NOVEL WEB Chapter 379: Cooldown
Arthur focused on the matter at hand. He turned toward Gates and Dave, both men watching him with expectant expressions.
"Give me a few seconds. I need to check something out."
I need to test whether teleporting to the other world with somebody is safe.
Both nodded without question, understanding the gravity that surrounded Arthur's every decision.
Arthur teleported from the hospital corridor, reality folding around him as he materialised on the devastated street outside. Smoke still rose from damaged buildings, but the immediate area had been cleared of demonic presence.
There are no demons around here. They were attracted by our position and eliminated.
His perception swept the surrounding blocks, cataloguing destruction and energy signatures. The defective demons had focused their assault on this specific location before being destroyed by them.
Time to find some lab rats for testing.
Arthur activated his spatial manipulation again. His target was a random location he had visited before.
Space compressed around him as he teleported to a residential district where screams echoed through broken windows. A pack of defective demons had cornered a family of survivors in what used to be a grocery store.
Those will suffice.
Arthur instantly appeared behind the demon pack with deadly silence. The creatures remained focused on their trapped prey, unaware that death had joined their hunting party.
Arthur's aura expanded with crushing force.
The air itself became a weapon as pressure compressed around the demons with irresistible power.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Five demons collapsed simultaneously, their corrupted bodies unable to withstand his aura.
Their bones shattered, organs liquefied, and their existence ended in microseconds.
Arthur's control left a single demon alive, the smallest of the pack.
Its burning eyes widened with terror as it found itself isolated among its companions' remains.
The trapped family emerged from their hiding place, faces streaked with tears and disbelief. A middle-aged man stepped forward first, his voice shaking with emotion.
"T-Thank you....You... you saved us!"
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" The mother clutched her children closer. "We thought we were going to die!"
"You are welcome."
"Stay inside and avoid the streets," Arthur commanded. "There are more threats incoming."
"Also, here. Take this."
Arthur threw the family a few rare weapons from his storage ring.
"Use this to defend yourself. I suggest that the man of the family should go and hunt for those small demons. They will help you level up your strength...you will need it in the upcoming event."
"Thank you!" They all shouted, grabbing the magical items that Arthur had given them.
One of the teens in the family walked up to Arthur.
"Sir! I-I have a B-Rank talent, it's called Super Strength. I've researched Armageddon, and I've been checking in many forums. I would like to follow, but please...help me protect my family."
Arthur stared at the young man in front of him. They were around the same age, yet the way the boy was talking to him, it sounded as if Arthur was his elder.
Arthur stared at him for a second before nodding.
"What's your name?"
"Oliver...Oliver Harmon."
Arthur nodded before he used his summoning talent, and two summons emerged from the portal.
One was Epic-rank and the other was elite-rank.
"One will help you protect your family, the other will help you level up. Get stronger and do that fast. If my summon tells me that you are slacking or not trying, I will immediately withdraw my protection from you."
"Talent isn't everything. If you don't have the courage, then I don't care whether you have a B-rank talent or an S-rank talent."
The young man nodded several times like a chicken.
"I won't fail you!"
Arthur nodded towards him and his thankful family before he reached down and grasped the surviving demon by its throat, ignoring its pathetic struggles. The creature's claws scraped harmlessly against his skin.
Arthur wrapped the demon in a bubble he created using his space talent, creating an isolated pocket of space around its form. The creature's movements became sluggish as space bent to contain it.
The demon was completely immobilised, unable to move.
"Alright, time to check whether teleporting with someone damages them or not."
Arthur stared at the demon for a few seconds, evaluating its strength and physical capabilities.
The defective demon's physical attributes should be comparable to Charlotte's current state after the equipment is added.
Arthur took a deep breath, calculating variables and potential complications. His sister's life depended on this test succeeding without causing harm to the passenger.
My following plans will depend on whether this experiment succeeds or not.
Whilst the complication of death due to the incredible distance was still possible, Arthur wasn't worried about it because of one skill he had in his arsenal.
—
<Ninefold Fortune>
<Rank: Mythical>
<Passive>
<Description: Grants an extra life upon death. When HP reaches 0, the user is instantly revived. The revived state removes all debuffs and grants 5 seconds of invincibility. Activation resets all cooldowns. It can only be triggered once per week.>
—
Based on this skill, Arthur guaranteed that he would be safe, even if he died in space due to tears. The revival, coupled with his 5 seconds of invincibility, and the reset of all cooldowns meant that he would be able to use his teleportation to return to Earth without any worries about his safety.
Having made his mind up. Arthur activated his space talent, focusing his consciousness on Armageddon's digital realm where Jasmine waited.
Reality dissolved around them, the scene fading as Arthur's power carried both figures across the impossible distance between worlds. The familiar sensation of space travel felt different, especially since he was travelling such a long distance, which only god knew how far it was.
Arthur appeared in Armageddon's village plaza, the landscape reforming around their position. Arthur immediately turned to examine his unwilling test subject.
The demon remained completely intact. There was no visible damage to its body or mind.
It seemed like the spatial distortion didn't affect its physiology.
"Yes! Let's go!"
Relief flooded through Arthur's body as worry that had been gnawing at his mind finally dissipated. The teleportation was viable for passengers.
Charlotte can make the journey.
Arthur checked his spatial manipulation cooldown, accessing the information through his system. The numbers appeared in his mind with crystalline clarity.
There is a twenty-four-hour cooldown before I can take Charlotte to Jasmine.