Plundering in the Apocalypse

While Shin and Alice were having a good night\'s sleep after their intense exercise. The mark on Shin\'s left shoulder appeared again and started glowing intensely. The light soon covered both Shin and Alice disappearing after a moment.

Shin found himself in an unfamiliar place. He saw a huge crystal castle in front of him. To describe it in one word it was \'fabulous.\'

He saw the ground and was dumbfounded. The floor was made of gold, glistening and making the beauty of the castle more marveling.

"Just what is this place?"

"I was with Alice. So how come I\'m here now?" Shin suddenly remembered something like this happened a few days ago too.

He checked around and pinched his body. "At least I have my body this time."

He sighed as he glanced at the castle again.

"Should I go there?"

Thinking he didn\'t have much of a choice he started making his way to the majestic castle.

The more he looked the more surprised he became. This castle was otherworldly. Almost everything was unfamiliar to him. The trees, the small animals sitting on them and looking at Shin curiously.

What surprised him more was those animals were giving off some very terrifying energy. Shin was sure mana energy was nothing compared to that.

As he steps continued moving forward he came across many beautiful sceneries. But as he was close enough to the castle he was suddenly stopped by a barrier blocking his way.

As his face crashed on the barrier Shin frowned.

"Now what?" Shin muttered while rubbing his nose.

Shin looked at the barrier curiously which appeared after his small crash. It gave off an otherworldly aura much more potent than the animals outside.

This piqued Shin\'s interest as he unconsciously moved his hand forward to touch the barrier.

Suddenly a notification flashed in front of him.

<strong>[Plunder Activating...]</strong>

<strong>[Plundering failed.]</strong>

<strong>[Plunder Activating(#2)...]</strong>

<strong>[Plundering failed.]</strong>

<strong>[Plunder Activating(#3)...]</strong>

<strong>[Plundering failed.]</strong>

<strong>....</strong>

This continued for some time until it finally succeeded on the 8th try.

<strong>[Plundering Succesful.]</strong>

<strong>[The Barrier is now deactivating...]</strong>

<strong>[$#%$ is trying to enter the host\'s body]</strong>

<strong>[Host needs a medium.]</strong>

<strong>[Plunder Deactivated.]</strong>

"What was that?" Shin questioned out loud expecting no answer.

He shook his head and took a step forward. But as soon as he did a high-pressure bore on him bringing him to his knees.

<strong>[WHO DARES INTRUDE ON MY SANCTUARY?]</strong> A heavy voice sounded and the source of the voice was very pissed.

Shin felt the air suck out of his mouth and he wasn\'t able to breathe.

\'Is this how I die?\' Shin cried inwardly.

\'At least I\'m not dying a virgin.\' A smile managed to form on his pale face which was turning purple.

While Shin had accepted his unfortunate death. The owner of the voice suddenly shuttered.

<strong>[Th-This... How are YOU here? Shin.]</strong> The voice sounded surprised and became sweet while speaking his name.

Immediately the pressure around Shin thinned as he was able to get up again.

\'So I\'m not dying I guess.\' He sighed.

Shin turned his eyes to the voice which was terrifying at first but now turned very enchanting.

He was dumbstruck. There was a beauty standing in front of him for which any man would be ready to go against the gods.

But that wasn\'t the reason Shin was shocked. It was because she was the same person whom he had seen in his previous dream.

The adult Alice. Or at least someone who looks like that. Shin still remembers how she had kissed him. So she probably knows him. Hence he wasn\'t surprised when she called his name and he became less cautious of her.

The beautiful woman ran toward him and jumped in his arms. She hugged him tightly. As Shin felt her mountains pressing on his chest he gulped. \'Will Alice get this big too?\'

Shaking such weird thoughts out of his head Shin asked. "Are you Alice?"

To his question, the beauty in front of him nodded her head and replied.

<strong>[Yes and No. I am &%$#%@.]</strong> She sighed.

<strong>[I can\'t explain it to you now as you are not ready. I don\'t know how you arrived here which should have been impossible with your current strength.]</strong>

<strong>[But this is great, things will get a lot better now that you are here.]</strong> She paused as she continued.

