"I'm so hungry! My ability level is too low to be useful, and where the hell is this place anyway?!"
A small boy, looking about eight years old, sat down against a towering, ancient tree. He rubbed his stomach, his expression pained and helpless, as he let out a frustrated roar to the heavens that startled countless birds from the branches above.
His name was Chen Fan. He was a survivor of the 2012 Doomsday, and more than that, he had been one of the very best. Using his awakened esper ability Vector Manipulation he had dominated the post-apocalyptic world. To him, that desolate era was as safe as his own backyard; it was practically his personal stage.
However, in his youthful arrogance, he had traveled everywhere, challenging and offending too many people and monsters alike. This eventually forced two extremes that should have been at each other's throats humans and monsters to unite for the sole purpose of dealing with him.
The encirclement had been massive. Countless espers launched their powers at Chen Fan, with no other objective than to see him dead.
Yet, even under the combined assault of humans and monsters, Chen Fan remained at ease. He reflected every superpower thrown his way, sending them back at the attackers. From time to time, he would fire a beam of light from his hand, piercing through crowds of enemies and leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
Boom!
With a thunderous explosion, a beam struck a small hill, leveling it instantly.
Of course, these weren't actual lasers. They were just one-yuan coins. Accelerated by his Vector Manipulation, the coins ignited due to air friction, turning them into projectiles with the destructive power of a laser cannon.
However, the monsters and humans seemed to have expected this, showing no surprise. They acted as if this was exactly what should be happening.
Suddenly, the attackers began to retreat step by step. This eerie movement gave Chen Fan a bad omen. He grew tense, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings.
He searched for any flaw in his defense. He had used his ability to filter the air, allowing only oxygen through and blocking everything else even light. Was there still something that could make his heart race with such dread?
He crouched slightly, assuming a posture ready for a high-speed strike or counterattack. His expression was grim. He trusted his intuition far more than his raw power; it was the primary reason he had survived so many battles.
It wasn't just his unique ability that made him strong. Chen Fan had seen many espers, some with abilities even more bizarre or powerful than his own.
He remembered a time he had encountered a user with Five Senses Control. That ability manipulated sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste the kind of terrifying power that could make a person see a common bug as a giant dragon.
He had fallen for it, without a doubt. He had fought a phantom enemy for half a day, accidentally erasing an entire city from the world map in the process.
In the end, Chen Fan managed to kill him, but he had been exhausted, his energy nearly depleted as he knelt on the ground, gasping for air.
Suddenly, a sharp sense of dread hit him. He ducked his head instantly, but nothing happened. He thought he was just being paranoid.
The feeling returned. He lunged forward, but again, nothing happened. He grew confused. Was it really an illusion?
When the dread hit a third time, Chen Fan didn't run. Guided by instinct, he snatched a pebble from the ground and flicked it in a specific direction.
"Ah!"
A scream rang out. The air in front of Chen Fan shattered like a mirror.
Finally, he saw his true condition. There wasn't a single patch of uninjured skin on his body. He was covered in blood. A deep gash on the back of his neck was pouring blood, sending a chill down his spine. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he realized that if that blow had landed correctly, it would have been over for him.
He quickly used Vector Manipulation to control his blood flow, and the wounds began to close.
Only then did he look toward the source of the scream. He saw a refined-looking man around thirty years old, wearing glasses, clutching his abdomen. A hole the size of a football had been blown through him. Blood was gushing out; there was no way he would survive.
The man looked at Chen Fan with sheer terror, scrambling backward with his hands and feet.
Chen Fan stood up and walked toward him, eventually crouching down. He studied the man, using the lie that he could heal the wound to extract information about the man's ability.
After hearing the explanation, Chen Fan was forced to admit the ability was absurdly broken. Naturally, he killed the man afterward, leaving not even a speck of ash behind. He could not allow an ability that destroyed the balance of the world to exist.
This world had technology like cloning. Who knew if some madman would try to bring this person back? Chen Fan made sure to incinerate the body and meticulously clean up every drop of blood. He left no clues.
That had been the first time Chen Fan was injured after reaching Level 5. Although he encountered other powerful users later, he had always nipped them in the bud due to the sheer gap in their levels.
