Chapter 271 - Collaborating With The System God Eyes couldn’t see through, but it showed him just how sturdy it was. ’What if it lets out energy? Will your senses be able to penetrate?’ Gustav asked the system. ("If it lets out more energy than it already has, my senses will be able to infiltrate, and you will be presented with the option of absorbing the energy,") The system responded to Gustav. ’Alright, prepare yourself for the moment the ritual starts. I’ll try to delay my death for as long as possible while you handle the issue of absorption,’ Gustav squinted his eyes as he planned with the system internally. ’And do make it quick... I don’t know what your goal is, but I’m sure you wouldn’t like this to be the end of me,’ Gustav smirked after saying internally. ("...") "NOW IT STARTS!" The rock voiced out as the platform suddenly turned brighter. The blood red runic patterns on the rock’s body glowed even more with a shade of sinister dark, dying the entire area with an aura of despair. A wave of crimson energy flowed out of the shell-like area beneath Gustav towards the rock above. Gustav suddenly felt his energy getting sapped. "Ugh," [Gravitational Displacement has been activated] Gustav instantly barricaded himself with walls of compressed space that prevented the waves from making contact with him. ------------------------ [High Energy Crystal Has Been Detected] [Calculating Grade: ???] [Grade Unknown] [Does Host Wish To Absorb Energy Into The System] [YES/NO] ------------------------ Gustav saw the system notification and smiled, ’Finally,’ He groaned while struggling to keep gravitational displacement activated since the blood like waves flowing out of the platform below were smashing into the gravitational barricade repeatedly. ’How long with this take?’ Gustav asked internally. ("Due to the immense energy, I am sensing, it would take at least thirty minutes to absorb completely,") The system replied. ’What? Thirty minutes, I don’t have thirty minutes,’ Gustav responded while groaning as he struggled to keep gravitational displacement activated. ("That is just an estimate, it might take even longer,") The system replied again. Other absorptions never took longer than three minutes but according to the system this particular one would take thirty minutes or longer. Gustav knew that this meant the energy was really massive but he didn’t know whether to rejoice or be sorrowful because he might not live long enough for everything to be absorbed completely. What then would be the point of all this? "HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU CAN KEEP THAT BARRIER UP? GIVE IN TO YOUR FATE!" The rock shouted out as it stared at Gustav from above barricading himself within the gravitational force. Due to this the ritual was being delayed but the rock was not worried because it knew that Gustav would run out of energy sooner or later. ’Hey system, I’ll join you in absorbing the energy to make it faster... You take a portion of it and I’ll take the other portion. When you absorb enough for an upgrade, leave the rest up me,’ Gustav suggested internally. ("You do know that your body will never be able to hold such amount of energy without exploding from the inside out," The system warned. ’I know... I have a plan,’ Gustav said internally. (... Alright,") Gustav conjured the biggest spherical orb he had ever created which was almost as large as himself. He made some hand signs and the energy from the platform started being sucked into the sphere. Gustav wasn’t done yet. He conjured up three more and sent them towards the four corners of the platform. Gustav’s breathing was already becoming rapid at this point. To conjure such large spherical energy and gravitational orbs, made him spend a lot of energy. The rock stared at his actions from above with a suspicious look. "HMM? THE ENERGY CRYSTAL JUST GAVE ME A PIECE OF INFORMATION," The rock voiced out. "STOP WASTING YOUR TIME, IT’S ENERGY IS ALMOST INFINITE..." The rock seemed to have figured out what was going on already. "Almost infinite... Well, it’s not infinite, is it? And there’s no such thing as almost infinite, it’s either it is or it’s not," Gustav smirked after he finished voicing out. "LET’S SEE IF YOU CAN ABSORB IT’S ENERGY COMPLETELY BEFORE YOUR DEATH... INCREASE!" The rock voiced out. Vrrrroooouuuuuiiiinnnn! The blood red energy waves coming from the platform below suddenly increased immensely. "Grrrrh!" Gustav groaned as he struggled to keep gravitational displacement activated. The energy waves were slamming into the gravitational barrier he created with intensity. ’At this rate I might not be able to keep this up for too long... System, how far have you gone with the absorption?’ Gustav asked internally as his forehead creased. ("Only 2% has been absorbed so far,") The system replied. ’What the...?’ Gustav exclaimed. ("You have to keep that gravitational barrier active if you want to remain alive,") Gustav gritted his teeth and kept it up. His stamina as well as his energy were depleting at an insane rate but this was the only way to go about it. The waves kept pouring out and the rock above kept shouting for it to increase in instensity. Droplets of sweats were already starting to drop from Gustav’s face as the gravitational barrier surrounding him decreased in size as time passed. "Ugh... How far have we gone I don’t think I can hold this for much longer," ("Still around 80% more to absorb,") The system responded. Gustav’s eyebrows creased in frustration upon seeing the response. ’I have to try something else, this won’t work,’ Gustav’s arms were already trembling at this point. "JUST GIVE UP. IT’S FUTILE," The rock voiced out. "WHATEVER ENERGY YOU ABSORB FROM THE CRYSTAL WILL BECOME MINE WHEN I BATH IN YOUR ESSENCE. STOP WASTING YOUR TIME AS WELL AS MINE BY RESISTING," "INCREASE!" The rock was also getting impatient because since the start it hadn’t absorbed anything from Gustav due to the barrier surrounding him. However, it wasn’t worried. Gustav’s arms trembled intensely as the waves increased yet again pushing his own gravitational barrier back to him. Gustav’s body was now being sandwiched in-between. He quickly called back one of the spherical orbs and pulled out the energy it had absorbed before leaping upwards. A huge amount of energy gathered around Gustav’s fist which had transformed again as he threw it at the barrier above. Booommm! An explosion went off as his fist slammed into the barrier. However, even with that amount of force, only a finger-sized hole could be seen in the barrier. Gustav detonated the energy he had gathered so far trying to increase the hole. Booom! Boom! Booom! A loud blast went off in the scale like area causing a wave of blue energy to spread out. The ground in the surroundings vibrated with intensity and cracks appeared all over. The explosion Gustav triggered had pushed away the blood red waves coming from the podium below for a few seconds. Gustav used that chance to leape upwards again and pushed his fingers into the small holes created from the blast. He pulled with all his might trying to increase the hole. The rock above was a bit disoriented at first when the explosion went off but the moment it regained its senses back it noticed Gustav below trying to forcefully increase the gap in the barrier. "INCREASE!" It shouted out. Fwwwrrroooowwmmmmm! Gustav eyes widened as he looked below him and noticed a massive amount of blood red waves headed for him. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮 "Arrrgghhhh!"