Regressor In A Strange World-Chapter 6: Unforseen Circumstances.

With my hands pressed against my knees, I struggled to steady my breath. My heart pounded against my ribs, each beat a deafening drum in my ears.

Huff... Huff...

It felt as if unseen hands were coiling around my throat, tightening with every passing second.

I wanted to rest- desperately- but I knew now wasn't the time.

Glancing at Klaus who was also breathing heavily, but in a far better state than me, I forced out the words between gasps.

"We... should get going."

Klaus nodded. Taking one last glance at the towering structure surrounded by an obsolete darkness, we turned and sprinted toward the iron barricade.

Tok~ Tok~

With only ten seconds left, we didn't need to be told to run with everything we had got- especially with the looming threat of a noble family still hanging over us.

'10!'

Tok~ Tok~

'9!'

Tak Tak~

I could see it.

We weren't going to make it in time.

Tok~ Tok~

The barricade still felt too far away, each step dragging like I was sinking into quicksand.

'8!'

I could feel it now.

Despair.

It was slowly crawling its way towards me. Slowly eating me from the inside.

I-it was slowly consuming me.

"Huff...Huff..."

My legs wobbled. My fingers twitched. My lungs refused to take in enough air...

But I forced my muscles to push harder, ignoring the intense burning in my lungs.

Each step was a battle against the suffocating pressure crushing in on us from all sides.

"Hu... uh..."

Despair and desperation. I could feel them now.

They pooled around me, constricting my chest like an iron vice.

Before long-

Tok~ Tok~

'6!'

"Hu... Hu..."

Breathing became difficult.

We won't make it.... We can't...

My vision blurred. My body faltered.

Just when I was about to give in.

"Wa~!!!"

Klaus lunged forward- grabbing me and shoving me toward the iron barricade.

Noo!!

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Why would he do that?!

He was cutting off his own path of escape!

A war of emotions raged within me, but before I could react-

I slammed into the iron barricade.

Gritting my teeth, I turned back-

Craka!!

The ground beneath Klaus shattered.

Before I could blink, he surged forward, his speed exploding.

He was finally going all out.

A faint smile crept onto my face. Fleeting was it was, it lingered just long enough.

'Four more seconds.' I grimaced.

Clang!!! Claaaang!!

I didn't hesitate. I began climbing.

My fingers gripped the iron bars, my muscle screaming in protest.

Klaus followed right behind me, moving with practiced precision. His feet struck the bars in quick succession as he ascended effortlessly.

'3!'

By the time I reached the top, every inch of me burned. But-

'2!'

I flipped over, landing with a solid thud on the other side.

Crack!

The ground beneath me fractured- a harrowing clue that we had been here. But I didn't care.

Claaaang! Claaanng!!

A metallic echo rang from somewhere behind me.

Turning back-

"Huff... Huff..."

Klaus literally flew up the barricade, his body twisting through the air with unnatural grace.

'Fuck!'

'1!'

A final leap-

'0!'

And he vaulted over, rolling smoothly upon landing to disperse the impact.

Zzzzrrr!!!

The arcane rune on the lock flickered to life.

Our gazes met and-

Tok~ Tok~

We started running.

Our footsteps pounded against the pavement, matching the frantic rhythm of our racing hearts.

Ba- dump! Ba- dump!

Every single moment, every single second -in and of itself- was a battle against the suffocating pressure pressing in on us.

***

By the time we reached the car, we were gasping for bair.

Huu... Huh...

BAAANG! BAAANG!

We slammed the doors shut, a harrowing sense of apprehension running through the car.

The silence inside the vehicle was broken only by the deafening echoes of our racing hearts.

Klaus wasted no time.

With a practiced motion, he kicked the gears into action. The engine roared to life.

And before I could even steady my breath.

A tremor ran through me.

Vrroooom!!!

A burst of bright blue flames erupted from the exhaust.

I barely had time to hear a few set of words from Klaus before-

"Hold on tight!"

All hell broke loose.

