The Final Desperation

While in the Spatial Battlefield, Genji killed 28 enforcers, of which 5 were violators, netting him 66 tokens after redeeming the corresponding scarlet cards. Of these, 20 were spent on his recovery. Adding the 80 tokens from submitting [Origin World - Parasites], and the initial 3 from before, he now had 129 tokens to his name.

Out of these, he used 45 to expand his storage space, bringing it to 82 cubic meters. This left him with 84 tokens, which he put aside for future expenses.

Genji chose the item draw option for the remaining scarlet cards, giving him considerable equipment. Although they weren't remarkable, they gave Genji enough capital to start the production of consumables.

Unfortunately, the market was still saturated due to his previous mass-selling of potions, causing demand to plummet this month. Other than some combat-intensive parties and lone wolves, Genji had relatively fewer visitors compared to before. Of course, this was partly influenced by the Brewer's Alliance, which siphoned the trivial customers.

Despite this, Genji wasn't the slightest bit upset since this was his desired outcome. Only this way could he focus on training and crafting bizarre poisons. Between these, he would play with Astros and relax his mind. Now that his training had entered the realms of weapon intent, his mental state was very influential for his training.

If his mind was chaotic, then no matter how much he trained, he would struggle to make any progress. Conversely, if his mind was at ease, it was simple to produce twice the results with half the effort.

On this day, Genji entered a deep meditation and appeared in his legacy spirits' mind space. Admiring the peaceful winter land, Genji casually strolled through the landscape and immersed himself in the cooling temperatures. As usual, he was in no rush to meet with the spirits.

There was no point in rushing since this was their mind space. Here, they were in control and could manipulate the scenery as they wished. There was nothing he could do if they chose not to meet him. Thankfully, this wasn't an issue since their interactions had been amicable, albeit mostly one-sided in terms of conversation.

'On second thought, is it even possible to have a strained relationship with one's legacy? They're supposed to be partners for life, so how badly must one screw up to destroy this bond?'

Genji put aside this thought and continued walking, eventually spotting a white forest in the distance. Picking up his pace, Genji soon reached the familiar spirits.

The twins retained their signature vortex eyes, encircled by chaotic swirls of energy, though they were older now, resembling teenagers rather than young children.

Meanwhile, the silhouette remained relatively unchanged, perhaps darker than before. It was hard to tell since Genji rarely saw its full form. As per habit, it hid among the shadows and peeked out with a slanted head.

"Hello again. I see that the spirit upgrades have been very impactful," Genji greeted them, drawing long stares in response.

A few moments later, the left twin nodded in recognition and waved with their hand, conjuring a flurry of snow that enveloped Genji. Waves of goodwill flooded his consciousness as the blizzard dissolved against him, purging his subconscious of deeply buried stress and ushering in a newfound clarity.

It was as if all his worries had melted with the ice, allowing him to enter a sage-like state. Genji wanted to thank them once the storm calmed, but the spirits had already disappeared, leaving only a puddle of murky water behind.

"Still as reclusive as ever, but I guess this counts for something."

With those words, Genji exited the mind space and resumed training, putting the blessing to full use. Hours later, the state wore off and Genji returned to his room to rest.

The following day, Genji tried to communicate with his spirits again, hoping for another session, but the results were disappointing. It had taken a lot from the spirits to clear his mind so they couldn't repeat it in the short term. Nonetheless, Genji was grateful for the help and encouraged them to rest well.

Toward the end of the month, Zepher visited Genji and expressed his disbelief at the recent changes in EverRealm. "I know you wanted to outsource the work, but I didn't think you would sell the formula. Now what? They're snatching all your customers! Aren't you the slightest bit worried?"

"I appreciate the concern, but they're not competitors. They're subordinates."

"Subordinates? What the hell happened in these 3 months? And how are you so confident that they won't become competitors?"

"Let's just say you can do a lot with the proper contract."

"Oh, that explains so much." Zepher instantly accepted the explanation and stopped asking questions. However, this response only caused Genji to ask his own.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? You're talking as if I'm some black-hearted exploiter. I'll let you know my subordinates are happy working for me."

