“Absorb…”

  “Come in…”

  “Enter me…”

  Nothing worked. The divine inventory was a scam. I couldn’t even put an ordinary stone inside. My mood worsened as I pinched the vein under my skin. Ugh… and hurt myself.

  The system wasn’t helpful either, as I could hear its giggles in my ears.

  ‘Sara, think again. Out of the box…’

  Took a deep breath. Hold. Breathe out. Calming my mind from any distracting thoughts, I touched the stone again. My mind tirelessly attempted to find anything helpful. After a few minutes, it sensed something.

  A strange pulse coming from the stone.

  [Every object constructed by heavenly laws has its own unique rhythm. Sometimes, they may repel or attract each other, like how fire always opposes water, and wood is always drawn to soil. These rhythms can form dissonance or resonance, respectively.

  However, there is another possibility. Two different rhythms perfectly meld with each other to form synchronisation. That’s practically impossible because it goes against the law of universal uniqueness.

  But you are different, Master. You have me as your vein. I can fake the rhythm and create the illusion of synchronisation. The laws will consider it the same rhythm, and thus, you can create either resonance or dissonance at will!

  This synchronisation allows you to draw another rhythm into yourself, granting you the uniqueness of anything you’ve synchronised with.]

  Then, the inventory vein in my palm came alive, swallowing the pulse from the stone and matching it with the pulses of my own soul.

  Invisible threads appeared from my body, connecting to the stone. Now, I could feel the stone as if it were my own limb. It was magical, if I shook off the creepiness came along it.

  With a slight pull on those threads, the stone disappeared into my body, followed by a notification:

  [You have synchronised with an Ordinary Stone.]

  [Maximum potential of an Ordinary Stone is: Mountain Stone -> ‘Pulse Stone’.]

  [Copying a note from the foreign rhythm…]

  [You have obtained the skill: ‘Energy Ripple’]

  [About:Releases a radial shockwave that pushes back enemies within a 3-meter radius.]

  [Energy Ripple]

  ? Quality: Iron (Lvl 1)

  ? Type: Active

  My heartbeat quickened as I inwardly called out the newly acquired skill. A dark brown ripple spread from my soles, and the ground beneath me trembled. Then, like a tide, it burst outward.

  With it, my body was flung backward, slamming into a nearby tree. Years of training allowed me to avoid serious injuries by sacrificing my shoulder as I twisted midair.

  That way, I protected my spine from breaking, but my right shoulder dislocated with a snap.

  “Ugh…” The pain shot straight into my brain, eliciting a grunt. It took my mind a few seconds to even process what had just happened. I supported myself against the tree and called for my status screen.

  Name: Sara

  Bloodline: Nil

  Spirit Root: Nil

  Affinities: Nil

  Cultivation: Essence Awakening (Red–1)

  Essence Core: 0 / 1000

  Aligned Path: Divine Inventory

  Aligned Skills:

  ? Energy Ripple – Iron (Lvl 1)

  Physical Stats:

  ? Vitality: 10

  ? Endurance: 15

  ? Strength: 10

  ? Defence: 7

  ? Intelligence: 21

  ? Agility: 17

  ? Perception: 80

  Health: 69 / 100

  Stamina: 150 / 150

  Essence Damage: 310

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Essence Defence: 70

  Essence Movement: 170

  Essence Scope: 800

  I couldn’t help but curse at my empty essence core and dwindling health. Due to excitement, I had forgotten a major cause of mortality among cultivators—skill backlash.

  Every skill requires the cultivator to burn essence to activate. The damage output of a skill is influenced by how much essence the wielder burns. So technically, the cultivator can burn a large amount of essence if they want to deal more damage.

  However, cultivators aren’t immune to the damage of their own skills. A human body has limits to the amount of essence damage it can release and withstand without injuring itself. A bronze-quality skill grants its wielder essence defence up to 10% of their total essence capacity.

  So they have to plan effectively, balancing essence damage and essence defence to offset potential backlash if they don’t want to end up like me.

  The phenomenon of a cultivator getting injured—or even killed—by their own skill is called skill backlash. Mostly, users of physical-type skills fall victim to it. That’s what just happened to me.

  Only because I had no essence stored in me did I escape without major injuries. Still, my shoulder hurt like hell.

  ‘The skill burned my raw strength and used intelligence to unleash it. Since I didn’t have any essence stored, none was used in the attack. So the total power inflicted was equal to my strength. My defence blocked 7 points, but I still took 3.

  Slamming into the tree also became a catalyst for the injury…’

  And that resulted in my dislocated shoulder. I shuddered imagining what would have happened if I’d had actual essence flowing.

  ‘I have to train to use my skills effectively without injuring myself.’

  Tearing the edge of my robe, I used it to bandage my dislocated shoulder. I continued walking toward the city, hoping to find an alchemist for treatment. The rest of the journey passed without disturbance. Along the way, I absorbed essence into my body.

  My absorption rate was pitifully low. In two hours, I had only filled half of my core. The bitter taste of that truth lingered in my mouth until the city walls came into view. I quickly washed it away at the sight of the imposing dark walls, which opened into a massive gate.