The cat jolted forward, the sudden acceleration pinning me to my seat.

Before I could think to protest-

Thump... Thump...

Klaus slammed the nitro button.

Vrrrroooommmm!!!!

The car surged forward, its rear tyres lifting off the asphalt for a brief second before tearing through the streets at breakneck speed.

The seatbelt dug into my chest as Klaus twisted the wheel, throwing me sideways.

Streetlights blurred into streaks of green and red as Klaus demonstrated driving skills bordering on supernatural.

Drrrifft!!!

The tires screeched as he twisted the steering wheel sharply, narrowly avoiding a collision. The sudden shift in momentum threw me to the side.

Screeech!!!

Klaus shifted gears once more. The car tore through the empty streets, the chilling night wind howling past us.

Fortunately, there was no military patrol in sight- yet. But I knew better than to hope for luck.

As the nitro's effect waned, the car's pace finally slowed.

"Huff... Huff..."

I panted, clutching the seat beneath me.

My glare met Klaus's light smirk.

"...A more detailed warning would've been great."

I spat each word slowly, my teeth clenched against the lingering adrenaline.

Klaus merely shook his head. "Time wasn't on our side."

True. I couldn't refute that.

But nevertheless-

"Huff... Huff..."

I still shot him a glare, anyway.

He laughed lightly. "Would you rather stay behind and get caught in the higher-ups' mess again, or endure this?"

He smirked, clearly knowing he'd hit the mark.

I didn't respond.

But my silence was enough of an answer.

His chuckle confirmed it. "I guessed as much."

Letting out a long exhale, I leaned back in my seat, gazing out the window.

The streets were empty- desolate, save for a few bars and the looming silhouettes of manufacturing companies.

It made sense. The curfew laws didn't apply to them..

Shaking my head, I lifted my gaze to the crimson moon.

A strange sense of calm washing over me.

For now, at least.

"So... where are we headed for?"

Klaus's voice broke the silence.

I shifted my gaze toward him. "I don't know," I admitted with a shrug. "Somewhere we can rest for the night, obviously."

A smirk tugged at his lips. "Well, well... aren't we lucky?"

His grin widened. "Hehehe.... I've got just the right place.

I narrowed my eyes. Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this?

Before long, we arrived at our destination. And-

Oh- Zouteland Motel."

I shook my head with a wry smile. "Figures."

"Of course," he said feigning seriousness. "Not only is it accommodating, but the service is also one of the best in Dark Orleans."

My mouth twitched. How shameless.

"You sure it's not just the free food luring you in?"

Klaus rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. I sighed and stepped out of the car.

After a brief exchange with the receptionist, we secured a key and made our way to the room.

And well....

***

That brings us to the present.

I exhaled deeply, watching Klaus collapse onto the bed with a satisfied groan.

For a moment, I let myself some moment of peace.

"Ah..."

But just then,

Thump... Thump...

A thought crept into my mind.

The system had granted us a reward for completing the side quest.

Tapping my fingers against the desk, I willed the information to appear.

"...."

A translucent screen flickered into view.

[Mystical Item: Ethereal Bell Of Subtlety.]

[Type: Item ]

[Appearance: A small silver bell engraved with spiraling runes.]

[Effect: When rung, it momentarily alters the perception of those within a 10-meter radius, causing them to overlook the wielder's presence or perceive their action as non-threatening.]

[Limitation: The effect lasts only a few seconds and is ineffective against creatures with strong wills or high supernatural awareness.]

"...Not bad." I nodded.

In a world where almost every nook and cranny reeked of danger, this mystical item was a "lifeline" I couldn't take for granted.

With a light exhalation.

"Gotta freshen up," I said, rising from my seat.

Klaus gave a distracted nod, his gaze fixed on an azure ring in his hand.

"From the system?"

"Yeah."

"Alright."

With a light sigh, I headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Drip...

Drip....

It was at first, a subtle flow of water, but before long, a soothing barricade of it washed over me.

Meanwhile,

***

While I had my bath, Klaus was busy assessing the ring.

