Raven stood not moving besides the apparent shaking throughout his body. He stared down at himself…it was a weird thought but there was no other way to put it. He was staring at himself, maybe the special request wasn’t lying. Maybe all he had to do was kill this copy of him. Maybe once it's done he can leave. Maybe he can go home. Raven drew his sword walking over to the chained up copy. Looming over himself was weird to say the least. He raised his sword but then immediately dropped it. The sword clattering on the ground. Raven couldn't do it! He couldn't raise a sword against himself and let alone kill himself!. The chained up Raven gritted his teeth looking up at Raven barking at him, “What are you doing?! Don’t you wanna win?! You said it yourself! You'd do anything it would take to live! So just kill me! Win the trial! Go home!” Raven looked away as his own voice shouted at him from the floor. Raven lifted up his sword once more, swinging and striking the chains that bind the other him. The copy of Raven had flinched at the sword striking down but then recovered when he realized he had free movements he had slowly gotten up when Raven hugged the copy. The copy gasped a bit before an evil laugh came from behind him. Before he had time to react he felt a sword pierce his back going right through him and into the copy. He gasped as did the copy then the sword was removed.Raven and his copy shortly fell over as the sword was removed from his body. Raven held tightly onto the wound but then immediately latched onto his pendant activating it in a heartbeat.
Item Used!
[The Goddesses Grace]
Wounds completely healed!
Uses remaining: ⅓
Raven quickly got up, the wound healing all the way. Raven looked at the copy of himself; the copy lay dead in a pool of blood. Raven quivered at the sight seeing himself dead was definitely a sight. He turned around to see a lady with red hair, a masquerade mask, and a long elegant dress. The woman held the sword barely by the handle looking at Raven laughing a little, “Oh did I do that..? Whoops?” She smirked, dropping the blood coated blade onto the floor. Raven look down at the blade then at the woman, “Who..who are you?!” She tilted her head before giving a low smile at Raven, “Me? Well you can call me.. Apate dear” Raven thought about the name for a second it sounded familiar but why? Why was it so familiar? It then hit him! Apate was the name of a minor goddess in Greek mythology! She was all about deception and trickery. Raven gritted his teeth, “I'll take a guess and assume you're the reason this trial even exists..” He said going quiet soon after. She nodded, laughing a sinister laugh, “Of course it was me! Wasn’t fun? It all led up to this moment! Now as a god who was tasked with this trial..I’m not allowed to fight you..so technically by not killing the copy of yourself you passed the trial…” Raven paused, was she lying..or did he actually succeed? He then shook his head. He didn't care about the rules if they were true. That's when another window popped open next to him.
Achievement Opportunity
God Slayer
Kill your first God!
Reward: 1 Skill and 1 Weapon
After seeing this achievement he smirked and confirmed that she was lying! If he's able to kill her then..she's the final boss of this trial he stepped back a bit away from him. He looked at his own corpse and surprisingly had a red soul hovering over it. He moved all the way over to it seeing the window like normal
Skill Activated!
[Donation of the Dead]
Has been activated
No stats have been gained
Skill Gained!
[Cloning]
The user can now summon an exact copy of themselves
Max: 1
Requirement:Must have 5 magic
Raven smirked at the skill he gained immediately he activated the skill.
The Skill [Cloning] has been activated
Another Raven appeared he seemed to be identical this made Raven ecstatic now fights should be twice as easy now! Well Raven now had the perfect fight to test this ability. Ravens clone drew its sword. Raven followed along, smiling at each other before rushing at the goddess at full speed. It seemed his clone even got the same buffs as him which means it must use the same skills as him. Both Ravens appeared at the sides of Apate they swung at her. They thought this would be easy but Apate blocked both hits with two swords that appeared so suddenly. Both Ravens backed off away from Apate. The swords she had wielded vanished when they backed off. She gave a mischievous smile towards the two of them, “What's wrong? Don’t tell me you’re scared now! I tried to let you move on! Then you decided to attack me anyway!” Raven shook his head, “I’m not scared just thinking about the best way to defeat you!” He said with a laugh. While Apate was paying attention to the original Raven the copy sprinted and jumped swinging the sword with its full might towards the goddesses back. Raven watched Apate turn and block it with her own arm out of reflex. The sword cut into her arm slightly and she groaned in pain. She grabbed the clone's arm, removing the sword from her other arm she whipped him around before she suddenly had what seemed to be a brass knuckle she then sent a punch into the clones head at the same time letting go of its arm sending it tumbling to the floor as it gasped in pain. Raven took his chance knowing he should have reacted sooner but he was too stunted by her movements. He took quick and light footsteps slashing at the back rapidly it was too late as she had a new sword blocking his hits. She seemed to have a good amount of speed meaning if his buff wears out then he might not be able to catch up. Yet he seemed to have a slight advantage in strength. She may hit hard but..he can hit harder. Raven stopped swinging, letting her swing a bit. That was when he parried her swing making her stagger a bit. He then dropped his sword sending his fist into her arm the sword was held by. This hit caused her body to react by dropping her sword onto the floor. She gasped at the sudden hit. This was something she didn’t expect as Raven then cocked his fist back sending a punch flying straight into her gut. She stumbled back a bit trying to catch the air that escaped her mouth when she was punched. Before she could the clone was back again ending up behind her it jumped sending a kick straight into her neck. She went straight into the wall of the cell. Raven hadn’t noticed it before but the cell had grown in size. If it hadn't they wouldn’t be able to fight like this.. Raven's thoughts ended abruptly as he was already back to dealing with the goddess. Sending another punch into her gut she lowered her head holding her stomach in pain. Raven then took his hands together into one fist holding it up like a hammer he took it down at full force on her head. She then was sent flying to the floor, her head hitting the stone cracking it from the impact. After this she tried to get up, her body shaking from the damage she endured. Her nose was bleeding, she even coughed a little bit of blood. She was definitely angry and she looked up towards Raven, “How can..a mortal like you dare take on a god…” Raven gritted his teeth. She was doing it now as well..talking down to him. He winded it up then kicked her in the face. She went limp onto the floor again before slowly trying to rise. Raven didn’t say another word as he sent his foot on top of her head. Holding her there his clone slowly walked over it sent a sword driving it into her back she yelled out in pain before a final breath escaped, “you won’t make..it out alive..” she uttered before her life came to a stop. Raven looked down at Apate before a pop up appeared next to him.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Achievement Completed!
