Chapter 5 Mist Of depravity

"Hmmm..."

He scanned the choices, his mind made up. Mist of Depravity.

He wasn't foolish enough to pick something that would drain his own life force.

[Mist of Depravity chosen]

The ground where the Mist-Born Nixtel had fallen exploded in a burst of red light.

The beam tore through the air, breaking the sound barrier before it shot toward him, slamming into his right palm. The force of the impact made his arm tremble slightly, the energy crackling around him, almost too much to contain.

His arm didn't bear a scratch, but the intensity of the connection left his senses humming. He clenched his fist, feeling the power now embedded within him.

[Successfully Merged: Mist of Depravity]

"Wait—, don't I need a wand or something to cast this?"

[No wand or mana reserve required. As a Constellation, the spell is now embedded in your right palm. You can draw directly from nature's mana, casting it at will.]

"Hmmm… so now I can cast this whenever I want, no preparation needed." He flexed his fingers, feeling a subtle warmth in his palm as though a dormant energy pulsed beneath his skin.

"Can I test it out?" he asked, glancing around, his curiosity piqued.

[Testing mode initiated. Engage in a demonstration of the Mist of Depravity.]

He took a deep breath, focusing on the energy swirling within him, envisioning the ominous mist.

Almost instinctively, he snapped his fingers. Thick, crimson fog erupted from his palm, rolling outwards and quickly engulfing the nearby terrain. 

The air thickened with a heavy, suffocating presence, and the temperature plummeted as the mist spread like a sentient entity.

"Impressive," he murmured, his voice barely audible beneath the oppressive atmosphere. 

"But what else can you do?"

[Experimenting with Mist of Depravity will reveal its full potential. Focus on your intent to unleash its power.]

He raised his hand higher, channeling his energy further. The mist thickened and coalesced, solidifying into jagged tendrils that shot forth from his palm, piercing through the ground like grasping hands, leaving behind a trail of blighted soil.

"So, I can even solidify the mist to attack," he remarked

The landscape around him began to warp; trees withered and blackened, their leaves falling like ash as the mist consumed their vitality.

"Now that's more like it!" he laughed.

[Warning: Prolonged use may lead to instability. Emotional responses may amplify the mist's effects.]

"Great, just what I needed," he muttered, shaking his head as he felt an unsettling twinge of pleasure at the destruction. "I guess with great power comes great… whatever this is."

As he slowly deactivated it, the mist instantly dissipated into the air.

_____________________________

[Mission Available]

Objective: A World Has Been Found. Your task is to gather followers and increase your power and influence.

Reward: To Be Determined.

Note: You cannot directly enter that world due to a barrier, but you can send a hollow there.

_____________________________

"New mission?" he thought, hoping it wouldn't be too dangerous.

"A hollow…" he murmured, curiosity creeping into his voice.

"What is this Hollow?" he asked, seeking clarity.

[The hollow is a projection of your will, controlled by you but with limited access to your abilities.]

"Controlled, but limited… interesting."

"But why can't we destroy the barrier and go directly? That would be more straightforward."

[Cannot be done.]

[The barrier is ancient and incredibly strong, requiring energy equivalent to that of a Minor Sun to destroy. As a newborn constellation, your energy pool is still growing, limiting you to smaller-scale manipulations. You can project your will through a hollow, but destroying the barrier exceeds your current capabilities.]

"Hmm, okay..."

"Another thing—what should I call you?"

[You can call me System, as you are familiar with this term.]

"Hmm Alrigh If You say so."

"I should create a stronghold for myself on this planet first," he thought, surveying the landscape as the mist dissipated, revealing an unending forest before him.

"System, can you construct a place for me to live?" he requested.

[Initiating construction sequence. Analyzing surroundings and resources. Commencing creation of a stronghold.]

the trees and the flowing stream nearby.

Before his eyes, the ground trembled slightly as massive trunks began to rise, forming the foundation of a grand house. Vines twisted around the structure, crafting walls and pillars, while leaves sprouted overhead to create a natural roof.

The house took shape with astonishing speed. Rooms materialized, windows opened to let in sunlight, and a sturdy door formed at the entrance. 

"Now this is more like it," he grinned, stepping into his new home. 

He took a moment to absorb his surroundings. 

"This is perfect," he murmured, appreciating the peace of the forest.

