Do you know what happens after you die?
Death.
It is simple as that.
There is no place where you get tortured eternally.
And there is no place of eternal joy.
Even so, humans cling to their life.
If they could, they would choose eternal life.
I don't know when it started.
I don't know why it started.
But please, someone, anyone, make it stop.
The bell rings as a new life is born.
Unfortunately, the baby's heart explodes in the last second.
That is how I die.
The bell rings as a new life is created.
Unfortunately, the mother decides to abort the fetus.
That is how I die.
The bell rings as a new life opens its eyes.
An animal filled with hormones, as it is slaughtered.
Life and Death.
That is the only thing that I know.
I obtained immortality, that much I am sure of.
Not in the form of eternal youth.
Nor in the form of a divine immortal.
Reincarnation.
As soon as I die, my soul looks for a new body.
A human is invaded by my soul.
As a parasite, the original body's soul is devoured.
The vessel changes to accomodate my soul.
The body becomes strong and good-looking.
The eyes turn into red like fire.
The hair becomes a sickly pink.
Sometimes, the family does not accept my existence.
As I don't look like either the mother or the father.
No matter how many times.
I don't remember if I ever had a normal life.
But one thing is for sure.
Life will always be full of suffering.
The Universe does not allow for my existence.
And Fate Himself tries to kill me in every opportunity.
I betrayed the rule of life and death.
And so, Death is always following me.
I always end up dying alone.
Be it in a war, or of some sickness.
My bones become brittle.
My organs fail suddenly.
I'm not allowed to live.
The force of life, the curse of reincarnation.
Always bringing me to a new body.
The force of death, the law of the universe.
Always killing me in the worst way possible.
I don't know how much time passed.
My soul has met death so much it has become fragmented.
The only thing keeping my soul from complete annihiliation is the curse of life.
I can't remember my past lives anymore. Or how all of this started.
My name has been lost too.
I don't know whether I am originally a man or a woman.
Each time I am reborn, randomly one of them is selected.
If I could have a single wish...
Death, I wish for death.
Please let stop existing.
I am wrong, if hell exists, this is it.
Eternal torture. All kinds of death I've experienced.
Waking up in an prisoner soon be executed.
Or an animal soon to be slaughtered.
I only know suffering.
The only thing on my mind is wrath.
I hate so much this universe.
I hate fate so much.
I hate the bodies that I inhabit.
My many mothers and fathers.
My original mother and original father, that I don't even remember anymore.
I hate myself for parasiting so many bodies, they could have lived what they deserved.
No matter how you look at it, I'm the wrong one.
I've must been a past sinner, someone who couldn't accept death.
And now is fated to never meet death.
One thing is certain...
My soul gets more and more fragmented.
Fate is decided to get rid of me.
One day, the curse won't be able to hold my soul together.
And I will finally die.
I'm only waiting for that.
The bell rings as a new life is born.
My body is sucked out of the uterus by a device.
The remaining parts of my body are going to the trash.
I need to remain in this dead body for one hour until I find a new vessel.
----------------------------------------
The mother enters through the surgery room.
Abortions are prohibited in this nation. Which is why everyone knows me as the perfect surgeon who never failed in delivering children.
But I have a better way to obtain money. In the black market, I'm the top surgeon that performs abortions with no risk either.
What was weird in this case is that the mother would have her child.
But yesterday, came to me with a truckload of money for me to get rid of her baby.
Her expression was desperate. Almost like something had possessed her.
The baby would be born today, in a C-Section.
I can't believe she asked me to kill the baby inside of her.
And then suck it out like an abortion.
What a cruel creature.
As her body is cut, I can see the baby.
"..."
What is that?
Red Eyes. It is awake, it is looking at me.
Evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, evil.
A monster, that is a monster.
Yes, I need to get rid of it.
I need to kill it.
As if Fate Himself orders me.
I need to bring death to this demon.
The scalpel enters its belly as I cut its organs out.
Like a butcher, I start to cut it more and more.
Organs, muscle, skin.
Blood. Blood. Blood.
Its members are all destroyed completely.
Only its head remaining.
I pluck its eyes out as the brain oozes out of them.
"Hahaha. I've done it."
For some reason, I've never felt so good in my life.
All my life only mattered for this moment.
I smile from ear to ear.
The demon is dead.
The mother laughs.
The mess inside of her is removed easily through the suction device.
It is connected to a bag.
Normally, I sell the fetus to the blackmarket.
But I need to get rid of this.
I throw it at the trash can going to be burned.
The door opens.
"I've never seen Fate act in such a way.
It must really hate this soul."
A old man enters the room.
A dementia-ridden patient?
"You need to get out of here."
He ignores me as he walks through the room.
He stops, right in front of the trash.
"Here you are, little one."
He almost enters the trash as he grabs something out of it.
It is... The body parts of the fetus.
"Hmm. You body is all destroyed.
I can fix it."
As he opens the bag, he starts sewing the destroyed body parts.
"S-Stop-"
I try moving, but flowered vines have grown around my legs.
What is happening.
"Done."
W-What. He had already sewed the baby back together.
But it is still dead, its body is lifeless.
"Now, I will need to fix your soul.
It is all shreded.
Unfortunately, I can't go against fate and fix it eternally.
But I can fix it for a single life."
He keeps talking to it.
"Hm, to do it, I will need two souls."
He looks at me.
Before I know it, he holds both of my hands.
"So greedy."
He rips them out.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH."
"Now to cut the soul's connection to you."
"Huh?-"
----------------------------------------
The doctor falls to the floor, lifeless.
I don't know what is this... But I do feel a desire to kill this child.
Even I, the great mage, can be affected by the desire of Fate.
However, I can ease this.
If this soul is fixed, Fate won't be able to reach it for an entire lifetime.
I sew the soul back together.
The soul strings should hold it back temporarily.
"Hello, little princess."
The baby looks at me.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah."