[Transcender Status]

° Retracement Level: [0%.... 100%]

° Bloodline Status: Dormant

° Sequence Level: Nill

° Spiritual Anchor: 99%

° Bloodline abilities: None

Mystical Item: Thunder Fang Dagger, Momentum Ring

He focused on the momentum ring and pulled up its details.

[Mystical Item: Momentum Ring.]

[Type: Item ]

[Appearance: An azure monolith carved into a ring. When worn, it feels unnaturally warm to the touch.]

[Effect: Allows its wielder to maintain or slightly increase their speed and strength during continuous attacks. With each consecutive strike, the force of their strike grows stronger for a short period of time.]

[Limitation: The effect is canceled if the wielder hesitates. Overuse causes fatigue.]

"..."

"Hmm."

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Still within an acceptable range."

With a light sigh, he straightened his bones and rose to his feet.

Step...

Step...

He shifted his gaze to the bathroom's door.

'Is he planning on staying in there forever?'

With a quiet chuckle, he shook his head, grabbed a piece of paper, and scribbled something down.

Then, without another word, he stepped out of the room.

***

Truth be told,

I'd finished my bath a long time ago.

But-

Drip...

Drip...

I stood under the shower anyway, allowing the soothing water to fall over me, soothing me in its cold embrace.

"Ah..."

I really needed it.

Thinking about the mysteries behind my transmigration to the various near-death encounters I'd been through within the span of a mere few hours.

I just had this bad feeling.

Ba- dump! Ba- dump!

That my life would-

No. It was something much more ominous.

This weird feeling that my life, starting from today, had become nothing short of a walking nightmare.

And to make matters worse,

There was t-his even weirder feeling that sent chills slithering down my spine.

This cold sense of certainty that-

I would soon be proven correct.

And to be honest, I really hope that's not the case. I really hope so...

Clenching my hands tightly.

I tried to quell the sonorous tremors running through my hands and even if it wasn't doing so well as to work out for me.

I still continued.

Clench!

I still continued for reasons unknown to me. Reasons that eluded the grasp of my understanding.

With a sharp exhalation, I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down.

I can only take things one step at a time.

Anymore and I'd collapse.

That much,

I was aware of.

That much I had to avoid.

"Hah..."

Drying myself and adorning a cloth that was neither fancy nor mild.

Tok~ Tok~

I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Klaus?"

Silence. It lingered.

I frowned slightly. Klaus wasn't in the room

Thump... Thump...

My heartbeat quickened as I approached the door.

Tok~ Tok~

Each step of mine echoed through the stifling quiet.

Just then-

Whosh!

A cold draft swept past me.

Ba- dump! Ba- dump!

Flinching, I looked around.

Nothing.

Except... the window was open.

I sighed in relief, albeit barely.

Shaking my head, I shut the window.

Clang!

And then,

Tok~ Tok~

I headed for the door, once again.

"Hum!" Taking in a gulp of saliva.

My hands trembled as they reached the door's knob.

Click!

I frowned.

"...."

The door was locked.

Just then, I spotted a note.

Step... Step...

Walking towards it, I picked it up and read:

Gone to grab some food. And you don't have to worry... you'll see my dashing face soon.

-Yours sincerely, your charming elder brother.

"...."

Shaking my head, a reluctant smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Typical Klaus."

I flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling until-

Click! Click!

The sound of the door clicking open drew my attention.

Tok... Tok...

Klaus walked in, his arms laden with packages.

"Next time, leave a less cryptic message," I grumbled.

I could still remember how I'd freaked out, luckily no one was there to see that.

"Fair enough," he said, tossing me a bag. Inside were a few sodas and bacon burgers.

A stifling silence swept through the room as we ate.

Thump... Thump...

Just when it was starting to get rather uncomfortable.

"So... the shapeshifter." Klaus said, swallowing a bite. "Are we still going after it?"

Taking a sip of his soda, he added.

"You should know the security companies will probably soon deal with him, perhaps more so before we do."

