《Crown of The Sovereign》
New Cycle
A boy, chained and covered in blood, so weak and skinny he seemed made of bones, screamed loudly in agony and pain. "Noooooooooooo!" he cried as a man wielding a sword approached him.
Slahe!
Suddenly, the place fell silent, the last sound being the blade''s swift cut and blood spraying everywhere.
Everything went dark. In the middle of that darkness, a shadowy figure with no distinct features, resembling a male human, a soul fell into the endless void.
"What was that scream?" the soul questioned, unable to remember no matter how hard it tried. As time passed, the memories faded, as if being erased during the fall.
Finally, the soul forgot completely. "What was I trying to remember again?"
Suddenly, a golden light began to illuminate the darkness. The soul was amazed by its brilliance but couldn''t shake the feeling that it had seen it before. "Did I see this before?"
As the light enveloped the soul and its eyes began to close, it whispered, "This feels familiar."
The silence of the darkness was replaced by the sounds of a woman screaming¡ªnot in pain, but in the throes of childbirth.
"Come on, a little more," urged the midwife assisting the woman.
The woman, covered in sweat and exhausted, said, "I can''t do it."
The man beside her held her hand and comforted her, "You heard her, just a little more."
Finally, with a final push, a loud baby''s cry filled the air, and everyone''s faces lit up with happiness.
As the woman held her baby, he opened his eyes. "Where am I? Who am I?" the baby thought, looking at the man and woman''s faces.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and three children entered. "Where is he? We want to see him," said the two girls in unison. "Take it easy, you might scare him," said the boy with a calm and warm tone.
The girls climbed onto the bed to see the baby. "Very beautiful, he looks like an angel," they said in unison. They were right; he had hair like the sun and blue eyes like the sky, with pale white skin.
The baby, confused, looked at the family surrounding him. "Who are all these people, and why do they seem so happy?"
The man stood up and lifted the girls from the bed to the ground. "Now, now, shouldn''t you introduce yourselves first?"
"Yes, we forgot," said the girls in unison. "I am Elizabeth," said the girl with the blonde hair and ponytail. "I am Beatrice," said the girl with long blonde hair. "And we are your twin older sisters," they said in unison.
The boy with brown hair, who seemed older than the girls, stepped forward and said with a calm voice, "And I am Thomas, your big brother. I am happy to meet you, little brother."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
The midwife, who had finished collecting her things, said, "I can''t believe such a kind and polite boy is your son." The man smiled and said, "Why, I am also a polite person." The midwife patted Thomas and left the house, completely ignoring the man.
The man then looked at the kids and said, "You also have to go to sleep because tomorrow will be a big day." The girls ran to the man, using their cute faces, and said in unison, "We don''t want to. Can''t we sleep with you tonight?"
The man started to sweat, nearly falling for their trick, but Thomas intervened at the last second, saving him. "Come on, let''s go. We will have all our lives to see him, but for now, let''s let him rest."
Thomas then proceeded to drag the sisters outside the room and closed the door behind him.
The man let out a sigh and said, "The midwife is right; I don''t deserve such a good boy."
The man looked back at the bed and said, "Now it''s time for your mother and me to introduce ourselves, right ce..." but his words were cut short when he saw that the woman had fallen asleep from exhaustion.
The man, who had brown hair and a beard, smiled and lifted the baby. "I am your father, Alexander," he said, pointing at the sleeping woman with blonde hair. "This is your mother, Celestina, and from now on, we are your family."
Alexander then placed the baby near his mother, turned off the light, and joined them in bed.
The baby, still trying to process what was happening, thought, "Elizabeth, Beatrice, Thomas, Alexander, and Celestina¡ªthey are my family."
Suddenly, a strong feeling of warmth filled the baby''s heart. "Is this happiness?" Then he fell asleep.
The next day, all the villagers came to celebrate the baby''s birth and participate in the naming ceremony.
It was a beautiful day, the sun shining, and the children playing around. The women sat at tables, with the largest table hosting Celestina and the baby.
A village woman approached Celestina and said, "Wow, your child is really quiet. Mine didn''t stop screaming during his naming ceremony."
Celestina, with a proud look, said, "Because he''s a gentle child and doesn''t want to tire me."
The men stood drinking and chatting, with Alexander in the middle, holding a cup.
A drunk village man said, "Alexander, you lucky bastard. You have a beautiful wife and three amazing children, and now you''ve added another one."
Alexander took a sip from his cup, then smiled and said, "I guess I am just blessed."
Suddenly, a strange man wearing priestly clothing said, "I am sure you are, Alexander." Alexander was shocked when he saw the man and quickly threw the cup he was holding. "Priest Castellan, you came!"
Priest Castellan smiled and walked past Alexander, heading toward the ceremony altar. "Come on, Alexander, it''s time to give your baby a name."
The family gathered near the altar, and the villagers stood behind, watching. Priest Castellan took the baby from Celestina and placed him on the altar.
The priest looked at the family and said, "What name have you chosen?" The family looked at each other and nodded.
Celestina stepped forward and said, "This child is special because when I was pregnant with him, I was very sick. Many people told me he would be born deformed or die at birth, but I prayed with all my strength, and my prayers were answered."
Celestina looked at the sky and said, "Today is brighter than usual, and the air is warm. I believe this is a sign of the Sovereign''s love."
Celestina looked straight at the priest and said with a warm voice full of love, "That''s why I will name him Amadeus."
Priest Castellan, hardly holding back his tears, said, "My dear daughter, what a beautiful name. You have made this grandpa proud."
Priest Castellan put his hands together, his voice resonating with a profound authority as he began chanting, "Great Sovereign of Creation, bless this child and his name, Amadeus, with your strength".
Suddenly, a golden light began to form around the priest, growing brighter with each passing moment until it enveloped the entire altar. The villagers watched in awe, their faces illuminated by the radiant glow. The light shimmered like liquid gold.
The light then started to converge, towards Amadeus. As the golden light approached, it began to enter Amadeus''s body, suffusing him with warmth and an indescribable energy.
as the light faded The baby, who had been silently observing this hole time thought " Amadeus, so that''s my name".
Marking the end of the naming ceremony
The Cycle End
The bunny was nibbling on grass in the middle of the forest peacefully, unaware of the four eyes watching it from the bushes.
"Be quiet or he''ll hear us," whispered a girl''s voice from the bushes.
"Come on, it''s now or never. We''ve been following him all day," replied a boy''s voice, also in a whisper.
Suddenly, the boy leaped from the bushes and grabbed the rabbit, hugging it tightly while it kicked at his face.
"I told you, waiting and thinking too much can make you miss the chance to act," said the boy, a 15-year-old with blond hair and blue eyes.
"Amadeus, you always act on your instincts without thinking things through," said the girl, stepping out of the bushes and brushing herself off.
She was also 15, with long black hair and black eyes. "Don''t be a killjoy, Isabel. The important thing is that I got it," said the boy, who had grown from baby Amadeus into a spirited teenager. He stood up and grinned at Isabel, hoping to make her jealous.
"Your methods are rushed and risky. We spent the whole morning chasing one rabbit, and the only reason we caught it is because you finally listened to me," said Isabel, recalling how Amadeus had even jumped off a cliff in pursuit of the rabbit. Thankfully, it wasn''t a big fall.
"The method doesn''t matter; what matters is the outcome. Trial and error are part of the process," said Amadeus, looking at Isabel seriously. Silence filled the air until it was broken by a sudden shout.
"Aaaaah!"
"It bit me! Does this mean I''m going to die?" said Amadeus, holding his hand where the rabbit had nipped him.
"Don''t worry, you big baby. It''s not poisoned. It just got annoyed because you were hugging it too long," said Isabel, patting the rabbit to calm it.
"You should be comforting me, not the rabbit. I''m the one who got bitten," said Amadeus angrily.
"You must have scared it, having such a big idiot hold you," Isabel said to the rabbit, ignoring Amadeus.
"Come on, let''s start heading back. We''ve been gone too long," said Isabel, turning toward the village.
"Oh no, time passed so quickly! My mom is going to kill me," said Amadeus, suddenly sprinting ahead of Isabel.
"Hey, wait for me!" called Isabel, running after him.
"Sometimes he acts like a childish idiot, but other times he seems so grown-up. I don''t understand him," Isabel thought to herself as she ran, watching Amadeus''s back.
They kept running through the forest until they reached a cliff that overlooked their village, which had grown larger over the years.
"I never get tired of this view. Even though it''s just a village and not a luxurious castle, it''s home... my home," Amadeus said, looking at the village with warm eyes.
Isabel, standing behind him, started blushing. "Hey, are you alright? Your face is as red as a tomato," Amadeus said, noticing her flushed face.
"It''s nothing. It must be from all the running," Isabel replied quickly, averting her eyes from Amadeus.
"Whatever. Let''s go. I have to show the rabbit to my sisters before it starts biting again," Amadeus said, continuing to run toward the village.
"Focus, Isabel. He''s just a man-child, but why does he have to be so cool?" Isabel muttered to herself, shaking her head as she followed Amadeus.
They finally entered the bustling village, where people were busy selling goods and gathering resources.
"Hey, Amadeus! You promised to help me get wood for my forge. Where have you been?" called out the forge owner, a tall and bulky man, from behind Amadeus.
"Sorry, Mister William. I was busy getting a gift for my sister," Amadeus said, lowering his head in apology.
"It''s okay. Just remember to do it after delivering the gift. It''s her birthday, after all," William said, his frustration dissipating.
The two bade farewell to William and continued toward Amadeus''s house.
"He sure moves quietly for a man his size," Amadeus commented to Isabel.
"If you had done the work he assigned you a week ago, you''d have free time now. And of course, he moves quietly because he was an adventurer in the guild," Isabel replied.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Finally, they reached Amadeus''s house, which was larger than the others because it belonged to the village chief, his father Alexander.
