Memories Or Illusions?

In the heart of Shunri Paradise, where the laws of nature defied understanding and the landscape was as dangerous as it was beautiful, Atrixus found himself locked in a desperate struggle for survival.

His opponent, a leviathan of the wilderness, was an Evo that bore semblance to a whale, yet was endowed with limbs and razor-sharp claws—a creature as bizarre as it was formidable.

The battle had taken to one of Shunri Paradise's most astonishing phenomena—a stream that defied gravity, flowing backwards towards the sky, culminating in a reverse waterfall that seemed to pierce the heavens.

Atrixus, riding on the back of the colossal Evo, drilled relentlessly into its thick hide with his Fiery Drill.

But as the beast charged towards the segment where the stream ascended into an aerial cascade, the battle took a turn.

The pressure from the surging waters threatened to wrench Atrixus from his precarious perch. To his dismay, the intensity of the water snuffed out his Fiery Drill, leaving him without his primary weapon against the behemoth.

The Evo seized the opportunity, weaving through the floating stream in a zig-zag pattern, its movements calculated to dislodge its unwelcome rider.

With each abrupt maneuver, Atrixus collided with rocks suspended within the stream, the impacts leaving him battered and bloodied.

The pain was a harsh tutor in the unforgiving classroom of Shunri Paradise. Doubt crept into his mind, a whisper of regret for choosing to engage this particular Evo. The fear of being expelled from the stream, gnawed at him.

Yet, in the crucible of battle, Atrixus's resolve hardened. Pushing through the pain and the encroaching despair, he anchored himself to the creature's back in desperation.

In a moment of clarity amidst the chaos, he shifted his tactics. No longer seeking to drill into the Evo, he transformed his arm into a blade and moved from the back of the Evo to its front region.

With a surge of strength born of necessity, Atrixus sliced downward into the creature's underbelly.

The cut was clean and devastating, a surgical strike that opened the Evo from beneath. Its innards spilled into the backwards-flowing stream, a grim cascade that marked the turning point of the battle.

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The Evo's health bar, a luminescent indicator of its life force, plummeted as its vitality was sapped by Atrixus's decisive blow.

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Together, victor and vanquished tumbled out of the floating stream, their descent marking the end of a brutal confrontation.

As Atrixus and the slain whale-like Evo descended from the gravity-defying stream, a fleeting moment of triumph washed over him, illuminated by the notification panel that glowed in the periphery of his vision:

« Level Up to 18 »

Yet, this fleeting moment was abruptly cut short as the harsh reality of their fall met with the unforgiving ground of Shunri Paradise, engulfing him in darkness as consciousness slipped away.

In the void where reality and dreams melded, Atrixus found himself adrift once more.

The familiar, enveloping darkness that had claimed him was suddenly pierced by an unexpected light. A scene unfolded around him, as if projected onto the very fabric of the void—a playback from a perspective not his own but intimately familiar.

The footage revealed a child at play, a scene of innocent joy. The focal point of this memory, the parent with whom the child interacted, turned out to be Atrixus's own missing father.

The revelation sent a shockwave through Atrixus's subconscious, stirring emotions and questions deep within him. The surroundings, though blurred at the edges, were unmistakably parts of Shunri Paradise, places alien yet oddly familiar.

This was not the first time Atrixus had been thrust into such a playback, but the confusion it sowed within him deepened with each occurrence.

Children, as far as he knew, were forbidden from entering Shunri Paradise due to the dangerous physical laws that would surely claim their lives. The implications were staggering, suggesting impossibilities that tangled his thoughts in knots of confusion and disbelief.

Moreover, if this scene was indeed a memory, it was one entirely absent from Atrixus's conscious recollection.

Never, in his waking life, could he recall stepping foot in Shunri Paradise before his recent ventures as a System Bearer. This playback, this memory, challenged everything he understood about his past, his family, and the mysteries that surrounded his father's disappearance.

The playback continued, offering no answers, only deepening the mystery.

Atrixus watched like a silent observer, as what looked like his younger self interacted with his father, laughter and joy evident even in this spectral recollection. The scene was achingly familiar yet wholly unknown.

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In the heart of one of Pariscus City's most advanced training centers, Julian was in his element.

Surrounded by technology and the scent of exertion, he honed his skills with a focus that spoke of his commitment to becoming a formidable System Bearer.

At the periphery of the training area, his butler watched with approval from the shadows.

Julian wielded an oddly shaped dagger with remarkable finesse, its blade slicing through the air with a precision that was almost poetic.

The weapon cut effortlessly through the advanced androids programmed to test his skills. These mechanical adversaries, designed to mimic the unpredictable and dangerous nature of Evos from Shunri Paradise, advanced in a relentless stream, only to be dispatched by Julian's swift and calculated strikes.

With a smooth movement, Julian executed a maneuver that had become his signature—the Shadow Step.

From his silhouette, a shadow detached itself, a dark doppelgänger that surged forward with a life of its own. It materialized into physical form just as it collided with an incoming android.

Bang!

The force of the impact sent the mechanical foe flying across the training room.

The butler, a silent observer until now, broke into applause, his voice echoing in the spacious training center. "Master Julian, your progress using the Shadow Step Assimilated ability is commendable," he praised as his tone conveyed both respect and a hint of awe.

Julian, basking in the recognition, allowed himself a moment of pride. A smirk played across his lips as he sheathed his dagger.

His gaze shifted to a nearby bowl filled with well-roasted meat. The meat had been sourced from Evos.

As Julian consumed the cooked Evo meat, savoring the taste of victory and power, a notification appeared before his eyes, visible only to him:

«You have gained +3 Evo Points»

The message, a confirmation of his increasing strength, brought a sense of satisfaction that went beyond the physical nourishment the meal provided.

The training center, with its state-of-the-art facilities and the constant presence of the butler—who was more mentor than a servant—was Julian's arena, a place where he could push his limits and explore the extent of his abilities.

The atmosphere within the advanced training center shifted palpably as the butler glanced at his phone.

The light from the screen flickered across his features, casting shadows that seemed to momentarily deepen the lines on his face, a stark contrast to the usual composed demeanor he maintained.

This subtle change did not escape Julian, who turned his attention towards the butler with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

"What is it?" Julian inquired, sensing the gravity of the moment.

The butler looked up from his phone, locking eyes with Julian. The seriousness etched on his face hinted at the significance of the news he was about to deliver. "There is news," he began, his voice steady yet imbued with an undercurrent of excitement.

Julian leaned in, his interest piqued.

"The Newbie System Bearer's Tournament has been issued a date. It is scheduled to take place in two months from now," the butler announced, the words hanging in the air between them like a challenge waiting to be accepted.

Julian's eyes widened as a spark of determination ignited within them.

The Newbie System Bearer's Tournament—a competition designed to test the mettle of those newly initiated into the ranks of System Bearers—was an event of great prestige and significance.

It was a battleground where aspiring System Bearers from various backgrounds converged to prove their worth, to showcase their abilities, and to vie for recognition and honor among their peers and more importantly to receive rewards as well as possibilities of being scouted by the top factions or SBO.

For Julian, the tournament represented an opportunity like no other. It was a chance to raise the banner of his family's name and also get praised by his father.

"I must participate," Julian stated, his voice laced with resolve. "This is exactly the opportunity I've been training for. To prove myself, to test my skills on a grand stage."

The butler nodded, his expression softening into one of approval and pride. "I had no doubt that you would say that, Master Julian. Let us dedicate the time left to more progress so you can take the world by storm."