《Do You Ever Get That Feeling of Deja Vu? [LitRPG Time Loop with a Twist]》 Glossary System Messages:
Color Meaning
Red Danger Messages
Yellow Warning Messages
Green Positive Messages
Blue Core System''s messages or menus
Purple Deja vu System''s messages or menus
Monsters:
Name Level XP Is Boss?
Arachnid Mother 85 X
Blood Wraith 90 798
Boomspite Lichlings 60
Dark Axul 111 X
Dark Hunter 65 294
Gaelith of Tepan 100 ?
Gaelith''s Darkness 135 X
Grave Mole 80 544
High Priestess of Axul 110 X
Mole King X
Pack Leader 75 X
Priestess of Axul 98
Razor Basilisk X
Razor Serpent 85 544
Stinger 85 X
Undead Archer 40 34
Undead General Kaelstrife 75 494 X
Undead Warrior 40 34
Undead Wolf 70 318
Void Scorpion 70 318
Void Spider 65 294
Void Wasps 75 494
Skills/Spells:
Name Description Minimal Requirement Level Scaling Cooldown Current Known Holders
Afterimage Create an afterimage of yourself, retracing your past selves¡¯ movements for a brief duration. Deja vu System skill Duration of the afterimage is prolonged 10 minutes Aidan Dar
Arcane Burst Powerful blast of magic Intelligence - 40 Higher Intelligence increases casting range and damage, and lowers cooldown Stephan Lorren
Axul Might Suffocation by large invisible hand Noctyra
Battle Cry Enhance your Strength by 20% for 1 minute Strength - 15 Higher Strength increases the duration and buff 1 hour Aidan Dar
Binding Force Single-target rooting spell Mage class AND Intelligence - 25 Higher Intelligence makes the root stronger and last longer 30 seconds Stephan Lorren
Blade Rush Quick dash to close the distance between the user and their target Agility - 10 Higher Agility increases casting range 1 second Aidan Dar, Yana, Goren Shein, Lady Mikaela
Bladesurge Unique Skill for Nightfall: Enhances the sword''s stats by 20% for two minutes Weapon-unique skill None 10 minutes Aidan Dar
Blue Rose Thorn Paralysis skill unique to high-level Rogues Rogue class AND level - 75 None 1 minute Goren Shein
Blurstrike Strike all enemies in your line of sight in a blur of motion, becoming untargetable during the attack for 3 whole seconds Agility - 25 Higher Agility increases damage and the length of the attack 1 hour Aidan Dar
Checkpoint Sets a temporal anchor point, allowing you to revert to this moment upon death with memories of the current loop intact (single use per loop). Deja vu System skill Increases the time allowed between setting the temporal anchor point and your death 1 use per loop Aidan Dar
Dash Step Quick dash a short distance Agility - 7 None 1 second Aidan Dar
Deja vu Passive skill. Triggers faint recollections of past loops, increasing awareness of events that have happened. Deja vu System skill Increases the frequency of D¨¦j¨¤ vu None Aidan Dar
Distance Gauge Allows to sense presence of nearby allies/enemies Endurance - 10 Higher Endurance increases the range of the skill None Yana, Aidan Dar
Echo Sense Passive skill. Allows to hear echoes from past loops such as conversations and etcetera. Deja vu System skill The Echoes will become clearer and more frequent None Aidan Dar
Explosive Strike Unique Skill for Silverfang: Charging the weapon and striking the ground results in an explosion, causing AOE damage around you. Weapon-unique skill None 10 seconds Undead General Kaelstrife, Aidan Dar
Fearsome Aura Activate an intimidating aura that has a probabilty to inflict Fear on enemies who are lower leveled than you Strength - 15 Higher Strength increases probabilty of inflicting Fear 5 minutes Aidan Dar
Fireball Call a small ball of fire that does weak damage Intelligence - 7 Higher Intelligence increases damage and lowers mana cost None, but cost mana each second it''s active. Aidan Dar
Fire Burst Become a massive fire explosion. Health drops to 0% after use. Can be revived by Healer class. Strength - 25 AND Intelligence - 12 AND Elemental Affinity - Fire Higher Intelligence and Strength increase range and damage Yana
Flame Sword Envelops you weapon with fire, adding burning damage Intelligence - 7 Higher Intelligence increases damage and lowers mana cost None, but cost mana each second it''s active. Aidan Dar, Yana
Flight Defy gravity and fly for 3 seconds Intelligence - 17 AND Elemental Affinity - Air Higher Intelligence increases duration of flight Level 1: 1 minute Level 2: ? Level 3: ? Aidan Dar
Horizon Perform a horizontal slash with your weapon of choice to unleash a destructive wave of wind capable of AOE damage Intelligence - 12 AND Elemental Affinity - Air Higher Intelligence increases casting range damage. Skill leveling in magic tree lowers cooldown and improves the skill. Level 1: 10 minutes Level 2: 5 minutes Level 3: 2 minutes Aidan Dar
Inferno Burst Create a fire explosion Intelligence - 12 AND Elemental Affinity - Fire Higher Intelligence increases casting range and damage. Skill leveling in magic tree lowers cooldown and improves the skill. Yana
Kinetic Shift Agility-based skills now cost stamina instead of mana as a default Endurance - 10 AND Agility - 25 None None Aidan Dar
Luminous Slash Unique Skill for Nightfall: creates two crescent-shaped projectiles that deal damage Weapon-unique skill None 5 minutes Aidan Dar
Mirror Leveling Passive skill. For each level you gain in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, you receive an additional skill point to allocate into your Core System. Deja vu System skill None None Aidan Dar
Moon Barrier Unique Skill for Nightfall: creates a barrier around the user for 30 seconds Weapon-unique skill None Aidan Dar
Muscle Memory Passive skill. Your body becomes attuned to enemies¡¯ attack patterns from past loops, often reacting instinctively during combat. Deja vu System skill None None Aidan Dar
Overlord Unique Skill for Silverfang: Enhances Silverfang¡¯s stats and buffs by 30%. When lower than 50% HP, this effect is increased to 50%. Effect continues until victory or death Weapon-unique skill None 30 minutes Undead General Kaelstrife, Aidan Dar
Second Wind Replenish Stamina bar upon depletion once Endurance - 10 None 2 hours Aidan Dar
Shadow Step Quick dash to close the distance between the user and their target in which the user is invulnerable to damage Agility - 30 AND Strength - 30 Higher Agility and Strength increase range and lower cooldown Lady Mikaela
Shield Breaker Your attacks can overcome enemies¡¯ shields for a short duration Strength - 15 Higher Strength increases damage and lowers cooldown 2 minutes Aidan Dar
Temporal Trace Allows vision of the Time Plane, and the ability to mark a specific location on it visible only to you, remains between loops unless removed. Deja vu System skill Increases the number of possible marks available in each loop None Aidan Dar
Time Delay Swing Unique Skill for Nightfall: doubles the damage of a hit by applying a second, delayed, swing Weapon-unique skill None 2 minutes Aidan Dar
Unyielding Charge Unique Skill for Silverfang: Channel energy into the glaive for 5 seconds before launching in a straight line, becoming unstoppable. Deals massive damage to enemies in its path, knocking them back. Guaranteed Critical Hit if lands. Weapon-unique skill None 5 minutes Undead General Kaelstrife, Aidan Dar
Wind Arrow Release long-ranged wind arrows capable of AOE damage when charged. Charge duration - 5 seconds.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Intelligence - 14 AND Elemental Affinity - Air Higher Intelligence increases damage and lowers charge suration. Skill leveling in magic tree lowers cooldown and improves the skill. Level 1: Regular - 1 second, Charged - 30 seconds Level 2: Regular - 0.3 second, Charged - 20 seconds Level 3: ? Aidan Dar
Wind Blast Release a small blast of condensed wind capable of inflicting a Stun. Intelligence - 12 AND Elemental Affinity - Air Higher Intelligence increases damage and stun probability. Skill leveling in magic tree lowers cooldown and improves the skill. Level 1: 10 seconds Level 2: 3 seconds Level 3: ? Aidan Dar
Wind Fortification Negates fatal damage once by fortifying the body with wind magic. Intelligence - 15 AND Elemental Affinity - Air None Level 1: 3 hours Level 2: 1 hour Level 3: ? Aidan Dar
Wind Rush A gust of wind guides you and enhances your movement for the next 2 minutes. Can stack with other dodge/evasion skills. Intelligence - 12 AND Elemental Affinity - Air Higher Intelligence increases evasion. Skill leveling in magic tree lowers cooldown, increases length of use, and improves the skill. Level 1: 5 minutes Level 2: 2 minutes Level 3: None, but costs mana for each second active Aidan Dar
Wind Wall Create a wind barrier that blocks incoming projectiles Intelligence - 14 AND Elemental Affinity - Air Skill leveling in magic tree lowers cooldown and improves the skill. Level 1: 5 minutes Level 2: 3 minutes Level 3: 1 minute Aidan Dar
Items/Weapons:
Item Effect
Aegis Staff Magical staff. Belongs to Stephan Lorren. Level ?.
Apparition Oil Oil for weapon coating. Guarantees hits on Apparition-type monsters
Astral Spear A spear. Belongs to Christian Renner. Level 90.
Bandages Recovers 10% Health
Blackberries Recovers 5% Health
Convergence Powerful sword weapon. Looted by Goren
Darknessbound Core A prison long broken, but not lost
Ember Flask A fiery flask that explodes on impact, dealing fire damage
Essence of Darkness Liquid Darkness. May be used by certain individuals
Essence of Time Peculiar liquid used to heal Chronos
Gethril Root Removes Poisoning status
Golden Bow Powerful bow weapon. Looted by Goren
Heartspore Tonic Restores 10% HP per minute for three minutes
Holy Fire Bomb Creates an explosion of Holy Fire. Useful against wraiths and undead with a high chance to land a stun
Ironbark Brew Increases Durability by 20%
Lesser Health Potion Recovers 20% Health
Lesser Mana Elixir Recovers 20% Mana
Lesser Stamina Elixir Recovers 15% Stamina
Lumindew Provides night vision for 30 minutes
Nightfall Aidan''s sword. Level 50.
Oblivion Orb Powerful Staff. Looted by Goren
Oil Flask A flask that hold Oil
Silverfang Kaelstrife''s glaive.
Skyroot Powder Increases Stamina regeneration by 10%
Spark Bomb Creates electrical explosion with 50% chance of a stun for 5 seconds on afflicted targets
Sword of Radiance Gaelith''s radiant sword
The General''s Resolve Grants 3 skill points
The Stinger Golden Spear. Belongs to Lady Mikaela. Level ?.
Torch Enchanted Torch that provides light in a short radius
Trap Detection Kit Enchanted mechanism that detects traps in a designated area
Water Flask Restores 10% Health AND 10% Mana AND 10% Stamina
Warding Medallion Unique Rogue-item. Allows to see the unseen
Weapon Repair Kit Restores weapon''s Durability
Characters:
Name Level Class Subclass Role
Aidan Dar 50 Spellsword Arcane Duelist The protagonist. Member of Christian Renner''s guild
Alfred Jones Original holder of Convergence
Arabella Chronos'' Champion from a different world and a different battle
Aric Kelltins 87 Vanguard Ironclad A tank. Famous adventurer. Guild member of ''Burning Suns''
Balthor Aged man. One of Chronos'' helpers
Bernard Warden One of the adventurers participating in the quest. Joins Aidan and Yana after the Priestesses of Axul attack.
Christian Renner 37 Aidan''s guild master
Chronos God of Time
Dalton 65 Rogue Same guild as Goren. Replaces Goren on Aidan''s team 4.
Dina 55 Enchantress Team 4''s support mage. Part of Aidan''s initial party at the beginning of the quest.
Diona One of the priestesses of Axul (appears in memory fragment)
Dolos Embodiment of Deception
Evangelina Volker 85 Rogue Guild member and second-in-command of ''Silvercry''
Erebus Embodiment of Darkness
Fiona 82 Enchantress In charge of the logistics of the quest. Guild member of ''Burning Suns''
Gaelith of Tepan / Gaelith Alloraine A legendary knight in life and a vessel of Erebus in death
Goren Shein 57 Rogue Shadowstalker Team 4''s Rogue. Part of Aidan''s initial party at the beginning of the quest. Seems stronger than his level suggests
Henry 52 Mage Team 4''s offensive mage. Guild member of ''Ironfall Vanguard''. Jax''s apprentice. Part of Aidan''s initial party at the beginning of the quest
Jax of Belenia 65 Mage Team 4''s offensive mage. Guild member of ''Ironfall Vanguard''. Part of Aidan''s initial party at the beginning of the quest
Jutta the Wise One of the great Axuls. Noctyra''s ancestor
Karl Kaelstrife General of Tepan 1000 years ago. Gaelith''s best friend
King Edmund the Third The king who betrayed Gaelith in life
Lady Mikaela 100 One of the two strongest adventurers in the kingdom. Guild master of ''Burning Suns''
Lena 58 Cleric Lifeweaver Team 4''s healer. Part of Aidan''s initial party at the beginning of the quest.
Lysandra The High Priestess of Axul
Melissa 59 Enchantress One of the adventurers participating in the quest. Joins Aidan and Yana after Grave Moles attack.
Miss Belle Rogue Guild master of ''Silvercry''
Noctyra Supposedly the last Axul
Pix Teenage girl. One of Chronos'' helpers
Stephan Lorren 100 Mage One of the two strongest adventurers in the kingdom. Guild master of ''Ironfall Vanguard''
Tagan Mage Arcantor One of the adventurers participating in the quest. Joins Aidan and Yana after the Priestesses of Axul attack.
Waylan 55 Warden Runehammer Team 4''s tank. Part of Aidan''s initial party at the beginning of the quest.
Yana 70 Aidan childhood friend. Guild member of ''Burning Suns''
Yvon Leskins 92 Ranger Guild member of ''Burning Suns''. Original holder of Golden Bow
Chapter 1: How It Ends Chapter 1: How It Ends: I sprinted through the narrow stone corridor as fast as I could. The torchlights flickered against the walls as my heart raced, threatening to burst out of my chest. [Stamina: 25% - Movement Speed reduced by 10%] Behind me, the shriek of that monstrosity echoed, getting closer with each passing second. [Condition Applied: Fear lvl.2 ¨C Agility reduced by 10%. Stamina Drain increased by 10%] ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake...¡± I muttered under my breath, pushing myself even harder. The end of the corridor split into two directions ¨C left and right. I retraced our steps, remembering I needed to go left, so without slowing down, I stumbled against the wall, using it to redirect myself left. I had to reach Yana quickly, and together we¡¯d get out of this shitty dungeon. The Tomb of Gaelith was a set-up! A plain set-up! And those bastards left us weaklings behind once they realized that even they were under-leveled for it. I tried to calm my nerves by thinking about Yana. It¡¯s funny - throughout my entire life, she was always the one rescuing my ass, but now I was going to be the one saving hers. Yeah, yeah, that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to go. I¡¯ll grab her, and we¡¯ll run. Enough people had already died here today, but not us. No. We¡¯ll escape, and I¡¯ll finally tell her how I¡¯ve always felt about her. After today, I won¡¯t take anything for granted anymore. [Stamina: 20% - Reaching Critical Level. Movement Speed reduced by 15%] Not good. I¡¯ll never reach her alive like this. I opened my inventory screen. [Inventory] My eyes darted over the list, sweat dripping down my forehead. It wasn¡¯t much, but it would have to do. [Select: Lesser Stamina Elixir] The vial with the yellow liquid materialized in my hand. I uncorked it and gulped it down in one go. [Lesser Stamina Elixir Consumed: Stamina Restored by 15%] [Status Effect: Fear lvl.2 ¨C All Item Effectiveness reduced by 30%] [Actual Stamina Restored: 10.5%] [Stamina: 30.5%] What do you mean, effectiveness reduced because of fear? I¡¯m not even that scared! I started laughing nervously ¨C my usual defense mechanism when things got too tense. Well, at least I¡¯m out of the active debuff zone. I took a sharp right, then a left, and continued forward for two more minutes until I finally reached Yana. Among the bodies of those snake creatures - she sat on the ground, her back against the wall, her sword driven into the ground as she remained alert. She was clad in her light, red-colored armor. Her long red hair was tied into a single braid behind her back, and her face looked tired, exhausted, dark veins visible on her pale skin ¨C evidence of the poisoning she suffered when we fought the snake creatures that attacked us in this chamber. She had been grazed by a snake¡¯s fang and poisoned, and with no antidotes or any way to go back - the tunnels we came through had collapsed - I had left her here and ventured deeper with the remaining adventurers, desperately hoping to find an antidote. But that was a mistake... ¡°Aidan.¡± She called out when she saw me, her voice both relieved and strained. ¡°Good. You¡¯re alive.¡± ¡°We need to get out of here now.¡± I said immediately as I rushed to her side. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°I feel like shit.¡± She chuckled, even though it was obvious she was in pain. I smiled weakly at her, trying to keep morale up. ¡°I¡¯m gonna lift you up, okay?¡± She nodded nervously. I sighed as I lifted her onto my back, feeling her weight settle as I adjusted my grip. [Weight Load: +70 kg] [Condition Applied: Encumbered ¨C Movement Speed reduced by 30%. Stamina Drain increased by 20%] ¡°Did you gain some weight recently?¡± I joked, trying to keep my mind off the monster that could reach us at any minute.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Ha, ha. Very funny.¡± Yana replied. ¡°Where are the others?¡± I swallowed hard ¡°There are no others. I¡¯m the only one who made it back.¡± I began walking toward the collapsed tunnels, not sure why, perhaps hoping we missed something. I just knew we had to get away from here. It can¡¯t end like this. ¡°What did you find there?¡± she asked, her voice tense. ¡°It ¨C ¡° I began, but was immediately interrupted by the shriek of the monster that had gruesomely slaughtered our two remaining companions. A primal fear gripped me now, and my body trembled, but I kept moving, even though with all the debuffs, it was just a few short steps at a time. [Condition Applied: Fear lvl.4 ¨C Agility reduced by 40%. Stamina Drain increased by 40%] ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Yana muttered quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I admitted, my voice shaky. ¡°It was dark, so I didn¡¯t quite catch what it was, but Yan, there¡¯s a glitch in the system or something...¡± ¡°A glitch?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I continued. ¡°Its level was 134.¡± We stayed silent for a moment before she spoke. ¡°If we weren¡¯t so deep in shit right now, I¡¯d think you were pulling my leg.¡± She was right, of course. Everyone knew that level 100 was the highest any human or monster could reach. And even then, only a select few could ever reach it. ¡°That changes a lot...¡± Yana muttered. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± ¡°Where are you even going?¡± she suddenly asked. ¡°The tunnels collapsed.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± I said, a little sharper than I meant to. ¡°But there has to be some other way to escape this place.¡± ¡°I highly doubt that, Aidan.¡± She countered softly, her voice filled with doubt. ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± I forced a laugh, trying to shake off the rising tension. ¡°I¡¯ll get us out of here, you¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Aidan, we won¡¯t make it out of here.¡± She said quietly. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± I shot back. ¡°But we ¨C ¡° she started, but I interrupted her, turning my head slightly in frustration. ¡°Would you stop it already?¡± I snapped, my voice louder than I intended. ¡°I just don¡¯t want us to die here!¡± Her silence hung in the air for a moment before she spoke again, her tone softer, and warmer. ¡°I know, Aidan.¡± She replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to die here either, but...I activated Distance Gauge a second ago and...it¡¯s close. Too close. Even if there was some other way out of here, you¡¯re encumbered carrying me. With the rest of your debuffs, you¡¯re barely moving.¡± I clenched my jaw, knowing where this conversation was headed. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say what you¡¯re about to say now.¡± I warned her, my voice hard, but full of fear. ¡°Then I won¡¯t say it.¡± She paused, her breath hitching slightly. ¡°But you know I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± I retorted, my voice firm. ¡°Stop playing the hero all the time. We¡¯ll escape together.¡± She sighed heavily, the sound filled with regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aidan. For bringing you here. You wanted nothing to do with it, and I dragged you here for my own selfish reasons.¡± I shook my head, though she probably couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault. It was my decision to join you.¡± Her voice cracked, and I could hear her choking back sobs. ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault. I killed you.¡± Tears stung my eyes as I heard her words. ¡°No, Yan. You didn¡¯t. I wanted to be here at this quest. I wanted to be here with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, her voice breaking as the sobs took over. I took a deep, shaky breath, realizing now was the last time I could come clean. ¡°Yan, I love you.¡± I admitted, my voice trembling with fear. ¡°I always did. I wanted to stay by your side forever, but I stopped leveling up ages ago, and I didn¡¯t want to hold you back, so I decided to move aside. When you knocked on my door and asked me to join you on this quest, I felt relieved. Relieved that you actually still wanted me by your side.¡± ¡°Aidan¡­¡± she whispered, her voice tense. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± I said, my words rushing out. ¡°I love you, I love you, I love you!¡± There was an awkward silence before she answered, sobbing. ¡°I love you too! Ever since you climbed that tall oak tree in old Jacob¡¯s farm when we were kids! I¡¯d loved you all this time!¡± My heart twisted painfully at her words. The feelings had been mutual all along, and I had been afraid for no reason. Tears streamed down my face as the weight of all those lost years hit me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took me so long!¡± I cried. But before I could say more, the shriek echoed again. [Condition Applied: Fear lvl.5 ¨C Max Fear level. Paralysis inflicted. Agility reduced by 100%.] I froze in place, completely paralyzed. My body refused to respond. The monster was upon us. It loomed before us, seemingly made of darkness itself. Its form was mostly humanoid, but twisted - giant teeth gnashed from an empty face, and its legs morphed into writhing, dark appendages, whole lot of them. It¡¯s title and level appeared above it: Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, level 135. It was one level higher than the last time I saw it, just a few minutes ago. ¡°One hundred thirty-four, you said?¡± Yana asked, her voice trembling. ¡°Did he level up by killing Tagan and Bernard?¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°Seems so...¡± ¡°Put me down, Aidan.¡± Yana said, her voice steadying. ¡°Let¡¯s make a last stand.¡± Realizing she was right, I carefully lowered Yana to the ground. She struggled to stand beside me, barely keeping her balance. [Weight Load: -70 kg] [Condition Applied: No Longer Encumbered] ¡°Stand behind me, Aidan.¡± she whispered, her voice shaking but determined. ¡°No, you¡¯re poisoned.¡± I protested, stepping forward to shield her. She placed a trembling hand on my shoulder, stopping me. ¡°I¡¯m still the higher-level here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I shot back, refusing to let her take the lead. But before I could say more, she pulled me into a deep, desperate kiss. Her lips were soft against mine, and for a fleeting moment, everything else faded away. ¡°I love you.¡± she whispered as she pulled back, tears streaming down her cheeks. Then, she shoved me backward. ¡°Please, survive.¡± ¡°Fireburst!¡± she called out, her voice strong despite her tears, summoning that spell. My heart dropped ¨C there was nothing I could do. It was a suicide spell used only when a healer was near to immediately revive you. A massive explosion that would kill her. She had told me about it not long ago, explaining how she unlocked it in the fire magic skill tree, swearing she¡¯d never use it unless things really went south. And now...here it was. When she shoved me, I stumbled backward and slipped over a small ledge, dropping a few feet down. I landed hard, the impact jolting my body, but managed to look up and see the explosion erupt above me. My breath and tears caught in my throat as the sheer force of it shook the ground underneath me. The earth crumbled around me, and I was swallowed by the collapsing terrain. I didn¡¯t even black out through it all. I wish I had. I landed on a lower level - an unexplored one beneath the dungeon. Crushed down by the stones that landed on me, the pain overwhelming as my body was pinned beneath the rubble. [Health:6% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] [Status Ailment: Bleeding - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] She didn¡¯t mean it, I knew that. Yana thought she could save me, but here I was, dying slowly under the rubble of the explosion she had created. I looked around and realized I was alone. Yana¡¯s body...I wasn¡¯t sure what had happened to it after she used Fireburst. Her corpse was nowhere to be seen. Well, at least she probably took out that horrendous abomination...I hoped, even though it was highly unlikely. The answer came soon enough as the monsters¡¯s shriek echoed once more. [Condition Applied: Fear lvl.5 ¨C Max Fear level. Paralysis inflicted. Agility reduced by 100%.] It appeared before me, materializing out of the darkness, completely unscathed. Yana¡¯s gamble had failed¡­ ¡°Well, just get it over it...¡± I whispered, my voice weak and pained. But then, rage surged through me as I thought about Yana. She was dead, and I¡¯d wasted my entire life without ever telling her how I felt until it was too late. Our first kiss was our last. My whisper suddenly turned into a furious shout. ¡°Kill me ¨C ¡° I couldn¡¯t even finish my words. The creature¡¯s appendages solidified and pierced my already broken body. I gasped as the searing pain hit, feeling my life slip away. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Except for some reason, I didn''t... Chapter 2: How It Begins Chapter 2: How It Begins: [Loop Count: 2] I woke up to the sound of the system message. Loop count...2? What the hell is this? Was my system glitching? I stared on the message, until it quickly disappeared. I opened up my status menu just to make sure everything was normal. [Status Menu] The Loop Count: 2 was nowhere to be seen. Everything else seemed normal. So, it was a glitch, I guess... Shaking off the strange thoughts, I reminded myself that Yana would come to pick me up soon enough. There wasn¡¯t any time to waste ¨C it was my first serious quest in two years since I stepped down from serious adventuring. A large-scale quest targeting an abandoned dungeon called - the Tomb of Gaelith. And for some reason, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something wasn¡¯t right. Something told me to stop us, to stay inside and never leave the house, but I couldn¡¯t understand that feeling at the time... *** I stepped down from serious adventuring two years ago. I always enjoyed the profession and the freedom it provided, but once I leveled up to 50 and the system announced I had maxed out, I realized I would never reach the heights I once foolishly dreamed about. The System worked in ways no one could truly understand. Every person had a unique maximum level they could reach which was unknown to them, with the highest recorded level being 100 ¨C a feat achieved by only a select few adventurers in the entire world. Two of them were in the Tepan Kingdom, my kingdom. Considering I hit my ceiling at the very young age of twenty-one, I just stopped grinding so hard and turned my attention to smaller quests like escorting merchant caravans, hunting down low-tier monsters threatening the village I now lived in, or gathering herbs for local alchemists. These types of quests helped me at least make a living, as I was pretty much average at everything else I did. Another reason for stepping down was Yana. She was my childhood friend and lifelong crush. We¡¯d been adventuring together ever since we got our adventurer¡¯s license when we were teens. But while I stopped leveling up, she didn¡¯t. And since I didn¡¯t want to hold her back, I moved away from the city to a small village ¨C Sandrest, it was called. If I hadn¡¯t, she would¡¯ve stuck with me out of obligation, feeling she would betray our friendship if she didn¡¯t. She never adventured without me in the past. It was painful for me as well, but it had to be done. And eventually, it worked in her favor too. In her last letter, she wrote that she had reached level 70 and was still leveling up. Perhaps she would be one of those handful of adventurers to reach the highest level of 100. Either way, she was already ranking pretty high compared to the rest of the kingdom. Then, after two years of my ¡°humble¡± life as a small-time adventurer, Yana knocked on my door, surprising the hell out of me. Apparently, there was a large quest the kingdom was sponsoring, sending its greatest adventurers to lead. They set a quota of a hundred adventurers to participate, all of them had to be level 50 or above. The destination of the expedition? The Tomb of Gaelith. As soon as I heard the name, a shiver ran down my spine. Now, to explain why Gaelith brought such a reaction from me - and anyone else, for that matter - I would have to take you back about a thousand years. Back then, Gaelith was a knight and a great hero, betrayed by the king of Tepan himself. The king wrongly accused him of treason and ordered his execution. Gaelith, being the honorable man he was, accepted his fate without fighting back. Before he was executed, he uttered these final words: ¡°I have given everything I had for this kingdom, and yet it has turned its back on me. Now, heed my words: when the truth of my innocence comes to light, and regret and shame fill your heart, the land where my body is buried shall suffer as I have suffered. It will rot, and wild animals and beasts unlike any you¡¯ve ever seen will overrun it, exacting my revenge upon anyone who dares set foot there. And you, dear king? Your legacy shall crumble, just as I have fallen unjustly. Once you realize your mistake, you won¡¯t be king for long.¡± Or something along those lines. The king, still convinced that Gaelith was guilty but fearful that his words might become a curse, ordered that Gaelith¡¯s body be placed in an abandoned underground tomb near the village of Moonvale, rather than buried in the earth. He thought this would outsmart the possible curse. The best part? The king eventually learned that Gaelith was innocent. In a desperate attempt to make amends, he sent many treasures to the tomb, hoping to appease Gaelith¡¯s spirit. But no one who ventured into the tomb ever returned. Over time, the tomb was sealed entirely and declared a Level 100 Dungeon. And Gaelith¡¯s curse did come true - well, at least half of it. Since no one ever returned alive from the tomb, it¡¯s impossible to know what really lurks there or whether it¡¯s truly rotting inside, but the king in question, Edmund the Third, was usurped by his own cousin a year after discovering Gaelith¡¯s innocence. Turns out it was his cousin who he should¡¯ve been worrying about all along, not his most loyal knight. ¡°Why in the world would the kingdom decide to explore this dungeon again after so many years? And send a hundred adventurers, no less?¡± I had asked Yana at the time, and she simply gestured with her fingers the universal sign for money, while having a goofy smile on her face. ¡°They say King Edmund the Third commanded half of his treasury to be brought inside Gaelith¡¯s tomb, as a token of apology.¡± Yana paused, nodding slowly. ¡°And that¡¯s quite a lot, Aidan.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s a Level 100 Dungeon. What are they thinking, setting the entry bar so low at 50?¡± I asked, genuinely confused. ¡°Well actually Lady Mikaela already ventured inside the first levels of the tomb and reported back.¡± Yana replied. ¡°She said that the monsters she encountered were nothing serious, and extremely low-leveled. Now, there¡¯s no reason to believe that¡¯s the case all the way down to the lowest level where Gaelith¡¯s body was put to rest, but she thinks that low-leveled adventurers ¨C from level 50 to 65, like you - could help clear the first levels and keep the higher-level adventurers rested and prepared for the dangers in the depths.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Recognizing the opportunity to tease her, I spoke. ¡°So, you¡¯re basically just calling for me to be your meat shield? Gotcha.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, no! That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± she retorted, na?ve as ever, before her expression suddenly turned a weird combination of shy and serious, making something in my heart twist. ¡°We just haven¡¯t adventured for so long, and now there¡¯s finally an opportunity, and I just thought¡­¡± ¡°I was joking, Yan.¡± I said immediately, my heart racing. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll go.¡± Her eyes lit up in excitement. ¡°You mean it?¡± I nodded, though inside I was asking myself the same question. Well, it was too late to back down now. The way she looked at me right now had reignited all my feelings for her. And now here I was. The big day. I got out of bed and prepared some breakfast for myself: a simple toast with peanut butter and jam, just like Mom always used to make, and a cup of green tea. Then I donned my lightweight armor ¨C a simple black chestplate over a plain tunic, fitted leather bracers, and worn but sturdy trousers. [Durability Increased by 10%] [Agility Increased by 10%] After that, I grabbed my sword, Nightfall, from under my bed, and secured the scabbard above my left hip. [Weapon Equipped: Nightfall. Agility Scaling: C] [Agility Increased by 10%] [Critical Hit Chance Increased by 10%] It gleamed in my hand, imbued with magic. Both the blade and the handle were crafted from the same silvery metal. The blade was slender and slightly curved, long enough to strike at a distance but also perfect for close ranged precise strikes, complimenting my agility-focused build. It was the last valuable thing I¡¯d ever gotten out of a quest, right before I leveled up for the last time. Needless to say, Nightfall was both a good and a bad memory. Yana arrived late as usual, punctuality was always her weakness, and we set off to the Tomb of Gaelith. *** ¡°And anyways, so this level 63 Bloodwretch just ambushes us out of nowhere, and no one hears him coming because he had some stealth skill activated. No one, but Lady Mikaela.¡± Yana paused for a second to take a breather in her story about her last quest, where she accompanied her guild master ¨C Lady Mikaela, one of the two level 100 adventurers in the Tepan kingdom. ¡°She just darted from her spot instantly using Shadow Step and impaled it to death with one move. Gods, I¡¯m not doing it justice describing it half-assedly like this. It was just...wow. It was wow, Aidan! Wow!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, chill, you little fangirl.¡± I chuckled, focusing on our path. We still had a bit of time until we reached the tomb. She smiled shyly. ¡°Sorry, I got a little bit carried away. It¡¯s just she¡¯s so...she¡¯s so...¡± ¡°Wow?¡± I completed her words. She laughed. ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°How¡¯s life in her guild treating you anyway?¡± I asked, genuinely curious. ¡°You don¡¯t write much about your other guild members.¡± Yana shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s really not much to say about the rest, honestly. They¡¯re all decent fellas, some more than others. But Lady Mikaela is everything you¡¯d want in an adventurer: strong, compassionate, fearless, and a great leader. She asked me to join her on quests plenty of times in the past month. I think she likes me.¡± I smiled at her words. ¡°Good. You deserve the recognition.¡± ¡°Thanks, Aidan.¡± She replied, looking away. There was an awkward silence between us until she spoke. ¡°What about you? You barely even answer my letters. How¡¯s your guild master? What was his name? Something with a C....¡± ¡°Christian.¡± I replied, chuckling at the thought of the man. ¡°Christian! That¡¯s right!¡± Yana snapped her fingers before laughing too. ¡°Did he give you permission to leave for this quest?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°He did, actually.¡± You see, Christian Renner was indeed my guild master, and to participate in any quest outside of the ones the guild provided me with, I¡¯d need his permission. The thing was, we were the only two members of the only adventuring guild in Sandrest - and he was only level 37. ¡°Why won¡¯t you just take over the guild?¡± she asked, her laugh subsiding but still smiling. ¡°You¡¯re higher level than him...¡± ¡°And deal with all the paperwork? No, thank you.¡± I raised an eyebrow at her, chuckling again. ¡°Besides, Christian¡¯s doing a fine job as guild master.¡± ¡°You can always return to the city, you know?¡± Yana said suddenly. ¡°You always refer to level 50 as low, but it¡¯s fairly decent. And you¡¯d have a lot more job opportunities there.¡± ¡°I actually enjoy the countryside.¡± I lied, a fake smile on my face. ¡°Do you now?¡± Yana asked, and I was pretty sure she rolled her eyes, though I only caught the gesture out of the corner of my eye. ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s peaceful.¡± She muttered something under her breath, too low for me to catch. ¡°What was that?¡± I asked. She shook her head. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She replied before pointing forward. ¡°Look, we¡¯re already close.¡± I looked ahead, and in the distance, I could see the tomb - probably just ten minutes away. The entrance was massive. I¡¯ve already seen the tomb from afar a number of times as it was fairly close to Sandrest, but this was the first time the doors were unlocked, wide open, darkness oozing from inside. The last bit sent a shiver down my spine. We could also make out a large group of people gathered outside the entrance - the other ninety-eight adventurers on this quest. We walked the rest of the way mostly in silence. One we reached the group of gathered adventurers, I was gutted to see I was the only level 50 among us - the lowest level out of everyone gathered here. Judging by a quick glance, it seemed that most of those present were level 65 or lower, with only around a third being higher than that. Towering above all were, of course, Lady Mikaela and the second level 100 adventurer in the kingdom ¨C Stephan Lorren, guild master of Ironfall Vanguard. They seemed to be discussing something, likely the raid¡¯s plan. Lady Mikaela noticed Yana fairly quickly and called out to her. ¡°Yana, my darling! How are you?¡± Yana rushed off to her guild master, while I felt a bit awkward following her, so I stayed with the rest of the adventurers, giving friendly glances and nods to those who made eye contact with me. Some of them returned the gesture, while others rolled their eyes. Assholes. Then, unexpectedly, I saw Yana with Lady Mikaela in tow making their way toward me, and I immediately became anxious. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the Aidan dear Yana can¡¯t stop talking about.¡± The great adventurer addressed me, reaching her hand out. Lady Mikaela was clad in medium armor, a mix of polished steel and reinforced leather that covered her entire body. Her chestplate gleamed, and her gauntlets and greaves were intricately designed. She wore a long, flowing cloak fastened to her shoulders, the deep crimson complimenting her short blond hair. In her hand, she carried a golden spear, her famous legendary weapon ¨C The Stinger. Her green eyes seemed to shine as if she was assessing me. I coughed out nervously, steadying myself before taking her hand and shaking it. ¡°Oh, I doubt she talks about me that much, Lady Mikaela.¡± She dismissed my words with a wave of her hand, then wrapped her other arm around Yana, pulling her closer. ¡°Nonsense, she can¡¯t stop bringing you into conversations one way or another.¡± Yana, seemingly blushing, whispered to her guild master. ¡°M¡¯lady, please, you¡¯re embarrassing me.¡± My heart raced, and Lady Mikaela chuckled. ¡°I like him.¡± She told Yana. ¡°Seems like a good-hearted person, and well-mannered to boot.¡± I coughed again at the compliment, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well, Aidan, I didn¡¯t come here only for pleasantries. You¡¯ll be in squad number four.¡± Lady Mikaela shifted the subject suddenly. I raised an eyebrow, and before I could say anything, she continued. ¡°I believe Yana already told you I explored the first levels of the tomb?¡± she asked. ¡°She did.¡± I nodded, exchanging a glance with Yana. ¡°That tomb is a maze, so Lorren and I decided to divide the lower-leveled adventurers into balanced squads of seven to make sure we¡¯re covering all our bases and exploring each level thoroughly.¡± She explained. ¡°Sounds good.¡± I admitted, recalling the many stories I¡¯d heard of unbalanced parties stumbling into dangers they weren¡¯t suited to handle, eventually falling despite being high-leveled enough to deal with. ¡°It was Lorren¡¯s idea, really.¡± She said, gesturing with her head toward her counterpart near the tomb¡¯s entrance. I exchanged another glance with Yana, who seemed as disappointed as I was. This wasn¡¯t what I imagined when she said we¡¯d finally get a chance to go on a quest together like old times, yet it made sense. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about level disparity.¡± Lady Mikaela added, perhaps thinking that¡¯s what was bothering me. ¡°The highest level in your squad will be Jax, a level 65 mage, who is also the squad¡¯s leader. The rest are all fifty-something.¡± I nodded, and she turned away, leaving us. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t know they were going to split us, Aidan.¡± Yana whispered to me. I believed her. She wouldn¡¯t lie about something like that. Before I could say anything on the matter, Stephan Lorren called everyone over. ¡°Gather around, everyone, we¡¯re about to enter.¡± Chapter 3: Introductions, Introductions, Introductions… Chapter 3: Introductions, Introductions, Introductions¡­: Stephan Lorren was a tall man in his forties, with short black hair, and similarly black eyes. Unlike many mages, he wore formal attire ¨C an elegant, tailored coat made of dark velvet. His black trousers were tucked into sturdy boots, and a deep blue sash wrapped around his waist, holding the coat in place. In his hand, he carried an equally tall, polished staff made of some dark metal, with a purple crystal embedded at the top ¨C the Aegis Staff. Lady Mikaela¡¯s voice followed his, clearly more charismatic, setting everyone to attention. ¡°Listen here!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He nodded to her before he addressed the crowd. ¡°Now that everyone is here, let me brief you shortly on how it¡¯s gonna go.¡± He paused. ¡°As you know, this expedition is sponsored by the Kingdom. Our primary objective is to retrieve the treasures King Edmund the Third foolishly offered Gaelith¡¯s spirit as an offering of atonement. These treasures are invaluable, both historically and financially, and their retrieval is paramount to the kingdom¡¯s interests.¡± He glanced over the crowd before continuing. ¡°Payment will be disbursed directly by the kingdom upon successful completion. All participants will receive compensation, with bonuses awarded based on individual contributions, as well as hazard pay. However, and I can¡¯t stress this enough ¨C payment will be issued only upon your safe return. We are not here for glory, so none of you should play the hero. We¡¯d like every one of you to return alive and well, so your mission is to follow the orders given without fault.¡± His voice grew firmer. ¡°Remember, Lady Mikaela and I are leading this raid. We are both more than capable of handling any threats that may arise, no matter their severity - our levels are evidence of that. So, again, don¡¯t play the hero. Just fall back when needed.¡± Suddenly, that feeling hit me again. A feeling that something was wrong. It was almost like I had already been here, standing in this exact spot, listening to this exact speech. But how? And why would I feel that? Stephan Lorren continued. ¡°We¡¯ll begin with the lower-level squads leading the way through the first levels of the tomb. Report back after each cleared chamber. Once you encounter high-level enemies, fall back and report to us. The tomb is ancient and dangerous, but with coordination and discipline, we can and will complete this mission safely. The first ones in the history of our kingdom to do so. Any questions?¡± No one dared to speak, so he nodded. ¡°Then, it¡¯s time to begin. Squad leaders, please step forward and gather your team members by the squad number you were assigned. Time is of the essence.¡± As he finished, my heart raced non-stop, and I couldn¡¯t understand why. *** ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± I snapped at Jax once the danger was behind us. He had once again unleashed his offensive spells at the group of Undead Warriors that attacked us, completely heedless of me and Waylan, our squad¡¯s tank. ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon.¡± Jax dismissed me with a wave of his hand, his expression the very definition of arrogance. ¡°Worst case, our lovely healer here ¨C Lena ¨C would¡¯ve taken care of you.¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± I asked, dumbfounded, ready to beat the living shit out of him, despite him being fifteen levels stronger than me. He rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t want to hear that from a puny level 50 who stopped leveling up.¡± Anger boiled within me, and I wanted to retaliate, but Waylan put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s not worth it.¡± He whispered to me. He was right, and I exhaled heavily, trying to calm myself. ¡°Look around their corpses. See if there¡¯s any good loot.¡± Jax commanded us, though none of us were eager to follow due to his rotten personality. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that skill called?¡± Waylan addressed me suddenly. ¡°The one where your sword strikes twice at once?¡± I glanced at him. Despite his menacing size and heavy armor, he seemed like a gentle person. He had a buzzcut, his head nearly shaved, and he wielded a massive war-hammer slung across his back, its head covered with some magical runes, and a large shield. He was level 55 Warden, with the Runehammer subclass. ¡°It¡¯s called Time Delay Swing.¡± I replied, looking at Nightfall in my hand. ¡°It¡¯s the sword¡¯s unique skill.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Waylan smiled. ¡°And very useful in one-on-ones.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I nodded. ¡°You did good there as well.¡± He thumped his chest proudly. ¡°I¡¯m here for our squad. Count on me to tank everything.¡± I chuckled at his confidence. It was nice to see that at least someone here had motivation. I had seemingly lost mine when I realized Yana stayed behind with the higher-level adventurers, and I probably wouldn¡¯t even see her until the end of the quest. Our party, with the arrogant Jax at the helm, had been assigned this area of the first floor of the tomb ¨C a chamber that split into three additional ones. We already cleared one of them. Lena, our healer, walked over and joined me and Waylan. She had long brown hair that she wore in a ponytail, with sharp green eyes. Dressed in a simple grey robe, and holding a wooden staff, she looked every bit like the traditional healer even though she seemed pretty young. She was a level 58 Cleric, in the Lifeweaver subclass. ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t stand that guy.¡± She said quietly, pointing her head toward Jax. She rolled her eyes. ¡°I thought we¡¯d be working with Lady Mikaela or Lorren, and not...this! He¡¯s so obnoxious!¡± Waylan nodded. ¡°I wish they¡¯d compensate us for having to follow him.¡± I glanced at Jax. Next to him, clearly trying to get in his good graces, were his apprentice, Henry, a level 52 Mage, and Dina, a level 55 Enchanteress. They were following him around, constantly asking him questions, feeding his ego, as if he were the most experienced mage they¡¯d ever met. I mean, hello? He¡¯s just level 65! You literally just met Stephan Lorren ¨C a level 100 mage! The last member of our squad was Goren, a level 57 Rogue, who specialized in the Shadowstalker subclass. He was dressed in dark, lightweight armor, blending in with the shadows of the tomb¡¯s walls. His short, messy black hair and blue eyes gave him a unique presence. He was intimidating, but at the same time there was something charming about him as well. Two daggers hung from his belt. He kept to himself and didn¡¯t talk much. Even now, he found a secluded spot and sat silently, his eyes scanning the area and us. ¡°Chop, chop, fellas. Move faster.¡± Jax called out to us as we searched through the remains of the undead we had slain. ¡°We still have two more chambers to clear.¡± ¡°Oh, shut it already, you twat!¡± Lena couldn¡¯t take it any longer.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jax raised an eyebrow, sounding offended. Henry, quickly jumped forward to defend his mentor¡¯s honor. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak to Master Jax that way, you filthy casual!¡± ¡°Filthy casual?!¡± Lena spat, her face growing red. ¡°Listen here, kiddo - does your mom know you¡¯re skipping school to be here?¡± ¡°You bitch, my mom¡¯s dead!¡± Henry spat back, and Lena¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°The one time I try to insult someone through their parents...¡± she muttered under her breath, loud enough for only me and Waylan to hear. For some reason, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I had already heard her say that, even though we¡¯d just met this morning. ¡°You better keep your tongue in check, miss healer.¡± Jax addressed her. ¡°It¡¯s only thanks to me we¡¯re progressing so smoothly. You should be thankful.¡± ¡°Thankful?!¡± Lena rolled her eyes. ¡°How much more annoying can you be?¡± ¡°Can we all try to get along?¡± Dina intervened quietly, but her voice was ignored by all. Surprisingly, it was Goren who brought everyone to attention, his voice as chilling as his demeanor, fitting for a Rogue. ¡°You¡¯re all annoying. Shut the hell up already and let¡¯s continue to the next chamber.¡± He stood up and began making his way to the second chamber we needed to explore. ¡°Wait.¡± Jax called after him, running to catch up before turning to us. ¡°C¡¯mon, follow me, your leader.¡± Waylan, Lena, and I exchanged glances and rolled our eyes almost in unison before reluctantly following everyone to the next area. *** The third, and last, chamber provided us with very little resistance as well ¨C more Undead Warriors and Undead Archers, the highest being level 40. It was lower than all of us, but the fact that a simple Undead Warrior on the first level of the dungeon was level 40 felt ominous. What did that mean for the dangers waiting deeper inside? Perhaps some of the earlier criticism had made Jax more considerate, as this time he hadn¡¯t endangered any of us and only fired at the enemy when we were clear of his area-of-effect spells. The remains of the undead held no valuable loot. I picked up some Bandages and stuffed them into my inventory, wondering why an undead even had bandages in the first place. [Item Acquired: Bandages (Consumable) ¨C Added to Inventory #1] Inventory #1? Since when was my inventory followed by a number? ¡°No treasures here either, huh?¡± Jax said, sounding disappointed, but then immediately shifting his tone as if he had expected this all along. ¡°Well, that¡¯s to be expected.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the undead¡¯s attire worry any of you?¡± Lena asked suddenly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jax questioned out loud. ¡°Look at them.¡± Lena pointed at the remains. ¡°There are some clear changes to what we¡¯re used to seeing, but those are clearly Tepan soldier¡¯s uniforms. These were Tepan soldiers.¡± Henry rolled his eyes, clearly still holding a grudge against Lena. ¡°Of course they¡¯re Tepan soldiers. Don¡¯t you know the history of the place? Those are probably the soldiers King Edmund sent here to deliver the treasures.¡± Lena raised her hands. ¡°That much is clear, idiot. I was referring to the fact that they¡¯re undead now.¡± Jax shrugged. ¡°It only means that Gaelith, the very obvious boss of this dungeon, is a necromancer. But that¡¯s nothing we low-level folk need to worry about. I assume Master Lorren and Lady Mikaela will handle it either way.¡± ¡°True.¡± Waylan agreed before asking Jax. ¡°Do we head back now?¡± Jax nodded. ¡°Seems so. We¡¯ve finished this part of the exploration. Let¡¯s see what the leaders have to say.¡± We turned to leave, but then Goren called out to me. ¡°Hey, Spellsword.¡± At first, I wasn¡¯t sure he was talking to me, but I was the only Spellsword in our party. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take this.¡± He said, extending his hand, holding an item. I accepted it and added it to my inventory. [Item Acquired: Blackberries (Consumable) ¨C Added to Inventory #1] ¡°Blackberries?¡± I asked, confused. He nodded. ¡°Might be useful to you.¡± I chuckled. ¡°It that a joke? I wasn¡¯t expecting a rogue of all people to joke like this.¡± ¡°Just take it and shut up.¡± He replied coldly, walking past me. ¡°You might need them later.¡± Might need them later? What does that even mean? They¡¯re just blackberries. And again, the #1 next to my inventory? Since when were inventories numbered? I decided to open my inventory to check. [Inventory #1] Here it is again. The #1. Do I have a second inventory all of a sudden? I tried to inspect it further, but nothing came up. I kept looking through the menu, trying to figure out what was going on. Until I finally noticed it. When I managed to navigate to another screen in the system, it showed: [I@ve$%^ry #2] The letters in the title looked weird, but then, as I focused more, the title itself looked familiar enough to understand. I could swear it said Inventory #2, but I couldn¡¯t access it or store anything inside. Either way, it seemed empty. It was weird...I¡¯d never had a second inventory before, and as far as I knew, no one did. Before I could contemplate it any further, Waylan called out to me. ¡°Hey Aidan, are you coming?¡± His voice startled me, but I nodded. ¡°Yeah...yeah.¡± *** We returned to the entrance of the tomb where the high-leveled adventurers were waiting. Yana noticed me and rushed to my side. ¡°How was it?¡± she sounded nervous. I smiled weakly. ¡°That Jax is a pain in the ass.¡± She laughed, and I continued. ¡°But other than that, it wasn¡¯t too challenging.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Yana sighed in relief. ¡°Hey.¡± I called out to her, my mind still bothered by the inventory issue. ¡°Is your inventory numbered?¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, visibly confused by the question. I sighed, realizing how it must have sounded, but I had to know. This unsettling feeling that something bad was going to happen had followed me since morning, and now this weird second inventory? It felt a bit overwhelming... ¡°Is it numbered?¡± I asked again, feeling slightly embarrassed. ¡°Like, does it just say ¡®Inventory¡¯, or is it followed by a number?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a weird question to ask...¡± Yana replied, eyeing me curiously. ¡°I know how it sounds.¡± I replied, running a hand through my hair. ¡°But can you check quickly? Please?¡± She nodded. I couldn¡¯t see her system, since it wasn¡¯t possible to view anyone else¡¯s, but she responded fairly quickly. ¡°It just says ¡®Inventory¡¯, like it usually does.¡± She said, and a shiver ran down my spine. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± I ran my hand across my face, realizing that even if I told her I had a second inventory, I¡¯d just sound crazy. Since I couldn¡¯t even access it, and showing it to her - or anyone else - was impossible. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I replied. ¡°Forget I asked anything.¡± Meanwhile, I could hear Jax finishing his report to Stephan Lorren and Lady Mikaela. ¡°The chamber we explored branched into three others. We explored them all under my esteemed guidance. We only encountered undead, all of them level 40, and we dealt with them efficiently. Unfortunately, no treasures were found.¡± Jax spoke in a formal tone, clearly trying to impress the higher-ups. ¡°Level 40 unndead...¡± Lorren rubbed his chin before turning to Lady Mikaela. ¡°When you explored these levels, didn¡¯t you say you were attacked by level 20 Crypt Spiders and Dust Wraiths? Level 40 undead sounds quite different than what you encountered.¡± ¡°Are you calling me a liar?¡± Lady Mikaela asked, seemingly offended. Stephan Lorren raised his hands in an apologizing manner. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. What I meant is that the dungeon seems to have changed its adversaries since your exploration. I can¡¯t recall that happening in my entire career.¡± Lady Mikaela exhaled. ¡°True.¡± She turned to Jax. ¡°Are you sure about their level?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I stepped in. ¡°They were all level 40.¡± Jax looked at me, his expression dismissive, clearly irritated by my interruption. Lady Mikaela nodded. ¡°Peculiar indeed. An adjusting dungeon...that¡¯s a first.¡± Stephan Lorren seemed deep in thought before speaking. ¡°Should we call it off?¡± But before Lady Mikaela could answer, a low-leveled adventurer from one of the other parties came running from inside the dungeon, calling out for help. ¡°Help us!¡± It was a male healer I¡¯d seen at the entrance. He was bleeding heavily and barely managed to make his way to us. ¡°Help!¡± he cried out before collapsing, and suddenly the entrance to the tomb closed, locking us all inside. Chapter 4: A Warm Welcome Chapter 4: A Warm Welcome: The poor healer was less than informative about what he and his party had faced, but through his mumbling, it was clear that the rest of his party had been killed. By who? No idea. He wasn¡¯t able to say before passing out. ¡°Take care of him, quickly.¡± Stephan Lorren called out to a level 77 healer from his guild, a young man with blonde hair. He then turned to Lady Mikaela. ¡°I think we should definitely back down now. I don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°I know, Lorren.¡± Lady Mikaela replied through gritted teeth, before pointing some of her guild members, including Yana, at the entrance. ¡°Blast this door. We need an exit.¡± They attempted to bring it down, but the stone door remained steady, resisting any physical or magical damage, clearly enchanted by powerful magic. Stephan Lorren looked concerned and shouted at Lady Mikaela. ¡°You said you managed to leave without a problem last time!¡± ¡°I did!¡± she snapped back. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this before!¡± The tension between the two great adventurers was palpable, but Yana, surprisingly, was the one to ease it. ¡°Please, don¡¯t fight.¡± She said, her voice pleading. ¡°The situation is already problematic enough.¡± They exchanged glances and seemed to agree, taking deep breaths and choosing not to escalate the situation further. Then, a chilling voice, seemingly coming from everywhere, echoed through the tomb, addressing us. ¡°I am Gaelith of Tepan, once the Crown¡¯s Champion, First Knight of the Kingdom, and the Blade of Honor. My name was known across the land for valor and strength, for victories on the battlefield that brought glory to Tepan. Yet I was betrayed. Betrayed by a coward king who unjustly accused me of treason and condemned me to death. ¡°You dare enter this tomb seeking the treasures that pitiful king sent to buy my forgiveness? Shameful. My forgiveness is forever beyond purchase, for my soul is bound to hatred, and my wrath will never fade. As I promised back then, no one who steps within my domain will leave it alive. Your fates are sealed. Those who have come before you have fallen, and so shall you.¡± He paused briefly, before finishing his terrifying introduction with a greeting and a fatal threat. ¡°Welcome adventurers. This is where you die.¡± The atmosphere in the tomb shifted instantly at Gaelith¡¯s words. Fear gripped everyone, especially the lower-level adventurers as they exchanged nervous glances, some of them clearly trembling. Even I did. The veterans among us, and the higher-leveled adventurers, seemed more composed, but even they wore grim expressions. Whispers broke out in the crowd. Some muttered prayers, others cursed under their breath. The younger adventurers, barely teens, seemed frozen in place. Others, like Jax, tried to maintain their bravado, but even he appeared more rattled than usual, his cocky demeanor faltering. My heart raced at Gaelith¡¯s words, and I quickly searched for Yana. This was the exact opposite of what I¡¯d imagined this quest to be. No one who steps within my domain will leave it alive? He sure sounded menacing about that... Lady Mikaela¡¯s voice cut through the panic, authoritative and steady. ¡°Calm down, everyone! We¡¯ll all make it out of here alive! Lorren and I will make sure of it! Just follow us and trust our commands.¡± Her words seemed to provide some relief as many adventurers calmed down. Stephan Lorren, however, seemed unsure at first, his face tense. But after a moment, he nodded. ¡°Yes. Follow me and Mikaela. There will be an exit out of here. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± He then turned to the entrance of the tomb, his brow furrowed as he began to inspect the magic that kept it sealed. ¡°Let me analyze the entrance here for now.¡± But while everyone seemed to agree this was the right approach to secure our escape, Gaelith clearly had other plans. A bone-chilling howl echoed from deep within the tomb, followed by more guttural, unnatural howls that made my blood run cold. Then we saw them. An incredibly large pack of wolves charged at us from the depth of the tomb, but those were no ordinary wolves. Their eyes were milk-white and vacant, their bodies torn and mangled, yet their corpses rushed at us. ¡°They¡¯re undead.¡± Someone whispered beside me. They weren¡¯t just fodder, either ¨C each Undead Wolf was level 70, and the head of the of pack, their leader, a massive undead wolf, its name Pack Leader, snarled at us, its level reading 75. ¡°Prepare yourselves!¡± Lady Mikaela commanded, her voice cutting through the rising panic. Everyone seemed to get a hold of themselves, hastily preparing their weapons and spells. ¡°I¡¯m here, Aidan.¡± Yana whispered to me, her voice as tense and nervous as I¡¯d ever heard it. *** The aftermath of the battle was bloody. The undead wolves didn¡¯t just attack like ordinary beasts ¨C they possessed sound wave attacks ¨C high pitched, disorienting blasts ¨C which left several adventurers stunned and unable to react in time. Combined with their sheer numbers, the pack was overwhelming. At least seventeen adventurers had fallen here, with tens of others injured. I stood among the survivors, panting, blood smeared across my chestplate. Yana and I had managed to take down one of the undead wolves together, though it had been far from easy. The creature lunged at me, its rotting teeth aiming for my throat. Luckily, my agility stats were high enough to dodge. I swung Nightfall, cutting through its side, hoping it would leave some damage, but it barely slowed him down or reduced any of its HP. Yana, standing beside me, thrust her sword into its side, activating one of her fire spells giving me just enough time to finish it off with a well-timed Time Delay Swing. We exchanged a quick, breathless glance, both of us shaken but alive.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Not far from us, Lady Mikaela had just slain the Pack Leader. The massive undead wolf was a beast unlike any of the others. It moved faster, hit harder, and fought unlike anything a regular level 75 beast would. Lady Mikaela was a level 100 adventurer, yet the wolf¡¯s strength far exceeded what all of us had expected from its level. She managed to bring it down eventually, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as anyone would¡¯ve expected for an adventurer of her stature. ¡°Damn it.¡± She muttered under her breath, her eyes lingering on the corpses of the fallen adventurers. It was clear she felt responsible for their deaths. Then, her gaze shifted sharply to Stephan Lorren, who hadn¡¯t lifted a finger during this entire fight. ¡°Lorren!¡± she shouted, her voice booming loud throughout the antechamber. ¡°You better have a good reason for not helping!¡± The mage turned to her, his expression calm and collected, almost dismissive of the tension. ¡°I was analyzing the entrance.¡± He replied coolly. ¡°This dungeon is clearly not normal. We need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡± Lady Mikaela¡¯s nostrils flared as she breathed angrily. ¡°And I hope you found something, or else the blood of these adventurers is on your hands!¡± He cleared his throat, unfazed. ¡°Of course I did.¡± His response surprised not only her, but the rest of us as well. He continued. ¡°I can open this door, but I¡¯ll need time. And I¡¯ll need everyone¡¯s help to cover me while I work through the enchantment.¡± Lady Mikaela shook her head, visibly angry with her counterpart, but she held her composure. ¡°How much time do you need?¡± Stephan Lorren shrugged, nonchalant. ¡°As much as you can give me.¡± His reactions were annoying, but I knew he was probably our only way out. Lady Mikaela seemingly understood that as well. She closed her eyes, shook her head aggressively, then turned to the rest of the adventurers, her voice firm and commanding. ¡°You heard the mage!¡± she began. ¡°We are going to hold this position while he works on the enchantment. I will organize our defense into two groups. The first one, higher-leveled, will stand deeper in the tomb - our first line of defense, ready to repel any further attacks from the tomb¡¯s beasts. The second group, lower-leveled, will form a perimeter around Lorren, ensuring he is undisturbed while he focuses on unlocking the door.¡± Her eyes swept over the crowd, then her tone softened slightly. ¡°I understand that some of you may be frightened. This situation is far from what any of us expected, and I do not blame anyone who feels unsure of continuing. If any of you wish to sit this out, now is the time to say so. I need to know immediately, so we can adjust our strategy accordingly.¡± She paused, waiting for a response, her gaze filled with both authority and compassion. ¡°But know this: if you choose to stand with us, I expect your full commitment. Together, we will make it through this!¡± As Lady Mikaela¡¯s words echoed through the chamber, I could see some of the adventurers, shaken and pale, quietly step back toward the walls, visibly too terrified to continue. One young adventurer, probably no older than eighteen, slumped against the wall, her eyes wide with fear. ¡°I...I can¡¯t. I didn¡¯t sign up for this.¡± Her voice trembled as she stared at the corpses of the fallen. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die...¡± Another, middle-aged man clutching a shield, sat beside her, his face blank in shock. ¡°I thought we were here for an easy treasure. Not...whatever this is!¡± But there were those who supported Mikaela. ¡°We can¡¯t give up now!¡± called out a towering warrior, his armor still slick with blood. ¡°Lady Mikaela is right - stand strong or we die here!¡± Others seemed empowered by his words. ¡°We¡¯ve got this!¡± one shouted, clapping his friend on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this!¡± Despite the motivational cries, my heart sank as I turned to Yana, hoping she would take this chance to step back with me. The wolves had been too strong. I had wanted nothing but for both of us to sit this one out. But her face was set with determination. She was part of Lady Mikaela¡¯s guild, and the loyalty showed as she stepped forward, her sword at the ready. ¡°I can¡¯t sit this one out, Aidan.¡± She said softly, glancing at me. ¡°Lady Mikaela needs me.¡± I swallowed hard. I should¡¯ve known better. Yana was always the brave one. And now, with her standing strong, I couldn¡¯t leave her. ¡°I¡¯ll stand with you.¡± I said as my grip tightened around Nightfall, moving into position by her side. Even though my instincts screamed to retreat, I couldn¡¯t leave her. We replenished our health using the potions provided by Lady Mikaela¡¯s guild and were resting in the middle of the antechamber, then awaited another attack from the enemy while Stephan Lorren continued working on the enchantment at the entrance. Yet no one came for us. After a short while, Lady Mikaela addressed the mage. ¡°No one¡¯s coming, Lorren.¡± He spoke without turning to us. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make much sense.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lady Mikaela replied. ¡°But it¡¯s good - you have time, then.¡± Minutes passed in tense silence, and then Stephan Lorren suddenly cursed. ¡°Shit!¡± He turned to us, his expression grim. ¡°This door needs a Keystone.¡± ¡°A Keystone?¡± Lady Mikaela frowned. ¡°Oh, gods...¡± Stephan Lorren sighed. ¡°There¡¯s a Keystone somewhere within the dungeon ¨C likely deeper inside. Without it, this door can¡¯t be reopened. The enchantment is designed to seal us in unless the Keystone is retrieved.¡± ¡°This didn¡¯t happen when I was here alone...¡± Lady Mikaela muttered softly, covering her face with her hand. She took a deep breath and then regained her composure, turning to us with a focused look. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡± She said firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll split into two search parties, seven members each, level 80 and higher. I will lead the first, and Lorren will lead the second. Our goal is to find the Keystone that will unlock the door. We¡¯ll need to move fast and cover as much ground as possible.¡± She paused, glancing over the rest of us. ¡°The rest of you will stay behind and guard this location. I¡¯m leaving you in the hands of Aric Kelltins, one of my finest.¡± She pointed at the man in question. ¡°Level 87 Vanguard in the Ironclad subclass.¡± Aric, a towering fellow clad in heavy plate armor, stepped forward. A massive war-axe and a shield hung across his back. He had short-cropped brown hair, and a serious gaze. I heard about him before. One of Lady Mikaela¡¯s strongest guild members. ¡°Aric will stay here and defend this position. Those who are staying, you¡¯re under his command while Lorren and I are gone. Trust him and keep this area secure.¡± She glanced around, her voice full of confidence. Then, most of the high-leveled adventurers, led by Stephan Lorren and Lady Mikaela, ventured deeper into the tomb, where they would eventually split into two groups. Meanwhile, Aric Kelltins, took charge of those of us who remained, arranging us into a defensive formation that covered all potential angles of attack. The tanks - himself and Waylan included - were placed at the outermost line of defense. Behind them, he positioned the melee fighters ¨C including Yana and Goren ¨C ready to assist the tanks if enemies breached the frontline. Further back, he placed all the ranged fighters, Jax and Henry among them, allowing them to strike from a safe distance. The healers and utility mages, including Lena and Dina, were positioned in the center, shielded by the outer lines, healing the injured adventurers. Protected and ready to provide support. As for me, Kelltins seemed unsure of where to place someone as low-level as I am. Ultimately, he positioned me and two other level 52 warriors beside the healers, acting as the final line of defense for them. Those who were too scared to take part were reluctantly positioned near the entrance, their will to fight non-existent. Initially, I didn¡¯t mind being placed with the healers, but when Yana was put in the front lines, I couldn¡¯t stand the idea of being this far back. Everything was going from bad to worse. Again, this weird feeling as if I already lived through this washed over me, and I couldn¡¯t stop throwing glances at the ground for some reason. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Kelltins shouted, likely trying to raise our morale. ¡°I have vast experience in adventuring, and from what I¡¯ve seen, monsters usually target the highest-leveled adventurers first, so we should be safe while the guild masters take care of things.¡± Most people breathed a sigh of relief, but it only took a few minutes to prove him wrong as this dungeon continued defying all logic. Out of nowhere, large, twisted versions of moles burst through the earth using their oversized claws, shattering our entire formation. Their decaying skin exposed gnarled teeth, and their eyes were the same milk-white color as the undead wolves. Their names appeared as Grave Moles, followed by a terrifying level 80. They aimed for the healers, appearing beneath us. When the front lines noticed and tried to retreat to help, they were immediately ambushed by spider monsters that emerged from within the tomb. With enemies closing in from both sides, all hell broke loose. Chapter 5: Betrayal Chapter 5: Betrayal: ¡°Keep running!¡± Yana shouted behind me as we sprinted frantically from the Grave Moles and the Void Spiders chasing us. After our formation was easily broken by the monsters and Aric Kelltins was killed, everyone scattered in panic, fleeing for their lives. Many more adventurers were killed back there in the antechamber, and those who remained had escaped through the many corridors that branched off from the antechamber. I heard Yana shout, ¡°Inferno Burst!¡± and a deafening explosion shook the corridor behind us. The ground quaked as the ceiling began collapsing with a thunderous roar. We barely managed to dive into a chamber before the ceiling caved in. Panting and disoriented, yet glad to see Yana beside me, I glanced around. Four other adventurers were with us, including Jax, Lena, and Henry. We all took a moment to catch our breath and regain our senses. Everything had happened so quickly. Too quickly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Yana whispered as she sat on the ground beside me. ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, still breathing heavily. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She replied, exhaling lightly. ¡°You got me worried there...with the moles.¡± I let out a short, nervous laugh, remembering how one of the Grave Moles had almost taken my head off with its claw. ¡°Yeah, I guess it was blind or something.¡± I joked. Yana bit her lip, trying to stifle a laugh. ¡°God, I missed this...¡± she murmured, but then her expression turned serious. ¡°I just wish we weren¡¯t in this shitty situation.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but agree - silently. ¡°What now, Master Jax?¡± Henry asked loud enough for all of us to hear, his eyes wide and pleading. ¡°How are we supposed to survive this?¡± Jax¡¯s gaze darted around, reflecting the fear that gripped him, before he stammered. ¡°I ¨C I ¨C We...We need to find the guild masters.¡± ¡°But how?¡± Henry¡¯s voice grew tense and desperate, his hands clutching Jax¡¯s shoulders as if he was trying to shake the answer out of him. Jax shrugged him off. ¡°Give me a minute, Henry!¡± His eyes scanned our faces and levels frantically until they landed on Yana. ¡°You¡¯re the highest level here. Lead us to your guild master!¡± Yana raised an eyebrow. If there was one thing I knew she hated, it was people - especially those like Jax - trying to order her around. Yet, surprisingly, she kept her composure and stepped into the role of the party leader. ¡°I will. Prepare yourselves. We¡¯ll head out soon.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± A woman - a level 59 Enchantress - shook her head violently. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± ¡°Then stay here and die for all we care!¡± Jax spat out harshly. ¡°Take it easy, mage guy. You¡¯re just as scared as she is.¡± Yana countered, rising to her feet. She turned to the woman, her voice gentler. ¡°Your name is Melissa, right? I heard it earlier.¡± Melissa nodded nervously as Yana approached her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re all scared. But if we want to survive, we need to move. Staying here isn¡¯t an option. The Grave Moles can likely dig through the collapsed corridor as well.¡± I watched from the sidelines, stunned by the maturity and compassion Yana showed. These two years apart had changed her for the better. Good. Good... Yana then turned to the rest of us. ¡°Quickly, state your names and classes. I need to know what we¡¯re working with so I can organize an effective formation.¡± *** The formation Yana chose and the orders she gave us proved to be highly effective. We managed to navigate through various peculiar chambers and cryptic corridors, descending deeper into the tomb and encountering more Undead Warriors along the way. They were the same level 40 we encountered earlier, making even someone like me useful in the skirmishes. I was even able to loot some stuff along the way. Not something incredible, but still better than nothing... [Item Acquired: Lesser Health Potion ¨C Added to Inventory #1] [Item Acquired: Gold Coins x15 ¨C Added to Inventory #1] Everyone pulled their weight and, seemingly against all odds, we survived - until we finally ran into Lady Mikaela and her high-level party. However, the group was half the size it had been when they initially left. The Lady herself looked like she¡¯d been through several gruelling fights, her armor dented in a few spots and smeared with blood. ¡°Yana?¡± she called out when she saw us, her voice filled with surprise. ¡°Darling, what are you doing here?¡± Yana hurried to her guild master¡¯s side, quickly explaining everything that had happened while the rest of us hung back, feeling a wave of relief wash over us. With Lady Mikaela¡¯s presence, we felt a measure of safety ¨C protected by someone truly powerful. ¡°Kelltins...is dead?¡± Lady Mikaela whispered in disbelief as Yana finished her briefing. Jax, showing zero tact, jumped into their conversation. ¡°Lady Mikaela, what about the rest of your party? I remember you and Master Lorren leaving with way more adventurers.¡± She shook her head, avoiding eye contact. ¡°They¡¯re dead. A group of Level 90 Blood Wraiths ambushed us two chambers ago.¡± ¡°No way...¡± Jax murmured, his face paling. The he exploded, his voice cracking under the strain. ¡°But we¡¯re only what? Five levels deep inside the tomb? Isn¡¯t this place supposed to have thirty-something levels? You¡¯re telling me they had level 90 monsters on the fifth level already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lady Mikaela replied calmly. Jax couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer and unleashed his frustration. ¡°What are we even doing here? Why were we invited into this death trap? It¡¯s your fault! You clearly didn¡¯t scout it properly if this is what we¡¯re up against!¡± Yana quickly intervened, stepping between them. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to Lady Mikaela like that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Yana. Let him vent.¡± Lady Mikaela said, keeping her calm. Jax pointed at Henry, who stood trembling at the back of the chamber. ¡°I have a responsibility here! I¡¯m supposed to protect him ¨C my apprentice. I brought him along believing it would be a great opportunity, not a death sentence!¡± his voice shook with guilt and anger. ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. I probably wouldn¡¯t have said it out loud like he did, but he was right. I trusted the level 100 adventurers with all my heart, and the trust was clearly misplaced. ¡°Are you finished?¡± Lady Mikaela asked softly. ¡°I understand how you feel. I had a similar responsibility to the ninety-nine adventurers who joined me here today, and now we¡¯ll be lucky if even a third of them make it out alive.¡± She paused, her gaze steely. ¡°All of this is my fault, and I¡¯ll pay the price when we get out of here. But rest assured - we will get out of here. I¡¯ll see to that.¡± Jax lowered his head and sighed deeply. ¡°Please tell me that you at least found the Keystone...¡± Everyone braced for a grim response, but Lady Mikaela reignited the fire in our spirits. ¡°Lorren did.¡± She said, her voice firm. ¡°He contacted me using one of his magical projections. We were on our way to meet him just before you arrived.¡± Faces lit up as hope returned, and people began looking at Lady Mikaela and her party like they were our saviors. All except for me. I couldn¡¯t shake that gnawing feeling that something far worse was going to happen. *** We reunited with Stephan Lorren and his party a few chambers away from where we had met Lady Mikaela, still on the fifth level of the tomb. The mage¡¯s group was even smaller than Lady Mikaela¡¯s with only two adventurers beside him. All in all, there were thirteen of us gathered in the chamber. Lorren held the shining Keystone in his hand, but his expression was anything but triumphant. His gaze swept over us low-leveled adventurers. ¡°Let me guess, you were attacked after we left?¡± Jax rushed to his guild master¡¯s side. ¡°Yes, Master Lorren. It¡¯s fair to assume everyone else is dead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair to assume.¡± Yana cut in sharply. ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure. Some could¡¯ve survived and still be out there - just like we did.¡± ¡°If you want to go look for them, be my guest.¡± Jax shot back. His comment angered Yana, and Lady Mikaela stepped in to back her up. ¡°Lorren, speak some sense into your guild member.¡± Her voice turning more commanding. ¡°We won¡¯t be leaving anyone behind. Is that clear?¡± Stephan Lorren remained silent for a moment before he nodded slowly. ¡°Of course.¡± Lady Mikaela turned to address everyone in the room. ¡°Rest and prepare. We¡¯ll head for the entrance in five.¡± Taking advantage of the first relatively calm moment we¡¯d had since before the Grave Moles attacked, I wandered around the chamber, further from the rest of the remaining adventurers, examining the strange murals on the walls. They were similar in style to the one we saw on our way to Lady Mikaela. One image, in particular, caught my attention. It depicted a woman in a colorful dress and a helm adorned with what looked like two large stag horns. Four other figures, dressed in simple white robes, encircled her, each holding a torch. Curious, I ran my hand along the wall to brush away the dust that had settled, revealing the continuation of the scene - or rather, a new image that showed the next part of whatever ritual the first one depicted. In this image, the woman was seemingly hovering above the ground, while the figures in white stood behind her. Before her were new figures, draped in green, kneeling in submission. What a strange mural for a tomb... I wanted to see the next part of the sequence, but sadly, the mural was broken, the next piece lying shattered on the ground. ¡°Aidan, are you ready?¡± Yana called from behind me. ¡°Stay near me, okay?¡± I knew she meant well, but getting treated like a child was infuriating. ¡°Sure.¡± I replied simply, keeping my anger inside. It seemed like she wanted to say something more, but then her expression suddenly shifted. ¡°Wait, is it just me, or did it suddenly turn cold?¡± I quickly realized she was right as my system window flashed up with a message. [Condition Applied: Freeze lvl.1 ¨C Movement Speed reduced by 10%.] Everyone else seemed to get the same notification, as evidenced by their confused murmurs and worried expressions. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Stephan Lorren muttered, and the answer revealed itself almost immediately. A figure of a woman, appearing from thin air, descended from the ceiling, levitating in the mid-air. She wore a helm adorned with stag horns ¨C the same I¡¯d seen on the mural, her robes decayed and tattered, revealing patches of rotting skin underneath. Above her head, her name appeared: Priestess of Axul, level 98. Axul? That name... Before we could even process the threat, she raised her skeletal arms as if preparing to cast a spell, but Stephan Lorren didn¡¯t waste a second. He raised his staff and shouted, ¡°Arcane Burst!¡± A searing blast of magic shot from his staff and struck the monster head-on, seemingly obliterating her to dust. Some people began cheering, momentarily relieved that the mage had dispatched of such a powerful foe so effortlessly. ¡°Nice job, Lorren.¡± Lady Mikaela complimented. But the celebration died instantly. [Status Effect: Freeze lvl.5 ¨C Max Freeze level. You are Frozen in place. Movement Speed reduced by 100%. Agility reduced by 100%. Unable to move or take any physical actions for 25 seconds] Within seconds we were encased in ice up to our necks, completely immobilized. Then, a group of five more level 98 Priestess of Axul materialized before us and hovered above us next to the ceiling, channelling some combined spell. Yana, having progressed down the Fire Magic branch of her skill tree, used her Freeze Resistance to shatter the ice encasing her. A few others, including Stephan Lorren and Lady Mikaela, managed to break free as well, unleashing their magic in a counterattack, accompanied by another Arcane Burst from the guild master. But this time, some sort of invisible barrier protected the priestesses, shielding them as they continued to channel their combined spell. The air around them swirled ominously, as if something big was about to be unleashed. ¡°Quickly, come to me if you want to live!¡± Stephan Lorren shouted to those who were free. ¡°Damn it!¡± Yana cursed, turning back to me. She raised her hand, using her fire magic to melt the ice that held me in place, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. ¡°Lorren, I said we¡¯re not leaving anyone behind!¡± Lady Mikaela snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish Mikaela, we don¡¯t have time! They¡¯ll finish their channeling in a few seconds, and who knows what will happen? With what we¡¯ve seen from this dungeon so far, I can¡¯t guarantee my barriers will hold!¡± Lady Mikaela visibly struggled with the decision, and my heart sank as I realized they were going to leave us frozen ones on the other side of the room behind. But at the same time, a part of me felt relieved - at least Yana wouldn¡¯t die here. ¡°Yana!¡± Lady Mikaela called out, her voice strained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you have to leave your friend behind and come with me!¡± ¡°No!¡± Yana shouted back, still desperately trying to free me. ¡°Yana, go!¡± I urged her, panic rising in my chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Leave me!¡± She turned to me, fury in her eyes for even suggesting that. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you behind again!¡± ¡°Yana!¡± Lady Mikaela shouted again, more insistent. ¡°No!¡± Yana refused, shaking her head. Realizing there was only a second left before the spell would be unleashed, Stephan Lorren activated his teleportation magic, vanishing along with Lady Mikaela and the others, leaving me, Yana, and three other frozen adventurers behind. The Priestesses of Axul seemed to complete their channel, and Yana turned to face them, bracing herself, activating her barrier magic. But then something unexpected happened. The priestesses simply dispersed, vanishing into thin air the same as they appeared. The ice around us melted away, and then a cold, echoing laugh filled the chamber ¨C a twisted laugh that belonged to none other than Gaelith. ¡°Your leaders betrayed you.¡± His voice echoed, tinged of amusement. ¡°Just like my king betrayed me.¡± He paused, letting the words sink in. ¡°But don¡¯t worry - they won¡¯t escape. You¡¯re all my prisoners now.¡± As he finished, a violent tremor suddenly rocked the chamber, and I feared we would be buried alive. But just as quickly as it started, the quake stopped, and to my surprise, the chamber remained intact. [Condition applied: You are no longer Frozen. Movement Speed restored. Agility restored] ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, Aidan.¡± Yana ducked beside me, helping me to my feet. But it wasn¡¯t that easy. Nothing was in this cursed place. We looked around the chamber with the other three adventurers, only to realize that all of the corridors had completely collapsed. *** ¡°I can¡¯t believe they left us behind!¡± Melissa cried out as we searched for an exit. ¡°They didn¡¯t have a choice¡­¡± a burly man, another survivor, sighed deeply, only for his friend, a tall mage, to snap at him. ¡°What do you mean they didn¡¯t have a choice? Those bastards brought us here and then abandoned us!¡± he growled, his voice filled with anger. He wasn¡¯t wrong. They had brought us here, promising one thing, but they were clearly unprepared for everything that followed. Yana was visibly on edge, and I could tell she was fuming at Lady Mikaela for leaving us behind. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± I whispered to her, but she just shook her head, her expression tight, and I decided to drop it. In one corner of the chamber, we stumbled upon some oddly shaped tunnel, assuming the Grave Moles had dug it. With no other way to escape ¨C using explosive magic might bring the ceiling and the upper levels down on us - we decided to venture through the tunnels instead, with Yana leading as the highest-leveled adventurer among us. The paths seemed to lead ever downward, and after about twenty minutes of descent, we found ourselves in another extremely large chamber, the size of a wheat field. To my surprise, there was Goren, sitting in center of it, calmly sharpening his blade with a whetstone. He was the epitome of calmness. Chapter 6: The God of Time Likes Golf Chapter 6: The God of Time Likes Golf: ¡°Goren?¡± I asked, baffled at how he ended up here. ¡°Oh, good, you made it.¡± He glanced up briefly to acknowledge me before returning to his task. ¡°A friend of yours?¡± Yana whispered. I shook my head. ¡°Not exactly. He was in my party when we cleared the chambers on the first level.¡± I then turned back to him. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°How did you get here?¡± he fired back calmly, still focusing on the rhythmic motion of sharpening his blade. I exchanged a puzzled look with Yana before pointing back to where we had just come from. ¡°Through the Grave Moles¡¯ tunnels.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s how I got here as well.¡± he replied flatly. His answer was vague, but since he wasn¡¯t exactly chatty before, when things were going relatively well, I decided to ignore him. Besides, there were a lot of similar tunnels here in this chamber, so his answer was still plausible. I was about to turn to Yana to discuss our next move when Goren spoke again, gesturing toward a dark corridor behind him. ¡°Down there, deep inside, is where they¡¯ve placed Gaelith¡¯s body - the boss room, if you prefer.¡± He paused, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. ¡°And most of the treasures. Some of them hadn¡¯t even made it all the way to his chamber.¡± A shiver ran down my spine. Had we really made our way to the lowest level of the tomb just by following those tunnels? ¡°And how would you know something like that?¡± the burly man asked, clearly skeptical of his knowledge. Goren just shrugged and flashed a lazy smile. ¡°Call it a hunch.¡± ¡°So, are you sharpening your sword to fight him? Gaelith?¡± Yana asked, sounding genuinely confused. ¡°Of course. That¡¯s the only way to get out of this.¡± Goren nodded confidently as he finished honing the blade, eyeing it with satisfaction. The burly man chuckled nervously at his words, likely unsure whether he was joking ¨C or just insane. Me? I wasn¡¯t sure what to think of him. Before the conversation could go any further, a low hissing sound reverberated around us, echoing of the chamber walls. Goren was the first to rise to his feet, holding his sword at the ready. ¡°Need to deal with the snakes first.¡± We all exchanged bewildered glances, usure of the meaning of his words, before giant snakes, named Razor Serpents, leveled at 85, slithered out of the tunnels, encircling us. Each was the size of a grown man, their scales, partly decaying, were jagged and visibly sharp, bristling like knives. If they coiled around you, you wouldn¡¯t just be crushed ¨C you¡¯d be shredded. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be happening! Why are there so many of them?¡± Goren shouted, his voice tinged with panic. ¡°I was so close!¡± ¡°Will you shut up and focus on the enemies?¡± The tall mage yelled at him as we all moved instinctively, standing back-to-back, surrounded by the writhing creatures. Then, they struck. *** Goren was a mystery. I don¡¯t know how he made our systems glitch, but he was definitely not a level 57 rogue. While the rest of us struggled to just dodge the serpent¡¯s attacks, barely inflicting damage to them ¨C except for Yana, who seemed to hurt them the most - Goren moved with a speed and precision I¡¯d never seen in my life. Using skills that I never even heard about, he tore through most of the monsters effortlessly. But just as we thought that victory was ours, a new Razor Serpent lunged out from a nearby tunnel, coiling around Goren in an instant and yanking him inside before any of us could react. Then all of the tunnels collapsed instantly and there was nothing we could do to save him. All Goren managed to do was scream two chilling words that made little sense: ¡°Not again!¡± Looks like we¡¯ll never find out what it meant, or how he was so powerful despite his relatively low level. Melissa didn¡¯t make it either - squeezed and shredded to death by one of the serpents. What remained of her body was barely recognizable. ¡°Poor girl.¡± The burly man whispered. But my main concern was Yana. During the fight, she had jumped in to protect my flank, and one of the serpents managed to graze her arm with its fangs. Now she was suffering from a Poisoned status ailment, and none of us had any antidote to give her. She sat with her back against the wall, clearly in pain, her breathing labored, barely able to move as I knelt beside here, whispering empty, comforting words. Eventually the tall mage suggested a desperate idea, recalling what Goren had said earlier. If some of the treasures hadn¡¯t made it all the way to Gaelith¡¯s chamber, perhaps there was something useful hidden there ¨C a cure, an antidote, anything that might help. It was a stretch, and I knew it. But it was the only chance I had to save her. Damn it, why am I so weak and useless?! Reluctant to leave her behind, but knowing that she couldn¡¯t come with us in her condition, I realized I had no other choice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find something that¡¯ll help you.¡± I told her, then forced a smile as I tried to lighten the mood with a nervous joke. ¡°Just promise you won¡¯t die before I get back, okay?¡± She huffed softly, a tiny smile on her lips as she placed a hand on my cheek and looked into my eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t. Just promise me you¡¯ll come back, okay?¡± I held her hand between my cheek and fingers, nodding. ¡°I promise.¡± But promises meant little in a place like this.
We ventured deeper. Encountered Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, Level 135. I ran for my life. I confessed. She felt the same. But her sacrifice was in vain. I died.
*** Then, surprisingly, I woke up. I was laying on a lawn, the grass underneath me soft, and the sun shining brightly overhead. My first instinct was to reach for my body, my crushed and stabbed body, but I had no injuries and felt no pain. Baffled, I sat up, expecting to see the wounds the monster left, but there was none. I died, didn¡¯t I? So how was I alive? Or¡­maybe I wasn¡¯t alive. Was this the afterlife? I tried to summon my system, but the interface didn¡¯t appear. No familiar window or messages. I blinked, confused. Had I lost access to my system altogether? Looking around, I saw a middle-aged man standing a short distance away. He had a neatly trimmed beard and wore the strangest clothing I¡¯d ever seen: a bright red cap, a short-sleeved shirt, and absurdly plain trousers that cut off above the knees. He seemed completely at ease as he swung a slender club-like weapon at a small white ball on the ground. The moment the club struck, the ball arced gracefully through the air before disappearing. What kind of strange weapon was that? And why was he aiming it at this ball? The ball suddenly retraced its arc and returned to the ground next to his foot, and he adjusted his stance before striking it again. The moment the strange club connected with the ball, his expression soured. ¡°No. Not quite right.¡± He muttered under his breath, loud enough for me to hear. I stood up and, seeing how he was the only person around, called out. ¡°Hey, excuse me. Is this the afterlife?¡± The man turned to face me, a wise and tired smile spreading across his face. ¡°Oh, Aidan, it¡¯s good to see you.¡± My eyes widened. ¡°You¡­you know me?¡± ¡°Of course. I know everything and everyone.¡± He replied as he clapped his hands, and suddenly, a small glass table with two matching white leather chairs appeared beside him. He settled into one of the seats and gestured to the empty one. ¡°Come. Join me. Tea, perhaps?¡± he added, gesturing toward a teapot that materialized on the table.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. My mind spun with questions, and I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I was indeed dead - this man wasn¡¯t just a man, but likely the Creator himself. Reluctantly, I took the offered chair, still uncertain. ¡°Tea?¡± he repeated. ¡°No, thank you.¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°So, I am dead, then?¡± I murmured in disbelief, my voice trailing off as I glanced around, still struggling to comprehend why the afterlife looked like this and where was everyone else. Where was Yana? But his response made my confusion deepen. ¡°Well, it depends on how you look at it. But generally speaking, no. You¡¯re not quite dead yet. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Where is here, exactly?¡± I asked, completely lost. ¡°Here is¡­here.¡± He replied, a mischievous grin on his lips. But as my confused expression remained, he sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t keep up this ¡®wise old man¡¯ act.¡± Then, he turned to me. ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± He clapped his hands, and his form instantly shifted before my eyes ¨C he now looked much younger, with dark, messy hair, two piercings above his right eyebrow, and a rebellious gaze in his eyes. His attire remained the same, clashing awkwardly with his new appearance. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± He stretched out, putting his feet up on the table and crossing them casually. ¡°Damn it, Boss.¡± A feminine, disembodied high-pitched voice echoed around us. ¡°I lost the bet against Balthor.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve known better, Pix.¡± A deep, disembodied masculine voice replied. ¡°Master doesn¡¯t enjoy acting.¡± ¡°Yeah, but Master can succeed at whatever he does, so I always believed in him.¡± Pix said, clearly frustrated. The young man before me sighed, looking exasperated. ¡°Flattery won¡¯t get you anywhere, Pix. I¡¯m still mad about your mishap.¡± ¡°But it was an honest mistake, Boss!¡± Pix¡¯s voice pleaded, almost whining. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The young man¡¯s eyes flickered over to me. ¡°Aidan here died a useless death because of you.¡± Confused and overwhelmed by everything happening around me, I blurted out. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I really do apologize, Aidan. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen like this. Pix is usually a lot more professional. But give her some tequila and she goes wild.¡± He said, shaking his head. ¡°Tequilla?¡± I repeated, unfamiliar with the word. ¡°Yeah¡­it¡¯s a¡­it¡¯s from a different¡­¡± he paused, seeming to think better of it. ¡°On second thought, never mind. I shouldn¡¯t tell you that.¡± He cleared his throat, then swung his feet off the table and leaned forward. ¡°You see, you were supposed to appear here after your first death in that tomb. That¡¯s the mishap I was referring to.¡± ¡°My first death?¡± I asked, my heart pounding. ¡°What do you mean, my first death?¡± My voice tightened as I struggled to understand his words. ¡°Who are you, exactly?¡± He smiled at the question. ¡°Me? I¡¯m the Lord of Time, the Keeper of Eternities, the Watchful Eye, the Ageless Wisdom, and many more.¡± He said, each title making his smile widen even more. ¡°But you can call me by my first name - Chronos.¡± He snapped his fingers, and the sun above our heads sped through its arc, disappearing below the horizon and giving way to the moon. Then, he snapped again, and time itself seemed to stutter ¨C the sun and moon cycling in opposite directions before everything came to a sudden, abrupt halt. ¡°Okay.¡± I replied simply, struggling to process the revelation. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions.¡± Chronos said with a casual wave of his hand. ¡°But time is of the essence, and unfortunately, we don¡¯t have much of it, so I¡¯ll be brief: The evil force of darkness, Erebus, has returned, blah-blah-blah, wants to devour your world, blah-blah-blah, I need to stop it but can¡¯t intervene directly, blah-blah-blah, and that¡¯s where you come in.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blinked, completely bewildered. Chronos rolled his eyes. ¡°Where did I lose you?¡± ¡°Where?¡± I repeated, staring at him blankly. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand a word you just said!¡± ¡°I swear it never gets easier¡­¡± He sighed deeply, then turned his head and called out. ¡°Balthor. Pix.¡± The deep, masculine voice from before spoke. ¡°Erebus is the embodiment of darkness itself. Once every millennium, he awakens from his slumber, attempting to consume worlds. Unfortunately for you, Aidan Dar, he chose yours this time - setting his early presence in the Tomb of Gaelith.¡± The high-pitched, feminine voice continued immediately. ¡°Master Chronos is charged with the task of stopping Erebus each time, but he cannot interfere directly for reasons your mere mortal mind can never comprehend. That¡¯s why he selects a pawn ¨C ¡° she stopped herself and quickly corrected. ¡°Champion, I mean Champion - of his own, to act in his stead. Guiding and helping him along the way, of course.¡± ¡°Does it make more sense now?¡± Chronos leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and cradling his head in his hands. ¡°This¡­This is a lot to take in at once.¡± I admitted, feeling utterly overwhelmed. ¡°How can I even do that? I mean, I¡¯m dead. That creature killed me.¡± ¡°Except, as I said earlier, you aren¡¯t quite dead yet.¡± Chronos replied, smiling weakly. ¡°I¡¯ve placed you in a time loop. Each time you¡¯d die in that tomb, you¡¯ll reawaken at the start of that day.¡± ¡°A time loop¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, struggling to comprehend what he was telling me. ¡°Do I at least get some say in all of this?¡± ¡°No.¡± Balthor and Pix answered in unison. ¡°Sorry.¡± Chronos gave a weak smile. ¡°You¡¯re the best and only choice.¡± ¡°Me? What?¡± I asked, confused out of my mind. ¡°I¡¯m so weak. There¡¯s no way I can do it. Why not someone like Lady Mikaela or Stephan Lorren?¡± ¡°They¡¯re the obvious choices, aren¡¯t they?¡± Chronos leaned back in the chair. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why it can¡¯t be them. I need a silent player to pull this off. In short, I need someone like you.¡± ¡°A silent player?¡± I echoed. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m weak. That monster inside¡­it was level 135! How can it level up beyond 100?¡± ¡°The simple answer to that would be Erebus.¡± Chronos replied with a shrug. ¡°He enhances the strength of every monster in that tomb.¡± I remained silent, images of all that had happened flashing before my eyes. ¡°I barely held my own in there. Scratch that - I didn¡¯t. I was saved all along, and then¡­then she died¡­because of me.¡± My heart ached, the pain of Yana¡¯s death still fresh. She could¡¯ve survived if she had left with Lady Mikaela, but she stayed¡­she stayed for me and died because of it. ¡°Love is a beautiful thing.¡± Chronos¡¯ voice softened, his smile turning melancholic. ¡°Use it as motivation to succeed. Keep Yana alive.¡± Then he flicked his fingers, and a small orb of light shot from his hand and connected with my chest. ¡°And of course, I¡¯m not sending you back completely unprepared. Check your system now.¡± I opened my system¡¯s interface. Status Menu appeared as usual, listing the same stats I already knew I had. ¡°I don¡¯t see a difference.¡± ¡°Look closer.¡± Chronos prompted with a knowing smile. Hesitating, I focused on the menu. A subtle arrow glimmered in the corner of the display, directing me to swipe left. I followed the prompt mentally, and a new window expanded before me. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 1] [Loop Count: 2] [Experience Points (XP): 760 / 1000] 1. D¨¦j¨¤ vu ¨C Lvl.1 / 10 Passive skill. Triggers faint recollections of past loops, increasing awareness of events that have happened. 2. Afterimage ¨C Lvl.0 / 10 Creates an afterimage of yourself, retracing your past selves¡¯ movements for a brief duration. Cooldown: 10 minutes. 3. Temporal Trace ¨C Lvl.0 / 10 Allows vision of the Time Plane, and the ability to mark a specific location on it visible only to you, remains between loops unless removed. 4. Echo Sense ¨C Lvl.0 / 10 Passive skill. Allows to hear echoes from past loops such as conversations and etcetera. 5. Checkpoint ¨C Lvl.0 / 10 Sets a temporal anchor point, allowing you to revert to this moment upon death with memories of the current loop intact (single use per loop). The skill list extended further, but every additional ability had its name hidden and locked, marked with a small, silver padlock icon. A notification blinked when I attempted to interact with one of them. [Level up existing skills to unlock] ¡°D¨¦j¨¤ vu?¡± I repeated, attempting a pronunciation of the unfamiliar word. Chronos nodded approvingly. ¡°Your pronunciation is close enough. It¡¯s French for ¡®already seen¡¯.¡± ¡°French?¡± I echoed, now confused even more. Chronos released a short laugh. ¡°Yeah¡­It¡¯s a language from a different world.¡± His expression shifted, growing more serious. ¡°Anyway, you asked about your first death earlier, right? Let me explain: So far, you¡¯ve already died twice. You should¡¯ve appeared here after your first death, but because of Pix, you didn¡¯t. So, you¡¯ve repeated the exact same actions in both runs.¡± ¡°I already said I was sorry!¡± Pix echoed, the tone of her voice apologetical. ¡°The Loop Count!¡± I suddenly remembered the system¡¯s message when I woke up today. ¡°Indeed.¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just one of the many features in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system. It keeps track of how many times you¡¯ve relived the loop.¡± ¡°But¡­I didn¡¯t remember the first death.¡± I said, bewildered. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s designed that way on purpose.¡± Chronos replied. ¡°But if I¡¯m unable to retain the memories of my previous deaths, how can I make any progress?¡± I asked, still not understanding. ¡°I can¡¯t let you keep your memories directly without Erebus suspecting something and trying to kill you immediately. He is not entirely affected by the loop. If you progress too quickly, he¡¯ll suspect you¡¯re my champion.¡± Chronos replied. ¡°We¡¯ll need to do it slowly. You¡¯ve read the descriptions of the skills in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system. They¡¯ll help you retain memory in more subtle, unsuspecting ways. It¡¯ll be tough, of course, but I chose you for a reason - and it wasn¡¯t for your good looks.¡± I nodded slowly, unsure of what in the world he meant, and went over the skills descriptions again. ¡°Granted, you only have one of them leveled up at the moment, and even this one is quite weak and limited for now.¡± Chronos continued. ¡°But you¡¯ve already felt it, didn¡¯t you? The feeling that something was off?¡± Me heart began to race. ¡°So that what it was...D¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°As you farm more XP and invest points in the skills, they¡¯ll improve significantly, making your life ¨C and memory retention ¨C much easier, without alerting Erebus to the fact that you¡¯re my champion.¡± ¡°How do I level them up?¡± I asked. ¡°The same way you always did.¡± Chronos replied. ¡°Just like you allocated points in your regular system to improve your base skills until you maxed out and stopped gaining XP, now you¡¯ll start earning it again. Allocate it wisely, invest in the skills that¡¯ll help you the most.¡± ¡°You also have the second inventory.¡± Pix chimed in. ¡°Oh, right! Almost forgot about that.¡± Chronos said with a hint of nervousness. ¡°Your second inventory, which you already interacted with, is now fully operational. Items you store in Inventory #2 will remain there between loops. Use this concept wisely.¡± I nodded again, finally understanding the purpose of the second inventory after it had driven me nuts back in the tomb. ¡°One last thing,¡± Chronos suddenly added. ¡°You are to speak about your mission to no one.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m sure ¨C ¡° I tried to say but he interrupted me. ¡°Yana could help? Yes, she could.¡± He said, before his tone turned serious. ¡°Erebus is no joke. He has ears in every nook and cranny in that tomb. If you tell anyone about your new powers, he¡¯ll know and leave a mark, making your life a living hell with each loop. You¡¯ll have to do it alone.¡± I swallowed hard at his ominous words. ¡°When you wake up again, you¡¯ll remember most of this conversation.¡± Chronos pointed out. ¡°But, just like last time, you¡¯ll forget everything that happened to you in the second loop.¡± His tone shifted, becoming serious. ¡°Well, are you ready to return?¡± I coughed nervously. ¡°Ah¡­not really?¡± He shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Too bad.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± I blurted out frantically. ¡°How do I even beat Erebus?¡± Chronos sighed. ¡°As you improve your skills and progress through the dungeon, we¡¯ll have more meetings like this. Everything will become clear in due time. For now, focus on getting stronger and learning more about the tomb and Gaelith himself and why Erebus chose him as his first vessel of destruction.¡± Before I could say anything else, he snapped his fingers, and everything went black. Chapter 7: Level Up Chapter 7: Level Up: [Loop Count: 3] I woke up to the sound of the system message. The Loop Count message confirmed my meeting with Chronos wasn¡¯t a dream. Some parts of it were blurry in my mind, likely the parts when we talked about my previous deaths, as he did say that I would forget those. But one thing was certain: I was actually in a time loop. A time loop in which I couldn¡¯t remember my past lives. I opened up my status menu and saw the arrow pointing right. Switching to the new screen, I opened the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system and its skills. So far, I only had the titular skill that matched the system¡¯s name - the one which Chronos said translates to ¡®already seen¡¯ in some strange language called French. Then I glanced at the corner of the screen, at the XP bar. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 1] [Loop Count: 3] [Experience Points (XP): 760 / 1000] Chronos said he placed me in the loop after my first death. So that means I managed to gain all 760 XP points in a single run. This means that even if I repeat the same actions I took in my previous life, at some point during the day, I should reach level 2 in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system and be able to upgrade one of the skills. That being said, I don¡¯t even remember which actions I took in my last run. And it¡¯s not like I can just ignore my meeting with the God of Time. It¡¯s definitely going to affect the choices I make in this run, even if I don¡¯t want to. Okay, breathe, Aidan. Let¡¯s go over the skills again and see which ones might actually be beneficial to succeeding in this unforeseen task. Currently, I only have the D¨¦j¨¤ vu skill leveled up. Its description states that it triggers faint recollections of past loops, increasing awareness of events that have happened. Sounds useful enough. Since I won¡¯t be able to remember my previous runs, having these faint recollections might be the next best thing. And I can only assume this for now, but I bet that leveling it up will improve the quality and frequency of these glimpses. The most curious thing about it was the fact that it was a passive skill. Meaning it would activate on its own accord. This good be both good and bad. Depending on the situation. Next up, we have Afterimage. This skill supposedly allows me to summon an afterimage of my past self to see what actions and choices I made. It also sounds extremely useful - but the description was frustratingly vague. Too vague. What does brief duration mean? Ten minutes? A few seconds? And considering the fourth skill on the list, Echo Sense, which only allows me to hear conversations and voices from previous loops, I have a sinking feeling that Afterimage might be mute. Otherwise, why would Echo Sense even exist? The ten minute cooldown was also an issue. The third skill was Temporal Trace, which supposedly allows me to see and mark a specific location in the time plane. What does time plane even mean? And what kind of marks can I leave? Your guess is as good as mine. Again, another skill with a frustratingly vague description. But if I have to go with a hypothesis - the only thing I can really do at the moment - then this skill could be a way for me to leave detailed clues or warnings for my future self, which could prove useful depending on the type of marks I can leave. The fifth skill was Checkpoint, and it was probably the most useful one out of the five. I can only use it once per run at level 1, but it lets me retain the memories of that specific run. Instead of waking up in the next run disoriented and forgetting everything I learned, this skill gives me an additional chance to remember and progress during a specific run. I could even use it to farm more XP in fewer runs. Okay, it¡¯s decided. Checkpoint will be the first skill I level up. It¡¯s too good to pass up. ¡°The second inventory.¡± I whispered, recalling Chronos¡¯ words about it. I navigated through the system and opened its window. Inventory #2 was empty. According to what Chronos said, any items I store in Inventory #2 will remain there between loops. So, as far as I can tell, it gives me another opportunity to leave clues for myself. But considering the fact that my inability to retain memories is a defense mechanism designed to protect me from Erebus, what kind of clues can I even leave? I assume that creating notes that blatantly describe previous runs would be impossible. Still, I should at least test the limits. I have time until Yana comes to pick me up. I sat at the small table in my room, grabbing a pencil and a piece of paper. What should I write? Maybe¡­First level will have snail monsters. Beware and prepare with Salt Bombs. I carefully tried to add the note to Inventory #2. [Error: Picking up this item violates D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Protocol #2706. Item is restricted and classified] Ugh, figures¡­ Okay, what about something simpler? I scribbled on a different piece of paper: Take a left at the second corridor of the first level for good loot. I tried again to add the note. [Error: Picking up this item violates D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Protocol #3401. Item is restricted and classified] [Warning: Continued attempts to pick up this item will trigger a System Lockdown] ¡°Okay, okay, chill. No need to yell at me.¡± I muttered. So, leaving written notes was out of the question. I¡¯d expected as much. Leaving detailed messages would basically amount to retaining memories - something Chronos had warned me was strictly off-limits. I need a different approach to use the second inventory. Maybe leaving specific items and hoping my next self would get the hint?The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. For example, if I stored a Coagulation Elixir to stop bleeding, my next self would know there are enemies that inflict bleeding status effects and that he should prepare for that. Yeah, that sound smart. I can only hope I¡¯m smart enough to understand such hints. I took a deep breath and began preparing for Yana¡¯s arrival.
I donned my lightweight armor. Equipped Nightfall. Waited for Yana. She was late as usual. We set off to the Tomb of Gaelith.
*** On our way to the tomb, Yana was just finishing her story about her guild master¡¯s, Lady Mikaela, abilities. ¡°¡­She just darted from her spot instantly using Shadow Step and impaled it to death with one move. Gods, I¡¯m not doing it justice describing it half-assedly like this. It was just...wow. It was wow, Aidan! Wow!¡± But my mind was elsewhere. Loop Count: 3 ¨C it meant I¡¯d already died twice on this quest. But did Yana die as well? I had no memory of that, or even my own deaths. The conversation with Chronos and the revelation that we were dealing with the embodiment of Darkness itself, Erebus, still felt so surreal. But it had to be true. The D¨¦j¨¤ vu system was proof that I wasn¡¯t imagining things. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, A?¡± Yana asked suddenly. ¡°Hmm?¡± I raised my head, as if emerging from a trance. ¡°I¡¯ve been fangirling over Lady Mikaela for the past ten minutes, and you didn¡¯t even tease me about it once.¡± Yana chuckled softly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everything¡¯s good.¡± I lied, knowing I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth about what was going on with me. If I did, Chronos said that Erebus would turn my life into a never-ending, repeating nightmare. ¡°It sure doesn¡¯t sound good¡­¡± Yana said, turning away from me. No, no, no - this isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to go. The whole reason I agreed to join this quest was to reconnect with her. I can¡¯t let her think I¡¯m pushing her away. ¡°I¡¯m just nervous, is all.¡± I added quickly. Yana turned back to me, her expression softening into a gentle smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Lady Mikaela and Stephan Lorren are leading us. There¡¯s no way anything could go wrong.¡± She paused for a moment, then mumbled something under her breath ¨C so softly I couldn¡¯t make it out. ¡°What was that?¡± I asked. She shook her head. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She replied before pointing forward. ¡°Look, we¡¯re already close.¡±
We reached the entrance. Exchanged pleasantries with Lady Mikaela. Divided into groups. I was in group 4. And then we entered the tomb.
*** Our group leader, a mage named Jax, led us to the corner of the antechamber on the first floor of the tomb. ¡°Okay, sidekicks, introduce yourselves.¡± He said, an arrogant smile playing on his lips. ¡°Excuse me?¡± a woman - judging by her robes, likely our healer - said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Sidekicks?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what you are.¡± A young man next to Jax, clearly his apprentice, interjected. ¡°I know you. You¡¯re Lena Lethen. A healer. Next.¡± A large man with a buzzcut and a war-hammer slung across his back sighed. ¡°My name is Waylan.¡± He bumped his chest with his right hand in a respectful manner. ¡°I¡¯ll be your tank.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Jax nodded. ¡°Our meat shield.¡± He then turned to me. ¡°And you?¡± I didn¡¯t like his attitude at all and wondered if my previous selves had done something about it, or if they just suffered through his arrogance in silence. ¡°Well?¡± he asked again, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m Aidan.¡± I introduced myself. ¡°I¡¯m a Spellsword. I¡¯ll act as the frontline with Waylan.¡± The tank nodded at me with a soft smile on his face. ¡°Great.¡± Jax¡¯s apprentice muttered, rolling his eyes. ¡°The weakest adventurer here just had to be in our team.¡± I wanted to retaliate, but Jax immediately shifted the focus of the conversation, addressing the second woman in our squad. ¡°And you are, young lady?¡± She smiled proudly. ¡°The name is Dina. I¡¯ll act as our support mage. It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Jax of Belenia.¡± Jax¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You¡¯ve heard about me, eh?¡± ¡°Is there someone who hasn¡¯t?¡± Dina asked, smiling flirtatiously. Me. I hadn¡¯t heard about him. Of course, I kept that thought to myself. ¡°My name is Henry.¡± Jax¡¯s apprentice interrupted, breaking the awkward silence his master and Dina had created with their lingering glances. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, same as Master Jax.¡± Jax finally turned to the last member of our squad. A rogue-assassin type, by the looks of him. He stood silently, leaning against the wall, his eyes darting around us but never settling on any of the squad members. ¡°And you are?¡± Jax asked. ¡°Why does it matter?¡± The rogue replied, his gaze still fixed on the ground. ¡°Building relationship is a must in this career.¡± Jax responded. The rogue sighed. ¡°The name is Goren. A Rogue. I¡¯ll act as secondary front line this time around.¡± I glanced at his status. Level 57. Decent enough, especially for a Rogue. Jax then cleared his throat and addressed us all, a cocky smile on his face. ¡°We¡¯ve been assigned to the northwest chamber of the first level. Follow my commands, and everything will be fine. Do a good job, and I might even put in a few good words with guild master Lorren.¡±
We cleared the chamber. It was filled with Undead Warriors. The chamber split into three additional ones. We cleared those as well.
*** After I killed the last of the undead warriors, the eighth one this morning, a system message popped up. [+34 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] My heart raced with excitement. Chronos said I would be able to gain XP and level up, and yet it felt so unreal to finally receive those XP gain messages. This was my first leveling up in years. Now I just needed to allocate this skill point to acquire the Checkpoint skill. I did so, and a new message appeared. [Skill acquired: Checkpoint lvl.1] [Next Level: lvl.2: Increases the time allowed between setting the temporal anchor point and your death to 1 hour] Wait, what?! There¡¯s a time aspect to this skill? Why didn¡¯t it say so in the description? So, if Checkpoint level 2 grants me a one-hour window, how long does Checkpoint level 1 give me? I opened the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system skills menu but it didn¡¯t specify. The only thing I could now was assume it¡¯s less than an hour. Significantly less to be on the safe side. But when and how should I use it for now? Did I just waste my first skill point for nothing? Who knows how many loops I¡¯ll have to go through to reach the next level¡­ Okay, breathe out. Everything¡¯s fine. I glanced at the corner of the screen. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 2] [Loop Count: 3] [Experience Points (XP): 32 / 1100] Okay, so it took me slightly more than one loop to level up once, which means I¡¯ll hit level 3 somewhere on my next loop. Unless¡­Unless I do something different this time. But how can I even know if I¡¯m doing something different? I was already consciously trying to land last hits on enemies whenever I could assuming the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system acted similarly to the Core System which rewarded more XP to those who dealt the final blow. But it was hard, and I barely secured any kills since Jax and Henry¡¯s careless magical strikes kept wiping most of the enemies before I could kill them. I sighed in disappointment, feeling like I¡¯d made a mistake by leveling up Checkpoint too rashly. Then that weird feeling struck me again - the unmistakable sensation of D¨¦j¨¤ vu. As Goren walked past me, ignoring me completely, something felt off. ¡°Goren?¡± I called out, confused. He stopped and turned around, a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°What?¡± I didn¡¯t even know what to say. Why did I stop him, really? Just as I was about to apologize, he spoke again, his voice tired. ¡°Right, right¡­my bad.¡± He extended his hand, holding out an item. I accepted it and added it to my inventory. [Item Acquired: Blackberries (Consumable) ¨C Added to Inventory #1] ¡°Blackberries?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded and turned away, leaving me standing there in stunned silence. I didn¡¯t even get the chance to make a joke about it. Chapter 8: Far Too Optimistic Chapter 8: Far Too Optimistic We returned to the main antechamber of the tomb, where Jax briefed the guild masters on our progress. We were the fourth group to finish our assigned section of the exploration. Lady Mikaela exhaled softly. ¡°Are you sure about their level?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes. The highest were level 40.¡± Jax said, while my mind remained occupied by thoughts of the Checkpoint skill. Should I use it now? Lady Mikaela nodded at Jax¡¯s words. ¡°Peculiar indeed. An adjusting dungeon...that¡¯s a first.¡± Stephan Lorren seemed deep in thought before speaking. ¡°Should we call it off?¡± But before Lady Mikaela could respond, a low-leveled adventurer from one of the other parties came stumbling from inside the dungeon, calling out for help. ¡°Help us!¡± he cried out. It was a male healer, of the Mystic class, bleeding heavily and barely managing to make his way to us. ¡°Help!¡± he cried out before collapsing, and suddenly the entrance to the tomb slammed shut, locking us all inside. My heart raced. Whatever happened to him and his party, now was the best moment to use the Checkpoint skill. I activated it. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time. Use wisely ¨C current anchor will be lost upon death, or after thirty minutes. The earliest of the two.] So, level 1 Checkpoint gives you just thirty minutes¡­ I took a deep breath. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s going to challenge us.
We received a bone-chilling introduction from Gaelith himself - or his spirit, I suppose. Stephan Lorren focused on the entrance. Trying to unlock it. But then, the first wave of enemies came. A pack of undead wolves.
*** The pack was large. While Lady Mikaela focused on the Pack Leader, the rest of us were left to deal with the remaining wolves. Realizing the threat, I activated Bladesurge, enhancing Nightfall¡¯s stats for the next two minutes. Yana made her way to my side as the attack began, and together we faced one of the undead wolves. It lunged at me, but my agility stats were enough to keep me out of its reach and I rolled to the side, narrowly dodging its snapping jaws. Yana closed the distance with Blade Rush, moving like a blur, and swung her sword at the wolf. But the beast reacted swiftly, dodging the attack. Then, to our surprise, it let out a chilling howl, unleashing a sound wave attack at Yana. Her eyes widened, but she managed to use Dash Step to evade the attack just in time. Seizing the opportunity, I took advantage of the wolf¡¯s focus on Yana and rushed forward, swinging Nightfall with Time Delay Swing. The blade connected, but I barely made a dent in its HP despite the enhanced stats. Yana closed the distance again, unleashing Flame Arc, sending a blazing slash of fire at the wolf. But it dodged once more, and then dashed powerfully toward her, targeting her. It was clear the beast saw her as the primary threat and was determined to take her out first. While it was distracted, I attacked again from behind, but my strike was a lot weaker than Yana¡¯s. The wolf turned to face me with a snarl, giving Yana the perfect opening. She closed in with another Blade Rush. Her blade carving a deep gash across the wolf¡¯s side, taking away almost a third of its health in a single strike. Then, she concentrated, activating Blazing Dash, moving like a streak of fire as her sword cleaved through the beast¡¯s defenses, The wolf¡¯s HP dropped to a sliver, and I quickly followed up with another Time Delay Swing, making sure I get the kill and most of the XP. The blade connected, and the wolf staggered before collapsing, its HP bar finally hitting zero. [+318 XP] Only 318 XP? Unbelievable¡­way lower than I expected. ¡°It sure felt a lot stronger than a level 70. At the very least, HP and durability-wise. My attacks usually deal a lot more damage to enemies of similar level.¡± Yana exhaled, visibly exhausted. ¡°At least we got it.¡± I replied, equally winded, wondering if my previous selves managed to slay the wolf as well. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system menu. How much time do I have left until my Checkpoint expired? [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 2] [Loop Count: 3] [Experience Points (XP): 350 / 1100] [Checkpoint lvl. 1: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 15 minutes and 23 seconds] Around fifteen minutes¡­ I bit my lip nervously. Should I use the remaining time to prepare? But what if no one attacks us during this time? If that happens, did this mean I would have to kill myself to trigger the skill¡¯s effect?You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn¡¯t do that, could I? Even if I wouldn¡¯t remember it in the next loop, it felt¡­wrong. Would anyone in their right mind willingly end themselves, just to make progress? But if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d lose this run¡¯s progress when I died.
Lorren couldn¡¯t open the entrance doors without a Keystone. The high-leveled adventurers, led by him and Lady Mikaela ventured deeper inside to retrieve it. Aric Kelltins, one of Lady Mikaela¡¯s finest, was left behind with the rest of us who were lower than level 75. He began setting our defense over the perimeter. Putting me next to the healers in the center of the formation.
*** The faint feeling of D¨¦j¨¤ vu struck me again, the passive skill sending a jolt of dread through me. Something bad was going to happen now - something involving the ground. But what? I clenched my teeth, wishing the damned skills in this new system were leveled up higher so I could actually understand what I was supposed to do. I glanced around for Yana. She was positioned in the front lines of the formation. ¡°If things go downhill, look for me.¡± She said before stepping away. ¡°I¡¯ll look for you too.¡± I nodded, forcing a weak smile. ¡°Just like the old times.¡± But that ominous feeling refused to leave me. It clawed at my chest, tightening my throat. Something was definitely about to go wrong. Aric Kelltins tried to raise our moral, claiming that dungeon monsters usually target the higher-leveled adventurers first, claiming we should be safe. But he was proven wrong, when the ground quaked beneath us. Large, twisted versions of moles burst through the earth with a horrific screech, using their oversized claws to shatter our entire formation. Their names appeared as Grave Moles, followed by a terrifying level 80. They emerged right beneath the healers. When the front lines noticed and tried to fall back to help, a wave of giant spider monsters appeared from within the tomb, cutting off their retreat. One of the Grave Moles lunged at Lena, its massive claws arcing toward her. Instinctively, I dove forward, shoving her aside at the very last second. The young healer standing behind her wasn¡¯t as fortunate ¨C he barely had time to scream before the monster¡¯s claws bisected him. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± Lena stammered, trembling as I helped her to her feet, blood splattering around us. I nodded as the chaos enveloped us. Some of the mages turned their strikes on the moles, trying to help us. ¡°Watch out!¡± someone shouted behind me. I spun around just in time to see a Grave Mole slam its claws against a blue barrier cast by Dina. It held for a moment, but then the monster¡¯s claws glowed a dark red, enhanced by some kind of magic. The next strike shattered the barrier like glass. I activated Luminous Slash, releasing crescent-shaped projectiles from Nightfall aimed at the creature. The glowing arc sliced through the air, but the Grave Mole effortlessly deflected it with its claws. Before we could react, another Grave Mole erupted from the ground beneath us. Its claws latched onto Dina¡¯s leg, severing it clean off in a single motion. She cried in agony as the creature dragged her down into the earth before we could even blink. ¡°Dina!¡± someone screamed, but she was gone, swallowed by the ground. Meanwhile, the first Grave Mole lunged at Lena and me. I raised Nightfall, bracing myself. Lena, paralyzed by shock, couldn¡¯t even move. Then Yana came out of nowhere, using Blazing Dash to slice through the Grave Mole¡¯s side. The fiery slash landed perfectly - a critical hit - but it only shaved off a quarter of its HP. ¡°Aidan, we need to run!¡± Yana shouted. I nodded, and we began our retreat toward the nearest corridor. But it wasn¡¯t so simple ¨C the Grave Moles were relentless, emerging from the ground beneath us. Huge claws continued bursting through the earth around us, trying to snatch us just like they did to Dina. At some point, Jax and Henry grouped with us, using their offensive spells to buy us more distance from the moles as we retreated. But then, the level 65 Void Spiders started dropping from the ceiling, ensnaring retreating adventurers in sticky webs, making them easy targets for the Grave Moles. It was chaotic. Everyone just falling left and right. As I retreated, the familiar sense of D¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me. I asked myself if that was the same way things had played out in the previous runs? Running away protected by Yana, retreating, watching adventurers get slaughtered around me. Their terrified faces, their haunting screams, their desperate cries for help. Slowly, the feeling that I was repeating my previous selves¡¯ actions intensified. My future selves might not remember any of it, but we¡¯ll see the loop counter rising. Just the idea of living the same day over and over again, made me sick. I couldn¡¯t keep running. This needs to stop. I need to take control. This is what I¡¯ve been waiting for. A chance to prove I¡¯m not mediocre. I need to level up as fast as I can. Gritting my teeth, I stopped in my tracks and turned to face the Grave Mole. ¡°Aidan! What are you doing?¡± I heard Yana behind me, panic clear in her tone. I¡¯m sorry, Yan. But I have to do this. Ignoring her, I tightened my grip on Nighfall. I activated Luminous Slash again, following it up with my own Blade Rush and a Time Delay Swing. Hoping that all three skills together will overwhelm the monster and give me an opening to inflict some damage. But that didn¡¯t happen. Despite my efforts, I barely managed to scratch its health. Instead of overwhelming it, I only enraged it further. The Grave Mole suddenly moved with incredible speed, its huge claws cleaving through the air. One powerful swipe knocked Nightfall from my hand. The second pierced through my chest. ¡°Aidan!¡± Yana¡¯s scream echoed, distant and fading, as my vision blurred and everything began fading to black. I was far too optimistic¡­ [Health: 0% - You Have Died] [Checkpoint Level 1 activated: You will now reawaken at the anchor point] *** When my eyes opened again, the first thing I did was gasp for breath - gasp and clutch my chest, falling to my knees. The memories of mere seconds ago, when the Grave Mole¡¯s claw pierced right through me, overwhelmed me, and I began to hyperventilate. ¡°Aidan.¡± Yana ducked beside me, placing a steady hand on my back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The pain seemed to follow me back here, lingering in my chest as if it was still real. Yana¡¯s voice grew muffled, but I caught three words clearly: ¡°Take deep breaths.¡± I closed my eyes tightly, forcing myself to slow my breathing. Deep breaths, in and out. I counted each inhale and exhale, relaxing my muscles. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± I could hear Yana better now. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± It¡¯s just phantom pain. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m here with Yana. I forced my focus back to the present, grounding myself in the touch of her hand on my back. Gradually, my breathing stabilized. ¡°Aidan, are you okay?¡± Yana asked, her voice filled with worry. I nodded, still on my knees, sweat dripping from my forehead. ¡°Thank the gods.¡± Yana sighed with relief. ¡°You scared me half to death!¡± But my mind was somewhere else entirely¡­I just died. The Grave Mole landed a single attack on me, and it was enough to kill me instantly. I¡¯m that weak, huh? But since I¡¯m here now, aware of everything that happened, that means¡­It worked! The Checkpoint skill had actually worked! Any doubts I may have had about Chronos and his D¨¦j¨¤ vu System began crumbling away. But it if it worked, and I retained my current self¡¯s memories, then¡­the Undead Wolves should be attacking any moment now. Lady Mikaela¡¯s voice suddenly boomed, and I realized that in my hyperventilated state, I had missed Gaelith¡¯s chilling introduction. ¡°Calm down, everyone! We¡¯ll all make it out of here alive! Lorren and I will make sure of it! Just follow us and trust our commands.¡± She shouted. Stephan Lorren nodded, yet his expression was tense, just like last time. ¡°Yes. Follow me and Mikaela. There will be an exit out of here. I¡¯m sure of it. Let me analyze the entrance here for now.¡± Images of the slaughtered adventurers flashed before my eyes, sending a chill down my spine. I recalled how Lorren¡¯s reluctance to help against the wolves had cost seventeen adventurers their lives last time. ¡°No!¡± I shouted, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°You can do that later!¡± Everyone turned to stare at me suspiciously. ¡°How dare you speak to Master Lorren this way?!¡± Jax snapped, aiming his staff at me, fully willing and ready to obliterate me with his magic. Chapter 9: A Rogue and His God Chapter 9: A Rogue and His God ¡°One more step toward him, and I¡¯ll shove that staff up your ass!¡± Yana jumped between me and Jax, throwing a direct threat at the mage. Jax looked bewildered. Scratch that ¨C everyone did. But before things could escalate any further, a chilling howl echoed from the depths of the tomb, and the Undead Wolves appeared, right on cue. *** [+318 XP] The system message popped up after I finished the wolf again, recreating the exact same fight Yana and I had with it last time. Only this time a lot cleaner. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system menu. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 2] [Loop Count: 3] [Experience Points (XP): 668 / 1100] Halfway to the next level. Just need to avoid the Grave Moles this time. They¡¯re clearly too strong for me right now. There¡¯s no way I managed to fight them in my previous runs. But as my XP bar showed this morning, I likely scored some other kills after the wolves. This one gave me 318 XP, and each of the eight Undead Warriors I¡¯d slain earlier granted me 34 XP. That¡¯s 590 XP in total. Which means I earned an additional 170 XP before I died. And I¡¯m a hundred percent sure it wasn¡¯t from the Grave Moles. There¡¯s no way a single mole would give anything less than what the wolf did. I looked at the remnants of the battlefield. Stephan Lorren had once again decided to analyze the locked entrance of the tomb instead of actively participating in the fight, leading to the same seventeen adventurers losing their lives - again. Once the battle ended, Lady Mikaela paced furiously toward him. ¡°Lorren!¡± she shouted, her voice booming just like it did last time. ¡°You better have a good reason for not helping!¡± The mage turned to her, his expression calm, completely dismissive of the tension. ¡°I was analyzing the entrance.¡± He replied nonchalantly. ¡°This dungeon is clearly not normal. We need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Did you have to do it while we were getting attacked?¡± I interjected, making sure everyone knew I was placing the blame squarely on him. He raised his eyebrow at me, his gaze condescending. ¡°And who are you, exactly?¡± Before I could answer, Lady Mikaela interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s right! You should¡¯ve helped first!¡± ¡°What do you think I was doing, if not helping?¡± he snapped back. ¡°Getting out of here should be our top priority, and if figuring out a way for us to escape isn¡¯t considered ¡®helping¡¯, then I don¡¯t know what is!¡± he paused, his eyes flaring with anger. ¡°Or do you, Mikaela, or this guy¡± - he gestured sharply toward me - ¡°think you can unlock powerful magical enchantments on your own?¡± Lady Mikaela¡¯s rage seemed to cool slightly. ¡°Still ¨C ¡° ¡°Still what? Still what, Mikaela?¡± Lorren cut her off, his voice tense. ¡°Do I need to remind you that you are the reason we¡¯re in this mess in the first place? The blood of those adventurers is on your hands alone!¡± His words visibly shook her, and Aric Kelltins stepped forward, clearly intending to defend his guild master¡¯s honor. ¡°Master Lorren, I was here with Lady Mikaela when we explored the dungeon for the first time. I guarantee you that what she says is true. We didn¡¯t encounter such strong enemies during our initial exploration.¡± Stephan Lorren sighed heavily before replying. ¡°I apologize, Mikaela. Let¡¯s just focus on the doors.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but notice how insincere his apology sounded. Lady Mikaela seemed to collect herself. ¡°I hope you found something useful.¡± He nodded. ¡°Of course I did. I can open this door, but I¡¯ll need time. Everyone needs to cover me while I work through the enchantment.¡± Lady Mikaela shook her head, visibly angry with him, but she kept her composure. ¡°How much time do you need?¡± Stephan Lorren shrugged, utterly indifferent. ¡°As much as you can give me.¡± ¡°No! What the hell?¡± I burst out, surprising even myself. It was my first time meeting the legendary Stephan Lorren, and I couldn¡¯t believe he was such a manipulative liar. He was at fault for not helping during the battle, and now, after shifting the blame to Lady Mikaela, he was trying to play the role of the savior. He probably already knew the door needed a Keystone to open. Lorren¡¯s gaze turned to me, blazing with fury. The stone on top of his staff glowed yellow, and suddenly I was bound by invisible chains, completely immobilized. [Condition Applied: Rooted by ¡°Binding Force¡± used by Stephan Lorren]Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Then, the stone shifted to a purple hue, and an ethereal blade of the same color materialized beside my neck. ¡°You clearly have something personal against me.¡± Lorren said through gritted teeth. ¡°Are you here to kill me? Who sent you?¡± ¡°Kill you? Are you insane?¡± I retorted, wincing as the chains tightened pressure around me, constricting painfully. Yana stepped forward, starring Lorren straight in the eye. ¡°Release him now!¡± He rolled his eyes at her demand. ¡°Stay out of this.¡± But Yana didn¡¯t move an inch. Lady Mikaela interjected sharply. And in our favor. ¡°Release him this moment, Lorren. You¡¯re acting like a lunatic. I doubt anyone would send a level 50 Spellsword to assassinate you.¡± His face twisted at her words, and I felt the chains¡¯ pressure around my body spike before they abruptly vanished, releasing me of Lorren¡¯s hold. [Condition Applied: No Longer Rooted] ¡°Count yourself lucky, and don¡¯t ever cross me again.¡± His words were like ice. ¡°That freaking asshole.¡± Yana muttered, helping me to my feet. Then she caught my gaze. ¡°But you have to tell me what¡¯s going on with you. You¡¯re acting weird.¡± I knew I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth¡­but maybe, if I found a roundabout to go about it, it would be okay? ¡°Follow me.¡± I said, pulling her to the side, away from prying ears, while Lady Mikaela organized the defensive formation next to the entrance, giving Stephan Lorren the time he ¡°needed¡±. No threats were going to appear for the time being, so I knew we weren¡¯t really needed. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked once we were far enough from everyone else. ¡°Promise not to think I¡¯m crazy?¡± I asked, adding a weak, sheepish smile. She nodded, her expression serious. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°And promise you won¡¯t press for answers if I tell you I can¡¯t explain something?¡± She hesitated, her gaze steady, before nodding slowly. ¡°I promise. I trust you.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°Listen, don¡¯t ask me how I know this, but in a few minutes, when Stephan Lorren says he needs a Keystone to open the doors, he and Mikaela will leave with the high-leveled adventurers, leaving us weaklings with Kelltins behind as easy prey for some nasty and extremely strong Grave Moles and Void Spiders. Many adventurers will die here.¡± Yana stared at me, confused, but still seemed to consider my words seriously. Good ¨C this was more than I could have hoped for. ¡°Aidan¡­¡± she whispered, her brow furrowing. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say. If you somehow learned about this, then we need to warn the others.¡± She turned to leave, and I grabbed her hand. ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡± She looked back at me, puzzled. ¡°What do you mean, we can¡¯t?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain why.¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°Just trust me when I say we can¡¯t. It might¡­change things too much.¡± ¡°Change things too much? What does that even mean?¡± she asked. I hesitated, my mind racing. Should I tell her more? But then, recalling Chronos¡¯ words, I decided against it. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± I murmured. ¡°Aidan¡­¡± she said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about trust.¡± I replied quickly. ¡°The fact that I¡¯m even telling you this much proves that I trust you. I just¡­can¡¯t say more. Please, trust me on this.¡± She sighed, rubbing her temples in frustration. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No. Promise me you won¡¯t tell this to a soul.¡± I pressed. ¡°Okay, okay, I promise.¡± She finally relented. ¡°What do we do, then?¡± I froze. I hadn¡¯t expected her to accept my words so easily, and I didn¡¯t have a plan. Yet. I just wanted her to know so she¡¯d be wary and safe. She took my silence as an answer. ¡°So, your suggestion is to let things play out, even though we know what¡¯s going to happen? Why even share this information with me if we¡¯re not going to do anything and you don¡¯t even have a plan?¡± She turned away abruptly and left. ¡°Yana, wait.¡± I called after her, but she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Great¡­¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°Spellsword.¡± A familiar voice whispered from behind me. Confused, I turned to see Goren, appearing from my shadow on the wall, his expression uncharacteristically alight. ¡°How the hell did you learn what¡¯s going to happen?¡± I stepped back, suddenly unsettled by his presence. ¡°Why were you spying on us?¡± He shook his head, dismissing my question. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re normal. You¡¯re not. And we both know it.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I said and turned to leave. ¡°You have the new system too, don¡¯t you?¡± he said, stopping me in my tracks, sending a chill down my spine. His laugh followed soon after. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you act differently, so I guess you got it fairly recently, huh?¡± I turned to face him, my heart pounding. ¡°You have it as well?¡± He nodded, his grin widening so much it seemed like the corners of his lips might reach his ears. ¡°How many times did you¡­you know¡­die?¡± I asked hesitantly, realizing it wasn¡¯t the easiest question to ask. ¡°Fifty-eight times.¡± He replied quickly, still grinning. ¡°But who cares about that? Did Dolos set you up for this?¡± ¡°Dolos?¡± I asked, confused. He nodded, pointing upward. ¡°God.¡± I shook my head. Unless Dolos was an alias Chronos used, it wasn¡¯t him. ¡°Interesting.¡± Goren said, rubbing his chin and pacing back and forth. ¡°It means there¡¯s another god at play here.¡± ¡°Another god?¡± I asked, feigning ignorance. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°What was his name? The one who gave you your new powers?¡± I hesitated, unsure whether I should tell the truth. Eventually, I opted to lie. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Some guy with a metallic club. He didn¡¯t exactly introduce himself.¡± ¡°Makes sense. Dolos is a piece of shit too.¡± Goren nodded, then his face suddenly lit up again. ¡°This changes everything! This specific run was hard on me. I was already sick and tired of dying and reviving. Seemingly making no progress. I grow stronger each time, but this shitty dungeon started shifting itself lately, like it¡¯s preparing for me, making my knowledge from past runs worthless.¡± I let his words sink in. One thing was clear from his words - his system was leveled up enough for him to retain his memories. He continued. ¡°But you¡¯re here now all of a sudden! That¡¯s gotta be the key to our victory. Yes, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s the will of Dolos.¡± ¡°The will of Dolos¡­¡± I echoed. This bit made him sound like a religious fanatic. But who ¨C or what - was Dolos? He nodded ecstatically. ¡°How about we team up? I¡¯ll help you level up faster, and then we can take down Gaelith together and become the heroes of Tepan. The king might even grant us titles for bringing him so much gold!¡± ¡°Take down Gaelith together?¡± I asked, dumbfounded. ¡°I literally just got one-shotted by a Grave Mole.¡± ¡°So what?¡± he shrugged. ¡°It only happened ¡®cause you¡¯re crazy under-leveled.¡± ¡°No offense, man, but you¡¯re just a level 57 Rogue. I¡¯ve seen you fight. You¡¯re good - likely stronger than me - but not enough to beat the monsters here, let alone the boss.¡± Goren chuckled. ¡°What you¡¯ve seen so far is a fraction of what I¡¯m capable of thanks to the new system. You haven¡¯t even scratched the surface of what it can do, so you don¡¯t understand yet. Give it some time, and you¡¯ll be slaying these Grave Moles left, right, center.¡± He extended his hand for a shake. ¡°Let me help you.¡± It was strange. Even though I should probably accept any help I could get, I couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling I got when I looked at Goren. Something was off about him, so I hesitated to take his hand. He smirked. ¡°What? My class got you all riled up?¡± He lowered his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll agree to team up eventually, but until then, it looks like I¡¯ll just have to earn your trust.¡± He began strolling back to the others, his hands clasped behind his head as if he were lounging in a field. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my eye on you from now on.¡± Chapter 10: Dark Hunters Chapter 10: Dark Hunters Once we returned to the others, Stephan Lorren was just finishing his announcement that a Keystone was required to open the tomb¡¯s entrance. The calmness in which he spoke frustrated me. The man was a manipulator and a liar. Yana immediately glanced in my direction, likely realizing that what I had said was true. She seemed to freeze when Lady Mikaela addressed the crowd, saying exactly what I said she would. ¡°We¡¯ll split into two search parties, seven members each, level 75 and higher. I will lead the first, and Lorren will lead the second. We need to find the damned Keystone that will unlock this door.¡± She exclaimed, before turning to her trusted tank. ¡°Everyone else will stay behind and guard this location. Aric Kelltins, one of my finest, will serve as your leader in our absence. Any questions?¡± ¡°Lady Mikaela¡­¡± Yana suddenly whispered, addressing her guild master, and I immediately realized something was wrong. She hadn¡¯t done this last time. ¡°Yes, Yana?¡± Lady Mikaela replied. I shot a questioning glance at Yana, hoping she wasn¡¯t about to reveal what I had specifically asked her to keep secret. She met my gaze and seemed uncomfortable, her eyes darting around before she spoke, her voice low, barely above a whisper. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t split up.¡± ¡°What do you mean, dear?¡± Mikaela said, confused. Yana shot another glance at me, looking as if she were asking for forgiveness, then spoke. ¡°You and Master Lorren both said it. This dungeon is different than anything you¡¯ve ever encountered. If it¡¯s somehow changing and adjusting, then perhaps splitting up here is not the right move. Maybe that¡¯s what Gaelith is waiting for.¡± Lady Mikaela seemed thoughtful at her words, while Lorren just outright disagreed. ¡°First of all, Gaelith is dead and has been for a very long time. Whoever spoke to us before was just a monster of some kind. And secondly, what else can we do, girl? The Keystone is necessary, and given the possible dangers ahead, it makes no sense to take low-leveled adventurers with us.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Aric Kelltins interjected. ¡°Also, dungeon monsters usually go for the high-leveled threats first, that¡¯s likely why the wolves came all the way here to the main antechamber. Everyone who stays here should be relatively safe.¡± He couldn¡¯t be more wrong¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Goren whispered beside me, and I only now noticed he had been standing next to me. ¡°I tried warning them too, but it never works. It¡¯s like they¡¯re desperate to split and die. This part plays out the same regardless.¡± But apparently, Yana¡¯s warnings had more effect than he anticipated. Perhaps because of her close relationship with her guild master. ¡°What do you suggest, Yana?¡± Mikaela asked, sounding genuinely interested in her opinion. My heart raced. She had already said too much. What was going to happen now? Chronos had warned me not to tell anyone anything. ¡°Yana.¡± I said simply, my voice tense, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Maybe one party would be enough.¡± Yana suggested, drawing the focus back to her. ¡°At least at first. If we see that no one attacks us, we¡¯ll send another search party.¡± Lady Mikaela smiled softly and nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize someone as fearless as you could be afraid as well.¡± Yana looked embarrassed, her gaze dropping to the ground. Lorren sighed. ¡°It¡¯s your call, Mikaela.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Lady Mikaela nodded again, then turned to her counterpart. ¡°Lorren, you¡¯ll lead the first party. You have much more experience finding Keystones than I have.¡± He nodded without much enthusiasm. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°That never happened before, I assume?¡± I whispered to Goren, whose grin widened just as it had earlier. ¡°No.¡± he chuckled. ¡°This is interesting.¡± Stephan Lorren left with six other adventurers while the rest of us remained near the entrance. After a brief conversation with Lady Mikaela, Yana made her way toward me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aidan. I had to.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to. You chose to.¡± I said, my heart still pounding with worry over the possible repercussions of what she did. What I did. ¡°How can you say that?¡± she replied, sounding offended. ¡°You said people were going to die. Once everything played out exactly as you warned me, I knew I had to do something.¡± ¡°But I asked you not to tell anyone.¡± I countered. ¡°You promised me. Who knows what¡¯s going to happen now?¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°What¡¯s going to happen now? What do you mean?¡± she asked, clearly trying to pull more details from me. I sighed. ¡°I told you, I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± She stood her ground, her tone firm. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll answer your question. What¡¯s going to happen now is that the adventurers you said would die will stay alive, because Lady Mikaela and the others will be here to protect them. To protect us.¡± ¡°You always do this.¡± I said sharply. ¡°You always try to play the hero. Why couldn¡¯t you just do what I asked?¡± Her expression turned to anger. ¡°I always do that, huh? Then maybe you should¡¯ve known better than to tell me if ¡®I¡¯m always trying to play the hero¡¯.¡± Without another word, she turned and left, her footsteps quick and frustrated, leaving me standing there, angry at myself mostly. Maybe I¡¯d been too harsh¡­ ¡°Lovers¡¯ quarrels¡­ugh.¡± Goren muttered behind me. ¡°You really need to stop listening in on my private conversations.¡± I turned to him, making sure my tone clearly conveyed just how unhappy I was with him. He smirked. ¡°Oh c¡¯mon. You¡¯re clearly going to die this run, too. And next run, she won¡¯t remember anything. So, no harm done, really.¡± The problem is that I won¡¯t remember it either. But as much as I wanted to argue with him, there was some truth to his words He continued. ¡°If I told you half the things I did once I realized no one would remember anything anyway, you would think I¡¯m insane.¡± His words were unsettling, but before I could question him about them, a strange sound echoed from within the tomb - fast, sharp whistles. At first, everyone assumed the whistles were coming from Stephan Lorren and his group, but that theory quickly fell apart as the sound became more constant, almost like it was some conversation. One whistle speaks, then a few others respond. The whistling grew louder with each passing second, sounding everywhere around us, but no one appeared. ¡°Stay on the ready!¡± Lady Mikaela¡¯s voice cut through the air, getting everyone focused on the possible threat. ¡°What is that? Who¡¯s making these whistles?¡± I whispered to Goren, my unease growing with each whistle. ¡°No clue what they are but stay sharp.¡± He replied, unsheathing his daggers. ¡°They¡¯re around us.¡± ¡°Around us?¡± A chill ran down my spine. ¡°What do you mean, around us? You¡¯re saying you can see the whistlers?¡± He nodded, his expression suddenly serious, though a small, unsettling smile tugged at the corner of his lips. ¡°Nasty motherfuckers.¡± Other rogues seemed to notice the threat as well, or at least sense it better than the rest. ¡°Use echolocation skills!¡± one of them shouted. ¡°They have some sort of camouflage skill.¡± A sharp whistle sounded from the area where Yana stood, followed by the terrified screams of adventurers and blood flying around. My heart raced as I sprinted in that direction, toward Yana, but before I could make more than a few steps, I was yanked backward. I felt a gust of wind shot past right in front of me. Something - some body, invisible to the naked eye ¨C had shot right by me. I turned to see Goren. If he hadn¡¯t pulled me back, the creature would have pierced straight through me. He gave me a weak smile, almost as if reminding me of the alliance he had offered. ¡°Step aside!¡± Lady Mikaela¡¯s voice thundered as she rushed toward the adventurers under attack by the unseen threat. She activated one of her skills and, with incredible speed, lunged forward, her spear aiming at what appeared to be thin air. But her weapon met something. And with a sickening thud, dark blood splattered through the air. Suddenly, the creature became visible ¨C skewered on Lady Mikaela¡¯s spear. It resembled a large dog, but its skin was pitch black and looked almost leather-like. Its head was an odd cylinder, with a single large red eye, and four large knives at the end. Above its corpse, the system revealed its name: Dark Hunter, Level 65. ¡°Snap out of it already! Wake up!¡± Lady Mikaela shouted at the high-leveled adventurers. ¡°You can take them down as well!¡± Her harsh words seemed to ignite something in them, as they began finding their rhythm, landing strikes on the camouflaged Dark Hunters. ¡°Mages! Enchanters! Raise your barriers! Protect your comrades!¡± Mikaela commanded, her voice slicing through the panic, pulling everyone, including some low-leveled adventurers, into action. ¡°Over here!¡± Dina shouted beside me, raising her staff and manifesting a large protective barrier around herself and some other adventurers. But I didn¡¯t want to stay under her protection. I needed to find Yana. The area where she¡¯d been seemed overrun with these creatures, but there were so many people there, I couldn¡¯t see her. I rushed toward where I last saw her, heart pounding. I had no skills to see the camouflaged Dark Hunters, but I could hear their whistles and the chaos around me. Battles took place everywhere, ensued by adventurers who could locate them. To my side I saw Goren. He moved swiftly, a blur of daggers and deadly precision, cutting down two creatures in one single motion, making their dead bodies appear from thin air. Then, he suddenly dodged and reached forward as if catching something, after which he slammed something invisible to the ground. Another Dark Hunter appeared, bleeding heavily, suspended by its leg in Goren¡¯s hand as he drove a dagger to its gut. His speed was beyond what his level suggested - perhaps he hadn¡¯t been exaggerating when he said he believed we could take down Gaelith. Then, a sharp, deafening whistle tore through the air. I clamped my hands over my ears, my heart racing. ¡°No!¡± Lady Mikaela shouted, and I saw her lunging and cutting down another creature in the distance, seemingly the last of them. Then, a sudden silence settled over the area. When I finally reached them, my heart sank. Lady Mikaela knelt on the ground, cradling Yana in her arms. Blood was pouring from Yana¡¯s neck, her eyes shocked, fearful and full of pain. ¡°Healer!¡± Mikaela screamed, and one of her men rushed over. He knelt beside them, attempting to cast a healing spell, but as soon as his hands glowed with magic, they were repelled violently. His hands turned black, charred, and he was flung backward by an invisible force. The healer, now injured himself, gasped for breath, calling for help. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Lady Mikaela muttered, her voice breaking. She tried to cast some spell too, but as soon as she noticed the invisible force again, she stopped. Seeing Yana dying in front of me made my legs buckle. I dropped to my knees, feeling my heart shattering. ¡°No ¡­¡± I muttered, tears streaming down my cheeks, then my voice grew louder. ¡°No, no, no¡­this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this!¡± I did this. I crawled to her, my hands shaking as I cradled her form in my arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, child.¡± Lady Mikaela whispered as she wiped away her own tears, then turned to me and offered an apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aidan. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t protect her.¡± I couldn¡¯t care less about what she had to say. Yana was dying¡­ I held her, my right hand on the nasty wound the Dark Hunters had left on her neck, trying to stop the bleeding. As if that would help¡­ Yana couldn¡¯t speak. She couldn¡¯t utter even a single word. Her breath was shallow, her life slipping away. But then she suddenly smiled ¨C a weak, faint, fragile smile. Enough to break me completely. And then, in my arms, she died. Chapter 11: Consequences Chapter 11: Consequences ¡°You realize you look very silly right now, right?¡± Goren asked as he stood beside me. I was still holding Yana in my arms, barely able to comprehend that she was truly gone. The weight of it crushed me. This had happened because of me. These Dark Hunters ¨C none of this would¡¯ve happened if I hadn¡¯t changed the future by warning her. Goren knelt beside me when I didn¡¯t respond. ¡°What aren¡¯t you getting? None of this matters. You¡¯ll die, and when you wake up, she¡¯ll be alive again. You know that, so stop with this self-pitying bullshit!¡± Slowly, I raised my head and met his gaze, still numb. He stood up, rolling his eyes. ¡°Mikaela and her lackeys went inside. I assume the Grave Moles will attack us soon. Are you finally ready to level up?¡± I looked down at Yana¡¯s still body again, ignoring him completely. Seeing her like this just made me want to give up. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re pathetic.¡± Goren snapped, frustration fiiling his voice as he turned his back to me. ¡°When you finally stop wallowing and realize the power you now hold, come find me.¡± With that, he left me alone. I didn¡¯t want to fight. She was dead, and it was because of me. Yes, everything will reset after I die, and none of this would matter. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t even remember it was my fault. The one silver lining of this cursed system. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that right now, right at this moment, in this run, she was gone. I killed her. Nothing I say or do from here would undo that. An even deeper realization suddenly struck me. The Dark Hunters had appeared mostly in this area of the antechamber, where Yana was. Could it be that they were targeting her? What if they were hunting her because she was the one who changed the course of things? Was this what Chronos had warned me about? He said that if I told anyone, Erebus would know and make my life a living hell. Does that mean that Erebus will just target and kill Yana again and again in every run from now on? A cold shiver ran down my spine at the thought. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. Stuck in this time loop, there was only one way to make sure Yana¡¯s death wouldn¡¯t become a permanent reality, and that was to level up, get stronger, and defeat Erebus. I looked at Yana¡¯s peaceful form in my arms, the knot in my chest tightening as I whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it never happens again.¡± Gently, I laid her on the ground beside the other fallen adventurers, my heart heavy. Then, without looking back, I made my way toward Goren, determined to make the most out of the time I still had left in this run. Goren''s assumptions were correct. The Grave Moles and Void Spiders made their appearance once again. We fought. There was no point in running away, not with what I knew. Goren even helped me land the last hit on one of the Grave Moles, letting me gain the full XP from the kill, despite the fact I barely did anything to help. [+544 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] I had no time to choose as the fight continued. Eventually, they overwhelmed us. Despite my efforts, one of Void Spiders ensnared me with its webs and a Grave Mole landed a killing blow. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** When I woke up in my bed, I realized the Loop Count message didn¡¯t appear. Even weirder than that, I still had all my memories intact. Just as I was about to question this strange predicament, I noticed a figure seated at the desk next to my bed. Chronos. He was wearing a long black leather coat over a white shirt, and boots with some of the thickest soles I''ve ever seen, his feet casually propped on the desk. His long coat hung loosely behind him, the fringes swaying slightly as he rocked back in the chair. ¡°Good morning.¡± He greeted me, though his expression was anything but greeting. ¡°Good ¨C ¡° I started to reply, but he aggressively swung his feet off the desk and turned toward me, leaning in as he spoke, cutting me off. ¡°What did I tell you about talking to anyone about this?¡± His voice was sharp, emphatic. I couldn¡¯t respond. I had nothing to say in my defense. I just averted my gaze, feeling the weight of the accusation. ¡°You even asked, and I explicitly told you to not to tell Yana.¡± He continued, his tone harsh and unforgiving. ¡°Yet you did it anyway. Do you think I¡¯m joking? That I exaggerated the stakes and the dangers?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°No, I just ¨C ¡° ¡°You just decided to ignore my warning!¡± he interrupted, is voice rising with anger. There was a brief pause, but the tension in the room was palpable, making my skin crawl. ¡°Now,¡± Chronos said in a lower, grim tone, ¡°there will be a price to pay. Your friend is marked by Erebus.¡± My heart sank as I realized my earlier fears might come true and Erebus will now kill Yana purposefully in each run. I raised my eyes to meet his. ¡°Marked?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chronos said, his voice heavy as he averted his gaze. ¡°Those Dark Hunters of his¡­They are his direct agents. He sends them whenever he senses a disturbance - something that my sovereignty over time might produce. He now suspects that she¡¯s my champion, and he¡¯ll likely keep a close eye on her in future runs.¡± ¡°Her?¡± I asked, confused and terrified. ¡°But I was the one who told her! Why didn¡¯t he mark me instead?¡± Chronos sighed in frustration. ¡°Because you¡¯re a washed-up adventurer who maxed out at level 50 , Aidan! Erebus doesn¡¯t believe I¡¯d choose someone like you to represent me. You¡¯re too weak to even be considered a threat. Your friend, on the other hand, is strong and has incredible potential. She¡¯s a legitimate candidate in his eyes.¡± I shook my head in disbelief. By telling Yana what I knew, I hadn¡¯t just gotten her killed ¨C I¡¯d dragged her into this mess, making her an easy target for the embodiment of Darkness. But something still didn¡¯t add up. ¡°What about Goren?¡± I asked, my mind spinning. "He seems to be part of it as well." "He doesn''t matter." Chronos replied sharply, waving his hand in dismissal. ¡°Who is Dolos?¡± I asked. Chronos¡¯ face twisted in disgust at the mention of the name. ¡°Don¡¯t ever mention this name near me again.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± I pressed, unwilling to let it go. ¡°A thorn in my side, and that¡¯s all you need to know.¡± Chronos replied, his tone bitter. ¡°Avoid Goren at all costs. He might seem like he¡¯s helping you now, but you cannot trust him.¡± ¡°You have to tell me more ¨C ¡° ¡°And you had to listen to me!¡± Chronos snapped, cutting me off. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare come to me with demands after you broke the one simple rule I gave you.¡± I sighed heavily, my guilt weighing me down. ¡°You¡¯re right. Seeing her die, right in my arms¡­That was punishment enough.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± Chronos shot back coldly. ¡°You¡¯ve only made this whole ordeal harder for yourself - and us! We can¡¯t afford to lose here. Do you even understand what¡¯s at stake?¡± I clenched my fists, my heart sinking deeper. Chronos continued. ¡°You don¡¯t get to choose your next skill upgrade. I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± With a snap of his fingers, a system message popped up. [Skill acquired: Temporal Trace lvl.1] [Next Level: lvl.2: Increases the number of possible marks available in each loop to 2] ¡°Temporal Trace?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°Why this one?¡± ¡°So, you can see things the way I see them - and understand the consequences of your mistakes first-hand.¡± His response was cryptic, and his mood clearly wasn¡¯t open to more questioning, so I decided not to push further. Chronos¡¯ gaze darkened as he spoke again. ¡°You will also remember her death.¡± A shiver ran down my spine. I had hoped I would forget it. ¡°But you said I can¡¯t keep my memories between loops.¡± I pointed out, trying to remind him of the rules he¡¯d set for the system, hoping he might change his mind. ¡°I did.¡± He said, his voice firm. ¡°But you need to remember this - to make sure you don¡¯t repeat the same mistakes again. And to remember what you¡¯re fighting for.¡± The young man stood up, his presence looming. ¡°Now, go and fix this. I chose you for a reason, and I¡¯m still waiting for you to prove me right.¡± Before I could respond, he snapped his fingers again, and everything went black. *** [Loop Count: 4] I woke up with my conversation with Chronos still ringing in my ears. He was so angry¡­I didn¡¯t ask to be part of this. I was literally forced into it! Why did he have such high expectations of me? The rest of my memories were gone. The only things that remained, beside both of my conversations with Chronos, were Yana¡¯s death and the fact that it was my fault. The image of her peaceful form, that weak, fragile smile on her face - it haunted my mind. I found myself tearing up. I couldn¡¯t let that happen again. Whatever happens this time, and in any future loops, I won¡¯t get her involved in any of this. I¡¯ll make Erebus realize he was wrong - that she wasn¡¯t part of this ¨C and he¡¯ll leave her alone. Another memory that remained were two names ¨C Goren, and Dolos. I could only recall that they had something to do with this time loop game. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system screen to see where I stood. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 3] [Loop Count: 4] [Experience Points (XP): 112 / 1200] I had a long way to go until I reached the next level. I wondered if it was possible to do it in a single loop, using the Checkpoint skill again, of course. A knock on the door startled me. Looking at the clock on the wall, I realized it was probably Yana. I¡¯d wasted the entire morning lost in mourning and guilt. Yana. I rushed eagerly to the door and opened it quickly. There she stood. Her long red hair was tied back in a single braid, her freckled face showing mild surprise. Her red lightweight armor hugged her frame, and instantly I remembered why she chose that color. ¡°So the enemies won¡¯t see me bleed.¡± She once said. It sounded so foolish and pretentious, I couldn¡¯t stop laughing at her, and eventually she gave in and we laughed at this together. But there was something more there. The effect of the Temporal Trace skill - what Chronos wanted me to see. A dark aura surrounded Yana, so dark it was almost tangible. Above her head, a message was displayed: [This unit is marked by Darkness] My hearts pounded as I understood the gravity of my mistake. That¡¯s what being marked by Erebus meant. If he and his minions could see this aura around her, just like I could, she was going to be a prime target for them. ¡°Aidan?¡± she asked, confused. ¡°Why are you not ready yet?¡± Ignoring her question - and the stench of Darkness clinging to her - I pulled her into a tight hug, the memory of holding her lifeless body flooding back, bringing tears to my eyes again. ¡°Aidan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, even more bewildered. I knew I could never tell her about any of this - ever again. It was my burden to bear. I had to protect her, no matter the cost. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I lied, holding her even tighter. ¡°I missed you.¡± She hesitated, then hugged me back. For a brief moment, I felt peace. Chapter 12: Ancient Art Chapter 12: Ancient Art
We walked to Gaelith¡¯s Tomb together. Yana left to speak with Lady Mikaela. I remained alone.
