated with her understanding of the celestial—a blend of the familiar and the fantastic, adorned in what seemed like flowing robes that shimmered with an inner light, and a visage that, while not entirely visible, exuded warmth and wisdom.

Lumière extended what appeared to be a hand, though it shimmered with the same ethereal quality as the rest of its being. "Rise, brave soul, and let your journey begin. The path before you is uncharted, a canvas upon which your senses will paint new truths. The fears and confines of your past life are but shadows here, eclipsed by the light of understanding and new sight."

She hesitated, then placed her hand in Lumière's. Standing, she felt an unexpected strength flow through her.

"The world you knew is far behind," Lumière spoke as they began to move forward, the environment around them shifting, an ever-changing landscape that defied logic and physics. "Here, in this place beyond places, you will learn to see not just with your eyes, but with your heart and mind. You will discover truths hidden from mortal eyes, and in doing so, you may find the purpose that your soul has always sought."

Her fear began to subside, replaced by an insatiable curiosity and a burgeoning sense of wonder. With each step, the surreal surroundings seemed less intimidating and more like a puzzle awaiting solution, a mystery inviting exploration.

Maybe, just maybe, her times of boredom were over.

***

They say a human can adapt to almost anything. Dante had just discovered that 'anything' included blinking in and out of existence several times a minute. This new reality, as bizarre as it was, had become his new normal in this strange world. Tucked away in his secluded hideout, Dante found a strange sense of serenity in his hidden state. Lying quietly, he could hear the distant chaos of battle unfolding, a stark contrast to his stillness. It was a peculiar situation, almost comical in its way, reminiscent of those idle mobile games from Earth where the player sets the gears in motion and watches events unravel with minimal intervention.

While Dante's safety was not a critical concern, thanks to Virgil's ability to easily summon him back, finding optimal spots for Dante to stay protected and relaxed remained a tactical focus. These locations not only provided safety but also served as anchors, allowing Virgil to maneuver efficiently across the battlefield within their summoning range, estimated to be around 20 meters. Virgil, after much hard-gained experience coupled with innate talent, had become adept at quickly scouting the battlefield for these suitable locations. He would deftly assess the surroundings, blinking rapidly to detect the most effective positions for Dante and to identify potential enemy hideouts. Once these strategic locations were pinpointed, Dante would blink only between them, thus enhancing Virgil's mobility and effectiveness in engaging with the enemy.

A crucial factor that enabled their current dynamic was the enhanced communication between Virgil and Dante. Over time, Virgil had developed the ability to send mental signals to Dante, guiding him on where to execute the next summon. This concept of a psychic link, though challenging to articulate, had become a tangible reality for them. After hours of practice, possibly spanning more than twenty-four hours in total, their proficiency in this unique form of communication had significantly improved. For Dante, it had almost become instinctual; he could seamlessly summon Virgil to a specified location based on these mental cues, requiring minimal conscious effort. The process was akin to Virgil transmitting a coded message and Dante effortlessly executing it, much like a programmer hitting the compile button upon receiving the correct code.

Fortunately for Dante, even though directly witnessing the battles had become risky, his refined mental connection with Virgil enabled him to 'see' and 'feel' the battles through his companion's senses. This connection provided him with an excellent grasp of the combat situations, a perspective he often used. Another advantage was his ability to immerse himself in Virgil's experiences or detach completely at will, akin to leisurely watching TV and then turning it off when desired.

Dante wondered about the passage of time in this 'Tutorial' realm. While he could somewhat estimate distances using his own height as a reference, measuring time here was a different challenge. Each blink effectively reset his physical state: no hunger, sleeplessness, or fatigue affected him. It was a mind-boggling reality. Consequently, he couldn't rely on his bodily sensations to gauge the passage of time.

Yet, if he had to estimate, Dante felt confident that more than a day had passed in this underground world, likely much more. The number of battles they had fought was too numerous to count, and the duration of each battle varied. Some confrontations were brief, especially since the establishment and refinement of the Immortal Macro, but even then, it took time to defeat all those skeletal adversaries. These battles, while sometimes swift, were relentless in their frequency, marking what felt like a prolonged and continuous engagement in this subterranean world. It reminded him of the retro-RPG games where you kept walking in a dungeon, and enemies kept spawning in random encounters over and over again. It was sincerely getting annoying. 'At least throw in some new enemies, be creative for once.'

After some time in the thick of relentless skirmishes, Dante received what could be deemed his first tangible indication of the time elapsed and the number of battles they had endured:

Title gained: Bone Reaper (Rank 1)

Awarded for vanquishing 1000 Rank 1 Skeletons

Award: +1 Might

Dante was pleasantly surprised to discover that The Game included a titles dynamic. "Another thing to look forward to," he mused, his smile reflecting his enjoyment as an old RPG casual gamer.

Although Dante himself didn't directly benefit from the title due to his self-imposed Genesis Restriction ('My Might cannot increase in any way'), he found the title's impact on Virgil intriguing. What especially caught Dante's attention was that the bonus from the title was applied as a base stat for Virgil, rather than as a temporary stat boost like those from active skills such as Agility Infusion. This distinction was crucial, especially in light of Virgil's passive ability, which granted a 50% enhancement to all stats. The fact that the title's bonus contributed to base stats, which were then further amplified by Virgil's passive ability, meant that the effect of this title – and potentially all future titles – was more significant than initially anticipated.

Name: Virgil

Class: Undead Summoner

Level: 6

HP: 152.5

MP: 153

Might: 25.5(+5)

Finesse: 24(+5)

Mystique: 42

Essence: 51

Virgil was becoming much stronger, with each minor enhancement contributing significantly to his prowess. Even the level 7 skeleton warriors and archers were no match for him, not just in terms of physical stats but also considering his constant blinking and superiority in combat technique. This didn't even take into account his 'immortality'. Dante was confident that Virgil could effortlessly take on hordes of level 10 monsters as of now; it would simply be a matter of time to whittle them down. That said, despite their increased efficiency in dispatching foes, they never let their guard down, always maintaining a cautious approach. To their adversaries, it almost seemed unfair.