Free Web NovelChapter 10: Faceless
"Ahh..."
The moment he gulped the gold coin down his throat, the power it held seemed to have broken down and began to scatter around inside him.
The second step was eating the Piece.
The third step will be the hardest one yet.
"Ugh!"
There was a surge of power and mystery seeping through his every fiber and vessel that he could feel, changing his entire structure.
Cillian’s clothes tore apart, then his skin came akin to a paper tearing down. It started withering away, revealing the flesh and pulsating blood vessels inside.
He looked like a flayed man who was becoming more flayed.
’No, I’m turning into a vegetative state!’
From what Cillian gathered, turning into a vegetative state has many instances. This type of instance, when acquiring the power of the Piece, is actually common amongst Ruiners.
Honestly, anyone would like the person to become a vegetable, as it was akin to the person who had failed to acquire the power bestowed, meaning they could get the power of the person and make it for themselves.
And the power that the Piece contained would be the same. Meaning, it will not downgrade.
Seeing another layer of his skin falling off, Cillian shivered and thought hardly enough.
’No, no. This can’t continue!’
In that instant, Cillian began to attempt to avoid being in a vegetative state.
With a quick mind and thinking, he remembered what he learned from that person just by reading his experiences and learnings.
’It all comes down to control. Direct the power surging inside me. A Piece shouldn’t be the one who swayed, but something that should be swayed. It is something to be guided, not be the one doing the guiding. The person should be in control and not the person being controlled...
’First, remember the passage of the Piece...’
Cillian thought the activation phase of the Piece inwardly as he calmed his beating heart.
He had to close his eyes to avoid them gazing at the mirror where his flayed skin was shown. On the other hand, he was glad that he was able to see the situation he was in and be able to work on it.
’Second, control the raging power that was going out of control.’
Cillian finally achieved the state of calmness he wished to achieve and began to do the more pressing matters.
Even though it was his first time seeing such dread and horror, especially to himself, just being able to learn from the main character and sheer belief that he would finish it was enough of a catalyst, which is the reason he has an unwavering will.
Cillian knew this was one of his perks. This is also the reason why he chose to kill the author and bring him down with him instead of just being killed on the spot.
After coming this far, Cillian wouldn’t allow himself to die.
In that instant, the flowing power within him started to stabilize.
The "initial control" that he had with his power became half, with the other half still going haywire. However, he started to stabilize his control once more.
He looked like an elite when it came to handling the power of the Piece.
Cillian knew he was only applying his learnings to the real world. Without having any prior knowledge, he might’ve already gone to the vegetable state.
’Third is stabilization and more control...’
Cesar let out a short breath, feeling the power inside him meshing around like a perfect harmony in a church choir.
After a few more minutes, having enough basic control of the power that was bestowed on him, he knew he was successful.
Opening his eyes, he looked at the mirror and saw his skin returning to normal.
The blood vessels and pulsating veins were being covered by the skin that was slowly healing. It didn’t take long before he saw himself fully naked.
The corner of his lips twitched as he spoke with amusement.
"Do I have to carry a pair of clothes each time now each time I get a Piece?"
Standing up from his place, Cillian picked a spare pair of clothes. After wearing them, he got back to his bed and surveyed the area.
’There are no traces of blood, nor did abnormality happen... Although I found some information and read the same information through that person, I found it hard to believe that I would just straight out die if I didn’t control my newly gained powers very well...’
Being in a state of vegetative is considered dead for the dictionary of the Ruiners.
"All good, let bygones be bygones."
After relaxing his state of mind, even though there’s a trace of trauma left at the corner of his eyes, Cillian put his focus at his newly acquired power.
’Wait just a moment...’
Strangely enough, the System he had was somehow able to know what Piece he had taken for himself.
Even though the Piece had already provided information to his mind, Cillian used the System to check out his acquired power.
It was his first time seeing it being responsive, after all.
[Faceless]
’Goddamn, the name looks cool. I wonder what skills I have gotten...’
Cillian excitedly thought inwardly before clicking the screen.
[Name: Faceless
Description: A gold coin with intertwined faces.