Skill Gained!
[Beginner Sword Aura] [Trainable]
Sending magic throughout your sword grants it the ability to cut easier and becomes more durable
Requirement: 15 Magic
Cooldown: None
Raven looked at it puzzled, “trainable?” He pondered a bit..maybe he could get better magic control..making it easier to manage..one thing for sure is he needed to upgrade his magic stat..a lot if he was gonna keep up with these new skills he was getting.
Weapon Gained
[Slayer of Mortals]
A sword that gives the user advantages of those labeled mortals
+20 strength (+10 strength against mortals)
+10 Defense (when blocking)
Raven looked at the sword after equipping it, the sword looked almost like his original regular sword but this one held engravings in it..almost looking like ancient text? The handle had beautiful carvings of gods on it. For one he saw the god of war on it..Raven then put his original sword into the subspace looking at the goddess he slayed. Going through normal procedures he activated his skill [Donation of the Dead] when the pop up appeared absorbing her soul like normal. Then something happened. He felt weird clutching his chest. He fell to the side gasping for air. He suddenly passed out on the cold stone floor of the cell. He eventually woke up to the clone shaking him..if he was being honest he didn’t expect the clone to still be around.. He sat up breathing normally now seeing a new window screen he read.
The Skill
[Donation of the Dead]
Has absorbed the soul of a god!
You’ve gained all the gods stats!
Stats absorbed limited to [Player]
+63 strength
+30 defense
+61 Stamina
+85 Speed
+57 Magic
Stats absorbed! You may now choose one of the gods following skills!
You have been limited to the choice of 2 skills!
[Weapon Manipulation]
After wielding a weapon once you can now recreate a magical manifestation of that weapon
Requirement: 20 magic
Cooldown: None
[Illusion]
You can create an illusion to trick your opponent
Requirement: 25 magic
Cooldown: None
First Raven was shocked by the amount of stats he gained..and they were limited?! He sighed a bit looking at the two skills he started to debate staring. Then he nodded having come to a choice he hovered his hand over a skill it flashed and did a spin before vanishing
Skill Gained!
[Weapon Manipulation]
After wielding a weapon once you can now recreate a magical manifestation of that weapon
Requirement: 20 magic
Cooldown: None
Raven then looked at the new window
Trial Cleared!
Rewards will be distributed at a later time!
Then everything went black and he soon found himself where he started a dark empty space and single system window.
Congrats [Player]
You have completed Trial 1!
Would you like to continue?
Or go home?
[Continue] [Home]
If you go home you'll be stripped of everything you have
If you continue you keep your current things and move on aiming for the end of the trials
1/12
Raven stared in amazement he could go home..? He stared at the button for a while, why was he hesitating? He could click it and go home! He reached out for it, going to press the button and end this nightmare and finally go home. When he realized he wasn't alone in this space a menu popped up next to him.
A Special Request
The God: Zeus
Continue the trials!
Reward: 1 Free upgrade
Penalty: Forced to live out your life up until this moment over and over until you pick [continue]
Raven stared dumbfounded at the request.. The god of gods?! He was gonna force Raven to go through everything all over again until he continues?! Raven sighed there was no point in going home if his going home was being forced back into it eventually..Raven reluctantly reached out and touched the continue button.
The next trial will begin shortly
Sending [Player] to [Subspace]
Raven looked at the new message that replaced the old one. The subspace? Suddenly he felt himself get sucked into somewhere, and there he was back in the subspace where he first met Iris. He looked around seeing his sword prior to the one he has now. It seemed Iris wasn't around recently.. He decided she wouldn’t mind if he borrowed her bed. He collapsed onto her bed with a heavy sigh. He didn’t realize how exhausted his body was as he lay on the bed. His body got really comfy. He lay there about to doze off he yawned, “before sleeping i'll just check my stats really quick..” opening the stat menu it floated above him displaying his stats.
Name: Raven
Strength: 154
Defense: 84
Stamina: 101
Speed: 136
Magic: 73
After the menu was displayed he smiled at the numbers before passing out with a heavy snore.