With the Gift of a God in front of him, the message that Lordis wanted to tell continued.
[Also... I heard something disturbing in the notions of my control. I couldn't help but notice your little intervention in how I do my work. Pakutan is strange and weird in his Chaos, but I can't stand anyone going against my Battleworld and our reasons. He broke his Divine Pact, and you are the reason for that.]
[You made him break a promise because of your intervention, which in turn, makes things difficult for me. Having such examples isn't a place for your measly confidence or ploys. Understood? No? That is fine too because I will be making it very clear for your, and our sake]
[I figured something out for you. A little trial, you piece of an animal. Heheheh. I am good with some reasonable demands that I made Pakutan solve. He will solve his problem, and I will even forget your intervention afterward. Whatever problem you made him do, in 100 days of your living, it will be that much harsher for your reality]
[If you feel great about this, that's good. I don't. Getting his piece of Blessing is already subject to Rules, but he overlooked it, because of you. You better strengthen yourself because I will make you regret it all so much more than you wish. Regretting to go against me and others will be just an appetizer for the reasons that are hidden... and I hope to see and uncover them myself]
Lordis's words sounded deadly serious, and suddenly, the voice turned to the intent to kill that seeped with words alone.
[In 100 days I will present you with the Level 50 God's Trial, little duck. I hope your life won't give you any headaches in this remaining life you've got]
[It wouldn't be fitting or would it?]
Then the voice message stopped, and the Will of the Battleworld ceased to exist, leaving Murai's trembling core and soul in peace.
Murai glared at the rumble of his rewards but cursed at the God of Battle with all kinds of words. Some involved... well. They involved not-so-pleasant things that one would utter to their worst enemy.
Lisa cringed, and both palms were around her face as if she couldn't bother to show her expression at all. Listening to the same thing as Murai, she hoped she wouldn't get this sort of attitude from him.
“Murai Hisagi... You? Pissing off a Ruling God of all beings!? You are insane... or really something else... Why in the seven hells would you do such a stupidity?” she uttered beyond her palm, crying and uttering it with honest frustration.
Well... It seems that bastard already had some issue with me anyway, so there it goes. It's rather soon to meet something akin to a God's Wrath, but whatever. Murai thought, dismissing this to much greater heights than he was willing to admit.
“What is even God's Trial, Lisa? Is this something that is distinct and special in the Battleworld? The word trial sounds more like a treasure, and reward opportunity doesn't it?” he asked, unbothered by whatever Lisa thought or not.
“It's... It's punishment. More or less, you have pissed the Battleworld itself, so that's about it. It's a disaster.”
“Is it that bad? I haven't done much at all. Yet! And I am already pissing gods off? That doesn't make much sense.”
“SENSE?” Lisa asked, shouting. “You aren't making sense! You make no sense! It's already Level 50! Of course, this is bad news. You just fought level 23 Somalis Dungeon and barely won. What do you think you can accomplish in 100 days? Reach level 50? Impossible.” Lisa said, opening her face with quite a frustrated expression.
Murai sneered and thought. But it shouldn't be just that, am I right? Levels are levels, and I am not as weak as level 8. It's not like I gained a small number of things from this Dungeon and my experience works wonders. 100 days is a long time and I can do a lot of things. Shouldn't this chance be passable for a God's Trial?
“You... You are so naïve, Hisagi Murai. You asked, yet you spoke as if you understood it already.” Lisa sighed and flew all the way to the bottom of the floor, where she assumed a teacher-like position. Crossing her arms, she pulled her head higher to look at Murai with a high attitude. “Sometimes, I can't even understand you, let alone help you when I can't comprehend you.”
Pointing a finger upwards, and strengthening her posture, she turned her face more serious than ever. Murai looked at her and almost burst out laughing, but he couldn't force it.
After all, he was curious about this problem, which seemed to be hiding some secrets. Angering Gods shouldn't be that easy, so maybe the Pakutan and Lordis have much more complex issues going on. Like the Everflower, or they had an issue with him as a whole?
If the reason for this whole punishment was his suggestive guesses, which included gaining bigger power, then it should be a fairly biased reason to punish him. It could also involve the politics and standings that made the world of gods that special, and that was something Murai more than understood. It wouldn't change his decision though.
Murai had his own desirable path and some of God's plans could go away, but what if the truth was much simpler? What if Lordis had personal problems with him, even though he never met him before?
After all, Murai was only active against very specific and certain gods in his previous lives - and not everyone was known to him by their name, divinity, or Path alone. Those were mostly singular meetings - often ending in his death - but not always.