----------------------------------------
My eyes open, as a old man holds me.
I could hear a gentle voice.
"Waaaaaaaaaah. wah?"
I try speaking, I can't, I'm a baby.
It is been so long since I was last born.
He stitched my soul together.
I don't feel death around me anymore.
"Congrats on living, little human."
The old man... Around eighty years in age.
But there is something wrong.
Is he using a mask?
I try moving my arm, but I can't.
"Oh? You noticed?
We're are similar in nature, perhaps."
He removes his face.
Or turn off the illusion that envelops him.
A man in his 20s.
Absolutely handsome.
White hair and white eyes.
Not a human. More like an angel?
A complete inhuman.
"You can call me Halfman."
As I look behind me.
I see the lifeless body of my mother and the doctor.
"So little baby, here is some baby formula."
He forces me to drink.
"Yes, yes, yes. You need to drink a lot."
We walk through the clinic.
As the nurses and patients notice him.
They fall lifeless on the floor.
"So much souls here.
It's been a while since I last visited a human settlement."
A monster, this is a monster, he feeds of human souls.
We walk out of the hospital.
"Okay, this is where out paths divert.
First, I need to tell you something.
The Old Man of the Forest told me this.
I am just the messenger.
Seven Seeds destruction bring.
Beware of the Black Serpent, able to bring death to anyone.
A star shall shine and save the universe.
Sirius Septem, World's End Awaits."
As he finishes the so called prophecy, he puts me on the floor.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh."
I cry, I won't be able to stay alive alone.
Please, don't leave me here.
"Shit, why I am feeling empathy.
That is so unlike me.
I guess finding something like me after so long is unique in of itself."
He grabs me again.
As he turns into a mist of flowers.
As my conscience returns, we're not in a poor nation anymore.
Rather, we're in the middle of a verdant forest.
No sign of human intervention, many insects wiggling around.
The plants are vivid and the air smells incredible.
"Welcome to the Outland."
That was the start of a new life.
He explained his interpretation of the prophecy.
Seven Monsters will appear in this world, and only a hero, like a star, can save the world.
He told me I was this so called hero.
What a spin of fate.
To think a prophecy would choose me to be a hero.
Someone who is fated to die.
My death cycle will return after this life.
That much I am sure of.
But I will value this life Halfman gave me.
Like a father, or more like a uncle, he became my guardian.
"Arstria Groe." - He gave me a new name.
He taught me magic.
Each human has a element that they master.
Mine is Fire.
Apparently, my hands can summon fire.
This is how my magic decides to be.
But the fire goes to all sides.
I can't point it towards an enemy.
We visited his armory.
Apparently he likes collecting weapons.
He told me to try lifting a golden sword.
But it it didn't move a inch.
"Not chosen, I see." - He said as if he already expected it.
We continued walking, soon enough, I saw something that took my attention.
"A Rapier, I see."
After that day, I start to train with rapiers, my fire goes through the steel on it, shooting like a bullet.
Or when I swing it, a slash flies towards the enemy.
I can also infuse it with fire and use like a regular rapier, the smaller range increases the damage considerably.
Using the fire to propulse myself forwards was also taught to me by him.
Soon enough, someone found us in the Outland.
A girl of my age.
Blond and with eyes like those of Sapphire.
She told me she is tasked to watch over me.
"I've been following you for many eras, since your very first life."
Apparently, I was not alone.
She is also cursed to live. But only to follow me.
If I actually obtained a proper type of reincarnation.
She would be by my side through every life.
Unfortunately, my lives only last a couple of hours at best nowadays.
I ended up forgetting her existence.
I asked for her name.
Apparently, she is ordered to not tell me anything from our past lives.
So she told me to give her a name instead.
"Saphria Groe"
Groe, because we're from the same family.
And Saphria because her eyes reminds me of Sapphire.
We lived together under Halfman for over ten years.
"The time has come."
He told us to meet him in the tallest tree.
"Arstria and Saphria.
The heroine who will save this world, and the knight who will follow her.
Do you know the concept of Gu?"
We didn't.
"It is a poison made in ancient China.
It is based in trapping many venomous creatures inside a container.
The venomous creatures would eat each other, and only one would remain in the end.
One who holds the strongest venom of them all, all of it concentrated in a single monster."
He continued.
"The Four Nations know of the impending danger of the monsters of the Outland.
And then we have the evils from the prophecy. In this world, not everyone is able to do magic.
Only a few, but the majority of magic users are useless, unable to fight against a strong mana beast.
Which is why the concept of a place, where all of them would be thrown into."
"Gu-"
"Yes, the idea revolves around these magic users fighting amongst themselves and other monsters until a few remain.
These will have magic absurdly stronger than the majority, and this way, Maniacs are born.
Only hundred Maniacs exist, and you need to kill a Maniac to take its place.
Another requirement is going through all ten floors of Magicae. A place where Gu takes place."
"So..."
"So impatient.
I will be sending you two to Magicae.
That is surely the best way for both to grow as mages.
Saphria, please protect her."
"I will, with my life."
"Arstria, become the greatest star of the hell that is known as Magicae."
"I will, I need to be great for this life to have meaning."
That is the only way, to honor the inhuman who saved my life.
I will live this life as a hero that will save the universe.
"These are Kayes, if you say 'I accept the challenge' your existences will be absorbed by it.
And then you be sent to Magicae at lightspeed."
He gives us crystals in the shape of keys.
"I Accept the Challenge."
I accept the terms and conditions, that my life will be in danger and that I can die.
Soon enough, both me and her are sent in a flash somewhere else.
----------------------------------------
As explained by him.
Magicae is the insides of the body of a creature able to simulate worlds.
A entire universe will be generated where the greatest potential maniac will be born.
Zeroth Trial.
Way smaller in existence than the other trials.
Just to get rid of everyone with low potential.
Me and Saphria quickly pass through each challenge.
