"My head!"
After the Kersas countdown, I found myself with a headache.
But more importantly
"Where am I?"
When I awoke I was in total darkness, yet my eyes were slowly getting used to the absence of light.
"What the...?"
After a few moments, a faint glow caught my attention.
Opposite me, a door emitted a timid light that barely illuminated the room.
Curious, I approached and noticed a number engraved on the door: the number 1.
And just above it the number 101
"Why does this look so familiar?" I murmured
The door itself is nothing special, but I keep getting a feeling of already seen, even though I'm certain I've never been here before.
[Would you like to start the tutorial?]
Just as I was pondering the mysterious door, the quersas' voice snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Is that you Kersas ?"
[Do you want to start the tutorial?]
Instead of answering me, she just repeated the sentence from earlier.
"Yes," I replied, shaking my head.
Due to the fact that she didn't even obey her owner, William, not to send her into the novel, so it would surprise me if she could listen to me.
A few moments later, a window similar to that of a video game appeared before my eyes, accompanied by a long text.
Taking the time to read it carefully, here's a simple summary of what it says:
I've been given the power of the system thanks to my "author" skill.
This skill apparently allows me to obtain information about myself by using one of its functionalities.
"Let's give it a try."
{Profile}
Name : Luca
Clan : Fari
Age : 8
Chance : 5,1/10
Agility: 2
Dexterity: 5
Strength: 2
Mana: 0
Skills: Author
Stars: none
After analyzing my statistics, only one name catches my attention
"F-fari!?"
Fari is the name of a clan unable to use magic.
That would explain my lack of mana
"Also..."
It's a clan decimated by the empire because of a simple request for independence that the empire considers an act of treason.
At the time of the attack, all the children and their parents of the Fari clan were grouped together and hidden in one place.
However, the clan leader is aware that sooner or later the empire's men will find them.
So, to save the new generation, the chief revealed an ancestral secret
A ritual to open the door of the sanctuary
Once inside, those present will face individual tests.
If they fail, only death awaits them.
On the other hand, if they succeed, they will be rewarded with immense power and will be teleported far away.
Unfortunately, for the ritual to be activated, the life of an individual of the same blood is mandatory.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
All parents agree to give their life for their child
Among these children is Kim, the main character of the work, who ultimately emerged victorious from the ordeal of the sanctuary, gaining unimaginable power.
The other children, however, died in unknown circumstances.
I looked again at the door in front of me.
If my reasoning proves correct, I've been reincarnated in the body of a child from the same clan as the protagonist.
What's more, the door in front of me must be the first trial in the sanctuary, and the number 101 represents the number of people, or rather children, who will face the trial.
*Expiration
*Inspiration
I mentally prepare myself for what I'll have to face once I've passed through the door.
I examine my new child's body and then do some stretching.
"1, 2, 3..."
Aware of my limits in terms of endurance and strength
I'm ready to face my new destiny
* * *
William's point of view
When I separated from Luca, I found myself alone in a room lit only by a door emitting a dim light with the number 1 engraved on it.
Much later, I noticed that I was in the body of a kid, and I was able to confirm it thanks to my profile
{Profile}
Name : William
Clan: Fari
Age : 8
Chance : 2/10
Agility : 5
Dexterity : 1
Strength: 4
Mana: 0
Skill : co-author
Star: none
As I recall, the power system Luca adopted in the novel was somehow linked to the stars.
The stars grant power to an individual according to personality, trauma, origin or luck.
Behind this door, it leads me to another room, the difference being that this one is a little better lit than the previous one, and right in the middle stands a rope suspended vertically in the air.
At first glance, it seems impossible to distinguish where it leads, as even looking up, no ceiling is visible to indicate its attachment point.
Right next to the rope, a sign reads: "climb without stopping to access the second test".
Not wanting to die a second time, I grasp the rope firmly with my hands and begin my ascent.
10 minutes later, I noticed that the higher I climbed, the more anxious I became.
It has nothing to do with not being able to see the end of the rope, but rather...
