White.
That was all Henry saw. A boundless, blinding, endless white swallowing everything... sound, color, even the sensation of falling. It felt like being trapped between one heartbeat and the next. Then...
THOOM!
A deafening splash resonated as he plunged into the shimmering embrace of the pool below, water exploding outward in a cascading spray, as he descended into the cool depths of the lake.
He attempted to swim back to the surface, but an unexpected heaviness seized his limbs. Suddenly, his body felt like lead, leaving him limp and unresponsive, suspended in the water's embrace as he surrendered to the depths below.
Then came the pain.
It wasn't ordinary pain; it was cosmic. Like a billion volts of lightning detonating inside his veins, tearing apart every atom of who he was and stitching him back together in the same instant. His body spasmed violently, a scream clawing its way out of his throat but dying in the emptiness around him.
And then.. voices. Thousands of them. Whispering, chanting, roaring all at once. Words in a language that shouldn't exist but did.
"...Velocity is divinity..."
"...The universe bends for the swift..."
"...The next avater awakens...."
And then, a more deep and gravelly voice predated the rest:
"...Rise, my scion. Let the world marvel at your speed..."
Henry gasped, his lungs seizing with the rush of fresh air as his head broke through the still, reflective surface of the lake. The cool water danced against his skin, droplets cascading around him, shimmering like tiny crystals in the dappled sunlight.
He blinked rapidly, shaking off the water that clung to his hair, and took a deep breath, filling his chest with the crisp, invigorating scent of nature surrounding him.
Then, he propelled himself through the water until he finally reached the shore. As he emerged, he heaved his body onto the rugged terrain, rolling across wet stone and dirt. His body burned like fire, but he was alive. Somehow.
He lay on the ground for a moment, panting, staring up at the fractured canopy above. His heart was hammering so fast it almost hurt. His skin tingled like static. Every sound... the drip of water, the rustle of leaves, the hiss of steam from the river below, was sharper, clearer.
"What... the hell just happened?" he whispered.
[Welcome back, Host] The British voice purred in his mind, the hint of smug satisfaction unmistakable. [You survived. Barely]
Henry groaned and pushed himself up to a sitting position. "Barely? You call that barely? I just fell off a goddamn waterfall and almost drowned!"
[Yes. And yet, here you are] she said without remorse. [Congratulations, your synchronization rate has reached one hundred percent. The Celestial Speed System is now fully operational]
Henry blinked, trying to process that. "Fully operational... meaning what, exactly?"
In response, golden light shimmered in the air before him... lines of intricate circuitry and ethereal symbols forming a luminous interface, hovering inches from his face.
It pulsed once, like a heartbeat, and text began to scroll across it.
[Celestial System Fully Initialized]
[Celestial Legacy: Hermes (Mecury), the God of Speed]
[System Status: Active
Core Synchronization: 100%]
[New Skill Unlocked; Accelerated Perception (Passive)]
*Tabs:
Henry's jaw dropped. "Okay... wow." He stared at the floating screen, his brain struggling to wrap around the words. "You weren't kidding. This is... insane."
[You're welcome.]
He ran a shaky hand through his soaked hair, laughing weakly. "So... what, I'm like a speedster now? Sonic with extra flair?"
[If that helps you understand it, yes. But unlike your fictional speedsters, you're not channeling energy... you are the energy] she explained. [Every atom of your body now vibrates at an enhanced frequency. You process, move, and react faster than any biological being should]
Henry's gaze darted to his hand. He focused, and suddenly, the world... slowed. The droplets of water falling from his hair hung midair like glass beads. The swaying of a nearby bush paused.
He could see everything. Every vibration of sound. Every subtle current in the air. His thoughts raced so fast it scared him.
"I can... see time moving?" he whispered.
[Accelerated Perception] the voice confirmed. [Your mind is operating at roughly one hundred times normal speed. Don't worry, it'll stabilize soon]
Henry chuckled breathlessly. "Stabilize? Lady, I feel like my brain's running on WiFi from the gods!"
The girl didn't find that hilarious. Instead, she said: [You're adapting pretty well. I find it fascinating]
"Yeah, well, I was an anime nerd," Henry said. "I've trained for this moment my whole life."