Most plains of his living were places under the surveillance or ownership of certain gods and that much he realized a long time ago. He never was in a void, or nowhere. This Battleworld was like that too but multiplied by 10 by his own guesses since the Gods thought of this world as nothing but a playground.
With that untold, Murai couldn't help but think of a reason to desire more. Who else would explain this current predicament - forgetting his Cursed Living - than his Life Companion? He had no one to rely on for the moment, and gaining information was important. That was already well-understood desire in Murai's mind.
Lisa saw and felt that fact in him, so she voiced it as she could. “As I said, Murai Hisagi. God's Trial is a form of punishment for the sake of the Will of the Battleworld. It is for the God of Battle to decide and oversee this thing according to his wishes and punish some actions that shouldn't have happened. Just so you know, I also went through this form of punishment twice, but it was because of different reasons and desires. Yours directly involves the decision and standing of the Gods and running of the Battleworld. It's a stupid reason, and frankly speaking, terrible and deserving of this punishment. One shouldn't involve oneself with gods, let alone argue or offer them some deal.”
“Is that so? Stupid? They are stupid.” Murai said, chuckling and finding it rather funny.
Lisa didn't make much of a comment to him and rather continued.
“I did something against the rules that Battleworld ruled to some causes, but the case of the Trial was much lower... and private. Yours is bluntly speaking, quite harsh to be fair. Level differences besides, the talk of 100 days in your current life is like asking a child to beat an adult in less than a year. Such chances don't look that good, get it?”
“Well, for once...” Murai said. “I get it. Beat it, and it doesn't matter any longer. Sounds simple, doesn't it?”
Lisa grunted, still forcing the seriousness on her face. “I get it. You are confident. You can work around this time because of your attributes and the lineage of the Anatidae. That is true, but you are still naïve because God's Trial is different from some Somalis Dungeon. It can consist of all kinds of stuff. From fighting, taking up a mission that one couldn't refuse, and all kinds of other types. It's brutal. A heartless way of punishing certain problems that only God views as a punishment in their own book.”
Murai sneered, looking at Lisa, who was shorter than his current height. “I can see some reasoning in that since the Gods are like that. I am not surprised by your words, so I may accept it for what it is, regardless of anything. What if I end up failing the trial, for example? Will it be harsh like a punishment when forming a pact with a Devil or something?”
“Devil? You... Your view on gods is indeed peculiar.” Lisa said, unbothered by his way of talking about such a topic. “I don't know too many specifics, as these Trials mostly involve very specific circumstances. Each is unique and what it entrails isn't clear until the Trial starts, so no one is prepared for it. It can be a life-and-death battle, a curse, or doing... something that goes against one's will. I heard a one time, where the Trial entailed killing a loved one or something along those lines. It wasn't that crazy since it also involved a devil, or so I heard. Battleworld is known to be a righteous place, as far as I understand.” Lisa explained.
“Oh, so it's also hypocritical? What a surprise.” Murai casually commented.
“What?”
“Nothing... Continue.” Murai flipped his wing, dismissing whatever he just said as he walked towards his pile of rewards.
While Lise kept doing her lecture, the leather bag, in particular, piqued his interest. It was what Lordis's wife sent him for some reason. A fun service, or so he said.
However, before he wanted to do so, Lisa moved before the treasure so he wouldn't get distracted.
“Trial can also have many stages, and as you said, one can also gain something out of it. It's part of perception, understanding, and comprehension that resolves around the Battleworld's purposeful name. Things like your attributes, powers, grades, fusions, and even new abilities, can be granted. But!” Lisa shouted, posting her fingers importantly before Murai's beak. “There are no good tasks in this God's Trial, unlike any kind of Dungeon or mission of the Battleworld. Got it? It is punishment, more than a chance.” she sternly added, leaving the bag and this pile of rewards alone, as she also wanted to know what they entail.
“Alright. Alright.” Murai nodded. “You are done speaking so much useless sense. Let me see what that is first, while God's Trial, or whatever it will be will wait for later. Reaching power around level 40 shouldn't take that long. 100 days is 100 days, and I can already progress quite fast, Lisa. I haven't been out of my egg for even a fraction of that number.” Murai said and finally gazed at the bag in the hope of seeing its details.
It wasn't a bag, but something close to that. It resembled a pouch, but it was bigger than a human head but not more than twice as big when it spread.
Picking it up with his beak, it had 4 strips around it, making it seem like a bag or something... familiar.
Something... I am getting a bad feeling about it. Cute? Nah... Nah!
Murai tossed it to the ground, but Lisa was curious, wanting to see more of why Murai was so unwilling to take this God's Gift. She was able to observe and even handle this leather bag much better than Murai could with his beak. Her physicality allowed her to do so, while her hands were handy - if that made sense.
