In the heart of the desolate forest, surrounded by towering trees shrouded in an eerie mist, Luke stood alone. His expression, a tumult of anger and frustration, clashed with the relentless rain that soaked him to the bone. Amid this spectral landscape, he cast a glare at the digital window before him, a cruel reminder of his recent failures.
[ The Merciless Clan Reaches the Hidden Score, Earning an S Rank ]
[ The rankings of the seven the Path :
1/ Merciless Clan ( Calcul exp points...)
2/ The Barbarians ( 1254 exp points)
3/ The Witches ( 954 exp points)
4/ The Guardians ( 923 exp points)
. . . ]
A surge of bitter fury compelled him to unleash his wrath upon a nearby tree. His fist collided with its trunk with a thunderous impact, carving a ragged hole into the ancient wood. As the rain continued its relentless descent, Luke, nursing his injured fist, leaned against the tree, his gaze lost in the dense foliage.
In a voice laced with bitterness, he muttered, "How can this be? I have always been the one who triumphed in every challenge. I'm the hero. How can I fail like this, while a group that no one heard of achieves what I cannot?"
For Luke, accustomed to overcoming adversities from a young age, this unanticipated setback cut deeper than any previous wounds.
In a realm where birthright held no sway and only raw talent mattered, he believed he would dominate and showcase unparalleled prowess. Yet, the bitter taste of defeat lingered, a stark contradiction to the narrative he had crafted for himself.
Luke's senses were suddenly pricked by the rhythmic cadence of approaching footsteps. Turning, he beheld Aslin, her hair sodden from the relentless rain, making her way toward him.
Aslin's gaze immediately honed in on Luke's injured hand, her features contorting with concern. With a burst of urgency, she closed the distance between them, her fingers gently cradling Luke's injured hand.
"What happened?" Aslin's inquiry hung in the damp air, her voice carrying a note of genuine worry.
Luke, though stubborn in his pride, dismissed the severity of his injury with a nonchalant wave. "Just an accident, nothing to worry about. I'll be fine."
Aslin, however, sighed knowingly. Her eyes, reflective pools of concern, searched Luke's face before she conveyed " Lisa is calling for a meeting. She wants to discuss our next moves."
Luke, acknowledging the summons, fell into step behind Aslin. Yet, as they ventured through the forest, he couldn't ignore the lingering unease etched across Aslin's features.
Observing her worried expression, Luke's thoughts took a profound turn. At that moment, he realized that his purpose transcended just the desire for heroism. His true calling lay in safeguarding those closest to him.
With a renewed resolve, he contemplated the challenges that lay ahead. Just as he had conquered the trials of his tumultuous past, he vowed to overcome this unforeseen competitor. In his mind, the Merciless Clan, formidable as they may be, would falter before his unyielding determination, just like every other adversary he had faced.
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. . .
In the solemn aftermath, amidst the crumbling remnants of the conquered castle, Sina stood side to side with the rest of the group, her gaze fixed upon the digital window displaying the results of their arduous mission, a genuine smile etched across her face.
This mission, challenging as it may have been, held a unique significance for her – it was the first she had truly enjoyed a mission.
Just like her, the satisfaction was gleaming in Rin's eyes. They had achieved the best possible score and for once, the roles were reversed, and they stood as those who had suffered the least.
To the uninitiated, the weight of Sina and Rin's past struggles might be unfathomable, but for Sina and Rin, this victory held a profound sense of accomplishment.
[ Calculating Rewards...]
[ The Merciless Clan achieves an impressive S-rank score, earning 20,000 experience points, six silver reward boxes, and one golden reward box.]
[ The curse of the Roaring River has been vanquished.]
[ The Roaring River reclaims its original name, The Everlast River.]
[ The original inhabitants of the five Everlast Castles acknowledge the Merciless Clan as its favoured benefactors. ]
As these revelations graced the digital interface, a sudden cessation of the relentless rain heralded a shift in the weather.
