“Hold up…you're a judge? In fact…did you bring me here?”

To think I'm asking this question to a very old-looking wizard in a calm manner has me believing that I'm having a mental breakdown right now. Then again, I've to pretend I'm calm as a light breeze since I've learnt my lesson of knowing that fear attracts the worst enemy. If Tolkien were alive today, he would've been happy to take my place because I don't feel any hospitality coming from this hatless wizard. It's worse when he's frowning at me with that white bushy beard of his.

“I can feel your mana output is as weak as a snail. In fact, I shouldn't use snails as a comparison to your weak mana, Kang Joo-yeon.”

I take my words back for I clearly see this grumpy old man doesn't look scary like the kobolds or the ogres I've to run away from. Knowing that he's not someone to be afraid of, I begin to put on my bravado without the need to pretend to do so.

“Hey, old man. First, you whisk me off without my consent. Second, what gives you the right to judge me? Speaking about judging, why are you claiming to be “my judge”?”

“Ha~~ and I thought you're able to understand what The Guideline has told you so far. Then again, bards, clerics and druids don't exist in your world.”

“Wait, wait, wait! You're bombarding me with too much information I barely know about.”

I wave my hands at his face even though he's only standing several steps away from me. He gives me another disappointing look from his bluish-green eyes. He has yet to smile, but that's not what I intend to do. I’m still clueless on what has happened to me that I boldly try to make him indirectly talk about what he knows so far. A stupid plan or not, I'm not gonna stay quiet until I've got at least a decent answer from him.

“Enough beating around the bush, gramps. Who are you exactly? I'm guessing you're the oldest Slayer I've ever met so far.”

“Slayer, huh? So magic users are called “Slayers” in your world. I wonder if Shavon is figuring everything out right now.”

“Shavon who?”

“Well if you don't wanna meet an early death, I recommend you give up, Kang Joo-yeon.”

“Yo, gramps! You're Chun Sun-woo’s manager, aren't you? Because you telling me to give up has made me remember him saying the exact same thing to me.”

Actually, I don't know if Chun needs to have a manager since Slayers aren't exactly Kpop or Kdrama stars. Then again, a handsome man like Chun would need a manager along with several stylists to do the hair, makeup and whatever S-rank Slayers need to look cool in the public eye.

“I take it that's the name of your lover.”

“No, gramps. He's not my lover. We never met personally. Also, I'm not his type. Also, he's been taken recently.”

“To think a timid-looking woman like you is this talkative…ALSO, my name is Amergin. Not ‘gramps’.”

“Okay, Mr Amergin. Can you tell me exactly what's going on? Something about an early death…”

“Then, Kang Joo-yeon, do you wish to give up activating Elysian's Guideline?”

So that's what he meant? Now I'm starting to remember the pop-up messages I've read way earlier on. Is this old man implying that the Guideline is a special skill I'm able to use? If that's the case, then…

“No. I refuse to give up, Mr Amergin.”

“Then, I shall take that answer as a ‘yes’. Now, let's begin your participation in this trial I've set up for you.”

“Huh? What trial?”

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Before I can ask another question, I'm unable to notice I've been teleported on top of a hill. Just like what he did back at my patient room, it all happens in a blink of an eye literally. This Teleportation Skill he performs easily on me is indirectly telling me that his magical powers are that of a S-rank Slayer. Speaking about him, I look around frantically as he seems to vanish out of thin air. Mind you that I'm still wearing a hospital gown and have yet to get proper shuteye. And now, I'm forced to participate in a trial that I've no idea exists for me.

“We shall begin the trial, Kang Joo-yeon. Are there any questions you would like to ask?”

I can hear his voice echoing throughout the atmosphere. It reminds me of the time I was in the Painting Labyrinth. I start to wonder if he's related to the unknown man that I ask a question related to him.

“When I accepted this Guideline thing, were you there in that Labyrinth?”

“Nope. I've been staying in this dimension for almost a millennia. If you think I'm lying, I let you know that I made a truce that I mustn't leave this dimension. I'll literally turn into dust if I do so.”

“If you say so, gram…I mean, Amergin.”

“I believe you're gonna regret making this decision, Kang Joo-yeon.”

“Can we get started already? I also believe that if I pass this test, the backup, or whatever is needed, will be activated for the Guideline residing within me, right?”

“That’ll only happen once you succeed in this trial.”

“And if I fail?”

“Then, the Guideline will be removed from you along with your memories from the time you were in that Labyrinth. That kind of result doesn't sound bad for a weak being like you, right?”

“Shut up and tell me what I need to do, Mr Amergin.”

“You just have to get me a mistletoe hanging at the edge of the cliff you're standing on.”

“Without any equipment?...”

“Always be prepared to tackle unforeseen scenarios, Kang Joo-yeon. Wasn't that Labyrinth being the case for you?”

