Took me some time but here it is.
12K words
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—
[Heroic First Stage 6-Star Trial, begins…]
[10:00]
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains awaits your success]
/BURST!/
The explosion of darkness engulfed his vision. For a heart-stopping moment, Philip existed in a perfect void, with no sight, no sound, not even the sensation of his own breathing.
/Shaaaa…/
The darkness condensed violently, collapsing inward to form a perfect sphere that hovered at chest height. The surrounding air sizzled and popped, flash-freezing only to shatter seconds later as the sphere's gravitational pull warped the very atmosphere.
/Step…/
A booted foot emerged first. A man wrapped in strips of wolf hide… The figure that stepped from the orb moved with casual grace, shredding the remaining shadows like cobwebs as it entered the light.
[09:11]
"It's here."
The figure stood approximately Philip's height, but any similarity ended there. Where Philip's frame was lean, this man's body was a tank of muscles barely contained by his primitive armor.
A massive wolf's pelt draped his shoulders, the beast's skull serving as a grotesque helmet that left only his mouth and jaw exposed. That mouth now curved into a smile too wide, too sharp to be entirely human.
'… So, my next opponent is a human?... This is strange, I thought the theme of these trials were these humanoid wolves.'
His eyes tracked over the stranger's equipment: the crude but effective stitching of the pelt, the ritual scars visible on exposed skin, the massive double-bladed axe resting casually on one shoulder…
Then realization struck.
"Could it be... The Great Mane?" Philip murmured as he looked at his frame
This man's attire mirrored his own newly gained armor, though worn with the ease of long familiarity while Philip still struggled slightly with its thickness.
In fact, if he were as tall and wide as that man, the clothes he wore now might've been more fitting. They were made for a body like his and not Philip's.
"His clothes are like mine, but I thought the great mane was a werewolf, not a man." He mumbled in wonder as he tapped his sword's handle
The artifacts he'd received had been frustratingly vague about their origins, 'There isn't enough information spread throughout the items I got to know what the 'Great Mane' is. I originally assumed he'd like some sort of tribal leader to those werewolves...'
'One thing I do know, however... It's frustrating to admit, but I shouldn't be able to face one. I may have stepped into the realm of Heroes according to the Trials, but I know I'm far from it.'
'The Great Mane is a Heroic existence at the end of its fable, while I'm at the starting paragraphs... I suppose this is only a fraction of his true self. Either that, or I'm misunderstanding things.'
The Great Mane hadn't moved beyond that first step, but the aura radiating from him was immense, a pressure that made the air itself feel thicker, harder to breathe.
/Inhale…/
/Exhale…/
/Freeze…/
Then the man inhaled deeply through his nose, a sniffing motion that made Philip frown. When he exhaled, his breath fogged the air... and kept fogging, expanding far beyond normal human lung capacity, freezing both the air and the ground.
Philip put his sword on his waist, pensive…
/Swoosh!/
The Great Mane's response was to lift his axe in a slow, deliberate arc, the massive weapon humming as it cut through the frozen air. He seemed to be inviting Philip to a challenge.
Philip's lips curled into a grim smile, "Heh, have I ever been challenged like this? So old school…"
'But this guy… is he even human?'
Despite everything he witnessed, what made him pensive the most was the power emanating from within its flesh. It was akin to the one he felt before… and carries now. The focused, calculating hunger of a hunter who had set his sights on prey. It rolled off the warrior in waves, so thick he could almost taste it.
He didn't need extraordinary senses to know this man wanted to split his body apart.
[08:45]
The countdown continued its inexorable march.
"… No more point in delaying this."
'Technically speaking, regardless of what this guy is, this Trial difficulty is only two stars above my previous one. And now that I have a physical skill and a proper weapon, this shouldn't be outright impossible.'
'This opponent is also within my frame. He's bigger than me but not by much. This type of fight is right up my alley. Given the abilities I saw before, this man likely has some level of control over ice as well… And even if the recognized level of my abilities hasn't changed, it doesn't mean I haven't progressed at all either. I've learned much in that short clash!'
"…"
He reached for his shoulders. While they were fully healed, he still felt some phantom pain in his limbs...
'However, it's still true I can't fight for long with a body like this, so I might as well try to end things quickly.'
Philip adjusted his feet, entering a flash-draw stance. Simulating his fight with the werewolf knight inside his mind and how he would perform if he were against it in his current state.
'Yes, this is what I'm most used to… but it won't be enough. Even if I pool my entire strength and experience into this, my arm won't be able to bear the burden and I'll end up in an awkward situation.'
'My body's unable to bear the strength of my abilities, much less if I try something so brutish... but there's a solution… I think it is one at least...'
/Burn… Shaaaa.../
Armament was invoked, covering his right arm in a partial materialization.