----------------------------------------
Arstria Groe
Mana Being (Lifeform)
Species: Human (?)
Affinity: 100% Fire
Age: 10 Years Old
Health: G
Strength: G
Resistance: G
Mana: F
Speed: G
----------------------------------------
Saphria Groe
Mana Being (Lifeform)
Species: Human (?)
Affinity: 21% Water | 79% Metal
Age: 9 Years Old
Health: G
Strength: F
Resistance: F
Mana: G
Speed: G
----------------------------------------
FIRST TRIAL BEGIN
MEMORY WIPE, PARTIAL
NEW UNIVERSE MIND CREATION
AGE REVERSAL
----------------------------------------
My name is Arstria Groe.
I'm the only daughter of the Groe Noble Family.
We are the owners of this entire city.
Saphria is from a family that has served us for ages.
She is my personal servant and maid.
I'm currently five years old.
My family only allows me to go outside one time a week.
However, I meet my group of friends without them knowing.
Saphria do not tell my parents of I'm doing.
"Okay, today we will play hide-and-seek."
The one chosen to seek is me, while Saphria plus the other five boys go to hide in different places.
"Ready or not, here I go!"
Finding them is easy, you just need to think where would they hide?
It is like hunting, where your prey is?
Saphria is better at hiding, always climbing trees or nearby houses.
We're currently in a plaza, so finding the boys is easy.
Four found.
Saphria decided to climb the bandstand in the middle of the plaza.
Getting up there to find her is actually hard.
"You tomboy, how dare you."
"Congrats in finding me, my liege."
She is so formal.
All of the found ones stay in the bandstand, there is a boy that I've yet to find, so I go looking for him.
----------------------------------------
She will never find me here.
Arstria is absurdly good at finding us.
Which is why I've decided to break the rules.
Going to hide into the forest is against the rules.
But if I hide here while she looks for me in the plaza, I can just get out of here and trick her into thinking I was in the plaza all along.
It is a perfect plan.
The minutes pass, as I stay here.
Actually, I can't hear anything inside of this forest.
The forest of death, located far away from the city.
This plaza borders it, but a giant wall separates the two.
Fortunately, I found a secret passage that leads here.
Not a single sound.
All of the trees in this forest are black as coal.
I try touching one, as the entire tree falls to dust.
What a creepy place.
No green at all, only brown and black.
Death reeks here.
They say that the Beast lives inside of here.
But I doubt it, there is no way that such a creature exists.
"Where are you?"
Arstria's voice can be heard from the other side of the walll.
Shit, if she climbs it she can see me.
Then I better get deeper into the forest.
It is weird, even with no foliage to hide the sky, I can't see it at all.
It is almost like it is night already.
No way, we always play during the day.
Hm?
A sound, I just heard a sound, where is it?
I try looking around.
A blur passes faraway deep in there.
Shit... Maybe there is something in here.
I start to walk back, but each step that I take makes sound, as the dead leaves fill the floor.
I should hide, I should run.
Something is approaching.
A creature like a wolf runs in the distance.
"I'm totally dead."
As I walk slowly backwards, the black figures keep appearing.
I'm scared.
I trip and fall to the floor.
The sound echoes.
I need to go.
But I can't move.
Why-Why?
Did fear froze me?
This can't be happening, move.
Move!
I see it.
The Beast.
It is the size of a human child.
Its body is filled with horns.
It walks slowly.
Claws as big as a bear's.
It walks towards me.
A figure in black.
Red, deep red eyes.
It will devour me, there is no escape.
"So here is where you was."
Someone appears from behind me.
Arstria, the girl that I have a crush on.
Pink hair, beauty incarnate.
"I was looking for you."
"R-...Run!"
I try talking to her, as she looks at me with disbelief.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
I point towards the monster.
Hm, where is it?
"What are you talking about?
I found you, I win again."
As she speaks, I see the Beast again.
Creeping behind her.
My body finally can move, I get up.
And like my instinct tells me.
I push Arstria to the floor and run towards the city.
----------------------------------------
"How dare you-"
Why that boy suddenly pushed me?
I instinctively dodge as I feel something going towards my neck.
I turn around to see a monster with horns growing from its entire body.
Red Eyes, A Black Sillhouette approaches.
"Haha- This can't be happening."
The creature approaches.
Ok, here goes nothing.
I grab my water bottle and throw the water at it, focusing my aim on its eyes.
This should get me enough time-
The water hits the creature.
Turning its black body into-
Mud?
Wait a second.
Mud falls from its face.
A face like that of a human.
"Wait, are you-"
The monster in front of me grabs its t-shirt and cleans its head.
"A girl?"
What looked like a monster.
Is actually a girl that is so covered in mud-
What about the horns?
Looking at her, the horns are actually sticks glued to her skin.
I dip the creature in water.
As the mud clears off.
"You're actually pretty cute."
A girl with innocent black eyes.
Brown hair, and a bang covering her eye.
"H-Hi?"
She tries speaking, but is seemingly frozen.
"Hi, I'm Arstria, nice to meet you."
"I-I'm... Ele...wp..."
She forces herself to speak.
But hardly any words come out.
"Why were you so dirty?"
"Uh?! B-Because I left my home."
She continue to explain her situation.
Actually, apparently deep in this forest, a noble family lives.
They didn't allow her to go outside, so she ran away from home.
"I never heard of this Shikimi Family.
Must be a lost family, I guess."
She didn't like hearing what I just said.
"I mean, I don't know all noble families, I'm sorry.
So, how old are you?"
"I'm eleven."
"Older than me...
Do you like playing hide-and-seek?"
"I never played... it... before..."
The way she is shy is quite cute actually.
I hold her hand.
"Let's go play then."
"H-H-H-H-Hand-"
"Do you want me to let it go?"
"No!"
"Okay!"
We walk through the forest.
Her hand is shacking so much.
To think I would meet a new friend deep in this forest.
