Plamen

Plamen wielded a truly frightening Soul Enhancement. It defied the very rules of Romancia, permitting him to engage in actions considered reprehensible, only to effortlessly reverse the outcomes. He gained HP instead of losing it, shifted damage to his adversaries, and even augmented his EPs, a feat that should have been deemed impossible.

To think such formidable ability could exist, what were the people in charge of this game thinking?

Speaking of abilities, I had learned that when individuals reached level 10, they developed a unique Soul Enchantment ability distinct from the skills in their moveset. Soul Enchantments would then undergo evolution, reaching a second stage at level 30. Plamen had ascended to the second stage of his Alchemy, an advanced form known as Heartflip.

What was truly unsettling though, was the fact that he gained all his experience while stranded in the ‘Childhood friend’ dimension. He would spend all his time at the café I met him at, being sweet to the NPC girls and gaining experience from helping the people around. Once he got to level 30, the tables turned.

“Yeah, I started murdering all the NPCs and then I reversed the outcome. It took me 8 days to reach that level. And then only two days more to become even more powerful, with the newfound way of playing this game.”

“So that’s why Brana’s friend was missing from the café… you murdered her,” I ground my teeth and locked eyes with him.

“That’s horrible!!” Laska’s eyes glistened with tears once more.

“When I rapidly started losing my HP in the eyes my Childhood Friend during the exam, I panicked and hit her head with a rock. She died. And I ultimately lost my means of transport back to the main dimension of Love School. That’s how I became trapped there.”

“Plamen… so it was you who injured that fox on the first day here?” Laska recalled the pair of foxes she found in the forest.

“Hey, don’t look at me like that! This is a game in the end, right? So I was trying to level up but I discovered that killing wild animals wasn’t the way to go. So I stopped.”

“Until you gained the Heartflip ability…” I added silently.

“This game is not suited for a traditional combat, so my only weapons of choice are these pointy rocks, hehe…”

Laska lunged at him once more, delivering a stinging slap that resonated through the forest.

“Ouch…!” Plamen didn’t dodge her strike even though I was sure he could have. He just smirked. “I have always been friends with the monster under my bed. But be careful, Laska. If you hate me like this…”

Perhaps the animals sensed the danger, but before he could finish his sentence, three wolves gathered around us and ferociously jumped at frightened Laska, attempting to bite her. At the last second, she activated her Caring Shield, but she chose to protect me and so she was left open.

Lost in my own fear, I lost track of events. The wolves’ aggressive demeanor suddenly shifted, and they began to lick Laska’s face.

Plamen continued, “…with a single spell, I can reverse your feelings and… make you fall in love with me instead.”

A chilling aura was emitting from Plamen’s eyes. He truly meant it. He had just tamed the irate wolves that had been about to assault us.

I couldn’t allow that to happen, for Laska to fall in love in a place like this with a person like him.

“D-did you… just save me…?” Laska’s confusion was apparent.

“Uhm…why wouldn’t I? We’re not enemies. And you’re humans. Do you think I’m a psycho who would hurt people? I told you I just don’t care about some NPCs.”

“Plamen… please stop this. Don’t hurt anybody in this world anymore,” I implored, though I knew reasoning with him was futile.

“Look, Kiss. If you want to stop me from achieving my goal, we can engage in a combat right here, right now. Did you know there was a Versus mode in this game? Granted, it’s more for romantic stuff, but I am sure we can figure out how to actually fight, with the help of my Soul Enchantment. So? Wanna try me?”

Laska breathed heavily and my throat was stuck. Even if I teamed up with Laska, the two of us didn’t stand a chance against someone as powerful as Plamen, who had already reached level 58.

I didn’t want to fight. I had to focus on my goal. And that was to just graduate and be allowed to be happy with Laska in our world.

This story wasn’t about me playing a hero and stopping a rampaging villain.

“You’re such a coward!!! Come and fight me, you jerk!!” Laska cried out with tears in her eyes.

“No, stop!” I grabbed her hand. “Remember why you’re here!! There’s somebody out there who is waiting for you, right? You can feel it deep inside, right?!!”

Laska’s tense body loosened up.

My feelings spoke volumes and the game acknowledged it, for I just reached level 10.

[Soul Enchantment ‘Whisper of Hearts’ unlocked. You are now able to sense danger around you.]

I immediately understood what this meant. I was able to react in time in case something peculiar was happening.

But I wondered… why wasn’t I sensing any danger at all from Plamen?

The answer was simple.

He genuinely had no intention of harming humans.

My heart was eased a little.

“Plamen… we’re not going to fight you. Or stop you. Everybody is free to do whatever they want in this world… the fact that the administrators haven’t stopped you yet, despite their extensive monitoring, is a proof enough for me.” I finally admitted what I would call a defeat in this situation.

“Thank you, Kiss.” He turned around and started to walk away from us. “My goal is not to pursue lover or relationship. That evil thing is not meant for me. I have a different objective. And there’s somebody who can help me achieve it.”

I knew my decision was selfish, but it was certainly the right thing to do, considering our circumstances.

Laska, however, held a different perspective.

“Plamen!! I can’t stand in your way since I’m so weak right now! But I swear… I swear that once I get stronger and our paths cross again, I will defeat you and bring you back from that darkness!” Laska’s determination outshone even the sun above us.

I cluthced her hand tightly out of fear that if I let her go, I would lose her forever.

But more importantly… I couldn’t allow her to fight my battles again.

An image of her battered and bloodied face flashed before my eyes, a haunting memory I wished to erase.

When I snapped back to realit, Plamen had already disappeared from our sight in the woods.

And that was the last time we saw him.

“We should bury all these animals and pay respects…” Laska suggested with a touch of sadness in her voice.

“Yeah…” I agreed, knowing all well that the sight of the blood would cost me a significant amount of HP.

As we moved our feet towards the animals, a wind has risen up, swirling the fallen leaves that created a gentle tornado.

Amidst the whirling chaos, a creature emerged, its form illuminated by a resplendent burst of crimson, gold, and orange. Its feathers, adorned with delicate heart-shaped patterns, ignited like living fire, casting a trail of sparks and embers. Atop its head, a regal crown of fiery plumage marked its rebirth, and circles of ethereal light danced around its wise eyes. As it sang a hauntingly beautiful melody, the forest awakened, thriving in its presence. The emergence of this enigmatic being was a symbol of love's enduring renewal, a testament to the eternal cycle of affection.

The breathtaking bird descended to touch the fallen animals with its beak, infusing them with life force.

One by one, the animals blinked open their eyes, their expressions transitioning from lifelessness to astonishment and gratitude.

That was the miraculous power of the mythical creature, Phoenix.

CHAPTER 10: END