[Oh, I'm sure binge-watching Re:Zero prepared you for mortal combat]
Henry grinned despite himself. "You watch anime too?"
[No. I accessed your memories] she corrected. [Though, I wish I hadn't]
Henry laughed out loud this time... real, shaky, but genuine laughter. The absurdity of it all hit him again. He was talking to an AI inside his head while sitting soaked in the middle of a post-apocalyptic jungle full of monsters. And yet, it all somehow fit.
But then the ground trembled. A low rumble echoed through the gorge.
Henry froze. His new, hypersensitive perception picked it up instantly... the faint vibration of heavy steps, the subtle shift of heat in the air.
"Oh, come on," he whispered, having already guessed who... or what that was.
It was the fire-lion. It had followed Henry down the waterfall and was now headed towards him.
Through the mist, Henry saw glowing embers eyes like molten gold glaring through the spray. The monster dragged itself up the rocks, its mane burning hotter than before, steam curling around it like a demon reborn.
He swallowed hard, his instincts screaming at him to run, but something inside him clicked instead. An idea. It was a bad idea. A stupid idea. But an idea nonetheless.
Running forever was a fantasy for gods, not for men with mortal limits. He couldn't outrun the beast. But perhaps he could outwit it. Fight-tease it. Draw it out, create an opening, a chance.
Henry took a deep breath as he walked forward. A flicker of desperate, almost suicidal, defiance igniting within him.
The lion roared, amused and offended, that someone as weak as Henry would even dare to think of confronting it.
Henry grinned.. half terrified, half exhilarated.
"Alright, Simba," he muttered under his breath, dropping into a stance he'd only ever seen in anime. "Round two."
And for the first time since waking in this world, Henry wasn't running from death. He was running toward it. Little did he know that he would later come to regret that choice.
The beast roared again, a sound that vibrated in his bones, and launched itself forward, swiping it's flaming claws at Henry.
Henry dodged, a clumsy, desperate sidestep. He feinted left, then darted right, the beast's massive form lumbering clumsily after him. For a fleeting moment, his mad plan seemed to be working. He was leading the beast on, drawing its attention, buying precious seconds, while trying to tire it out.
But then, the lion moved.
It was faster than before. Much faster. One second it was there, the next—
SMACK.
A flaming paw the size of a dinner table slammed into Henry's face.
Pain exploded through his skull. He wasn't just hit; he was launched. He spun midair like a ragdoll, crashing through a bush before slamming into a tree with a resounding crack that echoed through the forest, bark splintering as pain detonated through his spine like a lightning bolt.
"Arghhh—!" He gasped, a sharp cry tearing from his throat as blood spewed from his mouth. He hit the ground with a wet thud, coughing violently.
Henry's vision swam, the vibrant greens of the forest bleeding into a hazy, encroaching darkness. He tried to push himself up, to scramble away. But the moment he twitched, a terrifying, tearing sensation ripped through his back. His legs refused to obey, his spine was shattered.
Panic, cold and sharp, began to claw at his throat. "No, no, no... c'mon, move!" he grunted, clawing at the dirt. But his legs just lay there, dead weight.
Then, the familiar golden holographic screen appeared in his line of sight.
[Hp: 5/100]
[Warning! Hp Critically Low]
"Thanks for the update," Henry hissed through gritted teeth. "Real helpful."
Then, the girl... the disembodied voice that had been his reluctant companion through this nightmare, spoke, her tone laced with genuine concern. [Host, your condition is critical. You need immediate medical attention]
Even through the searing pain, a bitter, sardonic laugh threatened to escape him. "Yeah, no kidding," he rasped, the words barely audible. Then he tilted his head weakly, just enough to see it.
The lion. The damn lion.
It was approaching, slow, deliberate, unhurried... like it knew there was nowhere left for Henry to run. The monster's mane blazed brighter with every step, casting long, rippling shadows across the forest floor. Its molten eyes locked on him, cold and hungry.
Henry's heart pounded against his ribs. He was trapped. Helpless. Broken. Desperation surged within him. "Hey, system lady. Please, you gotta help me out here," he pleaded. "Can you... I dunno, freeze time again or something?"
[Chronostasis was a one-time activation. I cannot replicate it] she replied indifferently.