"Are you not? Anyway, that's beside the point. We both know that you'll never make a loss if you're initiating a contract. You're too crafty for that. I honestly feel bad for anyone who signs a contract with you because they'll never expect the tricks you might play."

"You're exaggerating. I've never exploited a loophole before."

"Just because you haven't doesn't mean you won't. I am willing to bet my fortune that you will eventually screw someone like that. It's only a matter of time."

"Wow, I didn't realize you thought so negatively of me. Am I really that unreliable to you?" Genji gasped, faking his surprise.

Zepher rolled his eyes and said, "Drop the act. I would do the same if I had the chance, but I don't think I'm clever enough for it. The best I can do is avoid these tricks and not be exploited."

"For a former pirate, you sure are humble about it."

"I'm being honest. My past did not prepare me for the possible exploits in EverRealm. Anyway, can I have the usual items?"

Genji shrugged and brought out a wooden crate. After paying, Zepher stayed for a few more minutes to talk before leaving to make his other preparations. With this, Genji finished his last notable encounter in EverRealm and began his final three days.

 

---

 

As Genji emerged in the desolate forest, he felt a gentle pull from his back. Glancing downward, he found Astros perched on his shoulder, gazing curiously at the snowy surroundings. Unlike Bruce, who was considered a piece of equipment, Astros was a living creature and fully capable of accompanying Genji on Earth.

"Snow, huh? So it's been a year already. Time sure flies when I'm doing missions," Genji reminisced with a nostalgic look.

At this moment, Astros caught a drifting snowflake and examined it probingly. Seconds later, the snow melted and Astros expressed his confusion with a quiet, "Yii?"

A few more attempts were made, but the results remained the same, causing Astros to look around for the culprit. In his mind, someone must be responsible for this inexplicable phenomenon, and he must stop them. Otherwise, they would destroy all these pretty crystals, and he wouldn't be able to play with them anymore.

Despite his best efforts, Astros couldn't find anyone. Instead, he noticed the falling snow adding to the pile on the ground. Realizing the entire area was made of snow, Astros eagerly dived in, sending snow dust everywhere.

"Hmm? I guess this is his first time seeing snow. It won't hurt to let him play a bit longer," Genji mused, stepping aside to wait.

But as this was happening, Genji suddenly received a prompt from EverRealm.

[Emergency mission issued.]

[Remove the Instigators]

Details: During a skirmish last month, a realm member unknowingly exposed his strength to a group of people. Amazed by this display, they now seek out such powers for themselves, regardless of the cost.

Mission: Remove these unstable elements before they could disrupt the World's order

Penalty for Failure: The appearance of paranormal forces and collapse of peace.

Progress: 0/461

Note: This is a collective mission for all enforcers from this world.

Note 2: Failure to complete this mission may result in future troubles. If you value your vacation, please contribute.

Note 3: A map of the target's locations is attached.

"What the heck. Did someone not get the memo on subtlety? How did that many people see it?" Genji cursed, annoyed by the sudden mission.

This was supposed to be his downtime, yet now he had to clean up after a careless member. How could he not be irritated? And he wasn't the only one.

Almost all the other enforcers felt the same since participation was non-negotiable. If they allowed this, then not only would their families be in danger, but they would also have countless nuisances later. By then, it was unknown if they could maintain the same calm mentality as now.

"Yiiii?" Astros noticed the change in emotions and crawled out to comfort Genji.

"It's fine. We just have some work to do," Genji reassured, picking up Astros and giving him a shakedown before returning him to his shoulder. "I'll let you play in the snow later. For now, hang on tight."

Astros curled around Genji's neck like a fuzzy scarf and watched as Genji opened the map. There were many clusters of red dots spread across the world, making it impossible for Genji to finish this request alone. Fortunately, this was a team mission, and he didn't need to overexert himself.

As Genji examined the map, a few dots faded, indicating the deaths of their respective targets. The other enforcers had already started, unwilling to delay any further.

"Guess it's now or never. Ready?"

Once Astros voiced his agreement, Genji kicked off the ground, causing Astros to chirp in excitement.

"Yiiiiiiiiiiiii."

