My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 474: The gray mist

The farm owner stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the scene before him in complete disbelief.

His jaw slackened as he stared at the hulking, corrupted beast that had just collapsed across his field. For several long seconds, he could not stir, his mind struggling to comprehend the reality of what he had just witnessed.

Merely three days ago, he had nearly forfeited his life while attempting to chase that very same corrupted wolf from his land. He had scoured his property for anything that might serve as a weapon—torches, spears, iron tools, and even rusted hunting traps unearthed from storage in a desperate bid to defend his home and his animals. The entire night had been nothing but a brutal struggle for survival.

Even after all that effort, he had failed to kill the creature.

At his best, he had only managed to drive it off after sustaining wounds and draining every ounce of his remaining stamina.

Yet, this young adventurer had arrived and disposed of a corrupted beast with one leisurely, effortless strike.

One singular flash of his blade.

That was all it took.

The monster had been sliced cleanly through, dying before it could even register that an attack had occurred.

The two halves of the corrupted animal thudded against the earth, the impact sending a dull tremor through the soil. Dark blood pooled into the grass as the lifeless carcass spasmed once before falling completely still.

The old man’s lips quivered as he gazed at the young adventurer standing calmly in the field.

Slowly, sparks of hope kindled within his eyes.

This was an authentic adventurer.

He was powerful.

He was someone capable of purging the nightmare that had claimed his land.

Perhaps... maybe his farm could truly be salvaged.

Ethan lowered his sword with measured intent.

The luminous blade dissipated into faint cosmic particles, vanishing from his grasp as though it had never been there.

"Yumiko," he called out calmly.

[Yes, Master.]

"Did that net me any evolution points?"

Silence hung in his mind for a brief moment.

[No.]

Ethan blinked, his expression showing mild surprise.

"None?"

[You have not yet established a connection with the system.]

Her voice remained level and analytical.

[Consequently, the world system cannot register your actions, and as such, it cannot reward you with any evolution points.]

Ethan rubbed the nape of his neck as he surveyed the beast lying dead in the grass.

"So, slaying monsters doesn't grant me any benefits yet."

He exhaled a quiet sigh.

"Wonderful."

Before he could add anything further, Yumiko spoke again.

[However...]

Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"However?"

[You did receive something.]

"What did I obtain?"

[A single strand of faith.]

Ethan tilted his head in confusion.

"A strand of faith?"

[Yes.]

Yumiko replied.

[The farm owner witnessed your actions, fostering sincere admiration and belief in your abilities. That emotional energy coalesced into a strand of faith, which was then assimilated by your existence.]

Ethan spared a moment to glance at the distant old man before sighing once more.

"So, I have to bide my time before I can begin leveling up properly, is that it?"

[Correct.]

Ethan stretched his limbs with a lazy motion, mimicking one loosening their body after a simple warm-up.

"Well, that is quite the disappointment."

As he moved, he suddenly paused.

There was a distinct difference.

His body felt... lighter.

It wasn't a monumental change, but the shift was subtle and undeniable.

He slowly extended his arm and swept it through the air. The action was fluid, as if the invisible resistance that had burdened him earlier was beginning to wane.

"I see."

A faint smirk curled his lips.

"My physical frame is acclimating to the atmosphere of this world."

Earlier, every movement had been cumbersome, as if he were wading through thick sludge. Now, that strange pressure receded as he adjusted.

"Well," he mused softly, "at least it wasn't a total loss."

He turned his attention back to the surroundings.

Two corrupted beasts remained.

They finally reacted to the demise of their pack-mate. Their crimson eyes glowed as they fixed their gaze on Ethan, letting out a low, distorted snarl.

Then, both beasts charged.

Their hooves tore at the soil as they rushed toward him, emanating a terrifying intensity.

Ethan did not flinch or panic.

He simply stepped forward.

The Sword of Infinity materialized in his hand once again.

Two silver flashes slashed through the air.

The charging creatures lacked even the time to recoil.

With perfect precision, both were cut down, their bodies collapsing almost simultaneously as they struck the ground.

The entire skirmish had concluded in less than two seconds.

Yet, Ethan did not lower his guard.

Instead, his eyes narrowed.

"I can sense more of them."

His senses spread across the land like invisible ripples. While the world sought to suppress his power, his perception remained leagues beyond that of any common being.

He detected them soon enough.

Eight additional life signs.

They were skulking, lying in wait from various points across the fields.

"My strength might be stifled," Ethan whispered quietly, "but it is far from extinguished."

A trace of a grin touched his face.

He raised his hand.

"Eye of Oblivion."

As the words left his lips, the very world seemed to warp. For a fleeting second, space fractured like shattered glass.

The hidden creatures were instantly obliterated.

There were no cries. No resistance.

The eight corrupted beasts lurking throughout the farm were summarily erased, their forms dissolving into grey dust before they could even grasp that they had been targeted.

Silence reclaimed the fields.

Then, something peculiar occurred.

From the remnants of the eradicated monsters, wisps of grey mist began to emerge. The vapor drifted into the air like smoke Rising from an embers fire.

Ethan furrowed his brow while watching the phenomenon. The mist swirled, drifting through the air as if driven by some primal, alien intent.

Suddenly...

Ethan felt a sensation resonate within his mind. It was an instinct.

Without conscious thought, he extended his hand toward the hovering haze.

His fingers grasped at the air, and the grey mist made contact with his skin.

[MASTER, WAIT—!]

Yumiko’s alarm echoed with frantic urgency through his mind, but it was already too abrupt to halt his actions.

The mist surged forward as if alive. It shot into Ethan’s body, racing toward his brain with terrifying momentum. For a split second, the danger seemed absolute.

But before the energy reached its goal, a hidden force within Ethan responded.

The strand of Infinity buried within his essence awakened. A surge of immense suction erupted from the law fragment, capturing the invading mist and dragging it away from his brain, pulling it directly into the Infinity strand.

The corrupted energy was entirely engulfed. Consumed.

Ethan remained motionless as the bizarre sensation coursed through his frame, then he pulled himself out of his stupor.

"What in the world was that?!"

[Master, allow me a moment.]

Yumiko’s tone was strained. Seconds of silence passed while she processed the data. Then, her vocal inflection shifted entirely, brimming with excitement.

[Master.]

[We have struck gold.]

Ethan blinked, bewildered.

"What do you mean by jackpot?"

[The grey mist you assimilated originates from shattered remnants of the Law of Infinity.]

Ethan frowned.

[Specifically, it is its inversion—negative infinity.]

Yumiko continued her explanation.

[Whenever these grey shards encounter other fractured infinity laws, they seek to devour them in a bid to stabilize themselves. They will not desist until the other fragment is wholly erased.]

Ethan crossed his arms, deep in thought.

"And?"

Yumiko’s voice took on a triumphant note.

[Your infinity law strand is not fractured.]

[It is the True Infinity.]

[Perfect.]

[Absolute.]

[Because of that status, when the grey mist entered your vessel, your law fragment simply treated it as sustenance.]

Ethan looked down at his hand, surveying it slowly.

"So, you are implying that my infinity law simply consumed it."

[Precisely.]

"And did it expand?"

[Yes.]

[Only slightly.]

[But it has undeniably grown.]