Fray and the rest of the group cast their gaze toward the sky, witnessing the gradual parting of thick clouds, revealing a vibrant blue expanse dotted with what appeared to be two stars—one white, the second smaller in a blue colour.
Fray, immersed in the newfound clarity, summoned his wings and ascended to the sky. Reaching an altitude beyond the dense canopy, he beheld a breathtaking panorama.
The once-obscured view of the other four castles, now cleansed, unfolded before him. His eyes then traversed the vast expanse, capturing the distant ocean and the lush, undulating forest that embraced it.
As the group ascended alongside Fray, Casper's gaze followed Fray's fixated stare. "Isn't that the area of the first challenge?" he inquired, curiosity etched across his face.
"Indeed, that's the place. It seems that the challenges commence at the edge of the continent, leading us towards the centre," Adam acknowledged a realization crossing his features. He turned to peer behind, and the rest of the group followed suit, revealing a vast mountain range concealing what was on the other side.
"So, the next challenges lie beyond this mountain," Elisa observed, her eyes tracing the formidable peaks.
Fray, still focused on the mountain, recollected the forthcoming challenge who will be the first one situated outside the wilderness.
Suddenly, interrupting Fray's thoughts a hauntingly young voice cut through the air, sending a shiver down Fray's spine. "It's there," the familiar voice declared.
Despite his discomfort, Fray maintained a stoic expression as he turned towards the voice, finding a younger version of himself floating nearby. The apparition pointed towards a specific spot on the mountain, repeating, "It's there."
Turning to inspect the indicated direction, Fray saw a thick cluster of dark, dead trees. When he looked back at the spectral child, there was nothing but emptiness.
(What does this mean?) Fray thought, fixing his eyes on the spot the boy pointed at.
The younger version, whom Fray referred to as an unconscious part of himself, manifested on special occasions throughout his life. After absorbing Yassine's memories, Fray concluded that this might be a manifestation of a mental disorder, a consequence of his unresolved past.
However, the younger version had only spoken nonsensically until now. This was the first time he pointed or uttered something unknown to Fray, leaving him both confused and intrigued, feeling an urgent need to explore.
Turning to the group, Fray declared, "I need to go check something. It might be dangerous, I want you two to come with me," he said, pointing to Elisa and Adam.
"Of course, I will go with you," Elisa affirmed.
"Alright, if you want," Adam agreed.
"I want to go too, sir," Casper chimed in.
"No, we will go just the three of us. You tree stay here and wait for us," Fray asserted, looking at Casper, Rin, and Sina.
Fray, Elisa, and Adam dashed toward the mountains, flying at maximum speed for over an hour, closing in on a spot surrounded by strange, dark, dead trees, unlike the surrounding forest.
"What?" Fray thought as they entered the area of the dark trees, feeling immense pressure pushing them down.
"What's this?" Adam mumbled, sensing the peculiar gravity in the air.
"Let's land," Fray ordered, descending to the ground with Elisa and Adam in tow.
Under the relentless pressure, they suddenly noticed a distant path meandering between the gnarled, dead trees. The group, their curiosity mingled with confusion, reached the path and followed it for several minutes as the oppressive force grew more pronounced.
Abruptly, they stumbled upon a sight that left them gaping in horror and awe, an image unprecedented even for Adam, who had traversed every dark corner of the human continent.
A colossal human skull, weathered and ancient, soared high above the desolate landscape, casting an ominous shadow over the group. The sheer scale of the skull dwarfed them to insignificance, a mere fraction of its ominous visage.
Beside this colossal relic stood a stone door, its surface adorned with strange, cryptic symbols and an otherworldly structure that emanated an unsettling aura.
The air around them seemed to hum with spectral energy as the group stood, transfixed by the eerie amalgamation of the colossal skull and the mysterious stone door in the heart of the dead tree grove.
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