Chapter 2: The Day You’ve Been Waiting For (2)

Rumble! Rumble!

Suddenly, the nonstop quaking jolted me awake. No, when had I even fallen asleep? One of the Calamity's effects.. I should take notes just in case it will continue to effect my mental state.

"Well let's peek in a moment. Perhaps it isnt time still haha.." It seemed as if someone, or possibly the rumbling moved the rock during battle. Nevermind seeing whats going on, I can only hear muffled clanging. I could only try to think to myself while the ringing of mana sounded like it never intended on stopping. Oddly, in this moment I was calm enough and prepared to step out into the battlefield. Notes, check. No pain, check. Skill cool.. nevermind. 

"Tch, why even think of such a thing." At least my field training wasn't in vain.

Potentially hours had past. No sleep skill, especially from a Calamity, would be that weak for it to be minutes. Did a battle always take this long? Maybe the stakes are higher because of the difficulty. Yes, that would make sense, right? As my worries continued to creep up on me so did the suffocating mana of the Calamity. I desperately wanted to move this rock and make a run for it, but it's not like I could forget what was drilled into my head...

The signal! Where is the signal!?

There were multiple plans to account for variations, but three important signals. One for if we were forced to run, one if they assumed the worst, and one for the all clear. Maybe they got caught up in the moment and left without a second thought. It wouldn't be the end of the world but.. such a thing even all the worrying you two do! 

Regardless since I'm here I've got to find a chance. Although, it may be slower it doesn't make sense for the skill to not work on a dead calamity. It's not like the Gods would ever serve me such an opportunity on a silver platter..

"Haah, it's fine. The testing wasn't for nothing, right.." again I mumbled to myself, but just then it felt like the whole battleground just shook. Uncomparably more violent than before. 

"It was charging.. a mana wave..?" The only thing that would make such an impact would be a powerful skill or a mana wave. Only now did Lyn start to notice..

 When did the fighting stop? Did they see something I cant? How could you leave a poor Level 1? Every single one of you should be at my door apologizing all night? Maybe not even that is enough..

The ground continued to shake fiercly, if he didn't move now, Lyn would never even be able to stand straight long enough to move the heavy rock.

"Shit." he spat, quickly getting up to avoid getting trapped.

Putting all his strength into moving the rock, Lyn emerged from the ground.

"I didnt even take the time to stretch." Sometimes you don't have time to think, Lyn!

[The Calamity 'Husk Who Returns Home' is creating it's domain!]

Putting his personified muscles aside and re-entering the battlefield, Lyn finally recived the messages he wasn't able to while outside the predetermined zone.

[Due to entering the current Domain, you will fall into the 'Deep Sleep' state!] 

God, no. Please, not me. Not now, not alone. What kind of shit luck do I have to be here! Did I not even qualify for a Luck Stat? Huh? Is that it? Momentarily Lyn was sent into a panic, however..

"It's not.. working?" He paused for a moment, is it the reason I fell unconscious without knowing?

"Focus, focus." Lyn settled myself in this free opportunity and observed more keenly.

"...Another graveyard.." Lyn said subconciously, holding his nose to block the smell of blood and dust in the air. Sights like this were not foriegn to him, even from the comfort of his library.

A graveyard. The final resting place for warriors during large scale battles. Often times, the area couldnt even be entered, let alone recovered, unless another stronger team came through.

"It's not like we didn't put our all into this fight either.."

Do I even have the chance to stand out there..? Are Sunny.. and Ren..? No! Even if its a Calamity, there are no garuntees in this world. Just think! Regardless of the amount of warriors lost, it doesn't make sense for everyone to leave unless they had a reason, right? Lyn knew that there were magic focused warriors that were resistant to such states like [Deep Sleep]. 

"Surely, those who were awoken got away safely..." Haah.. Of course, together those two are unstoppable.. so Get Your Head In the Game, Lyn!

[The Calamity 'Husk Who Returns Home' is in an [Immunity] State due to the progress of it's Domain Completion]

[Please, turn away now!]

Hmph, who are you to be worrying about me now, you damn worthless system.  Getting into the mood of cursing the whole world, Lyn recklessly dashed forward obsessed with his opportunity that became clear to him. No matter what the preoccupied Calamity couldn't stop me after all..

"Absorbtion isn't an attack skill!"

[Warning! [Absorbtion] skill can only be used once! are you sure you would like to use it on the Husk Who Returns Home'?]

You are reading story I Absorbed The Calamity at novel35.com

'Yes. God, yes.'

[Due to the danger of absorbing this level of power, [Absorbtion] could harm you! Will you still complete the process?]

'Yes. That's perfect.'

Ring~! [Calculating rewards for defeating the 'Husk Who Returns Home']

[Due to the Level difference, [Absorbtion] time will take much longer!]

[[Absorbtion] Progress 0.01%]

[Due to entering the current Domain, you will fall into the 'Deep Sleep' state!]

You fuckers.. I did it.. alone.. screw all.. of.. you..

As the system windows started to pile, Lyn's consciousness slowly faded.

. . .

At Lyn's Library, the only two who could enter unannounced were left. Inside, apart from the two, were a piles of notes detailing the zone of the Calamity, plans of action, and a livestream of the zone. The atmosphere was heavy enough to be felt from the outside of the room. Although, of course, no one but the pair knew why the air was so heavy. 

Ren couldn't help it. She wanted to break this silence that seemed like it would go on forever.

"Sunny, stop shaking. Please." I know. We both know, but please don't say it out loud. Ren could only beg inward. She knew what was coming.

Sunny, with tears in his eyes, looked like he could barely contain himself. No, it was correct to say that he was ready to explode at the drop of a pen.

"Where is he? You definitely said he'd still be where we left him when we got back. So, Where. Is. He." Not even Sunny could tell if it was rage, sadness, or some mixture of the two he was feeling. An emotion he'd never even considered now felt like it would never leave his side. This is what it's like.. 

"..." She could say nothing. To not even be able to wait for a response to the signal, but if we were late then.. She couldn't even imagine what Lyn would feel if either of them died fighting for him. Even if Lyn didn't fight along side the pair, he was still like a brother, an essential part of the team, and a lifeline for a normal slice of life. His irreplaceable presence alone, or the thought that his presence would never be filled again, left a void in their hearts. 

"We couldn't even scratch the thing, Ren! Theres no chance for him out there. If he was at least Level 3, he could have had a healing artifact. Fuck, I should have known. Who in there right mind would have agreed to something so stupid? To bypass a rule set for a reason-" 

"S-Sunny." Ren, too distracted with her own thoughts to be shocked that Sunny cursed, noticed something different about the livestream of the battlefield immediately.

"And we can't even confirm his death! There's no weapon, no legacy artifact! No-"

"Sunny!" again, Ren interrupted his rant.

"What, Ren! There's no fixing this." Sunny roared back, ready to keep shouting, even if it was at nothing.

"..Where's the Calamity gone?" Ren said, almost muttering because she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Taken aback, and confused by the question Sunny automatically said the answer that was most obvious to himself.

"..It created it's domain, no? That was why we left?" he responded, not knowing why she was reccounting events.

"But take a look at the battlefield. Do you see any changes? Theres not even fog out there." Ren said, with a spark of hope reignighting her powerful voice. The pair studied the screen intently. Too far in their own thoughts to notice the movement earlier, they were now fully aware of the battlefield's current state. 

"..Then.. it's possible he.."

"Haah, we really are idiots." 

"Hahaha! Yes! The best idiots!" The golden retriever could only jump in joy at his last glimmer of hope.

. . .