A Rogue approached me. He wore sleek, black leather armor, the kind that allowed for swift, silent movements. Twin daggers were holstered on a belt that crossed his torso diagonally, and a short sword rested on his hip. His hair and eyes were black as well, but what struck me most was his expression ¨C familiar, as if he knew me ¨C despite the fact that I had never seen this man before in my life. Something else stood about him. The same dark aura that surrounded Yana clung to him and a message: [This unit is marked by Darkness] He stopped next to me, speaking casually. ¡°I was thinking for this run, we could just rush at the Undead Wolves. You¡¯ll probably die, but I¡¯ll help you score as many kills as possible before that. I¡¯m already pretty high myself, so I need you to level up faster.¡± My heart pounded. His words - it almost sounded like he knew about the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system. I remembered the name Goren from my conversation with Chronos and how he warned me about him and¡­a Dolos? Whoever that was...I couldn¡¯t exactly recall the guy or what he had done, just that he also possessed the new system. With Chronos already mad at me, I knew I should follow his advice - for now. ¡°Goren?¡± I asked casually, trying to confirm if he was the one I needed to be wary of. He looked confused. ¡°Yeah?¡± That confirmed it. I wondered why he was speaking so freely with me. Did his system not reset his memories between loops? He clearly remembered me¡­was he already high-level enough to retain his memories completely? Did he think I remembered him? ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes.¡± I said, still thinking of how I could keep him away from me without making an outright enemy out of him, and without revealing the fact that I had no idea who he was. ¡°You already know how it goes.¡± He replied, then added. ¡°But you¡¯re still untrusting, I see¡­¡± ¡°Can you blame me?¡± I asked, feigning surprise, not having a clue what he was referring to. He tsked loudly before speaking again. ¡°Well, see you in team four.¡± Then he turned and left. ***
After an introduction from Stephan Lorren, we split into teams. I was in team four. We cleared the chamber. It was filled with Undead Warriors. The chamber split into three additional ones. We cleared those as well.
[D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 3] [Loop Count: 4] [Experience Points (XP): 384 / 1200] I was still very far from the next level. Goren had mentioned some Undead Wolves earlier. I briefly considered asking him about them but quickly decided against it. I had already ignored Cronos¡¯ warnings once, and now Yana was marked. ¡°Here, take this.¡± Goren said from behind me. Speak of the devil. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked as I saw him reach out his hand. ¡°Pick it up and find out.¡± He replied, sounding a bit impatient. [Item Acquired: Gethril Root (Consumable) ¨C Added to Inventory #1] ¡°Gethril Root?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°Is there any poisoning I should be wary of?¡± He looked at me, dumbfounded for a moment, then his eyes lit up. ¡°Ha, very funny. You know, your sense of humor is starting to grow on me.¡± He walked on ahead, following Jax and the others, while I trailed behind, thinking about the item he¡¯d just given me. An anti-poisoning consumable¡­Did that mean we were about to face enemies that could inflict poison? But wolves don¡¯t usually inflict poison¡­ Maybe I should move it to my second inventory, just in case I didn¡¯t survive long enough to use it in this run. Goren lived in his own timeline, and maybe next time he wouldn¡¯t hand me this item. But having it in my second inventory will give me a heads-up about what was coming as soon as I woke up at the start of the next run. But how do I even move it there? I opened Inventory #1 and hovered over the new item. [Selected Item: Gethril Root (Consumable) x1] [Options: Use / Details / Discard / Transfer / Move] A Move option, which had never been there before, was now available. I selected it, and the system updated. [Transfer Complete: Gethril Root (Consumable) has been moved to Inventory #2]This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. This was fairly easy. Now, I just need to hope that future me will understand the message I left here. ***
We were locked inside the tomb. Just like Goren said, Undead Wolves attacked us, and I used Checkpoint before the battle. I kept my distance from Goren, slew one wolf, and stayed alive. Our leaders ventured further into the tomb. Aric Kelltins was left behind with us.
The uneasy feeling of D¨¦j¨¤ vu surfaced again, and I couldn¡¯t stop glancing at the ground, as if expecting danger to come from there. ¡°Kinda sucks you didn¡¯t come with me when the wolves attacked.¡± Goren said behind me, once again showing his ability to sneak up on me completely undetected. During the fight with the wolves, he showed exceptional strength, far beyond what I expected from someone of his level. I shrugged. ¡°Well, it was a dicey situation.¡± ¡°Dicey for someone who didn¡¯t know it was coming - not for us.¡± I cleared my throat, maintaining my knowing fa?ade. ¡°I wanted to stay with my friend.¡± ¡°Yana, right?¡± he asked, his tone shifting to something darker, sending a shiver down my spine. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I nodded, turning to face him with a serious expression. If Chronos had warned me to avoid this man at all costs, then I had to be wary about the ways he could harm me - or worse, Yana. He chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t get so riled up now. We have a battle upon us soon.¡± His words confirmed what the D¨¦j¨¤ vu skill was warning me about, but I couldn¡¯t act surprised in front of him, so I kept my cool, simply nodding. Meanwhile, Aric Kelltins called for everyone¡¯s attention to discuss strategies. I thought I¡¯d use this moment to end this interaction with Goren and return to Yana¡¯s side, but the man was relentless, likely because he¡¯d experienced Kelltins¡¯ speeches many times before. ¡°Ignore him. He¡¯s of no use to us.¡± He put a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Tell me, how much XP do you have left until your next level up?¡± I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system¡¯s screen. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 3] [Loop Count: 4] [Experience Points (XP): 702 / 1200] ¡°Slightly less than five hundred.¡± I replied. His smile widened. ¡°Do you remember how much XP a single Grave Mole is worth?¡± Grave Moles? Was that the name of the creatures that were going to attack us? ¡°No.¡± I replied. This answer seemed like the safest bet. I remained silent, expecting him to continue, which he did. ¡°Five hundred and forty-four, spellsword. You need to keep track of this shit." he sighed. "That should be enough to level you up, right?¡± I nodded slowly, realizing what he was about to suggest. ¡°Ignore Kelltins¡¯ nonsensical strategies. We both know he¡¯s the first one to die anyway. Instead, stick with me - I¡¯ll help you land a kill on one of them again. Hell, I¡¯ll even help you get two, so you¡¯ll be set up for the next level as well.¡± Why was he so desperate to team up with me? I understood we somehow shared a similar fate, but his attempts to help kept coming across as creepy, especially with Erebus¡¯ mark surrounding him. And yet, accepting his help would let me level up faster¡­ No. I couldn¡¯t trust him. Not after what Chronos said. Not after I¡¯d already failed Yana. ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes.¡± I replied. He chuckled and rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve already used that excuse.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± I said casually, removing his hand from my shoulder. I walked past him to join Yana, hearing him mumble something inaudible behind me. ***
Goren was right again. Aric Kelltins was the first to die. I stayed close to Yana as we escaped the main antechamber. She collapsed the corridor behind us. The survivors who followed us appointed her as party leader as we set out to find the guild masters.
[Checkpoint: Anchor had expired] This was the message the system displayed once we finally had a breather after the corridor collapsed. Checkpoint was now greyed out, and I realized the system considered the anchor setup as the skill¡¯s use, not the actual revival, which might or might not happen. We continued through the dark corridors of the tomb with Melissa, an enchanter, guiding us with basic illumination magic. Jax and Henry covered our rear, using fire magic to light the back of our formation. Every now and then, we encountered Undead Warriors, whom we managed to deal with fairly easily. I was able to kill some of them, gaining 170 XP points in the process. They also dropped a healing potion and fifteen gold coins, which I stored in my second inventory, figuring it was best to keep them safe there, so they won¡¯t get lost once I die. Who knows? If I die enough times, those fifteen coins might eventually amass into a thousand five hundred in the second inventory, making me rich. Sorta. Some of the corridors we passed had murals on them, but whenever I stopped to look, my companions - Yana included - nudged me to hurry. Their concerns were legitimate, of course - the Grave Moles could easily dig their way to our location, so staying in one place for too long was dangerous. And yet, I recalled Chronos¡¯ words: he told me I needed to learn more about the tomb and Gaelith himself, and studying the murals might help with that. ¡°Oh, would you quit stopping already?¡± Jax snapped after I paused again. ¡°Look at this.¡± I said, bewildered, as I pointed to the wall on our left. There, a large horizontal mural stretched across the entire corridor wall. It seemed that everyone else had just noticed it too, and they were drawn to the image, which was difficult to interpret. It looked like a sea or an ocean, yet in some places, dark spikes rose from the so-called sea. In the center of the mural - and of the corridor - was a red circle. A sun? What did this almost tranquil image have to do with this cursed place? ¡°Hey, Melissa, could you please light the upper part of the wall?¡± I asked, hoping to see the murals darkened parts as well. ¡°It all pretty and everything, but we¡¯re literally wasting our time here.¡± Jax complained again. ¡°We¡¯re not in a museum! Do I need to remind everyone that we¡¯re in grave danger right now?¡± ¡°I hate to agree with him, Aidan, but he¡¯s right.¡± Yana added. ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice to stay and look at it more but it''s simply too dangerous.¡± I nodded, disappointed but understanding their concern. I knew that once I died, nothing that happened here would matter, but still, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to disregard these people¡¯s lives. ¡°What do you know about this place anyway? I mean before Gaelith was brought here.¡± I asked Yana, genuinely curious as we resumed walking. ¡°Not much, really.¡± Yana replied. ¡°I think the Axul tribe lived here in Moonvale at the time. They were fairly secretive and secluded but also respected by the royalty of their time. Maybe they buried their own here.¡± I heard of the Axul tribe once. They were thought to be heavy believers in the old gods of the world, but instead of preaching it, they chose a secluded lifestyle in closed villages. ¡°Oh, stop spouting nonsense.¡± Jax cut in. ¡°Axul weren¡¯t a tribe. They were a goddamned sect, and they weren¡¯t respected ¨C they were feared.¡± ¡°You sound like you know a lot about that ¡®goddamned sect¡¯. I wonder why...¡± Lena jabbed at him. ¡°Of course I do, but I don¡¯t expect a novice, uneducated healer like you to understand why.¡± He shot back, his tone sharp. We continued down the corridor until we reached an intersection. To the right, a path lay shrouded in complete darkness. The one on the left was also dark, but at a quick glance, it seemed the mural continued down that corridor, leaving me both intrigued and curious. ¡°We need to take a right here, Aidan.¡± Yana said, pointing to the right path. ¡°I can feel human presence there.¡± I nodded, but before following her, I activated the Temporal Trace skill for the first time, attempting to leave a mark, hoping that my future self - the one who¡¯d grow tired of the constant resurrections and remaining completely in the dark - would take notice, ignore everyone else, and just explore this corridor instead. I wasn¡¯t yet that version of myself. I focused on the floor next to the left corridor. [Temporal Trace: A mark has been set] A small, glowing orb remained on the ground. Judging by everyone¡¯s lack of reaction, it was clear I was the only one who could see it. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As I followed Yana, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the mural and what the sun and ocean could signify for the Axul. Chapter 13: First Seeds of Darkness Chapter 13: First Seeds of Darkness
We reunited with Mikaela, then with Lorren. We were attacked by the Priestesses of Axul. We were abandoned by the guild masters. But we were spared ¨C purposefully. At least for now¡­
¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, Aidan.¡± Yana reached out a helping hand, but my mind was somewhere else. ¡°This mural.¡± I said, pointing at it behind me. ¡°What do you think it means?¡± Yana put her hands on her hips and looked at it, visibly unimpressed. ¡°Oh, another one of these. Never took you for an art enthusiast, Aidan.¡± I rolled my eyes and stood up. ¡°Look at the images. The woman in the middle is one of those that attacked us just now. And there¡¯s some kind of ritual there, but it¡¯s incomplete.¡± I pointed at the colorful pieces of stone next to the wall. ¡°The next image - it¡¯s broken.¡± Yana sighed. ¡°Aidan, be real with me. How is that supposed to help us in our predicament?¡± Sorry, I can¡¯t tell you. I chuckled. ¡°You know me - I always turn to jokes in tense situations. Humor me¡­please?¡± Her expression softened. She even smiled weakly before looking at the mural. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°So, any thoughts?¡± I asked, hoping to get some useful insights from her. Once I die, I¡¯ll forget everything I learned here, but it¡¯s still better than just moving forward blindly and stupidly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you''re right - it¡¯s definitely one of those Priestesses of Axul.¡± She confirmed my words, carefully analyzing the images. ¡°The white-dressed fellas are standing behind her in the second image, so I guess it means they follow her, or maybe the priestess protects them? But the ones in green are kneeling before her - are they on her side too?¡± ¡°But who are they?¡± I wondered aloud. Yana shook her head, looking back at me. ¡°I have no idea, Aidan. Sorry.¡± I sighed. I¡¯m not sure what I was hoping to understand from this mural. ¡°Sorry to ruin your art appreciation moment, but I have bad news.¡± A burly man - another adventurer left behind ¨C said as he approached us. ¡°All of the corridors leading out of this chamber have collapsed. The only way out is through these strange-looking tunnels.¡± ¡°Strange-looking tunnels?¡± Yana echoed, and we both followed him to his friend, a tall mage standing beside Melissa. ¡°Were those dug up by the Grave Moles?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°And if so, when? We didn¡¯t see any Grave Moles here.¡± ¡°Perhaps they dug them before our arrival.¡± The tall mage suggested. ¡°They might have an entire ecosystem here. If Gaelith¡¯s curse really came true word-to-word, it¡¯s highly plausible.¡± Yana nodded. ¡°This might be our way out.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Melissa squeaked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to become food for the Grave Moles!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stay here either.¡± Yana replied. ¡°I can¡¯t promise there¡¯s an exit on the other end, but I¡¯m certain staying here would only result in our deaths.¡± *** ¡°Goren¡­¡± I muttered under my breath as we reached the end of the tunnel, where an extremely large chamber awaited us, with Goren sitting in the middle of it, sharpening his blade with a whetstone. ¡°You know him?¡± Yana asked me, whispering. I nodded, keeping my answer brief. ¡°He was with me in team four. Stay careful around him.¡± Yana nodded back, and we carefully approached him. ¡°Where¡¯s everyone else? There¡¯s no way you made it here alone.¡± the burly man beside us asked Goren. ¡°You know what¡¯s wild, Spellsword?¡± Goren addressed me, ignoring the man¡¯s question, still focused on his blade. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You always managed to find your way here. Even before you got the new system.¡± Confused looks appeared on everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°New system? What is he talking about, Aidan?¡± Yana asked. I shook my head and tried to sound convincing. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This guy is crazy.¡± Goren continued, seemingly ignoring our conversation completely. ¡°I had to die thirty-three times before I made it to this area of the tomb. Originally, I died to the Undead Wolves.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Yana shot me another glance, visibly asking ¡®What the hell is he talking about?¡¯ but I knew I couldn¡¯t tell her, so I just shrugged and pulled her to the side, away from him. ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡± Goren spoke again, stopping us in our tracks. ¡°We are going to get attacked any moment now.¡± His comment got everyone on edge. Melissa spoke up, her tone as nervous as ever. ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°And how would you know that?¡± the tall mage added, surprised. Goren ignored them again, addressing me once more. ¡°But you should already know that, right?¡± Yana glanced at me nervously again, but I didn¡¯t even know what to say. I had no idea what he was talking about. I¡¯d only been acting like I knew so far, just so he wouldn¡¯t think he had an advantage over me, but now it seemed like he was on to me. I looked him straight in the eyes, my gaze serious. ¡°What do you want?¡± He smiled, revealing a set of white teeth. ¡°What I already told you! I want ¨C ¡° ¡°Hey, don¡¯t ignore me!¡± The tall mage furiously cut him off. Goren turned to him, the dark aura surrounding him growing more intense, speaking in the most chilling tone I had ever heard. ¡°Cut me off one more time, and I¡¯ll cut your throat.¡± Despite being seven levels higher than Goren, the mage stepped back, his eyes wide with fear. Goren turned back to me. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, but you won¡¯t let me, and because of that I¡­¡± he trailed off before continuing. ¡°I can¡¯t finish this. And I¡¯m so, so tired already.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze was on me. It seemed like there was a general consensus that Goren was insane, so they expected me to provide an answer for his behavior, as if I was his friend or something, but again, I didn¡¯t know what to say. Chronos told me to stay away from him. He continued, his tone growing serious. ¡°What do I need to do to get you on my side?¡± ¡°We¡¯re already on the same side.¡± I tried to cool things down. He rolled his eyes. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°What the hell is going on, Aidan?¡± Yana whispered beside me. But before I could respond, our conversation was cut short by loud hissing sounds. *** Goren had cut down most of the Razor Serpents that attacked us, with only a few taken out by Yana and the mage. A wild moment occurred when after the end of the battle, an additional serpent appeared out of one of the tunnels and tried to grab Goren, but he moved as fast as lightning, as if expecting the attack. He dodged the creature¡¯s strike with an acrobatic backflip before cutting through its metallic skin and eventually pinning it to the ground with his sword on less than 5% of its HP. ¡°Take the last hit.¡± He told me. Still reluctant to accept his help, I hesitated, and this time he shouted. ¡°Kill it!¡± Setting my hesitations aside and realizing I needed as much XP as I could get to progress and protect Yana, I stepped forward, striking the serpent down with a Time Delay Swing with Nightfall. [+544 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] I decided to wait with the skill choice, as it seemed like the wrong time. Melissa had been crushed to death by one of the Razor Serpents that had coiled around her. Everyone but Goren stood around her corpse ¨C or rather, what was left of it. ¡°Such a shame.¡± The burly man said, letting out a sigh. ¡°Damn it.¡± Yana muttered, seemingly blaming herself for not saving her. I was glad Yana wasn¡¯t injured. There was a moment where one of the serpents attacked me from behind and almost landed its fangs on me. She seemed to be on her way to help me, but before she could, Goren appeared out of nowhere and saved me. It left me bewildered. He was clearly not stable, but he had been very helpful so far. Why did Chronos tell me to stay away from him? ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± Goren said suddenly, cutting the mournful moment short. ¡°Continue where?¡± Yana asked sharply. She had much less patience for Goren than I did. Before he could answer, she shook her head. ¡°Scratch that. I want to know how a low-level rogue like you managed to slay those level 80 monsters without breaking a sweat.¡± He looked at her, then at me, then back at her, his expression almost bored. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you want.¡± He turned and continued toward the only corridor ahead. ¡°You can follow me or stay here if you want, Spellsword. I don¡¯t expect to defeat Gaelith on this run, but we might learn something useful.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The burly man called out after him. ¡°I¡¯ll join you too, but let¡¯s at least build a cairn for the girl.¡± ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t need you. I only need him.¡± Goren replied without turning back. ¡°And secondly, why would you build a cairn for her? None of this matters anyway.¡± ¡°This guy gives me the chills, Aidan. You were right when you said we should be careful around him.¡± Yana whispered to me. ¡°But I don¡¯t understand his obsession with you.¡± I shrugged, feigning innocence. ¡°I have no clue as well.¡± While internally, I contemplated if I should just join Goren. He was right in a sense - none of this matters as I¡¯m clearly not strong enough to clear this dungeon yet. I will die sooner rather than later. Eventually, I decided to stay by Yana¡¯s side. Together with our two companions, we built a cairn for Melissa. Even though it was a bit late, we also introduced ourselves. The tall mage¡¯s name was Tagan. He was an offensive mage from the Arcantor class. And the burly man was Bernard. Like Waylan, he was a tank from the Warden class. I also used the moment of silence to consider which skill to level up. Checkpoint was clearly my strongest asset, but since the skill¡¯s next level only extended the anchor¡¯s duration to an hour, it wasn¡¯t worth upgrading right now. I needed something that would help me regain some of my memories between the loops. Looking at the two skills I hadn¡¯t leveled up yet, I realized one of them would have to be my choice. Afterimage would let me see an afterimage of my previous selves, allowing me to learn the actions I took in previous runs. But since the skill lacked a more detailed description, I assumed that, like Checkpoint, it probably had a lot of restrictions that I¡¯d only learn about after leveling it up. Echo Sense, on the other hand, would allow me to hear past loops. Considering Goren was already starting to catch on to my lies, having the possibility of hearing our past conversations with Echo Sense might help me keep my fa?ade going while avoiding him as much as possible. Plus, it was a passive skill, so I wouldn¡¯t have to think about when to activate it. Alright, it¡¯s decided. [Skill acquired: Echo Sense lvl.1] [Next Level: lvl.2: The echoes will become clearer and more frequent] Clearer? How would they sound now? Great¡­I should¡¯ve guesses this skill would also be practically useless at first¡­ After a few minutes, realizing we had no other options, we decided to head down the dark corridor Goren had taken half an hour ago. The floor was covered in a dark mist that felt almost tangible. We found Goren¡¯s corpse peeking out from under the strange mist shortly after we entered, and then something attacked us, moving so fast I couldn¡¯t even register it. But I could tell it was something truly evil. ¡°Watch out, Aidan!¡± Yana¡¯s scream was the last thing I heard. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 14: Breakfast at Christian’s Chapter 14: Breakfast at Christian¡¯s [Loop Count: 5] I woke up with the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system¡¯s message hovering above me. I¡¯d already died four times, yet I had no memory of any of those times...It was a curse and a blessing all at the same time. I glanced at the system menu. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 4] [Loop Count: 5] [Experience Points (XP): 216 / 1300] ¡°¡­inventory¡­¡± I suddenly heard. I jumped from the bed, looking around, searching for the source of the voice but couldn¡¯t find anything. Then, the realization finally hit me. Echo Sense. The voice I heard was from a previous run of mine. Likely my own. It was barely audible, which made sense considering the low level of the skill at the moment, but I had definitely said Inventory. Instinctively, I opened my second inventory. [Inventory #2] Interesting¡­It looks like my past self had left me a weak healing potion, some spare change, and a Gethril Root? Gethril Root was an anti-poisoning consumable. Was this my way of warning myself about enemies who could inflict poison? Yes. That¡¯s definitely something I would do. Where did I get it, though? Did I find it along the way during the quest? Had someone given it to me? I couldn¡¯t remember how any of the items in my second inventory made it there. One thing I did know was that before we leave, I should pay a visit to a friend. ***
Yana came to pick me up. Before we made our way to Gaelith¡¯s Tomb, I decided to take a detour and visit Christian ¨C my guildmaster.
¡°Explain again why we need to visit Christian?¡± Yana asked as we walked toward the westernmost house in Sandrest, Christian¡¯s house, and my guild¡¯s base of operations. I instantly recalled how Yana used to tease me about Christian being my guild master, as he was a¡­unique person, and couldn¡¯t help but crack a laugh. ¡°I need some items. I feel like I¡¯m going on this quest naked.¡± ¡°Items? What, like healing potions and stuff?¡± Yana asked, confused. ¡°I thought I already told you my guild provides all of these as the main organizers of the quest.¡± She did tell me about this, and normally I would¡¯ve agreed with her, but finding a single Gethril Root in my inventory got me thinking: if the items Yana¡¯s guild provides are as abundant as she makes it sound, why did my previous self only get one single Gethril Root from there? It would¡¯ve made more sense to take at least two. The simplest answer to that would be that I never got it from there. Which raises a different question: why not? Did they not have a Gethril Root in the stash? Highly unlikely on a quest of such magnitude. Did they not bring enough of it? Again, unlikely. Did I take only one? No way, I¡¯m way too greedy, and a hoarder to boot. Does the quest become so dicey at some point that we lose access to the stash? Now, that¡¯s the most likely answer. And if that¡¯s the case, where did I get it from? Christian himself could¡¯ve been a possible option. I might¡¯ve begun the previous runs by visiting him as well. Except that likely wasn¡¯t the case. Think about it: I only got the urge to visit him after I found the Gethril Root in the second inventory. Let¡¯s say I got it from Christian in the previous run. For me to visit him in the previous run, I had to find the Gethril Root in my inventory that morning as well, and so on in a crazy game of what came first: the chicken or the egg? In my case, it was the chicken, a.k.a. the tomb. I could¡¯ve visited Christian in previous runs. And the items I¡¯d gotten from him might¡¯ve proved useless, and maybe all of this was just a waste of time. But something was telling me that this was the first time I came here since I got stuck in this time loop. Or maybe I should call it the lack of something? I had no sense of D¨¦j¨¤ vu. Not even the slightest nudge inside during our walk here and conversation. ¡°You told me.¡± I nodded and replied simply. ¡°But I¡¯d rather have some of my own stuff on me.¡± She looked thoughtful. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you being so paranoid.¡± I had died four times already, and I didn¡¯t feel like I¡¯d gotten any closer to ending this time loop. Of course I¡¯m paranoid, Yana. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being prepared.¡± I protested, trying to keep my tone light to make her think I was just joking, even though I wasn¡¯t. ¡°If you say so.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just worried we¡¯re gonna be late. Lady Mikaela really likes me, and I don¡¯t want to ruin the good impression I¡¯ve made.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°We won¡¯t be late, I promise. I¡¯ll race you there.¡± I reassured her just as we reached Christian¡¯s door. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± I smiled back and knocked on the door, hoping Christian was awake. The door creaked open almost immediately, revealing Christian in a set of pink pajamas, his dark hair messy as if he had just woken up, and a mug with pitch-black coffee in his right hand. He looked at me, his expression tired, annoyed, and disgusted all at the same time. ¡°What did you do?¡± he asked before I could even greet him, his voice as tired as he looked. I exchanged a glance with Yana before raising an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Last time I checked, this was my house, not the Tomb of Gaelith.¡± He said as he sipped on the coffee, keeping eye contact with me. ¡°How about a good morning first, Chris?¡± I said, smiling at him. He sighed. ¡°Good morning, Aidan.¡± He took another sip of the coffee. ¡°So? Did they disqualify you or something? Should I prepare a formal apology letter and get ready for a bunch of bureaucratic paperwork?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± I protested. ¡°When did I ever make any trouble for you?¡± He raised both eyebrows in surprise, a stark contrast to his tired look. ¡°Oh, I can think of at least twenty times just from the top of my mind.¡± Yana chuckled at his words and turned away so I couldn''t see her laughing at me. Before I could retaliate, a young boy, Christian¡¯s eldest, approached the door and tugged on his father¡¯s shirt. ¡°Dad, can you help me lace my boots? Also, mom told me to call you.¡± He then noticed Yana and me. ¡°Oh, hey.¡± We smiled and waved to him. "Hey." ¡°Tell her I have guests.¡± Christian said. ¡°And you already know how to tie your own boots, Landon.¡± The kid sighed before leaving. ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°Kids these days¡­¡± Christian sighed and sipped more of his coffee, then turned to us, specifically to Yana. Meeting his gaze, Yana attempted an introduction. ¡°Hello, my name is ¨C ¡° ¡°Yana.¡± He cut her off. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You know?¡± she asked, confused. ¡°How?¡± ¡°This guy.¡± He replied, pointing his mug at me. ¡°Or I might be psychic. Whichever answer you prefer¡­¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Landon called from inside. ¡°Mom said come over right now!¡± ¡°Tell her I have guests!¡± he shouted back. ¡°I did!¡± the boy replied. ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t care!¡± Christian sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°Tell her it¡¯s Aidan!¡± There was a brief silence before we heard Landon again. ¡°She said that as long as it¡¯s Aidan, then it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t come right away.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Christian shouted back before turning to us, muttering under his breath. ¡°Figures,¡± and taking another sip from his mug. I exchanged another glance with Yana, who seemed on the verge of bursting out laughing. As for me? It was just another day at Christian¡¯s. I have no idea why his wife liked me so much. ¡°So, why are you here?¡± Christian asked, stepping outside and closing the door behind him. I cleared my throat, carefully formulating my next words. The last thing I wanted was Yana suspecting that I was hiding something. ¡°Call it cold feet, but I woke up feeling totally underprepared for this quest, so I¡¯d like to take some items from the guild¡¯s stock.¡± I said. ¡°Aren¡¯t the Burning Suns providing everything for this quest?¡± he asked, looking at Yana. ¡°We are.¡± Yana replied, straightening her posture. Christian turned to me. ¡°So¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d rather have my own stuff.¡± I replied. Christian raised an eyebrow, turning to Yana again. When she shrugged, he turned back to me. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Has overpreparing ever hurt anyone?¡± I asked, trying to sound genuine. ¡°Well, no¡­¡± Christian replied. ¡°But I was kinda hoping to win on two fronts here: get paid for your participation in the quest and also not waste anything from our own stock.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Well, sorry to break your dreams, Christian, but here I am.¡± He narrowed his gaze at me. ¡°Well, as the only active member in our guild, you¡¯re the only one using this stuff anyway.¡± He sighed, gesturing for us to follow him. ¡°Come on.¡± He led us to the small storage shed left of the house, muttered the enchantment that kept it locked, then pried the rusty door open and pointed inside. ¡°Go crazy, kid.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait here. Get ready for our race and all that.¡± Yana said, smiling at me. ¡°It¡¯s not going to help you win.¡± I chuckled before entering the shed. To say this shed was a huge pile of mess would be true, but it would also understate its charm. ¡®It¡¯s an organized mess,¡¯ as Christian always called it, and over time, I¡¯d really come to see it that way. The bottom shelf on the left side was lined with dozens of small vials containing liquids of different colors: red, blue, and yellow, in no particular order. I grabbed a few of each and added them to my second inventory. [Item Acquired: Lesser Health Potion x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Lesser Mana Elixir x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Lesser Stamina Elixir x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] The shelf just above it held a variety of consumables: Emberleaf Extract for fire resistance, Lumindew for night vision, Skyroot powder for quicker stamina regeneration, and many others, including some Gehtril Roots. Unsure of what else we might encounter in that tomb, I debated what to take, knowing that taking too many items might confuse my future selves. More Gethril Roots seemed like a safe bet, considering the clue I left myself, so I took two of those. [Item Acquired: Gethril Root (Consumable) x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] But what else? I needed something useful that wouldn¡¯t mislead me¡­I sighed, grabbing a few different items, hoping they would be enough. [Item Acquired: Lumindew (Consumable) x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Skyroot Powder (Consumable) x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Ironbark Brew (Consumable) x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Heartspore Tonic (Consumable) x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] I also grabbed a few offensive items as well. I had no idea what we were about to face, but some fiery explosives can definitely help. [Item Acquired: Ember Flask x3 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Oil Flask x2 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Spark Bomb x3 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] Turning to the right side of the shed, to the mess of weapons strewn across the shelves, I wondered if there was anything here that I could take. There was a bit of everything there, though most of the gear was unimpressive and better suited to adventurers much weaker than even me. Yet, in the middle of it all, leaning against the shelves like a broom, almost comically, was the Astral Spear - our guild¡¯s greatest possession. It could only be wielded by someone at least level 90 and had belonged to Christian¡¯s grandfather, a legendary adventurer in his own right. Many times, I¡¯d dreamed of wielding this weapon. I¡¯d even trained and fought with a spear in the past before I obtained Nightfall and switched to the sword. But this spear was far beyond my reach. Forty levels too far. I smiled weakly at it and sighed. Then, I took a deep breath and sprinted outside the shed, shouting. ¡°Last one to the tomb owes the other lunch!¡± ¡°You dirty little cheat!¡± I heard Yana yell, her footsteps quickening behind me. Chapter 15: The Fall Into… Chapter 15: The Fall Into¡­ . . . We¡¯ve barely survived the Grave Moles¡¯ deadly attack, escaping down the nearest corridor. Yana collapsed it behind us to buy us enough time to flee. ¡°Maybe you were right when you decided to stop at Christian¡¯s this morning.¡± Yana whispered to me as we progressed through the dimly lit corridors. ¡°Did you pick up anything useful from that shed?¡± Did I feel validated for going to Christian this morning? No, at least not yet. None of the items I took had been of any use against the Undead Wolves or the Grave Moles and Void Spiders. Did I leave the Gethril Root in my second inventory because of the Void Spiders, or are we going to encounter another enemy with poisoning abilities? That guy Goren, the one Chronos warned me about, had been pestering me the entire morning. I evaded him as much as I could, trying to use Echo Sense to hear my past conversations with him, but the echoes were so faint and indistinguishable, they barely helped. Still, I believed I¡¯d managed to fool him well enough that he didn¡¯t suspect I didn¡¯t remember him. Erebus'' mark on him was a lot more intense than on Yana. Checkpoint¡¯s anchor had been wasted on me this run. I¡¯d set the anchor right before the wolves attacked, and it expired a few minutes ago, right before we killed a few Undead Warriors. I thought about attacking the Grave Moles, utilizing Checkpoint to reawaken, but I just couldn¡¯t leave Yana¡¯s side. The memory of her dead body in my arms, the only one I retained from my previous runs, continued haunting me. I glanced at the system menu. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 4] [Loop Count: 5] [Experience Points (XP): 976 / 1300] I was fairly close to the next level. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Yana asked, and I realized I hadn¡¯t answered her question. ¡°Oh, yeah, yeah. Sorry. Just a bit overwhelmed.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± I glanced at her and gave her a reassuring smile, only to notice a large mural behind her, stretching across the entire wall. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± . . . Once we reached an intersection at the end of the corridor, I noticed a glowing orb on the ground next to left turn. At first, I almost spoke up to ask the group about it, but as I focused on it, the familiar interface of the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system appeared. [Temporal Trace Mark #1] It displayed above the glowing orb, and I realized I was the only one who could see it. ¡°What are you looking at, Aidan?¡± I heard Yana say behind me. ¡°We need to take a right here. I sensed people that way.¡± I left this mark for myself using Temporal Trace, likely intending to investigate the continuation of the mural in the left corridor. Had I taken the left turn in any of the previous runs? Or would this be the first time? ¡°Aidan?¡± Yana called my name, confused by my unresponsiveness. ¡°Oh, just leave him behind.¡± Jax snapped, moving forward down the right corridor. ¡°Wait for me, Master Jax.¡± Henry called after him. ¡°I want to take a left here.¡± I said calmly, aware of how it was going to sound. Yana¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Why? I told you, I sensed people down the right corridor. It¡¯s likely Lady Mikaela. I sense nothing down the left one.¡± ¡°Also, we shouldn¡¯t split up.¡± Lena added, pointing toward the right corridor where Jax and Henry had already disappeared into the darkness. Melissa stood behind Yana, remaining silent but clearly ready to stick with Yana until we were safe. I pondered what to do. Yana was probably right. But she didn¡¯t understand the predicament we were in ¨C I was in ¨C and I couldn¡¯t tell her. I had to move forward. I had to level up. But being unable to retain my memories was slowing my progress so much. What choice did I make here last time? I tried focusing on past echoes using Echo Sense, but the only thing I could hear was: ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go¡­¡±. It was the clearest echo I¡¯d heard so far, yet it could mean anything - and at the same time, it meant nothing. Surprisingly, Goren¡¯s words from morning came into mind: ¡°None of this matters.¡± I sighed, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯m taking a left here, Yana.¡± She watched me for a long moment, and I was afraid she¡¯d protest, but her response surprised me. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come with.¡± She then turned to Lena and Melissa, pointing toward the right corridor. ¡°Continue down this corridor together, please.¡± But I didn¡¯t want Yana to join me. I mean, I did, but I couldn¡¯t let her come with me. I¡¯d already made a mistake that now left her marked by Erebus ¨C a mistake Chronos was kind enough to never let me forget. I didn¡¯t know what awaited me in this left corridor, but following me would only endanger Yana further. I couldn¡¯t agree to that. The Grave Moles were already targeting her more than any other adventurer earlier.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Yan, you should escort them to Lady Mikaela.¡± I said, trying to make sense. ¡°Think about it: Lena is a healer, and Melissa is an enchanter. With Jax and Henry already ahead, no one will protect them if anything happens along the way.¡± ¡°And leave you behind in exchange? No chance.¡± Yana replied, her tone firm. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy enough to go in alone. Not after everything we¡¯ve seen.¡± Yana seemed thoughtful, and I used the opportunity to press on. ¡°I¡¯ll just analyze the mural until you get back.¡± ¡°What if you get attacked? By the Grave Moles or worse?¡± she fired back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll run down the right corridor, and you¡¯ll meet me halfway and save me.¡± I felt awful for using her heroic character to manipulate her, but it seemed to be working. Forgive me Yana, but this is for your own good. Melissa was the final nail in the coffin. ¡°Please, Lady Yana, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± She said, beginning to cry. Yana shook her head and took a deep breath, turning to me. ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t you dare take even one step down this left corridor without me, got it?¡± I nodded, smiling weakly. ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± She told Melissa and Lena, leading them down the right corridor and leaving me alone at the intersection. Once they were far enough that I couldn¡¯t even hear their footsteps, I turned to the left corridor and took a step forward. Before I could even light a fire, the ground gave way beneath me. My feet slipped, and I was yanked down into the darkness. It wasn¡¯t a straightforward free fall but more of a relentless, bumpy tumble. Mud slicked under me, rocks jabbed into my ribs, and the path twisted and curved in unexpected ways. I scrambled to slow myself down, grasping at the walls and even the ground beneath me, but all I managed was to scrape the palms of my hands at the rough terrain. The tunnel suddenly took a sharp turn, and I was smacked against a wall with my shoulder. Hard. I winced, but there was no time to dwell on it as the tunnel grew even steeper. Reacting quickly, I unsheathed Nightfall and drove it into the ground, attempting to halt my descent. I only managed to slow down a little. Eventually, the ground leveled out, and I skidded to a full stop. I lay back, catching my breath, my body screaming with pain. [Health:36% - Consume a Healing Potion] I took a deep breath, relieved I didn¡¯t have any lasting status effects like bleeding. I selected three lesser healing potions from my second inventory and consumed them, feeling much better. [Item Consumed: Lesser Healing Potion x3] [Health: 96%] Once the immediate problem was out of the way, I realized I was sitting on the cold, muddy ground, surrounded by complete darkness. It was so dark I couldn¡¯t even see my own body. But then I recalled the Lumindew I¡¯d picked from Christian today. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] With my vision now adjusted to the dark surroundings, my heart sank. I realized I was at the bottom of a large pit, and the walls around me were draped with thick, dense, sticky webs stretching over the walls and the ground itself. Spider webs ¨C huge ones. Big enough to house those giant monstrosities that attacked us in the main antechamber. I glanced up and caught sight of tunnels set high in the walls, likely used by the spiders to traverse the tomb. The hole through which I¡¯d fallen was nowhere to be seen, as if it had closed itself after spitting me out. Yet there was a larger hole there ¨C the size of two carriages at least. Around me, there were no corridors, tunnels, or anything else - just a pit. A pit full of webs and the promise of death once its inhabitants returned home. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± I muttered under my breath. Was this how I was going to die? By becoming spider food at the bottom of some dark, forgotten pit? Panic washed over me at the thought. I tried using some of my offensive spells on the walls, but nothing left even a scratch. I paced around the room, my mind racing as I thought about what I could do. The Lumindew¡¯s effect would also end in around twenty-five minutes. Good thing I had two. I needed a plan for when the spiders returned. I opened up my second inventory to see what I could use. [Inventory #2] I¡¯d already accepted the fact that I was going to die here. Each Void Spider was level 65. They were fifteen levels stronger than me, but not entirely out of reach. The problem was, given the setup of this place, they¡¯d likely overrun me by sheer numbers. Before I die, I need to take as many of them with me to the grave as possible, to gain maximum XP from this encounter. The Ember Flasks could help with their numbers - an area-of-effect fiery explosion that could damage a lot of them at once. Combined with the Oil Flasks, I would also be able to make the fire damage last for longer, sapping away their health slowly. I just needed to draw them all together. Insect-type monsters usually had a weakness to fire damage. This idea had to work. I¡¯d also have to evade a lot. Thankfully, I had twenty points in Agility, so while level 50 was as mediocre as it gets, having that many points in agility was still considered quite good. Based on what I¡¯d seen when the Void Spiders attacked us in the main antechamber, they moved quickly and also possessed ranged attacks. I¡¯d use Skyroot Powder for increased stamina regeneration, so I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting tired throughout the fight. And I¡¯d take an Ironbark Brew to increase my durability by 20% and minimize the damage I¡¯d take, as given the level differences, each attack they landed would likely reduce my HP to lower than 20%. I only had one healing potion left ¨C two, if I counted the one in my original inventory ¨C not enough. The Heartspore Tonic would also be beneficial. I''ll consume it once I get injured, it will restore 10% HP per minute to increase my sustain. I¡¯d also need to use the second Lumindew when the first one¡¯s effect ran out, as the effect couldn¡¯t be stacked. Other than that, I¡¯d activate Bladesurge to enhance Nightfall¡¯s stats, and use Dash Step and Blade Rush for quick evasions, with some basic, weak fire spells to boost my damage slightly and capitalize on the insects¡¯ weakness. All in all, this would drain a lot of mana, so I¡¯d have to keep an eye on my mana bar and use a mana elixir when it got too low. I took a deep breath. This was going to be a challenge unlike anything I¡¯d ever faced before. Originally, I just wanted to continue exploring the mural, but this unexpected turn of events posed an interesting opportunity. I commenced my final preparations. Not long after, a faint sound reached my ears ¨C a soft, rhythmic scraping that echoed down from the tunnels above. It grew louder with each passing moment. The scrape of countless legs against stone, the hiss of bodies brushing against webs. My skin prickled, my heartbeat quickened, and soon enough they were here. Chapter 16: …The Pit Chapter 16: ¡­The Pit The Void Spiders attacked the moment they appeared from the tunnels, firing their web projectiles at me. Webbing splattered against the stone walls behind me as I ducked and dodged. They didn¡¯t relent, shooting another wave of webs in my direction, forcing me to roll sideways and nearly lose my footing. They continued to pour out from the tunnels above, wave after wave. Their bodies were sleek and glossy, each half the size of an average human, with white fangs that signaled danger. Their sounds filled the chamber ¨C high-pitched screeches and chittering clicks. And there were so many of them, like the tomb itself was alive, vomiting them forth through these tunnels. Perhaps I was too bold, thinking I could take them¡­How many could I actually kill before they completely overwhelmed me? Would I even be able to kill one? I darted left, then right, just barely staying ahead of their shots. And then, when I thought things were already hard enough, I saw them start to shift. The front wave crawled down the walls. One by one, they reached the ground, fangs bared, their predatory eyes trained on me as they began to close in. There was a dozen of them on the ground, scattering around me like an ambush. I had to keep moving, dodging the web projectiles from the wall spiders and avoiding the ground spiders from tightening their circle. I activated Flame Sword, engulfing Nightfall in flames to keep the spiders at bay. The fire made them wary, and they hesitated just long enough. I used Dash Step, feeling the surge of momentum as I dashed sideways, just a millisecond faster than their projectiles and clawed strikes. The skill¡¯s relatively low cooldown and stamina cost allowed me to spam it a few times in succession, keeping ahead of their attacks. The pressure kept mounting as a second wave of spiders reached the ground, quickly closing in. I used Blade Rush ¨C normally an offensive skill to close the distance between me and an enemy ¨C but here, I used it defensively, dodging an incoming web shot while also landing a swift strike on the targeted Void Spider with a Time Delay Swing-imbued Nightfall. It barely made any damage, but that was fine as I wasn¡¯t expecting to kill it with my sword ¨C I just wanted to keep them moving how I wanted. Using Dash Step and Blade Rush in tandem, aware of their cooldowns, I darted between the spiders, each strike and dash pulling them closer together. The heat from my flaming sword scorched the webs around me, adding a faint smell of burning silk. Finally, I¡¯d managed to pull them into a tight cluster. I used Dash Step again to gain distance and attempted to select Ember Flask from the inventory, but as I did, I realized my right leg wouldn¡¯t budge. [Condition Applied: Rooted by ¡°Spider Silk¡±] I glanced down, dread twisting in my gut. One of the web projectiles had hit, wrapping around my ankle and gluing me to the ground. I brought the flaming Nightfall toward the web binding my ankle, knowing that I¡¯d risk damaging myself in the process, but I had to be mana efficient. Using another fire spell while Flame Sword was still active and draining my mana would be foolish. The flames crackled, but the webbing was dense, burning far too slowly for the time I had. The spiders, of course, didn¡¯t wait for me to break free. Those on the walls lined up for more shots at my immobilized self. One projectile flew toward me, and I twisted just in time, narrowly dodging it. Another followed right after, and I ducked to evade it, my foot still trapped. As the number of projectiles grew and the ground spiders closed in, I knew I had to use my last line of defense. I activated Moon Barrier. Tiny, shimmering hexagons unfolded around me, forming a protective shield. I breathed out in relief as the barrier held steady against the barrage of incoming web projectiles and the lunges of the ground spiders, who were attempting to bring it down. I knew the barrier wouldn¡¯t hold forever - it was my strongest defensive spell, courtesy of Nightfall, but with a long cooldown and a max duration of just thirty seconds. Nightfall¡¯s flames continued burning through the web, but time was running out. The spiders crept around me, fangs and claws poised, their screeches growing more haunting and chilling with each moment. Meanwhile, the system didn¡¯t care about all that, bluntly reminding me that things could only get worse in this place. [Mana: 19% - Recommended to Consume a Mana Elixir] Damn. I could feel Flame Sword draining my mana, but I couldn¡¯t afford to drop it yet. I opened the second inventory and selected the two remaining Lesser Mana Elixirs. [Item Consumed: Lesser Mana Elixir x2] [Mana: 59%] Then another message flashed my vision. [Night Vision: Lumindew Effect Expiring. Time Remaining: 00:00:59] Great. The last thing I needed was to lose vision right as I fought for my life in a sea of spiders. I quickly selected the last Lumindew from my second inventory and consumed it, refreshing the night vision effect for another thirty minutes. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas]Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Finally, the last stubborn threads of the web around my ankle burned away, and I pulled my leg free, wincing at the faint scorch on my boot. [Condition Applied: No Longer Rooted] [Health: 91%] Looking around, I realized just how tight the circle around me had grown. There were now around fifty Void Spiders on the ground, piling on top of each other, all hungry and eager to bare their fangs at me. I glanced at Moon Barrier¡¯s timer. [Moon Barrier: Time Remaining: 00:00:06] With six seconds left before my last line of defense fell and the spiders overwhelmed me, my mind raced for a solution. Even if I died, I¡¯d wake up again - but then all of this would be for nothing. I¡¯d forget about ever visiting here, repeating the same fight the next time I find myself in this pit. I had to make this count! A plan formed in my mind, and I watched the timer tick down, knowing timing would be crucial. 3 2 1 ¨C The barrier shattered, scattering like pieces of glass under the spiders¡¯ claws. In the same instant, I activated Blade Rush, targeting the furthest spider I could reach within the skill¡¯s casting range, just enough to get me past the horde that formed around me. My body surged forward, crossing the distance immediately, leaving the spiders behind me grasping at thin air. Appearing next to my target, I didn¡¯t stick around for long. I spotted another spider further away, aimed, and used Blade Rush again, closing the distance with another dash. I repeated it once more, targeting a relatively isolated spider on the far side. This time, I circled around the monster using Dash Step, evading its claws and the web projectiles flying at me from the walls. I slid around behind the spider, gaining enough distance to assess the entire pit from my new position. The scene gave me goosebumps. The spiders moved toward me, more spilling from the walls, even the one behind me. There wasn¡¯t really a safe place for me in this pit, and I knew that even this relatively peaceful moment will be short-lived. But this was it - the best shot I¡¯d get to take as many of them with me as possible. I selected the Oil and Ember Flasks from my second inventory, and the glassy flasks manifested in my hands. With an accurate and trained motion, I threw both at the oncoming horde, watching it sail over the closest spiders and land in the densest point. The Ember Flask burst on impact, combining with the oil from the Oil Flask to enhance the explosion. A wave of fire rolled across the ground, engulfing the closest spiders in flames. The blast scattered some while leaving others writhing, their bodies charring in the heat, covered by burning oil. Yet the explosion didn¡¯t kill any of them. Those hit directly took the most damage, dropping to around 70% of their HP, yet the burning damage continued ticking. The ones in the outer ring remained mostly healthy, with around 90% of their HP. Others didn¡¯t seem affected by the blast at all, but at the very least I could see them slow their advance. I opened my inventory again, about to grab the second Ember and Oil Flasks, hoping it would bring me closer to finish the job. But then, a sudden weight slammed into my back, and sharp fangs sank into my shoulder, sending a wave of pain through my body. [Health: 16% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] [Status Effect: Poisoned - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] I gritted my teeth, fighting off the spider that clung to my back and throwing it off me. But the damage was done. My head spun as the poison took effect. I knew I needed to remove the poisoning with the Gethril Root, or take the Heartspore Tonic to neutralize the damage over time, but the spiders were too close. The one that had just bitten me was already preparing for another lunge. I tried to activate Blade Rush to escape, but the system flashed a terrifying message. [Insufficient Mana for Blade Rush] I gritted my teeth, resorting to Dash Step instead, darting a short distance back, then again a few more times, nearly running out of mana completely. But I had gained some distance, likely enough time to select and use only one or two items before they killed me. Passing on the Gethril Root, I selected another Ember Flask and Oil Flask, aimed them at the mass of spiders I¡¯d struck before, and hurled it forward. But my arms had weakened from the poison, and the throw ended up falling just too short. The flask exploded with a burst of flame, but the spiders I¡¯d hoped to hit were only in the outer ring of the blast, their HP bars dropping from around 60% to around 40%. It wasn¡¯t enough. [Health: 8% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] The message reminded me of my dire situation, but I knew I had no time to waste. I just needed to use the last Ember Flask. Sadly, it wouldn''t be enhanced with an Oil Flask as I ran out of those, but it would have to suffice. I attempted to select it from my inventory, but one of the spiders lunged at me, and I rolled to the side, cutting my item selection short. The swarm of Void Spiders encircled me, and I realized this was the end. A grand attempt that was going to end up fruitless. The worst part was that I wouldn¡¯t remember any of it, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to adjust for my next run and would likely repeat the same fight, ending up with nothing to show for it. Stuck in this endless loop. Damn it! Then, just as the swarm was about to devour me, a piercing screech echoed through the pit. The sound reverberated off the walls, sending a chill down my spine. The spiders around me halted and immediately went silent, and only now did I truly realize how much noise they had been making. They stood there calmly and simply waited, their legs twitching. I followed their gaze to the largest tunnel above us, where a dark, monstrous shape was descending, moving with slow, deliberate movements. The creature¡¯s massive body filled a sixth of the entire pit, at least fifty times larger than any of the Void Spiders. Its name and level appeared above it: Arachnid Mother, Level 85. Realizing I was about to become their mother¡¯s meal, I didn¡¯t waste a second. An Ember Flask would do no damage to her, but I could still take out her nasty little children. I used this moment to select the last flask from my inventory before quickly hurling it toward the spidery mass in the center of the pit, exploding on impact. The XP gain messages popped up milliseconds before Arachnid Mother bit my head off. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [2 Skill Points Available: Choose a skill to level up] [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 17: A New Hope Chapter 17: A New Hope [Loop Count: 6] I woke up to the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system¡¯s message, slowly realizing I had died five times already, wondering if the deaths were at least different each time. I quickly glanced at the system¡¯s menu to see where I stood. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 6] [Loop Count: 6] [Experience Points (XP): 40 / 2000] [2 Skill Points Available: Choose a skill to level up] Two skill points available? There is no way I wouldn¡¯t have leveled up a skill when I had the opportunity, so does that mean I leveled up twice before I died last run? What the hell did I even do?! No matter how hard I tried to recall what happened to me in my last run, nothing came up, as expected. But there was no point crying over it. I should focus on allocating the two skill points I now have. The only skill in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system I hadn¡¯t leveled up yet was Afterimage, and as it happens, it was exactly the skill that would likely help me the most right now. The only way for me to understand what exactly I did in my last run to level up twice, and replicate those decisions, is to actually see an afterimage of myself. Perhaps I took a different turn somewhere. Perhaps I followed someone I didn¡¯t before. The only way I¡¯d know is with Afterimage, though it was likely not going to be that useful at its first level. [Skill acquired: Afterimage lvl.1] [Next Level: lvl.2: Duration of the afterimage is prolonged to 10 seconds] Great¡­ Well, if the next level brings the afterimage to ten seconds, then it¡¯s fair to assume the current level¡¯s afterimage lasts five. It¡¯s not much, and I still have to choose the right moment to activate the skill, but it¡¯s better than nothing. Then a new message pooped up. [A New Skill Available: Mirror Leveling] A new skill? I navigated to the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system¡¯s skills screen, only to realize that the sixth skill on the list, one of those that were greyed out and locked before, was now visible. 6. Mirror Leveling ¨C Lvl.0 / 1 Passive skill. For each level you gain in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, you receive an additional point to allocate into your Core System. Is this actually real? Are my eyes deceiving me, or does this new skill offers to enhance my core stats? My heart raced with excitement at the possibility. I was already level 6 in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system, which means that leveling up Mirror Leveling would grant me six additional skill points to allocate in my Core System. I leveled it up quickly without another thought. [Skill acquired: Mirror Leveling lvl.1 - MAX] [6 Points Available: Choose a stat to level up] My heart was already racing. Now, seeing this message for the first time in two years, it felt like it was about to burst out of my chest. A goofy smiled appeared on my face ¨C a smile I just couldn¡¯t shake. ¡°Yes!¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs. I was finally getting somewhere. Even if I couldn¡¯t remember what I did in previous runs, as long as I kept leveling up in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system, eventually I¡¯d reach a high enough level to be able to finish all of this on my own. Now, what should I level up? When I began adventuring, I decided to go for an Agility-focused build, making sure that every stat I leveled up, every piece of armor I donned, every weapon I wielded, would enhance this build. It complimented my subclass - Arcane Duelist - a subclass specialized in one-on-one combat. Should I keep the same approach, or is it time to shift my focus onto something else? My Intelligence stat was fairly low, especially for a Spellsword. The class is basically a combination of a warrior and a mage, but while my warrior skills were decent for my level, my mage skills left much to be desired. I never focused on the Intelligence stat early on, always believing I¡¯d have time to level it up later, not knowing that level 50 was my personal cap. Since my Intelligence stat only had nine points, I never even progressed far enough in my Magic Skill Tree. I had only a few very basic, and very weak skills from each element that were given at the Tree¡¯s first milestone. I never picked an elemental affinity and had almost no resistance to any sort of damage or conditions. I basically relied on my high Agility to evade, but if I ever got caught, I was doomed. That was when Yana usually jumped in to save me. And after a bunch of those saves, I realized I couldn¡¯t stand by her side anymore. But now, I could. I allocated the six skill points quickly and confirmed the selection. Weirdly enough, my level hadn¡¯t changed ¨C I was still the same level 50 Aidan Dar. Even the stats remained the same, with the only change being that now the extra skill points appeared in parentheses. [Status Menu] But the stats had improved. I could tell when the Core System popped up the next message for reaching twelve points in the Intelligence stat.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. [Intelligence ¨C 2nd Milestone Reached] [Choose Elemental Affinity:] [Fire] [Water] [Air] [Earth] After choosing an affinity, the basic skills of the elements that weren¡¯t chosen will stay at their base level and will only scale with my general level and Intelligence stat. While the chosen element will present a unique Magic Tree with new skills to level up. I wondered which one to choose. Each Elemental Affinity was strong in its own right. There wasn¡¯t a single one that was considered overpowered. Yana chose fire, and it proved successful for her, but her build was more strength-focused, using fire magic to enhance the power and damage of her attacks. And she wasn¡¯t a Spellsword. Considering I hadn¡¯t used any of the skill points I received from Mirror Leveling on my strongest stat, I knew what I had to pick. I hovered over the third option and selected it. [You have chosen Air as your Elemental Affinity. Confirm your choice.] [Confirm / Decline] I confirmed the selection, and another message directed me toward the Spellsword¡¯s Air Magic Skill Tree, presenting me with three new, already unlocked skills. [Spellsword / Arcane Duelist] [Air Magic Skill Tree] 1. Wind Rush ¨C Lvl.1 / 3 ¨C [0/5000XP] A gust of wind guides you and enhances your evasions for the next two minutes. Can stack with other dodge/evasion skills. Cooldown: 5 minutes. 2. Wind Blast ¨C Lvl.1 / 3 ¨C [0/5000XP] Release a small blast of condensed wind capable of inflicting a Stun. Cooldown: 20 seconds. 3. Horizon ¨C Lvl.1 / 3 ¨C [0/5000XP] Perform a horizontal slash with your weapon of choice to unleash a destructive wave of wind capable of AOE damage. Cooldown: 10 minutes. There were more skills after those three, but they were greyed out and unreadable. I knew they would unlock once I leveled up the first three and continued investing more points into the Intelligence stat. The progression through the skills themselves was different from leveling up stats, or the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system¡¯s skills. To level up skills from the Magic Skill Trees you had to gain XP through completion of quests and slaying of monsters. Here, I needed five thousand XP to upgrade each of the skills. It was quite a lot, considering I had to die five times to gain about as much XP, based on the XP required to progress to the seventh level of the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system. But it was a start, giving me a new hope for what lay ahead. ¡°¡­inventory¡­¡± I suddenly heard an echo thanks to the Echo Sense skill. My own. Navigating to my second inventory on a whim, I found quite a lot of items there. The array of items made no sense to me. Outside the Gethril Roots, which implied we¡¯d encounter poison-inflicting enemies, it didn¡¯t seem like I was preparing for anything specific ¨C just for an all-out battle. Assuming I got all these items from the stash provided by Yana¡¯s guild, I prepared breakfast and waited for Yana. Once she arrived, we made our way to Gaelith¡¯s tomb. *** . . . The fact that adventurers¡¯ stats were hidden from each other was both good and bad. On the one hand, you could only assume some stats based on others¡¯ class, subclass, and level, so you never actually knew the strength of your comrade or opponent until they revealed it to you. On the other hand, they could only assume some stats based on your class, subclass, and level, so they never actually knew your strength until you revealed it to them. That¡¯s why I knew there was no risk revealing my newly acquired air magic skills to others, as they couldn¡¯t actually tell how many points I had in Intelligence to suspect something was off with me. In other words, they wouldn¡¯t necessarily question the fact that a level 50 adventurer was both advanced in Intelligence and Agility. The logical explanation they¡¯d probably come up with is that I invested all my points in those two stats, leaving myself ¡°naked¡± in the other three. The only person who would notice the difference was Yana. She was also likely to ask questions about it ¨C questions I couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t want to answer. I knew I had to be wary around her and avoid using air magic. I felt bold ever since the moment I allocated those six points today and charged at the Undead Warriors that attacked us when we cleared our designated chambers, managing to slay ten of them, earning 340 XP in total. We finished clearing the last chamber, and Jax ordered us to follow him and return to the main antechamber. That rogue, Goren, approached me again. ¡°Stop. Let¡¯s talk.¡± It was the second time he¡¯d approached me today. The first was at the entrance, where he acted like he knew me. Recalling Chronos¡¯ words and connecting the dots, I knew I had to keep my distance from him, but he was unrelenting. It was hard keeping up my fa?ade around him, pretending like I remembered him. I knew that at some point he¡¯d figure me out. And unlike me, he actually had access to all of his memories from each of his runs. He would remember that I didn¡¯t remember him. I sighed as he closed the distance. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°¡­blackberries¡­¡± I heard an Echo and did my best to keep my face straight, avoiding any reaction that might draw Goren¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Not gonna lie, you¡¯re kinda annoying me, Spellsword.¡± He said, looking angry. ¡°What?¡± I asked, sounding as innocent as I could, even though I knew why he felt that way. My previous selves were likely ignoring him as well. ¡°You know what!¡± He shouted, then pushed me with his hands. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± I regained my balance, raising an eyebrow at him. ¡°What¡¯s my problem? You¡¯re the one who just pushed me.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a nasty fuck!¡± he snapped at me. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you, and you keep pushing me away. I want to end this, don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°I want to end this as well.¡± I replied, keeping my tone neutral. ¡°You clearly don''t!¡± Goren replied, fuming, the darkness around him growing in size. ¡°Listen,¡± I tried to calm him, ¡°I just want to stick to my friend, that¡¯s all. Don¡¯t take it personally. We¡¯re still on the same side.¡± He suddenly scanned me intently with his gaze, a confused look on his face. He took a deep breath, seemingly regaining his calmness. ¡°Do you remember what I gave you here last time?¡± he asked simply. It was a test, and my mind ran over the items in my second inventory, trying to recall what he could¡¯ve given me. Then, I remembered the Echo I heard just a minute ago. ¡°Blackberries.¡± I replied, hoping it was the right answer. He smirked, then nodded and just left me behind. ¡°¡­your sense of humor is starting to grow on me¡­¡± I heard another Echo, this time Goren¡¯s. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that was the wrong answer. Chapter 18: A New Enemy Chapter 18: A New Enemy . . . ¡°Aidan, we need to take a right here.¡± Yana repeated. ¡°I can sense people down there.¡± But Yana couldn¡¯t see the Temporal Trace mark I left for myself next to the left corridor, making me question what I did in my previous run. Did I turn left despite Yana¡¯s words, or did I surrender to peer pressure and go right? Now would be a good moment to use Afterimage, but everyone was watching me, so I knew I had to do it quickly. I activated Afterimage, and there it appeared ¨C a ghostly version of myself. The problem was that it stood in place, right next to me, just opening its mouth as if talking to someone, likely to Yana, yet no sound came out. Then, after five seconds, it disappeared, and I learned nothing of my previous self¡¯s adventure. Curse this annoying D¨¦j¨¤ vu System! ¡°Aidan?¡± Yana asked, looking surprised and a bit worried. ¡°Oh, just leave him here.¡± Jax snapped and went down the right corridor, Henry following closely behind. I shook my head, disappointed at my inability to utilize the System. I had already wasted Checkpoint earlier, and now Afterimage as well. ¡°I¡¯m coming, I¡¯m coming¡­¡± I told Yana, and we all continued down the right corridor. . . . Seeing Goren as we exited the Grave Moles¡¯ tunnels sent a shiver down my spine. He was sharpening his sword with a whetstone. It was already surprising to see him reach this deep into the tomb seemingly on his own, but it was also unsettling ¨C especially after our last conversation, after which I didn¡¯t see him until now - not during the wolves¡¯ attack, nor the Grave Moles¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re finally here.¡± He said, his gaze never leaving the blade. Everyone shared confused glances, wondering who he was referring to, but I knew he was talking to me. Goosebumps prickled my skin. ¡°How did you make it here on your own?¡± Tagan asked, but Goren ignored him. Goren lifted his gaze from the sword, meeting mine. ¡°How did I make it here, Spellsword?¡± Yana glanced at me and whispered. ¡°What does he want, Aidan? Do you know him?¡± ¡°Stay alert.¡± I whispered back simply, Chronos¡¯ warning echoing in my mind. ¡°I heard what you whispered there.¡± He said, grinning. ¡°Answer the question, Spellsword.¡± ¡°What do you want, Goren?¡± I asked, trying to diffuse the situation. ¡°What I want - or rather, what I wanted - was for us to team up.¡± He said, the grin still intact. ¡°It was that simple.¡± His expression turned angry, his voice flaring. ¡°And yet you fucked it up!¡± Everyone glanced at me again, and I just shrugged, turning back to Goren. ¡°We¡¯re on the same side.¡± ¡°See! This! This here is the problem!¡± Goren snapped, pointing at me. ¡°Your answers were always so, so vague, but only this run did I finally understand why.¡± Then, his grin returned. ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything, do you?¡± A chill ran down my spine. Goren continued. ¡°It was so clear and yet I ¨C ¡° Tagan interrupted him. ¡°Hey, I asked you a question ¨C ¡° But before Tagan could finish his words, he was already dead. It was almost like Goren teleported right next to him, slicing his throat with one sharp movement of his dagger. ¡°Told you what would happen if you interrupted me again.¡± Goren said chillingly. Tagan¡¯s body dropped to the floor, and all of us raised our weapons instinctively. ¡°Goren, what the hell?¡± I stammered as my heart raced like crazy. It was the first time in my life I¡¯d seen an adventurer kill another one like this. ¡°None of this matters.¡± Goren said, seemingly to himself, his grin widening. Bernard, seeing his friend murdered right in front of his eyes, charged at Goren with his weapon. Yana tried to stop him, but he didn¡¯t listen. Goren weaved under Bernard¡¯s greatsword, and with two swift movements, cut each of his tendons, dropping the tank to his knees. Then, without any wasted movements, Goren equipped his sword from thin air, summoning it from his inventory, beheading the man with a spin move. Melissa screamed in fear and turned to run back into the tunnel we came from. Goren looked like he wasn¡¯t having any of it. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± He said, replacing his sword with a golden bow instantly, and aiming it at the fleeing Melissa. He released an arrow, but Yana intercepted it, blocking the projectile with her sword, allowing Melissa to disappear into the tunnel behind us. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this.¡± Yana threatened, her voice filled with rage. Goren, still smiling, ignored her and turned to me. ¡°I wasted so much time helping you, thinking it would help me in the long run, but at the end of the day, you¡¯re as useless as all of them. Without your memories, you¡¯re useless!¡± he shouted, then laughed darkly. Yana didn¡¯t waste a second. Taking advantage of Goren¡¯s lack of concentration, she activated Blade Rush. Her figure blurring as she surged toward him, her sword aimed right at his chest.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But Goren wasn¡¯t caught off guard ¨C not even close. With a single, fluid motion, he materialized his sword, raising it to intercept her attack. The clash of their blades rang like thunder, raising a cloud of dust around them. Sparks flew as Goren stood rooted in place, completely unfazed, grinning maniacally. Yana, however, strained against him. It was like she was pressing against a mountain. Then, without a single word, he moved. His body dissolved into dark mist, dissipating like smoke, leaving Yana swinging at empty air. ¡°Behind you!¡± I shouted, but the words barely left my mouth before he reappeared right behind her, his back to her. With a casual flick of his wrist, he drove the pommel of his sword into her back with incredible force, sending her hurtling forward. Yana¡¯s body slammed into the stone wall ahead, the impact cracking it. Dust and debris rained down as she crumpled to the ground. My heart sank as I saw Yana getting thrown like that. Goren¡¯s movements were unlike anything a level 57 Rogue could ever dream of achieving. He was far stronger than his level suggested, likely hiding his true level, just like my new level was hidden. But while I was level 56 now, what level was he? ¡°Now, you¡¯ll pay, Spellsword.¡± He said, his gaze locking onto mine. He laughed again, sharing another unsettling detail about himself. ¡°Those aren¡¯t the first adventurers I¡¯ve killed, by the way.¡± He pointed at Tagan¡¯s and Bernard¡¯s bodies. ¡°At some point in this time loop, I figured I might as well kill some of the adventurers to see how much XP I¡¯d gain. I knew they wouldn¡¯t stay dead-dead since my eventual death would reset the timeline, so there was no downside to it. Sadly, they didn¡¯t give much XP. It seems my System decided killing adventurers isn¡¯t worth the hassle.¡± ¡°And yet, you¡¯re doing it now.¡± I said, aiming Nightfall at him. He laughed darkly. ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s all your fault.¡± He pointed at the wall where Yana lay motionless. ¡°I¡¯m going to have fun killing her in front of your eyes before I kill you. Consider it my revenge for your lies and wasting my time.¡± The dark aura around him suddenly grew larger than ever before, writhing like it was alive. I tightened my grip on Nightfall and shot a quick glance at Yana, hoping she was alive. Then I turned back to Goren, meeting his terrifying gaze. ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt her.¡± ¡°Like you have a choice.¡± He replied, following up with a chuckle. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the fear building up inside me as I activated Wind Rush for the first time. I felt the magic flood my entire body, my movements becoming lighter. Next, I activated Bladesurge, watching Nightfall glow faintly. Goren seemed too strong for the likes of current me, but I knew I had to fight back to protect Yana. With Blade Rush, I launched myself at him, the combined force of Wind Rush propelling me faster than I¡¯d ever moved before. I kept my gaze fixed on him ¨C his smirk, his wild eyes, and the living darkness that surrounded him. I brought Nightfall down in an arc, aiming right for his side, hoping the enhanced blade would leave a dent. But just as I thought I had him, the blade cut through nothing but air. Goren dissolved into the mist again. My heart sank when I heard his voice ¨C calm, cold, and insane ¨C from the other end of the chamber, where Yana was. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± he said, standing over Yana¡¯s prone body. He crouched slightly, casually reaching his hand out to grab her head. ¡°Killing her in front of you will only make my revenge a lot sweeter.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t you dare touch her!¡± I shouted, running towards them, my legs moving on their own. But Goren didn¡¯t wait. He lifted Yana¡¯s limp body by the head as if she weighed nothing. I barely had time to register the movement before he hurled her straight at me. She collided with me full force. I managed to catch her, but we still went down hard. Nightfall slipped from my grasp, clattering away across the floor. I cradled Yana in my arms. ¡°Yana?¡± I called, my voice trembling. Her face was pale, but she was breathing. At least she was still alive. ¡°Wake up!¡± I shook her gently. ¡°Come on, I need you!¡± my voice cracked. Goren¡¯s voice was low as he approached us, mocking me. ¡°You think she¡¯ll make a difference? That low-leveled girl? Don¡¯t insult me, Spellsword.¡± He continued his slow approach, his boots echoing against the chamber¡¯s walls. ¡°You¡­you are unforgivable, and I¡¯ll make sure you understand that before the end.¡± I ignored him, focusing on Yana. I selected a Lesser Health Potion from my inventory, and it materialized in my hand. I popped the cork and forced the liquid into Yana¡¯s mouth. She coughed weakly, the potion doing its work. Her eyelids fluttered, and I felt relief wash over me. Her voice was hoarse, her expression pained. ¡°What¡­happened? Where is ¨C ¡° ¡°We don¡¯t have time.¡± I cut her off. ¡°He¡¯s coming. But together, we can ¨C ¡° ¡°No!¡± she snapped, her voice suddenly stronger as she balanced herself on the floor. ¡°No, listen to me. Run away from here as fast as you can. I¡¯ll hold him off.¡± She gripped my arm weakly, her eyes darting toward Goren, who was still approaching, his grin wide and unhinged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell is wrong with him, but he¡¯s clearly not level 57. He¡¯ll kill you, Aidan!¡± I shook my head, anger rising within me at her constant heroic attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid! I¡¯m not leaving you behind! We can take him down together.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± She dismissed my words. ¡°He¡¯s far too strong. I¡¯m higher level than you. Trust me when I say that you need to leave. Now.¡± Before I could respond, Goren¡¯s laugh cut through. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rich.¡± He sneered, amused. ¡°You? Hold me off? I already slew your Lady Mikaela once. What can you do that she couldn¡¯t?¡± Me heart sank even deeper. If he was telling the truth, then current Goren was stronger than a level 100 adventurer, likely the strongest adventurer to walk the earth. Yana glared at him, confused by his words, and he continued. ¡°Either way, your planned sacrifice is pointless. I¡¯ll kill him anyway, right after I rip you apart.¡± Yana jumped to her feet, extending her hands, summoning the flames of her fire magic. With a shout, she unleashed a fiery blast toward Goren. Goren stood there, welcoming the fire with a smile. But then, his smile suddenly faltered, his eyes widening as if he¡¯d just had an epiphany. The fire blast hit him directly, but as the flames dissipated, Goren stood there, entirely unfazed, his smirk returning. ¡°Interesting.¡± He muttered, brushing off imaginary ash from his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve just realized something¡­incredible, Spellsword. Something I need to test.¡± ¡°Stay back!¡± Yana shouted, another flame gathering in her hands. Goren raised a hand as if to calm her. ¡°Ah, Yana, I was having so much fun. I really was. I wanted to prolong this, to make your boyfriend over there suffer as much as possible.¡± His grin widened as his gaze shifted to me. ¡°But alas, I¡¯ve got to end this quickly now.¡± Before I could even process what he meant, he dissolved into dark mist again. Then, an arm coiled around my throat from behind, strong, cutting off my air. I struggled, but the hold was unyielding. [Condition Applied: Suffocation by Goren Shein. Health drain at 5% per 10 seconds] ¡°Shh, shh,¡± Goren whispered in my ear, his voice soft. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just relax.¡± I fought harder, trying to summon my magic, but I couldn¡¯t do anything. When I thought about how Yana would likely help me right now, Goren forcibly twisted my body towards where she stood. My heart stopped. Her body hit the ground. Cuts crisscrossed her form, blood pouring from every gash, forming a crimson pool beneath her. Her lifeless eyes stared back at me blankly. She was dead. Again. I wanted to scream her name, but Goren¡¯s grip tightened, choking any sound from my throat. Panic enveloped me while tears blurred my vision. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be so heartbroken.¡± Goren murmured. ¡°It¡¯s not like this is the first time. She¡¯ll be fine in the next run. At least, until I¡¯ll come along again.¡± He leaned even closer. ¡°That¡¯s what I realized just now. Normal adventurers¡­they¡¯re worthless to me. Basically no XP. But you¡­¡± he chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re like me. Trapped in this loop. I bet you¡¯ll give me so much XP for this kill.¡± I struggled harder, but his grip only tightened, making my vision darken. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not as useless as I thought.¡± He mused. ¡°If my hypothesis is correct, you might actually be good for something. My own personal farming mob.¡± [Health: 49%] His arm crushed against my neck, the pressure unbearable. ¡°And the best part?¡± he whispered, following with a chuckle. ¡°When you wake up in the next run¡­you won¡¯t remember any of this.¡± A chill ran down my spine at his final words, realizing the horrifying truth behind them. The last thing I heard was the crack of my neck before everything went dark. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 19: Prey Chapter 19: Prey [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 6] [Loop Count: 7] [Experience Points (XP): 936 / 2000] . . . Yana and I reached the entrance of the tomb. Noticing her guild master, she immediately went to speak with her, leaving me alone as I knew no one else beside her among the other adventurers gathered for the quest. I tried to look friendly, but no one dared approach the lowly level 50 Spellsword. Or so I thought¡­ ¡°Hey, excuse me.¡± I heard someone call to me from behind. Turning around, I saw a man with black, lightweight armor - a level 57 Rogue. An aura of darkness, similar to Yana¡¯s - yet significantly larger, surrounded him. ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked warily, watching the dark aura around him twist and writhe, as if it was alive. He smiled softly, quite uncharacteristic for a Rogue, and quite the opposite of the initial feeling of dread he invoked in me. ¡°I just saw you standing there alone, and well¡­I¡¯m alone as well, so I figured we could share each other¡¯s company before they let us inside.¡± Despite his friendly appearance and words, I couldn¡¯t shake the odd feeling I was getting from this man. It was as if my entire existence was telling me to back away from him. I glanced in Yana¡¯s direction, but she was still speaking to Lady Mikaela. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not here alone, actually. My friend is here as well.¡± I said, hoping the fact that I was here with someone would make him back off, realizing I wouldn¡¯t be an easy target in case he was planning to rob me or something. Rogues weren¡¯t exactly known for their kindness and friendliness. ¡°Oh, the red-haired woman over there with Lady Mikaela?¡± the Rogue asked, the soft smile never leaving his lips. I nodded slowly, still getting the creeps from him. ¡°She¡¯s gorgeous, I must say.¡± He said before tapping me on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re quite the lucky guy.¡± ¡°¡­for this run, we¡­¡± I suddenly heard an Echo, the voice eerily similar to this man¡¯s. He was talking about runs. Did he¡­did he know about the time loop? But who was he? My last conversation with Chronos suddenly popped into my mind. Goren! But the moment I realized who he was, it was too late. [Condition Applied: Paralysis by ¡°Blue Rose Thorn¡± by Goren Shein] ¡°Hey, Spellsword. How¡¯s it going? You missed me?¡± Goren leaned in and whispered. Then he laughed softly, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and bringing my paralyzed self closer to him. ¡°What am I saying? Of course not. You don¡¯t even remember me.¡± I tried to speak, but the paralysis he inflicted on me denied me even that. ¡°Still, it¡¯s interesting.¡± He mused. ¡°Despite your memory loss problem, you still somehow managed to understand something was off. I wonder how¡­Are your survival instincts just that good?¡± He forcefully moved my head in Yana¡¯s direction. She was still engrossed in her conversation with Lady Mikaela, not paying attention to us. ¡°Before I kill you,¡± Goren said, his grin widening, ¡°I¡¯ll kill her again.¡± Again?! ¡°I¡¯ll kill her again and let you watch. Right. From. This. Spot.¡± He chuckled darkly. Everything inside me twisted. I tried to break free, but I couldn¡¯t. None of my stats were high enough to counter his paralysis. Yana finally turned toward us, and Goren waved to her, a smile on his face, his arm still wrapped around my shoulder as if we were the best of friends. ¡°Smile at her, Spellsword.¡± That dirty piece of shit! Chronos was right to warn me about him, but how could I even prepare for something like this? His memories from his previous runs were likely intact. He knew me and waited for me to arrive to make his move. We hadn¡¯t even begun the quest yet, and here he was, already holding me in the palm of his hand. Yana noticed something was off - I could see it in her expression - but Goren didn¡¯t wait. ¡°Stay here.¡± He whispered, giving me one final smile before he made his way toward Yana.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. I wanted to scream for her to run, but no voice came out. He killed her right in front of my eyes. Right in front of everyone¡¯s eyes. Then, when a commotion began and he was targeted by every other adventurer in the vicinity, he shifted his focus to me. Throwing his dagger, landing it perfectly in my head. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** I woke up on a grass field, immediately reaching to the side of my head where Goren had struck me with his dagger. My heart raced with fear, and I had to take deep breaths to calm down. Goren! That bastard¡­we hadn¡¯t even entered the tomb yet, and he had already attacked me, making Chronos¡¯ prior warning useless. It seemed like Goren knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to remember him and capitalized on that to kill me quickly, acting all friendly to make me drop my guard. But why? What does he want? Wait¡­why can I remember how he killed me? I focused on my surroundings, and everything came into place. I was in Chronos¡¯ domain. This time, Chronos wasn¡¯t swinging that weird metallic club of his at a ball. Instead, he was seated next to the glass table. The moment I noticed him, he was already pointing at the chair opposite him. ¡°Sit.¡± I stood up and joined him at the table, sighing heavily as I sat down. ¡°I told you to keep your distance from him.¡± Chronos began, his tone low. He didn¡¯t even bother making eye contact, his focus instead was fixed on the horizon. ¡°What?¡± I snapped, my frustration boiling over. ¡°What do you mean ¡®keep your distance from him¡¯? The motherfucker killed me five minutes after I arrived! I didn¡¯t even have a chance to react!¡± Chronos turned to me instantly, finally meeting my gaze. The intensity of his glare was enough to make me shift nervously in my seat. It looked like he was about to snap, but instead he took a deep breath before speaking again, this time in a clearly forced calm that made him sound even more intimidating. ¡°Your current self didn¡¯t have the chance to react. Your past selves had plenty of opportunities to push him away. Instead, they gave him just enough to feed his obsession with you until you reached this sorry point.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t even ¨C ¡° ¡°Remember what your past selves did?¡± he cut me off, completing my words. ¡°So. Fucking. What? They''re still you, dumbass! Don¡¯t try to shake off the responsibility!¡± he leaned forward, slamming his hand on the glass table, cracking it on impact. Then, he made a spinning motion with his finger and the crack reversed itself and disappeared. I sighed again, realizing he was right. Whatever I did in my past runs, it had been enough to let this Goren get close to me. Close enough to learn everything he needed to kill me without breaking a sweat. ¡°Still,¡± I muttered, my eyes darting to the ground to avoid Chronos¡¯ glare, ¡°you could¡¯ve at least left his image in my mind. You warned me about him, but without knowing what he looks like, I can¡¯t exactly ¨C ¡° ¡°Does the dark aura around him and the message that he¡¯s marked not scream enough of a warning for you to get it?¡± Chronos said, sounding exasperated. I swallowed hard. Of course, I was stupid for not reacting the moment I saw Goren¡¯s dark aura. But even if I had¡­ ¡°He would¡¯ve still killed me.¡± I replied quietly. ¡°He was way too strong. Even if I reacted quicker to his presence, nothing would¡¯ve changed.¡± Chronos leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. ¡°This is probably the first time today you¡¯ve said something right.¡± He rolled his eyes before continuing. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s your fault it got to this point. In previous runs, he offered you kills, and you took them, despite my warning for you to stay away from him. You fed his ego and his hopes until it finally exploded.¡± I shook my head slowly. I couldn¡¯t remember any of what he¡¯d described, but Chronos had no reason to lie. And, knowing myself, it was painfully likely that I had done exactly what he said - accepted Goren¡¯s help, all for the sake of leveling up faster. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t remember any of it, but¡­I guess you¡¯re right.¡± I admitted after a short pause. Then, lifting my gaze to Chronos, I tried to muster some confidence. ¡°But I¡¯m sure I can turn things around. I¡¯m finally leveling up for real. Eventually, I¡¯ll gain enough XP to ¨C ¡° ¡°He killed you eight times already, Aidan.¡± Chronos interrupted, his tone cold, sending an icy chill down my spine. ¡°W-what?¡± I stammered, fear suddenly gripping my chest at the unsettling revelation. Chronos leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Your last seven deaths were by his hand. Each time, right next to the tomb¡¯s entrance, before the quest even started.¡± He paused, giving his words a moment to sink inside my terrified mind. ¡°He¡¯s killed you eight times in total.¡± My heartbeat quickened, and my breathing grew shallow. I couldn¡¯t believe his words. Eight times? My mind raced. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu system menu. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 6] [Loop Count: 14] [Experience Points (XP): 936 / 2000] I clenched my fists. Is he saying I¡¯ve been stuck at the same level for seven runs already because Goren kills me before I can gain a single XP? When I woke up this morning, I wondered why I was still only level 6 despite dying fourteen times already. It seemed odd, but without memories of my previous runs, I just assumed I¡¯d hit some serious hurdle. Turns out, that hurdle was a psychotic Rogue, dead set on killing me over and over again. ¡°Look at this.¡± Chronos said before reaching out and touching my forehead with his index finger. An overwhelming flood of memories crashed into my mind. Goren. It was all Goren. I saw him killing me and Yana in eight different ways. He laughed each time, his twisted smile haunting. He was enjoying every moment of it, every second he made me suffer. The memories invoked a physical pain as well ¨C sharp, burning, aching - as if my body remembered every wound, every injury, every lost limb. I gasped and dropped from the chair, clutching my chest, struggling to breathe. ¡°Relax.¡± Chronos commanded, snapping his fingers. A soothing wave of calmness suddenly washed over me, dulling my panic. I looked up at him, my voice trembling. ¡°Why is he doing this? Why does he kill me every time? What did I even do to him?¡± Chronos sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as if the answer he was about to give was unsettling even to him. ¡°His System is¡­different than the one I gave you. Sickly enough, it rewards him for killing you specifically. He confirmed that the first time he killed you, and now he can¡¯t get enough of it.¡± I felt the knot in my chest tighten. ¡°What can I do?¡± My voice cracked. ¡°If he keeps killing me like this, I¡¯ll never progress. I can¡¯t ¨C ¡° ¡°I know.¡± Chronos said, his voice firm, cutting me off. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re here now.¡± My panic attack ceased immediately as I watched him. He gestured for me to return to my seat. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± I asked with urgency right as I sank back onto the chair. Chronos¡¯ expression darkened, his shoulders slumped, his looked disgusted. ¡°We need to strike the problem right at its heart.¡± ¡°How do we do that?¡± Chronos let out a long, reluctant sigh, rising from his chair slowly. His face twisted with the same disgust from before, but this time mixed with visible disappointment. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually saying this,¡± he muttered, his voice bitter, ¡°but¡­we need to visit that bastard Dolos.¡± "Whaaaaat?!" Balthor and Pix called out in unison. Chapter 20: Where Deception Resides Chapter 20: Where Deception Resides ¡°Three rules before we go in.¡± Chronos said sharply, snapping his fingers. A large portal materialized before us, red and swirling. I nodded, though doubts lingered in my mind. Who was Dolos? Chronos didn¡¯t even let me ask this one simple question? ¡°Rule number one,¡± he began, his tone serious, ¡°don¡¯t get lost inside. Follow me, and don¡¯t stop, no matter what you see. Regardless of what it is, it will be a trap. In Dolos¡¯ domain, everything is a trap. If he offers you a chair ¨C you decline. If he offers you a drink ¨C you decline. If he offers you anything else, you?¡± ¡°Decline?¡± ¡°Good.¡± he replied, continuing immediately, not leaving me a moment to ask him the question that bothered me. ¡°Rule number two: do not make eye contact with Dolos or any of his creations for more than a second. I can¡¯t stress this enough. As a general rule of thumb, I¡¯d advise you not to make eye contact with anyone there at all. Not even me. Got it?¡± I nodded hesitantly. ¡°But who is ¨C ¡° ¡°Good.¡± He interrupted, speaking over my question. ¡°Rule number three, and the most important: be wary of his words and do not let him get to you. Words are his strongest weapon, so no matter how much he tries to rile you up, and trust me he will try, don¡¯t give him a reaction. We¡¯re there for swift negotiations, and any emotional outburst from you would weaken our position. Remember: the sooner we¡¯re out of there, the better. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I said, nodding. ¡°But ¨C ¡° ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡± He turned abruptly toward the portal, but I wasn¡¯t about to follow him blindly. ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± I called, my voice likely sharper than it should¡¯ve been. He spun around, exasperation clear on his face. ¡°What?¡± I blinked, surprised that he actually stopped this time, and I finally had his attention. I seized the opportunity. ¡°You already mentioned Dolos before, but¡­who is he, really? And why are you so nervous about him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an evil spirit, a fiend, a devil. He¡¯s the embodiment of Deception.¡± He said, each word filled with disdain. ¡°He fooled me once and I was left with no choice but let him participate in my battle against Erebus.¡± Chronos sighed heavily. ¡°The problem is that he doesn¡¯t care about defeating Erebus. The only thing he desires is to beat me.¡± ¡°Beat you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°Just like you are my champion, Goren is his.¡± *** The portal disappeared behind us as we exited it. I scanned our surroundings, half-expecting to see pools of molten lava and people being tortured by crimson-skinned imps. But that wasn¡¯t the case. In fact, it was the complete opposite. The air was crisp and cool, carrying the scent of wildflowers and freshly tilled soil. A peaceful countryside stretched out before us, like something you¡¯d find on the outskirts of Tepan. Rolling green hills, endless fields, and a quaint farmhouse nestled in the distance painted an idyllic picture. ¡°Stick close.¡± Chronos muttered, taking the first step forward. I nodded, falling into step behind him, my mind repeating the first rule he set: Don¡¯t stop. No matter what. It was hard to believe all of this was fake or a trap. At first glance, I couldn¡¯t see how it could be. The place stirred a tranquil feeling inside me, the kind I hadn¡¯t felt in years. The sun seemed to hang forever in the most perfect position in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything. And even the birds chirped melodiously everywhere around us. ¡°This place is a lie.¡± Chronos whispered, cutting through my thoughts. His voice was sharp, snapping me back to reality. ¡°Just like its master.¡± I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus. Chronos knew better than I did who we were dealing with. If he said it was a lie, then it likely was. Ahead of us, near the farmhouse, a figure appeared. It was an old man, stooped with age, his long white beard flowing down his chest. He wore a wide straw hat and carried a rake over his right shoulder. His face looked tired, but his eyes seemed to sparkle with joy once he saw us. He waved enthusiastically. ¡°Well, well,¡± the old man called out, his voice warm and inviting. ¡°If it isn¡¯t my dear, dear friend Chronos! You¡¯ve come a long way! Did you miss me that much?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chronos replied coldly. ¡°You know why we¡¯re here.¡± The old man turned to me, his smile widening unnaturally. ¡°Ah, yes, of course. Our dear Aidan over there, or should I say ¨C ¡° he paused, his voice seamlessly shifting into Goren¡¯s. ¡°Spellsword.¡± It sent a chill down my spine and resurfaced the memories of all my deaths at the hands of the powerful Rogue. My fists clenched, my jaw tightened. I wanted to react, almost instinctively, but I recalled Chronos¡¯ third rule: Don¡¯t give him a reaction. It wasn¡¯t easy to keep my cool, but I managed to do it. ¡°No reaction?¡± Dolos said, sounding disappointed. Then, his form shifted right before our eyes. The old farmer was gone, replaced by a young prince draped in luxurious robes. It happened so seamlessly it seemed as if he had always looked that way. I dropped my gaze immediately, careful not to meet his eyes. Chronos¡¯ second rule was clear in that regard. As I stared at ground, I realized it wasn''t soil we were standing on, it was something living - it had a pulse, which I could feel through my feet. ¡°Consider this a first and last warning, Dolos.¡± Chronos growled, his cold voice showing some fire. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about trying something.¡± Dolos sighed theatrically, his form shifting again, this time into a woman with a crown of flowers in her hair and a sweet, melodic voice. ¡°Always so serious, Chronos. You¡¯ve never been any fun.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± Chronos replied, his tone carrying an edge. The woman smiled sweetly, then burst into laughter. What should¡¯ve been a joyful sound sent a shiver down my spine. It was an evil laugh. My gaze flicked up to the flowers in her crown, realizing they were moving. They writhed like tiny snakes tangled together. I slowly understood what Chronos meant when he said everything here was fake. Then, Dolos¡¯ form shifted again. He was now an old woman, her skin carrying a darker hue, resembling of people from lands far away. She leaned on a crooked staff, her grin revealing missing teeth. ¡°Oh, Chronos.¡± she crooned, her voice mocking. ¡°You mean to tell me you¡¯re still not over that one time? How long has it been? A Millennia?¡± she chuckled dryly, a haunting sound. ¡°I already apologized!¡± Chronos¡¯ jaw tightened, his expression darkening. When he spoke, his tone was colder than I¡¯d ever heard it. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you for that. Nor will I ever forget.¡± "That''s rich coming from you..." The old woman cackled, her laughter echoing around us unnaturally. She turned her gaze to me, her grin widening. ¡°Tell me, Aidan, has he told you the story? About us? About what I did? About why he''s so mad at me?¡± At first, I froze, but then immediately looked away, refusing to respond. Even so, my mind raced with questions about their exchange. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Chronos snapped. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to know, and we¡¯re done wasting time here. Let¡¯s get to the point.¡± The old woman pouted exaggeratedly as her form began to shift. This time, she shrank, her features turning to those of a young boy, no older than eight. His hair was messy, filled with dirt, and he wore cheap, patched-up clothes. Despite his child-like appearance, his eyes were gleaming with knowledge and something¡­else. I again quickly turned away, making sure not to look at him for more than a second at a time. ¡°Very well.¡± The boy said, clapping his hands together. A triangular table materialized out of thin air between us, its dark wood so polished, I could see my own reflection in it like it was a mirror. Three chairs appeared, one on each side of the table. Dolos gestured toward them. ¡°Let¡¯s get comfortable, shall we?¡± Chronos didn¡¯t move, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. I remembered his earlier warning: Decline the chair. I remained standing as well, following his lead. ¡°Suit yourselves. I¡¯ll take the best seat, then.¡± The boy said cheerfully, hopping onto the table. He sat cross-legged, his hands resting on his knees, grinning. He tilted his head, feigning innocence. ¡°C¡¯mon, Chronos. Let¡¯s see if we can strike a deal like we did last time, eh?¡± Chronos shifted slightly, his hands twitching as though he was on the verge of punching the child. But he stopped himself, even though his fury was clear for all to see. Dolos¡¯ grin widened. ¡°It worked well for you last time, didn¡¯t it, Chronos?¡± ¡°This time won¡¯t be like last time.¡± Chronos said firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Dolos said, clearly amused. I watched their exchange silently, the tension almost palpable. I made a mental note to ask Chronos about their relationship and the incident they kept referring to in more detail, though I already knew how that would go. Chronos, much like his D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, wasn¡¯t exactly forthcoming about anything. Chronos took a step forward, his arms still crossed. ¡°Your champion ¨C Goren ¨C has been murdering mine at the start of the loop for sevens runs straight. It¡¯s clear he won¡¯t stop on his own.¡± The child laughed. ¡°Seven already? My boy doesn¡¯t rest.¡± ¡°Stop him.¡± Chronos demanded, his tone commanding, making Dolos¡¯ grin falter for a moment. But then the child released a soft chuckle, shaking his head. ¡°You must be forgetting your own rules, Chronos. We can¡¯t intervene in what our champions do. You wrote that rule yourself, didn¡¯t you? If you want Goren to stop, you know the answer: your little champion here ¨C ¡° he gestured lazily toward me without even glancing ¨C ¡°will have to fight back and kill him.¡± As if I can. I don¡¯t know how many runs Goren had already gone through, but he was far too strong for me to handle at the moment, or in the near future. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, and you know it.¡± Chronos said sharply, almost frustrated. ¡°The D¨¦j¨¤ vu System has its limitations early on, and Goren abuses that fact to gain the upper hand easily.¡± Dolos burst into laughter, his form shifting again. He was still a young child, though now a girl. ¡°Oh, the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System¡­¡± she said, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye. ¡°It¡¯s so stupid! What kind of a system doesn¡¯t even let its users retain their memories between runs without grinding levels first? It¡¯s not a system ¨C it¡¯s an elaborate torture device! Poor Aidan...¡± I felt my cheeks burn, anger boiling inside me. Dolos was right but hearing him mock the system so openly made me want to defend it. Or at least defend myself for having to endure it. Chronos didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°It worked so far. Thus, it¡¯s not as stupid as you think.¡± Then, he suddenly smiled. ¡°Meanwhile, your champions always meet the same fate.¡± The girl shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I don¡¯t care what end they meet, really. I¡¯m only in it to beat you.¡± ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t care. When did you ever care about anyone but yourself?¡± Chronos threw a jab at him, for the first time since our arrival. ¡°The universe itself is at stake and you treat this all like a game, like you always do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Never cared much about the universe. May it explode already. I just want to have as much fun as possible until that happens.¡± The girl grinned, seemingly unfazed by his words. ¡°But regardless, I don¡¯t see any reason to stop Goren. Killing Aidan gives him a wealth of XP, doesn¡¯t it? It¡¯s helping him level up faster and preparing him for Gaelith. Why would I take that away from him?¡± she tilted her head innocently. ¡°Now, of course, I could make him stop. But¡­¡± her grin widened. ¡°What are you willing to offer me in return?¡± Watching their back-and-forth, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling I was just a pawn in something far bigger than what I¡¯ve initially imagined. But what could I even do about it? These were literal gods, while I was just human. ¡°What do you want in return?¡± Chronos turned the question to Dolos. ¡°I want Pix.¡± Dolos fired back almost instantly. ¡°Her voice is so squeaky and annoying. It needs to go.¡± Pix? Chronos¡¯ helper? Really? Chronos didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Absolutely not. Both Pix and Balthor are off the table. Find something else.¡± Dolos¡¯ form shifted again, turning into a young woman with pale skin, jet-black hair that matched her otherworldly outfit, dark eyeliner framing piercing eyes, and a bored expression. Then, she pouted. ¡°Well, that¡¯s disappointing. Guess we won¡¯t be striking a deal after all.¡± I glanced at Chronos, wondering if he¡¯d back down, but his cold stare never wavered. ¡°Don¡¯t insult me. I know you¡¯ve waited for this moment. I know you¡¯ve been hoping things turn out exactly as they have, with Goren killing Aidan over and over. You wanted this negotiation to happen.¡± He took another step forward, towering over Dolos. ¡°Do you really think I believe its Pix you want?¡± The woman¡¯s bored expression remained, but she nodded. ¡°You know me too well, dear friend.¡± She uncrossed her legs, then crossed them again, this time with her left atop her right. ¡°Fine. You want to know what I really want?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± She leaned forward, clasping her hands under her chin, ¡°That incident you¡¯re still so bitter about¡­we both lost that time because our champions reached the finish line together. And then, well¡­we know what happened¡­¡± They both lost? ¡°Get to the point.¡± Chronos snapped. The woman suddenly smiled. ¡°This time, I¡¯m offering to end it sooner.¡± Chronos¡¯ eyes narrowed. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll force Goren to stop killing your precious Aidan.¡± She said, her tone almost reasonable. ¡°But¡­in fifty runs, when Aidan reaches his 64th loop, he and Goren will face off. One on one. A final, deadly battle. No interruptions. No interference. The winner gets to continue the game.¡± She let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. ¡°And the loser? Well, the loser won¡¯t respawn. Ever. Not in the loop, not in time, not in existence itself. Deleted.¡± My breath caught in my throat. Deleted? The very idea sent a chill down my spine. Surely, Chronos would decline, right? Then why did he look like he was considering it?! ¡°We both know you have the power to do so.¡± Dolos added. ¡°But the same rules remain: You can¡¯t intervene, no tweaking his little system, no giving him any¡­unfair advantages. Your champion fights with what he has. Just like Goren will.¡± I wanted to shout, to scream at Chronos to refuse. Fifty runs weren¡¯t nearly enough time for me to catch up to Goren. He was already clearly so far ahead. When Chronos finally spoke, I felt my knees tremble. ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I snapped and spoke for the first time since we got here. They both ignored me and shook hands, sealing the agreement. Chapter 21: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing Chapter 21: A Wolf in Sheep¡¯s Clothing Chronos made sure I¡¯d remember our meeting with Dolos and the deal he agreed to on my behalf. When I pointed out that if everything he said about Dolos was true, we couldn¡¯t trust him to hold up his end of the deal, Chronos explained that their handshake was a godly pact. And that Dolos had to honor it, or there would be consequences. When I argued that Goren might not even listen to Dolos and could keep killing me, Chronos replied that there was no doubt in his mind that Goren would comply, that he wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse Dolos¡¯ request. When I confessed there was no way in hell I could catch up to Goren in just fifty runs - that I was already a goner ¨C Chronos simply said I needed to find a way, that we couldn¡¯t afford another failure. Another? It felt like he was referring to something that happened before me. When I asked what he meant by that, and about his history with Dolos, Chronos just snapped his fingers and sent me back to reality. *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 6] [Loop Count: 15] [Experience Points (XP): 936 / 2000] . . . ¡°Hey, Spellsword.¡± I heard from behind me as I waited for Yana to return from her conversation with Lady Mikaela. Chronos couldn¡¯t let me remember his face - that would count as intervening, which was against the vague rules he and Dolos had set up - but I knew it was Goren. The ways he had murdered me escaped my memory, leaving only the knowledge that he¡¯d killed me eight times. The dark aura around him was enough to put me on edge, my hand instinctively reaching for Nightfall. ¡°Whoa, whoa, relax.¡± He said, laughing at my reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± I hissed. ¡°Looks like you remember me this time. Interesting.¡± He said, sounding thoughtful. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m here to say my goodbyes - for now.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. What was he up to? ¡°Goodbyes?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded, sounding almost disappointed. ¡°As much as I enjoyed killing you and leveling up, Dolos forbade me from doing it again - for the time being, anyway. Apparently, I¡¯m not to supposed to intervene with your attempts to level up. So, I figured I might as well join a different team altogether, so our paths won¡¯t even cross until they need to.¡± ¡°Different team?¡± I asked, confused. He looked surprised at first, then chuckled. ¡°Looks like you still don¡¯t remember everything.¡± He paused, turning away and giving me a wave. ¡°Level up and get strong, Spellsword. I wonder how much XP I¡¯ll get from killing you once we finally face off. For one last time.¡± ***
We split into teams and entered the tomb. I was on team four. Goren was not.
¡°You can''t do that.¡± Jax told the Rogue in our team once he realized the man¡¯s name didn¡¯t match the one he was given. ¡°You can¡¯t just decide to switch teams because your guild member asked you to. The guild masters put great consideration into ¨C ¡° ¡°Shut up.¡± The level 65 Rogue, Dalton, a short, middle-aged man with messy brown hair, interrupted, rolling his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll do whatever we want.¡± Jax was taken aback but quickly regained his composure. ¡°Do you even know who you¡¯re speaking to? I can disqualify your entire guild from this quest with one word to Master Lorren.¡± Dalton chuckled, gesturing toward the corridor leading to the main antechamber. ¡°Then, do it.¡± ¡°You think I won¡¯t?¡± Jax raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t.¡± Dalton replied. ¡°I¡¯ve read the official papers regarding this quest. The one-hundred-adventurer quota is mandatory for it to proceed. Disqualify my guild, and you¡¯re left with ninety-two. Maybe then you can march up to your ¡®Master Lorren¡¯ and explain that you were the reason the quest fell apart.¡± He placed a hand on Jax¡¯s shoulder condescendingly, smirking. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get going, eh, leader?¡± Seeing how obnoxious Jax was, everyone but Henry and Dina reacted with a smile. *** Dalton wasn¡¯t a man of action ¨C or rather, he didn¡¯t actively participate in the clearing of the chambers. He simply followed us from behind, issuing warnings, pointers, and strategic advice. All of it came in a measured tone, like that of a teacher genuinely concerned about everyone¡¯s progress. And despite being a Rogue - a class that usually evoked dread and contempt - the party seemed to gravitate toward his guidance. Well, everyone except Jax and me. But while Jax refused to play along because he had effectively lost his position as party leader ¨C even young Henry, Jax¡¯s apprentice, seemed to follow Dalton ¨C I couldn¡¯t bring myself to trust him, no matter what he said or did. He was from the same guild as Goren. And I¡¯d be damned if I ever trusted a guild member of the man who had already murdered me eight times. Knowing that time was of the essence for me, I often broke away from our formation, rolling on my own to land as many kills as I could on the Undead Warriors while practicing my air magic in the process. Eventually, I gained a total of 510 XP from this section of the tomb. Fifty runs might sound like a lot, but if Goren was strong enough to warrant Chronos¡¯ intervention, it meant I needed to gain as much XP as possible. Not just to defeat Erebus and escape this time loop, but to actually stay alive. To do that, I had to be bold. Bold, but not stupid. There was no point in fighting impossible enemies if I was still under leveled, but slaying these undead, for example, was a piece of cake. Even though each only gave a measly 34 XP, it would eventually add up to something significant.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. We had just finished clearing the last chamber and were about to return when Dalton called out to me. ¡°You¡¯ve got a reckless fighting style, son. There are no consequences when the enemies are as weak as those undead, but don¡¯t make a habit of it, okay?¡± I glanced at him, then around us. I wasn¡¯t comfortable with staying one-on-one with him. Goren might¡¯ve sent him to kill me ¨C a loophole in our agreement with Dolos. The rest of our party had already exited this chamber, so I decided to ignore him and walk away. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± he called after me, but I kept moving, unwilling to respond. ¡°Wait,¡± he called again, quickening his pace behind me, unrelenting. ¡°Oh, for the love of God, can you wait for a moment? I want to ask you something.¡± For reasons I couldn¡¯t explain, I decided to stop and hear him out. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you something about Goren.¡± Dalton said. ¡°Ask me about Goren?¡± I echoed, confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t he from your guild?¡± ¡°He is.¡± Dalton nodded, a weak smile tugging at the corner of his lips. ¡°He¡¯s a good lad.¡± A good lad? The person who murdered me eight times for fun and levels is a good lad? Dalton must have noticed my expression because he quickly added. ¡°I see you don¡¯t share the sentiment.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I replied sharply, already turning to leave. ¡°Please, wait.¡± Dalton said, stopping me with a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you two know each other or what Goren did to earn your hate, but believe me when I say you¡¯ve likely just misunderstood him.¡± ¡°Misunderstood him?¡± I repeated, raising both eyebrows. ¡°That guy ¨C ¡° I stopped myself before saying something I shouldn¡¯t. ¡°He¡¯s just terrible at conveying his thoughts and emotions.¡± Dalton explained, sounding completely oblivious to the reality of the situation. ¡°I¡¯ve known him for a few years now. Everything he¡¯s done for our guild was to make enough money to pay for his mother¡¯s medical bills and to look after his younger brother. A person like that can¡¯t be bad, can they?¡± I rolled my eyes. I didn¡¯t want to listen to this nonsense. ¡°If you want to ask something, then do it already.¡± I said impatiently. ¡°Well, I sort of already got the answer.¡± Dalton rubbed the back of his head, a disappointed expression on his face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You see, I don¡¯t think I ever saw Goren with a friend. He¡¯s a lone wolf. But when he came up to me this morning and asked me to switch teams with him and to watch over an Aidan, I was pleasantly surprised.¡± Dalton paused, his tone softening. ¡°Not only did he have a friend, but he was worried about him - despite their differences ¨C and asked me to look out for him.¡± Dalton sighed heavily before continuing. ¡°I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is¡­try to forgive him and understand where he¡¯s coming from. He¡¯s had a difficult life, but he clearly values you as a friend.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it - a small chuckle escaped me, quickly growing into laughter. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rich.¡± Dalton stared at me, confused and bewildered. It was only then that I realized he was likely serious ¨C that this wasn¡¯t some act Goren had set him up for - which somehow made me laugh even harder. ¡°Did I say something funny?¡± Dalton asked, looking genuinely perplexed. I wiped a tear from my eye, still chuckling, before turning to leave. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ***
Sealed inside by Gaelith. The Wolves attacked ¨C [+318 XP] The Moles attacked ¨C We escaped. Checkpoint was wasted. Killed some more Undead on our way ¨C [+238 XP] ¨C Leveled Up.
[D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 7] [Loop Count: 15] [Experience Points (XP): 2 / 2500] Before choosing a skill and a stat to level up, I tricked Yana, sending her down the right corridor at an intersection to escort Melissa and Lena. When Checkpoint was wasted, it felt like the weight of the world crashed down on me. I was going to face Goren in fifty runs, with my entire existence on the line - whatever that entailed - and here I was, wasting my strongest skill on nothing. This failure, coupled with seeing the mark I¡¯d left for myself, was enough to make me refuse to follow Yana and seek my own solutions. Of course, she never wanted to leave my side, which made tricking her necessary. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System¡¯s skills. Each of them had a single point, and now I had to decide which one to prioritize ¨C where my attention should go early on. I couldn¡¯t repeat the same mistake I made with my Intelligence stat in the Core System - the way I had ignored it, believing I would become a legendary hero. Sad, really...just a level 50 here... Checkpoint was the strongest and most useful skill, obviously. But judging by my current run, I was likely wasting it too often, setting the anchor but failing to use it. If I wanted to improve my decision-making and retain at least some clues from my previous runs, there was only one choice: D¨¦j¨¤ vu. [Skill Upgraded: D¨¦j¨¤ vu lvl.2] [Next Level: lvl.3: Increases the frequency and clarity of D¨¦j¨¤ vu even more] Good¡­I think. For the stat, I decided to allocate the additional point to Endurance, bringing it to a total of 8. My main thought was simple: increase my stamina to compliment my Agility. I turned toward the left corridor to explore the continuation of the mural when I suddenly froze. My heart began racing, and my gaze instinctively dropped to the ground as if danger was lurking there ¨C D¨¦j¨¤ vu level 2 at work. I decided to activate Afterimage, hoping to see what D¨¦j¨¤ vu was trying to warn me about. The ghostly version of myself walked forward and then¡­it fell. It was as if the ground swallowed me. A trap! From a distance, I carefully scanned the ground where my afterimage had stepped before plummeting into the unknown, taking care not to enter the corridor myself. It looked perfectly normal ¨C nothing out of place. Realizing the trap¡¯s mechanism must be well-hidden, I rifled through my inventory and selected a Trap Detection Kit. I hadn¡¯t used one in ages, but its description had stuck with me: A single-use tool, disposable but invaluable when walking into the unknown. The kit materialized in my hand ¨C a small, circular device made of metal, fitting perfectly into my palm. Its surface was covered with faintly glowing magical runes. Following the instructions I remembered, I set the kit down just at the edge of the corridor and activated it. The runes brightened, and a soft hum filled the air as blue lights spread out of the device, sweeping slowly across the floor, walls, and ceiling inside the corridor. Then, the lights stopped, locking onto three distinct spots with beams of red light. The main one targeted a plate on the ground ¨C stepping on it would likely collapse the floor. The other two beams, one on each wall, revealed slits housing hidden crossbows, likely designed to fire at anything moving while the trap reset. ¡°Lovely.¡± I muttered, watching as the device dimmed and crumbled, just like it was advertised. I drew Nightfall, and used Luminous Slash, sending two crescents at the hidden crossbows, shattering them both, hoping I hadn¡¯t made too much noise. With that taken care of, I stepped inside, moving around the pressure plate on the floor. The floor crackled under my steps, but nothing happened. I turned to the wall, examining the continuation of the mural, but most of it was faded or chipped away. I wanted to equip my torch to see it better, but then a low, guttural sound stopped me ¨C a faint grunt, coming from the far end of the corridor. My grip on Nightfall tightened instinctively. At first, all I could make out was a shadowed figure stepping out from the darkness. I thought it might be an adventurer ¨C another survivor of the Grave Moles¡¯ slaughter who had somehow made it this far. But as the figure moved closer, I realized how wrong I was. It was clad in medium-weight armor, but nothing like the standard fare of knights I¡¯d seen before. The armor was blackened and twisted, with spikes jutting from its pauldrons and helmet. An engraving of an X glowed with a sickly green hue on its breastplate. In its hand was a glaive, matching the same eerie green, its end resting on the ground. But it wasn¡¯t just the armor that unsettled me ¨C it was the man inside. His flesh pale and rotting. His eyes milky white. He reminded me of the Undead Warriors we stumbled upon so far. Yet, he was different as well. Above his head, a name and level showed: Undead General Kaelstrife ¨C Level 75. Wait a minute¡­THE General Kaelstrife?? The one from the history books? As I stared, he lowered his helmet¡¯s visor, revealing a skull that sent shivers down my spine. I barely had time to react as his glaive sliced through the air, coming straight at me. Chapter 22: General Kaelstrife Chapter 22: General Kaelstrife I didn¡¯t even have time to wonder if this was the General Kaelstrife who brought countless glories to Tepan on the battlefield a thousand years ago. All my focus was on dodging. He continued slicing through the air with his glaive in wide arcs, from wall to wall. I wish I''ve had a moment to use some of the items in my second inventory - Skyroot Powder for enhanced stamina regeneration, in particular - but Kaelstrife left me constantly occupied. I threw myself backward, using Dash Step several times in rapid succession to evade his strikes, but the pressure was relentless. He moved unnervingly fast for someone ¨C or something ¨C that was supposed to be dead. His armor clinked faintly with each step, the sound filling the corridor. Then, he suddenly stepped back and lowered his stance, his glaive pointed directly at me. The green light along the glaive flared brighter and began crackling. He was charging an attack, and whatever it was, I didn¡¯t want to find out how it worked. But escape was problematic. The narrow corridor hemmed me in, and turning to run would only leave my back wide open. In short, dodging might be nearly impossible in this confined space. Determined to cancel his attack, I decided to use Horizon for the first time. I swung Nightfall horizontally and it released a crescent-shaped wind strike, aimed directly at Kaelstrife. It was as wide as the corridor, chipping some of the bricks on the walls as it flew forward. But once it hit him, it barely did anything. A bit of Kaelstrife''s HP dropped, but he was still channeling his ability. With no other choice left, I activated Moon Barrier, gripping Nightfall tightly. The barrier materialized around me instantly. Meanwhile, Kaelstrife¡¯s glaive burned even brighter before he lunged, turning into a blur of motion, the tip of his glaive leading the charge, leaving a streak of green light in its wake. The impact was devastating. The glaive struck the barrier, and the force of the collision reverberated across the corridor, cracking the walls and the ground around it. The floor beneath me trembled, fractures spidering out in every direction and I questioned whether Moon Barrier could even withstand the assault as Kaelstrife¡¯s wasn¡¯t done ¨C he kept pressing forward, seemingly pouring even more power into his charged attack. The answer came quickly as the barrier crackled, fissures spreading across its shimmering surface like splintering glass. I didn¡¯t have time to hesitate. Activating Wind Rush a millisecond before the barrier shattered, I leapt, air magic propelling me higher - just over Kaelstrife¡¯s charging form beneath me. The ground splintered further in his wake as he barreled forward, nearly reaching the end of the corridor from which I had originally entered. I landed in a crouch, Nightfall in hand, and scrambled backward, trying to create space. But he recovered too quickly. He adjusted his stance and then launched himself toward me, his armored body soaring through the air. The motion was so sudden that instinct and Wind Rush took over. I dropped and rolled beneath him, bracing for a devastating follow-up ¨C but it didn¡¯t come. Rising to my feet, I glanced back at him, confused. He had landed near the far end of the corridor, close to where I¡¯d first seen him, and turned to face me again, his glaive at the ready. I was surprised at first, but then, looking past him, it clicked. Whatever lay beyond him, shrouded in the darkness at the far end of the corridor, was something he had to guard. And the only way to find out what it was would be to get past him. Easier said than done. I¡¯d already told myself that fighting impossible enemies shouldn¡¯t be my priority. The only likely outcome would be death and a wasted run, bringing me closer to my inevitable confrontation with Goren. Then, an idea popped into my mind. I didn¡¯t have to fight him¡­ I glanced back at the pressure tile on the floor. If I could lure him into stepping on it, he¡¯d plummet into the trap, leaving the coast clear for me to investigate whatever he was guarding ¨C likely something that would help me defeat Gaelith and Erebus. I glanced at Kaelstrife, but he wasn¡¯t charging at me this time. He stood close to the area he was guarding, as if waiting for me to make the first move. He wasn¡¯t going to come unless I forced him. I sighed, knowing I had only a minute left on Wind Rush. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste another second waiting for him. I moved forward quickly, Nightfall aimed at him. As soon as I got close enough, Kaelstrife reacted, his glaive slicing through the air with a sharp whistle. I dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade as it smashed into the stone floor beside me, leaving a visible crack. He advanced, swinging his glaive again in a precise diagonal arc. I used Dash Step, evading the attack as I retreated a few paces. Step by step, Kaelstrife followed, his attacks unrelenting and his combos eerily precise. But I managed to stay ahead, locked in a constant state of dodging. The continuous use of Dash Step was taking its toll on my mana bar, and the system was kind enough to remind me of that. [Mana: 39%]The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Another notification followed. [Wind Rush Expiring. Time Remaining: 00:00:24] Twenty-four seconds left. Not much, but the pressure tile was right behind me now. Kaelstrife raised his glaive and lunged at me with another roar. This is it. I backflipped, my heart racing as I avoided the tile, using the last burst of Wind Rush to propel me higher and farther. A rush of air seemed to physically carry me just beyond the trapdoor as Kaelstrife¡¯s boots and glaive hit the ground. There was a sharp, mechanical click, followed by the groaning sound of stone grinding against stone. The ground beneath him gave way, the trapdoor collapsing beneath him, and then he dropped, vanishing into the darkness below. The trapdoor slammed shut, sealing the pit once more. I stood there, panting and clutching Nightfall, adrenaline still coursing through my veins as I tried to catch my breath. It worked! It actually worked! I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. Carefully, I stepped around the pressure tile and moved forward. The corridor was dead silent, the only sound being the soft thud of my boots against the stone floor. Was that really the legendary General Karl Kaelstrife? And if it was, how had he ended up here as an Undead, guarding¡­what? Had his king sent him to deliver the treasures to Gaelith? But that wasn¡¯t what history taught us. History claimed Kaelstrife died an honorable death on the battlefield, fighting the usurper. I glanced ahead toward the end of the corridor, anticipation building within me. Whatever he had been protecting had to be significant. Maybe something ¨C A sound cut through my thoughts. The groan of strained metal grinding against stone. I froze, every sense sharpening. The sound was coming from beneath me. ¡°No way¡­¡± I whispered as the noise grew louder, like something massive was forcing its way upward. My grip on Nightfall tightened as I slowly backed away. Then, the ground beneath the trapdoor exploded. Stone fragments shot outward as Kaelstrife erupted from the floor, his glaive leading the way. The force of his emergence sent a shockwave through the corridor, knocking me backward. Momentum carried me into a roll, and I quickly pushed myself back to my feet. I stared at him as he stood there, menacingly, his glaive aimed directly at me. His stance shifted, lowering himself as his glaive began charging up the same attack form before. Moon Barrier was still on cooldown. What could I ¨C A fiery explosion slammed into Kaelstrife¡¯s back, sending him staggering forward and breaking his charge. His health bar dropped too ¨C about a fifth gone from the unexpected attack. I blinked in surprise, glancing past him to see Yana, her sword ablaze with her fire magic. She returned. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she called, sounding worried. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I managed, a weak smile tugging at my lips. ¡°Just in time, as always.¡± Her gaze shifted to Kaelstrife, narrowing as she read the name. ¡°Kaelstrife? Like the general?¡± I only managed to throw back a simple ¡°Yeah,¡± as Kaelstrife recovered and lunged at me, his glaive slicing through the air with terrifying speed. I wanted to dodge, but Wind Rush was on cooldown, and without it, I doubted I could. Desperate, I activated Bladesurge, hoping the enhanced stats on Nightfall would be enough to block the incoming damage. They weren¡¯t. The impact sent a shockwave through my body, the sheer force throwing me backward into the wall. [Health: 64%] A third of my HP gone in a single strike ¨C even with the block. That¡¯s why I hated blocking. But there was no doubt that without it, I¡¯d already be dead. He closed in on me again, but Yana darted toward him with Blade Rush. Her sword struck first, glowing with fire, but he turned just in time to parry her strike and counter with the other end of his weapon. Yana recovered quickly, and they exchanged blows in rapid succession. Yana¡¯s strikes, infused with bursts of magic, scorched Kaelstrife¡¯s armor. She was faster, reducing his health to half, and for a moment, it seemed like she might gain the upper hand. But then Kaelstrife roared, his body radiating the all-too-familiar darkness. Suddenly, his movements became faster, his attacks stronger. He began incorporating new moves, spinning his glaive quickly, striking with both ends. Yana blocked as best as she could, but his blows were too powerful, still dealing damage. I knew I had to do something. I couldn¡¯t watch her get killed. Not again. Not if I could do something about it. I didn¡¯t want her to get involved in this, but there was nothing to do about it now. I quickly opened my second inventory, selecting a Spark Bomb. The item description flashed in my mind: 50% chance to stun afflicted targets for 5 seconds. ¡°Yana, dodge!¡± I shouted, lobbing two bombs toward Kaelstrife in succession to increase the odds of a stun. She leapt back just as the bombs erupted in bursts of lightning, jolting Kaelstrife. His health bar dipped to around a third, but to my dismay, the stun didn¡¯t take. He turned, his eyes glowing red through his visor as he targeted me. ¡°Damn.¡± I muttered, just barely dodging with Dash Step. But he followed up immediately, his glaive coming straight at me. I braced for death. But the blow never landed. Yana darted in, her sword intercepting the glaive with a metallic clang. ¡°Go!¡± she shouted, straining under the weight of the strike. I didn¡¯t hesitate. Using Dash Step to gain distance, I selected my last Spark Bomb and hurled it at Kaelstrife, warning Yana again. She rolled out of the way as the bomb hit its mark. My heart pounded as I wondered what are the odds of a stun failing three times in a row. But this time, the lightning enveloping Kaelstrife triggered the desired effect. His movements stopped, and we both knew this was our chance, the understanding between us silent. I activated Flame Sword and rushed him with Blade Rush, enhancing the attack with a Time Delay Swing, dealing some nice damage with the guaranteed critical hits. Sparks flew as Yana unleashed a flurry of her own strikes, her sword glowing as she landed her blows, and we brought him down on his knees. Kelstrife¡¯s HP bar dropped rapidly until it reached 0%. I stepped back, my breathing heavy, sweat dripping down my forehead as I stared at his still form. I hoped that I landed the last hit, but it was too close to tell. Either way, for some reason the system notification didn¡¯t appear for neither of us it seemed. Before we could question it, a scream escaped Kaelstrife¡¯s mouth ¨C a sound so distorted and inhuman it made my skin crawl. Then, the aura of darkness around him seemed to come alive, growing and writhing around his body violently. ¡°Step back.¡± Yana said sharply, grabbing my arm and pulling me away. We watched as the darkness stopped growing and instead, Kaelstrife¡¯s entire body ignited on fire. But not just regular fire ¨C it was dark fire. Above him, the text changed: Dark Undead General Kaelstrife ¨C Level ??? His health bar regenerated in an instant, filling to 100% as his body grew larger, his armor shifting and warping. Before we could react, he rose to his feet, his glaive blazing with the same dark fire that consumed him. With a roar, he drove the blade into the ground, summoning a massive explosion of dark fire around him. We flung backwards, engulfed in dark flames, dying instantly. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 23: A Deadline Chapter 23: A Deadline ¡°You¡¯re finally showing some progress.¡± I heard Chronos¡¯ voice as I woke up. My surroundings came into focus as I sat up. I was in an open space with a smooth wooden floor marked by strange white lines arranged in patterns I couldn¡¯t understand. Elevated hoops with woven nets hanging below them were positioned at either end of the room. I was near one of them, and not far from me stood Chronos, an orange ball in his hands. He bounced it against the floor once, the sound echoing through the empty space around us. Then again. And again. The rhythmic thuds made my already aching head throb worse as memories of Kaelstrife reanimating and obliterating me and Yana with a single attack came flooding back. Chronos stopped bouncing the ball and, with a flick of his wrist, launched it toward the hoop. It struck the rim and ricocheted to the side, but before it could hit the ground, Chronos raised his hand. The ball reversed its trajectory, retracing its path, hitting the rim again before landing neatly back in his hands. I stared at him, not sure what to feel, think, or what he was even talking about. Progress? What progress? ¡°What¡­what?¡± was the only thing I managed to say, frustrated and irritated. Chronos didn¡¯t answer right away. He tossed the ball once in the air first and caught it with ease. ¡°You¡¯re upset,¡± he said, not looking at me. ¡°Understandable.¡± The audacity¡­ ¡°Upset?¡± I echoed, my voice rising as I scrambled to my feet. ¡°You put my entire existence on the line - erasure from existence - and now you want to talk about progress?¡± Chronos shrugged, angering me further. ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal. If you fail to defeat Erebus, you¡¯ll cease to exist anyway.¡± His words hit me like a punch, dragging me back to why all this had started. ¡°Sure, but at least against Erebus, I didn¡¯t have a deadline hanging over my head. Now, I¡¯m only forty-nine loops away from being erased.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not entirely true.¡± Chronos replied matter-of-factly. ¡°There¡¯s a deadline against Erebus too. I just didn¡¯t tell you before because I didn¡¯t want to add more pressure.¡± I felt like my blood turned cold. ¡°What? How long were you planning to keep this a secret?¡± ¡°For as long as I thought necessary.¡± He said flatly. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to know. Besides, you were progressing well enough - until Goren started farming you.¡± I stared at him in disbelief, slowly realizing how grave my situation was. ¡°How¡­how much time do I have?¡± ¡°Against Erebus? 66th run will be your last.¡± Chronos replied, his expression serious. Then, his lips curved into a smile. ¡°But if you finish him before that, you won¡¯t have to face a certain someone, if you know what I mean¡­¡± My mind quickly connected the dots. There was loophole ¨C one in our favor? ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you thought about this before agreeing to the deal with Dolos¡­¡± ¡°You clearly underestimate the young master, Mr. Dar.¡± Balthor¡¯s voice was loud. ¡°You need to trust him more. He knows what he¡¯s doing!¡± Pix¡¯s high-pitched voice chimed in. Chronos chuckled, tossing the ball into the air and catching it on his index finger, spinning it lazily. ¡°Of course I thought about it. Dolos has no idea how many loops the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System allows each millenia since the setting changes every time. I assume fifty was a wild guess on his part, not knowing that in total it¡¯s fairly close to this cycle¡¯s maximum.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± I blurted out, struggling to keep up. ¡°Why 66? Is it even possible for me to get strong enough to defeat Erebus in such a short timeframe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not short.¡± Chronos fired back, displeasure visible on his face. ¡°The system determines the maximal number of runs needed for the task. Now, that doesn¡¯t guarantee success within those runs, but at the same time, it also doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll actually need all of them. In the past, I had champions who completed their task thirty, sometimes even forty runs early.¡± He paused before continuing. ¡°As for strength, it¡¯s true that one can overpower Erebus after enough loops, but this is not the only way to beat him. The champions I mentioned, those who managed to complete the task earlier than predicted, managed to do it thanks to their wits.¡± I took a deep breath. It was reassuring. The only good news in a while¡­ ¡°So you¡¯re saying I could end this nightmare before the 64th run and avoid the fight with Goren altogether¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying.¡± Chronos replied, clearly satisfied with himself. ¡°Though I expect Dolos to intervene somehow ¨C within the rules, of course. He wouldn¡¯t be the God of Deception if he didn¡¯t, but for now, I¡¯d say we have the upper hand.¡± Things slowly started making more sense, but I was still afraid. ¡°And you think 66 runs is enough for me? I¡¯m already a quarter in with nothing to show for it.¡± Chronos shook his head. ¡°No, no. You¡¯re fine. You reached the right place this run. You won¡¯t remember that you did when you wake up, but I trust you¡¯ll get back there again on your own. You just need to get past Kaelstrife. Whatever he¡¯s guarding in that room will get you closer to achieving our goal.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. My heart raced at his suggestion. ¡°If you know that, can¡¯t you just tell me what¡¯s in there?¡± Chronos frowned. ¡°Sadly, no. I told you from the start - I can¡¯t intervene in what you do. And now, after the godly pact with Dolos, my hands are even more tied. You¡¯ll have to take out Kaelstrife to find out.¡± I laughed bitterly. ¡°Right. Just get past him. Like that¡¯s so easy. Did you miss the part where he reanimated and killed us with one attack?¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°Erebus¡¯ direct intervention. Because of Yana.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°You remember she¡¯s marked, right?¡± Chronos raised a rhetorical question. ¡°Being marked by Erebus means constant surveillance. When she helped you defeat Kaelstrife, Erebus intervened to stop her. You were just collateral damage.¡± My confused expression prompted him to continue. ¡°The marked ones are suspected of being my champions. Anything they do is monitored by Erebus and he stops them when he feels like it. If Yana wasn¡¯t there, you would¡¯ve died to Kaelstrife, but in the wild chance you somehow defeated him on your own, he wouldn¡¯t have reanimated.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, the pieces fitting together. Yana¡¯s mark wasn¡¯t just a curse attracting the dungeon¡¯s monsters ¨C it was a beacon to Erebus himself. The implications settled in. I needed to stay away from her as much as possible ¨C not just for my safety, and the success of this mission, but for hers too. From Goren as well. Not just because he wanted to farm me, but because his progress was likely already halted by Erebus. ¡°Your eyes tell me you understand now.¡± Chronos said, a genuine smile on his face. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to Dolos¡¯ deal if I thought the terms were against us. Noticed how I said us? Because we¡¯re in this together. Your failure is my failure.¡± Pix chimed in again. ¡°Master is always so kind.¡± Chronos rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m still angry, Pix.¡± Then, he tossed the ball at me. ¡°Catch.¡± I caught it, feeling its rubbery texture. An earlier question was still haunting me. ¡°Will you tell me about the incident Dolos mentioned?¡± Chronos¡¯ expression soured but he didn¡¯t look angry like last time. ¡°I will.¡± He replied. ¡°But not right now.¡± It wasn¡¯t the answer I wanted, but it seemed like we were making some progress, so I decided to let it be, turning to the second question that bothered me. ¡°How does Erebus decide who to mark?¡± Chronos chuckled, his spirits visibly lifting. ¡°Wow, this is a serious question. To answer this, I¡¯ll need to dive into advanced physics and statistics. We don¡¯t have enough time for this now, but maybe next time?¡± I raised an eyebrow but nodded. At least he didn¡¯t outright refuse. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Chronos smiled and pointed to the hoop beside us. ¡°Take a shot. It¡¯s called basketball. It¡¯s fun.¡± I shrugged, and decided to play along, bouncing the ball a few times like he had earlier. ¡°You¡¯re a natural.¡± He commented, looking amused. I nodded, satisfied with myself. ¡°Quick hands.¡± Chronos laughed. ¡°You damn agility-build users.¡± I launched the ball toward the hoop. It arced gracefully, swishing through the net as everything went dark. *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 7] [Loop Count: 16] [Experience Points (XP): 2 / 2500] I woke up with my conversation with Chronos still lingering in my mind. The important parts - the ones where we discussed my last run - were missing. But one thing was clear: I had done something right, and Chronos seemed satisfied with my progress. I also recalled the true meaning of Erebus¡¯ mark on Yana and Goren. I needed to make sure I avoided Yana as much as possible. The idea of pushing her away pained me - this entire quest was supposed to be about reconnecting with her and adventuring together like we used to. But I knew there was no other choice. His words about the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System stuck with me. Sixty-six runs. That was the maximum number of runs allowed for me. And yet, it was possible to defeat Erebus much earlier than that and avoid the confrontation with Goren. He also said that the key wasn¡¯t strength. Meaning, I needed to use my brain to figure out how. Now, if only I could remember what I did last time¡­Easier said than done. ¡°¡­inventory¡­¡± I heard an Echo and instinctively navigated to my second inventory. The array of items was overwhelming, and I couldn¡¯t tell what past me was trying to warn me about - if he even was ¨C or if he was just preparing for everything. The only clue was the Gethril Roots. I was about to close the inventory and get ready for Yana¡¯s arrival when a sudden thought hit me. Of course I couldn¡¯t learn anything new from the second inventory when it was cluttered with all these items. It was too much, and my past selves likely felt the same for gods-know-how-many runs now. But moving everything to the first inventory would just end up with the items ¡°disappearing¡± for good as at the start of the loop ¨C the moment when I wake up ¨C they¡¯re not there. Instead of going along with the loop as I likely had before, I needed to return the second inventory¡¯s original purpose: a tool for communicating with my future selves. But how could I do that? Was the only way really just to move them to the first inventory and call it a day? But if I did that, how can I be sure I would pick them up in the next run? They might be useful and I¡¯m not exactly in a position to pass on anything that could potentially help me. Surprisingly, my thoughts turned to Christian. Maybe the items in the second inventory were from him originally. Either way, I could always start each run restocking at our guild. I just needed to make sure that at the beginning of each loop, in the morning, I would make that a priority. But how, Aidan? How?! Think, damn it! Then, a thought crossed my mind. I glanced at the Temporal Trace skill. It showed: 1/1 marks set. That meant I had already left a mark for myself somewhere ¨C probably in the dungeon. I wonder if I can¡­ [Temporal Trace Lvl.1: Remove all marks?] [YES / NO] Hoping I wasn¡¯t about to remove anything important, I selected YES. [Temporal Trace Lvl.1: All marks removed] Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the kitchen table, a place I was certain to visit at the start of each run while preparing breakfast. On the table lay several documents regarding the quest to Gaelith¡¯s Tomb ¨C papers Christian had passed to me to help me get ready. One of the documents was Christian¡¯s official approval of my participation in the quest. And at the bottom of the page was his signature. I focused on the signature and activated Temporal Trace, leaving a glowing orb exactly on top of it. [Temporal Trace: A mark has been set] Good. Even future me wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to miss such a clear clue. As for now, I moved all the items I had in the second inventory to the first one, leaving behind only the Gethril Roots and coins. Then, feeling more confident than ever, I waited for Yana. Once she arrived, we headed to Christian to stock up before beginning the quest. Chapter 24: Solo Chapter 24: Solo
We stocked up at Christian''s, then raced to the tomb. We split into teams and entered. I was on team four. We cleared the three chambers that were designated for us. Moving faster than ever, I slayed 18 Undead Warriors, earning 612 XP.
