From an area where nothing lay but an endless glass plain, in an instant, it morphed into a region filled with different simulations.
Then, just as quickly, they disappeared, leaving the land bare and of nothing but silvery glass once more before the true transformation of the Track Terrain began.
The console pulsed, and in a wide circle around him — even beneath the ground — an endless, turning circuit began forming.
The Track was made of a strange dark composite — almost like black stone, infused with faint blue veins of energy pulsing at regular intervals, stretching far, far into the distance.
Markings appeared along the lanes.
Spirit lanes, acceleration markers, and hurdle beams occasionally shimmered in and out of existence across the track.
In some parts of the track, Ryuk noticed the terrain itself shifting, going from dark track stone to loose gravel, then to loose sand, and even into viscous mud — each ever-changing.
A low voice resounded through the area:
[Track Zone Scanning According to Taker's Stats!]
A blue wave of light flashed, scanning Ryuk's entire body before it disappeared, and then the words rang out once more:
[Level Detected!]
[Track Zone: Calibration Level 1-]
[Training Mode: Mixed.]
[Pursuit Ghosts: Disabled to Low Level]
[Time Trial: Disabled to Low Level]
[Good Luck, Silverunic!]
The notification flashed as Ryuk's eyes flickered at the last one before he exhaled and gazed down at the track before him.
It was a run of about 500 meters — something the person he once was could cover in exactly 0.000146 seconds at Mach 100 speed.
But now... Ryuk inhaled deeply and gripped his staff hard, looking at the long stretch of the track ahead. He clenched his jaw.
[System Quest Activated!]
[Complete the Track Zone a total of 50 times, each time one minute faster than the previous, without stopping for a single breath!]
[Rewards:
+100 Stat Points Unlocked on Every Locked Stat
A Low Ranked Rejuvenation Pill that Cures Exhaustion.]
"Oh, thank you," Ryuk said dryly, rolling his eyes at the notification.
[You're Welcome, Host.]
"Tch, I can barely walk, and you want me to run 50 times back and forth, each faster than before? Yeah, just kill me already," Ryuk shot back, but the system wasn't having it.
[Shut up. You once ran at Mach 100 to propose to your golden-haired girlfriend. 500 meters back then would've been crossed in 0.000146 seconds — less than a blink — and now you're complaining? Tch.]
The system's words shook Ryuk's heart a little.
'Is it just me,' Ryuk thought, 'or has the system gotten... chattier'
'It's always been so silent.'
'Now it's talking more and more — and it feels... familiar?'
He stared at the blinking notification panel, which had also subtly changed.
[What's wrong, Host?]
"Nothing," Ryuk said, eyeing the panel before his gaze grew serious and he steadied himself on the track ahead.
'I used to cross this distance in less than a blink. Walking with a staff or not, this isn't something beyond me.'
'If I ever wish to return back to Endearth'
'If I ever wish to defeat that bird Knull.'
'If I ever wish to take back my body.'
' if I ever want to see Morgaine again — then I have to do this...
His hands released the staff, letting it drop to the ground.
His knees buckled slightly without its support, but his gaze didn't waver.
What was this pain compared to the hell he had already survived?
'This...' Ryuk thought as he took a single step forward, wobbling as he did so.
Yet his second leg was already mimicking forward as he used it to prop himself — before he could fall, he'd already taken the next step.
STEP
STEP
"This..."
It started as simple steps, one by one, moving his body that seemed to sink heavier and heavier, but then the steps grew faster and faster until they turned into a jog.
After a couple of minutes, it turned into a run as Ryuk began moving into the distance.
"This is nothing!"
STEP STEP STEP STEP
Now it was a full-blown athletic human sprint.
[Minor Neural Synchronization Achieved: 2% Motor Response Calibrated!]
"Faster!"
Ryuk gritted his teeth, forcing his right leg to lunge forward. A roar of pain followed, but the steps weren't collapsing.
His steeled feet struck the ground more solidly as he continued racing forward.
"Faster!"
His legs were burning heavy with strain. Every nerve boiled in agony, yet he could feel it — they were getting faster.
The more pain he felt, the faster they became.
And as he continued, the world began rapidly changing, turning into a smear of silver and blue.
[Neural Lag Compensation: 5%!]
"Faster!"
The word echoed in his head as his breath thickened within him, his eyes settling into a horrifying calm as his body began lowering to the ground — and he shoved every ounce of strength into the sprint.
"500 meters crossed!"
[Calibration Level has reached Level 2!]
The words of the simulation rang out, and everything began lengthening even more, yet—
BOOM
A mini-quake surrounded him and instantly the sound changed.
No more steps at all.
No more breathing.
Just a howling void before him as Ryuk instinctively turned into a blur.
BOOM!
This time it was louder as he tore through the air with so much speed, a circular barrier of air exploded outward from him.
[Host has reached Mach 1!]
[Minor Neural Synchronization Achieved: 10% Motor Response Calibrated!]
[Calibration Level will now be taken to Level 5!]
The Simulation Voice rang out, but Ryuk couldn't hear the words anymore.
Something was screaming within him.
Something roaring out a single word:
FASTER!
FASTER!
FASTER!
BA-DUM
BA-DUM
BA-DUM
[Minor Neural Synchronization Achieved: 20% Motor Response Calibrated!]
BOOOOOOM
BOOOOOOOOOOM
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM
[Congratulations, Host has reached Mach 5!]
[Congratulations, Host has reached Mach 10!]
[Calibration Level will now be taken to Level 20!]
[Mission Completed!]
[New Mission Issued: Reach Mach 50!]
"FAAAASSSTERRRR!!!"
He screamed out of his lungs, and in the next instant his blue pupils began changing.
Their outer edge began rotating within him, and soon they became spinning vortex that sent out blue light through the entire simulation.
The Next Step and the World Chnaged!
RIPPPPPPLLLLE