He wondered what kind of abilities would appear now that all the world's espers had gathered against him.
Around him, the sea of monsters and humans stood silent, their eyes fixed on him. The air felt frozen, and the atmosphere was suffocating. Despite blocking light and heat, sweat beaded on Chen Fan's brow.
Facing the unknown usually triggered one of two emotions: excitement or fear. Chen Fan was currently experiencing the latter.
Sweat rolled into his eyes, but he didn't wipe it away. He kept his gaze locked on the surroundings, his fists tightening until his palms were slick with nervous sweat.
A commotion broke out in the crowd as they parted to form a path. Several figures walked forward.
Chen Fan recognized most of them. The three in the lead were the heads of the major factions on Earth, representing the Human Race, the Demons, and the Zerg.
Among the three, the Human Race was the strongest, followed by the Demons, with the Zerg at the bottom. However, no one dared to underestimate the Zerg. They occupied the bottom tier only because they lacked top-tier experts. If they had as many high-level powerhouses as the humans, the power balance of Earth would be rewritten.
The Zerg relied not just on numbers, but on unity. People said that enough ants could kill an elephant, but to a Level 5, that was usually a joke. Chen Fan's very existence was proof of that.
These three leaders, who would normally never meet, had gathered here because of him. Chen Fan supposed he should feel honored.
But he felt anything but happy. The refined man in glasses in the center was Yan Wei. He looked like nothing more than a typical successful businessman.
The other two appeared ordinary as well, aside from a few subtle racial traits. But Chen Fan didn't dare lower his guard. All three were incredibly powerful espers. Yan Wei was even rumored to be the man closest to Level 6, possessing the ability: Holy Word.
In some ways, this power was close to that of a god a form of "wish fulfillment" without a price. It had its limits, or he truly would be a god, but it was still formidable. The other two were also powerful but kept a low profile. Chen Fan didn't even know what their abilities were.
He watched them cautiously, his right hand gripping a coin so hard it began to warp.
Clap! Clap!
Yan Wei began to applaud, a smile on his face. "As expected of the man who turned the esper world upside down. Seeing you in person, you truly are a young hero!" His voice held a hint of genuine admiration.
Chen Fan felt a surge of pride, but he snapped out of it instantly. Something was wrong. He wasn't the type of person to feel happy just because someone praised him.
A cooling sensation washed over his brain, and the uncharacteristic joy vanished. He realized he had been caught in an ability without even knowing it. He felt annoyed at his own carelessness but was more impressed by Yan Wei's strength. His expression became even more serious.
Seeing Chen Fan break free from his influence so quickly, Yan Wei blinked in surprise. He recovered instantly, offering a brilliant smile.
However, Chen Fan, who was staring directly into Yan Wei's eyes, caught a flash of killing intent. It was enough to make the hair on his neck stand up.
Despite the danger, Chen Fan smiled back. "To what do I owe the honor of such a busy man's presence?"
"Aren't you asking the obvious? I'm here to 'kill' you, of course." The smile never left Yan Wei's face, but when he said the word "kill," a wave of bone-chilling cold washed over Chen Fan.
Reflexively dropping into a combat stance, Chen Fan said, "Then come and try. I've wanted to see the power of 'Holy Word' for a long time, to see if it's as divine as the rumors say." His eyes gleamed with battle intent. Fighting the strong was, after all, one of his hobbies.
"No, no, no. I'm not the one fighting you." Yan Wei wagged a finger from side to side, dismissing the suggestion.
"Then who is?" Chen Fan asked, wondering what they were plotting.
As he spoke, four figures emerged from behind the leaders.
Chen Fan blinked. He had been so focused on resisting Yan Wei that he hadn't noticed who was behind him.
Looking closely, they were quadruplets, identical in every way. Chen Fan was puzzled. What could these four do?
As he wondered, Yan Wei's melodic voice rang out again. "Are you wondering what their abilities are?"
Chen Fan nodded subconsciously. Seeing the smirk on Yan Wei's lips, he realized he had been manipulated again. Before he could get angry, Yan Wei's next words caught his attention.
"These four possess only one ability. They are Level 4, and they represent the extreme of that power: Spatial Rupture."
Chen Fan grew nervous, but a Level 4 ability wasn't enough to threaten him yet. He continued to listen.