"Sisters, look what I got you!" Amadeus called, bursting into his sisters'' room. There, two beautiful 19-year-old ladies were doing their hair.
"You are so beautiful, sisters," Amadeus said, stunned by their beauty.
"First, thank you for the compliment, little brother," Elizabeth said, smiling. "Second, didn''t we tell you to knock before entering? This is a girls'' room, not a horse stable," Beatrice added, looking angry.
"From my perspective, they''re not that different," said Thomas, who had just arrived. Now 22, he had a handsome face and a calm demeanor.
"Of course it looks the same to someone who spends all his time with horses," Elizabeth mocked him.
"It''s my job, and the best part is that horses don''t have long tongues," Thomas retorted.
"How long are you going to ignore me?" Amadeus yelled, feeling left out.
"Sorry, little brother. You know your sisters can be difficult. Let me see what you have," Thomas said, bending down to look at the rabbit. "Wow, it''s such a beautiful rabbit," Thomas said, patting it.
"Rabbit? Did you say a rabbit?" the sisters exclaimed, finally noticing the rabbit.
"It''s so cute. Thanks, little brother," they said, snatching the rabbit from Amadeus''s hands.
"What''s all this commotion?" Alexander asked, entering the room with Celestina.
"Look, Father, what little brother got us as a gift," the sisters said, showing off the rabbit.
"So, that''s where you were all day," Celestina said in a menacing voice, glaring at Amadeus.
"We don''t have time for this. We barely have time to finish before people start arriving," Alexander said, clapping his hands to get everyone moving.
"Come with me, Isabel. We could use your help in the kitchen. You must be tired of following my idiot son all morning," Celestina said, leading Isabel away.
"Come on, I''m not an idiot," Amadeus muttered under his breath.
"I love them all so much... my family," Amadeus thought to himself as he looked at his family.
Everyone got to work, leaving Alexander and Amadeus alone. "I think I''ll sleep until the party begins," Amadeus said, trying to sneak away.
"Where do you think you''re going? A true man keeps his promises, don''t you agree, my son?" Alexander said, placing a firm hand on Amadeus''s shoulder.
***
Time passed, and Amadeus found himself in the middle of the forest, collecting tree branches from the ground. "Everyone else is together, laughing and having fun, while I''m here gathering wood," Amadeus grumbled.
He remembered his father''s words: "You made a promise to Mister William, so you have to keep it. Go now and collect wood. By the time the party starts, you should be done," Alexander had said with a serious face.
Amadeus bundled the wood he had collected and set it down. "I told him I could finish this quickly, but who listens to me?" he muttered, cleaning his hands.
He looked at the sun, which was directly above him. "This means I have time to lie down before heading back. This way, I can avoid housework," he said, stretching out on the ground and falling asleep.
"Happiness is such a good feeling. I don''t want to lose it. Please, sovereign, don''t take it from me," Amadeus prayed with all its strength.
Suddenly, the world around Amadeus morphed, the solid ground dissolving into swirling black smoke. Shadowy figures, their forms faintly luminous, emerged from the darkness, their anguished cries filling the air.
"It hurts a lot," a shadow moaned, its voice heavy with pain.
"Make it stop, please," another begged, its tone filled with desperation.
"We''re all doomed," said a third shadow, its voice trembling with despair.
Amadeus, unfazed, opened his eyes, revealing a deep irritation. "This dream again," he muttered to himself, "I hate when this happens. I hope I wake up soon."
As the screams and cries grow in number and sound, Amadeus''s patience wore thin. Clenching his teeth, he pressed his hands over his ears, trying to block out the tormenting noise. "Come on, be done already," he growled through gritted teeth.
And just as suddenly as it had begun, the noise ceased. Silence fell over the dark, smoke-filled expanse, leaving Amadeus alone in the unnerving quiet.
Boom!
A loud explosion shattered the silence, waking Amadeus. "What was that? What time is it?" he said, confused. He looked up to see the sky filled with smoke.
Amadeus felt a surge of panic.
He grabbed the wood and started running toward the village as fast as he could.
As he reached the cliff overlooking the village, his favorite spot, his heart sank. The village was burning, with half the buildings destroyed. "I must still be dreaming. This has to be a nightmare," Amadeus said, nearly losing his mind but a sharp pain snapped him back to focus.
His hand was bleeding from where he had clenched it too hard. "Pain... so I''m not dreaming," he said, staring at his bleeding hand in shock.
The Dark Domain, a realm composed entirely of darkness and inhabited solely by shadows, is the place Amadeus visits in his sleep. Believing it to be just a nightmare yet hes not far from the truth.
in the dark domain a shadow who has a cloak with fur on it and a battle armore was sitting like a general on a rock made of dark smoke like everything in this domain, said with a deep menacing voice " it started, the end of this Cycle "
Another shadow who had clothing like that of an assassin was carving a wooden statue with his knife and leaning on a wall of dark smoke said with a mocking voice " how fast do you think this one will end?"
A third shadow of a man bound in chains that wrapped around his hands, neck, and legs, standing in a high point and giving his back to the other shadows, looking only at the endless darkness that filled this place and said with a warm voice " i hope that it wont be long "
A forth shadow that seemed like a bagger who had lost his arm and leg, sitting on the floor leaning on a rock with a Cain beside him said with a depressed voice " i agree, i think we saw enough "
A fifth shadow, dressed in noble clothing playing chess with himself said with a smile " There is no need to rush the inevitable "
A sixth shadow, in magician''s robes and holding a staff had a scared expression. With a trembling voice he said "D-don''t you think y-you''re being too harsh? ".
the assassin shadow looked at the magician shadow with an annoyed face and said " what did you just say? ".
Terrified, the magician shadow screamed and ran behind a boulder, shaking with fear. "S-sorry! I didn''t mean anything,"
The general shadow spoke with a calm yet menacing tone, "All we can do is wait and see what happens."
Back to Amadeus who started running toward the village, his heart pounding with fear¡ªnot for himself, but for what he might lose.
"My home is gone, but I still have my family... right?" Amadeus said, looking at the burning village as he ran towards his house.
The Alter of Sacrifice
Breathing heavily and sweating rivers from running nonstop, Amadeus finally reached the village. Walking through the once bustling streets, he was relieved not to see any dead bodies, which calmed him a little.
Reaching his home, he called out and looked for his family but found the house empty. Suddenly, realization hit him. "I was so focused on getting home that I forgot about the party," he muttered, then started running towards the party place.
Time passed as Amadeus reached the party place, his heart calming at the sight of his family. "Father... mother... sisters... brother... you''re all still alive," he said before someone pulled him into the bushes and covered his mouth.
It was Esme. She put a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay quiet. "Esme, what are you doing here? Well, it doesn''t matter, I''m just happy you''re safe," Amadeus said in a low voice, his face serious.
"I was getting some stuff from the kitchen we forgot, and I heard the explosion. I ran here and found these strangers. Your mother signaled me to stay hidden," Esme whispered, remembering the events.
"So, what do we do now? Just hide?" Amadeus asked, frustrated.
"Do you trust me, Amadeus?" Esme replied.
"Of course, I trust you," he affirmed.
"Then we wait and see what happens. We act at the right moment," Esme advised.
"Fine, but you have to tell me where you got all these war tactics from," Amadeus teased.
"No, I won''t. It''s my little secret," Esme said with a playful grin.
At the party place, everyone was gathered, afraid of what was in front of them. Isabella and Seraphina were being hugged and comforted by Genevieve, while Leonard, with Maximilian by his side, stood fearless, looking straight at danger as he should since he was the chief.
In front of them stood two giant minotaurs. They were huge, with big muscles and fierce eyes. Chains were wrapped around their necks, keeping them in place. The minotaurs looked ready to fight, snorting and pawing at the ground.
Behind the minotaurs, there were about 100 soldiers, all fully armored. Their shiny armor covered them from head to toe, making them look like a solid wall of metal. The soldiers stood in perfect rows, their faces hidden behind their helmets. They held their weapons ready, looking strong and disciplined.
Leading this group was a paladin with a giant sword on his back. He looked very powerful and important, with his armor decorated with fancy designs.
Beside the paladin stood a priest with noble features and silver hair that flowed gracefully around his shoulders. His eyes were closed, as if in deep contemplation or silent prayer. The priest''s robes were similar to those of Priest Alaric, but far more luxurious and expensive. The fabric shimmered with threads of gold and silver, and intricate embroidery adorned every inch of the garment. Precious gemstones were embedded in the priest''s sash and collar, catching the light and adding to his royal appearance.
"No need to be afraid. We are followers of the sovereign of the beginning, Alpha. We don''t intend to hurt any of you," said the priest.
"Did you say you were a priest of Alpha?" asked Priest Alaric, walking to face him.
"Yes, I am the high priest Archibald, and this is my paladin Baldwin. Behind us is the army of the sovereign of the beginning," said High Priest Archibald, pointing at himself and then at Baldwin.
"It''s good to meet another priest, and for him to be a high priest is a great honor. Alpha must be smiling at me," said Priest Alaric, bowing down and thinking to himself, "They can''t be lying. All of them have sovereign of the beginning Alpha emblem on their armor and clothes. It has never happened before that someone impersonates a priest or they would face the wrath of the sovereign."
"So, you are a priest then. That makes it a whole lot easier. First, we are sorry for destroying your village. You see, we are on quite a tight schedule, so we helped ourselves to your supplies. But thanks to Alpha, you were all here and not in the houses," said High Priest Archibald.
"And why do you need our supplies, High Priest?" Leonard asked, moving forward towards him.
"And who are you to question me?" High Priest Archibald retorted.
"I am Leonard, the chief of this village," said Leonard with confidence.
"You are the chief, so we have the priest and the chief in one place. That''s called good luck, don''t you think so, Baldwin?" High Priest Archibald said with a smile.
"We are on a holy crusade to exterminate demons, so we ask that you follow our orders," said High Priest Archibald.
"So, what do you need from us?" Leonard asked.
