NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3
Avatar (2)
“Huh? Why is this happening all of a sudden?”
As I opened my eyes wide and got up, the teleportation circle turned purple again.
In a panic, I closed my eyes and focused my mind on the avatar.
Sure enough, the teleportation circle began to shine blue.
Letting out a hollow laugh, I turned the avatar’s head to check the clock, and only about 1 minute remained.
‘…This is working?’
As I pondered over how this happened, I realized something.
The body of the “Avatar” perfectly matches my main body.
It’s neither an illusion nor a separate existence.
If anything, it was like a newly sprouted part of my body.
The resources needed to maintain it, and the need to consume food to supply the energy necessary for physical activity, were the only drawbacks.
The only downside is that my food expenses doubled.
If the main body is the right half including the head, the avatar is the left half excluding the head.
In that situation, if I focus the mind, which is like the head, on the avatar…
‘The teleportation circle can recognize the avatar as the main body!’
Fireworks exploded in my head. I trembled with joy.
When I smiled contentedly at the satisfaction of having solved all my problems.
Woo—woo—
The magic circle, glowing blue, emitted a vibration sound.
And then.
《The teleportation is starting.》
My avatar was sent to another world.
*
《Teleportation to the Auterica Dimension is complete.》
《You can return to Earth through the ‘Return’ section of the Karma Shop.》
《Current Karma: 0. You can check it later in the Karma Shop.》
Before I could reflect on the words I saw during the teleportation, my vision brightened.
What I saw first was a forest.
The tall trees, grass, and flowers were something I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Having been cooped up at home for two years, and not particularly enjoying hiking before that, it had been years since I last saw this.
Realizing that fact made me break out in a cold sweat and gasp for air.
“Ha… huff… huff.”
I thought it might be okay.
Since this wasn’t the Earth where the accident happened, I thought maybe it would work out, since I awakened my powers and was summoned to another world.
Moreover, right now, this was not my main body but an avatar.
It was totally out of the question.
I hurriedly closed the avatar’s eyes and focused my mind back on my main body on Earth.
When I opened my eyes, I breathed a sigh of relief at the unchanged sight of my room welcoming me.
The familiar suffocating sense of confinement after years made my heart feel at ease.
As I tried to ignore the sensations from the avatar, I soon felt a strong sense of alienation.
The difference between focusing on the avatar and focusing on my main body grew more pronounced as I recognized it.
The breeze brushing against my ears, the scent of the forest, the warmth of sunlight on my skin.
And the process of inhalation and exhalation, where the food I consumed was digested and turned into energy, all felt strange.
No, the fact that I could feel all of those things was itself strange.
“Ugh…”
A strong wave of nausea hit me.
Then I realized the cause.
‘I’d forgotten that the flow of time is different…!’
With many other worlds, not all flows of time are exactly 1:10.
Since it’s based on estimates from the experiences of those who returned, there would be deviations to some extent.
But what’s important right now is that the time difference is at least ten times.
Despite focusing as much as I could on my main body, the nausea did not subside.
When my main body exhales once, the avatar exhales over ten times.
The avatar is just standing there with its eyes closed, but its metabolism is noticeably faster than my main body’s movements.
‘I feel dizzy… I might throw up.’
Yeah, that’s it. I can’t take it anymore.
“Summoning Release.”
Ah… that feels better.
*
After lying down for a moment, the nausea soon subsided.
With peace in my heart, I began to ponder various thoughts.
A sense of accomplishment at having somehow survived the crisis, and an inexplicable sense of regret.
While I relaxed with relief, thinking there would be no teleportation to another world from now on, I suddenly recalled the text message I sent to my friend and hurriedly checked it.
“Oh… luckily, they haven’t read it yet.”
I deleted the sent message and sent another one asking for how they were doing.
There was no need to make them worry unnecessarily.
In light of how things turned out, I found it fortunate that I hadn’t reported to the Ability Management Bureau.
Originally, I planned to report immediately upon returning… but with the situation changing, my mind shifted.
‘It’s not like I intended to commit a crime with this, but dealing with hassle is annoying.’
On reflection, it was a power optimized for crime.
If I covered my face and committed robbery, I could pull off the perfect crime.