She immediately discovered what it was. It was a backpack. A tiny one for human standards, but enough for a duck to wear. The 4 strips could go along the lower body and neck, tightly fitting and securing around the body, so it wouldn't move or slip away.
Upon discovering this, Lisa's mouth twitched a little, until she turned her gaze to Murai, who was looking at the backpack in a weird manner. She burst out laughing, having no other choice but to imagine a duck with a backpack. “This is good. Way too good! So funny!” Lisa laughed out loud, leading to Murai's clear dissatisfaction.
The backpack in itself didn't look that bad. It was made of tough leather that was light since the bag itself wasn't that large. It was enough for a 30 or so centimeters tall Murai to wear it comfortably.
Stopping her laugh after a while, Lisa smiled at Murai meaningfully, indicating some form of intent. She put forth her hand, placing the backpack towards him with an obvious message involving no words.
“I won't wear that. Fuck off.” Murai quacked at her without even knowing what sort of bag this was.
“Come on! I want to seeeee!” Lisa pushed herself with a bag in hand towards Murai, who began to run away from her.
Alas, the case of running away was quite a bad idea since Lisa could fly, and he couldn't. She caught his neck, making quick work of securing the backpack around his back and neck as Murai rolled on the ground. Murai cringed, almost having a panic tendency to use all of his mana against Lisa. Alas, he didn't have a choice in this, nor he could do something against her.
Soon enough, the bag was on his back, and Lisa felt quite proud of herself.
“It's small, Murai Hisagi, and not that noticeable. It doesn't look that bad, for duck's backpack,” she said seriously, yet her mouth twitched once again. This time, she was restraining herself for the sake of not angering Murai any further.
“Thanks... Really thank you. I think I am gonna throw up.” Murai uttered these words with utter killing intent, yet the strips didn't put any restraint on his body, nor anything was wrong. It was as if the backpack wasn't on his body at all. It fits well alongside his beck, and even around the wings. It still obscured them a little, but it was nothing that Murai found frustrating.
Sighting afterward, Murai took a deep breath in and out.
Can you check the insides of this thing already... I am... over this little joke and your enjoyment, Lisa. Murai ordered with his will, giving up and accepting the current circumstances. Since you are done with this... charade! You may as well check the Gift of God, don't you? I can't do much with it, since I am a duck, you know? No freaking hands, and a clumsy beak that can't do much but strike and stab the foe.
“Gift? OH!” Lisa slapped her face, forgetting it was the case of Gift after all and not some fashion choice.
Flying and taking a seat on top of the backpack, she was quick to discover the intricacies of this thing in a moment. The pouch was a compartment, hidden by a secured little rope that had very few runes around the top, making it seem like a spatial pouch that adventures used all the time. It was forming a circle around the holes in the leather, making it closed so nothing would go out of it.
Opening it up, from within, a mana fluctuation surged out, shocking her a little. There was a small vortex inside the pouch for Lisa to see and feel. It was a familiar object and a thing of beauty and mystery.
“It's a spatial treasure, Murai Hisagi,” she said, observing the core space of this pouch that could be many times larger than its physical capabilities. “What a Gift! This could be a precious treasure that could be worth at least 50 pouches of Class A dust, crystals, or shards, but it can't know its quality, or how much space it provides,” she added, surprised by these facts.
Even the leather itself seemed to be of fine quality, but Lisa didn't recognize it. She didn't have it within herself to know all the extraordinary materials in the world.
As for where this vortex came from, she knew it was the work of a powerful space mage. For all that she knew, many mages worshipped gods, in the hopes of Divine Kingdom or blessings. Making all kinds of stuff to please them in the hope of receiving their hope, wisdom, or Blessing, was thus understandable.
Murai didn't say a thing to her. He rather accepted the help of the wife of his... enemy? That sounded about right, since the beef between him and Lordis already started, and Murai had no intention of walking a different path than his previous lives. It was quite ironic and funny, to see himself now, but this was his life now, so Murai accepted this since he really needed this spatial object.
After a few minutes with it, Murai felt a distinct connection forming in his soul. At first, it was a tiny little intent, but it grew stronger, but not enough to make any problem for Murai's soul, or Will. It was making a small link to this backpack.
Ho? This thing? It can be bound? Murai guessed, feeling the mana that this backpack let out, and something that connected to his soul. This wasn't anything ordinary. There were runes on some sections of its leather, indicating nothing special but spatial.
“Bounding a Gift? Is that this kind of thing? It could be that. So, that could mean this is at least a Grand Gift!” Lisa guessed.
“Grand? What is so damn grand about this freaking backpack?!” Murai shouted at Lisa, unwillingly turning his flexible neck back, so he would see her.
