Chapter 1 – The rebirth of the strongest warrior.
The sun was setting in the west, painting the sky an orange-pink hue. The moon peaked its edge around the east ready to take the sun’s place.
The wind blew on the barren valley softly moving the bright grass with its force. Silhouettes of mountain tops can be made out in the distance along with trees and other shrubbery.
The weather was cool due to the fleeting sun accompanied by the whispering wind. In a patch of grass stood a man.
He was pale in complexion with long dark hair flowing down his back. The man bore heavy armor on his torso and legs, offering thorough protection. By his side was a large blade that looked extravagant.
It resembled a unique shape with its edge being tinted a red color. Faint inscriptions could be spotted engraved along its edge, deepening the red color.
The man’s expression was void of emotion as his eyes were set on a large dragon snarling its teeth at him.
Its slit tongue met the air like a snake’s and swiftly found its way back into the dragon’s mouth. It locked eyes with the man and burrowed the muscles above its eyes.
The man remained calm as water at the dragon’s intimidation. The air grew heavy and moist as the clouds in the sky grew darker.
“It’s going to rain soon,” the man theorized to himself.
As the man prophesied, the dragon lost its patience and began charging toward its foe.
The man sneered. Rocks lifted from the ground where he stood, and the color of his blade intensified.
He only thought to himself some more, “The Elite Dark Shadow Dragon. ‘Easily identified by its obsidian-colored scales protecting a soft violet flesh.’
He admired the glossy black color of the dragon’s scales as it ran to him.
“I don’t see a way to lose.”
In an instant, the man raised his blade toward the clouds. He recited a spell.
“Strike, Blade of Crimson Lightning.”
The dragon opened its mouth to shoot a ball of fire at the man and after a moment, a large purple fireball left the dragon and crashed into the reserved man; lifting dirt and dust to cover where the man stood.
Sure of its victory, the dragon turned away.
“How could anyone die from such an attack?”
A world-shaking boom sounded across the valley. Red lightning dropped from the sky and struck the dust cloud covering the man.
The dragon was beheaded before it could analyze the source of the sound.
The dust cleared and the man was still standing in place with the blade back to his side. One second later an explosion of red lightning shot from him and the dragon, sending red sparks into the air.
The man only stared as the dragon’s head fell to the ground and its body toppled over, crashing with a thud.
[You defeated an Elite Dark Shadow Dragon!]
[You have earned a new title!]
[You are now #1 Warrior across the world!]
Alerts, only visible to him, made their way into his sights. He sighed and rid his vision of the alerts, hardly even reading them. His expression looked as if he didn’t just behead a beast 3 times his size seconds ago.
...
This world is said to be a living thing, watching over everything it contains. Since the beginning of time, the world has given its life the ability to grow strong. From the humans to the fish, with enough will and determination, anything in this world could be strong.
The reason it’s said to be living is because of alerts every life gets when they make an achievement.
Typically, one would have to complete the achievement before they know what they did specifically via Alerts. But that was long ago. Most achievements are now well-spread across this world, enlightening even toddlers. Although they are technically considered rumors, it’s highly unlikely that someone would lie about an achievement to someone else as there is nothing to gain; it’s more beneficial to remain silent about new-found achievements rather than lie.
The strange man discovered a new achievement, rewarding him with alerts.
“I must get back to the guild. These achievements are surely worth something.” The man thought to himself, his eyes as calm as water.
The man looked at the clouds and let water fall onto him. It began to rain.
“Apollyon, we did it, we defeated the Elite Dark Shadow Dragon!” a soft voice called out to the man called Apollyon.
It was of a pale, short young lady with a robe covering her body. She ran to Apollyon and embraced him from behind.
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“Get off.” Apollyon ordered bluntly.
“Don’t be like that, we beat an elite dragon!” The girl replied with a whine.
“Why do you keep saying ‘we?’ and I said, "get off-” Apollyon was cut off by a pain that spread across his throat.
Blood poured from Apollyon’s neck. His expression shook but he quickly recovered. The strange woman did not notice this.
[You have lost a title!]
[You are no longer #1 Warrior across the world!]
[You are faced with death! Your hidden skill has been activated!]
“Tch,” Apollyon let out a gurgle of blood when he tried to speak. He wrapped his hand around his throat in an attempt to stop the blood.
“I can’t recite my spells with damaged vocal cords. This was planned.” Apollyon thought to himself admirably as he stared at who he thought was a comrade.
She flipped a dagger stained with his blood into the air and caught it playfully. She wore a smile, and her eyes were shining bright.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” The girl teased. She licked the edge of her dagger. A metallic taste spread across her taste buds.
“What should I tell the others, You died trying to protect me from an Elite Dragon? That sounds believable, what do you think?”
Apollyon only knitted his eyebrows in disgust. He stumbled while his vision pulsed and darkened.
She got close to Apollyon, almost kissing.
“You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this exact moment...” She whispered into his earlobe. Her sweet breath tickled his cheek. “Ever since we met, I knew you’d be the one to carry me to the top of the world.”
She looked away at the air. Apollyon couldn’t have noticed but the girl was eyeing an alert.
