chapter 52 -the will to live

I shot my eyes wide open, air bubbles forming from my muffled scream for wanting to stay alive. The others, who were half-conscious, seemed to spur awake due to my unbridled movements. I reached closer to the top of the ceiling once more, then reached my hand at the very top. My abilities to steal can place objects of any of my liking into different spaces or dimensions. This was the answer.

I activated my abilities. The others also had their heads close enough to the ceiling as the water levels started going lower and lower until we could actually take a deep breath out and in the air once more. We were alive! We did it!

The rising water seemed to reach its limit once it hit the top, so it stopped rising. That was good. It seemed there was a limit for a lot of things, as my dimensional space was filled with water.

I dropped many daggers that weren't necessary, leaving them dropping underneath to the floor. I only needed one to make copies. The one focus was keeping us alive.

Our heads were now above the water, gasping in the air which we had missed so dearly.

Then the radiant words appeared on the ceiling, 

[Congratulations on clearing the second floor. You shall be rewarded for your efforts and performance.]

Three cards appeared. We didn't even care what they had on them as we quickly pointed at them and waited for the room to change.

And it did. The water levels went lower and lower, oxygen filled the room, so did our lungs.

After some time, the water was no longer there. We were now laying on our backs, looking towards the ceiling – a moment before that ceiling would have been the death of us. Yet we never left our gaze as we kept staring.

Shocked and terrified, we were left with those emotions within our minds, our hearts pounding in our chests, reviving up and down.

Sure, we had seen close brushes with life and death moments, yet drowning and losing hope, losing that light, that spark within us as we watched each other go through that harrowing experience, was haunting. It was terrifying.

My gaze was that of a haunted man. We really survived.

But then tears started to roll down my eyes. My hands quickly tried to hide them. I didn't want the others to see this. I didn't want to express this vulnerability.

Yet even so, they kept flowing – a mixture of weeping that did not end. My nose started to clog up as snot and mucus were the only things left, as well as my sobs.

"F-Fuck..." I said, my voice laced with fear.

I couldn't say anything more. My throat felt blocked, letting my body rest I didn't want to say anymore. I wanted to grieve, to let out all my elation right now. I wanted to let go. But the stress of all of it, from the very beginning to now, wasn't fair. What kind of being would torture teenagers? Was this entertainment? Was our suffering only a play for a few giggles?

I wanted to stop crying, yet how could I? The raw emotions I was feeling were too much. All of this was too much. When will it stop?

After a while of self-loathing, I knew now wasn't the time. My friends were silent, letting out their frustrations in their own way.

I stood to my feet, looking at the new words that imprinted themselves before me. Somehow, I chose another Inner Gate card.

Proficiency card 

 Gate of Gear Rank: Rare

Description: One chance to glimpse beyond the mortal understanding of weapon's proficiency mastery. The importance of the art of combat, from sword to hammer, learning the essence will allow you to wield any output of said weapons, that even a stick will become sharp like a blade if wielded by the right arms."

Maddie said Ascension cards and Proficiency cards are the same category as Inner Gate or stat boost cards. I rubbed my eyes to focus and not blur my vision due to my tears. I am focused now.

The first problem was Maddie said the only way to get these cards was by buying them from the shop stack or from quests given by the Realm Master. She never said anything about trials giving them. The second problem was that Maddie also stated only two of these stat boost cards are limited to two for each character.

I could only sigh at my misfortune. Well, it wasn't all that bad. I just wished I had more time to think about it, you know.

Maddie said there are six Gate cards that correspond to the strengths of a character. The best thing was you didn't need any mystic units to use the true capacity of these cards. Well only for one that needs essences.

Gate of Force - "Unlocks the ability to exert one's full physical might, shattering normal limits. Every strike carries earth-shattering power as muscles are fortified beyond mortal boundaries. The warrior's body becomes an unstoppable juggernaut of pure kinetic force."

Gate of Velocity - "Grants mastery over speed itself. The warrior taps into the primal fury of winds and storms, allowing bursts of blinding acceleration. They become a tempest incarnate, leaving only torpid afterimages in their wake as foes struggle to track the warrior's blurred form."

Gate of Mass - "Offers transcendental control over one's corporeal density. The warrior can increase their mass to become an overwhelming juggernaut or drastically reduce it to attain wingspeeding lightness and evasiveness. A transfiguration of the physical form to suit any battlefield."

Gate of Capacity - "Extends the well of mystic power lying dormant within. The warrior draws forth a seemingly endless reservoir of arcane energies to fuel their abilities. Though short bursts can be fueled rapidly, true mastery requires honing the mind to patiently channel anew."

Gate of Gear "Unlocks the path to complete unity with any weapon. Through diligent study and understanding of a weapon's form, balance, and capabilities before wielding it, one can tap into that weapon's full deadly potential. With this profound connection, even a simple stick becomes an extension of the warrior's body, as lethal as the sharpest blade when guided by a master's hands. The deeper the attunement with the weapon, the more its true power is unleashed."

These were the five Gate cards. Only two are allowed to be given to each character. Of course, Maddie goes into more detail about these Gates. She even states that these are not really early campaign items, she says they are more late game items.