Chapter 4: The Embodiment of Fear
Charisma and appearance are not actually linked.
Strictly speaking, charisma is less about a person's looks and more about an instinctive affinity. Someone with high charisma can easily gain the goodwill of strangers or animals, effortlessly tame wild beasts, and more readily receive help from people they don't know.
An ordinary person's charisma is probably around ten or so. Exceeding twenty is considered outstanding, and surpassing fifty even has some kind of supernatural function, functioning as a natural charm spell. Most of the beauties recorded in history are at this level.
But to go higher, mere beauty and charm are no longer sufficient... That would require the bloodline of a fairy or a succubus, containing magical or other supernatural elements.
As for negative charisma, sometimes it doesn't mean the person is repulsive, but rather a way of describing extreme authority.
Although it can also inspire trust, at first glance, what comes to mind is not admiration, but awe. That is the difference between positive and negative charisma. Generally speaking, when negative charisma reaches twenty points, it can be considered quite authoritative. People with weaker nerves might even be startled at first sight. At higher levels, this authority can even transform into a supernatural ability, similar to the fear aura commonly seen among lower-tier creatures like fear demons.
Even so, it must be mentioned that even the terrifying executioners recorded in history, the brutal generals who slaughtered entire cities, had a charisma of only around negative fifty.
But the number displayed on Joshua's character card was enough to make all those fierce figures feel ashamed and willingly concede defeat.
Negative two hundred and nine.
This had truly broken through the lowest limit ever recorded in history, reaching a new realm. Even a calm and composed person like Joshua was greatly shocked when he saw this number, drawing in a sharp breath. The warrior simply couldn't understand how this was accomplished.
But he quickly calmed down. Pausing slightly, Joshua's gaze sharpened, and he began to rapidly search through his achievement list and character trait list. Without a doubt, it must have been this adventure in the Ilgena World that had caused some unpredictable consequences for his charisma.
[Mechanical Killer] [Puppet Destroyer] [Enemy of Constructs] — a series of achievements flashed by. [Beast Hunter] [Hundred Slayer in One Blow] [One Touched by the Divine] also had nothing to do with charisma. Achievements like [Turning the Tide] and [World Savior] actually added to charisma. After a quick scan, Joshua frowned, because he found that his charisma hadn't decreased at all; in fact, it had increased by over fifty points due to achievements.
So where did the negative two hundred and nine come from?!
Continuing to look down, the warrior finally spotted two newly added, inconspicuous statuses at the edge of his character traits.
[Innate Countenance]
[Not a face an ordinary person could possess, but one bearing divinity. The holder of this trait must carry divinity within them, possessing a certain divine authority. Charisma +100.]
[——The face of a god is shrouded in light, invisible to mortals. This is not concealment for the sake of mystery, but a form of protection.]
[Breath of Chaos]
[Perhaps during an adventure, some ancient seal was broken, or perhaps during battle with an enemy, a malicious curse was inflicted. Now, the power of Chaos clings to you, causing some unpredictable consequences. Charisma-related judgments are reversed and calculated.]
[——The fear and disgust of others, the eternal loneliness they bring, will cling to you like a bone-gnawing maggot, never allowing you release.]
"...Hah."
Taking a deep breath, then exhaling, Joshua closed his eyes, his fists clenched tightly, veins bulging on his arms. The warrior struggled to calm himself down. He had found the reason for his charisma of negative two hundred and nine.
The various savior achievements added up to over fifty points of charisma bonus. The divine power blessing from the Father of Nature had given his body a portion of divinity, increasing his charisma. Logically, his charisma should now be positive and very high. But everything was ruined by this last [Breath of Chaos].
Just as the Father of Nature's divine power had imbued his body with divinity, the power of the Calamity Evil God had also attached itself to him due to that final battle, reversing the effect of the blessing. This instantly made the warrior's already terrifyingly low charisma even worse, breaking through the lower limit all the way to its current state.