"Actually, we need you to direct us to the rest of your supplies so we don''t have to destroy what''s left of the village," said High Priest Archibald.
"I don''t have a problem giving you the supplies since it will be a great honor to help in the crusade of our sovereign," said Leonard, then explained where they hide their supplies.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Good, thank you for the information," said High Priest Archibald, then he waved his hand for the minotaurs to go get the supplies.
Time passed, and the minotaurs returned with the supplies. "I think now you can leave," said Leonard.
"I said that I need both of you, and as for your part, chief, you delivered us the supplies. Now I need the help of the priest," said High Priest Archibald, looking at Priest Alaric.
"So, what do you need from a humble priest such as myself?" asked Priest Alaric.
"It''s quite easy if you think about it," said High Priest Archibald, then lifted his head and his smile turned from gentle to demonic.
"I demand SACRIFICE," said High Priest Archibald, and silence filled the place with everyone shocked at his demand.
"You say sacrifice, but why? We are all loyal followers of the sovereign Alpha," said Priest Alaric, shocked by the demand.
"And that''s why I need your sacrifice. Because you are loyal followers, and our sovereign loves loyalty. You should know this better than anyone," said High Priest Archibald.
"But for what reason?" asked Priest Alaric.
"To tell you the truth, our crusade hasn''t been going well. We started with 10,000 soldiers and many monsters like these two, but now all that is left is what you see. So, if we want to complete our mission, we need to get our sovereign''s blessing. What better way to please a sovereign than giving him a sacrifice?" said High Priest Archibald with a face full of shame, but it was all an act to make the villagers believe him.
"Well, if we need to, then we will have to choose one of..." started Priest Alaric, but was cut off by Leonard''s scream.
"Are you really thinking about who we will sacrifice?" Leonard shouted.
Priest Alaric replied to Leonard, "We don''t have a choice. Our sovereign has given us a lot, so it''s our time to give back." Their talk was interrupted by High Priest Archibald coughing to get their attention.
"I think you misunderstood my words. I don''t need one sacrifice; I need six sacrifices," said High Priest Archibald, raising six fingers. "And if it is too hard for you to decide, we will have to choose the sacrifices ourselves," he added with a sorry face.
"We have to choose six of us to die?" Leonard said to himself, then a loud noise of people talking to each other began, each trying to sacrifice the other. The once united village was ripping itself apart, and Leonard the chief just stood there, not knowing what to do.
After some time, High Priest Archibald moved forward to Leonard. "It seems like no one is ready to take the great honor of being sacrificed to our sovereign, but aren''t you the village chief? Shouldn''t you be the one to step up first to protect your people?" said High Priest Archibald in a low voice, but loud enough for the villagers to hear.
Suddenly, silence filled the area, and all eyes looked at Leonard. "Yes, he''s the chief, so it''s his job to protect us," said one of the villagers.
"Yes, it is his duty," said another villager. Soon, everyone agreed that Leonard had to be sacrificed.
"How dare you! After all he did for you!" Genevieve screamed at the villagers.
"Genevieve, stop. They are right. As much as I hate it, it is my duty to protect them," said Leonard, moving forward to face High Priest Archibald.
"Now we need five more," said High Priest Archibald, leaning his head to look behind Leonard. "The woman who stood up to the villagers is hugging two girls, and the man who was standing beside you the entire time... are they by any chance your family?" asked High Priest Archibald, looking back at Leonard, who froze in place.
Before Leonard could answer, a villager spoke up, "Yes, they are."
Leonard looked back at the villagers with a shocked and rageful face. "I understood why you chose me, but my family, you bastards!" he screamed at them.
"Now we need one more sacrifice. Do you have any more family members, Chief Leonard?" asked High Priest Archibald.
"Yes, he''s got a 15-year-old son, but he''s in the forest," said one of the villagers that came forward.
BANG!
The villager was hit in the face with a punch, making him fall to the ground. "You human trash! And you call yourself a man?" said Arthur, who had just arrived. "Sorry, Leonard. I was late. I was out of the village looking for ores when I heard the explosion," said Arthur with a smile.
"No need to be sorry, old friend. Even if you were here, you couldn''t have done anything," said Leonard, making a depressed smile.
"If you need a sacrifice, then I am ready. No need to touch the boy," said Arthur, coming forward, proud of his action.
"Sorry, but your sacrifice won''t do," said High Priest Archibald. "Sacrificing a whole family of loyal followers seems better," he added with a sadistic face.
"Look for the boy in the forest and around the village. He might be hiding somewhere," commanded High Priest Archibald to the soldiers.
"You bastard! You already have me and my family. Don''t you dare touch him!" Leonard roared, his rage propelling him toward High Priest Archibald.
With a flick of his wrist, High Priest Archibald cast {Chains of Heretics}. A glowing magic circle appeared beneath Leonard. From the center of the circle, chains full of razor-sharp spikes shot out like serpents, wrapping around Leonard''s limbs and torso. The spikes dug into his flesh, causing excruciating pain.
"AAARGH!" Leonard screamed, his voice filled with agony as the chains tightened around him. Blood trickled from the wounds where the spikes had pierced his skin, but he refused to look away. His gaze remained locked on the High Priest, his eyes burning with unyielding rage and defiance.
"Interesting. I admire people with strong determination. That''s why you''ll make an amazing sacrifice," High Priest Archibald remarked coldly. His voice was devoid of emotion. The priest watched with fascination as Leonard writhed in pain, the chains binding him more tightly with each passing moment.
In the dark domain, the Noble Shadow sighed, "That''s what I hate most about this curse."
The Assassin Shadow smirked and replied, "Apart from making us suffer before finally killing us?"
The Noble Shadow turned to the Assassin Shadow and asked, "What are the chances of a crusader army stopping by a nameless village and demanding sacrifices? One in a billion, yet here we are. How is this even possible?"
The Assassin Shadow remained silent. The Noble Shadow continued, "Exactly. The odds are astronomical, and yet it happened."
The Slave Shadow spoke gently, "You seem distressed, General Shadow. Do you have anything to add?"
The General Shadow responded with a menacing tone, "It''s irrelevant now. What concerns me is that paladin. Even though he threatens to kill the villagers, I don''t sense any killing intent from him."
The Assassin Shadow mocked, "He doesn''t see them as humans but as ants, unworthy of his killing intent."
The Mage Shadow, trembling with fear, said, "I don''t like that man. He''s even scarier than the High Priest."
Finally, the Beggar Shadow, with a depressed voice, concluded, "There''s no need to overthink. Let''s just watch and see what happens."
"I am going out to face him," said Amadeus, who had been silently watching this whole time, his expression unclear.
"Have you gone mad? They will kill you!" whispered Esme, her eyes wide with fear.
"Hiding is meaningless. The man with the big sword knows we were here from the beginning," Amadeus said, determination etched on his face as he stepped out of the bushes.
Amadeus screamed, surprising everyone from behind, "You''re looking for his youngest son, right? Well, here I am!".
Suffering
Everyone was shocked by Amadeus''s courage to face death without fear. "Such bravery from such a young child is amazing," said High Priest Archibald.
"Don''t mistake my actions for bravery. Death with my family is much better than living with this human trash," Amadeus spat, disgusted by the villagers'' actions.
The villagers bowed their heads in shame and guilt as Amadeus walked past them. "Amadeus, we are sor..." one of the villagers began, but he was silenced by a deathly glare full of rage and hatred from Amadeus.
Amadeus continued walking towards his mother. "You say you''re sorry? I don''t want your pitiful apologies, you worthless shit," said Amadeus.
Genevieve hugged Amadeus as soon as he reached her. "Amadeus, don''t worry. Everything will be fine," she said, trying to hold back her tears and forcing a fake smile.
"Yes, Mother. As long as we are together, everything will be okay," Amadeus replied, rubbing his mother''s hair to calm her down.
"Amadeus... my son, I am sorry," Genevieve said as her tears started to fall uncontrollably.
"Why are you apologizing? It''s not your fault," Amadeus thought.
The two minotaurs began moving to cover all exits, ensuring no one could escape. "Now, shall we start the sacrifice ritual?" said High Priest Archibald, opening his arms and casting a spell.
[Altar of Sacrifice] chanted High Priest Archibald.
A giant golden magic circle appeared on the ground, its intricate patterns and symbols glowing with a radiant light. The circle expanded, covering the entire area with its luminous presence.
In the center of the circle stood an altar made entirely of mana. The altar shimmered with a translucent, ethereal glow, its surface smooth and flawless. The mana that formed the altar pulsed rhythmically, as if it were alive, waiting for the sacrifice to be placed upon it.
"Well, this is very exciting. Who should I sacrifice first? Maybe..." High Priest Archibald began, but he was cut off by Leonard.
"Me. Start with me," Leonard said.
High Priest Archibald responded with a demonic smile. "So, you want to play the hero until the end?"
"I am no hero. I am just a father who couldn''t protect his wife and children," Leonard said, broken and depressed, unable to lift his head to face his family.
"Then please, Baldwin, will you do the honors?" said High Priest Archibald.
"Sure, it''s about time we finish this," said Paladin Baldwin, his menacing voice sending chills down the spines of everyone present.
Leonard was teleported from his chains to the altar, where his hands and legs were bound. This was one of the effects of the spell, allowing the user to teleport anyone inside the circle directly to the altar.
Paladin Baldwin, a tall huge man around 250 cm with a strong, muscular build, approached with confidence. His golden Armor shone brightly, covering him from head to toe. The emblem of the Alpha was engraved on his chest plate, showing his divine loyalty. Baldwin''s face was hidden by a helmet, adding to his intimidating presence.
As he stood above Leonard, Baldwin drew his great sword from his back. The sword was decorated with golden carvings that glimmered in the light. Although it looked new, it had clearly seen many battles, with small marks and scratches along the blade.
Baldwin held the great sword firmly, ready to fulfil his duty. He gazed down at Leonard, prepared to deliver the final blow.
