"..seth"

"Roseth"

Who is it?

"Roseth"

Arter?

"Roseth!"

At the god's shout, I woke up suddenly and looked around disoriented. I was lying on the ground in some kind of clearing, and the terrain around me was as ruined as a battlefield, with the grass looking burnt.

What happened? Is this the location of the test?

"Roseth, behind you," Arter said in my head.

I immediately turned around and noticed two men standing facing each other while wielding their swords. One was a young boy with silver hair, slender in build, and a fine sword. He wore a long black robe and boots of the same color. The other man was older but exuded an imposing aura that seemed to engulf me.

Our gazes met, and he fixed me with his blood-red eyes. I could see darkness completely enveloping him, while his enormous black sword was shrouded in dark smoke.

"You've finally awakened," the older one said. "I couldn't wait to play with you."

I was overwhelmed by his murderous intent and frozen in terror.

"Don't worry," the silver-haired boy said. "As long as I'm here, you'll be safe."

"Who are you?" I asked, materializing a mana sword.

"My name is Zephyr. I am a god, just like Arter." the man with the enormous sword intervened.

"Do you know him?" I asked Arter.

"Yes, Zephyr, the god of darkness. His name is feared by all humans, and even though he's a god, he's often referred to as a demon because of his power."

"Kid," the silver-haired boy turned to me. "Run away, this god wants your head."

My head? Why would he want me dead? Does he know that I'm the reincarnated boy?

"If you don't let me reach the boy, I'll have to kill you too." the god of darkness told the boy.

"So, you're getting serious now, huh?" the boy retorted.

"I don't need my full power for a human like you." The ground under Zephyr's feet cracked, and with a leap, he reached the silver-haired boy and their swords clashed.

That move was too fast, I couldn't follow his movements.

They moved away from each other, then closed in again with almost immediate speed, and began to exchange a series of high-speed blows. Unable to follow them with my eyes, I didn't even know who was winning. All I understood was that I was weak.

Every time their weapons clashed, a powerful shockwave erupted. I was forced to protect myself with a dome of pure mana, but I still struggled to keep it intact.

They are incredibly strong. It's amazing to watch a battle like this. Just watching them is enough to freeze in terror.

"Roseth, I believe this is your trial," Arter said in my head. "You'll have to face that god."

All of this…

A smile appeared on my face.

"I believe that boy is another person who has come here to face the trial." Arter explained.

…sound…

"He's very strong, but no human can defeat a god," he continued.

...Exciting!

"Roseth...why are you...happy?"

"Arter, I'm scared, I'm trembling, and that's why...it's exciting!"

"Roseth..." I interrupted Arter's sentence by purifying a small part of his mana.

"I know my survival is also in your interests, so make sure to help me as much as you can."

"There was no need to be so aggressive," Arter said, panting in pain.

"Let me show off your power to Zephyr."

"You'll have to make do with what little I can give you."

"No problem," I said, still smiling.

I'm ready!

I destroyed the barrier that protected me. The shockwaves from their clash were powerful, but I managed to endure them. Rocks of various sizes crashed into my body, causing several injuries, but I held on and began to walk through the cloud of dust that had risen.

"What are you doing?!" Arter exclaimed in fear.

"I'll use your power to distract Zephyr."

"With the amount of power I can give you, you won't even scratch him!"

"No one said I would try to attack him," I said. "Now be quiet."

"But..." Arter stammered, perplexed.

"I said be quiet."

Looking around, I noticed a kind of dome a few meters from us, similar to the one I had used to protect myself earlier, but it wasn't made of pure mana: it was made of darkness. Inside it was a young woman with brown hair, hugging a crying child.

Only Zephyr could have created that dome of darkness. If he's trying to protect those people, it means they're important to him. Well...

I headed towards the dome of darkness, and as I approached, their battle behind me calmed down. The god and the silver-haired boy distanced themselves from each other to catch their breath.

this Is my chance!

"Arter, give me your power, now!"

A dense, glowing flame ignited in my hand. I could feel its power, albeit minimal, but it was different from normal mana. This was divine power.

I caught Zephyr's attention, and he turned towards me. I chuckled, arriving in front of the dome of darkness. Inside it, the woman and the child looked at me in terror.

"I'm sorry for you, Zephyr, but I have full control of Arter's power. This darkness barrier won't be enough to protect them." I said, trying to provoke him.