It was fine with acquaintances. Not to mention Ying and Lin, Loranda and Father Atanis were both powerful and very familiar with him, so the change in charisma had little effect. But if a stranger saw him, Joshua had no doubt they would be scared into a faint. In fact, just his authority alone was probably more terrifying than a dragon's draconic aura. Anyone below the Gold rank who saw the warrior's face would likely be plunged into a terrifying illusion just from looking at him.
"...Forget it. Thinking about it is useless."
Giving up on pondering this increasingly infuriating matter, Joshua temporarily set aside his charisma problem. He turned his head to look at his right hand, then focused his attention on the object tightly gripped within it.
What was clenched in this hand was some kind of authority bestowed by the World Will of Ilgena. He didn't know exactly what it was, but instinct told Joshua that it was related to his ability to touch the magical projection of Number Three.
Opening his palm, a square metal block, silver like steel and sparkling like stars, revealed its form. A faint grey light revolved around it, like the halo of a comet.
"Identify."
The warrior issued a short command, and instantly a large amount of data scrolled across his vision.
[Fragment of Residual Steel]
[...Item Identifying... Origin Knowledge check failed, Curio Knowledge check failed, World Knowledge check succeeded.]
[Identification Report: Fragment of Residual Steel · Divine Curio]
[Origin: At the dawn of the world, the boundaries between life forms were not so clearly defined. Soul and matter were one entity. The Steel Fragments are products of that era.]
[Curio: In the beginning of all things, primordial behemoths roamed the world. They were pure incarnations of steel, the first life forms. Their bodies contained the purest condensation of life.]
[World: It is said that various elemental life forms were the Creator's experimental products of life. These beings, where soul and body are one, are proof of the fusion of steel and fire. The Fragment of Residual Steel contains the life force of the primordial era. This object can grant its holder a mysterious ability. In the holder's presence, the boundary between soul and matter disappears. He can freely touch spiritual bodies, and at a certain cost, can grant life to matter. This is an authority close to that of the Creator.]
[Summary: A Steel Fragment containing the power of authority. Although it has a physical form, it is actually a conceptual existence. Invisible to anyone except its holder.]
"Isn't this exactly the same as the Fragment of Burning Steel?"
Rais an eyebrow, Joshua was not at all surprised by the effect of the Fragment of Residual Steel. He had already guessed a bit from being able to touch Number Three's magical projection. What the warrior had touched earlier wasn't magic, but the soul of the Artificial Intelligence Girl.
Ever since returning from the Carlis World last time, he had placed the Fragment of Burning Steel into the vault and hadn't taken it out for study. Next time he had time, Joshua planned to take both items out for a comparative study. But for now, he had no energy to analyze these mysterious little trinkets, full of infinite secrets.
Casually putting the Fragment of Residual Steel into his pajama pocket, Joshua sat back on the bed and closed his eyes. Although in the eyes of others, he had been asleep for three days, in reality, Joshua had only been trapped in an illusion. He hadn't had a proper rest at all.
But now, in his own territory, in his own home, on his own bed, the warrior could finally get a good night's sleep.
...
The next morning.
Joshua, along with Lin and the others, left the Lord's Manor, preparing to visit Bishop Atanis and Paladin Loranda.
During the warrior's slumber, the two had done their utmost to try and wake him. Although it was useless, just for this kindness, Joshua had to go and thank them in person.
Furthermore, Joshua had some matters he wanted to discuss with the old priest and the paladin. This matter was somewhat difficult to bring up, so he had to speak about it face to face.
Spring mornings are always a bit damp. The extinguished Glowstone Lamps were covered in dew. The warrior, along with Ying and Lin, walked on the slightly wet bluestone avenue. Since it was early morning, there weren't many people on the street. Although the trio was conspicuous, they didn't attract too much attention.