Baldwin asked, looking at the broken Leonard "Tell me, do you have any last words?".
"Genevieve, Maximilian, Seraphina, Isabella... Amadeus, forgive me. I couldn''t protect you because I am too weak. Please forgive me," Leonard said, squeezing his teeth in anger, tears of regret and shame falling from his eyes.
Amadeus''s closed his eyes as Baldwin raised his great sword. " my sovereign of the beginning Alpha, take this loyal follower into your warm light as an offering from us to bless our journey to defend your realm from invaders," Baldwin prayed, his great sword gradually being covered with golden light.
As Leonard''s head rolled on the ground, a scream broke the silence. "Leonard, noooo!" Genevieve screamed in pain as her husband''s head rolled on the ground. Screams and cries filled the air from Leonard''s family.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
the bagger shadow said with a depressed voice " 5 left "
While his family was having a mental breakdown, Amadeus kept his eyes closed, afraid to see the lifeless body of his father.
"It''s okay, everything will end soon," Amadeus said, barely holding himself together amidst the screams of his family.
Suddenly, the world shifted. Still closing his eyes, Amadeus was transported to the dark domain, standing in the middle, oblivious to what was happening around him.
The shadow assassin laughed at Amadeus. "What a coward, just standing there like a sheep waiting to be slaughtered."
The mage, trembling, said, "O-of course he w-would be s-scared. Who wouldn''t be after seeing their father''s head rolling on the ground?"
"Next," Baldwin said, looking at the family.
"I will go then. my children forgive me for falling to protect you " said Genevieve. She was teleported to the altar, and Baldwin repeated the same words before cutting her head.
the Nobel shadow said as he made on of the chess pieces fall " 4 left "
Isabella who was scared not knowing what to do as she just lost Bothe her parents in horrifying way, the only thing she could do was hold Amadeus hand.
Amadeus could feel his sister''s hands shaking as their mother''s head rolled on the ground.
"Everything is going to be okay. It isn''t like I could do anything," Amadeus told himself.
the bagger shadow said with a depressed voice " right, nothing can be done but waiting for the invadable ".
"I will go first, sister. We were born together, and for sure we will meet in death. Just don''t leave me alone for too long," said Seraphina, trying not to show her fear.
Seraphina was teleported to the altar and executed by Baldwin.
the assassin shadow said " 3 left "
"Brother, I am going to meet our sister, i cant leave her alone for long" said Isabella as she got herself together after seeing her sister courage.
Isabella was teleported to the altar and executed by Baldwin.
the mage shadow said shaking " 2 L-left "
"It''s almost my turn, and all this will end. This nightmare will end," said Amadeus.
the slave shadow said with a warm voice " yes this nightmare will end soon ".
"Look, little brother, promise you won''t open your eyes no matter what happens," said Maximilian to Amadeus who was still closing them.
Maximilian was teleported to the altar. "Sorry, brother, I can''t keep this promise," said Amadeus as he opened his eyes. There he saw Baldwin execute his brother, and his head rolled to the ground where all the bodies of his family were thrown.
the general shadow said with a menacing voice filed with rage " 1 Left "
"Nooooooooooo!" Amadeus screamed with all his power, nearly losing his mind from what he saw.
"Nothing is going to be okay, and death will not be the end of this nightmare because I won''t let it end, not before I take my revenge," Amadeus thought.
the general shadow said with a menacing voice " you finally understand, this nightmare will never end, since when one ends anthore begins, endlessly repeating the suffering "
Outside, Amadeus had entered a berserk state, launching himself at Baldwin with a primal fury. "Kill, I will kill you all! I won''t forgive a single one of you!" he screamed and cried, his voice raw with emotion. He hit Baldwin''s armor with his bare hands repeatedly, each strike sending shockwaves of pain through his shattered and bleeding hands. The sound of bone cracking and flesh tearing filled the air, but Amadeus felt nothing but the burning need for vengeance.
The assassin shadow smirked and said, "So he''s not that weak, I guess that''s to be expected."
Now, Amadeus was not in control; it was his rage overwhelming him. "Hm... such words from a child. You are more like a demon than a human," Baldwin said, his voice cold and mocking.
He grabbed Amadeus''s head, squeezing it tightly as he lifted him to his face to have a good look.
Baldwin''s eyes were indifferent as he watched Amadeus struggle, like he was holding an insect rather than a human.
"You bastard, I won''t forgive you, no matter what. I won''t forgive," Amadeus said, his voice strained as he tried to break free from Baldwin''s grasp. His eyes burned with a fierce determination, even as his body weakened.
"Child, you should never say what you can''t do. Then your words will be more worthless than air," Baldwin said, his tone mocking, then he placed Amadeus on the altar.
As soon as he was laid down, shackles made of golden light materialized, binding his neck, legs, and hands to the altar.
"Any last words?" Baldwin asked, lifting his great sword into the air.
In the dark domain, the shadows began to speak.
The assassin shadow said sarcastically, "Last words, you say? Well, these won''t be our actual last words."
The beggar shadow, with a depressed voice, added, "Because our suffering has no end."
The slave shadow, with a warm voice, chimed in, "This moment of death is familiar to us."
The noble shadow, smiling, remarked, "It has actually become the best part of each cycle."
The mage shadow, no longer shaking, stated, "And the least scary part of it."
The general shadow, with a menacing voice, concluded, "My last words? I think they would be something like..."
"You, High Priest Archibald, I will kill you 100 times, no, 1000 times, or maybe millions of times, or billions. I will make you beg for hell as it will be better than what I will do to you. And you, Paladin Baldwin, I will cut off one of your arms and one leg and both your eyes to turn you into a worthless man," Amadeus said with a demonic smile and tears made of blood.
"Hm... so you will turn me into a worthless man? Child, what did I tell you before about empty words?" Baldwin said with a little smile.
"My sovereign of the beginning Alpha, I offer you this child, a loyal follower. I hope you accept him and bless us in our mission to protect your realm," Baldwin prayed, and his great sword was fully charged.
Amadeus gave High Priest Archibald and Paladin Baldwin a good look, ensuring he would never forget their faces. The memory of their cruel smiles and mocking eyes burned into his mind.
"I will never forget you because..." Amadeus thought.
"I never forget the people who have wronged me," said the shadows in unison, their voices blending with Amadeus''. "Because I give each one of them a promise¡ªto make them suffer for what they did to me."
As Baldwin''s great sword came down, cutting through the air, it finally reached Amadeus''s neck.
And with that, everything became dark, and the soul inside Amadeus fell into an endless void.
Omega
In the endless void, the soul fell, frozen and silent on the outside, but a fire of wrath and regret burned within. "My family, my home, I lost them all," the soul thought sadly. Suddenly, the sadness morphed into anger, and with gritted teeth, the soul vowed, "Archibald and Baldwin, I will never forgive you. You will pay, no matter what." The soul repeated the vow over and over.
"Wait, Archibald? Baldwin? Who are these people, and why do I want revenge?" The soul''s memories slowly faded until they were completely erased. All that remained was an unbearable feeling of wrath and regret. "What''s this feeling, and why won''t it stop hurting?" the soul wondered as the pain grew too much to bear.
The soul summoned all its strength and screamed into the empty void, "Just make it stop!" But no one answered, and silence filled the void once more.
Suddenly, a golden light appeared beneath the soul, enveloping it. "This feeling, it feels familiar," the soul thought as it was drawn into the light.
"I will make it stop," said a voice in the void.
Dark energy, interspersed with red sparks, began to cover the golden light, eventually consuming it and enveloping the soul completely.
***
On a platform floating in the void, surrounded by broken pillars, the black and red energy coalesced before dissipating, leaving the unconscious soul behind. The scene was eerie; the platform seemed ancient and desolate, with fragments of columns and shattered remnants of a once-glorious structure scattered around.
After a while, the soul awoke, confused and afraid. "Where am I? What''s this place?" it asked, its voice echoing in the emptiness.
"Good, you woke up faster than I thought," said the same voice from the void. The soul looked up to see the source of the sound.
A figure of a man made of dark energy, with a red aura and streaks of red energy coursing through his body, sat on a broken throne. His face had only eyes, as red as the energy flowing through him. The throne itself was cracked and crumbling, a relic of a long-forgotten dominion.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?" the soul asked, trembling, its voice wavering.
"I told you, I will make that feeling stop," the man replied, his voice cold and detached.
"I don''t understand. Please, just let me go," the soul pleaded, desperation seeping into its words.
"I guess I can''t talk to you in your current state, so let''s fix that first," the man said. He lifted his hand, and dark energy formed under the soul, pinning it in place. The energy was thick and oppressive, coiling around the soul like a serpent.
"Look into my eyes, and you will see the truth," the man said, using the dark energy to force the soul to meet his gaze.
As their eyes locked, the soul''s eyes turned red, and it began to scream in mental agony. The soul relived all its past lives, lives filled with suffering, despair, betrayal, and death. The memories flooded in, each one amplifying the unbearable pain. The soul saw visions of battles lost, loved ones betrayed, and endless nights of torment.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Finally, the screaming ceased, and the dark energy released the soul. It fell to its knees, silent and expressionless, its spirit battered and broken.
A few minutes passed, and the soul remained motionless, like a corpse. The emptiness around it seemed to close in, as if the void itself was mocking its suffering.
"It seems I''ve broken him. I expected too much; anyone would be shattered by such memories," the man thought.
"How?" the soul asked, rising to its feet. "How are you going to take it away?"
Surprised, the man thought, "He''s still able to talk and think after all this?"
"Tell me, how will you take it away?" the soul demanded, its voice now cold and strong, a stark contrast to its earlier fear.
"You''ve changed a lot, but I like your new self," the man said, pleased with the result.
"You''re wrong. This is not my new self, but my true self," the soul replied firmly, its eyes burning with a newfound determination.