You never know what fate has in store-
For you.
We continue walking.
"Hello, this is Shikimi Elewp, she will be playing with us."
"H-Hi... Hi!"
"Who is she."
A boy asks.
"She is a friend I just made, be nice to her.
I'm sure... She is pretty under this mud okay?"
"Fine."
Another boy replies.
Saphria looks from afar with judgment in her eyes.
And the boy who pushed me thinking there was a monster so that he could escape is still here.
How dare he!
Random chance decided that Saphria would be the one seeking.
"Elewp, come hide with me!"
"How... Does this game work?"
"You don't know?"
I explain it rapidly to her as we look for a place to hide.
"I see..."
"I have the perfect place to hide.
See this bandstand?" - She nods - "There is a door underneathes. I think the government might store something inside.
Come, I've asked my parents for the key."
I open the door as we both enter through it.
Inside is complete darkness.
We close the door behind.
"Okay, okay. Now we just need to wait."
She is still holding my hand.
What a cute little girl.
Suddenly, the lights go on.
What just happened?
The area inside... There is nothing stored.
Actually, this place is bigger than the bandstand.
What happened?
A room in the shape of a square, and to each side, there is a mural.
The image of a bird with its wings open.
The image of a bull-like creature, with scales?
The image of a two intertwined snakes.
The image of a lion with wings.
"What is this supposed to be?"
"I don't know."
We look for the door we came in.
But it is not here.
"Uhh. What do we do?"
"I don't know either. Let's try looking for a exit."
I walk up to the bird, and as I touch it, it turns on.
Red light comes out of it, but vanishes as soon a few seconds later.
"What-"
"Look out."
Something shot out of the mural towards me, fortunately Elewp helps me dodge.
What just happened-
I could've died if not for her.
She walks up to the lion and touches it.
White light comes out of it.
Something flies out of it.
"AAAAAAAAAA-"
A gust of slashing wind comes out of it.
Elewp is left arm is caught on it, and is cut from her body.
Blood pours to the floor.
"Stop- Stop touching the murals."
"Help me."
I instinctively take my shirt off and tie it around her arm.
She can't lose more blood.
"This can't be happening."
Touching the murals activates a trap.
Maybe we need to touch the correct one?
"This is a dungeon like the games.
We need to choose the correct one."
"I see... Two have already been touched, which means there are two remaining." - She points.
"Indeed... Which gives us a 50% chance of getting the correct one" - I add.
"What if I press one, and you press the other? Getting the correct one is 100% then, and the traps should deactivate after we get one right."
"Makes sense."
We agree on the strategy, and each walk to the corresponding mural.
I touch the snake one, while she touches the bull one.
The snake glows blue, and the bull glows green.
Both lights turn off again.
"Arstria-"
"Oh no."
Water starts pouring out of the snake mural.
While the bull mural start throwing stones at us.
The stones hurt, but not too much, the problem is that we need to keep dodging them.
The water starts to fill the room.
"Okay, touching mural means activating trap." - I conclude.
"Then, what we are supposed to do?"
As we dodge the stones, and water fills the room.
The water is already at knee level.
"We're going to die... I should have never left my home."
She is desperate.
I need to do something, quick.
Awaken-
Something turns on inside of me.
Hm?
My hand catches on fire.
"Ugh."
A stone hits me.
I turn to try to dodge the following ones
Why my hand is on fire? And why it isn't hurting?
"Are you okay?"
She approaches and tries to put out the fire.
She gets herself burned and stop.
"It is not hurting.
This fire, it is part of me?"
Why I'm feeling like this?
The water is at navel level.
"Ugh." Elewp is hit by another stone.
"I don't know what is happening, but there is fire on my hands."
"If it is not hurting them it is fine, right?"
"I guess so."
What should I do? The water keeps coming.
The more water there is, the harder it is to dodge the stones.
Shit. Shit.
"I'm sorry, for wanting to play with you..."
Elewp swims to me and holds me with her remaining arm.
"It is okay, it was my idea to enter the bandstand.
This must be a old torture place."
The water keeps filling.
Our desperation turns into acceptance.
"I guess this is my end here." - She says softly.
"Indeed, I guess fate decided for my death here."
-
...
Fate...
Death...
Will I die?
I can't die.
I need to live.
Memories pour inside of my mind.
Awaken.
I remember... This is...
This city is fake. This is all from Magicae's simulated universes.
First Trial.
I remember, fire.
I am here to live, to be a hero.
Then... This must be a challenge.
Four symbols.
I remember Halfman's class.
The Serpent of Water!
The Bull of Earth!
The Eagle of Fire!
The Lion of Air!
These are the primal beasts.
Touching each of them activates the following element.
This is a test for our knowledge.
Fire...
The fire vanishes from my hand.
*Fire*
I point my open hand towards the bird mural and throw a fireball towards it.
It turns on, with red light.
Now we just need to activate the other four.
A stone is thrown towards me.
A bigger stone.
"Ugh- Elewp, throw a stone at the stone mural."
"Oh- O-Okay!"
She dives to get a stone underwater and swims back up.
"Here goes it!"
She throws the stone back at the mural, which glows green and stops throwing stones.
The water continues to increase.
Only our heads are out of it now.
I swim towards the snake mural, and push water onto it.
It glows blue and the water starts to be drained out of the room.
"We did it!"
Elewp happily runs to me.
"You still lost a arm."
"Y-Yeah..."
Hmmm...
How are we supposed to grab air and use it to activate the lion mural.
I try activating the Lion Mural, it only sends gusts of cutting wind a single time.
We can't exactly redirectionate it.
Magicae wouldn't give us a challenge we can't complete...
Then... This means...
What if Elewp is able to control the wind?!
How can I activate her magic...
Meditation.
"Sit, Elewp."
"Okay!"
Why she sounds like a puppy awaiting a order.
"Close your eyes." - she nods.