"True." I nodded.

With the Tulane family involved, the shapeshifter would be eviscerated in a day or two at most. It simply depended on how eager the higher-ups where to get rid of him.

I hesitated before replying, "Let's see how things play out. If the higher-ups don't handle it, we will."

Klaus smirked. You mean if they don't clean up their mess, right?

Shaking his head, he nodded. "Well, that's as much of a plan as we can get."

Leaning back, a blissful smile spread across his face as he took another bite of the burger.

"Hah... Nothing beats bacon burgers."

"...."

I rolled my eyes. Typical Klaus.

For someone who called it the best food in the world, his logic was flawed.

I mean,

If bacon burgers were truly the best. Then it would be hoarded by the rich, and the less privileged wouldn't have access to them.

Sighing lightly. I knew that was just how this world ran.

But since that clearly isn't happening. It simply meant that Klaus's claims weren't fully justified.

But all that aside,

The bacon burger was surprisingly good.

Each bite melted into a savory burst of flavor. The kind that made me forget about the chaos of the day, if only for a fleeting moment.

And before long,

Our plates were empty.

Tok...

Tok...

Klaus stretched and yawned before flopping onto the bed.

I followed soon after, the meal settling comfortably within me as I leaned against the pillows.

Klaus turned to me with a lazy smile.

"Goodnight, Alexandros."

His words caught me off guard.

For a moment, I didn't know how to respond.

It had been so long since anyone called me that. Long enough that, I couldn't remember when or why the name started to fade.

Yet tonight... it felt warm. Familiar.

Like an echo of a life I never thought I had.

"Goodnight, bro," I finally said, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Closing my eyes, I let the weariness of the day take over.

"Hah..."

Right now, sleep felt inviting, like a gentle tide pulling me into its depth.

But just then,

Ding!

A notification jolted me awake.

[...The abomination is going through his Arcane Trial, triggering an unforeseen reaction.

[You shall now go through your Arcane Trial!]

"...What the-!"

Klaus shot up, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief.

My own thoughts were racing.

Thump... Thump...

This wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

Usually, the Arcane Trial only began after one's soul core had been saturated to its peak mortal state and even after that, one still had to be chosen by the Arcana spell.

But t-his...

Thump. Thump.

This was wrong.

"Damn system!" Klaus growled, fists tightly clenched. "What the hell are you saying?"

His frustration boiled over into curses, but the system, as always, remained indifferent.

[Countdown to the Arcane Trail shall now begin.]

Ba- dump! Ba- dump!

Klaus fell silent, realizing there was no reasoning with the system.

His grim expression mirrored my own.

Thump... Thump...

[9... 8... 7...]

My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

I was terrified.

No preparation. No warning.

Just this cold, merciless countdown dragging us toward the unknown.

[6... 5... 4...]

Every single moment.

Tick...

Every single second stretched into eternity, each tick amplifying the dread in my chest.

"What the hell is going on?"

Klaus broke the silence, his voice cracking under the weight of fear pressing in on us.

I exhaled shakily. "I don't know."

And I didn't.

This wasn't how things were supposed to unfold.

Klaus clenched his jaw, his unease shifting into a simmering anger.

"Whoever this abomination is, they'd better pray I don't find them."

There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, but it only made me feel more hollow.

Thump... Thump...

[3... 2...]

I tried to steady myself. Tried to find even a sliver of calm amidst t-his chaos.

Just stay alive. I told myself.

'Whatever happens, just stay alive.'

"Good luck, bro," I murmured, forcing a smile.

A strained smile.

Klaus met my gaze. "Good luck, Xavier."

And then,

The world... vanished.

***

An endless darkness swallowed us whole.

And somewhere in the void, a voice began to whisper.

It was soft, almost soothing. But-

Thump... Thump...

There was something in its tone.

Something vile and evil.

Something that pricked my skin and froze my soul.

[Aspirant! Welcome to the Arcane Spell.

...Prepare for your first Trial!]