"Well, I guess we can start the real conversation now," the man said, leaning forward. "I think you already know how, but I''ll say it out loud: I will help you take your revenge."
"My revenge? You mean you''ll help me search countless worlds for those who wronged me and make them suffer, even though most of them are long dead?" the soul mocked, a bitter smile playing on its lips.
"Of course not. Those people were merely tools of the true person behind your suffering," the man explained, his tone steady and calm.
"What do you mean by the true person behind my suffering?" the soul asked, confusion clouding its features.
"His name is familiar to you. After all you were his loyal follower through all your lives," the man said, preparing to reveal the name.
"Sovereign of the Beginning, Alpha," the soul interrupted, as memories flooded back. The impossible scenarios now made sense¡ªall the events were connected to Alpha. The general was killed by Alpha''s army, the assassin was betrayed by Alpha''s follower, and the noble was imprisoned by Alpha''s follower. The same theme ran through all the other lives, and all those who caused the soul''s suffering bore Alpha''s mark.
"Why? Why would he do this? What have I done to deserve this?" the soul screamed, filled with rage and hatred towards Alpha. Its voice echoed through the void.
"I asked myself that question many times but never found an answer. Perhaps he saw you as his toy," the man said, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness.
Regaining composure, the soul asked, "So you want to help me take revenge on Alpha?"
"Exactly," the man replied.
"Why? You don''t seem like the type to do things for free," the soul said, skeptical of the man''s motives.
"Good. You don''t trust easily, and you always doubt. Such mentality will serve you well in the future," the man said, a hint of approval in his tone.
"Of course, I don''t trust anyone. I''ve been betrayed countless times, so trusting anyone is hard," the soul said.
then with calm expression the soul said "Let''s cut to the chase. Tell me what you want from me and why you chose me out of billions of souls in the void."
"Each moment I spend with you confirms that I made the right choice," the man thought, with a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I''ve underestimated your intelligence. Let''s start from the beginning. My name is Omega, and I chose you because I felt we were similar," Omega said, his voice carrying a weight of centuries of suffering.
"Similar? In what way?" the soul asked, curiosity piqued.
Omega pointed to his chest, revealing a golden mark. "This is the mark of Alpha, a reminder of how he betrayed me." He then lifted his hands, revealing ten different marks of various colors all over his body. "And these are reminders of the betrayal of my closest allies."
"These marks are the reason you''re here," the soul concluded, its voice steady.
"You''re right. These marks sealed my power and forced me to hide here in the void," Omega said. "We are similar; both of us were betrayed and suffered because of Alpha."
The soul remained silent for a moment, then said, "I understand your motives. So, what''s your plan?"
"Rather than a plan, it''s more of a deal," Omega said, leaning back on the throne.
"Tell me, soul that has suffered countless times, are you ready to hear my deal?".
The Crown
The air was heavy as the Soul kept its gaze fixed on Omega, interested and waiting to hear his offer.
"So, what''s your deal?" the Soul asked.
Omega extended his hand, "I will give you the power to exact your revenge."
The Soul, unimpressed, replied with a cold expression, "What kind of power?"
"The power to reach your goal and destroy anything that gets in your way," Omega explained.
"I wasn''t asking about that. Does this power involve a legendary sword?" the Soul inquired.
"Of course not. It''s similar, but it¡¯s not a sword," Omega said, as dark energy began to form something in the middle of the platform. A black crown with a red gem appeared, floating in mid-air, waiting to be claimed.
"You''re giving me a crown?" The Soul was disappointed.
"It''s not just any crown. It¡¯s the Crown of the Sovereign," Omega clarified.
"You mean the power you''re talking about is..." the Soul was surprised.
"Yes, by giving you this crown, you will become a Sovereign," Omega said, as he conjured a sculpture in front of the Soul. It depicted a mountain with stairs, bodies of fallen Sovereigns strewn about. "You will ascend the ranks of the Sovereign society, crushing anyone who opposes you."
The sculpture showed the Soul reaching the mountain''s peak, where a man with the emblem of Alpha awaited. "Once you reach the top, you''ll find him there," Omega stated.
The Soul formed a sword and attacked Alpha, destroying him. "And you will be the one to bring his end," Omega continued, as the sculpture crumbled to dust.
"Then my revenge will be complete, right?" the Soul asked.
"Right, and all your wrath, hatred, and regret will vanish," Omega confirmed.
"I see. But what¡¯s in it for you?" the Soul questioned.
"I mentioned the marks sealing my power, remember?" Omega said, as marks appeared on his body.
"By killing the owners of these marks, they will vanish along with them," Omega explained.
"So you want me to kill the 10 Sovereigns who own these marks to free you from this prison," the Soul surmised.
"Once you kill them all, I will finally be free," Omega said with a menacing voice and a smirk.
"But I don''t have an issue with any of these 10. Why should I go after them? It seems like a waste of time," the Soul argued.
Omega smiled, "It seems you don''t understand your goal. To most creatures, reaching Alpha is considered impossible, yet you aim to kill him. People would think you''re mad."
"I get it. Alpha is incredibly strong. You don''t need to remind me every time," the Soul replied.
"I have to, because if you truly understood, you wouldn''t speak that way," Omega insisted.
"Just say what you want to say," the Soul said.
"Alpha''s power is immeasurable, and he holds the highest status in the Sovereign society. So other Sovereigns will do everything in their power to stop you, including the 10 who hold the marks," Omega explained.
"So, to reach Alpha, I may have to start a war against the Sovereign society," the Soul realized.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Now that you know the deal, you have two choices," Omega said, extending his hand towards the floating crown. "Take the crown and become a Sovereign," then he pointed at the void, "or throw yourself off the platform into the void, returning to your endless cycle."
Omega leaned back on his throne, "So, what''s your choice, Soul?"
The Soul stood silent, looking between the crown and the void. "Can you give me time to decide?" it asked.
"Of course, but be quick. i am not a patient man," Omega warned.
The Soul closed its eyes, and the world shifted into the dark domain. Shadows appeared.
"He''s clearly untrustworthy," said the Assassin Shadow.
"And he''s not telling us the full truth," added the Noble Shadow, playing chess.
"But do we have any choice but to trust him?" asked the Slave Shadow.
"B-but T-trusting him could lead to something B-bad," said the Mage Shadow scared.
"What''s worse than the cycle of suffering we live in?" inquired the Beggar Shadow.
The shadows debated, with the Soul in the middle, listening to their ideas. The General Shadow, who had been silent, stood up, causing everyone to fall quiet.
"The crown is our final chance to break free of this cycle," the General Shadow said, walking towards the Soul. "I''m tired of being unable to do anything, feeling shackled and weak." He looked straight into the Soul''s eyes, "No matter what happens, as long as I get the chance to fight back, I''ll claim the crown, even if it means becoming the thing I hate most."
All the shadows silently showed their approval. The Soul closed its eyes, and the world shifted back to the void and the platform.
"It''s rare that, even after living for thousands of years, I still get surprised," Omega thought, observing the Soul with eyes that saw beyond reality.
The Soul opened its eyes and moved towards the crown. "You''ve made the right choice," Omega said with a satisfied smile.
Standing before the crown, that was radiating with energy, the Soul asked, "So all I have to do is wear it?"
"If you can," Omega replied.
the Soul stretched its hand towards the crown. As soon as it touched it, dark and red lightning erupted, sending the Soul flying. Lying on the ground, the Soul felt sharp pain from its burned arm.
"I forgot to tell you, the crown holds immense power. Putting it on, for someone who wasn''t officially chosen as a Sovereign, is quite difficult," Omega explained.
The Soul rose and walked towards the crown again, "Of course, you forgot to tell me," it thought.
Reaching the crown once more, the Soul grabbed it with both hands. Energy flowed through its body, accompanied by unbearable pain. The Soul held on as long as it could before being sent flying again. Its body was burned and filled with cracks, pieces falling off.
"No soul has ever claimed a crown before," Omega stated. " I guess normal Sovereigns use their body''s durability to withstand the crown''s power. But with your soul''s durability akin to glass, your chances are close to zero. If your soul is destroyed, it''s the end for you."
The broken Soul thought, "You guess? Stop joking with me."
Suddenly, the General Shadow appeared, "What are you waiting for? Stand up already!"
"I don''t have a chance of taking that crown," the Soul protested.
"There''s no harm in trying. Either way, it''s a win for us," the General Shadow insisted.
"What do you mean?" the Soul asked.
"If we take the crown, we get the power to take revenge. If we die trying, we''ll finally have the eternal rest we wanted. Don''t you agree?" the General Shadow reasoned.
"You''re right. Either way, I win," the Soul smiled as it stood up and walked towards the crown. With each step, pieces of the Soul fell and cracked until it finally reached the crown.
"My body won''t hold any longer. This is my last chance," the Soul said, grabbing the crown. Energy flowed through it again. The Soul clutched it with all its strength, "No matter what, I won''t let go. I either take it or die trying."
Suddenly, a strong light filled the void, illuminating it. From the light emerged a naked, handsome man, appearing to be 18 years old, with pale white skin, a muscular build, 175 cm tall, black hair, and red eyes. A crown hovered above his head.
The Soul examined its new body, "So, I have a body now."
"You keep surprising me. But the only reason you succeeded is because your soul grew strong from all the lives you lived. So do you like your new body?" Omega asked.
"It seems like it can handle some hard work," the Soul replied.
"So, what''s the name you''re going to choose? You can''t remain nameless," Omega inquired.
"A name... I''ve had hundreds of names," the Soul thought.
"It doesn''t matter. The system will decide a name for you," Omega said.
A white window with golden celestial energy flowing through it like a circuit board appeared before the Soul. It read:
[Congratulations]
-
Amadeus, you were chosen by Axel to become a Sovereign.
The screen changed, displaying a new message:
-
You will be teleported in 1 minute to the tutorial pocket dimension. Be ready.
A countdown of 1 minute appeared.
