LIGHTNOVELSTORY chapter 2
Chapter 2: The Difficulty Increases, Right?
“System? Are you there?”
“……”
“Grandpa?”
“……”
“Goddess?”
“……”
“Cupid?”
“……”
“Pikachu?”
“……”
“Anyone, can’t you just come out and say something?”
After trying to call out every auxiliary character he knew, and receiving no response, Mu En couldn’t help but cover his face and cry:
“Do I really have no cheat at all?”
Others transmigrate, receiving cheats, beautiful women, skills, and weapons, as if the protagonist levels up ninety-nine times in a day, effortlessly reaching the pinnacle of life and marrying countless rich beauties.
But for him, not only did he have to face such a despairing start, but he also didn’t have a single extra bit of help.
“God, I only pulled a ten consecutive five yellows once. Even if I’m drawing my lifespan with these cards, it shouldn’t be this bad, right?”
“Right, these are all for the protagonist, but I’m just a side character.”
Mu En’s understanding of his own position became clearer; it seemed that the fate of a yellow-haired side character was already sealed.
However, it was absolutely impossible to drug Celicia according to the original plot. No matter how foolish he was, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to actually light that powder keg.
In any case, the only strategy for handling this situation could probably be summed up in one word: endure.
“I wonder if apologizing to the protagonist in person tomorrow will clear the air. At worst, I’ll have to make some sacrifices; I just hope she doesn’t make any excessive demands.”
Mu En gritted his teeth, deciding that even if the protagonist wanted him to lick her feet to forgive him, he would… just do it.
After all, a beautiful girl’s feet aren’t that hard to lick.
He just hoped he could wear black stockings when the time came.
“Yes, that’s the plan!”
Mu En clenched his fist, resolute.
Now that the decision was made, all that was left to do was…
“Ah!”
Suddenly, in the midst of his fervor, Mu En let out a cry of distress.
He didn’t know what had suddenly flown in and hit him on the back of the head.
“What the hell?”
Mu En muttered a curse under his breath, one hand clutching his head as he looked to see what had struck him.
It was a book.
A black book.
“What is this…?”
Mu En frowned.
He felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this book.
As if… it was something very important.
But in his memory, he had never seen this black book before.
Moreover… when he looked up, he realized he was in his room, with the doors and windows tightly shut. Where did this book come from?
“Could it be…?”
Suddenly, Mu En’s eyes lit up:
“Is the cheat code here?”
The book was pure black, with no patterns or designs on the cover, but perhaps because the black was so pure, if one stared at it too long, it felt as if their soul was being consumed.
“It seems that heaven hasn’t given up on me yet.”
Mu En was so excited that he almost burst into tears.
What a great cheat, what a marvelous cheat.
As long as I have this cheat, even if I’m just an ordinary worker, can’t I kick the arrogant protagonist and punch the destined child of fate?
Fate, what is that?
Have you heard of “my fate is determined by me, not by heaven”?
But…
How do I use this thing?
Staring at the blank cover, Mu En fell into confusion.
There isn’t even a beginner’s tutorial.
Could it be that it contains a peerless technique that makes one invincible in the world?
Mu En nervously swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then, filled with excitement, slowly turned the pages of the book.
Inside…
A blank page.
“What the hell?”
“A book without words?”
“Or is there some special activation method required?”
Mu En looked at the black book from left to right, shook the cover again and again, but there was no response.
“Heh, could it be that I need to drop blood to recognize the master?”
Just as he was thinking this, Mu En suddenly felt a warm sensation sweep across his forehead.
A drop of crimson blood flowed down from the spot where the black book had just struck him.
As if everything had been perfectly calculated.
It just happened to land right in the center of the page.
In an instant.
Whoosh.
Like a beast awakened by the scent of blood, the black book began to flip violently.
A terrifying suction force emanated from within.
Mu En’s blood suddenly gushed out like a fountain from the wound on his head, continuously gathering into the black book.
“Holy crap, what’s happening?”
Before he could react to this horrifying scene, Mu En felt darkness envelop him and lost consciousness.
……
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
A dark space.
Flowing liquid.
Biting cold air.
And… a person?
Who is it?
【Ah, you finally woke up. We’ve been waiting for you for a long time.】
The voice sounded like two rusty pieces of iron rubbing against each other, mixed with static, making it impossible to distinguish between male and female.
【Then let’s continue.】
Continue?
Continue what?
A blurry shadow stepped out from the darkness.
A light of unknown origin shone on the shadow’s face, but it was like being pixelated; nothing was clear.
【It’s already four hundred seventy-two, oh, truly impressive of you.】
Four hundred seventy-two?
What does four hundred seventy-two mean?
The shadow continued to approach, raising a hand that shimmered with a cold light.
It was a delicate little knife, thin as a cicada’s wing.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
What is flowing?
It’s blood.
A lot of blood.
Flowing incessantly from four hundred seventy-two wounds.
Accompanied by a pain that penetrates to the marrow.
【Ah, how heartbroken I am at this moment.】
The shadow lowered her head, and a crystalline liquid flowed down her face, mingling with the blood.
【I love you so, so, so, so, so much, but why… why… must you…】
—
【You shouldn’t be like this. How wicked, how tyrannical, how selfish you are. You should inflict pain on others, not show them mercy. You should make everyone hate you…】
【Only then can you belong solely to me.】
【But you’ve changed, your heart has changed.】
【Changing your heart… is not allowed.】
The sharp blade glides across the skin.
Each stroke leaves an indelible crimson mark.
Whispers filled with endless love and hatred echo madly in the ears, like the buzzing of bees.
The shadow slowly draws closer, carrying an indistinguishable mix of blood and floral scent.
【So, I can only use my love to completely purify you.】
【Don’t worry, my love, there’s still so much more.】
……
“What… is that?”
Mu En suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for breath, his face pale, drenched in sweat, as if he had just escaped from the depths of hell.
“A dream?”
He was still in his own room, and it was impossible for a strange shadow to come and slice him to pieces.
It could only be explained as a dream.
“But why did I suddenly have such a dream? Just now I was…”
Mu En looked at the black book in his hands, lost in confusion.
He caressed the black book, murmuring thoughtfully:
“And… this dream felt too real.”