How To Survive A Calamity

Dispelling my thoughts with a deep breath, i resolved myself for my subsequent actions.

I never fought a Demon before, or a Contractor like Nicodemus, either. I had no standards to go by.

The Demon's stats or level was too higher for me to discern with Appraisal— rushing in head on against it in a direct confrontation in my current state was nothing but a death sentence.

I had to be clever about my approach.

The system never gave an Impossible Quest, up until now. So there must be a way... I thought.

Just like with the Ceres Challenge quest from before, it seemed absurd and crazy, but...it was possible.

The system was unpredictable and shitty, but it was always very literal about its choice of words, and if i knew this, there was usually always a small hint hidden away. Like a loophole.

And this one was also quite clear with it's description, too.

'I don't have to defeat the Demon.'

I just had to make sure Alex survived.

—And so did i.

I pulled out Murmur's Mask one final time and went through it's descriptions a last time silently before looking at Hamlet was was crouching next to my side.

"It's you and me on this one, this time."

Hamlet's wolf form then dissolved and shape shifted into something more... different.

Quite familiar actually.

Charming, too — as far as charming could go while wearing an intimidating demonic mask, at least.

Silently, assuming a human form and appearance much like mine wearing the Murmur's Mask, Hamlet turned back at me and nodded silently.

Then in a cold, withdrawn, silent, and stalwart manner, Hamlet retreated further into the shadows as they seemed to deepen even more around his figure and vanished untill i barely couldn't even sense him.

I wouldn't be able to at all, if it weren't for [Link].

I knew Hamlet wasn't exactly gone and was probably just standing off to the side silently while wearing a replica Mumur's Mask.

But that didn't stop me from feeling uneasy and creeped out from having an exact copy of me stare at my back eerily from the darkness.

Especially when i recalled how cold and somber Hamlet was with the intimidating mask.

A shudder ran down my back.

Could it be?

Was that how cold and creepy i was while under the Mask's influence?

'No, but, Hamlet's only wearing a replica in appearance only, right? It doesn't have the same effects, Enchantments or Flaws of the original.'

So was that damned slime just being edgy with me on purpose?

'That bastard...'

I ignored Hamlet for now and looked forward.

Seemed like it was finally all reaching an end.

Alex did his best against the chains but he was soon overwhelmed from all sides.

And it was the moment Alexander was tied down did i decide to finally move.

====

—[DING!]

•[Your Attribute -Lesser Midnight Blessing- is blossoming]

»[You have experienced a slight boost in all your overall stats!]

•[Ding! Due to the extraordinary nature of your 'enviroment', Your -Lesser Midnight Blessing- is reacting even more strongly!]

»[You have experienced an additional boost to all your overall stats and skills!]

====

A few system notifications flashed before my eyes for a brief moment and i recalled the description of a certain Attribute i possessed.

...

—ATTRIBUTES—

•[Lesser Midnight Blessing]

»Description: you have obtained a fragment of the shadow and darkness attribute and your affinity towards darkness has risen slightly. You will experience a slight increase in all stats when surrounded by your innate element.

...

A small sigh of relief left my lips.

This was the same Attribute that made Hamlet capable of erasing his presence as silently as a shadow. My slime could even go as far as having certain level of control and manipulation against Darkness and Shadows.

But my Affinity towards the element is only limited to having slight increase in my overall stats when I'm surrounded by darkness or shadows like this.

The truth is, I've been enjoying the effects for as long as I've been in Dark Castle, but somehow the effects seem to have become even more substantial now.

The 'extraordinary' nature of my 'enviroment' that the system talked about must be because of the Demon that seems to have some level of authority over darkness.

Or was it shadow?

I wasn't sure.

No.

I couldn't care less at that moment because i had already began moving.

In the end, i appreciated whatever little to substantial boost i could get and contributed to my strength and chances — the world knew i needed all thr chance i could get.

—And luck, unfortunately, didn't seem like it would be part of it.

I took a step forward, out of the darkness and raised the Mask to my face with a deep breath.

'Let's go.'

•[Ding! Skill <Immersion> has been strongly activated!]

Suddenly, my pounding heart and racing mimd instantly cooled and calmed as my thoughts became more construct and leveled.

It felt like defensive walls — thick, powerful once — had suddenly been raised around my mind and thoughts, and somehow i began to consider everything differently, and broadly.

It felt like looking at the world through a one way mirror, or watching a play from the audience.

—i could see and understand things much better than the cast or characters acting out could.

Then all of a sudden, all of that sense of control and authority trembled like a wall under attack by a foreign sensation.

—Dread.

And Whispers.

The moment i placed Murmur's Maks on, my World hazed and trembled.

Something cold, sinister, consuming and dreadful, alongside the jarring whispers and murmurs that stabbed like knives and daggers invaded my mind and being like a siege.

"...kh!'

I felt a tremble in my soul, and a portion of my existence was snipped off.

It was painful and heart wrenching.

My hair turned whiter and paler, as a cold, creeping sensation spread through my body and mind.

Little by little, i could feel it.

—Myself becoming something...else.

And this was even despite Immersion being already activated.

[You should hurry.]

'...Yeah.'

Meta's voice urged and i responded dryly after a pause.

Then i fully emerged and flicked my ring finger slightly.

'Huuuu...'

'Ruler's Authority.'

And a cold, domineering pressure spread from my body into the vicinity.

"[Khh! Y-you.... Who are you?!]

And as the Demon, or Nicodemus trembled a question, my head thrubbed painfully from the cursed murmurs whispering into my soul, so i gave the shortest and most detached response i could muster.

"Guess."