We made our way back to the main antechamber, with me trailing behind. Dalton, apparently Goren¡¯s replacement, said something amusing ¨C that Goren was actually a good guy. Good one. Feeling uncomfortable with Dalton walking behind me, I stopped, opening my inventory, pretending to check something. [Inventory #1] Then, I moved to my second inventory. [Inventory #2] As I¡¯d hoped, he decided to move ahead. ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind.¡± Dalton warned. ¡°We might¡¯ve cleared this area, but who knows what else this dungeon has in store for us.¡± I nodded quickly, eager to get rid of him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be right there. Just need to check some of my items.¡± He shrugged, then continued forward, and I was left alone in the first chamber we¡¯d cleared. Good. In truth, I wanted to be left alone. During our walk to the tomb, a plan had solidified in my mind - to explore it by myself. And now was the best opportunity to do this. And I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Assuming most of my runs likely follow a similar path, with only minor changes here and there, as I¡¯m unlikely to take any irrational decisions that go against my own better judgement, the most logical explanation for Chronos being satisfied with my progress would be that I did something completely out of character ¨C something Aidan Dar wouldn¡¯t normally even think about doing. Returning to the main antechamber to report? I likely did that every run. Following Yana constantly? Most likely. But going deeper into the tomb for solo exploration? Ding, ding, ding! That¡¯s definitely not something I¡¯d do. And if Chronos was finally happy, it was likely because I did something unpredictable like this and learned something important. Now, I just needed to repeat that. Also, Yana had always been my anchor in all of this. My past selves had probably clung to her, wanting to keep her safe, haunted by her death and our fault in it. But now, knowing her mark was also a beacon for Erebus, I had no choice ¨C I had to stay away from her. I needed to finish this on my own. We will reconnect after I succeed. After all of this is over. When that happens, hopefully, I¡¯d get to keep the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System and continue leveling up. Then, we could start adventuring together again. I could stand as her equal ¨C not just as a partner, but¡­maybe something more. Exiting the chamber, I returned to the first level¡¯s main corridor. If I continued left, I would reach the main antechamber, the guild masters, and Yana. But if I turned right and pressed on, I¡¯d pass the chambers the other teams were exploring. And if I kept going even deeper, I¡¯d supposedly reach the stairs leading to the second level. This was my last chance to change my mind, but my resolve was firm. I took a deep breath and turned right. Worst case scenario ¨C I¡¯ll die and wake up again. *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 7] [Loop Count: 16] [Experience Points (XP): 614 / 2500] As I reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped onto the second level, I realized I couldn¡¯t see a damn thing. The darkness wasn¡¯t welcoming - not at all. I suddenly appreciated how much light Dina, our team¡¯s enchantress, had provided during our exploration of the first level. Without her, the shadows felt a lot more suffocating.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. I wondered if I should use the Lumindew I¡¯d picked from Christian this morning or simply rely on a torch. After a moment of consideration, I chose the latter, deciding to save my consumables for later. [Select: Torch] The enchanted torch materialized in my right hand and lit up instantly. The light it cast, however, was underwhelming ¨C barely illuminating a step and a half all directions. Still, it was enough to get a sense of the likely layout of the second level as I moved cautiously forward. This level seemed similar to the first: a long, dark, and wide corridor stretching ahead, with multiple open chambers branching off on either side. The main difference was likely the staircase. On this level, the stairs to the third level would probably be at the other end, directly opposite to where I was now. This crisscross design likely continued on each level all the way down to Gaelith¡¯s chamber. Before taking another step, I decided to activate Checkpoint. This level was unexplored, and the odds of stumbling upon enemies were high. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] [Checkpoint lvl. 1: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 29:59] Torch in hand, I walked as carefully and silently as I could, unsure of who ¨C or what ¨C might be lurking in those chambers. More Undead like those we encountered earlier would be welcomed ¨C free XP, but anything stronger might prove too dangerous and just waste Checkpoint. Reaching the first chamber, I paused to listen for any noise inside. Hearing none, I slowly peeked around the corner. The immediate area was empty, so I stepped inside. After a quick inspection, I confirmed the chamber was completely empty. Even the walls were bare, lacking the patterns and small images that adorned those on the first level. However, there was a corridor branching off, similar to how the chamber we explored earlier led to an additional three. I decided to move forward, wondering if this was the same choice I made in my previous run, reluctant to use Afterimage so early considering its ten minutes cooldown. I was glad I didn¡¯t since the corridor ended in a dead end. A large stone door blocked the way, but it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary stone door. In the center, slightly protruding, was a golden circle with a hand-shaped engraving. Beneath it was an inscription written in ancient Tepanese - a language I had luckily studied in school for extra credit. Though it was very rusty, I managed to read the engraved inscription: [Come forth, child of Axul] What an odd inscription for a tomb¡­Who even brings children to a tomb in the first place? But all jokes aside, my Intelligence stat was now high enough to discern that the golden circle was enchanted. Combined with the inscription, it likely meant only someone with Axul blood could open the door. Axul¡­I ran through what little I knew about them. The Axul were a deeply traditional people who remained faithful to their belief in the old gods ¨C the Creator and the Destroyer ¨C while the rest of the kingdom, and the world, moved on, embracing new religions and philosophies. They accepted the changes around them without preaching, choosing to live in seclusion in villages such as this, Moonvale. Eventually ¨C and no one really knows how ¨C their people, and their beliefs ¨C vanished. But this was a tomb. Why was there an enchanted door here? Had someone important to them been interred behind it? A shaman, perhaps ¨C or whatever religious role they had in their society? But if it was someone so significant, why inter them on such a high level when the tomb supposedly extended down for over thirty levels? I sighed, my Intelligence not yet high enough to bypass the enchantment. Disenchantment magic required at least 20 points in Intelligence, and I was still eight points off from that threshold. Not wanting to waste Checkpoint, I turned around and resumed exploring, hoping that a future version of me would be able to enter this chamber and answer my questions. Then, a tremor shook the corridor. *** The tremor was brief, likely not an earthquake. I was about to return to the corridor when I heard rhythmic thudding echoing from outside. I tensed, and instinctively backed away, pressing myself against the wall. Extinguishing my torch, I quickly consumed a Lumindew. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] As my vision adjusted, I froze. A pack of large wolves with milky white eyes tore through the corridor outside. Undead Wolves, level 70. Dozens of them barreled forward, moving ferociously like mindless beasts. I held my breath, hoping they wouldn¡¯t notice me. But one of them - likely the last in the pack ¨C suddenly stopped at the entrance to the chamber. Its nose twitched as it sniffed the air, then it slowly stepped inside. There was no doubt in my mind ¨C it had sensed me. I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I was twelve levels behind it, but I still fancied my chances. Slowly, I unsheathed Nightfall, preparing myself for the fight. ¡°Let¡¯s dance, motherfucker.¡± I muttered under my breath. Then, two more entered the chamber. You''ve got to be kidding me¡­ *** With Checkpoint doing its job, I reawakened next to the staircase, immediately clutching my neck, struggling to breathe. The damn wolves had torn me to pieces! The finishing blow was one of their maws clamping down on my neck. But I hadn¡¯t gone out without a fight. I managed to take one of them with me, expending an Ember Flask, and Oil Flask, and enough mana to force me to use two mana elixirs. But hey, 318 XP is 318 XP. Now, knowing what was coming, I had a choice: I could hide in that chamber and set up a trap for the three wolves, or I could just try progressing forward, skipping the dead-end chamber this time. What had past me done? I decided against using Afterimage again. I wasn¡¯t even sure how it would work after Checkpoint activated. Would I see an afterimage of myself before the Checkpoint or after? It was too risky to waste it here - it could still be useful to me in this run. There was no guarantee I wouldn¡¯t stumble into the entire pack if I decided to move forward. It was safer to wait them out. Besides, those three wolves were worth almost a thousand XP together - I couldn¡¯t pass on that. I rushed to the first chamber, lighting my way with the torch, knowing it would be empty, and began preparing my trap. The plan was simple: I¡¯d place the Oil and Ember Flasks on the floor where the wolves had stood before they attacked me. When they entered, I¡¯d call a Fireball, my base-level fire magic spell that does practically no damage, at the flasks to create an explosion. The blast likely wouldn¡¯t kill them, but it would chip away enough of their HP for me to finish them off. I¡¯d use their initial confusion after the explosion to hit them with Spark Bombs - all three, just to ensure the stun landed. Then, I¡¯d finish them off with Horizon, taking advantage of the guaranteed critical hit on stunned targets. Will it work? God, I hope so. *** [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] I sighed with relief, adrenaline still rushing through my body. It had all happened so quickly, but I¡¯d managed to follow my plan perfectly. The ability to actually remember what had happened in a previous run and prepare for it was incredible - I couldn¡¯t even put it into words. Why does the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System have to make everything so challenging? Well, no use in crying about it. Chronos had promised to explain everything in detail the next time we met. Until then, I¡¯d have to trust his claim that forgetting everything between loops was necessary. I was also glad the explosions hadn¡¯t attracted the entire pack. I assumed they were busy attacking everyone in the main antechamber. I hoped Yana was okay¡­ I glanced at the system, satisfied with the progress toward my next level. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 7] [Loop Count: 16] [Experience Points (XP): 1886 / 2500] I gained 1884 XP in this run, and I still felt good to go - ready to gain even more. Exiting the chamber, I continued forward, the night vision from the Lumindew showing the way. I passed a few more empty chambers before reaching an intersection ¨C another difference from the layout of the first level. Unsure which way to pick, I finally decided to use Afterimage. I activated the skill, but instead of an afterimage, a message popped up. [There is no afterimage to run in this area] What? Was this my first time here?? Chapter 25: The High Priestess Chapter 25: The High Priestess What the hell did I do last time to make Chronos so satisfied? It clearly wasn¡¯t exploring the tomb on my own, as Afterimage revealed moments ago. I sighed and pressed forward, eventually reaching a staircase descending to the third level. Lumindew¡¯s effect was about to run out, so I consumed my last one, slowly realizing that in thirty minutes, when the night vision wore off, I¡¯d only have my torch to rely on. And that could lead to all sorts of problems¡­ Taking the stairs down, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of unease. Aside from that large pack of Undead Wolves, and five Undead Warriors guarding the staircase, I hadn¡¯t encountered any monsters. On the one hand, it was good - I had more freedom to explore. Chronos had said I needed to learn more about the tomb and Gaelith, and that defeating Erebus before my final, 66th run was possible through wit. That likely meant exploration here would lead me to something big. On the other hand, I needed more XP. As the third level revealed itself to me, I realized it was nothing like the first two. The ceiling was astonishingly high, and the staircase opened directly into a massive chamber ¨C easily the size of the entire floor of the previous level. Large stone pillars supported the ceiling, though they appeared more decorative than functional ¨C perhaps they were both. Red, worn-out, and torn fabrics hung from the tops of the pillars all the way to the floor, giving the space a ceremonial feeling. From my elevated point on the stairs, the floor of the chamber was fully visible. It showcased a sprawling mural, covered in a thick layer of dust, both beautiful and unsettling: a large tree, its branches empty ¨C almost skeletal, its roots rotting. Farther ahead was an elevated stage. A pipe organ, broken, rusty, and forgotten, stood on top of it adjacent to the wall. To the left of the stage was an open chamber. What did any of this have to do with this tomb? Were the Axul also praying here? Was this even a tomb to begin with? As I reached the bottom of the staircase, I noticed the dust-covered floor wasn¡¯t as dusty as I thought. It was filled with footsteps belonging to a set of very large feet. The floor was full of them, so it was hard to conclude anything from them. No one should¡¯ve ventured to this level yet¡­Was it someone from Lady Mikaela¡¯s party from her first exploration of the tomb? Yeah, that was probably the case. The footsteps, even though large, were still very much human-like. I glanced toward the stage and suddenly noticed something glowing at its center. Intrigued, I moved closer, passing the entire chamber in about ten minutes. As I was approaching the stage, I slowly realized it was much taller than I had initially thought it was. With no stairs or ladder in sight, I had to do a muscle-up to climb on top. Once on the platform, I walked toward the glow, discovering it was coming from a helm with two large stag horns. While the helm itself piqued my curiosity, it was the glow that truly caught my attention ¨C it seemed to be interacting with the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System. [Temporal Trace: Time Plane Memory #1 - Available] What does that even mean? Only one way to find out. I reached out and touched the helm. The moment my hand made contact, a surge of energy flooded my mind. Images from an ancient past began painting themselves in my mind¡¯s eye. *** [Time Plane Memory #1] A tall woman dressed in a green ceremonial dress gently laid the stag-horned helm on a pedestal, resting it on a red cushion. The luxurious room she was in looked like a combination of an office and a trophy room, though the peculiar helm appeared to be the only ¡°trophy¡± it contained. The woman was stunning, with rich, dark hair flowing freely down her back and nearly flawless olive-hued skin. Her light green eyes were likely capable of captivating anyone who looked at her. ¡°High Priestess Lysandra,¡± a younger woman called as she entered the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you so late, but I felt like I had no choice.¡± Lysandra, still facing the pedestal, rolled her eyes subtly before turning around. She gestured toward the couch to her left. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear Diona. Please, tell me what¡¯s troubling you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the upcoming ritual, m¡¯lady.¡± Diona said as she sat down, her voice trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sound disrespectful or undermine your authority as High Priestess, especially since I¡¯m only a lowly third-circle Priestess, but¡­it doesn¡¯t sit quite right with me.¡± Lysandra nodded understandingly, her piercing gaze fixed on Diona as if she was trying to burn a hole inside her. Then, she sat on the couch beside the younger woman and took her hand gently in her own. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear Diona. I know how faithful you are. I know you wouldn¡¯t try to undermine me.¡± Lysandra said with a calming smile ¨C a smile that seemed to ease some of Diona¡¯s visible tension. Lysandra continued, her voice smooth yet inquisitive. ¡°We¡¯ve already discussed the ritual at length plenty of times. Why don¡¯t you tell me exactly what¡¯s bothering you about it? Is it your role in it?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Diona said hesitantly, her voice wavering before gaining confidence. ¡°But it¡¯s not just that.¡± ¡°Then, what is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an eleventh-generation Axul, m¡¯lady.¡± Diona began. ¡°My parents taught me everything I know about our ways. When I was chosen by you to become a Priestess, they said it was the best day of their lives.¡± ¡°I assume there¡¯s a point to this exposition, dear Diona.¡± Lysandra remarked coldly. ¡°Of course, m¡¯lady, forgive me for trailing off.¡± Diona replied nervously. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that my parents taught me to worship the Creator for the beauty of life but also to honor the Destroyer for allowing us to truly appreciate it. For something to be created, something must first be destroyed.¡± she paused, seemingly hesitating before she finally spoke. ¡°The ritual we¡¯re about to perform¡­I can¡¯t shake the feeling that it leans heavily into just one of those ends.¡± Lysandra shrugged, her expression unchanging. ¡°And why is that a problem?¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t deny it!¡± Diona blurted out, her voice clearly louder than intended as Lysandra¡¯s icy gaze froze her in place, making her shrink back. ¡°I suggest you remember who you¡¯re speaking to, Diona.¡± Lysandra said, her grip on Diona¡¯s hand tightening. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you this time, but next time, you can expect punishment.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, m¡¯lady.¡± Diona murmured, lowering her gaze to the floor. ¡°As for your concerns,¡± Lysandra continued smoothly. ¡°You are correct. The ritual we are about to perform will honor the Destroyer alone because that is what is needed of us.¡± Diona swallowed hard. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, m¡¯lady.¡± Lysandra¡¯s expression softened to a smile as she gently rubbed Diona¡¯s hand. ¡°The world has shifted, Diona. We can all see it. Magic is now accessible to almost everyone through this¡­System, as they call it. People no longer worship the powers that have ruled the world for so long. In the past, the balance you spoke of was maintained by everyone, but now, most people only choose to celebrate life. They fail to understand that to truly appreciate life, one must also honor its end ¨C and the end of all things. Our goal is to restore that lost balance. That is the purpose of this ritual.¡± Diona¡¯s eyes brightened with relief. ¡°Oh, so that is the reason.¡± She said, sighing. ¡°Thank you, High Priestess Lysandra, for clearing this lowly Priestess¡¯ worries. I feel so embarrassed for even questioning our motives.¡± Lysandra smiled softly as she stood, lightly pulling Diona to her feet as well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, child. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I must attend to my night routine before bed.¡± ¡°Oh, of course, High Priestess Lysandra.¡± Diona said apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking up your time.¡± With that, Diona left, leaving Lysandra alone in the room. The High Priestess approached the desk, pulling open the second drawer. From it, she retrieved a dark stone, no larger than her palm. She held it close to her ear and smiled. ¡°I can hear you, Mighty Erebus.¡± She whispered. ¡°All is progressing as you commanded.¡± [Time Plane Memory #1 ¨C END] *** I never came out of a trance before, but if I did, it would probably feel something like this. What the hell even was that? It was a memory ¨C a memory attached to this stag-horned helm. It seems that by touching it, I activated Temporal Trace and its ability to show me the time plane ¨C still not sure what that meant. The experience was so vivid, as if I were there myself, observing everything from the helm¡¯s perspective. A chill ran down my spine as I recalled the end of the memory. Erebus. The High Priestess of Axul had spoken to that dark stone and referred to it as Mighty Erebus. So, there was a connection between the Axul and Erebus, or at the very least a connection between their leader and Erebus. The High Priestess had disguised Erebus¡¯ will as something the world needed. Perhaps Erebus hadn¡¯t chosen this place by chance. But so many questions remained unanswered: What was the ritual the two women spoke of? It was clearly tied to Erebus, but what kind of ritual was it? What did Erebus want from the Axul and the Priestess? Was it the reason the Axul suddenly disappeared from the world? And why Gaelith? How did the legendary knight, who spent all his life in the capital or on the battlefields, get mixed up in all of this? How did he end up as Erebus¡¯ vessel of destruction? Was simply placing his body here enough for Erebus to take over one of humanity¡¯s strongest and supposedly purest? My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a system message. [Item Acquired: Time Plane Memory #1 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] I stared at the message in disbelief. What? I opened my second inventory. [Inventory #2] There it was. The memory. I selected it, and it immediately replayed in my mind. Me heart raced. If I kept this in my second inventory, would I be able to play it again at the start of my next run? Could I finally preserve some memories even after my death? It seemed likely. The items in the second inventory supposedly remained the same as they were at the end of the previous run. But I¡¯d only know for sure after I died. Unfortunately ¨C or maybe fortunately ¨C I didn¡¯t have to wait long. Faint footsteps behind me made me spin around, only to see a tall, walking corpse of a woman: High Priestess of Axul, lvl.110. Her face covered by her long black, messy hair. She raised her hand, and with a snap of her fingers, froze me to death. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 7] [Loop Count: 17] [Experience Points (XP): 2,056 / 2,500]
I woke up. An Echo directed me to my second inventory. A Temporal Trace mark suggested the items were from Christian. But one item stood out, unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen before ¨C Time Plane Memory #1. When I selected it, I caught a glimpse of the past, raising more questions than answers.
As I struggled to remember how I¡¯d obtained this peculiar item, a curious message appeared. Changing the rules of the game as I¡¯ve known them. [New Quest Available: Memories From the Past] [Collect the 5 Time Plane Memory Fragments] [Current Status: 1 / 5] [Reward: 75,000 XP] A quest? Since when did quests grant XP? And 75,000 XP no less? But that wasn¡¯t all. Not yet. ***
Before the quest, we stopped at Christian¡¯s. During the quest, we cleared three chambers. I leveled up.
[D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 8] [Loop Count: 17] [Experience Points (XP): 168 / 3,000] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] We were on our way back to the main antechamber when I began contemplating which skill to upgrade. Considering my past self had placed the only Temporal Trace mark I had on Christian¡¯s signature, it was clear I needed at least one more. If I¡¯d had another mark, surely I would¡¯ve left it to guide myself back to wherever I¡¯d found the Time Plane Memory fragment in the previous run. [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.2] [Next Level: lvl.3: Increases the number of possible marks available in each loop to 3] With that out of the way, I allocated the additional point to my Endurance stat, bringing it to 9 - just one point short of its first milestone. Then, another message popped up. One that was awfully similar to the one that appeared this morning. [New Quest Available: The Dead Should Stay Dead] [Slay 100 Undead Warriors or Undead Archers] [Current Status: 18 / 100] [Reward: 5,000 XP] Another quest? And I¡¯d already completed a fifth of it. All I had to do was slay more Undead. Easy enough. Five thousand XP would be enough to level up once and also be halfway to the next level. It seemed the Time Plane Memory I found had activated something in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, triggering an update. This was the second quest I¡¯d received, and there would likely be more. Suddenly, 66 runs felt like more time than I might actually need. Chapter 26: Future Me Chapter 26: Future Me [+318 XP] [Quest Completed: All Dogs Go to Heaven #2] [+10,000 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] [New Quest Available: All Dogs Go to Heaven #3] [Slay 200 Undead Wolves] [Current Status: 90 / 200] [Reward: 15,000 XP] The messages flashed in quick succession as I drove Nightfall into the last of the Undead Wolves, pinning it to the floor of the second level¡¯s corridor. Through careful planning and trickery I''ve managed to slay most of the pack. The rest continued their advance to the upper level. But the Pack Leader had returned to check on his crew. If his eyes weren¡¯t the undead milky white, I would¡¯ve sworn he was furious. Sadly, Checkpoint had already been used. He¡¯d killed me earlier, activating my second run within this loop. I wondered if I¡¯d ever managed to kill him in any previous loops. It seemed unlikely, even now that I was close to his level. I was already low on health, mana, and items, and I knew I wasn¡¯t going to win this fight. But I¡¯d give it everything I had. Hopefully, in my next runs, D¨¦j¨¤ vu and Muscle Memory will remind me enough of his attack patterns to give me an edge. I exhaled sharply, steadying myself before letting out a battle cry and rushing him head-on. Dying again. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 22] [Loop Count: 36] [Experience Points (XP): 3,176 / 17,000] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] I jumped out of bed the moment I woke up. ¡°The second inventory.¡± I heard an Echo of my own voice, loud and clear. Good. Echo Sense level 3 was finally proving to be reliable, the sound quality of the Echo sharp and unmistakable. I browsed through my second inventory and found the Time Plane Memory fragment there, replaying what my previous self had discovered. Sadly, seeing how the related quest showed that I had only found one of them, it was clear I was progressing very slowly. Reaching level 22 in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System meant I was now level 72 compared to other adventurers. Still, that wasn¡¯t enough to be classified as a high-level adventurer, so there wasn¡¯t much to be proud of yet - especially considering I was only 28 runs away from facing Goren and seemingly making no progress in defeating Gaelith and Erebus. I hadn¡¯t even seen Chronos since that odd meeting where he introduced me to...basketball, it was called? Anyway, that was nearly 20 runs ago! Was I not progressing well enough to warrant another meeting? I sighed heavily, navigating to the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System¡¯s skill menu to decide where to allocate my skill point. 1. D¨¦j¨¤ vu ¨C Lvl.6 / 10 Passive skill. Triggers faint recollections of past loops, increasing awareness of events that have happened. 2. Afterimage ¨C Lvl.3 / 10 Creates an afterimage of yourself, retracing your past selves¡¯ movements for a brief duration. 3. Temporal Trace ¨C Lvl.3 / 10 Allows vision of the Time Plane, and the ability to mark a specific location on it visible only to you. Remains between loops unless removed. 4. Echo Sense ¨C Lvl.3 / 10 Passive skill. Allows to hear echoes from past loops such as conversations and etcetera. 5. Checkpoint ¨C Lvl.2 / 10 Sets a temporal anchor point, allowing you to revert to this moment upon death with memories of the current loop intact (single use per loop). 6. Mirror Leveling ¨C Lvl.1 / 1 - MAX Passive skill. For each level you gain in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, you receive an additional skill point to allocate into your Core System. 7. Muscle Memory ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 - MAX Passive skill. Your body becomes attuned to enemies¡¯ attack patterns from past loops, often reacting instinctively during combat. I was content with the current level of most skills, so, like my previous self decided many runs ago, I allocated the additional point to D¨¦j¨¤ vu, raising it to 7. [Skill Upgraded: D¨¦j¨¤ vu lvl.7] [Next Level: lvl.8: Increases the frequency of D¨¦j¨¤ vu even more. The recollections become clearer and more precise] With that done, I turned to my Core System. [Status Menu] The progression through my stats not only made me stronger and more resilient, but it also unlocked new skills along the way. For example:A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. 10 points in Endurance unlocked Distance Gauge, allowing me to sense the presence of enemies and allies nearby, and Second Wind, a passive skill that could replenish stamina upon depletion once. It had a long cooldown, but it was still incredibly useful ¨C at least on paper. Together with the 10 points in Endurance, my 25 points in Agility unlocked Kinetic Shift, which made all my Agility-based skills, like Dash Step and Blade Rush, cost stamina instead of mana, with really low costs. The gem, however, was Blur Strike, unlocked at 25 Agility. It allowed me to strike all enemies in my line of sight in a blur of motion, making me untargetable during the attack for 3 whole seconds. I couldn¡¯t know if I tried it in previous runs, but I could likely combine it with Time Delay Swing for extra damage. Either way, Muscle Memory should take over and remind me of what I''ve tried before. Next milestone under the Intelligence stat was 20, if I remembered correctly, so I allocated the extra point there, raising it to 17. [Air Magic Skill Tree: New skills available] Excited, I quickly navigated to my Air Magic Skill Tree. [Spellsword / Arcane Duelist] [Air Magic Skill Tree] 1. Wind Rush ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 ¨C [MAX] A gust of wind guides you and enhances your movement for the next two minutes. Can stack with other dodge/evasion skills. Cooldown: None. Effect ends upon mana depletion. 2. Wind Blast ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [20,636/15,000XP] ¨C Upgrade Available Release a small, short-ranged blast of condensed wind capable of inflicting a Stun. Cooldown: 3 seconds. 3. Horizon ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 ¨C [MAX] Perform a horizontal slash with your weapon of choice to unleash a destructive wave of wind capable of AOE damage. Cooldown: 2 minutes. 4. Wind Wall ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [20,636/20,000XP] ¨C Upgrade Available Create a wind barrier that blocks incoming projectiles. Cooldown: 3 minutes. 5. Wind Arrow ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [20,636/20,000XP] ¨C Upgrade Available Release long-ranged wind arrows capable of AOE damage when charged. Cooldown: Regular ¨C 0.3 second. Charged ¨C 20 seconds. Charge duration ¨C 5 seconds. 6. Wind Fortification ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [20,636/30,000XP] Negates fatal damage once by fortifying the body with wind magic. Cooldown: 1 hour. 7. Burning Damage Resistance ¨C Lvl.1 / 1 ¨C [MAX] - NEW! You are resistant to burning damage. 8. Flight ¨C Lvl.1 / 3 ¨C [20,636/15,000XP] ¨C Upgrade Available - NEW! Defy gravity and fly for 3 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute. Flight? Under normal circumstances, I would¡¯ve leveled it up immediately, but considering the entire quest took place inside an underground tomb, I doubted it would be useful. The base version should be enough for now. Instead, I decided to maximize Wind Wall, lowering its cooldown to one minute and giving myself an additional reliable, defensive option alongside Nightfall¡¯s Moon Barrier. Burning Damage Resistance, on the other hand, could prove extremely useful. I was interrupted by a knock on the door. ¡°Aidan?¡± Yana¡¯s voice came from outside. Startled, I realized I¡¯d spent the entire morning leveling up. *** ¡°How are you so fast?¡± Yana exhaled as we finished our race, stopping not too far away from the tomb. We raced all the way here from Christian¡¯s and I had won by a landslide. Not surprising, considering her build was more Strength and Intelligence-oriented, whereas Agility had always been my forte - now even more so than before. ¡°I was always faster than you.¡± I said dismissively, hoping I didn¡¯t overdo it and make her suspect anything. I¡¯d already decided she was staying out of this until the very end. I won¡¯t let her die again. ¡°Yeah, but not that fast!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re way faster than some of the guys in my guild.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re probably way stronger than me and have flashier magic,¡± I countered, trying to temper her excitement. ¡°It all balances out.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I guess so¡­It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve adventured together, I guess I forgot how fast you were.¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably it.¡± ¡°How many points do you even have in Agility?¡± ¡°Twenty.¡± I replied quickly. Technically, it wasn¡¯t a complete lie. She seemed thoughtful at my answer but didn¡¯t press further. Instead, she nodded, and we continued toward the tomb. ¡°¡­us¡± An Echo of Yana¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in my ears, faint and indistinguishable. Guess Echo Sense wasn¡¯t as reliable as I thought it was this morning¡­ I couldn¡¯t make out the rest of her words, but it left me wondering. ***
Split into teams. Cleared the chambers ¨C [+680 XP] Killed two Undead Wolves without using air magic ¨C [+636 XP] Evaded the Grave Moles with Yana. Killed more Undead ¨C [+578 XP] Noticing the mark I had left for myself, I tricked Yana to escort Melissa and Lena.
I stared intently at the dark corridor to my left, D¨¦j¨¤ vu quite literally screaming at me. My gaze dropped to the floor ¨C the first danger it was warning me about. Activating Afterimage, I watched a ghostly version of myself fire Luminous Slashes at the walls inside, then carefully maneuver around something on the floor. Traps... But the tingling sensation from D¨¦j¨¤ vu didn¡¯t fade. There was something else at the end of the corridor ¨C something that filled me with a deeper dread. Someone. Lumindew had a relatively short range ¨C it wouldn¡¯t help me see that far into the corridor from this position. There were no other options left. I didn¡¯t have that many runs left in this time loop, and I needed to make each loop count. Adjusting myself at the corridor¡¯s entrance, careful not to step inside, I brought my hands together and summoned air magic. Slowly, I drew my right hand back, pulling a Charged Wind Arrow, aiming it toward the corridor¡¯s end. ¡°Let¡¯s see you jump scare me now.¡± I muttered under my breath. I released the Charged Wind Arrow, watching it fly forward until it struck the corridor¡¯s end and exploded on impact. Dust and rubble filled the air, followed by a guttural scream. A green glow became visible through the haze, but it didn¡¯t move closer. Realizing I would have to enter the corridor, I turned my attention to the traps. Destroying the crossbows hidden in the walls, just as my afterimage had, I cleared the way. Then, I stepped inside, jumping over the spot my afterimage had carefully avoided. I moved forward until I met my adversary: Undead General Kaelstrife. A tenth of his HP was already gone, courtesy of my Charged Wind Arrow. The name was familiar from history books, but the figure before me was no hero ¨C it was a monster. A twisted version of the legendary general who shouldn¡¯t have been here. I wondered how many of my deaths had been by his hands. Then, he attacked, his glaive slicing through the air. I activated Wind Rush. Now, in its final version, I could use it continuously until I ran out of mana. With no cooldown as well. I combined it with Dash Step, circling Kaelstrife quickly and striking his back. The hit was clean but Nightfall barely left any damage. It suddenly hit me how I needed a stronger weapon. My current gear couldn¡¯t keep up with my improved stats. Kaelstrife, however, didn¡¯t care about my predicament. He turned to me, his glaive slashing with precision. Muscle Memory took over, and I evaded his strikes instinctively, circling him again before unleashing Wind Blast straight at his face. The blast landed perfectly, stunning him. Seizing the opportunity, I stepped back and unleashed Horizon. The wave of destructive wind tore through the corridor, damaging the murals I¡¯d hoped to study. But somehow, I didn¡¯t care. It was as if D¨¦j¨¤ vu assured me that killing Kaelstrife was more important. Horizon struck the stunned Kaelstrife, resulting in a critical hit that dropped his HP to 70%. I immediately closed the gap between us with Blade Rush, dodging his incoming counterattack with Dash Step, thanks to Muscle Memory, landing more hits, and slowly chipping away at his health. Then, he suddenly leapt backward, lowering his stance. He pointed his glaive forward and it began glowing with that sickly green light. D¨¦j¨¤ vu warned me. He was charging an attack. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t.¡± I muttered, selecting a Spark Bomb from my second inventory and hurling it at him. Luck was on my side ¨C a stun landed, canceling his charge. I capitalized on the moment, landing several critical hits and reducing his HP to half. But then he roared, the green glow on his glaive and chest intensifying. His movements suddenly grew faster, his attacks stronger. Muscle Memory didn¡¯t take over. This was new. Excitement surged through me, and I stepped back defensively, preparing to meet his onslaught. Then, I heard it. The sound of a mechanical clink, followed by the groaning of stone grinding against stone. My heart sank. I¡¯d accidently stepped on a pressure tile. The ground beneath me gave way as Kaelstrife lunged and we both plummeted into the darkness below. I panicked. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] [Checkpoint lvl. 2: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 59:59] Chapter 27: This Just Keeps Getting Better Chapter 27: This Just Keeps Getting Better This was not how I planned things to go. Kaelstrife and I were tumbling down a steep, jagged tunnel. The walls were unforgiving, scraping against my armor and bruising everything else. I grunted with each impact, bouncing off the terrain like a sack of potatoes. Meanwhile, Kaelstrife seemed very composed for someone in freefall. Of course he was - he was already dead! No fear, no pain, no dread. And, apparently, no patience. His glaive burned with that sickly green glow as he swung at me mid-fall. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡± I shouted, raising Nightfall in a desperate block, enhancing it with Bladesurge. The impact reverberated through my arms, the force of the strike driving me harder into the rocky walls. My back slammed awkwardly against the jagged terrain. [Health: 86%] I hoped ¨C prayed ¨C that Kaelstrife would just quit after one swing, but no. He kept coming at me, mostly missing me, but mounting up the pressure. Realizing I couldn¡¯t block him without taking damage, I opted for plan B. I quickly drove Nightfall into the uneven terrain. The blade screeched against the stone, slowing my descent just enough. It wasn¡¯t perfect ¨C I still felt like a tone skipping down a cliff ¨C but it worked. My fall was under control. I peeked below, catching a faint glimpse of Kaelstrife disappearing into the darkness, his glowing glaive vanishing further down. For a brief moment, I dared to wish that fall damage might kill him. Then, D¨¦j¨¤ vu screamed in my mind, following up with a chill down my spine. I rummaged through my second inventory and grabbed Lumindew, consuming it instantly. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] I looked down again ¨C and there he was! Kaelstrife had jammed his glaive into the rocky terrain, similar to what I was doing, the only difference being that he remained suspended. His helmet tilted upward, waiting for me to reach him. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t!¡± I shouted. I yanked Nightfall free and let it fall toward Kaelstrife. He raised his gauntlet to intercept my falling sword, but Nightfall was just a distraction. He caught the blade ¨C only to receive both my feet smashing into his face. The force knocked him loose, and he plummeted downward, releasing his glaive. Meanwhile, I caught hold of the suspended glaive and balanced myself on top of it. I aimed downward, unleashing a barrage of Wind Arrows at his falling figure, speeding up his fall. He crashed against the ground underneath with a loud thud, and I realized we¡¯d reached the end of the tunnel and our fall. He was still alive. Of course he was. And I couldn¡¯t waste time. I needed to finish the job or find a way out down there. I yanked his glaive from the rock and activated Flight, descending downward slowly. It was my first time using Flight, and I never could¡¯ve imagined that flying would be so¡­exhilarating! The air pushed gently against my body as I descended, every movement smooth and controlled. It was easier than I expected. My boots touched the ground softly just as the skill ended. I glanced at the glaive in my hand, its weight surprisingly comfortable. The balance was perfect, the long blade gleaming faintly with its eerie green energy. Polearms weren¡¯t new to me ¨C I¡¯d trained with spears in the past, even used one before I got Nightfall ¨C and as I adjusted my grip, an unexpected familiarity washed over me. ¡°Might not be too bad¡­¡± I muttered, giving it a quick spin. With my new stats, this could be a good weapon to shift to. I wondered what the level requirement for it might be. My thoughts shifted as I looked around. The floor was littered with thick, sticky webs. My stomach turned when I realized I was likely in the Void Spiders¡¯ den. D¨¦j¨¤ vu tugged at my senses, and I followed the feeling, my gaze drifting upward. Dozens of small tunnels filled the ceiling. I could easily imagine those nasty spiders crawling right through them, descending on me. But my attention was drawn to one massive tunnel above the others. I didn¡¯t need D¨¦j¨¤ vu to tell me that whatever came from there would be the real threat. The sound of scraping metal pulled my attention back to the immediate danger ¨C Undead General Kaelstrife. Less than a fifth of his HP remained. He pushed himself to his feet, his skull visor fixed on me. I tightened my grip on his glaive, but it was pointless. The weapon tore itself free from my grasp, glowing green as it shot through the air and returned to Kaelstrife¡¯s outstretched hand. He caught it, spun it once, and slammed the blade against the ground with a deafening sound, cracking the stone beneath him. Where¡¯s Nightfall?! I scanned the ground frantically, until I spotted it a few feet away. I wanted to get it, but Kaelstrife didn¡¯t want me to. He lunged, his glaive aimed directly at me. I barely had time to react, activating Wind Rush just in time, before throwing myself to the side with Dash Step. But Kaelstrife didn¡¯t stop. He swung again, forcing me to chain Dash Steps to stay ahead of his strikes. Slowly, I closed the distance to Nightfall, grabbing its hilt just as an eerie sound echoed through the pit ¨C a chittering, clicking noise that made my skin crawl.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. The Void Spiders were coming home. Kaelstrife seized on my distraction, swinging his glaive. I dodged at the last second, but the glaive hit the ground, resulting in a shockwave that sent me hurtling backward. Pain shot through my body as I hit the ground with incredible force. [Health: 44%] I scrambled to my feet, rummaging through my inventory to grab a health potion, but white projectiles streaked toward me from above. I thrusted my hand forward, summoning Wind Wall. A gust of wind solidified in front of me, intercepting the webs before they hit me. Kaelstrife wanted a piece as well. He charged forward, cutting through the wall of wind, his glaive leading the way. I barely dodged his attack with Dash Step, his blade missing me by inches as he flew past me. Meanwhile, the first wave of Void Spiders reached the ground. They swarmed around Kaelstrife but showed no hostility toward him. Instead, they seemed to prepare a joint attack against me. Of course. This just keeps getting better. They rushed me all at once, and I raised Nightfall, unleashing Horizon. The powerful wave of wind exploded outward, scattering the spiders, but Kaelstrife cut through it effortlessly with his glaive, continuing his approach. More spiders poured into the pit, their number multiplying by the second. From above, they continued launching their webs at me, forcing me into a state of constant dodging, draining more and more stamina. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] I ducked, rolled, and dodged, killing spiders along the way, but they just kept coming. I needed a plan. I likely wouldn¡¯t survive this, but if I could take Kaelstrife out before that, I could at least respawn at my anchor point with the XP, and some possible loot. Blur Strike. I gripped Nightfall tightly, a plan materializing in my mind. I dodged backward, getting as much distance from Kaelstrife as I could. Then, I adjusted my position to align with the Undead General and as many Void Spiders as possible in my field of vision. The wall spiders loomed above me, still shooting their sticky webs, threatening to cancel the skill¡¯s charge if I attempted it now. I needed time. I activated Moon Barrier. The ever-trusty shield forming itself around me, absorbing the projectiles as I began to charge Blur Strike. Seeing how I unlocked this skill during the time loop and had no memory of using it in my previous runs, my heart raced like crazy when the world around me suddenly slowed, as I took aim on every enemy within range. Then, I moved, swinging Nightfall, striking each target multiple times as I combined the attack with Time Delay Swings. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] It felt like time around had frozen. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] There was no sound except my breath. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] They were all just stuck in place. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] Kaelstrife¡¯s towering form remained glued to the floor, his glowing glaive motionless. The attack ended as abruptly as it began, and the world suddenly snapped back into motion. I turned to assess the damage. Most of the ground spiders were dead, but Kaelstrife? He was still standing! His HP bar was reduced to the thinnest sliver. His armor was shattered, his body hunched over, but he refused to fall. He raised his glaive weakly, but I didn¡¯t give him the chance. ¡°Die already!¡± I shouted, closing the distance with Blade Rush and driving Nightfall through the cracks in his armor, deep into his gut. His glowing eyes flickered, then dimmed, and his body dropped to its knees as I yanked the sword from his body. Then, something unexpected happened. Kaelstrife¡¯s terrifying armor began to splinter and fall away, revealing a gleaming suit of knightly armor beneath. His skull visor dissipated into dust, exposing his face. And it wasn¡¯t Undead. It was human. I stared, stunned, as the man beneath the armor slowly raised his head. His face was weathered but dignified, his eyes holding a quiet strength. He suddenly met my gaze, and, to my utter disbelief, he smiled weakly. ¡°Thank you.¡± He whispered softly. Before I could react, his entire body began to glow with a golden light. The radiance grew until it became blinding, and then he was gone. No corpse, no nothing ¨C just gone. [Undead General Kaelstrife - Defeated] [+494 XP] I stood frozen. Never in my life had I seen anything like that. A monster ¨C could I even call him that ¨C thanking me? And then vanishing like some spirit released from its torment? My mind raced with questions but there was no time to dwell on those. I summoned Wind Wall, blocking incoming projectiles from the Void Spiders as I made my way toward where Kaelstife had fallen ¨C he¡¯d dropped something. I rushed forward, knowing I only had seconds before the endless wave of spiders was upon me. I reached for the loot ¨C three items that glowed faintly. First was the glaive. Great. Second was a crumpled note, glowing a faint purple, which I had no time to read at the moment. Third was a glowing blue orb. I didn¡¯t know what it was, but I wasn¡¯t leaving it behind of all things. As I stuffed the items into my second inventory, a bone-chilling scream tore through the pit. My heart stopped as I looked up. Descending from the large tunnel above was the mother of these not-so-little bastards: Arachnid Mother. I didn¡¯t have time to react. She struck with terrifying speed, her massive legs slamming into the ground around me. I barely registered the impact before everything went black. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] [Checkpoint Level 2 activated: You will now reawaken at the anchor point] *** ¡°What the - ?!¡± I shouted, realizing I was falling again. The trap door. The tumble. My brain kicked into overdrive as I instinctively threw out my hands. My fingers caught the rough edge of the hole, and I held on with every ounce of strength I had, but I was still slipping. Yet my mind reacted quickly. I activated Flight, levitating upward until I was outside of the hole completely. Then, I navigated to the floor, landing with a soft thud. I collapsed onto my back, mentally exhausted, still in shock at what had just happened. Kaelstrife wasn¡¯t here. Normally, enemies I killed before a Checkpoint respawn would be alive again. But now, nothing. I let out a breathless laugh, my heart still racing. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± I muttered to myself, a grin spreading across my face. A new quest popped up. [New Quest Available: Charlotte''s Nemesis #1] [Slay 100 Void Spiders] [Current Status: 17 / 100] [Reward: 7,500 XP] Who the hell is Charlotte? Chapter 28: Brothers Chapter 28: Brothers The first thing I did after I rose to my feet was check Kaelstrife¡¯s glaive in my inventory. Its name stood out immediately: Silverfang. The level requirement? 70 ¨C a lot stronger than Nightfall. I glanced down at the trusty sword still in my hand. One of my worst and best memories. Nightfall had been with me for a long while, even before this bizarre predicament. I¡¯m sure it served me even better during my 36 runs so far. Too bad I couldn¡¯t remember them. Still. Progress was progress. I needed this. I equipped Silverfang. [Weapon Equipped: Silverfang. Agility Scaling: B. Strength Scaling: B] [Agility Increased by 20%] [Strength Increased by 20%] [Critical Hit Chance Increased by 25%] Wow, three buffs. Just the 20% boost to Agility alone brought me up to 30 points. It also had three unique skills. [Silverfang: Overlord ¨C Enhances Silverfang¡¯s stats and buffs by 30%. When lower than 50% HP, this effect is increased to 50%. Effect continues until victory or death. Cooldown ¨C 30 minutes] Basically, a better version of Nightfall¡¯s Bladesurge. This thing¡¯s a monster. [Silverfang: Explosive Strike ¨C Charging Silverfang and striking the ground results in an explosion, causing AOE damage around you. Cooldown ¨C 10 seconds] So, that¡¯s what he used against me in the spider pit. The pit made me recall that monster...The memory of Arachnid Mother sent shivers down my spine. It was something I didn¡¯t want to encounter again anytime soon. I couldn¡¯t believe I was actually saying this but I¡¯m glad that the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System would make me forget her. The last skill was Unyielding Charge. [Silverfang: Unyielding Charge ¨C Channel energy into the glaive for 5 seconds before launching in a straight line, becoming unstoppable. Deals massive damage to enemies in its path, knocking them back. Guaranteed Critical Hit if lands. Cooldown - 5 minutes] Was that the charged attack Kaelstrife tried to use? Good thing I stopped him with the Spark Bomb. A guaranteed Critical Hit with massive damage? I¡¯m glad the glaive was now mine. I inspected it in my hands. It looked different now ¨C cleaner, even noble. It was nothing like it looked in Kaelstrife¡¯s hands ¨C a lot less¡­evil. The pole was forged from gleaming gold, the metallic surface smooth and polished. At the top, a large, straight dark-silver blade jutted out, glowing with purple energy. Different than the sickly green glow it had before. I gave it a few experimental spins. It felt good in my hands. Memories of training with polearms in the past resurfaced, and I felt excited to use one again after so long. Then, I rummaged through the second inventory to check the other two items Kaelstrife had dropped when he died. The glowing orb caught my attention first. It was named: The General¡¯s Resolve. The description was cryptic as well: a fragment of the inspiration that rallied his armies to defy odds and rise victorious. What¡¯s the worst that can happen? [Select: The General¡¯s Resolve] The orb materialized in my hand, its glow intensifying until it burned brighter, blinding me. When my vision returned, the system displayed an unexpected message. [The General¡¯s Resolve: You have gained 3 Skill Points] ¡°What the¡­¡± I muttered, stunned. I¡¯d never heard of items that granted stat points before. Then again, I¡¯d also never heard of quests granting XP, or a certain peculiar D¨¦j¨¤ vu System that rewrites the rules of reality. I took a deep breath. What should I level up? Using all three points to max out D¨¦j¨¤ vu was tempting. The skill had been incredibly useful this run, and the thought of having the clearest recollections in future loops was promising. I upgraded it once. [Skill Upgraded: D¨¦j¨¤ vu lvl.8] [Next Level: lvl.9: Increases the frequency and clarity of D¨¦j¨¤ vu even more. The recollections become clearer and more precise] Satisfied, I attempted to upgrade it again, but the system had other plans. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu: Cannot upgrade to lvl.9 as requirements not met] [Requirements: Temporal Trace Level 10] I groaned. So not only does this system erase my memory between each loop under the pretense of keeping me under Erebus¡¯ radar, but it also forces me to upgrade skills I was perfectly content with. ¡°Oh, fuck it¡­¡± [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.5] [Next Level: lvl.6: You¡¯ll be able to see the Time Plane completely. Number of maximal marks: 10] The Time Plane completely? What...Again, more questions than answers¡­ With those upgrades done, I turned to my Core System. Thanks to Mirror Leveling, I had three additional points to allocate. Putting all three into Intelligence would bring me to the next milestone. But my new weapon, Silverfang, had hybrid scaling in both Agility and Strength. Investing in those stats would unlock its potential. I was also one point away from the Strength stat¡¯s second milestone.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Yana ¨C and practically everyone else ¨C had mentioned the second Strength milestone was where the stat really started to shine. The first milestone had been underwhelming, but maybe this one would finally deliver. I decided to allocate two points into Intelligence, bringing it to 19, and the last point into Strength, unlocking the second milestone. [Strength ¨C 2nd Milestone Reached] [Strength: New Skills Available] [Shield Breaker ¨C Your attacks can overcome enemies¡¯ shields for a short duration. Cooldown ¨C 2 minutes] [Battle Cry ¨C Enhance your Strength by 20% for 1 minute. Cooldown: 1 hour] [Fearsome Aura ¨C Activate an intimidating aura that is able to inflict Fear on enemies who are lower leveled than you. Cooldown ¨C 5 minutes] I tilted my head. It was still pretty underwhelming. Useful, but underwhelming. Shaking off my disappointment, I reached for the last item Kaelstrife had dropped ¨C the crumpled note. Just as I was about to open it, the glowing purple light around the note pulsed, and a system message appeared. [Temporal Trace: Time Plane Memory #3 - Available] Another memory. Here we go. *** [Time Plane Memory #3] A young Karl Kaelstrife stood on the edge of a balcony, the goblet of wine in his hand barely touched. Below, the palace ground stretched out under the soft glow of moonlight. The noise and chatter from the grand hall behind him made his stomach turn and he sought a moment of serenity ¨C a moment he found on this balcony. He adjusted the collar of his formal tunic ¨C a deep ceremonial black adorned with golden insignias on the shoulders ¨C and shifted his weight uncomfortably. He still felt so stiff and unnatural in it despite it being tailored specifically for him. ¡°Karl! There you are!¡± a familiar, hearty voice called out from behind. A voice he knew too well ¨C warm, lively, and full of strength. ¡°You just missed it! Canderan downed an entire barrel of mead in one go. I swear, the man¡¯s stomach is a bottomless void!¡± Kaelstrife didn¡¯t turn around. His gaze remained fixed on the city below. ¡°Canderan always does things like that.¡± He replied flatly, swirling the wine in his goblet. ¡°It¡¯s hardly amusing anymore.¡± There was a pause before the other man spoke. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even half a chuckle, my friend. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kaelstrife sighed, lowering the goblet and finally turning to face the speaker, who looked at him with quiet concern, his formal tunic hanging loosely over his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gaelith.¡± Kaelstrife said, his tone softening. He straightened, offering a faint, apologetic smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood. It¡¯s your night, after all.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Gaelith waved the apology off, stepping closer. His goblet clinked lightly against the stone railing as he set it down. ¡°If my best friend is unhappy, I can¡¯t be happy either. So, come on ¨C out with it. What¡¯s bothering you?¡± Kaelstrife sighed and turned back toward the city. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­Perhaps I¡¯m just nostalgic.¡± ¡°Nostalgic?¡± Kaelstrife nodded. ¡°Thinking about how far we¡¯ve come. Two street rats, barely scraping by, lifting coins and loaves of bread to survive. Then suddenly we¡¯re caught, facing an impossible choice.¡± He let out a humorless chuckle. ¡°Rot in a cell or enlist in the army. And now look at us ¨C Brigadier General Karl Kaelstrife and you, Gaelith Alloraine.¡± He gestured toward his friend with a faint smile. ¡°Tonight, we¡¯re celebrating you - knighted by the king. Who would¡¯ve believed it?¡± Gaelith leaned on the railing beside him, tilting his head as he took a long sip of his wine. ¡°I would have. Always did. Those two boys had more fight in them than anyone else I knew.¡± Kaelstrife laughed, this time genuinely. ¡°Right¡­That must be why you were the one pushing for us to take the jail time instead of enlisting.¡± Gaelith grinned, raising his goblet in a mock salute. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. But you¡¯re the one who talked me out of it. Dragged me into the barracks and got us through that hell together.¡± He glanced at his friend, his expression softening. ¡°You turned my life around, Karl. You¡¯ve been a better friend than I probably deserved. And I¡¯d like to think I¡¯ve been the same for you which is why I¡¯m asking again ¨C what¡¯s really bothering you? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s nostalgia. It¡¯s clearly not.¡± Kaelstrife tipped his head back, draining the goblet in one long gulp. He then turned to Gaelith, his shoulders relaxing slightly. ¡°You always did read me like an open book. Alright, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Ever since the day we met, we¡¯ve been through everything together. We¡¯ve always had each other¡¯s backs. In my eyes, we¡¯re not just friends ¨C we¡¯re like brothers.¡± He paused, his fingers brushing the empty goblet. ¡°And now, for the first time since forever, we¡¯re going our separate ways. You¡¯ll stay here, serving the king directly as one of his knights, and I¡­¡± he trailed off, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m being sent north to continue the conquests.¡± Gaelith straightened, his expression serious. ¡°First of all, let¡¯s get one thing straight: we¡¯re not like brothers ¨C we are brothers. And nothing ¨C not time, distance, or duty ¨C will ever change that.¡± He clapped his friend on the shoulder. ¡°Sure, things might be different from now on. We won¡¯t be side by side every day like we¡¯ve been for years, but what kind of a bond would we have if it broke over this?¡± Kaelstrife smiled faintly at that, but it didn¡¯t seem genuine. He looked down at his goblet. ¡°It¡¯s not just that.¡± He suddenly said. ¡°What really bothers me is leaving you here alone, in the capital.¡± He met Gaelith¡¯s gaze. ¡°I know you as much as you know me. You¡¯re the most honorable man I know, but this place ¨C ¡° he gestured around him, his expression tinged with disgust. ¡°It¡¯s the complete opposite of you. It¡¯s a den of snakes filled with shady politics and backstabbing. They''re all on the same side, and yet they''re constantly scheming against each other. And I¡¯m worried that with me away, no one will have your back, brother.¡± Gaelith nodded, his face wearing a confident grin. ¡°I know this place is dangerous. But the way I see it, it¡¯s not too different from the battlefields we¡¯ve faced. The stage is different, but I¡¯ll learn, adapt, and stay one step ahead. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± His voice softened as he continued, trying to lift the mood. ¡°And next time we gather for a celebration, it¡¯ll be for you ¨C becoming the General of Tepan. Mark my words.¡± Kaelstrife exhaled slowly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. ¡°I trust you. Thank you, Gaelith.¡± He straightened, extending a hand toward his one and only friend. ¡°Or should I say, from this day on ¨C Gaelith of Tepan?¡± Gaelith grinned, taking Karl¡¯s hand before pulling him into a brotherly hug. ¡°It¡¯ll always be just Gaelith for you, brother.¡± [Time Plane Memory #3 ¨C END] *** [Item Acquired: Time Plane Memory #3 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Quest Updated: Memories From the Past] [Collect the 5 Time Plane Memory Fragments] [Current Status: 2 / 5] [Reward: 75,000 XP] I¡¯m not sure why, but my heart ached once the memory was over. It was almost like I could feel what Kaelstrife was feeling throughout their conversation. So, it was the General Kaelstrife¡­the one who was responsible of conquering most of the northern lands that now belong to Tepan. A younger version of him - still not the General. And he was here ¨C in this tomb. He didn¡¯t die on the battlefield. He died here and then turned into whatever it was I had faced. And Gaelith¡­he was there too. Both of them were friends ¨C brothers even. I felt their bond as if I was a part of it. Kaelstrife was right to worry, and Gaelith was backstabbed by his own king, eventually becoming what he is today ¨C a vengeful vessel of Darkness. I opened the note, realizing it was a letter sent by Gaelith to Kaelstrife, written years after that conversation I had just seen. Reading it only made my heart twist even harder.
Dear Karl, I write to you with a heavy heart, and I must begin by apologizing. I know you are entrenched in the campaign in the north, where your efforts are vital to Tepan¡¯s continued strength. To pull your attention away from such matters feels selfish, yet I find myself with no other choice. Forgive me for burdening you, but I have no one else I can trust. I have been accused of treason. The king himself has charged me with conspiring against him. The words still feel foreign as I write them ¨C falsehoods so vile that they sting my soul. I swear to you, Karl, upon my honor and the bond we share, that any accusations against me are completely false. I have no way to prove my claims, but I suspect Arcadius, the king¡¯s cousin, is the true conspirator and the one who set our liege against me. Everything had happened so fast, and now the trial has been set for the next fortnight. I have pleaded with the court for more time, but I was met with strong resistance. Even this letter ¨C which I¡¯m unsure will reach you in time, if ever ¨C was sent through friends and allies who still believe in my innocence. If it is possible, I beg you to come to the trial and help me defend my name. The words and presence of the General of Tepan might be exactly what will help me turn the tide and prove my loyalty. If this letter does not reach you in time, then I can only thank you, Karl, for everything. For your friendship, your loyalty, your brotherhood. No matter what happens, know that I cherished the bond we shared above all else. You were the reason I became a better man despite my bloodline and upbringing, and for that I will forever be grateful. May the gods watch over you, wherever you may be. Your brother always, Gaelith
Chapter 29: Gaelith of Tepan Chapter 29: Gaelith of Tepan I continued down the corridor, examining the mural to my left - or what was left of it - with the last minutes of Night Vision the Lumindew had provided me. What I had thought was the ocean in the previous corridor turned out to be something else. What exactly? I couldn¡¯t tell. But the blue-colored area continued until it reached a dark circle of some sort at the farthest end of the mural, near the chamber Kaelstrife had originally been standing in front of. What did it all mean? Could the dark circle represent Erebus, the embodiment of Darkness, or was I overthinking it? I already knew the High Priestess of Axul ¨C the spiritual leader of the people who had built this place ¨C had somehow contacted him, so it wasn¡¯t too much of a stretch as long as the tomb itself was built after the memory I had seen. But if I was right, why did they build a tomb to honor Erebus? What did the blue area in the mural represent? And was it flowing out of the dark circle or into it? Realizing I wouldn¡¯t understand much of it at the moment, I turned to the open chamber ahead. Not before using Distance Gauge to make sure there were no monsters inside, though. Once I knew the coast was clear, I stepped in. The chamber lit up as soon as I entered, the torches on the walls igniting in bursts of flame. It was relatively small, about the size of a single bedroom at an inn. A desk stood at the other end, with numerous books piled on top, all buried beneath a thick layer of dust. Two chairs sat on opposite sides of the desk, their fragile frames suggesting even the slightest pressure might break them. I approached the books first, hoping to find something useful, but none of them were. I mean, they were nameless and completely empty - like the kind of props you¡¯d see in a theater production. As I rounded the desk, it struck me how awfully familiar it looked. Then, it hit me: it was the same desk Lysandra, the High Priestess, had in her study room in the memory I¡¯d seen. Sitting down, I immediately reached for the lower drawer and pulled it out, and there it was ¨C or almost. The dark stone Lysandra had spoken to and referred to as Mighty Erebus was there, but it was broken ¨C split into two identical pieces, now gray rather than the black I¡¯d seen in the memory fragment. The system recognized the pieces as two distinct items: Darknessbound Core (Shard A) and Darknessbound Core (Shard B). Each shard bore the same description: A shard of a prison long broken, but not lost. A prison? Was this stone a prison that had once held Erebus before he was released into our world? When I brought the two pieces together, hoping they might magically reconnect, I realized I was wrong in my assessment earlier. There was another piece missing ¨C a third shard, about the size of a fingernail. I rummaged through the drawer to see if it was there, but it wasn¡¯t. Of course¡­nothing¡¯s ever easy. The third shard is probably kept by one of the monsters in the tomb, or by Gaelith himself. Yeah...it had to be. Nothing''s easy here. But thinking about it more, I came to the conclusion that it couldn¡¯t be in Gaelith¡¯s possession. Chronos had said it was possible to defeat Erebus early through wit alone ¨C likely referring to the Darknessbound Core. If a piece of it was protected by the dungeon¡¯s boss, then there¡¯d be no wit involved. I¡¯d have to fight him to get it, and if I could do that, I wouldn¡¯t actually need the core ¨C defeating Gaelith was supposed to defeat Erebus too...I think. I sighed, slipping the two shards into my second inventory. [Item Acquired: Key Item - Darknessbound Core (Shard A) ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: Key Item - Darknessbound Core (Shard B) ¨C Added to Inventory #2] Key Item? Footsteps outside the chamber put me on high alert. I stood, ready to face another monster, but it was just Yana. She had returned. She sighed in relief when she saw me, though her expression quickly shifted to one of mild amusement as she raised her eyebrow at the sight of me behind the desk. ¡°I saw the destruction outside and was so worried, yet here you are.¡± She said, her expression slowly brightening. ¡°Just chilling.¡± I chuckled at her reaction. It was nice seeing her smile after I¡¯d been pushing her away all day. Just then the chair cracked under my weight, breaking into splinters, resulting in my rear meeting the stone floor. Yana burst into laughter, and I couldn¡¯t help but join her. *** We retraced the route Yana had taken when she escorted Melissa and Lena. Apparently, she was right ¨C Lady Mikaela and the search party she led were at the end of this corridor. Yana also told me that her guild master had insisted she not return for me, but she disobeyed, leading to a falling-out of sorts.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Where did you find that glaive?¡± Was the first question she asked me. I knew this question was coming, so I was ready with a lie, doing my best to sound natural. ¡°It was in that chamber where you found me.¡± ¡°It looks powerful.¡± She noted, watching it in my hand. ¡°Hard to believe it¡¯s a low-level weapon.¡± I stayed silent, hoping she would drop the subject so I wouldn¡¯t have to lie any further. But she didn¡¯t. ¡°Do you mind if I check it out?¡± she asked, smiling softly. When I saw that smile, I almost agreed, but I quickly regained my composure. If she got her hands on Silverfang, she¡¯d see the real level requirement for the weapon. That would lead to a whole new line of uncomfortable questions, forcing me to come up with even more lies. Instead of outright refusing, I tried to change the subject. ¡°Maybe later. Hey, uh, where are we going anyway?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, Lady Mikaela and the others have probably already left, right?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, probably.¡± She nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s not like we have anywhere else to go. This is the only route that isn¡¯t collapsed or a dead end.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I guess.¡± I said, though my mind was preoccupied. I knew I couldn¡¯t stay close to her ¨C she was marked. But at the same time, I couldn¡¯t just ditch her after she¡¯d gone against everyone to come back for me. My conscience wouldn¡¯t allow it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll make it out of here. I promise.¡± She said suddenly, making it even harder for me to even consider leaving her. And so, I didn¡¯t. We continued forward until Yana stopped us. ¡°This is where I last saw them.¡± She concentrated for a moment, then signaled toward a corridor to our right. ¡°I can¡¯t sense them with Distance Gauge, but I think they went that way to meet with Lorren and the Keystone he¡¯d found. At least, that¡¯s what makes the most sense to me.¡± She then pointed forward, to a different corridor. ¡°I¡¯m also pretty sure Lady Mikaela and the others came from that direction when we met them.¡± ¡°Then maybe we should retrace their steps, no?¡± I suggested. ¡°It should lead us back to the main antechamber eventually. Hopefully, when we get there, the doors will already be unlocked, and we can leave.¡± I¡¯d only said it to give us some semblance of a plan, but was it even possible to leave the tomb? What would even happen to me if I survived the day? Would I reset regardless? Yana shook her head quickly. ¡°Oh no, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe. Lady Mikaela said they encountered level 90 wraiths there. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Level 90 wraiths? I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much XP I¡¯d gain from slaying one¡­ ¡°So is going into unknown territory.¡± I countered, pointing toward the corridor she wanted us to take. ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯d rather do that and hope luck is on our side than go somewhere I know for sure danger awaits.¡± She disagreed. ¡°Yeah, but ¨C ¡° She cut me off. ¡°Aidan, please, stop. Don¡¯t make this harder¡­¡± she said, her voice weary as her gaze dropped to the ground. ¡°Yan?¡± I asked, worried. It wasn¡¯t like her to look this defeated. ¡°I¡¯m just exhausted¡­¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°So many people have died here today¡­Good people¡­I should¡¯ve never brought you here.¡± I shook my head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known it would be like this.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe I couldn¡¯t have predicted all of this,¡± she gestured around us, ¡°but I had this off feeling that maybe it was too dangerous. Even for me. But I just¡­missed you. Missed you so much I couldn¡¯t stop to think about the risks.¡± My chest tightened, my heart skipped a beat. Could it be? ¡°Yan, I¡­¡± ¡°I was selfish.¡± She said, a single tear rushing down her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aidan.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about, Yan.¡± I said, waving off her apology. ¡°I made the decision to come here despite just barely making the cut. I did it because I missed you too.¡± She raised her eyes, and our gazes locked. The world around us seemed to fall silent. Her big green eyes softened as they met mine. If my heart had skipped a beat before, now it was making up for it by beating like crazy. I knew I should do the opposite ¨C that I needed to push her away as far as possible until I defeated Erebus ¨C but I couldn¡¯t deny my feelings. I already did for so long. Too long. I took a step closer. Our faces were inches apart. She didn¡¯t retreat. I raised my hand and brushed my fingers softly against her cheek. She didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, she reached up, gently clasping my hand between hers and holding it against her cheek. Time seemed to stop as I leaned in. I could suddenly see every detail of her face ¨C the blush on her freckled cheeks, her beautiful dimples, the way her lips parted slightly as if to say something, though no words came. And then, I kissed her. A rush of warmth enveloped me. Her lips were soft against mine, her touch so tender it gave me goosebumps. For the first time, the love I¡¯d carried for so long wasn¡¯t just mine alone. When we finally pulled back, I was breathless, my heart still racing. Our gazes remained locked. Swallowing hard, I said something I¡¯d wanted to say for a long time. ¡°Yan, I love you.¡± She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, a chilling voice cut through the air. ¡°I take no pleasure in this¡­¡± The voice was unmistakable. Gaelith. He emerged from the shadows of the corridor in front of us, cloaked entirely in a dark robe. His steps were calm, each one accompanied by a faint metallic clink. The hood of his robe obscured his body completely, even his face, but the system recognized him: Gaelith of Tepan, level 100. Behind him loomed two figures not less scarier than him - blood-red apparitions with glowing red eyes: Blood Wraiths, each level 90. Gaelith stopped and drove his sword into the ground. The blade gleamed so brightly it was almost blinding. ¡°I am Gaelith of Tepan.¡± He began, his tone steady and authoritative. ¡°Your remaining comrades were slain by my blade. You are the last.¡± A shiver ran down my spine as Yana stepped in front of me. ¡°You shall fall as well.¡± He added. Surprisingly, his tone was devoid of malice. In an odd way, it almost sounded like a statement of duty. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Yana shouted. Her sword was drawn, ready for battle. ¡°The king who betrayed you is long gone ¨C dead and usurped. Yet you continue killing anyone who steps into this tomb. Why?¡± Gaelith remained motionless, his hands resting holding the hilt of his blade, still embedded in the ground. He didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he raised his hand. With a subtle gesture, he signaled the wraiths to attack. They stirred immediately, advancing toward us. I raised Silverfang, ready to fight for what I achieved in this loop. But just as we were prepared to meet the attack, Gaelith¡¯s voice pierced the air. ¡°Stop!¡± The wraiths froze, then retreated behind him. I exchanged a confused look with Yana before turning back to Gaelith. Though I couldn¡¯t see his face, I felt his attention was focused on the weapon in my hands - Kaelstrife¡¯s glaive. There was a long pause, the tension between is palpable. Then, Gaelith spoke. ¡°There¡¯s another one of you left.¡± ¡°What?¡± I blurted, glancing at Yana, but she seemed just as confused. Gaelith continued, his tone formal. ¡°I will deal with him first. You two¡­I will save for last. Enjoy each other''s company until then.¡± He turned and began walking away, the wraiths trailing behind him. As he moved, he spoke again. ¡°Consider this the least I can do¡­as my thanks for what you have done for him.¡± Chapter 30: Goren: A Glimpse into a Madmans Mind Chapter 30: Goren: A Glimpse into a Madman''s Mind ¡°None of this matters¡­¡± Goren whispered, reminding himself. He rummaged through his inventory and selected Blackberries. He chewed on some, not for the HP - he was full, but to calm his nerves. He sighed as he looted the Golden Bow from the adventurer he had just slain. Her name was Yvon Leskins, a level 92 Ranger from Mikaela¡¯s guild. He¡¯s killed her over and over for Dolos-knows-how-many runs now. It wasn¡¯t like he enjoyed it ¨C though he didn¡¯t mind killing anyone anymore since there were no consequences. He just had to¡­for the loot, of course. This time it took him a lot longer than usual as his thoughts constantly drifted away. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Spellsword¡¯s progress. Funny¡­he couldn¡¯t even remember his actual name. Each loop began with the same old weapons and armor he¡¯d originally had before the quest started, before Dolos had chosen him. It was a nuisance. He had already surpassed level 100 ¨C why wasn¡¯t there a skill that allowed him to keep the loot he¡¯d gained from previous runs? Or at the very least, why couldn¡¯t his inventory retain all of the items instead of resetting every time? Just a few items ¨C Key Items, as Dolos and the System referred to them ¨C remained between the runs. He assumed Dolos had done this on purpose, just to play with his mind. It was yet another reason to hate the bastard. A bastard he was, but Dolos had given him this chance - a chance to level up beyond his cap and do something great. To change his life. To help his family. And even save the world in the process. So, perhaps he wasn¡¯t all that bad. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Goren muttered under his breath as he rummaged through his inventory like he was doing a checklist. ¡°Sword?¡± He changed his voice to mimic Alfred Jones, the adventurer he¡¯d looted the sword from. ¡°Here!¡± He nodded, moving forward. ¡°Daggers?¡± He said, attempting to sound like his guild master¡¯s right-hand woman, Evangelina Volker, whom he¡¯d killed earlier to get them. ¡°Here!¡± his voice came out awkward. He laughed at the bad impression, then immediately facepalmed for laughing at his own jokes. Shaking his head, he proceeded. ¡°Bow is here, of course. Oblivion Orb?¡± He paused as if waiting for an answer. ¡°Oblivion Orb?¡± he repeated, but again, there was no response. ¡°Yup. That¡¯s what¡¯s missing.¡± He nodded to himself and looked around. ¡°I wasted too much time in this area.¡± The Oblivion Orb was a magical staff used by one of the high-level mages from Lorren¡¯s guild. It was an extremely useful weapon, making farming monsters easy thanks to its unique AOE spells. Why not Lorren¡¯s Aegis Staff or Mikaela¡¯s Stinger? He didn¡¯t want to bother fighting those guys. Goren might have been stronger than any adventurer in this dungeon, but that didn¡¯t mean Lorren and Mikaela weren¡¯t worthy foes. He¡¯d already fought them before and won - but it was never easy. And the rewards? Never impressive enough, or lasting, to justify the effort. Besides, whenever he killed them and looted their weapons and armor, a horde of high-level monsters would inevitably appear out of nowhere, taking advantage of his exhausted state to overwhelm and kill him. The loop would reset, taking away all the loot he¡¯d earned with blood, sweat, and tears. ¡°Curse you, Erebus!¡± Goren shouted, his voice echoing through the empty chamber. He still couldn¡¯t figure out how the dungeon kept changing and adapting to his every approach. It was becoming too tedious. Laughing at his own jokes was just the least of the mental cracks beginning to show. The constant call backs to some of his most painful and gruesome deaths were the most horrible thing. His thoughts drifted to his mother. She was supposed to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow. The healers said her condition had stabilized, and she could now transition to a home care plan. Finally, after five long years of being hospitalized, she would return home. All the money Goren had made adventuring over the past five years went toward his mother¡¯s medical bills. The rest? Caring for his little brother, Ben. With his mother ill and their father absent from their lives since forever, Goren had been the man of the house ¨C practically thrown into this role overnight. He shouldered too much responsibility from a very young age. Originally, he had hoped this quest would go smoothly. He¡¯d planned to get paid, buy his mother a ¡®welcome back¡¯ gift, and head to the hospital tomorrow to bring her home. With so many strong adventurers leading them, it felt like the most logical turn of events for their mission, despite the infamously dangerous dungeon. But for Goren, tomorrow never came. He was reliving this day for the 96th time. He had grown stronger than he ever could¡¯ve imagined, yet he still seemed so, so far away from clearing this dungeon. If only Spellsword wasn¡¯t such a liar¡­He and his idiotic System that wouldn''t let him retain his memories... Goren had honestly wanted them to join forces and progress together. He believed that sharing the same fate, they would be able to overcome the dungeon¡¯s constant adaptations. He had no ill intentions toward Spellsword at first, but then he forced his hand. And when Goren found a different use for him, Dolos intervened, stopping him abruptly and redirecting his focus for the time being, promising a face off against Spellsword sometime in the future. Dolos hadn¡¯t been able to explain directly ¨C it was against the unwritten rules or some bullshit like that ¨C but he hinted at an item Goren needed to obtain. Apparently, this item would ensure his fight against Spellsword happened as agreed: a battle where the winner would be rewarded with loads of XP, and the loser would be erased from existence.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Throughout all of this, Goren had tried to ease his guilt over killing adventurers by telling himself it didn¡¯t matter, that there were no consequences ¨C everything reset after he died. But deleting someone from existence? That was different. Even in the jobs he took on as a Rogue, he always made sure his clients weren''t aiming to abuse the rogue class for their own pure self gain. He really didn¡¯t want to erase Spellsword. But it was what their gods had agreed upon. Spellsword and he ¨C mere puppets in their hands. There was no going against their vision. There was no point in defying their will. Everything will play out the way they wanted regardless of the mortals¡¯ struggles, because they were gods, and that''s how gods operated. ¡°Fuuuuck¡­¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°What would Mom think?¡± He resolved that, when it came to that, he¡¯d make sure Spellsword had a fair sendoff. Erasure from existence was no joke. ¡°Will I forget him too?¡± Goren whispered, wondering how it would work. Then he shook his head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll probably be the only one to remember him. Someone has to. That would be the right thing to do.¡± Having decided on this, he wondered what his next steps in the current loop should be. He never trailed off for so long in any of the previous loops. ¡°What do I even do now¡­¡± he muttered to himself, quickly offering a suggestion. ¡°I could go to the wolves¡¯ lair ¨C it¡¯s not far.¡± Then he immediately dismissed the idea. ¡°No, don¡¯t do that. The item I need is definitely not there. And those wolves barely give any XP anymore. Waste of time.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± he snapped at himself. Another idea popped into his mind. ¡°I could maybe go down that corridor over there and finally take out that Razor Basilisk. It probably won¡¯t give much XP either, but who knows? It might drop something good, like the Mole King did. Perhaps the item I am looking for.¡± He paused. ¡°Why am I talking to myself so much?¡± He shook his head, answering immediately. ¡°Because you have no friends, Goren. Nobody likes you. You have no one. You¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°That sucks.¡± He said grimly, nodding to himself. ¡°But it is the truth.¡± Then he wondered how many years of therapy it would take to undo the damage this time loop had done to his mind. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go kill the serpent¡­¡± he whispered, heading toward the chamber¡¯s exit. But before he could leave, he was attacked. Two Blood Wraiths appeared out of nowhere, flying at him with terrifying speed and growling menacingly. They struck him ¨C but his body dissolved into dark mist, reappearing at the far end of the chamber to create distance. Then, without hesitation, Goren drew the Golden Bow ¨C a useful weapon against the wraiths of this dungeon. He aimed upward and activated one of its unique abilities, raining golden arrows down on the wraiths. The arrows passed right through them, seemingly dealing no damage, but they triggered a trap ¨C suddenly turning larger and ensnaring the wraiths, holding them in place. Switching to the sword ¨C Convergence ¨C Goren activated its unique ability. He drove it into the ground, channeling his mana into the blade. A pillar of magic erupted from beneath the trapped wraiths, searing them. He pressed the sword even deeper, pouring more mana into the spell until the pillar expanded, obliterating the wraiths into dust. But it wasn¡¯t over. Two more Blood Wraiths appeared behind him and attacked immediately. He dodged quickly, abandoning Convergence and blinking far away, only to be met with dark lightning projectiles. He evaded those with acrobatic finesse, rummaging through his inventory mid-air to grab something. When he landed, the Blood Wraiths disappeared ¨C or rather turned invisible. Goren¡¯s Warding Medallion activated instantly, allowing him to see the apparitions through their veil of invisibility. One of them was right next to him when it came out of its invisibility and growled at Goren, attempting to inflict Fear. But Goren was unfazed ¨C his resistances were already high enough to not be afflicted by most status conditions. ¡°Was that supposed to scare me?¡± he laughed, dropping the item he picked from his inventory ¨C a Holy Fire Bomb. An useful item for battling wraiths and undead. The bomb detonated in a radiant explosion, damaging and stunning the Blood Wraith while leaving Goren unharmed. He drew the Golden Bow and shot the stunned monster at point-blank range, reducing it to dust. Meanwhile, the remaining wraith continued its approach toward Goren, joined by three more of its kind. Goren was bored. He sighed. ¡°I know I said I wanted something new, but this is getting boring again.¡± He muttered to himself. ¡°Just apply the oil and be done with it already.¡± He suggested to himself, and replied almost immediately. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The wraiths attacked simultaneously, but Goren dissolved into mist once more, reappearing at the opposite end of the chamber. He quickly applied Apparition Oil to the daggers, ensuring every strike would land on the monsters. Then, he shot himself forward with terrifying speed, weaving effortlessly through the wraiths¡¯ attacks while landing multiple of his own on the tricky-to-hit enemies. He chipped at their HP quickly, without breaking too much sweat, until they were all dead. Well...deader. Finally, he turned his attention to the orchestrator of the attack: a shadowy figure lurking in the corner of the chamber, hiding under the veil of magic. His Warding Medallion had caught a glimpse of it when he was trying to pinpoint the invisible wraiths. ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be shy.¡± Goren called out. ¡°I know you¡¯re there.¡± It was the first time in those 96 loops, that Goren had encountered this person. Finally, something new. Goren was growing so tired of the monotony. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± The figure remarked, still hiding in the shadows. ¡°No wonder he marked you.¡± "Marked?" Goren asked, confused. "What? When? How? By whom?" ¡°I¡¯ve said enough.¡± The figure responded. "Your master''s presence in you is strong, and so you shall die an agonizing death for serving him." Goren raised an eyebrow. ¡°I have no idea what you''re talking about, but step out already if you¡¯re so determined to kill me.¡± When the figure finally stepped forward, Goren couldn¡¯t believe his own eyes when he saw its face. ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­what are you - ¡± He couldn''t even finish his words before unimaginable pain shot through is body. Chapter 31: I Dont Understand Anything Anymore Chapter 31: I Don''t Understand Anything Anymore ¡°What the hell was that just now?¡± Yana asked shortly after Gaelith left. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he kill us?¡± I was in disbelief too, though I probably had a better idea of why he spared us ¨C for now. I¡¯d killed his friend. Well, more accurately, I¡¯d released him from being Undead. And Gaelith was¡­thankful for it? That didn¡¯t make any sense. If he was the dungeon¡¯s boss, couldn¡¯t he have released his friend on his own? Wasn¡¯t he the necromancer who brought him back as an Undead to begin with? ¡°What did he mean, Aidan?¡± Yana asked suddenly. ¡°Why did he thank you?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth. I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Yan. I¡¯m as weirded out by it as you are.¡± ¡°Oh, cut the bullshit!¡± she snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting differently since this morning. So much so that I don¡¯t even recognize you. And don''t even get me started on the Undead Wolves you''d slain way too casually for someone your level. You¡¯re clearly keeping something from me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hiding anything from you.¡± I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± I felt disappointed in myself for lying to her, especially after the kiss we¡¯d shared. But I knew it was the only way to keep her safe. She shook her head slowly. ¡°The kiss just now¡­was it genuine, or were you just trying to shut me up and get me to agree with you?¡± No, no, no. Why would she think that? I was ruining this. One step forward and a hundred steps back. ¡°Of course it was genuine.¡± I replied, maybe with too much intensity. ¡°I¡¯ve loved you for so long, I¡¯m ashamed it took me so long to say it. Ever since we were kids, ever since I understood what love is ¨C scratch that, even before that.¡± Her expression softened and she looked both hurt and vulnerable, unlike anything I¡¯ve seen before. ¡°Aidan, we¡¯re in this together. We always were. And if this kiss meant to you as much as it did to me, then tell me the truth, and we¡¯ll work it out together. But if you¡¯re going to keep secrets, then this kiss was just that ¨C a kiss.¡± I hesitated, feeling torn. Should I tell her the truth? I¡¯d finally taken the step forward; we¡¯d kissed. But now she might just turn away and leave. And I knew that once I died, everything would reset. This conversation wouldn¡¯t happen. I¡¯d forget all about it ¨C all about our kiss. And that was exactly the problem. I didn¡¯t want it to end! I didn¡¯t want to forget how it felt! But I also couldn¡¯t bear to see her die again¡­ ¡°Yana¡­¡± I whispered, unable to meet her eyes. ¡°Nothing is happening. Everything is just so scary, I ¨C ¡° ¡°Oh, screw this shit.¡± She snapped, turning around and rushing toward the corridor to our right. ¡°Yana, wait!¡± I called after her, breaking into a run to follow. *** Yana didn¡¯t want to speak to me, but I wasn¡¯t about to leave her alone like this. And at the same time, despite her anger, it seemed she wasn¡¯t willing to leave me behind either. Or maybe I just wanted to believe that was the case. We eventually reached a dead end ¨C a collapsed chamber. Unable to clear the debris, we turned back and retraced our steps. We passed that one chamber that Lady Mikaela had warned Yana about and, after a long, silent walk that felt like an eternity, we returned to where it all started: the main antechamber on the ground level. It was a nightmarish sight, to say the least. Bodies were strewn everywhere ¨C dozens upon dozens of adventurers. Some were in pieces, others completely unrecognizable, all dead. Pools of blood covered the floor, accompanied by a strong metallic stench that was nauseating. But among all the bodies, two stood out the most: Lady Mikaela and Stephan Lorren. Looks like Gaelith was truthful when he said he killed everyone. They lay next to the massive stone doors that were still closed. In the end, they hadn¡¯t been able to open them despite obtaining the Keystone. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡± Yana whispered as she rushed to her guild master¡¯s body. I followed her, watching as she knelt beside Lady Mikaela, a tear streaming down her face. They were clearly close, and I decided not to interfere with her grief. Instead, I turned my attention to Lorren¡¯s body, searching for the Keystone. I wasn¡¯t planning to leave the tomb ¨C I had a mission ¨C but maybe I could send Yana away, lock myself inside, and continue exploring on my own. I know it was stupid. It wouldn¡¯t actually save her. She was trapped in this loop just as I was. She just didn¡¯t know it. But still, the thought of saving her, even in some small and non-lasting way, eased my mind. It kept me going. I found the Keystone ¨C a shining key ¨C and brought it closer to the doors. Yet, nothing happened. ¡°Am I even doing this right?¡± I muttered, not sure if I was asking Yana or myself. Either way, she continued ignoring me. ¡°There was never any Keystone to begin with. A lie it was.¡± Gaelith¡¯s voice sounded behind us. We both turned quickly, raising our weapons. He was still cloaked in that dark robe, but this time, his sword was missing ¨C and so were his Blood Wraith bodyguards. He continued, his tone suddenly turning oddly emotional. ¡°No one can leave this place. Ever. And no one should have come. Why did you come? Why couldn¡¯t you leave this cursed place be, sealed and forgotten?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. His words made little sense to me. He sounded hurt, almost regretful about killing us all. It didn¡¯t align with the ruthlessness we¡¯d seen from him until now ¨C his bone-chilling introduction, the monsters he¡¯d sent to kill us, the countless people he had already slaughtered. Both today and years before that. ¡°Oh, no!¡± Yana snapped at him. ¡°Don¡¯t turn this on us! You¡¯re the monster here!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the monster?¡± Gaelith almost sounded offended. ¡°You dare say this while you bear the mark of Darkness?¡± ¡°What?¡± Yana asked, bewildered. But I knew what he meant. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter." Gaelith muttered, almost to himself. "It needs to be done. By my hand and not his.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Yana shouted at him, her voice trembling with fear, anger, and grief. Gaelith ignored her and seemed to turn to me, his glowing sword materializing in his hand from thin air. I was ready to fight back. To preserve this loop ¨C a loop where I made immense progress. But his next words surprised me so much, I was left completely out of it. ¡°Are you the one who will end this?¡± Before I could even wonder what he meant, he drove his sword into the ground. A blinding light engulfed us. This beautiful loop was over. I couldn¡¯t salvage it. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** I woke up lying on a familiar grassy field. Turning my head to the right, I saw Chronos seated at the table, sipping tea. He wasn¡¯t alone this time. To his right stood an aged butler, dressed in a uniform that seemed way too luxurious. His grey hair was tied neatly in a tail behind his head, and he stood at the ready, his eyes closed. To Chronos¡¯ left, a teenage girl sat cross-legged on the grass. Her hair was bright pink, styled in two pigtails, and her clothes were so vibrantly colorful that they hurt my eyes at first glance. In her hand, she held a small wooden paddle with an even smaller ball tethered to it by a thin string. She moved the paddle back and forth, likely trying to make the ball bounce consistently, but failing miserably. After so many loops, Chronos had finally invited me over. ¡°Tea, Mr. Dar?¡± The butler addressed me, his voice awfully similar to Balthor¡¯s. ¡°Balthor?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°You got that right!¡± the girl chimed in, her voice unmistakably Pix¡¯s. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Pix!¡± I stood up, still baffled. I¡¯d always thought they were just disembodied voices assisting Chronos with whatever it was he did. ¡°Never thought you had a corporeal form¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°They were always here. You just couldn¡¯t see them.¡± Chronos said as he finished his tea and placed the cup on a silver platter that suddenly materialized in Balthor¡¯s hands. ¡°Your Temporal Trace just wasn¡¯t leveled high enough before.¡± ¡°So ¨C ¡° ¡°Yeah.¡± Chronos cut me off. ¡°Everything is connected.¡± He studied me for a moment before rolling his eyes, grinning. ¡°Would you sit already? You¡¯re making me nervous standing there like that.¡± If he invited me again after so long, it either meant I was progressing well ¨C or the exact opposite. I forced a weak smile, eager to find out which one it was. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re doing good.¡± Chronos said, and I immediately sighed with relief. ¡°You even met the star of the show.¡± He added, likely referring to Gaelith. ¡°Good job, Mr. Dar.¡± Balthor said, nodding approvingly. ¡°Yup! Great job, Aidan!¡± Pix chimed in cheerfully. ¡°You understand now what I meant when I said it was possible to defeat Erebus forty runs earlier?¡± Chronos asked. I nodded, recalling what I¡¯d discovered this run. ¡°The Darknessbound Core¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Chronos replied, his grin widening. ¡°There are a few more items that you''ll need for that, but it is possible to lock Erebus inside the Core again. Once you get all the necessary items, the two shards would connect and the prison would be usable again." ¡°You mean three shards, right?¡± His grin faltered. ¡°What?¡± I rummaged through my inventory and presented the two Darknessbound Core shards. Holding them close together, I showed him the tiny piece missing to make the stone whole. ¡°Ooh, that son of a bitch¡­¡± Chronos rubbed his eyes in frustration. ¡°What?¡± I asked, both confused and curious. ¡°It¡¯s Dolos! Of course, it¡¯s him.¡± Chronos snapped. ¡°We can¡¯t know for sure, young Master.¡± Balthor interjected calmly. ¡°He¡¯s bound by the same restrictions as you. He can¡¯t intervene in such a way.¡± ¡°Then who else could¡¯ve taken it, Balthor?¡± Chronos retorted, his impatience growing. ¡°How many times have we done this before? It¡¯s always the same. Always the same until this fucking time!¡± ¡°Can you finally explain what¡¯s going on?¡± I raised my voice, tired of being kept in the dark. Chronos turned his attention fully to me, seemingly appreciating my assertiveness. ¡°Listen,¡± he began. ¡°Whenever Erebus starts his shenanigans, it always begins with him escaping this prison.¡± He pointed to the shards in my hand. ¡°The Darknessbound Core always splits into two pieces. Each piece is guarded by a different monster ¨C Erebus¡¯ creations, of course. This time, for some unforeseen reason, it didn¡¯t. Both shards were kept in the same room. And since the System sensed both pieces in close proximity before the time loop was initiated, it determined fewer runs were necessary to complete the mission.¡± ¡°But it was wrong¡­¡± I muttered, starting to grasp the gravity of the situation. ¡°So, we were set up from almost the beginning?¡± ¡°No. The System cannot make mistakes.¡± Pix chimed in. ¡°Whoever took that piece ¨C ¡° ¡°Dolos.¡± Chronos interrupted sharply, correcting her. Pix nodded and continued. ¡°-likely done it fairly recently, just chipping away another piece from one of the shards. Key Items are not affected by the time loop.¡± ¡°He broke the rules.¡± Chronos growled. ¡°He¡¯ll pay. We¡¯ll nullify our entire deal with him.¡± ¡°I agree with Balthor, boss. I don¡¯t think it was him.¡± Pix said hesitantly, looking embarrassed. Chronos was fuming, but before he could explode, he took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, visibly calming himself. ¡°Yeah, you''re probably right. It¡¯s unlikely. The restrictions wouldn¡¯t have allowed it.¡± ¡°Then who took the extra piece?¡± I asked, as now we had no other suspects, and I was the one who was going to pay for this. Chronos rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll need to check the timeline, but even when I find out, I won¡¯t be able to tell you. That would be intervening.¡± ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!¡± I snapped, jumping from my chair. ¡°Someone cheats and screws me over, and you¡¯re telling me that helping me fix it is against the rules?¡± ¡°Until we understand exactly what happened, young Master would be putting himself at risk if he interfered.¡± Balthor explained patiently. I groaned, frustration boiling over. Why was everything so difficult all the time? I sank back into my seat slowly. ¡°You can still do this. You¡¯re a lot stronger now.¡± Chronos said, sounding encouraging. ¡°And the third shard is in the tomb. That much I can tell you. You just need to find it and the other necessary items." "What other items?" I asked, my patience running low. "That I can''t tell you." Chronos replied, and I was about to explode. ¡°What about Gaelith?¡± I asked impatiently. ¡°He just one-shotted us. I doubt he¡¯ll just let me imprison him even if I get everything.¡± ¡°Well, he - ¡± Chronos began, but was immediately cut off. "BOSS!" "Young Master!" Chronos raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, will you both chill? I was planning on making him forget this part.¡± He turned back to me. ¡°Anyway, they''re right. You¡¯ll have to figure that out too.¡± Anger welled up inside me at the constant secrets. The loss of progress. Not just with the mission, but with my personal progress. The kiss with Yana that I¡¯d forget once I woke up again. I finally exploded. ¡°Forget this, forget that! It¡¯s easy for you to say when you¡¯re not the one who¡¯s down there struggling to remember what he did last time! Explain to me once and for all why I need to forget everything every fucking loop!¡± The three of them exchanged glances, silent. Then Chronos smiled faintly. ¡°Very well.¡± He clapped his hands, and the surroundings shifted around us, transforming into what looked like an academy auditorium with a large stage and a lectern in its front. Chronos now wore a peculiar white robe, holding a wooden ruler, which he smacked against a blackboard to grab my attention. ¡°Good morning, students, and welcome to my class.¡± He announced with exaggerated enthusiasm. "¡¯Erebus for dummies¡¯." Chapter 32: Statistics 101 Chapter 32: Statistics 101 ¡°Yay!¡± Pix exclaimed, throwing away her paddle toy, and clapping her hands. ¡°Boss is giving another lecture!¡± ¡°This should be¡­interesting.¡± Balthor muttered, rolling his eyes. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been working on my presentation skills, Balthor.¡± Chronos said defensively. ¡°I assure you, this time everything will go smoothly.¡± Balthor gave him a skeptical nod. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± He turned to me. ¡°Mr. Dar, we¡¯ll be handing out evaluation forms after the lecture. Make sure to grade Young Master¡¯s performance with utmost seriousness.¡± I nodded slowly, even though I had no idea what he was talking about. ¡°You asked for clarity about the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System¡¯s design ¨C specifically, why your memories do not persist between runs.¡± Chronos began, his voice echoing around the auditorium. ¡°To understand, you must grasp the nature of our enemy, Erebus.¡± I crossed my arms, leaning back in my seat. ¡°You told me the basics. You said he wakes up every millennia and tries to devour¡­everything. Right?¡± ¡°Correct. Almost.¡± Chronos said, nodding slightly. ¡°What you may not realize yet is the sheer scale of this endless war. It spans beyond your time ¨C and even your world.¡± ¡°Beyond my world?¡± I blinked, straightening up in the chair. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Chronos raised a hand and snapped his fingers. The blackboard behind him shimmered, and suddenly an image appeared ¨C a bustling cityscape unlike anything I had ever seen. Some structures belched smoke into the air, while strange contraptions on wheels moved along the streets that were guarded by...what even was that? Giant monsters made of metal? ¡°This is another world.¡± Chronos explained. ¡°Not quite like yours. A world powered by steam, fire, and machinery. Its people have built towering cities, their lives dictated by the elaborate mechanisms they constantly create and the relentless industry they power.¡± I stared at the moving image, mesmerized. ¡°What¡­what is that?¡± I¡¯d seen magical illusions before, but this felt different. It was too detailed to be something so simple. It was almost like a window to a different reality. Chronos snapped his fingers again, and the image changed. This time, the city was sleek and dark, its structures tall enough to pierce the clouds. Bright lights glimmered in countless windows, and the people there moved around with metals protruding from their bodies ¨C some had half their faces replaced with metal, while others had metallic limbs that transformed into blades, making them resemble praying mantises. ¡°This world,¡± Chronos continued, ¡°is dominated by glass, metal, and advanced technology. The people here have pushed the limits of their bodies and minds through these innovations, but at a heavy price.¡± I shook my head, overwhelmed. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m looking at. How can people live like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same everywhere ¨C they adapt.¡± Chronos replied simply. ¡°Each world has its own rules. People either adapt, or they perish.¡± Before I could ask another question, he snapped his fingers again. The next image was odd as well. The city here had tall structures, just like the previous ones, but here they seemed to be made mostly of stone, like in my world. The people carried small, glowing objects in their hands ¨C somewhat reminding me of the System¡¯s screens, and what looked like massive carriages moved on wheels along paved roads. Compared to the other two, this world seemed pretty mundane. ¡°This world is closer to its natural state.¡± Chronos explained. ¡°Its people use no magic, nor do they have the technology of the previous one. Instead, they rely on ingenuity and tools to shape their lives. Despite lacking mana, they have created great wonders and achieved amazing accomplishments.¡± I stared at the image, struggling to process what he was showing me. ¡°This is¡­real?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°Just as real as your world.¡± I opened my mouth to protest, still in disbelief at it all, but then I remembered my first meeting with Chronos ¨C the many terms he mentioned, things I¡¯ve never heard of, that he claimed came from another world. D¨¦j¨¤ vu being the most memorable. ¡°Imagine your world as a single branch on a vast tree with endless branches. Each branch represents a different world. Some are similar to yours, while others are incredibly different.¡± Balthor interjected, his calm voice drawing my attention. ¡°Erebus is the blight who seeks to consume the tree itself.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Pix suddenly chimed in, grinning. ¡°And Master Chronos here is the gardener trying to keep the tree alive.¡± She paused, scratching her head. ¡°Wait, does that make us the gardening tools?¡± Balthor sighed. ¡°Not now, Pix.¡± I shook my head, trying to focus. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say I believe all this. It¡¯s a lot to take in, but let¡¯s say it¡¯s true. What does that have to do with me forgetting everything?¡± Chronos snapped his fingers, and the blackboard returned to its original state. ¡°I¡¯ve given this introduction to help you understand that Erebus shares one crucial trait with me: he isn¡¯t confined to a single era or a single world. He is timeless. This means, like me, he is everywhere and nowhere all at once. And so, he can see all the loops you''ve had so far and remember them. But in his current state of power, he is extremely weakened and has a lot of disadvantages. In particular, the fact that he needs a vessel to see, but especially - the way he operates.¡± He paused, letting his words sink in. My heart skipped a beat as he turned to the blackboard. ¡°Now, to answer your question.¡± He drew a single line across the board with a piece of chalk. ¡°This is the baseline ¨C the original timeline. The one where you died before I chose and placed you in this time loop.¡± He added more lines beneath it, each one diverging slightly. ¡°These additional lines represent your subsequent loops. Some deviate only slightly from the baseline, with minor changes, while others diverge more significantly ¨C especially when you chose different paths in the tomb and encountered new clues and dangers.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. I nodded, following along so far. Chronos then added small arrows, each stretching from the baseline to any of the other lines. ¡°Erebus measures these deviations, calculating the variance.¡± ¡°Variance?¡± I frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°In mathematical terms, it¡¯s the degree of difference.¡± Balthor explained. Chronos nodded appreciatively. ¡°The more significant the changes, the greater the variance. When the variance surpasses the threshold Erebus has set, he begins searching for the source of the deviation.¡± Pix chimed in, now lying on the ground. ¡°And when he finds you, he marks you, tracks you, and messes with everything you¡¯re trying to do.¡± A chill ran down my spine. ¡°So, the memory loss¡­it¡¯s to keep me from making big changes?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Chronos confirmed. ¡°Without your memories, the changes you make are subtle enough to fall under Erebus¡¯ threshold. This allows you to grow stronger without drawing his gaze.¡± ¡°Wait a second.¡± I said, narrowing my eyes at him. ¡°How haven¡¯t I crossed the threshold yet? I mean, I just killed Kaelstrife. He didn¡¯t even respawn after I reawakened at Checkpoint. Surely, that¡¯s a big enough change to¡­¡± I stopped, the realization hitting. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s why Gaelith killed us. I¡¯m marked now, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chronos shook his head. ¡°You''re not marked, and Erebus is not yet aware of you.¡± ¡°But Gaelith ¨C ¡° ¡°I cannot elaborate on Gaelith due to the rules.¡± Chronos interrupted, his tone firm. ¡°Suffice it to say, his actions were not because you crossed the threshold. You remain undetected.¡± ¡°But how?¡± I pressed. ¡°Kaelstrife was his friend, wasn¡¯t he? There¡¯s no way he won¡¯t remember me in the next run!¡± ¡°You don''t need to worry about Gaelith.¡± Chronos said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to trust me on this one. Eventually, you¡¯ll understand why on your own. But until then¡­¡± He tapped on the blackboard with the chalk. ¡°The reason you¡¯re still under Erebus¡¯ radar lies in his methodology ¨C the disadvantage I mentioned earlier.¡± He gestured to the additional lines he¡¯d drawn earlier. ¡°With each loop, Erebus gains another data point ¨C a new timeline to measure. While the first few loops may have been simple to compare to the original, your changes in those were fairly insignificant¡­apart from the one caused by Yana, for which she paid dearly.¡± My heart twisted at his mention of Yana. Chronos continued. ¡°But as more loops occur, the complexity of Erebus¡¯ task increases.¡± He drew a dashed line beneath the branching loops and labeled it ¡°Average¡±. ¡°At his current state, Erebus cannot compare each loop to the baseline in real time ¨C it¡¯s too much information for his weakened self. Instead, he calculates an average ¨C a constantly evolving measure that accounts for all the loops that happened thus far.¡± Pix hopped onto the lectern, dangling her legs as she added cheerfully. ¡°Think of it like trying to compare today¡¯s breakfast to the one you had a month ago, except you ate the same meal every morning, but slightly different.¡± Balthor picked up where she left off. ¡°Instead of going backwards day by day, and recalling every small change made each morning ¨C like swapping an apple for an orange, cow milk for goat milk, or oatmeal for another grain ¨C you simplify it. You ate a grain, a fruit, and some milk. That¡¯s the average Master Chronos refers to.¡± I nodded, their metaphor helping me grasp the concept. Chronos resumed. ¡°By comparing the latest loop to this evolving average, Erebus streamlines his analysis. It allows him to detect major changes without drowning in information. However, this method isn¡¯t precise and introduces a delay.¡± He pointed to one of the earlier loops. ¡°Every so often, Erebus does compare the latest loop to the baseline ¨C the original timeline ¨C but these checks are infrequent. Until such a comparison occurs, the evolving average keeps you under his threshold.¡± I stared at the lines, my thoughts racing. ¡°So¡­the more loops I go through, the more time it takes for Erebus to notice anything?¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°As the amount of information grows, the calculations become more complex. This buys you time to strengthen yourself ¨C to prepare for the moment he finally notices you. By then, you¡¯ll be too powerful for him to stop you.¡± I exhaled slowly. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that even though I killed Kaelstrife, this significant change gets blended into the Average because my earlier runs had little to no significant changes? That feels a bit like luck¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about luck. It¡¯s by design.¡± Chronos replied sharply. ¡°The memory loss ensures subtlety. It is not reliant on luck, despite how it may feel to you. The probability of remaining under Erebus¡¯ threshold with the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System is approximately 97.2%.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s¡­oddly specific.¡± ¡°Because it is precise.¡± Chronos said. ¡°In contrast, consider Dolos and Goren.¡± I tensed at the mention of those names, while Chronos continued. ¡°Goren retains all his memories between loops - every success, every failure. Do you understand what that means in the grand scheme of things?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for an answer. ¡°It means Goren crossed Erebus¡¯ threshold long ago.¡± Chronos continued. ¡°Erebus marked him and has been constantly adjusting the dungeon to counter him, ensuring Goren can never truly succeed.¡± Pix hopped off the lectern, her expression serious. ¡°Basically, poor Goren¡¯s stuck in a never-ending tug-of-war, and Erebus keeps pulling the rope further away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I hesitated, unsure how to feel. Goren had killed me eight times for XP, yet hearing this, I felt bad for him. ¡°That¡¯s horrible. Why would Dolos design his System that way?¡± Chronos frowned. ¡°Because, as I¡¯ve told you before, Dolos doesn¡¯t care about defeating Erebus. Nor does he care about Goren¡¯s well-being. He only does this to create additional obstacles for me.¡± ¡°Why does he hate you so much?¡± I asked. ¡°It all feels a bit too personal.¡± Pix and Balthor exchanged a glance, seeming down. I realized the answer to that question wouldn¡¯t be simple. Chronos sighed heavily. ¡°It is¡­a difficult subject, but you deserve to know.¡± He clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing slowly around the stage. ¡°Long ago, before Dolos became what he is now, he was one of my helpers. Like Pix and Balthor, he worked alongside me, aiding in the battle against Erebus.¡± I blinked, surprised by the revelation, but stayed silent, letting Chronos continue. ¡°He was brilliant at his job - balancing Balthor¡¯s wisdom with Pix¡¯s creativity. Together, they formed the perfect trinity of support, and we achieved great victories.¡± Pix stared at the floor, her usual grin turned upside down. Balthor, though harder to read, seemed noticeably tenser. ¡°But then,¡± Chronos continued, his voice becoming heavier, ¡°came a battle unlike any before. The champion I chose that time ¨C Arabella was her name ¨C was strong, brave, and selfless. So selfless that, when no other path to victory remained, she sacrificed herself to ensure Erebus was defeated and her world was saved.¡± I swallowed hard, hoping I won¡¯t meet the same fate. ¡°What happened to Dolos?¡± Chronos stopped pacing around and gazed upward, looking distant. ¡°Dolos did something he shouldn¡¯t have ¨C he fell in love with her.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Oh indeed.¡± Chronos said, nodding. ¡°After her death, he begged me to reverse time and bring her back. He pleaded, argued, even demanded. But I couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because to rewind back such a fateful encounter would risk undoing her victory. If I brought her back, Erebus would rise again ¨C now fully aware of her capabilities and resolve. She wouldn¡¯t succeed a second time as he will be ready, and both her universe and she would be lost forever.¡± Pix spoke quietly. ¡°But Dolos didn¡¯t see it that way. All he saw was someone he loved who didn¡¯t need to die.¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°He couldn¡¯t accept my decision. Our arguments grew bitter, and eventually, he left. He traveled far ¨C through the realms of gods and demons alike ¨C searching for a way to bring her back. Many of those deities lied to him, promising what they couldn¡¯t deliver. He believed them anyway. Over time, it all consumed him, and he became what he is today¡­the very embodiment of the lies and deceit he''d endured.¡± ¡°And now,¡± Balthor finished grimly, ¡°his sole purpose is to make Young Master suffer. To hinder the champions he chooses. To disrupt our plans. To ensure that our victories come at the highest possible cost.¡± At the highest possible cost¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Chronos said, his voice turning gentler. ¡°If he interfered and took the third shard, then our contract with him is null and void. Either way, the Darknessbound Core is not the only way to defeat Erebus.¡± ¡°What was the incident you both kept referring to in his domain?¡± I asked, raising the question that had been nagging at me. Chronos¡¯ face soured. ¡°Next time.¡± He said curtly. Then he snapped his fingers, and everything went black. Chapter 33: Missing Chapter 33: Missing [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 22] [Loop Count: 37] [Experience Points (XP): 10,562 / 17,000] I woke up with the meeting with Chronos still running circles in my mind. Things were clearer now ¨C Erebus¡¯ methodology and how he chose who to mark. But I also understood that time was of the essence. Once Erebus caught wind of the change caused by Kaelstrife¡¯s death, he would search for me. I needed to find the third Darknessbound Core shard and lock him away before he did, because if I didn¡¯t, and instead I got marked, my progress would halt immediately. Wait a minute¡­Why can I remember that I defeated Kaelstrife? I quickly turned to the second inventory. There it was ¨C Silverfang! The glaive materialized in my hands as I was still in awe that I could recall the fight I went through to obtain it. Well, not entirely¡­some parts of the memory seemed to blur, especially the location of the battle. All I knew for sure was that there had been spiders involved. Large ones at that. The two Memory Fragments in my inventory caught my attention. I selected them, immediately unlocking and reliving the memories they held. Both provided more questions than answers, and I knew I had to find the rest of them if I wanted to understand anything. The third shard and the additional items Chronos said I needed to collect to lock up Erebus were hidden somewhere in the tomb, and only by understanding the truth behind it would I be able to find them. ***
Stocked up at Christian¡¯s. Reached the tomb. We had split into teams and then we realized someone in my team was missing.
