Chapter 25: Rest Period (REVAMPED)

Jay reappeared in the exact spot from where he had disappeared, the surroundings of his room replacing the otherworldly atmosphere of the Trial World. The wave of nausea from teleportation hit him again, though far less intensely than before.

Within moments, the sensation subsided, leaving him clear-headed. His first instinct was to check his mini trekking bag, curious if the items from the Trial World had followed him back to Earth.

To his relief, the contents were intact. The 3 Lesser Stamina Fruits and 2 High Vitality Fruits were still neatly packed within the bag, as though the teleportation hadn't affected them at all. The presence of these items, tangible and real, reassured him that the fruits' potential effects could be utilized here on Earth.

Next, Jay glanced down at his feet, where the║Adhesive Boots║still clung securely, their functionality seemingly unaffected by the shift between worlds. 

His gaze then moved to his chest, where the lifelike golden tattoo of the║Centauri Kavach║glowed subtly, its intricate design etched into his skin as though it had always been a part of him. 

Floating just behind him, the║Stream Wind Sword║hovered, almost like an invisible force held it in place. It gave the illusion that Jay was carrying the sword on his back, but in reality, the passive skill║Wind Sheath║kept it effortlessly suspended in the air, reducing the need to physically bear the weight of the weapon.

The mental connections to his Spirit Items remained intact, each bond strong and tangible in his mind. The only exception was the Common Grade║Rusty Short Sword║, left behind in the Trial World. Though he could still sense the sword, the connection felt faint and distant, as if the sword was struggling to maintain its link across the worlds.

Jay gave little thought to the faint connection with the║Rusty Short Sword║as he moved toward the nearest window. As he slid it open, a cool breeze drifted in, gently filling the room with the fresh scent of early morning. 

Mist and fog blanketed the world outside, casting a veil over the familiar view. Yet, despite the haziness, Jay's heightened senses, sharpened by his increased Spirit Attribute, allowed him to see far more clearly than before. The fog was no obstacle for his enhanced vision, and every detail seemed to come into sharp focus.

Across the street, the park stood quiet but alive with early risers. Couples in matching tracksuits walked briskly along the winding paths, their rhythmic steps matching the cool, crisp air. Jay noticed the way their breath clouded in the morning chill, and the bounce in their stride as they carried themselves through the fog. 

Near the benches, groups of elders gathered in circles, their soft laughter and cheerful gossip drifting into the air. They were at ease, lost in conversations that seemed to warm the otherwise cold morning.

Youngsters jogged past, earphones plugged in, moving to the beat of whatever songs fueled their morning runs. The distant sound of their footsteps hitting the pavement reached Jay's ears clearly, along with the faint rustling of leaves in the trees.

His sharpened hearing caught the subtle nuances of the world outside—birdsong echoed through the park as the birds hopped from branch to branch, their chirping vibrant against the stillness of the morning. Every movement, every flutter of wings seemed magnified, making the scene feel alive in ways Jay had never noticed before.

Even with the fog softening the landscape, the flowers scattered across the park stood out brightly. Their colors, rich and varied, pierced through the white veil, adding life to the misty surroundings. 

As Jay gazed at them from his window, he could smell their fragrance—fresh and clean, carried by the breeze that swirled gently into his room. The scent was so vivid that it felt as though he stood among the blooms, breathing in the very essence of the garden.

The calm of the morning seeped into Jay, grounding him in the peaceful moment. Though he had returned to Earth after the chaotic events in the Trial World, the familiarity of the scene before him, combined with his newfound senses, made everything feel different yet comforting. 

He could tell from the soft light and the quiet hum of activity that it was still early in the day. The city was waking up, slowly and quietly.

Curious about the exact time and date, Jay left the window, stepping back into the warmth of his room. He made his way to his bed, where his phone rested on the table beside it. 

It was precisely 6 a.m. on January 1st, 2022. Only six hours had passed on Earth, despite Jay having experienced a full 24 hours in the Trial World. The discovery revealed something crucial: time in the Trial World flowed four times faster than on Earth. 

That realization prompted him to check the top left of his vision, where the familiar mini transparent notification for time and day in the Trial World was displayed. However, it remained frozen.