"So, that''s what he meant by the system choosing a name. Did it choose Amadeus because it was the last name i had?" the Soul wondered.
"You received the message, right?" Omega asked.
"Why can''t you see the window in front of me?" the Soul replied.
" Only you can see your panel; others cannot, and This applies to all Sovereigns," Omega explained.
"So, what''s your name, Soul?" said omega
The Soul looked up at Omega and declared, "My name is Amadeus."
The Tutorial Pocket Dimension
The soul looked up and said, "My name is Amadeus."
Omega stood silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Interesting choice. Do you know the meaning behind that name?"
Amadeus, intrigued, asked, "Why? What''s the meaning behind it?"
Omega smiled again and said, "That''s a story for another time. We can''t waste time on something useless."
50 seconds left.
Amadeus looked at the system and thought, "He''s right. I can''t waste time. Before I go, I have to get all I can from Omega."
Amadeus looked at Omega and said, "Do you have any tips to help me on this tutorial? Like what''s it about, its location, or what kind of enemies I might meet?"
Omega leaned back on his throne and said calmly, "No."
Amadeus, surprised, thought, "There are two meanings to this answer¡ªeither he doesn''t want to help me, or he doesn''t know."
40 seconds left.
Omega then said, "Each tutorial is different, which means its location, the goal, and the enemies are different each time."
Amadeus thought, "Different each time; then I am entering the tutorial totally blind. This might be harder than I thought..."
Omega interrupted Amadeus'' thoughts and said, "But don''t worry, in the end, it''s just a tutorial. If you''re careful enough, you will pass it."
30 seconds left.
Amadeus then thought, "It doesn''t matter. Even if the tutorial is in hell, I will complete it."
They stood silent for a bit, the sound of the system counting filling the air.
20 seconds left.
Omega suddenly said, "What I am going to tell you now isn''t a secret or a tip, but an advice."
Amadeus looked at Omega and said, "Anything is better than nothing."
Omega, with a serious face, said, "The reward for completing the tutorial is the most important thing you will get, and it will either make you fly in the sky or chain you to the ground."
Then he added with a menacing voice, "Always remember that the system doesn''t make mistakes in writing. You have to carefully analyze every word the system shows you, because it always has a hidden meaning."
Omega then added, "And finally, never trust the system. No matter how good it looks, in the end, it''s just helping you to use you later."
10 seconds left.
Amadeus, who was silently listening and memorizing each word Omega told him, said, "Then will I meet you again?"
9 seconds left.
Omega said, "When I see that the time is right, we will meet again."
8 seconds left.
Omega added, "Of course, that is if you survive long enough."
7 seconds left.
"Don''t worry, I will survive no matter the cost," Amadeus added.
6 seconds left.
Omega said, "Amadeus."
5 seconds left.
Suddenly, a white magic circle appeared under Amadeus.
4 seconds left.
Amadeus then thought, "So that''s how I''m going to the tutorial."
3 seconds left.
Light started to come out from the circle in the form of beams of light slowly rising, which took Amadeus'' interest.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
He was surprised after looking at Omega''s face, which looked so menacing that he could kill him in a second.
2 seconds left.
Omega, with a menacing voice, looked down at Amadeus from his throne with eyes glowing with red energy and said, "Don''t disappoint me."
1 second left.
Amadeus stayed silent with a calm face, and he exchanged his final look with Omega before the light from the circle covered his vision and formed a pillar of light.
0 seconds left.
Beginning transportation to the tutorial pocket dimension...
Amadeus'' vision was completely covered by the white rays of light that lasted for a few seconds. Suddenly, the light stream started to disappear.
Amadeus didn''t waste any time and started investigating the area with his eyes.
The place he was teleported to was a forest, and there was a weird white energy creating a barrier that covered the place.
"Good, a forest area can be classified as the easiest environment to survive in. As for that barrier, maybe it shows the tutorial area limits," thought Amadeus.
"Now to see the others," thought Amadeus as he turned his head to look at the other people that came with him.
There were 14 people with Amadeus, making them a total of 15. Most of them were humans, but some stood out more than the others.
First, the beast man, tall with a huge body, looked human apart from his ears that looked like they belonged to a bear. "Ahh, that light made my head spin," the beast man screamed in anger.
Second, an elf girl with beautiful features and a cold demeanor. "This tutorial might be a good opportunity to relax in the forest," she said.
Third, a human with black hair and eyes, a slender build, and gloomy eyes. "A forest? Come on, so I won''t find a good place to sleep then," he said.
"Please, can you give me your attention," said a gentle voice.
Amadeus turned quickly towards the source of the voice because he was sure there was no one apart from the people he saw.
The voice belonged to a man with red hair and eyes and white skin, wearing white clothes similar to that of a butler, with an emblem on his hand glowing with white light.
"I''m sure of it; he wasn''t there when we got here," thought Amadeus. "Did he just appear?"
Everyone directed their attention to the man.
"Thank you," the man said with a gentle smile.
"I am Jax, the calibrator responsible for directing this tutorial."
"A calibrator? What does that even mean?" the elf girl said with an arrogant manner.
"Everything is written in the database of the system, so you can read it later," said Jax with a smile.
The beast man smirked and started moving towards Jax. "A tutorial? What a waste of time. Weren''t we already chosen? Then why waste the ti..."
The beast man''s words stopped as he stopped walking because Jax lifted his hand.
"First, can you stop there? You have to keep a distance of 2 meters between us," said Jax with a smile.
"Is that part of the rules?" asked the elf girl.
"It''s not part of the rules, but a personal preference," said Jax with a smile.
"Second, you already interrupted my talk twice. So, I won''t tolerate any more interruptions."
"And before you ask, no.999985, this is also a personal preference of mine."
"No.999985? Why didn''t he use her name? If he''s responsible for the tutorial, he should know all our names from the system," thought Amadeus as he watched what was happening. "Is it because for them, until we pass the tutorial, we are no more than numbers?"
"Please, be patient. I will tell you everything you need to know," said Jax.
The beast man returned to his place, and Jax continued talking.
"My purpose is to monitor the tutorial and make sure that no mistakes happen in it. And, of course, I am also here to guide you through it."
"First, why don''t you read this?"
Jax lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Each person''s system opened in front of them.
[Missions]
-Main mission: The Ghoul Forest
-Difficulty: E
-You''re a lucky wanderer who lost his way in the forest and was able to find this defensive barrier, but it will only last for 1 week. Then the monsters will flood the forest area. Will you be able to survive?
- Completion conditions: Survive or kill the monsters in the 3 waves.
- Failure conditions: Death or failure to meet the minimum contribution of 10%.
- Completion reward: The right to enter the citadel.
"Is this a joke? It seems simple and easy. Too easy," said Amadeus as he looked at the system.
The screen then changed.
[Notification]
- Axel will be watching your actions, choices, personality, and performance in this tutorial.
- Once you complete the tutorial, you will be rewarded with a class depending on these factors.
The screen then changed.
- Good Luck.
"Luck you say? Well, I don''t think I have much of that," said Amadeus as the system closed.
A clap from Jax got everyone''s attention back.
As they looked at him, he said, "Now that you understand the tutorial, I will explain the..."
He was cut off by a human boy who started laughing and talking. "Haha...What more do you need to explain? I guess the mission is clear enough, and people in my world were all worked up about it."
"He''s right. In the lives I''ve lived as a soldier, this kind of test was common, where you need to survive monster waves and These people don''t seem that weak," thought Amadeus. "Even after hearing that they need to fight waves of monsters, they didn''t flinch, like it was normal."
The boy then looked at the others and said with an arrogant smile, "Don''t you agr..."
He stopped mid-sentence, his veins bulging, and his eyes turning red. "Didn''t I warn you before?" said Jax with a smile. The boy fell to his knees, screaming from the immense pain.
The boy kept screaming for several minutes, with everyone silently watching him with cold faces. Not wanting to get into trouble, they stood silent, hoping they wouldn''t be next.
"Well, he got what was coming to him," thought Amadeus, looking at the boy with cold eyes like everyone else. Then he glanced at Jax. "But more importantly, what kind of power does he have? Is he using magic?"
A girl in the back was biting her lower lip in frustration. She couldn''t handle it anymore and stepped forward.
Jax, who was silently smiling and watching the boy suffer, looked back at the girl with menacing eyes and a gentle smile and said, "Oh... number 999998, do you want to say something?"
The girl, human with pink hair and eyes, wearing noble training clothes, screamed, "Don''t you think that''s enough?"
Her outburst shocked everyone.
"Is she crazy?" thought Amadeus.
The Stats
Everyone was silent and shocked, their eyes filled with confusion and mockery, all thinking the same thing as Amadeus. The girl, a bit afraid of Jax, kept talking, "Please, can you stop? He had..." But she was cut off mid-sentence by Jax''s menacing smile. "No.99998, didn''t I say, no one cuts me off?"
The girl shivered, knowing what was coming next. But Amadeus intervened at the last second. "Calibrator Jax, if you excuse my interference, No.99998 didn''t cut you off since you weren''t talking for a while."
With each word from Amadeus, Jax''s silent smile grew more menacing. But Amadeus finished with complete confidence. "And are you even allowed to do this? Since you''re only a manager of this tutorial, does that give you the right to kill the participant?"
Jax remained silent, his smile unfaltering, as Amadeus closely watched his reaction. "Now show me how much you can interfere in this tutorial," Amadeus thought.
Jax''s expression suddenly lightened up. He then looked at the boy and said, "Of course, I won''t kill him, because that would be against the rules."
With that, the boy stopped trembling and returned to his original state, puking and coughing. Jax started laughing loudly, "Look, he''s alright, and you could say I haven''t touched a hair on his body."
"So he''s really just an observer, and what he did to that boy wasn''t supposed to happen," Amadeus thought. "Good, then I won''t have to worry about him toying with us in the tutorial."
The girl looked at Amadeus with confused eyes, "Why did he do that? Maybe he''s just a good guy."