I enter a meditative position and she follows suit.
"Imagine something, something deep inside your soul."
"Okay!"
"What are you seeing?"
The first way for you to control your mana, is to be able to perceive it.
Halfman told me to look for what lies deep inside of me.
It was a fire, a desire to live.
"String, I'm seeing threads."
Hmm... Which element could that be.
"Now try looking for strings through your body."
On a non-mage, mana is all scattered around the body.
A mage is able to unite all that mana around their soul, creating a mana core.
Which is where we store the mana."
"Okay, I'm seeing nine strings."
Ohhh, I guess she can even count the amount of mana? She is good.
This took me a month of meditation.
"Reunite all the strings in a single point."
"Where?"
This is a problem, if she can't think of a point, then she can't sense her soul.
The mana core always form around one's soul.
Mine for example, both of my hands, which is why I use magic through them.
"Wherever you want."
"Okay!"
Awaken.
Gusts of wind start to come from all over her body.
And- Her arm is regrown?!
Is that life magic?
Magic is separated into four categories.
Fire, Air, Water, Earth.
But there are subcategories.
Coldness, Electricity, Life, Metal
They are rarer, and harder to master.
This means she has double affinity.
Life and Air.
Rare, I can only use Fire.
The wind coming out activated the Lion Mural, who turned white.
Suddenly, all four murals open, and a chest appear in front of each of them.
"Oh."
I guess artifacts based on each element?
Then, I can get the one from fire.
I run towards it and open the chest.
Two Rapiers!
Thanks Magicae, I don't know what I would've done without my main weapons.
All other three chests are closed and vanish.
A stairway opens behind the bull mural.
"Okay, Elewp.
We're inside a dungeon, stay with me and we will win through it, okay?"
"Okay!"
She is so happy that we could do the puzzle.
We continue forward.
The cave walls start to open up more and more.
A massive underground cavern awaited us.
Many crystals lined the walls.
"So pretty."
I grabbed one of the crystals and put on Elewp's hair.
The bath we took on the past dungeon cleaned all the mud on her.
She is using a ripped outfit, she looks just like a lost child.
Even so, she is definitely cute. I wonder what is the story of before she entered Magicae.
Or maybe she is a NPC? That is also a possibility.
A sign in front of us.
"Dwarvia."
We followed it as we approached a underground kingdom.
Could this be... Looking from afar, we see humanoids.
Small humans, with beards and dirty outfits.
"Dwarves!"
Elewp runs toward them.
Where is the timidity now?
"Aaaaarhhh, an angel?"
The dwarf notices her approach, as he readied his hammer.
"Don't you dare touch her.
I had Elewp only for the past hour and a half,
but if anything happened to her I would kill everyone in this kingdom and then myself."
"Please, spare me."
As I pressed the rapier against his neck.
"What you mean by angel?"
"Uhh? Aren't you two angels?"
"No. We're humans."
"Humans?! Humans went extinct long ago!"
"How can we be angels if we don't have wings?" - Elewp adds
"Angels can hide their wings."
The dwarf starts to explain.
How their planet lost the ozone layer and humans burned to death.
Only the underground race of dwarves could continue living in such conditions.
One day, a creature appeared.
Looking similarly to humans, he was an angel.
He killed the royal family and took over the kingdom.
He then desires dwarves to keep producing weapons for his army of monsters.
"I see. I see.
Elewp, this is like a game.
We need to defeat the evil king to return to our world.
Where is he?"
"Uh, on the castle."
"You're in luck, we're the last remnants of humans, we came to defeat the angel."
"Ohhhhhh, thank the dragons!"
"Elewp, we will be going now."
I grab her hand as she quietly follows me.
I should probably let her train before going to the final boss.
But she still haven't got her memories back.
Also, this is just the First Trial.
With my current skill, I should defeat this angel easily.
"I'm... Hungry..."
"Hm."
Unfortunately, Elewp wants to eat.
We return to the dwarf from before and ask for food and a place to stay.
Living as a dwarf isn't so bad. The baths are heated using underground magma.
We asked for clothes. Apparently only male dwarves exist, or better, they are genderless.
So no clothes for us.
I dried the clothes I used before.
"Hi Elewp."
"Hi!"
Hm? What? How?
The destroyed clothes she was using before are nowhere to be seen.
She is using a mage's robe and everything.
"Where did you get that?"
"I... Woke up with it?"
As I look to the clothes better, it makes sense.
She is a life mage, so she must've created this cloak with no conscience.
String, she did say her soul was like a thread.
Maybe her ultimate magic is to create clothes?
We prepare ourselves. As we set for the invasion.
The castle is the highest place underground, fit for an angel.
As we approached it, dwarves tried to attack us, thinking we're the enemy.
I don't have time to talk with these npcs.
*Fire*
Their heavy armor is useless against my rapier.
I can effectively ignore any kind of armor easily.
The dwarves are all burn to death.
"Isn't killing wrong?"
"These are just monsters in our path, just continue."
I feel like speedrunning a game.
Halfman would be proud.
As the level of the dwarves increase.
Our distance to the fortress decrease.
We enter through the front door.
Any time now.
The fortress should be filled with late-level monsters.
"Rawr."
A lizard-like creature approaches.
Quadrupedal, with a shield for a face.
"A... Triceratops!" - Elewp happily announces.
"A what?"
The creature charges forward like a rhino.
It is bigger than a rhino, so I must pay close attention.
*Fire*
I propulse myself to get out of its way.
18 left.
I only spend one fuel to infuse my rapiers.
But propulsion spends them like water.
"RAWR"
The creature rises its front paws, before crashing them on the floor.
The earth shakes as I lose my foothold.
It runs towards me.
*Fire* *Fire*
I propulse myself to the air, falling right on top of it.
Before piercing through its skull and burning its brain.
Its body falls to the floor.
"That was hard."
Its meat rots-
What is happening.