"Although they are only Level 4, because they are quadruplets, their abilities can be linked."
Finally, Chen Fan understood. Understanding brought terror absolute terror. Without waiting for Yan Wei to finish, he turned and bolted.
Swoosh! The Demon leader blocked his path. Not wanting to waste time, Chen Fan pivoted, but Yan Wei's annoying voice followed him. "When the four of them concentrate all their power into one person, they can briefly reach Level 6."
Swoosh! The Zerg leader blocked his new route. Chen Fan had to change directions once more.
"Of course, there is a price. They will never be able to use superpowers again. Well? Are you satisfied? Hahaha!"
Swoosh! Swoosh! Countless fireballs, ice crystals, and wind blades a barrage of superpowers flew toward Chen Fan.
"Get lost!" Chen Fan roared. Every ability thrown at him was reflected, taking down another wave of attackers.
A massive roar erupted from Chen Fan's throat. Perhaps it was the fear of death, or perhaps he was provoked by Yan Wei's words, but his eyes turned blood-red, shimmering with the dangerous light of a cornered beast.
At that moment, small black cracks began to appear in the space around Chen Fan. A massive suction force pulled from within the rifts.
Feeling the pull and seeing Yan Wei's laughter, Chen Fan charged at him. Yan Wei's eyes widened. "Stop!" he yelled.
Chen Fan's body jerked to a halt, but only for a second. He resumed his charge. Yan Wei panicked when he saw his ability fail to hold the boy. Meanwhile, the spatial rifts around Chen Fan grew larger and larger.
Chen Fan let out a furious scream. "Yan Wei, come to hell with me! Open!"
Countless black rifts manifested around him, turning into thin black threads that spread in every direction.
"Ahhh!" "No!" "Screee!" Various screams of agony filled the air.
In the final moments, Chen Fan saw Yan Wei being torn into four pieces by the Spatial Ruptures and sucked into the void. He let out a smile of relief. Then, a sharp pain lanced through him, and he blacked out.
When he woke up, Chen Fan found that he had turned into an eight-year-old child. At least he was still male; otherwise, he wasn't sure he wouldn't have committed suicide on the spot.
He looked around his new environment. Towering trees surrounded him on all sides. He had no memory of such a place existing on Earth. These trees were so massive they seemed to violate the laws of gravity.
When he checked his ability, Chen Fan nearly burst into tears. He had once been a top-tier Level 5, but now he was barely a Level 1. His ability had almost no offensive power before reaching Level 3.
How was he supposed to survive?! He was currently so hungry he could barely walk.
Roar!
A massive roar startled him. He jumped up reflexively and dropped into a half-crouch, squinting as he surveyed the area.
He heard a rustling sound and turned his head toward it. After a moment, a wild boar nearly five meters long emerged from the dense jungle. Huge tusks protruded from its mouth, and a low growl vibrated in its throat. Thick clouds of breath puffed from its massive nostrils, kicking up dust from the ground.
Despite its spectacular entrance, Chen Fan relaxed once he realized it was just a boar. His eyes shifted as a thought occurred to him, and he actually began to drool.
His eyes glowed as he looked at the beast, his pupils reflecting images of braised pork. He was looking at this giant monster and seeing a suckling pig.
He stomped his right foot hard, but nothing happened. He tried again. Still nothing.
Damn it! He suddenly remembered that he was no longer that Level 5 monster that everyone feared. Frustrated, he kicked a stone on the ground.
As luck would have it, the stone flew straight at the boar, hitting it squarely in the head with a dull thud.
The boar turned its head toward Chen Fan, its eyes glowing red. It was clearly enraged by the kick.
Scrape, scrape. Its front hooves dug into the dirt as it lowered its head toward him.
With a sudden burst of speed, it charged. The ground shook under its weight. Chen Fan, who had been sulking, only looked up when he felt the tremors. The first thing he saw was a giant pig face. Before he could react...
Bang!
Chen Fan was sent flying.
Only while he was soaring through the air did he realize what had happened. He couldn't help but think to himself, Damn, I can't believe I just got gored by a pig.
A sudden wave of intense pain hit him, and he lost consciousness completely, his face stained with tears of pure humiliation.
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