Chapter Sixteen: A Twist of Fate

A leopard cannot change its spots!

Ashes had always found this saying profoundly true, and he also agreed with its more unrefined version: a dog can’t stop itself from eating filth.

Think about it: if someone you’ve never met suddenly stabs you, he’ll have little psychological burden stabbing you again, especially when you hold something he desires.

Thus, Ashes had never let down his guard against Rain Tomorrow. The moment he sensed something amiss behind him, he immediately moved to respond. Unfortunately, the flying chest came too swiftly; unable to dodge in time, his shoulder took the brunt of the blow. He staggered forward and nearly fell prey to the mimic chest monster.

Yet, it was precisely the mimic’s abrupt approach that caused the chest, after grazing Ashes’ shoulder, to collide head-on with the monster itself. The creature’s grotesquely long right leg was struck, spinning around the point of impact like a half-drawn rainbow. The massive, gaping maw took a direct hit, shattering a mouthful of jagged teeth and mangling half of its jaw into a pulp. Although not killed outright, the creature collapsed in agony, curling up and writhing in pain—a clear sign of grievous injury.

Rain Tomorrow hadn’t expected—nor even noticed—that his sneak attack had instead dealt a fatal blow to the mimic. Compared to that, Ashes’ injuries were trivial.

[Notification: You have been struck by the “Juvenile Mimic’s” chest. You suffer thirteen points of health damage.]

[Notification: Your left shoulder has sustained a heavy blow, resulting in minor damage.]

[Left Shoulder Injury (Minor): Left-handed attack power is reduced. The wound will slowly heal over time.]

What a good opportunity!

The faint pain transmitted by the haptic suit’s shoulder barely distracted Ashes. Seeing the mimic sprawled out like a pile of mud, he pounced, swinging his collapsible baton with fierce abandon, hacking left and right. The monster, utterly defenseless, could only howl in rage and pain.

A shriek, tinged with desperation, came from behind—a sound that made Rain Tomorrow’s heart sink. Taking advantage of a lull in the fight, he glanced back and realized with horror that his attempt at a sneaky gain had backfired spectacularly. While he was locked in a struggle with the mimic, Ashes had already dispatched his own opponent, retrieved the spoils, and retreated to a corner. There, he pulled out a vial, calmly sprayed the contents onto his injured shoulder, and met Rain Tomorrow’s eyes with cold indifference.

A healing potion?

Damn it, just how many good things had this guy picked up already?

Could it be that I’m really going to stumble and fall over this pebble today?

Rain Tomorrow couldn’t understand how an unremarkable, unknown player had forced him into such a passive position. And as Ashes finished treating his wound and rose to his feet, Rain Tomorrow tensed, the power sensors in his cockpit pulling taut, ready for any attack from the other player.

At that moment, Rain Tomorrow realized he might not make it any further, but his gaze grew sharp and ruthless—if Ashes advanced a few more steps, he would drag him into the mimic’s attack range. If he couldn’t survive, he’d at least take someone down with him!

One step. Two steps…

Ashes’ slow advance only heightened Rain Tomorrow’s anxiety. He was barely surviving the monster’s assault as it was; he almost didn’t need Ashes to finish him off. Still, this only steeled his resolve—he would not let an ordinary player best him.

Yet, to Rain Tomorrow’s surprise, Ashes did not choose to kick him while he was down. Instead, he darted toward NotAnExpert, who was clearly struggling. After taking a direct hit from the chest, the seasoned player’s movements were sluggish, barely dodging each attack, unable to mount a proper counteroffensive. At this rate, defeat was only a matter of time.

Despite NotAnExpert’s wealth of combat experience, his options were limited; he no longer held out much hope, merely enduring stubbornly, trying to buy a few more seconds.

When Ashes completed his own challenge, NotAnExpert had considered asking for help, but anyone could see what Rain Tomorrow had done. So, he chose to keep quiet, preserving the last shreds of his dignity.

But, like Rain Tomorrow, he hadn’t expected Ashes to extend a hand, attracting the mimic’s attention with two strikes from his baton and tossing over a healing spray.

Gain comes with sacrifice. Ashes’ “sacrifice” earned NotAnExpert’s gratitude and friendship on the spot.

Although a veteran who had risen to prominence in “Titan,” NotAnExpert was intent on continuing his winning streak in “Abnormal Paradise.” So, even though he knew this was a beta test, he treated every experience as critical—especially after hearing that performance during testing would affect the official server launch.

Ashes’ assistance moved him deeply.

“Thanks, brother.”

The tall man didn’t shower Ashes with effusive thanks, choosing instead to remember this lifeline quietly. The impact he’d suffered was a touch more severe than Ashes’, and the healing spray’s effects were just enough to bring him back to fighting shape. The cool relief washed away his worst pain, restoring his movement and nearly refilling his health bar.

“Ha! Let me give you a hand!”

Seeing Ashes locked in combat with the mimic, NotAnExpert laughed heartily and leapt into the fray. With both players attacking together, even a second-stage mimic couldn’t withstand the assault. In the end, it fell with a wretched cry under NotAnExpert’s blade.

