Premature Progress Pt.2

-So, what do you need?- Slime Boy asked with a cheerful smile

-Uh, follow me-

We both started going into the forest, on the way, I decided to make some small talk.

-So, found something in the city yet?- I asked

-I think Alex found an adventurer's guild or something like that-

-Huh. How about you?- I continued asking

-I wasn't really exploring anything, I was chatting with Ren-

-Who's Ren?-

-Is like a System assistant or something, she's really nice-

-So that's what you meant with "A crush on System?"-

-Yeah-

We arrived at the cave, Slime Boy also thought it was kind of suspicious for it to be so decorated and having a hole.

-Alright, so, I need you to punch me with this glove, then break the chain in my chest that connects my body and soul and then throw my soul into the hole and cover it with the rug. Questions?-

-Are you crazy?-

-Yes sir-

-... You sure you'll be fine?-

-Kind of-

-Sigh... I don't know man-

-Listen Slime Boy, it's fine, I know what I'm doing-

-...Alright, hand me that glove-

-One last thing, once you've covered the hole don't open it for anything in the world, no matter how much I scream or what you hear. Don't open it-

-...Alright, I can do that- Can slimes get pale? I think he is

-Thanks for this man, I appreciate it- I said before giving him the glove

Just as I asked, he punched me with it and my spiritual body got out of the physical body, he couldn't see me though.

Sven grabbed my now unconscious body's chest and pressured with the glove, apparently his bare hands couldn't touch spirits but the glove could, The chains started breaking so i jumped into the hole just before that happened.

While I was mid air, Sven started closing the rug, burying me in pure darkness...

[WARNING: YOUR SOUL HAS LOST CONTACT WITH YOUR BODY]

[CRIT--4-_----]

[3Rr0R: CANT BE STABILIZED]

Those were the messages I could read before I hit the bottom of the hole.

--

Alex took a deep breath, he was nervous. In front of him was the adventurer's guild, a classic resource on isekai novels and a marking part of his adventure which was yet to begin.

When he felt ready, he opened the door and... A bottle hit his head really hard.

Alex might have gotten a concussion

-Oh my god I'm so sorry!!- A girl voiced said

-No no, it's fine, it didn't hurt- Said Alex covering the blood that was coming out of his forehead

-Wow that guy survived a direct attack from the bottle haha!-

-He's a though one- Other people at the guild joked

-Are you really alright?- The girl asked

-Yeah- Confirmed Alex while taking a good look at her

She was a fairly attractive woman, red curly hair and glowing amber eyes. She looked really strong too.

-I wanted to join the guild- Added Alex

The girl looked at him for a moment, then said

-We need to measure your strength first, are you familiar with how that works?-

-No idea-

-Alright, follow me-

Then she grabbed his hand and guided him to another room, lots of men and some women looked at him with a bit of jealousy.

She took him to a room with a weird white sphere in the center.

-In this world we separate the adventurers in categories based on their overall power level. This method doesn't measure other factors such as different skills your could have or your adaptability at combat, but it is the most reliable way to confirm someone is capable of surviving at the Dark Zones-

Alex asked to himself what the Dark Zones were but he didn't want to interrupt the girl. However, System immediately gave an answer.

[This world is divided by Dark and White zones, White Zones are pacific areas exactly like this one, Dark Zones are places crowded with powerful monsters. Your mission in this world is to protect it and clear the Dark Zones]

"Oh, cool" Thought Alex.

Then the girl handed him a chart with the different categories

_____

Porcelain

Iron

Steel

Copper

Silver

Gold

Obsidian

Emerald

Ruby

Sapphire

Platinum

Diamond

Mythril

Oricalcum

Adamantine

Superior+

_____

-Most people are around Porcelain-Iron level. You need at least gold level to enter the Dark Zones. The guards here are Emerald level. That should be a good reference for you to start with- She said

-Soo... I put my hand on that sphere and I find out?-

-That's right, you're fairly though already but don't let yourself down if you do not surpass stee_-

Alex when straight to the sphere and placed his hand over it. The sphere immediately started changing color, after a fast transition, the sphere stopped changing when it took a kind of obsidian texture with some golden spots.