Before I know it, its skin becomes like stone, and it gets up again.
"What-"
*Fire*
15 fuel.
I attack it again.
But to no avail.
It is made out of rock now.
How I'm supposed to kill a rock elemental with rapiers and fire?
Halfman never taught me how to use explosions.
"RAR"
It comes at me again.
That is right, I don't need to fight it.
I might as well leave Elewp with it as I run forward.
Elewp is just an npc after all.
This is the equivalent of losing a Y*shi to jump upwards.
"Elewp, you defeat it."
"What-"
She can just escape too, I need to get done as fast as I can.
I need to be a hero. That is my fate.
More lizard-like creatures appear, but I just pass through them using *Fire*
10 fuel.
As I climb the stairs, soon enough, I reach the boss lair.
An angel, if it burns, I can defeat it.
I open the door.
"Hm?"
From deep within, a human-like creature.
With draconic markings.
He gets up.
Scales line through his body.
"A human, I see.
It is been a while since they entered my domain.
Come at me then."
Of course.
I can do this.
I only need one single move to get rid of him.
Magic, as Halfman explain, is the idea of concepts.
Which means that I can use fire because the concept of my soul is close to fire.
Which is where the concept of a Ultimate comes from.
Bringing to life the idea behind my soul.
Fire, unlimited fire.
Able to burn through anything.
Devour through anything.
"ULTIMATE MAGIC"
Fire starts to spew from both of my rapiers as I leave them pointed backwards.
Two tornadoes of fire. Each spinning in a different direction with massive pressure.
Here it comes. By fusing the two tornadoes into one, the spin.
The golden ratio. I can burn through anything.
"ARS NOVA!"
The fire covers the angel in a single stroke.
Last boss, let's see if you can survive this.
"Aaarrrrrhghhhhhhh."
He falls to the floor.
This is the end.
"I can't believe this.
My flesh is burning."
Yes, burning.
You deserve everything.
You took the future from the dwarves, which is why you're going to fall to the hero.
"I can't believe I will need to use my wings."
From his back, two wings cover himself from the fire.
As his entire body is covered.
"You're weak."
Before I know it, his entire body takes the shape of a dragon.
A gargoyle-like creature.
His arms fuse with his wings.
As his entire body becomes stone.
"I am the Angel of the Underworld.
Quetzalcoatlus, time to die."
Oh no, I didn't think this through.
All the monsters that Halfman made me fight.
I knew everything about them.
But these creatures... I don't know what to do.
What their weaknesses are, how to win.
I never had to think during a battle before.
He flies towards me.
Okay, not everything is lost.
I can still run away.
*Fire*
I start to advance towards the exit.
"Going away already? This entire planet is mine now."
With a flick of his fingers, the exit vanishes.
Stones fall, not letting anything get away.
*Fire*
I try attacking him again, fire, goes through his skull.
"Ignoring my armor is useless if there is nothing underneath."
He punches me.
"Ugh."
"Hmm. Actually, you're interesting.
Full Affinity for Fire.
You will be useful."
He punchs me more and more.
My conscience starts to waver.
Stop, I am the hero.
This isn't supposed to happen.
Make it stop-
----------------------------------------
When I wake up, I'm lying naked chained to the floor.
There are a drawing on the floor, that I am above.
Is this alchemy?
A pentagram?
"Oh, I see you've woken up."
The boy with draconic features from before.
Quetzalcoatlus, stands before me.
"Did you see those monsters before?
Do you know they are all human mages I personally transformed.
You see, I quite like the reptiles that once roamed Earth."
"Stop- I quite like this body, I don't want to get stuck in a animal's body again-"
"Quite the backstory, I see.
Then let me tell mine."
Gulp
"There is a giant monster roaming through space.
Its name is GOD. It is able to create beings such as myself.
One day, he sent me to a planet called Earth."
I see, this is the backstory for this universe.
Then this GOD must be the last boss?
"When I approached, I saw the lifeforms present there.
Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, Plesiosaurs.
They were quite beautiful. All completely unique creatures.
Unfortunately, I had the form of giant meteor."
Dinosaurs- Those were dinosaurs then?
Halfman focused on the creatures still alive on Earth on his classes.
"I extinguished all of them.
Except for the small ones, which came to be known as birds.
When GOD decided to extinguish the humans, I thought to myself.
I guess I can take the form of those creatures.
Which is why I took the form of the biggest flying one.
I am an angel after all."
His impudent smile, I really want to kill him.
I was asleep, which means my fuel is full.
If only there weren't any chains.
"So, each human mage that comes through here.
I turn into one. I've still to get a T-Rex though.
I wonder when will I get lucky.
Maybe you're the one to turn into one? With fire affinity you might be able to breathe fire.
Like a dragon!"
He continues talking to me.
Apparently, it takes a whole day for the transformation to occur.
Shit. I wonder if Saphria is looking for me?
----------------------------------------
The triceratops runs towards me.
She wants me to defeat it right?
Then how?
Awaken
Awaken
Awaken
Pressured wind can cut through even steel.
*Wind*
Copying the form of the wind slash that I lost my arm to, the triceratops is completely cut.
Eight Left.
I still have eight strings. Which means I can continue.
Arstria told me I can use magic, which means I can.
It is simple as that, if she believes in me, I can do it.
Her gentle demeanor is the reason I'm here in the first place.
But isn't using magic too easy for me?
I feel like I've surely used this before.
I step forward.
A group of velociraptors approach.
"Pfft!"
Fortunately, they are the size of chickens.
This is their actual size, not the exaggerated from movies.
They try biting me.
*Wind*
I cut through them easily.
As their meat bodies fall, their bodies become like that of stone.
Underground.
I think the theme from here is that these are like fossils.
First they are alive, but their natural form is that of fossils.
Which means that if I cut through their body when they are meat, they only become chopped up fossils.
Then burning them like Arstria did means they come back stronger.