The god seemed irritated to see me next to that dome, his gaze darkened and the pressure of his aura increased. My legs trembled, but I managed to stay on my feet.

"Stop!" Zephyr shouted. "They have nothing to do with this."

"Do you think I care about your words?" I asserted, looking at the god with an amused gaze. "Saying goodbye to the girls," I raised my arm, ready to swing it against the barrier, charged with divine power.

Zephyr became furious and completely lost control. His power unleashed in a storm of dark lightning. The silver-haired boy was swept away by the god's power, but I had already achieved my goal. Not only had I distracted him, but I had also enraged him. He wouldn't fight with intelligence anymore; he'd fight like a wild beast. The ground beneath Zephyr's feet cracked, and the god attempted to lunge at me, but the silver-haired boy stopped him with a straight knee to the stomach.

I swung my arm and struck the barrier with a punch infused with divine power. It cracked, and after a moment, it shattered into small fragments of darkness, carried away by the intense wind.

"Roseth!" Zephyr yelled furiously, launching a dark lightning bolt towards me. The attack was so fast that I didn't even notice the danger. I probably should have died, but the silver-haired boy positioned himself between me and the lightning, using his sword to parry the blow.

I fell back in shock.

I'm... alive, he saved me.

"Thank you," I said to the boy, but he didn't even acknowledge me and lunged at Zephyr again. Their swords clashed once more.

I observed the serious expression on the boy's face as he resisted the immense power of the god. In that moment, my shocked expression turned serious and focused. I can't waste time, I have to give it my all! With determination, I turned towards the two defenseless girls. Well, I guess I can contribute to the battle.

Stolen story; please report.

I stood up, materializing a sword of pure mana, and slowly approached my prey. The girls trembled in fear, realizing my intentions. Both the woman and the child were frozen in terror. I reached within a step of them, raised my sword, ready to strike.

"Roseth!" Zephyr shouted my name from behind. He slid the boy's weapon onto his sword and tried to reach me, but the boy rushed back to attack Zephyr, preventing him from getting closer.

"I don't want to die, please!" The child begged me to spare her, terrified, but I didn't hesitate. With a swift swing of my sword, I beheaded her. Blood splattered everywhere, staining me and the older girl, who stared in shock and trauma at the sight of the child's death.

"Ka... Katja," the god said with a trembling voice.

"Bastard!" He cried out in desperation as tears began to flow down his cheeks. "I'll kill you!" Zephyr, enraged, struck his opponent in the abdomen with the hilt of his sword and seized the opportunity to attack me. He lunged towards me again, his movement too fast, and his blade aimed directly at my fragile neck. Am I going to die? Is this my punishment? These were my thoughts in those few moments before death. It was just a matter of time before I would be decapitated.

Before the blade could pierce my neck, a hand rested on my cheek and moved my head, saving me. It was the silver-haired boy, who thrust his sword into Zephyr's back.

The god was thrown to the ground, creating a shockwave that sent me and the woman flying, raising a cloud of dust.

I watched Zephyr's defeat with surprise and satisfaction.

A powerful mana-laden wind dissipated the dust cloud, and it emanated from the silver-haired boy. In front of me, Zephyr, lying on the ground, struggled to remove the sword from his body. The boy's sword was enveloped in dense strands of mana, penetrating the god's wound.

"Arter, what's happening?" I asked, mesmerized.

"I believe that strange boy is trying to seal Zephyr."

Who is he? How can he be so powerful to face a god?

Zephyr's body suddenly lit up, and a powerful, blinding light erupted, lasting only a few seconds. When it dissolved, the god of darkness was gone.

The powerful mana wind subsided, the dense strands disappeared, and everything calmed down.

Is it over?

"Roseth, right?" The silver-haired boy addressed me.

"Yes, that's me," I replied enthusiastically.

"Your way of fighting... it's weak," the boy sheathed his sword. "You're nothing but a source of danger. We'll never get along." He turned away and started to walk slowly.

My mood suddenly changed as I watched him incredulously. "Wait, I want the power, I want to become strong, please, train me!" I pleaded desperately.

The boy ignored me and continued walking.

"Wait..." I tried to say more, but I lacked the strength and fell forward.

Huh? What's happening? I feel weak. Please, don't leave me...

My eyes slowly closed, and I lost consciousness.

***

When I finally regained consciousness, I found myself enveloped in darkness, like a dense fog that obscured my vision.

Where am I?

"Roseth."