Jax turned to the boy, "Are you alright? Can you listen to what I am going to say?" The boy barely managed to nod, which pleased Jax. He continued, explaining the tutorial.
The mission is to survive three monster waves that will get harder each time. You need to contribute at least 10%, which means dealing 10% of the overall damage. The tutorial has two main areas: The Barrier, which is safe, and the Deep Forest, filled with monsters, and staying in the Deep Forest at night is considered suicide, finally This is a team-based tutorial were participants have to help each other.
Amadeus''s mind filled with thoughts as he tried to make sense of the situation.
This tutorial was designed for ten or fewer participants, forcing fierce competition for monster kills due to the 10% contribution requirement and The ability reward based on performance will only make things more intense so if a person claim 40% of the contribution and dominate the tutorial.
4 places will be taken by a single participants stealing the chance of other participants to complete the tutorial.
So, Calling it a team-based tutorial was laughable, as it felt more like a battle royale for contribution points.
Jax then said " Now i will give you chance to looke at your stats "
Jax snapped his fingers, and the system screens appeared.
[User Amadeus Stats]
Health: LV 0 / 10
Mana: LV 0 / 10
Endurance: LV 0 / 10
Strength: LV 0 / 10
Agility: LV 0 / 10
Intelligence: LV 0 / 10
"Level 0 in everything! Is that normal?" Amadeus thought. Everyone was confused about their levels, and Jax noticed their confusion so he explained to them.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
Jax said "It must be hard for you to understand these stats".then he explained to them.
The levels indicate how you compare to the average human. Level 1 means you''re equal to an average human. Level 2 means you''re twice as strong as an average human, and This applies to all stats.
And the reason why the level is based on humans and not elves, beast men, or any other species is because humans are the most numerous and generally considered the weakest among all races. So, it makes sense to use them as the baseline for comparison.
Amadeus was shocked, "Wait, he didn''t mention level 0. Does that mean the minimum is 1? Then I have half the stats of an average human!"
The elf girl asked, "How do we raise our level?" Jax smirked, "With points, of course."
"Points? What''s that?".
"For now, just know it''s something you''ll be rewarded for killing monsters. For more information, you can look at your database later ".
Amadeus observed the others'' reactions.
The beast man was happy and shouting, "That''s what I expected from my body!" Others had poker faces, hiding their reactions.
" that''s is expected, the weak dont want to let others know his weak and the strong dont want to show there true power " thought Amadeus completely ignoring the idiot beast man that clearly got good stats.
" now all i have to do is hide that my stats are all level 0 as much as i can, because if they found out, i will be everyone''s primary target ".
Jax smiled demonically, "Look at them trying to hide their stats. But that won''t do because this is a team-based tutorial."
Jax looked at the participants and thought " maybe there just shy people, and as the one responsible for this tutorial i have to help them, right".
Jax clapped his hands, "Everyone, I have seen that you''re struggling, so I decided to help out of my kindness." Amadeus thought, "No, don''t tell me he''s going to do that."
Snap!
Jax snapped his fingers in Bothe hands, making the system screens that were blank, now became full of visible informations. "Isn''t this much better? Now you can easily get to know each other and create teams."
Jax waved his hand, and a system screen appeared with a 1-minute countdown. "I will give you 1 minute to get familiar with each other, then I will go, and the tutorial will start."
Amadeus clenched his teeth in frustration, "Get familiar? He''s clearly pushing us to kill each other."
He looked back at the others, all staring at him with both confusion and mockery, which was expected because now he was the weakest of them all.
Amadeus thought, " I have no time to waste. First, let''s look at their stats and find a plan."
from what Amadeus concluded that level 1 is truly the minimum since none of the 14 other participants had a stat lower then level 1 but some of them even had stats that are level 2 and even level 3 which to Amadeus who was level 0, there power was incomparable and the chance of him wining in a fight against them is 0.
Amadeus began memorizing the other participants'' stats. Most had level 1 stats, but some stood out:
-Vegaz, the beast man, had level 3 Strength and Health.
-Nienna, the elf girl, had level 3 Mana and Intelligence.
-Albus, the lazy gloomy boy, had level 3 Agility and Endurance.
these three were the strongest between all the participants.
then came the ones just blow the strongest.
-Ixer, the boy punished by Jax, had level 2 Agility and Health.
-Lexia, the pink haired noble girl, had level 2 Strength and Agility.
Then there were the weak, 5 participants with just one level 2 stat, and the weakest, 4 participants with all stats at level 1.
finally, the weakest of the weakest.
there was only one, a participent who had all his stats at level 0 his name is Amadeus.
Jax suddenly said " think of this is a gift from my to you" then he snapped his fingers and everyone get a random weapon in there hand, the weapons were normal iron swords, axes, bow, dagger, magic wand.
- Vegaz got a dagger which he seemed unhappy about.
- Nienna got a sword which she was barely able to hold with her level 1 strength.
- Albus got a dagger which he immediately started doing trick with showing his familiarity with that type of weapon.
- ixer got a bow that seemed perfect for him since he started adjusting it to suite him.
- lexia got a long sword that she started examining it a bit then she praised it quality showing here experience with swords.
and finally Amadeus who get a small wooden club " is this a joke " he thought and suddenly the system appeared.
[Notification]
-Since you don''t meet the minimum stats requirements for using the small wooden club, you will be unable to deal damage with it until you meet the stats requirements.
-Do you want to unequip the small wooden club?
"Things are just getting better and better," Amadeus thought as he unequipped the club.
Ten seconds left.
Jax said as he was getting ready to leave "I guess you all got to know each other, then My work here is done."
Amadeus thought keeping a calm mind "As soon as he leaves, they will start. But if everything goes as I expect, I will survive the beginning of the tutorial."
Jax started turning into rays of white light, slowly disappearing with everyone awaiting the moment he will leave.
all that was left from Jax was his face as he smiled and said " i am whishing you the best of luck, because you will need it " with that Jax completely despaired.
The timer reached 0, and the tutorial officially began.
Tutorials Beginning
Amadeus held his ground because if he moved now, they would attack him. Therefore timing was the key.
Once Jax despaired the strongest three began moving with Vegaz being the first to act.
He stretched and said, "I feel like my body is going to break from standing still for too long." He then moved toward one of the participants who was holding an axe and said.
while holding the dagger he had, "Hey, can we switch? I have great strength, and I prefer using axes. What do you think?".
The participant had no reason to give up the axe since all his stats were equal, and he seemed to like the axe.
Noticing the participant''s hesitation, Vegaz said in a menacing voice, "You don''t want to switch?".
Out of fear of offending Vegaz, the participant gave up the axe.
On the other side, Nienna also took a magic staff from another one of the Weak participants, saying, with confidence "Give it to me, since in your hands it''s like a wooden stick," .
Vegaz, now happy, began swinging the axe, trying it out." yes, that''s what i call a weapon not that kitchen knife.
AHhhhh!
A scream could be heard from the back.
The scream belonged to a participant who now lay dead on the ground. Above him was a gleaming blade held by a figure who knelt down to retrieve the dagger from the deceased participant.
Albus held two daggers and, with eyes showing no regret, he spun one of them in the air and said, "Why waste time? Let''s be done with this already."
Vegaz answered him, "You''re right." With a smile, he suddenly swung the axe, splitting the participant who had given him the axe in the first place and blood exploded everywhere in a horrifying sight.
Nienna staff started to glow and a fire ball was created and lunched burning the opponent in front of her filling the aire with there screams as they burned to death.
Everything happened so fast that most of the participants were still frozen with fear watching as there follow participants were killed.
even that all that Amadeus did not move, as he expected what was going to happen.
He was still waiting for the perfect moment, confident that they would leave the weakest of them all until the end.
And then, the massacre began.
Albus and Vegaz fought the other participants who were trying to fight back but the difference of power was incredible, while Nienna burned anyone who tried to escape slowly lowering the number of participants
" the difference is only 2 levels, yet there falling like flies" Amadeus thought as he watched the massacre.
Ixer and Lexia were not attacked, as they were strong enough not to be called the Weak like the other participants, and they might be needed later to complete the tutorial mission.
So, they remained silent, watching the massacre unfold. while Lexia wanting to stop them, but she knew she wouldn''t be able to defeat them.
As a participant ran past Amadeus trying to escape and screaming, "You crazy people!"
"This is the moment," Amadeus thought as he started running behind the participant.
Nienna noticed them and started creating a fireball. "She must launch it by now," Amadeus thought as he kept running.
BOOM!
Just as he finished thinking, a fireball hit the participant beside him.
The other participant acted as a human shield because Amadeus knew that if he ran alone, he would die and from watching Nienna couldn''t he concluded that she cant cast spells fast enough to kill two people in a row.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
Amadeus managed enter the forest, thinking, "It was a 50% chance, but considering that I was much weaker than him, it became 100%."
"But I am not out of danger yet. To be fully safe, I have to get out of the barriers and reach the deep forest, a place they wouldn''t risk following me to," Amadeus thought.
As he expected, a dagger suddenly struck the tree in front of him, and cut a bit of his chick making it bleed and a voice could be heard from behind, "Sorry, I missed."
It was Albus chasing Amadeus.
Amadeus ran as fast as he could, but Albus kept appearing in front of him and He swung the dagger, nearly hitting Amadeus playing with him.
the chase continued for a while until Amadeus got out of the forest.
Slash!
As soon as he got out, he was slashed in the back by Albus but Amadeus continued running, his back bleeding, until he reached a cliff with a stream of very strong water below.
"It seems like the fun has ended," said Albus as he raised his dagger, ready to kill Amadeus.
Amadeus mind started racing trying to find a way out " this cant be the end " he thought.
BANG!
Before Albus could kill Amadeus, an arrow was thrown at Albus, causing him to deflect it and step back.
"what!," Albus thought as he saw Ixer standing behind a tree.