"Am I really in the novel 'The Beginning of the End'?
The Beginning of the End"? This question loops around in my mind as I climb this taut rope into the unknown.
Normally, this kind of situation would be punctuated by obstacles, challenges that test my determination and courage.
Scenarios worthy of the pages of an adventure book, where aggressive flying creatures could appear at any moment, or where the rope itself could become a death trap as it ignites from below, forcing me to accelerate to avoid danger.
But so far, none of this is happening.
I search for answers, but they seem to slip out of my grasp just like my hands on that rough rope.
Despite the growing pain in my wrists and the burning sensation of my blistered palms, I keep climbing, driven by an inner force I don't even understand myself.
Twenty minutes pass, and my limbs tremble with fatigue as I cling desperately to this vertical rope.
Sweat trickles down my back, making each movement more arduous, but I cling to the determination to see this mission through to the end.
I take a break every 10 minutes
An hour passes, but there's still no sign that I've reached my destination.
The oppressive silence that surrounds me weighs on me, fueling my doubts and fears.
Am I on the right track? Am I really living this adventure or is it just a mirage in this desolate landscape?
I have no answers, only the rope in my hands and the unshakeable desire to keep climbing, whatever the cost.
When suddenly
"Aaahhhhh!!!"
I let go
Due to the fatigue accumulated during my climb, I was dragged headfirst.
"So this is how it ends?"
Various negative thoughts ran through my mind, encouraging my body to give up.
As I was about to accept my sad fate, I unconsciously recalled the pain of death.
Being pierced by a thorn-covered stick in the abdomen and pulling it out in a single movement, taking all the organs with it, seemed less painful than facing death itself.
The myth that your life flashes before your eyes is a load of crap.
Who has time to care?
Strangely enough, after these dark thoughts, I got a taste for life again.
"No way!"
Wasting no time, I adjusted my position and desperately grabbed the rope.
Because of the frictional force, it felt like my hands were bursting into flames, but despite the pain, I encouraged my body to stay glued to the rope.
The speed of my fall wasn't decreasing, but it was enough to survive.
I landed hard on the ground, forcing myself to lie on the floor, letting the pain take hold of my whole body.
"It really hurts! "
My hands burn, my heart rate still won't settle, I feel excruciating pain in my skull like it's about to explode.
My body can't even shake from the lack of energy, and my breathing is unstable.
*Haltingly
"But..."
All this is a luxury next to death
"Hahaha! haha! haha!"
Unable to contain my joy, I explode with laughter.
Strangely enough, from the moment I realize I'm going to survive, my vision becomes blurred to the point of complete obscurity before I plunge into a deep sleep.
* * *
Luca's point of view
"F-finally" I gasped as I caught sight of the end of the rope.
Seeing this, I climbed quickly.
Once at the top, I saw a door identical to the one below.
The difference is that it's marked with the number 2.
The sign spelled out perfectly what I'd noted in the novel.
"Climb without stopping to access the second test".
The hidden trick is that as soon as you start climbing, don't consider taking a break for any reason.
Otherwise, the distance will just get longer, and you'll keep climbing indefinitely.
The race ends after 30 minutes.
However, there's no rule about the pace, so I climbed at the speed of a molusce.
Despite this, the mental and physical fatigue is exhausting.
The protagonist understood this test after two days of training.
As I approached the door, the hole through which I'd come closed, revealing the number 100.
Judging by my speed, this number must represent the number of candidates still in the running.
"Well, now the hard part's over".
As I approached the door, William's face appeared in my mind.
"Is he okay?"
To my knowledge, William has a strong will to survive, yet he doesn't hesitate to give up if there's no way out.
Unfortunately, in this world, the word "give up" is synonymous with death.
No one is spared.
He's supposed to be reincarnated in a world he's always dreamed of being in, but because of my presence everything has been turned upside down.
Instead of taking William's, the Kersas took mine.
Was this a mistake on her part, or did she do it on purpose?
Unable to find an answer, I put my hand on the door's wrist and prayed that William would stay alive.