The Shelter Game: Me, Starting with a Tenfold Drop Rate

"It seems that if you could handle the old monster in the gravity-chaotic town by yourself, you wouldn't be offering us any help at all, would you?" Irving asked Elder Seville calmly, with a cold smile on his lips.

"If it were you, would you offer me help under any other circumstances?" Elder Seville retorted bluntly.

Both fell silent for a moment. They both understood all too well that this collaboration was a forced one, born out of mutual threat rather than genuine cooperation.

If Elder Seville could completely overpower Irving, he would have killed him already, then coerced Donald and Vicky into helping him. Conversely, if Irving had the chance to eliminate Elder Seville, he wouldn't need to follow him into the rumored treasure-laden area of the Smith family just to ensure Vicky's safety.

After their brief exchange, a tense silence enveloped them. The atmosphere grew thick with tension, making Vicky worry that they might suddenly attack each other. Just as she was about to intervene with some words of mediation, both Elder Seville and Irving burst into hearty laughter.

"Since we've laid everything out on the table, why don't you share all the intel you have on this so-called old monster? If we're going to fight it together, we need to know what we're dealing with," Irving said, deciding not to dwell on past grievances.

For him, the most critical issue now was ensuring his and Vicky's safety. To do that, they had to navigate through this bizarre gravity-chaotic town successfully.

Elder Seville nodded and, with a smile, began to relay his information. "According to an ancient text in my possession, the entrance to the unknown space is hidden within a gravity-chaotic town. Only by defeating the old monster guarding the town can we find the entrance."

He paused after sharing this information. Irving looked a bit surprised. "Is that all the intel you have? We know next to nothing about this old monster. How can we fight it with such scant information?" the-place-MVLeMpYr

Elder Seville laughed heartily at Irving's question. "That's all the information I have. However, the Smith family ancestor likely knew more. The ancestor's memories are most likely to awaken within the bloodline descendants of the Smith family."

At this, Elder Seville's gaze shifted to Vicky. Vicky was already mentally prepared for this. She had accepted that everything happening was connected to her family's ancestor. Since it involved her family's ancestor, her bloodline would naturally be required to help further.

Before Irving could say anything, Vicky spoke up. "What should I do? Do I need to activate some mechanism with my blood again?"

Elder Seville shook his head. "There are no mechanisms in the gravity-chaotic town. What you need to do is help us locate the old monster hidden in the town."Vicky didn't quite understand what Elder Seville meant. She looked at him in confusion.

Elder Seville sighed, "I know you're very puzzled right now, so you don't need to deliberately search for the old monster we're trying to find. Just follow your inner guidance and keep moving forward. We will follow behind you to ensure your safety."

Since Elder Seville had said as much, and Irving did not object, Vicky decided to follow her instincts and move forward. Led by Vicky, the three of them quickly advanced through the gravity-chaotic town. After a while, they suddenly found themselves back where they started.

"I told you, if I lead the way, you won't find what you're looking for," Vicky sighed, a bit frustrated.

Neither Elder Seville nor Irving seemed bothered. They simply urged Vicky to continue leading the way. Vicky moved forward again with the two men following her, yet soon enough, they found themselves back at the original spot.

Vicky tried to convince them to stop these futile efforts. However, this time, both Irving and Elder Seville were more resolute. They seemed to have found some crucial clues but chose not to share them with Vicky.

Though slightly exasperated, Vicky still trusted Irving. So, she continued to guide Elder Seville and Irving through the town. After making several rounds and repeatedly returning to the same spot, Vicky couldn't contain her frustration any longer.

"We're just going in circles. Haven't you noticed anything strange?" Vicky asked, her eyes fixed on Elder Seville and Irving.

Both men were staring intently at her, making Vicky a bit uneasy. "Why are you staring at me like that? Do I look strange or something?" Vicky quickly checked herself but found nothing unusual.

Elder Seville remained silent, glancing at Irving, whose expression showed a hint of hesitation. Finally, Irving stepped forward and spoke directly to Vicky, "There's nothing strange about you physically, but it seems the old monster we're looking for is you."

Irving's words left Vicky utterly shocked. She locked eyes with Irving, trying to discern if he was joking. Realizing he was serious, Vicky took a few steps back in fear.