Most people were still indoors preparing breakfast. Only a few adventurers were in the courtyards, checking their equipment, preparing to set out to hunt magical beasts in the Great Aias Mountains, or to explore unknown areas. Although these people saw Joshua's group, most just gave them a cursory glance without paying much attention. Coupled with the warrior wearing a wide, boat-shaped hat whose shadow completely covered his face, the negative two hundred and nine charisma didn't cause any panic.
Before long, the group arrived at the cathedral on the square. The main city square was mostly empty now, with only a few patrolling city guards pacing back and forth. Like the adventurers, they only glanced briefly at the trio before losing interest. Some with good memories recognized Ying and Lin, and guessed the identity of the man whose face was hidden. Their patrol steps immediately became more spirited.
Not paying attention to the behavior of the patrolling city guards, Joshua looked up at Saint Lawrence Cathedral. The warrior frowned slightly, because just now, he felt the black circular holy emblem at the top of the cathedral flash with light. But the light was gone in an instant, as if it were an illusion.
"...Go knock on the door."
Turning his head to signal Lin to go knock on the door, Joshua didn't think what he saw was an illusion. He simply noted this strange occurrence in his mind. The warrior instructed, "Tell them I'm here."
"Yes, Master."
The black-haired youth quickly walked to the cathedral's main door.
Behind the door, Paladin Tunan heard the knocking.
"Strange, who could be visiting today, and so early?"
He stood up from the guard room and walked towards the door. Tunan was puzzled. Today, Saint Lawrence wasn't holding prayers or any church activities. Why would someone come knocking so early? After all, it was spring. Most believers had their own affairs to attend to. Without urgent matters or church requirements, no one had time to visit the cathedral.
"Coming."
No matter how strange the knight felt, he still had to fulfill his duty. He quickly walked to the door and opened it.
And then.
He saw the embodiment of fear.
The morning sunlight should have been bright, but in an instant, its radiance was devoured by a humanoid figure draped in a black coat. Tunan's vision went dark in an instant, leaving only that figure standing as if within this shadow.
The figure's head wore a trapezoidal boat-shaped hat with an eerie quality, its entire face hidden in shadow. Within the shadow, two blood-red points of light flickered, their alternating brightness and darkness bringing immense pressure.
The figure seemed to make some movement, but the paladin was now completely unable to react. All his spirit was drawn to the figure's black coat. That black, though initially appearing to be the color of ordinary leather, transformed upon sustained gazing into a depth as profound as the deep sea, its bottom completely invisible. The more he stared, the more this darkness sent chills down his spine, as if he were alone in an endless void.
Forcing himself to look away from this darkness, Tunan despairingly found that he couldn't escape this vortex of fear at all. Falling to his knees involuntarily, the paladin's forehead was covered in dense beads of sweat. He seemed to see the bones of some enormous creature swimming through this darkness, bringing a low hum.
The darkness wavered for a moment, then disappeared, replaced by that completely unidentifiable humanoid. Relying on his last shred of reason, Tunan could tell that the figure seemed to be reaching out a hand to him, trying to pull him up. But the paladin only retreated in fear, not daring to make contact.
In his eyes, the wreckage of swords and the twisted souls of countless monsters formed the body of this humanoid. On that hand, the remains of indescribable monsters surfaced, howling and bringing sharp noises. A thick smell of blood instantly overwhelmed the paladin's sense of smell, causing his vision to go black.
Within seconds, Tunan fainted.
The humanoid took two steps forward, seemingly trying to help the knight up. But it was useless. The paladin was completely limp, even if lifted, he would be like a lump of dead flesh.
"It's useless even covering my face?"
The humanoid seemed to shake its head somewhat helplessly. Then, Joshua took off the hat that concealed his features. Looking at the knight who seemed completely scared into unconsciousness, he sighed, and then shouted loudly towards the depths of the cathedral, his deep voice echoing in the corridor.
"Is anyone there? Come out."
"Someone's passed out."