Seriously, not making a move or running around? That’s some cautious play right there.
The old man dressed in slightly disheveled attire, his face contorted with pain, couldn’t help but arch an eyebrow in surprise as he felt the heart on the main platform beating faster and faster yet remaining still, showing no signs of moving from its spot.
My ability allows for a temporary “enhancement” of everyone’s hearts within range, causing their blood to speed up uncontrollably.
If the target gets overly tense or decides to flee at the first sign of trouble, the enhanced heart, subjected to dual stimulation, will pump blood at double the rate, accelerating the flow beyond what the body can handle, instantly stripping them of any resistance.
In short, those within my ability’s range could say the faster they move, the quicker they’ll collapse—just like the two old men from the Lane family.
Within these past ten minutes as my ability gradually took effect, they were all over the place, chatting with guests, chasing after the target twice, enduring immense emotional shocks, plus their age already made their bodies fragile. Even before my ability fully activated, they collapsed.
As for the target on the stage, although affected by my ability, for some reason, the impact on his heart was weaker than others, roughly only sixty to seventy percent. Coupled with a constitution slightly above average, it’s why he hasn’t lost his ability to act yet…
Looks like I need to step it up! After silently apologizing to a few comrades in his mind, the scruffy old man applied more force with the hand pressed against his chest, his frail body trembling violently.
At the same time, nearly everyone in the hall shivered along with him.
“No… I can’t…”
“Help… Help me…”
“I don’t wanna die!”
Due to varying physical conditions, some were still barely standing, leaning against pillars or such. But under this sudden rush of blood to the brain, they all clutched their chests and fell down, losing even the strength to beg for help.
Now, the only person left standing in the entire hall is Leon.
…
Success!
Feeling the heart on the stage beat faster and faster, pushing toward its limit, the unkempt old man couldn’t help but let a smirk form on the corner of his lips.
Even if you’ve seen through my ability and know that the more intense the movement, the faster the collapse, it doesn’t matter. Whether you run or stay put, you’ll eventually collapse!
“Tap, tap, tap”
Hearing the sudden footsteps from the main platform and sensing the finally moving heart, the scruffy old man immediately revealed a smile of expected satisfaction.
Finally lost your cool, huh?
Unfortunately, it’s too late. My ability has many limitations: small range, long activation time, and affects friend and foe alike. But if you didn’t run when you first noticed something was off, then you’ve already lost!
“Tap”
However, unexpectedly, the footsteps on the stage didn’t last long. They didn’t even leave the main platform. Just reaching the edge, they stopped at a position suitable for addressing everyone.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
Looking down at the crowd of guests, confirming they had mostly lost their ability to act, Leon took a deep breath and loudly asked:
“Why aren’t you all standing up to bow to a prince?”
???
Are you crazy? Upon hearing Leon’s loud inquiry, the scruffy old man hiding among the guests almost burst out laughing.
These people are affected by my ability; they’re about to be killed by their own hearts. How can they possibly stand up and bow to you? At this point, probably only I, who initiated the ability, could…
Wait? Only I can stand up?
A vague sense of something being off struck the old man, causing his whole body to shake. His eyes widened with deep fear, wishing he could deafen himself instantly.
As Leon’s words faded, the old man lying painfully on the ground suddenly released his grip on his chest, rolling up from the carpet directly. Facing the target he intended to assassinate, he bowed respectfully, his face filled with terror.
“Greetings, Your Highness…”
“Bam!”
The old man who had just stood up was grabbed by an invisible giant hand, performing an astonishing backward flip. His back of the head slammed onto the floor with a loud crack, his eyes rolled back as he fainted.
…
So, it’s you.
Feeling his heartbeat slowly calming down, confirming that the anomalous item causing the accelerated heartbeats had stopped, Leon’s furrowed brows finally relaxed.
Hooking his finger toward the distant fallen scruffy old man, using the power of the Holy Spirit Pendant to drag him over, Leon searched his body. Finally, at the old man’s chest, he found a somewhat rough metal object.
[Name: Heartbeat Moment (Enhancement, Synchronization)]
[Appearance: A pacemaker made of soft brass embedded in the patient’s chest cavity, powered by periodic infusions of highly concentrated whale oil. Its internal structure is extremely precise.
If you listen closely, you should hear the hissing sound of the ultra-miniature steam engine operating, along with the clicking sounds of dozens of micro connecting rods driving gears.]
[Ability: Heart Enhancement, Heartbeat Sync]
[Cost: None]
[File: This is a precision instrument smuggled from Mechanopolis Crolock, used to help patients with congenitally weak hearts maintain their heartbeat. The cost of the materials alone is enough to buy a hundred acres of sugarcane plantation.
Also because of its exorbitant price, every user of this device, while gaining a healthy body and avoiding death due to heart failure, ultimately couldn’t escape the greedy hearts of raiders.]
[Assessment: Although the abilities of this anomalous item are extremely concealed and almost undetectable, if your heart isn’t several times weaker than normal, it’s best not to use it.]
[Taint Value: 2.5]
[Through observation and reasoning, you have gained a wealth of information about “Heartbeat Moment,” activating the colored badge “Materialist Soul (Bright Red).”
Understanding the activation rules of “Heartbeat Moment,” your resistance to this anomalous item has significantly increased, allowing you to block deeper levels of influence.]
…
So… this thing enhances the user’s heart first, then forces all hearts within range to sync?
Tearing open the old man’s shirt, Leon hesitated for a moment but didn’t immediately remove the complex and intricate device. Instead, he pulled out a rope and tied up the unconscious old man.
After instructing Black Goat to keep a close watch on the surroundings and notify him of any anomalies, Leon retrieved the [Plague-Blood Band] from the female prisoner and wrapped it around the old man’s legs, temporarily robbing him of leg health. Then he wrapped it around his skull, healing the concussion.
“Ahhh! My… uh?”
After the concussion was healed, the old man woke up groggily, feeling excruciating pain in his legs. Before he could scream, a salty piece of old cotton was shoved into his mouth.
“I’m asking you.”
Taking off another sock and tossing it into the pocket mirror, Leon, now properly shoed, turned to the despair-filled old man and rapidly questioned, “Are your accomplices nearby?”
“Of course there are more… including you, how many people around here have anomalous items? One? Two? Three?”
“Just two people? Then…”
(End of Chapter)
