The Scream of A Thousand Libraries Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Beta Test (III).

Read chapter 49 of The Scream of A Thousand Libraries by Susangja on NovelPedia.

POV: MIGUEL CASTRO. When my eyes opened, the world was still blurred in shadows and dust. My vision was fogged from the blow, to the point that I could barely make out my surroundings. The only thing I was sure of was that I needed to get up. And fast. But… the smell of smoke, burnt leather and mildew had filled my lungs, making every breath an effort. I could feel a scratch on my head from the fall. And blood running down my face. I wiped the blood with my shirt sleeve, which left it completely stained. ‘I suppose that’s the nature of the job…’ I braced my arm and put as much strength as I could gather into it. “Ah! Damn…” I said as I tried, unsuccessfully, to stand. After realizing I didn’t have enough strength, I took a deep breath and gathered my energy as best I could “Diamond of Mines, strengthen me!” I proclaimed. As soon as the layer of energy formed, I felt a slight relief from the pressure. Then I had the strength needed to stand properly. ‘I’m getting too old for this kind of thing…’ Now standing, I could make out where I was. I looked around… I was surrounded by several chunks of concrete that had fallen from the floor above, where the ground had given way. My head throbbed incessantly, each pulse a drum marking the rhythm of the pain, and blood still ran in trails from my forehead. I tried to move slowly, my blurred vision forcing me to stare at the debris around me. Noah wasn’t in sight, but I felt his presence in the residual vibrations of the magic he had channeled. His signature felt strong on the upper floor. ‘He must be fighting one of the infected…’ Turning my attention to the environment, I realized the production line on the first floor had been cut in half by the debris, and a small mound had formed in the center. The thermal sensation was confusing: outside, the heavy sound of rain could be heard, but inside the heat remained due to the lack of openings. The floor under my feet trembled slightly with every step, as if the entire structure were alive, and through that it seemed to protest the weight of the rubble and the violence that had swept the place. Still unsure where the other infected was, I searched for my weapon… and I felt its key signature a few meters ahead. Under a fallen brick. I noticed the blue metal, marked by my energy. It gleamed strongly in the dim light of the place. I picked it up, checked the magazine and made sure the ammo was correct. I deactivated the safety and infused energy into the bullets to activate the summoned enchantments. “Oh, dear Fool, purge through these bullets…” I felt the literary-mark on my left wrist glow slightly with the connection formed between it and the seal on the weapon, indicating the enchantment was active. I gripped the Moretti Demon tightly, feeling the weapon's weight in my hand, a comfort amid the chaos. I heard a crack from my left and, from the corner of my eye, saw a projectile heading my way. Taking a step back, I turned my body toward the attack while charging a sphere of energy. Using the momentum of the turn, I struck the incoming shot with a straight cross, which deflected it into the wall. Then, in the next second, he appeared: a middle-aged man with a huge body, eyes white as ash, who seemed to radiate concentrated energy and whose muscles were all tense with strength. He advanced with steps like earthquakes, exuding supernatural force and speed, and his first punch crushed a pile of rubble as if it were paper. Instinctively, I reinforced the Diamond of Mines, feeling the crystalline energy exoskeleton wrap my muscles with greater intensity. The sensation was a mix of comfort and strain: my bones and joints now absorbed part of his force, balancing the gap between us. He unleashed a sequence of blows that I preferred only to dodge. I needed to understand his combat pattern first. His punches showed a certain martial quality. Was it a boxing style? Maybe... But, despite some intent, they lacked precision and rhythm. However, they made up