---
Kamigan then started muttering to himself about how he found out the girl was a monster and how he killed her. He thought to himself:
(When I met her, the voice didn't tell me anything about her being a monster—probably because I couldn't sense it myself.) "And although I didn't realize she was a monster at first, I started getting suspicious when she fainted. Why? Because when a human faints, they breathe at least six to ten times per minute. But she was still breathing a good 12 to 20 times per minute. This was the first sign that made me suspicious, but I didn't conclude just from that. Who knows, maybe the laws of my world don't apply here. But what made me even more suspicious was the timing of when she woke up. It seemed too convenient for her to wake up right at that moment when I encountered the Moonbane Howler. But I still couldn't be too sure. What finally confirmed my suspicion was back then…"
Kamigan's mind flashed back to when the girl threw the sword for him to catch and finish off the Howler.
"When she threw the sword at me, she called out my name," Kamigan remembered, the girl calling out to him. "I never told you my name. And that was when I started to suspect you and planned to kill you…"
Kamigan smirked as he recalled the event. "And now, how did I kill you? You ask. Remember back then when I picked up the broken spear for no reason? Well, it looked like it was for no reason to you. By then, you probably thought your prey was set, so you dropped your guard. I carried the spear and went to relieve myself by the corner. Or at least, that's what I told you. What actually attracted me to that place was the sound of frogs croaking. It's common knowledge that most frogs are poisonous, and lady luck seemed to be on my side. It turns out one was a poisonous breed called Slymaurs. So, what did I do? I detached the head of the spear and stabbed the Slymaur, coating the spear with its poison. When we entered back into the cave, you offered me water. That's when I poisoned your drink."
Kamigan smirked and said to the dead body, "Pretty smart, huh?" Then, he slapped his forehead and sighed. "Look at me… I'm talking to a dead body. How stupid!"
"Anyway, I'm too tired. I need to get some sleep." Kamigan gave some distance between him and the body and laid down to sleep.
---
The next morning, Kamigan woke up and looked at where the girl's body had been. There was nothing left but dust. He said to himself, "These mimics probably decay faster than humans."
Kamigan stood up and went outside the cave. As he walked out, he saw a piece of tattered clothing on the ground. Upon closer inspection, he noticed something that looked like a badge attached to the cloth. He smirked. "This is probably some kind of uniform. Probably belonged to someone that monster killed. And if it's a uniform, that means there should be other humans on this island. Hopefully, they haven't turned into monsters."
Kamigan then stepped outside the cave. It was now daytime, and he noticed something he hadn't while it was dark. This place was pretty much isolated—hidden, compared to the rest of the forest. It was probably due to his skill Eyes of Alethia that he had found it so easily. Kamigan then saw a small river, washed his body and clothes, and hung them to dry. He was now inside the cave, butt naked.
Kamigan explored the cave and discovered that it was pretty well-kept for a base. There was food—mostly dry meat, some mushrooms, and strange herbs. Looking at it, he said, "These should probably last me about three weeks." Kamigan wandered around more and discovered a basket of armor. He opened it, and his eyes widened in awe. "Ahhh, there's armor, weapons—well, mostly stone weapons. A few arrows, but they're useless to me since I can't use them. Still, that's cool. I wonder who lived here before. With all this, I can laze around for at least a month. Sweet."
And this was how Kamigan spent his days in the cave. He had a one-track pattern:
Eat.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Kamigan would stuff himself full until he could no longer eat, take a bath, and then sleep for the rest of the day. Out of 24 hours, he'd spend at least 20 sleeping. This went on for three weeks until a problem arose: Kamigan's food supply had started to dwindle and was down to its last embers. He brainstormed for a solution, but the only one he could think of was extremely dangerous. He thought to himself:
"If I don't want to die of hunger, I'll have to hunt the Moonbane Howlers. If I'm able to kill one and successfully drag it back here, I'll be set for at least another month, best-case scenario two months. But for a weak guy like me, how can I kill that thing?"
Kamigan kept on brainstorming until it hit him. He remembered that he had only used one of the blessings the God gave to him, and he had done nothing about the other one. He thought, Maybe it should be able to help me survive.
---
Once again, Kamigan dove into his subconscious using the key. He found himself in the endless desert, with the giant spherical clock and nearly endless gears echoing through the entire desert as they moved. But it was different. Revolving around the core, like how the moon revolves around a planet, was a white sphere. Kamigan willed the sphere to come to him, and it did. He touched the sphere and heard the voice.
[Would you like to receive a blessing?]
Kamigan answered, "Yes."
[Blessing received.]
"I wonder what kind of blessing it is?"
[Blessing Type: Knowledge.]
As soon as the voice said that, Kamigan jolted back to reality. He found himself sitting in a corner of the cave, gasping for air as if he had just run a marathon. He crawled out of the cave to get some water and then vomited.
"God, what kind of blessing is this that makes me vomit like I'm pregnant? And what kind of stupid knowledge did it give me?"
The voice interrupted Kamigan's thoughts:
[Special knowledge acquired.]
"Special knowledge?"
[Would you like to learn about the Arcane Cycle?]
Kamigan wondered to himself (Arcane what now? That's something I haven't heard before... Well, it probably came from the blessing, so it can't be bad, right?) Kamigan sighed and answered, "Yes."
[You will be granted knowledge of Essence.]
"Finally, I get to know what this Essence thing really is."
---
Power System: Essence
Core Concept: The world operates on Essence, a cosmic flow of energy that intertwines time, existence, and destruction. This energy manifests in different ways depending on one's attunement to it. Every being unconsciously draws from it, but only a few can harness its full potential.
---
Power Sources:
1. Etheris (Essence of Will) – The energy that fuels all life. It is tied to one's emotions, memories, and willpower. Those with strong conviction can manipulate it directly.
2. Aevum (Tides of Time) – A rare and volatile force that governs time and causality. Few can tap into Aevum without severe consequences.
3. Umbra (The Forgotten Void) – The remnants of lost histories, curses, and forgotten souls. It is tied to beings who exist outside time, like you, Kamigan.
4. Corpus (Physical Mastery) – The raw energy within the body, refined through training, augmentation, or natural talent.
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Types of Users:
1. Resonants – Individuals who wield Etheris through sheer force of will. Their powers are deeply personal, manifesting based on emotions, memories, and desires.
2. Chronomancers – Those attuned to Aevum, capable of altering perception of time, seeing glimpses of possible futures, or even manipulating causality at great cost. There are very few of their kind, but you, Kamigan, have the greatest affinity to this in the known universe.
3. Eclipsed – Beings bound to Umbra, cursed or gifted with abilities tied to erasure, disappearance, or phasing between realities. Kamigan, you are an advanced form of this.
4. Sentinels – Fighters who refine Corpus, using techniques that push their bodies beyond normal limits.
---
Techniques & Abilities:
1. Arcane Arts (Etheris-based)
2. Temporal Arts (Aevum-based)
3. Eclipsed Abilities (Umbra-based)
4. Martial Techniques (Corpus-based)
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Limitations & Costs:
Etheris powers weaken if one's resolve wavers.
Aevum manipulation causes paradoxes, leading to side effects such as memory loss, time distortions, or sudden disappearances from existence.
Umbra abilities erode one's presence, making prolonged use risk erasing oneself permanently.
Corpus techniques break the body if used excessively, with no supernatural healing.
---
Kamigan, since you are an Eclipsed, you primarily wield Umbra and limited Aevum abilities. However, your greatest ability forces you into time jumps at the point of death. The name of this ability is…
"CHRONO EXILE."
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