A deep voice called my name from a distance. Unconsciously, I began to walk towards the source of the voice.

What am I doing? Why can't I stop my body? What is drawing me?

"Roseth."

"Who is speaking?" I asked.

"Roseth."

"What do you want from me? Leave me alone!"

"Roseth."

A hand emerged from the darkness, piercing through my abdomen. I felt intense pain, and blood started to flow from the wound.

It hurts...

I spat out blood but didn't struggle or scream, just endured the pain, waiting for death.

"Why don't you fight? Don't you want to live?" The thick darkness fog slowly dissipated, revealing the silhouette of Zephyr.

So Is him the one who stabbed me?

The god of darkness twisted his arm inside my abdomen, causing intense pain. I grimaced but remained composed.

I'm... tired.

"Roseth, where's your determination?" the god asked.

I chuckled upon hearing those words. "Adrenaline, I don't feel it. I have no reason to fight other than for pleasure."

"So it's like that," Zephyr withdrew his arm from my abdomen. "You realized it was just an illusion, right?"

"What else could it be?" I affirmed.

"Then all of this makes no sense." Zephyr grabbed me by the neck, glaring at me with murderous intent. "The day will come, Roseth... the day I'll get my revenge. Prepare yourself." The god tightened his grip to threaten me, but I laughed in his face.

"Think what you want. As long as you're sealed, you're powerless."

This illusion is probably created by the mana he implanted in me, just like Arter. If that's the case, I should be able to purify it.

"Bastard!" The god slammed me to the ground. "What was my daughter's fault? What was it? Tell me!"

His daughter? Does he mean the child I killed?

Zephyr began relentlessly striking me in the face, splattering my blood everywhere.

It hurts...

"I'll kill you, bastard!" Zephyr shouted.

For a god, he's quite ridiculous, seeming more human than me.

I continued to be beaten for I don't know how long, maybe hours, days, or even months. This torture was probably his form of revenge.

***

I finally opened my eyes, finding myself at the foot of the altar where the trial had begun.

Finally, I can't take it anymore.

I tried to stand, but my body gave in. I feel strange, what happened? I got back on my feet, better prepared this time, managing not to fall. I looked around for an open path to the center of the dungeon, but found nothing. The only exit was the door I had entered through.

"Arter," I called the god hidden within me, but there was no response.

Why isn't he answering?

"Arter!" I called again, but once more, it was in vain.

I decided to force him out, purifying part of his mana. However, when I looked inside my core, I was shocked to find no trace of his mana.

No... how is this possible? Did Arter lend me too much energy? No, if that had happened, he would never have accepted my conditions. So why is there no trace of him?

Even though I didn't trust Arter, his company was essential during this long period of confinement in the dungeon. We didn't talk much, but even the little interaction we had lightened the days. I didn't care about him, but the thought of being alone left me feeling empty.

Where should I go now? If Arter were here, he could have told me. Without him, I'll have to do double the work.

I carefully scanned the room, but I found no path leading to the center of the dungeon. I sat down defeated at the foot of the altar and looked up at the huge door where it had all begun. The deep silence of the room was suddenly interrupted by the rumbling of my stomach.

All that action has made me hungry, but it's strange. I don't feel like I've moved much, and yet...

At that moment, a possibility I didn't want to believe in struck me. I looked at my trembling hands.

How long... did I sleep?

If Arter were here, he would know the answer. I clicked my tongue and got up again. If I want food, I have to go back.

So, I headed to the door, not knowing how to open it. I placed my hand on it as Arter had done. My hand emitted a powerful purple light, and the door opened. But what lay beyond was not the tunnel I had come through; it was a vast, open area that seemed to stretch endlessly.

Is this the center of the dungeon? So, all I had to do was go back? This place annoys me.

At the center of this vast area was a deep hole, almost as wide as the area itself. There were various holes in the walls, likely the lairs of some monsters, while several luminous stones were embedded in the ceiling.

I walked to the edge of the deep hole, peering down, but I couldn't see anything. I glanced around, looking for any sign of a crystal. The thought crossed my mind that it might be inside one of those lairs or at the bottom of the hole.

My stomach growled again, reminding me of my hunger. I sighed and headed toward one of the many lairs on the walls. However, when I reached the one I was aiming for, I realized it was too high for me to reach.

I hate this body, I miss the advantages of being tall.

I looked around for a lair with a lower entrance. Some were as high as ten meters above me, while the lowest ones were about two meters high, like the one I was trying to enter.