 

---

 

'Slick' Jack was considered one of the best hackers in the world. As the leader of a notorious hacker organization, he had orchestrated some of the most damaging security breaches in the 21st century. From government agencies to military secrets, he'd done it all and entered the watchlist of many.

With his skills, it was simple to hack into the security cameras of a certain corporation building. Originally meant as a spying operation, he never expected to catch such a surprising sight. The scene was short since the camera was promptly destroyed, but it revealed a whole new world to him, one of superhumans.

Not only him but all of his associates as well - they all saw it. They were unable to believe their eyes! Superpowers do exist!

Ecstatic by this revelation, they searched high and low for related information, seeking to possess this power. But no matter how they looked, they found nothing, not even in the most secure government databases. They tried. That's why so many people know about this unbelievable secret.

After so many failures, they started losing hope and believing that everything had been the trick of the eye. At least they would have if they hadn't seen the destruction within the building at a later date.

The news tried to brush it off as an electrical accident, but they knew better. They'd personally witnessed the electricity flowing through the air, obeying the superhuman's command. It was undeniable, but they had no way to prove it. They were at a bottleneck and unable to find any more clues.

Disappointed with this result, Jack absentmindedly roamed the streets and accidentally tripped on an overgrown tree root. The fall was painful and broke his arm, causing him to curse his luck. In a fit of rage, Jack kicked the tree forcefully, breaking a small section and revealing a ghostly cloth beneath.

Unable to believe this sight, Jack rubbed his eyes and tried again. No doubt about it - a strange cloth was hidden within the aged tree. Curious about the finding, he pried open the area and pulled out the cloth.

That was when everything changed for him. As he unfolded the fabric, he encountered cryptic scripts, unlike anything the world had seen. Yet for whatever reason, he could understand its contents. In meticulous detail, the cloth outlined the process for attaining the supernatural powers that he desired. All it took were some human sacrifices, a small price in the grand scheme of things.

So Jack hid this cloth under his shirt and rushed home, fantasizing about his future powers. He didn't even question the feasibility of everything because he interpreted the encounter as a stroke of fate. Everything had lined up perfectly for him, so how could it possibly be false?

In his mind, he was the world's main character, and everything revolved around him. He would be the herald of the new era and praised for generations to come! An epoch of his own! Just the thought of it caused his heart to race with anticipation and kept him awake all night.

After many turns and shuffles on his bed, Jack eventually gave up on sleep and began meticulously planning his crime. He would accept nothing less than perfection since this was his debut into the world. After all, how could an important person like him possibly have a flawed beginning?

And so, he planned and planned until he was certain the strategy had no imperfections. Then, he struck like lightning, kidnapping five children and dragging them to the woods, where he conducted the cruel ritual.

To no one's surprise, the ritual worked, granting him powers beyond imaginable. Yeah, he gained an unhealthy paleness and constant chill, but it was allllll worth it. He had become the god of the new world!

To celebrate the occasion, he gathered his group and shared the story, hailing himself as the destined one. The others were appalled when they learned about the gruesome procedure. They were notorious hackers, but they'd never resorted to murder before.

Yet their leader had apparently tortured five children to death for nothing but his own amusement. How could they not be revolted and consider him a madman?

"You don't seem to believe me," Jack said, noticing their discomfort. "How about I show you?"

The others were about to reject when their eyes widened in astonishment, their pupils reflecting the unthinkable scene on the screen.

"How is it? Want to join me now? We can rule the world with this power."

"You're crazy!" One person suddenly yelled before disconnecting, unwilling to associate with this insanity.

However, the others couldn't resist the temptation and accepted Jack's offer. Hence, cases of brutal homicides spiked around the world, triggering the investigations of the police.

However, normal investigation methods had little effect on them when they had supernatural abilities. Everything was going smoothly until Jack suddenly lost contact with a few associates. He didn't think much of it at first, but when the numbers added up, he started sensing something amiss.

It would make sense if it were just a few people, but for the majority to suddenly miss this meeting? It didn't make sense. They either all boycotted him or something had happened to them. And based on their prior enthusiasm, he could only assume the worst.