¡°Who¡¯s missing, Fiona? I thought we counted a hundred before Lorren began his speech.¡± Lady Mikaela addressed a young woman next to her ¨C a level 82 Enchantress who seemed to be in charge of the logistics for the raid, judging by the stack of papers she was holding. ¡°I thought so too, m¡¯lady. Let me check.¡± Fiona replied, humming softly as she shuffled through the documents in her hands. Lady Mikaela nodded before turning to the crowd of adventurers that had now gathered around us, curious. She scanned their faces, looking for someone. ¡°Evangelina!¡± she called out. ¡°Were you prepared with substitutions for cases like this?¡± I asked Yana as we waited. ¡°Of course.¡± She replied confidently. ¡°Our guild provided ten possible substitutes. I think that Ironfall Vanguard also has some adventurers on standby.¡± ¡°Then it shouldn¡¯t be a problem even if they don¡¯t find the missing member.¡± I replied. ¡°Guess so.¡± Yana said with a shrug. ¡°Wrong. We¡¯re missing our Rogue.¡± My team¡¯s leader, a mage named Jax, interjected. ¡°So?¡± I asked, confused and irritated that he was eavesdropping on us. ¡°So not only are you weak, you¡¯re also ignorant, huh?¡± Jax scoffed, rolling his eyes with a look of disgust. ¡°The guild masters put a lot of thought into balancing the teams. Rogues are essential for their unique abilities. Without them, we¡¯d be in a disadvantage.¡± He turned to Yana. ¡°Ironfall Vanguard doesn¡¯t have Rogues in our ranks. I assume your guild doesn¡¯t either. That¡¯s why Silvercry were invited.¡± As Jax spoke, a woman draped in a sleek, black outfit approached Lady Mikaela. Twin daggers, both elegant and menacing, hung from a belt slung diagonally across her torso. She was a level 85 Rogue, and seemingly the on-field leader of Silvercry, the Rogue guild that had joined the quest today. ¡°Goren Shein from Silvercry is missing.¡± Fiona whispered to her guild master, her voice barely audible, as if afraid the approaching woman might overhear. The name sent a shiver down my spine. Goren, Dolos¡¯ champion, the man who had killed me repeatedly in this time loop, exploiting my memory loss each time, was supposed to be on my team? And now he was missing? Just after Chronos had suspected Dolos was behind the disappearance of the third shard of the Darknessbound Core? This couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. He had to be planning something. ¡°Goren is missing, I know.¡± The Rogue woman said as she reached Lady Mikaela. Her smug expression made Fiona shrink back. ¡°You knew he was missing and stayed quiet?¡± Lady Mikaela asked, her voice calm yet also judgmental. ¡°You¡¯re too experienced to be slacking like this, Evangelina.¡± ¡°Hardly.¡± Evangelina retorted with an exaggerated eye roll. ¡°Goren has¡­many responsibilities back at home. We assumed he was just running late because of them. You don¡¯t expect me to snitch on my people and risk them not getting paid fully over something so trivial, do you?¡± ¡°I expect transparency from you as one of the secondary leaders of this raid.¡± Lady Mikaela shot back, her gaze piercing. Evangelina rolled her eyes again, a smirk on her lips. ¡°You¡¯re right, Mikky. My bad, hon.¡± Lady Mikaela clearly didn¡¯t appreciate the nicknames but maintained her composure. ¡°We agreed with your boss that if anyone from your guild was missing, you¡¯d provide a substitute. We cannot compromise the balance of the teams.¡± Evangelina¡¯s smirk faded, replaced by a mock concern. ¡°Sadly, we don¡¯t have anyone to spare. Everyone, including Miss Belle, is assigned elsewhere. Goren was supposed to be here. We didn¡¯t anticipate this.¡± Lady Mikaela¡¯s irritation was evident, but before she could respond, Stephan Lorren stepped in. ¡°I don¡¯t like it anymore than you do, Mikaela.¡± He said, his tone tense. ¡°But we can¡¯t call off the raid over this. The King wouldn¡¯t care that Silvercry let us down. Sure, they¡¯d face sanctions for this blunder, but the King would still be furious if we failed to solve this problem on our own and proceed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your suggestion, then, Lorren?¡± Lady Mikaela asked. ¡°With no other options, we¡¯ll have to assign one of the higher-level adventurers to team four. Meanwhile, we¡¯ll request a substitution from one of our guilds and wait for them to arrive. My teleportation magic would hasten their arrival.¡± Lorren proposed.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Lady Mikaela frowned but eventually nodded. She turned to the high-leveled adventurers who were grouped together nearby. Her voice carried authority as she spoke to them. ¡°I understand this isn¡¯t an ideal situation, and I apologize for asking this. The low-leveled teams were meticulously balanced to ensure the successful clearance of the first levels of the tomb, but with the absence of a Rogue, we need to adapt. I must ask a volunteer among you to join team four. Your expertise will help mitigate the imbalance, and you would be greatly compensated for this, of course.¡± None seemed to be excited about the proposition. I mean, who would? They all came here for glory, not to kill low-level slimes. Yana looked ready to step forward, and I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that considering she was marked, but before she could, an unexpected voice cut through the murmurs. ¡°I¡¯ll join them.¡± Said Aric Kelltins, one of Lady Mikaela¡¯s strongest guild members, and a bit of a celebrity in his own right. ***
We entered the tomb. Cleared the chambers assigned to us ¨C [+680 XP]
Aric Kelltins was of the Vanguard class, stepping in as the second tank for our team. He was quite famous in our kingdom. Why? Well, that was simple: at just 24 years old, he had already reached level 87. For comparison, our two level 100 adventurers were in their late 30''s. Everyone in Tepan believed that, unless the System suddenly told Kelltins he had reached his cap, he would eventually become the youngest level 100 adventurer in history. He also sounded like a very down-to-earth person and even insisted Jax remain the team leader despite being 22 levels stronger than him. In battle, his taunting skills were invaluable, drawing the attention of the Undead that attacked us, allowing the rest of us to deal with them more efficiently. His presence surely made our progress incredibly easy. I was cautious, though. Kelltins¡¯ experience made me wary that he might notice something unusual about me. To avoid drawing his attention, I used my abilities sparingly, even if it meant fewer kills than I would have preferred. ¡°Great job, everyone!¡± He said as we made our way back to the antechamber. ¡°We handled these chambers well. I¡¯ll be sure to let Lady Mikaela know how exceptionally you¡¯ve all performed.¡± ¡°It was all because of you, Mr. Kelltins.¡± Lena, our healer, gushed, her admiration for him evident. ¡°Oh, nonsense.¡± He said, waving off the compliment. ¡°If anything, I probably slowed you down and made everyone work harder by conserving my energy for the depths of the tomb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re planning on joining the others in the lower levels later on?¡± Waylan asked, sounding surprised. ¡°I thought they were sending in a substitution.¡± ¡°They are.¡± Kelltins nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s just to meet the quota. I¡¯d be damned if I missed the rest of this raid. No offense to all of you.¡± ¡°None taken.¡± Henry said, looking a bit too starstruck. Their conversation was just background noise for me. My thoughts remained fixated on Goren. Where was he? What was he planning? The questions gnawed at the back of my mind, refusing to let go. Then, suddenly, a bone-chilling screech tore through the chamber, and three monstrous apparitions materialized from thin air ¨C Blood Wraiths, level 90. Waylan raised his shield instinctively. ¡°What the hell? Aren¡¯t those way too strong to be here?¡± Lena gasped, clutching her staff tightly. ¡°We can¡¯t¡­we can¡¯t fight those! They¡¯re too strong!¡± Jax and Henry exchanged uneasy glances, before the leader raised his staff and stepped in front of his apprentice. Meanwhile, Dina moved her staff quickly, conjuring a barrier around us, her eyes flicking nervously between the wraiths and Kelltins. ¡°Calm yourselves.¡± Kelltins commanded, his voice steady. He stepped forward, lifting his war axe. ¡°Follow my commands, and we¡¯ll get through this.¡± Waylan nodded, stepping up beside Kelltins to form the front line. I gripped Silverfang tightly, taking position just behind them. ¡°Waylan, with me.¡± Kelltins barked. ¡°We¡¯ll hold their attention. Lena ¨C stay close to the back and keep us standing. Dina ¨C focus on barriers and buffs. Jax, Henry, pour everything you got on the leftmost wraith. Aidan ¨C cover Dina and strike when you see an opening.¡± Everyone nodded, tension thick in the air. I decided to play along, careful not to reveal my true abilities just yet. The wraiths screeched again and surged forward. Kelltins and Waylan moved together, their shields raised, glowing with magic. They met the wraiths¡¯ attack head on, the impact echoing around the chamber. Behind us, Jax and Henry unleashed their magic on the leftmost Blood Wraith, forcing it to retreat, though the damage was frustratingly small. Dina¡¯s hands moved swiftly as she wove barriers around everyone, while Lena muttered healing spells to stabilize Kelltins and Waylan. The second wraith lunged at me, its claws shredding through Dina¡¯s barrier as it closed in. I dodged, sliding under its strike, and countered with a quick slash from Silverfang. The glaive¡¯s blade connected, but it went right through it, barely leaving any damage ¨C not because the weapon or I were weak, but because wraiths were notoriously difficult to hit effectively. The creature, now entirely focused on me, seemed angered. ¡°Fall back!¡± Dina shouted, her voice strained as she cast another barrier around me. ¡°Don¡¯t get caught alone!¡± I darted back toward the group, narrowly escaping another swipe of the wraith¡¯s claws. Meanwhile, Kelltins roared, his war axe suddenly radiating a brilliant light ¨C Holy Magic. He swung it with incredible force, cleaving into the first wraith. Its form flickered violently, but it managed to escape his follow-up strike. ¡°Keep it up!¡± Kelltins called out, his voice booming around us. ¡°Waylan, Dina ¨C watch my rear! Jax, Henry ¨C more pressure!¡± The mages doubled their efforts, their combined attacks battering the third wraith, keeping it occupied and unaware of the approaching Kelltins. He moved in and delivered a crushing blow with his glowing axe, dissipating the creature into mist. The second wraith returned its attention to me. I dodged a few times, countering with Silverfang, chipping away at it. Kelltins closed in from behind and brought his axe down at it. Not about to let him take this valuable XP away from me, I made sure the final blow was mine, slicing the wraith with a wide arc. [+798 XP] The last wraith returned for another round, diving toward us. Waylan intercepted it with his shield, grunting under the impact. ¡°Now!¡± he shouted, holding it in place. Dina cast another barrier around him as Kelltins stepped forward, his axe poised. ¡°Move, Waylan!¡± Waylan rolled aside just as Kelltins swung his weapon, shattering the wraith¡¯s form and dissolving it to mist. For a moment, no one spoke. We were all breathing heavily, the adrenaline slowly subsiding. A quest popped on my system screen. [New Quest Available: Ghostbusters #1] [Slay 50 Blood Wraiths] [Current Status: 1 / 50] [Reward: 15,000 XP] ¡°We¡­we actually did it.¡± Lena whispered, her voice filled with disbelief. Jax collapsed onto the ground, panting. Henry knelt beside him, checking on his mentor before turning to the rest of us. ¡°Thanks to Mr. Kelltins. That was insane!¡± Dina wiped sweat from her brow, smiling weakly. ¡°We had no business surviving that fight without casualties, but you made it work, Kelltins.¡± Waylan nodded as he got back to his feet. ¡°That was incredible leadership, Mr. Kelltins.¡± Lena stepped closer to Jax, weaving a soothing spell over him. ¡°I second that. Absolutely incredible!¡± I found myself nodding along. As much as I hated holding back, I couldn¡¯t deny Kelltins¡¯ impact on the group just now. He kept everyone steady and focused, ensuring his orders were minimal and to the point. In the end, everyone survived. Kelltins chuckled, as calm as ever. It was clear he was used to situations like these. ¡°Give yourselves some credit, folks. We pulled through together.¡± Despite the exhaustion, the mood lightened slightly. But one thing was still unclear¡­why were there level 90 monsters here? Didn¡¯t Lady Mikaela confirm the first levels only had weak monsters? Without the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, I would¡¯ve been dead, restarting the loop. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one troubled by the question, but before anyone could voice their concerns, a low guttural growl echoed from beneath our feet. The deep sound sent vibrations through the stone floor. It was followed by a faint rumble, and somewhere far below, I could swear I heard something massive shifting. ¡°What was that?¡± Jax asked, his voice shaky. The ground trembled slightly. ¡°Everyone stay sharp.¡± Kelltins ordered, his tone rising. ¡°We ¨C ¡° The chamber shook violently, cutting him off. Cracks snaked across the ground. Before anyone could react, the floor gave way entirely. We fell, crashing into the floor below in varying states of pain. As we struggled to recover, another tremor struck, and this floor collapsed as well. We fell again, rubble and debris raining down on us. Chapter 34: Stingy Situation Chapter 34: Stingy Situation ¡°Aidan. Aidan! AIDAN!¡± Lena¡¯s frantic cries snapped me back into my senses. [Health:18% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] Pain radiated through every part of my body. I felt like I was broken everywhere. What the hell was that? Why did the ground suddenly collapse? ¡°Great, you¡¯re alive!¡± Lena exclaimed, kneeling beside me and weaving her healing magic with trembling hands. A warm sensation began to soothe my pain and I could see my HP slowly rising to acceptable levels. As my vision came into focus, I saw Dina standing behind Lena, her staff raised up high above her head. A massive barrier shimmered in the air, holding back tons of debris threatening to crush us. ¡°I can¡¯t hold on this much longer¡­¡± she warned, her voice strained and shaking. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kelltins approach. He knelt beside me. ¡°I¡¯ve got him.¡± Before I could respond, he lifted me onto his shoulder, equipping his shield in one fluid motion. He charged through the edge of the barrier, bashing debris aside as he cleared a path to safety. Lena followed closely behind, still healing me. Dina stumbled out last, letting the barrier drop as she collapsed onto the floor, completely drained. The debris crashed down behind her, raising a cloud of dust. Seeing that my health had rose up back to 50%, Lena rushed over to Dina¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯m here, Dina!¡± She called out to her, quickly casting her magic on the injured Enchantress. Kelltins set me down gently. ¡°You good?¡± I nodded, as I rummaged through my inventory and picked two potions. ¡°Where¡¯s Waylan, Henry, and Jax?¡± [Item Consumed: Lesser Healing Potion x2] [Health: 90%] Kelltins exhaled heavily, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I didn¡¯t see them here. We dropped through six floors. They could¡¯ve gotten stuck on one of the upper ones.¡± ¡°We have to check.¡± I said, forcing myself to my feet. I climbed the mound of debris, peering upward through the gaping holes in the floors above. Kelltins wasn¡¯t exaggerating ¨C there were openings all the way up to the first level. I could faintly make out the distant ceiling far above. ¡°Waylan!¡± I shouted, my voice echoing around us. There was no response. Before I could call the rest, something bizarre happened. The debris beneath me began to shift, levitating slowly into the air. I scrambled back, nearly losing my footing as the rubble rose higher and higher, some of it to the floors above. Then, the holes started rebuilding themselves, the stone bricks locking together right in front of our eyes like nothing ever happened. If Diana didn''t use an illumination spell to light the chamber, we would remain in complete darkness. ¡°What the hell?¡± I muttered, staring in disbelief. But we didn¡¯t have time to discuss what just happened, as sharp, chittering noises came from behind us. We turned to see a swarm of massive scorpions emerging from the shadows. At least ten of them. Their bodies dark, their claws and tails made of gleaming metal. Their red eyes locked on us as they began approaching us slowly. Void Scorpions, level 70. ¡°Get ready!¡± Kelltins shouted, raising his shield. ¡°Focus on the ones in front!¡± The first three scorpions surged forward, their claws snapping at Kelltins, who met them head-on. His shield absorbed their strikes with loud clangs as I jumped in to help him, parrying some of the blows aimed at him. Behind us, Lena¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°Dina, stay still! You¡¯re injured, and I can¡¯t heal you properly if you move too much.¡± Dina groaned, her breathing labored. ¡°I know, I know, but if I don¡¯t keep their buffs up ¨C and the lights ¨C we¡¯re all dead.¡± Suddenly, scorpions from the backline leapt over their frontline comrades, aiming directly for our backline. ¡°Watch out!¡± I shouted, spinning around. One scorpion¡¯s tail arced toward Dina, its stinger set for a strike. I used Dash Step, closing the distance quickly, and blocked the attack just in time. The Void Scorpion hissed, recoiling slightly, but another was already rushing toward us. My mind raced. If these stingers carried poison ¨C and they probably did ¨C this could turn tricky. I couldn¡¯t afford to hold back anymore. I activated Wind Rush, moving faster now, and parried the second scorpion¡¯s strike with ease, feeling like everything was in slow motion. As the first one lunged again, I sidestepped and drove the glaive into its carapace, the sharp blade splitting it cleanly into two. [+318 XP] Another scorpion¡¯s tail whipped toward Lena, but I intercepted it mid-strike, severing it with a powerful swing. The creature recoiled, but their numbers kept growing. I glanced toward Kelltins, expecting him to help us, but he was locked in combat with three scorpions at the front, holding them off with his shield. He was managing, but just barely. Likely injured. He needed help, and I knew I had to work harder. I dodged another attack from one of the scorpions, and charged Silverfang at the same time. When the charge was over, I used Blade Rush to close the distance and used Silverfang¡¯s Explosive Strike. The glaive struck the scorpion with immense force, and the impact unleashed a powerful explosion, rippling outward and throwing off the adjacent scorpions at the walls. Behind me, I heard Dina¡¯s voice, shaky but determined. ¡°Buffing you now¡­keep going!¡± a faint hum, followed by a surge of energy washed over me. My body glowed faintly as she amplified my stats. I didn¡¯t waste a second. As one of the scorpions lunged, I sidestepped easily, without using any of my skills, and drove Silverfang through its head in a single motion. [+318 XP]Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Another prepared its tail to strike, but with the enhanced speed from Wind Rush and Dina¡¯s buff, I cleaved through it effortlessly. [+318 XP] The next scorpion fell to two precise strikes, its armored body splitting cleanly. [+318 XP] A fourth didn¡¯t even have time to react before Silverfang pierced through its head. [+318 XP] Breathing heavily, I turned toward the struggling Kelltins, who was still locked in a stalemate with the three scorpions. His shield held firm, but his movements were slower and less precise than earlier. Was he really injured? I assumed he was and was just hiding it for our sake. I rushed to his side, intercepting a tail strike aimed at him. With a twist of Silverfang, I deflected the blow and swung in a wide arc, activating Horizon. A powerful rush of wind surged forward, slamming the remaining scorpions and throwing them backward. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, scanning him for visible injuries. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He replied curtly, raising his axe to finish off one of the scorpions. As the rest of the scorpions regained their footing, I moved in quickly, combining Wind Rush and Blade Rush to close the gap. Silverfang''s strikes were deadly, each cutting through their hardened carapaces. [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] The final scorpion crumbled to the ground, and the golden aura around me flickered as Dina¡¯s buff faded. I exhaled sharply, relieved that the immediate danger was gone. A new quest popped as well. [New Quest Available: Scorpion King #1] [Slay 100 Void Scorpions] [Current Status: 9 / 100] [Reward: 10,000 XP] I turned to Kelltins again. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± He nodded, though his heavy breathing suggested the opposite of his words. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine. Just need a moment to rest.¡± ¡°Aidan, that was amazing!¡± Lena called out, her eyes wide. ¡°You were moving so fast it didn¡¯t even seem like you were just level 50.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I replied quickly, brushing off her praise. The last thing I needed was to draw unnecessary suspicion. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Kelltins added suddenly, and a chill ran down my spine. ¡°I think you¡¯re the strongest level 50 I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± He gave a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad we had you here.¡± I forced a small laugh, exhaling in relief. Hoping he didn¡¯t suspect me of anything. *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 22] [Loop Count: 37] [Experience Points (XP): 14,902 / 17,000] We moved cautiously through the corridors of the sixth level, hoping the coast was clear. Meanwhile, Lena continued healing me, Kelltins, and Dina. ¡°No, but seriously, what was that, Aidan?¡± Dina asked, breaking the silence, while I silently wished she would drop the subject. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a level 50 move that fast.¡± ¡°I just spent a lot of points in Agility.¡± I said, scratching the back of my head awkwardly, hoping the explanation would satisfy her. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the Agility stat was this busted.¡± Lena remarked thoughtfully. Will they drop this already?! Thankfully, Kelltins intervened, his commanding tone shifting the subject of the conversation. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s important. With only Aidan and me providing damage, it¡¯ll be tough to climb back to the main antechamber. We need to stay sharp and stick together.¡± Both Lena and Dina nodded in unison. ¡°Lead the way, Mr. Kelltins.¡± Kelltins nodded and proceeded forward, his shield raised. I couldn¡¯t help but notice his persistent limp, further convincing me that he was hiding an injury. I hoped Lena''s magic would completely heal him before we got attacked again. I tried to play an afterimage, but nothing appeared. [There is no afterimage to run in this area] Great...no afterimage means no D¨¦j¨¤ vu as well. It was my first time here and It had to be Goren''s doing. I''m not sure how yet, but it had to be him... ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll look for us?¡± Lena asked, her voice trembling. Kelltins sighed heavily, choosing the honest approach. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You all saw it...the holes we fell through sealed themselves. They might not even know we¡¯re down here. We just need to keep making our way up.¡± Lena and Dina exchanged nervous glances, and he noticed it. Kelltins spoke up again, this time with a bit more optimism, offering a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry. I''ll get us out of here alive. I promise." "We should look for the others as well." I said, believing that they could at least improve our chances of survival. I knew that regardless of what we''d face here, I''d survive by respawning in the next loop, but still, every loop was important and shouldn''t be wasted. Kelltins nodded. "You''re right. We won''t leave them behind. As I said, I''ll protect us all." Despite not knowing what he truly signed up for, his confidence was inspiring in a way. After a while of silent walking, we arrived at a chamber with a massive, peculiar mural etched into the wall. The image was difficult to decipher at first, but it seemed to resemble a tree. Four distinct levers rose from the ground, crafted from some dark stone. ¡°Do you think¡­we need to move them?¡± Lena asked hesitantly, her voice rising barely above a whisper. ¡°Like, to adjust the image or something?¡± Kelltins, seemingly intrigued by the puzzle, nodded after a moment of thought. ¡°Seems likely.¡± He replied, stepping closer to inspect the levers. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can align the image.¡± ¡°Why, though?¡± Dina asked, exasperated. ¡°Let¡¯s just get the hell out of here.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know which dangers we¡¯ll face ahead.¡± Kelltins replied calmly. ¡°Maybe we can acquire something helpful from this.¡± Under his direction, we each took a lever and carefully adjusted the position. Slowly, the mural began to make sense, until the full picture emerged: a large, aged tree, its roots rotting. ¡°Hmm¡­I wonder what it means.¡± Kelltins mused aloud, his brow furrowed in thought. But I knew exactly what it meant. Erebus. The completion of the puzzle caused a section of the wall to slide open. Without thinking twice, we proceeded inside. The darkness that greeted us was something out of a nightmare. Almost like the air itself was alive and wanted to kill me. ¡°Hey, Dina, can you light the place up?¡± I called out, my voice echoing everywhere around me. No answer. A shiver ran down my spine. I quickly consumed a Lumindew. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] As my vision adjusted, I looked around, realizing I was alone. We had all entered together ¨C I was certain of it ¨C yet now I stood by myself. The wall through which we had entered was sealed tight, as if it had never opened. Sighing heavily, I forced myself to focus, wondering where I was and what happened to everyone else. I pressed forward into the corridor ahead. ¡°Guys?¡± I called, but again, no one answered. Thoughts of Goren resurfaced. Was this his doing? Or was I just paranoid? ¡°Goren!¡± I shouted, expecting to hear an answer, but none came. With frustration building inside me, I activated Distance Gauge, hoping to detect any nearby presence. But no presence was revealed. I was completely alone. ¡°What is going on?¡± I muttered under my breath, continuing cautiously down the corridor. Then I saw it ¨C a radiating light ahead. With no other path, I made my way toward it, the glow growing stronger with each step I took. As I approached, the source of the light became clearer. At first, it seemed like a massive artifact of some sort. Then it looked like a weapon. Finally, its shape resolved completely: a sword, radiating blinding light. But that wasn¡¯t all. A hooded figure held the sword with both arms ¨C leaning forward, almost hugging it. The figure was seated motionless on a large rock, draped in a dark robe, covered in layers of dust and encrustations, making me think it was a statue. As I wondered who it was, the figure suddenly stirred. The layers of encrustations cracked and splintered as it rose to its full height, dust billowing off it. The System reacted, recognizing him: Gaelith of Tepan, level 100. A shiver ran down my spine. Here he was. ¡°I am Gaelith of Tepan.¡± The figure said, its voice deep, inducing fear within me. ¡°Why have you come here?¡± Before I could react, his voice took a resolute tone, announcing my end. ¡°Now, I must kill you.¡± Chapter 35: A Fateful Encounter Chapter 35: A Fateful Encounter I prepared for a fight, but Gaelith just stood there, seemingly watching the glaive in my hands. What he said next left me so confused, I didn¡¯t even know how to react. ¡°Thank you.¡± He said and then exhaled heavily, turning away from me. ¡°You did something for him that I was too weak to do.¡± He paused for a moment, then added. ¡°Unless¡­you simply looted it from the one who actually killed him?¡± Kaelstrife, our fight, and the Memory Fragment of his younger days with Gaelith came rushing back. Their brotherly bond. Still, some things didn''t quite fit. ¡°No. I killed him.¡± I replied, my voice firm. ¡°He was an Undead, though.¡± ¡°I know. All the better.¡± Gaelith exhaled again, sounding relieved. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how did it happen?¡± What does he mean by this? Was I really standing here, having a conversation with my soon-to-be killer? But then again, Chronos did tell me in our first meeting that I needed to learn more about Gaelith and the tomb. And here he was, the necromancer, Erebus¡¯ vessel, and he seemed¡­oddly talkative. After this encounter, I would undoubtedly be marked. If I¡¯m going to die here, I might as well get answers first. I¡¯ll forget them when I respawn, but perhaps something would remain. I sighed. Fine. Guess I¡¯m doing this after all¡­It''s not like I could fight him at my current level. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t recall our fight very well.¡± I admitted, trying to summon the memories of my battle with Kaelstrife, but they were blurry. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Gaelith replied calmly. ¡°As long as he met his end in a fair fight, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± He stepped away toward his rocky seat, sounding deep in thought. ¡°It didn¡¯t happen this time, did it?¡± A chill ran down my spine. I stayed silent. ¡°Yes¡­¡± he muttered, almost to himself as he lowered himself onto the rock. ¡°It happened before¡­it definitely happened before.¡± He knows. His words confirmed it. He even knew I was a looper. I was going to get marked now. There¡¯s no escaping it. ¡°Will you kill me now?¡± I asked, bracing myself. ¡°Not now.¡± he replied, his tone unexpectedly calm. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, completely in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t quite understand what¡¯s happening.¡± Gaelith said, his tone contemplative. ¡°But something¡­isn¡¯t right here. It¡¯s as though I¡¯m reliving this day, again and again. Many things are different, yet many are the same. But I don''t seem to recall them freely. I don¡¯t understand it¡­¡± What is going on? My confusion only deepened. This wasn¡¯t a behavior of someone under Erebus¡¯ control. Gaelith, the supposed vessel of Darkness, sounded lost. Confused. Reluctant. And yet he seemed aware of the loop, as if he was a looper like me. I dared to voice the question burning in my mind, feeling stupid for it as he was the literal monster who had killed so many adventurers during the thousand years he had haunted this place. ¡°Are you¡­not the vessel of Erebus?¡± Gaelith tilted his head slightly, his face still hidden, as though the name confused him. ¡°Is that the name he goes by?¡± he asked. ¡°The Axul simply referred to him as The Destroyer.¡± ¡°The ancient god?¡± I asked, recalling the little I knew of the Axul¡¯s beliefs. ¡°Yes.¡± Gaelith said simply. ¡°As for your question ¨C I am not. The only reason I am still here is to slow him down.¡± My mind reeled. ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°There is another.¡± Gaelith said, his voice becoming a strange mixture of regret and hatred. ¡°A different version of me.¡± ¡°A¡­different you?¡± I echoed, trying to grasp his meaning. ¡°Yes.¡± He said solemnly. ¡°Born of my darkest hatred and lowest emotions, given form by the one you call Erebus. It resides deep within the tomb, in the lowest level. It hunts anyone who steps inside the tomb. With every life it takes, it grows stronger. It cannot be killed ¨C trust me, I tried. At some point, I believe it¡¯ll grow strong enough to leave this place and destroy the outside world.¡± His voice suddenly darkened. ¡°And so I stop it the only way I can ¨C by killing anyone who enters before it does.¡± My thoughts raced. I had no reason to believe him, but if he wanted me dead, he could¡¯ve already killed me. He spoke of something far more terrifying ¨C a fragment of himself, twisted into an immortal force that grows stronger with each kill. And yet, the question remained: who was this person in front of me? ¡°Gaelith of Tepan was a legendary knight, wrongly convicted and executed a thousand years ago.¡± I told him. ¡°If you¡¯re not Erebus'' vessel, then how are you still here after all this time? You¡¯re clearly not a wraith, and you¡¯re far too¡­talkative to be undead.¡± ¡°Quite the observation, adventurer.¡± He remarked. ¡°Yet I don¡¯t owe you any explanation.¡± Anger flared within me, but I forced myself to stay calm. ¡°Why kill, then? Why not just help people escape? Or block the entrance entirely to prevent anyone from coming in?¡± ¡°Was the tomb not sealed for hundreds of years before you entered today?¡± he mused, brushing the dust of his dark robe to make his point clear. ¡°It was hundreds of years, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer the question.¡± ¡°Is there anything people can¡¯t do with magic these days?¡± he asked rhetorically, not waiting for a response. ¡°No matter what locks are placed, no matter the complexity of magic, someone eventually comes along who can break them.¡± ¡°Then help people escape! No one need to die here ¨C neither by your hand nor by...your other self!¡± ¡°If it were possible, I would have done so long ago.¡± He said quietly, sounding sorrowful. ¡°But it isn¡¯t. No one who enters this tomb may leave. That is the sad truth, and I am unable to change this fact.¡± I sighed, my frustration growing. ¡°What now?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯m thinking. Eventually, I''d have to kill you all before he can, but for now...¡± He said thoughtfully. ¡°You are different as well.¡± ¡°Different?¡± ¡°Different.¡± He nodded. ¡°You killed Karl before, and yet you remember even now. You understand what I¡¯m talking about, don¡¯t you?¡± I hesitated, but eventually answered. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Gaelith said. ¡°Please, tell me more. Tell me what you know.¡± I wondered if I should tell him what I know. This could be a trap of some sort, but then, why would he even ask that to set a trap? What kind of trap was this even? If he was on Erebus'' side, then he''d already know everything about the time loop and the war. Why would he even ask? On the other hand, Chronos already warned me of speaking about my mission to anyone. The one time I didn''t abide by that rule, Yana got killed - one of the only memries I still carried from my previous lives. "I can''t tell you." I replied. "I''m bound by an oath." ¡°I see¡­¡± Gaelith murmured thoughtfully. ¡°So this Chronos, a God of Time you say...he battles The Destroyer every thousand years?¡± Wait, what? "Forgive me. It was dishonorable of me." Gaelith said, sounding apologetical. "But I had to learn the truth, and your mind was...too loud." He could read minds? Surely, that doesn''t count as me breaking Chronos'' rule, right? ¡°That¡¯s what he told me.¡± I replied, seeing as there was no point in hiding it anymore. ¡°But this can¡¯t be.¡± Gaelith said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why did he show his presence here a thousand years ago already?¡± The question caught me off guard. He wasn¡¯t just eavesdropping on my thoughts; he was dissecting them. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You claim that every thousand years, The Destroyer attacks a different world.¡± Gaelith said, voicing my thoughts. ¡°That would mean a thousand years ago, he should have been far away, locked in a battle with this God of Time of yours. And yet, he was already here. I know it as fact.¡± His words shook me as I understood what he meant. How could I have missed that? The memory fragment of the High Priestess of Axul showed her conversing with Erebus ¨C supposedly more than a thousand years ago - when the Axul still existed. But if Erebus was fighting Chronos in another world at that time, or was already defeated, how could he have already established a presence here back then? The realization was unnerving. This was something I¡¯d have to ask Chronos about the next time he calls me to his realm. It could be critical. ¡°You know it as fact?¡± I asked, curious about how Gaelith could be so certain. I knew why I was ¨C the Memory Fragment, but why was he? ¡°Yes.¡± He said simply, offering no elaboration despite my growing curiosity. ¡°Does he usually win?¡± Gaelith asked suddenly. ¡°This God of Time¡­will you both be able to end it once and for all?¡± I was so confused by him. Either way, this was a good question. Would I be able to stop Erebus? I hoped so. I had so much to fight for, but it wasn¡¯t that simple. I wasn¡¯t even close to ending this at the moment. Even when I found the Darknessbound Core, it was missing a third shard ¨C something Chronos had assured me had never happened before. ¡°I hope so¡­¡± I replied, uncertain. ¡°Hoping is good.¡± Gaelith said calmly. ¡°When humanity loses hope, that is when we truly perish.¡± He paused for a moment, his next words shocking me. ¡°Tell me what you need. I¡¯ll help.¡± Wait, what? I wasn¡¯t sure if I heard him correctly. He wanted to help me? I wasn¡¯t even sure yet that I believed him not being Erebus¡¯ vessel. Gaelith seemed to sense my doubt. ¡°You have no reason to trust me, I know. A minute ago, you believed me to be his vessel. Maybe you still think this way. I assure you I''m not. And that we seem to share a common purpose. This blight must be destroyed once and for all, and I¡¯m willing to pledge myself to that cause.¡± As I contemplated the truth of his words, I decided to test his intentions. ¡°Where are my comrades?¡± I demanded. ¡°If you truly want to help, prove it. Release them.¡± ¡°Release them?¡± Gaelith repeated, sounding confused. ¡°What comrades are you talking about?¡± Here it is. Now he was showing his true face. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t play dumb.¡± I snapped. ¡°I entered this chamber with three other adventurers, and now I¡¯m alone. Where are they?¡± ¡°I assure you, I had nothing to do with the disappearance of your comrades.¡± Gaelith replied, his voice calm. ¡°You¡¯ve awoke me when you stepped inside. As for anyone who may have followed you, I sense no one.¡± ¡°But that¡­that can¡¯t be.¡± I replied, uncertain of what was going on. He has to be lying, doesn¡¯t he? Before I could press further, a piercing sound filled the chamber ¨C high-pitched, like something slicing through the air. ¡°What is that?¡± I muttered, gripping Silverfang tightly, preparing for a fight. ¡°Seems like they¡¯re here for me. Again.¡± Gaelith said with a tired tone, rising slowly to his feet. He gestured for me to move. ¡°Step aside. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± For him? And who are they? I hesitated but did as he ordered, stepping back cautiously, yet still ready to fight if the need arose. The sound grew louder and clearer with each moment, and soon the source of noise appeared: monstrous flying creatures resembling enormous wasps, their translucent wings buzzing, their eyes bright red. They had long, metallic stingers that seemed as sharp as blades. Void Wasps, level 75. The first wave shot their sword-sized stingers toward us. Gaelith moved with incredible speed, intercepting their projectiles mid-air with his radiating sword. With a flash of movement, he blinked toward the creatures, cutting through them with a single precise strike each. More of them swarmed in, reinforcements pouring through the chamber. Their number grew overwhelming, and I was ready to join the fight, but Gaelith stopped me. ¡°Close your eyes!¡± he called out to me, his voice booming around us. My body reacted on its own, following his command. I closed my eyes tightly and braced for an explosion or some kind of devastating impact. But no sound came. The buzzing suddenly stopped, though. When I opened my eyes, the Void Wasps were all dead, their burned bodies filling the floor. Gaelith stood in the center of the chamber, pulling his sword from the ground where he had likely driven it when I closed my eyes. The blade burned brightly as he rested it on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re in the clear for now.¡± He said, his tone calm. ¡°You said they were here for you?¡± I asked as I approached him cautiously. Reading about what he was capable of in history books was different than witnessing it with my own eyes. It only deepened my wariness of him. ¡°Yes.¡± He replied. ¡°The Destroyer has never been fond of my presence here. I interfere with his plans too much.¡± He turned to me, and for a brief moment, I caught a glimpse of his pale face beneath the shadow of his hood. The moment was fleeting, but it was enough to unsettle me even further. "This predicament is worrying, however." He continued, sounding worried. "This whole time loop provides him more opportunities to grow stronger. Instead of killing the same people once, he does it repeatedly." I was about to refute his word, to tell him that every time I die, the loop resets completely, but then it hit me - Chronos'' lecture. Chronos said that Erebus, similar to him, was out of time - not affected by the time loop. He might very well be growing stronger the same as I was. "I''ve likely killed the other adventurers that joined you many times already. I''d probably killed you as well...I just can''t remember it vividly..." he added, sounding like he was blaming himself. But he was probably right. I couldn''t know for sure, but I felt like he did kill me already. Maybe it was Deja vu reminding me... ¡°We¡¯ll find your comrades.¡± Gaelith suddenly said, his voice resolute. ¡°I¡¯ll help. Will you trust me after that?¡± I hesitated, still unsure what to make of it all. It all just sounded so bizarre. But so was everything else here. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I admitted. ¡°But that would be a start.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Gaelith said simply, turning toward the entrance I had come through earlier. ¡°Follow.¡± The sealed entrance was now open, likely reopened to allow the Void Wasps to enter. We stepped into the puzzle chamber where we had aligned the levers to reveal Gaelith¡¯s hideout, and my heart sank. Lying on the stone floor were the bodies of Lena, Dina, and Kelltins, their lifeless figures marred by deep, jagged wounds. Each cut looked as though it had been inflicted by a massive blade, their blood pooling around them. ¡°Is it them?¡± Gaelith asked, his tone somber. I nodded grimly, stepping toward them. But before I could get any closer, Gaelith raised a hand to stop me. ¡°Stay put.¡± He warned. ¡°I sense something here.¡± His words sent my mind racing. Not taking any chances, I immediately activated Checkpoint. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] [Checkpoint lvl. 2: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 59:59] With the safety net in place, I carefully stepped toward Lena¡¯s body, the most battered of the three. I knelt beside her, my heart pounding. But the moment I touched her, an explosion erupted, ripping me to shreds. The pain instantaneous and absolute. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] [Checkpoint Level 2 activated: You will now reawaken at the anchor point] Chapter 36: My Adventures with Gaelith Chapter 36: My Adventures with Gaelith As I reawakened with Checkpoint, my hands immediately flew to my face. I could still feel it ¨C the searing pain, the skin ripping apart. The memory of the explosion was so vivid it brought me to my knees, my mind convincing me the pain was still present. But it wasn¡¯t, and I forced myself to remember that. Taking deep, steadying breaths to bring myself back to my senses. ¡°What happened?¡± Gaelith asked, sounding confused yet keeping his distance. I shook my head, pushing the phantom pain aside and regaining my composure. ¡°The bodies¡­they¡¯re mined.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He replied, his radiating sword glowing brighter as he raised it above his head. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± I averted my gaze, staring at the walls. Bright illumination filled the room, followed by eerie, high-pitched groans. When it was safe, I turned to the source of the sound and saw them. Small grotesque creatures. They resembled small goblins, but their skin was slightly different than the norm. It was streaked with red-glowing, pulsating veins that ran up their disgusting bodies. Their eyes burned with the same ominous red. Boomspite Lichlings, level 60. The creatures moaned and cried, clawing their eyes, blinded by the luminosity Gaelith¡¯s blade had created. When I stood up and prepared to strike, their cries ceased, and they became alert. They skittered back toward the walls, disappearing into thin air. I brought my hands together and shot a Wind Arrow toward the last place I¡¯ve seen one of them, but it just hit the wall, sending up a cloud of dust and debris. ¡°Where are they?¡± I asked nervously. The vivid memory of my face exploding still haunted my mind and I wanted revenge. ¡°Gone. For now.¡± Gaelith replied, lowering his sword. ¡°What? Gone?¡± I repeated, in disbelief. ¡°Yes.¡± He said, nodding. ¡°They¡¯re a tricky bunch. They hide beneath a veil of invisibility, attacking when you least expect it. They know I never check the bodies, so it¡¯s been a long time since they tried something like this. You, on the other hand¡­an easier target.¡± he paused, his tone becoming thoughtful. ¡°I assume you knew the bodies were mined thanks to this God of Time of yours?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. Gaelith exhaled heavily. ¡°I see. Well, I didn¡¯t expect to find your friends this soon, and¡­dead. I had hoped to gain your trust. What else can I do?¡± The answer came to me instantly - a perfect way to test his true intentions. But it was too risky to let him know I had it. ¡°What is this Darknessbound Core you just thought about?¡± he suddenly asked. ¡°Get out of my mind!¡± I snapped at him. ¡°Forgive me. I just want to help.¡± He sounded apologetical. ¡°Your oath forbids you from telling me, right? So, I find this method highly effective in keeping us both satisfied.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem here.¡± I retorted. He nodded. ¡°I understand and will refrain from doing so in the future. This Core, though?¡± I was still angry at how easily he had entered my mind, but the cat was out of the bag. I just needed to be careful with my thoughts around him from this point on. I pulled out the two shards in my possession, showing him the small gap where the missing piece would complete Erebus¡¯ confinement. Then, seeing how Gaelith already learned what it was by reading my mind, I decided to explain further ¨C where I found it, its purpose, its ability to imprison Erebus for at least the next millennium when he would become someone else¡¯s problem ¨C a different world''s problem. Gaelith observed the shards in silence. ¡°So, Karl was guarding these...¡± I nodded. ¡°Yes. I found it in the room he protected.¡± Gaelith sighed heavily. ¡°That makes sense. The Destroyer knew I couldn¡¯t face Karl, so he hid something so vital there.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I can find the missing piece.¡± I blinked in surprise. ¡°You can?¡± He nodded. ¡°May I?¡± Before I could answer, he drove his sword into the ground. Only now did I realize he carried no scabbard for it. Gaelith stepped forward, taking the shards from my hands with care. As he took them, I saw his hands, covered by his knightly gauntlets. He held one shard in each hand before muttering something in a language I recognized as ancient Tepanese, but his voice was barely audible, so I couldn¡¯t quite catch the words. Soon, the shards began to levitate, spinning slowly above his hands. After a second, the shards dropped back into his gauntlets. What did he even do? He wasn¡¯t known to possess any magic outside of the combat type. He handed them back to me. ¡°Follow.¡± He ordered simply, retrieving his sword and resting it against his shoulder as he began to walk, exiting the chamber and continuing inside the corridor. *** I wished we could¡¯ve done something for the bodies of Lena, Dina, and Kelltins, but with the magical mines embedded in them, it was impossible. I didn¡¯t possess the type of magic needed to safely disarm them.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Before leaving, I placed a marker from Temporal Trace on the puzzle wall, ensuring my future self would know this place was important. [Temporal Trace: A mark has been set] We progressed through three more floors, descending deeper and deeper into the tomb in search of the third shard. Along the way, I used another Lumindew ¨C Gaelith¡¯s radiating sword could only illuminate so much without turning you blind. I was running low on the night vision consumable, though. Only two were left for this run unless I found more. We fought more Void Scorpions, Void Spiders, and the occasional Void Wasps that joined the party. The fights proved to be easier than expected. I wish I could say it was thanks to me, but it was due to Gaelith¡¯s incredible strength. He allowed me to take most of the kills after I explained my need for XP, understanding without qualms. By the time we slew the last monster in the vicinity, I had gained 5,236 XP, enough to level up. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 23] [Loop Count: 37] [Experience Points (XP): 3,138 / 18,500] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] A new quest appeared as well. [New Quest Available: To Bee or Not to Bee #1] [Slay 100 Void Wasps] [Current Status: 5 / 100] [Reward: 7,500 XP] Great. Another one. I allocated my skill point to Temporal Trace. [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.6] [Next Level: lvl.7: Time Plane becomes clearer to the naked eye. Number of maximal marks: 15] Next, I allocated the additional stat point to Intelligence, bringing it 20. [Intelligence ¨C 3rd Milestone Reached] [Intelligence Damage Scaling Increased by 15%] [Disenchantment Magic Available] Nice. Disenchantment magic is always useful. I wish I had it before we left the guys'' bodies, so I could¡¯ve tried to disarm those magical mines... The scaling was also great. The damage stats on the Core System worked in such a way that each adventurer had unique damage scaling based on their class and subclass. For example, as a Spellsword in the Arcane Duelist subclass, my damage scaled with both my Agility and Intelligence stats. With the scaling increased, my magic damage just became significantly stronger. I was curious to see exactly how much it had increased. That¡¯s why weapons and armor were important additions to one¡¯s kit. They enhanced your stats, which, in turn, boosted your damage outputs ¨C or defensive capabilities, in case you belonged to one of the more durable classes and were leveling up your Durability. The next milestone for Agility ¨C and its corresponding update in damage scaling ¨C would appear at 30 points. I was still five points off, but that should probably be my next goal. As we walked through the corridor of the tenth level, I glanced at Gaelith. A riddle he was. ¡°How did you do that? With the shards, I mean.¡± I asked, breaking the silence. ¡°Scratch that ¨C what was that? What kind of magic did you use?¡± ¡°You''re better off not knowing.¡± He replied flatly, moving forward. ¡°But I do want to know.¡± I pressed. He stopped in his tracks, replying coldly. ¡°Some secrets I will take with me to the grave. This is one of them. I ask you to respect that.¡± I sighed, letting the matter drop. For now, his promise to lead me to the third shard was enough. I just hoped it wasn¡¯t a trap. ¡°What can you tell me about this place?¡± I asked, trying a different angle. ¡°Seeing how you claim you¡¯ve been here for the past thousand years, slowing Erebus¡¯ progress, you must have learned a lot.¡± Gaelith replied fairly quickly. ¡°First thing to know ¨C it isn¡¯t a tomb. Not in the traditional sense.¡± I blinked. ¡°What? Of course it is. There were plenty of loculi on the first level.¡± I pointed around us. ¡°And here as well.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± Gaelith asked, his tone almost mocking. ¡°How much attention did you pay to them? Did you try reading the names on their plaques?¡± ¡°Well, I¡­¡± I trailed off, trying to recall. We were a bit occupied fighting off the undead and what not to notice much about the plaques. Perhaps previous me had more time to investigate this, but I had no recollection of that. ¡°Here.¡± Gaelith said, motioning toward a side chamber. He stepped inside confidently. Still wary of his intentions, I activated Distance Gauge to scan the area. It turned out to be clean, but the gauge detected movement behind us. ¡°There¡¯s someone behind us.¡± I muttered. ¡°I know. It¡¯s the lichlings. Ignore them for now.¡± Gaelith replied, pointing his radiating sword toward a loculus, illuminating a plaque. ¡°Read this.¡± I looked at it as I approached his side, seeing clear letters, not sure what his point was. When I was about to tell him that, I suddenly realized what he meant. The words on the plaque weren¡¯t there anymore. Nothing was written on it. ¡°Illusion magic?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°Yes. The Axul kind.¡± Gaelith replied. ¡°It¡¯s a simple illusion. From a distance, the plaques appear normal. But when you focus on them ¨C provided you''re skilled enough in magic ¨C you see through it. The Axul¡¯s illusion magic was unmatched in my time. That¡¯s why they remained hidden for as long as they did.¡± ¡°I always thought the Axul were secluded by choice.¡± I said, still staring at blank plaque. ¡°Are you saying they were hiding?¡± ¡°In a way.¡± Gaelith replied thoughtfully. ¡°People were always curious about them, and the Axul weren¡¯t exactly a trustworthy bunch either. But that¡¯s a different story.¡± ¡°Different? How?¡° ¡°Yes.¡° He nodded. ¡°You see, the Axuls were the first humans to wield magic. The System appeared much later, granting magic to all of humanity under mysterious circumstances. But the Axul predates it. Their magic was¡­different. Non-System reliant. That made for a tense era to live in.¡° The Axuls were the first to wield magic? But how come no one teaches us that? The history books tend to brush over the Axul fairly quickly. Yet, why would Gaelith lie about this? ¡°So, what could they do?¡° I asked curiously. ¡°With their non-System reliant magic?¡± ¡°Many things, and that¡¯s all I can say.¡± he replied flatly. I decided to shift the subject, but still stay on the loculi. ¡°So, are they all empty, then?¡° ¡°No.¡± Gaelith replied. ¡°Each and every one of them used to hold a person. But not anymore.¡± His vague, contradictory answer left me puzzled, but he refused to elaborate further, walking away. Though, as he stepped away, something else caught my eye. One of the plaques was shining with a purple hue. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I muttered instinctively, making Gaelith stop in his tracks. "What?" he asked, but I ignored him for the moment. I stepped toward the plaque, and the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System reacted. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #1 - Available] What¡¯s that? Is it similar to the memory fragments I had already collected in the previous loops? I reached out and touched the plaque, entering another memory - one about a child possessing great magic and a promise for the future. Chapter 37: A Promise for the Future Chapter 37: A Promise for the Future [Vestige of Time #1] ¡°Watch here, Noctyra.¡± A middle-aged man said, pointing to a plaque beside a loculus in a dark chamber. In one hand, he held a glowing orb of light, and in his other, the hand of a small child ¨C likely no older than five ¨C whose bald head and neutral attire made it difficult to determine their gender. Despite their young age, the child stood silently, their focus absolute. The man continued. ¡°This is your ancestor of old.¡± He gestured to the plaque with reverence. ¡°Jutta the Wise. He was an admirable man. One of the main reasons our people thrived and prospered. When I was your age, your grandfather brought me here to introduce me to him, and now it is your turn to greet him.¡± This child nodded and bowed respectfully. ¡°Hello, Ancestor Jutta. My name is Noctyra.¡± ¡°Good, my little star.¡± The man said warmly, lifting the child into his arms and hugging them playfully. ¡°There''s only me and you left now, but remember, we cannot turn away from who we are. Our ancestors live through us.¡± Noctyra nodded again, their voice unusually thoughtful for someone so young. ¡°I know, Papa. You¡¯ve told me that before.¡± ¡°And you listened, I see.¡± The man replied, his smile softening as he kissed the child on the cheek. The child¡¯s face lit up with joy, returning his smile with a happy one of their own. ¡°Of course I did.¡± Noctyra replied confidently. ¡°Our people were the pillars of humanity. They should be respected.¡± ¡°My, my,¡± the man said, his smile growing warmer. ¡°My child is a genius ¨C and with all the proper manners to boot. If only the rest of the world had seen it that way as well.¡± ¡°The rest are stupid.¡± Noctyra said, showing their tongue, and the man laughed. ¡°You are the pride of our people.¡± He said. ¡°And a little joker.¡± The child smiled warmly. ¡°Mama told me we need to respect our past.¡± The man nodded, his expression channeling warmth. ¡°Your mother is a wise woman. She¡¯s not one of us, but she¡¯s far better than the rest. At least she respects our place in humanity¡¯s history.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m only half you¡­¡± the child said, thoughtful and worried. ¡°There are no halves.¡± The man said firmly, shaking his head but still smiling. ¡°If even a single drop of Axul blood runs in your veins, then you are Axul. There¡¯s no question about that. And today, we¡¯ll prove it to Ancestor Jutta and the rest of our people.¡± ¡°How will we do that?¡± the child asked curiously. ¡°It should be simple for someone as talented as you, my little star.¡± The man said, his expression turning serious. ¡°This place will challenge you, and if you stand firm, you will be rewarded.¡± ¡°How will I be challenged?¡± Noctyra pressed, their curiosity growing. ¡°This, I cannot say, my love.¡± The man replied, shaking his head. But his smile remained. ¡°Just remember the prophecies, my little star. Remember what your name means. You are the chosen. The pinnacle of the Axul. The one who will make our ancestors¡¯ dream come true. Our promise for the future. Any challenge you face here is nothing compared to what you can do. Remember that when you fight. Remember that when you move forward. You can do it all. You are Axul.¡± Before the child could respond, the man placed his hand gently over their face, whispering an incantation that sent them into a deep, peaceful sleep. Lowering the child to the ground, tears streamed down his face. He planted one last kiss on their forehead, his voice trembling as he whispered. ¡°I know you can do it.¡± Then, without a word, he turned and left. The child lay alone in the dark chamber, undisturbed, until they woke up. Waking up wasn¡¯t smooth. Noctyra stirred, their sense sluggish, struggling to understand where their father disappeared to. The disorientation didn¡¯t last long ¨C before they could fully comprehend their surroundings, a massive scorpion had made its way to them, its metallic tail ready for a strike. Noctyra instinctively stumbled backward, creating some distance, but the monster lashed out. They rolled to the side just in time, the scorpion¡¯s stinger slamming into the wall, leaving a deep crack where they had been moments ago. Despite the danger, Noctyra¡¯s heart remained steady. They knew it was part of the challenge their father had spoken about since the day they were born. Raising their left hand, an idea coming to them, they focused intently, calling out their magic. The scorpion struck again, but this time, its tail froze mid-air, as if an invisible force held it in place, protecting Noctyra. Beads of sweat formed on Noctyra¡¯s brow as they visibly struggled to maintain their hold. Then, with a sweeping motion of their hand, they sent the scorpion flying against the chamber wall. Noctyra exhaled in relief, watching the creature crash against the wall. But the reprieve was short-lived ¨C the scorpion rose again, shaking off the damage and preparing for another attack. Closing their eyes for a brief moment, Noctyra took a deep breath, recalling their father¡¯s teachings. They centered themselves, connecting to the magical circles within ¨C the unique power that existed only in the Axul. Raising both hands, they focused their will. The scorpion not only halted its advance, but its body also trembled as its eyes glowed red. Slowly, it lowered its tail and bowed to Noctyra. ¡°Good job, little friend.¡± Noctyra said, a small smile forming as they approached the subdued monster. Climbing on its back, they patted the hardened carapace. ¡°Now, lead me out of here.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The scorpion obeyed without hesitation, carrying the child on its back out of the chamber and into the corridor outside. ¡°Papa?¡± Noctyra called out into the empty halls, but there was no response. They knew they had to keep moving. On the way down with their father, they had counted ten floors to descent. Now, they just needed to climb them back up. Noctyra¡¯s heart remained resolute ¨C this was all just part of the challenge their father prepared them for. On their way up, riding atop the scorpion, Noctyra encountered countless threats ¨C spider monsters, wasp monsters, wraiths, wolves, and the undead. Yet none of these creatures worried them. With a simple flick of their hand, the monsters lost their free will, bowing to Noctyra¡¯s command. One by one, they joined the growing procession, following the child and their loyal pet scorpion. Some even turned against their own kind to protect the Axul heir. Noctyra saw them not as threats but as friends, their young heart swelling with pride and joy at the odd yet loyal companions they had amassed. By the time they reached the first level of the tomb, their following had grown into a fearsome army of creatures - enough to raid entire villages, all moving in unison to safeguard the young Axul. Emerging from the depths, Noctyra saw their father pacing back and forth nervously, his steps finally faltering when he caught sight of his child riding the scorpion and followed by the monstrous horde. ¡°Look, Papa!¡± Noctyra called out, their voice echoing in excitement. ¡°I made friends!¡± The man froze, his expression shifting into one of awe. Tears streamed down his face as he fell to his knees, overwhelmed by what he was seeing. ¡°My little star!¡± he cried, choking with emotion. ¡°You are Axul, through and through. Our ancestors must be proud at such a feat!¡± Noctyra hopped off the scorpions¡¯ back and rushed toward their father, throwing their arms around him in a warm embrace. ¡°Papa, I called this one Stinger.¡± They said proudly, pointing at the scorpion that had carried them all the way. ¡°Oh, my sweet little child.¡± The father whispered, wiping his tears of joy and relief. ¡°I knew you would make it. I knew you were the one to carry the Axul¡¯s hopes into this world. The one to bring the world into darkness. You are the Axul!¡± Then, to Noctyra¡¯s surprise, the man bowed before them, lowering himself entirely to the ground. ¡°Papa?¡± Noctyra¡¯s voice sounded confused. [Vestige of Time #1 ¨C END] *** [Item Acquired: Vestige of Time #1 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] What was that? No update for the quest popped up, so this wasn¡¯t part of the ¡®Memories of the Past¡¯ quest. Either way, the memory was unsettling. The man mentioned that they were the last Axul, meaning it must''ve happened after the Axul had vanished. Yet, he addressed this specific loculus as...Jutta? But I thought no one was buried here. At least according to Gaelith. I glanced toward the wall and there it was - the crack the scorpion had left when it attacked the child. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Gaelith asked suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. ¡°You just froze there for a second.¡± ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± I murmured, the name lingering on my tongue. Gaelith visibly stiffened, the reaction subtle but not something I could miss. I turned to him. ¡°Does that ring a bell?¡± He shook his head, though his posture betrayed him. ¡°It doesn''t." ¡°Really?¡± I asked, my frustration growing. ¡°You just got uncomfortable now, and I saw it. You clearly know something. With all your knowledge of the Axul, you must know something about this name.¡± Gaelith sighed heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± he said flatly. ¡°I only know what it means in the Axul¡¯s ancient tongue.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°Dark hope.¡± A shiver ran down my spine. Whatever his words truly meant, they unsettled me. "They controlled the monsters..." I muttered under my breath, at awe by the fact that a five-year-old child had managed to control an entire army of monsters. I immediately glanced at Gaelith. Strangely enough, something about him made D¨¦j¨¤ vu tick off suddenly, but I couldn''t put my finger on what it was. ¡°The thing you¡¯re looking for is there.¡± Gaelith gestured for me to follow, clearly eager to drop the subject. I trailed behind him, my mind racing with questions I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready to hear answered. We walked in silence, moving to the end of the corridor. Just before the stairs leading down, we came upon an entrance to another chamber. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Gaelith said confidently, pointing inside. ¡°The missing shard is here.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going in first.¡± I said firmly. ¡°After you.¡± He nodded without complaint and stepped in ahead of me. Before I followed, I wondered if we¡¯d find Goren there. Was this all a trap he created after stealing the third shard? The collapsing and rebuilding floors earlier seemed far too convenient to be a coincidence. Who was this Noctyra? How were they connected to the mystery of this tomb? I ran a quick check before following Gaelith. [There is no afterimage to run in this area] Again, no afterimages, confirming it was my first time on this level as well. Well, if it¡¯s Goren, I¡¯ll have to face him. Despite the clear power difference I could recall we had. I stepped inside. Gaelith stood motionless, looking forward. Following his line of sight, I froze. In the center of the chamber hung a chained man. Each of his limbs was restrained by long chains, glowing with a green hue. Two chains anchored him to the floor, while two others pulled him to the ceiling, suspending him in mid-air. Something else was connected to him as well ¨C a black conduit, piercing his gut. The other end of the conduit led to a large glass vessel, slowly filling it with a dark liquid, drop by drop. At first, I thought it was blood, but it was far too dark ¨C like liquid shadows. As I focused on the man, the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System reacted. Temporal Trace¡¯s upgraded level identified him: Goren Shein, level 113. ¡°Goren?¡° The man suddenly lifted his head, his face battered and bleeding. When his eyes met mine, he smiled ¨C a smug that didn''t fit his current predicament. ¡°Oh, Spellsword, my hero.¡± He said mockingly. ¡°I wondered if you¡¯d come to save me.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Gaelith asked, his tone neutral. I nodded. ¡°Sort of.¡± ¡°Wait, Gaelith?¡± Goren¡¯s eyes flickered to the figure beside me, his surprise apparent. ¡°But you¡¯re¡­you¡¯re nothing like the one from the depths¡­¡± His words confirmed Gaelith¡¯s earlier claims of another version of himself. Or was this a part of a more elaborate trap? ¡°What happened to you?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°What does it look like?¡± he snapped, sounding both pained and frustrated. ¡°I got caught! Now release me.¡± ¡°But you were missing at the start of the day.¡± I countered, stepping carefully toward the glowing chains, still unsure how I felt about all this. ¡°Way before they unsealed the tomb and we entered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I was caught before that.¡± He retorted, sighing heavily. The slight movement made the conduit in his gut hurt him even more. ¡°Now, can you at least get that shitty thing out of me? For fuck¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°Before?¡± ¡°Yes, before!¡± Goren snapped again, wincing hard. ¡°In the previous loop.¡± ¡°But¡­it should reset.¡± I muttered, suspicion growing. ¡°I don¡¯t know how he did it.¡± Goren said, his voice more urgent now. ¡°But somehow, I didn¡¯t respawn back at home like usual. I respawned here. Like this. Now, please, for the love of God, get me down!¡± ¡°He?¡± I pressed, but before I could get an answer, a sharp whistle cut through the air. My instincts hit, the result of all of those points spent in Agility, and activating Wind Rush I dodged a projectile flying toward me. I turned toward the attacker, who slowly reappeared from thin-air as if shedding camouflage. My eyes widened in surprise as I saw him. ¡°You just refuse to die, huh?¡± said Aric Kelltins, an annoyed grin spreading across his face. Chapter 38: The Last of the Axul Chapter 38: The Last of the Axul ¡°Kelltins¡­?¡± I muttered in disbelief. ¡°But you were¡­¡± ¡°Dead?¡± he mused, grinning. ¡°Was I? Was it even my body you saw? Or was it perhaps Waylan¡¯s, with a small touch of my magic?¡± ¡°You see, Spellsword,¡± Goren called weakly from behind me, his voice still pained. ¡°Kelltins over there got so tired of dying to the Void Spiders every fucking run, sucking off his Lady Mikaela, that he suddenly grew a pair and became aware of the time loop. Because why not, right?¡± Dying to the Void Spiders? None of this rang a bell to me. Kelltins'' expression turned to disgust as he shot a glare at Goren. ¡°You continue to show your ignorance, Rogue. Stay quiet while the grownups talk.¡± He flicked his wrist and suddenly a binding appeared around Goren¡¯s mouth, silencing him. Then, he turned back to me. ¡°All you had to do was die, Aidan. Why was that so hard for you?¡± he shook his head violently, frustration stretched on his face. ¡°Hand me the Core willingly. You will still die, but at least I¡¯ll spare you the suffering.¡± He knew about the Darknessbound Core. But who was he, really? ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± I muttered, the pieces not fitting inside my mind. ¡°You¡¯re a looper as well?¡± Kelltins chuckled, shaking his head, his voice filled with contempt. ¡°No. Profane of you to even suggest I would serve your lowly God of Time. I serve only one lord, The true one: The Destroyer ¨C Lord Erebus.¡± A chill ran down my spine, colder than anything I had ever felt before in my life. He knew about Chronos. But more than that, he was a human ¨C a living, breathing person ¨C serving the very embodiment of Darkness, the entity intent on devouring our world. It defied all logic, all instinct. Why would anyone alive side with Erebus? Considering the High Priestess of Axul conversed with the imprisoned Erebus in the memory I had seen, it seemed like a common theme for the Axul, apparently. ¡°Are you even listening to yourself?¡± I shot back, my voice rising. ¡°Erebus is set to devour our world, and you worship him? Are you out of your damn mind?¡± Kelltins'' grin widened. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand. None of you can.¡± Suddenly, the distant memory I had seen moments ago flashed vividly in my mind again ¨C The Axul child riding the scorpion to escape this god-forsaken tomb. ¡°You¡¯re Noctyra?¡± I asked, unsure, yet somehow expecting a positive answer. His eyes widened in surprise, but his expression quickly twisted into one of disgust. ¡°How the hell do you know my real name?¡± It was him. The child was him. And suddenly everything made sense ¨C he controlled the wraiths that attacked us, and then the scorpions. He was never injured ¨C he faked it. He wanted to kill us. And he did¡­ ¡°You killed Lena and Dina¡­¡± I whispered, the realization hitting. ¡°And Waylan, and Jax, and Henry!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, you fool!¡± Kelltins snapped, his voice filled with rage. ¡°Answer the question. How do you know my Axul name?¡± Before I could respond, he raised his hand, and an invisible force seized me, suffocating me with crushing pressure. I clawed at my throat, gasping for air as the unseen grip tightened. [Condition Applied: Suffocation by ¡°Axul Might¡± used by Aric Kelltins] Gaelith acted immediately. He lunged forward, swinging his radiant sword through the air. A colossal ghostly arm materialized where it had been attached to my chest, writhing as it tried to maintain its hold. The radiant blade struck, shattering the arm into glowing fragments, releasing me from the pain. [Condition Applied: No Longer Suffocated] I collapsed to my knees, choking and gasping for air, but things were clearer now. ¡°You are Axul¡­¡± Gaelith whispered, his voice low yet heavy. Kelltins grinned, his arms rising to his sides. ¡°I¡¯m not just any Axul, fool.¡± His voice rising with fervor. ¡°I represent something far greater. I am the will of a people long gone. I am their hope. Their promise. Their future ¨C and their present. I am the last of them. I am Noctyra. I AM Axul.¡± A chill ran down my spine. The Axul still existed, and Kelltins, of all people, was the last of them¡­ I recalled the words his father had spoken to him in the memory, how he had prepared him for something greater - for this - from a very young age, despite the naivety he had shown by befriending monsters. Deep inside I wanted to believe Aric Kelltins was a real person and not just a facade, so I tried talking to him. "I can''t pretend to understand what you went through." I said, trying to reason with him. "But you always have your own choice. You don''t need to follow the life others had dictated for you." He smirked, shaking his head. "Choice is an illusion. A luxury neither a mere mortal like you nor an Axul like me possesses. The only ones who have it are the Gods." Goren shifted in his restraints as if trying to speak, which made Noctyra smile. "See? The Rogue gets it." he said, before his expression turned serious. "Do you even know what''s it like to be the last of your people? Can you even fathom the responsibility I bear for my people? After my father died, there was no one left but me. But they all died so I could complete our bloodline''s ultimate goal - the complete awakening of Lord Erebus. And so I will."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°You were brainwashed from a young age.¡± Gaelith said, his voice steady. ¡°Step aside. It is not too late for you.¡± Noctyra chuckled darkly, a mocking sound. ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s talking ¨C the oh-so-great knight who refused my Lord for so long. Don¡¯t worry, dear Gaelith. I¡¯ve got you both right where I wanted you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked as I rose to my feet, the pain subsiding. This was a trap ¨C but not one set by Goren or Gaelith. It was set by one of humanity¡¯s strongest, most promising adventurers. ¡°I wanted two things,¡± Noctyra began, his tone smug as he clarified his motives. ¡°First: to find the damn looper that was a thorn in my Lord¡¯s side.¡± From his pocket, he pulled out a tiny, nail-sized piece of a gray stone ¨C the third shard needed to complete the Core. ¡°It was you¡­¡± I muttered, still unsure of how he did it if he wasn¡¯t a looper. He laughed. ¡°I came here today to unleash my Lord upon this world. To fulfill my destiny. To fulfill the Axul¡¯s prophecies. But your meddling God of Time just had to intervene ¨C just like the prophecies foretold.¡± He paused for a moment, the mention of Chronos making him visibly angrier. ¡°Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t able to sense the time loop. But as I relived this day again and again, slaying the same monsters again and again, I slowly began to see its shape. Then, I was finally able to sense it entirely.¡± ¡°But how?¡± I repeated, still confused by it all. How could someone recognize a time loop without being chosen by Chronos, like I was ¨C or Dolos, like Goren? Was the Axul¡¯s magic that strong? Was it so strong to make them understand they were trapped in a time loop? ¡°Simple.¡± Noctyra said, his gaze flicking to Goren who writhed in his chains, his mouth bound, his dark aura writhing wildly around him, his muffled curses likely directed at Noctyra. ¡°I never died to some Void Spiders. Pathetic of you to think that, Rogue.¡± Noctyra explained matter-of-factly. ¡°It was always a trick ¨C an illusion to let me leave and roam the tomb freely. With each beast I killed here, and consumed, I gained glimpses of my reality ¨C of the time loop. It was faint at first, like a shadow in the corner of my mind, but it grew stronger. Slowly, I became attuned to it, as expected of a true Axul, able to see it as my Lord can. It took 35 repeats of this day, but on the 36th, I finally achieved full awareness, and all the missing memories my past selves experienced.¡± He gestured to the large glass vessel under Goren, where the scary black liquid steadily filled the container. ¡°All thanks to this.¡± Noctyra said, his tone reverent. ¡°Something only the Axul can wield ¨C the Essence of Darkness.¡± The Essence of Darkness? What the hell even was that? My confusion must have been obvious, as Noctyra smirked and continued. ¡°Your fellow looper here was marked by my Lord.¡± He said, gesturing toward Goren. ¡°Similar to the monsters in this tomb, yet different. He carried, unbeknownst to him, the Essence of Darkness. That¡¯s why I¡­¡± Noctyra chuckled. ¡°Had to milk him for it.¡± Goren thrashed in his chains, his muffled curses growing louder, though they couldn¡¯t escape the binding covering his mouth. I was shocked by the revelation. Someone was strong enough to grasp the time loop after continuous repeats because of this¡­dark liquid? ¡°Why not just take the entire Core for yourself?¡± I asked, still extremely confused. ¡°Why only take a tiny piece?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Noctyra scoffed, his mocking tone already getting on my nerves. ¡°Then how would I get rid of you? How would I get rid of the champions of my Lord¡¯s greatest enemy? It was a trap to draw you out. I needed the extra shard to find the one who would collect the other two ¨C the other looper ¨C you!¡± His smug expression deepened as he continued. ¡°The Rogue was easy to catch, an overconfident fool, but you? That¡¯s a whole different thing. Admittedly, I was surprised when you turned out to be the lowest-leveled adventurer here. But it makes sense. My Lord¡¯s archenemy couldn¡¯t be foolish or predictable, or else why would he be the archenemy? Choosing the weakest one around was the smartest choice, I assume.¡± My heart raced at his words. He knew way too much. So, so much. Every step was planned and calculated. He might¡¯ve not expected the time loop, but he got attuned to it. He managed to overcome it. I glanced at Gaelith, who remained silent beside me. Noctyra had referred to him as part of the plan, but what did he mean? What could he even do as an Axul? Gaelith seemed to know a lot about them, and he had said their magic was ¡®different¡¯. But how different? What did he even mean? ¡°Well, now you have me and the Darknessbound Core here.¡± I said, testing the waters. ¡°But how do you expect to deal with him?¡± I gestured toward Gaelith. The level 100 legendary knight, who surprisingly actually seemed to be on my side, despite everything I believed, was my best bet. ¡°That¡¯s the easy part.¡± Noctyra replied with a low chuckle, his cocky attitude on full display. ¡°You see, I needed him here. My Lord requires him to unleash his wrath upon this world. For reasons unknown to me, he is his true vessel. And I¡¯m going to deliver him on a silver platter.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Gaelith said, his voice calm yet full of confidence. ¡°I have fought your Lord for the last thousand years, and I won¡¯t fall to him now.¡± He raised his radiant sword, preparing for a fight. ¡°Please, back down.¡± Noctyra¡¯s grin widened as he grabbed his war axe from his back, smashing its head into the ground with a thunderous roar. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been preparing for this day my entire life, foolish knight.¡± He said, his tone filled with eerie excitement. ¡°Trust me, I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± I glanced at Gaelith, then back at Noctyra, surprised he was willing to take us both on. Gaelith alone should be more than enough to defeat him. With my help, it should be an easy win. ¡°How do you expect to fight us both on your own?¡± I asked, though I was nervous of the upcoming answer. It was like D¨¦j¨¤ vu was reminding me that nothing was easy in this tomb. ¡°Alone?¡± Kelltins ¨C Noctyra ¨C mused, his grin widening. ¡°Who said I was alone?¡± Then, he raised his hand, and the ground trembled beneath us. Something was coming. Something big. ¡°Get ready.¡± Gaelith whispered, and my grip around Silverfang tightened, expecting the worst. But nothing could have prepared me for what came next. The wall to our side suddenly collapsed with a deafening crash. I barely managed to escape the incoming rubble, using Dash Step to evade the falling stones. Dust filled the air, obscuring our vision. When the dust cloud settled, my heart raced at the sight of the enormous monster before us. A massive scorpion, nearly as tall as the ceiling, emerged. Its body was covered in metal plates that clinked with every movement. The System recognized it immediately: Stinger, level 85. Stinger¡­was this the same scorpion Noctyra had ridden to escape the tomb as a child? Could that not-so-small, loyal creature have grown into this towering abomination? Its eyes lacked the glowing red that followed all the monsters I had stumbled upon in this run. Could Stinger be acting of its own free will? How the hell did he grow up to become so large and a friend of a human? Noctyra rushed to the scorpion¡¯s side, climbing onto its armored back with practiced control. He rested a hand on the creature¡¯s plated head, his voice low and¡­respectful? ¡°My dear Stinger.¡± He said as he brought his head closer to it, touching it with his forehead. Then, the colossal scorpion let out a sharp, piercing screech ¨C a sound that sent shivers down my spine and echoed through the chamber. Its tail arched high, its massive stinger dripping with venom as it turned its attention to me and Gaelith. Noctyra climbed the beast and grinned from atop of it, his eyes blazing with delight. ¡°Now, prepare to fall to the heir of the pillars of humanity. The last of the Axul!¡± The system suddenly changed its recognition of Kelltins. Now it named him differently: Noctyra, the Last Axul, level 87. Then, he and his scorpion companion attacked in unison. Chapter 39: The Essence of Darkness Chapter 39: The Essence of Darkness Noctyra, riding atop his monstrous scorpion, Stinger, gazed down at me and Gaelith. His grin stretched wide as the pair attacked. Gaelith dodged effortlessly with a blink, while I tried to conserve my stamina and deemed a roll to be enough ¨C which it was. At least that¡¯s what I thought¡­ The ground trembled beneath Stinger¡¯s massive legs as they barreled past me. While I managed to dodge Noctyra¡¯s strike, before I could fully recover, the scorpion¡¯s tail lashed out. I had no choice but to block, raising Silverfang to intercept the strike. The impact shook me, forcing me to slide backward across the chamber floor, falling down to 91% HP. Noctyra and Stinger circled back, preparing for another attack. The last Axul¡¯s grin suddenly grew wider. As if on cue, Stinger¡¯s tail began to glow red. My instincts told me to retreat, but Gaelith stepped forward, ready to meet the attack head on. I hesitated, but eventually decided to stay by his side¡­that was also a mistake. The scorpion''s tail flew forward, striking rapidly. Gaelith dodged everything with a combination of blinks and quick sidesteps, while he seemed to search for an opening to attack. But I wasn¡¯t as fast ¨C or as skilled. The tail¡¯s barrage was overwhelming, and even when it missed, the impact shook the ground beside me violently, throwing off my footing. Then, a sudden strike came from an odd angle, and I had no choice but to block again. Silverfang absorbed the blow, but the sheer force of the attack rattled my arms, sending me sliding backward and further dipping my HP bar to 77%. Gaelith seemed to use me as bait or something. The moment I performed this block, he blinked to the side, slipping into the duo¡¯s blind spot. In one swift motion, he lunged toward Stinger¡¯s only unarmored area ¨C its eyes. The attack was almost perfectly timed. Almost. Noctyra seemed to expect something like that. He reacted instantly, leaping from Stinger¡¯s back with his war axe raised high. The weapon arced toward the approaching Gaelith, forcing him to abandon his strike and dodge before he could harm the scorpion. Noctyra¡¯s axe smashed into the ground where Gaelith had just stood, sending shards of stone flying. Gaelith reacted immediately, aiming a strike at Noctyra¡¯s exposed side, but Stinger intervened. The scorpion used its claws to shield its master before launching its tail at Gaelith. Seeing an opportunity, I activated Blade Rush, closing the distance between myself and Noctyra. I thrust Silverfang forward, aiming to impale him, but he reacted quickly. Pulling his war axe from the ground, he deflected my strike with ease. Then, he roared, creating a sound wave which hit me head-on, sending me flying backward and crashing against the ground, dropping my HP to 64%. My coordination with Gaelith was severely lacking, and out of the two of us, I was the one punished for it. Luckily, Gaelith seemed to notice this too. ¡°Follow my lead!¡± He called out. Without waiting for my reply, he charged directly at Noctyra and Stinger, taking the offensive. I followed, breaking into stride behind him, consuming two healing potions. [Item Consumed: Lesser Healing Potion x2] [Health: 100%] Only two remained. ¡°The glaive has a charging attack, does it not?¡± Gaelith said as we ran. He was likely referring to Silverfang¡¯s Unyielding Charge. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he knew about it ¨C this weapon had once belonged to his closest friend. I nodded. ¡°Then aim it at him and start charging.¡± He instructed. ¡°Like they¡¯d let me charge it.¡± I retorted, glancing at Noctyra and Stinger. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you enough time. Just ignore everything and keep going, no matter what happens.¡± I hesitated but decided to trust him. I skidded to a halt, lowering my stance and beginning to charge Unyielding Charge. ¡°Fools!¡± Noctyra shouted, his war axe suddenly transforming into a mage¡¯s staff. ¡°Witness real magic!¡± He can transform his weapon? But that won¡¯t change the damage scaling his class binds him to. Unless¡­unless he can shift between classes as well? He held the staff above his head, and a swirling, dark cloud materialized above us. Bolts of lightning crackled within the cloud, and sharp icicles began raining down alongside the thunderous strikes. If I died here, Noctyra wouldn¡¯t just gain the two shards of the Darknessbound Core ¨C I would also be marked, even if not in the same way as Erebus leaves his marks. He might just kill me over and over in subsequent loops, capitalizing on my amnesia, just like Goren did before that. I was about to run away, but I gritted my teeth and held firm, Gaelith¡¯s words ringing in my mind. I stayed focused on charging the ability, praying that the knight would come through. And he did. Gaelith stopped just in the middle between me and the deadly duo, driving his radiating blade into the ground just as the storm unleashed its fury on us. Before the lightning bolts and icicles could hit us, they dissipated into harmless mist. Even the storm cloud above dissolved into nothingness. Somehow, Gaelith cancelled the Axul¡¯s magic. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Noctyra stammered, he waved his staff, but it did nothing. His face bore the most confused expression I¡¯d ever seen, but I had no time to relish the moment. The charge was complete. With Silverfang in my hands, Unyielding Charge launched me forward like an arrow. Gaelith sidestepped smoothly as I hurtled past him and toward Noctyra, the glaive leading the way. Stinger stepped forward, its massive claws ready to defend its master. For a moment, my confidence wavered ¨C but I decided to keep trusting Gaelith. He had to have another trick up his sleeve. And rest assured, he did. Out of thin air to their right, Gaelith reappeared on Stinger¡¯s flank. His sword was still embedded in the ground where he had left it. Now, he clashed his gauntlets at each other. The impact ignited them with the same radiant energy as his sword. Then, he immediately charged Stinger, evading a strike of its tail before slamming his fist into the scorpion¡¯s side. The force of the attack sent the monster flying to the far end of the room, crashing against the wall.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Noctyra, shocked and unguarded, turned his gaze back to me ¨C but it was too late. Silverfang pierced his chest plate with incredible force. The armor blocked the strike at first, but then it shattered into fragments, and the impact hurled him backward, slamming him into the wall behind. The crash dropped debris and rubble on top of him, plummeting his HP bar further down to around a third. ¡°You¡­dirty¡­little¡­¡± Noctyra struggled to speak as he stood up, his voice strained as he coughed violently, blood escaping his mouth. ¡°How could you?¡± ¡°Stop this already.¡± Gaelith said, his voice turning somber, almost pleading. ¡°Don¡¯t. You. Dare.¡± Noctyra muttered, his voice full of pain. Seeing his resolve, I stepped forward, ready to deliver the decisive blows and end this ¨C at least for this loop. But before I could take another, a loud crash echoed behind us. The injured Stinger had risen again, its massive tail slammed against Gaelith¡¯s sword that was still embedded in the ground. The impact dislodged the weapon, sending it skidding across the chamber floor. When we turned back to Noctyra, he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°You of all people¡­¡± he whispered from the far side of the chamber, as he was struggling against a wall, using it to steady himself. Suddenly his gaze steadied with newfound resolve. "Unbelievable..." Then, he suddenly straightened his posture and raised his arms to his sides, and a sickly green glow surrounded them ¨C the same one from the chains that held Goren. His lips moved in a quiet incantation, something I couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Get ready.¡± Gaelith whispered, his tone resolute. I understood what he meant almost immediately. A sound emanated from outside the chamber ¨C an eerie combination of buzzing, clittering, and the groaning moans of the undead. The noise grew louder with each moment, until a wave of monsters poured into the room. Void Wasps, Void Spiders, Void Scorpions, Undead Wolves, and Undead Warriors and Archers. Their glowing red eyes fixed on us as they swarmed in, filling the chamber with an overwhelming horde. ¡°Can you cancel his magic again?¡± I asked Gaelith, my voice urgent. ¡°Not right now.¡± Gaelith replied. ¡°We just need to take him out. Cover me while I finish this.¡± The monsters charged all at once, a tide of claws, fangs, stingers, and venom. Listening to Gaelith, I met the first wave head-on. Gaelith moved immediately as well, picking up his radiant sword from the ground, cutting down clusters of monsters with a single strike. He moved insanely fast, dodging every attack that came his way, while leaving no enemy alive. I activated Wind Rush, the surge of air propelling me forward. A Void Scorpion lunged at me, but I sidestepped with Dash Step, driving the glaive into its head with an Explosive Strike, knocking back nearby monsters. [+318 XP] A swarm of Void Wasps descended, firing their stingers at me. I raised Wind Wall, deflecting their projectiles, and seized the chance to strike back. I swung Silverfang in a wide arc, unleashing Horizon. The wind attack tore through the swarm, sending their broken bodies crashing to the ground, allowing me to close the distance with Blade Rush and finish them off. [+494 XP] [+494 XP] [+494 XP] [+494 XP] [+494 XP] ¡°Behind you!¡± Gaelith¡¯s voice rang out. I spun just in time to block the strike of an Undead Warrior and an immediate follow up of an Undead Wolf lunging at me. I cut through the Undead effortlessly, and then used Blade Rush to slay the wolf. [+34 XP] [+318 XP] Despite our efforts, the monsters kept coming. I glanced at Goren, considering freeing him to boost our fighting chances. But he seemed too injured to be of actual help. Either way, the sheer number of enemies made it impossible to reach him with ease. Them and the injured Stinger, who returned to the fray, but couldn¡¯t move quite the same as before. Instead of attacking, it carried itself slowly around the chamber. I really wasn''t sure what it was doing. Meanwhile, Noctyra vanished, his form blending into the background with the same camouflage he¡¯d used before. Another scorpion charged at me, followed closely by an Undead Wolf. I managed to block the scorpion¡¯s stinger, hitting him away, but the wolf¡¯s teeth had sank into my shoulder, tearing through my flesh and taking out a third of my HP. Grunting, I knocked the wolf off with Silverfang and drove the blade into its head as it hit the ground. [+318 XP] Not too far away, Noctyra reappeared. Gaelith had found him, their blades meeting with a thunderous clash of metal. The impact sent shockwaves through the chamber, throwing nearby monsters off their feet. Noctyra tried to disappear again, but Gaelith seemed to be able to sense his movements, dragging him back from his hiding. ¡°Stop with this nonsense.¡± I wanted to help, to end this faster, but the swarm was already recovering. Raising Wind Wall again, I blocked the incoming projectiles and charged Blur Strike. When the skill was ready, I unleashed its explosive wrath, tearing through the monsters in my way. Some died instantly, while others fell to the ground, surviving on a sliver of HP. [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+34 XP] [+34 XP] [+34 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+34 XP] [+494 XP] [+494 XP] [+494 XP] The opening I created allowed Gaelith to disarm Noctyra, knocking the shape-shifting weapon from his hands. With his radiant sword pressed against Noctyra¡¯s neck, Gaelith spoke with a commanding tone. ¡°Surrender. Call off the monsters. It¡¯s still not too late for you.¡± But Noctyra only chuckled. His hands flew forward, grabbing Gaelith¡¯s blade by the edge. The radiant light clearly wasn¡¯t just for show as it seared his hands, smoke rising from the point of contact. Noctyra winced in pain, but pushed through it as if it didn¡¯t matter. Gaelith reacted quickly, headbutting him, forcing him to release the blade. Then, without hesitation, Gaelith drove his sword into his gut. Noctyra groaned, blood pouring from his mouth as Gaelith pulled the blade free. Stumbling backward, Noctyra clutched his gaping wound. The monsters froze suddenly, their glowing red eyes fading. Without Noctyra¡¯s control, they seemed to regain their independence, their eyes not glowing anymore ¨C but their hostility remained. Gaelith stepped in front of me quickly, slamming his sword into the ground. A wall of radiant light erupted, holding the monsters at bay and protecting us. When we turned back to Noctyra, he was carried by the limping Stinger toward the glass vessel beneath the suspended Goren, who shifted in place, trying to catch our attention. ¡°It seems¡­there¡¯s no¡­other¡­way.¡± Noctyra rasped, his voice weak before turning to Stinger. ¡°Thank you, my friend.¡± Stinger dropped him into the dark liquid before we could stop them, submerging Noctyra entirely. The liquid began to bubble and churn, boiling violently. Then, arms ¨C dark and grotesque ¨C rose from the depths, one after another. Four of them in total. Dark smoke poured from the vessel, obscuring the center of the chamber. With a deafening explosion, the glass shattered, sending shard flying. As the smoke cleared, a figure emerged. But it wasn¡¯t Kelltins or Noctyra anymore, The being stood tall, its body dark like a shadow. Four arms, each wielding a blade made of a night sky, stretched outward. Dark Axul, level 111. ¡°I am one with Erebus now.¡± The creature muttered, its voice no longer resembling a human¡¯s. Chapter 40: Gaeliths Darkness Chapter 40: Gaelith''s Darkness Dark Axul let out a chilling screech, making the air itself tremble. Even the surrounding monsters froze in place. While I was greeted by an annoying System message that accompanied the chill that ran down my spine. [Condition Applied: Fear lvl.5 ¨C Max Fear level. Paralysis inflicted. Agility reduced by 100%.] Great. Just when I thought I was getting stronger¡­ Me legs refused to move. Even my hands were trembling, Silverfang feeling too heavy suddenly. Gaelith, however, stood firm. His sword glowed even brighter as if it was reacting to the creature¡¯s darkness, trying to illuminate it away. ¡°You¡¯re too far gone.¡± He told the creature, his voice steady. ¡°I must take you down now.¡± Dark Axul responded with an unsettling growl. A sound that was likely a mix of laughter and countless sharp knives scraping against the floor together. He raised two of his shadowy arms, and the air around him darkened as a vortex formed. Nearby monsters ¨C both dead and alive ¨C were drawn into the swirling mass. Their bodies twisted until they were consumed by the growing energy. Between his other pair of hands, a massive dark orb began to take shape. Gaelith moved immediately, charging forward with his sword. But before he could reach Dark Axul, a shadowy barrier materialized, rippling like liquid darkness and blocking his path. The knight smashed his sword against it, but the barrier held firm, refusing to break. I could only watch, still paralyzed, as the dark orb between the creature¡¯s hands continued growing. Then, once he deemed it large enough, he hurled it directly at us. ¡°Move!¡± I shouted to Gaelith. ¡°It¡¯s fine if I die ¨C I¡¯ll just reset.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish.¡± Gaelith responded, his voice calm but resolute. There was a strange hint of optimism in his tone that caught me off guard. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to prove my usefulness to you and your God of Time.¡± He raised his radiant blade high, and light poured from it, surrounding and enveloping us in a protective barrier. The dark orb collided with the radiant barrier, and the resulting explosion was unlike anything I¡¯d seen - or heard - before. Light and Darkness clashed, sending shockwaves tearing through the chamber. The ground itself cracked beneath us, and the deafening roar made my ears ring. My heart froze as the barrier began to fracture, cracks of darkness spreading across its surface. Gaelith strained, his body visibly trembling to hold it intact. Then, with a shattering sound, the barrier collapsed, and the orb continued its trajectory toward us. Gaelith jumped forward without hesitation, placing himself directly between me and the dark orb, and blocked it with his sword. The explosion engulfed him as he absorbed the impact, protecting me. ¡°What are you doing¡­¡± I barely managed to whisper, finally coming out of the Fear condition. [Condition applied: You are no longer Feared. Movement Speed restored. Agility restored] As the dust settled, Gaelith was still standing. His HP bar dropped to roughly 50%, but he remained strong. The dark robe that he was wearing all this time was gone, burned away by the explosion. Beneath it, clad in his legendary armor was a young man with short dark hair ¨C his youthful face seemingly untouched by the passage of time. It was the same face I had seen in the memory of him and Kaelstrife, from a thousand years ago. Somehow, Gaelith hadn¡¯t aged a day. He turned to me, his armor slightly fractured, giving me a reassuring nod. ¡°I promised to help you, didn¡¯t I?¡± I appreciated Gaelith¡¯s sacrifice ¨C of course, I did ¨C but he really didn¡¯t need to go that far. ¡°I told you, I would just reset¡­Look how injured you are right now.¡± I said, sounding exasperated despite trying not to. He straightened his posture, and suddenly, a soft glow surrounded him. His HP bar began to fill itself steadily. Dark Axul, of course, didn¡¯t wait. The shadowy figure lunged toward us, all four of his arms swinging cosmic blades at Gaelith. The knight dodged skilfully, and then, in one swift motion, he swung his radiant sword twice in quick succession. Dark Axul blocked the first strike with all four of his blades, but the second strike broke through, sending him hurtling into the wall behind him, crashing it completely. How the hell was this floor yet to collapse? As Gaelith seized the moment to continue healing himself, the surrounding monsters seemed to be under a trance, not attacking us, just¡­standing there. Even Stinger remained unresponsive. ¡°You don''t seem to consider the possible reality of your situation.¡± Gaelith said. ¡°Of the time loop, I mean.¡± ¡°And you do?¡± I shot back, surprised by his words. ¡°You literally learned about it a few hours ago from me!¡± ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not.¡± He countered oddly, his voice growing firmer. ¡°What do you think happens to our world each time you die? What do you think your reset actually does?¡± I was about to answer until I realized...I didn¡¯t have a clue. I had never actually asked Chronos about this. And if I did, he probably made me forget it. So, I just took the reset for granted - everything goes back in time as if it never happened. Gaelith continued, sounding slightly frustrated. ¡°Do you think this particular world where things happened in this particular way, and we met, would just cease to exist after you die? Revert back to its original state? What if it doesn¡¯t, and I¡¯m left here to fight this on my own?¡± he sighed heavily, turning visibly calmer. ¡°I might be wrong ¨C I can¡¯t pretend to understand all of it. But I do understand some things. One of them is knowing what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong. Treat every loop and its people with the outmost respect, Aidan Dar. Fight for it like it¡¯s the last one, because for some of us, it might just be that.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I stood there, stunned in silence, his words sinking deeper. I immediately wondered how many Yanas out there had to watch me die. How many of them experienced being left behind by me, before dying to Erebus and his monsters all on their own? Did they feel left out? Betrayed? The thought was unsettling. Gaelith knocked me out of my thoughts, signaling with his head toward a mountain of rubble and chains at the far end of the chamber. ¡°Help your friend over there. We might need more manpower.¡± I nodded, rushing over to Goren. Wait, help Goren? Am I crazy? I have higher odds of being killed by him than by Dark Axul! And still, something gnawed at me. Perhaps Gaelith¡¯s words made me too emotional than I¡¯d care to admit. Maybe Goren would appreciate it. Maybe he¡¯d help. He has to! I ducked down, spotting Goren¡¯s hand sticking out from under the rubble. I hesitated once more but eventually gave in and began clearing away the debris. In the distance, Dark Axul stirred, rising from the wreckage of the wall, his HP mostly intact. He lunged at the now-fully-healed Gaelith, his four arms swinging together, accompanied by a barrage of magical projectiles. Gaelith met the assault with his sword, clashing against the cosmic blades while dodging the magical strikes. The chamber erupted with blinding flashes at each collision of their weapons. Each strike sent shockwaves rippling through the air, vibrations so intense I felt them over at the other end of the chamber. Sparks from the impact ignited small explosions, consuming the nearby monsters that had remained on standby. Despite the level disparity, Gaelith matched every strike. But I wasn''t sure if he had what it takes to win all on his own. Meanwhile, I finally unearthed Goren. He was barely conscious, his body battered and bloodied, but he was alive. His HP bar was as low as 5%. ¡°Wake up! He needs our help.¡± I shouted, grasping the chains binding his arms and legs, inspecting if they could be broken with magic or Silverfang. Goren¡¯s eyelids fluttered open, his voice weak and raspy. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t.¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m too injured. This loop was a fucking waste¡­fucking Kelltins...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll shove some healing potions down your throat, and you¡¯ll be good to go.¡± I said urgently, striking the first chain. It broke easily under Silverfang''s power. ¡°It won¡¯t matter.¡± Goren coughed, his voice bitter. ¡°Kelltins¡¯ magic ¨C it made me respawn here, but it left me empty. All my possessions¡­gone for this loop. A total waste, I tell you. You¡¯re better off killing me, really.¡± I stared at him, anger boiling inside me. I couldn¡¯t for the life of me remember him from the previous loops ¨C it was practically the first time I¡¯d seen the guy ¨C but I knew who he was. That he had killed me eight times for fun and XP. And now he had the audacity to give up? ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± I snapped, yanking the conduit from his gut in one sharp pull. He screamed in pain. ¡°You motherfucker! I''ll ¨C ¡° ¡°You don¡¯t get to sit there and play the victim!¡± I cut him off, furious. ¡°You killed me eight times. For shits and giggles. And despite that, I¡¯m helping you. So get your ass up and help us, because I don¡¯t have time for your bullshit!¡± Goren¡¯s eyes widened slightly, surprise replacing the pain he felt moments ago. For a moment, he said nothing as I broke the second chain. Then, he smirked. ¡°Maybe I misjudged you.¡± He murmured. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not useless.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t care what you think about me.¡± I shot back, breaking the third chain. ¡°Just help god damn it.¡± He nodded weakly, the smirk fading. ¡°I¡¯ll repay you for this.¡± I broke the final chain and handed him the last two healing potions I had, stepping back to let him recover. But as I turned to check on Gaelith, a sharp tug on my arm stopped me. I spun around to see Goren gripping my arm tightly, Silverfang buried deep in his chest. ¡°Goren, what the fuck?!¡± I shouted, stunned. His HP bar vanished completely as he fell to his knees, his voice barely audible. ¡°I¡¯ll find you¡­at the start...of the next...loop¡­¡± [+0 XP] I stared in disbelief as his lifeless body crumpled to the ground. ¡°What the fuck, Goren¡­¡± But the sounds of battle snapped me back to reality. I had no time to process what just happened. Instead, I turned and rushed to Gaelith¡¯s side, Silverfang in hand. He was doing better than I expected. Each strike of his radiant sword caused Dark Axul to stagger slightly, his HP bar dipping lower and lower. He was dealing a lot more damage than before. But just when I thought it was winnable, Dark Axul unleashed another ear-piercing roar, his shadowy form releasing a wave of darkness that rippled outward. The force knocked Gaelith back, his boots skidding against the floor until he stopped just beside me. Gaelith steadied himself and turned to me. ¡°Your friend ¨C what of him?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t make it.¡± I replied, leaving out the crucial details. Gaelith simply nodded, his expression neutral. ¡°Then it¡¯s up to us.¡± Meanwhile, Dark Axul summoned another vortex. Some of the remaining monsters were pulled into the swirling mass of Darkness, regenerating his HP back to 100%. ¡°What the - ?¡± I began, but there was no time to finish. Dark Axul swung all four cosmic blades in wide arcs, releasing dark crescents that hurled toward us. Not trusting Wind Wall to save me, I used Wind Rush and chained together a series of Dash Steps, narrowly evading the crescents as they slammed into the ground. But the explosions that followed sent me sprawling. My body hit the stone floor hard as my HP settled on 33%. My health potions¡­I gave them to Goren¡­ Fuck you, Goren!!! Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to my knees, trying to select a different healing consumable, but Dark Axul already shifted toward me, his four blades raised for a finishing strike. Gaelith¡¯s radiant sword intercepted just in time. Sparks and shadows erupted from the point of impact as Gaelith held his ground, giving me enough time to get on my feet. Was Gaelith right? What would happen to the Darknessbound Core if I died here? Would Dark Axul just pick it up like a simple piece of loot, making me lose it in the next run? Or will the world actually reset at that moment? Gripping Silverfang tightly, a thought crossed my mind: fight all out. I couldn¡¯t know for sure what would happen and there was no point crying about it. Perhaps Gaelith¡¯s earlier words had stirred something within me ¨C a recklessness I couldn¡¯t suppress. Normally, I wouldn''t stand a chance against someone as strong as Dark Axul. But with some buffs, and a legendary knight by my side, we might actually be able to pull this off. Either way, I just needed to do enough to stir the fight in our favor. I activated Overlord, recalling the glaive¡¯s buff ability grew stronger when my HP dropped below 50%. Silverfang began to glow with a purple aura. Not stopping there, I activated Battle Cry to boost my Strength stat for the next minute. Those two together already pushed me over level 100 in stats. At least for the next minute. With my body and weapon brimming with power, I charged forward, darting around Dark Axul and attacking his rear. He was quick to react, sending two of his arms to block me, but it didn¡¯t matter ¨C I had shifted the momentum. Gaelith seized the opening, attacking even faster. For a moment, we were in perfect sync ¨C Gaelith and I blocked, dodged, and attacked in complete understanding, getting closer to victory. Whenever Dark Axul attempted to gain distance to use his magic, or knock us back, Gaelith struck him down, not even giving him a chance to use the idle monsters around to heal up again. But then it came ¨C a deafening screech that pierced the air, echoing everywhere around us. This time, it wasn¡¯t Dark Axul, and D¨¦j¨¤ vu made sure I¡¯d know that for sure. I''d faced it before. Definitely. [Condition Applied: Fear lvl.5 ¨C Max Fear level. Paralysis inflicted. Agility reduced by 100%.] Can¡¯t. Move. Again. ¡°He¡¯s here¡­¡± Gaelith whispered, sounding defeated. A different creature entered the broken chamber. It looked similar to Dark Axul and yet it was also different. It was more evil, more sinister. Seemingly made of darkness itself. Its form was mostly humanoid, but twisted - giant teeth gnashed from an empty face, and its legs morphed into writhing, dark appendages, whole lot of them. It¡¯s title and level appeared above it: Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, level 154. D¨¦j¨¤ vu screamed in my mind. This was it. Erebus. Chapter 41: Avoid the Mark Chapter 41: Avoid the Mark Gaelith¡¯s Darkness approached slowly. My mind raced wildly. Not only would this thing kill me within the next few minutes ¨C it would definitely mark me for future loops, too. Chronos had spoken about Erebus as a weakened foe, but nothing about him looked weak to me. He said that Erebus had to compare timelines, search for deviations and variances and whatnot, but none of that mattered now. When the embodiment of Darkness sees you with its own dark eyes, there¡¯s no escaping the detection. Gaelith broke free from the invisible force that held him and stepped forward, his expression calm despite the odds. He approached my paralyzed form and pushed his radiant sword toward me. ¡°It belongs to you now.¡± He said with a steady voice. I was confused, but his reassuring nod compelled me to take it, so I allowed my hand to close around the sword¡¯s hilt. [Weapon Equipped: Sword of Radiance. Agility Scaling: S. Strength Scaling: S. Intelligence Scaling: S] [Sword of Radiance: Not allowed to use weapon. Level requirement: 100] ¡°Good.¡± He whispered despite my obvious inability to wield it properly, only deepening my confusion. Before I could say anything, he took the sword back and drove it into the ground in front of me. Then, he walked past it, placing himself between me and the advancing Darkness. ¡°The sword will keep you hidden from him.¡± He whispered as he walked. ¡°Just like it hid me all this time. When the chance arises, take it and get away.¡± I wanted to protest, but again, something in his voice and mannerism just silenced me. I was afraid to disagree even if it was the right thing to do. If the sword had protected him all this time, what would happen to him now that it¡¯s gone? Darkness screeched as it clearly recognized Gaelith. Though it looked nothing like the legendary knight, it was born from him ¨C from his dark emotions. Dark Axul stepped forward to greet his lord, with Stinger close behind. Then, they both bowed. ¡°My Lord, you sensed us.¡± Dark Axul muttered in his beast-like voice. ¡°These are my sacrifices for you.¡± Gaelith¡¯s Darkness seemed to watch silently, its eyeless form not exactly readable. Then, without warning, it raised one of its appendages, which shot forward and pierced Stinger through the eye. Dark Axul was visibly surprised by the turn of events. Maybe it was a faint trace of the man it once was? But whatever humanity was left in him was weak and faint, as he remained silent, watching Gaelith¡¯s Darkness devour his supposed friend. The scorpion dissolved into the Darkness, its essence absorbed. Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, Level 155. ¡°Get ready to run.¡± Gaelith whispered so only I could hear. Dark Axul¡¯s voice trembled unnaturally as he spoke again. ¡°The true vessel and the looper are yours, my Lord.¡± Gaelith turned to Dark Axul. "You are a fool to think Darkness cares about you." And right on cue, Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, seemingly unable to comprehend the idea of allies, struck again. Its appendages solidified mid-air and pierced Dark Axul before he could react, releasing one last cry that sounded like Noctyra before it was consumed. Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, Level 157. I swallowed hard, my heart racing. Gaelith¡¯s worries suddenly made so much sense. I had judged him when he admitted to killing adventurers. With this rapid leveling, perhaps it was for the better to die by Gaelith¡¯s hand and not like this. Also, does Chronos expect me to face this? It was more than twice my current level! Then, the Darkness turned its attention to Gaelith. ¡°Long time no see, filth.¡± The knight muttered before he dropped to one knee and punched the ground ¨C once, twice, thrice ¨C each strike shattering the ground further. When his dark mirror lunged forward to attack, its appendages reaching for him, he punched the ground one final time. The floor beneath us shattered, and as he launched himself headlong into the Darkness, the ground gave way beneath me. [Condition applied: You are no longer Feared. Movement Speed restored. Agility restored] I fell through the crumbling floor, crashing down heavily onto the hard ground below, barely escaping the falling debris. I breathed heavily, surviving on 8% HP. Before I could even process how terrible this entire situation was, a sound erupted from above ¨C a scream so terrifying it froze my blood. It was Gaelith¡¯s voice, fused with the dark vessel¡¯s terrifying screech. I need to get the hell away from here. I picked up the Sword of Radiance from the ground and moved it to my second inventory. [Transfer Complete: Sword of Radiance (Weapon) has been moved to Inventory #2] Then, I selected a Heartspore Tonic, downing it quickly, feeling my HP regenerate slowly. I stumbled out of the chamber, using the walls for support. Luckily, the chamber and corridor were empty of monsters ¨C all of them had likely joined Noctyra¡¯s call earlier. I pushed forward down the corridor, each step heavy, my heart racing at everything that happened. Where am I going? Can I even escape? Erebus would surely hunt me down now to finish the job. All of this was true, but I knew I couldn¡¯t afford to stop. Strange whistling sounds echoed behind me. D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my mind, but I chose to ignore it and keep moving. Then, it happened. The D¨¦j¨¤ vu System displayed the most horrifying message I could¡¯ve ever imagined.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Alert] [Darkness Ascension Imminent] [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:19:59] [System will collapse after this event] The End of the World¡­? Fuck, fuck, FUCK! NO! They system will collapse? Does that mean¡­no more time loop? Panic flooded me. I needed to die quickly ¨C reset before it was too late. But there was no one around to kill me. No enemies. No monsters. No one but¡­myself. As my mind raced, contemplating the unthinkable, pondering if I could even take my own life, leaning toward the positive answer, yet still unsure, the whistles intensified. D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my ears again, more urgently this time. Something bad was going to happen. I stopped ignoring, instead focusing on the sounds. It sounded from behind me, yet I saw nothing. Even Distance Gauge wasn¡¯t picking any presence. Heart pounding, I acted on instinct ¨C twenty percent a hunch, eighty percent D¨¦j¨¤ vu. I activated Fearsome Aura, releasing a roar, hoping it would inflict Fear on whatever D¨¦j¨¤ vu was warning me about. And. It. Worked. The Fear status connected on the closest ones, revealing five creatures that emerged from a camouflage. They resembled large dogs, but their skin was pitch black and looked almost like leather. Their head was a metallic cylinder, with a single large red eye, and four large knives at the end. Above their heads, the system revealed their names: Dark Hunter, Level 65. D¨¦j¨¤ vu connected the dots in my mind with terrifying clarity - this is how Erebus marks people. I couldn¡¯t allow myself to die to them. And killing myself when they were nearby wouldn¡¯t work either. My death wouldn¡¯t be instantaneous, and they¡¯d still get a chance to mark me. Fighting them was pointless. The Fear status won¡¯t last long enough, and while I¡¯m stronger, their invisibility is a pain in the ass. It doesn¡¯t matter how many of them I would kill. One hit. That¡¯s all they needed. One hit, and I¡¯m marked, carrying Erebus¡¯ mark into the next loop. This loop was doomed already, with the End of the World looming in less than twenty minutes. But the future could still be salvaged. I just needed to escape, and then die. By my own hand and on my own terms. I had to get away. Turning sharply, I broke into a sprint, activating Wind Rush to push myself faster. Behind me, the eerie whistles resumed. A few moments later, being chased down in the corridor, a whistle pierced the air behind me, and I ducked instinctively, keeping my pace. I sensed a heavy body soaring over my head, and with a swift swing of Silverfang, I hit it. [+294 XP] But the bastards were gaining, their claws scraping against the stone floor behind. My mind raced as I scanned the corridor ahead. A narrow passage loomed to my left. A choke point. Perfect. I veered sharply, barely avoiding a lunge as one of them smashed into the wall as I entered the narrow corridor. I gritted my teeth, still too far from comfort. I spotted five of them earlier when I used Fearsome Aura. That meant at least three were still after me. The current corridor stretched for too long ¨C they¡¯d catch me before I reached the turn. Thinking fast, I pulled an Oil flask and an Ember Flask from my inventory. I hurled the Oil flask ahead, creating a slick puddle. Then, as I jumped over it, I dropped the Ember Flask. The fiery concoction exploded, igniting the oil, triggering a reaction that roared behind me. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] I skidded to a halt, panting, my ears ringing. Is that it? Am I finally alone? Silence. I clutched Silverfang in my hand, preparing myself to do the unthinkable. But then I felt it ¨C a gust of wind. I reacted too late. The mutt came into view mid-air, its knives-covered head grazing my left hand as it streaked past me. I stumbled back, staring in horror as some shadowy liquid filled the wound. [You¡¯ll be marked by Darkness] No. I can¡¯t let this happen. This message just confirmed what I needed to know. With a roar, I raised Silverfang and brought it down my own left arm, as high as possible, making sure the mark didn¡¯t spread to the rest of my body yet. Pain exploded through me as the blade severed it cleanly at the shoulder and blood came out rushing like out of a waterfall. The limb fell to the ground, enveloped in a dark aura, similar to Goren¡¯s, but the rest of me was seemingly untouched. The situation itself became more dire, though. [Health:10% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] [Status Ailment: Bleeding - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] I screamed in pain as I dropped Silverfang and clutched the stump instinctively. The bleeding should kill me ¨C there¡¯s that ¨C but it wasn¡¯t that simple. The last Dark Hunter, the one that grazed me, was still alive and hiding here. It was likely the one that crashed against the wall. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get the XP message for slaying it. I couldn¡¯t die with it nearby. He might mark me a second before I passed on. Gritting my teeth, I pushed myself to my knees, grabbing Silverfang again. My vision blurred from blood loss, but I had to push through. I couldn¡¯t die yet. So much depended on me... ¡°Come out!¡± I shouted hoarsely. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this!¡± It didn¡¯t. Of course it wouldn¡¯t. Why risk itself when it could just wait me out? Fine. I¡¯ll drag you out myself, then. Gripping SIlverfang tightly with my one arm, I slammed it into the ground, activating Explosive strike. The impact was greater than I¡¯d hoped for in my current state ¨C the rubble and debris flying, slamming against the walls ¨C and the Dark Hunter. Its camouflage faltered for just a moment, but it was more than enough for me. With a surge of adrenaline, I hurled Silverfang with all my might. The glaive flew through the air with the force of an arrow, impaling the creature and pinning it to the wall. [+294 XP] I fell back, resting my head against the stone wall, panting as relief washed over me. I checked my status. [Health:4% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] [Status Ailment: Bleeding - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] Then, I turned to the apocalyptic timer. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Alert] [Darkness Ascension Imminent] [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:13:46] [System will collapse after this event] Not much time left, but I made it. Bleeding out wasn¡¯t an option. If another Dark Hunter suddenly appears, I¡¯d be doomed. Scratch that - the world would be. Reaching out, I recalled Silverfang to my hand, just as I¡¯d seen Kaelstrife do in our fight. It worked, the glaive flew back to me. A lump formed in my throat, tears welling in my eyes again. ¡°Damn it.¡± I whispered, my voice cracking. ¡°Damn it all¡­¡± [Warning! Stop!] I ignored the message. Taking a deep breath, I raised the glaive¡¯s blade to my throat, clenched my jaw, tears streaming freely now as I let out one final roar. Then, with all the force I could muster, I drove the blade in. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 42: Blight Chapter 42: Blight I was woken up by a cough coming from beside me ¨C a pained cough. When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on a familiar grassy field. Chronos sat cross-legged next to me, looking¡­frail. He was paler than I remembered him. My hand instinctively went to my throat ¨C the place where I¡¯d driven Silverfang. My breath hitched, and tears threatened to spill as the memory hit me. I¡¯d actually done it¡­ But another thought pierced my mind immediately, sharper than the glaive. ¡°Am I marked?¡± I asked nervously, sitting up abruptly. ¡°Did he mark me?¡± Chronos shook his head, not meeting my gaze. His eyes were distant. ¡°No.¡± he said softly. ¡°You made it in time.¡± He coughed again, shuddering slightly. Is he sick? Could he even get sick? Relieved, I let out a deep breath and lay back on the grass, staring up at the sky. But the relief was momentary. Memories of Kelltins ¨C Noctyra ¨C rushed back, and my heart raced again. ¡°Kelltins!¡± I sat up again, panic gripping me. ¡°He knows! He¡¯s an Axul! He¡¯s aware of the time loop!¡± Chronos didn¡¯t even flinch. His calmness only made me angrier. ¡°You just survived the End of the World, Aidan.¡± Chronos said, his tone maddeningly tranquil. ¡°Allow yourself a moment to relax.¡± Relax? Relax?! You¡¯re the one who shoved me into this mess! ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to relax!¡± I snapped, my voice rising. ¡°Not after what just happened!¡± ¡°It was tough, I know ¨C ¡° ¡°How would you know?¡± I cut him off, anger boiling inside me. ¡°You¡¯re not human. You¡¯re a god! You can¡¯t die. Definitely can¡¯t and won¡¯t kill yourself either!¡± Chronos nodded slightly, still looking distant. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± He coughed again. ¡°Did you know you¡¯re only my second champion to¡­off themselves?¡± His words only infuriated me more, the casual delivery making it worse. But I was so drained to lash out further. Instead, I sighed heavily, letting the anger drain away. ¡°Go on,¡± I muttered bitterly. ¡°Tell me how terrible I am. How I¡¯m useless. How I¡¯m barely making any progress. How previous champs aced their tasks forty runs early. That¡¯s what you always do. Just get it over with and send me back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to do it, Aidan. I¡¯m¡­so¡­so¡­sorry¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± My head whipped around to look at him, just to see him collapsing backward. It was as if his body had given out, and now, he just lay there, motionless. ¡°Whoa, whoa¡­¡± I scrambled to my feet, rushing to his side. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Chronos?¡± I hesitated, unsure if I could touch him. Eventually, I reached out and shook him gently. ¡°Hey, wake up!¡± Still, no reply. He wasn¡¯t even breathing ¨C but maybe that was normal for him. I mean, he is a god. Do gods even need to breath? What the hell am I supposed to do? Where are Pix and Balthor? ¡°Balthor!¡± I called out desperately. ¡°Pix!¡± No answer. Where are they, for fuck¡¯s sake?! I glanced around only to see the endless green field stretching in all directions. There was nothing out here but grass. Even the usual glass table and chairs were nowhere to be seen. At a loss, I turned back to Chronos and shook him again, harder this time. He remained unresponsive. Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s dead¡­well, not on my watch! Clenching my jaw, I knelt beside him and pressed my hands to his chest, attempting to perform a resuscitation. I felt ridiculous ¨C he might not even have a physical heart. Still, I had to try. ¡°Come on¡­¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°You can¡¯t die. You¡¯re a freaking god!¡± ¡°Can you relax? I even got the spicy kimchi flavored ones he likes so much.¡± The high-pitched, cheerful voice made me jump. I spun around to see Pix and Balthor stepping out of a glowing portal behind me. They were carrying strange, translucent bags filled with colorful boxes. Relief surged through me, and I didn¡¯t waste a second. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Chronos!¡± I shouted. ¡°He needs help!¡± They seemed to only notice us now, immediately dropping their strange bags and rushing over. Balthor slid toward us, grabbing Chronos¡¯ limp body and rising to his feet in one smooth motion. Meanwhile, Pix¡¯s hands began to glow with a faint purple hue. She made some intricate gestures with her hands, and suddenly, the ground trembled. A large stone vessel filled with shimmering water rose before us ¨C a tub? Balthor carried Chronos to it, lowering him gently into the glowing liquid. Once Chronos was submerged up to his chest, Balthor carefully removed his shirt, revealing a lot of tattoos and something unsettling ¨C a ghastly wound around his ribs, pulsing with the unmistakable Darkness. The water reacted instantly, bubbling violently around the wound as though it had been heated. The liquid glowed brighter, seemingly attacking the Darkness, which writhed like it was alive. Chronos suddenly let out a pained sigh, his face relaxing slightly, but his eyes remained closed as he stayed unconscious. The wound, though less severe, was still very much infected with Darkness. Balthor sighed, sounding relieved. ¡°We made it in time¡­¡± ¡°What the hell happened?¡± I asked, my voice tight. ¡°He was talking one moment, and then he just collapsed.¡± Balthor was about to reply, but Pix suddenly grabbed my shoulders, forcefully turning me to face her. Her playful expression was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Tell us what happened in the last loop.¡± She demanded, her tone firm. ¡°We need to know, Aidan. Every detail, please.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Balthor stepped closer, nodding. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time the Young Master got tainted by Erebus¡¯ blight, but¡­it¡¯s the first time we weren¡¯t here when it happened. We need to understand what exactly led to this.¡± ¡°Please, Aidan.¡± Pix¡¯s voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°Start from the moment Noctyra called Stinger.¡± Seeing them both like this ¨C especially Pix ¨C was disarming. I realized how much Chronos meant to them. I recalled his last words to me before he fainted ¨C that he was sorry. Suddenly, I couldn¡¯t be angry at him anymore ¨C at him, or at his ridiculous System. I nodded and began recounting everything that had happened after we defeated the duo: Dark Axul, Goren, and how Gaelith¡¯s Darkness consumed Noctyra, Stinger, and likely Gaelith himself when he bought time for me to escape. I described the chilling End of the World timer, and my escape from the Dark Hunters to avoid being marked, skipping the part where I offed myself, and finally, the brief exchange I¡¯d had with Chronos before he collapsed. As I finished, Balthor muttered under his breath. ¡°Seems like he knew exactly when to send us off¡­¡± ¡°But, why?!¡± Pix suddenly shouted. ¡°If he knew the blight was going to get more severe, he could¡¯ve asked us to prepare the Essence of Time for him earlier ¨C like he always does! I just don¡¯t understand¡­¡± The Essence of Time? Was it similar to Erebus¡¯ Essence of Darkness? Balthor sighed deeply, his tone heavy. ¡°We can¡¯t always understand the godly machinations going inside the Young Master¡¯s mind, Pix. We¡¯re only human...¡± ¡°I know, I know, but ¨C ¡° ¡°What did you just say?¡± I interrupted, his comment catching me off guard. ¡°You both are human?¡± Balthor smiled weakly while Pix seemed to ignore the exchange, walking over to the resting Chronos. ¡°Well,¡± Balthor said softly, ¡°I suppose we¡¯re not anymore. But we were. Once. Really not sure what we are now.¡± My confused expression prompted him to continue, looking reminiscent, as though he was recalling something from a lifetime ago. ¡°We were once just like you, Mr. Dar. Champions chosen by a God of Time we didn¡¯t even know existed. Thrown into a timeless war against a foe we wished didn¡¯t exist. Fighting to save a world that felt too big to be saved by just one person.¡± My chest tightened as I listened. ¡°How did you end up here, then?¡± I asked, genuinely surprised. I wished I knew about it earlier. It probably wouldn¡¯t have changed much, but still¡­I would¡¯ve liked to know that Balthor and Pix once shared a similar fate. Balthor smiled softly, though his aged eyes seemed sad. ¡°After I saved my world, there really wasn¡¯t much left for me to do. My family had died long before it all happened, and I didn¡¯t have friends ¨C real friends. When it was all over ¨C when I saved the world ¨C no one even knew about it. There were no parties, no celebrations. Life just¡­went on. Like nothing had ever threatened it in the first place. And I was fine with it. I didn¡¯t do it to be celebrated¡­¡± He paused, rubbing his chin. ¡°That was when Master Chronos and his brilliant assistant, Dolos, offered me to join them ¨C to continue fighting, but this time, for something bigger than just my own world.¡± Dolos¡­that¡¯s right¡­he was once on Chronos¡¯ side. He turned his head slightly toward Pix, who still hadn¡¯t spoken and was just sitting next to Chronos. ¡°Pix¡¯s story is hers to tell, and she¡¯ll share it if she decided she wants to. But you can assume it¡¯s not much different than mine.¡± He took a deep breath, before continuing. ¡°And so, here we were: two humans, from completely different worlds, helping a god save worlds we once could only dream of.¡± The weight of his words settled in slowly. Similar to Balthor, I didn¡¯t care about rewards or celebrations. As long as I managed to save everyone ¨C to save Yana ¨C that¡¯s all that mattered. And yet, a different kind of heaviness remained. The weight of everything I was going through slowly crushed me and my spirit. It was something I realized I might have to carry alone for eternity. If I succeeded, if I saved the world, who could I even tell? Who would understand what I had endured, the things I¡¯d done? The memory of Silverfang at my throat resurfaced. Who could ever comprehend that I¡¯d been driven to kill myself just to keep fighting? The ache in my heart deepened. ¡°He gave you a purpose¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, almost to myself, as I pieced together everything Balthor had said, understanding Chronos better. Blathor¡¯s expression was warm, his nod slow. ¡°He did.¡± His gaze drifted toward Chronos and Pix, his voice steady. ¡°And we¡¯ll forever be loyal to him for that¡­¡± Chronos was an actual pain in the ass most of the time ¨C for me, at least. But listening to Balthor, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how he might not have been as bad as I thought¡­ ¡°How did that blight appear?¡± I asked, curious. ¡°I get that it probably has to do with Erebus practically ending the world in this loop, but still¡­will he get better once I start the next run?¡± Balthor shook his head grimly. ¡°Young Master will start feeling better soon, but I¡¯m afraid the blight won¡¯t disappear entirely until Erebus is defeated and your world is saved.¡± His expression turned grave. ¡°Each of the loops you¡¯ve lived through exists as its own, separate world, Mr. Dar. They continue to exist even after you ¨C or Mr. Shein ¨C are gone. Meaning Erebus has already succeeded in his plans thirty-seven times.¡± My heart sank at his words. Gaelith was right¡­the resets didn¡¯t cancel what happened, they just sent me to a new version of my world. ¡°And that¡¯s why¡­that¡¯s why he got sick?¡± My voice trembled as I pieced it together. ¡°Because we lost thirty-seven times?¡± Balthor nodded. ¡°Yes, each loss makes the blight worse. But don¡¯t blame yourself. The Young Master understands the risks perfectly. He knows no one can defeat Erebus on their first try. He¡¯s been trying to defeat him for good for eternities now. He knows how impossible the task is and willingly carries the blight for the sake of his champions.¡± He paused, turning to look at Chronos. ¡°The important thing to remember, Mr. Dar, is that you only need to defeat Erebus once. When you do, all your previous timelines ¨C the loops where Erebus won ¨C will also be cleansed of the blight. Your world will truly be saved, and Master Chronos will be fully healed. That¡¯s the truth of our war against the embodiment of Darkness.¡± The realization solidified in my mind: I wasn¡¯t just saving my world ¨C I was saving my previous selves¡¯ worlds as well. Each version of me had died to bring me here, leaving their world without an Aidan Dar. But their sacrifice wasn¡¯t meaningless, and it was up to me to ensure that. The Aidan Dar who had to kill himself in this loop didn¡¯t do it for nothing. I had to make it worthwhile. ¡°Are you ready to return, Mr. Dar?¡± Balthor asked calmly. ¡°You can do that, too?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°I thought that was a Chronos thing.¡± He nodded. ¡°Master Chronos shared some of his powers with us. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be much help, would we?¡± My mind raced, replaying everything that had happened this loop ¨C too much, really. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready yet.¡± I admitted. ¡°Erebus had seen me. Chronos said I wasn¡¯t marked, but surely that¡¯s just a technicality, right?¡± ¡°You said Gaelith gave you his sword, right?¡± Pix spoke up for the first time in a while, her tone serious. I nodded, still unsure of the significance of the Sword of Radiance in my inventory. ¡°I can¡¯t even use it, though. I¡¯m too under-leveled for it.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter right now. It¡¯s one of the Key Items in the tomb ¨C one of the items you were meant to find.¡± Pix explained, her voice carrying the same seriousness. ¡°Gaelith used it to stay hidden from Erebus for the past thousand years. He gave it to you because he knew it would keep you hidden from Darkness, too.¡± I slowly realized why Gaelith was so intent on transferring the sword to me the second Gaelith¡¯s Darkness had entered the chamber. I still couldn¡¯t believe he did that for me ¨C for someone who won¡¯t even remember him in the next loop. What will it mean for next loop¡¯s Gaelith? If the sword is a Key Item, he won¡¯t have it in any of the next loops. How will he stay hidden? He survived for a thousand years ¨C I still don¡¯t know how ¨C but without the sword¡­what will he do? I could only hope he knew what he was doing¡­ My mind shifted to a different problem. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± Balthor nodded grimly, understanding my worries, but offered a possible solution. ¡°He was marked by Erebus when Darkness consumed him. He should carry a dark aura, similar to Goren¡¯s or Yana¡¯s.¡± I was about to retort, but surprisingly, Pix stepped in to support me. Wait, what? ¡°No. We¡¯ll let him remember him.¡± She suddenly said, her tone sharp as she touched Chronos¡¯ forehead, as if checking for a fever. ¡°What?¡± Balthor and I asked in unison. ¡°Think about it, Balthor.¡± Pix continued. ¡°Noctyra isn¡¯t like Goren. The latter is just an ass, but he¡¯s still technically on our side. The former, on the other hand, serves Erebus directly. In the next loop, he could mark an unknowing Aidan right at the entrance to the tomb, making his boss¡¯ job easier. Wiping off Aidan¡¯s memories completely would just fuck him over¡­¡± Balthor frowned, clearly torn. ¡°Still, it would be going against Young Master¡¯s rules. I¡¯m not comfortable making such decisions while he¡¯s unconscious.¡± ¡°The rules don¡¯t apply to us.¡± Pix shook her head. ¡°Besides, don¡¯t you remember what he always says?¡± Balthor sighed. ¡°I trust you both more than I trust myself.¡± Pix nodded. Balthor gave a small smile and turned to me. ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll ensure you retain all your memories of Aric Kelltins ¨C also known as Noctyra ¨C when you wake up.¡± My heart raced at the pleasant turn of events. With this, I might have a chance. ¡°What about Gaelith? Can¡¯t I keep those memories too?¡± Balthor chuckled softly, reminding me of his master. ¡°Mr. Dar, you¡¯re pushing your luck. Be grateful for what you¡¯ve got.¡± He patted my shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again once the Young Master is back on his feet.¡± Figures. Before I could say anything else, the world around me turned black. Chapter 43: Goren: An Attempt at Revenge Chapter 43: Goren: An Attempt at Revenge Goren woke himself up with Temporal Override, one of the three abilities Dolos had given him in exchange for agreeing to stop killing Spellsword. Temporal Override allowed him to wake up earlier in the loop. Instead of waking up in the morning like usual, he could now set the time ¨C so long as it was still on the same day. And this run? Goren set it to a second past midnight. Why? Aric Kelltins had to pay. Goren didn¡¯t give a damn about Kelltins being an Axul or that the Axul even still existed. That motherfucker had caught him in the loop before last, chained him, killed him, and forced him to respawn trapped by those same chains. And that wasn¡¯t even the worst part. Kelltins had driven some kind of conduit into his gut, draining him of something he called the Essence of Darkness. "What. The actual. Fuck?" Goren whispered. Spellsword had come through, though, surprisingly¡­ Goren suddenly felt a pang of guilt for killing the guy eight times before. At least this time, for a change, he had let him kill him. "Hopefully, Spellsword got enough XP to make it worth his while." he muttered under his breath. Even if he didn¡¯t, Goren had made a promise to find him early in the loop. Why? To agree on a truce. But not before taking care of one important piece of business first: Aric Kelltins ¨C Noctyra ¨C Whatever. Like hell he was going to let that bastard walk comfortably after what he¡¯d done. The night was still young. No matter how skillful Kelltins was as an Axul, he wouldn¡¯t expect Goren to come at him this early. Still, Goren knew better than to underestimate him. He wasn¡¯t carrying any of the weapons he usually looted from the adventurers he had killed in the tomb. He would have to use his skills alone to accomplish this. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. "One step at a time." he whispered. He made his way to the kitchen, grabbing a handful of blackberries from the bowl on the counter. The bush outside had been their mother¡¯s pride ¨C something she¡¯d cared for deeply. Supposedly, his good-for-nothing father planted it when they bought the house. The bastard abandoned them long ago, and Goren had wanted to incinerate it more times than he could remember. But his mother insisted it stay. He had no choice but to go along with her wishes. He didn¡¯t want to see her cry no more. Eventually, he cared for it in her stead ever since she was hospitalized. Despite his anger, Goren found himself chewing on a handful of blackberries whenever he needed to clear his head. There was something about the taste that worked for him. Or perhaps it wasn¡¯t the taste¡­ He moved quietly, checking on his younger brother, Ben, in his room. The little rascal was fast asleep. "Good." Grabbing his usual, under-leveled gear, Goren slipped out into the night. His destination - Welandia, a small village not far from his own and Moonvale''s cursed tomb. He knew Mikaela¡¯s guild was staying there for the night ¨C the same guild to which Aric Kelltins belonged. *** Goren approached the inn the Burning Suns were staying at, using the cover of night to his advantage. He didn¡¯t know which room Kelltins was staying in, but that was a minor detail. He¡¯d improvise. Mostly. Activating Living Shadow, Goren melted into the shadows, becoming nothing more than a faint silhouette of his own figure. He traversed through the veil of shadows, slipping past the inn¡¯s exterior and reappearing inside the empty lobby. The space was silent and empty. Perfect. But Goren chose to be more cautious ¨C muffling his presence to anyone who might¡¯ve been awake and could Distance Gauge him out. He found the inn¡¯s guest ledger behind the counter, and flipped through its pages. His finger trailed down the list of names, looking for the damned Axul. ¡°Leskins¡­Lenaria¡­Mikaela¡­Oh! Kelltins. Room 13.¡± He grinned. ¡°Found you.¡± Now to find Room 13. Activating Living Shadow again, Goren disappeared into the nearest patch of shadows, hopping from one to another until he reached the second floor, where he reemerged silently. He approached Room 13 cautiously, activating Enhanced Distance Gauge to confirm Kelltins¡¯ presence inside. He was there. But more importantly, his breathing¡­ He was awake. ¡°You can come in, Rogue.¡± Kelltins¡¯ voice broke the silence from inside the room. Disappointed, and also surprised that the man was already awake, Goren sighed. He unsheathed his daggers and pressed down the door¡¯s handle, pushing it open. ¡®Was this somehow related to his ancient magic?¡¯ Goren wondered. He already witnessed first-hand some of the abnormal things the Axul magic can achieve.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Axul magic?¡± Goren asked sharply as he stepped in. He shut the door behind him without taking his eyes off Kelltins. The room was sparse, simply furnished: just a bed, a table, and a chair. On the far side, under the lone window, stood a cupboard. Kelltins sat in the chair, arms resting on the table, seemingly lost in thought. He shook his head in response to Goren¡¯s question. ¡°No. This was a sleepless night even before I gained awareness.¡± ¡°Insomniac, then¡­¡± ¡°Hardly.¡± Kelltins rolled his eyes, sounding irritated. ¡°You¡¯d never understand what it feels like to be the last of your ¨C ¡° ¡°Stop.¡± Goren cut him off, a grin spreading across his face. ¡°All this emotional nonsense might impress Spellsword. He¡¯s the listening type of guy. Me? Not so much.¡± Kelltins didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°So, what now? You think you can kill me with ¨C ¡° he gestured lazily toward the daggers in Goren¡¯s hands ¨C ¡°this crap?¡± His tone was mocking. ¡°Give me a break. Even with all your stolen loot, I beat you before. Now? You don¡¯t even have that.¡± Goren let out a laugh, brushing these facts off, though he suddenly felt less confident...Could it be? ¡°Did you just use your Axul magic to spook me off?¡± he asked, sounding suspicious. Kelltins sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face, looking exhausted. ¡°Not everything is ¡®Axul magic¡¯, you imbecile.¡± Rising to his feet, Kelltins crossed the room to the window, staring out at the quiet night. His posture was tense, his shoulders drawn back. ¡°Either way, you don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore. I¡¯m out.¡± Goren thought he¡¯d misheard. ¡°You¡­what?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± Kelltins said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m out. Tomorrow ¨C I guess today ¨C I¡¯ll inform Lady Mikaela that I¡¯m withdrawing from the quest ¨C and her guild.¡± ¡°Yeah, I got that part.¡± Goren replied, his voice filled with disdain. ¡°I was referring to the part where you thought I cared about any of this. I¡¯m here to make you suffer for what you did to me. I¡¯ve killed Spellsword eight times for less.¡± Kelltins sighed, unfazed. ¡°I thought we¡¯d already established how pathetically weak you are compared to me. If you want to waste another loop, go ahead. I¡¯ll grant you a swifter death this time.¡± Goren didn¡¯t waste a second. He lunged, his daggers slicing forward. Kelltins¡¯ eyebrow shot up in surprise. ¡°For real?¡± he muttered, but his reflexes kicked in and he blocked Goren¡¯s initial attacks with practiced skill. Goren knew he couldn¡¯t use his magic, or else Kelltins¡¯ guild members might wake up and join the fray. Still, his strikes were relentless. His left dagger shot toward Kelltins¡¯ ribs while the right aimed for his throat. Kelltins twisted, narrowly avoiding the first blade and deflecting the second with his forearm. He retaliated with a quick jab to Goren¡¯s gut, but Goren sidestepped, bringing both daggers down in an overhead strike. Kelltins ducked, then immediately pressed forward, countering with a low elbow strike at Goren¡¯s chest. Goren pivoted, the blow hitting his shoulder instead, but it was enough to compromise his initial attack. Despite Goren¡¯s high level, Kelltins matched him blow for blow. It was maddening. What was the point of this time loop if he couldn¡¯t overpower Kelltins, an Axul? Worse still, it was clear Kelltins wasn¡¯t even trying his hardest. He wasn¡¯t even using magic. Suddenly, Kelltins grabbed Goren¡¯s wrist, twisting just enough to force the dagger out of his grip. With a quick shove, he sent Goren stumbling back, creating a brief gap between them. Goren¡¯s roared in frustration, his anger boiling over. He hurled his remaining dagger at the wall with such force, it embedded deep into the wood. ¡°You¡¯re not even trying!¡± he snarled. ¡°You smug, annoying, shitty Axul.¡± Kelltins chuckled, amused by the outburst. He retrieved the dagger he¡¯d disarmed from Goren and tossed it back to him. Goren caught it. With another growl, he hurled it at the wall next to the first, the blade quivering as it struck. ¡°We¡¯re done here?¡± Kelltins asked as he returned to the chair. ¡°Fuck you.¡± Goren muttered. ¡°How am I supposed to defeat Erebus when I can¡¯t even kill a shitty level 87 Axul?¡± ¡°Shut up, Rogue!¡± Kelltins snapped, clearly annoyed by the comment. ¡°You will treat my people with respect.¡± He sighed deeply, visibly weary of the conversation. ¡°Axul levels are a lie ¨C or at least that¡¯s what my father told me. The System can¡¯t analyze our level correctly. We¡¯re far stronger than what we appear.¡± ¡°Stupid freaks of nature¡­¡± Goren grumbled, leaning against the wall. He hated himself for not being able to exact his revenge on the man who had tortured him. ¡°So, what? You just quit, and that¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kelltins nodded, averting his gaze to the window. ¡°My father would¡¯ve been furious about this, but he could never understand¡­¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± Goren asked, angry, but mostly at himself. ¡°What Erebus actually is.¡± Kelltins replied. Then he paused, as though recalling something. ¡°Oh, right ¨C you were already dead by that point.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Aidan knows, though.¡± "Aidan?" Goren raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" Kelltins rolled his eyes. "Spellsword..." ¡°Oh, right..." Goren muttered before he suddenly snapped, his frustration growing. ¡°Spellsword can¡¯t even remember anything! His System sucks!¡± Kelltins shrugged indifferently. ¡°There has to be a good reason for that. I don¡¯t care either way.¡± He looked spooked as he recalled something. ¡°When Erebus touched me¡­it wasn¡¯t like what my father said it would be. I didn¡¯t feel honored. I didn¡¯t feel like I achieved something great. There was just this cold, empty, suffocating, purposeless Darkness. Nothing more.¡± Goren let out a bitter chuckle ¨C his only counter to Kelltins. ¡°Welcome to the real world, you mutt. A world where the embodiment of Darkness isn¡¯t something you should worship. But what can I expect from a shitty Axul? Your people died because they worshipped that thing, didn¡¯t they?¡± Kelltins jumped from his chair, his anger threatening to explode. ¡°You motherfucker, you know nothing about us or our beliefs! That¡¯s the last time you insult my people, you hear me? Next time, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Fuck you¡­¡± Goren muttered coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t scare me. You¡¯re just an idiot who worshipped the literal embodiment of destruction. You think you can preach to me? Your people might¡¯ve been strong and exceptional, but they were an actual embarrassments to humanity. No one alive should ever worship death ¨C and I say that as someone whose job often entails taking lives.¡± Kelltins sighed, then chuckled. ¡°Preached to by a fucking lowlife¡­¡± ¡°Rich coming from a remnant of a dead bloodline¡­¡± Goren shot back. Kelltins'' laugh only grew louder. ¡°You¡¯re something else, Rogue, I''ll give you that.¡± Kelltins said, shaking his head. ¡°Thank you for coming here tonight. I needed this.¡± Goren rolled his eyes, uninterested. ¡°You realize that your quitting means nothing, right? As long as Spellsword and I keep fighting, and until we win, you¡¯ll respawn here. You¡¯ll have to quit over and over.¡± Kelltins nodded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ll pay the price of constant repetition. Just make sure you get rid of that thing.¡± "You won''t help?" Kelltins shook his head slowly. "I won''t set a foot inside that tomb ever again..." Goren sighed, still frustrated, but something suddenly clicked in his mind. ¡°The shard?¡± Kelltins smiled faintly and reached to his pocket, pulling out a small shard of grey stone. ¡°Take it.¡± He said, tossing it to Goren. ¡°If anyone deserves it, it¡¯s you.¡± Goren caught the shard and inspected it briefly before storing it in his inventory. The System flagged it as Darknessbound Core (Shard C) - a Key Item, no less, confirming his suspicion ¨C it had to be what Dolos had told him about. He had no idea what it did, though. ¡°What now?¡± Goren asked, eyeing Kelltins. ¡°Now you¡¯ll bring it to Aidan and tell him what I told you.¡± Kelltins replied, his voice softening. ¡°Destroy Erebus. Please.¡± Goren smirked, unable to resist a final jab. ¡°So, the last Axul is a quitter, huh?¡± Kelltins¡¯ reply was nothing like Goren had expected. ¡°It appears I was never the last...just a dirty half-blood...¡± In his many runs, Goren had explored a lage portion of the tomb, learning many interesting things. But some questions remained unanswered...him being marked was one of them. ''Perhaps?'' he thought to himself as he eyed Kelltins thoughtfully. "What do you mean?" Goren asked, continuing the conversation, excitement filling his voice. "Tell me more about your people and the Destroyer." Chapter 44: History Chapter 44: History [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 23] [Loop Count: 38] [Experience Points (XP): 10,908 / 18,500] I was woken by a sudden series of knocks on the door. What the hell? Is that how every morning in this time loop starts? Peering outside the window, I saw only darkness - early morning at best. ¡°Come on, Spellsword, open up.¡± An unfamiliar voice called from outside. ¡°I told you I¡¯d find you once the next loop began.¡± A shiver ran down my spine, accompanied by D¨¦j¨¤ vu. Goren. Adrenaline surged through my veins as I quickly equipped my gear and grabbed Silverfang from the inventory. ¡°What do you want?¡± I called out, hiding behind a corner and keeping an eye on the front door from a safe distance. ¡°I have a debt to repay.¡± This time the voice came from behind me. Spinning around, I saw a young man with short dark hair and piercing blue eyes sitting casually at the desk beside my bed. A dark aura surrounded him ¨C Erebus¡¯ mark. Temporal Trace confirmed my worries as it recognized him as Goren Shein, level 113. I aimed Silverfang at him. ¡°Get out of my house.¡± He rolled his eyes, chuckling. ¡°Still can¡¯t remember jack shit, can you?¡± ¡°I remember enough to know I need to stay away from you.¡± He nodded. ¡°Fair. But this time, I came here as an ally.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I muttered skeptically. ¡°Leave.¡± He clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed. ¡°Oh, just hear me out.¡± Right as I considered releasing an Unyielding Charge at him, he spoke again, his excitement barely contained. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened in the last loop? I know you do!¡± I did want to know. Outside of a few things ¨C that something truly terrible must''ve happened if Chronos became so sick, Kelltins was an Axul, and that his allegiance lied with Erebus ¨C I knew little. But I couldn¡¯t afford favors like this. This was what had landed me in this mess with Goren in the first place, forcing Chronos to strike that deal with Dolos. ¡°No.¡± I said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll learn everything I need on my own.¡± Goren exhaled heavily. ¡°Still, I need to repay you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You saved me in the last loop.¡± He said, a look of disbelief on his face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t your top priority ¨C understandable ¨C and yet you still tried. I promised I¡¯d repay you in this run.¡± I couldn¡¯t recall any of it. Did I actually save him? What was I even thinking? Was the situation that dire? He seized on my inner turmoil, pressing on. ¡°And I want you to know I¡¯m sorry. For killing you eight times. It was wrong. But I¡­¡± He paused, seemingly struggling to find the words. ¡°I guess I lost a piece of me in that tomb. And it¡¯s not coming back even after Erebus is dealt with.¡± I eyed him carefully. Something about him unsettled me, despite his seemingly sincere apology. My memory loss was working in his favor. I couldn¡¯t forgive him, couldn¡¯t trust him ¨C but I couldn¡¯t muster anger, either. Before I could tell him to leave again, he spoke. ¡°You know, just because Dolos and your god are on bad terms doesn¡¯t mean we have to be.¡± I blinked at him, dumbfounded. ¡°Are you serious?¡± He nodded excitedly. ¡°Of course! I mean, you blew off my first offer to team up because of him, right? But we can still make this work! Now that I know you¡¯re an amnesiac, I can fill you in on everything so we¡¯re on the same page. Plus,¡± he pointed at Silverfang in my hand, ¡°you¡¯re way stronger now. We can take on the big guys together, and then ¨C ¡° ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± I interrupted. ¡°Goren, in 26 loops we¡¯re set to fight each other with our existences on the line ¨C and it happened because of you. How can you be so¡­aloof about it?¡± He raised his index finger as if correcting me. ¡°First of all, it¡¯s your fault for lying to me, but details, shmetails, and ¨C ¡° ¡°Don¡¯t pin this on me!¡± I snapped, cutting him off again. He ignored me, his voice growing more emotional. ¡°And second of all, have you considered that I hate this as much as you do? Do you think I wanted this to happen? Do you think I ever imagined erasure from existence was an actual thing? How do you think I feel about the fact that I can erase you from existence, make everyone forget you? Had it crossed your mind that I don¡¯t want to do this either?!¡± His tone and words left me speechless. Remembering almost nothing about him, my mind painted him as a cold-blooded psychopath, but now he seemed anything but. He pressed on. ¡°We can still make this right. I can still make this right. Please, I¡¯m asking you again ¨C let¡¯s do this together. Let¡¯s end Erebus before we have to end each other.¡± For a moment, I really considered believing him. He just sounded so¡­sincere. But then I reminded myself of who he was. A killer. The only reason he¡¯d stopped killing me at the start of each loop was because of divine intervention. And most importantly, Chronos had warned me more than once to stay away from him. I had already made the mistake of ignoring him once...Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. I took a deep breath. ¡°You better leave, Goren.¡± He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed heavily. ¡°Very well.¡± He made his way to the door. With one hand resting on the handle, he spoke quietly. ¡°I still owe you, so I¡¯ll tell you this: first, I¡¯m not sure when you originally woke up on this day, but I¡¯d wager I gave you about an extra three hours this run by waking you up early. Use them wisely.¡± Okay¡­so not all my mornings start like this. Good to know. ¡°Second,¡± he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you remember him, but Kelltins won¡¯t be a problem for us going forward. I already spoke to him.¡± Kelltins ¨C Noctyra ¨C won¡¯t be a problem? How? That didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°That sounds awfully convenient.¡± I replied warily. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you killed him or something¡­¡± Goren chuckled, shaking his head as he stood with his back to me. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m capable of that at my current level.¡± He paused briefly before adding. ¡°Anyway, he told me he¡¯s quitting. The quest. Apparently, old Erebus¡¯ dark embrace wasn¡¯t what he thought it would be.¡± Interesting¡­but could I even trust this information? Even if Goren wasn¡¯t lying ¨C which is a big if ¨C could I really believe Noctyra would just call it quits? ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Goren said suddenly. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him either. He pretty much tortured me, you know? But I guess we¡¯ll find out if he was truthful when we reach the starting line.¡± I nodded reluctantly. There wasn¡¯t any other way to confirm Noctyra¡¯s intentions for now. If he does end up being truthful, then it would be one less thing for me to worry about. ¡°And third,¡± Goren added, his tone becoming more serious. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to show you. Consider it my gift to you. If you manage to remember it between loops, it¡¯ll make your time traversing the tomb much easier.¡± I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± He opened the door and stepped outside, pausing on the threshold. ¡°You¡¯ll see when the time comes. For now, enjoy your extra hours.¡± *** After Goren left, I stayed awake. Surely, there was no way I could sleep after an encounter like that ¨C one that left me with so many questions and worries. I opened both of my inventories and examined the items within. The first thing that caught my eye was the Sword of Radiance. It materialized in my hand as I selected it ¨C a shining, radiant sword with a level requirement 24 levels above my current one. I recalled Pix¡¯s words: this sword would keep me hidden from Erebus, but I couldn¡¯t for the life of me remember where I had acquired it. Having no use for it at the moment, I stored it back in the second inventory and turned my attention to the memory fragments that caught my attention. The fragment about Noctyra left me hopeful. If the last Axul had told Goren the truth ¨C that he would actually leave, it would make things easier. As a child, Noctyra didn¡¯t seem to harbor any animosity toward humanity, so perhaps he¡¯d genuinely changed his mind? As far as I could tell from the memory, his mother was a normal human. The fragment about Kaelstrife and Gaelith, on the other hand, was heart-wrenching, especially knowing how the kinight''s life ended. It was also shocking to think that a man like him became the vessel for something as vile as Erebus. But it was the last fragment that unsettled me the most. That woman ¨C Lysandra. The High Priestess of Axul. She¡¯d spoken with Erebus, and I¡¯d bet everything I had that the ritual she planned was connected to him. The more I dwelled on it, a disturbing realization suddenly dawned on me. The Axul were last seen about a thousand years ago ¨C the same interval between Erebus¡¯ resurrections. How could Lysandra have been conversing with him if he was supposed to be fighting Chronos somewhere far from our world? How did she obtain the stone that was Erebus'' prison? Had Erebus somehow found a way to prepare the ground for his arrival in our world a millennium in advance? Was it possible he¡¯d set his sights on us that long ago? Or was it simpler than that and he just found himself in this random world a second after he was imprisoned again? I needed answers. I had to ask Chronos about this. Hopefully, he¡¯ll recover soon. Still, the High Priestess lingered in my thoughts, and as I continued thinking about her, the unmistakable sense of D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my mind as if trying to remind me of something. I took it as a sign I was on the right track, and I decided to pursue this lead. Now, where could I find more information about the Axul and their prominent figures? The best option would be the library in the capital, but that was far too distant to reach in a day. The second-best option was the much smaller ¨C but ancient ¨C library in Westrea, the closest town to my village. Even then, I wouldn¡¯t get there quickly, and the library was likely closed at this early hour. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste time. Sure, I could burn an entire run on a library trip. But at my current state, was it worth it? I was still far from being strong ¨C Goren was level 113, nearly forty levels above me. Every run without gaining XP felt like a wasted opportunity. So, what was my third-best option? I paced the room, deep in thought, until a faint orb of light on the kitchen table caught my eye. It was a Temporal Trace mark I¡¯d left for myself in a previous run. Examining it further, I knew exactly who could help me. *** Christian Renner, my guild master, came from a long line of adventurers. The Renner bloodline had reached its peak with his grandfather, Richard Renner, a renowned Spellsword. Richard had capped at level 97 and wielded the Astral Spear ¨C a legendary weapon that remained our guild¡¯s most coveted possession. Christian¡¯s father was also a capable adventurer, though far less famous than Richard. Unfortunately for him, his reputation revolved around being ¡°Richard Renner¡¯s son¡± than his own achievements. Christian, on the other hand, didn¡¯t have a towering figure to live up to ¨C at least not like his father had ¨C but he suffered from a different kind of misfortune: he capped at a mere level 37. Despite this, he couldn¡¯t turn away from the family business and took over as guild master after his father¡¯s passing. That decision didn¡¯t stop the few adventurers in the guild from leaving ¨C they didn¡¯t see Christian as a worthy leader. Not even compared to his father, let alone grandfather. Then I came along. Running from my own failures and the big city. I needed a guild to keep earning a living doing smaller quests. Maybe I felt a connection to Christian and his backstory; maybe that¡¯s why I decided to settle in Sandrest and joined his family¡¯s guild ¨C the Sand Tigers. By the time I arrived, the guild was barely functioning. Christian was its sole member and spent most of his time with his family. As I got to know him, I realized he was a history nerd, which made him the perfect person to help me now. As I reached the Renner household, I wondered if on any of my past runs I had already did the same thing...I tried to shake these thoughts off. They didn''t really help. The sky was still dark, with at least two hours before sunrise. Rounding the house, I stopped by the window to Christian¡¯s workshop. I saw him inside, awake and engrossed in a book. Despite already knowing he¡¯d be up, I sighed in relief. I knocked softly on the window, mindful of his wife and two children, who unlike him were likely asleep elsewhere in the house. Christian looked up from his book, a puzzled expression on his face as he approached and slid the window open. ¡°Aidan?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°Christiiiian! How¡¯s it going?¡± I whispered, giving him a weak smile. I was fully aware of how strange it was to show up at his house at this hour. His expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine¡­What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I need your help.¡± I admitted. ¡°Your incredible history knowledge, to be precise.¡± His neutral expression shifted into a scolding one. ¡°Do you even realize what time it is? What if I¡¯d been asleep?¡± I took a deep breath, refusing to fall for his nonsense. ¡°Christian, I know you¡¯re a night owl. Don¡¯t act like there was any chance you were asleep.¡± He stared at me silently for a moment before relenting. ¡°Fair enough. What do you need?¡± That¡¯s what I like about Christian ¨C straight to the point. ¡°What can you tell me about the Axul?¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯re interested in the Axul?¡± I winced, knowing exactly what he meant. When I¡¯d first talked to him about this quest ¨C after Yana asked me to join ¨C he¡¯d tried to share what he knew about Gaelith¡¯s tomb. But back then, basically an eternity ago, I was too excited about seeing Yana again to pay attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I said earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to everything you have to say this time. Please.¡± Christian stared at me for a long minute before sighing and gesturing toward the door. ¡°Well, come on in.¡± Chapter 45: The First Axul Chapter 45: The First Axul Christian¡¯s workshop was a modest room. It had three different bookcases lining the walls, overflowing with books, most of which were about history. At one end of the room was a table - mostly empty - while two couches occupied the opposite side. Christian had been sitting on one of them when I arrived. ¡°So, what do you want to know?¡± he asked as he closed the door behind us, gesturing for me to take a seat on the left couch. I hesitated for a moment, realizing just how little I knew about the Axul. Beyond the basic information everyone knew ¨C and the shocking revelation that they still existed and that Aric Kelltins, of all people, was the last of them, and had worshipped Erebus ¨C I had nothing. ¡°Honestly? Everything you can tell me about them before I need to leave.¡± I replied. ¡°Don''t leave out anything.¡± Christian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­where to begin, where to begin¡­Oh, I know. Let¡¯s start a bit before the Axul.¡± ¡°Before the Axul?¡± I asked cautiously. Wasn¡¯t that kind of missing the point of this conversation? Christian nodded. ¡°Yes. Not before-before, but more like before the word Axul became part of our lexicon.¡± He paused, cleared his throat, and continued. ¡°Before the Axul ¨C and I¡¯m talking about at least fifteen centuries ago ¨C our world was vastly different from what it is today. We still used spears and swords to kill each other, that didn¡¯t change of course, but we also relied solely on animals to plow fields and on our physical strength for most manual labor. The System, or rather the concept of magic as a whole, simply didn¡¯t exist.¡± He paused briefly, making sure I was following. Sa far so good. I knew this as well. I gestured for him to continue. ¡°Then, right here in our kingdom, there appeared a man by the name of Spurius Axul. Now, we don¡¯t know much about him since many of the scrolls and inscribed stone tablets from that time were destroyed during the six Great Wars of the past thousand years. But from the fragments we¡¯ve preserved, Spurius presented himself as a traveler ¨C someone who supposedly wanted to introduce people to what he called ¡®The Gift of Magic¡¯. Today, despite not knowing where he''d come from, most historians refer to Spurius as the first Axul.¡± I shook my head. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that in our world ¨C a world that once had no magic ¨C someone suddenly appeared who could use it? How? Where did he get it? How did he even explain what it was to people who had never even seen it before?¡± I paused for a moment as another question crossed my mind. ¡°More importantly, why didn¡¯t they just kill him out of fear?¡± Christian grinned wider than I¡¯d ever seen in the two years I¡¯d known him. ¡°Those are all great questions, Aidan. If someone could sit Spurius down for an interview, maybe we¡¯d have some answers. But as far as we know, he refused to reveal anything about his past or how he obtained his so-called magic. And if he ever did reveal anything - which I highly doubt - it was lost. ¡°As for your other questions, oh, there were definitely attempts on his life. Many believed he was defying the gods by wielding powers only the divine should have. But of course, those attempts failed ¨C he was stronger than entire armies. Thankfully, and to everyone¡¯s relief, he wasn¡¯t out to conquer kingdoms. Instead, he used his powers to help, or rather impress. He healed the sick, brought rain to the driest lands, and even rebuilt our royal castle - all with a few flicks of his wrist.¡± The words sank in. The King¡¯s palace was built by the first mage ¨C an Axul, no less¡­ Christian continued. ¡°By then, Spurius was revered by most. People begged him to fulfill his early promises and teach them his ways ¨C even the King hoped to learn magic, believing it would give Tepan the edge over our neighbors. And Spurius agreed, but there was a catch.¡± ¡°What kind of catch?¡± Christian chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s the wild part. You see, Spurius claimed it was impossible to teach magic to someone who didn¡¯t already have it. Instead, he proposed an alternative: to father children with the women of the kingdom, as many as possible, ensuring that his descendants ¨C the future generations of Tepan ¨C would inherit his gift.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s disgusting.¡± I muttered, my stomach twisting at the idea. ¡°And let me guess, those who agreed to his offer became part of his family ¨C part of the Axul?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Christian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s when the illusion shattered for most people. Some were willing, even eager, but the majority saw right through him. They called him a liar for promising one thing and then offering something completely different. Supported by the king, they shunned Spurius and his followers, casting them out as pariahs.¡± ¡°And fearful of his capabilities, the kingdom allowed the newly formed Axul to live in solitude?¡± Christian nodded again. ¡°Well, there wasn¡¯t much they could do about Spurius, really. He was a constant source of worry for the kingdom. They assumed he¡¯d die eventually, and then they¡¯d deal with his clan ¨C or sect, or whatever you want to call it. But the bastard was said to have lived for centuries. ¡°And his descendants? Supposedly, they were even stronger than him. They lived in their secluded villages, following their own religion ¨C a twisted version of the more common faiths of the time. But they didn¡¯t show any hostility toward regular humans. On the contrary, they often offered their magical services and helped on numerous occasions. Building many wonders around the kingdom.¡± ¡°Why would they do that?¡± I asked, confused by the idea. The kingdom rejected them, and they still wanted to help¡­? Christian shrugged. ¡°Their motives remain unclear to this day. But if I had to guess, I¡¯d say they were looking to bring more people into their community. Not as equals ¨C they were said to be far too prideful for that ¨C but as something lesser. Not exactly slaves, but likely something close to that.¡± I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, trying to place one of the most important events in humanity¡¯s history on the chronological scale. ¡±How long after his appearance did the rest of the world get their magic - the Core System?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡±Around four centuries later.¡± ¡±But that¡¯s - ¡° ¡±Really close to when the Axul vanished?¡± Christian cut me off. ¡°Yup. About fifty years apart - give or take.¡± I recalled how Lysandra referred to the System in the memory fragment - she clearly wasn¡¯t happy about its appearance. Insightful, but not immediately helpful for my mission. I needed to steer the conversation toward what I wanted to learn, carefully. Christian might be a history nerd, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t catch on my sudden interest in the Axul and press me for an explanation ¨C something I couldn¡¯t give him. ¡°You mentioned their religion.¡± I said slowly. ¡°A twisted version of common faiths. What can you tell me about it?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Christian nodded, jumping from his seat. He approached the nearest bookcase and began scanning the shelves. ¡°Where did I put it¡­¡± he muttered, running his finger along the spines until he stopped. ¡°There it is!¡± He pulled out a thick, red hardcover book and flipped through the pages until he found the one he was looking for. He handed me the open book and pointed to a passage. ¡°These were the dominant faiths of that era, listed in no particular order. Go through a few of them to get a feel.¡± I glanced down at the page and began reading. The Pantheon of Solus ¨C A polytheistic faith that revolves around a pantheon of divine beings, each governing different aspects of life ¨C no matter small or large. The number of gods is countless, yet the primary one is Solus, the God of the Sun and Sky, revered as the bringer of light and order. His opposite is¡­ There was more written about it, but I decided to stop. Interesting¡­It seemed a bit out of place for our current era, which probably explained why I¡¯d never even heard about it. I moved on to the next entry. The Pantheon of the Eternal Creator ¨C A monotheistic faith that centers on the belief in a single divine Creator, responsible for all existence. Followers view the Creator as omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal, existing beyond the constraints of time and space. The faith teaches¡­ This one was familiar ¨C it still existed today as the dominant religion in most of the world. The words time and space made me think about Chronos¡­could he be the Creator? I continued to the next entry. ¡°The Pantheon of the Destroyer.¡± A chill ran down my spine, and D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my mind. Erebus. "Death worshipping with some extra steps.¡± Christian muttered. I read the entry. The Pantheon of the Destroyer ¨C A monotheistic faith following a being called The Destroyer, believed to be the ultimate force overseeing the delicate balance of existence. Worshippers view the Destroyer as a necessary presence responsible for the cyclical nature of life and renewal. According to their doctrine, all things in the world ¨C from the smallest insect to the mightiest star ¨C have a finite existence. The Destroyer is the hand that ends the old, paving the way for the new. The chill deepened with each word. The similarities between their doctrine and the memory fragment of Lysandra were uncanny. She had spoken of keeping the balance to the lower-circle priestess. Yet, there were critical differences. Both Lysandra and the priestess had clearly referred to the Creator as one of the gods they served. That didn¡¯t explain Lysandra¡¯s sudden allegiance with Erebus¡­ ¡°The Axul,¡± I said abruptly, snapping out of my thoughts. ¡°What did they believe in?¡± Christian smiled. ¡°As I said, it was a twisted version of common faiths. But more than that, if we¡¯re citing the common belief, their whole religion was a ruse. There wasn¡¯t a true religion to begin with ¨C Spurius Axul made it all up to create his own small nation.¡± I blinked, struggling to accept his words. ¡°Maybe he did, but that doesn¡¯t explain the fact that he was the first to use magic, Christian. Surely there had to be something divine in that.¡± Christian nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe there was, maybe there wasn¡¯t. We¡¯ll likely never know. Either way, to answer your question: the Axul believed in everything. Every single faith mentioned in that book was, to some degree, part of their religion. ¡°They worshipped the Creator and the Destroyer as their primary gods, but they also believed in numerous minor deities who oversaw different aspects of their lives. It was eclectic, almost nonsensical system that defied any sense and left both the theologians of their time and ours scratching their heads. Unless you were an Axul - then it made perfect sense. Probably.¡± Thinking about Lysandra¡¯s memory fragment again, I pressed further. ¡°Could it be that they suddenly decided to shift their beliefs to supporting the Destroyer alone?¡± Christian shrugged at the suggestion. ¡°They could have. Like I said, it was a nonsensical belief, created by a powerful and charismatic madman. If he¡¯d told them the sun represented the night and the moon symbolized the morning, they would¡¯ve believed him!¡± Well¡­Spurius Axul might not have existed by the time of that memory fragment. But if the High Priestess used her influence to manipulate their beliefs, it wasn¡¯t too far-fetched to think she could have led them to do whatever she deemed worthy ¨C even unknowingly siding with the embodiment of Darkness. ¡°What was their hierarchy?¡± I asked, curious. ¡°How high would someone like a priest rank?¡± Christian looked at me thoughtfully, his usual neutral expression returning. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so interested, but¡­what¡¯s the deal, Aidan?¡± I coughed lightly. ¡°No deal. I¡¯m just really curious.¡± Christian eyed me silently, clearly suspicious, before letting out a sigh. ¡°The Axul had a rigid societal structure where every member had a role to fulfill. Whether it was physical labor, crafting, agriculture, or even teaching, every individual contributed to their community. ¡°Over generations, they maintained the ¡®purity¡¯ of their bloodline by intermarrying exclusively within their own people. Yes, they were all relatives, as every single one of them descended from Spurius Axul, but that didn¡¯t stop them or affect them genetically ¨C perhaps because of magic. ¡°As time passed, all of them were able to wield magic. Every member of their society, no matter their role, used magic to improve their lives and tasks. For example, farmers enhanced crop growth, builders magically reinforced structures, and even teachers used magic to pass on knowledge more efficiently. ¡°At the top of the hierarchy were the Priestesses. They were always female and divided into three circles, with the third circle being the lowest. At the very top of the hierarchy stood the High Priestess, who served as the leader of the entire Axul community after Spurius'' death. This individual held ultimate authority, acting as both spiritual and practical guide. Their word was absolute.¡± The pieces began to fit together, and my earlier assumptions felt more logical now. But one question still lingered. ¡°The way you described them, they seem so organized, and with the power of magic, far more advanced than the rest of the world.¡± I said. ¡°So how the fuck did they just vanish?¡± Christian chuckled. ¡°A great question, Aidan. The truth is, no one really knows.¡± I pressed further. ¡°Any guesses?¡± Christian sighed, leaning back in his seat. ¡°There are theories, of course. Some say they used their magic to vanish entirely, retreating to some hidden realm or dimension. Others suggest they dispersed, blending in with the rest of the world.¡± ¡°What do you believe?¡± I asked, trusting him more than anyone else on the subject. Christian¡¯s gaze met mine, and a smile spread across his face. ¡°Me? I think they were planning something big.¡± ¡°Something big?¡± He nodded. ¡°Think about it, Aidan. There were no more than a thousand of them before they vanished. And before that happened, they suddenly decided to build this giant tomb that goes thirty-five levels deep and could likely contain all of them. Why?¡± He paused briefly, not really waiting for an answer. ¡°I do believe they died. But I don¡¯t think that place was ever actually intended to be a tomb. I think they were meddling with forces beyond our comprehension. And maybe ¨C just maybe ¨C dying was always part of their plan ¨C a plan that could still be in motion to this day, inside that so-called tomb. I think that place was cursed long before Gaelith was brought there.¡± Chapter 46: A Secret Chapter 46: A Secret
After out talk, I stocked up at Christian¡¯s. Reached the tomb with Yana. Aric Kelltins ¨C Noctyra ¨C seemed to be truthful ¨C his replacement from the Burning Suns was already here. But what did that mean for the Darknessbound Core shard that was in his possession? We split into teams. Goren was on my team. We cleared the three chambers assigned to us.