He walked inside and sat on the wooden throne made of intertwined branches.

"feels good," he muttered, running his hand along the smooth surface of the throne, feeling a sense of belonging.

As he got comfortable, he leaned back and asked, "Alright, explain what you were saying about the hollow. How do I make one? And what can you tell me about the world you're sending my hollow into?"

[I will create a hollow for you. It will look identical to you, possessing all of your features, with moderate access to your authority and full access to your spells and abilities.]

"Interesting," he said. "I'll have a perfect replica out there, gathering intel while I stay here. That could come in handy."

[The world on radar is called Elysium. This world is different from other normal planets; it is covered by a protective barrier in the form of a black fog. This fog prevents any beings from outside from entering and beings from inside from exiting.]

"So it's a closed world…" he pondered. 

"but why is it like this?"

[Only this much information is available. The rest you will need to discover yourself.]

"But one more thing, System—how do you plan to send my hollow there? Isn't there a barrier?"

[Indeed, there is, but the barrier is not absolute. After analyzing its properties, it appears to rely heavily on size and perceived threat when choosing targets to block.]

"So what's the plan?" he asked, intrigued.

[To bypass this, I'll employ a strategy I call the Goliath Diversion. Thousands of massive hollows, each between 100 and 200 feet tall, will be sent toward the barrier. These hollow projections will appear menacing but lack any true power. The barrier's defenses will automatically prioritize destroying these larger, more obvious targets.]

"And while it's busy dealing with them…" he trailed off, a hint of realization.

[Exactly. In the chaos, I will send the main hollow riding a meteorite, a natural object that the barrier cannot block. The barrier will allow the meteorite through, while the hollow, concealed on it, slips past unnoticed.]

"Ah, a distraction on a grand scale," he said, smirking. "Like a massive DDoS attack on the barrier."

[Correct. This method will consume a lot of energy resources, but it ensures we infiltrate Elysium efficiently.]

"Alright, let's get going," he said, nodding.

[Your consciousness will be transferred to the outer space surrounding the world.]

In an instant, he found himself floating in the void of space, his body feeling different—translucent and ethereal.

"Is this… my consciousness form?" he muttered, scanning the stars until his gaze landed on a planet encased in swirling black fog.

"This… looks kind of eerie," he murmured, watching the fog pulse like a dark storm swirling around the planet.

[Get ready.]

As the words echoed in his mind, colossal hollows began to materialize by the thousands. They appeared towering and mindless, surging toward the barrier in waves, only to be obliterated instantly. Every millisecond, another giant hollow replaced the fallen ones like clockwork.

"Crazy…" he muttered, watching the endless storm of hollows. "If I had an army of this many hollows, then…"

[These hollows possess no real power—they can't even harm an ant.]

"But still," he said, impressed, "seeing them all together like this, it's like an endless storm of shadows."

[Now, observe. I will initiate the critical phase.]

Suddenly, the system generated more than 10,000 hollows in a single moment, sending them crashing toward the barrier. Amid the chaos, the system launched the main hollow on a meteorite—its natural, unassuming form allowing it to pass through the barrier's defenses.

[Hold steady. You're about to enter the barrier.]

As the hollow began its descent toward the planet, a series of seals activated in rapid succession, masking his presence and eliminating any traces of energy.

[Sealing Aura: Activated. Suppressing hostile intent, energy fluctuations, and signature trails.]

[Cloak of Concealment: Initiated. Making this hollow invisible to detection.]

The hollow, riding the meteorite, slipped through the barrier and entered the thick black fog surrounding the planet.

[Obfuscation Seal: Engaged. Nullifying gravitational and magical disturbances.]

[Ethereal Shroud: Active. Mimicking ambient energies to blend seamlessly into the surroundings.]

He closed his eyes, letting the system take control while the hollow descended. After several moments, he sensed the fog thinning. He opened his eyes as the shadows parted, revealing a new, eerie landscape.

Suddenly—

[Disturbance Detected: Hostile Force Approaching]

An immense force struck the hollow, and though it was aimed at the projection, it felt as if the blow had pierced directly into his consciousness. His vision shattered, the hollow reeling from the unexpected force. He nearly lost stability.

[...]

As his senses returned, he muttered, "Shit… If I hadn't used Nullify at the last moment, this hollow body would've been obliterated."

His eyes narrowed as he focused on the source of the attack.