Edge of Frostbite responded to his energy, its sheath being engulfed in frost to counterattack the heat, creating a thin layer of mist that flowed behind him like a contrail… but as the heat intensified, the mist engulfed him, leaving behind only his outline, a man clutching onto his blade, his right arm shinning through the fog.
'… Before, I managed to use Armament to substitute small parts of my body. Wounded flesh, broken bones, torn muscles… I could employ Armament to tie it all back together and prevent the whole from collapsing.'
'It was instinctive, something I thought during the heat of battle. And while it worked partially, it wasn't meant to be a long-term solution. Much less an application of this technique.'
'Then... what if I completely transform my arm? Armament's origins and characteristics still elude me, but if I could transform my body, the physical limitations imposed on it would go away as well, even if only partially.'
'There's no denying that would lead to strenuous physical activity. My body must bear the full weight of Armament as I figure out the conversation, and even after I successfully do so, the process itself will never not be brutal... but as long as I can heal and try again…'
He looked at his arm, pensive.
'It should be possible… no, it is possible! This is the path this System's version of Armament seems to push me towards. A full-body transformation.'
'I don't have much time though…'
Failure here meant defeat. He had to succeed, and at once.
[07:13]
"Let's do it."
/Sha! sha!/
Philip began his experiment, gathering as much energy as he could within his right arm. At first, the process went smoothly. The energy condensed into armor, and as he poured more power and controlled the output, it grew more distinct and colorful, enveloping from his fingers to his shoulder and chest.
However, that wasn't what he was trying to accomplish. If he continued down this path, he'd only perform as before, achieving a higher proficiency on the technique. To do what he wanted, he needed to channel the energy directly into his body and alter it. Not just to protect and envelop it, but to become it... become something else.
Armament was exactly what its name suggested. It was the reason he named it such. Even though this name was shallow compared to what it could do, it was the best definition he could come up with when he first experienced it… Names could be changed whenever after all.
To surpass this shallow idea, he needed to attempt something near suicidal with this feeble body. To go beyond its tolerance and destroy it!
/Burn!/
[06:01]
Under the extreme heat, Philip's tense forehead began to sweat, 'There definitely is a way to transmute my body between its natural state and Armament in a seamless way, but this body can't sustain it, and I don't have the time to try to make it work either.'
'Then again, what use is a transformation that takes half an hour, anyway?'
'Right now, I can think of only one solution. I'll burn my flesh and fuel the transformation, and even if temporary, it should maintain its form for a passing moment.'
'I did it before, so I can't believe I can't do it again. Even if my arm ends up destroyed permanently, the System will heal it… I hope.'
"Hesitation is defeat."
He focused, pushing the magnified blue armor into his skin. Further and further, patch by patch, condensing it… intensifying it…
/Sizzle…/
"Urg..."
His skin seared, burning under the extreme heat as it protested whatever he was trying to do. Philip could feel it; his nerves exclaiming in pain until they all stopped crying.
More and more he pressed, his brain storming for ideas as he kept looking out for gaps and shapes until… he found a weak point.
[05:37]
Armament buried into his skin like worms, seeking the deepest patches where the highest burns had taken root. Slowly, they covered his muscles, taking on an unfamiliar, yet known shape.
/BURN!/
This, however, was like throwing burning embers directly onto his flesh. The immense heat only buried deeper into his body and exposed flesh. The peeling of layers of skin revealed things that shouldn't see the light of day if not inside an operating table.
"!"
Focusing under this extreme heat was taxing even for a masochist like him. He'd often been proud of his ability to endure, but recently, he was finding his past statements careless given what he was experiencing.
Even so, the pain was less than expected. The process was brutal and unforgiving, yes. His flesh wasn't going to recover from this; that much was true as it vaporized under its heat… But there was some order to this.
If for every twenty cubic centimeters of flesh he lost, one seemed to change unexpectedly… Rather than burning away into smoke never to be seen again, that small percentage of it swirled within the flames, becoming one with it, taking on a new form far clearer and detailed than the surrounding flames merely mimicking the complexity of the organism it encompassed.
He may not see it and discern it because of his focus, but this was what Philip had envisioned. His flesh transformed into something even he couldn't properly understand. The process of becoming one with these chaotic forces… powers maybe not as unruly as he once believed.
Understanding its many aspects was one of the many things he knew the future had in store for him, after all…
[03:12]
From skin to muscles…
[01:02]
From muscles to bone… In the ethereal flames, a charred bony arm held onto the handle of the peerless white sheath, surrounded by translucent blue skin and muscle.