Even if I was suspected, my main body would be able to provide an alibi.
The additional belongings that I had would remain at that spot upon releasing the summoning, but there are ways to figure it out somehow.
‘Of course, that’s just a delusion.’
Didn’t I just confirm a little while ago that I couldn’t go out in avatar form?
‘Ah… well, whatever happens now doesn’t matter.’
The crisis has passed, and there shouldn’t be any problems, and with sharpening my abilities, it will soon be possible to play the game as if I’m playing a two-player mode on my own.
That’s all that matters.
Without thinking too much, I summoned the released avatar again.
《Achievement unlocked! Returned to Earth without using the Karma Shop.》
《As a reward for achieving a feat that transcends dimensions, you are granted the special ability “Dimensional Teleportation Circle Summon.” You can move back to a place you’ve passed through once a day through the teleportation circle.》
《You have significantly impacted the world by achieving this feat. Your Karma has greatly increased.》
“…Huh?”
The words I thought I wouldn’t see again floated before my eyes.
*
Karma and the Karma Shop.
A method for Awakened Ones to return to another world.
Karma is accumulated through good deeds or bad deeds, killing or labor, and is given based on the influence on others and the world.
However…
“Check Karma Shop.”
『Karma Shop』
『Return (1,000,000) (Unavailable)』
『Unique Skill Enhancement (300,000)』
『Status Enhancement – Detailed View』
『Current Karma – 1,910,213』
Now that I think about it, I was so stunned that I forgot there was a mention of the Karma Shop when I first teleported.
It said I could return to Earth through the ‘Return’ section by accumulating Karma…
‘Normally, I would be steadily accumulating Karma to return, but instead, I returned and filled up my Karma.’
How to use the Karma is left to the person concerned.
Should I strengthen myself with the accumulated Karma for a safer collection, or save it steadily without using it and use the “Return” as soon as possible?
It was important to distribute it appropriately depending on the situation.
If I was too weak, surviving would be a problem, and if I just recklessly strengthened myself, I might miss the timing and die ingloriously in an instant.
“But I never expected it to turn out this way. ‘A feat that transcends dimensions’…”
It seems the system judged that my avatar sent to the other world and being re-summoned from Earth was an act of transcending dimensions…
‘Isn’t this a bug? Is this really okay?’
Sending the avatar in place of myself was essentially deceiving the system, and now receiving a special ability makes me feel like someone might notice.
‘Oh, come on, the grand system that spans dimensions wouldn’t penalize me over something petty like this. It’s not like I did it intentionally.’
Shouldn’t they leave no loopholes to begin with?
The bugs in the program aren’t the developer’s fault?
I only did my best in everything!
What started as self-justification turned out to hold true when pondered.
‘Yeah! I did nothing wrong! Up yours!’
Having reassured myself, I took a moment to look at the sky before proudly perusing the Karma Shop.
With a good amount of Karma in my wallet, it felt like shopping.
‘Since I’m on Earth, ‘Return’ is pointless, and the unique skill refers to the ‘Avatar’.’
When I clicked on the detailed view of status enhancement, an overwhelming number of entries filled my view.
Under ‘Categories’ were several options, such as physical, mental, powers, and elemental strength.
Under ‘Physical,’ the subcategories listed upper body and lower body muscles, and there were separate lists for parts like biceps, latissimus dorsi, etc.
For ‘Agility,’ there were sub-items like reaction speed and dynamic visual acuity, among others.
‘…They don’t provide a status window but put so much effort into the shop window!’
While I contemplated the Karma Shop with a perplexed feeling, one entry caught my eye.
『Physical – Stamina – Recovery Enhancement (10,000)』
I stared at it, and as if enchanted, I picked it without hesitation.
There was no dramatic effect.
Unlike muscle increase like strength, it wouldn’t show immediately as it’s a gradual recovery.
『Recovery Enhancement (20,000)』
So I picked it again.
I could feel it in my legs. I felt the injury was healing.
If I just stayed like this, I would eventually recover.
『Recovery Enhancement (40,000)』
I selected once more.
My legs began to tingle.
The healing period would be shorter, so I’d fully recover soon.
Although the consumption of Karma doubled each time I selected, compared to my total, this was nothing.