"What do you think you''re doing?" Albus shouted aiming his dagger at Ixer
"What do you think? I was trying to kill that weakling, but it seems my skills with the bow aren''t as good as I thought," said Ixer.
" not good, like i would believe something like that" thought Albus but he couldn''t do anything because Ixer is needed to complete the tutorial so he just ignored it.
Albus suddenly remembered Amadeus, and when he looked, he was long gone. "Did he throw himself off the cliff? Well, it doesn''t matter," thought Albus as he looked over the edge of the cliff. Then he started to walk back to the starting point.
As Albus walked past Ixer, Ixer said, "Aren''t we going after him?"
Albus kept walking and said, "He must be dead already and Even if he survived the strong current, he won''t survive a day in the deep forest, let alone the night time."
In the meantime, Amadeus was fighting against the waves, barely keeping himself alive. "This weak body won''t hold much longer," he thought.
[Notification]
40% endurance left.
His endurance was already lower than average, and all the running had taken most of it. Therefore, being able to fight the current was by pushing his weak body to its limit.
"I have to find a way out," Amadeus thought. He kept looking for a way out but found nothing. "If this goes on, my endurance will reach zero and I will drown in this river," he thought.
"Calm down. Right now, you have to think with a clear mind," the knight memory said in Amadeus''s mind.
"Right, clear mind," Amadeus thought as he stopped fighting back against the water, as it was a waste of endurance.
"Sorry, but I have to make you think quickly because, depending on multiple factors, this river ends with a waterfall," said the Noble memory.
Then he added, "And the chances of you surviving the waterfall are slim to none. And even if you survive, every bone in your body will be destroyed."
"Thanks for the advice," Amadeus replied.
As the waterfall came into sight, Amadeus noticed a big rock at the edge of the waterfall. "That''s my chance," he thought.
As Amadeus started swimming towards the rock, the Noble memory said, "You know that the only way to stop at the boulder is by..."
BANG!
He was cut off by the impact of Amadeus hitting the boulder. "Slamming your body into it," he continued.
[Notification]
70% HP left.
"It doesn''t matter as long as I can survive," Amadeus thought as the pressure of the water behind him started crushing his body.
With all his might, he was able to rise above the rock, finally getting out of the water, but he was still not out of danger.
"Cough!...Cough!...Spit!" Amadeus spat blood from the damage of the water pressing against his body then he stood up.
[Notification]
60% HP left.
"If I were in your place, I wouldn''t stay long on that rock," the Assassin memory said.
He was right; the rock was unstable, but there was a good place to climb up just one jump away from the rock. But before Amadeus could jump, a strong wave of water came due to the breaking of a log that was holding back the water.
Amadeus was completely submerged in water, but he was holding onto the rock with both his hands, trying to last until the water level returned to normal.
Suddenly, one of the log pieces came hitting Amadeus''s shoulder, making him let go of the rock, but he kept a firm hold with his other hand.
" just a bit longer " he thought.
[Warning]
10% endurance left.
Finally, the water calmed, and Amadeus came back above the rock.
Not wanting to waste any more time, he jumped, holding onto the rocks on the cliff. He started climbing, feeling that his heart was going to stop from exhaustion, and his vision started to get blurry. "a bit more" thought Amadeus.
Crack!
One of the rocks broke, and Amadeus was left hanging using only one arm and It was the injured one, which caused him incredible pain.
[Warning]
5% endurance left.
"I can''t, my hand and my endurance, I just can''t," thought Amadeus.
"You can''t give up because we didn''t give up yet," said the Knight memory. "Now start climbing," he added with a menacing voice.
even if he gave up, there were hundreds of his memories that wouldn''t accept it.
Amadeus put his hand back on and thought, "He''s right, I can''t stop," and he kept climbing, finally reaching the top.
[Warning]
1% endurance left.
[Notification]
50% HP left.
He lay on the grass, breathing heavily and covered in blood. A system screen appeared in front of him.
-You Entered The Deep Forest.
Tutorials Beginning Part 2
Amadeus lay drenched in blood, his body wracked with excruciating pain. The system¡¯s emergency protocols had activated, and despite his desperate struggle, he couldn¡¯t fight back.
A stark notification flashed before his eyes.
[Notification]
Endurance reached 0%
Entering coma state until sufficient recovery.
¡°No, I can¡¯t lose consciousness now¡ not here,¡± Amadeus thought, fighting against the overwhelming darkness.
But his efforts were futile, and soon the world went black as he slipped into a deep, unconscious sleep.
****
Back at the starting point, both Albus and Ixer returned to a scene that defied expectation.
The area was clean¡ªno scattered bodies or spilled blood, as if the battle had never taken place.
Albus, clearly taken aback, asked Nienna, ¡°Did you cast a cleaning spell?¡±.
Nienna, with a quiet but unmistakable pride, replied, ¡°And why would I waste my time learning a useless spell¡±.
Before the conversation could settle, Vegas joined in, his voice edged with suspicion.
¡°After you left, they lingered for a bit¡ then one by one, they began disappearing. The blood they spilled faded with them¡ªas if they were never here.¡±
Ixer added thoughtfully, ¡°It must be part of the tutorial settings.¡±
Nienna¡¯s eyes narrowed as she remembered Amadeus¡¯s escape. ¡°And what about that weakling?¡±.
Albus was preparing to respond, but Ixer cut him off sharply. ¡°Forget about him. He¡¯s no threat to us.¡±
Albus cast a doubtful glance at Ixer but kept silent, knowing any admission of failure would only undermine his position.
Then Vegaz¡¯s voice rose, his tone shifting from amusement to menace. ¡°Only five of us remain. So Let the strongest win.¡±
****
Deep within his memory domain, Amadeus¡¯s thoughts twisted and swirled.
¡°Well, that was one hell of a start,¡± the Assassin muttered.
¡°It was terrifying,¡± the Mage admitted.
¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± the Bagger said coldly. ¡°He won¡¯t last long in the deep forest.¡±
¡°At least we followed the most logical route,¡± the Noble added.
¡°The boy who helped him is kind,¡± the Slave whispered. ¡°Perhaps it was his way of repaying our kindness when we saved him from Jax.¡±
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
But the Knight¡¯s voice cut through the murmur like a blade. ¡°Enough. What matters is that he¡¯s already faced death three times¡ªand this is only the beginning.¡±
The Assassin tried to argue, but the Knight¡¯s deathly glare silenced him.
¡°This only proves his weakness,¡± the Knight growled. ¡°And I refuse that his survival depends on running away.¡±
Amadeus lay in the darkness, hearing their words.
¡°They¡¯re right,¡± he thought.
¡°I came here to become the strongest¡ªand I will, no matter what it takes.¡±.
A a sudden, resonant chime like a distant bell snapped Amadeus back to reality. The system screen expanded with new notifications:
[Notification]
Endurance fully recharged.
Coma state terminated.
screen changed.
[Notification]
HP is below 50%.
Please seek treatment.
Amadeus pushed himself up on trembling arms, each movement sending a jolt of agony through his battered frame.
He inspected his injuries.
multiple bruises, several cracked bones, and a deep, ragged cut on his shoulder from the splintered log piece¡¯s.
None were immediately fatal¡ªexcept the relentless bleeding from his back that had drained most of his health.
¡°First, I need to stop this bleeding,¡± he muttered.
As if summoned by his request, a new memory appeared.
A memory of an old man manifested¡ªcalm yet commanding¡ªdressed in the humble clothes of a commoner, his bags overflowing with strange flowers and herbs. His piercing, wisdom-filled eyes locked onto Amadeus with a sense of urgency.
Without speaking, he extended his hand, into the deep forest.
With no other choice, Amadeus stumbled after him, the forest closing in around them. His vision blurred from pain, and his system display showed his health slipping further: 35/100.
Suddenly, the old man stopped and pointed at a small, strange plant growing among the roots of an ancient tree.
The tree emitted a faint, ethereal glow¡ªbarely noticeable unless you focused intently.
¡°You want me to take this?¡± Amadeus asked.
The old man nodded.
Kneeling, Amadeus plucked the plant. ¡°And now?¡±
Without a word, the old man knelt beside Amadeus and pressed his hand against the bleeding wound on his back.
Amadeus hesitated, but with no better options, he pressed the plant against his wound.
The moment it touched his flesh, a searing pain tore through him like fire, and he let out a scream, instinctively throwing the plant away.
¡°Are you trying to heal me or kill me?¡± he demanded.
But then a new system notification appeared:
[Notification]
HP increased by 0,1.
Amadeus¡¯s eyes widened as the plant¡¯s description surfaced:
Item Identified:
Nr Plant : A rare herb found only in the deepest parts of the forest under ancient trees. Known for its extraordinary healing properties, it can mend only minor wounds not critical damage. However, the excruciating pain it causes stopes most from using it.
¡°Exactly what I need,¡± Amadeus whispered, gathering more of the plant.
"You must be a herbalist. Forgive me for doubting you," Amadeus said.
The memory responded with a gentle smile, showing there was no anger.
He tore a strip from his already-tattered clothes and carefully secured the Nr Plant against his back, gritting his teeth as the searing pain flared.
The pain was immediate and brutal, dropping him to his knees as his scream echoed through the forest.
But slowly, his body adjusted to the pain.
He applied the plant to other wounds, enduring the agony in silence. When he finally looked up, the herbalist memory was gone.
"Thank you," Amadeus said softly.
Emerging from the woods, Amadeus returned to the cliff where he had fallen unconscious.
¡°I need to rest until my wounds heal,¡± he told himself, checking the system¡¯s latest update:
[Notification]
Healing in progress using Nr Plant.
Estimated time: 5 hours.
He settled beneath a sturdy tree, letting exhaustion claim him. Yet even as his body rested, his mind remained active.
¡°While I wait, I should use this time to learn more about the system,¡± he decided, navigating toward the Database section.
¡°Let¡¯s see what Jax wanted us to find in the database,¡± Amadeus whispered, determined to seize any advantage he could.