-Hey! would you look at that? I am obsidian!- Alex said with a happy tone

The girl couldn't do other thing that watching it surprised, it wasn't completely obsidian, but it was clearly above gold.

-Uh... I guess you can join the guild after all- She said, still confused

-Let's go! When do I start?-

-You still need to sign some papers and... I'll show you the place and all-

-Sounds fair, what is your name by the way?-

-Alexandria, my name is Alexandria, what's yours?-

He smiled and said

-Alex-

--

It was dark.

I was hyperventilating.

I looked at the top of the hole, a rug covering the exit, I was feeling like shit.

Maybe I didn't think this through that much, huh? I don't think I'll survive.

Man that shinigami series really failed at picturing how fucking terrifying is this.

My head is burning, the pain is unbearable, I can't breathe, I'm trying as hard as I can to get air and I can not.

All my body feels weak, unable to move, it's cold yet I'm sweating.

The sound of the chains consuming themselves and seeing those monsters eating them approaching my chest

The constant error messages from System.

I lost control over myself and my mind, the despair made me lose control over my power.

I started screaming while violent lighting strikes started attacking everywhere, out of control, the wind starting spinning around the small room, going faster everytime, little rocks started moving so fast they became destructive weapons.

All of this was a painful experience.

I blacked out.

...

Somehow, some memories that weren't his started to kick in.

...

There was a little spider, a lost kid living in a cave for some reason.

Then someone stepped at the entrance of the cave, the man who was about to enter made the heart of the spider feel warm.

-Apollo!- Said the little spider

-Hey my little champion, how are things going?- He smiled and hugged the kid

-I'm bored, why can't I go to the city and play with the other kids?-

Apollo gave a compassive glance at the kid and patted her head.

-You know you can't do that- He said -You know how people are about demi gods-

The kid lowered his head

-Yes, I know...-

-Listen, I brought a gift for you!- Said Apollo while taking a pair of boots out of his bag -These will make you run real fast!- He said

This was rather unusual, Apollo did tended to gift her things, but they were toys or things to decorate her little cave. Why boots?

Afraid, the kid dared to ask

-... What's wrong?-

For a moment, there was silence, then Apollo decided to tell her.

-Your father... I'll go to the depth of the Dark Zones in search of your father. I might not come back... in a while-

-But you'll come back, right?-

Apollo continued to gently pat the kid's head.

-Of course I will... but, if someone finds you and tries to harm you, please use these boots to run away. Promise?-

-Promise- Said the kid, but she was a little scared

And she waited in the cave for him to come back

She waited for years

When the sun shined and when the storms striked.

But he never came back...

...

Those memories started to fade while Dio recovered a bit of consciousness

...

"An abandoned kid?" Dio thought, half awake

"Yeah... I know how that feels... my parents didn't even talk to me" He continued thinking

"The reason I became a streamer after all was because..."

Dio's memories took him back to when he still was a little kid too, he was staring at the screen of his PC.

He had posted a video of his first ever "speedrun" he was so proud of it. 13 viewers, he wondered if any of them liked it.

Then that comment popped in

"You're amazing! Keep up the good work!"

That single comment meant everything to Dio.

He was a lonely kid, no friends and his parents didn't care about him... But he got recognition. Someone praised him. Someone appreciated his efforts.

...

Dio came back to reality, the chain had already been consumed completely, a strange white fluid was trying to absolutely cover him.

He DEFINETLY wouldn't let that happen.

In the middle of all the destruction, pain and despair. Dio refused to let any of that make him forget who he was. He used his hands to cover his face from the fluid that was flooding all of him.

The system then showed up.

[EMERGENCY STABILIZATION MEASURE: DIVIDE SOUL]

Something felt weird on Dio's chest, he felt a strange ease, calm... This torture was about to end...?

Completely covered in that strange substance, something inside that mess started shining

With a strong explosion, two bodies were thrown away to opposite sides of the room.

-

[UPDATE: Secret 'Devourer' race has been perfected.]

[Congratulations. A special assistant is being sent]

-

A spider girl looked at the other corner of the room, where there was a blonde human kid. At the same time, that kid looked at the spider.

But they were both too tired to say anything.

And, finally having peace after that horrible moment, they both fell asleep.