I made my way toward my trusty ancient scribble—’Baldy.’
Sliding it out of the drawer, I placed it carefully on my bed. The moment I opened it, dazzling golden light burst forth from its weathered cover, flickering like a living entity.
Its shimmering glow pulsed in a questioning rhythm.
I smirked. "Nothing serious. I just have a few questions."
The light dimmed slightly, as if contemplating.
I didn’t bother entertaining its musings. My curiosity was burning a hole through my patience.
"Tell me about the strongest elements," I said. "I need to know which ones I should aim for when I awaken my affinity."
I paused before adding, "And don’t try that roundabout nonsense like last time—’To awaken yourself, you must awaken your affinity first.’ I’m not in the mood for riddles."
’Baldy’s’ glow flickered erratically before shifting to blood red.
I frowned. "How so?"
The light pulsed, growing more intense as it continued.
My fingers tightened around the book’s edges. This was far more intricate than I had assumed. The distinction was staggering.
I had been so focused on ascending that I barely considered the deeper mechanics behind it.
’Baldy’ continued, its glow shifting again.
I exhaled slowly, absorbing every word.
I ran a hand through my hair before continuing. "Alright. Then tell me—which affinities are the strongest? I need to aim for the best."
’Baldy’s’ lights flickered rapidly—was it laughing?
My eyes narrowed. "Why?"
For the first time, the flickering light hesitated.
That caught my attention.
’Corrupted Gods?’ I repeated, intrigued.
I wanted to pry further, but I held back. Right now, my priority was strength.
’Baldy’ finally spoke again.
A strange tension filled the air.
Then, one by one, the words appeared.
I frowned as I read through the list.
’Baldy’ had described these as elements, yet the way it spoke of them...
They sounded alive.
Something felt wrong.
If these were elements, why did they seem like entities?
And then—one name stood out.
The Living Chaos.
Not just "Chaos," but Living Chaos.
That phrasing was deliberate.
A deep, unshakable instinct clawed at my chest. A whisper at the edge of my mind, warning me.
Something wasn’t right.
"’Baldy’... you’re holding something back."
The book’s light flickered violently.
I ignored it.
"There should be forces above these, shouldn’t there?" I said, my voice low. "Like... Chaos."
The moment I spoke the word, the air shifted.
A deafening crack of thunder split the sky outside.
A pulse of raw, unfathomable energy rippled through the room, making my bones tremble.
’Baldy’s’ lights convulsed, flickering erratically—and then, it began to burn.
Not in a normal way.
The flames that consumed it were... wrong.
A twisting, grotesque mix of blood-red, violet, azure, and gold. Colors that didn’t belong together, yet blended in a way that defied reason.
A sound escaped the book—a horrific, inhumane screech.
Like something desperately trying to escape its own existence.
I stumbled back as the flames rotted through the pages. From the fire, I glimpsed things—wretched, grotesque beings clawing at the edges of reality, their forms writhing in tangled chaos.
A force—something even more terrifying—was holding them back.
Fighting them.
And then—just as suddenly as it began—it ended.
The book was gone.
All that remained was a pile of ash.
And a single word, burned into the floorboards:
CHAOS.
My breath was ragged. My mind raced.
What the hell had I just witnessed?
This world... it was far more terrifying than I had ever imagined. It literally became a nightmare fuel.
And if I wasn’t careful...
I was completely fucked.