-Eris-

-inside the dungeon-

As I open my eyes, everyone is gone. I am alone inside the place that looks like a..

(Cave?)

I can feel the cold feeling of the stones in my feet combined with the dusty sand. I noticed I am not wearing a shoe which is weird but I ignored it.

"Daedalus wings"

A mechanical like wings appeared behind me. I can feel every inch of the said wings as I try to flap it around.

Daedalus wings. An equipment type skill that is part of Icarus series.

At first I thought it's an apparatus to be able to fly but I am wrong. Infact Daedalus wings is a tool to trigger the one time protective type skill 'scapegoat' that can block any fatal strike once .

Another important part of Daedalus wings is that the passive skills flight and scapegoat cannot be used without Daedalus wings.

The only good thing perhaps is that Icarus series are not categorized as another element which is why I can use it together with duality of elements.

Right now I am equipping Muspelheim and Niflheim together with Daedalus wings, explosion, frost wall and frost.

I promptly imagine myself flying which is the trigger for the flight skill.

Flight. One of the Icarus series. A passive skill that allows the user to fly when Daedalus wings are in effect.

With that, I found myself slowly rising from the ground. Gently. Slowly. I now no longer feel the cold and rough surface of the floor as I bid farewell on the ground.

Now 3 ft above the ground, I tried flying left and right, the controls seems easy as it uses the brain signals then passing to he nerves of my back as if a wings sprouts behind me.

I can accelerate, de-accelerate, and even do a somersault midair.

Few minutes later I decided it's enough time for testing as I started flying to the direction I believed to be the entrance.

(Why did I think this is the entrance?)

*Gulp*

Cold sweat runs down my forehead as I started thinking whys.

Now floating, I continue onwards.

Not so far now I can hear some voice. laughter even.

I hurried my pace.

The sight ahead of me made my head spin again.

The similar event.

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The same scenario.

The one I tried hard to avoid.

Is here again.

Kanna sitting on the throne.

Staring ahead.

Bodies laying on the floor.

Near the entrance.

A fat man holding someone by the neck.

The naked woman raised in the air.

The long red twintails.

The very same I hoped to save that day.

The girl now one of my girlfriends.

"ELLY!"

I screamed as loud as I can.

I flew towards them in the fastest speed I can do with my wings at the back.

I even tried to use frost wall to separate them but.

"Bang!"

That word alone is enough to wake me up.

To snap me back to reality.

I land on the floor. On where her head rolled.

I slowly knelt and picked her head up

I lifted it slowly towards my face with my shaking hands.

I tilt the head only to see Elly's face now bloody and no life

"Why..."

I asked myself.

Why did this happen again.

I thought it's over.

"Why..."

I murmured again as I felt my tears running down my cheeks.

"Why..."

My head spun rapidly thinking reasons why this happened.

I kept asking myself but to no avail.

I have no idea why.

Is it a mistake to think it's over?

Is it a mistake to think that I deserved to be happy despite being weak?

Is it a mistake to think that I should be content despite the fact I failed to save her that day?

I saw a feet at the corner of my eyes. I slowly raise my face to see whose is that.

Then I saw him. His familiar grin that's imprinted in my head now.

The very similar disgusting pig that made me and Elly suffer repeatedly.

I tried to open my mouth. Trying. Hoping to say something. But I failed. Why? Because of a single word.

"Bang!"

There I died again.

...

...

...

(Wait. Where's the system message?)

I thought to myself.

(Huh? What is happening?)

Again. I asked myself.

Then I suddenly felt a chilling sensation.

As if my cold feeling body suddenly became warm again.

I opened my eyes.

And once again I am greeted by the same scenario.

I am again standing at a place that resembles a cave.

(Why...)

-Elly-

-inside the dungeon-

"Hyah!"

Clashing of swords can be heard.

I am running around dodging blows by blows.

I merely managed to defeat 3 enemies so far.

My hands hurt.

My feet hurts.

My body hurts.

I received their blows many times now.

First the sword user.

When he kicked me it's painful enough.

Next the brawler

When he kept kicking, punching, I somehow dodged few hits but those that connected...

(It hurts...)

Now this knife user.

(He is fast. He also strikes a lot )

He almost blurred infront of me. Luckily my senses are boosted thanks to my new skill.

(Duelist aura)

Duelist aura is a middle tier skill that grants the user increase in all stats by 100% lasts until the fight ends.

(I only need to reuse this every fight so this is very helpful.)

(But that alone is not enough to bridge the difference in strength. )

(I need to be more precise.)

I lunged at him. Now midair he smiled thinking he had a chance. But before he get close enough I used ground pierce.

A large enough spike appeared infront me blocking his dash onwards. He stepped back but I didn't stop.

Using the spike as the foothold, i ran towards him.

He got surprised but not enough to falter as I used his right leg to sweep midair.

I fold my body feet almost hitting my head which is thanks to how flexible I am.

His legs passed through in the air after I dodge his hit.

I spun around midair and tried to land a kick on his face.

He crouched and tried to do the famous crouching tiger hidden dragon attack but he hit the air.

Why?

Because I stepped on his back while he is crouching.

Using it as a floor, I used force on my feet and jumped.

He felt that pressure form his back enough to make him fall straight in the floor right after he tried punching form below with an uppercut.

I landed few steps behind him and didn't stop.

I spin around my body returning my gaze to his now fallen body.

I dashed again back to him.

I unleashed ground pierce.

Countless spikes appeared on his left, right and front. Trapping him inside.

He tried to raise up but failed because I leapt and used my right feet to perform an axe kick on his head.

He stumbled back on the floor

I didn't stop however as I quickly plunge my short sword on his back.

One

Two

Three

I stabbed his back many times in fury.

He screamed

He claw on the floor

He tried grabbing something only to feel the air in his arms

After flailing for minutes

I stopped attacking.

Now breathing heavily, I sat on his bum for awhile because of the relentless attack while mounting him behind.

I look at the cave's ceiling.

Then after resting for a while I heard a clap.

I look behind then saw another bandit now walking towards me.

*Gulp*

(4 down...)

I feel myself drowning from mixed emotions.

Fear

Helplessness

Anger

Sadness

I don't know anymore.

I simply drank my spit as I ready myself.

Now standing with my short sword infront

I steeled my body.

After all I know something.

(That's right. This is just a challenge I need to overcome.)

(This is just... A trial.)

(A trial I need to surpass.)

(So I can finally become a strength)

(For Eris.)

There I dashed again towards the enemy holding a scythe as he simply grins at me

"Hyah!"

*Clang*

*Clang*

Clashing swords can be heard again in the area as I fight for my life.