Passive Ability: Can change the face structure and height. Height can only be changed to a certain degree
Note: The power has just been acquired and couldn’t fully harness its true potential. The changing of faces is limited to three times a day. The changing of height is limited to three inches.]
[Name: Mimicry
Active Ability: Temporarily able to ’mimic’ things such as a voice or certain actions of an individual. Abilities that are active can also be ’mimicked’.
Reserved mimicked storage: None
Temporary mimicked activated: None
Note: The power has just been acquired and couldn’t fully harness its true potential. Don’t use it past its limits. The more complicated things are tried to be mimicked, the more it fails. Only one mimicked can be put in the reserved storage. Mimicking an already mimicked ability will not work.]
[Name: Sleight Of Hand
Active Ability: A skill of deception using hands. The dexterity to pull off unimaginable feats that are deemed impossible to do.
Note: The power has just been acquired and couldn’t fully harness its true potential. The threshold on these impossibilities is limited. Don’t use it past the limits of your capability.]
[Note: Viewing other abilities can’t be seen. Advancing the ritual requirement is a must.
Ritual Requirement: A true deception could be done in many ways, yet performing them posed a challenge. Accomplish a true deceit in front of a crowd! ]
Cillian received two active abilities and one passive ability from his [Zero] Faceless.
The limit of this power didn’t end there, since if he was lucky enough, he might as well receive another active ability, maybe two or three more!
However, he had to complete the ritual advancement for his Faceless if he wanted that to happen.
And he needed to do it with a bang!
This is why he was curious about what kind of power Faceless stored for himself. After all, if there was a ’ritual’ required, it means it wasn’t at its full capability yet, unlike other Pieces whose power had already reached its limit.
This led him to conclude that it would be a real advantage to retrieve the Runic Book from where his piece originated.
It was going to be a bummer if he got countered because of a stupid weakness that is openly written in those texts, even after absorbing the Faceless as a whole.
Still...
’Not bad, not bad.’
Cillian nodded when he realized that it was natural that his abilities couldn’t fully be harnessed because he was only starting.
He didn’t feel disheartened, though.
In fact, Cillian was beyond glad.
It was because they were aligned with what he liked to do while wielding such strength.
’Deceit...’
His lips curled upwards as he chuckled, bringing down the monocle to his eyes.
’I resembled that one character in one of the novels I read before... the guy with a monocle.’
Feeling delighted about the results so far, Cillian practiced his newly gained powers to get the hang of them.
Cillian thought about how he used his powers in the future.
For obvious reasons, he wouldn’t reveal his cards openly and brag about it to others. On the other hand, when things come to worst, he will reveal everything in the end, right in the moment where he couldn’t see a way out of his predicament.
And to prevent the worst problem from happening, he had to produce a foolproof method.
He had to set up "walls" that would aid him if he found himself in a problematic situation where he would not blatantly use his Ruiner powers.
For example, he can continue learning archery, since his body is currently adept at it.
The moment he acquires and maintains a certain amount of mastery of it, he can study yet another technique, such as hand-to-hand combat. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Next, he can learn certain types of spells that aren’t taxing to him. Something that he could learn and be able to use on the battlefield.
By doing those spells, he could attain a certain standing amongst the sorcerers and acquire "circles" and rank them up.
Then, and only then, if the two "walls" he had built up are not working, he should be able to use his Ruiner powers.
Of course, if it’s convenient and wouldn’t expose himself to such danger, and the use of Ruiner powers could guarantee the complete success on the task at hand, he wouldn’t mind using Faceless.
’I should include finding a [One] Piece that is suitable for me and the powers I have in my arsenal.’
Cillian chuckled lightly.
"Even though I would have a lot to do, I don’t feel bored at all. I’m even feeling really excited after I’m on the verge of dying just now... Haha. Main character, I really have to thank you here. This Piece is indeed interesting."
Cillian couldn’t help but look forward to the days ahead.
He knew that it was going to be full of fun.
For the next two days, Cillian practiced how Faceless is used while waiting for the monitoring period.
He didn’t encounter any problems, and even if it already existed, it didn’t happen when he was cooped up inside his room.
"You know, I thought I was hallucinating. I waited for days to see if I was right, but... why isn’t the flag above my head disappearing?"
[White Flag]
