Imagination Paralysis

The circle of magic surrounding Booza began to dim. The cyan light that had wrapped his body slowly faded away. But something was different—his muscles were expanding, his body pulsing with newfound power. His eyes darkened, sharper than before, and his mind cleared, as though he could suddenly grasp the workings of the entire world.

It was as if he had been reborn.

A power had awakened deep within him—something wild and volatile, aching to be unleashed. But what was it, exactly? Booza could only guess. Suddenly, a translucent cyan screen flickered inside his mind, revealing a system he had never seen before.

> [Loading System]

> [Aspect Ability Acquired]

> [Name of Aspect Ability: Imagination Suppressor]

Booza blinked in disbelief. He quickly summoned the translucent screen again, eager to understand this strange power in detail. The interface reappeared before him.

> Name: [Booza]

> Rank: [Supreme]

> Attributes: [Illusion], [Mind], [Imagination]

> Aspect: [Imagination Suppressor]

> Aspect Power: [Illusion]

> Magic Fragments: [5/1000]

> Memories: [-]

His eyes widened, stunned. Supreme. The highest magic rank—something that typically only nobly born warriors trained from childhood could ever hope to achieve. But Booza? A lowly outcast? A mere enslaved person? He had it.

A storm of questions churned within him. What exactly was this power? Illusion? Did that mean he could manipulate his enemies' perceptions in battle?

He had to figure it out—fast. Above ground, the sounds of battle raged on. Explosions thundered, steel clashed against steel. Terror filled the air, thick and choking. The world was a battlefield of chaos.

Sensing Booza's confusion, the system responded again.

> [Loading System]

> [Apologies. Your aspect power is currently weak due to your poor condition. Train harder.]

"What!?" Booza protested aloud.

But soon, he understood. Sure, he felt stronger now, but it wasn't enough. To truly reach the pinnacle of Supreme rank, he would need to train—harder than ever before.

Then, out of nowhere, his mind was flooded with strange, intrusive thoughts.

"Why is he just standing there?"

"Did he awaken his power?"

"What kind of ability could a lazy guy like him have?"

"He likes to write. Maybe his power has something to do with ink? Maybe he's turning into a squid... a kraken, even. Let's hope it's a kraken!"

Booza turned to look at Karel with a blank stare.

So this is what's inside Karel's head.

Those absurd questions weren't from his imagination—they were Karel's actual thoughts. Booza could hear them. That's when it hit him.

"I can read other people's thoughts," Booza said, eyes fixed on Karel. "And yes... I know you're hoping I become a kraken."

Karel flinched in shock. But after a moment, he sighed in resignation, as if suddenly exhausted.

"Reading minds, huh? Not a bad power. But... probably useless in a real fight."

He wasn't wrong. Booza hadn't awakened a devastating attack skill. Instead, he had gained an ability more fitting for a spy than a warrior.

"Is that it? Is this all I've got?" Booza asked, directing his question to the system.

> [Yes. That's all you currently possess.]

Still, the fact remained: Booza had a Supreme-level power. And that meant potential—limitless potential. With effort and training, perhaps this was only the beginning. Maybe one day, something far more terrifying would awaken within him.

He held onto that hope.

For now, all he could do was hide in the underground bunker with Karel and wait out the bloodbath above. The massacre would last one hour. Booza could only pray they'd survive until then.

Whether fighting or hiding, the fear was the same.

Even deep underground, they weren't safe. The bunker shook violently, assaulted by tremors from the surface. Dust fell from the ceiling like rain, and explosions boomed loud enough to rupture their ears.

Damn it.

There was nothing they could do. Booza wrapped his arms around Karel, trying to calm her trembling body. She was shaking so hard, consumed by fear. Maybe this wasn't her first time—but at her age, another massacre was nothing short of hell.

Screams pierced through the earth, echoing from the surface and finding their way into Booza's and Karel's ears. They didn't know what was happening up there, but the sheer brutality of the slaughter was unmistakable.

Fifteen minutes left.

Such a short time—but for Booza and Karel, it felt like an eternity. The bunker kept shaking. Cracks began to form in the walls.

"If this continues, we'll be buried alive. Damn it...!"

Panic welled up inside Booza. But what could he do? Nothing. Going outside would be suicide—countless beasts were prowling above.

Then suddenly, the ground beneath them shifted. It felt like the entire bunker was being lifted—slowly at first, then rapidly, as if something massive was pulling them up from the surface.

Karel screamed.

"What's happening!?"

Booza was just as terrified. Someone had found them. Someone strong enough to yank an entire bunker from underground.

And then, in the next moment, they were above ground. The bunker was flung upward like a fish hooked from deep water. Booza and Karel crashed into the walls, blood trickling down their foreheads. Booza clung to her tightly, desperate to shield her from harm.

The bunker slammed onto the surface with a deafening crash. Its walls crumbled on impact.

"Oh? So you two were hiding underground. Clever strategy," a voice called out.

Booza couldn't see who was speaking—dust filled the air, thick as smoke. His mind-reading didn't work on anyone besides Karel. The old woman was trembling, frozen with fear. There was no point resisting now. If death came, it would come swiftly.

And then... he saw her.

A woman, hovering in the sky.

The Queen.

Booza's eyes locked onto her—beautiful, ethereal, and terrifying. Her face tilted toward the heavens, arms spread wide, and hair flowing freely in the wind. Her dress fluttered around her like the petals of a cursed flower, surrounded by an aura of darkness.

She was Queen Catarine II, the ruler of Luzia.

And this... this was the Ritual of the Culling in the Kingdom of Luzia.

The slaughter of the weak would commence whenever the Queen lost her sense of self.

Massacre.

Extinction.

Annihilation.