Hence, he called his closest aids and asked them to meet at the secret hideout. There, they bunkered themselves in and waited for the storm to pass. But before they could celebrate, a stranger with a fur scarf suddenly kicked down the door.

"You sure know how to hide. Too bad it doesn't matter," Genji said, dagger in hand.

"Who are you and why are you after us?" Jack aggressively asked, signaling to his goons to surround Genji.

"A dead man needs no answers," Genji replied, taking another step forward.

Hearing this answer, Jack realized Genji had no intentions of dallying and yelled, "GET HIM!"

Following this, transparent figures radiating thick malice manifested around his underlings and lunged forward. Genji gave these ghostly creatures a dismissive glance and swung his dagger. The next moment, everyone collapsed like stringless marionettes, and the floor drowned in red.

The ghostly beings also became more translucent, their eyes vacant as they struggled to comprehend what had transpired. But as their final moments approached, clarity returned to their eyes, and they gave Genji grateful looks. After so much suffering, they had finally been freed from this forced existence.

"You're crazy," Jack screamed as he fell on his rear. "This is this city! Aren't you afraid of attracting the public's attention? I thought you had a rule about staying hidden!?!?"

"That's my problem, not yours," Genji replied, severing his head. "You're nosy for your own good."

Then Genji crouched down and searched the body for the unusual aura he'd sensed. Seconds later, he pulled out a transparent cloth with cryptic symbols.

[Ghost Born Sultra]

Rating: Rare

Type: Paranormal item

Effects:

1. Personality Erosion (Passive): Pollutes the mind of anyone who touches this. Depending on the target's mental strength, can induce megalomania, delusion, narcissism, god complex, and sociopathy.
2. Translation (Passive): When affected by Personality Erosion, the text becomes understandable for the target.

Description: A cloth originating from a ghost king in an upper world. It records a nasty method for evolving into a baleful ghost.

Note: Although it sounds impressive, only suffering awaits anyone who practices this. Upon completion, the user will lose all freedom and become a slave to the ghost king who created this method.

Note 2: When enough desire for the supernatural accumulates, the world barrier will weaken, and similar items may slip through. Please keep general knowledge to a minimum if you value normalcy.

Note 3: As the source of this mission, EverRealm is willing to purchase it for 3 privilege tokens.

 

After reading the second note, Genji finally understood why EverRealm didn't want him to show his strength in public. While it was acceptable in other worlds where supernatural powers were common, Earth remained untainted, and EverRealm intended to keep it that way.

Although Genji didn't know the benefit of this, he didn't mind since it was much easier to relax when there were no threats at home.

'But still, what are the chances? To think the last group I clean up is the one with the ghost cloth,' Genji thought, eying Astros, who was coiled around his neck. Sensing his stare, Astros chirped happily and nuzzled closer to him.

"Okay, little guy. I get it," Genji said, feeding Astros a piece of fruit. "No need to be so clingy."

Nonetheless, Astros continued his actions, finding comfort in Genji's presence. Suddenly, someone barged into the room, eliciting a cold glare from Genji. There was still a lot of blood and bodies on the floor, so it was easy to deduce that Genji was the killer. If he didn't want any more trouble, it was best to eliminate this untimely witness.

"Hold on, hold on," the intruder blurted out, frantically waving his hands. "I'm also from EverRealm."

Cold sweat formed on the man's face as Genji's threatening aura and killing intent washed over him. It was honestly unnerving how quickly Genji resorted to murder.

Genji gave the man a second glance and acknowledged his statement. While the man's strength surpassed that of ordinary humans, it paled in comparison to Genji's norm. Genji estimated his stats to be around 13 points, making him a rookie member.

"The job's done. You can leave now," Genji said, stepping forward.

The man gulped as Genji approached but held his position and said, "I need to clean up the scene."

"Suit yourself," Genji said, walking past him.

At this moment, the snap of a broken twig sounded, alerting them to the presence of another witness. Both of them momentarily paused before their heads snapped in the source's direction, spotting a familiar woman hiding behind the corner.

The three of them stared at each other for a moment before the woman broke out running, screaming, "No no no no no no. I didn't see anything!"

The next moment, Genji appeared beside her and grabbed her arm. "Now, what are you doing here, Kosa?"