﴾ Alpha Program | Day-2 | 00:00:00 ﴿

Jay figured that the time in the Trial World would resume only once he was teleported back there. His attention shifted to the new transparent notification just below it, which counted down the time remaining before his next teleportation:

﴾ Time left for Rest Period: 17:59:24 ⧼hr:min:sec⧽ ﴿

That meant he would be teleported back at midnight, just like the previous time. The notifications made it clear that the teleportation between Earth and the Trial World would be a daily occurrence, easing Jay's initial concerns. 

With the assurance, he no longer had to worry about the possibility of sporadic teleportation—whether every few days, weeks, or months. Relieved by that clarity, Jay realized he could use the remaining 18 hours more effectively, knowing he would be return to Earth regularly. 

Instead of preparing for a worst-case scenario where he might not return for an extended period, he focused on making the most of the time he had on Earth.

While deep in thought, Jay caught a glimpse of himself in the full-length mirror across the room. The reflection brought him to an abrupt halt. His piercing silver eyes stared back at him, with tiny bolts of silver-colored aura flowing over them like lightning dancing across a stormy sky. 

His gaze shifted upward, and he saw his hair—silver with a hint of dark shading, streaked by the same ethereal bolts of energy that flowed across his eyes.

He had noticed the transformation in his hair color when he first entered║INVERSE║mode, as it had grown long enough to appear within his field of vision. 

However, in the Trial World, he hadn't seen a reflection of his face, so the change in his eye color had gone unnoticed until then. The silver irises were striking, a clear mark of the power he had gained in the Trial World.

At first, seeing his silver-colored hair and eyes felt strange to Jay, as though he was looking at someone else entirely. But soon, he grew accustomed to his new appearance, the striking features a fresh reminder of the changes brought on by║INVERSE║mode. 

The unusual look became familiar, almost natural, as he observed the flowing silver bolts of energy that accompanied the transformation.

The reason Jay remained in that mode even after returning to Earth was clear. During his Tier-2 Evolution in the pitch-black space, the timer for║INVERSE║had frozen, only resuming once the evolution was complete. 

Even though he had been teleported back to his room, there were still five minutes left on the clock for the mode's duration. He had attempted to exit the mode, but his efforts proved futile. The only option left was to wait out the remaining time.

With dirt and bloodstains covering his body, Jay decided not to waste any time and headed to the restroom to take a shower, still very much in║INVERSE║mode. 

As he stepped under the showerhead, something unusual happened. The moment the water droplets touched his silver hair, they evaporated with a sharp hissing sound. The same thing occurred when water made contact with his silver eyes—each droplet vanishing into steam before it had a chance to linger. 

The phenomenon puzzled him. Despite the strange reaction from the silver energy, when Jay touched his own hair, nothing happened to him. Deciding to leave the mystery for later, Jay adjusted the showerhead at an angle, allowing the water to cascade over his body without touching his head.

For Jay, the experience of bathing while in║INVERSE║mode was surreal. With his heightened perception, those remaining five minutes stretched into thirty, allowing him to observe the water droplets falling in slow motion. Each drop seemed to glide through the air, offering a satisfying calm that came with watching the world move at such a deliberate pace.

Once his shower was over, Jay went to put on a T-shirt, but the moment the fabric touched his hair, it disintegrated into ashes in an instant. The silver aura surrounding his body was more powerful than he'd realized, and even a simple task like dressing became impossible while still in that mode. 

Jay improvised, opting to wear a buttoned shirt to avoid his silver hair coming into contact with fabric, reminding himself to be careful with anything that touched his hair. After matching the shirt with a pair of pants, he still had two minutes left before the duration of║INVERSE║mode would end.

In the state of Harmony, Jay's body had fully adjusted to the enhanced time perception, but his mind lagged behind, not quite accustomed to the flow of time moving 6.2 times slower. Though he had the ability to fast-forward his thought process to simulate normal time, he avoided doing so, knowing the mental strain it would cause. 

As a result, the remaining two standard minutes stretched out to about 12 minutes for him, leaving him with plenty of time to fill. Rather than waiting idly, Jay decided to make good use of time. 

He opened his║STATUS║tab and navigated to the skill section, letting his mind focus on the one skill that stood out above the rest—his newly acquired Epic Grade Skill,║Soul A.I║. Ignoring the other skills he had gained in the past hour, Jay concentrated his attention on merging with it.

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Author Note:

I'm thrilled to share that I'm taking a big leap forward! Alongside Earth's Alpha Prime, I've launched the first sub-book for EAP.

ALTER REALITY: Online (Full-Dive VR LITRPG)

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