Slaying Undead while keeping an eye on Goren to ensure he didn¡¯t stab me in the back, especially after our morning talk, was a difficult balance. His presence was holding me back from gaining as much XP as I could. Not only did I have to look over my shoulder every five seconds instead of looking for more targets, but he also attacked faster and harder than I did, quite literally stealing kills from under my nose. I only ended up getting a measly 340 XP. It was still enough to complete a quest. [Quest Completed: The Dead Should Stay Dead #3] [Reward: 10,000 XP] [+10,000 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] [New Quest Available: The Dead Should Stay Dead #4] [Slay 1000 Undead Warriors or Undead Archers] [Current Status: 500 / 1000] [Reward: 12,500 XP] Great. Now I can level up. The choice was pretty easy. [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.7] [Next Level: lvl.8: You¡¯ll be able to witness Vestiges of Time from most of what you touch. Number of maximal marks: infinite] Infinite marks? Sure. Vestiges of Time? Like the memory fragment of Noctyra¡¯s childhood? Well¡­it was different compared to the other two. But what does it mean to witness Vestiges of Time from most of what you touch? How would that even work? Deciding I¡¯d cross that bridge when I got there, I allocated the extra point to Agility, bringing it to 26. At this point, I resolved to invest everything I earned into Agility. I needed more damage, and this stat was my class¡¯ best scaling attribute. Besides, the next milestone was just nine points away. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 24] [Loop Count: 38] [Experience Points (XP): 2,748 / 20,000] ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Spellsword? Am I too fast for you?¡± Goren gloated as he approached me. I ignored his attempt to rile me up. I was set on having nothing to do with him. Even his supposed repayment would likely backfire if I¡¯d actually agree to it. I turned to leave, but he called after me. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Stay away from me.¡± I walked past him, and he reappeared in front of me again, materializing from some dark mist, falling to his knees and holding his hands clasped together like he was praying. ¡°Oh dear Spellsword, would you ever forgive me?¡± ¡°No.¡± I replied coldly and continued past him. ¡°Well, I still have to show you the secret that would repay my debt.¡± My curiosity was piqued, but so did my instincts. I knew this might be a bad choice. But he couldn¡¯t kill me anymore, right? Not until the 64th loop which I still hoped I''d manage to avoid. Either way, if he continued pestering and stealing XP from me, I won''t be able to level up as fast as I needed to. I had to get rid of him, and this was the only way. I just need to pay attention and bounce the second I sense something''s off. I sighed heavily, deciding to follow him. *** ¡°I swear to god, Goren, if you¡¯re just trying to waste my time, then ¨C ¡°Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He cut me off. ¡°Then what, Spellsword? What? You¡¯re not scaring anyone. And let¡¯s be real - Yana¡¯s not even here, so you have no one to impress, man.¡± D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my mind, and I snapped, my voice sharp. ¡°Don¡¯t say her name.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Calm your tits. Like I said, I must repay you. And if you behave, you''ll see that it was worth your time.¡± The dark aura around him writhed as he spoke, reminding me I needed to stay away from him. And yet, with Chronos down, and me getting stronger, I assumed I could take the risk. ¡°So you¡¯ve said.¡± I replied. ¡°But I can¡¯t trust a single word coming from a mouth of a killer like you.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect any less from a liar like you.¡± He replied, grinning. Instead of going back to the main antechamber, he led us through the corridor in the opposite direction, passing by other chambers on the first level. Judging from the sounds within, it was clear they were still being explored by the other groups. ¡°Nice glaive, by the way.¡± He commented offhandedly, not really looking at it. I ignored him, staying focused. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a shortcut here.¡± He said. ¡°My payment.¡± ¡°A shortcut?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°A shortcut to where?¡± He chuckled, seemingly enjoying the suspense. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll see.¡± We reached the stairs leading down to the second level when Goren suddenly stopped. ¡°Here, watch.¡± He approached the wall to our left, running his hand over the stone as if feeling for something. After a moment, he pressed a brick, pushing it inward with a soft click. He didn¡¯t stop there ¨C he continued feeling along the wall until he found a second brick and pressed that one too. The wall groaned softly before sliding aside, revealing a dark, hidden room. Goren turned to me, his expression dead serious. ¡°Would¡¯ve been quicker, but I forgot which bricks open the door and which spray acid in your face.¡± Before I could respond, he stepped inside without hesitation. I remained outside for a moment, my gaze wandering between the dark entrance and the brick wall Goren was pressing. I couldn¡¯t see any loose bricks there to press. How did he even know they were pressable? An unsettling thought crossed my mind: an earlier version of Goren sprayed with acid. The mental image was enough to make my stomach churn. ¡°C¡¯mon already!¡± He called from inside, his voice now having a weird echo to it. ¡°Get a Lumindew or something. It¡¯s pitch black in here.¡± Reluctantly, I did as he suggested. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] As soon as I stepped inside, Goren reached for a lever on the wall and pulled it. The hidden door slid shut behind us with a quiet thud. When I looked around the secret chamber, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. The space was empty ¨C completely barren ¨C save for a massive hole in its center, its edges lined with a rusting, metallic ladder leading downward into the void. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Goren¡¯s hand landed on my shoulder, making me jump in place. He laughed at my reaction. ¡°Chill, Spellsword, I was ordered not to kill you, remember?¡± ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked, shrugging his hand off and turning to face him. His eyes glowed like those of a cat ¨C the result of the Rogues¡¯ unique night vision skill, Cat Eyes. ¡°This? Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care. You need to go down.¡± He pointed at the ladder. ¡°What¡¯s down there?¡± I asked, not planning to descend blindly. ¡°Are you actually willing to hear me out?¡± I nodded hesitantly. It was better to know what he wanted from me upfront. ¡°At the lowest level of the tomb resides Gaelith.¡± Goren began. ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember because of your trash System, but we¡¯ve already been there before. Killed by him. Several times.¡± He was right. I had no memory of it. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Just listen, I¡¯m not done.¡± He said, waving of my impatience. ¡°This place is some sort of shortcut to the other floors. I found it like 20 runs ago. The ladder goes straight to the lowest level of the tomb, but there are stops on the way ¨C to other¡­interesting floors. They likely created this place to travel faster between levels.¡± ¡°And where do you plan for us to stop?¡± ¡°Us?¡± he asked, rolling his eyes. ¡°You already made me aware that there was no ¡®us¡¯. I just want to make sure you know about this shortcut ¨C repaying my debt.¡± I sighed deeply. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say I believe this is all real and not some plan to trick me.¡± I paused. ¡°What now?¡± Goren chuckled. ¡°Do whatever you want, Spellsword. You said it yourself ¨C you don¡¯t want to team up with me. Good luck, then!¡± He jumped forward and gripped the ladder, starting his descent. ¡°Have fun.¡± This was the best place to use it. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] [Checkpoint lvl. 2: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 59:59] Then, not sure why, I followed him down. The descent was monotonous, the only sounds were the clinks of our boots against the metal. After what felt like an eternity ¨C though it was likely only ten minutes ¨C I was already begging for a change of scenery. Anything to feel like we were making progress. ¡°Why are you following me, Spellword?¡± Goren asked, chuckling. ¡°I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I replied, my voice firm. ¡°I¡¯m just checking the legitimacy of your so-called shortcut.¡± Goren laughed. ¡°Ah, okay then.¡± Right at that moment, a faint rattling sound echoed upward. It was sharp, metallic, like steel grinding against itself. I froze mid-step, gripping the ladder tighter. ¡°What was that?¡± Goren sighed below me, his tone more irritated than alarmed. ¡°Oh, shoot. That¡¯s right. Kelltins killed me so I didn¡¯t kill it like I wanted.¡± I blinked down at him. ¡°What?¡± He didn¡¯t answer, mumbling to himself instead. I activated Afterimage, but nothing appeared. [There is no afterimage to run in this area] D¨¦j¨¤ vu was silent as well. This was new. Well, at least now I knew he hadn¡¯t lured me here before... I activated Distance Gauge, and a chill ran down my spine as I sensed something massive moving ¨C ascending ¨C toward us. ¡°Something is coming.¡± I muttered, glancing downward. My heart raced as I immediately reversed course, scrambling upward as fast as I could. Being stuck on this ladder made us sitting ducks. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯ll be mommy snake.¡± Goren said casually, as if commenting on the weather. I glanced down at him, but before I could say anything, it appeared. Colossal. Its scales metallic, and sharp ¨C no, they weren¡¯t just sharp, they were actual blades. Razor Basilisk, level 95. The massive serpent surged upward, its long body cutting through the darkness as it lunged at us, its maw opening wide. At the last possible moment, I released the ladder, dropping just in time to avoid the snake¡¯s strike. Its jaw missed me by a hair, but the impact obliterated the ladder and a section of the wall above me. Adrenaline coursing through my veins, I activated Flight, dodging the falling debris and descending rapidly to the nearest floor. My feet hit the ground hard as I scanned for Goren who was nowhere to be seen. The Razor Basilisk adjusted with terrifying speed, raising it colossal head to lock eyes on me. A shiver ran down my spine. I had never witnessed a creature so massive before. Or maybe I did, and just couldn¡¯t remember because of the damn System? I quickly turned back, pulling a lever similar to the one Goren pulled on the first floor. Just then, the snake angled itself to strike again. I leaped through the doorway I opened, unsure on which floor I was even on. Behind me, the Razor Basilisk struck, ramming itself against the wall through which I had just passed. Bricks and debris flew in all directions, but it seemed to be unable to break through, or to fit inside the corridor. So, I was safe. For now. Then, suddenly, the beast roared as if it was in pain, which it was. Goren reappeared ¨C standing atop the Razor Basilisk¡¯s massive head. He drove a dagger between the creature¡¯s blade-like scales, getting cut by them in the process. The Razor Basilisk writhed violently, twisting and smashing its head against the walls, trying to throw Goren off. With a sudden lurch, it angled itself backward, plummeting back into the void below, Goren still atop it. ¡°We¡¯re even now!¡± Goren shouted, his voice echoing as he and the beast disappeared into the darkness. Chapter 47: A Voice Chapter 47: A Voice I approached the edge of the void, peering down into the darkness for any sign of Goren or the Razor Basilisk, but there was nothing. The void had swallowed them both, quite literally. I glanced up, trying to orient myself. Based on what I could see of the surrounding structure ¨C and considering the tomb had thirty-five levels ¨C I estimated I was somewhere in the late 20s. Well, at least Goren didn¡¯t attempt to backstab me¡­ I sighed, turning back toward the doorway. Now what? Where do I even go? It just felt so random to basically start this run on a random level. Well...maybe I could use this run to farm? Yeah, that sounded like the best option. Let¡¯s see what the monsters here could offer. I glanced at Checkpoint¡¯s timer. [Checkpoint lvl. 2: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 45:12] Forty-five minutes. Nice. I needed to capitalize on that. If this run turned out to be fruitful in XP, maybe ¨C just maybe ¨C I could let a random monster kill me to respawn and repeat it. Wait. What? I couldn¡¯t believe my own thoughts. Was I just actually considering letting myself get killed for more XP? What the hell is wrong with me? The worst part was, despite my immediate revulsion, my mind wasn¡¯t rejecting the idea. It felt¡­sound. Logical, even. Had I already done this before? Willingly let a monster kill me to optimize my Checkpoint farming? The thought sent a shiver down my spine. My conversation with Pix and Balthor came rushing back: each run was a different universe. Was I not just becoming a different Aidan with every loop, but an entirely different person? If my mind could so easily rationalize dying on purpose ¨C even when I lacked my full memory, was I even me anymore? I shook my head, trying to get rid of these thoughts. I had to push forward. I needed to trust the process. If my muffled memories from the last run told me anything is that Erebus had succeeded incredibly. So much so even Chronos had been weakened to loss of consciousness. Without allowing myself another moment of hesitation, I stepped forward into the unknown. *** Dodging another attack from a Grave Mole with a Dash Step, I positioned myself for Horizon, unleashing a powerful wave of wind that struck the four moles attacking me. Already low on HP, they fell, shredded by the force of the attack. [+544 XP] [+544 XP] [+544 XP] [+544 XP] I exhaled, exhausted but also relieved. They were so strong, but they couldn¡¯t even land a single hit. I was definitely getting stronger if I managed something like this. Then, a dopamine-induced message chimed in. [Quest Completed: Whack-a-Mole #1] [Reward: 10,000 XP] [+10,000 XP] [New Quest Available: Whack-a-Mole #2] [Slay 90 Grave Moles] [Current Status: 31 / 90] [Reward: 15,000 XP] I blinked. Thirty-one? I¡¯d already taken down thirty-one of these bastards? Not bad, Aidan, not bad at all. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu status screen. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 24] [Loop Count: 38] [Experience Points (XP): 14,924 / 20,000] Good. I was so close to the next level I could almost taste it. And I still have around 20 minutes left until Checkpoint expired. Then, a sudden thought hit me ¨C my Air Magic skill tree! It doesn¡¯t pop a notification for an upgrade unless new skills are available. Goren got me so busy since the beginning of this loop, I didn¡¯t even check. [Spellsword / Arcane Duelist] [Air Magic Skill Tree] 1. Wind Rush ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 ¨C [MAX] A gust of wind guides you and enhances your movement for the next two minutes. Can stack with other dodge/evasion skills. Cooldown: None. 2. Wind Blast ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [37,544/15,000XP] ¨C Upgrade Available Release a small, short-ranged blast of condensed wind capable of inflicting a Stun. Cooldown: 3 seconds. 3. Horizon ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 ¨C [MAX] Perform a horizontal slash with your weapon of choice to unleash a destructive wave of wind capable of AOE damage. Cooldown: 2 minutes. 4. Wind Wall ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 ¨C [MAX] Create a wind barrier that blocks incoming projectiles. Cooldown: 3 minutes.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. 5. Wind Arrow ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [37,544/20,000XP] ¨C Upgrade Available Release long-ranged wind arrows capable of AOE damage when charged. Cooldown: regular¨C 1 second. Charged ¨C 20 seconds. Charge duration ¨C 5 seconds. 6. Wind Fortification ¨C Lvl.2 / 3 ¨C [37,544/30,000XP] Negates fatal damage once by fortifying the body with wind magic. Cooldown: 1 hour. 7. Burning Damage Resistance ¨C Lvl.1 / 1 ¨C [MAX] You are resistant to burning damage. 8. Flight ¨C Lvl.1 / 3 ¨C [37,544/15,000XP] Defy gravity and fly for 3 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute. Holy¡­ I stared, torn between the options. I could maximize Wind Blast and level up Flight at the same time, gaining both close-quarters utility and enhanced mobility. Or¡­I could invest everything into Wind Fortification ¨C a skill that could literally save my life. At max level, its cooldown would probably drop significantly. Did I even use it before? I couldn¡¯t even tell with my amnesia. Then there was Wind Arrow, my best ranged attack skill. Reducing its cooldown on charged shots would make it far deadlier. And with enough XP left, I could still upgrade Wind Blast or Flight. Too many good choices. Oh, what to choose? Not wanting to waste any more time, I decided to maximize Wind Arrow and Wind Blast. With that done, I stepped back into the corridor, making my way toward the staircase ahead. As I walked, I retrieved another Lumindew from my inventory and swallowed it. The effect of the previous one were close to their end. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] I descended, reaching a new level ¨C a new dark corridor. That¡¯s when I heard it. A voice. Human. The sound was too muffled to make out, but it was unmistakably a person speaking. I activated Distance Gauge, immediately locking onto its source in the first chamber to my left. Confused ¨C but sensing no other presence outside of the voice ¨C I entered the chamber, searching for the source. ¡°Need. Need. Need to write.¡± The figure in front of me muttered. ¡°Must. Must write. High Priestess Lysandra ordered.¡± The voice belonged to a woman ¨C I assumed by the long dark hair flowing down her back. She was kneeling in the center of the chamber with her back to me. As my eyes focused on her, the System and Temporal Trace reacted ¨C Diona, Priestess of Axul ¨C level 90. Diona? The same girl from the memory fragment? Her skin was pale ¨C ghastly pale, like that of the undead I¡¯d encountered earlier. She was hunched over, focused on something in front of her, seemingly oblivious to my presence. I moved forward slowly, careful not to tick her off, trying to see what held her attention. ¡°Must. Write.¡± She repeated, her voice almost hollow, almost mechanical. ¡°Must. Write.¡± In her trembling hands, she clutched a knife, carving furiously into the stone floor. Strange, incomprehensible symbols sprawled before her, a language I couldn¡¯t recognize ¨C likely no one could as the symbols seemed more like the drawings of a child. ¡°Need to write.¡± She said, her head twitching. ¡°High Priestess Lysandra said so.¡± The sound of her voice sent a chill through me. She sounded nothing like the girl from the memory fragment, yet there was no mistaking it. I recognized the face. It was her. Despite her incredibly pale skin, her face still looked young. I could even make out faint freckles across her cheeks. But her eyes ¨C milky white, just like the undead and Grave Moles I¡¯d encountered. She was likely undead as well. Yet, she was still capable of speech. How? Suddenly, she turned her head sharply, looking directly at me. Her vacant eyes sent a chill through me, but after a brief pause, she returned to her task. ¡°Write. Write.¡± She repeated. ¡°Write. Need to write.¡± Curious, I decided to try speaking to her. ¡°Diona?¡± Her head snapped toward me at the mention of her name, reacting to it. But as quickly as she¡¯d turned, she went back to carving symbols into the stone floor. She didn¡¯t seem hostile, so I tried again, trying a different approach. ¡°What are you writing?¡± This time, she stopped for a moment, her head twitching slightly. ¡°High Priestess. High Priestess told me to write. So, I write.¡± She replied, her tone monotonous. ¡°What did she want you to write?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± She said, her voice wavering. Her head twitched again as she resumed her carving. ¡°I must write. Write everything.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of pity as I watched her. The contrast between this frail, hollow shell of a person to the healthy woman I¡¯d seen in the memory fragment was staggering. What had happened to her? How did she end up as an undead? Christian¡¯s words echoed in my mind ¨C his suggestion that the Axul¡¯s plans might still be in motion even now. Could he actually be right? ¡°What is everything?¡± I asked cautiously, hoping the question wasn¡¯t too vague for her weak mind. ¡°Everything is¡­¡± she trailed off, her voice faltering. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Her response made her pause, her knife hovering above the stone floor. For the first time, she seemed truly still, lost in thought. She wasn¡¯t the only one as I struggled to understand what was going on. ¡°Diona,¡± I began carefully, ¡°what did Lysandra truly asked you to do?¡± ¡°She. She asked me to write. To write everything.¡± She responded, her head twitching again. I shook my head. That was too vague. A bad question. ¡°Why did she ask you to write?¡± I pressed. ¡°Did something happen before that to make her ask you?¡± Diona nodded slowly, still staring forward, lost in her own world. ¡°The heir came,¡± she said. ¡°The heir came, and she told me to leave. She told me to write. To write. To write until I die. And even after I die.¡± A chill ran down my spine at her words. Lysandra already seemed dangerous based on the memory fragment, but this? This was just nuts. She had sent this girl here to write until her death ¨C and beyond? And Diona listened? Was she under a trance or something? Christian¡¯s earlier theory began to feel disturbingly plausible. ¡°Who is this heir you mentioned, Diona?¡± I asked cautiously. ¡°The heir.¡± She replied. ¡°Heir of Axul. Vessel of Destroyer.¡± This time, my skin crawled so hard it felt like my body was rejecting her words. The Destroyer ¨C as far as it concerned me, that was Erebus. ¡°Yes, Diona, but who is this heir?¡± I pressed, thinking of Kelltins. ¡°Is it Noctyra?¡± She snapped her head toward me again, her pale, vacant eyes locking onto mine. ¡°Yes. Noctyra is heir. Noctyra is the vessel for the Destroyer. The one to bring balance. The one to set the world right.¡± I sighed heavily. Her words didn¡¯t mean much to me. Yet she didn¡¯t seem capable of revealing anything more. As I turned to leave, her voice cut through the silence again. ¡°You. You can see him. He¡¯s here. Above. Above us. Glorious.¡± My heart raced. Kelltins was here? Despite everything, despite his claims of abandoning the quest, he was here, now? I knew we couldn¡¯t trust him. I needed to get out of here ¨C fast. If Kelltins or any of his mind-controlled monsters marked me for Erebus, it would all be over. I stepped forward, but a deep howl froze me in place. Five creatures stormed the chamber. The System identified them immediately: Undead Wolves ¨C level 70. I prepared myself for a fight, but to my surprise, their attention wasn¡¯t on me. Instead, they locked onto Diona and charged toward her. In shock at what I was seeing, but still feeling incredibly terrible for her, I rushed in to help. She didn¡¯t deserve this, no matter what she¡¯d become. I slammed into one of the wolves mid-air before it could reach her. Diona didn¡¯t even flinch. She barely seemed aware that she was being attacked, her voice a steady monotone as she continued carving into the stone. ¡°I write. I need. I need to write.¡± ¡°Diona!¡± I shouted, blocking another wolf¡¯s strike with Silverfang. ¡°Snap out of it! Escape! You don¡¯t need to write anymore!¡± But she ignored me, her focus unbroken, her knife scratching feverishly on the floor. I sighed heavily, frustration and disbelief washing over me ¨C at myself out of everyone. ¡°Fine.¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure why, but I knew I had to help her. Maybe it was the memory of her from the fragment, or maybe it was sheer pity of what she¡¯d been reduced to. Either way, I couldn¡¯t let her be torn apart ¨C not like this. Even if she was already dead. Even if she was an Undead. I activated Blade Rush, closing the distance to the nearest wolf and striking it with a quick combo. [+318 XP] With one down, I turned my attention to the rest of the pack. Their focus finally shifted from Diona to me. One lunged, jaws snapping, but I dodged with Dash Step, repositioning myself. I aimed for the furthest wolf, closing the gap with another Blade Rush and striking hard, following up with a finishing blow. [+318 XP] Before I could catch my breath, another wolf lunged at me. I ducked just in time, aiming my free hand at its face and unleashing Wind Blast. The skill landed, stunning it momentarily. Taking advantage of the stun status and the guaranteed critical strike, I one-shotted it with my glaive. [+318 XP] Two more left. I focused on them, activating Blade Rush to close the distance and dispatched of them swiftly with precise strikes. [+318 XP] [+318 XP] With the room clear, I turned back to Diona. She was still kneeling, her knife hovering above the floor. ¡°Diona!¡± I called out, my voice almost desperate. ¡°Lysandra is an evil bitch! You don¡¯t have to listen to her anymore!¡± She suddenly froze. The blade in her hand dropped, clattering against the stone. ¡°High Priestess. High Priestess Lysandra is...a bitch.¡± Diona murmured. Slowly, she began to rise, her movements stiff and unsteady. Her milky eyes turned to me. ¡°Where? Where can I go? My parents? Where? Help. Help me. Please.¡± My heart twisted at the sight of her. I shook my head, realizing I was about to help an Undead of all things ¨C an Undead! Before I could respond, another howl echoed through the corridor outside ¨C D¨¦j¨¤ vu recognizing this one. It was louder. Deeper. And then it appeared. Pack Leader, level 75. Chapter 48: What Big Teeth You Have Chapter 48: What Big Teeth You Have It was enormous, its fur pitch-black and milky-white eyes different than the rest ¨C more precise and deadly. Its fangs seemed like blades as it let out a low growl, the sound vibrating the air around me. Standing protectively in front of Diona, I tightened my grip around Silverfang, ready to fight as D¨¦j¨¤ vu made sure to remind me I had already faced this monstrosity. The beast tilted its head back and howled again, the sound reverberating through the chamber ¨C not just noise, but an attack. The sound wave struck like a hammer, making me stagger and fall to my knees as a fifth of my HP dropped from the sheer force of being too close. ¡°Stay back!¡± I shouted at Diona, hoping she would understand. The Pack Leader didn¡¯t wait. It lunged forward, faster than I anticipated, claws extended, aiming straight at me. I sidestepped with Dash Step, narrowly avoiding the strike. As its momentum carried it forward, it twisted mid-air, its claws slashing horizontally. I barely raised Silverfang in time, forced to block, the impact sending vibrations up my arms and dropping my HP by 10%. The beast didn¡¯t relent. Its massive body moved quickly, darting left and right, the zigzag pattern making it difficult to predict its next move. It feinted to my left before spinning to my right, its claws aiming for me. I ducked, rolling under the swipe, immediately retaliating with Blade Rush. I closed the gap and aimed the glaive at the wolf¡¯s flank, but it twisted faster than I could react, slamming its tail at me. Muscle Memory kicked in and I ducked just in time, rolling to the side and swinging Silverfang in a wide arc to force it back. It pressed the advantage, launching at me again. I barely managed to dodge in time. The wolf landed where I had been moments before, the impact shattering the stone floor beneath it. Okay, I underestimated it because its level was lower than mine. These half-measures won¡¯t cut it ¨C time to get serious. I activated Wind Rush, hoping to match it in speed now. Escaping another attack, I quickly circled around the beast with two successive Dash Steps and drove Silverfang into its ribs. This time I was too fast for it. The beast roared, swinging its claws at me, forcing me to back away. Then it gained distance, opened its maw and released another sound wave ¨C this one sharper and directed straight at me. Acting on instinct, and Muscle Memory, I smashed Silverfang at the ground, activating Explosive Strike. The explosion met the sound wave mid-air, the resulting eruption sending a shockwave rippling through the chamber and damaging the beast. The Pack Leader growled as it was forced back, its massive paws scraping against the stone to regain balance. It lunged again. I dodged with Dash Step once more, countering with a quick strike that grazed its flank. But the beast was too fast ¨C and too smart ¨C for me to land consecutive hits. We danced like this for a while. It would lunge, I¡¯d dodge, and I¡¯d manage a single strike before it evaded and prepared again. Eventually, when I finally managed to get it 50%, something changed. Pack Leader suddenly shifted its posture, howling stronger than before. Suddenly, blue lightning crackled around its body, illuminating the darkness around us. I tightened my grip on Silverfang, my mind raced as I processed its transformation. Could it use that lightning to strike me from a distance? Would I even be able to get close without the lightning driving me back? Before I could form a plan, the chamber echoed with a new set of growls as eight Undead Wolves rushed inside, surrounding me. Great¡­ The pack lunged in unison. I reactivated Wind Rush, dodging their attacks and creating some much-needed distance, slaying three of them in the process. [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] As they regrouped, I swung Silverfang in a wide arc, activating Horizon. The wind slash tore through the air, slamming the wolves and sending them stumbling backwards. And then I saw it. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Pack Leader moving. The lightning surrounding its body flared, crackling brighter as it blurred into motion ¨C so fast I could barely catch its movement. Time seemed to slow down as I realized the sad truth: it was faster than me ¨C a lot faster. In a split second, the giant wolf appeared on my blind side, its lightning-coated maw wide open and aiming for my body. But there was no time to dodge. Reacting on instinct, I activated Wind Fortification. As the wolf¡¯s fangs closed around me, an invisible layer of wind surged outward, forming a protective barrier around my skin. The barrier exploded on impact, sending a shockwave through the chamber. Pack Leader was hurled backward by my air magic, skidding across the floor. Its minions were caught in the blast as well, flying in all directions.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I didn¡¯t waste a second, utilizing Blade Rush to close the distance and finish them off. [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] [+318 XP] Then, I aimed for the leader. I surged forward with another Blade Rush, targeting its electrified torso. But just as I swung, Pack Leader blurred into motion again, its body twisting way too fast. It dodged effortlessly, disappearing from my sight. Muscle Memory reacted immediately ¨C it had done this before: feigning pain, followed by an evasive counter. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, pivoting sharply just as the wolf lunged from behind. Silverfang met its maw mid-attack, lightning crackling everywhere. Sparks leaped from the glaive, some striking me, steadily dropping my HP to 30% as we were locked in a stalemate. The clash broke, and we separated. I struggled to steady my breathing as my mind raced. What could I even do against this insane speed? I wished for a moment of peace to consume something to restore my declining health, but Pack Leader wasn¡¯t giving me a chance. It lunged at me with its incredible speed. I activated Dash Step, just barely dodging its jaws. The wolf slammed into the ground where I had been a moment before as my boots skidded across the floor, barely keeping my footing before it was on me again. The thing about Pack Leader wasn¡¯t just its speed ¨C it was actually its precision. Even when its first attack missed, it pivoted instantly. Every lunge flowed seamlessly into the next, leaving me no openings to counter. I rolled under a swipe, the wolf¡¯s lightning-coated claws slicing through the air above me. The second I regained my footing, it lunged again, forcing me into another Dash Step, and then another, and then another. It gave me no moment to rest. I growled in frustration as I kept dodging. I wanted to strike back, but I couldn¡¯t. It was obvious that in this current state, I would likely miss, and that would cost me everything. The extra fraction of a second I¡¯d lose recovering from a failed swing would be all the wolf needs to strike. And then ¨C it¡¯s all over. Checkpoint was still on, so not everything would be lost, but still¡­ I knew I had to wait it out. To reach the moment when its frenzy state ceased. Only then could I attack. [Stamina: 25% - Movement Speed reduced by 10%] [Second Wind: Movement Speed and Agility exhaustion debuffs disabled] [Movement Speed restored] I¡¯d almost forgotten about Second Wind. Exhaustion wasn¡¯t really an issue for me as long as I play this right. So despite the dire situation, I still had an ace up my sleeve. Once my stamina hits zero, it would replenish instantly. That means I just need to keep dodging, stay focused, be patient, and wait it out. We kept at it ¨C the wolf attacking, chasing me while I dodged constantly ¨C until it finally happened. Pack Leader faltered, its movements becoming slower, the crackling lightnings dimming. This is it. Without hesitation, I activated Blade Rush, closing the gap in an instant as I charged Explosive Strike on my way there. The glaive pulsed as I appeared next to the beast, slamming it against the wolf with all my strength. The impact resulted in both an explosion and a critical hit, sending Pack Leader flying backward, its HP bar plummeting to 25%. [Second Wind: Activated] [Stamina: 100%] Powered by my renewed stamina, I pressed the attack. Activating Blade Rush again, I closed the distance. The wolf, despite its injuries, twisted and dodged with its amazing speed. But this time, I was ready. Muscle Memory kicked in again ¨C a flicker of familiarity. As the wolf reappeared at my side, I pivoted sharply, my free hand snapping forward with a Wind Blast. The surge of wind that erupted from my hand slammed into the beast¡¯s face, stunning it. With the wolf stunned, I positioned and swung the glaive in a powerful arc, the blade carving deep into its chest, landing another critical hit, courtesy of my subclass. Pack Leader let out a final, sorrowful howl as its HP dropped to 0%. Its body collapsed to the ground, glowing brightly as it dissolved into light. [Pack Leader - Defeated] [+494 XP] As the light faded, three items remained: a glowing white orb, a glowing blue orb, and a¡­wolf¡¯s fang? Surprised, confused - and everything in between - I approached the fang first, picking it up. [Lightning Bearer¡¯s Fang] What the hell? Lightning Bearer? What does that even mean? I analysed it more thoroughly. It was sharp, almost like the blade of a knife, with lightning crackling around it, leaving me uneasy, believing it could damage me. Unsure of what I could do with it, I stored it in my second inventory for now. [Item Acquired: Lightning Bearer¡¯s Fang (Weapon Component) ¨C Added to Inventory #2] It seemed like the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System recognized it as a weapon component. Well, sure, I guess the fang does look sharp enough to be used as a dagger¡¯s blade. Plus, the root part of it was quite large, so theoretically speaking a blacksmith could craft a handle around it without it affecting the blade¡¯s size too much. The question was: where would I even find a blacksmith around here? There wasn¡¯t one invited to this quest, as the Burning Suns¡¯ Enchanters were meant to buff our weapons between levels to prevent them from breaking. I could try Sandrest¡¯s blacksmith, Malcolm, but I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s visiting relatives in the capital this week. I sighed, turning my attention to the other items, I picked up the white glowing orb. It was named The Bounding Light. The description read: A fragment of the wolf¡¯s unmatched speed lies within, raw and untamed. I closed my hand around it, and the orb¡¯s glow intensified. [The Bounding Light: You have gained 5 Agility Points] A grin spread across my face. Just like the orb Kaelstrife had dropped, this one granted extra stat points ¨C only this time, it focused on a single stat. Thankfully, it was the exact one I was most proficient in. My Agility stat rose to 31, and my overall level increased to 82. Finally, I picked up the blue orb. It was named Speed of Light. The description read: An orb imbued with the restless spirit of a once-bound storm. Forged from the essence of a beast once raised by the first wielders of magic. It hums, promising the impossible. The description was enough to make me crush the orb in my hand, just as I had with the previous one. Then, something unexpected happened. [Skill Unlocked: Speed of Light ¨C Perception and Movement Speed are quadrupled for the next minute. Can stack with other abilities. Cooldown: 24 hours] Quadrupled? And can stack?! With my already high Agility, and Wind Rush, I might actually be able to move at the speed of light. Suddenly, the word impossible in the description made perfect sense. But the cooldown was ridiculously long ¨C essentially making it a once-per-run skill for me. Still, the idea of moving so fast, even for just a minute, was incredible. In combat, this one minute should feel like an eternity. Satisfied with the loot, I turned back to where I¡¯d last seen Diona ¨C before we were attacked. She wasn¡¯t there. Chapter 49: Doubts Chapter 49: Doubts I approached the spot where she had been hunched over. Only the knife remained. I activated Distance Gauge, trying to pick up her presence. Maybe she had just gotten scared and was hiding somewhere nearby. Nothing. I crouched and picked up the knife. Honestly, calling it a knife would be an overstatement. It was a small metallic blade, with a thick blue cord loosely woven around one end. The more I examined it, the more it resembled one of the Razor Basilisk¡¯s scales ¨C a small one. Curious, I pulled at the blue cord. It came away easily, the metal scale clanking against the floor as I held the cord in my hand. The System identified it as Blue Axul Cord. The description read: A magic-woven cord from a forgotten age, unbreakable and enduring, much like the will of those who spun it. Unbreakable, huh? I decided to test that claim. I brought Silverfang against the cord, pressing the blade firmly. To my surprise, nothing happened. The threads refused to break, no matter how much pressure I applied. I frowned instinctively, analyzing the glaive closely. The blade wasn¡¯t dull. Not even close. Okay, this could be useful. Somehow. Somewhen. [Item Acquired: Blue Axul Cord ¨C Added to Inventory #2] Satisfied, I was about to move on and continue exploring when a new, surprising, System message popped up. [All components present: Blue Axul Cord, Lightning Bearer¡¯s Fang] [Would you like to craft Lightning Claw?] [YES/NO] Seriously? At this point, I didn¡¯t think anything in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System could surprise me. Now it could craft items for me? If the idea was to weave the blue cord around the fang¡¯s root, I could do it myself ¨C like any adventurer in our world had crafted items. More complex items such as armor, weapons and alchemical substances needed specific classes crafting them, but simple things like weaving a string around a fang shouldn¡¯t have required that. The Core System had never offered anything similar to this. Lightning Claw? Is that a weapon? It had to be, right? Only one way to know for sure. I mentally selected YES. The blue cord and the fang materialized in mid-air before me. Both glowed brighter with each moment, making me shield my eyes. Once the flash faded, a dagger floated in the air before me. [Lightning Claw] It was stunning and also so¡­raw. A combination of both items: the blade being the sharp, lightning-infused fang of Pack Leader. While the handle was the fang¡¯s root, wrapped tightly with the Blue Axul Cord, allowing a comfortable grip. As expected, the dagger had unique skills. [Lightning Claw: Lightning Arc ¨C A close-range combat swing that extends the range of a slash with lightning. High chance of stun. Cooldown ¨C 10 seconds] Great. Stuns went hand-in-hand with my class and subclass. Perhaps I could utilize this weapon somehow¡­ What else? [Lightning Claw: Stormpierce ¨C Lock into a target within a 500 meters range and dash toward it in an instant, delivering a guaranteed hit. Minimum range to cast - 50 meters. Cooldown ¨C 5 minutes] Well, that''s insane. A guaranteed hit skill. I¡¯d heard of these ¨C they were incredibly rare, even among higher-leveled adventurers. The System indicated a level requirement of 80 for Lightning Claw, which meant I could use it right away. The problem was, I wasn¡¯t exactly proficient with dagger-type weapons. They were typically used by Rogues and similar classes. Still, I could try experimenting. Maybe I¡¯d keep Silverfang as my primary weapon while utilizing Lightning Claw as a secondary. I¡¯d heard of skilled adventurers mastering weapon-swapping, equipping and unequipping weapons instantly by taking advantage of the inventory¡¯s materialization mechanics. It was worth considering. For now, I decided to store the dagger in my second inventory. [Item Acquired: Lightning Claw (Weapon) ¨C Added to Inventory #2] Knowing I couldn¡¯t linger here for long with Noctyra likely already looking for me, I quickly exited the chamber, pacing into the corridor outside. I dropped a Temporal Trace mark at the door in case I ever found myself back on this floor. Then, I checked Checkpoint¡¯s anchor. Around ten minutes left. Good. I was about to retrace my steps back to the ¡°void room¡± when a woman¡¯s scream broke the silence. ¡°Diona!¡± I called out instinctively, immediately rushing toward the sound. I activated Wind Rush, sprinting faster as I pivoted through the corridor¡¯s turns until I reached another chamber. There, cowering in the corner, was Diona.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Above here loomed a giant centipede monstrosity, its body reinforced with thick, sharp metallic plates ¨C Void Centipede, lvl 90. It reared back, preparing to strike. Immediately, I activated Shield Breaker and Blade Rush, closing the distance. My glaive struck the monster from behind, breaking its armored body. It didn¡¯t notice me until the very last second, ensuring a critical strike. Taking advantage of my successful first attack, I followed up with a rapid combo, slicing through its reinforced body until it finally fell. [+798 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] [New Quest Available: Legs for Days #1] [Slay 50 Void Centipedes] [Current Status: 1 / 50] [Reward: 15,000 XP] Delaying my level-up decision for now, I sighed in relief and rushed to Diona¡¯s side. But as I got closer, I realized I had nothing to be relieved about. The monster had already gotten to her before I arrived. Blood pooled around her, her trembling hand clutching a nasty wound in her stomach. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± I muttered as I knelt down next to her. I quickly selected a health potion from my inventory, uncorked it, and brought it to her lips. ¡°Here, drink this.¡± But she shook her head violently. ¡°Can¡¯t. I can¡¯t.¡± she stammered, her voice strained and trembling. She was clearly in pain. An Undead that acted nothing like one. ¡°It¡¯ll help, Diona.¡± I urged, unsure if it actually would, but it was better than doing nothing. She shook her head more aggressively this time. ¡°Can¡¯t. Can¡¯t!¡± Then, she hit the potion from my hands. The glass shattered as it hit the ground beside us. I sighed. Of course she can¡¯t drink it. It was a known fact that monsters couldn¡¯t drink health potions. It was like poison for them. And she ¨C despite her appearance ¨C was still a monster. ¡°Diona, what can I do?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°How can I help you?¡± She shook her head again. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­You can¡¯t¡­¡± Then, her milky-white eyes began to clear, slowly returning to their human form. A single tear rolled down her cheek. ¡°Forgive us...¡± She whispered, her voice sounding more like the one from the memory fragment. ¡°What?¡± I asked, my mind racing. But she ignored the question. She grabbed my hand suddenly, her grip strong. But as quickly as she¡¯d grasped me, her strength faded. Her hand softened and slipped away. She died. I sighed heavily, disappointed with myself for not being able to save her. Yana¡¯s death in my arms flashed in my mind ¨C one of the only solid memories I had from previous loops. Who knows how many times that happened in my previous runs? Chronos was thrown into a coma after the last one. And now this? Can I even save a single person, let alone the universe?! As I fought these thoughts, a series of skittering sounds filled the chamber. The noise echoed as around twenty Void Centipedes crawled into the room, their armored bodies scraping against the floor. With no time to waste, I tightened my grip on Silverfang and lunged forward. *** As I reawakened with Checkpoint, my body screamed in phantom pain. Memories of the last moments before my death racing through my mind. The Void Centipedes kept pouring into the room. They were soon joined by Grave Moles, only expanding the chaos. I¡¯d managed to take down a significant number of them, using Blur Strike to deal with their growing numbers, but there were just too many. In the end, they tore me to pieces. Still, the phantom pain was nothing compared to the mental agony of my uselessness. I couldn¡¯t even save a single undead girl. And in the end, she was the one apologizing to me. Why? My fist clenched as I forced myself to focus. I had to use this second chance to save her. I must. The sound of boots striking a metallic ladder pulled me out of my thoughts. Goren. I peered down over the edge of the platform. Sure enough, there he was, climbing down. The dark aura surrounding him writhed. I wanted to warn him about the Razor Basilisk, but seeing his mark was enough to convince me otherwise. Now, if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯d understood from Chronos¡¯ class, it was that Erebus doesn¡¯t actually eavesdrop on conversations, nor can he actively watch us. If he did, he would¡¯ve suspected me a long time ago, considering I likely had many incriminating conversations with Goren. No, Erebus, in his current state, senses changes ¨C differences compared to the original loop, and the ever-evolving average of all my runs. That meant I couldn¡¯t change anything now. Especially with Goren so close. I sighed. I¡¯d have to play this out exactly the same way. But this time, after Goren and the Razor Basilisk are gone, I¡¯d rush to save Diona ¨C even if it meant fighting the Pack Leader all over again. Kelltins was still a worry, but I just couldn¡¯t ignore her. I needed this. I jumped forward and gripped the ladder, beginning my descent. ¡°Why are you following me, Spellsword?¡± Goren asked, releasing a low chuckle. ¡°I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I replied, tired of hearing his annoying remarks. ¡°Just shut up and keep going!¡± ***
The Razor Basilisk attacked as we descended. I used Flight to reach the same floor as before ¨C at least as far as I could tell. Waited for the beast to attack, so Goren could ¡°save¡± me, dragging the snake back to the void. I rushed toward Diona, slaying four Grave Moles along the way, faster than last time ¨C [+2,176 XP]
The interior of this tomb was likely mostly consistent across every floor ¨C at least based on my pre-Checkpoint run and the first floor we cleared. Still, I could only hope I was on the right floor now. The four Grave Moles I encountered earlier were a promising sign, matching the same number I¡¯d fought previously. But that didn¡¯t guarantee anything. The only way to confirm this for sure is to see the mark I left. As I moved, I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System¡¯s status screen. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 25] [Loop Count: 38] [Experience Points (XP): 14,894 / 21,500] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] Oh, right. I hadn¡¯t leveled up yet. This time, I turned to the Core System first, allocating the extra point into Agility, bringing it up to 32. Then, in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, I placed the skill point into Temporal Trace, raising it to level 8. [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.8] [Next Level: lvl.9: You¡¯ll be able to create Vestiges of Time. Maximum Amount: 1] Vestiges of Time? Like memory fragments of my own? That¡¯s great! I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how it would work, but the idea of retaining even a small piece of my memories between loops was enough to quicken my pace. I activated Distance Gauge and sensed a presence in the chamber ahead. Please let it be Diona. I sprinted forward, saw the Temporal Trace mark on the ground, and sighed in relief. There she was. Crouched with her back to me, she dragged the knife across the stone floor, carving those weird symbols only she could likely understand. A faint purple aura surrounded her this time ¨C or maybe I was just imagining it at this point. ¡°Write. Write. I must write.¡± She muttered. ¡°Diona?¡± I whispered. She turned toward me, her milky-white eyes meeting mine for a second. Then, just as quickly, she turned back to her harsh punishment. ¡°Must. Must write. High Priestess ordered.¡± She didn¡¯t remember me. Understandable. She was an Axul, but she was also an Undead. Still uncertain if the Undead Wolves, and worse, Pack Leader, would attack again, I rushed to her side, crouching next to her. I decided to try the same approach as before. ¡°High Priestess Lysandra is evil, Diona.¡± I said, trying to calm her. ¡°I know you know this. I¡¯ve seen you disagree with her. You don¡¯t need to follow her orders.¡± Diona froze, the knife slipping from her hand and clattering on the floor. ¡°High Priestess is evil...¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± I urged, taking her hand in mine. Then, something completely unexpected happened. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #2 - Available] And I was suddenly transferred into another memory fragment. Chapter 50: Ruthless Chapter 50: Ruthless [Vestige of Time #2] It was night. A quiet one, broken only by the sound of crickets filling the air. Diona pushed open the wooden door of a modest house, her trembling hand gripping the handle tightly as she stepped inside. Her movements were careful, as if she didn¡¯t want to disturb the silence within. But the door creaked nonetheless, the sound echoing softly. The interior was simple, dimly lit by a single flickering lantern on a wooden table in the living room. Diona removed her stag-horned helmet and leaned back against the door, still holding it. Her shoulders sagged as though the weight of the world pressed on them. Her lips trembled. She gently laid the helmet on the floor before raising her hands to her face, wiping at her cheeks as tears began to fall. She shook her head frantically, her breathing shallow, her muffled sobs barely audible. A voice broke the silence, low and rough, yet warm. ¡°Is it you, my sunshine?¡± Diona froze, hastily wiping her face again before turning toward the sound. ¡°It¡¯s me, Papa. Everything¡¯s fine. Just go to bed.¡± She called out, her voice steady despite her clear effort to hide her emotions. A figure emerged from the shadows ¨C an old man, slightly hunched as he leaned over a cane. His hair was thin and grey, his steps slow. He smiled at first, but his expression shifted to concern as his gaze fell on Diona. ¡°Diona,¡± he said softly, his voice filled with worry. He approached her quickly, his cane trembling with each step. When he reached her, he raised his hand to her face, brushing the tears from her cheek. ¡°Why are you crying, my sunshine?¡± he whispered, his voice cracking. Diona¡¯s composure finally shattered entirely. Her body shook as she lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Her voice broke into choked sobs as she gasped for breath. ¡°She¡­she killed Alisia!¡± she cried out. ¡°She said ¨C she said she couldn¡¯t understand, and she just ¨C she just killed her!¡± The old man¡¯s arms closed around her, pulling her close. Tears welled in his eyes as well, but he said nothing, likely unwilling to let his daughter know he was saddened to hear this news as well. He held her tightly, his fingers brushing through her long, dark hair. ¡°Who did?¡± he asked gently. ¡°Tell me everything, sunshine. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m always here.¡± But Diona¡¯s sobs only grew louder, her voice trembling too much for her to form coherent words. ¡°It was¡­she¡­she just¡­I couldn¡¯t stop her!¡± Her father pressed his cheek against the top of her head, murmuring softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, my baby. Let¡¯s sit down, make some tea ¨C with honey, just the way you like it. Then you¡¯ll tell me everything, alright?¡± Diona nodded faintly, her cries softening slightly as he guided her toward the small kitchen. Her steps were slow, her hand gripping his arm for support as they moved through the dimly lit house. In the kitchen, her father clapped his hands to light another lantern. Then, he pulled out a chair for her, and she sank into it, burying her face in her hands. Her shoulders continued to shake. As the man turned toward a metallic pot at the other end of the room, the soft sound of footsteps filled the room. An older woman entered, her gray hair neatly tied into a braid. She paused in the doorway, her face a mix of happiness and concern ¨C a seemingly impossible combination. ¡°My baby! I knew it.¡± She said softly, crossing the room quickly. Diona looked up briefly, her tear-filled eyes meeting her mother¡¯s gaze. The old woman embraced her tightly, tears slipping from her own eyes. ¡°I heard the crying.¡± She said, her voice warm but trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand at first, but¡­I never expected to see you here. Not at this hour. You¡¯re not supposed to leave the temple this late. What happened, baby?¡± Diona hugged her mother back, her sobs starting anew. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t know where to go.¡± She whispered, her voice muffled against her mother¡¯s chest. The woman stroked her daughter¡¯s hair and glanced at her husband, who was just finishing brewing the tea. ¡°We¡¯re here, my baby.¡± She said softly. ¡°You can always come to us.¡± The father brought two steaming cups to the table, placing one in front of Diona and handing the other to his wife. Diona¡¯s trembling hands wrapped around the cup. She took a few sips, her tears subsided slightly, though the heaviness in the air remained, and her body still shook. Her father sat beside her, his eyes filled with worry. ¡°What happened, sunshine? Please, tell us.¡± Diona stared into her tea for a long moment, the words catching in her throat. She took another shaky sip, her eyes welling up again. She struggled to speak. ¡°You mentioned Alisia, sunshine,¡± her father prompted gently. ¡°She was¡­killed? What happened?¡± The name seemed to break something in Diona. Her lips trembled, and she swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°She¡­she was¡­¡± Her mother, who had been watching quietly, suddenly leaned forward, her brow furrowing in confusion. ¡°Alisia was killed? But how could that happen?¡± She asked, her voice shaking. She reached out to Diona. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my baby. I know how much Alisia meant to you.¡± Shaking her head, seemingly in disbelief, she continued. ¡°But murder? That¡¯s unthinkable! Who among us would even resort to such a thing? We aren¡¯t like those savages in the outer world. Surely, the High Priestess will punish those responsible, my baby. Don¡¯t you worry.¡± At those words, Diona raised her gaze to her mother. ¡°It was¡­it was the High Priestess ¨C Lady Lysandra.¡± She choked out. ¡°She killed Alisia! Right in front of our eyes!¡± Her parents exchanged uneasy, shocked glances, their expressions shifting from confusion to disbelief, seemingly struggling to process the revelation. The mother stood and wrapped her arms around Diona again, her voice soft but full of concern. ¡°My baby, please¡­explain.¡± Her father leaned forward as well, resting a comforting hand over Diona¡¯s trembling one. ¡°That¡¯s right, sunshine. We need to understand. The High Priestess is¡­¡± He faltered, unable to finish the sentence. Diona looked up at them, her eyes red from crying. Her voice shook as she spoke, forcing herself to continue. ¡°It was¡­the upcoming ritual,¡± she began. ¡°The one Lady Lysandra is so determined to complete. We were preparing for it, working together, when¡­we took a break.¡± She paused for a moment, wiping her eyes again, trying to steady herself. ¡°Alisia¡­she spoke to me in private. She said she didn¡¯t understand what was happening. She said everything felt wrong, like we were abandoning so much of what we believed in for this ritual. She said Father Spurius wouldn¡¯t approve.¡± Diona swallowed hard before continuing. ¡°She was confused. Upset. And then¡­High Prietess Lysandra must¡¯ve overheard us.¡± Her parents exchanged worried glances again, their unease visibly growing. ¡°She just froze her!¡± Diona cried out, her voice breaking. ¡°With her ice magic. Right there. In front of all of us! Alisia couldn¡¯t move. She couldn¡¯t speak. She was completely still, covered in ice!¡± Her hands began to shake violently on the table as her father held them tightly. ¡°And then¡­¡± Diona¡¯s voice dropped. ¡°She stepped forward. She walked toward Alisia and started speaking to the rest of us. ¡°She said the time was coming for something great ¨C something greater than all of us. Something we¡¯d been waiting for. Something Father Spurius envisioned. She said the heir was coming. She told us we couldn¡¯t undermine her. That Alisia was a lesson for all of us.¡± Her eyes darted down to her hands, her father still holding them. ¡°Then¡­then she¡­¡± she had to take a deep breath to steady herself. ¡°She shattered Alisia¡¯s body! Right there. She¡­she snapped her fingers. And Alisia just¡­broke. She broke apart into icicles!¡± Diona broke into tears again. "She was my best friend!" Her father shook his head slowly, holding her arm tighter, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and sorrow. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why she had to be so ruthless¡­¡± His wife nodded, still embracing Diona. ¡°I know. They¡¯re just young girls.¡± She paused, her voice becoming determined. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll speak to Lady Lysandra tomorrow to clear things ¨C ¡° ¡°No!¡± Diona cut her off sharply, her voice desperate. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to her, please! She¡¯ll kill you too! I know she will!¡± Her parents froze by her sudden outburst, their expressions shocked. ¡°Surely, High Priestess Lysandra won¡¯t kill the Head of Education over a simple question.¡± Her mother replied softly, brushing Diona¡¯s hair in an attempt to calm her. ¡°She would!¡± Diona shouted, her voice breaking. ¡°She absolutely would!¡± Her head shook aggressively, tears rushing down her face. ¡°You don¡¯t know her like I do! We, the third-circle priestesses ¨C we¡¯re basically her errand girls! Her slaves! She works us to the bone in that newly-built temple of hers.¡± She turned to her mother, her eyes filled with terror. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell her a word! I won¡¯t be able to keep on living if she killed you because of me!¡± She buried her face in her mother¡¯s chest, her muffled cries filling the room. ¡°I won¡¯t, baby.¡± Her mother whispered, her worried gaze meeting her husband¡¯s. The man frowned, rubbing his chin in thought. ¡°I wonder who this heir is.¡± He murmured. ¡°The ritual was said to honor the Destroyer, but this is the first time I¡¯ve heard mention of some heir.¡± The mother nodded slowly. ¡°I thought the same thing. And she claimed Father Spurius envisioned it? I¡¯ve never heard anything like that before. It¡¯s certainly not something I taught to the young¡¯uns.¡± ¡°Because she made it all up!¡± Diona cried out, her words full of anger and despair. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it¡¯s not our beliefs that guide her!¡± Her mother tightened the embrace, holding her daughter even closer. ¡°There, there, baby. Just calm down. We¡¯re here.¡± The father¡¯s expression hardened as he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll try to learn who this heir is.¡± Diona stiffened at his words, her head snapping slightly. He quickly added. ¡°Carefully, of course. I won¡¯t draw attention to myself or us.¡± ¡°There must be some reason for all of this.¡± The mother murmured, though she sounded doubtful. And then, the memory began to fade. [Vestige of Time #2 ¨C END] *** Once I returned to reality, I realized it was Temporal Trace¡¯s effect. At level 8, the skill promised to grant me the ability to witness a Vestige of Time for most of what I touched. Including humans ¨C or Undead, apparently. But things still didn¡¯t make sense. If the Heir of Axul ¨C Noctyra ¨C was supposed to arrive back then ¨C around a thousand years ago, then what did Kelltins had to do with it? He wasn¡¯t even alive back then! What was the role of this heir in their plans? And how did at all connect to Erebus'' plans today? I turned my focus to Diona. ¡°Diona.¡± I whispered. Now, knowing more about her, I tried to learn anything I could. ¡°I know you¡¯re there.¡± I recalled how in my pre-Checkpoint run, she had seemingly transitioned out of her Undead state just before she died. Then, I thought of Kelltins and how he suddenly became aware he was trapped in a time loop, all on his own. ¡°Axul are stronger than this, right? You¡¯re not really Undead. You¡¯re somewhere there, aren¡¯t you?¡± She stared at me with her milky-white eyes, unblinking and unmoving. I pressed on, desperate to understand what this ritual was truly about. ¡°The ritual,¡± I began. ¡°What was it all about?¡± ¡°Worshipping. Worshipping the Destroyer.¡± She responded mechanically. I shook my head, frustrated. ¡°Yes, but what did you do? What is this place?¡± ¡°This is. This is the new temple.¡± She replied, her voice hollow. I sighed heavily, mad at myself for asking such vague questions. I needed to go slower, more carefully. ¡°Why was this place built, Diona? What even is it? Today we know it as a tomb. Is it a tomb?¡± She remained silent, her gaze shifting away to her scribbled carvings. It looked like she wanted to return to them, but I held her hands tightly, refusing to let her retreat. ¡°You¡¯re not Axul. I can¡¯t tell you.¡± She finally said. I hesitated, then switched to a darker tactic ¨C one I was ashamed to use, but it had to be done. ¡°Alisia,¡± I said softly. Diona froze, silent tears rushing down her cheeks. ¡°Diona, Alisia was killed unjustly, wasn¡¯t she? That Lysandra is a terrible excuse for a human being. The best revenge against her would be to help me. I hate her too. I¡¯ll make sure her visions crumble to dust. Please, help me.¡± Diona didn¡¯t move. She didn¡¯t speak. Seconds felt like minutes as I waited, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, she whispered. ¡°This place was built to house the heir. We were to join him at his arrival, but things didn''t go as she planned...¡± Curious, I pressed on. "What happened?" "A man arrived." she replied simply. "The first. The first outsider in many, many years..." As her words hung in the air, a tremor shook the chamber. I instinctively turned toward the exit, releasing Diona¡¯s hands. But before I could do anything, I felt her cold hands resting on my head from behind. Diona¡¯s voice came, quiet. ¡°I¡¯ll. I¡¯ll save you.¡± Before I could react, my eyes closed, and I lost consciousness. Chapter 51: Reunion Chapter 51: Reunion I woke up abruptly in complete darkness. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] Last one left. An unfamiliar chamber materialized in front of me ¨C not the one where I had spoken to Diona. This one was much smaller, barely three-by-three meters. A decaying curtain covered the only doorway. I looked around, disoriented, realizing I was laying on a stone platform. It wasn¡¯t the floor ¨C it was elevated, almost like a makeshift bed. I sat up quickly, my mind racing as the memory of the tremor and Diona¡¯s hands on me flooded back. She had put me to sleep. And she said that¡­she¡¯s saving me? From what? ¡°Diona?¡± I called out, but no response came. I ran through both my inventories quickly, checking all my items to make sure nothing was missing. Relieved to find everything intact, I stepped forward and pushed the curtain aside. The room before me was empty, aside the large stone table in the center, filled with metallic cups and plates, covered by a thick layer of dust and rust. The walls on all sides had doorways similar to the one I¡¯d just exited, each covered by a curtain in varying states of decay. I checked some of the other rooms just to make sure I didn¡¯t miss anything. Each one was identical to the chamber I¡¯d woken up in ¨C small, barren, with the same stone platform for a bed. Could this have been the priestesses¡¯ dormitories or something? Now that I knew for sure this wasn¡¯t an actual tomb, it seemed likely. As I focused on the cups scattered across the stone table, I noticed they were faintly outlined by a purple aura. As I approached and focused on them, the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System reacted almost immediately. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #? - Available] So, each one of these items held a memory fragment? Of who exactly? Eager to learn more, I touched a few of them, allowing myself to dive into the memory fragments they held. What I saw, however, didn¡¯t reveal much. Each cup belonged to a priestess, and so each one held a memory of theirs. Moments of the their childhoods - both happy and sad, their moments of pride and achievement. All in all, they seemed like regular people. For all the world had demonized the Axul ¨C maybe deservedly so, all things considered ¨C these glimpses painted a different picture. They were just people. Ordinary girls with the same worries, joys, and aspirations as any teenager and young adult their age. Knowing the fate of their people, and the fact that Lysandra might¡¯ve been orchestrating all of this on her own ¨C made the fragments all the more haunting. Each cup I touched lost its purple aura and touching them again didn¡¯t trigger the Vestige again. That made sense, since now they appeared in my second inventory. I stepped outside the chamber and into the corridor, still looking for Diona. She was my best bet for the current run. I might lose my memories of it all in the next run, but some of it will still stick through Echo Sense and D¨¦j¨¤ vu. The corridor was empty. Distance Gauge wasn¡¯t picking up anything. I sighed as I moved forward slowly. I couldn¡¯t shake the thought that Diona might still be nearby. Previously, I hadn¡¯t been able to sense her presence either ¨C not even when she was being attacked by the Void Centipede ¨C not when it was too late. I only heard her scream... She could still be here, hiding somewhere in this forsaken place. But where was I, exactly? Before, I could tell I had been in the 20¡¯s floors. But now? Where had Diona taken me? Did she bring me upward ¨C or even deeper? I sighed, pressing on, eventually reaching a staircase leading upward. Might as well go back up. God, couldn¡¯t they at least label their floors?! Ascending the stairs, I entered a massive, empty chamber that seemed to span the entire floor. On the far side, another staircase ascended further. I began making my way toward it when Distance Gauge picked something up ¨C something to my left, far beyond the range of my Lumindew¡¯s night vision. Curious, I changed my course, cautiously heading toward the source of the signal. But when I reached it, all I found was a solid wall. Confused, I glanced around, wondering why Distance Gauge had reacted. That¡¯s when it happened. A giant claw broke through the wall with a deafening crash, slashing toward me with crazy speed. In the last possible moment, I activated Dash Step, leaping backward as the claw missed me by a hair. Heart pounding, I stared ahead. The wall was completely intact ¨C and the claw, or whatever it belonged to, was gone. What the hell was that? No way I imagined it! I took a few step forward, and the it snapped at me again ¨C the claw, lunging out of nowhere! Reacting instinctively, I raised Silverfang to block. The impact was immense, far stronger than I¡¯d anticipated. The force sent me hurtling sideways, slamming into the chamber wall hard. I gasped as my HP bar plummeted ¨C half of it gone in an instant. What. The. Fuck?! Pain shot through my body as I tried to regain my footing, my mind racing. What the hell even was that?! A wraith?! Even the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System hadn¡¯t recognized the attacker.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Raising Silverfang defensively, I braced for another attack, expecting a follow-up. But the chamber was silent once more. The broken wall intact as well. If another attack came, it would be enough to kill me and end this run early. So, taking a deep breath, I consumed two healing potions to restore my lost HP. As the warm sensation spread through my body, my HP climbed back to around 90%. Relieved, I decided to stay the hell away from that wall. I wasn¡¯t sure what this thing was, but I couldn¡¯t fight something I couldn¡¯t see ¨C something that could knock out half of my HP with one swing even when I blocked. Before leaving, I crept as close to the wall as I dared, without dragging a reaction from whatever it was. Then, I dropped a Temporal Trace mark for my future selves before heading up the staircase. Another floor, another corridor branching into tens of chambers. What a surprise. I activated Distance Gauge, sensing a presence in the first chamber to my left. Gripping Silverfang tightly, I approached slowly. Could it be Diona? Close, but no. I recognized the two people inside from the entrance this morning. Except now they were outlined by faint purple auras. He was a pretty famous adventurer while she was responsible for the logistics of the quest. ¡°Luke, watch out!¡± called a young woman with short, auburn hair. She was sitting on the ground, seemingly injured, but nothing too fatal as far as I could tell. She was wearing a blue robe, befitting her class. A level 82 Enchantress. Standing protectively near her was a Warcaster ¨C just like Yana, level 85, with messy blonde hair, and a grey-colored, medium-weight armor. He turned immediately, his sword aimed directly in my direction. When his gaze landed on me, his posture relaxed slightly, and he sighed in relief. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a human. Thank the Creator. You can breathe, Fiona.¡± He said, glancing back at the woman. But then his face twitched, his expression shifting as he kept looking at me. ¡°Wait a minute¡­level 50, Spellsword¡­you¡¯re Aidan, aren¡¯t you?¡± I froze, puzzled. I knew who they were, but how did they know who I was? Did my reputation as the weakest adventurer on this quest precede me? ¡°You know me?¡± I asked warily. They exchanged glances, then the man burst out laughing. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she was right¡­¡± the woman muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s true love for you, I guess¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, now completely bewildered. ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡± The man said, shaking his head as he approached me with an outstretched hand. ¡°I¡¯m Luke Hargreaves, and that¡¯s Fiona. We¡¯re with the Burning Suns.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain how you know who I am.¡± I replied cautiously, still extending my hand to meet his. The moment our hands touched, I felt like my mind was under attack. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #12 - Available] Another memory fragment flooded my vision. In it, Luke was speaking with none other than Kelltins. But there was nothing sinister about their conversation. Luke had been asking Kelltins for advice ¨C nervously seeking tips on how to invite Fiona out on a date without coming across as too pushy. Despite what I knew about Kelltins ¨C Noctyra ¨C now, he had acted like a great friend in that moment, offering genuine advice and encouragement. ¡°Hey, you okay there, buddy?¡± Luke¡¯s voice pulled me back to reality. ¡°You¡¯ve been kinda¡­shaking my hand for three seconds too long.¡± I instinctively retracted my hand, startled. First Diona, then the cups, now this. Was I actually going to experience a Vestige of Time every time I touch something? So, that¡¯s what the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System had meant by ¡°most¡± of what I touched. It hadn¡¯t been an exaggeration at all. How do I turn this shit off?! [Temporal Trace: Vestiges of Time - OFF] Well, that was oddly convenient... All these Vestiges kept stacking inside my second inventory leaving me wondering if it had an item limit. They were weightless, there¡¯s that, but other than that, what did I actually know about the second inventory¡¯s limits? ¡°Anyway¡­¡± I shook my head, trying to refocus. ¡°How do you know me?¡± Luke exchanged a confused glance with Fiona before turning back to me. ¡°As I just said ¨C when you apparently blacked out ¨C we came here with Yana. She¡¯s been desperately looking for you.¡± Yana. ¡°Damn, she¡¯ll go nuts when she¡¯ll see ¨C ¡° ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked quickly, cutting him off, my heart racing. ¡°Whoa, whoa, relax. She¡¯s okay. There shouldn¡¯t be any monsters on the floor. We already cleared it.¡± Luke said, raising his hands to calm me. ¡°She¡¯s somewhere on this floor with some of our other guys, looking for healing potions or herbs we might''ve missed. It''s for our injured Enchantress over there.¡± He motioned with his head toward Fiona who rolled her eyes at his comment before turning a heavy gaze toward me. ¡°How the hell did you survive here all on your own?¡± she asked, her tone sharp. Even Luke seemed uncomfortable, yet he looked at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. ¡°Where did you even disappear to? Both you and the Rogue from your team.¡± Fiona pressed on as I remained silent. I contemplated how best to lie my way out of this. At the same time, I wanted to gather as much information as possible from them ¨C how they made it here, what had happened upstairs ¨C and most importantly, I wanted to see Yana. ¡°Dude?¡± Luke said, eying me skeptically. I sighed. Honestly, as long as I don¡¯t reveal anything that could drastically affect this run, it didn¡¯t really matter how I lied. I just needed to make it sound plausible. Or at the very least, not pure nonsense. ¡°On our way back to the main antechamber, we stopped for a little talk and got attacked by Undead Wolves.¡± I said. ¡°We ran for our lives. Had to improvise, but one thing led to another, and I reached this floor.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Luke nodded, sending a glance in Fiona¡¯s direction. ¡°We were attacked by the wolves just as we were discussing sending a party to look for them.¡± They were attacked by the Undead Wolves upstairs too? Lucky me, I guess. Fiona didn¡¯t look convinced with my story. ¡°Where¡¯s your Rogue friend, then?¡± she asked, her tone even harsher. ¡°Some large monster attacked us, and we got separated at some point.¡± I replied, forcing a disappointed expression on my face. ¡°God, I hope he¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Luke¡¯s face soured. ¡°We¡¯ll look for him too once everyone else gets back. Don¡¯t worry.¡± But Fiona wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°I¡¯m not buying this story. He¡¯s level 50, Luke! Fifty! Look how ragged we got just reaching this floor, and I¡¯m not even talking about all the people we lost! But look at him! He¡¯s practically unscathed!¡± I was unsure how to respond to the very logical accusations. Thankfully, Luke stepped in to back me up. ¡°So, what, Fee? You think he¡¯s working with the monsters or something? Why would he even lie about this?¡± he gestured toward me. ¡°I won¡¯t deny he looks suspiciously healthy considering we¡¯re twelve floors deep, but he¡¯s probably just the luckiest dude alive. That¡¯s all there is to it!¡± Fiona pouted, turning away with her arms crossed. Luke turned to me with an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry about that. Upstairs was¡­harsh.¡± He glanced back at Fiona, smiling weakly. ¡°Also, Yana is like her best friend so I guess she¡¯s jealous seeing you here or something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jealous.¡± Fiona muttered, her tone defensive, making Luke visibly uncomfortable at his failed joke. Glad to be off the hook, I nodded. ¡°No worries.¡± Then, I summoned a health potion from my inventory and offered it to Luke. ¡°I actually have a potion to spare.¡± Luke¡¯s face lit up as he grabbed it almost immediately. ¡°Thanks, man!¡± He rushed over to Fiona, and after a brief, muffled exchange, she drank it. Slowly, she rose to her feet, stretching as she sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aidan.¡± She said, her tone softer now. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to sound rude. I was just¡­on edge.¡± ¡°As I said, no worries.¡± I replied, turning to the questions that bothered me. ¡°What happened to you, though? How did you end up here?¡± ¡°Well, not to scare you, but¡­we¡¯re kind of stuck here. The tomb sealed us in.¡± Luke said, a look of disbelief on his face. This part was nothing new. But realizing I should act surprised hearing this news ¨C unless I wanted another interrogation from Miss Enchantress ¨C I gasped as realistically as I could. ¡°What? What do you mean we¡¯re stuck?¡± Fiona nodded. ¡°Once we realized you and your team¡¯s Rogue were missing, Yana wanted to charge off on her own to look for you. Thankfully, Lady Mikaela stopped her and suggested we send a search party instead.¡± ¡°Shortly after that,¡± Luke added, ¡°the tomb¡¯s doors closed on us, and we were swarmed by a horde of Undead Wolves.¡± ¡°You forgot about Gaelith speaking to us and promising to kill us all.¡± Fiona pointed out. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± Luke nodded, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Somehow that was the least scary part of it all.¡± Gaelith spoke to them? Well, he is the vessel of Erebus¡­ ¡°Then,¡± Fiona continued seamlessly, ¡°realizing the mess we were in, the leaders shifted focus to the doors. Stephan Lorren said we needed a Keystone, so two high-leveled parties were sent deeper into the tomb while Luke and I were ordered to stay behind and watch over the low-leveled adventurers.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s when we were attacked again.¡± Luke said. ¡°By Grave Moles this time.¡± Fiona finished, shaking her head. ¡°They broke our formation, and Yana fled to search for you. We couldn¡¯t let her go alone, and we couldn¡¯t stay, so we followed her, saving as many adventurers as we could until we reached this floor.¡± Watching them talk, seamlessly finishing each other¡¯s thoughts, was oddly heartwarming. It reminded me of a time when Yana and I used to be like that ¨C thinking on the same wavelength. As kids, people had called us inseparable. ¡°Oh, here they are.¡± Luke said, pointing behind me. ¡°Hey, Yana, look who we found!¡± I turned around and saw her, accompanied by two other adventurers I recognized from my team at the start of the quest: Jax and Henry. Yana¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as her gaze landed on me, and silent tears began streaming down her cheeks. I suddenly realized I was tearing up too. I hadn¡¯t seen her since morning, yet somehow, it felt so much longer than that. ¡°Yana, I ¨C ¡° I started, but she cut me off, her voice breaking as she cried. ¡°Aidan, you¡¯re alive.¡± She sobbed, rushing toward me and wrapping her arms tightly around me. I hugged her back, but the dark aura surrounding her unsettled me, tainting the heartfelt moment. Chapter 52: Meanwhile, the End of the World began Chapter 52: Meanwhile, the End of the World began ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened¡­¡± Yana muttered as I finished telling her the fake story I had already told her guild mates. They had gathered with Jax and Henry in the opposite corner of the room, giving us some space. I nodded. ¡°Your friends told me how you got here.¡± I sighed. ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d go so far to look for me.¡± She punched my shoulder playfully. ¡°Stupid. Of course I would. Especially after I was the one who brought you here.¡± She averted her gaze, her expression hard to read. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­¡± I said. ¡°How did you mean it, then?¡± she asked, still avoiding eye contact. I wish I could tell her the truth: that she was marked by a world-eating god, that I was trying to keep my distance from her because of that mark, and that despite my attempts, she still managed to find me. And that¡¯s why I was surprised. ¡°I meant it like¡­it¡¯s insanely impressive. It¡¯s crazy how strong you¡¯ve gotten. You descended twelve floors. If the things I¡¯ve seen on my way here are any indication, you went through hell. While also saving those two along the way.¡± I pointed subtly at Jax and Henry. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone.¡± Yana replied, seemingly unimpressed by my flattery. ¡°And not everyone made it. We lost many on the way here. Too many.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re not blaming yourself.¡± I said quickly, knowing the kind of person she was. She sighed heavily. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Yana.¡± I placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to face me. When our eyes met, I couldn¡¯t stop staring at them, forgetting what I¡¯d wanted to say. ¡°What?¡± she asked, pulling me back to reality. ¡°You can¡¯t save everyone.¡± I said and immediately realized what a hypocrite I actually was. If I was to follow my own words, strategically, my best course of action now would be to leave them. To remind myself that I was in a time loop and that nothing that happens in this run will be set in stone for me. And yet, the thought of these people dying ¨C of Yana dying ¨C made it impossible for me to walk away. I knew I was strong enough to keep them safe for a while longer. I was a hypocrite because I wanted to save them all, despite knowing it was impossible ¨C and perhaps even foolish to try. Knowing this was actually another universe made the people living in it so much more than simple pieces in some game I could reset. They were real. Their struggles, their fears, their hopes ¨C they all mattered. They would die in every universe, until eventually ¨C hopefully ¨C I¡¯d manage to bring this to an end. But until then, I wanted to fight for them too. To save them, even if only for as long as I could. I never could understand why she always tried to act so heroic. I suspected it had a lot to do with her parents¡¯ deaths before we met as children, but we¡¯d never actually talked about it in detail. Now, though, I think I¡¯m finally beginning to grasp the illogic of wanting to be a hero and save everyone. By understanding her. She looked like she was about to retort my earlier statement, so I cut her off quickly, correcting myself. ¡°I¡¯m wrong. Forget I said anything.¡± She blinked, bewildered, then chuckled softly. ¡°Wha ¨C what?¡± Seeing her smile, I couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°You heard me. I¡¯m wrong. But I still think you shouldn¡¯t blame yourself. It¡¯s not your fault this place is the way it is. I¡¯m sure you did your best to help them all.¡± We fell silent for a moment before she spoke softly. ¡°Thanks, Aidan.¡± Before I could add anything else, Jax stormed toward us, looking angry. ¡°We found your boyfriend and you had your moment. Now can we finally focus on finding Master Lorren and Lady Mikaela?¡± ¡°Sure. Do you know where to look?¡± Yana asked flatly, her tone catching him off guard. ¡°Ugh ¨C Well ¨C I ¨C ¡° Jax stammered, struggling to form a response. ¡°Good. I thought as much.¡± Yana said impatiently, cutting him off. She stood and turned to her guild mates. ¡°Do you think we should climb back up now? Maybe they¡¯ve already returned with the Keystone. Besides, we¡¯re pretty run-down in our current state, and the upper levels we passed through should have fewer monsters than the lower, unexplored ones.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right.¡± Luke agreed with a nod. ¡°Worst case, the item stash is still in the main antechamber.¡± Fiona added, agreeing as well. ¡°We could stock up there and then continue looking for them if they hadn¡¯t returned yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time!¡± Jax growled. ¡°We¡¯ve already descended twelve floors. They might literally be on the next one, and we¡¯ll miss them if we turn around now!¡± ¡°Or they might be twenty floors deeper.¡± Luke countered calmly. ¡°Chill, dude. We¡¯re too underprepared to venture into the unknown at the moment.¡± Jax let out another frustrated growl before suddenly turning to me. ¡°You!¡± he snapped. ¡°Where did you come from? We should¡¯ve stumbled upon you on the way down, so you must¡¯ve come from even deeper, right? What did you see down there? Tell us right now!¡± I couldn¡¯t tell them about the claw from downstairs or Diona. Hell, I couldn¡¯t even tell them about the secret passage Goren had shown me, even though it could get us back up fairly quickly. It might alter the loop too much with me being the direct cause.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. And I still wasn¡¯t sure how much protection from Darkness the radiating sword was actually giving me. My memory about this exchange with Pix was hazy, so it was safer to assume the worst. Wait ¨C why did I even feel like I owed Jax an explanation, of all people?! ¡°I don¡¯t like your tone.¡± I said, rising to my feet. ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± he snapped, aiming his glowing staff at me. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve seen downstairs now.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Put that down.¡± Luke called out, jumping to his feet. Did Jax really think he was threatening me? Well, sure, he couldn¡¯t see my true level, so I guess he thought this would work¡­ I was about to knock him out with a quick Blade Rush, but Yana already moved. She closed the distance between them in an instant and knocked him down with a single punch. Jax dropped his staff, clutching his face in pain. Henry, still dazed and out of it, crawled slowly toward his mentor. ¡°Get a hold of yourself, mage!¡± Yana snapped. Jax looked like he¡¯d had enough. He shot an angry glare at both of us, grabbed his staff from the ground, and stormed out of the chamber, pulling Henry behind him. ¡°Wait!¡± Fiona called after them. ¡°Don¡¯t go off on your own!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get them.¡± Luke muttered, rushing after the two. Fiona followed him. And then, it happened. A System message popped up, sending a shiver down my spine. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Alert] [Darkness Ascension Imminent] [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:29:59] [System will collapse after this event] What?! ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°Aidan?¡± Yana turned to me, confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± D¨¦j¨¤ vu screamed in my mind. This had already happened in a previous run. Erebus was thirty minutes away from devouring our world. I couldn¡¯t believe I was saying this, but¡­I needed to die and reset. Fast. But how? The claw downstairs! ¡°Aidan?¡± Yana repeated, her voice full of concern. All I could do was shoot her an apologetic glance, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I whispered. ¡°I need to leave.¡± Without waiting for her response, I rushed out of the chamber. ¡°Aidan, wait! What do you mean you need to leave?¡± Yana called after me, her voice rising. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight again!¡± No matter how hard it was, I ignored her, sprinting toward the staircase. As I Descended, I could still hear her footsteps behind me. ¡°Aidan, stop!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± I shouted over my shoulder, not slowing down. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, and stepped into the large, empty chamber that was floor 13, the scene before me made my heart drop. The bodies of Luke, Fiona, and Jax lay scattered across the ground, bleeding heavily, unmoving. Henry was hunched over Jax¡¯s body, sobbing uncontrollably. The claw. It must¡¯ve gotten them ¨C caught them by surprise. ¡°What?¡± Yana¡¯s voice came from behind me, shaking as she saw her fallen guild mates. ¡°No¡­¡± I didn¡¯t have time to feel sorry for them. My heart raced as I considered what I had to do next. But seeing how D¨¦j¨¤ vu reacted earlier, I knew I¡¯d likely already done this before ¨C already chosen to die on purpose. It still didn¡¯t make it easy. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and rushed toward the mark I had left on the ground. Stepping over it, I braced myself, ready for the invisible claw to strike. Just like before, it tore through the wall, flying at me. I stood firm, prepared for the fatal impact. It had to be done. But Yana wasn¡¯t having any of it. She pushed me aside with a forceful shove at the last moment, stepping in front of the claw. She raised her sword to block it, but the impact was too powerful, sending her crashing against the wall. ¡°Yana!¡± I shouted, rushing to her side. Her HP had dropped to about 30%, but she was still in one piece. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked frantically, my voice shaking. ¡°What am I doing?!¡± she snapped, glaring at me as she struggled to stand up. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I sighed. ¡°But please¡­just stay down.¡± ¡°Aidan,¡± she said, using the wall for balance as she finally pushed herself to her feet, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into you, but I¡¯m not letting you kill yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m not.¡± I replied, though I knew I basically was. ¡°I can¡¯t explain¡­¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m not staying down until you do explain.¡± She said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll jump in and let it kill me if that what it takes to protect you.¡± I sighed again, the weight of her words pressing down on me. Tears threatened to come out. I didn¡¯t deserve her. I never did. I glanced at the timer. [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:26:37] ¡°And there¡¯s no changing your mind?¡± I asked softly, already knowing the answer. ¡°No.¡± she said without hesitation, shaking her head. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on, and we¡¯ll work through it. Together.¡± I stood there, stunned by her persistence to save me. There was no other way. ¡°Okay.¡± I replied quietly, stepping toward her as I reached into my inventory. As I approached her, I shot one final glance at each of the people who had died here: Luke, Fiona, Jax. I didn¡¯t know them well enough, but still it pained me to see them like this. As I got close to Yana, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a hug. She was so startled she didn¡¯t even manage to hug me back before I disconnected, dropping the item I pulled from the inventory beside her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save you.¡± I whispered. Using Dash Step, I darted backward just as the Spark Bomb I dropped detonated, electrifying Yana, stunning her in place. It was tough seeing her like this - struggling in pain - knowing that I was the one inflicting her this harm. But I had no other choice. I turned toward the mysterious wall and used Wind Rush, sprinting forward. I could hear Yana¡¯s scream behind me as the claw struck me with full force, killing me instantly. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** I woke up on a wooden bench. The scent of the forest filled the air, accompanied by the soft chirping of birds all around me. Beside me sat a familiar figure, gripping a cane between both hands. ¡°Chronos!¡± I called out, sitting up quickly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He turned to me with a weak smile, looking tired. ¡°Of course, I am.¡± But he was lying. I could see Erebus¡¯ blight on his body. The wound from before had spread, reaching his neck now. He noticed my gaze lingering on it and covered it with his hand, pretending to scratch it. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s only going to get worse, really¡­¡± ¡°Worse?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He nodded weakly. ¡°Erebus had grown stronger. He always does. He now needs less time in each loop to bring the world to an end. But don¡¯t fret: things always get worse before they get better. You got this. I believe in you.¡± It was strange seeing him so supportive for once. Was getting sick turning him into a nicer god? One could only wish. ¡°I know I can do this.¡± I said, trying to sound confident. I recalled how I failed this run¡¯s Yana. I couldn¡¯t let her, and the others keep dying while I figured this out. I needed to end this faster. ¡°There¡¯s a way to slow him down,¡± Chronos said, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you exactly how, obviously, but I think you¡¯re bright enough to figure it out on your own.¡± I chuckled dryly. I take that back. He¡¯s still an asshole. ¡°What about that story you promised me?¡± I asked, not really expecting an answer from him. ¡°About you and a certain ex-assistant of yours?¡± He frowned. ¡°That is¡­That is one of the reasons I called you here, actually.¡± Chapter 53: A Lie Chapter 53: A Lie ¡°Where are Pix and Balthor?¡± I asked, bracing myself for what I assumed would be a serious story. ¡°I sent them away for this.¡± Chronos replied, his gaze fixed on the ground beside him. ¡°Even though the only one at fault was Erebus, they¡¯re still blaming themselves for what happened to Dolos, and I didn¡¯t want them to relive it again.¡± I swallowed hard, pointing to the Darkness blight on his neck. ¡°Should I be worried about you passing out on me again with them not around?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve consumed enough Essence of Time to keep me strong.¡± I recalled the term from my previous time here. When Pix and Balthor submerged Chronos inside that glowing liquid. ¡°What exactly is the Essence of Time?¡± "How to explain¡­" Chronos rubbed the back of his head, seemingly searching for the right words. ¡°It¡¯s basically the force of life. Time is life. It¡¯s everywhere around us. When it flows, life exists. When it stops, life ceases. Also, coincidentally ¨C or not ¨C it¡¯s what I¡¯m made of.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what you¡¯re made of?¡± I echoed, turning his words into a question. ¡°Yes.¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°Erebus and I are similar in that regard. I''m made of time - of life, while he is made of pure Darkness ¨C the essence of it.¡± It was all too confusing for a mere mortal like me, so I changed the subject. ¡°And yet you choose to appear as a human¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chronos said, smiling weakly. He gestured to his body. ¡°I prefer this appearance rather than using my true form or a disembodied voice. And since I only ever interact with humans, I feel like it makes everything more personal. Be it with my champions, Pix and Balthor, or¡­Dolos¡­¡± ¡°He was a human, too?¡± I asked, intrigued, though not exactly surprised. Chronos nodded. ¡°Yes. My best champion ever. Brilliant and brave. He struggled with the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System at first ¨C even more than you did, but once he got the hang of it, he made me believe it was practically broken. He was one of the champions I told you about ¨C the one who defeated Erebus forty runs early¡­¡± I let the words sink in, realizing the full weight of what Chronos was saying. Not only had Dolos wanted to screw Chronos and his champions every battle, but he was also probably the most qualified person to do so. He had been on both sides: as a champion, he was the best there ever was, and as Chronos¡¯ assistant, he was also highly praised. And worst of all, he was spiteful ¨C unable to forgive, unable to let go. Instead, he set himself on a dark path of revenge that might actually last for all eternity. Chronos continued. ¡°Before Dolos joined me, I was already struggling ¨C losing five worlds out of every hundred I fought for. That may sound like a good success rate, but when you consider each of those worlds held billions upon billions of lives that would never return, you realize that losing even once is enough to feel like you¡¯ve failed.¡± He looked up to the sky, looking like he was reminiscing. ¡°Then came the fight for Dolos¡¯ world. Seeing him in action ¨C seeing who he was ¨C opened me to the idea of getting an assistant. He was the first one. After he joined, everything changed. We were on a roll, saving worlds one by one. Pix and Balthor joined us eventually, and by then, we were practically unbeatable. Together, we only ever lost to Erebus once. And even then, there wasn¡¯t much we could¡¯ve done from our side¡­¡± Chronos¡¯ face suddenly darkened. ¡°And then he left, and everything went to hell. Erebus started winning more frequently. Each world he devoured made him stronger. Soon, I found myself back with the same five-percent loss rate I had when I was on my own. Then it got worse, plummeting even lower¡­¡± I listened carefully, trying to grasp the sheer consequences of his words. Five worlds lost out of every hundred¡­What was it like for those people? How did life just end for them ¨C how did their world end? My mind struggled to fathom the idea of the loss of everything. I tried to anchor myself with concepts I could better understand. ¡°You told me how Dolos left your side and became¡­well, whatever he is today. But how did he get to choose his own champions and take part in all of this after leaving?¡± ¡°I was building towards it¡­¡± Chronos said, his tone heavy. ¡°As I said, things were getting tough, and I wanted him back. I needed him back. ¡°Spying on Dolos¡¯ failed journeys across the realms, I thought maybe he¡¯d want to return too. That he¡¯d remember we treated him like family, that we¡¯d welcome him back with open arms. I hoped he had enough time to understand why I made that decision. ¡°So, I approached him. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t seem like he hated me anymore. Perhaps that should¡¯ve been the first red flag, but I¡¯ve missed it. He was cautious of me ¨C he¡¯d step back whenever I got too close ¨C but he was talkative. That alone was better than the day he left. I took it as a good sign.¡± Chronos paused, shaking his head. ¡°What a fool I was.¡± Chronos sighed deeply before continuing. ¡°He listened to everything I had to say: about our struggles, about Erebus¡¯ growing power. And when I finished, he gave me his answer. ¡°He said he could never return to us ¨C not after everything that had happened. But considering the high stakes of it all, he was willing to lend a helping hand.¡± I stayed silent, slowly beginning to understand as Chronos went on.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°During his cursed travels, he acquired dangerous, evil magic ¨C magic that could rival Erebus¡¯ Darkness itself. He obtained a realm of his own ¨C the one we¡¯ve visited together ¨C and proposed something unexpected: that I let him join the fight as a separate party. He wanted to choose his own champion. He wanted to equip them with a new System of his own design. He claimed that together, our two champions could team up, improving our chances of success.¡± Chronos sighed again. ¡°Originally, having more than one champion was impossible for me. Too much of my power goes into maintaining the time loop element of it all. Adding another champion would have to cut the number of maximum runs for both. ¡°But with Dolos¡¯ newly acquired cursed magic, he could fuel his own champion¡¯s System and its maximum runs. That would leave me to focus only on my own champion, and the time aspect of things.¡± Chronos suddenly let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Telling you this now only makes me realize how utterly foolish I was. I mean, our champions could never actually team up. That would completely defeat the purpose of the subtle leveling-up the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System is designed to provide. ¡°Of course, I couldn¡¯t have known that Dolos¡¯ System would allow his champions to retain all their memories. But honestly? I should¡¯ve guessed it. He always hated that element of the System. Hated how it forced champions to grow incrementally instead of exponentially. ¡°And yet¡­¡± Chronos voice softened. ¡°Despite knowing all that, even back then ¨C despite knowing that the Dolos I knew was likely already gone ¨C in that one moment, I just wanted to believe him. ¡°I wanted to believe he was on my side again, even if he wasn¡¯t really there anymore. That we¡¯ll be able to succeed in saving worlds like we did in the past.¡± He sighed, his shoulders slumping. ¡°So, I let myself hope. My mind just¡­shut down, I suppose. And I agreed.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We sealed a godly pact ¨C one from which there was no going back. He was forever reintroduced into the timeless battle, this time as an active, independent party.¡± It was surprising to hear Chronos like this. He sounded so much more human than a god. I could even empathize with him, understanding his emotions. Now, I finally knew how it all started. But what happened after that? And what occurred in that final battle they kept going back to in Dolos¡¯ realm? ¡°How did it go after that?¡± I asked, curious. ¡°Well,¡± Chronos began, ¡°in our first battle with this new arrangement, I quickly realized what I told you before ¨C that our champions could never truly work together. Dolos calmed me down, brushing it off as a mild inconvenience. He assured me that his champion would subtly look out for mine. And for a time, he did. Similar to how Goren quote-unquote helped you in the beginning.¡± I nodded, recalling Goren¡¯s ¡°help¡± that got me into this shitty deal with my existence still on the line. Chronos continued. ¡°Both champions managed to reach the finish line together, ready to imprison Erebus. But then Dolos¡¯ champion did something I never imagined ¨C he killed mine, right before the final moment.¡± ¡°He¡­he killed him?¡± I stammered, in disbelief. ¡°But¡­why?¡± ¡°Dolos tricked him, of course. He told him it was a necessity.¡± Chronos said bitterly. ¡°Killing my champion gave his enough XP to level up fully and unlock a unique ability ¨C one that allowed him to imprison Erebus entirely on his own and save their world.¡± Chronos turned angrier. ¡°When I demanded Dolos explain himself, he said something I¡¯ll never forget. It showed me that our partnership had been over since the day I refused to reset Arabella¡¯s death. ¡°He said ¡®Well, the world is saved, but will you reset the time to revive your champion? You won¡¯t, right? The lives of many are more important than the lives of one. Isn¡¯t that what you told me when you left her dead?¡¯¡± A shiver ran down my spine. Chronos¡¯ voice grew quiet as he continued. ¡°And he was right. I didn¡¯t revive my champion. I left him for dead because imprisoning Erebus and saving the world was indeed more important. And from that moment on, I knew Dolos wasn¡¯t only not an ally. He was an enemy. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t undo the deal. He kept sending his champions to hurt mine, their System offering them XP for it. Suddenly, everything became so much harder. In addition to Erebus, Dolos was suddenly another factor I needed to take into account. And because of him, we started losing even more. ¡°But Dolos didn¡¯t care.¡± Chronos shook his head, visibly frustrated. ¡°As I told you before, he just wants to make me suffer. And he did. On plenty of occasions. But it was never enough for him. ¡°And then,¡± he said, his voice dropping even lower, ¡°we reached our last battle ¨C the one before yours. That¡¯s when Dolos really outdid himself.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Since Dolos rejoined, most of the battles against Erebus played out awfully similar. His champions would employ trickery, trying to thwart mine. I was prepared for that and warned my champions, but that gave birth to a new problem. "Retaining the memories regarding Dolos¡¯ champions influenced my champions¡¯ loops immensely, significantly altering their decision-making. Over time, this led to some being marked by Erebus. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t let you remember Goren.¡± He paused, glancing at me. ¡°Perhaps I was too restrictive in that, but past experiences made me cautious. I had to make sure that my champions are first and foremost protected from Erebus.¡± Then, Chronos fully turned to face me, his expression grim. ¡°Then, in the last battle, Dolos played me like a fiddle. Out of nowhere, he offered a deal ¨C a truce where his champion wouldn¡¯t interfere with mine for the entire battle. ¡°I knew there had to be a catch, but I was so frustrated with the mounting pressure against Erebus ¨C and now Dolos ¨C that I missed what he was truly aiming for.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°This deal caused the loop to play out exactly as the first one did ¨C the one after he rejoined. Both champions reached the finish line together. Dolos¡¯ champion attempted to kill mine, but this time mine was prepared. They fought, and both died. ¡°Mine killed his, but then succumbed to his wounds before he could imprison Erebus.¡± Chronos shook his head. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if we had more time, but we¡­didn¡¯t. It happened in the last possible run of the System. ¡°And so¡­Erebus won. Growing ever stronger.¡± Fear gripped my heart. Their exchange finally made sense. But saying ¡®they both lost that time¡¯ was an exaggeration on Dolos¡¯ side. It was obvious only Chronos truly lost there. "That''s why I keep telling you, Aidan - stay away from Goren as much as you can." Chronos said. "It doesn''t matter if he''s a good person. Eventually, Dolos will offer him something and he''ll betray you." I swallowed hard, recalling how at the start of the day I actually considered agreeing to Goren''s truce. Perhaps I had dodged an arrow there... I recalled a question I wanted to ask Chronos. ¡°Could the last battle be the reason Erebus was already conversing with the High Priestess of Axul a thousand years ago? Because he had grown strong enough to prepare beforehand?¡± Chronos nodded. ¡°Good job on piecing that together despite all the System¡¯s restrictions. Yes, you¡¯re right. But it¡¯s even worse than that. Erebus was so strong at that moment, he was ready to devour your world back then. Two worlds in mere years. The only reason he didn¡¯t was because the Core System was placed in your world. That slowed down his plans ¨C eventually bringing them to a complete halt. ¡°Until now, that is¡­¡± ¡°The Core System was placed in our world?¡± I echoed, curious. ¡°By who?¡± Chronos grew thoughtful. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but I assume it was my father.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chronos said, nodding solemnly. ¡°He¡¯s the one your people call the Creator.¡± Chapter 54: Goren: A God and His Rogue Chapter 54: Goren: A God and His Rogue After failing to slay the Razor Basilisk, Goren woke up on a stack of hay. It would¡¯ve made his body itch ¨C if it were actually hay. As he brushed his hand against it, the so-called hay dissolved into mud. ¡°Figures I¡¯m here.¡± He muttered his breath, the called out into the air. ¡°Show your shape-shifting face, you wretched god!¡± ¡°No need to shout, my boy. I¡¯m right here.¡± Came a voice from behind him. Startled, Goren spun around, instinctively leaping to his feet. Dolos, now taking the appearance of an old farmer ¨C a classic of his, grinned at him. ¡°I told you to stop doing that.¡± Goren said, frustrated. The farmer shrugged casually. ¡°I¡¯m doing my part in creating the strongest Rogue in the history of your world. Surely you¡¯ll forgive me for jesting every now and then.¡± He smiled, revealing missing teeth. Goren sighed heavily. He hated being called to Dolos¡¯ realm. Everything about it was revolting. The hay was mud. The grass was writhing worms. The ground pulsed constantly beneath his feet, as if alive. Even the birds chirping around likely weren¡¯t birds ¨C what they were, he didn¡¯t know, and he didn¡¯t want to find out. The answer, he was certain, would unsettle even someone like him. ¡°What do you want?¡± Goren asked sharply. ¡°You hadn¡¯t called me here for a long while, and I liked it that way.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The old farmer groaned, clutching his chest dramatically. ¡°You¡¯ve broke my heart, my boy.¡± ¡°Stop with the theatrics!¡± Goren snapped. He really, really hated it here. Dolos dropped the act at once, his form shifting fluidly into a woman with short, dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Her face was familiar to Goren ¨C too familiar. His mother. She had a tired look on her face ¨C the same one she had after she overexerted herself and before she collapsed. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare¡­¡± Goren growled, anger simmering inside him, threatening to explode. ¡°What?¡± She asked innocently, tilting her head. ¡°What kind of son wouldn¡¯t want to see his mother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see my mother ¨C my real mother ¨C once I end Erebus and free myself from you and this shitty time loop.¡± Goren retorted, his tone growing emotional. ¡°Switch. Your. Form. Now!¡± She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Or what? What can you even do? You¡¯re nothing here. Some might argue you¡¯re nothing out there too.¡± Her lips curled into a mocking smile. ¡°Well, you were nothing. That¡¯s for sure. Nothing until I molded you into something.¡± Goren¡¯s fists clenched, his teeth grinding, but he didn¡¯t argue. He couldn¡¯t. The bastard was right, and he hated that fact more than anything. Before he was chosen ¨C before this quest ¨C he had been just another Rogue. He capped at level 57, reaching a dead end. There were only so many quests he could take. Rogues were highly sought after in the kingdom¡¯s inner circles, with their unique skill sets making them ideal for espionage, intelligence gathering, and, on rare occasions, even political assassinations. Even the king and his royal court secretly used their services all the time. That was the only reason that despite the fact the class had operated on the wrong side of the law, they were untouched. More than that, they were even allowed to form guilds. The problem was that the truly high-paying jobs were reserved for those who surpassed level 75. Those were the real elites of the class, the ones whose names carried weight, like his guild master Miss Belle, or her right-hand-woman, Evangelina Volker. Being as low as 57, Goren had to settle for scraps. Compared to other classes in the adventuring world, those scraps were still considered high-paying, but it was barely enough to cover his mother¡¯s medical bills and take care of himself and his little brother. ¡°Just get it over with.¡± Goren said, exhaling in frustration. ¡°Good.¡± She nodded, her voice sharp. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your place.¡± With a fluid shift, Dolos reverted to the form of the old farmer. ¡°Show it to me. The shard.¡± Goren reached into his inventory and pulled out the Darknessbound Core (Shard C), holding it out to Dolos. ¡°Is this what you wanted me to find?¡± he asked as Dolos took the small, nail-sized grey stone from his hand. Dolos turned it over in his fingers, inspecting the shard under the fake sunlight that bathed his fake realm. ¡®I wonder what the sun here really is?¡¯ Goren found himself thinking, his attention drifting. ¡°Yes.¡± Dolos finally said. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°What the hell is it anyway?¡± Goren asked, genuinely curious. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Dolos replied curtly, handing the shard back to Goren. ¡°You¡¯re not going to use it, so you don¡¯t need to know.¡± Goren sighed in frustration. Dolos always did this ¨C always kept him in the dark.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. This time, surprisingly, Dolos seemed to notice Goren¡¯s irritation, offering a bit more detail. ¡°You don¡¯t need it to defeat Erebus.¡± Dolos said. ¡°You will be strong enough to do that on your own. Unlike a certain Spellsword we know.¡± A sly smirk tugged at his lips. ¡°You only need it to ensure your fight with him proceeds as planned.¡± ¡°So, you said¡­¡± Goren whispered. He still couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the idea that he would have to erase Spellsword from existence because of a god¡¯s whim. ¡°You¡¯re that sure he won¡¯t get strong enough?¡± The old farmer laughed. ¡°Of course not! Are you serious?¡± He studied Goren for a moment, his amusement growing. ¡°Wait¡­you were serious!¡± Goren rolled his eyes, growing uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯ll explain why this is so funny to me.¡± Dolos said, shaking his head and chuckling. ¡°You see, I had to endure this horrendous System he¡¯s wielding. I know all its strengths and weaknesses. Frankly, it¡¯s outdated ¨C just barely serving its purpose anymore. But he just refuses to change it.¡± ¡°You used his System?¡± Goren asked, puzzled. ¡°You were a champion too?¡± ¡°I was. Serving The God of Time, Chronos.¡± Dolos replied, his face twisting in disgust at the admission. He rolled his head, releasing a faint pop as his bones cracked. ¡°Anyway, his memories aren''t erased between loops - they''re just repressed, and eventually he will acquire them all, but when that happens it would be too late. The second Aidan gets marked by Erebus ¨C and trust me he will, there''s no escaping it ¨C his progression will grind to a halt. He¡¯ll still level up and get stronger, but never enough. He won¡¯t be able to avoid the confrontation with you.¡± Goren turned to Dolos, his anger rising as the god reminded him of something unpleasant. "The mark, you bastard! Why didn''t you tell me I was marked?" Dolos chuckled at the question. "And deny you the opportunity of making friends with the last Axul alive? I would never..." "Yeah. Right...We both know that''s bullshit." Goren rolled his eyes in frustration, turning to a different question that bothered him. ¡°So, you and Spellsword''s god ¨C Chronos, or whatever ¨C you served him?¡± ¡°My, my,¡± Dolos said with a laugh. ¡°Someone¡¯s curious today.¡± ¡°Answer.¡± Goren demanded, his voice firm. The old farmer chuckled again, then shrugged. ¡°I suppose you deserve that much.¡± He turned away from Goren as he began to speak. ¡°I was a soldier. A soldier defending his lands from a foreign invader determined to conquer and unite the entire world under his banner. That¡¯s when Chronos recruited me ¨C dragged me into a battle I couldn¡¯t have even imagined was happening behind the scenes. A battle for my entire universe. ¡°I was equipped with that terrible, terrible System, and using my wits and skills alone, I managed to turn the lemons I was handed into a lemonade.¡± ¡°Metaphors, huh?¡± Goren jabbed. It was his only way to counter Dolos. ¡°My people loved those.¡± Dolos said, a small smile tugging at his lips as he continued. ¡°Then, when all was done and the world was saved, I prepared to return to the battlefield. I still had a war to win. But the damn manipulator just couldn¡¯t let me go¡­¡± ¡°Manipulator?¡± Goren asked, his curiosity piqued. ¡°Yes!¡± Dolos exclaimed, his voice rising. ¡°There¡¯s no other way to put it.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Poor Aidan is just being dragged along by Chronos, likely believing every word he says. Chronos probably tells him I¡¯m the bad guy in all of this. And Aidan swallows it whole because he just can¡¯t help it ¨C just like none of us could!" He exhaled angrily before continuing. "Chronos is a manipulative liar. Everything he does - everything he says - has a reason behind it. All are mental devices he uses to influence his champions. He always knows which buttons to press to get what he wants!¡± Goren¡¯s heart raced. He had never seen Dolos this agitated. This wasn¡¯t just touching a nerve ¨C it was setting his entire nervous system on fire. Dolos took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down before continuing. ¡°Anyway, I thought I was done with him but the bastard showed up out of nowhere,¡± he said, his tone still sharp, ¡°and practically pressured me to join him ¨C to become his assistant.¡± He shook his head slowly, his voice bitter. ¡°The audacity! I had a wife. I had two baby children I didn¡¯t get to see grow up because of the damn war. The enemy was at our gates, and I was fighting so they would have a future! ¡°But Chronos? He just had his way with words. He knew exactly what kind of person I was. He knew that if he framed his arguments in a certain way, I wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. He knew me. He knew that offering me the chance to save billions upon billions of lives would make it impossible for me to say no. ¡°And so¡­I agreed.¡± Dolos began pacing, his movements restless, his voice barely containing his rage. ¡°I helped him. I did everything in my power so we could defeat Erebus, time after time. But it wasn¡¯t enough for him. "I suggested improvements to his damn System, but he refused every time, saying, ¡®if it ain¡¯t broke, it don¡¯t need fixing¡¯.¡± Dolos mimicked Chronos¡¯ voice with sarcasm. ¡°I endured in silence. I watched as our champions achieved victory after victory ¨C but at such terrible costs. ¡°Some were maimed for life. Others lost their best friends, their families, their lovers. And Chronos? He didn¡¯t care. For him, the end goal was all that mattered.¡± He stopped pacing and turned to Goren, visibly boiling with anger. ¡°I ask you, Goren Shein,¡± Dolos said, his voice trembling with emotion, ¡°how is that fair?! How is it fair that someone we forcefully recruit into this fight ¨C a person who suffers so much to save the world ¨C has to lose everything by the end of it? Everything they fought for?! And all after there was so much we could¡¯ve done about it beforehand!¡± Goren didn¡¯t know if he could believe him. Dolos had proven himself to be cunning on many occasions, but his emotions seemed raw, almost sincere. So, Goren stayed silent and continued to listen. ¡°And then she came,¡± Dolos said, his gaze drifting away, as though lost in a memory. ¡°The beautiful Arabella¡­¡± his voice softened. ¡°If souls and reincarnations are real, then Arabella was my wife ¨C there¡¯s no doubt in my mind. She had the same fire my Celeste had. I couldn¡¯t fight it. I fell in love with her all over again.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I could already guess how it would end for her, and I didn¡¯t want that. I went to Chronos again, begged him to change things while there was still time. To adjust things before it was too late. But he refused, just like before. ¡°And then, everything I feared came to pass. To defeat Erebus, Arabella had to sacrifice herself ¨C to blow herself up to imprison Darkness. And for what? Another thousand years of peace for Chronos? ¡°They¡¯re both timeless, for crying out loud! Both Chronos and Erebus experience millennia as if they were minutes!¡± Dolos suddenly laughed bitterly. ¡°Of course, he refused to revert time and save her. For him, the end always justifies the means. Who cares about one girl, when billions of lives are saved, right?¡± he paused, his voice dropping to a growl. ¡°Well, wrong! I cared for her! And I cared for all the ones who came before her ¨C because I knew what it was like to be one of them! ¡°So, I left. And I never looked back.¡± Goren tilted his head, confused. ¡°And yet¡­here you are. Fighting Erebus again?¡± Dolos nodded, a grin spreading across his face. It wasn¡¯t a smile of joy but one of pure malice. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not fighting Erebus anymore.¡± Dolos said calmly. ¡°He¡¯s secondary to me now. If you kill him ¨C great. If you don¡¯t ¨C I don¡¯t care, as long as you kill Aidan Dar. As long as Chronos suffers. "In my eyes, he''s even more evil than Erebus." Dolos shook his head. "The only difference is that while one of them is a being of pure destruction that will never cease to exist - nor could it change its ways - the other is a more controlled, calculated evil." His grin widened as he continued. ¡°So I''ll continue as long as the blight of Erebus burns him ¨C burns him until he can no longer exist." He turned to face Goren, a grin spreading across his face. "They say gods can¡¯t die, right?¡± He said as he approached his champion, leaning closer for a whisper. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just here to test that claim.¡± Chapter 55: Losing Touch Chapter 55: Losing Touch I rushed through the dark corridor, sliding low to dodge an incoming silky projectile from the Void Spider in front of me. In one quick motion, I swung Silverfang in a wide arc, slicing through the spider and killing it with one hit. [+294 XP] Suddenly, the wall to my side trembled violently, then shattered as a Razor Serpent burst through, its bladed head flying toward me. I raised Silverfang to block just in time. Then, I immediately released the weapon, allowing it to dematerialize back into my inventory as I summoned the Astral Spear. With the legendary weapon in my hands, I drove the edge through the narrow gap, piercing the serpent¡¯s eye. [+544 XP] [Quest Completed: Motherfucking Snakes in this Motherfucking tomb #2] [Reward: 15,000 XP] [+15,000 XP] [New Quest Available: Motherfucking Snakes in this Motherfucking tomb #3] [Slay 250 Razor Serpents] [Current Status: 100 / 250] [Reward: 20,000 XP] But I had no time to even sigh in relief, a skittering sound filled the corridor. From both ends, they came ¨C dozens, no, hundreds ¨C Void Centipedes, their armored bodies writhing as they charged me. Checkpoint was already used, so there was nothing left for me to do but fight to the death. I switched back to Silverfang and charged a Blur Strike, attacking everything in my sight before the Void Centipedes overwhelmed me and ripped me to shreds. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 44] [Loop Count: 55] [Experience Points (XP): 25,394 / 71,000] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] Loop 55¡­twelve runs until the end¡­nine until I had to face Goren¡­and I was nowhere near finishing this. Kelltins still held the third shard of the Darknessbound Core, but will he show up to the quest? An Echo of my conversation with Goren revealed that Kelltins told him he¡¯d quit. If he actually did, then I was screwed. Without the final shard, I couldn¡¯t complete the core and attempt to imprison Erebus. So instead, I¡¯d spent my time leveling up like a madman, even slaying a few bosses along the way, while scouring for the unknown items Chronos had mentioned. I had no idea what I was looking for, yet I¡¯d stumbled upon one: a small, glassy orb called the Eye of Axul. It came with no description, and I had no idea what to do with it. Chronos hadn¡¯t called me since he told me about the last battle and revealed himself as the son of the Creator. The revelation still felt bizarre. But it had changed how I saw him. He was no longer just some random god who appeared out of nowhere. Now, in my eyes, he had a deeper connection to humanity, even though he clarified that the Creator humanity believed in wasn¡¯t his father but more of a human construct. But a Creator did exist ¨C his father ¨C and he created the universe ¨C all of them, to be precise. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System¡¯s skill menu. 1. D¨¦j¨¤ vu ¨C Lvl.8 / 10 Passive skill. Triggers faint recollections of past loops, increasing awareness of events that have happened. 2. Afterimage ¨C Lvl.8 / 10 Creates an afterimage of yourself, retracing your past selves¡¯ movements for a brief duration. 3. Temporal Trace ¨C Lvl.8 / 10 Allows vision of the Time Plane, and the ability to mark a specific location on it visible only to you. Remains between loops unless removed. 4. Echo Sense ¨C Lvl.8 / 10 Passive skill. Allows to hear echoes from past loops such as conversations and etcetera. 5. Checkpoint ¨C Lvl.7 / 10 Sets a temporal anchor point, allowing you to revert to this moment upon death with memories of the current loop intact (single use per loop). 6. Mirror Leveling ¨C Lvl.1 / 1 - MAX Passive skill. For each level you gain in the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System, you receive an additional skill point to allocate into your Core System. 7. Muscle Memory ¨C Lvl.3 / 3 - MAX Passive skill. Your body becomes attuned to enemies¡¯ attack patterns from past loops, often reacting instinctively during combat.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. With every skill progression blocked by a restriction requiring another skill to be upgraded first, I ended up leveling all my skills to 8 except for Checkpoint, which I was focusing on now. After I maxed it, I could move on to Afterimage, then Echo Sense, then Temporal Trace, and finally, D¨¦j¨¤ vu. Curse this damn System... [Skill Upgraded: Checkpoint lvl.8] [Next Level: lvl.9: You can set multiple anchor points and choose the one you respawn at. No time limit for the anchors.] Level 8¡¯s ability to change the anchor placement with a renewed timer was already good, but level 9¡­that sounded even better. I shifted to my Core System and placed the extra point into Agility. I¡¯d already passed level 100. Who would¡¯ve thought? I was now level 105 ¨C still likely behind Goren¡­ [Status Menu] 50 points in Agility. I wasn¡¯t sure how much Lady Mikaela had, but I¡¯d bet I could give her a run for her money in speed. Reaching so high in Agility had not only boosted my damage scaling and speed to insane levels, but it had also enhanced many of my existing skills and even unlocked new ones. Enhanced Blade Rush provided an extremely long casting range. Enhanced Dash Step covered larger distances, improving my evasions. Enhanced Blur Strike extended the skill¡¯s duration, reduced charging time, and allowed to target more enemies. The new skills were: Mirage Step ¨C a skill that allowed me to leave multiple mirrored versions of myself behind. Though unable to attack, they made excellent decoys as enemies couldn¡¯t tell us apart. And Apex Reflex ¨C a skill that allowed me to slow time from my perspective momentarily when attacked, ensuring I could dodge, parry or reposition out of danger. As for the Air Magic skill tree, I had maximized all existing skills and unlocked two new ones: Air Barrage ¨C an evolution of Wind Arrow, allowing me to fire a volley of air projectiles in a high arc, raining destruction over a large area. And Typhoon ¨C a skill that unleashed a wave of wind in all directions around me, perfect for dealing with overwhelming numbers. As for my weapon arsenal, I began training in weapon-swapping ¨C the art of cycling through multiple weapons in a fight, summoning and discarding them at a moment¡¯s notice thanks to the inventory¡¯s materialization mechanics. Knowing I wouldn¡¯t remember anything between loops, I left myself an Echo in my room, instructing my future self to train in weapon-swapping. Fearing that an Echo such as this wouldn¡¯t transfer into my next run because of the System''s restrictions, I ensured I¡¯d get the message by leaving a Temporal Trace mark on each of my weapons. Having all of them marked would definitely make my amnesiac self realize I needed all of them, which would eventually lead me to understand the clue I left for myself. Seeing how it worked this morning, I¡¯d say I¡¯m a genius. Once the hint was pieced together, I was surprised to see my own muscle memory ¨C not the skill ¨C preserving my progress in weapon-swapping, much to my relief. Thank you, past Aidans. I now possessed the Astral Spear, Christian¡¯s grandfather¡¯s legendary weapon. The weapon duplicated itself after the first time I took it. I had an Astral Spear in my inventory, but whenever I visited Christian to stock up, a second Astral Spear was there inside the guild¡¯s storage room. This wasn¡¯t surprising, considering I¡¯d already discovered Nightfall in my second inventory while still finding it under my bed in the morning. Sadly, creating three copies was impossible - the System denied me that. In addition to the spear, Silverfang was still there. There was something about the glaive that just felt right for me ¨C like it belonged in my hands. Lightning Claw, the dagger I crafted from Pack Leader¡¯s fang, was too good to turn down with its unique skills. Nightfall, despite its low level, was also marked. I assume my past selves believed it had earned its place back in our arsenal. Well, some of its skills could still be highly effective against certain foes. And as for the Sword of Radiance ¨C the glowing sword in my second inventory that was supposedly keeping me safe from Erebus, despite its level requirement of 100, I still couldn¡¯t wield it. Once I passed 100, I tried to, but a new requirement showed up: [Sword of Radiance: Not allowed to use weapon. Must be ¡°Chosen of the Light¡±] What does that even mean? Was ¡°Chosen of the Light¡± an item I needed to find? A sub-quest I needed to complete? Of course, the damn D¨¦j¨¤ vu System offered no guidance on the matter, leaving me in the dark. I rose from my bed after rewatching all the memory fragments in my second inventory. Conveniently, time didn¡¯t move while I experienced them, so viewing two fragments and twelve Vestiges of Time had only taken about five seconds in real time. But something else lingered ¨C exhaustion. I¡¯d assumed that forgetting everything between runs would prevent such fatigue, but it seemed my body remembered. Just as it retained weapon-swapping proficiency, it also carried the strain from my previous runs. But it wasn¡¯t only physical exhaustion, though ¨C it was mental as well. Yana was due to arrive in half an hour to pick me up for the quest. Yesterday ¨C 54 runs and a day ago ¨C I¡¯d felt so excited about seeing her again. But now? That excitement was gone. Replaced by something else. I didn¡¯t feel joy about my childhood friend ¨C the girl I¡¯d loved all my life, the one I hadn¡¯t seen in two years ¨C coming to see me. If anything, I felt the opposite. I didn¡¯t want to see her ¨C at least not yet. I just wanted to get to the tomb as fast as possible just to get this over with. I kept trying to reassure myself that these feelings were a product of the time loop, that after Erebus was gone, I¡¯d make up for lost time with Yana and my feelings would return. But would they? I could only hope. ***
Stocked up at Christian¡¯s. Headed to the tomb with Yana.
On our way to the tomb, Yana was finishing a story about her guild master, Lady Mikaela, and her incredible abilities. ¡°¡­She just darted from her spot instantly using Shadow Step and cut him in half in one slice. Gods, I¡¯m not doing it justice describing it half-assedly like this. It was just...wow. It was wow, Aidan! Wow!¡± But my mind was elsewhere. I wanted to be in the tomb already. I wanted to explore, to find what I was missing. Chronos had said there was a way to slow Erebus down and that he trusted me to find it. But I couldn¡¯t. And if I understood that memory from our last conversation correctly, the runs were getting shorter. Time was running out. The only reason I wasn''t marked yet was the sword... ¡°It was that boring, huh?¡± Yana asked suddenly, her voice sharp. She didn¡¯t look at me and that alone was enough to tell me she was upset. ¡°Sorry, Yan.¡± I said, trying to snap back to reality. ¡°I was just thinking about something.¡± ¡°About what?¡± she asked, looking genuinely curious. The image of her dying in my arms flashed in my mind. I wish I could tell you¡­ ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really¡­¡± I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. ¡°Nothing, huh?¡± I nodded, forcing a weak smile. ¡°Yeah, just random thoughts.¡± She sighed heavily, her demeanor shifting. Her frustration grew into something deeper ¨C hurt. ¡°You know, after two years of not seeing each other, I hoped you¡¯d be more excited to see me. That you would ¨C I don¡¯t know ¨C ask questions, show interest, maybe even act like you missed me or something. But¡­¡± she exhaled, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I was hoping for, really.¡± Before I could respond, she broke into a run, heading toward the tomb and leaving me behind. ¡°Yana, wait!¡± I called after her, but she didn¡¯t stop or even look back. Oh, great¡­well, what are you doing, Aidan? Run after her! Tell her you¡¯re sorry. Tell her you care! But I didn¡¯t. I just stood there in silence, watching her figure shrink in the distance. The worst part was that I didn¡¯t really consider running after her. Deep down, I was content with what had just happened. ¡°But, what about us?¡± I suddenly heard an Echo of Yana¡¯s voice. What did she mean ¡®what about us¡¯? Why did she say this before? And yet, instead of feeling worried, curious, or even guilty, I felt nothing. Nothing except the burning desire to reach the tomb and make sure this run was the last. I reminded myself that I was fighting for her. That everything I was doing was for Yana. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t feel it anymore. Chapter 56: The Return to the Pit Chapter 56: The Return to the Pit
Reached the tomb on my own. Yana kept her distance. Aric Kelltins wasn¡¯t present ¨C his replacement from the Burning Suns was already here. We split into teams. Goren was supposed to be on mine, but he was replaced by a different Rogue named Dalton. We cleared the three chambers assigned to our team [+1,190 XP]. Defecting from my team members, I ventured inside the tomb on my own.
As I continued deeper into the tomb, reaching the staircase to the second level, my mind raced, trying to decipher what Chronos meant when he said there was a way to slow Erebus down. But nothing concrete came to mind. ¡°There¡¯s a shortcut here.¡± An Echo of Goren¡¯s voice suddenly sounded in my ears, startling me. The quality of the Echoes had become so good that it sometimes felt like the speaker was standing right next to me or as if I was talking aloud. Now¡­what kind of shortcut was he talking about? ¡°A shortcut? A shortcut to where?¡± I heard an Echo of my own voice. Good question, Aidan. I focused, hoping to catch more Echoes, but nothing else came through. Okay, plan B. I activated Afterimage and watched a ghostly version of myself rush down the staircase. Not this one. I mentally skipped to the next afterimage. At level 8, Afterimage allowed me to replay all of my past selves¡¯ actions within the given area. Cycling through the afterimages, I landed on one that caught my attention. This version of me stood in front of the wall to my side ¨C then suddenly phased right through it. A secret door? I approached the wall cautiously, gently running my fingers along its surface, searching for hidden levers or loose bricks. Noticing a few that seemed out of place, I was about to press one when another Echo from Goren stopped me. ¡°Would¡¯ve been quicker, but I forgot which bricks open the door and which spray acid on your face.¡± I stepped back faster than I ever had in my life. Was he joking? Serious? It was hard to tell. My current self knew nothing about Goren beyond the fact he¡¯d murdered me eight times, and some faint recollections through his Echoes. Still, I wasn¡¯t about to take the risk of acid to the face. I couldn¡¯t just skip this potential shortcut, though. I needed to see where it led. So, I approached the wall again, hoping D¨¦j¨¤ vu would guide me to the right bricks. But not before taking precautions. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] [Checkpoint lvl. 8: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 01:59:59] I ran my hand along the wall again, this time focusing on the soft tingling sensations of D¨¦j¨¤ vu in my mind. Eventually, two bricks stood out, each sparking the fait sense of familiarity. Do I need to press them in a specific order, or at the same time? Taking a deep breath, I decided on the former. I pressed the upper brick first, then the lower one, immediately rolling backward, bracing for a spray of acid. Nothing came. Instead, the wall groaned softly before sliding aside, revealing a dark chamber beyond. I sighed in relief before consuming a Lumindew and steeping inside. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] Once inside, I pulled the lever on the wall and the wall slid shut behind me. Good. I didn¡¯t want any curious individuals following me inside. Wherever inside was. The space before me was empty except for the massive hole in its center and a metallic ladder leading downward. Catching more Echoes of Goren, I pieced together that this place was some kind of shortcut to other floors in the tomb. Knowing I had nothing to lose, I gripped the ladder and made my way down, aiming to reach the bottom. ***
On my way down, I was attacked by a colossal, blade-covered snake ¨C the Razor Basilisk. Barely escaping with my life, I used Flight to descend to nearest floor ¨C somewhere in the 30s.
