Chapter 21:Even the World Watches Back
Peter gazed at the distant stars scattered across the black sky.They looked almost identical to the ones back on Earth, yet anyone who had seen the real night sky could tell there was a difference—one that was hard to describe.
He missed the familiar constellations, and at the sight of this foreign sky taking their place, he couldn't help but think about how dire their situation truly was.
Reflecting on it now, he began to realize just how improbable their return home really seemed. The very fact that he had never heard of anyone making it back from a place like this suggested that no one ever had.
He sighed softly and turned his attention back to the camp. He could see every detail, despite the darkness—another strange trait granted by the mysterious Aspect he carried.
And speaking of the Aspect, it was about time he examined it more closely—something he'd postponed during his last review. He summoned the runes that described it.
[Aspect: Eye of the Dead God]
[Once a god died, his eye remained open — an eternal wound in reality. It sees still. It remembers. And now, it watches through you.
This Aspect grants the bearer an unnatural perception that distorts time, shatters deception, and reveals the hidden threads of fate itself. It is not sight in the mortal sense—it is insight, intrusion, and inevitability.
But sight is never passive.The more you see, the more the world sees you back.]
Even though Peter had read the description before, a shiver still ran down his spine as his eyes scanned the words. Without hesitation, he summoned the list of abilities granted by the Aspect.
[Aspect Abilities]:[Absolute Focus], [Foresight Reflex], [Seeker's Sight]
[Absolute Focus][The mind sharpens to a singular blade.Whether upon a lone figure or the world entire,perception stretches—each motion drawn out,each heartbeat a lifetime.Within that suspended moment, thought becomes strategy,and action is born not of impulse,but of perfect design.]
[Foresight Reflex][Perception dances ahead of motion.Before the blade is drawn, its arc is known.Before the strike is born, its destination is written.Instinct becomes prophecy.]
[Seeker's Sight][Beyond veils and shadows, the unseen is revealed.With eyes that pierce illusion and unravel the threads of magic,it follows the fading trails of spells,reads the echoes left by vanished beings.
Even from afar, it discerns the subtle—the shift of a cloak,the glimmer of magic,the truth hidden in the finest of details.]
Peter pondered the meaning of each ability. Even a quick glance revealed that they all had something to do with perception, yet the exact role of each was still unclear.
His only real guess was that 'Seeker's Sight' mentioned "seeing from afar," which likely explained how he'd noticed the absence of guards on the palisade earlier that day.
Meanwhile, 'Foresight Reflex', judging by its description, seemed intended to help anticipate an opponent's fighting style and predict their next moves.
If that was true, then Peter had yet to master it, since during his skirmish with the bandits he hadn't noticed any obvious effect from the ability.
Or... had he?
He thought back more carefully. During that fight, his instincts had warned him about an otherwise undetectable threat.
But that seemed to align more with 'Absolute Focus', even though time hadn't "slowed down" as described. Peter sighed quietly—this whole Aspect thing was still a mystery.
The only way to truly understand how it worked was through testing and observation. And right now, with nothing else to do, he had time for the former.
Without much conviction, he tried activating 'Seeker's Sight'. Surprisingly, the moment he issued the mental command, something subtle shifted in the way he perceived the world.
Everything he looked at appeared sharper, richer in detail. Somehow, it became easier to spot the motion of grass and the flutter of leaves on branches. Drawn by a sudden urge, he summoned Thaurmor.
As the sword materialized into reality, it glowed faintly with a pale, orange light. Astonished, Peter deactivated the ability—and the glow vanished instantly.
He activated it again and turned his gaze toward the tent where Selene was sleeping. Inside, he saw a soft, white aura.
Based on all the evidence so far, Peter concluded that 'Seeker's Sight' granted him the ability to detect magic, just as the poetic description implied.
And if that was true, it could also help him see through illusions.
'So I'm basically a kind of mage-hunter or detective?' Peter thought, amused by the idea. But the other two abilities were clearly more combat-focused.
As he'd already guessed, 'Foresight Reflex' was built for combat. 'Absolute Focus', on the other hand, had broader applications.
It could be useful in a fight but just as effective when planning something under pressure—like coming up with an answer to a sudden, unexpected question.
Having learned enough about 'Seeker's Sight', Peter turned it off and focused on 'Absolute Focus' instead. The third skill would have to wait—he had no opponent to test it on.
Without hesitation, he activated it.
And... time stopped.Or at least, that's what it felt like. The leaves on the trees and the blades of grass still moved—but slowly, as if dragged through syrup.
Peter, too, was moving slowly. Or rather—he was moving exactly as he always did. It was just that now, his mind perceived the world at an unimaginably faster rate.
To his surprise, his mind entered a strange state of tranquility. He felt calm, as if he had stepped into a place where he truly belonged. He wasn't panicking or overwhelmed. He was... calm.
Another strange phenomenon was that he could still look around—even though his eyes physically moved slower than his perception.
Somehow, his focus shifted independent of his body. It was bizarre, unsettling, but powerful.
It felt odd, realizing that his physical gaze pointed in a different direction than the one he was mentally observing.
It was clear that although this ability didn't enhance the body's reaction speed, only perception—it was still a complete game changer.
The simple fact that Peter could plan his next move in a fight instead of relying purely on instinct was a massive boon.
The only ability left to test was 'Foresight Reflex', which he could probably try out during a sparring session with Selene.
Peter felt pleased with the discoveries he'd made that night. Even while testing his new powers, he had never once let his guard down.
And that was when he heard it.
A sound that didn't belong among the natural whispers of the forest night.From somewhere to the east—rustling, and the snapping of branches.
Peter suppressed the instinct to immediately turn toward the sound. Any sudden movement could give away his position. Instead, he shifted his gaze as far as possible in that direction, sharpening every sense, trying to determine who—or what—was approaching.
He deactivated 'Absolute Focus', letting time return to its normal flow, and listened. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then—
Snap!
Another branch gave way under the weight of something drawing near.Several seconds passed—each stretching into eternity—followed by the soft scrape of something brushing against bark. Then came another crack.
From the direction and distance of the noises, Peter estimated that whatever was moving would pass by about twenty or thirty meters from their camp.
The worse news? He could hear multiple footsteps pressing against the ground at once.
That meant one of two things, Either whatever was approaching had many legs—or it wasn't alone.
After a moment of thought, Peter activated 'Seeker's Sight', hoping it would allow him to see something—anything—through the dense layers of leaves and trees between him and the source of the sounds.
Seconds crawled by. Slowly, as carefully as he could manage, Peter tilted his head slightly to the right.
And then he saw it.
A faint glow—just like the one he'd seen earlier when observing Selene in the tent.
The thought of Selene alone in her sleep made his gut twist. What if he made a mistake letting her rest? What if she shifted in her sleep, alerting the creatures?
And they were creatures—from Ether, no doubt. The shape of the magical aura he was seeing looked nothing like a human's. Worse—there were three of them.