Henry chuckled darkly. His laugh was bitter, delirious. "Oh well, I guess that means I'm screwed..."
He turned his gaze upward... the lion now loomed above him, its molten fangs dripping embers onto the dirt, its breath hot enough to sting his face.
"This is it," he murmured weakly. "Truck-kun's sequel: Safari Edition."
The beast's chest rumbled, deep and thunderous. It raised its claw.. a burning guillotine descending from the sky.
Henry squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable. The impact. The oblivion.
But it never came.
Instead, there was a thunderous crash, followed by a tremendous force that slammed into the beast from the side.
Henry's eyes snapped open just in time to see the lion's massive body crash into a nearby tree. The force of the collision was so devastating that the entire trunk folded inward, splintering like a matchstick.
"What... the... hell?" he croaked, blinking. His vision still blurry, but now focused on the silhouette standing between him and the recovering beast.
It was a man. Muscular, powerfully built, with close-cropped black hair and a rugged stubble. His fist was still outstretched, a testament to the titanic blow he had just delivered.
Henry's mind reeled. He hadn't seen the man approach, hadn't heard him, but the evidence was undeniable. This man had punched a colossal, flaming beast and sent it flying with his bare hands. It was beyond comprehension.
But before he could process the scene, another figure stepped into view... A woman. Elegant, lethal, and terrifyingly beautiful.
She was in her late thirties, with brown hair pulled back neatly, and features that were undeniably irresistible. Her body was accentuated by the black tactical combat suit that hugged her curves. The man was also clad in combat gear, but Henry's gaze was only fixed on the woman now.
Her eyes swept the scene, and when they fell on Henry, something in them softened. "Is he okay?" she asked the man, her voice sharp yet calm.
The man finally turned to Henry, his gaze surprisingly gentle despite his formidable presence. "Hey, kid. You good?"
Henry, still caught in the maelstrom of disbelief and pain, managed a weak shake of his head. One that clearly implied: "No. I'm far from good"
But the man, with a disarming grin, interpreted it differently. "Yeah, he's good," he stated, already turning back to face the beast, which was now lumbering to its feet, its anger a visible aura.
Henry's mind exploded. "What! That's not what I meant! I'm not good at all. I've got a broken spine, dammit!" But his words only came out in grunts, lost in the roar that followed.
The lion had recovered, fury blazing hotter than before. Its mane erupted like wildfire, and it let out a roar that sent birds scattering from miles away.
The woman sighed, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "Look what you did, Xavier. You made it angry."
The man, Xavier, smirked. "Don't worry, I got this. Take care of him." he said, cracking his knuckles.
The woman scoffed, a playful glint in her eyes. "And let you have all the fun? I don't think so."
Xavier shrugged. "Suit yourself." With that, he launched himself at the beast, a blur of controlled aggression.
The beast met him head-on, and the forest floor vibrated with the thunderous clash of titans.
The woman chuckled, then turned her attention fully to Henry. Her presence was... strange. Calm. Like the eye of a storm.
She knelt beside him, her touch surprisingly gentle as brushed the blood from his cheek. "Oh, you poor thing. You're hurt pretty bad," she murmured. "Don't worry, I'll have you patched up soon. Just give me a moment, okay?"
Henry didn't know why, but he nodded. It was an involuntary response, a reflex he couldn't control, as if some deep, dormant part of him recognized her.
A soft smile touched her lips. "Good boy." Then, with a subtle flick of her wrist, a gleaming dagger materialized in her hand, shimmering with an ethereal light.
Henry blinked through the haze of pain. "Did... did she just pull that out of nowhere?"
The woman met his gaze, her eyes holding a profound depth. "Try to stay alive for me, Henry. I'll be right back."
And before he could even blink, she was gone, darting toward the blazing lion at a speed his tired eyes couldn't follow.
Henry's head rolled to the side. The battle before him was chaos incarnate... flashes of fire, shockwaves, and sparks lighting up the forest.
He wanted to keep watching, but the darkness was creeping in. His vision blurred, the edges of his awareness dissolving into a dark, welcoming, oblivion.
And as his consciousness slipped away, one final thought hit him like lightning:
"Wait... how did she know my name?"
Then everything went dark.