“That is…”

“I'll give you exactly one minute to reconsider your decision.”

It's true that I want to forget what happened to me in that Labyrinth, not to mention I still feel sick whenever I remember Jang or Mrs Park betraying me…I mean, betraying Ms Han and Jung-han at the last minute. Also, this Guideline feels like unknown territory to me. Not because it may easily bring unwanted attention from the government or the Alliance or both, but because I don't know what's gonna happen while I “level up” with this level system-like power.

Maybe it's for the best that I change my mind. But is…is that okay…am I okay with myself staying weak…for the rest of my life? Should I be satisfied…with staying the way I am? Won't I be a constant burden to them?... To Uncle Seung-min…To Jung-han and Ms Han…Kang Joo-yeon, is this…what you want?

“Kang Joo-yeon, for the last time…have you changed your mind?” Amergin asks with his voice still sounding so monotonous. It's as if he’s feeling pity for me. That kind of feeling from others is the last thing I want to receive.

“No, Amergin. I won't change my decision.”

“Well then…may you not regret dying in this place, Kang Joo-yeon.”

I don't know if a judge is supposed to say that sentence instead of “May you be shown with mercy (or something like that)”, but this ancient wizard is cold-hearted towards me. Just when I want to make a comeback at that sentence, I hear a loud bang in the sky that suddenly has dark gray clouds looming over me. A thunderstorm is about to take place. Never in my life have I had to get a mistletoe in the middle of a thunderstorm. It makes me think for a moment that this trial isn't meant to succeed at all. Regardless, I'm determined to pass this test as I immediately tread carefully on this cliff.

Just when I think I'm able to make it to the cliff’s edge, a lightning strike nearly hits my right side. Then, two strikes on my left. All of a sudden many lightning strikes are constantly flashing in front of me as if I'm in a nightclub where the disco equipment is working well. Too well, I say, and my body flinches when one of them has made me lose my footing. I fall down to my left; the cliff’s rocky ground has my left elbow and forearm get abrasions. I immediately feel the pain caused by my scraped skin. It feels awful that I begin to grunt and moan; but now that I think about it, this pain I have now is nothing compared to the pierced wounds I received in the Painting Labyrinth.

I quickly get up while I grit my teeth. I start running without thinking about the next lightning strike hitting me. The first meter has me avoiding them with so much luck. The next meter has me feeling a gale which is followed by heavy raindrops. I try not to close my eyes despite the rainfall getting heavier and the wind getting much stronger. Then, a lightning strike hit me. My body is painfully surged with so much electric energy that I scream out loud for almost several seconds. I'm about to faint, but miraculously I grab my knees, lifting them one by one as I trudge onward. At that moment, Amergin’s voice is heard again throughout the atmosphere once that lightning bolt fades away from my body.

“Kang Joo-yeon, you may not survive the next lightning strike. It's best that you…”

“Give up?! No way am I gonna do that!”

“This is suicide, Kang Joo-yeon. You should know that by now.”

I still trudge with my hands still grabbing my knees as a way to keep me from fainting. These words of mine are being said with the loudest voice I've ever made in my life.

“Just a few more steps, old man! You've no idea what I've seen in that wretched room! It felt so dangerous, but we couldn't escape at all!! All because that room is too high-ranked for us!! If you were there, you would've been able to find and defeat the mastermind! That's why…that's why…I must have the Guideline! I refuse to stay weak and die without using a skill of mine!!”

I almost start to cry that I quickly wipe off any tears from my eyes even though it could be raindrops landing on them. With a slow deep breath, I sprint towards the cliff’s edge with all my might. One moment makes me feel like I've got the same speed as Ms Han; the next moment has me stay vigilant as I avoid the next several lightning strikes nearly hitting me as quickly as I can. Alas, I reach the edge of the cliff as I manage to stop my run on time. I look down to see the mistletoe hanging a few meters from where I'm standing.

As the thunder makes another booming sound in the sky, I have to climb down quickly but in a careful manner since I don't have a rope with me. I'm not worried about falling down to death since I can remember the time when I was a part-time bouldering instructor. Despite that job involved teaching newbies to climb without ropes, it was only permissible for a few meters. Nevertheless, that experience of mine is enough to help me to calm down now as I slowly make my way to descend towards the mistletoe. The sound of thunder and lightning keeps happening around me. I flinch whenever a louder one is heard above me, but I try my very best to maintain my focus in placing my foot on the uneven stones stocking out of the cliff. Suddenly, I lose my footing when there happens to be a huge gap between such stones. I can feel that I'm making a shocking face at the moment as I fall backwards. My hearing gets muffled temporarily while my vision is almost blurred by the heavy rainfall still falling on my face.

In the end…I'm gonna die this way, huh? What would you do, Elysian?