I gave up and tried to think of a way to get inside. In the end, it wasn't difficult. I materialized small spears and stuck them into the wall, using them to climb up to the entrance of the lair.

Inside, there were also luminous stones illuminating the area, but unlike those outside, they were on the walls, and many were destroyed and extinguished.

This could mean that there are creatures here. But why would they destroy these stones?

I approached the wall, touching one of the stones, sensing an enormous amount of mana emanating from them. Probably, the creatures were attracted to the mana that the stones emitted. From what I had gathered during my time trapped in the dungeon, monsters always followed sources of mana to feed on them. I hoped to absorb their mana by eating them, but it was immediately expelled from my body before I could purify it.

Thinking about the huge amount of mana emitted by the stones, I remembered the trial I had faced earlier. In that case, Zephyr's mana was so high and dense that I could perceive it without touching it.

Now that I think about it, Arter had said that the silver-haired boy was facing the trial with me, but I hadn't seen him anywhere.

A shrill scream echoed from behind the corner in front of me. Materializing a sword, I prepared for battle. Several other piercing screams followed, sounding like strange cries.

Five ant-like creatures, the size of bears, emerged from behind the corner.

So, they were the ones making those strange sounds. They're not many, and given their size, I should have the advantage with my agility.

One of them sprayed a strange substance towards me. I tried to dodge, but some of that liquid landed on my shoulder. My clothes melted, and my skin burned. I clenched my teeth to bear the pain, staying focused on the five enemies.

The ant-like creatures started spraying that acid all at once, repeatedly.

With a shield made of pure mana, I defended myself from their attacks. However, one of them rushed towards me, circumventing my shield, and tried to strike me with one of its legs. I moved back just in time, but it still managed to graze my chest, leaving a scratch and tearing my shirt.

So, besides the acid, they are fast, and their legs are sharp; they seem to be very dangerous. I don't think they'd be good to eat, but I'll have to make do.

The ants charged me, all five of them together. I materialized a shield in my left hand with a spike in the front. I stepped back, dodging their attacks. Then, with a powerful move, I struck one of them with the shield, shattering its head. One ant to my right took the opportunity to lightly wound my side, leaving an opening in its defense. I took advantage of it, skewering its head with my sword.

One of the creatures distanced itself from me and shot acid at me. I parried it with the shield, and in the meantime, the other two ants attacked from the sides. I blocked the left one's attack with the shield while preparing for a frontal encounter with the other. However, instead of charging me head-on, it sprayed acid at me. I evaded and distanced myself.

I reshaped the shield into a bow and the sword into an arrow, waiting for one of them to get closer so I could be sure not to miss. The creatures attempted the same tactic again, with one of them spraying acid while the others attacked. I dodged the acid and, as soon as one of the ants approached, I shot the arrow straight into its head, killing it.

I then dodged the attack of the remaining ant and transformed the bow back into a sword. To conserve my mana, I decided not to use the shield anymore and relied on my agility, although the wound on my side limited my movements.

I lunged toward one of the ants, but I was interrupted by the other one spraying acid at me. I moved back to avoid it, and the ant in front of me swung its leg, screaming. I parried the attack with my sword and then severed its leg.

The creature fell to the ground, and the companion tried to attack me from behind. I turned and moved sideways, evading its strike, then opened a gash in its side. Both were now close to death, and I approached the one without a leg. It attempted to surprise me with acid, but I quickly reshaped my sword into a shield to block the attack. Then, I remodeled the weapon and beheaded the ant.

Meanwhile, the ant with the gash on its side had died from the severe wound, and I emerged victorious.

It was more challenging than expected, and now I'm even hungrier.

I sat down in front of the ant I had severed the leg from and cut a piece of meat from its body. It looked decent, but it emitted a horrible smell. Disgusted, I pinched my nose and tasted it.

Of course, it had a terrible taste, but I had to settle for it.

As I had suspected earlier, the crystal must be either in one of the many lairs or at the bottom of the hole. But with thousands of lairs, it's probably better to check the bottom of the hole first. I don't think I'll have trouble getting back up.

I put another piece of meat in my mouth and continued chewing, feeling repulsed. I didn't know what awaited me at the bottom of that hole, so I had to be in the best shape possible.

Having finished eating all five ants, I exited the lair and headed to the center of the vast area, looking down at the deep hole, remembering how deep it was.

So, I should descend through here, right? Well, I don't have any other choice.