I rushed into a corridor just as the Razor Basilisk snapped at the wall behind me, its bladed head crashing against the stone. For a moment, I feared the wall might break under its force, but surprisingly, it held strong. Eventually, unable to reach me, the creature grew bored and slithered back into the hole it had emerged from.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. How the hell am I even supposed to fight this monstrosity? I was higher level than it, but its massive size and blade-covered body made approaching it nearly impossible. Still, I couldn¡¯t shake the thought that it might drop something important ¨C maybe even one of the items Chronos wanted me to find. Turning around to assess where I¡¯d ended up, I realized the entire corridor was filled with webs, covering the walls, floor, and ceiling. Oddly, there were no webs near the doorway to the void chamber, as if the spiders were deliberately avoiding this section. Yet the corridor beyond was nothing but silk, forming literal walls of webbing. But the spiders who made them were nowhere to be seen. I snapped my fingers, summoning a Fireball and hurling it at nearest wall of webs. The flames consumed the silk with ease, the burning scent filling my nostrils as I progressed. I continued forward, occasionally activating Distance Gauge to ensure I wasn¡¯t being ambushed. Eventually, I reached the end of the corridor ¨C or what used to be the end. The area was a devastated, collapse dead end. However, a narrow tunnel led downward, its walls coated with even more webs. Seeing as my only other option was to return and face the Razor Basilisk, I decided that dealing with some spiders was the lesser evil. I slipped into the narrow tunnel, crawling on all fours. The sticky webs clung to my hands and arms as I made my way through, every movement slower than I liked. At last, I reached the end of the tunnel. Its other side opened inside a wall, high above the ground of some large pit. I peeked through, and D¨¦j¨¤ vu tingled in response. I¡¯ve been here before. Then, the memory of my fight with Kaelstrife came rushing back. That¡¯s where I¡¯d defeated him. I scanned the pit below, recalling how the spiders had poured into this place during the fight. Could be a good place to farm more XP. I didn¡¯t have active access to my quests¡¯ statuses, but I had no doubt that killing enough spiders here would complete the related quest. Might as well. I activated Flight, carefully descending toward the pit''s floor. Once I landed, I took a moment to stretch, preparing myself for the residents¡¯ arrival. They didn¡¯t make me wait long. *** The first wave of Void Spiders crawled out from the holes in the walls, making their way toward me while others launched their web projectiles. I dodged easily with Enhanced Dash Step, waiting for the first spiders to reach the floor. As soon as they did, I activated Enhanced Blade Rush, closing the distance to the nearest spider. With a single swing of Silverfang, I split it in two. [+294 XP] I turned quickly, charging Silverfang for an Explosive Strike. The attack blasted through the next spider and sent shockwaves into the nearest ones, weakening them enough for me to finish them off in rapid succession. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] More web projectiles flew at me, but I activated Wind Rush and kept using Enhanced Dash Step to evade while firing Wind Arrows at the elevated spiders. The arrows knocked them from their perches, and I dispatched them swiftly on the ground. [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] [+294 XP] Despite my success so far, their number just kept growing. I used Enhanced Dash Step to create some distance, then raised a Wind Wall to shield myself as I charged Air Barrage. With a flick of my wrist, a volley of wind arrows arched into the air, raining down on the incoming spiders and killing dozens of them as they crashed their bodies and the ground beneath them, raising dust and debris. But they just kept coming. Still, I wasn¡¯t worried. Creating distance again, I channeled an Enhanced Blur Strike. I dashed forward, Silverfang slicing through every spider in my line of sight. I moved quickly, each move precise and accurate, utilizing every millisecond the skill provided me with to cut down as many as I possibly could. But again, they just kept coming, surrounding me from all sides. I wasn¡¯t about to be overwhelmed. I activated Typhoon, releasing a swirling vortex of wind around me. The violent blow knocked back all the Void Spiders that were closing in, giving me an opening to follow up with Enhanced Blade Rush. I darted forward, cutting down each one that had been pushed away while they couldn¡¯t retaliate. Moving quickly, I continued striking the spiders coming my way, slowly thinning their numbers. Finally, I began to see progress. To keep the pressure on, I used Mirage Step, leaving mirrored versions of myself behind. While the spiders were busy attacking these decoys, I channeled Horizon through Silverfang. A destructive wave of wind blasted through the cluster of spiders ahead, killing them all in one blow. The remaining spiders grew apprehensive, their movements almost hesitant. It almost seemed like they were afraid of me. Then, a piercing screech echoed through the pit. The Void Spiders stopped entirely, falling silent at they turned their attention to the tunnels above. I followed their gaze up. There, out of the largest opening, a monstrous figure began its descent ¨C a massive spider, far larger than the rest. D¨¦j¨¤ vu screamed in my mind. Arachnid Mother, level 85. ¡°How many times have you killed me already?¡± I whispered. Despite the sight of this foe, a strange surge of confidence shot through me. Immediately I took the offensive, closing the distance with Enhanced Blade Rush. But the Arachnid Mother was fast ¨C far faster than her size suggested. She dodged my attack effortlessly and countered with a snap of her sharp legs. I evaded with Enhanced Dash Step, avoiding the strike with ease as well. The Void Spiders rejoined the fight, forcing me to multitask. As I ran, evading the Arachnid Mother¡¯s web shots, I fired Wind Arrows, thinning the spider horde once more. Then, all of a sudden, I pivoted sharply, catching the monster off guard. Using Enhanced Blade Rush, I closed the distance and swung Silverfang, but she lunged backward, dodging the attack. Quickly shifting to the Astral Spear, I hurled it forward, activating Shooting Star, turning the spear into a high-velocity projectile. The weapon struck one of her legs, exploding on impact and ripping the limb off. The monster shrieked in pain as I mentally recalled the Astral Spear, and it reappeared in my hand out of thin air. She growled, attempting to inflict Fear status on me, but I was at a higher level than her. I passed the check without issue. In fact, I felt untouchable. She should be afraid of me. I swapped to Lightning Claw, locking onto the Arachnid Mother¡¯s eyes. Then, activating Stormpierce, I flashed forward, reappearing next to her with the dagger already embedded in one of her eyes. The guaranteed hit released a lightning charge that rippled through her body, causing her to shriek and swing her legs around in a frenzy as her HP dropped below 50%. I dodged with Enhanced Dash Step, creating distance as something changed. She let out another shriek ¨C far worse than the one before ¨C as her body began to convulse violently. Her spidery skin cracked and split apart. Dark fluid began pouring from the wounds as her form began to reshape. Her seven remaining legs twisted and elongated, merging into dozens of segmented limbs. Her body stretched unnaturally, the once round figure flattened and extended into a writhing shape covered in sharp metallic platings. The transformation was grotesque ¨C and that''s putting it mildly. By the end of it, her HP grew back to 100%, but the monster wasn¡¯t even a spider anymore. It was a centipede. Even the System registered the change, adding five additional levels to what it showed before and changing its name. Chilopendra Prime, level 90. What the hell is going on? Chapter 57: Shapeshifting Darkness Chapter 57: Shapeshifting Darkness There was no time for a breather. The giant centipede lunged at me immediately, its massive mandibles snapping at me just as I activated Enhanced Dash Step to evade. The ground where I stood a moment ago shattered under the force of its bite, crushed into rubble. Seeing its flank wide open, I activated Enhanced Blade Rush, closing the distance and striking at its side with Silverfang. But the glaive just bounced off its metallic armor, not leaving even a scratch. What the hell is this thing made of? Then, Chilopendra Prime twisted quickly, its long body coiling around in an attempt to crush me. I leapt into the air, activating Flight to go even higher, but the monster pursued, stretching its body as it chased me upward. What is the length of this thing?! Mid-air, I discarded Silverfang and brought my hands together, channeling a Charged Wind Arrow. I aimed at the nightmare-inducing creature and released the attack. The arrow struck true, hitting the centipede head-on ¨C but once again, its metallic armor absorbed the impact as it continued stretching higher after me. Running out of options, I pushed myself higher, speeding toward the tunnel opening above. Only a few seconds of Flight remained, and my gaze never left the approaching monstrosity. Then, Chilopendra Prime let out a nasty screech. Its face ¨C a grotesque combination of mandibles, spiny protrusions, and a bunch of tiny black eyes ¨C twisted. Its jaw unhinged, revealing hundreds of needle-like teeth, and it spat a torrent of dark fluid in my direction. Not wanting to discover what the fluid could do, I raised a Wind Wall, deflecting the attack just in time. It hissed against my air magic, but didn''t go through. I was almost at the tunnel the Arachnid Mother had descended from, only inches away, when the monster did something unexpectable. Chilopendra Prime shrieked again, its body convulsing violently. Its armor began to crack and peel away, chunks of it falling off mid-air, black fluid seeping from the fractures. Then, with a sharp, sickening sound, two massive, translucent wings burst out from within. They unfurled rapidly, veins pulsing as they stretched to their full span. I reached the tunnel and landed at its edge, watching as with a final screech, the centipede¡¯s body completely shattered. What appeared instead was something else. A giant, monstrous wasp. It was covered in the remains of its former form, coloring it black. Its wings buzzed furiously as it aimed its claw shaped mouth, and many eyes at me. The System registered the change again. The Queen, level 95. Again, what the hell? This thing can shapeshift and gain levels while it¡¯s at it?! The Queen aimed her massive stinger at me, shooting it with impossible speed. It happened so fast that my only option was to activate Apex Reflex. The world around me suddenly slowed down as I watched the stinger slicing through the air, already dangerously close to my body. I rolled out of its trajectory and the world snapped back to its regular speed. The stinger struck the ground beside me, crushing the stone and sending cracks rippling through the tunnel¡¯s floor and up the walls. Everything around me shook, threatening to collapse. Before I could react further, the Queen darted toward me, her wings blurring as she closed the distance. Then, mid-flight, her body twisted grotesquely. This time the transformation happened in mere seconds. Her wings fell off as thick plates of metallic armor burst out from her body and a large scorpion tail ripped through her stinger. By the time she landed inside the tunnel, she had fully transformed into a monstrous, metal-covered scorpion. The System reacted again. Scourgeclaw, level 95. Another transformation...Are you kidding me?! The colossal scorpion wasted no time, lunging forward with its tail aimed at me like a spear. I activated Wind Rush, propelling myself backward to evade the strike. The scorpion¡¯s tail slammed into the ground, deepening the cracks. Before I could recover, it lashed out again. I dodged with Enhanced Dash Step, weaving between strikes as its tail continued stabbing and slashing. Wait¡­what the hell am I doing? Why do I keep dodging? So, what if it can shapeshift? I¡¯m still stronger. That''s right¡­the constant transformations threw me off, but I am stronger. Time to act like it. I used more Enhanced Dash Steps to gain distance from the monster while summoning Silverfang into my hands. I need to get rid of its armor. Activating Shield Breaker, I enhanced Silverfang to break even the toughest of shields, though only for a short period of time.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The scorpion lunged again, and this time, I didn¡¯t retreat. I sidestepped its snapping claws and used Enhanced Blade Rush to appear at its flank. Once in striking distance, I swung at the joint connecting its leg to its body. The enhanced power of Shield Breaker drove the glaive through the metallic plating. The scorpion screeched in pain, its HP dropping to around 70%. It retaliated immediately, swinging both its claws and tail at me in a frenzied attack. I dodged swiftly, using Enhanced Dash Step to stay ahead of its strikes. Seeing an opening, I pressed the offensive. With Silverfang still empowered, I struck again and again, targeting the vulnerable joints of its legs and forcing it backward. When it snapped its tail at me once more, I executed a perfectly timed Enhanced Dash Step, evading the attack effortlessly. Then, swapping Silverfang for the Astral Spear, I lunged forward and drove the spear directly into the monster¡¯s eye. It shrieked in pain as its HP dropped to 30%. I dodged backward, expecting a retaliating attack, but it just stood there. Wait, is it going to transform again? I won¡¯t let it! Acting quickly, I swapped back to Silverfang and channeled Unyielding Charge, before shooting myself forward like an arrow with the glaive leading the way. The scorpion wasn¡¯t prepared for the sheer speed and force. Silverfang connected with its head plating, the impact shattering it and sending Scourgeclaw flying out of the elevated tunnel. I rushed to the edge and peered down. The monster was free-falling, its massive body twisting in the air, until it finally crashed down into the ground below. But instead of a crushed body, it turned into a black splatter that looked almost like ink. Was it¡­dead? But no System message appeared. No¡­it¡¯s not over yet. I was proven right as the impossible happened again. From the black stain on the ground, something began to rise ¨C a new beast emerging from the pool as though it were a portal. No. Not a new one. My heart raced as I saw the Razor Basilisk. Its blade-covered body erupted from the black liquid, rising higher and higher, drawing closer to me. Then, with the same sickening speed from before, it lunged at the tunnel. Its bladed jaws snapped forward, forcing me to dodge backward, retreating deeper into the spider-made tunnel. Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake. I didn¡¯t want to fight it before, and I still ended up doing so. Who would¡¯ve thought the giant snake was this shape-shifting monstrosity?! I rushed further into the tunnel, hurling Fireball after Fireball to burn away the silky webs on my path. Then the ground beneath me trembled violently. I stumbled, struggling to maintain my footing as cracks spread through the floor. Before I could react, a thunderous impact shuttered the tunnel completely, and I plummeted backward to the tunnel¡¯s opening, debris raining all around me. The tunnel tilted sharply, and I slid uncontrollably on my back, tumbling through the stone and loose webs. The falling debris hit me as I continued falling toward where the Razor Basilisk was likely waiting for me. If I reach that end, I¡¯m dead. It¡¯ll swallow me whole. And as I glanced in that direction, I saw the beast¡¯s maw open, proving me right. Desperate, I summoned the Astral Spear into my hand mid-slide. With a quick motion, I activated Shooting Star, hurling the spear with all my strength toward the snake¡¯s gaping mouth. The spear shot through the air with incredible speed, its high velocity creating a piercing whistling sound. But the Razor Basilisk moved its head with even greater speed, dodging the spear. Shit. Realizing my attack had failed and the snake was far too fast, I resummoned the Astral Spear with a mental command. It materialized in my hand, and I drove it into the ground next to me, stopping my fall. What the hell do I do now? An idea popped into my mind, but it was risky ¨C incredibly risky. Still, I had no better options. I discarded the Astral Spear, allowing myself to resume falling toward the snake. At the same time, I summoned Lightning Claw, targeting the snake¡¯s eye ¨C its only apparent vulnerable spot. Activating Stormpierce to ensure the attack lands. In an instant, I reappeared next to the monster, the dagger already embedded in its massive eye, sending a surge of lighting through its body, dropping its HP to 60%. But not everything went as planned. The Razor Basilisk¡¯s bladed scales perked up reflexively as I reappeared, and before I could do anything about it, three of them pierced through me. The pain was immense as my HP dropped to half. But worse than that, I was suspended on the blades, stuck on the snake¡¯s face. [Status Ailment: Bleeding - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] It twisted violently from the pain, slamming its head into the walls in an attempt to shake me off ¨C or kill me. Each impact sent another wave of pain through my already battered body, the blades tearing into me further until I finally fell down. The good part? I was finally flung off and landed on the ground, no longer impaled and smashed around. The bad part? [Health:10% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I rose slowly, every part of my body screaming in pain. The Razor Basilisk stopped writhing, its single, furious eye locking onto me. I quickly consumed a Coagulation Elixir to stop the bleeding. [Condition Applied: No Longer Bleeding] But there was no time to take a healing potion. The Razor Basilisk lunged again, its massive jaws snapping toward me. I used Enhanced Dash Step to evade, but something unexpected happened as the monster¡¯s head flew toward me. Something hit its head mid-air, a powerful strike that altered its trajectory, slamming it into the wall with a thunderous crash. No, not something. Someone. The figure landed next to me, and the System recognized him as no other than Goren Shein, level 123. He smirked, his tone mockingly confident. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Spellsword. I heard your cries for help, and I¡¯m here to assist.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t crying for help.¡± I replied flatly, far from amused. I reminded myself I couldn''t trust him. Not now. Not ever. His presence wasn¡¯t a relief ¨C it was a complication. Having him here would only split my focus, forcing me to treat him as a potential threat as much as the shape-shifting Razor Basilisk. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. Leave.¡± ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, don¡¯t be like that.¡± He grinned, nodding toward the snake as it struggled to rise. ¡°This thing been giving me trouble for more runs than I care to count, but I bet we can take it down together. Judging by how you look right now, I¡¯d say you need the help as well.¡± ¡°Help from you is no help at all.¡± I retorted, taking the opportunity to down every healing potion in my inventory. The magic coursed through me as my HP climbed back to 100%. Goren chuckled, clearly amused by my response. ¡°Okay, fair enough. Then hear me out ¨C how about this? You take the lead, I¡¯ll follow every command you give me.¡± I hesitated for a moment, recalling Chronos¡¯ warnings to never trust Goren since Dolos was behind his every move. But it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t trust him. In fact, I¡¯ll use him as bait to take this thing out. And it¡¯s not like I can actually drive him away. ¡°You¡¯ll follow everything I say?¡± I asked, confirming his words. He nodded eagerly, his smirk growing. ¡°Lead the way, General Spellsword.¡± I rolled my eyes, sighing in disbelief. The Razor Basilisk finally rose from the ground, its bladed body towering over us as it fixed its gaze on us. I turned to Goren, my voice firm. ¡°Follow me. Don¡¯t get in the way. And remember ¨C I have to be the one to kill it.¡± Goren¡¯s smile grew even wider. ¡°Ay, ay, Captain.¡± Chapter 58: The Void Chapter 58: The Void The true size of the Razor Basilisk remained a mystery to me. Back when it attacked me in the shortcut room, it had already seemed impossibly large. But now, its massive body coiled across at least a fifth of the pit, with the rest of it disappearing into the ink-like portal on the ground ¨C a portal that led to god knows where. ¡°Distract it!¡± I commanded Goren as we both ran toward it, a plan hatching in my mind. There was no approaching the creature head-on without either being smashed by its sheer size or skewered by its blade scales. To stand any chance, we had to weaken it from a distance, breaking its scales to uncover more weak points and strike at those. Right now, its single remaining eye was the only exposed vulnerability ¨C and it was elevated far above us together with its giant head. Reaching it would be difficult under the current circumstances and hitting it from afar already proved to be impossibly hard. I also wondered what Goren could do. I had no real idea what he was capable of. My past selves had likely seen some of his skills, but not me. I wanted to learn the extents of his abilities. Somewhere deep inside, perhaps I knew our confrontation was inevitable, despite my attempts to prevent it. I tried shaking these thoughts off, focusing on ending Erebus as quickly as I could and returning to Yana, but I also had to be practical and realistic. With how things stood at the moment, there was no escaping it ¨C we¡¯d have to fight with our very existences on the line. And all because of a timeless grudge between two godlike deities. Just moments ago, Goren had hit the monster with enough force to send it crashing into the wall ¨C and emerged unscathed from the encounter. That alone proved he had the strength to contend with the creature¡¯s bladed body, unlike me. And yet, he had admitted to struggling against the Razor Basilisk for a while. And despite being nearly thirty levels above the creature, he was the one to offer to team up. This meant one of two things: he had his limits too, or he was lying. I¡¯d bet on the latter to be the correct answer. Either way, I reminded myself that his safety would not be my priority in this fight. If Goren died, he died. I don¡¯t care. ¡°Gotcha.¡± Goren said, blinking forward repeatedly, appearing and reappearing from black smoke. D¨¦j¨¤ vu tingled in my mind, likely reminding me I¡¯d seen this skill of his before. The Razor Basilisk didn¡¯t wait, snapping its jaws at the approaching Goren, who continued to evade effortlessly in bursts of black mist. Good. Keep it busy. Meanwhile, I turned to my side of the job ¨C ripping the snake¡¯s scales off. Now, that it was fixated on Goren and ignoring me, I had just the tool for it. I swapped to the Astral Spear, charging Shooting Star, and hurling the spear at the snake¡¯s body. The spear hit, exploding on impact and tearing several of its bladed scales free. It was reassuring to see the spear manage its task, but there was a problem. If each Shooting Star spear removed such a small amount of scales, I¡¯d need Goren distracting it until the end of the day. Time we didn¡¯t have. Time I didn¡¯t have as the monster switched its focus to me. It roared furiously and twisted its massive body, coiling briefly before firing itself at me. I used Enhanced Dash Step together with Wind Rush for a quick evasion and it flew past me, crushing the ground and raising debris. ¡°Sorry, Spellsword.¡± Goren called out, shrugging dramatically. ¡°This thing isn¡¯t as stupid as you thought it was.¡± Before I could retort, he summoned a golden bow into his hands. He pulled the string back and a shining magical arrow appeared as he channeled what seemed to be a powerful shot. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn to distract it.¡± He said, smirking. ¡°Don¡¯t fail me now.¡± ¡°Goren, that wasn¡¯t the agreement!¡± I snapped, furious, but there was no time to argue. The Razor Basilisk lunged at me again, forcing me into a frantic series of dodges as its massive head crashed down, blades slicing through the air aimed at me. Of course he proves he can¡¯t be trusted. Annoying idiot. I continued dodging and evading the Razor Basilisk¡¯s relentless attacks as Goren released the bowstring, firing the gleaming magical arrow. The projectile struck the beast¡¯s side and exploded, tearing off several blade scales ¨C like the Astral Spear did ¨C and momentarily halting its advance. Like hell I¡¯d be your decoy, Goren. Taking advantage of the creature¡¯s brief respite, I swapped to Silverfang and began channeling Unyielding Charge. This ability had already proven it was able to break armor when I attacked the scorpion version of the monster.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I shot forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. As I got closer, the blade scales reacted again, rising sharply to skewer me. But this time, I was ready. I activated Wind Fortification. The protective winds surrounded my body and clashed with the incoming blades, creating a shockwave of air as I powered through and Silverfang connected with the snake¡¯s side. It tore through the blade scales, crushing and ripping them off in an explosion as the glaive plunged deeper into the snake¡¯s exposed flesh. The monster roared in pain, thrashing wildly. ¡°My, my, Spellsword. You¡¯re suddenly amazing.¡± Goren chuckled mockingly. ¡°But I¡¯ll finish it off.¡± He leaped into the air, likely going for the snake¡¯s remaining eye. ¡°No, you don¡¯t! I said it¡¯s mine!¡± I shouted, activating Flight and hurtling upward to intercept him. The surprise on his face was worth it as my body collided with his, and we both went crashing to the ground. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± he yelled, scrambling to his feet. ¡°I had it!¡± I couldn¡¯t risk letting him land the final blow. It wasn¡¯t just the XP. If the Razor Basilisk dropped something important, I couldn¡¯t trust Goren not to take it for himself. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m going to be the one to kill it!¡± I snapped back. He pointed his finger behind me. ¡°Now look what you did!¡± I turned around just in time to see the snake retreating, its massive body slithering back into the ink portal. ¡°Now neither of us gets it. I hope you¡¯re happy!¡± Goren added, his voice full of anger. ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed, sprinting after the monster. But I couldn¡¯t make it in time. Its enormous body was swallowed whole by the portal, which rippled once before closing entirely, leaving no trace behind. Arriving too late, I punched the ground furiously, then turned to Goren. ¡°So much for ¡®I¡¯ll do everything you tell me¡¯, you piece of shit!¡± Goren laughed but his gaze remained furious. ¡°Someone¡¯s feeling ballsy this run. You¡¯ve come a long way from getting killed by me eight loops in a row, but don¡¯t forget ¨C I can still add another death of yours to my tally. Watch your tongue!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you!¡± I shouted, rising to my feet and stepping closer until we were face to face, glaring at each other with murderous intent. There was still time until the 64th run, but if he wants to fight me now, then so be it. Then, Goren just broke into laughter and stepped aside, shaking his head. ¡°Damn.¡± He said between chuckles. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I demanded, still angry. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He sighed, shaking his head and calming down. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t worry. All is not lost. I know where that portal leads. I know where we can find it.¡± I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Even if you do know, you¡¯ve already proved to be a liar.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve proved to be a greedy asshole, yet you don¡¯t see me crying about it.¡± He retorted, shrugging with a grin on his face. ¡°So, do you want to know where it went, or not? But fair warning ¨C it¡¯s likely the scariest place you¡¯ve ever seen in your entire life.¡± I sighed deeply, weighing my options. I wanted nothing to do with him, especially after his stunts just now, but if he truly knew where the Razor Basilisk had escaped to, he was my best bet. ¡°Where did it disappear to?¡± I asked reluctantly. His grin widened. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you.¡± *** Through the tunnels above, we made our way back to the dark corridors of the tomb, where Goren led me into the secret shortcut room. He approached the edge of the massive hole in front of us and pointed at it. ¡°Some runs ago ¨C while saving your ass, by the way, no need to thank me ¨C the snake dragged me down to its home down there.¡± He said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, his gaze distant as if recalling actual horrors. ¡°That place is a nightmare incarnate.¡± I joined him by the edge and peered into the abyss, but outside of pure darkness, I couldn¡¯t see a thing. ¡°What did you see there?¡± I asked, pressing for details. Goren shrugged. ¡°Where do I even start?¡± he chuckled, still looking deep in thought. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s better if you see it by yourself. But again, you need to be prepared for what you¡¯re about to see. I think even your amnesiac mind won¡¯t be able to forget this.¡± I rolled my eyes, growing impatient. ¡°Stop talking in riddles. Just tell me what¡¯s down there.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t even let me have a bit of fun, huh?¡± Goren sighed, visibly annoyed with me. Good. Be annoyed. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s the Void.¡± He finally said. ¡°The Void?¡± Goren nodded. ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t it cross your mind that most of the monsters here have ¡®Void¡¯ in their names? Void Spiders, Void Centipedes, and the like? Well, there you have it ¨C that¡¯s where they come from. The Void.¡± I frowned. In this run, I¡¯d only encountered Void Spiders so it¡¯s not like I could piece this out myself. Still, I didn¡¯t understand why he tried to paint this place as so important ¨C or terrifying. ¡°Okay, and?¡± I asked, unimpressed. ¡°What do you mean ¡®and¡¯?¡± Goren asked, baffled. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know where these bastards come from?¡± I glanced down again, my curiosity rising despite what I wanted to answer. ¡°I assume you already know the answer?¡± ¡°Why, of course.¡± He grinned, his tone smug. ¡°Trust me, what¡¯s waiting down there is going to leave you shocked.¡± I shook my head in disbelief. I had to go down there. Whatever awaited below, it didn¡¯t matter. The Razor Basilisk was still likely there, and I couldn¡¯t let this run end without finishing it off. I¡¯d already burned too many important cooldowns to leave empty-handed. ¡°So, how do we get there?¡± I asked cautiously. Goren gestured as if diving in headfirst. When I narrowed my eyes at him, he laughed and said. ¡°You¡¯ve got your flying ability, right? Just descend. But don¡¯t underestimate the distance ¨C it goes deeper than the thirty-five levels of this tomb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me it¡¯s even deeper than everyone originally thought?¡± I asked, in disbelief. He nodded, grinning wide from ear to ear. ¡°Yup. Even deeper than Gaelith¡¯s Darkness.¡± I didn¡¯t recall the name, but D¨¦j¨¤ vu screamed in my mind, sending a feeling of dread through my body. Goosebumps covered my skin, and I attempted to change the subject. ¡°And what about you? How will you get down there?¡± ¡°Oh, I have my own ways of getting around.¡± He grinned, his voice sounding like a taunt. ¡°See you down there.¡± Before I could say another word, he vanished in front of my eyes, as though he¡¯d never even been there. I looked down into the darkness again, taking a deep breath to steady myself. Whatever was waiting below, I¡¯d face it. I set a new anchor for Checkpoint. [Checkpoint Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] [Checkpoint lvl. 8: Time left until Anchor expires ¨C 01:59:59] Then, I jumped, hoping whatever I find down there was going to be worth it. Chapter 59: Purpose Chapter 59: Purpose Not knowing the depth of the Void, I hesitated to activate Flight right away. Level 3 Flight allowed me to stay airborne for ten seconds, with a low cooldown of just one minute. But ten seconds wasn¡¯t much, and if I activated it too soon, I might find myself free-falling to my death. Sure, Checkpoint was active, and I¡¯d respawn even if I died ¨C but that didn¡¯t make the idea of plummeting into the unknown any less nerve-wracking. Plus, it would go down as the most embarrassing death ever. The wind rushed past my face as I fell down, roaring in my ears. Even with the effects of Lumindew, the oppressive darkness around me revealed nothing and I felt unsettled. The fall turned out to be longer than I had expected. At a certain point, a faint shift below caught my eye ¨C an outline that might have been land. This has to be it. I hope. I activated Flight, the air carrying me as I slowly descended down, landing on solid ground. But where? What the hell was the Void? The Lumindew revealed¡­nothing. I couldn¡¯t see anything. Just pure, empty darkness, and the smell of blood and decay that made me want to vomit. ¡°Goren?¡± I called out, my voice echoing everywhere around me, adding to my nervousness. No response. Reluctantly, I moved forward, the darkness and scents around threatening to suffocate me. The floor was wet - it almost felt like I was stepping inside puddles. I briefly considered equipping my magical torch, but the radius of light it provided wasn¡¯t much larger than that of the Lumindew, and it would also occupy one of my hands ¨C not exactly ideal if I ran into trouble. A sudden, pained groan to my side startled me, and I immediately summoned Silverfang, gripping it tightly. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I called out, freezing in place and scanning my surroundings. I activated Distance Gauge, but nothing came up. I was alone ¨C or so it seemed. The sound was faintly human, but in this cursed place, I couldn¡¯t be sure. I stood still, listening, waiting for any further sounds. When none came, I cautiously continued forward. God, it was so dark. I wasn¡¯t even sure if I was walking toward a wall or an open space. I couldn¡¯t see jack shit beyond my immediate surroundings. Seeing the Lumindew¡¯s effect fading, I swallowed another. [Item Consumed: Lumindew x1] [Night Vision activated. Duration: 30 minutes. Visual range enhanced in low-light areas] ¡°Goren?¡± I called again, but still, there was no response. Goddamn it. Rogues had their unique skills to guide themselves through dark areas. For someone like Goren, this place was probably as bright as the Royal Palace of Tepan. He brought me here and then left me on my own. I¡¯d known I couldn¡¯t trust him, but this was just annoying. ¡°Help me!¡± a raspy voice called out to my left, breaking the silence. I spun toward the sound and began moving in its direction, gripping Silverfang tighter. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± I scanned the area, searching for the source of the voice. Still, Distance Gauge picked up nothing. I stopped, my thoughts racing. Then, an idea struck me. Could this be a Wraith? Wraiths were notoriously difficult to detect even with Distance Gauge because of their ethereal nature. But something didn¡¯t sit right ¨C Wraiths weren¡¯t known to mimic human voices. That trait was exclusive to a different species of monsters: the Hollowmimics. If this was a Hollowmimic, it was even worse than a Wraith. Those monsters didn¡¯t just imitate human voices ¨C they preyed on the hope and curiosity of their victims. The problem was that Hollowmimics would get picked up by Distance Gauge. So, what the hell was this? Mentally preparing myself to strike, I moved forward slowly, expecting to encounter a monster. Instead, I stumbled upon a body ¨C seemingly a human one. I approached quickly, and as I got closer, I realized the body was in such a bad state it was barely a body at all. Most of it was skeletal, with only a few bits of rotting flesh still clinging to the bones. I knelt beside it, studying it carefully, trying to learn anything useful from its condition. Judging by the degree of decay, the body had likely been here for a long time ¨C but how long? The traces of rotting flesh suggested it couldn¡¯t be more than five to ten years, as far as I could tell. Rotting flesh typically decomposes fully within a year or two, depending on environmental factors, but the preservation of even small remnants suggested this tomb¡¯s conditions might slow decay. So¡­five years? Maybe ten at the most? Was this some unlucky adventurer who entered the tomb a decade ago? Someone who thought they could escape with the king¡¯s treasures but instead met a gruesome fate down here in the Void? I stared at the skeletal remains, my thoughts swirling. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t Temporal Trace claim I could watch Vestiges of Time from most things I touch? What a lie¡­ But just as I dismissed the thought, a notification appeared. [Temporal Trace: Vestiges of Time - ON] Wait, what?! I froze, the realization hitting me harder than the Razor Basilisk did. Did I actually have it turned off this entire time? God¡­for how many runs? How many useful memories have I missed because of this stupidity? Why did I even turn it off in the first place?!If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I turned my attention back to the body. This time a faint purple aura surrounded the remains. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #13 - Available] Heart pounding, I touched the body, my fingers brushing against the bones. The world around me blurred as the memory engulfed me, pulling me into a fragment of its holder¡¯s past. *** [Vestige of Time #13] ¡°Marcus, wait!¡± a young woman called out, her wide smile lighting her surroundings as she chased after the young man ahead of her. The man glanced back, laughing, but didn¡¯t slow his pace. ¡°How about you run faster instead, slowpoke?¡± The woman grinned mischievously. The air around her suddenly swirled, propelling her forward. In a flash, she overtook him, darting ahead and turning to stick her tongue out at him as she ran backward. ¡°You cheater!¡± Marcus yelled, leaping forward as a burst of air lifted him off the ground, sending him flying after her. The couple raced through the dark corridors, which looked eerily similar to the tomb¡¯s. Their laughter echoed against the walls around them. With a final burst of speed, Marcus pushed ahead of the woman, but she wasn¡¯t about to let him win so easily. With a flick of her wrist, a whip of wind lashed out, wrapping around him and pulling him back to her. The momentum brought them face to face, inches apart, both breathing heavily from the exertion. For a moment, neither of them spoke, their eyes locked. Then, Marcus leaned in and kissed her passionately. ¡°Well, that¡¯s cheating.¡± The woman said with a teasing smirk as their lips parted. ¡°Well, you cheated first when you used your magic.¡± Marcus replied, his voice full of playful smugness. ¡°I just returned the favor, my dear Megara.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± Megara said, laughing as she kissed him again. The two continued forward hand in hand, their fingers intertwined as their race gave way to a leisurely stroll. ¡°Why do you think Lady Lysandra called us so suddenly?¡± Megara asked, her voice curious but tinged with concern. Marcus shrugged. ¡°No clue. Maybe she wants to praise you, oh great Second Circle Priestess.¡± Megara punched him lightly with her free hand. ¡°Stop teasing, you doofus.¡± They both laughed, the warmth of their connection banishing the darkness around them. ¡°But seriously,¡± Megara continued, her tone softening, ¡°it doesn¡¯t make sense for her to call you too if that was the case.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, I guess.¡± Marcus nodded thoughtfully, then his expression lit up with confidence. ¡°Still, it has to be something good, right? Maybe she wants to promote you to First Circle finally?¡± Megara hesitated, a nervous look crossing her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± Marcus asked, stopping suddenly. He brought her hands to his lips and kissed her finger gently. ¡°Are you still worried because of that incident with Alisia?¡± Megara nodded, her expression becoming fearful. ¡°A year has passed since then, but I just can¡¯t get it out of my head. The Third Circle girls told me everything. I haven¡¯t been able to look at Lady Lysandra the same way since I heard it.¡± Marcus sighed and nodded solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a troubling story. And seeing how Lady Lysandra didn¡¯t even try to refute it only makes it worse. But still, she¡¯s the High Priestess. I¡¯m sure the Third Circle girls didn¡¯t tell you the whole truth. Maybe Alisia disrespected her and deserved punishment.¡± Megara pulled her hands away, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Marcus, even if Alisia disrespected her, there was no reason to freeze her and shatter her into pieces to prove a point. We¡¯re not the savages from outside.¡± Marcus looked uncomfortable, clearly struggling to refute her words. Megara pressed on, her voice becoming more frustrated. ¡°And what about the temple move three months ago? She forced all of us to leave the village and move here ¨C why? I even asked the First Circle girls, and none of them knew anything. All they say is that we should trust Lady Lysandra, but¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°How am I supposed to trust someone who had murdered my junior in cold blood?" Marcus sighed again, his shoulders slumping. ¡°I know. I don¡¯t like it either. We haven¡¯t seen the sunlight in so long¡­but there has to be a good reason for that, right?¡± Megara shook her head slowly, doubt clouding her face. ¡°I hope so.¡± The couple continued forward, eventually reaching a wall. Megara stepped ahead and pressed two specific bricks. The wall groaned softly before sliding aside, revealing a hidden chamber. The chamber was barely lit, but its most striking feature was its design ¨C an empty space with a large hole in the middle ¨C an abyss, really. A woman waited for them inside. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with long, dark hair cascading down her back, and a dress that left her back bare. High Priestess Lysandra. Megara stepped in first, immediately bowing to her knees before the High Priestess. Behind her, Marcus entered more hesitantly, lowering his head slightly in respect but not bowing. ¡°Dear Megara,¡± Lysandra said, her voice smooth and warm as she smiled and stepped forward. She took Megara¡¯s hand in hers, gently pulling her to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it.¡± Her gaze shifted to Marcus. ¡°And you brought your betrothed, as I asked.¡± Marcus straightened, nodding respectfully again. ¡°High Priestess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Marcus.¡± Lysandra said with a soft chuckle, her tone disarming. ¡°This meeting is a bit informal, so we can drop the courtesies for now.¡± Megara, now visibly confused, looked at the High Priestess, unsure of her meaning. Lysandra smiled warmly. ¡°Yes, my girl. Congratulations on becoming First Circle Priestess!¡± Megara froze, trembling as the words sank in. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks, and a smile spread across her face. ¡°My lady¡­I¡¯m so grateful!¡± ¡°No, no, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Lysandra shook her head, her tone light. ¡°I thought about this long and hard, and there was no other candidate as worthy as you. It had to be you!¡± Marcus grinned joyfully, clearly pleased his hunch had been correct. His betrothed was receiving this incredible honor. ¡°Thank you so much, High Priestess.¡± He said, bowing his head again. Lysandra turned to Megara, her expression turning serious. ¡°You¡¯ll have much more responsibility now, my girl.¡± Megara nodded quickly. ¡°I¡¯m ready for anything!¡± Lysandra¡¯s smile widened as she peered down into the large, dark hole beside her. ¡°I know you are. That¡¯s why I called you here specifically.¡± ¡°What do you mean, High Priestess?¡± Megara asked, sounding confused. Lysandra nodded as though deciding to explain. She turned to Marcus. ¡°Marcus, my dear, come closer, please.¡± Marcus hesitated but stepped forward as ordered. Lysandra gently grabbed his hand and guided him closer to the void. ¡°Stay here.¡± She instructed, her tone calm. Then, she moved behind Megara, resting her hands on the young priestess¡¯ shoulders. ¡°What is this?¡± Megara asked, curious. She looked around her as if realizing where she was for the first time. ¡°And¡­what is this chamber, really?¡± ¡°Nah-uh.¡± Lysandra chided, shaking her index finger. ¡°You know better. The First Circle Priestesses must never question me. You are one of them now, so act accordingly.¡± Megara and Marcus exchanged nervous glances. Finally, Megara nodded, lowering her gaze. ¡°Forgive me, High Priestess.¡± ¡°You¡¯re forgiven.¡± Lysandra said, smiling. She turned back toward the abyss. ¡°The Axul have endured so many struggles,¡± She began. ¡°Our lives were never easy. Shunned by everyone, despite everything we gave them. But it doesn¡¯t matter. We never did it for them. We never existed for them.¡± ¡°Excuse me, High Priestess?¡± Marcus interrupted, sounding concerned. ¡°I''m not sure I understood your phrasing here..." Lysandra didn¡¯t even glance at him. ¡°Just like I said, Marcus. Father Spurius never had anything else on his mind. And I am here to continue his legacy.¡± Before Marcus could respond, Lysandra appeared suddenly next to him and shoved him into the Void. ¡°Marcus!¡± Megara screamed, lunging toward him, but Marcus was ready. He activated his magic, trying to halt his fall, but Lysandra raised her hand and sent a pulse of magic that pushed him further down. ¡°No!¡± Megara cried, rushing at Lysandra to stop her, but the High Priestess snapped her fingers. Frost enveloped Megara, freezing her mid-step. She could do nothing but watch, helpless, as Marcus plummeted deeper into the darkness. The chamber grew silent until a distant thud echoed through the Void. Lysandra then turned to Megara, her expression calm as she approached the frozen priestess. Tears streamed down Megara¡¯s cheeks despite her state. ¡°Megara, it¡¯s okay.¡± Lysandra whispered, her voice soothing. ¡°This is what we were made for. This is why Father Spurius began all of this.¡± She circled around Megara, placing a hand on her frozen shoulders. ¡°We were never meant for anything else. The Axul have only ever existed to serve Lord Erebus¡¯ cause. That¡¯s how it began with Father Spurius. How it continues with me. And how it will end with the heir.¡± She turned her gaze back to the abyss. ¡°Marcus will serve his purpose, you see. Just like all of the Axul will. We were always intended to be the spawns of Darkness.¡± Lysandra shifted her gaze to Megara, her expression softening. ¡°And you as well, my dear, exist to serve him¡­even in death.¡± Lysandra raised her hand, curling her fingers as if pulling something unseen from the priestess. Slowly, a black orb began to emerge from Megara¡¯s chest. Megara¡¯s body convulsed slightly despite its frozen state. Her eyes turned milky-white as the orb fully separated from her body and floated toward Lysandra. The High Priestess reached out, clasping the orb with reverence before bringing it to her lips. She kissed it and then threw it down the Void. "The first one." She looked at Megara. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lysandra said, her tone calm. ¡°You will serve your purpose now¡­regardless.¡± Then turned back to the abyss, her voice darkening. ¡°There was never another reason.¡± She laughed, almost maniacally. ¡°We always existed so Lord Erebus could thrive.¡± Chapter 60: The Priestesses Chapter 60: The Priestesses As I struggled to grasp the true repercussions of the memory I had just witnessed, a chill ran down my spine and goosebumps prickled my skin. This skeleton¡­it belonged to this Marcus. But Lysandra existed a thousand years ago. That meant this body had been here for a millennium. Yet, somehow, pieces of rotting flesh remained on it. Could the Axul be so unique that their bodies resisted the natural process of decay? That won¡¯t be too far-fetched. And then there was Lysandra¡¯s revelation. She claimed it was always the Axul¡¯s purpose to become spawns of Darkness. What did that truly mean? It didn''t make sense chronologically. ¡°Mommy!¡± a little girl¡¯s voice called out beside me, making me jump. ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted instinctively, my heart racing at the possibility of a child being here. But then I shook my head, forcing myself to think rationally. How could a child even end up in this place? ¡°I don¡¯t want to die here!¡± a woman¡¯s voice cried out to my left. I froze, my chest tightened. Distance Gauge still wasn¡¯t picking anything up. Desperate to get some vision ¨C and wary of a potential Hollowmimic attack ¨C I swapped to Lightning Claw. Holding the dagger in my hand, I activated Lightning Arc as I swung it. The arcs of lightning illuminated my immediate surroundings, but they didn¡¯t reveal much beyond what I could already see thanks to Lumindew. Calm the fuck down, Aidan! All these disembodied voices had pushed me into full paranoia mode. But wasting energy spamming skills that didn¡¯t actually help wouldn¡¯t get me anywhere. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Just like before, I chose a direction and pressed on, figuring that if I hit a wall, I could backtrack and try a different route. The voices now continued to echo around me, making it hard to think clearly. ¡°Diona!¡± A male voice suddenly called, reverberating through the seemingly empty space. D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang sharply in my mind as a reaction. Wait¡­that voice. Didn¡¯t it belong to that priestess¡¯ ¨C Diona¡¯s ¨C father from the Vestige I had seen earlier? Did she mention his name in the memory? Damn, I don¡¯t think so¡­ Pushing forward in the pitch-black darkness, I tried to ignore the increasing number of haunting voices calling for help, each belonging to someone different. After several minutes of tense walking, I reached a stone wall. I sighed heavily, frustration building inside me. Turning to my right, I continued forward, still activating Distance Gauge every few seconds, fearing an ambush. Nothing registered ¨C no one. Not even Goren. And yet, that didn¡¯t mean much. No Rogue in the kingdom had ever reached level 100, so their maximal capabilities weren¡¯t known to anyone. At level 123, Goren might have a unique skill to hide his presence entirely. Minutes passed, the disembodied cries continued, gnawing at my nerves. Finally, I reached another wall. Exasperated, I sighed again, looking around me. Two directions remained unexplored. I could choose another path, but this place was starting to chip away at my sanity, keeping me on edge with every step. Goren was right ¨C this place was a nightmare incarnate. As I considered my options, a faint purple light on the ground caught my attention. I crouched to investigate and realized it was another human skeleton. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #14 - Available] Reluctant but curious, I reached out and touched it, plunging into another memory. There, a young man called Avos and his partner, a priestess, were called into the shortcut room, similar to Marcus and Megara. High Priestess Lysandra did the same thing as before, pushing Avos over the edge before pulling out a dark orb from the priestess¡¯ chest, essentially turning her to an Undead. I stumbled back as the memory ended, breathing heavily. Witnessing yet another cold-blooded murder by that witch sent chills down my spine. She kept referring to the Axul as spawns of Darkness. A sudden thought crossed my mind, as horrifying as much as it made sense. Could this place be¡­a graveyard for the Axul? Were the voices surrounding me the remnants of the people who had died here? But what were they? Ghosts didn¡¯t exist ¨C at least, not as far as I knew¡­ More important than that, why had Lysandra killed them? I don''t understand a thing! ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve met Jack, I see.¡± Goren¡¯s familiar voice called from behind me. I spun around to face him, watching as he quite literally emerged from the darkness as if he was residing within it ¨C a unique high-level Rogue skill, no doubt. ¡°Jack?¡± I asked, not appreciating the joke. From what I¡¯d seen, this person didn¡¯t deserve the fate he met. ¡°His name was Avos.¡± Goren raised both eyebrows and chuckled. ¡°What? How would you know that?¡± Interesting. It seemed Goren couldn¡¯t witness Vestiges. Otherwise, he would have already known this during his earlier visits here. Figures. The Embodiment of Deception wouldn¡¯t possess the powers of the God of Time ¨C who also happened to be the son of the Creator. Goren was likely clueless on such matters.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I replied curtly, unwilling to reveal any advantage I had over him. He shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Sure. Whatever.¡± He then pointed to my right. ¡°That¡¯s where we need to go.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± I asked, anger rising within me. ¡°And where the hell were you?¡± He smirked, his smugness driving me crazy. ¡°Scouting the area. Making sure the snake is here. It is, by the way.¡± I studied him silently, my irritation growing. Unbelievable. He operated entirely in his own world, oblivious ¨C or indifferent ¨C to anyone else. Goren smiled, clearly enjoying my angered state. ¡°Oh, Spellsword, Spellsword¡­you know how we were always told that the Axul suddenly vanished from the face of the earth?¡± Before I could answer, he continued, cutting me off. ¡°Of course, you know. That was rhetorical ¨C we were all taught that in school. What I¡¯m saying is, this is where they ended up.¡± His answer made sense considering the hunch I had before and the Vestiges I''d seen, but I still couldn¡¯t be certain. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll show me, huh?¡± I replied warily. I prepared myself for another catch from his side. Another abandonment. Another trick. Another trap or something. Goren nodded, and before I could add anything else, a large glowing orb materialized in his hands. It wasn¡¯t a skill ¨C I was sure of that. It had to be an item, though I couldn¡¯t know what it was. More importantly, as soon as the orb appeared, the entire Void lit up, and the sight was far worse than I had imagined. ¡°Feast your eyes on what remains of the Axul.¡± Goren called out, grinning. Skeletal remains, some still covered in rotting flesh, were scattered everywhere. Most of them were completely black - as if they were charred - explaining why I couldn''t see them properly before. But that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. Each skeleton rested atop a pool of some dark, bubbling liquid - what I''ve been stepping on this entire time. It was ink-like ¨C similar to the one the Razor Basilisk escaped to ¨C the darkness had concealed it before. Now, under the light of Goren¡¯s orb, the pools were disturbingly visible. ¡°How do you know they¡¯re Axul?¡± I probed. I knew how I had this information, but how did Goren? Was I wrong about him being able to witness Vestiges? He shrugged. ¡°I mean, look at them. Those aren¡¯t normal human remains. They¡¯re still decaying after so many years.¡± ¡°It could be just lost adventurers from the last decade.¡± I countered, fishing for more. ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, Spellsword. Don¡¯t insult my intelligence.¡± Goren replied, actually looking offended. He gestured toward one of the bodies. ¡°Look there. Would a normal person¡¯s remains do something as wild as this?!¡± I turned to where he was pointing, just as a creature erupted from one of the bubbling pools. Drenched in the dark liquid, its body writhed like that of a newborn. It screeched, its movements erratic and seemingly blind. The System reacted. Void Spider, level 65. ¡°You¡¯re joking¡­¡± I whispered, my voice trembling in disbelief. Goren nodded, a faint chuckle escaping his mouth as he casually approached the newly born monster and struck it down easily. ¡°This is how the monsters here are created, Spellsword.¡± he said as he returned to my side. ¡°They¡¯re born from the remains of the Axul ¨C all the ones who ended up down here. How and why and they ended up here is a whole different issue, but of this, I am certain.¡± Well, I already knew how. What I didn¡¯t know yet was why. The pieces of this revelation were slowly starting to fall into place. ¡°So¡­the Razor Basilisk¡­are you telling me it spawned here as well? From the remains of the Axul?¡± I asked. Goren nodded. ¡°Seems like it. Now c¡¯mon, follow me.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± I said, halting him with another question. ¡°How are we able to hear their voices? They¡¯re long-dead, and ghosts don¡¯t exist.¡± He raised an eyebrow at me, looking confused. ¡°What voices? I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± *** I let Goren lead the way while, behind him, I struggled to understand why I was the only one between us being able to hear the voices. I mean, the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System was obviously the reason, but why would Chronos make me endure such a haunting experience? What purpose did it serve? After a few minutes of walking in silence, Goren¡¯s orb of light revealed something near the wall ahead. There, coiled and trembling, lay a large snake ¨C not the colossal Razor Basilisk we¡¯d fought but something far smaller, barely a twentieth of its former size. Its bladed scales were gone, replaced by a shadowy, insubstantial form. Even though it barely resembled the monster from before, the System confirmed its identity. Razor Basilisk, level 95. Its HP bar was lower than 10%. The creature was trembling, writhing in place as if in immense pain. It didn¡¯t react to our approach, even when we were only steps away. ¡°What¡¯s it doing?¡± I asked, confused. Goren shrugged. ¡°Hell if I know.¡± We approached closer. Still, no reaction. Its trembling persisted, pitiful and strange. ¡°Kill it.¡± Goren said, his voice flat. ¡°You wanted it so badly ¨C go ahead.¡± I turned to him, skeptical. ¡°Now I¡¯m supposed to believe you¡¯ll just let me?¡± He sighed, rolling his eyes. ¡°Listen here, Spellsword, I know that things aren¡¯t peachy between us. And yeah, I hate having this conversation with you every damn time because your amnesiac ass keeps forgetting everything, but here¡¯s the truth: I¡¯m not your enemy. We both want the same thing ¨C to defeat Erebus and end this once and for all. If you say it¡¯s important you kill it, then go for it.¡± I studied him in silence, still untrusting. Eventually, I decided to roll with it. I summoned Silverfang and approached the shape-shifting snake¡¯s head. But as I raised the glaive to deliver the killing blow, the monster spoke to me. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± It said, its voice a collective harmony of countless female voices. ¡°We don¡¯t want to die.¡± The sound startled me, and I stumbled backward, clutching Silverfang tightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Goren asked, looking puzzled. He couldn¡¯t hear it. That much was clear. I shook my head, brushing off his concerns, and focused on the shadowy creature. The monster spoke again, its voice overlapping. ¡°We ¨C the priestesses ¨C didn¡¯t want this.¡± ¡°The priestesses¡­¡± I muttered under my breath. The Vestiges from the skeletons I¡¯d found here flashed in my mind. Was this abomination the result of those dark orbs Lysandra had pulled from the priestesses? Could this monster be the amalgamation of their stolen essences? ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Goren asked, growing impatient. ¡°Quiet.¡± I snapped. ¡°It¡­spoke to me.¡± Goren looked baffled. ¡°Spoke to you? What?¡± I ignored him, turning back to the creature. ¡°But you are already dead.¡± I said softly. ¡°You¡¯ve all been dead for a very long time. Lysandra killed you. I¡¯ve seen it.¡± There was a moment of silence, the snake¡¯s trembling slowing as it processed my words. Then, it replied, sounding confused. ¡°Is that the truth? We¡­can¡¯t remember¡­¡± ¡°It is.¡± I nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you became like this, or what she meant when she said the Axul were always destined for this, but Lysandra killed you, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°What the hell, Spellsword? How are you talking to it?¡± Goren asked, though now he sounded confused and a lot less impatient than before. I again gestured for him to remain quiet, focusing on the monster¡¯s next words. ¡°We see¡­¡± the monster said. ¡°Not alive, yet not dead¡­being Axul was a curse...¡± ¡°I could release you from it.¡± I said, gripping Silverfang tighter. ¡°Once and for all.¡± Assuming it was a dungeon boss like Kaelstrife, Pack Leader or even the Boomspite Goblin, if I killed it, it likely wouldn¡¯t respawn again and the priestesses would be free. ¡°Release us?¡± It asked, its voice thoughtful and hesitant. ¡°We need to think.¡± I nodded, sensing no hostility or bloodlust from the shadowy creature. For a moment, there was only silence. Then, finally, it spoke again. ¡°We¡¯ve decided. We want this to end.¡± They said. ¡°Please, make it end.¡± I nodded but before I could attack it one final time, a thought crossed my mind. ¡°Could you help me?¡± I asked cautiously, trying my luck. ¡°Before I release you, there¡¯s something I need to know.¡± Another silence. ¡°Ask.¡± They replied. I didn¡¯t waste a second. ¡°Please, tell me what happened here. Tell me what happened to you.¡± Chapter 61: Before the Ritual Chapter 61: Before the Ritual ¡°It all began when Lady Lysandra rose to High Priestess,¡± the priestesses began their tale. ¡°Until then, we lived peacefully. The outside world shunned us, but they were also afraid of us. None dared to threaten us, and the only outsiders who ever stepped foot in our villages were those we invited of our own accord. ¡°She rose to power during a tense time for our people. The thing the outsiders called the System appeared in our world. Suddenly, the Axul weren¡¯t the only ones able to wield magic. Many among us feared that the centuries-long disdain the outsiders had for us would turn into full-blown violence now that they could match us in strength. But Lady Lysandra calmed everyone, promising that a great change was coming ¨C something so monumental the Destroyer himself would descend. ¡°Lady Lysandra was different from the previous High Priestess. Their ideologies were the same - similar to those before them and our forefather''s. But she was far more direct in her methods and teachings, far colder. Even we she smiled or spoke warmly, it always felt off. But she was the strongest among us, and by that right, the title of High Priestess was hers. ¡°Working toward the great change she promised, her first real order of business was to build a new temple. She never explained why. The old temple ¨C the one where we had worshipped all our deities for centuries ¨C was to be demolished.¡± So, the tomb was never a tomb, but a temple. That seemed about right considering what I¡¯d seen from it so far and the Vestiges. They continued. ¡°The new temple¡¯s design was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before: thirty-five levels deep, with dozens of chambers on each floor. There were also rumors of several hidden chambers, known only to Lady Lysandra and her inner circle. Even with our magic, it was a daunting task. But we were always resilient, and completed the temple in seven years. ¡°Meanwhile, Lady Lysandra began speaking of a ritual that would soon take place, claiming it was the second step toward the change she had promised.¡± ¡°The second step?¡± I interrupted, confused. ¡°What was the first, then?¡± There was silence, and I feared my impatience had made the priestesses change their minds. Meanwhile, Goren disappeared along with his light orb, leaving the Void cloaked in pitch-black darkness once more. Well, he might still be here¡­ When the priestess continued, I sighed in relief. ¡°The first step was to move into the temple.¡± This time, I kept the questions to myself, even though one was at the tip of my tongue, and let them continue. ¡°With no more than a week¡¯s notice, Lady Lysandra ordered all of us to leave the villages and move into the temple. She said the outside world was preparing to attack. For our safety, she said, it would be better if they believed we were already dead. By abandoning the villages, they would assume we had simply vanished. And with the temple sealed by magic, they wouldn¡¯t be able to enter without losing their lives. Additionally, illusion magic was placed to help keep the lie alive. We were always a mystery to them, so they wouldn¡¯t bother searching for the truth. And so, in a single night, we all moved to the temple. ¡°Levels that were once off-limits to even the First Circle priestesses were suddenly opened, revealing accommodations for everyone. It was as if Lady Lysandra had prepared for this all along, designing the temple to house the entire Axul.¡± The revelation aligned with what Marcus had mentioned in his Vestige of Time. ¡°Why was it designed like a tomb?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure¡­Lady Lysandra said it was necessary, and none dared to question her.¡± They replied hesitantly. ¡°We slept inside the loculi, but none of us were placed there at death.¡± A shiver ran down my spine. Lysandra had forced her own people to live inside this dark temple, and sleep inside sealed loculi. And for what? Why go so far? ¡°How long did you live here?¡± I changed my line of questioning. ¡°Two years.¡± They replied. ¡°Two years of waiting silently for the promised ritual to proceed. Many of us died due to poor living conditions, and many others disappeared without trace. But according to Lady Lysandra, once the ritual was complete, we would finally be able to leave the temple and return to the outside world which would be ours alone. And so, we waited, cheaply mimicking our previous lives in the harsh conditions of this stone prison. ¡°The only one allowed to leave the temple was Lady Lysandra herself. She said it was necessary for the ritual. The last piece missing for it to happen was the heir ¨C Noctyra. He was coming, and she needed to prepare everything for him.¡± Hearing Kelltins¡¯ Axul name sent a shiver down my spine. I still couldn¡¯t grasp how it could have been him a thousand years ago. He shouldn¡¯t have been alive back then. ¡°Noctyra¡­who is he?¡± I asked. ¡°Noctyra is the heir of the Axul.¡± They replied. ¡°Promised to be the strongest of us all. The last direct offspring of Father Spurius ¨C our forefather.¡± ¡°Why wasn¡¯t he with you already? Noctyra?¡± I asked, curious. ¡°We¡­We don¡¯t know.¡± They replied, sounding confused. ¡°We wish we could tell you more, but unfortunately, outside of Lady Lysandra only the First Circle priestesses knew the full truth about him. We were all Second or Third Circle.¡± So, the Second and Third Circle were the ones to get killed here by Lysandra and turned into this shapeshifting monster. What happened to the First Circle, though? Still, what bothered me more was Kelltins - Noctyra. The strongest Axul¡­why did he quit the quest, then? Sadly, they couldn¡¯t provide any further information about him. So, I moved onto my next question. ¡°What happened then? What was the ritual all about?¡± There was a long silence before they responded. ¡°We can¡¯t¡­we can¡¯t remember.¡± I immediately facepalmed. Of course, Aidan. Considering everything I know, they were probably killed before the ritual ever happened. How would they know what happened? Then, suddenly, they spoke again. ¡°The only thing we remember is that it was supposed to grant access for the Destroyer to our world. Noctyra was meant to be his vessel.¡± I nodded, but that wasn¡¯t new information. I still couldn¡¯t grasp the bigger picture or how it all connected to Kelltins - or worse - to Gaelith? ¡°What about Gaelith? How is he connected to all of this?¡± I asked, hoping they would know. Chronos said that he was Erebus¡¯ vessel of destruction, but his body was brought into the tomb long after the Axul were gone. If they were still alive and just living here by that time, then how would the king¡¯s men enter the tomb if it was sealed from outsiders?This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. They replied after a short pause. ¡°We don¡¯t know this name¡­¡± I sighed, shaking my head in disappointment. This was far from fruitful¡­ Well, assuming they died before the ritual, asking them about Lysandra¡¯s fate would be useless as well. What else could I ask? The only viable direction seemed to be finding out where the First Circle priestesses resided in the temple and look for clues there. ¡°Where are the First Circle priestesses¡¯ chambers?¡± I asked, quickly adding. ¡°And Lysandra¡¯s too?¡± ¡°The First Circle girls lived on the fifth level of the temple.¡± They replied. The fifth level? That was very close to the surface ¨C a long way from where I currently was. ¡°Lady Lysandra, however¡­we don¡¯t know.¡± Figures. An enigmatic personality like hers would remain hidden even from her own people¡­ Before I could sigh in resignation, they added. ¡°She spent much of her time in her study room. It¡¯s on the second level.¡± The second level?! That¡¯s literally one level below the surface. There¡¯s no way it hasn¡¯t been ravaged by the other adventurers at this point. ¡°This could be problematic¡­¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°The study is sealed by Axul magic.¡± They added, calming my nerves lightly. ¡°It is enchanted. Only an Axul can enter.¡± Great¡­one problem solved, and another one pops up. Kelltins was the only Axul I knew, and he wasn¡¯t exactly an option. But what about them? Could they even be considered Axul anymore? Probably not¡­ I assumed asking them about Lysandra¡¯s motives for turning them into this thing would be pointless as well. Other than that, there was nothing more I could ask¡­ I looked at the shadowy creature, wondering how many souls it was built from. How tragic was the fate of these young women and their loved ones? They never wanted this ¨C I had seen it for myself in the Vestiges. And now, it seemed the first Axul might have set this entire tragedy into motion from the very beginning. I still couldn¡¯t understand how or why, but there was nothing left for me to do here but release them from their torment. ¡°Please, end this.¡± They begged, their voices heavy. I nodded, sighing deeply, my heart twisting in pain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it happened to you.¡± I said, raising Silverfang and aiming the glaive at the creature¡¯s head. Then, with one swift strike, I ended it. The creature erupted into shining light, before dissolving completely. [65 Priestesses of Axul - Defeated] [+65,910 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] *** The flood of XP that rushed into my System was unlike anything I had ever seen in my entire life. This creature¡­it was formed from the souls of 65 priestesses. I was grateful for the XP, but I wished I hadn¡¯t had to acquire it this way. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System screen. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 45] [Loop Count: 55] [Experience Points (XP): 49,718 / 74,000] [Skill Point Available: Choose a skill to level up] I placed the available skill point into Checkpoint, bringing it up to level 9 ¨C just one point short of maxing it out. [Skill Upgraded: Checkpoint lvl.9] [Next Level: lvl.10: Receive an additional skill point in Afterimage.] An additional point, huh? That would be useful and speed things up. Now that Checkpoint was upgraded, I could set multiple anchor points and choose where to respawn. I needed to utilize this carefully. Since the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System didn¡¯t specify a limit for the number of anchors I could set, I created a new one right here. [Checkpoint #2 Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] So, it labeled them. That meant the previous anchor ¨C the one before I jumped into the Void ¨C was likely labeled Checkpoint #1. With that done, I turned to my Core System, slotting my extra point into Agility, bringing it up to 51. As I focused on the ground where the shadowy snake had been moments ago, I noticed two items it had dropped ¨C two dark orbs. They were so black they blended with the ground, almost impossible to notice. I crouched and picked up the first one. It was called Sacred Soul. Its description read: ¡®Holds the power and purity of the souls that were led astray¡¯. Instinctively, I crushed the orb in my hand [Sacred Soul: You have gained 3 Skill Points] This was better than I had expected. Without hesitation, I allocated the first point into Checkpoint, finally maxing it out. [Skill Upgraded: Checkpoint lvl.10 - MAX] [Skill Upgraded: Afterimage lvl.9] [Next Level: lvl.10: Receive an additional skill point in Echo Sense.] My heart raced with excitement as I placed the second point into Afterimage, maxing it as well. [Skill Upgraded: Afterimage lvl.10 - MAX] [Skill Upgraded: Echo Sense lvl.9] [Next Level: lvl.10: Receive an additional skill point in Temporal Trace.] Finally, I used the last point on Echo Sense, bringing it to a maximum too. [Skill Upgraded: Echo Sense lvl.10 - MAX] [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.9] [Next Level: lvl.10: Receive an additional skill point in D¨¦j¨¤ vu.] That was insane. Three maxed-out skills in one go. I was now three points away from maxing out the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System itself. I also had an additional six points to allocate into the Core System now. Naturally, I dumped everything into Agility, bringing it up to 57 and hitting the 4th milestone. [Agility ¨C 4th Milestone Reached] [Agility Damage Scaling Increased by 80%] I turned to the second orb on the floor¡­and my blood froze. The System recognized it as: The Essence of Darkness. I nearly dropped it on instinct. According to Chronos, this was what Erebus was made of. I gritted my teeth. The System flagged it as a Key Item ¨C another one of those. After a moment of hesitation, I stashed it inside my second inventory, unsure what to do with it¡­but something told me I might need it later. Alright¡­what now? ¡°Goren?¡± I called out, scanning my surroundings. Silence. I sighed. How do I even get out of here? Flight wouldn¡¯t carry me high enough in just ten seconds. Do I just let a newly spawned monster here kill me and respawn up there? As I considered my options, Goren suddenly appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Okay, Spellsword, you¡¯re in huge trouble.¡± He said urgently. ¡°What?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes. ¡°Where the hell did you disappear to?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He said sharply. ¡°We need to get you out of here. Now.¡± He grabbed my arm and started dragging me forward. I snapped my arm free from his grip. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you.¡± He exhaled heavily, turning to face me. Even in the pitch-black Void, the dark aura around him writhed so violently I could see it clearly. ¡°Stop throwing tantrums.¡± He said, his tone rising with anger. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡± I retorted, recalling everything Chronos told me about accepting any help from him. Goren¡¯s eyes flared and he snapped. ¡°Listen carefully!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to listen to you ¨C ¡° ¡°Not to me!¡± He cut me off, gesturing around us. ¡°Listen!¡± I focused my senses. Then, I heard it. Faint whistles from above us. Whistles? D¨¦j¨¤ vu suddenly rang in my mind, making my heart race. "I¡¯m already marked, right?" Goren said, his expression dead-serious. "If you get marked, we''re screwed." Chapter 62: Goren: Eyes Unveiled Chapter 62: Goren: Eyes Unveiled After his last meeting with Dolos, Goren couldn¡¯t find inner peace anywhere. The god¡¯s words had shaken him. Not only was Dolos set on making Spellsword¡¯s god suffer ¨C and even indirectly kill him, he also quite literally stated he was willing to let the world fall into ruin just to fulfil his deep desire for revenge - Goren''s world. Goren couldn¡¯t be sure if everything Dolos had said was true. But whether it was or not, the fate of the world was not a price he was willing to pay for that crazy bastard¡¯s revenge. His family was part of this world. He had fought to protect and provide for them most of his life ¨C he was fighting to protect them even now ¨C and he wasn¡¯t about to let some random god he had never even heard of before this quest sacrifice them. All his life, Goren had suffered as the world seemingly made decisions for him. As a child, he had been a diligent student, showing great promise. But then his father abandoned them, and his mother fell into a deep depression. Constantly worrying about her had made him neglect his studies and fall behind, until he was eventually forced into the life of an adventurer. And because they needed the money badly, he had no choice but to pick the class that promised the highest income ¨C a Rogue. He never even wanted to be a Rogue¡­ And then fate had decided to have another laugh at his expense. At level 57, he hit a dead end. Again. And now, this¡­ At first, he had been willing to go along with Dolos¡¯ whims, trusting the god¡¯s promise to make a hero out of him. Dolos had assured him riches so his family would never go hungry or cold. He had told him everything he was doing was justified ¨C that the grand cause was worth every sacrifice and death. Seeing Dolos¡¯ powers firsthand, Goren couldn¡¯t help but lower his head and once again accept that the world had made a choice for him ¨C and that he would just have to oblige. Even when the question of erasing Spellsword from existence came up, despite his fear of committing such an act, he had agreed to it. But after their last conversation? Like hell he¡¯d let another life-altering decision be forced onto him! This time, he would take matters into his own hands. He was done letting the world decide his fate. He would forge his own destiny. You could say Spellsword had inspired him in a way¡­ ¡°Speaking of Spellsword, where the hell do I find him now? He¡¯s not with team four¡­¡± Goren muttered under his breath, breaking away from the other adventurers. Spellsword was the talk of town at the moment. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t returned with his team from the chambers they had cleared. His girlfriend was frantic with worry, literally being dragged back by Mikaela, who was reluctant to let her go searching for him alone. Mikaela, unbeknownst to her, was right, of course¡­the dungeon would seal itself any minute now, and the Undead Wolves would attack. Goren continued putting distance between himself and the others, slipping into the shadows. This morning, when he was still unsure about what to do, he had defected from his usual team with Spellsword, asking Old Dalton to replace him. That was a mistake. Now, he needed to find Spellsword ¨C fast. If Dolos had said that Goren holding the third shard of the Darknessbound Core was what ensured his inevitable battle with Spellsword, then Goren didn¡¯t want it anymore. He would gladly give it to Spellsword. He nodded to himself. ¡°Spellsword would know what to do with it.¡± He continued talking to himself, not finding it weird anymore. ¡°Then, he¡¯ll finally trust me, and we¡¯ll end it together.¡± With his mind made up, Goren hurried to the shortcut room ¨C the easiest way to traverse the tomb and search for Spellsword. He reached the wall and pressed the right bricks to open the hidden chamber. Cat Eyes activated immediately as he entered the dark space and pulled the lever behind him. He peered down the edge of the Void. Starting from the surface, he would work his way down, floor by floor. He could only hope Spellsword wasn¡¯t too deep down. As he descended the ladder, something felt off. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it ¨C until it finally hit him. ¡°The snake!¡± he exclaimed, but he couldn¡¯t sense it anywhere. ¡°Huh?¡± he mumbled, surprised, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. After a moment of pondering, he understood why it hadn¡¯t attacked yet ¨C and the general area where he¡¯d likely find Spellsword. *** Goren watched from afar as Spellsword battled the shapeshifting Razor Basilisk, showing incredible skill and power. He decided he would join only when it seemed like he truly needed assistance. There was already enough bad blood between them for Goren to force his help onto him. Eventually that moment came, and wielding the Protector¡¯s Shield ¨C a powerful shield he had previously obtained from Greyson Riley ¨C a high-level tank from Mikaela¡¯s guild ¨C Goren jumped and smashed it into the Razor Basilisk¡¯s head, redirecting the creature into the wall to prevent it from striking Spellsword. The shield proved its worth, leaving Goren unscathed from the impact. But at the end of the day, it wasn¡¯t an offensive item. Goren just utilized his elevated position to make it so, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to do it again. For his second wish with Dolos, Goren had asked for his inventory to be ¡°frozen¡±, ensuring that every weapon he looted would carry over into future runs. He didn¡¯t want to waste a wish on this originally, but he finally gave in. Now, he no longer needed to kill the adventurers who originally owned these weapons ¨C he possessed permanent duplicates of them all. His mind didn¡¯t fully grasp it yet, but it was a win for his deteriorating mental state. After a brief spat caused by Goren¡¯s mistake ¨C one he fully acknowledged ¨C he led Spellsword to the Void, the Razor Basilisk¡¯s ¨C and the Axul¡¯s remnants ¨C lair. The time loop had made him crave every bit of XP he could, and for a moment, he had forgotten that his goal was to earn Spellsword¡¯s trust, not jeopardize it. He shouldn¡¯t have tried to kill the snake... On the way there, he debated whether he should hand Spellsword the Darknessbound Shard now. But seeing how tense Spellsword was due to Goren¡¯s earlier mistake, he decided to wait. In the Void, Spellsword once again amazed him. He was talking to the monster. ¡®How?!¡¯ Goren screamed internally after Spellsword gave him no answers. Eventually, he left him be. Using Living Shadow, Goren traversed the Void¡¯s depths, slipping through the vast darkness around him to its opposite end. There, he leaned against the wall and gazed at the ground beside him. He couldn¡¯t shake the thought ¨C this was never about him. Spellsword ¨C he was the true hero. The one to end Erebus. Goren was stronger, for the moment, but Spellsword¡¯s System was superior, allowing him to even converse with monsters. And his god? Almost certainly more righteous. Definitely not a bloodthirsty lunatic like Dolos. While Spellsword uncovered the secrets of the tomb through sheer effort despite his amnesia, Goren had ¡°cheated¡±, learning most of what he knows from Kelltins and a random encounter with the Razor Basilisk. He punched the wall hard, feeling a pang of guilt inside him. He had mocked Spellsword¡¯s System for wiping his memories between runs. It had seemed absurd ¨C still did, though far less now ¨C but Kelltins was right¡­there was a reason behind it. But far worse than that, he had killed Spellsword eight times ¨C having fun at his expense in the process. He even killed his girlfriend just to make him suffer even more. And earlier, he had even threatened to kill him for a ninth time. And now? He couldn¡¯t even remember his name. His real name. Again. ¡°A¡­Something with an A, right?¡± he whispered, but the answer remained out of reach. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t that much different form the god he said he despised. Perhaps that was why Dolos had truly chosen him ¨C he likely found it easier to work with people who were just as broken as he was. ¡°What the hell is wrong with me¡­¡± Goren muttered, rubbing his eyes with a deep sigh. He stood there in complete silence as his mind raced. He knew that he was marked for the longest time ¨C the reason why the dungeon kept changing and adjusting to his every attempt to conquer it, making his earlier knowledge useless. But Spellsword wasn¡¯t¡­ ¡°At the end of the day, Spellsword will be the one to save the world. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± He whispered, his resolve growing. ¡°And I¡¯ll help him, whether he wants it or not.¡± With his confidence in his decision growing, he prepared to return to Spellsword¡¯s side ¨C only to hear the all-too-familiar whistles. The Dark Hunters. ¡°This is bad.¡± He muttered before rushing back to who he hoped was his soon-to-be ally. *** ¡°Thinks, Spellsword, think!¡± Goren called out as the whistles slowly grew closer. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a skill that can get you out of here?¡± Spellsword rubbed his temples, as if mentally sifting over his arsenal of skills. ¡°No¡­I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake¡­¡± Goren exhaled in frustration. He could escape easily with Living Shadow, but it only worked on himself ¨C he couldn¡¯t bring anyone else along. That meant leaving Spellsword behind, and that was out of the question. But what else could he do? Spellsword cannot get marked no matter what happens! ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll hold them ¨C ¡° Goren started, but Spellsword cut him off. ¡°Kill me.¡± Goren¡¯s eyes widened. Before, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated. He had gained a significant amount of XP each time he killed Spellsword. But now? All he could say was: ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± Spellsword said. ¡°That¡¯s the only I don¡¯t get marked, right?¡± Goren frantically looked around. He wanted Spellsword to trust him, but if it came to this, he was only pushing that goal further away. ¡°Listen, I really don¡¯t want to.¡± Goren replied, shaking his head. ¡°Oh, come on.¡± Spellsword snapped, his voice tense. ¡°You¡¯ve already killed me eight times. Hell, earlier, you said you¡¯d kill me again ¨C and now you¡¯re chickening out?¡± Goren exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s not that. And I was never actually going to kill you again ¨C I was just¡­emotional.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± Spellsword demanded, growing frustrated. Goren considered showing him the third shard of the Darknessbound Core, but with the Dark Hunters so close, he decided against it. ¡°Because I already told you ¨C I¡¯m not your enemy!¡± Goren said firmly instead. A tense silence settled between them, broken only by the whistles of the approaching monsters. Then, Spellsword spoke again. ¡°Then prove it. Prove that you¡¯re not my enemy by killing me.¡± Goren clenched his fists. ¡°You realize how contradictory that is?¡± Spellsword nodded. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Just do it.¡± Goren sighed. He didn¡¯t want to ¨C but the whistles were getting closer, and he had no other option. He growled. ¡°Fine! But remember ¨C you asked for this!¡± he then rolled his eyes. ¡°Oh, who am I trying to fool ¨C you won¡¯t remember any of this¡­¡± Spellsword ignored his words and just nodded. ¡°Make it painless.¡± Goren nodded back, speaking up even though he knew it would be pointless. ¡°In the next run¡­I really need to show you something.¡± Spellsword raised an eyebrow but nodded slowly. ¡°Sure¡­¡± Taking that as a small victory to gaining the ally he yearned for, Goren stepped forward, summoning his dagger from his inventory. He met Spellsword¡¯s gaze ¨C then, with precision, drove the blade straight into his heart, ensuring the death was almost instantaneous. [+77,777 XP] As Spellsword¡¯s life faded, Goren carefully and respectfully lowered his body to the ground. ¡°What now?¡± he whispered to himself, preparing to fight the incoming Dark Hunters and claim some more XP. But before he could, the world around him crumbled ¨C - and he ceased to exist. Chapter 63: Noctyra Chapter 63: Noctyra I reawakened at Checkpoint #1 ¨C at the edge of the Void, just before I jumped down. True to my request, Goren had killed me painlessly. Seeing how I had already obtained everything I needed from down there, there was no reason to dive again. Goren would be waiting ¨C but he could keep waiting. I didn¡¯t care. Eventually he¡¯d see that the Razor Basilisk wasn¡¯t there anymore. He had said he wanted to show me something, but after his stunt in the Pit, I don''t even want to listen to what he has to say. Even his concern about me getting marked was probably fake. Speaking of marks ¨C I needed to get the hell out of here before the whisling returned, *** Not knowing exactly where the danger would emerge from, I climbed the metallic ladder ¨C or what was left of it after the Razor Basilisk had attacked me earlier. The moment I reached the fragile section of it, the ladder ripped away from the wall. Immediately, I activated Flight, carrying myself to the nearest floor. My goal was the fourth level, where the First Circle Priestesses resided. It was closer than the second level, where the study chamber supposedly was. Before using Flight to ascend higher, a sudden thought crossed my mind. Vestiges of Time. With Temporal Trace now at level 9, I should be able to create my own Vestiges of Time, right? I had learned so much in this run ¨C it would be disastrous if I died and forgot everything. When - not if¡­ Okay¡­but how did I actually create one? Where were the instructions? I focused, mentally commanding for something to happen. But nothing did. I sighed heavily. Chronos, why is everything in your System so unclear and difficult? Just when hope was about to abandon me, a message appeared. [Temporal Trace lvl.9: To create a Vestige of Time, you need a Vestige Shard] [A Vestige Shard could be any non-consumable item in your possession] Oh, finally. Something to work with. Thank you. Any non-consumable item I have, huh? Before checking my inventory, I decided to try something. I grabbed a rock from the floor. The System naturally recognized it as Rock, meaning I could proceed to the next step. Which was¡­? As if responding to my thoughts, another message popped up. But it wasn¡¯t exactly what I was expecting. [A Personal Vestige of Time is born from a memory you¡¯ve experienced in your current] [The memory is chosen randomly] [Current Vestiges in Use: 0 | Current Limit per Run: 1] [Do you wish to create a Personal Vestige of Time?] [YES/NO] I mean, at this point, I don¡¯t think I should even get disappointed. If it was going to be something as good as the description said it would be, then Chronos might as well just hand me all my lost memories outright. If user-created Vestiges of Time worked without limits, the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System subtle progression would be lost. Still, some memory was better than nothing. I mentally selected YES. [A Personal Vestige of Time had been created] [Item Acquired: Personal Vestige of Time #1 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] Curious to see which random memory had been chosen, I tried interacting with the new item ¨C only for another message to shoot me down. [You can only witness Personal Vestiges of Time on consecutive runs from when they were created] Of course... *** Reaching the fourth level, I exited the secret chamber by pulling the lever and stepped into the corridor. Now¡­where do I find the First Circle Priestesses¡¯ chambers? I moved carefully through the level, checking every chamber I came across and eliminating any monster on sight, gaining 8,948 XP in the process. Then, I found what I was looking for. At the far end of the level ¨C right next to the staircase leading deeper down ¨C was a chamber. Inside, it was much larger than I had anticipated. A massive stone table stood in the center, covered by a thick layer of dust. Surrounding the chamber, pressing against the walls, were stone platforms ¨C ten in total. They looked like crude beds. So¡­ten First Circle Priestesses in total? Considering that the Second and Third Circle Priestesses had transformed into that shapeshifting monster, I dreaded to think what had happened to the First Circle ones. There was no way they had just died of old age here. No. Lysandra definitely had an evil plan for them as well. And I was sure I¡¯d find out what it was soon enough. Inside this empty chamber, one thing stood out. At the far end, resting on one of the stone beds, was an item faintly glowing with a purple aura. Curious but wary of an ambush, I activated Distance Gauge, scanning the surroundings. When nothing came up, I cautiously stepped forward. The item was a¡­crown?The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Twisted toots and gnarled twigs wove together to form its shape, their blackened edges looking almost burned ¨C no, that was dry blood. Jagged shards of bones of different sizes were entwined within, lookimg as though they¡¯ve grown there naturally. The sight of it sent a shiver down my spine. It felt like it was dripping with malice ¨C and worse¡­Darkness. As I stared, the System reacted. [Temporal Trace: Time Plane Memory #1 - Available] A Time Plane Memory?! I only had two of the five. And there it is ¨C the third one. Or rather, judging by its label¡­the first one, chronologically. Curious and excited, I touched it, plunging myself to yet another memory from the faraway past. *** [Time Plane Memory #1] A boy ¨C no older than twelve ¨C knelt on the ground, seated before a low table. With a parchment in front of him and a quill in hand, he worked diligently, his strokes skilled and controlled. The morning sunlight streamed in through the windows, accompanied by a gentle wind that brought forth the scent of fresh grass. Yet, in contrast to the warmth of the weather, the boy himself was cold. His hair was jet-black, his eyes even darker and detached, his expression unreadable ¨C disinterested, as if he would rather be anywhere else. He had a birth mark slightly under his right shoulder ¨C its shape weird and unnatural. It was as dark as his hair - even darker. But what he was writing¡­turned out to be a drawing. Not just any drawing, but a wolf. A creature so meticulously detailed that its balck fur seemed to ripple, its piercing eyes glinting with life ¨C until¡­it actually was alive. The wolf hopped off the parchment, materializing into reality. It circled the bored boy, its movements predatory, as if it wanted to attack him. And then, it did the unthinkable. It lowered its head, pressing its nose into the boy¡¯s lap, licking his hand playfully. The boy¡¯s icy expression softened for the first time ¨C just slightly. A weak smile flickered across his lips as he ran his hand over the wolf¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll draw a whole pack for you. Just you wait.¡± He whispered, scratching behind the wolf¡¯s ear, making its tail wag in joy. ¡°Using your magic for foolish games again?¡± a voice called out from behind him. A young woman ¨C perhaps even still in her teens ¨C stepped into the room. She looked stunning, and yet¡­undeniably harsh and ruthless. The boy rolled his eyes at the sound of her voice. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want, Lysandra.¡± Her expression turned angry instantly. Clearly, she did not appreciate his casual use of her name. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare disrespect me, child.¡± ¡°Or what?¡± the boy replied, his voice laced with boredom. The wolf beside him let out a growl aimed at Lysandra. But the moment her gaze fell upon it, the creature whimpered ¨C then turned and fled. ¡°Now look what you did.¡± The boy muttered, shaking his head. Lysandra clenched her jaw. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± She seethed through frustration. ¡°I am tired of your attitude. Do you think I enjoy this arrangement any more than you? This is our duty. You know yours, and I know mine. Stop making it so difficult.¡± The boy didn¡¯t look at her. Instead, he rested his head against his palm, his quill already moving again. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want, Lysandra.¡± He repeated, dismissing her as ink met parchment once more. Lysandra was fuming at this point. ¡°Listen here, you little shit!¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re Father Spurius¡¯ son. I don¡¯t even care that I was personally chosen to take care of you and teach you the ways of magic. You will respect me, child!¡± ¡°Then perhaps you shouldn¡¯t have killed my mother?¡± The boy replied nonchalantly. The words flipped Lysandra¡¯s switch. With a sharp motion of her hand, a wave of ice surged forward, instantly encasing the boy in a thick layer of frost. Yet, despite the apparent triumph, Lysandra didn¡¯t smile. Because she knew she had failed. The frozen figure inside the ice suddenly vanished ¨C and then, from behind her, came his voice. ¡°Cool trick.¡± She turned sharply. The boy was now seated on the sofa, casually flipping through the pages of a book. ¡°Anything else, or is that it for your monthly visit?¡± Lysandra¡¯s anger didn¡¯t fade. She still looked like she wanted to kill him. But she didn¡¯t. Perhaps¡­she knew she couldn¡¯t ¨C in more ways than one. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t like keeping you here all alone. I know you¡¯re bored and lonely. But it was your decision, Noctyra! Your decision to refuse joining your Axul brothers and sisters in our villages.¡± The boy didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°The Axul are not my brothers and sisters.¡± He muttered, eyes still buried in the book. ¡°I¡¯m not Noctyra, and I¡¯m not Axul. I¡¯m ¨C ¡° Lysandra cut him off immediately. ¡°You can¡¯t deny your bloodline, child. Your father was the first mage of the world, a remarkable man. And you¡¯re his son, whether you like it or not.¡± The boy finally raised his gaze. His eyes burned with hatred. ¡°And my mother was a regular woman. One he raped.¡± The book in his hands burst into flames. ¡°I¡¯ll never be an Axul.¡± Lysandra smiled at his reaction. ¡°And yet it was your father¡¯s direct order that I protect and teach you. He left an order specifically to me before his death - " ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± The boy cut in, his tone tired. ¡°I know, Lysandra, I know. You¡¯ve already told me this before. And I already told you ¨C I don¡¯t care.¡± He stood up and moved to the window, staring out at a world just beyond his reach. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he saw the future. I don¡¯t care if there was some divine reason for him to conceive me at such an old age. I don¡¯t care about any of it or any of you.¡± His fingers curled into a fist. ¡°Now release your magic¡¯s hold on me so I can leave this place already.¡± Lysandra chuckled. ¡°Like I¡¯d let you leave.¡± She paused, then tilted her head slightly. ¡°But let¡¯s say I did. What would you even do? Where would you even go?¡± The boy sighed. ¡°Anywhere.¡± He whispered. ¡°Anywhere, as long as it¡¯s away from you¡­and his plans for me.¡± Lysandra burst into laughter ¨C sharp, cruel, sadistical, almost maniacal. Whatever magical hold she had over the boy, it was clearly her trump card. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere. You''re father didn''t fake his death and conceived you for nothing.¡± She said, grinning. ¡°You have a grand role to play ¨C one your father made you for. You¡¯ll rot in here, all alone. The boredom, the loneliness¡­they¡¯ll eat away at your mind, breaking you, little by little. And me?¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll keep visiting. Month after month. Eventually, I¡¯ll even take Venezia¡¯s place as High Priestess, but even then, I¡¯ll still come here¡­until you finally change your mind. Until you return to your true home. To the Axul. To be the heir that was promised.¡± The boy didn¡¯t respond. He didn¡¯t even turn to face her. Lysandra smirked, watching his silence with amusement. Then, before leaving, she threw one final remark over her shoulder. ¡°I left your monthly supply of food in the kitchen. See you next month, child.¡± He remained standing long after she had left. Unmoving. Expressionless. His hand was still clenched into a fist at his side. Slowly, he reached toward the open window. The moment his fingers crossed the threshold, an invisible force ¨C glowing green ¨C shocked him. His arm jerked back, the force repelling him violently. He didn¡¯t flinch, but his hand was burned, the wound and bleeding spreading across his palm and wrist, leaving his skin torn. Yet, he simply stared at it, watching as the injury healed before his eyes. Finally, he turned away and left the window. He walked toward the table, reaching for the parchment. The second drawing was of a woman. She had long, flowing hair and a mole beneath her left eye. Once again, his art was breathtaking ¨C every detail precise. He wasn¡¯t just a powerful mage, he was a genius artist. Then, he suddenly left out a quiet, broken sob, clutching the parchment to his chest. ¡°Why can¡¯t I bring you to life?¡± He choked out. ¡°Why can¡¯t I make you alive like I can with everything else?¡± A howl echoed from outside, calling for his attention. The boy lifted his head, wiping his eyes as stepped back toward the window. Below, the wolf he had created earlier stood waiting. Its eager eyes locked onto his, tail wagging slightly, its posture full of energy ¨C an invitation to play. ¡°I can¡¯t leave the house.¡± The boy murmured, his voice still filled with grief. "I''m a prisoner here." Surprisingly, the wolf seemed to understand. It stepped closer to the window and lowered its stance. Lightning suddenly crackled around its form. Then, it howled again ¨C this time stronger, sharper, a forceful shockwave erupting from its throat. The house shook, the front wall cracked, its foundation trembling under the wolf¡¯s power. ¡°Stop! It won¡¯t matter ¨C I still won¡¯t be able to leave!¡± The boy called out, and his creation immediately stopped. The wolf paced back and forth, as if strategizing. Then, once more, lightning crackled around his body, and it lunged at the window. The invisible barrier reacted instantly, sending it tumbling backward. It hadn¡¯t stopped the wolf from leaving before¡­but now it was denying his return. ¡°Stop!¡± The boy called out. ¡°It¡¯ll kill you! Just leave me be!¡± But the wolf didn¡¯t listen. It was too loyal ¨C likely how its artist had wished it to be. It leaped again, its body pushing against the barrier, battling the green force that held it in place. Electricity crackled and fur ignited as the wolf pressed on, writhing in agony, yet refusing to back down. The boy couldn¡¯t watch anymore. He reached out. The barrier burned his hand again, searing his flesh, but he pushed through the pain, stretching further, desperately trying to grab hold of his creation - to save it. And then¡­he succeeded. A violent eruption burst from the barrier, sending them both flying in opposite directions. The boy hit the ground hard, but as he pushed himself up, and walked toward the door, he realized ¨C he could finally step outside. A feeling he hadn¡¯t known in years rushed through him ¨C freedom. He stepped into the green pastures surrounding his and his mother¡¯s house, the scent of grass and earth filling his nostrils. For the first time in so long, he was outside. But the joy was short-lived. As he looked to his side, his heart sank. His companion ¨C the loyal wolf ¨C lay collapsed in the grass, its body badly burned, its injuries severe. It was breathing heavily. ¡°No¡­¡± the boy muttered, rushing to its side, hands trembling as he tried to reverse the damage ¨C but nothing worked. Nothing could worlk. The wolf¡¯s body shuddered beneath his touch. It had given everything for him. Tears welled up in the boy¡¯s eyes as he wrapped his arms around his creation, holding it tightly. And then, with a quiet whisper he said his goodbyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± He let go. And ran. Never looking back. [Time Plane Memory #1 ¨C END] *** [Item Acquired: Time Plane Memory #1 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Quest Updated: Memories From the Past] [Collect the 5 Time Plane Memory Fragments] [Current Status: 3 / 5] [Reward: 75,000 XP] As the memory faded and I returned back to reality, only one thing bothered my mind. That child¡­Noctyra...it wasn''t Kelltins. Chapter 64: Trust Chapter 64: Trust I know I might be wrong. Many adults look vastly different from how they did as children, but this boy¡­he wasn¡¯t Kelltins. Also, he looked completely different from the child I had seen in the Vestige ¨C the one who had been abandoned in the tomb by his father and had mind-controlled the monsters to make his way back to the surface. So before Kelltins was Noctyra, there had been another one a thousand years ago. One that was the last child of the forefather of Axul - the one they called Father Spurius. And Lysandra had been there as well ¨C younger, not yet the High Priestess. She had practically held the boy hostage. She had even killed his mother¡­ But Noctyra had refused to be one of them or take part in their plans, which made the priestesses¡¯ story make a lot more sense. Lysandra had been the only one allowed to leave the temple ¨C preparing everything for Noctyra ¨C because she was searching for him after his escape as a child ¨C thanks to the wolf he had created with his magic. A sudden thought crossed my mind. Could the Pack Leader be the same wolf? Other than the size, they sure looked similar. In the memory, it had seemed to be on its deathbed, but in the tomb, it had the milky-white eyes of the Undead. Could it be that Lysandra reanimated it to guard this place, just as she had turned all those priestesses from the Vestiges into Undead as well? I knew I was making a lot of assumptions here, but somehow, everything seemed to fall into place and make perfect sense. But did Lysandra ever find Noctyra? She must have failed ¨C Erebus never descended a thousand years ago, likely because he lacked his promised vessel. And now, a millennium later, he had decided to ¡°settle¡± for the second-best option ¨C a powerful knight, betrayed and executed by his kingdom, eventually sent to rot inside this godforsaken place before turning into a vengeful wraith in death. I couldn¡¯t help but feel bad for Gaelith. After everything he had endured before he was unjustly executed, even in death, he couldn¡¯t find peace. Something else bothered me as well. Lysandra had mentioned that Noctyra¡¯s father ¨C the first Axul ¨C had faked his own death, only to conceive Noctyra in his old age. But why? What had really happened back then? Did all the Axul know about this? The priestesses certainly hadn¡¯t mentioned anything, but then again, I had never asked... My thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound behind me. By the time I turned around, it was already too late. A searing surge of magic struck me head-on, unleashed by an Undead woman wearing a helm adorned with stag horns ¨C Priestess of Axul, level 98. As I attempted to roll away, another surge of magic blasted me from the right. Looks like the First Circle Priestess had found me. And they didn¡¯t take kindly to intruders snooping around their chambers. Even when they were already dead. I activated Wind Fortification, and the protecting air around me erupted in a powerful explosion, pushing back their magic and raising dust and debris. Using the diversion, I activated Wind Rush, then followed up with Enhanced Blade Rush toward the priestess in front of me. But as I swung Silverfang, the glaive passed through her like air ¨C she vanished, chuckling while at it. A sudden surge of magic came flying at me from behind ¨C I could only detect it by sound. I had no choice, so I activated Apex Reflex. Time slowed down from my perspective, giving me enough time to roll away. The moment I regained my footing, I launched into Enhanced Blade Rush toward the other priestess. But again, Silverfang failed to connect. Then, the first priestess rematerialized from thin air and struck me with another blast of magic. I barely managed to dodge with Enhanced Dash Step, swapping to Lightning Claw mid-dodge with a new plan in mind. This time, I channeled Stormpierce, locking onto one of them. I had hoped the guaranteed hit effect would ensure I land something, but I was wrong. I blinked forward, lightnings flashing, dagger already driven in. But the priestess body just dispersed once again ¨C taking no damage. Okay, this is bad. I can¡¯t hit them, and they hurt like crazy. I needed to get out of here fast. Without a second thought, I rushed out of the chamber, escaping before they could kill me. *** I had been running from the priestesses for quite some time ¨C and across quite a few levels. They had been chasing me relentlessly until I finally managed to shake them off. Now, I was crouched behind a stone platform I found in one of the chambers, catching my breath. I glanced at the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System status menu. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 51] [Loop Count: 55] [Experience Points (XP): 58,666 / 74,000] Just about fifteen thousand XP, and I¡¯d be one level away from maxing out the System entirely. It was a satisfying thought ¨C until I reminded myself that despite that, I was still far from defeating Erebus.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Nice, Aidan. Great way to ruin the moment¡­ ¡°Who are we hiding from, Spellsword?¡± Goren¡¯s unmistakable voice came to my right, nearly making me jump. I turned sharply ¨C there he was, sitting beside me as if he had always been there. Damn Rogues and their unique skills¡­ I exhaled heavily, forcing myself to calm down. ¡°Why are you here again?¡± He met my gaze. ¡°Well, I was waiting for you down in the Void, but you duped me. You never showed.¡± I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. ¡°Yeah, because the snake wasn¡¯t there anymore.¡± Goren narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s true, but how would you know that?¡± ¡°Because I killed it.¡± I replied. ¡°The days of you tricking me and abusing your advantages over me are over, Goren. Now, get the hell away from me before we end up fighting now instead of later.¡± He chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I deserve this.¡± He muttered. Then, reaching to his inventory, he added. ¡°Here.¡± At first, I tensed, expecting a weapon. But what he pulled out was something completely different. In his right hand, he held a small shard of grey stone. ¡°You were looking for this, I believe.¡± The third shard of the Darknessbound Core. It had been in his possession all this time?! Figures¡­The Echo revealed he had spoken to Kelltins. He likely took the shard from him back then as well. I should''ve thought of that... Instinctively, I reached for it, but he pulled back and stood up. ¡°Give it. Now.¡± I said firmly, ready to fight him for it if the need arose. He raised his hands in a calming gesture. ¡°Hey, hey, chill, Spellsword. I¡¯m planning to give it to you ¨C as a token of our friendship.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not friends.¡± I shot back quickly. ¡°Now, hand it over.¡± For a moment, Goren watched me. There was something in his expression ¨C almost like he was hurt. Genuinely hurt. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± He finally said. ¡°But only after you hear me out first.¡± I studied him in silence. There had to be a catch with this guy. Him and his lying god. But sure ¨C I¡¯d listen. If that was all he asked for. ¡°You have one minute.¡± I said. Goren¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°My, my, one minute more than I deserve. Sure.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I always tell you this, and I will say it again: I am not your enemy, Spellsword. I did terrible things. To you. To a lot of other adventurers who joined us here today. At some point, my mind discarded the value of human life because¡­when the world resets every time I die, how could I treat human lives like they have any value?¡± His voice was steady, but there was something raw about it ¨C something heartfelt. ¡°I wasn¡¯t just in the wrong. I was what¡¯s wrong. And I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± He finished. I watched him, unimpressed. In my eyes, actions always spoke louder than words. And Goren¡¯s actions had already proven he couldn¡¯t be trusted. ¡°Is that it?¡± I asked flatly, making sure he knew he was getting nowhere with me. He rolled his eyes. ¡°Wait, wait, wait, I still have around thirty seconds left, right?¡± ¡°Less.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± He started pacing the chamber. ¡°Dolos. That bastard. At first, I thought that despite his flaws and rotten personality, he at least wanted to save our world. But that¡¯s not the case at all, Spellsword! He just wants to kill your god!¡± His words sent a shiver down my spine. I stopped counting the seconds down. I had known Dolos wanted to thwart Chronos ¨C make him suffer. But kill him? Could he do it? Was it possible to kill a god? ¡°Kill him?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Goren exclaimed. ¡°He despises him. He said Chronos had manipulated him before. That he now manipulates you. That everything he does and says are tricks to get you doing whatever he wants." Goren shook his head, as if recalling more. "He said something about Erebus¡¯ blight. How it will consume your god, and how he¡¯ll do everything to make sure it does." Chronos was manipulating me...purposefully? I wanted to deny it outright, but...suddenly things started to make sense. Our first talks. His anger toward my smallest mistakes. What happened to Yana...everything I did was somehow by his design. An unexplainable anger washed over me and suddenly it hit me - Chronos was gaslighting me from the beginning of this entire battle. I always thought he did, but refused to look at the facts for what they were, thinking he had a deeper motive or that I was misunderstanding. Goren''s voice suddenly turned firmer, cutting through my thoughts. "But I don¡¯t care about that ¨C I don¡¯t care about some random gods who appeared out of nowhere and will disappear back to nowhere once we end Erebus. I care about our world. About my family living in it.¡± His voice wavered lightly ¨C his eyes seemingly sincere. ¡°And seeing how Dolos discarded all of that, marking it as secondary, I can¡¯t follow him anymore. I mean, I don¡¯t have a choice. But know that I don¡¯t want to.¡± He reached his hand toward me, offering the shard. ¡°Take it.¡± He said, his voice filled with conviction. ¡°Take it, and know that I¡¯ll support you, even if you don¡¯t want me to. Even if Dolos threatens to kill me over and over for disobeying his whims. I¡¯ll support you because I don¡¯t want us to erase each other from existence. I¡¯ll support you because I want us to save the world first and foremost.¡± I stared at him, Chronos¡¯ warnings echoing in my mind. Chronos had warned me about Goren and Dolos since the beginning. Even in our last conversation, he told me not to trust Goren ¨C that he would eventually betray me because Dolos would promise him something he couldn¡¯t refuse. But could I trust Chronos? What if he was truly just manipulating me toward completing his cause without having my best interests in mind? More importantly - could I trust Goren? It was a question I found even harder to answer. On one hand, all my knowledge told me no ¨C take the shard and send him away. But on the other¡­something deeper told me he was being genuine. I still had nine runs before I had to face him, before our existences were on the line ¨C something I desperately wanted to avoid. And here he was ¨C handing me exactly what I was missing. Offering a way out before we had to kill each other. Should I trust him? I sighed deeply, torn between instinct and knowledge. ¡°I¡¯ll hand you the shard regardless of your answer.¡± Goren said. ¡°I¡¯ve never had my eight-time murderer ask me to be allies before. I get why it¡¯s hard for you to trust me. Hell, I wouldn¡¯t even trust myself in your place!¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°But I promise you ¨C I will prove your trust is well-placed. Just let me. Please. Don¡¯t deny me again.¡± "Goren, you''re - " "Marked by Erebus. I know." he cut me off. "But the way I understood it from Dolos, it would only affect you if we actually did something significant in the run. If this significant turns out to be defeating Erebus - then who cares. We won. And if not, I''ll drag all the attention to myself to let you escape. And if the dungeon adjust to us because of me, then I''ll buy you all the time you need, so you could progress on your own." Yeah...it wasn''t too different from what Chronos told me. And I also had the Sword of Radiance which supposedly kept me hidden from Erebus and was likely the reason I was yet to be marked, despite making so much progress. I wanted to trust Goren ¨C to believe in him. But it was so hard. How could I trust someone who had murdered me eight times? So what if he had listened to me earlier and killed me at my request? That didn¡¯t change much. And yet¡­there was something about him. Something in the way he spoke about his family ¨C his love for them. It hit home. It made me think of Yana ¨C the only person I had left in this world. The person I was fighting for. The person who probably hated me right now because of how cold and detached I had been in this run¡¯s morning. I suddenly saw Goren differently. Not as a murderer. Not as some crazy psychopath who killed me for fun and XP. But as a human being. Lost. Misguided. Trapped under the god who embodied deception itself. Chronos would disagree with me, but Chronos doesn¡¯t understand humans at all. If he did, he would¡¯ve known how Dolos felt. And maybe then, he could have prevented this entire situation. I suddenly recalled something Christian told me long ago. ''When in doubt, trust your instincts.'' Thank you, guild master. This was going to be tough and risky, but I could use an ally. I sighed, locking eyes with Goren. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± My tone was firm. ¡°You¡¯ve made far too many mistakes for that.¡± His expression darkened, but he nodded. ¡°I understand...¡± ¡°But,¡± I added, reaching out my hand. ¡°I¡¯m willing to try trusting you.¡± Goren¡¯s eyes widened. For a moment, pure shock crossed his face ¨C then, something else. Excitement. ¡°Spellsword¡­¡± he whispered, reaching for my hand. We shook hands, sealing our agreement, leaving me hopeful I wouldn¡¯t regret it. Chapter 65: Ice Queen Chapter 65: Ice Queen Once I had the third Darknessbound Core shard in my possession, my first instinct was to combine them all into one. I pulled the other two from my second inventory and brought them together. Suddenly, the edges where they were supposed to connect glowed brightly, and with one click ¨C I was holding a whole stone in my hands. [Darknessbound Core] ¡°My, my¡­¡± Goren said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°So, what is it supposed to do again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s supposed to imprison Erebus without having to fight him.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Goren responded simply. ¡°And how will it work exactly? Do we just aim the stone at him and ¨C poof? He¡¯s stuck inside?¡± I was about to retort, annoyed by his casual, aloof attitude, but I stopped. He was right. How does it work? The item¡¯s description didn¡¯t provide much clarity either. Instead, it only deepened the mystery: A prison meant to bind Darkness. It stands empty ¨C a cage with no prisoner. Without the key to seal its target, it is nothing but a simple piece of stone. So, we need a key¡­ I wondered if any of the Key Items in my possession were the required key ¨C specifically, the Eye of Axul. But the glassy orb didn¡¯t react to the Core. ¡°We need some key¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°A key?¡± Goren asked. ¡°What kind?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I wish I knew.¡± Before we could continue our discussion, more Priestesses of Axul emerged from the shadows. Goren applied Apparition Oil to his daggers, attempting to strike them ¨C but even that failed. Every attack we threw went right through them, dealing no damage. ¡°So, they¡¯re not wraiths.¡± Goren remarked while we sprinted away, escaping them. ¡°That¡¯s reassuring.¡± ¡°Reassuring?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°Yeah.¡± He replied. ¡°I was running out of oil...¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Stop joking around and think about how we can take them down!¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking, I¡¯m thinking.¡± After descending too many floors, we eventually managed to lose them, finding refuge in a secluded chamber. Goren, catching his breath, placed a hand against the stone floor. Apparently, he had a unique skill that let him estimate how far underground he was. ¡°I think it¡¯s the twelfth level.¡± He said, looking thoughtful. ¡°Might be the thirteenth too. Don¡¯t quote me on that. I¡¯m not big on math.¡± I sighed, shaking my head. Did it really matter what floor we were on? I could already tell by myself that we were somewhere in the 10s, and that was enough. ¡°Any other useful insights?¡± I asked, rolling my eyes. Goren looked thoughtful. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel a bit colder here?¡± I was about to instinctively brush him off, but then ¨C I felt it. The temperature had dropped significantly. It wasn¡¯t exactly freezing, but the change was unmistakable. All the Memory Fragments. All the Vestiges. They all flashed through my mind at once. Lysandra. She had possessed ice magic. But after all these years¡­could she even still be alive? *** The cold chambers continued across the entire level, but we didn¡¯t encounter any of the Priestesses of Axul. Instead, we fought the usual monsters of the tomb. After slaying a few Void Spiders, a joyful message appeared. [Quest Completed: Charlotte''s Nemesis #4] [Reward: 20,000 XP] [+20,000 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [New Quest Available: Charlotte''s Nemesis #5] [Slay 1,000 Void Spiders] [Current Status: 501 / 1,000] [Reward: 25,000 XP] Without hesitation, I immediately allocated the skill point into Temporal Trace, maxing it out. [Skill Upgraded: Temporal Trace lvl.10 - MAX] [Skill Upgraded: D¨¦j¨¤ vu lvl.9] [Next Level: lvl.10: Gain an additional skill point and unlock ¡®Total Recall¡¯]The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Unlock Total Recall? What¡¯s that? Judging by the name, it could mean full recollection of all my memories. God, I wish. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 53] [Loop Count: 55] [Experience Points (XP): 9,376 / 77,000] Just a bit more¡­ I allocated the two extra points into Agility, bringing it up to 59. Was I now the adventurer with the highest Agility in the kingdom? I couldn¡¯t say for sure, but it was quite likely. Even among the 80+ leveled adventurers not may would even think of placing almost 60 points into Agility. ¡°What are you doing, Spellsword?¡± Goren¡¯s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t space out. We¡¯re still not in the clear ¨C those bloodthirsty wenches are probably still looking for us.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± I muttered, barely containing my annoyance. We reached the staircase and descended even deeper. There, an empty floor revealed itself before us. But something wasn¡¯t right¡­ D¨¦j¨¤ vu tingled in my mind, pulling my attention toward the large wall to our right. What¡¯s that all about? I made my way toward the wall, Goren following closely behind. ¡°Did you see something over there?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± I replied. ¡°Have you been here before?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Dunno. Might¡¯ve been. Can¡¯t say for sure. Erebus has been halting my progression for a very long time now. Besides, everything here looks the same ¨C you can¡¯t really expect me to remember every floor.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve just said no.¡± I pointed out and continued toward the wall. At this point, D¨¦j¨¤ vu was going crazy, and I immediately stopped. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Goren asked. ¡°Something is¡­off about this wall.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure myself. But if D¨¦j¨¤ vu reacted this strongly, then I had been here before ¨C and that meant there was a reason to be cautious. It felt like it was warning me. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Goren said, stepping ahead of me. ¡°Wait ¨C ¡° Too late. A giant claw burst through the wall, shattering it before slashing straight at Goren. The hit connected, but Goren dissolved into dark mist. A second later, he reappeared next to me, his eyes narrowed at the wall ¨C now perfectly intact again. The claw, however, was gone. ¡°Okay.¡± He exhaled. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Surprisingly, I actually felt relieved he was still alive. ¡°I¡¯ve definitely been here before.¡± I said, D¨¦j¨¤ vu still tingling in the back of my mind. ¡°I can recall that claw¡­vaguely.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Goren asked. ¡°None of my skills can detect a presence. This can¡¯t be a monster.¡± ¡°Could be a wraith.¡± I suggested. He shook his head. ¡°Unlikely. I can usually sense those too.¡± Reaching for his neck, he pulled out a medallion and held it up. ¡°This is a Warding Medallion.¡± He said. ¡°A unique item for Rogues. It lets us see apparitions and¡­other stuff.¡± He studied the wall again before sighing. ¡°But I can¡¯t see anything. The claw, though¡­we both saw it.¡± I nodded slowly, analyzing his words. ¡°Then what could it be?¡± ¡°An illusion?¡± Goren suggested, but his face soured immediately. ¡°But then ¨C ¡° ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been able to hit you.¡± I cut in, finishing his thought. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He nodded, grinning. ¡°Damn, Spellsword, we¡¯re so in sync we¡¯re already finishing each other¡¯s thoughts.¡± I rolled my eyes and turned to leave. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Goren asked, looking confused. ¡°Heading deeper.¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s no point fighting this¡­this claw or whatever it is. We don¡¯t know what it is, what it does, and I don¡¯t want to die yet.¡± ¡°Spellsword, Spellsword¡­I didn¡¯t know you were a quitter.¡± His remark made me stop and turn back to face him. ¡°This is a mystery.¡± He continued. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve stumbled upon it, and I¡¯m curious. Aren¡¯t you?¡± I studied him silently. Why was he so eccentric all the time? ¡°Well?¡± He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. I sighed. ¡°Sure, I guess¡­But if ¨C ¡° ¡°Ah, ah, ah.¡± Goren wagged a finger. ¡°No ifs or buts. This claw might lead us to the key we need.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t know that for sure.¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t know for sure that it won¡¯t.¡± Hard to argue with this logic¡­ But that just meant we¡¯d have another problem ¨C I¡¯ll have another problem. ¡°Somehow, I feel like if we do solve this mystery, I¡¯ll end up being marked.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Goren shrugged. ¡°But if that happens after we get the key to the Darknessbound Core, why would it matter? We¡¯d already have it ¨C the prison! Erebus wouldn¡¯t be able to halt us anymore. We could seal him away and be done with it.¡± There was sense in his words. I sighed again and stepped back to his side. ¡°Then what do you suggest we do, genius?¡± He scratched his head. ¡°Damn. I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t actually think I¡¯d be able to convince you. Give me a moment to think.¡± I shook my head, in disbelief at myself for listening to him. I really hope this wasn¡¯t a huge mistake. After a few seconds, Goren suddenly exclaimed, gesturing for me to step back. ¡°Let me check something real quick.¡± I did as he asked and watched as he stepped into the claw¡¯s range once again. The moment he did, the claw materialized, breaking through the wall and lunging straight at him. But he was ready. Goren rushed forward, sliding at the last possible second, dodging cleanly under the massive swipe. Then, he propelled himself upright, summoning the golden bow from before into his hands. In one fluid motion, he loosed a magical arrow straight at the claw. But the projectile phased right through. Then, a second claw erupted from the wall, slashing toward him. ¡°Watch out!¡± I called out. But Goren was already moving. He flipped backward ¨C once, twice, three times ¨C dodging both claws with an impressive display of acrobatics and agility while seamlessly swapping to a dark metal sword. The moment he completed his last jump and landed on his feet, he pointed the sword forward, its tip aimed at the wall. Suddenly, the blade released a powerful, dark-red blast of magic at the gaping hole in the center. The claws vanished instantly, dissolving into thin air. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that ¨C ¡° Before Goren could finish, another claw shot out from the hole in the broken wall, lunging straight at him. He dissolved into dark mist again before getting hit, reappearing outside its reach ¨C his golden bow already in hand, another arrow charged and aimed at the wall. I watched tensely, wondering whether to jump in, but so far, he seemed to have things under control. He loosed the second arrow at the hole in the wall. The projectile went in and exploded inside, sending debris flying and crumbling most of the wall. The entire level shook violently, dust raining from the ceiling. For a moment, I feared Goren¡¯s stunt might bring the entire upper level crashing down on us. But something entirely different happened. In hindsight¡­I think I would¡¯ve preferred the ceiling collapsing on us. A wave of frost burst from the broken wall, spreading rapidly and plunging the temperature even lower until ¨C [Status Effect: Freeze lvl.5 ¨C Max Freeze level. You are Frozen in place. Movement Speed reduced by 100%. Agility reduced by 100%. Unable to move or take any physical actions for 25 seconds] Ice encased both Goren and me up to our necks, rooting us to the ground, leaving only our heads free. I desperately tried to move inside the ice to break free, knowing that it would be useless. Sadly, I had no resistance to freezing effects. And judging by Goren¡¯s lack of movement, neither did he. ¡°I was about to say¡­I figured out what the claws were.¡± Goren muttered, his voice surprisingly casual despite our predicament. ¡°We couldn¡¯t sense a presence because they weren¡¯t a monster. It¡¯s an ability.¡± He shook his head, seemingly talking to himself. ¡°But then you might ask ¨C whose ability is it? And why can¡¯t we pick up the attacker¡¯s presence?¡± I kept struggling against the ice but paused when he suddenly exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s a portal!¡± That caught my full attention. ¡°A portal?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± he nodded as much as he could while being frozen. ¡°The hole in the wall ¨C I aimed my attacks there on purpose because I knew it would reach our attacker on the other side. The entire floor shook not just because the wall began collapsing, but because somewhere above us, a completely different chamber exploded from my shot.¡± His eyes flicked toward me. ¡°But looking at us now, I guess it didn¡¯t kill them.¡± My heart raced as I slowly realized who the attacker was. Slowly, making her way through the broken wall, was a tall figure ¨C her long, dark, unkempt obscuring most of her face. Her skin was decayed. Her robes tattered and rotting. But through the strands of her hair, I caught sight of her milky-white, lifeless eyes. High Priestess of Axul, lvl 110. My stomach twisted. Here she was. The person I had dreaded so much turned out to be¡­another Undead? Lysandra ¨C the High Priestess ¨C was also Undead. ¡°Well,¡± Goren muttered, his tone dry. ¡°I think we¡¯re done here, Spellsword. See you in the morning.¡± A split second later, she swung her hand and we shattered into tiny pieces. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 66: Loop Drift Chapter 66: Loop Drift I woke up on the all-too-familiar grass field. The moment I sat up, I saw Chronos pacing angrily in front of me. Pix and Balthor stood beside him, desperately trying to calm him down. ¡°Young Master, you must rest.¡± Balthor urged. ¡°Boss, please relax!¡± Pix added. Chronos shook his head, fuming. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would do this!¡± He kept pacing, his frustration boiling over. ¡°How many times do I have to tell him?!¡± I narrowed my eyes and butted in. ¡°Tell me what?¡± All three of them turned their attention to me at once. Chronos¡¯ blazing eyes locked onto mine. ¡°I told you to stay away from Goren, didn¡¯t I?!¡± His voice thundered around us. ¡°You already made this mistake once, and that¡¯s why we had to agree to that shitty deal with Dolos! And now you¡¯re doing it again?!¡± Surprisingly, I remained calm despite his outburst. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Here we go again¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m already tired of this. Just send me back.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t send you back until I¡¯m certain we¡¯re on the same page!¡± Chronos snapped. ¡°The fate of your universe is on the line! Don¡¯t belittle this!¡± I shook my head, voice hardening. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. We made that shitty deal with Dolos because of you. This is your fault.¡± ¡°My fault?¡± Chronos stiffened, his expression shifting from anger to shock, then back to anger. ¡°What the hell do you even know?!¡± I rose to my feet, the built-up anger inside bursting out. ¡°I know little but I understand enough.¡± I shot back. ¡°You¡¯re a god, for crying out loud! You didn¡¯t notice that your top assistant fell in love? That he needed help?¡± My voice continued rising. ¡°You literally made him into what he is today by neglecting him! That¡¯s why we had to agree to that shitty deal with him ¨C because he despises you and wants to kill you!¡± Chronos¡¯ face went blank. Pix and Balthor were just as stunned. For a brief second, I wondered if I had gone too far ¨C if I had just sealed my fate by shouting accusations at a god who I knew could erase me from existence. But for some reason, I didn¡¯t feel afraid. ¡°Balthor, look at him. He has it...¡± Pix¡¯s voice broke the tense silence. She pointed at me with one hand, tugging the butler¡¯s sleeve with the other. Balthor¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± Chronos¡¯ expression softened slightly. ¡°Looks like he has a case of a Loop Drift.¡± He muttered, turning away. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t be mad at him if that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°Loop Drift?¡± I echoed, confused. ¡°Yes.¡± Balthor replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s a term we use for when the Champion¡¯s mind becomes too mentally fatigued. When the strain of repeated loops wears them down and they start to act without fear¡­without caution. Even going as far as to disrespect a god in his own realm.¡± I stared at him, my gut twisting. Bullshit. I wasn¡¯t buying it. Of course, I felt mentally drained, but they so happened to have an actual term for it? Yeah, right. I scoffed. ¡°Oh, yeah, totally. You definitely didn¡¯t just make that term up right now to dismiss everything I said, right?¡± My gaze hardened. ¡°Just like all the other manipulations you¡¯ve put me through?¡± Chronos turned back to me sharply. ¡°Other manipulations? What the hell are you even talking about, Aidan?¡± Pix jumped in between us, arms raised in a nervous attempt to diffuse the situation. ¡°Boss, relax! He definitely has Loop Drift! There¡¯s no way he would ever talk to you like this if he didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Forget the damn Loop Drift!¡± I shouted, locking eyes with Chronos. ¡°You knew I would get Yana involved, didn¡¯t you? You wanted me to get her involved!¡± His gaze wavered for a moment ¨C but it was enough for me. The momentary hesitation was all I needed to confirm my doubts. ¡°That¡¯s why you worded it that way, didn¡¯t you?¡± My voice suddenly shook. ¡°¡®You are to speak about your mission to no one¡¯.¡± I shook my head angrily. ¡°And when I tried to work around the restriction and failed, you made me remember that I got her marked and killed! You wanted that to happen, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Tears streamed down my cheeks without me even realizing. ¡°And now I can¡¯t feel anything anymore!¡± I snapped. ¡°I pushed her so far away to keep her safe that I can¡¯t feel anything anymore!¡± ¡°Aidan¡­¡± Pix whispered, stepping toward me cautiously, her expression worried. But I ignored her, my gaze locking onto Chronos again. ¡°Well?! Tell me the truth! Tell me that¡¯s not the case!¡± ¡°What about some personal responsibility?¡± he replied, his tone harsh. ¡°Take accountability for your own actions!¡± ¡°Of course I take accountability! It was my fault in the end, but you pushed me there!¡± I replied. ¡°And that wasn''t the only time! It¡¯s the same thing that happened with Goren. How did you expect me to just ignore him when he was that far stronger and already suspicious of me? How could¡¯ve I deny his attempts to help me?!¡± I shook my head again. ¡°Tell me the truth! Tell me you wanted all of this to happen!¡± Chronos eyes flared, and he finally snapped. ¡°Of course I did it on purpose! Is that what you wanted to hear?!¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Despite wanting to know the truth, his confirmation shook me. ¡°You think I like doing this?¡± He shook his head, eyes blazing, voice filled with frustration. ¡°You think I enjoy manipulating you and all the others before you?" He continued. ¡°I can¡¯t have my champions retain their memories without getting them marked and constantly killed by Erebus. But I also can¡¯t just leave them to their own devices and watch them repeat every loop exactly the same way, making zero progress and wasting our time. ¡°So yes, I knew you would try telling Yana about what was going on. That¡¯s why I left you that supposed loophole. But getting Yana marked was the only way to push you in the direction you needed to go. ¡°Think about it!¡± He pressed. ¡°Without Yana being marked, would you ever have considered leaving her behind? Would you ever have explored the dungeon on your own? Would you have reached Kaelstrife and found the Darknessbound Core? It was necessary! And I won¡¯t apologize for that.¡± At that moment, something inside me snapped, and I lunged at him. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± But Pix intercepted me, stopping me far too easily for a girl her size. Her grip was unbreakable. ¡°Relax, Aidan.¡± She whispered, trying to calm me down, straining slightly but holding firm. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish. Chronos is on your side.¡± I struggled against her grip. ¡°He made me remember I had her killed just to mess with my mind!¡± ¡°Mr. Dar, you must understand that Master Chronos has no choice in the matter.¡± Balthor attempted to calm me down as well. "It''s the only way he can intervene within the boundaries of our challenge." I ignored him, turning my furious gaze back to Chronos. ¡°Do you even realize how hard it was on me?!¡± ¡°It made you understand the stakes.¡± Chronos replied harshly. ¡°It made you realize the full reality of what would happen if you failed!¡± ¡°You could have done it differently!¡± I shouted. ¡°How, exactly?!¡± he snapped back. ¡°I can¡¯t tell my champions what to do! That¡¯s direct interference ¨C it¡¯s against the rules and would only empower Erebus! Manipulating you all is the only way I have to save you.¡± I growled in frustration, my hands clenched so hard my nails dug into my palms. Pix finally let me go, and I turned away from them. ¡°You say you want to save us but you don''t treat us like we''re worth saving.¡± My voice grew quitter now, but no less sharp. "''A Pawn'' - wasn''t that how Pix called me the first time you had called me here? That''s all we are to you, huh? Pawns..." I shook my head. "Instead of trying to discuss things with your champions, working as true partners, you manipulate them to progress in the way you see fit. Is it because you think we''re stupid monkeys compared to a godly entity like you, or is it because you just don''t understand humans?" I turned sharply before he could respond, finishing what I had to say. "I can understand why Dolos hates you so much.¡± A tense silence followed before Balthor approached me, handing out a small flask filled with a shimmering liquid. ¡°Take it, Mr. Dar.¡± His voice was gentle. ¡°This is a bit of Essence of Time. It will help with your Loop Drift. Yours is quite severe.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. Just send me back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sending you ¨C ¡° Chronos began. ¡°Send me back!¡± I cut him off sharply. I took a deep breath to steady myself, then spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with this. I¡¯ll save my world. And I¡¯ll do it how I see fit.¡± I turned back to face him. ¡°I don¡¯t know Goren that well, but I know one thing ¨C we¡¯re both caught in the crossfire between three gods and I¡¯m done playing this game your way.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Me and him ¨C we¡¯ll end this together. And I don¡¯t want to see you again until Erebus is finally imprisoned in that damn Core and you take him away or whatever." The silence that followed was loud. For a long moment, no one opened their mouths. Then, Chronos finally spoke, his voice tired ¨C even annoyed. ¡°Have it your way, ungrateful brat.¡± ¡°Wait, no!¡± Balthor and Pix called out in unison, but it was too late. Everything turned black. *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 53] [Loop Count: 56] [Experience Points (XP): 9,376 / 77,000] ¡°Wakey, wakey, Spellsword.¡± A voice pulled me out of sleep. I blinked awake to find Goren hunched over me. Instinct took over and I immediately conjured a Fireball and aimed at him. He raised his hands in a calming gesture. ¡°Oh, wow ¨C chill, Spellsword! We¡¯re on the same side!¡± Wait. I recognized him. Even without the System. I could recall our agreement to team up in the last run ¨C and only it. How? Chronos¡­ Seeing how he manipulated me before, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that leaving me with this memory was yet another one of his manipulations in the making. I exhaled, shaking off the tension. ¡°My bad.¡± I sat up. ¡°The hell are you doing in my house, though?¡± Goren chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just got here. I figured we should start the day earlier than usual. Together.¡± I frowned. ¡°Earlier?¡± Then, I glanced out the window and realized what he meant. It was still so, so dark outside. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Just an hour past midnight, give or take.¡± Goren replied casually, grinning. ¡°Come. We should get ready for the big day ahead. I have a good feeling about this run.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked, cautious. He nodded eagerly. ¡°That ice wench was something. We need to find her.¡± ¡°Ice wench?¡± I repeated, confused. Goren raised an eyebrow. ¡°Did you forget already? Gods, your System is something else¡­¡± ¡°¡­second inventory¡­¡± an Echo of my own voice rang in my ears. Goren was about to say something else, but I stopped him with a raised hand. ¡°Wait.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°What?¡± "Before you say anything, I need to check something.¡± I opened my second inventory, surprised to see all those Memory Fragments and Vestiges of Time. I watched them all, reliving the memories. Slowly, together with D¨¦j¨¤ vu, I reminded myself of what my past selves had learned. Eventually, I landed on a Personal Vestige of Time - the one I had created. I watched it only to see how I made Yana mad in the morning and how she ran away from me. My heart twisted at the memory, but I reminded myself that I was doing this for her. Goren couldn¡¯t keep quiet anymore and broke the silence. ¡°So, I thought we should go to my village ¨C Eastwell. Our blacksmith is one of the best around. We need to get you some new armor. Not this low-level shit you have now.¡± I barely heard him, focusing instead on the Key Items in my inventory. The Darknessbound Core ¨C I knew it from my conversations with Chronos. But the Eye of Axul and Essence of Darkness orb? Those were a riddle. And then, there was the Sword of Radiance. I recognized it and its purpose from my conversation with Pix and Balthor that one time. I summoned it and the sword materialized in my hands, glowing brightly. [Sword of Radiance: Not allowed to use weapon. Must be ¡°Chosen of the Light¡±] ¡°Wow.¡± Goren¡¯s voice cut through my thoughts. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Gaelith gave you his sword.¡± I froze, my eyes widening in surprise. ¡°What?¡± Goren blinked. ¡°What what?¡± He pointed at the sword. ¡°That¡¯s Gaelith¡¯s blade.¡± His expression shifted ¨C realization dawning. ¡°Oh. Right. You and your System...¡± But before he could elaborate, I saw it ¨C a faint purple aura surrounding the blade. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #15 - Available] How long was this blade in my inventory? How did I not see this Vestige until now?! I plunged into the memory immediately. But instead of reliving a distant past, I relived one of my past loops. How I found Gaelith in an empty chamber. How he offered his help to fight Erebus. How we fought together against Kelltins - Dark Axul - and his Scorpion companion, Stinger. I saw the truth of Gaelith¡¯s Darkness ¨C Gaelith''s other, corrupted self ¨C the true vessel of Erebus. And I saw him leaving me his sword to protect me from Darkness ¨C leaving himself exposed for the loops to come. I gasped as the memory ended, the weight of it hitting me all at once. He sacrificed his safety for me and I forgot about him completely. ¡°Gaelith¡­¡± I whispered, turning to Goren with urgency. ¡°We must find him. Quickly!¡± Chapter 67: Searching Chapter 67: Searching ¡°You want us to rob your village¡¯s blacksmith?¡± I whispered to Goren as we silently approached the place, the darkness of the night keeping us hidden. He shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s robbing when the fate of the world is at stake? Hell, if you feel that bad, Spellsword, you can always come back here after we defeat Erebus and pay for it.¡± I sighed. ¡°When you put it like that¡­sure.¡± "Take this." he said, handing over an item. "Blackberries?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "To ease your mind." He said, nodding. "It helps me. Might help you." I stored them in the inventory and continued forward. We had decided to search for Gaelith this run. Goren had filled me in on the gaps the Vestige from the sword didn¡¯t show, completing most of the picture from that fateful run. But we needed Stephan Lorren and his mages to unseal the tomb first ¨C so for now, despite being awake so early, we couldn¡¯t enter it yet. Instead, I agreed to go with Goren¡¯s plan and followed him to his village. Apparently, he hadn¡¯t lived too far from me. His village, Eastwell, was just a few miles away from mine ¨C Sandrest, with Monnvale and the adjacent tomb in between. We reached the entrance of a small house, a sign swaying gently on rusty chains in front of it: ¡®Dagon ¨C Blacksmith¡¯. ¡°Wait here.¡± Goren whispered. Then, without another word, he sank into his shadow and vanished. A second later, the door creaked open from the inside, opened by Goren who grinned merrily. ¡°Welcome, welcome, Spellsword.¡± I rolled my eyes as I stepped past him into the dark shop. ¡°We¡¯re still stealing. There¡¯s nothing fun about it.¡± He shrugged. ¡°True. But I don¡¯t want us feeling guilty about it either.¡± He closed the door behind us softly. Unlike most blacksmith shops I¡¯ve been in, Dagon¡¯s forge was fairly clean. Everything seemed to be placed in a way that at least resembled order. Rows of swords hung above the anvil, with racks of daggers and other knives lined on the back wall. The far-left side of the shop housed different types of armor, resting on wooden mannequins or inside of crates. Goren broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± He scanned the shop. ¡°Agility-based adventurers¡¯ gear should be¡­there, I think. In the far left of the section.¡± He pointed to our left where the suits of armor were. ¡°Stay quiet, though.¡± He added in a low voice. ¡°Pretty sure Old Dagon has voice enchantments set up. If we talk too loudly, they¡¯ll go off.¡± I nodded, stepping carefully toward the armor section of the shop. I needed something that would enhance both my Agility and Intelligence ¨C maximize my speed while also amplifying my spellcasting. Most Spellswords only wore a chest plate and vambraces ¨C any more than that, and the added weight would kill mobility. Any less, and you''re not maximizing your potential. I began my search, moving between mannequins and crates, running fingers over different pieces, searching for the right stats with the System. I stopped at a sleek, blackened chest plate resting on a stand. It was made of an unfamiliar alloy ¨C not quite metal, but not entirely leather as well. [Durability Increase ¨C 15%. Agility Increase ¨C 20%] The Agility bonus was a lot better than the one I had on my current armor, but there was no Intelligence buff. I moved on. Further down the row, a deep-blue vest, reinforced with iron pulled my attention. I lifted it, feeling how lightweight and flexible it was. [Durability Increase ¨C 10%. Agility Increase ¨C 10%. Intelligence Increase ¨C 15%] My spellcasting would benefit from this, but the Agility buff was a bit low. The next set was exactly what I looked for. A lightweight silver chest plate ¨C reinforced with magical runes. It felt almost weightless. Beside it, a set of matching arm guards with sharp edges caught my eye. Altogether they would bring me: [Durability Increase ¨C 5%. Agility Increase ¨C 20%. Intelligence Increase ¨C 15%] Perfect. The Durability buff was low. But I was a glass cannon anyway, so...whatever. Probably the best I could find in a village like this. I quickly grabbed them and donned them. [Durability Increased by 5%]This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. [Agility Increased by 20%] [Intelligence Increased by 15%] ¡°I found what I need.¡± I whispered to Goren. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Same here.¡± He flexed his wrists, showing off a new pair of vambraces ¨C white in color, standing out awkwardly against the rest of his dark attire and hair. I raised an eyebrow. ¡°They don¡¯t suit you.¡± Goren narrowed his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were into fashion, Spellsword.¡± I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, he chuckled. ¡°Relax.¡± He gestured toward a nearby shelf. ¡°Old Dagon keeps the black dye over there, and you¡¯re gonna help me put it.¡± ***
Goren and I split up, promising to meet at the start of the raid. I met with Yana, and we stocked up at Christian¡¯s. Aric Kelltins wasn¡¯t present ¨C his replacement from the Burning Suns was already here. We split into teams. Goren was in mine. We cleared the three chambers assigned to our team [+1,700 XP]. Then, bounced off at the first opportunity.