"What do you mean? Are you planning to kill me?" Vicky asked, her voice trembling.

Elder Seville sighed again. "We don't want to kill you, but you are indeed the old monster we're looking for. If we want to proceed, we must defeat you.""You don't seem to possess strong combat abilities, which means defeating you should be easy. This implies that perhaps the only way to pass through the gravity-chaotic town is by killing you," Elder Seville said, his tone chillingly calm.

As Elder Seville spoke, Irving remained lost in thought. He found Seville's words logically sound, yet a swirl of questions lingered in his mind. Why had Vicky suddenly become the old monster of the gravity-chaotic town in their eyes? Was it solely because she carried the Smith family bloodline? If so, how had the Smith family ancestor managed to pass through here?

Despite racking his brain, Irving couldn't pinpoint the answer. Frustrated, he slapped his forehead hard. In that moment, he seemed to see Vicky split into two forms: her physical body and another overlapping shadow.

Realizing this, Irving suspected that Vicky was hosting the old monster they were hunting. Acting on this hunch, he channeled the power of the Taikoo Flame Pearl. Enhanced by its power, he used the Soul Link skill to probe Vicky's mind. As he suspected, there were indeed two distinct voices within her, indicating the presence of the old monster.

Irving shouted at Elder Seville, "Parasite! Vicky has a parasite!"

He deliberately avoided saying that the old monster was within Vicky, fearing the entity might transfer away. Instead, he used the term "parasite" to alert Elder Seville.

Initially confused, Elder Seville quickly grasped Irving's hint. Wasting no time, he manipulated his control over parasites. The parasite within Vicky ceased tormenting her and targeted the other entity. Soon, the two parasites located and began to neutralize the invader.

"I've got it! Now, quickly, strike!" Elder Seville commanded, his energy nearly depleted from the effort of controlling the parasites. He could only rely on Irving now.

Without hesitation, Irving charged toward Vicky. Fear gripped Vicky as she saw the hatred in Irving's eyes. Despite her terror, Irving didn't falter or step back. If the old monster remained within Vicky, he would strike her without mercy.

Irving's unwavering resolve eventually forced the old monster out of Vicky. The entity appeared as a series of disjointed spatial lines, attempting to merge swiftly into the gravity-chaotic town.

But neither Elder Seville nor Irving intended to give it that chance. Together, they combined their powers to subdue the creature.In the instant they subdued the creature, Elder Seville and Irving simultaneously gained detailed knowledge about the entity.

[Temporal Anomaly]

[Description: Time and space both rely on the power of a Great Being, who cannot constantly monitor every area. Lifeforms born from the proximity to this Great Being's power act on behalf of the Great Being.]

[Abilities: Temporal Anomaly can disrupt the operation of time and space, manipulate gravitational anomalies, and, under certain conditions, completely steal another person's destiny.]

Upon reading the description of the Temporal Anomaly, Irving and Elder Seville intensified their attacks. They understood that if they didn't eliminate the Temporal Anomaly swiftly, they risked being countered and defeated by it. Once the Temporal Anomaly hid itself, it would be nearly impossible to locate.

With their combined assault, the Temporal Anomaly weakened rapidly and eventually dissipated entirely within the gravity-chaotic town. As it vanished, the town's gravity finally returned to normal.

Vicky, having witnessed the entire ordeal, collapsed to her knees, overwhelmed by the sudden shift from being a potential adversary to being saved. Irving and Elder Seville approached her cautiously, still on guard for any residual effects.

"Vicky, are you alright?" Irving asked, extending a hand to help her up.

She took his hand, her grip trembling. "I... I think so. But what was that thing inside me?"

Elder Seville explained, "It was a Temporal Anomaly, a creature capable of manipulating time and space. It had been using you as a host to control the gravitational chaos in this town."

Vicky shuddered at the thought. "So, it wasn't really me... but it used me."

"Exactly," Irving confirmed. "And now that it's gone, we can move forward without the distortions."

The trio, relieved but still cautious, began to move forward, the path ahead now clear of the gravitational disruptions that had plagued them. The town, once a maze of chaos, now lay still and serene, allowing them to continue their journey toward their ultimate goal.