I wish I could tell her.
"..........................."
What the-
A giant creature swims through the air.
A mosasaurus.
It hasn't noticed me yet.
I might as well get through it.
Magic... Magic... Magic...
I feel like I know how...
Something I used to walk without being noticed by others...
Awaken... Illusion.
Illusion Magic, I shall manipulate the air to mimic my concept.
I shall look like the air, effectively becoming invisible.
*Wind*
The mosasaurus notices my present, and follows me.
It swims through the air, and before I know it, there is nowhere for me to run.
It charges forward, and as soon as it reaches me, there is no me there.
Continuing forward, it bites a column, breaking it.
I watch from after as part of the castle falls all over the mosasaurus, getting rid of it.
Making a illusion of me using the wind, that is absurdly useful.
Six Left.
I use this illusion magic to pass through each and every single dinosaur or related animal that I came across.
I did stop a few times to marvel in their existence. As a huge dinosaur nerd, that is honestly awesome.
Arstria... She must be fighting the angel now.
I need to be there.
I climb the stairs.
But the entrance to the king's room is trapped in rocks.
Pressured wind can cut even through rock.
Five Left.
Cutting through them don't matter if more fall in their place.
I better look for another entrance.
I go from one side of the building to the other, but I can't find the entrance no matter what.
Hmm... When you're alone in the house and all the windows are closed...
Just walking is able to trigger air pressure enough to close doors.
*Wind*
I read the air currents around, unifying myself with the wind.
Its no use, I can't find it no matter what.
Then... She told me I can also control life.
*Life*
I shall look for her life signature then-
Even if all of the dinosaurs are alive, I can still find a human-lifeform.
Found
Three left.
I found her.
I run towards where she is.
----------------------------------------
Just a few more moments before I turn into a t-rex.
I can't believe this is happening.
This angel keeps talking about dinosaurs non-stop.
I'm not even scared anymore.
Dying... Don't even feel real?
Maybe because I know I will continue existing as a reptile.
"Arstria."
No way-
She found me?
Elewp was able to defeat all the dinosaurs in the way?
How powerful is she? There was some there that I would need to use Ars Nova to get rid of.
"Hm...
Who do you think you are."
The angel turns around.
"Elewp, run away.
There is no way for you to win, he is absurdly powerful."
"You will die, won't you?"
"I will just turn into a T-Rex."
"Ohh. T-Rex wife, that is cool."
"This has become so dumb."
"Stop.
I think you all aren't taking this seriously anymore."
Quetzalcoatlus turns towards her.
"Wait, you're just a draconic human? That is boring.
And here I thought the angel was a dinosaur too."
"Oh- You like dinosaurs? Then you will like my angel form.
Wings, beware!"
----------------------------------------
The angel starts to transform. His skin becomes stone and his arms fuse with his wings.
He takes the form of a pterodactyl.
Wait no, that is too big.
"A Quetzalcoatlus!"
"Finally a mage who can understand me!
Tell me young girl, which dinosaur you want to become."
"Hmm... I quite like Therizinosaurus."
"OHHHH, good choice, then that is what I'm turning you into!"
He flies towards me.
Pressured wind can even cut through stone.
"Oh, that is good.
Too bad I'm way stronger than those before."
By beating his wings, the air slash dissipates.
He approaches more and more.
*Illusion*
As he rips my body to shreds, that is just an illusion.
I run as fast as I can towards Arstria, and prepare to get rid of the chains.
"Stop! Its no use, I can't do damage against him.
Just leave, I will die here.
This was my bad idea after all.
Live Elewp."
"That is dumb."
*Wind*
I spend the second last of my mana to break through her chains.
My conscience wavers.
"You're so dumb."
She runs towards me and holds me in her arms.
"We... need, to fight together to win."
"But how, he is too strong."
"Believe in me. We can do it."
I hug the girl in front of me.
I've met her today.
But quite a lot happened.
Somehow, she is familiar to me.
I've surely met her before.
This feeling for her can't be from just meeting her.
Even during that moment.
I didn't finish her life.
Even the Beast has held back.
She is special.
As she holds me, I fall to the floor, without mana.
----------------------------------------
I guess it is my turn then.
"I, Arstria Groe, will defeat you today."
"Try your hardest, little human."
The monster comes at me again.
He survived Ars Nova with ease.
This means that I will need to do differently.
"Pressured... Fire... Can cut through him." - Elewp returns conscience and talks to me with the last of her energy.
"Oh-" - This makes sense, if I can't burn him, I can still cut through his stone.
It comes at me again.
Pressure, how can I put more pressure than Ars Nova?
This was the worst idea.
As I slept, I can atleast hold it off with my regained mana.
*Fire*
I try applying pressure, but it is useless.
I can't do anything.
Then-
*Fire*
*Fire*
*Fire*
*Fire*
----------------------------------------
The burning fire helps me regain my conscience again.
Arstria is trying her hardest, but no matter what, the angel is seemingly undamaged.
This is bad.
He is way stronger than she thought.
I didn't sleep enough to regain my mana.
I need to get up.
"Ugh."
Arstria is catched.
"Actually, I think you won't become anything.
Just dead meat. How dare you dodge me for so much time."
"Haha... I tried my hardest..."
She is going to die... No... I can't allow it...
But if I unleash my beast instincts... Her life will be in danger.
"Don't you want help?"
Stop... I won't let this happen again...
Chains, I will chain you up. Completely.
Then I can use it without caring about you.
I need to do it, I need to.
Let's go. Just a bit more.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH."
Awaken
"Huh?"
"Don't you dare hurt her."
My body shifts.
The beast from the forest of death.
That is my true nature.
Kitsune.
My young, small, human body vanishes.
As my true form of a giant fox takes over.
"Huh? Is that a modern human creature?
The planet is filled with- Ugh!"
9 Times Multiplication.
This is the only thing that I need.
Slash, Cut, Pierce, Bite.