『Recovery Enhancement (80,000)』
I picked again.
For me, this leg injury wasn’t merely an inconvenience.
It was a reflection of my pain, a scar showing the farewell with my family, and it was the wound that caused me to lock myself in my room afterward.
Sadness, despair, pain, deficiency, resignation, misfortune, all the sediment of negative emotions I accumulated over the years were symbolized in that injury.
『Recovery Enhancement (160,000)』
So I selected it once more.
It felt electric surging through my legs.
When I rolled up my pant leg, I saw my smooth leg without any surgical scars.
And I knew.
《Recovery exceeded the baseline. You have acquired the skill “Super Recovery.”》
The leg that had been limping was now completely healed and even stronger than before.
*
After basking in the realization that I had thrown off the shackles that had bound me for so long, I could finally calm down.
Of course, not all my problems were solved.
I still couldn’t go outside, but now a hope and belief blossomed that I could overcome this somehow.
When I checked “Super Recovery,” I found that, just as the name implied, it was a skill that enhanced recovery.
While regrowing severed body parts might be impossible, I could rapidly heal most wounds.
Calming my mind, I checked the Karma Shop once more.
『Karma Shop』
『Return (1,000,000) (Unavailable)』
『Unique Skill Enhancement (300,000)』
『Status Enhancement – Detailed View』
『Current Karma – 1,600,213』
‘How much Karma did I get for that feat?’
Of course, I didn’t dislike it, but it was significantly surprising.
Then my gaze halted on the Unique Skill Enhancement section.
Awakening the “Avatar” skill was the beginning of all changes.
What more could I do by enhancing this skill?
Perhaps it could help me grow even more.
The growth of unique skills aligns with the directions desired by the Awakened One.
Enhancing abilities roughly without consuming Karma or honing them through practice could be significantly expedited by using the Karma Shop.
Now, I had a way to go to another world without risk.
But in this state, it was like a double-edged sword of which I couldn’t make use.
I expected that enhancing my unique skill would develop in a way that would aid my current situation and chose the entry.
After a moment’s headache, I initially failed to notice any changes.
That was only to be expected since right after being re-summoned, the achievement message popped up, meaning the avatar had been pushed to the back of my consciousness.
But soon, I realized exactly what had changed.
My brain had become like two.
No, it had always been two, but while one consciousness used to move between two bodies, I would now be able to seamlessly split thoughts to operate separately.
I stood facing the avatar.
I gladly accepted two fields of vision, and there was no sense of alienation whatsoever.
“Hmm, you do look quite handsome, as a man should.”
“You’re not bad either. Looks like you’ve been working out?”
“Of course. It’s the result of consistent effort.”
Now we could smoothly converse with each other.
…Though in reality, it was almost like talking to myself.
To figure out how far this capability extended, I began to test things out.
We could face each other and sync movements perfectly. We could do push-ups and sit-ups simultaneously.
While cleaning, I could surf the internet, and when a friend came over, I could play a two-player game by myself that I could only play when they were around!
“Hot! This isn’t the time to be messing around.”
I had strayed for a bit, but it was time to refocus.
As I began to tidy up the game console with my avatar, I reorganized my thoughts about my enhanced unique skill.
It wasn’t just that I had become adept at multitasking, but now I could actually think individually using separate parts of my brain.
Not only that, but seeing how naturally I was accepting these changes, it seemed my cognitive and mental stats had significantly improved as well.
‘And one more thing.’
I picked up a chair that was in the room with my avatar.
And when I released the summoning…
The avatar disappeared along with the chair.
Now I could equip individual equipment with the avatar, and I could summon and release it with whatever possessions I held!
As long as it was within the weight I could carry, it was similar to having my own spatial dimension.
With this ability, I felt hopeful for the future and nodded in satisfaction before checking the Karma Shop again.
『Unique Skill Enhancement (400,000)』
Fortunately, it seemed that the cost for enhancing unique skills didn’t double.
I would be able to enhance it further after all.
Without hesitation, I selected 『Unique Skill Enhancement』 for one more time, and a headache accompanied the text that floated before my eyes.
《The unique skill has grown, unlocking potential. You have acquired the special skill “Mind Hub.”》
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