<strong>[I see that you don\'t have much time here. So I\'ll be quick.]</strong>

Shin didn\'t have time to say anything in reply as she moved forward and kissed him on the lips.

Shin felt a heavenly feeling on his lips but calmed himself thinking.

\'This is Alice. This is Alice. This is Alice.\'

Before he could feel guilty anymore he heard a sound inside his head.

<strong>[Plunder Activated.]</strong>

<strong>[Medium is found.]</strong>

<strong>[Divine Energy is entering your body.]</strong>

<strong>[You have unlocked a new stat \'Divine Energy.\']</strong>

The woman continued kissing him and didn\'t stop. Soon she broke the kiss with a disappointed expression as if she wanted to continue and don\'t stop there.

She sighed and noticed Shin was looking at her as if waiting for some answers. She immediately turned back to her graceful self and explained.

<strong>[You have now unlocked divine energy which shouldn\'t be possible for a normal mortal to have access to. But you are different.]</strong>

Shin nodded his head. He also knew that his power was very abnormal and too much of a cheat. It\'s already a miracle that greed hasn\'t taken over him and he started killing people unnecessarily just to absorb their abilities.

<strong>[Normally someone gets access to divine energy once they ascend and break past their mortal limits.]</strong>

<strong>[Once they ascend all the energy inside their body gets converted into divine energy.]</strong>

Shin was surprised at this revelation.

"If that\'s the case, how can I access the divine energy?"

<strong>[You can\'t access it yet but you can start collecting it now.]</strong>

<strong>[Oh no we don\'t have time now.]</strong> She said with a saddened expression.

<strong>[Remeber, you have to get strong fast. No matter what. @%#% are going to arrive. You need more strength. The world is going to change.]</strong>

Shin heard her words and nodded his head resolutely. He also thinks he needs more strength after his failure on the fifth floor he can\'t help but carve for more power. Now that something more terrifying is going to happen he will need to speed up his plans.

Shin\'s body started fading. As he thought of something and asked.

"Was the kiss really necessary for the medium?"

The woman was surprised by Shin\'s question and got embarrassed. She turned her head sideways and replied.

<strong>[Ye-Yes, it was re-really necessary.]</strong> She lied with her best effort.

Shin\'s jaw dropped.

\'This is definitely Alice. I\'m sure of it. I don\'t know what the connection between them is, but she is Alice.\'

Shin felt less guilty about the kiss now.

While Shin\'s figure was fading the woman had tears in her eyes as she said.

<strong>[See you soon my love. Please come back fast and free me. I have been waiting for a long time.]</strong>

As she said those words the place turned silent and she was alone again waiting for Shin\'s next arrival.

***

Shin woke up from his long dream gasping for air. \'Haah... I am back I guess. So how long has it been?\'

Shin looked around expecting a few days must have passed like last time but to his surprise, they did not. He saw a naked Alice sleeping beside him as she snuggled close to him with a beautiful smile on her face.

Shin looked at her as his heart was melting. \'Such a pure and beautiful girl is my girlfriend. What more can I ask for?\'

He closed his face to her mouth and gave a peck on her small pink lips. But his actions had woken up Alice who was surprised by the kiss.

Getting kissed by Shin made her extremely happy. This was the best thing she could have asked for. \'What a great way to start the day. I am so happy.\'

Shin who saw Alice was woken up by his kiss, immediately apologized. "Did I wake you up? I\'m sorry."

"No, No. It\'s not like that." Alice said while panicking as she continued in a shy voice. "Rather if you can do it every day. I\'ll be a lot happy."

Shin who heard her words clearly, smiled and replied while patting her head.

"Of course no problem. But what if you wake up before me?"

"Uhmm, then I\'ll do that." Alice smiled innocently.

Only then did Alice notice Shin\'s eyes were focused on her body. She turned her head only to see her naked body and got embarrassed.

She immediately rushed to the bathroom while picking up her clothes.

Shin laughed awkwardly.

\'Is there even a reason to be embarrassed now?\'

...

Soon both Shin and Alice got ready and went down only to see Alfred and Reina smirking at them.

Alice saw Reina gazing at her with a big smirk on her face and turned red in embarrassment.

Shin just smiled awkwardly and greeted.

"Good morning Mom and Dad."