¡°Follow me.¡± Goren said, moving through the dark corridors. ¡°Do you remember the shortcut room?¡± ¡°The shortcut room?¡± I echoed, confused. He rolled his eyes. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Then, he filled me in on the revelation. I blinked. ¡°For real? A fast travel to every floor in the tomb? That¡¯s like...way too convenient.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Guess the Axul weren¡¯t as stupid as we thought, huh?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Even Kelltins didn¡¯t know about this place.¡± I already knew he had spoken to Kelltins ¨C the Echo in my house had made that much clear before we left for Eastwell. But I was still curious. Kelltins was the second Noctyra, yet I knew almost nothing about his connection to the first one. ¡°What¡¯s the story with Kelltins, anyway?¡± I asked. ¡°I remember he¡¯s the last Axul alive, but¡­that¡¯s pretty much it.¡± Goren narrowed his eyes. ¡°You remember him from that many loops ago?¡± He let out a low whistle. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out how the memory retention works in your System.¡± I sighed, ignoring his ramblings. ¡°Can you just answer the question?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He nodded. ¡°Kelltins didn¡¯t tell me much about himself, but here¡¯s what I got. Apparently, his ancestor from a thousand years ago managed to escape the tomb after their great ritual failed. Everyone else died, but he survived. Went into hiding, continuing the bloodline secretly by, quote-unquote, ¡®dirtying¡¯ their Axul blood by having children with a non-Axul woman.¡± He paused for a moment, clearing his throat, before continuing. ¡°That ancestor was also a religious fanatic. He made sure that every generation of his knew that, one day a thousand years later, Erebus would need them again.¡± I frowned. ¡°How the hell did they know it would be a thousand years later ¨C during our time?¡± ¡°No clue ¨C Kelltins doesn¡¯t know either.¡± Goren smirked. ¡°Fast forward to the present, baby Kelltins is born, and they name him Noctyra, expecting him to fulfill the prophecy. What a bunch of crap, huh?¡± I listened carefully, processing the words. ¡°And now he just¡­quits? All of a sudden?¡± Goren chuckled. ¡°I know, right? Had the same reaction. But yeah. The guy quit.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m no expert on human psychology, but I guess his human mother had a hell of a lot more influence on him than his Axul father. So instead of embracing death, he chose to appreciate life.¡± ¡°But he won¡¯t help us?¡± I said, trying to make sense of Kelltins¡¯ decision. ¡°Right?!¡± Goren threw up his hands. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Spellsword, we¡¯re too in sync! I told Kelltins the same thing ¨C help us end this, but he was like, ¡®nope, good luck¡¯.¡± I shook my head, still in disbelief. If Aric Kelltins had realized he was on the wrong side all this time due to his father¡¯s influence, why not help us? If Erebus won, he¡¯d devour our world ¨C including Kelltins and everything he cared for. So why was he so scared to act? I didn¡¯t expect such a famous adventurer to be a quitter. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Goren said, running his fingers along the bricks of the stone wall we had stopped in front of. He pressed two hidden bricks, and with a faint click, a secret door slid open. We entered and a large hole stretched in front of us ¨C the Void, Goren called it. ¡°Do you have any idea where Gaelith is?¡± I asked as we stepped inside, nearing the edge of the Void. Goren shrugged. ¡°Not a clue. That one run with you was the only time I saw him in all of my loops.¡± He scratched his head, then added. ¡°But we can try to figure it out ¨C using our brains.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°What?¡± He sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Let¡¯s think it through. Kelltins chained me up on the tenth floor ¨C where you and Gaelith found me.¡± He pointed at me. ¡°Assuming you made your way down instead of up, that means you must¡¯ve recruited Gaelith on one of the first ten floors.¡± I frowned. ¡°Ten floors? That¡¯s way too broad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best I can offer, Spellsword.¡± He shot me a look. ¡°Can¡¯t you press your System for more memories? You¡¯re the one who befriended him.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. Once we reach the right floor, the System might react, but that¡¯s not a guarantee.¡± Goren sighed, then chuckled dryly. ¡°Well, fuck, what can I say?¡± Then his expression turned serious. ¡°Look at it this way: the first floor is already cleared, so we only have nine left to check.¡± *** Instead of searching every chamber on every floor, Goren used Enhanced Distance Gauge ¨C promising that he¡¯d be able to sense a presence as strong as Gaelith¡¯s. ¡°He was too strong, Spellsword.¡± He said. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can mistake this presence if I sense it. It''ll be either him or...the other monstrosity." "The monstrosity?" He shook his head. "Later." I decided to trust him, despite my concerns about his ultimate allegiance. At the end of the day, I had already pushed Chronos away, so Goren was my only ally now. And I desperately wanted to believe I had bet on the right person. After an additional four floors of disappointment, we reached the sixth level ¨C and that¡¯s when Goren reacted differently. ¡°I sense someone strong here. Could be Gaelith.¡± His tone was cautious. ¡°But remember ¨C it¡¯s not necessary Gaelith. It could be his other self¡­Erebus¡¯ vessel.¡± I nodded, tightening my grip on Silverfang. We moved cautiously, navigating the dark corridor until we reached a peculiar chamber. A large mural was etched into the wall. The image seemed to resemble a tree, but it looked broken. Four distinct levers rose from the ground, crafted from some dark stone. But more importantly ¨C there was a mark I had left for myself runs ago with Temporal Trace. D¨¦j¨¤ vu tingled in my mind, confirming my suspicions. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Goren glanced at me, then at the messy mural, looking thoughtful. ¡°I can definitely sense someone strong behind that wall.¡± D¨¦j¨¤ vu kept ringing in my ears, like a whisper filling in the missing pieces. ¡°The levers,¡± I muttered. ¡°We need to align them to complete the image. That should open a secret passage.¡± Goren raised his hands into the air as he approached one of the levers. ¡°Well, sure, I guess. You¡¯re the boss, Spellsword.¡± Under my guidance, we adjusted each lever until the tree was whole. Then, the wall slid open with a groan, revealing an even darker chamber beyond. ¡°After you.¡± Goren gestured, smirking. My heart raced as I thought about Gaelith. I had forgotten him. Through the Vestige of the sword I had relived that run, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact I left him all alone to fight Erebus without his weapon. But now, I was here. We were here ¨C even Goren was on the same page. Together ¨C the three of us could end this. I stepped inside. There, a hooded figure stood motionless, its back to us, hands folded behind him, bunch of monster corpses surrounding it. At our approach, he turned slowly. ¡°You finally made it here.¡± His voice was calm ¨C as if he had been waiting for this moment. He lowered the hood of his cloak, revealing a young face ¨C the same one I had seen in the Memory Fragment with Kaelstrife. The same dark hair. The same black eyes. A faint, weak smile crossed his lips. I stepped forward, smiling back with hope. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took me so long.¡± He shook his head, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve been struggling against Darkness for a millenia, Aidan. What¡¯s a few more day in a time loop?¡± He extended his hand toward me. I reached out to shake it, excited to finally reconnect with another ally of mine. But just before our hands touched ¨C a faint purple aura flickered around his body. A surprise I hadn¡¯t expected. [Temporal Trace: Time Plane Memory #4 - Available] Chapter 68: Gaelith Alloraine Chapter 68: Gaelith Alloraine [Time Plane Memory #4] Gaelith sat on the stone floor of a dark, enclosed space. A faint, unnatural screeching echoed around him ¨C an eerie sound. One that would make anyone¡¯s skin crawl. His jaw clenched. ¡°Shut the hell up, already, you fiend!¡± he snapped at the air, and for a moment, the sound stopped. But judging by his face expression, he knew it wouldn¡¯t last. Gaelith wasn¡¯t clad in his legendary knightly armor. Instead, he was wearing simple, tattered brown robes ¨C the kind a prisoner might wear. And that¡¯s exactly what he was - a prisoner. The room around him wasn¡¯t just any chamber ¨C it was a cell. A prison cell, to be precise. Thick metallic bars sealed him inside. The room had no windows, nor door. Just a single stone platform to serve as a bed, and in the corner, a wooden chamber pot ¨C his only means of relieving himself. The only light came from a single, flickering oil lamp standing on a wooden table just outside the bars. Gaelith rubbed his temples slowly, frustration mounting. Then, he exhaled sharply, shaking his head. Outside the bars, a door swung open abruptly, slipping more light into the dim cell. A man stepped inside ¨C wearing a suit of armor, his helm tucked under his arm. A fellow knight. He closed the door behind him, now barely lit by the oil lamp on the table. Gaelith sprang to his feet, gripping the cold metal bars, relief flashing across his face. ¡°Devon!¡± He called. ¡°Please tell me you bring good news!¡± Devon sighed deeply, leaving the pleasantries. ¡°I¡¯m trying, my friend, but it¡¯s not that simple. I wish I could¡¯ve done more ¨C worked faster ¨C but I¡¯m bound by all the damn bureaucracy.¡± Gaelith¡¯s grip on the bars tightened, his expression strained. ¡°But there¡¯s new evidence! The case needs to be reopened!¡± Devon nodded. ¡°I know. But the court is stalling. Arcadius likely caught wind of the new evidence and bribed them. Also, need I remind you that rarely in the history of Tepan has the Grand Court overturned a verdict once the sentence was given ¨C especially not a death sentence.¡± Then, he hesitated. ¡°And¡­there¡¯s also what you said after your conviction.¡± Gaelith lowered his gaze, exhaling heavily. ¡°I know¡­I overreacted¡­¡± ¡°Overreacted?¡± Devon scoffed. ¡°Gaelith, you stood in that courtroom and swore terrors and rot upon Tepan¡¯s land and people. You basically convinced them they made the right decision.¡± Gaelith¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°I was furious! They sentenced me to die for a crime I didn¡¯t commit. I ¨C ¡° The eerie screeching returned, cutting him off. Devon¡¯s hand went to his blade instantly. ¡°What the hell was that? It sounds like a monster.¡± ¡°No.¡± Gaelith replied quickly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just a rat.¡± He turned toward the shadows, his voice rising. ¡°A rat that needs to shut up!¡± The screeching ceased again. Devon watched him warily but let it go. ¡°Is there any word from General Kaelstrife?¡± Gaelith changed the subject. Devon¡¯s face soured, and he shook his head. ¡°I heard a rumor he left the battlefield in the north and is making his way back to the capital ¨C but I can¡¯t confirm it, unfortunately.¡± Galeith sighed, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Where do we stand right now? How long until they review the new evidence? I only have three days until the execution.¡± Devon straightened, placing a hand over his heart. ¡°I swear to you, my friend, I will do everything in my power to make them listen before that.¡± Then, after a short pause, he added. ¡°Until then, don¡¯t lose hope. Warden Nichols told me they¡¯re treating you well despite everything.¡± ¡°The perks of being an ex-knight¡­¡± Gaelith said quietly, shaking his head, his mind elsewhere. ¡°I need to go now.¡± Devon said, slipping his helm back on. ¡°But I promise ¨C I¡¯ll keep fighting for you. See you soon.¡± ¡°Thank you, Devon.¡± Gaelith whispered. Then, the knight left, leaving Gaelith alone again. Well¡­almost alone. The screeching sound returned, clawing at his nerves. Gaelith¡¯s hands curled into fists. ¡°Why won¡¯t you shut up already?!¡± He moved toward the sound, but before he could take another step the door opened again. A man in an official uniform stepped in, standing just outside the bars. Judging by his attire he was likely the warden. ¡°Alloraine, another visitor for you.¡± Gaelith blinked in confusion. ¡°Another?¡± The warden smirked, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t usually allow prisoners two visitors a day ¨C let alone back-to-back ¨C but the lady is lovely.¡± Gaelith¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°A lady?¡± He sounded genuinely puzzled. ¡°I don¡¯t know any woman well enough for them to visit me.¡± The Warden chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, Alloraine.¡± His tone was amused. ¡°You¡¯re quite the celebrity. Definitely had your share of admirers.¡± He leaned casually against the bars. ¡°Hell, maybe they fawn over you even now. From charming knight to charming criminal.¡± Gaelith ignored his banter. ¡°The woman ¨C how did she introduce herself?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. The warden tilted his head. ¡°She called herself Jane. She said she had information that could help your case.¡± Gaelith rushed to the bars quickly. ¡°Then let her in. Please.¡± The Warden laughed, shaking his head at Gaelith¡¯s urgency. ¡°My, my, don¡¯t get too excited. I¡¯m letting her in.¡± The warden left, and Gaelith began pacing around his cell, likely trying to recall a Jane, but his expression remained puzzled. When the door opened again, he turned quickly. But just as his gaze landed on the visitor, the oil lamp went out, and darkness swallowed the room. A soft, fragile voice rose from the shadows. ¡°Forgive me, Sir Alloraine, but I prefer to keep my identity hidden.¡± Gaelith¡¯s eyes narrowed, straining to see any trace of her silhouette ¨C but the darkness was too heavy. Realizing it was pointless, he cut straight to the chase. ¡°I¡¯m not a knight anymore.¡± His voice was firm, but also hurt. ¡°They stripped me off my title. Call me Gaelith.¡± He exhaled. ¡°The warden said you had information that could help clear my name. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She replied, pausing for a moment before she continued. ¡°It¡¯s about King Edmund¡¯s cousin ¨C Arcadius.¡± Gaelith tensed instantly, his voice becoming urgent. ¡°Yes. The snake! Please, tell me what you know!¡± ¡°I will.¡± The woman took a deep breath, her voice calm. ¡°Even before your arrest, my men were already keeping a close eye on Arcadius. I feared he was planning something big, but I failed to see the whole picture.¡± She paused. ¡°Quite honestly, I still don¡¯t. And I couldn¡¯t understand how you, of all people, fit into it.¡± Gaelith wasted no time. ¡°Did your men find anything useful?¡± ¡°They did.¡± She replied. ¡°Arcadius was meeting a lot with a certain woman. A peculiar one. It took me quite some time to learn who she really was.¡± Her voice lowered slightly, almost teasing. ¡°Do you want to know her identity, Sir Alloraine?¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Her name is Lysandra. She is the High Priestess of the Axul.¡± Gaelith¡¯s entire body seemed to stiffen and his face turned white. ¡°That¡¯s impossible...The Axul vanished two years ago.¡± ¡°Please, Sir Alloraine, you don¡¯t truly believe that, do you?¡± Gaelith¡¯s gaze dropped to the floor, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°From your reaction, I can tell you¡¯ve heard of her.¡± The woman noted. ¡°Yeah¡­yeah.¡± Gaelith rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with the Axul before. I know some things about them.¡± The woman released a faint sound ¨C something close to a suppressed chuckle ¨C before continuing. ¡°The Axul are hiding. Where? No one knows. But more importantly ¨C what do they want with Arcadius?¡± Gaelith resumed pacing, this time slower. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Something tells me you do, Sir Alloraine.¡± Her voice remained gentle, but her words felt like knives. ¡°Or else why would Arcadius go so far as to frame you specifically?¡± Gaelith rubbed his chin, but remained silent, his eyes darting around as if he was connecting a grand puzzle in his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± He muttered again. ¡°But you do.¡± The woman pressed. She stepped closer, the darkness still hiding her features. ¡°You can¡¯t expect my help while lying to me, Sir Knight.¡± Gaelith sighed heavily, turning his back to her. ¡°I have nothing to tell you. Please leave me.¡± The woman chuckled. ¡°Secretive. I like that.¡± She paused. ¡°But¡­I already know quite a lot about you, Sir Alloraine. About your past, and why it made Arcadius ¨C and the Axul ¨C target you.¡± ¡°Leave me.¡± Gaelith repeated, his voice growing quiet. But she didn¡¯t stop. She continued speaking, revealing everything she knew ¨C his knightly duties. His fights on the battlefield as a soldier. His early days in the capital. How he survived on the streets. How he had clawed his way up alongside his friend ¨C the future General. Step by step, she progressed further down his life, chronologically moving to the past. When she reached his childhood, Gaelith¡¯s jaw clenched, and he raised his hands to his ears as if to block her words. The screeching sound returned, and together it all felt almost too overwhelming. Then, amidst the storm of noise, a different voice reached his ears ¨C one he knew well. Too well. ¡°Face me, child.¡± Gaelith froze. Slowly, he turned around. The oil lamp flickered back to life, the dim light illuminating the face of his visitor. Lysandra. ¡°Surprise!" She exclaimed, grinning. "I told you I¡¯d visit you again and again. It took me longer than I would have liked, but here I am ¨C holding true to my promise.¡± Gaelith stared at her, in a state of complete shock and disbelief. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± His voice was a whisper, almost like he didn¡¯t believe this was real. ¡°What I always wanted, Noctyra.¡± She said, letting the name linger in the air as if testing him. ¡°To bring you back home, so you can fulfill your role. The time for the Destroyer to descend is nearly upon us.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Gaelith shook his head violently, stepping back. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. And don¡¯t call me that. I am not Noctyra. My name is Gaelith Alloraine!¡± Lysandra laughed bitterly, her finger curling around the prison bars. ¡°You had your share of adventures, child. See where they brought you? Behind bars. It''s almost like you were destined to be a prisoner. Either by me, or by them.¡± ¡°Because of you!¡± Gaelith snapped. ¡°You had something to do with this!¡± Lysandra tilted her head, her grin widening. ¡°Of course I did.¡± She laughed, clearly satisfied with herself. ¡°I found you years ago. It wasn¡¯t hard considering your meteoric rise to stardom. But I didn¡¯t make the first move. You grew too strong, and I wanted to avoid direct confrontation.¡± She sighed theatrically. ¡°And then came along Arcadius¡­A power-hungry fool, that one. I promised him some favors with our Axul magic, and he was willing to do whatever I asked in return ¨C even framing you. ¡°But even then, there was no magic involved in your conviction, Noctyra. The people of this kingdom ¨C the same ones you always wished to live among, the same ones who lifted you up, made you a knight, celebrated you as a hero ¨C ¡° she paused. ¡°Just as quickly, they tore you down. Stripped you of your title. Leveled you to dust." She gestured lazily around them. "And threw you in this cell with an impending execution looming over your neck." ¡°And still, I¡¯d prefer this to going anywhere with you.¡± Gaelith replied firmly. Lysandra arched a brow, amused. ¡°Is that why you cursed them all after you were sentenced?¡± She let out a mocking laugh. ¡°I was in the crowd, you know? You put on quite the performance.¡± Gaelith¡¯s guilt was evident. ¡°I¡¯m not proud of what I said.¡± ¡°Oh, but it was a sight to behold!¡± Lysandra sighed dramatically, enjoying every moment. ¡°I had hoped the years would have made you wiser, but you¡¯re still the same child you were back then ¨C refusing to see the world for what it is.¡± ¡°Despite everything, this world is beautiful. Life in it is beautiful.¡± He replied calmly. ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± She gripped the bars tighter, growing angrier for a moment before quickly calming down and changing the subject. ¡°They think they shut down your System with all that Magibane they¡¯d put in your drinking water. But they don¡¯t know you don''t even have one. They don''t know you¡¯re Axul. They don¡¯t know you could escape at any moment ¨C break these bars with your bare hands.¡± She looked straight into his eyes. ¡°Tell me, Noctyra¡­why didn¡¯t you escape already?¡± Gaelith held her gaze, his voice low. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± He repeated, shaking his head and turning away. ¡°When I heard the Axul had vanished, I knew it was nonsense¡­but some part of me wanted to believe it was true. I was a fool to let my guard down.¡± His shoulders stiffened. ¡°Now leave. I will never come with you. My answer remains the same.¡± Lysandra suddenly laughed. ¡°I gave you a chance, Noctyra.¡± Gaelith¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°A chance for what?¡± ¡°A chance to stay alive.¡± She replied, grinning. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve figured out a way to make you the Destroyer¡¯s vessel without actually needing you alive.¡± Gaelith¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What?¡± Lysandra nodded, delighted with his reaction. ¡°In three days, you¡¯ll be executed.¡± She tilted her head playfully. ¡°And your body? It¡¯ll be sent straight to me with a beautiful ribbon on top - like a birthday present. Right into the new temple ¨C or as the common folk call it now ¨C the Abandoned Axul Tomb of Moonvale.¡± She laughed again, watching Gaelith¡¯s expression turn to horror. She continued. ¡°You¡¯re special, Noctyra. Your body is special. You don¡¯t have to be alive to host the Destroyer.¡± She turned to leave, her voice still filled with amusement. ¡°So, we¡¯ll meet again in a few days, and you will complete your destiny ¨C in death. A few years later than intended ¨C but better late than never, I suppose.¡± Gaelith stood frozen, his breath shallow, unsteady. ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± He whispered. Just as Lysandra reached the door, she spoke again ¨C almost as an afterthought. ¡°Oh, and one last thing.¡± She turned slightly, her smile widening. ¡°Your ability to create life¡­it¡¯s grown, hasn¡¯t it?¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Tell me, Noctyra¡­Did you draw the thing that sits in the corner of your cell or was it born from your deepest thoughts and desires for revenge?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for an answer. She was gone. Gaelith swallowed hard. Slowly, he turned toward the corner of the cell where something writhed ¨C something shorter than his knees. It shifted unnaturally, its body made of shadows, appendages twisting where legs should be. And a row of sharp, jagged teeth formed where its face should have been. And then ¨C it screeched again. A high-pitched sound ¨C like a baby¡¯s cry. Like something just beginning to exist. Something he created. Something Dark. His other self. [Time Plane Memory #4 ¨C END] Chapter 69: Revelations Chapter 69: Revelations [Item Acquired: Time Plane Memory #4 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Quest Updated: Memories From the Past] [Collect the 5 Time Plane Memory Fragments] [Current Status: 4 / 5] [Reward: 75,000 XP] I ripped my hand away from Gaelith¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re Noctyra!¡± I said, almost as an accusation. ¡°You weren¡¯t chosen by Erebus by chance. It was always by design. You¡¯re an Axul!¡± Gaelith looked at me with shocked eyes, at a loss for words. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, Spellsword?¡± Goren called from behind, unimpressed. "He''s Kelltins'' great-great-great-great grandfather or something." ¡°You knew?¡± I raised an eyebrow at his casual reaction. ¡°Kelltins told me he figured it out during your fight.¡± Goren nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, though, is it? He was on our side before.¡± ¡°I know he was.¡± I shook my head, my voice rising. ¡°But why didn¡¯t you say anything about him sooner?¡± Goren shrugged, a confused look on his face. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± I sighed. No point in getting mad at him¡­D¨¦j¨¤ vu told me he was always this aloof. ¡°True. I am the one they call Noctyra.¡± Gaelith suddenly spoke. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change anything. I never agreed to be him. And I never will.¡± This seemed to be the truth. Both memory fragments were enough to convince me ¨C the real Noctyra ¨C Gaelith ¨C opposed the Axul¡¯s views for him from the start. ¡°Tell me what happened after High Priestess Lysandra visited you in your cell.¡± ¡°So, you know...¡± Gaelith sighed before nodding solemnly. ¡°I was set to be executed by beheading ¨C standard punishment for those accused with treason. But at the last possible moment, they changed the method to poison ¨C likely because Lysandra couldn¡¯t afford the Destroyer¡¯s vessel be harmed.¡± ¡°Poison?¡± I echoed, but something else was bothering me far more. ¡°She was right ¨C why didn¡¯t you escape? Especially when you learned Lysandra was behind everything. You let them execute you and send you to the tomb. Why?¡± ¡°Because I was done running from her.¡± Gaelith responded, his voice firm. ¡°It was time I faced my demons and cleansed the world of them and the Axul. The poison ¨C I accepted it because I knew it couldn¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Goren interjected, his eyebrow rising. ¡°Even in my line of work, not many Rogues have poison resistances.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s how I am. How I always was.¡± Gaelith shrugged. ¡°Unbeknownst to everyone ¨C even Lysandra ¨C my body has a natural resistance to all poisons known to mankind. I have resistance to all other possible conditions too. More than that, my body stopped aging after I reached thirty. That¡¯s why I still look like this. That¡¯s why I¡¯m still alive a thousand years later.¡± ¡°But how is that possible?¡± I asked, incredulous. ¡°That, I do not know. Even among the Axul, eternal life is not something that was believed to be a possibility.¡± Gaelith admitted, shaking his head. ¡°I assume Spurius Axul ¨C my biological father, may he rot in hell ¨C was far stronger and more special than anyone - even the Axul - believed. He was the only Axul to live for more than a hundred of years. Besides me." ¡°He raped your mother¡­so you could become Erebus'' vessel...¡± I whispered, my heart twisting at the memory of the child Noctyra. Gaelith nodded, closing his eyes, maybe trying to forget it all. ¡°He did. Mother told me everything once Lysandra began showing up in our house constantly, trying to take me away. I learned later that everyone believed him to be dead for decades. Yet, he showed up out of nowhere and raped her ¨C as an old man, no less - all to create me. Then, he disappeared again.¡± I nodded at his words, still struggling to understand how he was alive after so many years. Goren, seemingly unbothered by the revelation that Gaelith was basically immortal, switched the subject back. ¡°So, they brought you into the tomb assuming you were dead, hoping to descend Erebus into your body. But then you were like ¡®Surprise, surprise, I¡¯m not actually dead. No Erebus for you, fellas.¡¯?¡± Gaelith nodded. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that simple, but yes. The poison was potent. Far stronger than I had anticipated ¨C enough to knock me out for a few days, though not enough to kill me. Meanwhile, they brought my body here.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°When I woke up, the ritual was already underway. But something was wrong¡­ the temple was seemingly under attack. I used the commotion to ensure the ritual failed by killing Lysandra at the first opportunity I got.¡± ¡°But she remained alive as an Undead.¡± Goren noted, and D¨¦j¨¤ vu tingled in my mind, confirming his words. ¡°The Ice Queen¡­¡± Gaelith nodded again. ¡°She must have prepared for failure. Ensured her magic would resurrect her as an Undead so she could continue serving Erebus, even in death. I¡¯ve stumbled upon her a few times in the last thousand years ¨C and killed her over and over ¨C but she seems to return every time.¡± I swallowed hard. How strong was she to resurrect so many times? ¡°The commotion ¨C what was that all about?¡± I asked, trying to learn more. Gaelith shook his head, his gaze dropping to the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but I assume it was caused by my brother.¡± ¡°Your brother?¡± Goren raised an eyebrow. chuckling. ¡°Is there a third Noctyra we don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°No. Of course not.¡± Gaelith replied firmly. ¡°We weren¡¯t bound by blood, but General Karl Kaelstrife was my brother.¡± Everything clicked. It seemed like the General hadn¡¯t forgotten his best friend ¨C his brother ¨C after all. ¡°Did he know you were an Axul?¡± I asked, recalling something Gaelith had told him in that memory fragment ¨C he mentioned his bloodline and upbringing, and how the General helped him become a better person despite it. Gaelith nodded. ¡°He did. He was the only one who knew who I really was. That¡¯s why he came here, I believe. I never had a chance to speak with him after he left for his final campaign ¨C right before I was imprisoned ¨C but I believe he refused to let me be buried on Axul territory, even though the Axul were already considered vanished by that point. When I saw him here for the first time, he was already an Undead." ¡°And Gaelith¡¯s Darkness?¡± Goren asked, leaving me confused. D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my mind, but it wasn¡¯t enough to piece things together. Seeing my confusion, Goren and Gaelith filled me in on what I was missing. ¡°Was he the creature from the cell?¡± I asked, the pieces connecting in my head. Gaelith let out a deep sigh. ¡°He was. I created him unwillingly when I was at my lowest ¨C when I believed I¡¯d been betrayed by everyone. He was no bigger than my boot at first, yet now he¡¯s far stronger than any of us. We should stay away from him as much as possible.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s Erebus¡¯ vessel, why isn¡¯t the world already ending? Why does he need you?¡± Goren asked, scratching his head. ¡°Because I¡¯m his true vessel. Always was. Nothing changed.¡± Gaelith replied, shaking his head slowly. ¡°My other self on its own is not a vessel ¨C he¡¯s a temporary host. It wasn''t at first, and it wasn''t in the past thousand years - it was just an eye - a window for the Destroyer to gaze into our world and look for me. It became his host when you arrived - or maybe you arrived because it became its host. Either way, he searches for me, trying to become whole. Once he does ¨C and previous loops from this time loop have shown me this to be true ¨C Erebus will descend and use both of us as his vessel.¡± ¡°So, we need to keep you protected from your Other Self no matter the cost¡­¡± Goren muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ¡°How does Kelltins connect to all of this?¡± I asked, still confused by it all. ¡°You two even share the same name.¡± ¡°I assure you, the only Noctyra ¨C Dark Hope ¨C was always me.¡± Gaelith said, sighing immediately. ¡°I believed that all the Axul had died here, but it seems that at least one got away...I never had the opportunity to speak with the one you call Kelltins ¨C since he tried to kill us no matter how much I tried to stop him ¨C so I can¡¯t tell what lies and poison were fed into his mind.¡± Gaelith shook his head. ¡°They might have made him believe he was me. That after I had failed to bring them what they wanted, another Noctyra needed to be chosen. So that¡¯s why they named him after me.¡± ¡°How did they know it would be a thousand years from your time, though?¡± Gaelith shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I assume Lysandra passed knowledge to some of the Axul ¨C her greatest dogs. Maybe Kelltins¡¯ surviving ancestor was one of them, and that¡¯s why he ended up knowing so much." His words confirmed what Goren told me, so I nodded, accepting them. ¡°How have you fared since we last met?¡± I asked, worried. ¡°Without the sword¡­¡± ¡°Not well.¡± Gaelith admitted, shaking his head. ¡°The sword wasn¡¯t my original weapon ¨C it was my creation as well. I wanted something that could both hide me from my Other Self and serve as a weapon. That¡¯s how I created it ¨C with the power of my mind. But without it, he was able to find me easily. I resisted as much as I could, but eventually, I was always overwhelmed. Luckily, those loops ended before the world could collapse.¡± I summoned the Sword of Radiance from my inventory and held it toward Gaelith. ¡°Thank you for letting me have it. I¡¯m sure it protected me immensely all this time. That said, I can¡¯t even wield it, so I¡¯d rather it be in your possession.¡± Gaelith hesitated. ¡°I want you to keep it. If it protects you, then our chances of success grow.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± I said. ¡°But we¡¯re already reaching the end.¡± ¡°An end?¡± Goren echoed, surprised and confused. I suddenly recalled that he didn¡¯t know that the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System was responsible for the maximum number of runs we could have. I quickly filled him in on how much time we had left. ¡°Fucking Dolos¡­¡± He muttered, rubbing the back of his head with both hands, in complete disbelief. ¡°And you waited until now to tell me?!¡± I nodded and decided to answer in the same way he had before. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s ending?¡± Galeith asked, reaching for the sword. ¡°It is.¡± I nodded. ¡°For better or worse, we only have a few more runs left.¡± Gaelith gripped the sword handle and took it from my possession. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Now, we end it.¡± I said with resolve. ¡°We end it on this run.¡± Gaelith¡¯s expression hardened with determination. ¡°Tell me how, and I¡¯ll assist you.¡± ¡°Damn it, Spellsword.¡± Goren sighed, his usual playful demeanor gone. ¡°Seems like you have a plan?¡± I nodded. ¡°Based on everything I know, and what you both told me, the key to the Darknessbound Core prison is likely in Lysandra¡¯s possession. If we slay her, we can get it and imprison Erebus.¡± Goren nodded. ¡°We can look for her in the Claw Room.¡± I raised an eyebrow, and he explained what had happened in our last run together. Gaelith nodded. ¡°It¡¯s time I kill her one more time.¡± With our goal clear and everyone on the same page, we headed toward the twelfth floor. *** We reached the so-called Claw Room, and Goren demonstrated why he had called it that. ¡°It¡¯s Axul Might.¡± Gaelith said. ¡°An ability used by the Axul.¡± ¡°Ice Queen is there. On the other side of the portal.¡± Goren said, then shook his head. ¡°Or whatever you call that bitch? Lysandra?¡± Gaelith nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± He stepped forward, and suddenly, the giant claw broke through the wall, snapping at him. Gaelith raised his sword above his head, and it glowed. In an instant, the claw dispersed into mist ¨C yet the wall remained broken. "How did you do that?" I asked, in awe. "I can cancel all Axul magic." he replied, stepping forward. "Follow." He stepped inside the hole in the wall and pointed toward an unmistakable portal ahead of us. ¡°I can sense her there.¡± Gaelith whispered, confirming Goren¡¯s suspicions, immediately stepping inside. We knew we had to follow him. I created a Checkpoint. [Checkpoint #1 Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] And we stepped inside. Chapter 70: Lysandra, the Undead Chapter 70: Lysandra, the Undead The other side of the portal revealed a chamber unlike anything Goren and I had seen on the first five levels of the tomb, making it clear that while the rest of the Axul barely survived in their new "home", Lysandra had lived lavishly. The chamber was grand, but more importantly, it had no doors, suggesting the only way inside was through the portal. A massive stone platform stood in the center, draped in tattered and rotting silk that resembled bedsheets and pillows. To the right side of this bed was a small bath carved from rock. It was empty, long abandoned, its bottom covered in centuries-old mold and dust. Behind it, on the far-right end of the chamber stood a large wooden bookcase ¨C now broken and crumbling. Oddly, there were no books on it or on the table positioned just in front of it. Finally, to the left of the stone bed, stood a mysterious, large apparatus made entirely of metal. It resembled a harp, but it wasn¡¯t one ¨C those weren¡¯t strings, but something more like conduits. I had no idea what it was. Something was missing, though ¨C or should I say ¡®someone¡¯? Lysandra. ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked, scanning our surroundings with Distance Gauge. Nothing came up. The claws that had attacked us moments ago were her ability, which meant she had to be on this side of the portal ¨C in this chamber. Gaelith shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t sense her, but stay alert. She might be an Undead, but she¡¯s still an Axul.¡± Goren, seemingly lost in thought, couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away from the strange metallic apparatus. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± He muttered as he stepped closer. ¡°Just don¡¯t touch it.¡± Gaelith warned ¨C but it was too late. Goren reached for one of the conduits, and suddenly, it rang like a bell. ¡°So, it was a musical instrument?¡± I asked, dumbfounded. But then, it spoke. Gaelith¡¯s voice echoed all around us. ¡°Your leaders betrayed you. Just like my king betrayed me.¡± A short pause. ¡°But don¡¯t worry - they won¡¯t escape. You¡¯re all my prisoners now.¡± Gaelith tensed immediately. ¡°I never said that!¡± I exchanged a nervous glance with him, while Goren chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Gaelith and I asked in unison. But Goren only laughed harder. He raised a hand, as if gesturing for us to wait. ¡°Let me check another one real quick.¡± He touched a different conduit. Again, Gaelith¡¯s voice echoed throughout the chamber. ¡°You dare enter this tomb seeking the treasures that pitiful king sent to buy my forgiveness? Shameful. My forgiveness is forever beyond purchase, for my soul is bound to hatred, and my wrath will never fade.¡± Goren burst into laughter, while Gaelith and I remained confused. I shot him an angry glare, which was finally enough to calm him down and explain. ¡°Even after our conversation earlier, there was still something I couldn¡¯t understand, but I kept quiet.¡± Goren began. ¡°Spellsword wouldn¡¯t remember ¨C since it hasn¡¯t happened in this run yet ¨C but in all the previous loops, Gaelith¡¯s voice always rang out, threatening to kill us adventurers for entering his domain.¡± Goren shook his head. ¡°After seeing human Gaelith with you when you saved me from Kelltins, I was really confused. Because I already knew it wasn¡¯t his Other Self who rained threats on us. No matter how strong Gaelith¡¯s Darkness is, it doesn¡¯t seem capable of any form of speech other than screech, growl, and inflicting Fear. It didn¡¯t make sense to me that the other possible option - who I didn''t even know was an option - was on your side.¡± He pointed at the metallic apparatus, then touched a third conduit. ¡°I am Gaelith of Tepan, once the Crown¡¯s Champion, First Knight of the Kingdom, and the Blade of Honor. My name was known across the land for valor and strength, for victories on the battlefield that brought glory to Tepan.¡± ¡°Ice Queen was behind it all along.¡± Goren summarized, grinning as he turned to Gaelith. ¡°You¡¯re right. She¡¯s definitely not a regular Undead.¡± I turned to Gaelith, Goren¡¯s words connecting in my mind thanks to D¨¦j¨¤ vu. ¡°You never heard any of this? Your own voice?¡± Gaelith shook his head thoughtfully. ¡°I assume she has the ability to direct it to specific chambers and corridors. Whenever I encountered adventurers over the past thousand years, it was always after they had already been sealed inside and running for their lives.¡± ¡°Why would she even do that?¡± I asked, raising the second question on my mind. ¡°If her goal is to feed Gaelith¡¯s Other Self with adventurers, why go through all this charade?¡± Goren rubbed his chin, then turned to Gaelith. ¡°I think our knight knows the answer.¡± Gaelith sighed. ¡°I can only guess.¡± He admitted. ¡°My other self ¨C it doesn¡¯t just feed on adventurers¡¯ essence to grow stronger. It also feeds on their fear. I assume keeping the legend of me seeking revenge on anyone who enters the tomb only enhanced their feeling of terror. The more they feared me, the more sustenance my Other Self received when he devoured them.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. His words sent a chill down my spine, making me question what Lysandra truly was today. The Undead we had encountered in previous chambers were nothing more than brainless corpses, attacking blindly without thought or strategy. But an Undead Lysandra ¨C she was different according to what I knew so far. She could resurrect herself no matter how many times Gaelith had killed her. She could wield ice magic freely. And she was intelligent enough to operate this device to terrorize adventurers for a thousand years. That was highly unnatural ¨C but then again, everything involving the Axul was. Our conversation was cut short by a blast of magic streaking toward us. Gaelith was the quickest to react, raising his sword to block the surge of magic, redirecting it back at its source ¨C a Priestess of Axul, level 98. The blast of magic passed right through her as she vanished. Another appeared behind us. I immediately used Enhanced Blade Rush, slicing right through her with Silverfang ¨C only to deal no damage and to see her disperse like mist. ¡°It¡¯s those bitches again...¡± Goren groaned, spinning to face Gaelith. ¡°Spellsword and I already fought them before. It¡¯s impossible to hit them.¡± D¨¦j¨¤ vu rang in my mind, confirming Goren¡¯s words despite my inability to recall them. ¡°Is it Axul magic?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Gaelith said, driving the Sword of Radiance into the ground. The sword glowed brightly, and then Gaelith spoke. ¡°There are no Priestess of Axul anymore. The ones you see here are her summons.¡± He paused, releasing the sword, leaving it embedded inside the stone floor. ¡°It is done. No Axul magic can be cast inside this chamber.¡± We braced for something to happen ¨C but nothing came. Until a ragged, dead voice cut through the silence. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± Lysandra appeared. She materialized out of thin air, standing near the table at the far end of the room ¨C tall, her robes tattered and decaying, just like her skin. Her dark, long, messy hair covered her face, but the System confirmed it was her. Goren and I tensed, ready for a fight. Gaelith, however, remained calm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s harmless.¡± He said. ¡°Without her magic, she¡¯s just a walking corpse.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Goren asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°She broke us into icicles last time, and I¡¯d really rather not go through that again.¡± Gaelith nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure." He stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll end this.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I called out, stopping him in his tracks. He turned, surprised. ¡°I need to be the one to kill her.¡± I tried to explain. ¡°If she¡¯s going to drop the key, then it might only happen if I land the final blow.¡± Gaelith sighed, then nodded, stepping aside. ¡°Do it.¡± I approached Lysandra, Silverfang in hand. She just stood there ¨C once deadly, now defenseless. But I remembered. I remembered everything she had done and her responsibility for the situation we were in today. I even remembered the way she treated her own people, the torment she inflicted. I felt no pity. Before any second thoughts could creep into my mind, I swung the glaive. The blade met her body, cutting deeply. Lysandra collapsed, lifeless. But something was wrong. No System message appeared. ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± I muttered in disbelief, stepping closer. Goren walked toward me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I stabbed her again ¨C just to be sure. But still ¨C no message. Surely, she was dead. And this couldn¡¯t be an illusion. So how? Gaelith approached. ¡°She didn¡¯t have the key?¡± ¡°Worse.¡± I said, my heart racing with worry as Gaelith¡¯s words from before echoed in my mind. ¡°She¡¯s definitely not alive¡­but I don¡¯t think I killed her.¡± *** ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± I muttered, staring at the High Priestess¡¯ lifeless body. ¡°Let me try.¡± Goren said, summoning a sword. He drove the blade into her, but she didn¡¯t react ¨C confirming she was truly dead. ¡°Well?¡± I asked. He shook his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± Then, after a pause, he turned thoughtful. ¡°But maybe if I try my daggers ¨C¡° ¡°Stop it.¡± Gaelith said suddenly, making Goren stop. ¡°There is no one in this world who despises Lysandra Axul more than I do.¡± Gaelith continued, his tone measured. ¡°But this¡­¡± he gestured toward the sword embedded in her corpse. ¡°There¡¯s no honor in that. She¡¯s clearly dead.¡± Goren sighed, sending his sword back into his inventory. ¡°Honor, shmonor¡­¡± He muttered quietly. Gaelith ignored him and turned to me. ¡°Plan B?¡± I rubbed the back of my head, thoughts racing. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­Even if she didn¡¯t have the key, the System should have still displayed a message for slaying her. I don¡¯t understand why it didn¡¯t¡­¡± I locked eyes with Gaelith. ¡°You said you¡¯ve killed her many times before. How did it usually happen?¡± Gaelith didn¡¯t even have to think about it. ¡°The first time I killed her ¨C on the day of the ritual, when she was still alive ¨C I fought her head-on.¡± He explained. ¡°Back then, I didn¡¯t yet know that I could cancel Axul magic.¡± He shook his head. ¡°On later occasions ¨C after she became Undead ¨C I learned that I could. So, I would strip away her magic, then kill her with my sword. It was easier that way. I had no time to waste, not with my Other Self hunting me and the wandering adventurers.¡± ¡°And yet she always came back¡­¡± Goren muttered as he wandered toward the stone bath. ¡°Yes.¡± Gaelith replied, his voice firm. Then, a sudden thought struck me. ¡°Had you ever fought her as an Undead?¡± Gaelith shook his head immediately. ¡°Never. Why would I?¡± ¡°What if that¡¯s the reason?¡± I asked, a gut feeling telling me I was right. ¡°It is clear that her magic keeps resurrecting her despite your magic suppression, ensuring she keeps serving Erebus ¨C even in death. Now, with you canceling her magic, she can¡¯t resurrect, yet she''s still not dead. But since you likely never stuck around for long after killing her, your magic suppression ability would eventually fade from the area she was in ¨C allowing her corpse to revive. Maybe we need to kill her when she does have her magic - maybe it would change something. Maybe her post-death magic works in a way that outsmarts your magic suppression."" Gaelith¡¯s eyes narrowed in thought. ¡°I wouldn''t rule it out...It''s definitely something she could do.¡± He rubbed his chin. ¡°How long after killing her would she usually respawn?¡± Goren asked, returning to our side, looking intrigued. Gaelith shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. I never actively looked for her ¨C nor did she for me. It could be hours, maybe days, maybe even longer.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have that kind of time.¡± Goren exhaled, folding his arms. ¡°We only have this day.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another way.¡± I said. I didn¡¯t like the idea ¨C but it was the only option. ¡°You need to kill me.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Gaelith and Goren asked in unison, their expressions baffled. Seeing how we could defeat Erebus on this run, I was willing to go all-out. So, I told them about Checkpoint. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have something like that!¡± Goren exclaimed, turning frustrated. ¡°I don¡¯t remember any of your extra runs, which means they never happened for me!" Gaelith seemed hesitant. ¡°You want to fight Lysandra allowing her access to her magic...You realize this hypothesis might be wrong and you¡¯d die? She''s very strong - even as an Undead.¡± I swallowed hard, nodding. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m done killing you.¡± Goren raised his hand into the air, escaping responsibility. ¡°I¡¯ve done it too many times already. It¡¯s Gaelith¡¯s turn.¡± Gaelith watched him silently, analyzing his words with a questioning expression. Then, he turned to me. ¡°He killed you too many times?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Long Story. Can you do it? Can you kill me?¡± Gaelith let out a long sigh. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll do it.¡± I stepped forward, surprisingly, feeling no fear. ¡°I¡¯ll respawn before we entered the portal. Then we¡¯ll prepare to fight her.¡± Gaelith and Goren nodded. Then, Gaelith drove the Sword of Radiance into my chest. Pain flashed through me for the briefest moment ¨C before everything went black. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] [You¡¯ll now reawaken at Checkpoint #1] Chapter 71: A Puppet Chapter 71: A Puppet I reawakened with Checkpoint ¨C right before stepping into the portal. Goren had just followed Gaelith inside. But I didn¡¯t move. Instead, I collapsed to my knees, clutching my chest. Gaelith¡¯s sword hadn¡¯t just killed me ¨C it had burned me from the inside. And it still did. I felt like my blood was boiling, like my organs were melting. The death itself had been swift, but the feeling that followed my respawn was excruciating. I was sweating profusely, my breath coming heavy, my muscles trembling as I fought to stay conscious. I clenched my teeth, trying to calm myself, but the pain was endless. Then ¨C A single thought pierced through the agony. Yana. Her image flickered in my mind ¨C it was from the day I told her we should split up. What a fool I was¡­I wasted two years in which we could¡¯ve been together. The thought - though painful - brought me back to my senses. Slowly, my breathing steadied. My heartbeat slowed. The pain still lingered, but it was no longer all-consuming. I forced myself to take deep breaths, grounding myself in the now. I needed to warn them, so we could prepare for our fight against Lysandra. This was it. If we would defeat her, we won¡¯t even have to fight Erebus. I pushed myself back to my feet. ¡°How does Goren remain sane after dying so many times¡­¡± I muttered to myself, wondering if he was sane to begin with. I stepped into the portal, but as I passed through, a new thought struck me. If this what one death feels like¡­What will happen when I recall all of them at the same time with Total Recall? *** The battlefield was chaos. Three Priestesses of Axul blasted us with surges of magic all at the same time, and from different directions. I used Enhanced Dash Step to constantly evade and stay ahead of the incoming attacks. The most frustrating part was that they weren¡¯t actually real. As Gaelith said earlier, these priestesses were just summons. Attacking them was useless, and with that bit of information it made sense why. The only way to get them down was to find the puppeteer ¨C Lysandra. But she was hiding. ¡°Aren¡¯t you related to her or something?¡± Goren called out from across the room. ¡°Can¡¯t you just sense her?¡± Gaelith, standing not too far from me with his sword in hand, shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± The words had barely left his mouth when a sharp crack echoed from above. I lifted my gaze. High above, it looked like the ceiling cracked, but it wasn¡¯t made of stone ¨C it was ice. Suddenly, a storm of icy, blade-sharp shards plummeted toward us ¨C her signature magic. I reacted quickly and summoned Wind Wall to protect myself. The descending shards struck the wind barrier, shattering against it, raising a frosty cloud and dropping the temperature. To my right, Gaelith stood confidently under a glowing, golden barrier that blocked the attack. He didn''t even flinch. Goren, on the other hand, likely had no barrier-like abilities in his arsenal, but he improvised. His body rose from his own shadow where he found refuge, releasing a chuckle while he¡¯s at it. But we didn¡¯t have time to catch our breaths because the priestesses resumed their attacks. Surges of magic screamed through the air, forcing me back into motion. As I dodged, I tried to look for Lysandra around the chamber, but she remained hidden ¨C Distance Gauge not picking her up ¨C leaving Gaelith as our best bet in finding her. And then the temperature plummeted even lower. A strong, howling, frosty wind blasted through the chamber, instantly covering everything it touched in ice. But before it could reach us, Gaelith threw himself forward. His sword glowed as he once again summoned his golden barrier. The frigid wind slammed against it like a wave crashing against a rock. The chamber trembled, ice creeping across the floor and walls, but the three of us remained untouched behind Gaelith¡¯s barrier. Beyond it, the entire chamber was covered in thick layers of ice and snow. The wooden table ¨C or what was left of it after the previous attack ¨C was completely covered in ice. Even the shattered remains of the strange metallic device Lysandra used to haunt adventurers were now entombed in a layer of ice. Goren¡¯s gaze snapped toward the source of the wind ¨C the stone bath. ¡°She¡¯s there.¡± He said, pointing forward. Before we could respond ¨C he was gone. Then, in a blink of an eye, he materialized at the center of the room, standing on the stone platform that had once served as a bed, a dark metal sword in his hand. He immediately drove the weapon into the stone. At the end of the room ¨C where the bath was ¨C magic erupted. A pillar of energy shot from beneath the ice, shattering the frost with a deafening blow. The force of it fractured the ice and stone floor beneath it as the column of magic surged upward, slamming into the ceiling and shaking the entire chamber. A Priestess of Axul appeared out of thin air, aiming her hand at Goren as she released another beam of magic.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Gaelith moved quickly. He stepped between the attack and Goren, blocking it with his radiant blade. Goren barely spared a glance. His focus remained on our invisible target. He drove the sword even deeper. The magic pillar suddenly expanded, growing in intensity and becoming more chaotic. The cracks grew more extreme, and I wondered if Goren realized he could burry us alive if he¡¯s not careful. Then, suddenly ¨C an explosion of magic. A blast of raw energy went off at the heart of the column, sending a shockwave ripping through the chamber. The frozen walls shattered around us, and the floor groaned beneath our feet. A wave of frost and dust surged around us. As the smoke began to clear, a figure stood at the heart of the destruction. Tall. With dark, messy hair that covered her pale, white eyes. Cloaked in tattered, rotting robes. The High Priestess of Axul ¨C Lysandra. Goren¡¯s attack, despite its power, seemed to not damage her at all. I watching her silently, trying to anticipate what she would throw at us next. Her lips moved, her voice sounding as dead as she looked. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± Goren looked genuinely baffled. ¡°Hello! He had nothing to do with it!¡± he called out, eyes locked on Lysandra. ¡°That was me!¡± I rolled my eyes. Maybe he was insane after all. Lysandra didn¡¯t react to him. Her decaying lips moved, but again, the same whisper drifted from her throat, devoid of emotion and life. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± Gaelith¡¯s gaze hardened, and he stepped forward. ¡°Today I¡¯ll finally rid the world of you.¡± Goren let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m done with this.¡± Without another word, he blinked forward, reappearing right in front of Lysandra, daggers in both hands, slashing toward her. But the blades never landed. Just before the steel could meet her, the air around her rippled, and suddenly it was solid ¨C an unseen barrier, stopping Goren daggers as if they struck a shield. Lysandra didn¡¯t flinch. Didn¡¯t even look at him. Instead, she flipped her rotting hand in a slow motion. The ground beneath Goren shuddered, and then jagged ice spikes erupted from below, piercing straight through his body. But he reacted quickly, his body dissolving to dark mist before he reappeared next to us, whole and unharmed, shaking his head. ¡°That was too close.¡± He muttered, dusting off his sleeve. Seeing how she didn¡¯t move, I channeled a Charged Wind Arrow and shot it at her. But again, the invisible barrier around her repelled it, and the attack exploded on the wall next to her. That¡¯s not how I expected this fight to go...I thought we were stronger than this. ¡°Another unhittable menace¡­¡± Goren muttered. ¡°Allow me to deal with her.¡± Gaelith suddenly said. I frowned. ¡°You said it yourself ¨C she¡¯s too dangerous. Together we have a better ¨C ¡° ¡°I need this.¡± He cut me off, his voice quiet but firm. There was no hesitation, no doubt. His gaze flickered back to Lysandra¡¯s still figure. She watched us silently, not attacking. Was she waiting for something? ¡°I already killed her once.¡± Gaelith said, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. ¡°And I did a terrible job at that. She¡¯s still standing after so many years, still bringing more death and more ruin. I should have stopped her long ago. Way before the ritual¡­¡± He let out a breath, his expression filled with regret. ¡°Instead of running away and forgetting about her and the Axul, I should¡¯ve faced her. Maybe then, we wouldn¡¯t be here now, with the fate of our world hanging in the balance.¡± For a moment, silence stretched between us. Even Goren remained quiet as he watched him. Then, I gave a slow nod. ¡°Alright. But remember ¨C we need the key. I have to deal the finishing blow to make sure it drops.¡± Gaelith met my gaze and nodded. ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡± His fingers flexed around his sword. ¡°I understood something just now.¡± With that, he turned and strode toward Lysandra. She didn¡¯t react. She didn¡¯t move ¨C even when he closed the distance and stood just two steps away from her. ¡°You once told me you didn¡¯t need me breathing to descend Erebus into my body.¡± Gaelith began, exhaling slowly. ¡°You said that my body could serve as a vessel even in death.¡± Lysandra just whispered again. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± ¡°And yet you never tried to kill me once since you¡¯ve become like this.¡± Gaelith¡¯s voice dropped lower, almost like he was speaking to himself than to her. ¡°Why?¡± Still, she didn¡¯t answer. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Because you¡¯re not her.¡± He took another step forward. ¡°The Lysandra I knew was a ruthless woman ¨C one who defied death to keep serving her master. But the current one ¨C you ¨C just a puppet. You¡¯re working on instincts, on the passive commands your former self left when she chose to become this instead of simply dying.¡± He glanced toward the broken remains of the metallic voice apparatus. ¡°One of those commands likely was to operate that machine ¨C to haunt the lost adventurers who wandered into this tomb, to lure them deeper.¡± His gaze flickered back to her. ¡°And another¡­was not to harm Noctyra.¡± Lysandra¡¯s dead lips barely moved. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± Gaelith nodded to himself. ¡°That¡¯s why you never attacked me directly. Not before. Not now. When you were alive, you claimed you could use my corpse to summon Erebus.¡± His voice sharpened. ¡°But this version of you can¡¯t.¡± He exhaled deeply. ¡°I never had to strip away your magic to slay you. You wouldn¡¯t have resisted either way. You didn¡¯t care. You knew it didn¡¯t matter. That, like every other beast you created in this cursed place, you¡¯d keep resurrecting regardless of how many times I¡¯d kill you.¡± ¡°But now, there¡¯s someone who can end this for good.¡± He turned his head slightly. ¡°Aidan. Come closer.¡± I nodded, approaching slowly. As I did, Gaelith raised a hand, pressing his palm against Lysandra¡¯s forehead. The moment his skin touched hers, a golden light flared to life, spreading over her entire form. Her body jerked, but she didn¡¯t move. She couldn¡¯t move. The golden hue covered her and locked her in place. It seared through her decayed flesh, and she trembled as her HP ticked downward, steadily dropping. By the time it reached 10%, I was already next to them. ¡°Do it.¡± Gaelith said. I didn¡¯t waste a moment. I swapped Silverfang for Lightning Claw as I approached her from behind. The blade crackled with lightning as I drove it forward, sinking it deep into her back. And then, for a single, fleeting moment ¨C her milky white eyes cleared, and she looked human again. Gaelith released his magical hold on her, gently lowering her body to the ground. With her last, dying breath, she whispered. ¡°Why would you want to stop God¡­¡± Then, the light in her eyes faded, and her body glowed brightly, dissolving into thin air. The System reacted this time. [High Priestess of Axul - Defeated] [+66,666 XP] [Level Up! You have gained 1 Skill Point] [From this point on, any additional XP will directly upgrade your core stats] My heart raced at the message, but before I could focus on leveling up one final time, Goren spoke. ¡°What did she drop?¡± I snapped back to reality, checking the drops ¨C but there was only one. A single ice shard. The System identified it as a Key Item called: Axul¡¯s Ice. But it had no description. ¡°Is it the key you were looking for?¡± Gaelith asked calmly. I shrugged, summoning the Darknessbound Core from my inventory. Bringing Axul¡¯s Ice next to the Core, I waited ¨C hoping for a reaction, maybe a System message, just like when it had crafted Lightning Claw for me. But nothing happened. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± I muttered, in disbelief. ¡°What the hell?!¡± Goren shouted, dropping to his knees, frantically searching the ground for something ¨C anything ¨C we might have missed. Gaelith sighed, rubbing his face. ¡°I can try looking for it, like I did for the third shard in the past.¡± Goren jumped to his feet. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you suggest that sooner?!¡± ¡°You were convinced Lysandra had the key¡­¡± Gaelith replied, his voice measured. ¡°I trusted your knowledge.¡± I handed him the Darknessbound Core. ¡°Will it work?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± He took it from me. Menawhile, I turned to my System, allocating my final skill point into D¨¦j¨¤ vu. [Skill Upgraded: D¨¦j¨¤ vu lvl.10] [Congratulations ¨C You have maxed out the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System!] [You¡¯ve unlocked: ¡®Total Recall¡¯] I quickly opened my skill list ¨C and there it was. 8. Total Recall ¨C Activate: YES / NO? Remember Everything. My mind raced at the possibility. And yet ¨C I was also afraid. Afraid that the memory of so many deaths would overwhelm and crush me. What if remembering everything ends up as a mistake? But then¡­I thought about how close we were. How at this stage, having my memories intact would help me end this faster. I took a deep breath, and mentally selected YES. Suddenly, a burst of information slammed into my mind. Too much. Too fast. Too sharp. Too painful. All I could do was scream in agony as I felt like my consciousness was being ripped apart. Chapter 72: Total Recall Chapter 72: Total Recall My mind was a mess. I was alone in some endless void, surrounded by nothing, reliving everything ¨C all at once. ¡°I love you! I love you! I love you!¡± I watched a past version of myself shout, carrying Yana over his shoulder. She sobbed and her voice trembled. ¡°I love you too! Ever since you climbed that tall oak tree on Old Jacob¡¯s farm when we were kids! I¡¯ve loved you all this time!¡± Her words filled my heart with warmth. All this time ¨C our feelings were mutual. We even kissed. But then, she died, sacrificing herself, trying to save me from¡­Erebus. She had stayed by my side, even when the guild masters abandoned us. She had stayed by my side, even when Stephan Lorren was about to blast me into orbit for badmouthing him. Those were good memories. Even though we had died there eventually, I felt fulfilled finally remembering them. But then, the tone shifted sharply ¨C too sharply. A Grave Mole¡¯s claw pierced my chest. Back then, I died instantly. But now? The pain followed through. And not just this one. Every death ¨C every wound, came rushing back. Gaelith¡¯s Darkness¡¯ ¨C its appendages ripping through me. Arachnid Mother - her fangs piercing my skull. Pack Leader - ripping me to shreds. Void Centipedes. Void Spiders. Ripped apart. Torn limb from limb. Again. Again. Again. But worst of all ¨C I had killed myself. Twice. Everything crashed on me at once. The phantom pain threatened to kill me outright, or at the very least drive me insane. My mind ¨C instinctively, desperately ¨C searched for Yana. My only light in this dark, dark place. I recalled how we kissed again after I defeated Kaelstrife. But then, the rest of the memory turned deadly as well - Gaelith obliterating us with his Sword of Radiance. No! No! No! The pain was returning. I needed something else - a better memory. I saw her smile ¨C so happy to see me again when she had found me with her friends. But then I remembered how I had to use a Spark Bomb to stun her because she just wouldn¡¯t let me kill myself to reset the loop. I tried to run from the pain, to find something else, but all I came across was more heartbreak. More agony. Then, a memory stood out ¨C one I was too familiar with. I was holding her in my arms as she slowly died from the deep wound inflicted by a Dark Hunter. I could blame Chronos for all eternity for setting this up, but at the end of the day, the fault was mine alone. I had gotten her marked. And I had to push her away because of it. Everything was closing in on me again. Until a voice cut through it all. ¡°Spellsword¡­¡± A shiver ran down my spine, followed by a burst of anger. I could recall all the eight times Goren had killed me. And they weren¡¯t just simple stabs to the heart. Each one was unique, and he enjoyed them all. I would¡¯ve let it go. I already did when I decided to accept his apology. When I chose to team up with him - to look past his murderous tendencies so we could imprison Erebus together. Having no memories of how he killed me made the decision easier. In hindsight, if I knew what I know now, I might¡¯ve disagreed. But if there was something I really couldn¡¯t let go of, it¡¯s what he did to Yana. Three times. Three different runs. He had killed her in front of me. Just to make me suffer before he killed me. He had already said that the time loop had made him discard the value of human life, and that was why he acted the way he did. But that changed nothing in my eyes. No way I was letting that slide. The anger surged, crashing against the accumulated pain, redirecting and replacing it. But it didn¡¯t make things better. Because being consumed by rage instead of pain wasn¡¯t better. I knew one thing. I would never be able to see Goren the same way again. But I still needed him. His assistance was necessary to end it all. I couldn¡¯t afford to let my personal hatred get in the way ¨C not when the fate of the universe was at stake. And despite everything, I didn¡¯t want to erase him from existence. I tried to release the anger. Tried to let it go. But it remained. And once again I felt like I was losing myself. ¡°Yo, Aidan.¡± A familiar voice called out to me. My own voice. But not the one I had now ¨C it was mine around ten years ago. I turned, and a child version of myself walked up ¨C then punched me on the ribs.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Hey, what the hell?¡± I snapped. ¡°What, did it hurt?¡± he asked, completely unbothered. ¡°Of course it didn¡¯t.¡± I scowled, rubbing the area. ¡°Then don¡¯t act like it did.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°And don¡¯t act like all these memories are crushing you. You¡¯re stronger than this. Just snap out of it and get back to reality. We still have a world to save.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°It is.¡± He disagreed immediately. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. ¡°Both of my current comrades have killed me before. One of them multiple times ¨C he even killed Yana right in front of me.¡± ¡°So?¡± my child self asked. ¡°Is trust your issue here?¡± I shook my head. ¡°It''s not exactly ¨C ¡° ¡°Then it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He cut me off. ¡°You don¡¯t have to become best friends with them. As long as you share the same goal, that¡¯s enough.¡± I shook my head slowly, slightly amused at how simple the younger me made it sound. ¡°Yeah, but ¨C ¡° He interrupted again. ¡°If you don¡¯t put personal feeling aside, Yana will die again ¨C this time for good.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°None of them are inherently bad people, Aidan.¡± He continued. ¡°You know this. You¡¯ve always had a good sense for people.¡± I listened silently, absorbing the wisdom. ¡°There are people like Gaelith ¨C who let fear control them. If he had been braver, none of this would have happened today. But his heart was always in the right place. And he was willing to give everything to stop this. Our world would¡¯ve been consumed a thousand years ago if he hadn¡¯t done the right thing back then. ¡°There are people like Goren ¨C who let hardships and loneliness twist their morals. If he had been stronger, he wouldn¡¯t have done what he did ¨C to you, or to Yana. He would have endured. But now, his heart is in the right place. He wants to change. He has people he cares about. He wants to save those dear to him, just like we do. ¡°And¡­there are people like Chronos ¨C who forget that the road taken is more important than the destination. But that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s not out there, every thousand years, trying to save a different world. He¡¯s not a bad person either. And you should apologize to him when you get the chance.¡± I sighed, my gaze dropping to the floor. I can¡¯t believe I needed my child self to lecture me about this. ¡°I know.¡± I said simply. ¡°Don¡¯t forget,¡± he added. ¡°People can always change and do the right thing.¡± I raised my head, locking eyes with myself. ¡°I know.¡± I repeated, this time with more conviction. He smiled, then pointed behind him. ¡°Look. This memory will make you feel better.¡± I looked past him, watching a memory from our childhood form in front of my eyes. A younger Yana was there. She was sitting on the ground next to the river that ran just outside our village. The afternoon was sunny, the air was crisp, and the water was as blue as the sky - in short, the perfect scenery. My child self left my side and walked over, sitting next to her on the riverbank. He held a makeshift fishing rod in his one good hand ¨C the left one. The right one was broken after I fell down from a tree a week earlier. It was wrapped by hardened resin-soaked linen to keep the bone in place. Yana groaned and flopped onto her back in the grass. ¡°Fishing is so boring.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± She rolled her eyes theatrically. ¡°We¡¯ve been sitting here forever.¡± ¡°You mean I¡¯ve been sitting here forever.¡± She scoffed. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been suffering too. I just do it louder.¡± A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips ¨C one he desperately tried to hide. I had forgotten that part. I had forgotten how many times I pretended to be annoyed by her, while actually being entertained. ¡°You don¡¯t get it.¡± My younger self muttered, adjusting his grip on the rod using his cheek. ¡°Dad said fishing takes patience.¡± Yana chuckled. ¡°Mr. Dar only said that so you¡¯d stop running around climbing trees and...falling from them.¡± The child me didn''t respond, but she was always restless. I watched her kick her foot through the air, then tossing a small rock into the water to grab his attention. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re scaring the fish!¡± he yelled. She changed the subject immediately, always worrying about me. ¡°Your arm still hurts?¡± He shrugged his good shoulder, lying his ass off and trying to impress her. He had a reputation to uphold as the leader of their group of friends. ¡°Not really.¡± Yana sat up, resting her chin on her knees. ¡°You¡¯re lucky it wasn¡¯t your leg. Then you would¡¯ve lost your title as the fastest.¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t!¡± I opened my lips, recalling exactly what he was about to say. ¡°I could take all of you slowpokes with both my legs tied!¡± She smirked. ¡°I¡¯m gonna take you up on that offer and beat your ass.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re ¨C ¡° Before he could retort, the line in his hand jerked. He reacted instantly, pulling back. I saw the way his grip tensed too hard, the lack of technique he had, the way his balance was off from only having one working arm. It was so hard to pull off ¨C I remembered the struggle even now. Before he could adjust ¨C she moved. She grabbed the fishing rod with him, her fingers wrapping around the stick, adding her strength to his. The boy in the memory didn¡¯t realize it. He was too focused, too caught up in reeling in the fish. He barely even noticed her hands were gripping the rod as tightly as his. But I noticed. Because I was no longer the boy in the memory. I was the man watching it. The one who knew how she felt today...and back then. The fish broke through the water ¨C a simple trout, trashing in the air before finally going still. My younger self lifted it up, triumphant. ¡°Behold! Your leader had conquered the river as well!¡± I laughed at myself, shaking my head at how embarrassing that sounded. ¡°Told you this wasn¡¯t boring.¡± He added. Yana stared at the fish. Then at him. Then back at the fish. ¡°¡­Kinda small.¡± He scowled. ¡°Not small.¡± ¡°Pretty small.¡± He rolled his eyes, unhooking the fish and tossing it into the empty bucket. ¡°Let¡¯s see you do better, then.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± she responded, taking the fishing rod from his hand. I had forgotten how she always did that ¨C never letting me have an easy win, never letting me gloat. Always pushing me to be better. I had forgotten how she was always there by my side no matter what I was going through. Somewhere along the way I had forgotten what she really meant to me. I had let my level cap destroy my self-confidence. I had let it make me lose what we had. But not anymore. I won¡¯t take anything for granted anymore. I won¡¯t take her for granted anymore. I will save this world. I will make sure we have more time in it together. The child me turned around, grinning as he waved me a goodbye. Then, everything around me slowly dissolved into nothing, and finally, I returned to my senses. *** ¡°Spellsword! Answer me! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Goren¡¯s voice was right in my ear. I felt his hand on my back. Slowly, I regained my composure, shaking his hand off. I stood up. The Darknessbound Core was hovering between Gaelith¡¯s hands, until it stilled suddenly. He grasped it firmly, his dark eyes thoughtful. ¡°I sensed something on the upper floors.¡± He said. ¡°A chamber locked with a door that has a golden hand engraving.¡± Then, his gaze flickered to me, concerned. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, keeping a calm expression. ¡°I know where the place you mentioned is.¡± I took the Darknessbound Core from his hands. ¡°I know as well. Couldn¡¯t open it before, though.¡± Goren¡¯s voice came from behind me. ¡°More importantly, what even happened to you just now, Spellsword? You had me worried.¡± I took a slow, deep breath. It was hard to look at him after I recalled everything. ¡°I remember everything now.¡± I said, keeping it simple. ¡°Everything?¡± Goren echoed, his expression turning serious. ¡°Everything.¡± For a moment, he just stared at me. ¡°Finally, my friend!¡± His aloof grin returned as he clapped me on the back. ¡°Welcome to the club of the eternal suffering!¡± There was a moment of silence during which Gaelith eyed the two of us in turn, likely not sure what to make of it. It seemed like he sensed the tension ¨C the one Goren was ignorant to or just avoiding. Gaelith gestured to the portal. ¡°We should leave.¡± I nodded, letting him lead the way. The moment Gaelith stepped through, I turned to face Goren. My expression made sure he understood what was going on before I even spoke, as his grin faded. ¡°Listen here.¡± I said, my voice sharp. ¡°We¡¯re not friends, and we¡¯ll never be friends.¡± He froze, looking shocked. I continued. ¡°What you did to me ¨C ¡° I clenched my fists, the anger from before threatening to return and consume me. ¡°More importantly, to her ¨C unforgivable.¡± I shook my head. ¡°But right now, there¡¯s a greater evil than you. So I¡¯m willing to look past it. For now." Goren swallowed, saying nothing. I locked eyes with him. ¡°Once this is all over ¨C once Erebus is gone ¨C I don¡¯t ever want to see you again.¡± Then, without waiting for a response ¨C I stepped through the portal, leaving him behind. Chapter 73: Goren: Wits End Chapter 73: Goren: Wit''s End ¡°I deserve this¡­¡± Goren muttered under his breath, watching as Spellsword disappeared into the portal. ¡°It was always too good to be true.¡± For a moment, he thought they could become friends. He let out a bitter chuckle. ¡°What did you think was going to happen?!¡± His own voice snapped back at him, as if mocking him. ¡°That he¡¯d forgive you after all you did?!¡± His fists clenched. ¡°You¡¯re still a lonely, lonely loser. Just like before. Nothing changed.¡± Then his tone shifted, rage boiling within him. "Fuck him. Fuck Spellsword." Then, with a sharp slap, he struck his own cheek. ¡°Stop. He deserves to be mad at me. I earned it.¡± Another slap ¨C on the other cheek. ¡°And I don¡¯t deserve forgiveness.¡± He took a deep, shuddering breath, exhaling slowly. ¡°But at least¡­he didn¡¯t push me away outright.¡± The thought calmed him. Even if just for a little bit. ¡°It¡¯s already more than I deserve¡­¡± Another deep breath, and a batch of blackberries. ¡°This should be enough. It¡¯ll have to be enough.¡± And with that, he stepped into the portal. *** ¡°What happens now that Lysandra is dead?¡± Spellsword¡¯s voice echoed softly in the dark corridors as they made their way toward the second level. ¡°There¡¯s no one to operate that device ¨C to terrorize the adventurers.¡± Gaelith nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, but I believe it won¡¯t change much.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Goren interjected, trying to insert himself into conversation. They had been walking ahead of him for the last five minutes, leaving him feeling like an outsider. ¡°My Other Self is the one who sealed the tomb.¡± Gaelith explained. ¡°If it had been Lysandra¡¯s doing, I would have been able to unseal it and release everyone caught in here. But I never could. Never had been able to.¡± He took a slow breath. ¡°The monsters were never under her direct control either, so it doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯ll keep attacking the adventurers regardless. Be it because they received passive commands from Lysandra back when she was still alive, or because they¡¯re controlled by my Other Self.¡± Spellsword was quiet for a moment before finally speaking. ¡°I condemned you for it before, but now that I remember your Other Self, I can say this much ¨C you probably did the right thing.¡± Gaelith¡¯s steps slowed. Spellsword continued. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t killed the adventurers who came here over the past thousand years¡­then Your Darkness would have been even stronger right now.¡± Gaelith didn¡¯t respond at first. ¡°Once all of this is over, the Creator shall judge me.¡± He sighed heavily. ¡°But thank you, Aidan. I appreciate it.¡± Goren felt the tension, so he tried to shift the conversation, but all he could think of was equally grim. Still, that didn¡¯t stop him from opening his mouth. ¡°What happens if ¨C or maybe when ¨C we stumble upon mine and Spellsword¡¯s comrades?¡± Gaelith and Spellsword stopped walking. They turned toward him, then exchanged glances. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Spellsword admitted. ¡°We¡¯re heading toward the second level. That¡¯s too close to the main antechamber. If the raid plays out the same way, despite Lysandra¡¯s death, then we¡¯ll definitely run into adventurers ¨C those who were running for their lives after the Grave Moles attacked.¡± Gaelith nodded solemnly. ¡°If we truly intend for this run to be the last, then we can¡¯t turn away from anyone.¡± He looked directly at Spellsword, as if seeking confirmation. ¡°Whoever dies in this run will stay dead. If we succeed, there won¡¯t be another loop. Correct?¡± Spellsword nodded. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. But we¡¯ll have to help them discreetly. We don¡¯t want them following us into bigger dangers.¡± Goren¡¯s mind immediately went to his family. His mother. His brother. Not his guildmates. They weren¡¯t bad people. But none of them were worth sacrificing his family for. If there was a chance to end it on this run, he didn¡¯t care about the lives of the other 99 adventurers that joined him here today. But¡­he kept that thought to himself. He already knew that Spellsword thought poorly of him. Escalating things further would not benefit anyone. Still, he made a mental note. If the time came ¨C if things got out of control ¨C he would take matters into his own hands. He¡¯d take the Darknessbound Core and imprison Erebus on his own if he must.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What about the Dark Hunters?¡± Goren asked, changing the subject and directing his question at Spellsword. ¡°What about them?¡± Spellsword barely spared him a glance. ¡°I want this to be our last run too.¡± Goren said. ¡°But if we fail, we can¡¯t have you marked for the next loop.¡± ¡°The Destroyer¡¯s agents shouldn¡¯t be a worry for us.¡± Gaelith interjected. ¡°The Sword of Radiance should keep the away.¡± ¡°Key word ¨C should.¡± Goren pointed out. ¡°We¡¯re too deep in this crap to trust the should¡¯ve, could¡¯ve, would¡¯ve.¡± Spellsword let out a long sigh. Then his gaze met Goren¡¯s. ¡°If it comes down to it ¨C you have my permission to kill me, Goren. I already know you¡¯d be up for the task.¡± He resumed walking immediately, not looking back. *** On their way to the second level, they indeed stumbled upon escaping adventurers ¨C but not as high up as they had expected. The Grave Moles¡¯ attack likely happened while they were fighting Lysandra, already scattering the surviving adventurers across the tomb. They¡¯ve helped discreetly ¨C as Spellsword put it ¨C by slaying the monsters chasing the adventurers, then hiding before anyone could see them or follow their trail. At last, they reached the chamber they had been searching for. It was a chamber within a chamber. A large stone door blocked their path. At its center, protruding slightly, was a golden circle ¨C with a hand shaped engraving. Goren had been here many times before. And yet, he had never managed to open this damn door. His Intelligence stat was already high enough for Disenchantment Magic, but it had never worked here. In one of his previous runs, he had even considered asking Kelltins for help. But he had never been able to bring himself to face him again. ¡°Only an Axul can enter here, right?¡± Spellsword asked. Then, without waiting for a response, he continued. ¡°Now, we have one on our side.¡± Gaelith nodded, stepping toward the door. ¡°I don¡¯t remember this chamber.¡± He said, his fingers tracing the inscription beneath the golden hand. ¡°Come forth, child of Axul¡­¡± he muttered, reading it. He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t shake the feeling this inscription was left for me.¡± Goren raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why? You were all children of Axul, weren¡¯t you?¡± Gaelith nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. And perhaps I¡¯m wrong, but¡­Lysandra called me ¡®the Child of Axul¡¯ more times than I can count.¡± Spellsword¡¯s grip on his glaive tightened. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a trap?¡± Gaelith hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. And even if it is¡­I couldn¡¯t say by who.¡± ¡°Could Lysandra have set a trap that would still work after her death?¡± Spellsword pressed. ¡°She could.¡± Gaelith replied. ¡°We already know she prepared for failure. And you¡¯ve seen her post-death magic firsthand. And yet¡­I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s her doing. I can¡¯t sense her magic here.¡± As they continued discussing the possibility of a trap, Goren felt like he couldn¡¯t listen to them anymore. He muted them out, pacing behind them, agitation growing. He wanted to end this so badly. He was tired of waiting. Tired of all the talking. ¡®Who cares if it¡¯s a trap?!¡¯ he thought to himself. ¡®It¡¯s not like we have a choice. We have to go inside. We need the key for the prison!¡¯ ¡°Just do it already!¡± Goren finally snapped. Both Spellsword and Gaelith turned to him. Goren continued with the same energy. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste! We need to get inside! If the key is there, we don¡¯t have the luxury of being careful!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t step in blindly!¡± Spellsword snapped back. Gaelith lifted a hand between them, his expression calm. ¡°I agree with Goren. It looks like we¡¯ll have to take this risk.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Spellsword asked, his expression growing concerned. ¡°If it¡¯s a trap, who knows what¡¯ll happen?¡± Gaelith closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his gaze was steady, his resolve clear. ¡°The only thing I¡¯m sure of¡­is that I¡¯m done hiding.¡± Without hesitation, he pressed his palm against the golden hand engraving. The engraving began to glow. At first, a soft shimmer. Then brighter ¨C more and more with each passing moment. Until a blinding flash of light erupted. Goren clawed at his eyes, groaning as the flash of light left him blind and in pain. ¡°Spellsword?¡± he called out. No response. But he could hear his pained groans. ¡®Good.¡¯ Goren thought. ¡®He¡¯s still here.¡¯ ¡°Gaelith?¡± Silence. Goren staggered, using the wall to steady himself as his vision slowly returned. At last, he could see again. Spellsword was on all fours, rubbing his eyes. He had been closer to the door, so it made sense that the flash blinded him more severely. ¡®Oh, shoot, the door!¡¯ Goren thought and his eyes shot up. The stone door ¨C it was open. But Gaelith¡­He was nowhere to be seen. Goren stepped forward, passing the still groaning Spellsword. His breath hitched as he peeked inside the chamber. Then¡­his heart dropped. His mind refused to believe what he was seeing. It was the smallest chamber he had ever seen. Barely a meter deep! ¡°What the fuck is this¡­¡± he muttered under his breath, in disbelief. The only thing inside was an old metallic helm, lying abandoned on the floor. Goren¡¯s System recognized it as a simple helm and Goren dropped it to the ground, his hand shaking. The clank echoed in the tiny, empty space. Surprisingly, the antique survived the fall, remaining intact. ¡®They built a door this massive¡­to guard this?¡¯ His mind reeled, struggling to make sense of it. He summoned his sword ¨C Convergence, and struck the wall, expecting ¨C no, hoping ¨C the wall was an illusion. But it wasn¡¯t, and the blade just hit the wall, leaving some damage. ¡°Damn it!¡± Goren growled. Behind him, Spellsword rose to his feet, still rubbing his eyes. ¡°I knew this was going to be a trap!¡± He snapped, but it looked like his anger wasn¡¯t directed at Goren. ¡°Every time things start looking good ¨C something shitty happens. Every. Fucking. Time!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me about it.¡± Goren muttered, his voice shaking. ¡°It¡¯s empty, Spellsword.¡± He gestured toward the chamber, his hands tightening into fists. ¡°It¡¯s fucking empty!¡± Spellsword¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean ¡®empty¡¯?¡± ¡°What you heard!¡± Goren snapped, his patience now completely gone. ¡°No key. No Gaelith. Nothing!¡± His voice rose with fury. ¡°This chamber is the size of a closet, and the only thing in there is some old, rusting helm!¡± He dragged his hand down his face, furious. He couldn¡¯t believe this was a dead end. Not only that ¨C they also just lost their strongest ally for it. ¡°But that can¡¯t be it¡­¡± Spellsword muttered. ¡°The priestesses mentioned the study ¨C a room only the Axul can enter ¨C it has to be it!¡± He shook his head, immediately rushing inside. Goren sighed through gritted teeth and followed, knowing damn well they wouldn¡¯t find anything useful. Maybe he had exaggerated before ¨C comparing it to a closet was an overstatement ¨C but not by much. And the helm was definitely not the key they were looking for. Spellsword knelt and picked up the helm from the ground. It was the only thing inside. Like it had been waiting for someone to pick it up. It looked¡­odd. ¡°The last memory fragment¡­¡± Spellsword whispered, piquing Goren¡¯s interest. ¡°The what?¡± Spellsword didn¡¯t respond. His grip tightened on the helm, his gaze becoming distant. Goren¡¯s rage flared ¨C it finally got the better of him. ¡°Enough of this bullshit, Spellsword!¡± he snapped, reaching for the helm, intending to rip it from Spellsword¡¯s hand. But the moment his fingers touched it, the world around him lurched. Everything warped. And he was thrown into a memory of a distant past. Chapter 74: Loyalty (I) Chapter 74: Loyalty (I) [Time Plane Memory #5] General Karl Kaelstrife strode through the royal courtyard, his pace furious as he made his way toward the palace gates. His face was hardened by age, a deep scar running from his forehead to his jaw, cutting beneath his left cheek ¨C a terrifying war scar. Despite being away from the battlefield, he was still wearing his battle armor. Behind him, his Major, holding a familiar helm in his hand, struggled to keep up. ¡°General, are you certain this is wise?¡± The concern in his voice was evident. ¡°No, Nilson.¡± Kaelstrife replied curtly. ¡°But I no longer care. Not anymore.¡± He didn¡¯t slow ¨C not even as they reached the palace¡¯s grand entrance. It was guarded by two guards in armored suits, their hands tightening on their weapons as the towering general approached. When he got close enough, they recognized him and saluted on instinct. ¡°At ease.¡± Kaelstrife muttered, impatient. ¡°Let me in.¡± One of the guards hesitated. ¡°General Kaelstrife, we were not informed that you had an audience planned with His Majesty.¡± ¡°Consider yourself informed.¡± Kaelstrife said, his tone sharp. ¡°Let. Me. In.¡± The guards exchanged heavy glances. They were about to object again when Kaelstrife cut through the air like thunder. ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you ¨C stand aside.¡± That did it. The man¡¯s presence was unbelievable. The guards swallowed hard, then hurriedly pushed open the grand doors. Kaelstrife stepped through without another word, his major trailing closely behind. Beyond the entrance, a vast hall stretched before them. A red carpet led up a great staircase, where the King¡¯s audience chamber lay. At the far end of the room, seated upon his gilded throne, was King Edmund III. He was flanked by a handful of advisors and royal guards, his attention focused on a group of petitioning peasants before him. For a long moment, he seemed completely unaware of the General¡¯s approach¡­Until Kaelstrife got close enough, and his royal guards reacted. The royal guards stiffened. They looked confused ¨C but still, they saluted. Kaelstrife didn¡¯t slow. His voice cut through the chamber like a war horn. ¡°Edmund, clear the hall. Now!¡± The room fell into stunned silence. Every noble, guard, and commoner alike froze in place, eyes darting between the King and the legendary general. The proper response to such insolence should have been Kaelstrife¡¯s immediate arrest, but the man¡¯s status likely gave him privileges beyond anything anyone could¡¯ve ever imagined. The King sat stiffly in his throne, hands gripping the armrests. When he spoke, his voice was quieter than expected. ¡°Leave us.¡± He ordered, waving his hand. ¡°All but Arcadius.¡± The head royal advisor ¨C a man adorned in the most elegant robes from the bunch ¨C remained by the King¡¯s side. The King¡¯s gaze flickered toward Kaelstrife¡¯s Major. ¡°You as well. Leave.¡± The Major began to step away, but Kaelstrife growled. ¡°He stays.¡± A tense silence followed. The King and General locked eyes. For a moment ¨C neither yielded. Then finally, the King sighed. ¡°Very well.¡± Once the chamber doors shut, sealing them in, the King¡¯s demeanor shifted. His expression hardened. ¡°I assume you¡¯re here to explain yourself.¡± The King said, his voice now measured. ¡°Perhaps to justify why our northern campaigns have come to an abrupt halt? Or why you withdrew from the front without approval? Or why you saw fit to bring hundreds of soldiers back to my capital without my command? Are you planning to usurp me, Karl? Is that it?¡± His words rang with authority, but it wasn¡¯t hard to notice the unease that still lingered. Kaelstrife¡¯s jaw tightened. His answer came without hesitation. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve an explanation.¡± Arcadius let out a sharp breath. ¡°Such arrogance. To speak so before your King. You must truly have lost your senses in the north, General.¡± Kaelstrife¡¯s gaze snapped to him. And the advisor recoiled under its weight. The fire in the General¡¯s eyes burned too intensely - it was a look of pure, seething hatred. ¡°If there were justice in this world,¡± Kaelstrife said coldly, ¡°I would crush the life from your throat for what you have done.¡± Arcadius paled and the King jumped to his defense. ¡°General, mind your tongue. I know you well enough to know your loyalty to the crown is unquestionable, but others may see such words as treason.¡± Kaelstrife took a step forward, unshaken. ¡°Treason?¡± he repeated, his voice lower now. ¡°You dare speak of treason after what you did to your most loyal knight?¡± The King exhaled slowly, as if composing himself. ¡°So this is about Gaelith Alloraine.¡± He sighed in relief, then turned serious. ¡°He was plotting against me, Karl. I did what I had to do.¡± Kaelstrife expression twisted in disgust. ¡°I asked you personally to keep an eye on him!¡± Kaelstrife snapped. ¡°Promised you his loyalty was beyond question! And you did this? ¡°Gaelith Alloraine was the most honorable man I have ever known. Far more than you. Far more than your snake of a cousin.¡± His voice rose with rage. ¡°And you executed him! And by poison of all things? You sicken me, Edmund.¡± For the first time, the King¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Karl Kaelstrife, you are one of Tepan¡¯s greatest warriors. That alone is the reason I have let you speak so freely.¡± He paused. ¡°But continue this insolence, and you will find yourself in chains before the sun sets.¡± Kaelstrife¡¯s eyes narrowed. Then he took another step forward. His voice lowered further, but each word felt as sharp as a knife.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You think you can threaten me, Edmund?¡± The King stilled. ¡°How well do you know your army? Do you truly believe that after so many battles, so many victories, so many years being forgotten in the north, the soldiers of Tepan still see you as their ruler? Do you think, if push came to shove, they would follow you?¡± The King remained silent, as Kaelstrife continued with fervor. ¡°The rumors you heard about the King in the North are true. They follow me. And if you ever dared to imprison me, they would burn this palace to the ground to release me.¡± The King¡¯s hands tightened on his throne, his discomfort visible. ¡°So, you are trying to usurp me!¡± He snapped at the General. Kaelstrife exhaled sharply, then released a soft chuckle. ¡°Relax, my King.¡± He said, his tone mocking. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to take your crown. That won¡¯t bring him back¡­¡± His gaze turned furious. ¡°I came to ask you one thing ¨C where is my brother¡¯s body?¡± The King seemed to visibly calm down. ¡°Is that truly all you wish to know?¡± He paused. ¡°Will this bring peace to your restless mind? Will it put an end to this irrational display?¡± Kaelstrife¡¯s stance remained rigid. His tone remained sharp. ¡°Answer the question.¡± The King exhaled slowly, then turned his gaze toward his advisor. ¡°Arcadius,¡± he called, his voice firm. ¡°You handled the arrangements. Where was his body sent?¡± Kaelstrife stiffened. His breath hitched. ¡°You sent it away?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The King nodded, his expression measured. ¡°Your so-called honorable brother cursed me ¨C cursed our entire kingdom. I had to act swiftly to ensure the corruption of his words would not come to life.¡± He paused. ¡°He was to be interred in a tomb.¡± ¡°A tomb?¡± Kaelstrife asked, sounding confused. ¡°Where? Which one?¡± ¡°The one in Moonvale.¡± Arcadius answered swiftly, smirking. ¡°Moonvale¡­¡± Kaelstrife muttered as if trying to recall the name, until he did, and his eyes widened in horror. ¡°You did what?!¡± The King¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What is the issue? You still fear the Axul?¡± he asked, making a dismissive gesture with his hand. ¡°They¡¯re gone, Karl. Moonvale has been abandoned for the past two years.¡± Kaelstrife dragged his hands over his face, taking a deep, shuddering breath. ¡°How long has it been since you sent him there?¡± The King¡¯s gaze flickered to Arcadius. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°One day.¡± Kaelstrife didn¡¯t wait a second longer. He turned sharply on his heel and strode toward the exit, his Major following behind. ¡°General!¡± The King¡¯s voice rang out, attempting to reassert his authority. ¡°I am still your King!¡± But Kaelstrife didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t acknowledge him. The King¡¯s face twisted with anger as he called for the guards. ¡°Guards!¡± The chamber doors burst open and four armored guards rushed forward, their hands gripping their swords. They moved to block Kaelstrife¡¯s path. ¡°Detain the General and his major!¡± The King called out. The guards, still in a state of confusion, lunged forward, but they never reached the General. Major Nilson moved first, his sword already drawn before the first guard had fully advanced. With precise footwork, and incredible sword fighting skills, he disarmed all of the guards, dropping them on their rears. It was over in seconds. Kaelstrife continued his stride, the Major resuming his behind him. ¡°Major Nilson here is just one of the hundreds soldiers I personally trained and mentored over the years.¡± Kaelstrife said, his voice ringing out loudly, finishing with a threat. ¡°There will be hell to pay, Edmund. But not today.¡±
Then, the memory remained, but the setting shifted. It was the brink of night. A temporary war encampment stretched across the land, its tents illuminated by torchlights. Entering the largest tent was Major Nilson, saluting as he greeted the General.
¡°General, Gaelith Alloraine was a legend we all admired.¡± Major Nilson said, his voice measured. ¡°We will follow you to the end of the earth, but I believe some words of explanation to the men as to why we are here exactly would improve the morale.¡± Kaelstrife nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. ¡°I was already planning to address them.¡± Then, his tone hardened to a command. ¡°Assemble the men within half an hour.¡± The Major saluted sharply. ¡°At once, General.¡± Then, without further delay, he exited the tent. Major Nilson moved throughout the encampment, his presence known by every soldier he passed. He stopped at mess tents, barracks, and watchposts, his message the same wherever he went: ¡°The General calls for an assembly. In the War Muster. Half an hour.¡± By the time the appointed moment arrived, nearly two hundred warriors had gathered in the War Muster, an open clearing at the heart of the encampment. As Kaelstrife stepped forward, their eyes locked onto him. Without hesitation, the entire assembly saluted in unison. Not a word was spoken. Only silent respect ¨C and the undeniable presence of their loyalty. Kaelstrife surveyed them, his eyes moving from one soldier to the next, ensuring each of them felt seen, felt acknowledged. Only then did he speak. ¡°Men,¡± the General began, his voice calm. ¡°My personal elite force.¡± His eyes narrowed slightly, and then, with a flicker of amusement he asked. ¡°How did the northern savages nicknamed you?¡± ¡°The Silverfangs!¡± They called out almost in unison, voiced booming through the night air. Kaelstrife nodded, a small smile spreading across his face as he raised his glaive. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He said. ¡°The Mad General, Silverfang ¨C his glaive, and the fearsome warriors who follow him with blood in their eyes.¡± The Silverfangs grinned, their pride palpable. The General continued, his tone growing solemn. ¡°I know some of you were left with questions when I withdrew us from the northern front and returned back to the capital.¡± He paused briefly, scanning their faces. ¡°Some of you had already started families there. Others had moved their loved ones to those lands, believing the conquests would not end in your lifetime as the crown continued spitting on us all the way from the capital.¡± His gaze swept over them once more. ¡°And I have no doubt your questions only grew when I brought you here ¨C to this Creator-forsaken land.¡± A veteran soldier stepped forward, his voice strong. ¡°None here dares question your orders, General!¡± Murmurs of agreement rippled through the assembled warriors. ¡°I hold your trust and loyalty above all else, Silverfangs.¡± Kaelstrife smiled proudly. He let the words settle as his gaze hardened. ¡°But I will not lie to you. This time, I have led you here for a personal matter ¨C one that I hope you will stand with me on.¡± The men did not waver. Curiosity flickered in their eyes, but they remained silent, awaiting his next words. Kaelstrife took a deep breath before he spoke. ¡°Many of you have already heard the whispers that the legendary knight ¨C my dear brother ¨C Gaelith Alloraine was falsely - and history will prove it to be right - accused of treason. He was branded a traitor by the King himself. Two days ago, he was executed ¨C not by the sword, but by poison.¡± A wave of disgusted murmurs spread through the ranks. Some grimaced, others clenched fists, their anger visibly mounting. Kaelstrife pressed on. ¡°Not only that ¨C he was denied the honor of proper burial. He was not laid to rest among the honored dead of knighthood, nor was he granted a place in the capital¡¯s cemetery. It would have been one thing to deny his burial at the Crown¡¯s Knights section, but they did not even allow him the dignity of burial at all.¡± The murmurs turned to outright outrage. The very idea of it was unthinkable to the soldiers. ¡°Instead,¡± Kaelstrife¡¯s voice rose, his fury accompanying it, ¡°they sent him here ¨C cast his body into the depths of the Axul tomb as if he was filth just like them!¡± He gestured behind them toward the distant silhouette of a structure ¨C the Axul temple. ¡°A warrior of his status, a man of his honor, discarded like a wretch among the damned.¡± The mere sound of the word Axul was enough to ignite even more anger among the ranks. Some spat on the ground, others cursed. The hatred was visibly deeply ingrained. Kaelstrife¡¯s expression twisted with rage. ¡°I would not wish such a fate upon my worst enemies. And yet, they sentenced my own brother to it!¡± Kaelstrife shook his head aggressively. ¡°We will retrieve the body of Gaelith Alloraine and ensure he is buried with all the rights that befit a man of his stature!¡± The soldiers cheered on, agreeing that justice needed to be conducted. Kaelstrife let the noise settle before speaking again, his voice growing colder. ¡°Now, I know some of you may wonder why I have brought the full might of the Silverfangs to recover one body from an abandoned tomb.¡± He let the question hang in the air before answering. ¡°I did so because I have every reason to believe the Axul are not as dead as the crown would have us think.¡± Silence fell across the ranks once more. ¡°They are here, hiding in that tomb.¡± Kaelstrife continued, his voice grim. ¡°How can I know for sure? Your fellow scouts already confirmed to me that the tomb was sealed from within!¡± The soldiers¡¯ eyes widened with shock, but not a single one doubted his words. It was clear that if General Kaelstrife believed in it, then it was the truth. ¡°If my brother''s body ended in there, it was because those cultist scums wished for it to happen!¡± Kaelstrife exhaled sharply. ¡°Dark Axul magic. Forbidden rituals. The kind of foul sorcery that should have died with them two years ago.¡± He straightened, shoulders squared. ¡°I won¡¯t deceive you. I do not know what awaits us within this tomb. We might have a deadly battle upon us.¡± He surveyed them, his gaze hard. ¡°If any man does not wish to follow me into that tomb, speak now. You may return north with my blessing, no shame upon you.¡± Silence. One breath. Two. Then, the first soldier stepped forward. Then another. And another. Soon, the entire force moved in unison, fists thumping against their chests as their voices rose in a thunderous chant: ¡°Through ice and fire, through blood and sand, We''ll follow General Kaelstrife, our blades in hand! General Kaelstrife, The King in the North!¡± Kaelstrife stood before them, nodding once, his expression hard. ¡°Then we make for the tomb in two hours.¡± Chapter 75: Loyalty (II) Chapter 75: Loyalty (II) General Kaelstrife and his Silverfangs stood before the structure. The so-called tomb was built underground, so it didn¡¯t have a looming presence outside, but still, something about it felt towering. Kaelstrife narrowed his eyes, scanning the supposed entrance before them. One of his men stood closer to it, using his magic to analyze it further. Turning slightly, he called out to the man. ¡°Sergeant Marwin, report.¡± Marwin turned around toward Kaelstrife. ¡°I found two peculiar things, General. Watch this.¡± He said before he touched the archway with a glowing hand, and soon it dissolved, melting away, revealing nothing but a solid stone wall. A few soldiers muttered in disbelief. Others exchanged shocked glances. Sergeant Marwin exhaled before turning back to the General, his expression both satisfied and cautious. ¡°That¡¯s the first thing, General. This isn¡¯t an entrance at all ¨C just an illusion to deceive intruders.¡± He rapped his fists against the solid stone to prove it was a wall. ¡°See? Just a wall.¡± Then the illusion returned, and the wall once again resembled an entrance. Kaelstrife nodded, though his expression remained firm. ¡°Good work, Sergeant. But I knew as much from the scouts.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°Edmund¡¯s men somehow placed my brother¡¯s body inside. Which means the real entrance is elsewhere ¨C one which they knew about.¡± ¡°Damn traitors! Teaming up with the Axul!¡± one of soldiers shouted, and many of his comrades murmured in agreement. ¡°We must find the real entrance.¡± Sergeant Marwin smirked slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I already found it, then. Follow me.¡± The sergeant turned, walking a few paces along the side of the tomb until he stopped. He took a deep breath and pointed at a seemingly blank section of the tomb¡¯s base ¨C just another stretch of smooth, untouched stone. Kaelstrife frowned. ¡°Another illusion, I assume?¡± Sergeant Marwin nodded. ¡°Right you are, General. And not just any illusion ¨C this one will rip to shreds anyone who dares to dispel it. I only tried analyzing it and I could feel its animosity toward me. I would¡¯ve died if I continued further.¡± Kaelstrife¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the wall, unreadable. Then, he spoke, his voice full of resolve. ¡°Then we brute force our way in.¡± Without hesitation, Major Nilson raised his arm, signaling to a cluster of soldiers. ¡°Ironflames, you heard the General! Front and center!¡± Twenty men immediately stepped forward, their movements sharp and disciplined. Each of them rolled their knuckles, or muttered a spell, their hands catching fire, ready to unleash devastation on command. Kaelstrife gave them a single nod. ¡°Blow this wall up.¡± The Ironflames obliged without a word. They raised their hands, and their magic surged forward in the form of explosive flames. Waves of fire, searing light, and raw magic slammed against the illusion-covered stone in rapid succession. They kept going, seemingly making no progress, but the General pressed them on. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°General, we¡¯re being watched.¡± One of the men behind Kaelstrife called out, pointing at the tomb¡¯s roof. There, high above, stood a woman clad in traditional robes, a helm with stag horns on her head. ¡°A Priestess of Axul!¡± A different man called out. ¡°That¡¯s what my System tells me. The General was right - the Axul are alive!¡± Before anyone could say anything else, three more priestesses appeared, stepping onto the rooftop beside the first one. Then, they attacked. A barrage of blazing magic rained down on the Silverfangs, but the trained soldiers didn¡¯t even need orders. They were a force of war. Before a single blast could land ¨C ten men already moved. They sprinted forward swiftly, in perfect coordination, and conjured barriers above them to shield all of their comrades. The explosions crashed against the barriers, but none of the Silverfangs seemed to falter. Then, just as seamlessly, the Ironflames shifted targets. They turned away from the wall they had been blasting moments ago, and redirected their devastating firepower toward the attackers. The coordination was perfect, and the Priestesses barely had time to react. One of them was caught in the onslaught. She screamed as an explosion slammed into her and she fell downward, crashing to the ground with a sharp gasp. ¡°Rosa, no!¡± One of the priestesses on the roof shouted. Before the fallen priestess could recover, a different soldier was already upon her. He closed the distance in an instant, his sword already pressed against her neck as he apprehended her from behind. Flanking him were two other Silverfangs, their weapons drawn for insurance. ¡°She¡¯s apprehended, General.¡± The soldier declared, glancing toward Kaelstrife. Kaelstrife gave a single nod of approval before stepping forward, eyes fixed on the remaining priestess above who now stopped attacking. He spoke, his voice commanding and absolute. ¡°If you do not surrender and open this tomb, I will execute your comrade without a second thought.¡± A heavy silence enveloped them. Kaelstrife remained motionless and waited for a moment before he spoke. ¡°Very well.¡± He stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and the apprehended priestess kneeling before him ¨C she was barely conscious from the fall. His glaive gleamed under the moonlight as he slowly raised it, the edge pointing at her chest. ¡°Five.¡± His voice was calm. ¡°Four.¡± His expression merciless. ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± A shout sounded from the roof. The three women stood up from their hiding, their hands raised in surrender. They slowly floated down from the rooftop, landing cautiously before the gathered warriors. Kaelstrife kept his blade poised. ¡°If you value your comrade¡¯s life, you won¡¯t try anything.¡± They made no sudden movements. The Silverfangs acted without needing orders ¨C within seconds, the three priestesses were apprehended as well, their hands tied behind their backs. All except one. ¡°You will open the tomb.¡± Kaelstrife ordered her, gesturing toward the wall. She nodded reluctantly and stepped forward. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Where¡¯s Gaelith Alloraine¡¯s body?¡± Kaelstrife asked, his voice sharp. ¡°What have you damn cultists done to it?¡± The priestess¡¯ eyes widened in surprise as she whispered. ¡°Noctyra¡­¡± Kaelstrife narrowed his eyes, his expression revealing he knew what the word meant. ¡°You have no idea what you are interfering with.¡± The priestess said, shaking her head. ¡°You are nothing but blind fools, outsiders trampling upon things beyond your comprehension!¡± ¡°Yo, lady, just open the damn doors.¡± Sergeant Marwin spoke up. ¡°We don¡¯t care about your cryptic threats.¡± Murmurs of agreement sounded between the soldiers. ¡°Filthy outsiders.¡± The priestess spat as she lifted her hand toward the wall. Suddenly, the illusion dissolved, revealing a massive double stone door. Then, she clenched her jaw before thrusting her palm forward. With a deep, grinding groan, the stone doors began to open. ¡°Here. You''re satisfied now?¡± The Priestess said, her tone filled with disgust. Kaelstrife nodded, his expression calm as he gave the command. ¡°Execute them all.¡± There was no hesitation. The Silverfangs acted immediately, slashing the throats of their shocked captives. The priestesses collapsed to the ground, the light leaving their eyes. The moment the last body hit the ground, Kaelstrife turned to his men. ¡°Steel in hand. Barriers ready. Prepare for battle.¡± He cast a glance at the corpses at his feet. ¡°After what we¡¯ve see now, a fight is inevitable.¡± The men nodded and saluted in unison. Then, commenced the final preparations. As they stood alone, Major Nilson spoke to Kaelstrife. His voice was measured, but at the same time, he sounded hesitant. ¡°General,¡± he said, ¡°was it necessary to execute them? They were already apprehended.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaelstrife didn¡¯t turn to face him. ¡°The Axul scum are going to be sorry they didn¡¯t actually vanish two years ago.¡± After a few minutes of preparations, Kaelstrife led his men inside. The Silverfangs pressed forward, thought their march into the tomb was relatively slow. The corridors were narrow, restrictive, barely enough for them to move in formation, forcing them to adjust their positioning as they advanced. Despite the tight quarters, they pushed through, fighting off the Axul¡¯s resistance. At some point, monsters joined the fray, siding with the cultists. Kaelstrife moved at the front lines, his glaive carving through the enemies who sometimes looked like simple people and not trained fighters. His orders were absolute. ¡°Take no prisoners! The Axul die here, tonight!¡± His men obeyed without hesitation, slaying every man, woman, and child caught in their way as they descended deeper into the tomb. Some of Kaelstrife¡¯s men fell, struck down by spells or monsters. But the Silverfangs did not mourn yet. Their fallen were avenged in blood and fire. They descended further, seeking the body of the legendary knight, until ¨C a tremor shook the tomb. It started as a low rumble, but then the ground shook violently, dust and debris falling from the ceiling. Kaelstrife barely had time to react before the door behind him slammed shut. The heavy stone crashed down, cutting him and Major Nilson from the rest of their force. Nilson analyzed the door quickly. ¡°It¡¯s magic, General. I can''t dispel it, and we won¡¯t be able to blast our way through.¡± Beyond the door, the Silverfangs called out to their leader. ¡°General, what are your orders?¡± Kaelstrife didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Push forward! Keep descending! Find my brother¡¯s body!¡± his voice was resolute. ¡°Nilson and I will find another way out and rejoin you! Meanwhile, Daniels is in charge!¡± A short pause followed, before a response came. ¡°Understood, General!¡± Kaelstrife stepped away from the door, exhaling slowly as he turned to Nilson. ¡°Come. There must be a different way out of here.¡± Kaelstrife and Nilson moved through the dark corridors, the only light shining their way coming from sporadically placed torches. The deeper they went, the more distant the sounds of battle became ¨C until suddenly, a thunderous explosion echoed through the tomb, followed by a deep tremor. Nilson instinctively steadied himself against the wall. ¡°I hope the men are holding their ground.¡± He muttered, his voice filled with concern. Silence stretched between him and the General for a few paces before Nilson spoke again. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it¡­the Axul. Alive. Just like you said.¡± He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. ¡°I thought they vanished. Two years. Not a single sign of them, and yet¡­¡± Kaelstrife glanced at him sideways. ¡°Did you doubt me, Nilson?¡± The major visibly tensed. ¡°Of course not, General ¨C ¡° Kaelstrife let out a short, unexpected chuckle, waving his hand. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m joking. Even I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I hadn¡¯t known what I know.¡± His expression turned serious, his voice lowering. ¡°I know things about them, Nilson. Things I won¡¯t share. But they were enough to make me connect the dots and figure out they were still here.¡± Nilson absorbed the words silently, nodding as they continued, entering a large chamber with walls full of murals. Then, Nilson broke the silence again. ¡°General¡­what happens after this?¡± Kaelstrife didn¡¯t look at him, but his silence was acknowledgement for Nilson to continue. ¡°The audience with the King¡­that was intense. You withdrew us from the front without permission, marched us to the capital, and confronted him directly. The fact he let us walk out of there without chains was shocking. You know he won¡¯t let it slide. So I have to ask¡­¡± Nilson inhaled deeply before finishing. ¡°What happens after we retrieve your brother¡¯s body?¡± Kaelstrife slowed his steps, his gaze remained forward. ¡°After we grant my brother the proper burial he deserves, maybe¡­all those chants about me being the King in the North will become reality.¡± Nilson¡¯s head snapped toward him. ¡°You mean to turn all the lands we conquered into a sovereign state? Under you rule?¡± ¡°I might.¡± Kaelstrife replied simply, before going into detail. ¡°Tepan is going to fall on hard times soon. It''s only a matter of time. Only a blind fool like Edmund could miss the obvious snake that is his cousin and first advisor.¡± He shook his head. ¡°With Tepan in political turmoil, we¡¯ll hardly face any resistance doing whatever we want with the north.¡± Nilson exhaled sharply before stopping. Then, with a sharp precision, he snapped into a formal salute. ¡°You will forever have my support, General. And not just mine ¨C ¡° he lowered his hand. ¡°The men will stand with you. Even those who remained in the north. You already commanded their loyalty more than the King ever could. If you give the order, we will follow.¡± Kaelstrife nodded. ¡°I''m honored, Nilson.¡± Before Nilson could respond, something suddenly caught his eye. ¡°General, look.¡± He said, pointing toward a body lying on the stone floor ¨C a body of a priestess. Nilson frowned. ¡°That¡¯s odd¡­¡± he glanced back the way they came. ¡°None of our men passed through here. How did she end up dead?¡± Kaelstrife¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re right...Internal dispute perhaps.¡± Nilson knelt beside the corpse, his brows furrowing as he examined it. The priestess looked freshly killed ¨C but there was no visible wound. But something also caught his eye. Hanging around the priestess¡¯ neck, was an amulet ¨C a diamond-shaped, dark gemstone, so large it was the size of her palm. ¡°General¡­?¡± Nilson asked, lifting the amulet slightly. ¡°What gemstone even is this?¡± Kaelstrife stepped closer, his eyes narrowing on the stone. Before he could answer, a shadow moved. A sharp gust of wind rushed past them, and a figure lunged from the darkness. Kaelstrife reacted immediately. He raised his glaive, intercepting the incoming strike. Sparks flew as Kaelstrife shoved the attacker and his scimitar back, forcing them a few steps away. Under the flickering torchlights, the enemy became visible. A hooded figure, slightly humped, his face obscured completely by the shadows. Then, with a calm, almost amused voice, he spoke, his voice aged. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking that, thank you very much.¡± ¡°Reveal yourself.¡± Kaelstrife demanded, his tone sharp. ¡°Who are you? I can already tell you¡¯re not an Axul. You don¡¯t wear the same robes as the others we¡¯ve fought tonight.¡± The figure let out a low, amused laugh. ¡°No...I don''t think I will." Kaelstrife exhaled slowly as he lifted his glaive. ¡°Then you¡¯ll die where you stand.¡± The hooded man laughed again. ¡°Oh, General,¡± his voice was almost pitying. ¡°This is not even going to be a fight.¡± The mysterious man raised a hand. With a simple flick of his wrist ¨C Kaelstrife¡¯s neck suddenly snapped. A sickening crack echoed through the chamber as the legendary general collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Nilson¡¯s eyes widened. He dropped to his knees beside his commander, hands trembling as he reached for him. ¡°General?¡± His voice cracked. He pressed his fingers against Kaelstrife¡¯s neck, searching for a pulse, but there was none. Karl Kaelstrife ¨C the Mad General, the Unyielding, the Silverfang ¨C was dead. Just like that. Nilson gasped for breath, unable to process what had just happened. The hooded man now loomed before him, his hand extending forward. ¡°Now then,¡± he said, his voice calm, almost bored. ¡°The amulet.¡± Nilson¡¯s fingers instinctively tightened around the gemstone, but he couldn¡¯t speak or move. The hooded figure let out a quiet sigh. Then, without waiting any longer, he simply reached down and plucked the amulet from Nilson¡¯s grasp. He walked to a large mural on the wall next to them ¨C a painting of a priestess of Axul, surrounded by figures draped in white and green robes. The man raised a hand, and the wall trembled. Suddenly, a section of the stone shifted, a small hole forming in the mural¡¯s center. He placed the amulet inside. ¡°The Key will wait here.¡± He murmured, his voice distant. ¡°Until it is needed again.¡± With a final motion of his fingers, the stone wall sealed itself shut, the amulet disappearing inside. At that second, something snapped inside Nilson, and he lunged forward, sword in hand. The figure¡¯s back was turned, so perhaps he believed it would be easy. The blade struck, and a hit landed, but not on the intended target. The hood lay on the ground, but the man himself was gone. A voice ¨C calm, amused, knowing ¨C spoke behind him. ¡°I¡¯m right here, my boy.¡± Nilson¡¯s breath hitched as he turned around. Then, his eyes widened in horror. An old man stood before him ¨C one he clearly recognized. ¡°S-Spurius Axul?¡± he choked out his name. ¡°But you¡¯re supposed to be long dead¡­¡± The ancient man grinned. Then, he lifted his index fingers to his lips, the gesture almost playful. ¡°Shhh.¡± Then, with a snap of his fingers, Nilson¡¯s neck snapped as well, and his lifeless body collapsed to the ground. [Time Plane Memory #5 ¨C END] Chapter 76: The Right Thing to Do Chapter 76: The Right Thing to Do [Item Acquired: Time Plane Memory #5 ¨C Added to Inventory #2] [Quest Completed: Memories From the Past] [75,000 XP converted into 1 Stat Point] [2 Points Available: Choose a stat to level up] ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± Goren muttered. ¡°You¡¯ve been able to see these things this entire time?!¡± I turned to face him, still reeling from what I had just witnessed in the memory fragment. It seems that somehow, he had seen it too. ¡°Who cares about that?¡± I snapped. ¡°Spurius Axul was still alive on the day of the ritual!¡± ¡°Who cares about him!¡± Goren snapped back. ¡°He¡¯s just another Axul as far as we¡¯re concerned. And he¡¯s definitely dead by now anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a given.¡± I countered. ¡°Gaelith was supposed to be dead too, yet he¡¯s practically immortal. Spurius Axul is his father. I won¡¯t rule out the possibility that he might still be alive somewhere.¡± "Still not important..." "Not important?" I shook my head. "He snapped their necks with a flick of a wrist and a snap of a finger. It''s way beyond anything we''ve encountered so far, even from the Axul!" Goren shook his head in frustration. ¡°Speaking of Gaelith¡­where the hell did he disappear to?¡± I asked, suddenly recalling that the knight had vanished the moment the glowing engraving blinded us, and the door opened. Where to? I had no idea. ¡°We need to look for him¡­¡± ¡°Look for him?¡± Goren echoed, baffled. ¡°Where, Spellsword? In case you forgot, this place is huge! He could¡¯ve ended up anywhere ¨C or maybe he¡¯s not even in the tomb anymore!¡± ¡°Then, what do you suggest? That we just leave him? Is that it, Goren?¡± My voice rose. ¡°That would be in character for you.¡± Goren¡¯s gaze hardened, but he remained relatively calm. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m suggesting. And I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve agreed with me. We can¡¯t waste time searching for him when we¡¯re this close to ending it all. And without his shiny sword keeping Erebus off your back, who knows how long it¡¯ll take before the Dark Hunters find us?¡± He was right. I hated it, but he was right. And still. We planned for this to be the last run. If Gaelith is fighting for his life somewhere and we won¡¯t help, he wouldn¡¯t respawn in the next run because there won¡¯t be a next run if everything goes as planned. I couldn¡¯t just abandon him. ¡°We¡¯re not leaving him behind.¡± I muttered, my resolve clear. Goren eyed me for a moment, his anger rising before he turned way with a growl. ¡°God, you¡¯re annoying with all your righteousness! We already have it! You saw the memory. We know where what¡¯s-his-name hid the Key to the Darknessbound Core! You remember that mural, right? It¡¯s on the fifth floor. It¡¯s just three floors away!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I said firmly. ¡°If we end Erebus on this run without knowing what happened to Gaelith, we might be signing his death warrant.¡± ¡°Dude is a thousand years old, Spellsword!¡± Goren snapped. ¡°He¡¯s lived long enough!¡± ¡°Is that what you call a life?¡± I asked, my eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°He was a prisoner here all this time, killing adventurers so they wouldn¡¯t get devoured by his Other Self. He was alone, suffering for centuries. Don¡¯t you feel even a shred of pity?¡± Goren sighed deeply, visibly struggling against his growing frustration. ¡°Listen, I feel bad for what happened to him. I really do. But my family is more important to me than anything. And I¡¯m not going to risk their well-being for some ancient knight I¡¯ve only met today.¡± It seemed like neither of us was going to back down. Unlucky ¨C or maybe lucky ¨C for me, sharp whistles cut through the air. Erebus¡¯ agents. That was fast. ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake¡­¡± Goren muttered, running a hand down his face. ¡°Looks like this won¡¯t be the last run after all.¡± I said, turning to him. ¡°You know what to do.¡± He nodded, visibly disappointed at the turn of events. Pulling out his daggers, he stepped closer. ¡°Wait.¡± I said, unequipping my armor and storing it in the second inventory ¨C I wasn¡¯t going to steal it again next run. ¡°Now, you can do it.¡± Goren sighed again. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you up early again.¡± ¡°No need, I ¨C ¡° I couldn¡¯t even finish my sentence. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 54 - MAX] The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. [Loop Count: 57] I felt a push ¨C and woke up. ¡°Good morning, Spellsword.¡± Goren said, sitting in the chair beside my bed. I ran a hand over my face, slowly regaining my senses. ¡°You know,¡± he continued, leaning back, ¡°it¡¯s kinda refreshing seeing you not immediately trying to attack me after I wake you up.¡± He chuckled. I ignored him. ¡°Why are you here? We don¡¯t have anything to do this early and you know it. We need the tomb to be opened by Lorren¡¯s mages first.¡± ¡°True,¡± Goren admitted, leaning forward. ¡°But I wanted us to settle on a plan. We wanted the last run to be the final one ¨C and it wasn¡¯t.¡± He met my gaze. ¡°This time, we end it. We must.¡± I knew what he was hinting at. ¡°The plan is simple.¡± I straightened up. ¡°We find Gaelith first. Then, together, we head to the mural on the fifth floor. Also, I think he¡¯d be interested to know that his father was still alive on the day of the ritual. And that he was the one who killed his friend.¡± Goren rolled his eyes. ¡°Spellsword, for fuck¡¯s sake¡­Don¡¯t you have a girlfriend to save?! I really don¡¯t get you!¡± My temper flared instantly. ¡°This has nothing to do with her. And don¡¯t you dare even mention her!¡± Goren sighed, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Fuck. I said I was sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry won¡¯t undo what you did to those versions of her.¡± I rose from the bed, glaring angrily at him. ¡°Now that you know the plan, I¡¯ll ask you kindly to leave my house.¡± Goren let out a frustrated growl, shoving himself up from the chair. ¡°Fuck!¡± He stormed toward the door, throwing it open. ¡°See you at the entrance!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be there.¡± I replied. He stopped on his tracks. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come later.¡± I said, nodding slowly. ¡°After they¡¯ll get a substitution for me.¡± Goren¡¯s confusion only grew, so I continued. ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be there. You just need to be ready.¡± He sighed and nodded. Then, he was gone. I exhaled slowly, letting the anger settle before turning my attention to the next task. Using the extra hours he gave me, I began preparing a brew ¨C one I wasn¡¯t proud of, but one I knew would be necessary. *** Before Yana arrived, I allocated my two stat points into Agility, bringing it to 61. Then, right on cue ¨C just as late as she always was in this time loop ¨C she knocked on the door. I opened it, butterflies swarming in my stomach. And there she was ¨C the love of my life. Her red hair was tied back into a braid, resting behind her shoulders. Her freckles, still as mesmerizing as ever, sent my heart racing. The memory of our kisses burned in my mind, urging me forward. I couldn¡¯t stop myself. Without hesitation, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her. ¡°Wow, Aidan, did you miss that much?¡± she chuckled, returning the hug. ¡°Well, if you didn¡¯t, I can back away.¡± I teased, already knowing exactly how she felt about me. She laughed softly, her embrace tightening. ¡°No, no. Just surprised. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°How are you?¡± I asked, slowly steering the conversation toward my plan. ¡°I¡¯m great.¡± She smiled, her dimples driving me mad. ¡°But we should really talk about it on the way, or we¡¯ll be late. My bad for showing up so late.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± I said, grinning. ¡°Let¡¯s have some tea first.¡± Her eyebrows arched. ¡°Tea?¡± she repeated, still smiling. ¡°Since when are you a tea person?¡± ¡°Two years is plenty of time for a man to develop a taste for tea.¡± I lied effortlessly, gesturing for her to come inside. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll race toward the tomb.¡± She hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and stepped inside. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Once inside, she spoke again, glancing around. ¡°It¡¯s a nice place.¡± I was reminded that this was her first time inside. Even across all the previous runs, I had never invited her in before. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not bad.¡± I replied, not really caring. ¡°Christian knows the owner, so she cut me a deal.¡± ¡°Christian? Oh, your guild master, right?¡± She asked, chuckling. I nodded, enjoying the sight of her smile more than anything. ¡°Yeah.¡± I gestured toward the kitchen table, where a pot of tea sat waiting. Her eyebrow rose again. ¡°Oh, you even brewed it beforehand?¡± She smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t even recognize you anymore.¡± I laughed. ¡°Of course I did. I knew you were coming, so I woke up earlier to make it.¡± She nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table. I poured two cups of tea ¨C one for her and one for myself. She took hers but didn¡¯t drink yet. Then, she smiled. ¡°I like it.¡± I blinked. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°This. Organized, prepared Aidan. I could get used to it.¡± Normally, I would¡¯ve laughed at that comment ¨C or at the very least chuckled ¨C but what I was about to do didn¡¯t allow it. I simply nodded. ¡°There are more surprises where that came from.¡± Her smile widened. ¡°My, my, Aidan Dar, consider me hooked for the rest of the day.¡± She lifted the cup, bringing it close to her lips. I held my breath. But then¡­she hesitated, lowering the cup slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you drinking yours?¡± she asked. I nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± I raised my cup, pretending to drink. She drank hers. Relief flooded me as I lowered my cup. ¡°What¡¯s that odd taste?¡± she asked, still smiling. The smile only deepened the pain in my chest. Worse than Goren¡¯s daggers ever had. ¡°It¡¯s blackberries.¡± I said. That much was true. I had added the blackberries Goren gave me to mask the taste of the sleeping agent. She took another sip. ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± I watched as she drank more, ensuring the effect would kick in soon. Then, losing control of myself, I whispered: ¡°I love you.¡± The words just slipped out. Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushing red, almost hiding her freckles. ¡°A-Aidan, I ¨C I¡­¡± she stammered. Then, she blinked. Once. Twice. Her fingers loosened around the cup. ¡°What¡¯s¡­going on?¡± she mumbled, her voice fading. And then, she collapsed. I was there to catch her before she hit the floor. Lifting her gently, I carried her to my bed, laying her down carefully. Then, I pulled out a pair of handcuffs ¨C a relic from one of my previous quests. They weren¡¯t ordinary cuffs ¨C they muted our Core Systems. I considered selling them but was now glad I didn¡¯t. I clasped them around her wrists, securing her to the bed frame. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I whispered, knowing she couldn¡¯t hear me. I sat beside her for a moment, watching her peaceful, unconscious form. ¡°I can¡¯t let you enter that tomb, Yana.¡± My voice still a whisper. ¡°We¡¯re ending Erebus on this run. And if something happened to you, there wouldn''t be another chance to fix things, and¡­I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll explain everything when I get back.¡± Then, I donned my armor, and stepped out of the house, locking the door behind me. *** I surveyed the tomb¡¯s entrance from a distance, watching as Lady Mikaela looked around, clearly surprised that Yana hadn¡¯t shown up. Moments later, Fiona informed her that I was missing as well, and she immediately assumed we were together. Kelltins didn¡¯t show up again as well. In response, she and Lorren called for substitutes. Thanks to the mage¡¯s magic, the replacements arrived within half an hour. I waited for them to enter the tomb ¨C then gave it another ten minutes before finally approaching the entrance myself. Inside the main antechamber, the high-leveled adventurers rested, keeping watch as the lower-level parties ventured through the first levels of the tomb. I needed to sneak past them and meet up with Goren. I only had one skill that could do the job. For the first time, I activated Speed of Light, layering it with Wind Rush. The name was an exaggeration ¨C but even so, I was likely moving faster than any person in the world ever had. I felt bad for wasting such a powerful skill on this, but it was necessary to keep everyone else safe and unsuspecting. I didn¡¯t want to explain myself and have them follow us into more danger. In a blur, I zipped through the antechamber in its most poorly lit section, passing unnoticed. By the time anyone might have sensed something, I was already in the corridor beyond, just outside the chambers we had been originally assigned to. Goren noticed me immediately, likely sensing me with his Distance Gauge. He melted into his shadow and reappeared at my side. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked, my voice steady. He nodded once, no hesitation. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Chapter 77: Back to the Mural Chapter 77: Back to the Mural We reached the chamber where we had found Gaelith in previous loops, adjusted the levers to open the secret passage, and rushed inside. But... He wasn¡¯t there. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± I whispered, in disbelief. How could he not be here? We had arrived faster than we ever had before. And there was no way he left without waiting for us ¨C even if he had, the chamber door would have been open already. We wouldn¡¯t have needed to solve the lever lock. ¡°Ooh noooo, he¡¯s not here.¡± Goren said, displaying concern in the most theatrical way possible. ¡°Well, we tried, Spellsword. Floor number five it is.¡± He turned and began pacing away. ¡°Wait.¡± I said, scanning the chamber, searching for¡­something. I didn¡¯t even know what. Anything. Some clue Gaelith might have left behind. But there was nothing. Whatever had made him vanish in the last run had likely pulled him out of the loop¡¯s normal progression. I could only wonder where he was now. ¡°Can¡¯t you try to sense him?¡± I asked. ¡°Like last time." Goren rolled his eyes. ¡°Spellsword, for the love of god, what do you want us to do? Search for him one floor at a time? Spend hours hunting him down while the Dark Hunters close in? The fifth level is literally just one floor above us.¡± He sighed, exasperated. ¡°We needed Gaelith to find the Key. He played his part. We don¡¯t need him anymore.¡± At the mention of the Dark Hunters, I instinctively created a Checkpoint anchor ¨C just to be on the safe side. [Checkpoint #1 Set: Your progress has been saved at this point in time] ¡°It''s true that we don¡¯t need him anymore,¡± I admitted, ¡°but he might still need us.¡± ¡°Wow. So heroic of you.¡± Goren said, rolling his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to let him know after we save the world. Then we¡¯ll have plenty of time to go looking for him. Stop making this so hard! Even after we get the Key for the Core, we still have to travel thirty floors down to the last level, face heavy resistance on the way there, and only then imprison Gaelith''s Darkness.¡± He was right ¨C again. Looking for Gaelith floor by floor was impossible. I had expected him to be here, just like before, but he wasn¡¯t. But something else bothered me as well. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s kind of weird we found that rusted helm there?¡± I asked. Goren raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Think about it.¡± I turned to face him. ¡°You saw the memory fragment too. Major Nilson was killed with General Kaelstrife on the fifth level. But we found his helm on the second floor ¨C locked behind a door only an Axul could open.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Why?¡± Goren opened his mouth to reply ¨C but hesitated, rubbing his chin. ¡°I think¡­you¡¯re right.¡± He furrowed his brows. ¡°It is weird. I thought the same when I first found it. Still, what are you trying to say? That it was a trap?¡± I nodded. ¡°A two-layered trap. While Gaelith vanished ¨C who knows where - we were fed a memory fragment with a particular bit of information that we desperately needed to see.¡± I rubbed the back of my head as I continued. ¡°Before, when I was looking for the third shard of the Core, Gaelith used his magic to trace the connection between the two shards I had and the one Kelltins stole. Here, his magic led us to that helm instead, which gave us a clue to the Key¡¯s whereabouts.¡± I exhaled sharply. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Gaelith¡¯s magic lead us to the Key on the fifth level from the start? It¡¯s almost like that helm was placed there on purpose. And don¡¯t even get me started about what Gaelith said about the inscription ¨C that he felt like it was meant for him.¡± Goren rubbed his temples, sighing. ¡°I can¡¯t deny your words, Spellsword. It does seem like a setup.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°But by who? We¡¯ve already taken out every possible enemy. Only Erebus is left, and we already agreed that Gaelith¡¯s Darkness is just¡­an animal. It doesn¡¯t think strategically.¡± ¡°Spurius Axul.¡± I said the name without hesitation. The answer made too much sense to me. Goren groaned. ¡°Dude¡­You¡¯re obsessed with that grandpa. If he was still alive and in this tomb, how have we never run into him? I¡¯ve lived through 113 loops, Spellsword, and I¡¯ve never once seen the old fart.¡± He had a point. It was weird that we hadn¡¯t crossed paths with him if he was still alive. Could it just be a plan he set into motion before he died? One we¡¯re following right now? ¡°Either way,¡± Goren pressed on, ¡°what choice do we have? Are the memory fragments even real? Could they be fabrications ¨C false memories? You¡¯re the expert on them. You tell me.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but I¡¯ve never been told otherwise. So, for now, we assume they¡¯re real.¡± ¡°Then the Key should be on the fifth level.¡± Goren summarized. ¡°If it¡¯s actually the Key.¡± Goren narrowed his eyes. ¡°You mean¡­if this is a trap, the so-called Key might just be a regular gemstone?¡± I nodded. ¡°It makes sense. They failed the ritual a thousand years ago ¨C caught off guard by Kaelstrife¡¯s arrival that night and Galeith still being alive. Maybe Spurius Axul planned for a second chance. A thousand years later. Our time. This would explain Lysandra¡¯s existence as a highly intelligent Undead.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Goren looked thoughtful, before he suddenly shouted into the air. ¡°Fucking Axul! I hate them so much! Nothing is ever easy! Fuck you, Kelltins!¡± We remained silent, processing everything, and our next move. Then, Goren broke the silence. ¡°Listen, Spellsword. I know I can be rash. And stupid. And impatient.¡± He exhaled, catching my gaze. ¡°But again¡­what other choice do we have? We have to go for that gemstone. We have no other leads.¡± He was right again. Unfortunately. Even if this was a trap, what else could we do? We had no way to look for other leads without Gaelith. And looking for Gaelith would be even more difficult in our current predicament. I sighed deeply. ¡°Looks like we have to go there.¡± Goren nodded hesitantly. ¡°Once we get there, we¡¯ll see how to approach the situation.¡± I nodded back. Then, the Dark Hunters whistles sounded close. They were becoming faster at finding us. ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± Goren said, stepping toward me with his daggers drawn. ¡°Wait!¡± I stopped him. ¡°We can¡¯t waste my Checkpoint so early.¡± I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯ll fight them and progress to the fifth level. Like you said ¨C it¡¯s just one floor.¡± Goren narrowed his eyes. ¡°Hell no. They don¡¯t need to kill us ¨C they just need one hit to mark you. That¡¯s all it takes. It¡¯s too risky to fight them.¡± I recalled the run in which one of them grazed me ¨C but I still had time to save myself before the mark settled. ¡°Yes.¡± I agreed. ¡°But the mark doesn¡¯t appear immediately.¡± ¡°If I get hit, drop everything you¡¯re doing and kill me. Got it?¡± Goren sighed, rubbing his face. But he nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± ¡°I am.¡± And with that, we set off to the fifth level. *** We fought our way up, cutting through countless Dark Hunters and other monsters, until we finally reached the chamber with the large mural. Surprisingly, I remained unmarked. I had managed to evade the Dark Hunters¡¯ attacks ¨C and when I didn¡¯t, Goren was there, covering my blind spots and making sure I stayed in the clear. Now standing before the mural again, I examined it closely. The cryptic images ¨C the ones that had never made sense to me, even after so many runs, even now after I regained all my memories ¨C were still unclear. But this time, something stood out. The mural was glowing purple. Another Vestige of Time. [Temporal Trace: Vestige of Time #16 - Available] Goren sighed and pointed at the center of the mural. ¡°What are we waiting for? It was there, wasn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s break it.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± I stopped him. He turned to me, confused. ¡°There¡¯s a memory fragment tied to this mural.¡± I explained. ¡°If we break it, we might not be able to see it later.¡± ¡°You want to watch it first?¡± Goren asked, still looking confused. I nodded. ¡°This specific type of memory fragments ¨C Vestiges, they¡¯re called ¨C are more authentic. If the gemstone is a trap, maybe this mural holds a memory that will show us exactly how and who¡¯s behind it.¡± I hoped that was the case - that maybe Chronos was still watching over me despite our last meeting. Goren exhaled sharply. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Fucking hell¡­¡± He muttered, running a hand through his hair. ¡°Do we even have the time for this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°Real time moves slower when watching memory fragments.¡± Goren clicked his tongue. ¡°Then, do it. Hell, we already suspect it¡¯s a trap ¨C maybe the memory will help.¡± I nodded. ¡°You don¡¯t want to watch it too?¡± ¡°Fuck that." Goren shook his head. "One memory was enough for me.¡± I shrugged, then reached out and touched the mural. It reacted instantly. Here we go. *** [Vestige of Time #16] Two men stood in front of the large wall, the soft glow of a flying orb illuminating their work. ¡°So, what are we actually drawing here?¡± The younger of the two asked. He had long dark hair tied back with a comb. His clothes were worn and paint splattered. A paintbrush moved in the air before him ¨C or rather, he was moving it with his mind ¨C as he painted a woman with a helm adorned with stag horns. His partner, a rotund man with short brown hair, worked on a different section of the wall. Like the younger man, he moved his brush with his mind. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the older man asked. ¡°I mean¡­what do these drawings even mean?¡± the young man clarified. ¡°Oh.¡± The rotund man replied seriously. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a seventh-generation Axul, Mathias?¡± ¡°And?¡± Mathias raised an eyebrow. The older man shook his head, his expression grave. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we must exile you now, Mathias, for asking such foolish questions.¡± Both men burst out laughing. ¡°You had me worried there for a moment, Doran.¡± Mathias said, wiping away an imaginary tear. Doran grinned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s your fault for being so gullible.¡± Their laughter subsided, and Mathias asked again, more earnestly this time. ¡°No, but seriously, Doran. I have no idea what we¡¯re even drawing here ¨C or why. We already know our signs of worship. We were never exactly welcoming to outsiders. Now we¡¯re even considered dead to them. Why are we painting this? I can understand some of the other murals we¡¯ve drawn in the other floors and chambers ¨C they¡¯re for the Gods. But this one? I don¡¯t get it.¡± Doran paused, studying the unfinished mural. Only the figure of the woman had been completed so far ¨C mostly completed. He rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve been so focused on the work that I hadn¡¯t even noticed. Since when do we depict the High Priestess as an object of worship?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Mathias exclaimed. ¡°This makes no sense. I¡¯m not going to commit heresy.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Doran raised a hand to calm him. ¡°Let me check the notes. There must be a reason to this.¡± He rummaged through a cloth satchel, pulling out several pieces of parchment. After a moment, he found the one he was looking for. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Doran said, reading aloud. ¡°Floor five, chamber seven, eastern wall. Depict an image of High Priestess Lysandra. Additional details are up to your discretion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even worse than I thought.¡± Mathias muttered, shaking his head. ¡°What a bizarre order.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Doran agreed, frowning. Then, a cold, unsettling voice pierced the air making them both take a step back. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you draw here, you see?¡± High Priestess Lysandra said, stepping into the chamber. She was wearing a long, dark dress, matching the hair flowing down her back. The men straightened instantly at her presence, offering a small bow. ¡°Lady Lysandra.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®it doesn¡¯t matter¡¯, High Priestess?¡± Doran asked as he raised his head. ¡°Exactly that, dear Doran. The purpose of this mural is not the art itself, but its presence here. In this room.¡± She replied, smiling wickedly. ¡°Let me show you something.¡± She snapped her fingers, and the brushes the men had been using flew into her hand. ¡°I assume I don¡¯t need to explain the power of our magic to distinguished Axuls as yourselves.¡± She said, her tone slightly mocking. ¡°But one thing you¡¯ve yet to understand is the traces our magic leaves behind. Someone in the future will call them by a peculiar name - Vestiges.¡± The brushes in her hand suddenly ignited in dark flames. Then she blew an icy breath on them, extinguishing the fire, leaving the brushes unscathed as she handed them back. ¡°Now, as you continue your work, traces of your magic will remain embedded in the mural, depicting this very moment, and holding a surprise for a certain someone. It''ll linger here for a thousand years.¡± The painters exchanged confused glances. ¡°But¡­why would we need that, High Priestess?¡± Mathias asked hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s a contingency plan.¡± Lysandra replied. ¡°Passed down to me by Father Spurius. You see, he appeared to me in a dream last night. Told me he¡¯d seen the future. He said our planned ritual would fail. I find it hard to believe as I worked tirelessly to ensure it succeeds, but I¡¯ll never doubt Father Spurius. So, by his order and wisdom¡­this mural exists.¡± ¡°Forgive me, High Priestess, but I still don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Doran said, confused. Lysandra shrugged, turning her back to the mural. She gazed into the air as if talking to someone unseen. ¡°The person who needed to understand has already done so.¡± She paused, her voice turning colder, as she seemingly addressed the air. ¡°I have no idea if you''ll ever see it, nor do I know what it means, but..." Her grin turned malicious. "Father Spurius told me to pass a message to you, oh Champion of Chronos: You are now marked by Lord Erebus.¡± Chapter 78: Marked by Darkness Chapter 78: Marked by Darkness My heart raced and sweat beaded on my forehead. I couldn¡¯t believe what I had just witnessed. We were right. It was a trap. But it was far more elaborate than I could¡¯ve had ever imagined. Even after we killed her, Lysandra somehow found a way to fuck me over. And by Spurius Axul''s order? He saw the future - WHAT?! I looked down at my hands ¨C the unmistakable aura of Erebus'' mark surrounded me. [You are marked by Darkness] I ran my hands over my face, staggering back in disbelief. I had failed. It was all over. The world is doomed. Spurius Axul had us all in the palm of his hand, planning everything a thousand years ago. ¡°Spellsword, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Goren asked, sounding worried. ¡°What did you see?¡± I shook my head. ¡°The trap...¡± ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± I met his gaze, the weight of my failure crushing down on me. ¡°It was set for me specifically.¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m marked.¡± Goren¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°YOU¡¯RE WHAT?!¡± He rushed to my side, grabbing my shoulders, his eyes scanning me frantically as if trying to see the mark for himself. But he couldn¡¯t see it ¨C only I could. I shoved him off. ¡°Knock it off. Believe me, I¡¯m marked, for fuck¡¯s sake. It¡¯s over.¡± Goren staggered back. ¡°No, no, no, no, no¡­¡± he muttered, falling to his knees, his face buried in his hands. Images of Yana filled my mind. I drugged her. I cuffed her. All so she wouldn¡¯t be here. All so she¡¯d be safe while we ended this. But it was for nothing. I can¡¯t end it. Now that I was marked¡­it was over. Then, suddenly, Goren sprang to his feet. Without uttering a word, he rushed toward the mural, summoning his sword. It glowed with magic as he struck the stone, shattering it. He kept going ¨C hacking at it over and over ¨C until, at last, a hole was revealed in the center ¨C the one from the memory fragment. He reached inside and pulled out the dark gemstone. ¡°Key item.¡± He said, staring at it. ¡°Gemstone Key. The System can''t lie. This is it, Spellsword!" I barely reacted. I stared blankly at the ground, drowning in regret. ¡°Spellsword, snap out of it!¡± Goren shouted. ¡°We can still do this.¡± I ignored him, wrapped in my own failure. Then ¨C a fist slammed into my face, and I hit the ground. Goren stood over me, his fists clenched. ¡°Get you shit together, Spellsword!¡± He roared, grabbing the back of my armor, hauling me to my feet. ¡°We have the Key. Let¡¯s go face him!¡± I shook my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll never descend thirty levels without dying ¨C not with both of us marked.¡± ¡°What is this sissy talk, Spellsword?¡± Goren snapped. ¡°Fight! Fight, goddamn it! Fight! If you have something to fight for ¨C you fight!¡± Then, he punched me again, dropping me to my back. Goren loomed over me, holding out his hand. ¡°We can still do it! You can¡¯t give up!¡± I stared at him. The man I wanted nothing in common with. The man I only teamed up with to defeat a greater evil. The man who had killed me and Yana multiple times in previous loops. And now¡­he was the one acting like the real hero. Not me. He was right. I couldn¡¯t give up. Not now. Not ever. The initial shock of being marked got the better of me. But all is not lost. I took a deep breath, slapped both my cheeks, and grabbed his hand. He pulled me back to my feet. ¡°You good?¡± he asked. I nodded. ¡°Thanks. I needed that.¡± Before he could reply, a tremor shook the chamber. Then, the sound of the familiar monsters echoed from outside the chamber, getting closer. The entire roster of them. Ina flash, they were already here. One by one, they filled the chamber. So, this is what being marked feels like¡­ Goren and I stood back-to-back as they surrounded us. Then, an idea flashed through my mind. ¡°Kill me.¡± ¡°What?!¡± he shouted, his gaze still on the monsters. ¡°But you¡¯re already marked¡­Will it delete the mark?¡± ¡°No.¡± I replied. ¡°The mark won¡¯t go away, but I¡¯ll respawn in Gaelith¡¯s chamber. I¡¯ll fill you in and we¡¯ll bypass the monsters completely. Just give me the Key.¡± It seemed like when the stakes grew higher, Goren asked fewer questions. He turned around, handing me the gemstone, and I quickly stored it in my second inventory. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. [Item Acquired: Gemstone Key ¨C Added to Inventory #2] Then, Goren¡¯s blade found a gap in my chestplate. Pain exploded in my chest. Slowly, my vision faded to black. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] [You¡¯ll now reawaken at Checkpoint #1] *** ¡°¡­The fifth level is literally just one floor above us.¡± Goren sighed, exasperated. ¡°We needed Gaelith ¨C ¡° ¡°Shut up!¡± I cut him off before he could finish. His eyes widened in surprise, but I didn¡¯t give him time to react. I immediately filled him in on what had happened. ¡°YOU''RE WHAT?!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°You already punched me back to my senses.¡± I summoned the Key from my inventory, holding it up. ¡°We have this now.¡± The System recognized it as: Gemstone Key. With the description being pretty telling: A Key to seal Darkness. It doesn''t get any clearer than this. ¡°Fuck!¡± Goren still looked in disbelief learning that I was marked, but eventually, he nodded. ¡°Okay. No time to waste. Let¡¯s go.¡± Just as we were about to leave, the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System flashed a message. [All components present: Darknessbound Core, Gemstone Key, Eye of Axul, Essence of Darkness, Axul''s Ice] [Instructions on Imprisoning Darkness had been added to Inventory #2] [Item Acquired: THE Instructions ¨C Added to Inventory #2] ¡°Wait.¡± I stopped him. ¡°My System just gave me the instructions.¡± ¡°Instructions?¡± Goren echoed, confused. I summoned the new item ¨C a piece of parchments covered in text. ¡°Well?! Read it!¡± Goren demanded, impatient. My heart raced. Monsters would be coming soon ¨C that¡¯s what being marked meant. But at the same time, in our current predicament, there was no safe place in this tomb to stop and read. Here and now was as better place as any. The parchment read: Heyooo, it¡¯s Pix here! Okay, long story short ¨C this is what each of these things does and how to use them together. DO NOT mess up the order!
  1. Believe it or not, Erebus has a heart. He probably doesn¡¯t call it that, but in simplified human terms ¨C it¡¯s a heart. Like, an actual heart.
  2. With the Darknessbound Core close, he¡¯ll freak out and start growing bigger, trying to hide his heart inside that oversized body. DON¡¯T GET DISTRACTED. Ignore the transformation and use the Eye item to find the heart.
  3. Once you spot the heart, use the Ice item to freeze the rest of him, leaving only the heart exposed - the Ice item will do this on its own.
  4. Get up close (Yeah, I know it sounds insanely scary ¨C but you HAVE to. Also, he''s frozen, so no real danger).
  5. Combine Darknessbound Core, Gemstone Key, and Essence of Darkness (the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System will react automatically) ¨C then aim the combined Prison at the heart.