----------------------------------------
The arm of the angel's cut off easily.
What tremendous power.
The angel tries fighting back.
But the kitsune's fur is way stronger and resilient than Quetzalcoatlus's stone hide.
"You can't- Stop-"
I see as the angel is easily overpowered.
Its stone hide is chirped and broken, more and more.
Haha...
She is amazing.
She is incredible.
As his body falls to the floor, his wings try to escape from his body.
But it is too late. Like a beast that has found its prey.
The flying creature is destroyed.
Elewp returns to human form soon after, naked.
Strings appear out of thin air, turning into clothes.
So that is how.
She is way stronger than me.
I've trained my entire life for this.
I tend to her tired body.
Not that I'm not tired.
We lie in the stone floor as time passes by.
She has fallen asleep.
"Welcome back."
She wakes up.
I waited for her.
"Congratulations, you won."
"No! We won!"
She keeps telling me these considerate words.
Too kind.
On the place that the angel died, a shrine appears.
I tell her that I will touch it, but she holds my hand before I do.
[Hello, Trial-Goers!
Soon Maniacs to be?
I might as well explain the rules.
There are four angels in this world.
Each one holds the *ahem* Kaye! to the next Trial.
So, which one of you desire to go beyond?
The next trial is a whole different universe from the one you're currently at.
The first one to touch will go.
Oh, that is wrong.
Unfortunately, Shikimi Elewp!
You are soulbound, so you can only advance by touching the shrine while the rest of your team touches a different shrine.
Let me make it clear, only four shrines can be found in this universe. All the ones that fail to get a shrine will be annihilited by the end of this universe.]
A voice comes from the shrine.
So, this is the end of this trial... I see...
I guess Elewp can't go. I will go on ahead.
I'm sure that both her and Saphria will find me later.
I try moving forward, but I can't.
Elewp holds me with her everything.
"Stop! We just need to find another two, then I can go too.
Wait for me!"
"I will wait for you over there. No need for-"
"You can't go, no, no.
I need you. we are great together.
I am useless alone."
That is wrong.
I'm the useless one.
I was given this life so I could be great, a hero.
But you're the one shining.
The prophecy is wrong, if there is a star, it is you.
Not me.
"I can't be friends with you...
Not for now. I need to become way greater to be on the same level as you."
"But... But... You're already-"
"STOP! You defeated it! Alone! I didn't do anything!
I left you to die before. I only used you so far.
I don't need you. If only you were not here. I would have either died here...
Or I might have awoken, and then I would be great.
I never asked for your help.
Go away. Leave me alone."
"No. I won't."
"Do you think you can hold me here? I will just burn you a little and I can touch the shrine."
"You won't go anywhere."
"What-"
Her voice changes, Elewp's eyes take on red.
Red eyes. Her hair changes color.
Black hair, red eyes.
A smile appears on her face.
"We will stay together, forever."
"What are you?"
"The demon, the first sin.
The black serpent. I've been given many names."
From her back, something comes out of it.
A serpent, with red eyes, and scales.
"You dare to leave me alone?
Elewp tried holding me back."
Her entire body becomes black.
She is a monster.
Where have I heard this before?
Seven Seeds destruction bring.
Beware of the Black Serpent, able to bring death to anyone.
A star shall shine and save the universe.
Sirius Septem, World's End Awaits.
Hahaha... The prophecy.
I was so focused in being the star to save everyone.
I got it all wrong.
She is the evil that I'm supposed to defeat.
How could I forget, then this means-
"Ugh-"
Her arm becomes that of a beast, black fur and black claws.
She is a monster.
I remember when I first met you.
You were hunting that boy wasn't you?
If I hadn't told you were cute back then-
You would have killed me.
I thought it weird, I was sure it was a monster.
Then my instinct told me it was just a girl.
Even the eye color had changed.
"Let's stay together, forever."
Its entire body becomes that of a bipedal creature, fur all over its body.
A monster, a beast, a demon.
Its mouth opens, and my life is-
My life will end here. Not in the way that I thought it would.
I won't return to the cycle of reincarnation.
This creature... It is able to bring death.
It will destroy my soul completely.
I guess this is Fate laughing at me.
When I desired eternal death, I only got eternal suffering.
Now my suffering will end, my soul will stop existing here.
This is clear. This is the end-
----------------------------------------
[Holy... That was brutal. The girl was completely eaten in less than three bites.
First its head and torso. Then the lower body. You even took the liberty of finishing the arms.
Her soul were in her hands, I could see from here her existence ending.
She won't even be sent to Heaven, she was literally deleted.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This is a true Maniac being born.]
"..."
The black red-eyed monster after finishing its banquet, walked away.
It devoured all the reptiles in the castle shortly after.
Then all the dwarves in the planet.
After that, the creature broke through the entrance and ended up in the same plaza as before.
But not before becoming the girl again.
A blue-eyed blonde girl approached her, and asked of her sister.
"I don't know."
The girl known as Saphria couldn't believe her.
Saphria was the seeker, and she spent the rest of the day looking for her sister.
She quickly found the portal to the underground dungeon.
But she only found a empty kingdom.
When she entered the final chamber, she found Arstria sleeping on the floor.
Both of them cried as they returned to their fake families.
----------------------------------------
"Why... Why... Why..."
A lone girl in the middle of the forest.
"You can't do anything, I will take over when you least expect it."
"... Kill me."
"I won't."
"Then... Kill all of my memories of this past day.
From playing with her, completing the puzzle, the dwarven kingdom...
Everything,"
"Considering how much you let me eat...
That is fine. Contract accepted."
"Yes... Make me forget everything."
On that day, Elewp forgot everything.
Unfortunately, the existence of Arstria could not be forgotten.
The Serpent atleast removed the part where Elewp devours her.
----------------------------------------
Modern Day:
The place where we first met, Arstria said.
Here I am.
In the Forest of Death.