The virtual flesh seemed real, yet it was clearly flawed in many places, reminding all who saw it of its true incomplete nature…
/Crack…/
Under the extreme heat, even the strengthened bone couldn't resist. Under the onslaught of energy, the final and most crucial step was taken. At several segments, his bone fragmented into multiple pieces, the smaller ones immediately consumed, the larger ones enveloped in the flames, quivering in the air like ice in water.
A mystifying scene, yet equally brutal.
[00:22]
As the clock ticked, Philip's time waned. With most of his bones still in the process of transforming, it didn't seem like he'd have enough time to complete his experiment.
"Huff..."
'Come on… I'm almost there. I don't even need to transform all relevant muscles; only my arm would be enough!…'
Philip sweated heavily as he tried to push the transformation further, the droplets of water falling on the flames and burning away almost instantly.
Even though he was improving, with each layer he peeled away, it seemed as if he was facing greater resistance.
At first, he attributed this resistance to a technical idea. That as he tried to simulate a greater complex that was his entire arm, the power that gave shape to Armament began to run into physical limits… but he couldn't prove that idea… it didn't feel right.
Then again, he was trying to accomplish something new in the time it takes for him to take a shower. Achieving anything was testimony to his experience, creativity, and perseverance… of everything he built and gathered so far.
… of the innate talent he was slowly putting together.
[00:02]
[00:01]
[00:00]
As the timer reached its end and the shimmering line on the floor dissipated, so did all limitations imposed on his foe.
'Shit! I'm not ready yet!'
Philip had his eyes closed the entire time, focusing on the transformation. Only a few pieces of large bone were left, and even some sections of his chest and back had begun to be consumed by the by the spreading flames.
'If I can't have my whole limb transform, I won't be able to exert even a fraction of the full strength I envisioned. Even if it's a single piece of bone, it's still my bone! If it's damaged, even with all the energy supporting it, the effect would be no different from suffering damage to my real arm.'
'Only if I can isolate everything, even if I lose my flesh while trying, can I perform to my utmost ability.'
/Step…/
"!!"
Deep in thought, his opponent took his first step, and with it, he knew his time was up.
"Urg… all or nothing!"
[You've entered the state of exceeding limitations]
/CRACK!/
His body tensed. The world slowed down further; but unlike before, his flesh did not fail, his bones did not shatter, and his muscles did not tear… however, with so much energy condensed in one section of his body, his unprotected body was soon swallowed in a torrent of fire.
As if he were stuffing his body inside a volcano, from his shoulders to his chest and more distant limbs. His body, just like his arm, was affected by the intense heat.
To continue his transformation, he needed to keep his focus. He couldn't scatter his energy to protect his limbs for fear he'd lose the threads connecting his body together.
Even if it meant the destruction of the surrounding flesh, he was willing to face it if it meant completion of his grand design!
/Crack!… BURN!/
In the slowed-down world, the ever-increasing flames burned away and replaced the last traces of bone. And once his arm became whole, another transformation ensued… albeit far tamer than before.
The flames decreased in intensity, gathering inside the outlines of his virtual skin. Remaining compressed inside its frame. This caused his right arm's muscles to expand, making his right arm seem larger than his left one, although this was hard for his opponent to see given his stance.
He had done it, accomplished what he thought possible in theory. Albeit flawed, it was the right step into what he believed was the next step to this world's version of Armament!
/BURN!/
However, an issue still remained… In the section where the transformed flesh ended and his real one began, the incompatibility between both shapes created huge turbulences inside his body, causing enormous tongues of fire to burst from his shoulder and armpit into the surrounding air.
Where his transformed veins connected to his ordinary ones, black smoke would rise like a meal overcooked on a stove.
"Urg… I've done it!"
Gritting his teeth, Philip declared his hard-earned victory, 'I can feel the slumbering power my body can unleash… but at the same time… I'm losing consciousness… Shit!'
He grasped his blade's hilt, putting all his focus onto his opponent as he approached. Just like him, he seemed to be gathering power with every step, causing the ground to freeze and form taller and taller spikes with every touch of his bare feet.
His weapon vibrated with the invisible force, waiting patiently for its chance to draw blood.
'There's no other choice. I didn't want to try this so soon…'
He looked straight at his opponent and smiled:
"LET'S END THIS FUCKER!"
It didn't matter whether he could understand him or not. Philip conveyed his emotions to him… how he responded to them was what mattered.
'I'll push this even further!'
[You've entered the state of exceeding limitations]
Philip reactivated his Ability, pushing its strange power towards his arm, causing it to change yet again… but he paid it no attention.
/JUMP!/
/ROAR!/
"!"
/Tremble!/
The great mane jumped into the skies, axe in hand as he laughed wildly. With every breath, the earth around him shook as his weapon sang with energy.