  I stopped, noticing the deep scratches on the stone walls.

  These weren’t from monsters, they were manmade. Sharp metal had carved into them. Even the iron gate that was supposed to be here had been replaced by a wooden one. Not the smartest idea, considering the forest…

  Well, there wasn’t a forest anymore anyway.

  ‘Seems like not only the world, but people’s tastes have changed too…’

  No soldiers guarded the gate as I walked into the city. The cobbled path stretched through the center, also scarred with the same marks.

  On both sides stood wooden buildings with leaves as roof, almost like the medieval cities I had read about in the library. But unlike what I expected, no voices from vendors, no laughter from children, no footsteps in alleyways welcomed me.

  The streets were empty, like an abandoned city. However, I was sure it wasn’t.

  Multiple prying eyes landed on me the instant I entered. Most disappeared without further ado. Then, the sharp slamming of windows echoed throughout the city. I flinched, taken aback.

  “Did they just… shut me out?”

  [I think yes, Master.]

  * * *

  The month of Sloth was always my favourite. Most of the people in the city would be sleeping during the daytime. At night, they would never have the energy to wander around. Also, that monster would never have any active minions to control, and the city would be peaceful—at least for a month.

  "Roy, what ya thinking?" I asked the anxious boy next to me with a smile.

  The new guy flinched at my question as I saw fear flash through his pupils. What a poor lad. Probably around seventeen, supposed to be training in the sect to become a cultivator.

  Sadly, now here, fearing the obvious death looming everywhere. At least he was lucky to be drafted into the army in this month. He had time to get accustomed to his next two years of life and learn about the horror he'd face in the coming months.

  Unlike the poor souls who lost themselves to that mirror without even knowing how they died. Roy, I really hoped we didn't need any more drafts this year—no more deaths among us.

  My gaze wandered toward the Broken Sky Mountain, where the once mighty sect had stood. Then toward the Star Fall, which lost its body to that monster.

  Terrible. She's too terrible. I had no idea how we could even fight against her. Thinking of fighting someone who swallowed an entire mountain range, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  What atrocities had we all committed in our past lives to attract such a curse upon us?

  No… not because of us.

  I clenched my fists. My eyes almost spat venom toward the destroyed sect. They were the reason such a monster had been unleashed into the world. I hoped they would burn eternally in hell for this sin.

  Roy was still trembling at my question. I patted his shoulders in reassurance while scratching my nails again.

  I hated how they grew even after I uprooted them, still shining as new, perfect for a reflection. I shuddered again, frantically removing any possibility of reflection from my nails.

  She came through reflections… the brighter the reflection, the more powerful she is…

  We were one of the squads dispatched to make sure no such materials—anything that could reflect even a little of the Star—were left behind without being destroyed. Easy job, if I could say. Unlike those who had to wait at the gates.

  They would be first to face that monster. If they were lucky, they could survive until we arrive and escape for their lives. Most of times, they wouldn't be that lucky.

  I was pointing at Roy to move to another part of the street when the sound of window doors slamming shut started echoing in the distance.

  The city came alive as the sounds rang through every street. The two of us stood petrified on the spot.

  I pinched my nails hard, they peeled out of my skin.

  "Roy… just run. Don't look back. Don't cry… remember, she can come to you even through your tears…" I shouted as I moved. "Remember what I'm doing now… do the same in the future."

  It was the duty of a Sky Shard, sacrificing his life for the future. A future that didn't include him.

  Gods… I really hoped this would be the end. An end where no one had to pave a future for someone else, just for themselves.

  I heard a muffled shout from Roy. The boy was surprisingly calm, better than I was when my predecessor did the same. It made me happy, knowing the future we paved with blood might not disappoint us.

  Who knows? Perhaps there would be a future where everyone could at least see their reflections.

  I turned a few curves, joining with soldiers along the way. When we reached the gate, there were already almost a hundred people around me. I glanced around and nodded my head.

  No one had deserted. At least a few of us might return alive, right?

  "Jarmine, we meet again…"

  "Oh Jarmine! Are you this quick to leave your new wife?"

  "Haha, perhaps he thinks it's better to be in the mirror than the kitchen…"

  The atmosphere was surprisingly wholesome. No one showed any panic. There was no reason for it either. When death is certain, humans forget fear. What's left is cold indifference.

  For veterans who had seen countless deaths, a few more wouldn't be enough to terrify.

  I just hoped the reflection this time would be dimmer. Dimmer so she never reflects.

  I scoffed at the guys around me. "At least I cooked rice in the kitchen. What about y'all?"

  "Pftt…"

  Laughter washed over our surroundings as the always lazy Sloth Star slowly began to descend. Its bright rays stretched our shadows toward the gate.

  My gaze followed the stretch, until the darkness stopped at a pair of feet.

  There she stood. Her silver hair swayed in the air. She held a stone in her hand, tossing it up and down in rhythm.

  Even the air seemed to freeze to breeze.

  Her gaze landed on us instantly.

  I saw a grin etch across her face as she opened her mouth to speak.

  "Finally… some humans."

  And she moved. And we shuddered.