[Notification: You have completed the challenge and earned contribution points. However, since you did not complete it alone, you receive only sixty percent of the points.]

Even with the reduced reward, NotAnExpert gained a hefty chunk of experience—just enough to nearly level up. He felt satisfied: his challenge was complete, and he’d earned the right to a better assessment. As for the mimic’s dropped loot, he intended to offer it to Ashes, but Ashes stepped back, declining to compete for it. After all, he had already gained what he valued most.

[Notification: Your character level has increased to three. You gain one core attribute point and one vital attribute point.]

For Ashes, contribution points were what mattered most now. With his double-contribution bonus, he’d soloed one mimic and taken forty percent of the experience from NotAnExpert’s kill, filling his contribution bar and triggering another level-up.

Let’s take a look at Ashes’ current stats:

…

Name: Ashes
Character Level: 3
Position: Foundation Probationary Staff (ID D1106)
Base Attributes: Health 30, Sanity 30, Stamina 11 {10 + (Life Level + Will Level) / 2}
Core Attributes: Life Level 0, Will Level 0+2 (3 unused points)
Vital Attributes: Strength Level 1, Agility Level 0, Perception Level 0 (2 unused points)
Active Skills: None
Passive Skills: [Willpower Enhancement] (Beginner’s Benefit: Will Level +2)
…

The usefulness of attribute points was beyond doubt.

While other players were still struggling toward level two, Ashes had already crossed the threshold to level three, with a growing pool of points to allocate—giving him the confidence to face coming challenges. In comparison, the mimic’s loot was far less inspiring.

…

[Equipment Repair Stone] (Basic)
Type: Consumable
Function: Significantly repairs a damaged piece of basic equipment, with a chance for perfect restoration.

Description: This is a stone infused with mysterious energy, though you probably wouldn’t want to know how it was formed.

[Notification: Submit the repair stone to a Foundation Repair Technician, and for a small fee, you can restore your chosen basic equipment.]

…

Though temporarily of little use, it was certainly worth storing away carefully.

“I found an enhancement gem—[Mimic’s Broken Fang]. It slightly increases weapon attack power. If you want it, it’s yours.” NotAnExpert returned the unused healing spray to Ashes, then produced his spoils. “My name’s NotAnExpert. Pleased to meet you.”

Such a formal introduction made his intentions clear.

“I’m Ashes. I’ve heard of you.”

Ashes shook his hand but turned down the offer. It wasn’t about currying favor with a famous player but simply that, if something couldn’t immediately boost his combat effectiveness, it wasn’t truly important.

Rather than hoard all the benefits, it was better to invest for the long term. After all, the rookie trial had only just reached its final stage!

“Heh, I’m glad to have you as a friend.” NotAnExpert pocketed the broken fang and nodded toward Rain Tomorrow, still locked in battle. “If you want to take action against him, go ahead. I’ve got enough clout that Thunder Duke won’t come after you, and besides, they’re in the wrong here. Making a scene would only hurt Thunder’s reputation.”

Ashes was silent for a few seconds before shaking his head. “There’s no rush. I’ll settle things eventually, but now’s not the right time.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Because I think, if we lose even one player, we’ll have almost no chance of completing the next challenge,” Ashes explained, shrugging. “Five players, five unique talents, each with their own specialty—the designers clearly intended it this way. Even though leveling up gradually narrows the attribute gap, starting abilities still make a big difference.”

While Ashes and NotAnExpert conversed quietly, the fight between Fishscale Arm and Rain Tomorrow raged on. Since neither intervened, they simply stood by and watched.

“Take this extra challenge, for instance—it seems like everyone’s out for themselves, but if Carousel were still here, and if we all worked together, how might things turn out? At the very least, we wouldn’t need to waste points on perception, and those spare points might be the key to surviving the next trial.”

Ashes’ words struck a chord with NotAnExpert, who listened quietly, finding them deeply reasonable.

“Moreover, this time we could handle the challenge alone, but what about next time? If I take out Rain Tomorrow, the three of us might still face a challenge meant for five. So I’d rather not act now. No matter how I look at it, eliminating Rain Tomorrow isn’t as rewarding as clearing the next trial.”

At this final remark, NotAnExpert couldn’t help but study Ashes closely. The man’s way of analyzing problems reminded him of past acquaintances—true gamers who reveled in uncovering subtle details, calmly weighing each decision, thriving in games with hidden clues and layered mysteries. Even those who never earned the “veteran” title still made their mark.

NotAnExpert felt Ashes belonged to this breed, so he folded his arms with interest, quietly awaiting what would unfold next.

What he didn’t know was that Ashes’ true reason for holding back lay in two equipment affixes: the baton’s “Feeble” and the basic protective suit’s “Weak.” Both poor qualities, but even so, they marked a difference. So far, no one had tried fighting another player while equipped, and who could say how that would play out?

Games were always bound up with passion.

But if that passion risked being doused, Ashes would force himself to stay calm—and didn’t mind if others thought he was the epitome of composure.

Otherwise, Rain Tomorrow would long since have learned exactly what it felt like to be bludgeoned like a stray dog.

Calm?

To hell with calm!