“It's God's Gift! Wait and see. Will of the Battleworld will give you a message soon after this binding.” She said and right she was.
A few seconds later, a message was put forth.
[A throughout gift is up for yourself. It binds to your Soul, making it yours, as it should]
[It is as special as it is spatial]
[Spatial Bag made of Polugan Immortis - Level 93 - Space Beast from XXXXXXX XXXXXX]
[Grade - SS - Grand Gift under God of Battle's Wife]
[Item is forged and crafted by a Mauricius of Tower Pagos. He is a Level 95 Primordial Mage of Lighting Path and an Involver of Bauricius's Will]
[It is a crafty methodical commission of Lady Pachi so be careful with that]
[This item shall allow the user to have the Will to seize. Your Will wasn't affected, allowing the treasure to pick its owner]
[It binds to your soul, and no one else but you and your Life Companion will open it up thanks to your involved soul space]
----------------------------------------
“That's quite a lot of origin information!” Murai thought, and even Lisa listened with quite some surprises. It was more than she would ever assume, or guess, but it did answer everything.
“I-involvement of level 95! Thats like... A lot! It's God's Will after all, but this gift... It's too precious, but also useless to others, so... ”
“No. No. This is quite good, Lisa. It's balanced to myself. I like it now.” Murai told, assuming a position that wasn't the least problematic all of a sudden. “In fact, spare no more thought on this, Lisa. Help me get this off of me and let's store everything inside so we can move the fuck out. Those stairs have no time limitations, hopefully.” Murai stated and pointed his beak towards the middle of this room, not far from the submerged tower or his pile of rewards.
Lisa nodded, no longer questioning this stroke of luck. No... Maybe this was a misfortune? She wasn't sure, but one thing was clear. She agreed with Murai, so she helped him store everything that he gained in Somalis Dungeon in this backpack. That also included Rudolf's Book, which Murai wanted to learn at some point in the future, but not right now.
5 minutes later, Murai glanced at the god's statue that kept emitting a certain aura. It was as if its eyes were watchfully glancing at him. Though, even if that's the case, Murai smirked, stepping on the stairs, before hopping up and up into the darkness.
He left this special kind of Somalis Dungeon's version that was unlike many others. It was a brief adventure that one could meet at astronomical chances, and only enter once in a lifetime.
However, that fact didn't mean he couldn't come here again, and Murai realized it. There were even other Dungeons, per Lisa's comments, making them an interesting topic indeed. Murai held some hope of getting to know them better in the future since they posed as interesting premises to get powerful quickly.
He gained a lot of power and things in this Dungoen, and challenging fights made him feel kind of good. Murai definitely felt a strange burning sensation through his blood when he thought of the Acaman Golem. That never happened in this life before, but it had a small familiarity with the time when he was a demon.
Shaping a small flowing flaming orb, the surroundings of the tunnel were clearer to see, even though Murai had passive Night Vision. He liked to see things well, and Lisa's body glowed not enough as a source of light, so she wanted to see the surroundings as well. She was happily sitting on the backpack, enjoying the rather comfortable premise of leaving this place.
The stairs within this tunnel ended in the dark cave, with nothing in particular around that indicated a surface. It held no resemblance to the entrance of the Dungeon and seemed like a cave like any other.
Murai willed his improved Mana Detection, which was quite good right now. It was enough for him to feel the surroundings around 20 meters around him. That was quite a lot for a small duck like him.
There is nothing here. We are still deep underground. Murai thought and followed through the caves that went on and on.
“Well, the Will of the Battleworld told us this is leading to the surface, but it didn't specify how, or when,” Lisa argued, making an obvious manner of truth, rather terrifying.
So it was a prank and quite a good one? Is this like a freaking djin who grants wishes but doesn't specify how? What a bothersome thing... Murai said, obvious that it should be the case.
Hours went by, with nothing in particular happening. The cave system was much longer than Murai though, and he couldn't see the end of it. The place was dull and had no mana either. He traversed with some difficulty in this place, but it was passable for his current physicality had good jumping and his own balance wasn't bad either.
It took some effort and luck to move through some sections until he met a wide and big cave. It was even bigger than the Acaman's Grounds. This one had a lake, as well as running water from up and below. There were rumbling sounds, indicating that a river or waterfall was flowing here from the surface.
Murai had the Mana Detection put forth for a long time, and he was getting tired of the constant journey that was way too long for his tiny legs.
“Seems like a good place to me. Time to rest and camp for a while.” Murai said, deciding to rest for a couple of hours. He will also catch some fishes he detected in this lake and perform some introductory readings of Rudolf's tome.