[You are now the #1 Support across the world!]
She smiled at it.
“With the blink of an eye and the twirl of my hair, you were all over me.” She got close to Apollyon’s stern face once more and continued. “So much for a cool and collected warrior, right? No matter, I want to end this charade.”
She left his proximity, her smile disappearing in an instant. She talked slowly as she stepped with wide strides.
“I want you to die by my hands. I want the glory of killing a warrior.”
She grew flustered at the thought, embracing herself with a sadistic smile. Her eyes were bright with murderous intent.
She turned back to Apollyon who was face down in the soft grass. The grass grew red from his blood. She stared as drops of rain softly hit his body.
“Huh? What a waste of my monologue... looks like you’re already dead.”
…
In the northern region of this world was a mighty empire. The North Vasto Brim Empire. It holds great influence amongst its neighbors.
It managed to dominate the north by cultivating the strongest warriors amongst all classes while its neighbors catered to certain classes.
What was said to cause the Vasto to thrive was its location. It's rumored that a man traveled from an eastern empire toward the north looking for new achievements, spells, and weaponry to garner strength.
This traveler was a warrior-class and fought a tough perilous journey until he came across a small village. The villagers greeted him warmly and took him in as one of their own.
A few days under their care, he was amazed at how organized and intelligent these villagers were despite being mere classless mortals.
He quickly made friends with the villagers and even met a woman who he fell in love with. The traveler settled down and married the woman of the village and vowed to protect them out of gratitude for their hospitality.
Years have passed in this village and with their newfound guardian, the village only grew. Its size expanded wildly under the traveler’s jurisdiction and eventually the mortals made him ruler.
Who is this fabled traveler? What empire did he leave? What impact did he have on the village resulting in it becoming the head empire of its location?
The answers shall be told another time…
“My lord, are you sure you do not require additional protection? We have little information about the Dark Shadow Dragon and we feel it would be unwise to let you face it half-heartedly.”
A male voice called out to the room. The man was fair, normal as any other. He bore clothing that made him seem wealthy. His eyes were full of vigor and expression was stern with discipline as he spoke clearly to a man in an elegant chair. It was Apollyon.
Apollyon thought silently for a few breaths before he replied.
“I’m sure. I appreciate the general’s concerns but no need to worry. Your pay will remain regardless if you assist me or not. Tell the men to care for their families and see over the empire while I'm out. My adventure shall be swift.”
With that, Apollyon waved his hand declaring the end of the conversation.
The male seemed relieved, partly because an dragon is not something they could handle easily and mostly because he received confirmation that their pay shall remain regardless of assistance. He bowed with a warm smile.
“Yes my lord.”
The man left the room with pride. These were Apollyon’s last orders as he left the empire shortly after with his party. Never to return.
…
[Rebirth in progress! Constructing a Support-Class body!]
It was dark for quite some time before an alert could be made out in the darkness.
The life of a warrior is full of challenge and hardship and more often than not, their story would conclude with death.
Apollyon was completely aware of this and sought insurance.
For years Apollyon sought after anything that could one day spare his fate. Spending the majority of his life seeking. Traversing deserts, sailing oceans, exploring caverns.
At the age of 112, he finally discovered something that could one day save him from a warrior’s fate.
{Support Rebirth!}
A skill that was once merely a fable since no one has ever achieved it.
Apollyon knew the dragon would be something his men could not handle so he ordered them to stay in the empire, hoping to keep some of their lives. With his rebirth, he did not fear for his own well-being. He didn’t take into account, however, that his own party would be the reason for his untimely demise.
“No point in dwelling,” Apollyon thought to himself in the darkness. “I must rebirth and get back to the empire to protect my kingdom from that tyrant-”
[As a result of using the hidden skill {Support Rebirth} a few of your memories have been withheld!]
“A few of my memories have been withheld? What could that mean?”
Apollyon waited in the darkness pondering over what that alert meant. Before long, a new alert appeared.
[Your consciousness is being deployed back into the world!]
“Finally, time to get back to the empire.”
The darkness grew polluted by dim orange lights. Apollyon swept his gaze and could make out lanterns hanging from the beams on the ceiling ,but the lights from the lanterns weren't enough to depict where he was.
He tried to stand but his body felt like it weighed a ton, preventing him from moving. He could only stare at the ceiling.
“What is going on?” Apollyon thought, anxiety looming over his heart. “This doesn’t feel right…”
He tried to call for a servant but nothing came from his mouth. He tried again and again but he was only spitting and uttering nonsense.
“No…”
After several attempts, the sound of a door opening and someone entering through it could be heard. They came in with heavy yet swift steps.
A giant face made an appearance. The startled Apollyon eyes shrunk at the sight.
“No need to look so scared. It’s only me.”
The face was of a rugged man. His eyes a violet hue and hair was long. He also had a bushy beard covering the lower half of his face.
“It’s only me, Lilith.”
“Lilith?”
The man picked up Apollyon and held him close to his chest. Apollyon was only the size of a doll in comparison to the man. His heartbeat was so loud it sounded like war drums in Apollyon’s ears.
“There, there. Daddy’s got you.”