  6. Expect heavy mental resistance from him, but FIGHT THROUGH IT!
  7. If you did everything correctly AND IN ORDER, Erebus should get sucked into the Prison.
  8. Goodbye, Darkness.
  9. Easy, right?!
  10. JUST FOLLOW THE ORDER, OKAY?! Don¡¯t screw this up.
  11. Go read number 10 again. Seriously.
xoxo, Pix ¡°Who the hell is Pix?¡± Goren asked, baffled. ¡°And what the hell does ''xoxo'' mean? Could be important..." ¡°Really, Goren?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s what bothers you right now?¡± He shrugged innocently, and I sighed. ¡°Look, it¡¯s pretty simple. We just need to follow the order, and we win. Let¡¯s go.¡± We turned toward the exit, but before we could take another step, a shriek cut through the air. We barely had time to react before three Blood Wraiths came flying straight at us, their claws aimed right for our throats. I rolled away, Wind Rush moving me faster. Then, I pivoted and lunged at the closest enemy. I intercepted the wraith¡¯s clawed strike with Silverfang before rounding it with two successive Enhanced Dash Steps, slicing it in half. The creature let out another shriek as it dissipated into black mist. To my side, Goren melted into his shadow, reappearing behind the second wraith. Twin daggers in hand, he drove both into its back before twisting sharply. The wraith exploded into black mist, dissolving into nothing. The third one lunged at me from the left, but I was faster ¨C way faster. I feinted to the right, then Enhanced Dash Stepped to the left. One clean, diagonal sweep with Silverfang resulting in a critical hit was all that was needed to slay it. ¡°Easy.¡± Goren said as he flicked the black mist off his daggers as if it was tangible. I barely had time to agree before more shrieks filled the chamber. More were coming. A second wave surged into the room ¨C this time seven Blood Wraiths. ¡°Alright, round two then.¡± Goren muttered. They came at us from all angles, but we were a lot stronger, way faster, and by far smarter. I activated Horizon, sending a wide arc of wind slicing through two wraiths at once. Their forms twisted before dispersing into mist. Goren drew three of them and dodged effortlessly, weaving in his own attacks. He slashed upward, cutting one apart before immediately spinning around and driving his dagger into another. He slid under the last one¡¯s attack, before pivoting and jumping at its back and finishing the job. Meanwhile, the final two wraiths came for me. It almost felt like they were moving in slow motion, so I didn¡¯t even bother dodging. I activated Explosive Strike, slamming Silverfang into the ground. The following blast erupted forward, hitting the wraiths. Then, I used Enhanced Blade Rush and swung the glaive in a wide arc, catching both. Killing both. More shrieks. More Blood Wraiths ¨C dozens of them ¨C phased through the walls, cutting off our only exit. I tightened my grip on Silverfang. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to stop, is it?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Goren confirmed. ¡°When ol¡¯ Erebus wants you dead, he follows through. Trust me, I would know.¡± He chuckled nervously. I sighed. ¡°Which means we need to leave.¡± ¡°Already ahead of you.¡± Goren smirked, summoning a weapon from his inventory. It was staff made of blackened steel with a large, glowing blue orb mounted at its top. ¡°Just get behind me.¡± I didn¡¯t argue, using Enhanced Dash Step to get into safety. Goren raised the staff and slammed its base against the ground. Then, a massive pulse of magic erupted forward. The blue light flooded the area in front of us, washing over the countless Blood Wraiths like a wave. They were stuck in place, stuck mid-motion, flickering. ¡°This is my trusty farming weapon - Oblivion Orb.¡± Goren grinned. ¡°Now, go crazy.¡± And so we did. We cut them all down in seconds. Me with Silverfang, Goren with his daggers, striking them all down as the paralysis continued for at least half a minute. I exhaled in relief. So far, so good. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move before more ¨C ¡° A deep, guttural sound echoed from the walls, making a shiver run down my spine. ¡°Oh, fuck.¡± Goren muttered, shaking his head. ¡°What?¡± I asked, feeling like he knew something. ¡°Earlier, I thought about which bosses are still left for us to slay, believing only Gaelith¡¯s Darkness remained.¡± He said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ¡°But unless you took the wraith-one out on your own, then we should still have it on our list.¡± ¡°The wraith-one¡­¡± I muttered silently as right on cue it appeared. A massive apparition, three time the size of a man, wearing a tattered black cloak that billowed. A hood obscured its face, but beneath it, a black void churned ¨C an abyss as deep as Erebus¡¯ Darkness. It held a scythe, but not like any normal weapon. The blade was not entirely metal as well ¨C an arc of shifting black mist, surrounded by shadows that coiled around it and twisted non-stop. It didn¡¯t reflect light ¨C it consumed it. A red glow emanated from deep within its hood. My System reacted. Death ¨C level ???. Goren and I didn¡¯t move. Neither of said a word. Because we couldn¡¯t. Chapter 79: The Race Chapter 79: The Race Once the initial shock passed, Goren shouted, his voice urgent. ¡°Any ideas, Spellsword?!¡± ¡°Run!¡± I shouted back, but as I tried to move, I realized I still couldn¡¯t. Panic followed. It was odd ¨C there was no System notification, no status effect displayed ¨C yet my body refused to obey me. Goren was rooted in place as well. It was as if the entity¡¯s mere presence overrode our Systems, holding us down with invisible force. Just as I started questioning if this was the end of the loop ¨C or life as a whole - and why something stronger than Gaelith¡¯s Darkness was lurking in this tomb, the being finally spoke. But not to us. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Its voice was calm, almost indifferent. It carried a deep hum that echoed through around us. There was also something feminine about it. Goren and I exchanged glances, both frozen ¨C not just physically but mentally as well ¨C trying to comprehend who or what it was speaking to. ¡°Very well. But just so you know, your optimism will drive you to the grave one day and I won''t be the one coming for you, you heartless fool.¡± The entity responded after a moment, still with the same detached tone. Then, it turned to us. ¡°You¡¯re free to go. Good luck, I guess.¡± Just like that, the suffocating grip on my body lifted. I staggered a step forward, feeling air rush into my lungs again. Beside me, Goren exhaled sharply, rubbing his arms and shoulders as if shaking off what was holding him down. Death turned away, moving as if it were gliding rather than walking. It was leaving. ¡°Wait, what the fuck?!¡± Goren burst out, in complete shock. I shared his confusion, but now was not the time! I lunged forward, gripping his arm. ¡°Shut up.¡± I hissed through my teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s be grateful and get the hell out of here.¡± But it was too late. Death halted mid-step. Slowly, it turned back to us, the red glow beneath its hood locking unto us. ¡°Yes?¡± It asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± I blurted before Goren could dig our graves deeper. ¡°We were just leaving.¡± But Goren wasn¡¯t done. ¡°What do you mean ¡®good luck, I guess¡¯?¡± He pressed, eyes narrowing. Death remained still, then replied. ¡°You are fighting Erebus, are you not?¡± It paused for a moment, before continuing. ¡°No need to answer. That was rhetorical. I know you are.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not on his side?¡± Goren¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°We thought you were the wraith boss.¡± "Wraith boss..." It echoed, then released a sound which was likely the equivalent to an exasperated sigh. ¡°I am simply a force of nature. The one who governs death across all worlds, times, and realms. I take no sides.¡± Death said simply. ¡°I came to prepare your world for its passing.¡± Its passing... A chill ran down my spine. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± my voice shook despite myself. ¡°My father, Darkness, is close to devouring this world.¡± Death stated matter-of-factly. ¡°Once it is gone, all living creatures in it will require guidance to the afterlife.¡± ¡°Erebus is your father?!¡± Goren and I blurted out at the same time, not even processing the rest. ¡°Yes.¡± Death inclined its head slightly. ¡°Where Darkness goes, Death follows." Goren and I exchanged another glance. If one of us had been here alone, we probably would¡¯ve thought we were going insane. ¡°And you¡¯re just¡­letting us go?¡± I asked cautiously. ¡°Yes.¡± Death¡¯s response was immediate. ¡°Chronos made a compelling argument on your behalf, Aidan Dar.¡± ¡°Chronos¡­¡± I muttered, realizing he was still looking out for me. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°That you still have time.¡± Death said. ¡°That you can still save this world. I''m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He governs life. My opposite, in a way. But he is also...a friend.¡± I remained silent, still in shock that I was standing face to face with Death itself ¨C another deity. And this one, a friend of Chronos. ¡°Good luck.¡± Death repeated and turned to leave again. But Goren stopped it once more. ¡°Wait.¡± He called out. ¡°Did Dolos say anything?¡± ¡°Dolos¡­¡± Death echoed, almost whispering the name. ¡°A man turned God...No, he did not, Goren Shein.¡± ¡°Figures¡­¡± Goren muttered under his breath. Then, Death spoke once more. ¡°Death is a natural occurrence. So is Darkness. Do not perceive my father as evil ¨C he simply is. He exists as all forces of nature do.¡± It paused, then added. ¡°But fight for what you believe is right, so you won''t have any regrets ¨C neither in life nor in death. ¡°I wish you all the best, and remember that even if you fail, I will be there to ensure you are not alone when it¡¯s all over.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Then, Death just vanished. The suffocating air lifted instantly. For a long moment we were still in shock. None of us spoke. The Goren let out a shaky breath, running a hand down his face. ¡°What the actual fuck just happened?!¡± *** ¡°I don¡¯t about you, Spellsword, but those last words she said did not calm me down!¡± Goren shouted as we sprinted through the dark corridor, a horde of Void monsters hot on our heels. We figured that fighting them was pointless ¨C there were too many. They existed solely to slow us down and overwhelm us. Instead of fighting, we headed toward the shortcut room ¨C it would let us descend straight to the lowest level without having to fight our way through every single floor. Without the Razor Basilisk ¨C the priestesses¡¯ souls ¨C there to stop us, the way should be clear. ¡°So, Death¡¯s a she now?¡± I asked, not slowing down. ¡°That voice definitely had a feminine touch to it. Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t hear it too.¡± Goren replied, noticing a wave of Void Spiders skittering toward us from the front where the corridor split up. He swapped to his sword, dropped low, and slid across the ground with the momentum of his sprint, aiming the tip of his blade forward. A burst of magic erupted from the strike, shredding through the incoming monsters effortlessly. ¡°Just focus on the mission, please.¡± I said, slamming into the wall ahead to redirect myself into the left corridor. Then, the unmistakable sound of whistles pierced the air. ¡°Dark Hunters?¡± Goren muttered, confused. ¡°But you¡¯re already marked¡­¡± I shook my head. I wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it either. We turned the final corner, the last stretch before reaching the secret wall that would open this floor¡¯s shortcut room. And then it all made sense. A pack of Dark Hunters stood in our path, blocking our approach. We instinctively prepared to cut through them, but before we could make a move, the all whistled at the same time ¨C sharp, violent, a sound so piercing it felt like my eardrums were about to rupture. Then, they suddenly began to convulse. Their dark, leather-like skin rippled unnaturally as if something beneath was trying to force its way out. Their metallic, cylindrical head emitted the red, bone-chilling glow. Before we could react, still holding to our ears, the creatures lunged toward each other ¨C not to attack, but to merge. Into three separate beings. Their bodies liquified into swirling Darkness, stretching and twisting, losing any sense of structure. Their metal heads clashed together, fusing into a single, larger visage. The result was terrifying ¨C a towering, humanoid figure. Its entire form composed of shifting Darkness. Its head was metallic, similar to the Dark Hunters¡¯, yet different ¨C it was sporting three glowing red eyes that burned like fire. Then we notice what they were holding ¨C a pole. No. Upon closer inspection, we realized the truth ¨C it was a blade. A single, long blade without a handle. It didn¡¯t cut through the monsters¡¯ shadowy hands because it was the monster ¨C it was an extension of them. The System reacted instantly ¨C Dark Predator, level 110. Three of them in total. Goren cursed under his breath. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just fucking great. Erebus is not pulling his punches..." The three figures lunged at us all at once. They were fast ¨C too fast for their size. I barely managed to dodge, activating Wind Rush and Enhanced Dash Step to propel myself sideways while Goren melted into his shadow and reappeared just behind them. But their movements were seamless, as if they had already known all our moves beforehand. One twisted unnaturally, and suddenly faced Goren who was just exiting his shadow. The creature struck with its blade immediately. Goren barely deflected the strike with his sword, the sheer force sending him skidding backward. ¡°Shit ¨C these things hit!¡± I used the commotion, lunging forward with Silverfang and activating Explosive Strike as I swung at the closest one¡¯s center mass. The glaive struck true, and an explosion erupted from the impact, tearing through its form and spreading to its comrades. For a second, I actually believed I had done some serious damage. But then, with a hiss, the shadowy body of my target began knitting itself back together, closing the wound like it was never there, its HP bar still full. Meanwhile his friends lunged at me, forcing me to back away. ¡°And they regenerate!¡± I shouted, jumping back with Enhanced Dash Step as one of them kept attacking me. ¡°Then we go for the heads!¡± Goren growled, flipping over one of them while simultaneously swapping to his daggers. He drove one of them into the massive metallic face of one of them. But as the blade connected, Goren was repelled backward by an unseen force. He managed to balance himself quickly and avoid damage, but the shock on his face was evident. ¡°They¡¯re immune to headshots too?!¡± He coughed, rolling to his feet. I gritted my teeth. This was harder than anything I faced so far. Strong, fast, and impervious to our attacks. And to make things worse, we could hear the Void monsters swarming behind us. If we didn¡¯t open the shortcut now, we¡¯d be overwhelmed. ¡°We need to get to the damn wall!¡± I shouted, dodging another sweeping attack. ¡°I¡¯ll draw their focus to me!¡± Goren yelled back. ¡°You open the wall!¡± But the Dark Predators weren¡¯t just there for show. One of them suddenly stabbed its blade into the ground, and a pulse of Darkness erupted outward. The force sent both of us reeling backward, and before I could recover, a second Predator appeared right next to me, bringing his blade down in a vertical slash. I barely raised Silverfang up in time. The impact was powerful ¨C my arms screamed from the force, my feet digging into the stone floor as my HP dropped by 20%. ¡°Fuck off him!¡± Goren suddenly appeared at its back, plunging both his daggers into its shadowy form. The creature twisted, releasing its pressure. I used the moment to charge another Explosive Strike and hit it before it regenerated. The explosion erupted right through him, ripping it to shreds, the metallic cylinder rolling on the ground. Goren and I exchanged a glance. ¡°Now! The wall!¡± I shouted. Goren nodded, turning toward the two remaining Predators. ¡°Come and get me, you nasty fucks!¡± They turned their focus toward him as I activated Enhanced Blade Rush to appear next to one of them, and Enhanced Dash Step to pass behind it. They turned to me, but Goren attacked and again drew their attention to himself. I slammed my palms against the wall, looking for the pressable bricks, assuming the pattern was similar on all floors ¨C god, I hope I was right. I don''t want to get acid-sprayed on my face... Meanwhile, to my side I noticed the cylinder on the ground ¨C of the monster I¡¯d slain ¨C suddenly rise into the air as the Dark Predator formed itself again. It struck me immediately. The monstrous blade stabbed right through the stone wall as I rolled away, a second before I could press the last brick. The impact of the strike resulted in an explosion of dark energy, shattering the wall and revealing the shortcut room. Well, that does it, I guess. I didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Goren! It¡¯s open!¡± I shouted. Goren, mid-dodge, twisted out of the way of an incoming strike and melted into his shadow, appearing next to me. Without wasting a moment, we both sprinted into the shortcut room, jumping through the hole the monster created with its strike. We reached the edge of the Void and stopped, the abyss stretching below us. Goren turned to me, panting. ¡°What now?¡± Behind us, the Dark Predators didn¡¯t give up their pursuit. Their forms flickered as they raised their blades, their glowing red eyes pulsing as the three of them began charging an attack in perfect synchronization. My heart pounded. We didn¡¯t have time. If those connected, we¡¯d likely die. And slowly descending the ladder wasn''t going to cut it. ¡°Hold onto me!¡± I ordered Goren. Goren hesitated. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Just do it!¡± I snapped. Goren groaned but didn¡¯t argue. He grabbed my shoulders as I took a deep breath and jumped straight into the Void. [Weight Load: +85 kg] [Condition Applied: Encumbered ¨C Movement Speed reduced by 30%. Stamina Drain increased by 20%] ¡°Spellsword!¡± he shouted. As we plunged downward, I activated Flight, hoping to take control of our descent. But the moment I tried, a System notification popped up. [Flight cannot be activated while encumbered] My eyes widened in horror. We were free-falling. And fast. ¡°Fuuuuuuuck!¡± Chapter 80: The Chase Chapter 80: The Chase Wind roared past my ears as we plummeted through the Void, the walls of the shaft blurring into indistinct streaks of black. I clenched my teeth, struggling to think through the rush of adrenaline. Think! Think! Think! I needed to slow us down ¨C FAST. Then, an idea struck. I remembered how Charged Wind Arrow had recoil. Not much under normal circumstances, but at this speed? Maybe it¡¯d be enough to give us some pushback. I twisted mid-air, my core burning as I gathered my hands together and charged a Wind Arrow. I fired downward, in an angle, and the recoil jerked us back, our descent slowing slightly as our trajectory shifted closer to the edges. ¡°Shit!¡± Goren shouted, gripping onto me even tighter. ¡°We still have time!¡± I yelled back. I charged another shot. The blast erupted beneath us, the force pushing us harder against the air. This time, it broke our momentum enough ¨C angling our bodies to catch the ground of the nearest floor. Or rather, crash into it. We hit the floor at an awkward angle, and I felt the impact jolt through my entire body as we tumbled across the floor, dropping to 70% HP. I coughed, groaning as I struggled to get up, my limbs aching from the landing. Goren wasn¡¯t faring much better, groaning as he lifted his head. ¡°Fuck, Spellsword, did you have to hurt us this much?¡± ¡°¡­we alive?¡± I asked, breathless. I pushed myself up onto my elbows, wondering which floor we ended up at. ¡°I¡­I think so¡­¡± Goren coughed out. We both took a moment to gather ourselves. ¡°What floor¡­?¡± Goren muttered. I exhaled sharply, dusting myself off. ¡°I have no fucking idea.¡± Then, before we could say anything else, blurred masses of Darkness plummeted past us. Three bodies. Goren and I snapped our heads toward each other, exchanging a worried glance. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± he muttered. Then, they rose from the Void. The Dark Predators. Except¡­something changed this time. Their shadowy forms began merging mid-air ¨C twisting, convulsing, melting into one another as their metallic heads crushed together, a triplet of three red eyes aligning together into nine. Their arms and bodied tangled into a swirling mass of Darkness, shifting and hardening into a singular, massive figure. A long, sinuous cloak of Darkness trailed behind it, flickering like black flames. The weapon it held turned into a black cleaver of massive size. My System finally caught up ¨C Right Hand of Darkness, Level 222. ¡°Oh my fucking god¡­¡± Goren muttered before pulling me after him. ¡°RUN!¡± BOOM. The floor beneath us exploded, cracks crackling outward from where the cleaver had struck. The entire floor was falling apart beneath us. We sprinted forward, pulling the lever to open the wall and expose the corridor in front of us. The Right Hand of Darkness let out a deep, inhumane howl, shaking the air around us as it rushed behind us, chasing. ¡°Move faster, Spellsword!¡± Goren yelled, barely dodging a collapsing section of the ceiling. The corridor continued right, and we pivoted using the wall, running for our lives. The corridor behind us exploded. Walls shattered as the sheer force of the Right Hand of Darkness'' strikes rippled behind us, making the entire structure quake. Chunks of debris continued collapsing form the ceiling, almost hitting us. I gritted my teeth, wondering if we could even escape it. ¡°Let¡¯s hit it hard!¡± Goren suggested with a shout. He melted into the shadow, reappearing directly above it, both daggers slashing downward toward its nine-eyed metallic face. The strike landed, but the impact rebounded, sending shockwaves through the air, and Goren flying. I used Enhanced Dash Step to catch him mid-air to ensure he doesn¡¯t take damage. ¡°Fuck¡¯s sake!¡± he growled, turning to me. ¡°Thanks, Spellsword.¡± I pushed him forward. ¡°Keep running!¡± Another BOOM. Another shockwave. The floor crackled underneath us. We barely had ground to step on. Enhanced Dash Step! Enhanced Dash Step! Enhanced Dash Step! Everything was falling apart even when we descended a floor. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The staircase behind us collapsed, stone and debris flying outward, while the monster was still chasing us. ¡°GO, GO, GO!¡± I shouted. Then, the tomb''s monsters came. From the ceilings, the walls, the shadows themselves ¨C Void monsters, and all the others descended. I slashed mid-air, Silverfang cutting through some of them. But they just kept coming. Suddenly, a Grave Mole burst through the collapsing floor, roaring as it charged at us. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this!¡± Goren snapped, vaulting above it as I followed behind. The Right Hand of Darkness didn¡¯t wait either. It swung its cleaver downward ¨C and everything exploded. The Grave Mole, the Void monsters, the entire corridor behind us ¨C obliterated. The shockwave sent us flying. Then, we plunged downward through the collapsing floor. One floor. Two floors. Three. I hit the ground and immediately rolled forward to lessen the impact. Goren landed beside me, cursing under his breath. No time to breathe. It still chased. More monsters swarmed, chasing after us. ¡°FUCKING HELL!¡± Goren bellowed. ¡°HOW DO WE LOSE THIS THING?!¡± I had no answer expect for ¡°KEEP RUNNING!¡± The tomb collapsed around us, and monsters kept appearing through the chaos, latching onto us from the shadows themselves. I felt my HP drop slowly from each hit, but I knew that stopping to fight would mean my death. But the chase was getting worse with each second. The Right Hand wasn¡¯t just chasing us anymore. It had become a storm of destruction, a tornado of Darkness tearing through the tomb behind us. Walls crumbled. Ceilings collapsed. I wondered how the entire tomb wasn¡¯t raining down on us already. Then, as I glanced backward, I saw it ¨C a flash of movement. Something flying toward our backs. I immediately summoned Wind Wall. The barrier of rushing wind deflected the incoming blade shards. They bounced off, but the action slowed me down just enough. The floor beneath me cracked and I found myself falling. Surprisingly, Goren changed course and jumped after me. His hand snatched my wrist mid-fall, his momentum yanking us both upward. We crashed hard, but not as hard as I would''ve if I fell alone. I groaned, checking my HP. [Health:24% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I sat up, scanning my surroundings. The ground was cracked but it wasn¡¯t giving way. ¡°Is this¡­it?¡± I asked, realizing we were here. The last level. As I tried to stand up, a message flashed. [Status Ailment: Bleeding - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] Fuck... I stared down at my leg, noticing a Void Scorpion¡¯s stinger lodged deep inside. I gritted my teeth. When did it even hit me?! Goren was beside me, buried under the rubble. I wanted to help him, but then, the shadow loomed over us. I looked up. The Right Hand of Darkness stood over the ledge above, its massive form towering above us, cleaver in hand. ¡°Goren!¡± I stumbled toward him, dragging my injured leg, determined to pull him free before the monster struck. But before I reached him, the rubble he was buried under shifted and he burst out, pushing it away himself. His face was bloodied, his armor cracked, but his eyes still burned with life. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± He barked. Then, he pointed ahead, deeper into the corridor. ¡°We have to go!¡± I nodded, forcing myself forward. But my leg gave out. I crashed onto my knees, the pain spiking through my body. Goren was at my side instantly, grabbing my arm, pulling me up. Only now did I really look at him ¨C and realized just how bad he was. His left shoulder was gushing blood. His right eye was swollen shut. A scary gash ran from his ribs to his hip, his breathing ragged from what was surely internal damage. It looked fatal. Yet he still hauled me to my feet. ¡°Come one, Spellsword. No stopping now.¡± I wrapped an arm over his shoulder, and he did the same. Side by side, we ran - or at least tried to. He summoned a healing potion from his inventory, uncorked it and shoved it to me. ¡°Use it yourself.¡± I declined. But he only shoved it harder. ¡°Shut up and drink. I believe I still owe you one more whole potion beside this one.¡± Almost forcefully, I gulped it down, restoring 20% HP back - not enough to heal my leg, but it kept me going for now, buying more time. Meanwhile, behind us, the Right Hand dropped down, the impact shaking the ground beneath us as we barely kept our balance, holding onto each other. I glanced back, seeing the monster move through the dust and rubble. Its nine red eyes locked onto us, its massive cleaver scraping against the ground as it began chasing us again. We pushed forward, and I could already see the last chamber ¨C our goal. Just a little bit left. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± I called out to Goren. ¡°We can do it.¡± But when I looked beside me ¨C he was gone. My arm was empty. I realized I was running on my own. I spun around to see Goren standing his ground. His daggers were already drawn. He faced The Right Hand of Darkness alone. ¡°Goren!¡± I roared, trying to turn back and help him. He charged. "Leave me behind, Spellsword!" The Right Hand swung its cleaver down, aiming to tear him in half. But Goren dodged left, melting into his shadow, reappeared behind it. He drove his daggers into its metallic head. The invisible barrier protecting it resisted, but Goren kept pressing, and eventually, the monster shuddered. In defence, a shadow tendril shot out from its shadowy body, impaling Goren through the side. But the Rogue didn¡¯t stop. With a feral scream, he spun mid-air, yanking one dagger free and slashing through the tendril, forcing the Right Hand back a step. It swung at him, but he vanished again, reappearing slightly at a distance, his Golden Bow in hand. With a flicker of golden light, he rained a barrage of arrows. At first, they passed through their target, seemingly dealing no damage, but they triggered a trap ¨C suddenly turning larger and ensnaring the Right Hand, holding it in place. He immediately swapped to his sword and drove it into the ground. The ground shook as a massive pillar of magic erupted from beneath the ensnared Right Hand, blasting it freely. But it wasn¡¯t enough. It kept moving, shooting another tendril that ripped off Goren¡¯s left arm. My heart dropped. I made my way back, but my progression was so slow because of my leg...Damn it! ¡°Goren!¡± I shouted. ¡°Wait! We''ll do this together!¡± ¡°NO!¡± He snarled, his voice thundering around us, stopping me in place. His body was barely holding together. Blood poured freely from his missing arm. Yet, despite it all, he nodded with a smirk. ¡°Spellsword.¡± Then, he vanished. He reappeared above the Right Hand, his sword aimed straight at its head, where one of his daggers was still embedded. He drove it in with all his strength. The blade struck deep, and then¡­BOOM. A massive explosion erupted from the point of impact, blasting forward and knocking me off my feet. My ears rang. My vision blurred. I scrambled up, searching for him. Dust filled the corridor, but then, a figure emerged. Goren. He stumbled forward, dropping into one knee in front of me, his entire body shaking. I rushed to him as fast as I could. He looked even worse now. I couldn¡¯t believe he was still breathing. ¡°I can¡¯t ¨C ¡° he coughed, spitting blood onto the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t kill it. It¡¯s ¨C it¡¯s gonna get up.¡± My heart raced. Behind him, the Right Hand of Darkness began rebuilding itself, its nine eyes flickering back to life. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± I reached my hand toward Goren, trying to grab and lift him up. But he shoved me away. ¡°We knew what we were signing up for in this run, Spellsword.¡± His eyes met mine. The gaze was raw. Serious. ¡°I''ll hold it off while you get it done.¡± His voice wavered. ¡°Look out for my family. Please.¡± ¡°Goren ¨C ¡° The Right Hand shrieked. With one final ounce of strength, Goren pushed me forward. I stumbled, hesitating. ¡°RUN!¡± he roared. ¡°IMPRISON THE BASTARD!¡± Then, he turned around and lunged at it once more. I took a deep breath, turned away, and ran toward the final chamber. Behind me, another explosion erupted, but I didn¡¯t turn back to look for Goren. I knew he was gone. I just pressed on into the last chamber. Chapter 81: Imprisoning Darkness Chapter 81: Imprisoning Darkness I moved as fast as I could. Every step sent pain lancing through my leg, the wound bleeding freely. I gulped down another healing potion, but outside of raising my HP, it did nothing. Usually, the wounds would heal with the potion''s magic, but that wasn¡¯t the case with Darkness¡¯ damage. A Coagulation Elixir was useless as well ¨C it didn¡¯t stop the bleeding. So I was still losing 1% HP every five seconds. I could still hear Goren¡¯s last battle cry. Still feel the explosion at my back. I couldn¡¯t believe he was dead. Despite everything that happened between us, I couldn¡¯t believe he was gone. One thing was certain, though ¨C he came through. And now I had to finish my part of the mission, so his sacrifice would not be in vain. The chamber before me stretched endlessly. It was vast, the walls fading into shadow, the far end swallowed by darkness so thick that my eye couldn¡¯t see through it. Something felt wrong. I slowed down, and then the realization hit me. It wasn''t darkness ¨C it was THE Darkness. I could feel him all around me ¨C this entire chamber. Pix didn¡¯t exaggerate when she said he¡¯d expand once the Core was close to him. My head trembled as I pulled the Eye of Axul from the second inventory ¨C the first step of the instructions. I had tried using it before, but back then ¨C nothing happened. Now? The moment I grasped it, something changed ¨C it glowed. I closed my hand around it and a pulse of magic raced through my arm ¨C a sensation like fire burning through my veins. My left eye ignited in searing pain. The item disappeared from my hand and instead embedded itself in my skull. But after everything I had been through ¨C what was a little more pain? I gritted my teeth, inhaled sharply, and endured. [Eye of Axul - Active] Then, I saw. My vision shifted. Where before there was endless black, now everything was clear. Erebus was indeed everywhere. His form stretched across the ceiling, while his tendrils twisted around the stone pillars. His body melded with the walls, the floor, even the air itself seemed darker - tainted by him. And at the corner of it all, stood a pulsing core. A beating, twisting, writhing heart, covered by a layer of a living shadow. My System recognized the heart as Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, level 249. Despite the high level, I felt relieved seeing its name was still Gaelith¡¯s Darkness. It means that wherever Gaelith disappeared to, it wasn¡¯t into the waiting arms of Erebus. I took a deep breath. I knew what I had to do now. But Erebus sensed my resolve as well. The tendrils from the pillars lashed at me, seeking to skewer me where I stood. I rolled left, narrowly dodging one, my leg burning from the motion. Another one shot from the right, ripping off my chest plate as I twisted mid-air, barely escaping uninjured. I landed awkwardly, but fought through the pain, remembering the next step of the instructions. I summoned the ice shard ¨C Axul¡¯s Ice. [Axul¡¯s Ice - Active] I rolled to the side, dodging another tendril, and then, instinctively, as if knowing this was how it worked, I smashed the ice into the ground. The impact sent a wave of frost surging outward. It ignored me entirely ¨C as if I wasn¡¯t even there. Instead, it raced across the chamber, along the tendrils and Erebus¡¯ entire body, freezing them mid-motion. Suddenly, his entire massive form was covered by ice. All except his heart. I wasted no time. I pushed myself to my feet, and with Silverfang in hand I used Enhanced Blade Rush to close the distance immediately. I stood before his exposed heart, and then the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System reacted. [All components present: Darknessbound Core, Gemstone Key, Essence of Darkness] [Would you like to craft the Millennium Prison?] [YES/NO] I didn¡¯t hesitate. HELL YES. The three relics materialized before me, floating in mid-air, humming as they merged together. The Core absorbed the Key, then the Essence. What remained looked mostly like the Darknessbound Core, but larger. Heavier. The dark gemstone was on top of it, pulsing as the Essence of Darkness seemed to move inside of it ¨C like it was alive. [Millennium Prison - Active] I grabbed the Prison, holding it with both hands. This was it ¨C the final step. I raised it, aiming it directly at Erebus¡¯ heart, and then, suddenly, a beam of shadow erupted forth form the artifact, locking onto Erebus¡¯ heart creating a tether. I felt the immediate recoil, my arms trembling under the weight of the action. But I held on. Despite my HP slowly plummeting due to the bleeding, I pushed forward. I thought about our world. About Goren¡¯s sacrifice. About Yana. Then, everything around me twisted ¨C Darkness shifted, bending space itself. In an instant, I found my entire surroundings as dark as the night¡¯s sky, while I was still aiming the Prison at Erebus'' heart, the dark tether humming. Then, a voice ¨C deep, vast, consuming ¨C followed. Why do you resist so much? My skin crawled as I felt his suffocating presence. That was Erebus. That was what he sounded like. I clenched my teeth. What kind of question was that?! ¡°What do you mean?¡± I snapped, my voice trembling from pain, exhaustion, and fear. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I resist? My world ¨C everyone I care about will die if I fail.¡± A mere moment in the tide of existence. Everything must cease. There is no exception. His voice wasn¡¯t cruel, but it wasn¡¯t kind either. It was just¡­absolute. My grip tightened around the Prison, my arms burning from the recoil of its power. ¡°You just devour worlds.¡± I spat. ¡°Consume them and move on. Killing billions to create sustenance for yourself and grow stronger.¡± You are influenced by chaotic concepts such as cruelty. There is no cruelty in my actions. No malice. I do not devour worlds at whim. Only those that have reached their conclusion. My mind reeled. ¡°Conclusion?¡± Every world has a lifespan. A phase of birth, growth, decline. When a world reaches its limit, when it can expand no further, I come. Young worlds, those that still have unexplored horizons, are spared. I pass them by. Those who still have potential are not mine to take. But your world has no such future. It has nothing more to offer. It has no potential. It had lived a thousand years too long. I felt my breath hitch. This wasn¡¯t what I expected. I thought Erebus was just a monster ¨C a mindless, ravenous entity that devoured for the sake of destruction. But this ¨C this was logic. A force of nature that believed in what it was doing. And still, I wasn¡¯t about to agree with him. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Bullshit.¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°My world still has potential.¡± Potential. You speak of it but do not understand it. A dying world opens the possibility for new, better ones to be born. Chronos does not understand this, and that¡¯s why he opposes me, denying life of those new worlds, betraying the purpose of his own existence. I have seen the cycle: the worlds he believes he had saved, living beyond their time, destroying themselves shortly after. His father ¨C my brother ¨C understood it to an extent. But it seems he did not pass on this knowledge to Chronos when he left him in charge. As for your world ¨C it wouldn¡¯t have even possessed its own magic if not for divine interference. You are fighting for a world that should have faded long ago. I clenched my teeth, struggling to hold the Prison, my hands growing tired. ¡°I don¡¯t care about new worlds, and I don¡¯t care what you think my world is or isn''t!¡± I snapped, my voice growing hoarse. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s stagnant. Maybe it¡¯s dying. Or maybe you¡¯re just lying. Either way, it¡¯s mine! It¡¯s where the people I care about live! That¡¯s all the reason I need to fight for it!¡± Sentiment. An inefficient form of decision-making. You place a few above the endless many. Is your sense of the world so shallow? I adjusted my position, planting my feet firmer into the ground, forcing myself to stand tall despite my injuries. ¡°Right now, in this moment with the Prison in my hands ¨C I¡¯m the one deciding what potential is.¡± I spat, ignoring his question. ¡°And I say my world has all the potential it needs!¡± The Prison pulsed violently, the tether growing larger. The process was happening. I was winning. Then, my System popped up a message. [Health:29% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] Shit. Erebus seemed to be able to sense this as well. Which will happen first? My imprisonment¡­or your death? I tightened my grip, gritting my teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll finish this first. I¡¯ll lock you away before I bleed out.¡± You will die first. My calculations are never wrong. But¡­ I have no interest in witnessing your end so hollowly. Show me the worth of your claim. Show me what it means for you to live. Convince me that your world should be spared. If you do, I will submit willingly. The imprisonment will complete faster. You will survive. Disagree, and we shall never meet again. I will ensure that in future runs, you won¡¯t descend a single level. You will find your death in the main antechamber in all remaining tries you have. I narrowed my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re offering me a way out?¡± Yes. I exhaled sharply, my heart racing. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± You choose to doubt, but I have no reason to lie. Either you die and lose your last opportunity to stop me, or you make me see your world in a new light. Choose. I felt another surge of pain course through me as the System sent another notification my way. [Health:24% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I tightened the grip around the Prison as it continued its slow pull. It didn¡¯t look like it''ll end soon. Damn it. My head spun, my thoughts crashing into each other. I hated the idea of negotiating with this thing. I wanted to fight. To force him into submission. But that wasn¡¯t working, and I was running out of time. I exhaled slowly. ¡°Fine.¡± I muttered, forcing the words out. Show me why I should believe in your resistance. I forced myself to take a steadying breath and began. ¡°First, our world is still growing. Our civilizations ¨C our people - still have much more to achieve. There are still discoveries left to be made. How can you say we reached our peak when progress never truly stops?¡± Your world has circled around the same mountain for too long. If not for the gift of magic, you would¡¯ve reached stagnation more than a thousand years ago. [Health:21% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I shook my head and pushed forward. ¡°And yet we have it now. Magic. It had already happened and cannot be reversed. And we are using it to become better ¨C to achieve greater things. How can you deny our potential just because magic was gifted to us and not something we created on our own?¡± I do not blame you for receiving this gift. But you are responsible for not using it to its full potential. You were unprepared for it since you never deserved it. Since that¡¯s the case, your potential is superficial. [Health:17% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I exhaled, trying to think of other things that might convince him. ¡°What about us? Humanity? If nothing else, our resilience, our ability to push through suffering and keep moving forward ¨C does that mean nothing? We keep getting up. We keep breaking the glass ceiling. Time after time. Surely it means something!¡± What you call resilience, I call denying the inevitable. It is true that your species always fight, even when the odds are stacked against them. But even when they succeed, what do they earn in return? Just a tiny bit more time? Irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. [Health:13% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I staggered slightly. My body was growing weaker. But I gritted my teeth and kept speaking. ¡°How can you call it irrelevant? What about all the previous Champions before me who had fought to stop you? Their victories had saved their worlds for years to come!¡± I snapped, thinking about Goren. Recalling Arabella. ¡°Some had sacrificed themselves to stop you! Is their resolve not enough to show humanity¡¯s potential? Are they not enough to make you stop this forever?¡± Arabella Smith. I remember her. Valiant. Kind. Strong. A worthy life. She had saved her world paying the ultimate price. Yes. But do you know what happened to it after her death? Centuries after her victory, great wars ¨C one after the other ¨C destroyed it. In the end, I was the only one left who could mourn her pointless sacrifice. I shook my head, in disbelief. [Health:8% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] Time was running out. ¡°And still, she gifted her world centuries!¡± Irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Sacrifices have value only if there is something to build upon. If there is no more future, the sacrifices merely delay the inevitable. I had one last argument. ¡°Then tell me this ¨C what about love?¡± For the first time, there was silence. I swallowed hard and pushed forward. ¡°Love. Isn¡¯t it worth living for? Even if it¡¯s just for one more day? Love pushes us humans to go beyond our limits. To reach new heights!" I shook my head, tears forming in my eyes as I thought about Yana. "You can''t say humanity doesn''t have potential when love exists!" You have regrets. I didn¡¯t expect that answer of all things, but it felt like progress. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± I let out a weak, nervous laugh ¨C my usual reaction in tense situations. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why I won¡¯t let you devour this world!¡± I can comprehend sympathy. I can understand you. But love is just an emotion. Irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. On it''s own it is not enough. [Health:4% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I groaned. There was no convincing him, really. I staggered, my knees threatening to buckle. I felt my pulse slowing. My limbs trembled. My breath hitched. And the damn Prison was still not done! No. I can¡¯t let it end like this! I remain unconvinced. "Oh, screw this!" I snapped. "I was never going to convince you anyway! You have your own set of beliefs - your own way of seeing the universe and existence. You were never going to change your mind because of a simple mortal like me." I shook my head. "But let me tell you something, Erebus. Just like you hold your own set of beliefs - humanity has theirs! And we''ll continue fighting despite what you think of us! We''ll continue to resist in every other world, in every other realm. You will always face a new human Champion to oppose your dogma!" I growled, ignoring all the pain and my plummeting HP. ¡°I will imprison you before I die!¡± You won¡¯t. I was honest when I said this conversation was meant to determine if I should spare your world. But there was never any threat to me. The Prison is broken. A cold shock shot through me. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± I never lie, Aidan Dar. If the Prison was functional, I would already be sealed. The process is always instant. Something was tampered with - likely one of the ingredients. And I suspect the same one who first brough magic to this world is to blame. [Health:2% - Reaching Critical Level - Please Consume a Healing Potion] I shook my head, refusing to accept it. This was a trick. Another deception. But before I could speak, the Prison exploded. The shards of dark stone tore through my hands and body like molten knives. The process was over. I had failed. My vision blurred as blood poured out from dozens of gaping wounds. No, no, no¡­ The pain was unbearable. But in these fleeting moments, just before I died, a sound reached my ears. A laugh. Where¡­where have I heard this laugh before¡­? There¡¯s a face¡­a name¡­in my mind¡­who was it¡­? The image of an old farmer appeared in my mind. Dolos. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] Chapter 82: The Mastermind Chapter 82: The Mastermind I woke up to a slight push and a young, feminine voice calling my name. ¡°Aidan, wake up.¡± As I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the familiar grass field, Pix kneeling beside me, her eyes filled with worry. Balthor stood next to us, his gaze fixed forward, sharing Pix¡¯s concern. I sat up, following his line of sight. There, Chronos stood with his arms crossed. But it was the figure before him that drew all the attention. Seated on a silver throne was a warrior gripping a spear. His bronze-plated armor gleamed under the sun of Chronos¡¯ realm, the intricate carvings on the chest plate resembling coiling serpents. A red cloak hung over his broad shoulders, tattered at the edges as if it had seen countless battles. His short, spiky black hair framed a face lit with amusement. A golden helmet rested at the side of his throne, abandoned in favor of revealing his face to us fully. He grinned, clearly enjoying himself. Somehow, despite never seeing him take this form before, I knew exactly who he was ¨C Dolos. This was likely his true form. Behind him, sitting on the grass, was a familiar figure - Goren. The sight of him only confirmed my suspicions. His eyes met mine, and he immediately scrambled to his feet, his face twisted with emotion. ¡°I didn¡¯t know, Spellsword! I swear I didn¡¯t know what he did!¡± ¡°Silence, traitor!¡± Dolos cut him off, still grinning as he lazily swung the dull end of his spear, smacking Goren on the head and sending him back to his knees. "In Sparta, we used to stone those who conspired with the enemy." ¡°You won¡¯t pull such nonsense in my realm!¡± Chronos snapped. He flicked his fingers, and in an instant, Dolos¡¯ spear vanished. Dolos tilted his head, nodding slightly ¨C almost as if impressed. Then, with a slow clap of his hands, the spear reappeared in his grasp. He turned his gaze toward Chronos, eyes filled with mockery. ¡°Is it even still your realm?¡± He mused, spinning the spear lazily between his fingers. ¡°The God of Time reduced to¡­this! Hell, I might just take this realm to myself after your inevitable loss.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t lose this world!¡± Chronos snapped, but almost immediately after, he coughed, staggering as the blight on his body suddenly spread further, dark veins creeping up his neck, reaching his cheeks. Dolos burst out laughing at the sight. ¡°Magnificent! You¡¯re that close to dying, aren¡¯t you, you dirty bastard?¡± Chronos didn¡¯t respond. He likely couldn¡¯t. Balthor and Pix rushed to his side, steadying him as his body trembled under the strain. Pix turned to Dolos, fury burning in her tear-filled eyes. ¡°I always thought you¡¯d return! That you¡¯d drop your revenge and come back to us! But I was wrong! You¡¯re just a piece of shit, and I hope you die!¡± This only made Dolos laugh harder. ¡°Oh, dear Pix, your squeaky little voice never fails to drive me mad...¡± He sighed theatrically before turning toward me. ¡°Say it ain¡¯t so, Aidan? Support a brother here. I know you thought so too.¡± ¡°A brother?¡± I snapped. My blood boiled at the mere sight of him. I still couldn''t see the entire picture, but it was clear as day ¨C the real villain all along was Dolos. ¡°You just judged my world to destruction, you son of a bitch!¡± Dolos let out an exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest in mock offence. Then, his gaze flicked to Goren, still kneeling beside him. ¡°All thanks to this stupid Rogue of mine. Give him credit where it¡¯s due.¡± Goren snapped his head up, his eyes wide with rage. ¡°You bastard! Don¡¯t get me involved in this! I had no idea what you were up to behind my back!¡± Dolos¡¯ grin only widened. ¡°Then you¡¯re even dumber than I thought!¡± he laughed, shaking his head as if he found it all too entertaining. Then, his focus shifted back to Chronos. ¡°Well, old friend, I hate being here more than I have to. Why did you summon me?¡± Chronos lifted his head, his pain evident, yet his gaze was resolute. ¡°You know why. You cheated!¡± He growled, his voice strained. ¡°You interfered directly! There was no way you could have tampered with the Millennium Prison without directly interfering! I already know Goren had nothing to do with this! You will be punished for this!" Dolos rolled his eyes, his amusement seemingly growing. ¡°Oh, Chronos¡­You remember what I told you when I left, right?¡± His voice dropped to a near whisper. ¡°That you would suffer for what you did.¡± He leaned forward in his silver throne, his grin stretching wider. ¡°You crossed the only person in existence who knows your System. The rules. Their every little loophole. Everything about you, top to bottom. And now, here we are.¡± Chronos tensed, but he said nothing. Dolos chuckled, his tone turning gleeful. ¡°You think I interfered directly? That I should get punished? Then why am I still alive? Hm?" He gestured broadly. ¡°You always said that If we break the sacred laws of our little game with Erebus, we forfeit our lives. So tell me, old friend, if you''re that sure I interfered directly ¨C why am I still breathing?¡± Chronos had no response, and Dolos continued. ¡°Because I broke no rules!¡± His gaze hardened, but it still held the same amusement. ¡°These rules - they''re vague, flawed, filled with cracks just waiting to be exploited. But you never cared about any of that. You just wanted to follow them blindly until the end of time. Me on the other hand? I learned them all. And I tested their limits. Thoroughly.¡± He tapped his temple mockingly. ¡°Hell, I told you about some of the loopholes! But did you listen? No! So now, I used them against you.¡± He let out a sigh before tilting his head. ¡°Never interfere directly..." He echoed the rule. "This entire game exists just because it was the agreement the higher deities had reached. They couldn''t deny Erebus his purpose, so they agreed to allow humanity to fight for its existence with as little interference as possible from you, right?" He didn''t wait for a response and continued. "And if you do interfere directly, Erebus gets a free reign to destroy the world..." Dolos rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But what does interfering directly even means? What does this term encompass exactly, Chronos? Do you even know yourself? Well, I know, because that¡¯s why you asked for my help. And I did my job perfectly, learning that it only applied to actual, physical interference in the mortal realm itself.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. His grin widened further as he saw Chronos¡¯ confused and hurt look. ¡°When Goren gave me the shard of the Darknessbound Core, I simply swapped it with a fake when he wasn¡¯t looking.¡± Dolos shrugged, his tone almost casual. ¡°Now, you would scream ¡®that¡¯s against the rules!¡¯, but tell me ¨C how is it any different from the little hints and clues you slip to your champions when they visit you here? How is it different from the subtle memories you leave them with to shape their future runs? You¡¯ve been meddling since the beginning, old friend. You just refused to call it by its name. Do you know why it was possible? Why you never broke the rules either? Because our divine realms are out of the game''s jurisdiction!" Dolos leaned back in his throne, his laughter ringing through the realm. ¡°Sure, there are some restrictions - we can''t do whatever we want even in our realms, but I''ll never share those with you. I simply took your interferences a step further ¨C manipulating an item my Champion carried. The same way you manipulate the minds of yours. And voila ¨C no punishment.¡± Chronos shook his head, his expression a mix between anger and sorrow. ¡°You¡¯re lying! You never told me about any of it. If you did ¨C I would¡¯ve listened. That¡¯s why I recruited you in the first place - to help me!¡± For a moment, silence fell over the realm. Then, as if something inside Dolos snapped, his face twisted into a manic grin, and he erupted into wild, unhinged laughter. He rocked back and forth in his throne, gripping the arms of it like he was barely holding himself. ¡°That¡¯s true! But it was so fun telling everyone that I did and tarnishing your reputation in the process!¡± he howled. ¡°You remember who I am now, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m the God of Lies and Deception! I''ll spare you the hows, but do you know why I chose this? Hah?! Because lies are the only thing humanity will never stop using! They will always deceive, they will always manipulate, and they will always believe the lie suits them best! And so, I will always have sustenance! I will never go hungry! I will always thrive!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Goren snarled, launching himself at Dolos. Without even rising from his throne, Dolos simply lifted his foot and slammed it into Goren¡¯s face, sending him crashing backward in pain. Balthor rushed to his side, helping him up. But Dolos wasn¡¯t over. ¡°Oh, but now I have to reveal my master plan to you, don¡¯t I?¡± He grinned, shaking his head in mock disappointment. ¡°Otherwise, how would I feel appreciated? You slowpokes would never figure it out unless I broke it down into the simplest terms, right?¡± I stepped in immediately. Recalling Erebus'' words, the pieces connected in my mind. "You had gifted Spurius Axul magic!" Dolos clapped his hands theatrically. ¡°Oh, my! Look at this!¡± He turned to Chronos. ¡°Chronos, your Champion isn¡¯t entirely useless after all! Aren¡¯t you proud, old friend?¡± Then, he turned back to me. "Yes. I did. But I also made sure he did everything I asked him to. He built a tribe, a village, an entire faction ¨C the Axul, as we fondly called them ¨C all in preparation for the endgame.¡± He turned to Chronos. ¡°While my old boss here was playing checkers ¨C fighting his battles one world at a time ¨C I was playing the long game. I learned something ¨C there were early signs, subtle clues, that could predict which world would be Erebus¡¯ next target. So, I acted first. Prepared the groundwork. Made sure the Darknessbound Core found its way into the hands of one Rohanus Kane ¨C later known as Spurius Axul. So he and his people would prepare everything for Erebus'' arrival.¡± My chest tightened, eyes wide in disbelief. Dolos grinned wider, reveling in our reaction. ¡°And no!¡± He exclaimed, waving his finger like he was scolding Chronos. ¡°This wasn¡¯t direct interference either! Another loophole! As long as the world I was meddling in wasn¡¯t under attack by Erebus at the time, I was free to do whatever I wanted.¡± Another loophole¡­ But as the realization kept forming in my mind, I felt that some pieces were still missing. Why was Spurius Axul dead, then suddenly returned? To rape Gaelith¡¯s mother? To kill General Kaelstrife and Major Nilson and plant the Gemstone Key for us to find and get marked? ¡°Think further, Aidan. What¡¯s still missing?¡± Dolos gloated, noticing the turmoil in my mind. And then ¨C it all made sense. There were two of them. "Your shape shifting abilities..." I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips. ¡°You were the other Spurius Axul...the one who reappeared years later!" Dolos¡¯ grin stretched so wide it looked like his face might tear apart. Then, suddenly, he jumped from his throne, flipping through the air like an acrobat. He landed beside me, practically bouncing with excitement, running circles around me while clapping his hands together like a delighted child. ¡°He got it! He got it!¡± he cheered, spinning like a man who had just won the grand prize, before he grabbed my shoulders. I shoved his hands off me, disgusted by his touch and display. But he just shrugged, unfazed, and in a blink of an eyes, he teleported back to his throne, lounging across it lazily. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± His tone was proud. ¡°My initial plan should¡¯ve been enough. Lysandra would''ve finished what I had started with Rohanus. But Chronos'' papa - the Creator - just had to intervene! He gifted you monkeys your precious little Core System - the one that can literally hold your hand and wipe your ass for you." He shook his head, mocking the System''s design. "You never asked, but your HP is this. Consume this potion. Consume that potion. Soooo annoying! "Anyway, I''m getting off track. Suddenly, my precious Axul weren¡¯t so special anymore. Suddenly, a useless fuck like Kaelstrife can bring a trained unit and wipe them all out." His expression shifted into mock frustration. ¡°I had to plan for a failure. And I knew I had to do everything on my own. The only one who ever knew about my existence was Rohanus. But he was already dead at that point. I needed the Axul to keep playing their part in the plan despite the changes I was about to bring to it. So¡­I took his place.¡± The revelation only deepened in my mind as I understood something far greater. As if on cue, Dolos suddenly clapped his hands, and beside him, a chained figure materialized from thin air. Gaelith Alloraine. Bruised. Bleeding. On his knees. Unconscious. ¡°Say hello to my bastard son!¡± Dolos declared, grabbing Gaelith¡¯s jaw and lifting his face for all of us to see. Dolos grinned, flashing his teeth. ¡°Well, he¡¯s out cold for now. But don¡¯t worry ¨C I appreciate you playing with my kid, Aidan. He needed a friend.¡± ¡°Dolos!¡± Chronos snapped, his voice thunderous despite the weakness that gripped him. ¡°What is the meaning of this?! We are never to have children with mortals, regardless of our battle against Erebus!¡± But Dolos only chuckled. ¡°Who said that? You and the vague rules again?¡± he sighed dramatically. ¡°I thought about the best vessel for ol¡¯ Erebus, and then it hit me ¨C why not create a demigod for him? My own child? That way even if I end up failing initially, he would still be alive a thousand years later to serve his purpose. I mean, he should be as immortal as I am, right?" His grin widened as he slapped the unconscious Gaelith across the face. ¡°But his whore mother affected his upbringing too much.¡± Dolos continued, his voice irritated. ¡°She twisted his mind with things like ¡®morals¡¯ and ¡®honor¡¯. Poisoned him really. Thwarting all my plans. Lysandra did well to kill that bitch.¡± He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. ¡°The little prick was never on the same page with the Axul. But that doesn¡¯t matter now. He will play his role ¨C when I offer him to Erebus directly.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t!¡± I snapped, stepping forward. Then, Goren reacted. He lunged forward, grabbed Gaelith¡¯s chains, and yanked at them with all his strength. ¡°Wow.¡± Dolos said, his expression neutral as he clapped slowly. ¡°Nice try, you idiots.¡± He snapped his fingers, and Gaelith disappeared. ¡°Do you really think that if there was a slim chance for you to change things, I would¡¯ve revealed my plan to you?¡± Chronos, still in pain, turned toward Dolos, his voice strained. ¡°All of this¡­because of her? Because I let her die?¡± Dolos¡¯ eyes flared, his playful demeanor gone instantly. ¡°YES!¡± His voice shook the realm, reverberating through the very air around us. ¡°OF COURSE IT IS!" His hands clenched around his spear, trembling with rage. ¡°You know, for someone who¡¯s spent eternity meddling with humans, you are absolute shit at understanding how we work!¡± Dolos spat. ¡°You stripped me away from my family. You tore apart the only thing that ever mattered to me. And then, when I finally had another reason to live ¨C you brushed me off and let Arabella die.¡± He let out a breath, his voice lowering into something cold. ¡°Now suffer, Chronos. Suffer and die already! Hopefully, this will be your last battle. But even if it''s not, and you somehow live to fight another one, know that I''d already prepared the groundwork for our next one. Perhaps some new Axul? Another demigod child? Who knows?" Then ¨C he was gone. Vanishing in an instant, leaving behind nothing but chaos and unease. Chapter 83: Whats Left Chapter 83: What''s Left After Dolos disappeared, the silence that followed was crushing. I still couldn''t believe what had happened, and how he orchestrated practically everything. I turned to Chronos, feeling I had a chance to apologize for what I had said to him last time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chronos gave me a weak smile, shaking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aidan.¡± His voice was tired, distant. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing we¡¯ve learned from all of this, it¡¯s that I was the one who failed. There were so many things I could have done differently, but I refused to see the loopholes Dolos found eons ago¡­¡± Before I could say anything more, Goren collapsed to his knees, his body trembling as he shook his head violently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± He called out. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! He was the one empowering me, and I missed everything! I should¡¯ve known ¨C I should¡¯ve done something! I should¡¯ve noticed him replacing the shard!¡± Chronos didn¡¯t hesitate. Despite his weakness, he knelt down beside Goren and pulled him into a one-armed embrace. ¡°No, Goren.¡± His voice was calm, filled with something I hadn¡¯t expected from him ¨C self-blame. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be sorry. I failed to see who you truly were. I kept telling Aidan to stay away from you. If I had been wiser, I would have capitalized on your true nature ¨C on your loyalty ¨C to forge a real alliance between the two of you and take down both Erebus and Dolos.¡± He shook his head. ¡°My failure goes even deeper ¨C to where I failed to see Dolos¡¯ true nature. I made that mistake twice ¨C once when I had recruited him, and a second time when I had allowed him to rejoin the battle.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± I shook my head, stepping forward. ¡°Sure, maybe some things could have been done differently. But I¡¯d be an arrogant bastard to pretend I would have made better choices. I can¡¯t begin to understand what you go through each time,¡± I said as I glanced at Pix and Balthor as well. ¡°Manipulation isn¡¯t the right path to gain trust ¨C real trust and cooperation, but I won¡¯t pretend I know the struggles you face. I shouldn¡¯t have lashed out at you. I shouldn¡¯t have judged you. And you''re definitely not at fault for believing in someone." Chronos shook his head slowly. ¡°No, Aidan, you were definitely in the right. Dolos was right about some things too. He never told me about the loopholes he eventually exploited, but I saw his resentment growing over time. I should have acted sooner ¨C I should have changed things. Experimented. But I didn¡¯t.¡± He clenched his fists, his gaze heavy with regret. ¡°Whatever happened after that is on me.¡± ¡°We can still change things!¡± Goren suddenly shot up, rising to his feet, his voice carrying hope. ¡°We can still defeat Erebus!¡± Chronos hesitated, but then he gave a small nod. ¡°It will be hard. The Millennium Prison and all other key items were destroyed. They cannot be fixed without divine interference, which I cannot provide. That means you won¡¯t be able to seal Erebus away. I don¡¯t want you to lose hope, but the only way to stop him now is to fight him ¨C and defeat him.¡± A violent cough rocked his body, and before he could collapse, I caught him. Balthor and Pix rushed to my side. Together, we helped Chronos toward the glass table, settling him onto the chair beside it. I turned to him, my voice low, uncertain. ¡°He¡¯s level 249¡­We¡¯re so far behind¡­¡± I shook my head, trying to regain some hope. ¡°Chronos, is there anything you can do to help us? Anything at all?¡± Chronos shook his head, his disappointment visible. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t. Right now, so deep into the battle, I¡¯ll be violating the rules. If I interfere now, I will pay with my life ¨C and Erebus will win. Not just this battle, but all the ones to come.¡± My chest felt tight. Our situation was horrible. "What about Gaelith?" Goren asked, his voice shaking. "If we release him, he could help us." I nodded. "That''s right! I know he''s Dolos'' son, but he surely resents him even more than we do. We need to save him." Chronos nodded. "It''s a plan, and seeing Dolos'' true face, I''d say he has hidden Gaelith somewhere in the tomb - he does want Erebus to use him as his vessel. The problem is - we don''t know where, and with both of you marked, you don''t have actual time to look for him. I assume that starting from the next run, Erebus will overwhelm you from the second you step inside the tomb." Silence spread across us all. ¡°What about our fight?¡± I asked hesitantly, glancing at Goren. ¡°Do we still have to go through with it if we reach the 64th run?¡± Chronos sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that if you won¡¯t defeat Erebus before then, you will have to fight each other.¡± He shook his head, his expression grave. ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve taken it back ¨C cancel the agreement with Dolos ¨C but I can¡¯t. If you refuse to fight, both me and Dolos will die ¨C the price for an unfulfilled godly pact ¨C and that will, again, ensure Erebus¡¯ current and future wins.¡± I shook my head, in disbelief. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. But then, Goren stepped forward, his voice strong. ¡°We can do this, Spellsword. Together!¡± He held out his hand. And I looked at him ¨C really looked at him. After everything that happened¡­After hating him¡­After wanting to kill him myself¡­After witnessing his sacrifice with my own eyes¡­I no longer despised him. I no longer resented him. I just couldn¡¯t. He was lost. He was manipulated by a wretched god. He had suffered, and didn¡¯t know better. I forgave him. A small smile formed on my lips, trying to channel hope. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 54 - MAX] [Loop Count: 63] I woke up to a subtle push from Goren. He sat next to my bed, the darkness of early morning creeping through my window. Erebus held true to his words. Only once did we make it past the main antechamber. And even then, he overwhelmed us instantly. All other 98 adventurers? Dead. Each and every time. I pushed the thoughts away and sat up. ¡°Okay, what¡¯s our plan for this one?¡± Goren shook his head slowly, a weak smile forming on his lips. ¡°No plan, Spellsword.¡± I frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This is our last run before the fight¡­¡± His voice was quiet, resigned. ¡°If this is my last day on earth, then I¡¯d rather spend it with my loved ones.¡± I stared at him with confusion. ¡°What are you talking about? We have to fight. You said so yourself! Don¡¯t give up on me now, Goren!¡± He nodded. ¡°I know what I said.¡± He said heavily, rubbing his face. ¡°But you¡¯re not blind, I believe. We can¡¯t do this as we are now. Erebus is expecting us. The way things are ¨C it¡¯s over.¡± He dropped his head into his hands. ¡°We¡¯re out of time.¡± I swallowed, trying to process his words. ¡°So what? We just give up?¡± ¡°No.¡± he muttered. ¡°We fight. Well¡­at least one of us will. No matter what we wish for to happen ¨C in the next run, we¡¯ll have to fight each other for our existence ¨C whether we want it or not.¡± He let out a bitter chuckle, then shook his head again. ¡°And if this really is my last day, then screw this quest. Screw the Tomb of Gaelith. I want to be with my family.¡± He turned away, heading for the door. But just before he left, he glanced back. ¡°My suggestion?¡± He smirked, his eyes carrying pain, regret, and something else. ¡°Spend some time with your girlfriend, Spellsword. Despite everything, despite what I think of you now, I won¡¯t let you just off me easily. I will fight to live on. I have my family to look out for. And I don¡¯t want you to have any regrets as well, okay?¡± And then, without another word, he melted into his own shadow and disappeared. *** Yana arrived to get me for the quest ¨C late as always. I was still in my sleeping clothes when I opened the door. But it''s not like a slept a second after Goren left. Her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you ready yet?¡± I watched her ¨C her red hair, her green eyes, her freckles. Goren¡¯s words rang in my mind. He was right. If this is my last day, I want to spend it with her. I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I stepped forward and leaned in, capturing her lips with mine. She didn¡¯t resist. The kiss was deep, desperate ¨C filled with everything I held back for years. My arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, pressing her against me as if I could somehow make up for all the time we¡¯d lost ¨C the time we might never get. When we finally parted, our faces were still inches apart, her breath uneven. ¡°Aidan? What¡¯s going on?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. Instead, I leaned in again, kissing her just as fiercely as before. We stumbled inside, and I kicked the door shut behind us, pressing her against the wall. She was still in my arms as I finally spoke. ¡°I love you. I always have.¡± Her eyes searched for mine, but I didn¡¯t let her speak. I had to say it all. ¡°When I hit my cap, I fell into depression. I kept telling myself that I didn¡¯t want it to affect you ¨C that I didn¡¯t want it to stop your progression, that I was doing it for you ¨C so I left. I was a fool. I should¡¯ve never walked away from you. I love you, Yana. I love you so much.¡± She narrowed her eyes, still held in my embrace, and then ¨C she just kissed me. ¡°I love you too.¡± She whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek. ¡°I have for so long. But I didn¡¯t know if you felt the same. Every time I tried to get closer, I felt like you pushed me away. And then you left, making me feel like you wanted nothing to do with me anymore¡­¡± ¡°I was stupid.¡± I kissed her again, and again, hoping to make up for my mistakes. ¡°I was so focused on myself, on what I thought I needed to be. I had you right there, and that should¡¯ve been enough, but I always felt unworthy of you, that I needed to be more ¨C like if I wasn¡¯t a level 100 adventurer, I wasn¡¯t worthy of someone like you.¡± She chuckled softly, cupping my face between her hands. ¡°You dummy.¡± She said, smiling weakly. ¡°You were always enough, Aidan. Always. I never cared if you were level 50, level 100 or level 1. I loved you for you. For your bravery. For your kindness. For your dumb jokes. For everything that makes you who you are.¡± I kissed her again. I didn¡¯t care about the past anymore. Or the future. I had her now, and I never wanted to let go. For a long time, we stayed like that, lost in each other. Until finally, she pulled away, breathless. ¡°God, I don¡¯t want this to stop, but we have to get to the tomb, or we¡¯ll be late.¡± I smirked, brushing my thumb over her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s ditch.¡± I kissed her again. ¡°Screw the quest. I just want to spend today with you.¡± ¡°Aidan, we can¡¯t.¡± She whispered, breathless, as I trailed kisses down her neck. ¡°Lady Mikaela expects me to be there. She likes me, and I don¡¯t want to ruin the impression I¡¯ve made.¡± I shook my head, tightening my arms around her. ¡°I know. But I don¡¯t want us to go. Not today. Let¡¯s stay together. Please.¡± She met my gaze, an inner conflict ensuing behind her eyes. I pressed on. ¡°There¡¯s a lake nearby. We can spend the morning and the afternoon there, just the two of us. And then, I¡¯ll take you out for dinner ¨C there¡¯s this place here ¨C something out of this world. No quests. Just us. Please, Yana.¡± She hesitated, biting her lip, but then a soft smile broke through. Another tear slipped down her cheek as she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She repeated, then kissed me again. ¡°Show me this lake of yours.¡± I smiled, my heart pounding in a way that had nothing to do with battle or survival. I pulled her into a tight embrace, breathing her in, holding onto the moment as if I could keep it forever. She hugged me back, burying herself in my arms. But she didn¡¯t notice my silent tears. Deep down, I knew how fragile this was. This might be all we had. In the next run, I might disappear from existence, and she¡¯ll forget me. She¡¯ll live her life ¨C or what¡¯s left of it if Goren fails to end this alone ¨C never recalling an Aidan Dar. But recalling Erebus¡¯ words ¨C I refused to go down with regrets. Chapter 84: Goren: Whats Left Chapter 84: Goren: What''s Left Goren walked back to his house, his steps slow, almost reluctant. His mind was still reeling from everything that had happened. Their failures ¨C his failure. The weight of it all pressed down on him, suffocating, inescapable. They had fought against it. They had tried. But Erebus never gave them a chance. And now¡­in about half a day - or whenever Erebus fused with Gaelith inside the tomb - he would be fighting for his existence. Against someone he didn¡¯t want to kill. No matter how it played out ¨C he lost. But there was no escaping it. For as long as he could remember, life had always made the decisions for him. He never had a say. The one time he had tried to rebel ¨C to team up with Spellsword despite the odds ¨C Dolos had played them both. They were just pawns in a game they never had a chance of winning. He sighed deeply as he opened the door to his house and stepped inside. The house was quiet, just as he had left it. He walked to the kitchen counter, grabbed a handful of blackberries, and chewed them absentmindedly, their tartness grounding him. His gaze drifted to the kitchen window, to the blackberry bush growing outside - the one he had cared for while their mother was hospitalized. Goren chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. ¡°I wanted to burn you down more times than I can remember.¡± His voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°And in the end, you still exist because I kept you alive.¡± He exhaled slowly. ¡°Wild¡­¡± Turning away, he made his way down the hall to his little brother¡¯s room. He set up a stool beside the entrance and sat down, leaning back against the wall. And then, he just watched him. The steady rise and fall of his small chest. The peaceful expression on his face. Ben was already thirteen ¨C the same age Goren was when their father abandoned them. Goren had never wanted to become his brother¡¯s de facto father. He resented the weight of the responsibility, the unfairness of it all. But it happened. And he tried his best to give him a childhood. He could only hope Ben saw it that way too. Either way, right now, none of that mattered. Right now, he just wanted to watch him sleep. Something he might never be able to do again. *** When the morning came, Goren threw a shirt on his brother¡¯s face. ¡°Wake up.¡± Ben jolted awake, flailing as he tossed the shirt off. He sat up, his face still sleepy. ¡°What the hell?¡± He yawned, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to leave for that quest already? What time is it?¡± ¡°They canceled it.¡± Goren replied casually, moving the curtain aside and letting the morning sunlight flood the room. ¡°Damn.¡± Ben replied, blinking against the light. ¡°That sucks.¡± ¡°A little.¡± Goren shrugged. ¡°Get ready. We¡¯re going to visit Mom.¡± Ben frowned, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Visit mom? I have school, man.¡± ¡°You can skip today.¡± Goren said. ¡°As your legal guardian, I allow it.¡± Ben narrowed his eyes, suspicion making way through his sleepy expression. ¡°But dude, we just visited her yesterday, and she¡¯s coming home tomorrow. Why do you want to go again?¡± ¡®Yesterday¡­¡¯ Goren thought. ¡®For me, yesterday was 119 days ago. I haven¡¯t seen Mom in almost four months¡­¡¯ ¡°Why not?¡± Goren countered. ¡°When you grow up, you¡¯ll understand ¨C there will be days when you just want to forget everything and go to Mom. Just hug her and let it all go. Even if just for a little while.¡± Ben was quiet for a moment, then sighed. ¡°I just hate that place. I wish tomorrow would come faster so she¡¯d already be home.¡± Goren smiled weakly, his heart aching. ¡°I wish that too. But for now, let¡¯s go see her.¡± Ben exhaled, but eventually nodded. ¡°Fine.¡± He rolled out of bed and started getting ready, while Goren left him alone to prepare, his heart pounding in his chest. There was so much he had to tell her. *** The clinic stood at the heart of the village. Unlike the bustling hospitals in the capital, this facility had an ancient feeling to it ¨C built of wood. Its white color barely looking white anymore. Goren and Ben stepped inside, seeing the place mostly unoccupied like always. Some healers attended to patients and exchanged conversation, but they were very few and very scarce around the perimeter. The place had that herby smell to it which had always drawn Goren mad. Now, for some reason, it didn¡¯t seem to bother him. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. As they approached the front counter, a woman behind it glanced up from her papers. The moment her eyes landed on them, she broke into a warm smile. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the Shein boys!¡± She said, clasping her hands together. Goren smirked at the greeting. ¡°Morning, Martha.¡± He said. ¡°We¡¯re here for Mom.¡± Martha tilted her head slightly. ¡°But she¡¯s being released tomorrow, not today. Did you two mix up the days?¡± ¡°Nah, we know.¡± Goren assured her. ¡°We just wanted to visit her.¡± Martha¡¯s smile softened, her eyes filled with admiration. ¡°You two are something else, you know that?¡± She sighed, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen so many children leave their parents here and barely visit, moving on with their lives. Some don¡¯t even ask about their treatments. But you two? Three days a week, without fail. Sometimes even more.¡± She glanced at Ben, and then back at Goren. ¡°She¡¯s in her room, feeling better than ever today. She¡¯ll become even happier when she sees you two.¡± Goren gave a small nod. Before leaving, he felt he had to say something ¨C maybe it was goodbye. ¡°I appreciate it, Martha ¨C everything you did for Mom. For all the years you helped her. Thank you.¡± Martha waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Nonsense, Goren. That¡¯s the part I love most about my job.¡± She smiled softly. ¡°But hearing that means a lot. Thank you.¡± With that, Goren and Ben turned toward the hallway leading to their mother¡¯s room, walking slowly until they reached it. Goren pressed the handle, and the door creaked open. They stepped inside, the familiar scent filling the air. The entire room was made of wood ¨C walls, floor, and ceiling. A large window on the far side allowed streams of light to spill inside. Their mother sat upright on the bed, gazing out beyond the window with her piecing blue eyes. Her short dark hair, streaked lightly with silver, framed her kind face. She turned her head at the sound of the door, and the moment her eyes landed on her sons, her expression melted into a warm smile. ¡°Boys!¡± She exclaimed, immediately stretching her arms. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Goren and Ben crossed the room in a flash, leaning down to her tightly. ¡°Hey, Mom.¡± For a long moment, no one spoke ¨C just the feeling of a mother¡¯s embrace, a feeling Goren hadn¡¯t realized he had missed so much. When they finally pulled back, she lifted her head at them, her eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°But what are you two doing here?¡± Then, her gaze fell specifically on Ben, and her eyebrows lifted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in school, Ben?¡± Ben grinned mischievously and immediately threw Goren under the cart. ¡°Goren said I can skip.¡± The mother¡¯s gaze shifted to Goren, who simply shrugged, completely unbothered. ¡°Some things are more important than school.¡± He said casually. ¡°Family, for example.¡± Their mother shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips. ¡°You¡¯re impossible, Goren.¡± Goren chuckled, relieved to see her looking so much better. Just seeing her with Ben, smiling, feeling healthy ¨C it made his heart ache from joy. But behind his laughter, behind the warmth of the moment, he felt the heaviness of his situation pressing down on him. He didn¡¯t want to disappear. He didn¡¯t want Spellsword to disappear, either. With one of them erased from existence, the other would surely lose against Erebus alone. The only one who wins is Dolos. Lost in thought, he barely noticed when his mother turned to Ben. ¡°Hey, sweetheart, can you go ask Martha for some tea?" She said casually, but Goren knew better ¨C she had picked up on his worries. Ben glanced between them, likely sensing the shift in the mood, but he nodded anyway. ¡°Alright.¡± Once he left, his mother patted the bed beside her. ¡°Come here.¡± Goren didn¡¯t hesitate. He fell on his knees beside the bed, wrapped his arms around her tightly, and buried his face against her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± She murmured, holding him just as tight. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you on that quest you told me about?¡± Goren clenched his jaw. His arms tightening around her, as if letting go meant losing her forever. ¡°I messed up, Mom.¡± His voice was barely a whisper. ¡°I did things. Bad things. Things that¡¯d make you hate me.¡± Her hand threaded gently through his hair, soothing, patient. ¡°Tell me.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± His mother let out a quest sigh, then rested her chin on top of his head. ¡°Then I can only tell you this: my son is not capable of doing something so horrible ¨C something unforgivable.¡± Goren let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Oh, but I did, Mom.¡± He pulled back slightly, shaking his head. ¡°I lost myself, Mom. When things got hard, I let myself sink. I hurt people who didn¡¯t deserve it. I justified it with excuses, but it never stopped feeling wrong. And yet, I haven¡¯t stopped. And now, it¡¯s all coming down to bite me, and I don¡¯t see a way out.¡± He swallowed hard. His voice cracked. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fix it. I don¡¯t if I even can. God, why am I so weak and useless?!¡± His mother¡¯s hand cupped his face gently, forcing him to look at her. ¡°Goren,¡± she said, her voice firm, but warm. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about yourself like that. I won¡¯t allow it.¡± She let her thumb brush against his cheek, wiping away a tear he hadn¡¯t even realized was there. ¡°At thirteen, you dropped out of school so you could help around the house. You worked yourself raw, and at the same time trained to get that Adventurer License ¨C because you didn¡¯t want Ben to lose his childhood. You told me back then that you¡¯d make sure he had the best childhood possible, no matter what.¡± Goren shook his head. ¡°That was just what I was supposed to do.¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± Her grip on him tightened. ¡°I was terrified when I got sick, Goren. I thought we¡¯d lose the house. I thought we¡¯d be buried in debt. I even considered cancelling my hospitalization, ready to pay with my life, so you two wouldn¡¯t have to pay with yours.¡± Her voice broke. ¡°But you¡­my beautiful boy, you saved us.¡± Goren¡¯s stomach twisted painfully when he saw the tears in her eyes. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t cry, please¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± She shook her head, smiling through the tears. ¡°These aren¡¯t sad tears, baby. They¡¯re happy ones. You don¡¯t even realize how proud I am to have a son such as you.¡± She held his face with both hands. ¡°And no matter what you¡¯ve done ¨C no matter what you think is unforgivable ¨C you understand that you did wrong. You want to change things and that means everything. You want to make it right, don¡¯t you?¡± His throat tightened, he was close to crying himself. ¡°Of course, I do. More than anything.¡± ¡°Then you will.¡± She pressed a kiss on his forehead. ¡°Because my son always finds a way.¡± For the first time in what felt like forever, Goren let himself cry. He didn¡¯t want to leave this moment. He wanted to stay here, just a little longer. But an idea had already formed in his mind. He rose to his feet, wiping away the tears quickly just as Ben returned carrying a cup of steaming tea. ¡°I love you, Mom.¡± Goren said, smiling weakly. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°I love you too sweetheart, forever and ever.¡± His mother smiled back. ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting right here.¡± Goren didn¡¯t say another word. He left the room, then the clinic. He made his way around the building, toward the quiet backside, where no one could hear him. And then, he called out. ¡°Hey, you trash god!¡± his voice echoed against the walls. ¡°I know you¡¯re still watching me! You¡¯re always watching! Well, listen up ¨C I still have one wish left! You promised me three, and I haven¡¯t used the last one yet.¡± He steadied his breath. ¡°If you don¡¯t bring me to your realm after this run, you¡¯ll die, right? You¡¯d break your own contract by not granting me my last wish.¡± Goren¡¯s jaw clenched. He wished it was this easy to kill Dolos for good, but he knew the God of Lies and Deception already knew this himself. Goren knew that he would summon him to his realm either way. He just wanted to let him know that he knew this too. ¡°Then don¡¯t forget. Because I¡¯m not letting you die from a technicality.¡± Goren said, shaking his head. ¡°Oh, no! There¡¯s a worse death reserved for you!¡± There was no response, of course. That to be expected. It didn¡¯t matter to Goren. He knew the message had reached its destination. Then he turned and walked away, determined to spend the rest of the time he had with his loved ones. Chapter 85: The Plan (I) Chapter 85: The Plan (I) [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 54 - MAX] [Loop Count: 64] When Yana came to get me in the morning, I was shaking in my boots. Yesterday had been perfect. Every moment with her felt surreal ¨C until the ¡®End of the World¡¯ message flashed, and I had to cut my own throat. She wouldn¡¯t remember my third confession, or all the kisses we shared. But at least, she wouldn¡¯t remember me killing myself in front of her either. I opened the door. We hugged. A bit longer than usual ¨C like my body knew this was the last time before my mind could even process it. And then, we left for the tomb. I rushed us quickly, afraid that if I stalled even for a moment more, I¡¯d ask her to ditch the quest again. Only this time, the consequences would include Chronos¡¯ death, and Erebus¡¯ victory ¨C the end of our world. On the way, I talked to Yana like it was my last day on earth. Savoring every word ¨C every syllable ¨C that left her lips. If I die today, she¡¯d forget about me. But I don¡¯t want to forget anything about her. At the entrance, Goren approached me calmly, a nervous smile spread on his face. My mind immediately flashed back to all seven times he¡¯d killed me right here. My body tensed on instinct, ready to defend myself ¨C but then, I shook it off. We were going to fight each other today, but I was certain he wouldn¡¯t take me by surprise. We were past that. ¡°Listen ¨C¡° We both spoke at the same time. ¡°You start.¡± Goren said. ¡°No, you.¡± ¡°No, it should be you.¡± I let out a breath, nodding. ¡°Where do I even start¡­¡± I rubbed the back of my neck, shaking my head. ¡°There were times when I hated you so much. I couldn¡¯t even remember what you did, but the mere thought of you, combined with Erebus¡¯ aura, just made me furious.¡± I looked down at my own body, seeing the same dark aura surrounding me now. ¡°But now? I just can¡¯t¡­¡± I met his gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you for what you did, but I can¡¯t be mad anymore either. You proved yourself when it mattered. Sadly for us, it wasn¡¯t enough.¡± My face twisted with disgust as I muttered the next words with anger. ¡°That damn bastard Dolos...¡± Goren nodded slightly, his expression calm. ¡°Anything else, Spellsword?¡± I blinked. His calm threw me off. But yeah ¨C thinking about it more, seeing him now ¨C there was more. I wasn¡¯t willing to give up yet. ¡°Yes.¡± I swallowed. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± I glanced at Yana in the distance. She was talking to Lady Mikaela, smiling joyfully. ¡°The last run ¨C spending it with Yana ¨C it just made me realize how much harder I need to fight. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m willing to erase you from existence.¡± Goren looked surprised, and I pressed on. ¡°We can still do this on this run, Goren. We can still press down the tomb and reach Erebus. No one said we have to fight each other once the 64th loop starts. We still have time to succeed.¡± Goren sighed. He ran a hand through his dark hair, smiling tiredly. ¡°And what if one of us dies, Spellsword?¡± His voice was quiet, almost reluctant. ¡°If one of is dead, the fight can¡¯t happen. That means both Chronos and Dolos end up dead, and Erebus ends up devouring our world. It¡¯s not a risk we can take.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than killing each other!¡± I snapped. A few adventurers turned to look our way, and I shot them a nasty look before lowering my voice. ¡°Dolos orchestrated everything, and we¡¯re still playing his tune.¡± My hands tightened into fists. ¡°We need to do something he won¡¯t expect. Something like using this run to defeat Erebus.¡± Goren tilted his head. ¡°And what would happen in this run that didn¡¯t happen before? We can¡¯t win with how things are currently.¡± I narrowed my eyes on him, reminding him of something. ¡°You punched me in the face for losing hope after getting marked." He snorted. ¡°That was different.¡± ¡°Was it?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because now you¡¯re the one losing hope.¡± Goren chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a good guy, Spellsword.¡± His gaze softened. ¡°Hearing you so reluctant to kill me just makes me feel even shittier for killing you all those times.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He exhaled, shaking his head. ¡°But don¡¯t worry.¡± He said suddenly, his voice turning serious. ¡°I already have a plan set in motion.¡± ¡°A plan?¡± I asked, my eyes widening in surprise. Goren wasn¡¯t exactly the kind of guy I¡¯d ever associate with the word ¡®plan¡¯. Yet here he was, nodding like he¡¯d just cracked some impossible puzzle. ¡°You see ¨C Dolos gave me three wishes so I¡¯d stop killing you all those runs ago.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Terrible times.¡± I eyed him carefully, waiting for a continuation. ¡°Well,¡± he eventually said. ¡°I still had one wish left ¨C and I made it. Right before this run.¡± Everything he said was bizarre, but one thing stood out more than the rest. ¡°You really trust Dolos to fulfill anything he promised you?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Goren.¡± Goren smirked, shaking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He can¡¯t lie his way out of it. It¡¯s a godly pact, same as the one he made with Chronos. If he breaks it, he dies.¡± I sighed, still feeling like this was too good to be true, but accepting the possibility. ¡°What did you wish for?¡± I asked, growing hopeful. ¡°To cancel our fight?¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°Impossible, unfortunately. Just like wishing to be stronger than Gaelith¡¯s Darkness.¡± He took a deep breath before explaining further. ¡°There are limits to it, Spellsword. The wishes he gave me ¨C they had certain restrictions. If I asked for something outside those limits, he could just refuse. Simple as that.¡± Considering what we knew about Dolos and his lying nature, that made sense. In no world would he give Goren so much power over himself. And still¡­ ¡°So what did you ask for?¡± I asked, my heart racing. Goren laughed. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you curious?¡± I punched him lightly on the shoulder. ¡°Tell me already.¡± His grin widened. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He leaned in for a whisper. ¡°I had to word it carefully to trick him. I¡¯m afraid that if I reveal it to you now, he¡¯d hear us and cancel it all.¡± I froze. ¡°¡­You tricked him?¡± Goren¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t waver. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to trust me on this one. And do exactly what I say.¡± I didn¡¯t like being kept in the dark. But if this was our way out ¨C our only way out ¨C I was willing to play along. ¡°Fine.¡± I exhaled. ¡°What do we do, then?¡± Goren¡¯s smile became excited. ¡°We play this run exactly how Dolos wants us to.¡± I stiffened. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We fight.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°To the death.¡± I stared at him, horrified. What kind of plan did he have?! ¡°Come at me with everything you¡¯ve got.¡± He continued. ¡°With real intent to kill. Because I¡¯ll be doing the same.¡± ¡°Goren we might actually kill each other! Are you insane?¡± He shook his head, still grinning. ¡°That¡¯s the trick. That¡¯s the wish. We won¡¯t.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°How do you ¨C ¡° ¡°Shhh.¡± He silenced me. ¡°You just have to trust me.¡± His gaze locked into mine. ¡°We have to make it convincing. Use all your skills. Don¡¯t hold back. We need Dolos to believe it or the wish won¡¯t work. There¡¯s a huge prize waiting for us at the end of this run ¨C one that will help us defeat Erebus. I planned it so we kill two birds with one stone.¡± I clenched my fists. Every instinct screamed no. But deep down ¨C after everything ¨C I did trust him. ¡°Alright.¡± I exhaled, steadying myself. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± He smiled back with confidence. ¡°I am. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve bet on the right horse.¡± *** We weren¡¯t sure when and where we were supposed to fight, so at first, we played along with the loop like usual. We split into our designated teams and entered the tomb. But the moment we stepped into the main antechamber, everything and everyone around us froze. I was wrong earlier - we couldn''t actually try and stop Erebus this run. Our fight was set for the beginning of the quest. ¡°What the hell?¡± I muttered, baffled. I waved a hand in front of Jax¡¯s face, trying to get his attention. Nothing. He wasn¡¯t moving. Nobody was except Goren and me. ¡°Guess this is it, Spellsword.¡± Goren exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s how it begins.¡± Then, a voice ¨C deep, resonant, and everywhere ¨C spoke. ¡°Godly Pact number one hundred seventy-four quintillion, nine hundred sixty-two quadrillion, eight hundred fifty-one trillion, six hundred thirty-seven billion, four hundred twenty-three million, two hundred eleven thousand, eight hundred and ninety-four ¨C a battle between one Aidan Dar, representing the God of Time, Chronos, and one Goren Shein, representing the self-proclaimed God of Lies and Deception, Dolos.¡± A short silence followed, before the voice spoke again. ¡°Are the parties present?¡± Goren and I exchanged glances. Who the hell was speaking? ¡°I can see both parties present.¡± The voice continued, ignoring our confusion. ¡°Hey, who the hell are you?¡± Goren shouted, looking around. The voice dismissed him entirely. ¡°The Pact shall be resolved by a battle to the death, with existence on the line. The battle will commence shortly.¡± ¡°Shortly?¡± Goren repeated. ¡°Where? Why is everyone frozen? Do you just expect us to fight around them?¡± ¡°Of course not, you fool.¡± The voice finally acknowledged him, sounding irritated. ¡°You will be fighting in a pocket dimension, created by yours truly.¡± ¡°And who are you exactly?¡± I asked, though I already assumed he was another divine deity. A pause, then the answer came. ¡°I am Themis, the Arbiter of Divine Disputes, the Keeper of Sacred Balance, and the One Who Upholds the Pacts of Gods.¡± ¡°Never heard of you¡­¡± Goren muttered, grinning as he glanced at me. I found myself smiling back. It was strangely reassuring ¨C seeing him so carefree despite everything. Seeing him exactly as he always was. Same. But Different. More trustworthy. It made me want to believe in his plan even more. Themis let out a long, exhausted sigh. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care.¡± He replied flatly. ¡°I¡¯m already too tired for the day anyway.¡± Then, suddenly, the world around us blurred. It felt like we were being teleported, but when our surroundings snapped back into place, we were still in the main antechamber of the tomb. Except now, we were alone. ¡°It¡¯s a pocket dimension.¡± Themis repeated, as if noticing our confusion. ¡°A perfect replica of your world, minus the uninvolved parties. You can fight to your heart¡¯s content, destroy everything if you wish, and none of it will affect your world. ¡°The winner will be teleported back to your world. ¡°The loser ¨C as stated in the Pact ¨C will be erased from existence. Forgotten by everyone except the victor.¡± I swallowed hard. I really hoped Goren knew what he was doing ¨C that his plan would actually work. Goren met my gaze and nodded, smiling reassuringly. ¡°So¡­do we just start fighting?¡± He asked the air, directing the question at Themis. ¡°NO! Of course, not.¡± Themis huffed, sounding thoroughly annoyed. ¡°What is it with you humans and your obsession with rushing straight into battle?¡± Goren rolled his eyes theatrically. ¡°The rules.¡± Themis continued. ¡°There are specific conditions for a duel of this nature.¡± ¡°Rules?¡± I echoed. ¡°Yes.¡± Themis confirmed. ¡°Two rules. ¡°One: You may use any and all of your skills, spells, abilities, buffs, debuffs, and weapons. No restrictions. ¡°Two: You are forbidden from using any consumable in your possession. No health potions, no mana or stamina restoratives, no antidotes for ailments. This also includes explosives, enchantment scrolls, or any consumable that deals damage, applies ailments, or provides buffs or debuffs. ¡°In short, you are to fight using only your own skills and weapons. That is all.¡± Goren and I exchanged glances. He nodded at me again, summoning his sword and pointing it forward, ready to fight. ¡°Remember what I said, Spellsword.¡± He murmured, his expression calm. ¡°Come at me with everything you¡¯ve got. Trust me, and we win.¡± I took a deep breath, summoning Silverfang. My grip tightened around the glaive. ¡°I trust you.¡± Chapter 86: The Plan (II) Chapter 86: The Plan (II) Goren didn¡¯t waste a second. From the tip of his sword, a surge of magic exploded forth, crackling through the air toward me. I reacted immediately, activating Enhanced Dash Step and dodging quickly, weaving through the antechamber. But Goren wasn¡¯t playing around ¨C he continued firing at me rapidly as I kept on evading. I adjusted my tactics on the fly, bringing the fight to Goren¡¯s. Swapping Silverfang for Lighting Claw, I activated Stormpierce. In a flash of lightning, I was already there, next to him, my dagger buried in his chest. But instead of pain or shock, Goren just grinned, dissolving into dark mist - a classic of his. I activated Distance Gauge, trying to catch his new location immediately ¨C but I couldn¡¯t. He muffled it. Before I could dwell on it, a sharp whistle cut through the air. Instinct took over. I thrust my hand forward and cast Wind Wall, forming a barrier just in time to block a barrage of golden magical arrows. Explosions erupted as they collided with my air magic, but the wall held strong. Beyond the arrows, I caught sight of Goren at the far end of the chamber, his Golden Bow drawn, his grin wide as he watched me block the attack. Then, immediately, he dropped into his own shadow. I knew the move ¨C another one of his signature skills. He could reappear from any shadow in the vicinity, including my own. I quickly turned toward my shadow, anticipating the ambush. But nothing. Then, another whistle. My eyes widened. It was a feint! More arrows were coming. I had already used Wind Wall ¨C it¡¯s still on cooldown. Thinking fast, I swapped weapons again. This time to my trusty but under-leveled sword, Nightfall. At once, I activated Moon Barrier. The shimmering shield formed around me, catching Goren¡¯s arrows mid-flight. The first barrage clashed, and cracks began spreading on the barrier¡¯s surface. I didn¡¯t care. It had done its job ¨C blocked the initial damage. Now it was my turn. I locked onto Goren, who still held his bow, preparing for another volley. Then, I hit Enhanced Blade Rush, my body launching toward him. Mid-movement, I swapped weapons again ¨C Silverfang in my hands. I finished my move next to Goren, swinging downward in a sharp vertical strike. Goren was still on one knee after firing his arrows, but instead of scrambling to dodge, he grinned. At the last second, he swapped to his sword and blocked the strike. The force of the collision sent sparks flying. I pushed forward, trying to bring him down, but as soon as I did, he melted into his shadow again. My momentum carried me forward ¨C I fell into my own strike, stumbling forward. Then, I felt his movement behind me. He was in my shadow. Before I could react, Goren burst out from it, daggers drawn, leaping toward my back. With no other choice, I activated Wind Fortification. The surge of protective wind covered me, and the moment Goren¡¯s daggers got close ¨C BOOM! The wind exploded outward, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard but used the momentum to roll into a flip, landing smoothly on his feet, still grinning even though his HP dropped by 10%. ¡°This is already different from our last fight.¡± He said, amused. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy, Spellsword? Look how far you¡¯ve come!¡± I exhaled slowly, keeping my stance firm. ¡°Happy is the wrong word for it. I¡¯d rather not be fighting you with our existences on the line.¡± I rolled my shoulders, gripping Silverfang tighter. ¡°But¡­yeah. I guess you could say I¡¯m satisfied with my progression.¡± Goren¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Good. Then treat this as practice for Erebus. Once my plan works, we¡¯ll get another shot at him.¡± He cracked his neck, rolling it in a circle. ¡°And this little fight? It¡¯s the perfect training.¡± Before I could reply, he moved. Fast. In a blink, he reappeared behind me at a distance, his daggers already swapped for his Golden Bow. He leaped back, nocking multiple arrows at once. A rapid volley aimed straight up. ¡°Tell me, Spellsword,¡± he said, his voice teasing, "how many more defensive skills do you have?¡± Then, he let the arrows fly, and the ceiling above me was filled with steaks of golden light ¨C raining down like divine execution. I clenched my teeth. I was out of defensive skills. This was his tactic ¨C to burn through all my defenses. But he underestimated something ¨C my Agility. I took a sharp breath, trusting my speed. Enhanced Dash Step. My body moved as I escaped the golden volley. Arrows rained down behind me as I dodged, running forward, staying ahead. But I needed to change the tempo. Locking onto Goren, I once again activated Enhanced Blade Rush. His reaction to my attack would be enough to estimate the cooldown of his abilities. As I swung Silverfang at him, something went wrong. Goren had more aces up his sleeve. He suddenly switched places with me. In an instant, I was the one stabbing at nothing but air. And Goren ¨C he was behind me, dagger in hand. Luckily, my Agility was so high, my body reacted before my mind fully processed the new scenario. I lifted my leg on instinct, catching Goren¡¯s extended arm with my foot. The impact redirected his stab motion, and the dagger missed me completely. I immediately whipped around, slashing at him with Silverfang, but he dissolved into dark mist again before my blade could connect. Goren reappeared at the far end of the antechamber, laughing and shaking his head. ¡°Damn, Spellsword! That was too close!¡± He smirked. ¡°I saw my life flash before my eyes. Guess I need to take this more seriously¡­¡± his expression hardened, but some traces of his smirk remained. ¡°Or I might actually die here.¡± A flicker of worry crossed my mind. What the hell? Didn¡¯t he say he had a plan? But he didn¡¯t give me time to dwell on it. Goren vanished. Then, he was there. Right behind me, daggers flashing in rapid succession. Figures¡­he just tried to overwhelm me mentally¡­the bastard. I raised Silverfang, blocking each of his strikes as he continued attacking. I adjusted, spinning the glaive¡¯s shaft, using the dull end for counters, but Goren was relentless. We entered a chaotic rhythm ¨C I struck, he ducked. I swept, he dove. So on, and so forth. Then, he slipped into his own shadow. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. I pivoted, but I was too late. He reappeared behind me and slashed. I twisted, intercepting the strike, but he headbutted me. Stars exploded in my vision as my world spun. Before I could recover, I sensed him moving forward. Reacting on instinct, I lurched to the side, but pain tore through my shoulder as his blade found my flesh, dropping 30% of my HP along the way. Goren chuckled, twirling his daggers between his fingers. ¡°Finally got a hit on you, Spellsword. You¡¯re getting sloppy. You can¡¯t defeat Erebus like this. You gotta step up your game.¡± I smirked despite the pain. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± So I did. I swapped Silverfang for the Astral Spear. Without a word, I hurled it straight at him, activating Shooting Star. Goren¡¯s eyes widened, but he dodged. Yet, the moment the spear embedded into the ground, it detonated. The explosion blasted Goren off his feet, sending him tumbling through the air. I swapped back to Silverfang, charging at him. Mid-air, he reached his hand toward his shadow, and suddenly dove in. I swapped back to Astral Spear, hurling it straight into his shadow, but it just pierced the ground, not following him inside. Suddenly, a hand shot from my own shadow, grasping my ankle. Goren yanked sharply, throwing me off-balance. I adjusted quickly, catching myself mid-fall ¨C but I had leaned forward shifting my shadow ahead of me. Goren emerged instantly, jumping straight from my shadow, pommel-first. Pain flashed across my face as his dagger¡¯s pommel smashed into me, staggering me backward, dropping 10% of my HP. I barely saw his next move ¨C he blinked forward, daggers flashing, slicing. I instantly swapped to Silverfang, spinning the glaive defensively, forcing Goren back. He grinned at the move and switched to his sword, then aggressively closed the gap. Each time I tried to utilize the glaive¡¯s superior range, he managed to slip past it and deliver some serious strikes. Reluctantly, I swapped to Nightfall, of all weapons, hoping that the shorter blade would allow me quicker parries, so I could effectively match his rapid attacks. Steel clashed repeatedly, each blow creating sparks that flew around us. Each of us landed some hits on the other, both of our HP bars reaching around 20%. ¡°Would you look at that, Spellsword?¡± He chuckled as we were locked in a stalemate. ¡°Seems like we''re evenly matched.¡± I shook my head, disagreeing. ¡°You¡¯re still stronger, but being an Arcane Duelist covers up our level difference.¡± ¡°Oh, nonsense¡­¡± He muttered, seemingly losing focus. I thought I had him with a horizontal swing, but Goren just dissolved into mist, avoiding the slash. Predicting he would reappear behind me, I quickly summoned Astral Spear and stabbed backward. But Goren anticipated my prediction, appearing just beyond the spear¡¯s tip. He laughed nervously. ¡°Damn, am I that predictable?¡± I exhaled, struggling to understand the logic of his plan. ¡°You said we need to come at each other with the intent to kill.¡± I said. ¡°To me it seems like you¡¯re just out there having fun most of the time.¡± ¡°Well, I am having fun.¡± Goren grinned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you having fun?¡± I sighed tiredly. ¡°Maybe I would¡¯ve had fun if I knew the masterplan you¡¯re so proud about.¡± Goren laughed. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, it¡¯s time to take things up a notch and end this. I¡¯ll show you the peak of the Rogue class before we¡¯re over.¡± He took a step forward, and my eyes widened as I watched a perfect copy of Goren remain exactly where he had been standing. And it wasn¡¯t just a mere afterimage ¨C the duplicate moved independently, releasing a faint crack form its neck. Then Goren stepped again, leaving behind yet another identical twin. One after another, five Gorens stood before me. Each one moving as if it was a different human being. ¡°Impressive, I guess.¡± I shrugged, not actually impressed. ¡°I have something similar up my sleeve.¡± I activated Mirage Step, dashing sideways and leaving behind five identical illusions of myself. Goren laughed. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s different from mine. Yours can only act as a decoy, while mine can actually attack.¡± Then, as he finished, his copies lunged forward simultaneously, each targeting a different one of mine. I weaved between them, masking myself behind the fake ones and swiftly creating new copies to replace those that the Gorens destroyed. The skill allowed me to create ten copies of myself, and I had only created five. So I could still put an additional five before the skill goes on cooldown. I knew if I attacked, they¡¯d immediately identify me and shift their attention. The plan was simple ¨C find the real Goren while remaining hidden. Why hadn¡¯t he used this skill when we fought the Right Hand? He could¡¯ve bought us valuable time. It wouldn¡¯t have helped since the Prison was already tampered with, but still¡­ Then, suddenly, it hit me ¨C the logistics behind his ability. His copies weren¡¯t truly independent. Goren was likely controlling them himself, meaning he had to keep all of them within his line of sight. This has to be it! That¡¯s why he hadn¡¯t used it when we were escaping! That''s the skill''s weakness! I quickly scanned the battlefield, trying to pinpoint which Goren had a clear view of the rest. Identifying him, I swapped to Lightning Claw and activated Stormpierce. I appeared instantly next to the real Goren, my dagger already deep inside his chest. But when I expected him to dissolve into mist like before, he didn¡¯t. Blood poured out of the wound and trickled from his mouth. Around us, his copies disappeared into thin air. His HP bar was slowly dropped lower and lower, but he smiled, staggering backward. I caught him quickly, lowering him gently to the ground and holding him in my arms. ¡°Goren? What the hell? Why didn¡¯t you disappear like always?!¡± I asked, panic rising within me. ¡°You won, Spellsword.¡± He replied weakly, still smiling despite the pain. I shook my head violently. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. You let me stab you! Why? Please tell me this is part of your plan!¡± He exhaled slowly. ¡°Of course it is.¡± His words briefly calmed my nerves, but then Themis spoke, and I realized Goren was always lying. ¡°The battle has concluded. The winner is Aidan Dar. Goren Shein will now be terminated from existence.¡± Themis announced calmly. ¡°This dispute is officially closed.¡± My eyes widened in horror as I stared at Goren. ¡°Why did you do this, damn it?! I didn¡¯t want to kill you ¨C I didn¡¯t want you erased! And you went and tricked me anyway! Why?!¡± Goren laughed painfully, his breath shallow. ¡°Hey, Spellsword, I¡¯m the one dying here, so yelling at me now would be pretty heartless, don¡¯t you think?¡± I stared in disbelief, wondering how he could joke in a moment like this. ¡°Damn it, Goren!¡± I shouted. ¡°Was this your plan all along? To let me kill you so you could bounce off and leave me alone to deal with Erebus?!¡± His feet began glowing brightly, dissolving into particles of light. The glow slowly moved up his body. He shook his head. ¡°No, my plan is better. One that would give us an actual chance at saving our world and everyone we care about.¡± He exhaled deeply, tears forming in his eyes. ¡°As much as I hated the idea, dying was part of it. I¡¯m passing the torch to you. You¡¯ll be able to defeat him now. On your own. But I¡¯ll still be helping. In a way.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked, confused, a single tear streaming down my cheek. He nodded as the glow reached his stomach. ¡°I used my third wish on you ¨C it was the only way. You¡¯ll understand soon enough, but¡­¡± His expression turned serious. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare make my sacrifice in vain, understand? I¡¯m doing this so you can save my family. Save everyone.¡± Confusion and grief clouded my mind, I didn¡¯t even know what to ask. Goren continued as the glow had already reached his neck. ¡°I became a horrible human being during these loops. But I¡¯m glad I met you when I did¡­you helped me find my way back.¡± He took a deep breath, the glow nearing his chin. ¡°I bet in another reality, where the Tomb of Gaelith is just a regular tomb, and things like Gods and Darkness exist just as fairy tales, we¡¯d have teamed up ¨C on our team four ¨C and been friends.¡± Just before he vanished completely, he whispered. ¡°Thank you, Aidan.¡± I watched him disappear, tears streaming silently. I couldn¡¯t believe he was gone forever. The world around me blurred and shifted and I was back in the real tomb. The monsters already waited in the main antechamber ¨C including the Right Hand of Darkness. They began slaying the adventurers, making their way to me, but my focus was on what Goren left behind. Where¡¯d he¡¯d been, a glowing orb remained. I didn¡¯t move or interact with it. How could I? But it flew toward me by itself, merging directly into my chest. That was also when the Right Hand¡¯s cleaver struck me, killing me instantly. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 54 - MAX] [Loop Count: 65] I woke up to my System glitching, displaying strange messages. [#@$@#$@^%F2323DSFS+SystemERROR_00020101xxxsds] [#@$*^(^&*#$@^%F2323DSFS+SystemERROR_00021231221xxxsds] Then, a second later, I finally understood what Goren¡¯s plan was ¨C why he had sacrificed himself. [Class Crossing Achieved] [New Class Unlocked: Spellrogue] [New Sub-Class Unlocked: Shadow Duelist] [You have gained 43 new items] [You have gained 4 new weapons] [You have gained 25 Rogue-class skills] [You have gained 133 stat points] My status menu displayed the following: [Status Menu] Chapter 87: The Sacrifice Chapter 87: The Sacrifice ¡°Goren, you stupid idiot!¡± I shouted, slamming my fist against the wall of my house. I wasn¡¯t prepared for my own new damage. My fist shot through the wall, tearing the stone down like it was paper. Now, I no longer had a wall between my bedroom and living room. But that was the last thing that bothered me. This was Goren¡¯s plan all along. He sacrificed himself so I could inherit all his stats, skills, and possessions. Together, we couldn¡¯t pass through the main antechamber, but he believed that one of us ¨C carrying the power of both ¨C could. ¡°Dolos!¡± I roared into the air. ¡°Are you enjoying this, you bastard?!¡± The real villain of it all. The one who orchestrated every single moment of this nightmare centuries in advance. He backed Goren into a corner, leaving him no choice but to make this his third wish. Which means this was not a blessing, but a curse in disguise. Something Dolos planned for to happen. Or¡­maybe it was the other way around? I recalled Goren¡¯s carefree behavior during ¨C and before ¨C our fight. He was content with what was about to go down. That much was clear. Could it be that he forced Dolos¡¯ hand instead? I didn¡¯t know much about godly pacts, but Goren said that if Dolos¡¯ hadn¡¯t fulfilled his final wish, it would''ve killed him. Had Goren turned the tables on him and pressured him to agree to this? If that wasn¡¯t the case, I couldn¡¯t imagine why Dolos would agree to a wish that would leave me - Chronos'' champion - alive, and grant me enough power to potentially save our world. No. Not potentially. I will do this. I exhaled sharply, my mind racing through my next move. Right now, I was the strongest person in our world. In history. Right now, I was as strong Gaelith¡¯s Darkness. Or at least as strong as he was when I saw him last. I will make sure Goren¡¯s sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain. I will save our world. I didn¡¯t need anyone else. I will solo this shitty tomb all on my own. Down to the last level. I¡¯ll beat Erebus into submission. No one else needed to die. With resolve burning in my chest, I equipped my armor. Then, everything took a turn for the worse. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Alert] [Darkness Ascension Imminent] [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:19:59] Gaelith''s Darkness had found Gaelith in the tomb and they fused. I had no time to waste. I bolted out of my house, tearing the door off its hinges. Suddenly, Yana was there. She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening as she saw me. Her mouth opened, but no words came out at first. Her gaze flickered between the demolished door, the sheer power radiating off me, and then ¨C my status. ¡°A-Aidan¡­w-what?¡± She stammered, her voice trembling with disbelief. ¡°Y-your level?!¡± She staggered back a step as if the very sight of me overwhelmed her. It wasn¡¯t just shock ¨C it was confusion, awe, and maybe even fear¡­ The moment I saw her, I wanted nothing more than to embrace her, to hold her tight and tell her everything. But there was no time. I had nineteen minutes to reach the tomb and save the world. I took a deep breath, locking eyes with her. ¡°Yana, I love you.¡± I said simply, my voice going soft. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything later, but please, stay here. Don¡¯t go to the tomb. It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Before she could respond, before she could even process my confession, I launched off the ground, activating Flight. The wind roared in my ears as I shot toward the tomb at full speed. *** At my current level, Flight allowed me to levitate freely with no limit or cooldown. More than that, I could now use Wind Rush to accelerate mid-air, pushing my speed beyond anything I had ever experienced. I shot through the morning sky, reaching the tomb in less than a minute. As I landed at the entrance, dust kicked up from the sheer force of my descent. The gathered adventurers stared in shock. Their expression mirrored Yana¡¯s from earlier: wide-eyed disbelief and fear. Among them, I noticed the Rogue guild, Silvercry, huddled together. But there was a new face among them. Goren¡¯s deletion from existence had left a vacancy, and someone had filled his spot. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. My heart ached at the sight, knowing that they didn¡¯t even know he existed. I exhaled deeply, pushing that thought aside and stepping toward Stephan Lorren. ¡°Open the tomb. Now.¡± He barely reacted at first, blinking as if trying to process my words. Then, he took a step back, his eyes flickering between me and my absurdly high level. ¡°The level¡­¡± He muttered, stunned. Then, Lady Mikaela stepped forward, fearless as ever. ¡°Who are you?¡± she demanded, her tone sharp while she still looked confused. ¡°My name is Aidan Dar.¡± I answered. ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t understand, and I don¡¯t have the time to explain. Open the tomb now, or our entire world is doomed.¡± ¡°Aidan Dar¡­¡± She whispered, eyes narrowing as if she recalled the name. I couldn¡¯t afford to wait for her judgement. ¡°NOW!¡± I roared. Fearsome Aura activated on its own. A wave of pressure burst from me, shaking the air, paralyzing everyone around me. Even the legendary guild masters stiffened under its weight. I gestured toward the tomb¡¯s entrance. ¡°Open it. Now. It¡¯s a matter of life and death.¡± Stephan Lorren nodded, snapping out of his daze, shaking. He turned to his mages and gave the order. ¡°Unseal the entrance!¡± Five mages stepped forward in a straight line before the stone doors, their hands glowing as they began their incantations. Powerful sigils pulsed in the air, unravelling the magical lock. After a moment, with a deep, groaning sound, the stone doors trembled open. I turned to the gathered adventurers. ¡°Stay back!¡± I commanded, my voice booming. ¡°Do not enter, no matter what happens! I will deal with this on my own!¡± I didn¡¯t wait for a response. I stepped inside. As expected ¨C even anticipated ¨C an entire army of Void monsters awaited me. I summoned Silverfang. With one swift horizontal sweep, I activated Horizon. An arc of wind sliced through the air ¨C carving through at least a hundred Void monsters in an instant, killing them. The XP gains were irrelevant at this point. I¡¯m here to end this, not level up. Before the backline could do anything, I swapped to Goren¡¯s Golden Bow, raising it high and pulling back the glowing string. A storm of magical arrows rained down. Unlike when I had seen Goren use it, my arrows were endless ¨C an absolute downpour of destruction. The sheer volume alone obliterated the remaining Void creatures, turning the entire main antechamber into a graveyard of dissolving monster corpses. Some of the more curious adventurers had peeked inside despite my warning ¨C led by the guild masters themselves ¨C watching in stunned silence as I erased an entire army in seconds. Their expressions were frozen, eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°GET BACK!¡± I roared. This was going to be my last run. No one needs to die. Then, it came. A familiar shadow loomed in the chamber, towering over the corpses of the slain monsters. It shrieked, not impressing me. The Right Hand of Darkness, level 222. I was waiting for it. The Right Hand roared, its monstrous cleaver whistling through the air with a massive overhead swing, aiming to cut me in half. But I was already gone. The world seemed to slow around me, every moment dragging in my heightened perception. Using Apex Reflex, made everything move so, so slow. Before the cleaver could even hit the ground, I had already reappeared behind my foe. I swapped to Goren¡¯s sword ¨C Convergence. Gripping the hilt, I drove it into the ground, activating Pillar of Truth. The instant the blade pierced the stone, an eruption of magic burst upward ¨C a pillar of magic surging from below, striking the Right Hand before it had even finished its attack. That¡¯s right. You¡¯re not the boss anymore ¨C I am. The creature reeled, its body twisting, but I didn¡¯t wait for it to recover. I swapped back to Silverfang. With a deep inhale, I charged Unyielding Charge. The magic surged through my body, locking me in a straight-line trajectory, powering me with all of Kaelstrife¡¯s might. Before the Right Hand of Darkness could even react ¨C I was already through it. A gaping hole tore through its midsection. For a brief moment, it seemed defeated. But then, it began knitting itself back. Like always. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t.¡± I called out. I knew its regeneration capabilities too well by now. If I didn¡¯t stop it immediately, I¡¯d just be wasting my time here, endlessly fighting it. But as I approached, it whistled. That¡¯s new. Before the stone to my side even cracked, I anticipated the incoming foe with Enhanced Distance Gauge. Left Hand of Darkness, level 222. I could feel it closing in on me. But it was so slow for my enhanced perception. I waited for it. Accepted its approach. Already having a plan in my mind. Just a little closer. I¡¯d let it approach me. The moment its cleaver was near, I activated Wind Fortification. A shockwave of air erupted from my body ¨C a blast of wind detonating outward like a hurricane. Both creatures were sent flying back, crashing against the walls. The Right Hand slammed into a crumbling pillar. The Left Hand, having just entered the battlefield, was blasted against the very wall it had broken through. Dust and debris filled the antechamber. But with Enhanced Distance Gauge, no one was hiding from me. I exhaled with anger, fury rising within me, fire burning in my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, Erebus.¡± I muttered. I activated Enhanced Blur Strike. ¡°Goren sends his regards, you fucks!¡± The world literally froze ¨C my Agility stat so ahead of everyone and everything, I could literally read an entire book before anyone moved an inch. I moved swiftly. Nothing moved around me. Then, I unleashed hell on both Hands. A single strike wouldn¡¯t work against these things. Neither would a dozen. I made sure they received thousands. Silverfang sliced, slashed, and carved through their shadowy bodies, cutting through everything in its path ¨C anything that could be severed. Every strike was perfect. Every movement was calculated. I was destruction. By the time I was done, time resumed. The Right Hand and Left Hand of Darkness erupted into millions of pieces. No regeneration this time. No whistles. Just silence. [Right Hand of Darkness - Defeated] [+666,666 XP] [Left Hand of Darkness - Defeated] [+666,666 XP] [1,500,000 XP converted into 3 Stat Point] [3 Points Available: Choose a stat to level up] I immediately allocated the points into Agility. Before I could move, a voice called out, filled with disbelief. ¡°W-what are you?!¡± Stephan Lorren stammered. ¡°This ¨C this is unlike anything I¡¯ve ever seen before¡­!¡± I sighed, having no time for explanations. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter right now. As I said, just get away from here. It¡¯s not safe for you!¡± Lady Mikaela took a step forward, her eyes sharp, filled with curiosity and fear. ¡°But you¡¯re level 183! How?!¡± I shook my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Do as I say, or we all die!¡± A heavy silence fell over the crowd. I wasn¡¯t looking for status, or respect. I just wanted to end this. I checked the timer. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Alert] [Darkness Ascension Imminent] [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:09:47] [System will collapse after this event] Less than ten minutes left¡­ No more delays. I summoned Astral Spear, gripping it tightly in my right hand. Then, without another thought, I hurled it at the ground, activating Shooting Star. The spear pierced through the stone, tearing through the floors below. One by one. Crushing through each level on its path, the power of Shooting Star sent tremors through the entire tomb. A straight path to the bottom. To Erebus. All that was left now was to descend. I activated Flight, lifting off the air, and dropped into the holes the spear had created. Chapter 88: When the World Trembles Chapter 88: When the World Trembles I dove downward, Wind Rush accelerating me toward Erebus. On my way there, my mind raced. Gaelith. What did the timer mean for him? Was it already too late? Could I still save him? If I killed Erebus now, did that mean Gaelith Alloraine would die, too? I didn¡¯t want that. Too many people had already died due to this battle ¨C all because they were dragged into it by a deceptive and vengeful god. Be it legendary figures from the past like General Kaelstrife, the Axul themselves, or someone from the present like Goren. I didn''t want anyone else to die. As I descended, monsters poured in from all sides, lunging at me, eager to tear me apart. None could even touch me. I swapped to Dawn and Twilight ¨C Goren¡¯s twin daggers. Then, I used Wind Rush, twisting my body into a deadly spinning projectile. Everything around me turned blurry as all the monsters that got too close were shredded apart. Thousands of them threw themselves at me. They were mindless. Desperate. They tried to stop me. They couldn¡¯t. All slain instantly. [525,000 XP converted into 1 Stat Point] [1 Stat Points Available: Choose a stat to level up] More Agility. Then, I finally landed on the lowest level. Nine minutes remained. I looked around ¨C the place was different from before. There were no tendrils, no living darkness. Erebus wasn¡¯t everywhere anymore. Heaps of treasure chest were amassed in the corner of the chamber ¨C the kingdom¡¯s treasures, previously covered by Darkness. But what drew my attention the most was the figure in the center of the chamber. It was mostly humanoid. A shadowy entity with appendages for feet and jagged teeth instead of a face. The all-too-familiar Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, level 271. My heart raced. If this was still Gaelith¡¯s Darkness, then where was Gaelith? Wasn¡¯t the message triggered because they had fused just like how it happened the first time all those runs ago? Then, suddenly, the creature flickered. Something inside it was pushing outward. A hand ¨C Gaelith¡¯s. He was inside. Struggling. Resisting. His voice rang out, strained but full of resolve. ¡°I will hold him back¡­I will fight him from within¡­for as long as I can¡­but you¡­¡± His eyes from within the shadow met mine. ¡°You must not hesitate! Kill the Destroyer even if it means killing me!¡± The timer made sense now. The remaining nine minutes were the time Gaelith would be able to resist the fusion. Once they¡¯re gone, both Gaeliths will turn into Erebus'' perfect vessel, and my world will be devoured. I gritted my teeth. No way I¡¯m letting my world fall. But I didn''t want to let him die. Not him as well. The moment I moved, Erebus exploded forward, a tendril lashing out to skewer me. I activated Goren¡¯s Mist Form, turning to mist as the appendage passed through, breaking the wall behind me. But I already reappeared behind Erebus, swinging Silverfang at his back. A tendril whipped back, blocking my glaive like it was a shield, then followed up with another skewer. I dodged backward, gaining distance before using Horizon, unleashing a devastating wave of wind. The attack connected with his appendages and the impact shattered the ground beneath us. Erebus staggered, his form flickering again, but then he lunged at me, using all his appendages for rapid strikes. It was nothing like the Right Hand from before. My high Agility only allowed me to follow his hyper-quick attacks and just barely dodge as Erebus kept ramping up the tempo. I had to change the course of the fight. Using Goren''s Perfect Shadow, I created ten copies of myself and sent them to attack Erebus all at once. The best thing about this skill was that the copies acted on their own - I didn''t need to control each one or decide their every move. I only needed to keep them all within my line of sight. They attacked in coordination, but Erebus was too fast, and he had too many appendages. He blocked, countered, and attacked all at the same time. Each hit sent one of my copies to its grave. Still, they played their part. They grabbed his attention and gave me the opening to channel Enhanced Blur Strike. I unleashed the attack just as my last copy fell. But while I usually felt like everything around me moved in slow-motion during this skill, Erebus kept up - matching my speed and blocking each and every one of my thousand strikes. Not a single one landed. I swapped to Dawn and Twilight and decided to meet the onslaught with a flurry of counterattacks. Steel met Darkness. Every attack I dodged left an explosion behind. Every counter I landed sent a shockwave through the chamber. I waited for an opening and when I saw it, I used Mist Form, allowing Erebus to land an attack against my mist dummy, before reappearing at the other end of the chamber and driving Convergence into the ground. A pillar of magic erupted upward, engulfing Erebus in an explosion and tearing through the roof. But he regenerated immediately, returning all of his lost HP back. Suddenly, he shrieked so loudly, the entire ceiling began crumbling, debris raining down on us. I switched to Nightfall and activated Moon Barrier to block the falling rocks, while Erebus just pulled through the destruction, his appendages slicing through everything as he remained focused on me. He extended his multiple arms, grabbing chunks of collapsing ceiling and hurling them at me, breaking through the barrier. But I stayed one step ahead, blocking them with Wind Wall. Then, introducing a new move, Erebus shifted all of his appendages forward, pooling them together into a massive vortex of shadow. A second later, a surge of Darkness erupted from its core, tearing through the chamber, aiming at me. I evaded, one Enhanced Dash Step after the other, but Erebus didn¡¯t stop. He kept moving the surge, trying to catch me, sweeping the destruction while it carved through the walls and floor of the entire chamber. The walls shattered, the already collapsing ceiling was now completely breaking apart. I couldn¡¯t keep this for long. If Erebus was too busy focusing his appendages to fire this thing, then his back should be wide open. This was my chance. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. I jumped and used Switch, switching places with Erebus, reappearing directly behind him, Convergence in hand as I poised the sword into his back, hoping it won¡¯t kill Gaelith. But the instant I materialized, Erebus turned around in an instant, his form shifting, as the surge of Darkness was now firing at me. There was no time to dodge, especially not when I was airborne. But my perception and senses were heightened enough for me to use Mist Form again. My body dissolved, turning into black mist as the surge hit me. I reappeared at the opposite side of the chamber, panting. But now¡­the surge was aimed upward, where I had been during my jump, and the ceiling ripped apart. The entire tomb quaked and everything was falling apart. I was suddenly not fighting only against Erebus, but also against being buried alive. But Erebus didn¡¯t care about the tomb¡¯s destruction. He reappeared next to me in a blur, his appendage lancing forward faster than I could fully register, capitalizing on my momentary loss of concentration. I twisted just in time ¨C instead of impaling me through the heart, the spear-like shadow drove through my shoulder, tearing flesh and punching out through my back. I screamed in pain as in an instant 50% of my HP was gone. An entire health bar if I didn¡¯t have Goren¡¯s now too. A wild idea crossed my mind. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain, activating Flight ¨C and then Wind Rush. A burst of wind shot me upward as I dragged Erebus with me. I didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t let him pull away his appendage. I forced him up with me, still skewered through the shoulder, but now he was the one taking the damage as I smashed his back into the falling ceiling before he could strike me with and additional appendage. Then another. Then another. I ripped through every floor of the collapsing tomb, smashing Erebus into the stone over and over, breaking through every level, dragging him with me. Through the main antechamber¡¯s ceiling. And finally ¨C into the open sky. Behind us, the entire tomb collapsed inward, imploding into the earth, raising a huge dust screen. I could only hope the rest of the adventurers managed to escape in time. I shoved Erebus away from me, un-skewering myself from his spear-like appendage. Blood sprayed through the air, but it didn¡¯t matter as long as he fell to his demise. Surely, a fall form such height would kill him. For about half a second, it looked like I was right. Erebus plummeted downward, but then his appendages shifted ¨C merging, expanding, spreading wide ¨C and suddenly a pair of massive, black wings erupted from his back ¨C wings made of writhing shadows. Two appendages remained free, and one lashed at me immediately. I dodged with Wind Rush, but my System followed up with a worrying message. [Status Ailment: Bleeding - Health drain at 1% per 5 seconds] Fuuuuck! Not again¡­ Then, I turned to the timer. [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System Alert] [Darkness Ascension Imminent] [Countdown to the End of the World: 00:04:06] [System will collapse after this event] Four minutes or it¡¯s all over. Still, I managed to drop him to half his HP. He looked like he was about to regenerate again, but I was having none of it. I swapped to Dawn and Twilight. Wind Rush surged through me, and in an instant, I struck Erebus from all directions. Left. Right. A blur of motion. But Erebus didn¡¯t even flinch. His wings weren¡¯t just for flying. Whenever I got close to him, they closed on his form and protected him like a shield. Impact after impact sent shockwaves rippling through the sky, and burning pieces of shadows crashing to the ground. The air itself shook. And below us ¨C the world trembled. I caught a glimpse of Moonvale ¨C the small village which was once inhabited by the Axul, but was now just a regular village. The houses there shuddered, collapsing under the relentless tremors caused by our aerial battle, and the falling pieces of burning shadows that exploded like falling stars. Damn it! But I couldn¡¯t focus on the villagers. Not now when humanity¡¯s greatest threat was still in front of me. A risky thought crossed my mind, but that was my best bet considering how perfectly he kept defending my attacks and wasting the remaining of the time I had left. Before, I hoped he would crash down when I shoved him away. Now? I¡¯m going to help him get there. I shot straight up, twisting through the air as Wind Rush propelled me, placing myself above Erebus. I pulled back my arm, summoning a Charged Wind Arrow. The arrow condensed instantly, and I shot it downward. Erebus raised his wings, blocking the attack. The impact sent another shockwave rippling through the sky, rattling the world below. But I wasn¡¯t done. Another arrow. Then another. And another. I let them fly in rapid succession, the cooldown practically non-existent at my current level. On after the other, striking, hammering, forcing him into defence. That was the whole point. Keep him on the reacting side of things. Then, when I felt the moment was right, I swapped to Astral Spear and hurled it downward at him with Shooting Star. It hit and the explosion sent Erebus reeling downward despite his wings defending him. He lost altitude. Good, Aidan. Keep going. Again. I recalled the spear and hurled it down once more, forcing him even lower. I repeated it, again, and again ¨C my speed unrelenting, my assault merciless. I wasn¡¯t about to give him even a moment to regain his footing. And then, I gripped the spear and dove. I rushed down toward him, spear-first. Our collision erupted with force. The shockwave shattered the skies themselves, sending birds in the vicinity plummeting, the ground below cracking under the sheer pressure. I pressed down harder, pushing against his wings shield. Erebus resisted, but I could feel it ¨C he was losing more and more altitude, and his appendages weren''t attacking - likely thanks to Gaelith. Cracks spread along his wings, and I pushed even harder, against his power, until finally ¨C his wings shattered. I continued the dive with my spear, straight into his chest. We plummeted. A falling star, a meteor strike. Hurtling toward the ground. Erebus kept resisting, and an appendage speared through my gut, dropping my HP down to 5% and shifting our trajectory a little. I clenched my teeth, choking down the pain. I couldn¡¯t use Wind Fortification. Not until the last second, or I¡¯d die on impact. But I had a different defence against this. Right on cue, Revitalization activated ¨C an advanced Durability skill that restored 70% of HP instantly upon reaching 5% HP. I only got it thanks to Goren''s stats. The ground rushed to meet us. Moonvale was there¡­fuck. BOOM! Erebus crashed first, still impaled but my Astral Spear, his body slammed into the ground with devastating force. At the very last second, I activated Wind Fortification. The explosion of wind saved me from fatal damage, and expanded outward, practically sandwiching Erebus between the unforgiving ground and an explosive burst of compressed air. The result? A crater. And not just any crater ¨C a massive one, the ground splitting apart for miles in every direction. Shockwaves surged outward destroying each and every house in the village, tearing nearby trees from their roots. The world shook, and I could hear the screams of innocent people. My stomach twisted. Before I could process anymore, I was knocked back by Erebus exploding outwards. I slammed into the ground, rolling violently across the broken terrain. Pain flared through my body, but I forced myself up, my head pounding, my ears ringing. There were around twenty seconds left until the end of the world. In the distance I saw him. He had less than 5% HP, but he was regenerating. I just needed to hit him once. Seeing all the destruction we had caused. The countless lives this battle took. I knew I had to end this. I could do nothing but apologize to Gaelith in my mind. I charged forward, Astral Spear in hand, activating Speed of Light. Massive tendrils erupted from the ground, lashing out with terrifying speed. Even with my current enhanced velocity, I barely dodged them. Then, one of them slammed into my arm as I attempted to sidestep, knocking Astral Spear from my grip. But I kept moving, summoning Convergence mid-run. Another tendril struck. The sword went flying. I switched to Dawn and Twilight, but the tendrils coiled around me, squeezing hard. I slashed through them, severing the binding ¨C but lost the daggers in the process. Still running. I snatched Lightning Claw, activating Stormpierce for a guaranteed hit ¨C only for another tendril to come out of nowhere and slam into my side, cancelling the channel, and knocking the dagger away. My vision blurred, my body still bleeding, but I pressed on. Just a few more steps. Just one more hit ¨C that¡¯s all I needed. I summoned Silverfang, cutting through the tendrils in my path, closing in. But another one wrapped around my wrist, yanking me backward. I twisted, cutting through it with the glaive ¨C losing Silverfang as it was wrenched from my grip. I didn¡¯t stop. Inches away from Erebus, ten seconds on the timer ¨C there was only one weapon left. The one that never left me. Nightfall. I summoned the trusty sword, my heartbeat pounding as I swung it at Erebus, activating its unique skill. But a surprise tendril intercepted the attack. While another one pierced my gut, dropping my HP to less than 10%. My sword stopped just short of Erebus¡¯ head. A breath away. Erebus shrieked, the sound almost celebratory. He thought he won. Oh, how wrong he was¡­ I smiled. ¡°Maybe this will teach you to respect humanity more.¡± Nightfall¡¯s unique skill ¨C Time-Delay Swing ¨C activated. The strike repeated itself instantly, his protective tendril not ready for it. The sword sliced through it and stuck in his head. His HP hit 0%. A monstrous explosion of darkness erupted as Erebus shrieked in pain, blasting me away and crashing against the ground. I won.....But at what cost? *** I woke up on the ruined ground, a male healer tending to my wounds. I recognized him - the same healer who had died to the wolves¡¯ attack at the start of the raid. The one who had called for help. At least, I managed to save him. A circle of adventurers had gathered around us. Some still stared at me in shock, others with fear, and a few with what looked like admiration. ¡°Lady Mikaela!¡± The healer called out. ¡°He¡¯s waking up!¡± The crowd parted as Lady Mikaela pushed through, her voice commanding. ¡°Let me through!¡± Our eyes met, and compared to earlier, I saw neither suspicion or fear ¨C only curiosity and respect. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± She asked, looking worried. ¡°I have many questions about what happened, and¡­well, about you. But if you need time to recover, I won¡¯t press you.¡± I ignored her. ¡°Yana¡­¡± I murmured, barely able to form the word. I just wanted to see her. Lady Mikaela¡¯s face darkened. A cold pit formed in my stomach at her reaction. ¡°Where is she?¡± Lady Mikaela inhaled deeply, her expression breaking, a tear rushing down her cheek. ¡°She rushed here right after you. She helped evacuate and save many Moonvale villagers, but¡­¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°She didn¡¯t make it, Aidan. I¡¯m so, so sorry.¡± Chapter 89: The True Ending (I) Chapter 89: The True Ending (I) I walked in silence, disbelief weighing me down as Lady Mikaela led me toward the fallen. Around us, evacuations were still in progress. Adventurers searched through the wreckage, trying to find survivors ¨C wreckage that I had caused. My mind reeled. I couldn¡¯t believe her. I wouldn¡¯t. No. I did all of this for Yana. She can¡¯t be gone¡­can she? We passed the bodies of familiar faces ¨C Jax, Henry, Waylan, Fiona ¨C Luke still clutching her body, sobbing. Stephan Lorren lay among them too. A body unfamiliar to everyone but me was there as well. Gaelith Alloraine. Then, at the end of the row¡­Yana. My knees buckled, and I collapsed, unable to even walk the final steps to her. It was her. There was no denying it. It felt like my heart exploded. A cry tore from my throat. Tears streamed from my eyes. I crawled to her like a wounded animal, sobbing, choking on every breath. When I finally reached her, I buried my face into her stomach and wept. I told her to stay back. I had hoped she would. But I should have known better. She wouldn¡¯t have just sat idly by. She followed me. She saved people. And she paid with her life. I pushed her away through every loop, convinced it was the only way to save her. But I failed. All I wanted was for us to be together. I would have suffered as much as I needed to ¨C as long as at the end of it all she was there. Safe. I saved the world. But at what cost? ¡°She managed to save three whole families.¡± Lady Mikaela murmured, her own voice breaking. ¡°Before she was ¨C ¡° She stopped. And as I cried, I realized it wasn¡¯t just her that had gone silent. Everything had. I lifted my head and saw Chronos ¨C whole again, looking as strong as he had been when we first met. The blight was gone. Behind him Pix and Balthor followed, their faces grim. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aidan.¡± Chronos whispered. ¡°Shut up!¡± I snapped through my sobs. ¡°You told me to stay away from her, and look how that turned out!¡± ¡°I know¡­and I¡¯m sorry.¡± He placed a hand on my shoulder. I knocked it away. An idea struck my mind. One that I knew he would refuse ¨C but I had to try. ¡°Bring her back.¡± My voice trembled, but my resolve didn¡¯t. ¡°You can reverse time. Bring her back!¡± Pix and Balthor exchanged heavy glances, while Chronos shook his head. ¡°Aidan¡­undoing her death would undo your victory.¡± He said, his voice filled with sorrow. ¡°You already know I can¡¯t do that. Erebus won¡¯t lose a second time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± I roared. ¡°I just want her back! I lost everything! Who cares about saving the world when I just lost mine?!¡± Silence. I finally felt what Dolos had felt when Arabella died. Chronos knelt beside me. And then ¨C he broke. Tears fell freely from his eyes as he clenched his fists. ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to end like this.¡± He sobbed. ¡°Not again.¡± Pix and Balthor stared in shock. Chronos punched the ground. ¡°Aidan, I¡¯m sorry! If there was a way to bring her back without risking the entire world, I¡¯d do it in a heartbeat ¨C but I can¡¯t! I can¡¯t think of one!¡± I was taken aback by his grief ¨C but I refused to let it sway me. There had to be another way. ¡°I still have one run left!¡± I said. ¡°Let me have it. I know I can do this.¡± Chronos looked at me warily. ¡°Aidan ¨C ¡° ¡°No, listen to me!¡± I cut him off, desperation gripping me, but something else too. A plan was forming in my mind ¨C slowly, but surely. ¡°I can¡¯t defeat him in a fight again. I know.¡± I admitted, looking around at the devastation. The countless bodies. The destruction. ¡°But what if I can win without fighting?¡± Balthor straightened. ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Dar?¡± The pieces clicked. The Prison. It might still be salvageable. And Erebus...I think I can stop him. I had a plan. ¡°Aidan, it¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Chronos said, shaking his head. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand!¡± I leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m not just saying this ¨C I know what to do. I have a plan.¡± Chronos sighed, his expression pained. ¡°I trust you. I know you might actually pull it off, but¡­the rules won¡¯t allow it, either way. Once Erebus is defeated, I cannot restart another loop." "Unless humanity¡¯s representative believes he was unfairly thwarted by the gods along the way.¡± Balthor added. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Of course, I was thwarted by the gods!¡± I snapped. ¡°Dolos screwed with us at every turn!¡± Chronos sighed. ¡°I know. But as you heard it from the bastard yourself ¨C he exploited loopholes. That won¡¯t be enough for Themis to allow this.¡± I gritted my teeth. My mind reeled. Then ¨C it hit me. ¡°You owe me a run.¡± Chronos lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Pix¡¯s mistake.¡± I said, my voice firm. ¡°I didn¡¯t get the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System until after my second death. I wasted an entire run without access to the D¨¦j¨¤ vu System because of your administrative error. Like hell, humanity¡¯s representative feels he was thwarted by the gods ¨C I was thwarted by Chronos himself! That''s why Goren had a head start on me with all those extra runs!¡± Chronos, Pix, and Balthor exchanged glances. For a long moment, no one spoke. "That''s right!" Pix suddenly exclaimed, her eyes filled with hope as she glanced at Chronos. "I ruined an entire run for him!" Then, slowly, Chronos smiled. ¡°That¡­might actually work.¡± He turned to me. "Are you sure about this plan of yours?" I nodded. "Yes." He then turned his gaze to the side, as if addressing someone unseen. ¡°And what does my new assistant think?¡± A familiar voice rang through the air - one I never thought I''d hear again. ¡°I think Spellsword deserves every bit of our help!¡± My head snapped toward the voice. There he was. Grinning. ¡°Hello, hello, Spellsword.¡± Goren said. ¡°Goren¡­but how?¡± He smirked. ¡°The reports of my death were greatly exaggerated.¡± He gestured toward Chronos. ¡°A second before disappearing, your god over there offered me a job. And well¡­¡± He grinned at me. ¡°Here I am.¡± I was glad he wasn¡¯t gone for good, but my heart still ached. So many emotions collided at once, I couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Spellsword.¡± Goren continued, waving off my shock. ¡°Your girlfriend ¨C she¡¯s the priority. No way the hero of humanity ends up broken and alone. Not on my watch!¡± Chronos chuckled. ¡°Your first advice on the job, assistant Goren?¡± Goren inhaled deeply, then grinned. ¡°We abuse the shit out of this loophole!¡± He turned to me, gripping my shoulders and lifting me to my feet. ¡°Spellsword, you know what to do, right? You¡¯ve figured it out? I can tell you did.¡± I took a deep breath, my resolve clear. ¡°I know what to do.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He patted my shoulder, turning to Chronos. ¡°Send him back, boss. He still has a world ¨C and a girl ¨C to save.¡± Chronos approached me, placing a hand on my forehead. ¡°I know you can do this.¡± I nodded, reassured by his trust. And then, I died. [Health: 0% - You Have Died] *** [D¨¦j¨¤ vu System: Level 54 - MAX] [Loop Count: 66 ¨C FINAL RUN] The moment I woke up, I jumped out of bed and threw on my gear. I likely won¡¯t have to use it, but it won¡¯t hurt to have it. All of my weapons were lost during the fight expect Nightfall, Golden Bow, and Oblivion Orb. But again, I likely won''t have to use any of them. Once I was ready, I darted outside the house. As soon as I stepped out, I saw her. Yana. Just like in the previous run, she was stunned, her eyes widening as she took in my new level. But I didn¡¯t care. I wrapped my arms around her, lifting her off her feet, pulling her close ¨C breathing her in. She was alive. And that was all that mattered. ¡°Aidan, wha-what - ?¡± She stammered, her hands gripping my shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s no time right now.¡± I said, holding her hand tightly. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll explain everything once this is over, but for now, please ¨C trust me.¡± She searched my face warily, but after a moment, she nodded slowly. ¡°O-okay¡­¡± I hugged her again, tighter, longer. I¡¯m not going to make the same mistake again. This time I won¡¯t let her leave my sight for a moment. ¡°I need your help.¡± She pulled back slightly, her eyes narrowing. ¡°My help?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°I need to find Aric Kelltins. I know he quit your guild this morning ¨C where is he now?¡± Her eyes widened further. ¡°Kelltins? How do you know he quit?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later.¡± I promised. ¡°Please, come with me. Let¡¯s find him together.¡± She hesitated, her lips parting as if to ask more questions. But whether it was my resolve or her feelings that won her over, she finally nodded. ¡°He said he was heading back to the capital. But he didn¡¯t take a horse ¨C we can still catch him in a few hours. If we hurry.¡± I grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Before she could react, I scooped her into my arms. ¡°Aidan?!¡± she yelped, flustered. I smiled, savoring her cute reaction. ¡°Hold tight.¡± Then, with Flight and Wind Rush, we soared into the sky. *** Carrying Yana didn''t leave me encumbered. It seemed that in addition to all the levels and skills, I also gained Goren''s inventory''s capacity, allowing me to carry more weight than ever before without getting encumbered. Unlike the previous run, the End of the World message hadn''t displayed yet, making me more certain about my plan. We flew through the morning sky. Yana hugging me tightly, as we scanned the road below. There he was ¨C Aric Kelltins. Erebus'' aura around him made him hard to miss. It only took us twenty minutes to reach him. Just as Yana had said, he was walking east, toward the capital. I landed us carefully a few steps away, but before I could even call out to him, he turned around. At first, his stance was guarded, combative. But the moment he saw me and Yana, his expression turned calm. Then, without a word, he turned back around and kept walking. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here, Aidan, but leave me be.¡± His voice was distant. ¡°You have a world to save, and a damn high level to do this, so go do it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here!¡± I called after him. He didn¡¯t stop. ¡°This is the last run, Aric.¡± That made him freeze. But he still didn¡¯t turn. ¡°This is it, then, huh?¡± he whispered. ¡°I guess if you¡¯re here¡­then that means you failed.¡± ¡°No.¡± I tightened my grip on Yana¡¯s hand. ¡°I won. Goren and I won, but ¨C ¡° ¡°Goren?¡± Kelltins cut in, his voice puzzled. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± My heart twisted. No one remembered him. No one but me. But at least I knew he wasn¡¯t really gone. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I pressed forward. ¡°I won, but the cost was too great. Too many people died. I had to redo it.¡± Kelltins finally turned, looking like he was about to kill me. ¡°Let me get this straight. You won ¨C you defeated that abomination, but because the result wasn¡¯t to your liking, you decided to try again ¨C fully knowing this will be your last shot?¡± I nodded. My resolve didn¡¯t waver. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone as reckless and foolish as you was chosen as humanity¡¯s protector.¡± I wanted to retort so badly. To lash out. To call him a coward for abandoning the fight. Maybe if he had helped, Goren wouldn¡¯t have died. But that wasn¡¯t the right approach with him. ¡°There is a better way to end this.¡± I said instead. ¡°And I need you for it. I can save the world ¨C we can save the world. Together.¡± He sighed deeply, then turned away. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. Good luck.¡± Before I could say anything, Yana stepped forward. ¡°Aric.¡± She called after him. ¡°I have no idea what this is about, but¡­you¡¯ve never been one to turn his back on others. This isn¡¯t like you.¡± He scoffed. ¡°And what do you even know about me, Yana?¡± He turned to us sharply. "Everything you and our guildmates know about me is a lie. A fake character my father and I created so I could live among you all, awaiting my moment. Aric Kelltins was never real.¡± I watched, amazed, as Yana pressed on. ¡°Well, maybe that¡¯s true.¡± She nodded. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen you in action. I¡¯ve seen you on quests. You always helped people. Was that part of the act, too? I¡¯d bet my life that was the real you.¡± Kelltins dropped his gaze at her words. He said nothing. Now was my chance. ¡°You¡¯re conflicted.¡± I stepped in. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what¡¯s it like, having your supposed destiny hammered into your head from childhood. You feel like choosing to help me ¨C help humanity ¨C would be a betrayal of the other side of you ¨C the Axul side.¡± Yana¡¯s eyes widened, but she stayed quiet. ¡°But there was never a choice between two sides, Aric.¡± I continued. ¡°The Axul are human too. It doesn¡¯t matter how it started ¨C what matters is that we were all misled by those more powerful than us. But we all bleed the same blood. Always had.¡± I caught his gaze and pressed on. ¡°I know you feel this way too. Please. Help me.¡± I extended my hand. For a moment, he didn¡¯t move. ¡°What about Gaelith?¡± He finally asked, curious about who he believed was his last known family member. But I wasn''t about to tell him the truth. Not yet. I nodded, keeping my hand extended. ¡°He¡¯s part of the plan too. I¡¯m sure you two have a lot to discuss.¡± His jaw tightened. ¡°We do¡­¡± Another long silence followed. Eventually, he exhaled slowly. Then stepped forward. He shook my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of wild plan you have to involve me of all people,¡± he muttered, ¡°but¡­let¡¯s do this.¡± Chapter 90: The True Ending (II) Chapter 90: The True Ending (II) Carrying both Kelltins and Yana while flying to the tomb was impossible. More than one person left me encumbered, especially since the second body ¨C Kelltins ¨C was a really buff guy. Luckily, he assured us he had another way of reaching the tomb quickly and that he¡¯d meet us there. At first, I worried he was just trying to shake us off, but I chose to trust him. And I was right to. When Yana and I neared the tomb, Kelltins was already there, waiting for us at a safe distance. Meanwhile, the End of the World message still hadn¡¯t displayed, only further confirming my earlier suspicions. Gaelith was likely waiting for me on the sixth level. ¡°What¡¯s the next part of your plan?¡± Kelltins asked. I exhaled. ¡°Now, we need to convince Lady Mikaela and Lorren to let us in. And only us.¡± Kelltins rolled his eyes, looking frustrated. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Yana asked calmly. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure if Aric and I ask her to trust us, she¡¯ll understand.¡± Kelltins shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s true. But it¡¯s Stephan Lorren I¡¯m worried about. The man been planning for this quest to be his ticket into the King¡¯s Advisors.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I said. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen so far, Lady Mikaela can put him in his place ¨C especially with two of her favorite guild members backing her.¡± Then, I pointed above my head, toward my status. ¡°Worst case, this should be enough to scare him off.¡± *** We made our way to the entrance, where adventurers were gathered in groups. As we approached, their conversation became clearer ¨C they were all frustrated because the quest was suffering from a delay due to two ditchers. But the moment they noticed us ¨C and especially me ¨C the subject of conversation changed drastically. Lady Mikaela noticed us as well and called to Fiona. ¡°Fiona, cancel the substitutions! They¡¯re here!¡± All around, adventurers gawked, whispered, and stared at my level. We ignored them and pushed forward toward the guild masters, who reacted much like last time. Before any of them could speak, Kelltins stepped forward. His calm, steady presence silenced the murmurs. ¡°Lady Mikaela,¡± he began. ¡°I know I quit the guild this morning, and I know I disappointed you with my decision. It was the wrong one ¨C and I know it. But I made it because of this tomb. Because I was running away from it.¡± He gestured to the entrance. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I can¡¯t explain to you right now, but please ¨C allow the three of us to enter alone. I swear, we¡¯ll explain everything once it¡¯s over.¡± Lady Mikaela¡¯s expression became a mix of shock, confusion, concern, and everything in between. ¡°What do you mean ¡®alone¡¯, Aric?¡± She asked, wary. ¡°I¡¯m responsible for your lives. I can¡¯t put you at risk.¡± ¡°Please, Lady Mikaela.¡± Yana joined in. ¡°This is important. Everything will be okay. Please, believe in us.¡± Lady Mikaela hesitated. She looked like she was about to protest again when Kelltins suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me forward gently. ¡°Lady Mikaela,¡± he said, ¡°this is Aidan Dar. A Champion chosen by the gods ¨C his level is proof of that. With him, there is no danger to us.¡± Then, to my absolute disbelief, Kelltins lowered himself to one knee, head bowed. ¡°Please¡­allow us to do this. Allow me to do this. I beg of you.¡± A heavy silence fell over the gathered adventurers as Lady Mikaela stared at him, visibly uncomfortable, before dropping to her knee as well. ¡°Oh, Aric, there¡¯s no need to beg.¡± Stephan Lorren ¨C who had remained silent until now, seething ¨C finally snapped. ¡°Mikaela, you can¡¯t seriously be considering this! Either way, I place a veto on this decision. The quest must proceed as planned.¡± Kelltins didn¡¯t even turn to look at him. ¡°Your political aspirations mean nothing to us, mage.¡± He rose to his feet together with Lady Mikaela. ¡°This is bigger than that. This is more important than anything.¡± Lady Mikaela sighed deeply, then looked at me. She studied me for a long, long moment. Finally, she exhaled sharply and nodded. ¡°Lorren, open the tomb for them.¡± Lorren boiled over. ¡°You don¡¯t command me!¡± He snapped, voice shaking. ¡°We¡¯re equals!¡± I was done wasting time. ¡°Do as she said!¡± I activated Fearsome Aura. Lorren collapsed to ground, landing on his rear, shaking, his eyes wide with fear. He nodded frantically, then signaled for his mages to begin unsealing the entrance. Yana''s eyes widened in shock and I gave her a reassuring smile, signalling that it was still me. As the mages worked, I turned to her and Kelltins. ¡°Aric, when the doors open, a swarm of monsters will attack us.¡± I warned. ¡°You need to control them. Just like before.¡± Kelltins frowned. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Hundreds.¡± I replied, but then I recalled that Erebus is always adapting. ¡°Hell, maybe even thousands at this point.¡± He let out a sharp breath. ¡°You should¡¯ve warned me earlier. I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± ¡°You can.¡± I tried to reassure him. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you as a child. You escaped the tomb by commanding a horde of monsters to carry you to the entrance. That was even before you knew how strong you were. Right now? You¡¯re even stronger.¡± Kelltins raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised I knew that. Then, he chuckled. ¡°Well¡­it¡¯s too late to back out now anyway.¡± Right on cue, the stone doors groaned open, and we stepped inside. ¡°Stay back everyone and don¡¯t try to enter until we return!¡± I commanded, activating Fearsome Aura again. It was better they feared me and stayed away just to be safe, then dying if things went wrong. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Inside, an army of monsters unlike anything I had ever seen awaited us. The Right and Left Hand of Darkness weren¡¯t there. It seemed I had killed them for good in the previous run. But everything else? They were ready to tear us apart. ¡°What the hell?¡± Yana whispered, raising her sword. ¡°Kelltins will deal with it.¡± I said as I grabbed her hand gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re together.¡± Kelltins took a step forward, then raised his hands and began weaving his Axul ¨C no, Dolos¡¯ ¨C magic. The monsters twitched and their eyes glowed red. Their snarls silenced. Their aggression disappeared. Then ¨C all together ¨C they bowed to Kelltins. He exhaled deeply as Yana stared at him in disbelief. Then, she clapped him on the back. ¡°That was insane!¡± He gave a small nod, then turned to me. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Now, we go get Gaelith. He¡¯s on the sixth level. You remember where, right?¡± ¡°Gaelith?¡± Yana echoed. ¡°Are we fighting him?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Oh, no. Gaelith is one of the kindest, most honorable people you¡¯ll ever meet, Yan.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time, then.¡± Kelltins said and suddenly whistled sharply, using two of his fingers. The tomb trembled for a few seconds before a massive scorpion burst through the stone wall beside us, dust and rubble cascading down its armored shell. It was no other than Stinger. "Hello again, my friend." Kelltins whispered, rubbing his hand on the scorpion''s head. Yana tensed immediately, stepping back and gripping the hilt of her sword. I could feel her tension, so I wrapped my arms around her from behind, pressing my cheek against her hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Yana. He¡¯s on our side too.¡± She was flustered, her glance jumping between me and the scorpion, as if trying to decide which one of us made her less nervous. She stopped at me. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll shut up from this point on, but you better tell me the whole damn story once this is over!¡± I laughed at her reaction. ¡°Of course.¡± Kelltins, already climbing onto Stinger¡¯s back, rolled his eyes. ¡°Alright, lovebirds, enough of that. Hop on.¡± I took Yana¡¯s hand and helped her up. Not like she needed my help, but it felt like the right thing to do, and she didn¡¯t refuse. I pushed the stone doors close behind us, and then, pulled myself to Stinger¡¯s back. Kelltins gave him a single command, and the scorpion carried us deeper into the tomb. *** The ride of Stinger¡¯s back was brief but rough. He tore through walls and floors with his claws like they were butter, while Kelltins kept us protected under a barrier. Any monsters that came our way quickly fell under Kelltins¡¯ control, obediently stepping aside. ¡°Is it hard to do this?¡± Yana asked, her voice filled with curiosity. ¡°Is there a limit?¡± Kelltins chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could control a thousand at once, but here we are. If there is a limit, I haven¡¯t found it yet.¡± Within minutes, we arrived at the lever-riddle chamber. I could already feel Gaelith¡¯s presence from the hidden room behind the wall. Without wasting time, and under my command, we adjusted the levers in the correct sequence, opening the secret entrance. The moment Gaelith saw me, he shot up to his feet, his eyes flickering between me, Yana, and Kelltins, looking confused. ¡°Aidan¡­¡± He exhaled, his voice uneven. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡­I remember the battle. I remember you killing him ¨C killing me ¨C but then I woke up here. I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± I nodded grimly. ¡°I did defeat him, but the cost was too high. Too many people had died, and I couldn¡¯t accept that. I had to redo it.¡± I locked my gaze with his, my thoughts drifting toward Dolos. Did Gaelith know who his father was now? That he was in fact a demigod? Or was he out cold for all of it? Gaelith must have understood my silence because he clenched his fists and admitted. ¡°I heard everything.¡± His voice was low. ¡°A demigod¡­¡± He stared at his hands in disappointment. ¡°A son of¡­that thing. I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡± This time, Kelltins joined Yana¡¯s reaction ¨C both bewildered. ¡°Listen,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re not responsible for who your father is. And you¡¯re certainly not him. You¡¯re one of humanity¡¯s greatest. You were betrayed, but you still chose to stand and protect those who abandoned you. That¡¯s who you are. Blood doesn¡¯t change that.¡± Gaelith swallowed hard, his expression softening. Then, finally, he smiled weakly. ¡°Thank you, Aidan. Thank you for believing in me." I turned to Yana, taking her hand in mine. ¡°Yana, meet Gaelith Alloraine ¨C a friend of mine.¡± Gaelith chuckled as he extended his hand. ¡°So, you¡¯re the Yana. The pleasure is mine.¡± Yana¡¯s reaction was something to savor as she frantically glanced between me and him before shaking the knight¡¯s hand. His words caught me off guard. ¡°Wait¡­when did I even tell you about her?¡± Then, it hit me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you read my mind on other occasions too?!¡± Gaelith laughed my reaction off, turning toward Kelltins. "I believe you already know Aric Kelltins.¡± I said. Kelltins lifted a hand in a half-hearted wave. Gaelith stepped forward, his expression warm. ¡°I¡¯m glad you found you way back.¡± Kelltins let out a tired chuckle. ¡°Wasn¡¯t exactly hard to find my way here ¨C ¡° ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Gaelith cut in, his tone gentle but firm. ¡°I spent a thousand years trapped in this tomb. I had time to learn, to reflect, and I realized how wrong I was about the Axul. They weren¡¯t all like Lysandra and Spurius. They were just ordinary people ¨C led astray by someone way powerful. But I let my hatred blind me. I let those two''s sins define an entire people. I should¡¯ve come here sooner. Liberated the Axul from Lysandra¡¯s control.¡± He sighed. ¡°But similar to my reflection, I hope you can see that you being an Axul doesn¡¯t make you any less human.¡± Kelltins exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. ¡°I know. You and Aidan are on the same wavelength, really¡­¡± He glanced away for a moment before shaking his head. "My father told me I was an Axul. That I had to come here and complete our people''s mission. But my mother...she told me I was a human. She taught me to show kindness and love to everyone. In the end, I didn''t know what to do or who I was...It was only after Erebus touched me that I understood that nothing the Axul had dreamed about could''ve been in any living being''s interests." "That''s right." Gaelith nodded. "But what''s important is that in the end you chose for yourself. You may be Noctyra, but you are also Aric Kelltins. Don''t forget that." Kelltins nodded slowly. If he had doubts before, they were gone. ¡°Well, I guess if you¡¯re a¡­demigod¡­I¡¯m the last Axul once again.¡± He eventually said. ¡°Except you¡¯re not the last.¡± I interrupted. Everyone turned to me, their expressions frozen in shock. *** ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me there was another living Axul here all this time?¡± Gaelith asked as we rode deeper into the lower levels on Stinger¡¯s back. I used Enhanced Distance Gauge on each floor, scanning for our target¡¯s presence. ¡°Are you sure? How is she even still alive?¡± Kelltins chimed in, sounding skeptical. I shrugged, genuinely having no idea. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not Undead.¡± Shaking my head, I continued. ¡°For the longest time, I thought she was a priestess Lysandra had turned to an Undead, just like she did to the others, but then I realized something ¨C the other priestesses we encountered here were just summons. Constructs. I never actually met a real Axul priestess - Undead or alive - in this tomb¡­except for Diona.¡± I exhaled sharply. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she is or if she even counts as alive anymore. But I¡¯m not leaving her behind.¡± Gaelith nodded, his expression firm. ¡°We won¡¯t leave anyone behind.¡± Not long after, we found her. Exactly where I had first seen her. Diona was still there, on her knees, carving symbols on the stone floor using a small knife. ¡°Write. Write. Must Write.¡± Yana¡¯s brows furrowed as she took a step closer, visibly worried for her. ¡°What the hell happened to her?¡± Gaelith crouched beside Diona, watching her carefully. ¡°Hello. Noctyra.¡± She said but continued her mindless carving, not lifting her head. After a moment, Gaelith spoke. ¡°You''re right. She¡¯s not Undead. I think she¡¯s cursed.¡± ¡°Cursed?¡± Kelltins knelt down beside them, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Can you help her?¡± Gaelith hesitated, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Seemingly tapping into his full potential as a demigod, Gaelith¡¯s aura filled the entire room with otherworldly light and warmth. He placed a glowing hand on Diona¡¯s forehead. The moment his palm touched her skin, Diona froze. Her muttering stopped mid-sentence. A soft radiance spread from his hand, washing over her in waves of golden light. Her milky-white eyes gradually faded back to a shiny green, life returning to them as the glow dimmed. For the first time, Diona truly saw us. And the moment she did, sheer terror took over her. She scrambled backward, pressing herself to the nearest corner, her chest rising and falling in ragged, panicked breaths. Her hands clutched at the stone wall behind her as if trying to carve her way out through it, desperate to escape. She shook her head, muttering something too low for us to hear. Kelltins took a step forward, trying to calm her, but she flinched so hard she nearly toppled over. Yana immediately raised a hand, signalling us to stay back. Then, slowly, she crouched down to Diona¡¯s eye level, making herself appear smaller. ¡°Hey, Diona,¡± Yana said softly, her voice gentle. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe now.¡± Diona frantic gaze darted to her at the sound of her name. She hesitated and Yana offered her a reassuring smile. ¡°We¡¯re not here to hurt you.¡± She continued, inching closer with patience. ¡°We just want to help.¡± Diona swallowed hard, her fingers still trembling as she gripped her rotting priestess robe. But something in Yana¡¯s voice must have reached her. Her breathing slowed, and cautiously, she nodded. Yana extended a hand toward her. ¡°Come with us?¡± For a moment, Diona just stared at the outstretched hand. Then, hesitantly, she reached out and took it. I couldn¡¯t believe my own eyes. Yana was so amazing. Then, Gaelith turned to me. ¡°What now? How do we defeat the Destroyer? You must have a plan if you decided to undo your previous victory.¡± I met his gaze, my resolve unwavering. ¡°We¡¯ll imprison him. And he¡¯ll let us do it willingly.¡±