I started processing my thoughts to get a clearer idea of the current situation. I was currently being chased by women with them having the intention of violating me. The only saving grace that managed to prevent it before was the buff “Silence of the Lamb” which managed to restrict their actions on me.

Apparently it wasn’t as effective on the followers of Parlene Church or the people who had received its blessing. It might be the cause of Yulena’s risque actions. I felt really stupid for not realizing this for so long, I disliked dense characters but I wasn’t expecting to be one myself.

I had yet to check out the debuff “Before the Chopping Board”. I had suspected it might be the cause of my sudden decrease of strength and mana in my body. I probed my status and made a gesture to open it.

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Debuff Name: Before the Chopping Board

Description: When the user is near a female who is desiring him, the user’s total stats and abilities are lowered to 70% of the female’s total stats and abilities.

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I felt a headache approaching when I read that. Does that mean all my training so far is useless when facing a girl who wants to rape me? Who the heck made this setting. Don’t tell me it was Reli again. 

The worst part of it all was there was no duration mentioned for this debuff. I crossed my fingers hoping it wasn’t a permanent debuff but knowing how fate likes to play around with me, it most likely is.

A sigh escapes my lips due to the current predicament. Surely I wanted a harem but it wasn’t to the point I would want to be ravaged by girls who would chase me to the ends of the world. There was even the possibility of me getting locked up in a basement and made into a toy to satisfy their pleasures. Suffering through such depressing thoughts, I couldn’t help but remember how Seris consoled me whenever I was sad.

As of now, I had no way of reaching back to her. For the first time, I was truly all by myself in this world. I was starting to feel distressed after realizing so. But in the end, wallowing in self-pity wasn’t going to help. I needed to stand up on my feet and find a way to deal with this debuff.

The easiest solution as of now was to gather stealth related items and skills to form a temporary solution. I had a few skills which helped in stealth operations such as increased hearing and silencing footsteps but those weren’t enough. The mask covered for my weakness of stealth skills but I didn’t have it on me at this moment. 

If I were to try and get those items back it would be akin to entering a Lion’s den. Remembering the horrific horde who wanted to devour me entirely, I just shrugged that idea instantly. I checked my possessions if I still had anything left which could help me.

Surprisingly I found the teleportation runes inside my pocket. I couldn’t believe I had such a life-saving item with me for so long and I didn’t even realize it. If I had used it when escaping those girls, it would’ve been an easy deal run away, but it still had unseen consequences for using it.

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Item Name: Instantaneous Teleportation Rune

Description: Allows the user to instantly teleport to a random safe location in Nymto. Further desc. Locked

(2 uses remaining)

Flavour Text: Travelling with no regard to anything.

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I could possibly use them to hopefully end up in some big dungeon and gain some needed skills from there. The idea sounded really risky but after having cleared most of the dungeons nearby there was not much left for me in here. 

It was an absurd plan I couldn’t help but toy with the idea of testing my luck, despite it being quite terrible. Dungeons tended to be usually surrounded by cities due to the resources they could provide. Sadly Hales only had towns, forests and mountains surrounding them with little to no sign of cities nearby. 

Though it wasn’t as bad as it seemed as there were teleportation circles which allowed for quick travel. They were heavily guarded and populous due to their great transportation reliability. I doubted I could get through and use one safely without being identified.

The notion of using the runes kept pestering my mind. Should I use it? Well damn, let’s go with it. At this point I felt like being reckless, my life was already falling apart so I felt less reluctant to make rash decisions. Though it might’ve been a bad idea, due to my current state of mind the dangers that might ensue hadn’t bothered me.

I guide my mana into the runes as they start giving a radiant shine. The light from the runes starts covering the whole area, enveloping me in its brightness. The flashing light suddenly expands into rays of blinding white. I close my eyes tensely as to avoid the harsh light.

I felt my senses going haywire. It felt as if I didn’t exist for a moment, even my thoughts started to slow down after going through that. Slowly the feeling of my body returns as the blinding light fades away. 

I gradually open my eyes as I attune my senses. Soon enough I feel a cold sensation on my skin. My senses return as I feel the cold biting wind flowing against my body. I dart my eyes around the area, taking in the scenery before me.

It was all white. The landscape was filled to its entirety with snow. I couldn’t help but blame my damn luck to end up in an environment with such an extreme condition. Safe location my ass. Helplessly I start searching the area, hoping to see some signs of a dungeon or civilization at least.

---

After long and arduous amounts of searching, there was nothing really mentionable within my sights except for the vast amounts of snow. No signs of plants or animals, there wasn’t even signs of water. I had been walking for hours and all of it was just futile effort.

I gave another sigh as I felt the need to use the rune again. I wasn’t willing to waste any more time in this icy hell. Taking out the rune, I flow my mana into it to activate it again. The blinding flash of light emits from the runes, covering all of the areas in its shine. Hopefully, I land up in someplace better after this.