Philip, however, remained contained, his vision darkening as he felt his consciousness slipping away… He could only envision the path his opponent would take and trace it with his remaining senses, waiting for the prime opportunity to…
/BURST!/
His Katana's hilt exploded with flames, releasing the blade at a speed untraceable to the naked eye. In the air, Philip's transformed hand grasped the blade's hilt and with the appropriate motion, he slashed upward, feeling the blade cut through meat and metal!
"?!"
In the air, the great mane was cut in two at the torso, his body flung around Philip, with his legs and waist crashing down against him, sending him rolling back as he lost consciousness.
[Trial Completed - Challenger Rank Updated]
[Heroic First Stage 6-Star Trial]
[Congratulations Challenger!]
[…]
Amidst flashing notifications, he was lost in momentary darkness…
…
"Urg… I'm dying… Hm? I'm fine?"
Philip slowly recovered his consciousness after his short moment of darkness. Opening his eyes to the same world he was so familiar with…
The first thing he noticed was his arm. It was still there as if nothing had happened. He quickly understood what must've happened, but before he could confirm, he pushed the limbs of the great mane out of his torso, grunting in the process.
"I won… All thanks to his overconfidence. He jumped with a wide swing, confident in his power… that's how it goes."
'This stance is meant to profit off the opponent's lack of understanding and their self-confidence. If they get too close and aren't ready, before they know it, their limbs are gone.'
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains congratulates your accomplishment]
"… Anyhow… that's in the past." He muttered as he stretched his shoulders, "I don't know if the System will let me rest longer if I feign ignorance so I better get this done with."
He went around his status panel and found the notifications he was looking for:
[…]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, rewards are enhanced]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, rewards are doubled]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, physical conditioning is restored]
[Issuing rewards…]
[You've been granted 120 Trial Crystals]
[Abilities -> One draw on the Legendary Ability list]
[Experience -> Choose up to five Abilities to enhance, and one to surpass current grade limitations]
[Items -> One draw on the Legendary Item list]
[Shards]
[Tickets]
[Due to extraordinary performance, provided Ability -Armament- will undergo metamorphosis]
[Armament Limit -> Inner Armament 0]
"…! Urg… this sudden pinch…"
As he reached the end of the notifications, Philip felt a slight tug at the far reaches of his mind. A stream of information wormed its way through the folds of his brain, filling in everything he'd done and failed, fixing his mistakes and giving him ideas on how to do better next time.
"Huff… It wasn't as bad as last time… I can understand better what I was doing wrong."
'Armament is deeply tied to my blood; I should've started from there but I didn't… there's quite a few extra factors but whatever.'
Philip checked himself and sighed. His clothes were charred and likely wouldn't last his next confrontation. But it didn't matter as he knew it would be his last. If he came out naked or not, it changed nothing.
"My rewards have also changed again… Will they continue to change as I raise my qualifications? From nothing to Grade-0, then Grade-1… and I suppose if I choose to move on the next rank, it'll be Grade-2?"
'If I win, will it reach Grade-3?… I previously assumed grades only meant access to higher-level Abilities and items, but it seems I was wrong.'
"Hum… I'll see for myself once the time comes."
'Now, to make sense of all of this.' He thought as he spread the notifications around his vision
'Trial shards have changed to crystals… whatever that means. Likely just a higher form of currency rarely seen by the ordinary citizens.'
'Rather than choosing what Abilities I can get. I can now get a draw from a list? Am I interpreting this right?… It's a Legendary Ability even; this is something only a few have ever gotten.'
'To get access to such, you need to reach and complete the Extreme rating. To reach the world beyond Heroes or so they say… People often consider them to be rumors, but they definitely exist. Information about them is nearly nonexistent, but since the higher powers all seem to have them, it's hard to say they aren't around.'
'But the keyword here is list… Can I make a choice from several and go with the one I like the most?… That's almost too good to be true, but I suppose it is a fitting reward to someone who went this far.'
'The same goes for items, so there isn't much to add there. I'm satisfied with what I have. The sword held just fine, and it doesn't even have a single scratch… it'll last.'
He cleared his vision by pushing aside undesirable notifications… "There is some value in choosing shards… but I'll skip it for now since I have better options. What I'm curious about is the last option…"
'Just what are "Tickets"? Should I take it as a literal translation?'
"… I'll avoid them for now… This leaves only a single option…"
"It'll have to be experience again."
'I should've gathered enough to have my Abilities rise again.'
[Choose up to five Abilities to be enhanced and one to surpass current grade limitations]
"Hum… do I have to do it all now? I was planning on doing things procedurally… Oh well…"
'I only have five Abilities and Greenhouse isn't recognized by this reward structure… Which is a problem. Greenhouse only raises in level when Abilities under its influence improve, but for them to raise rapidly, they can't be under it… Maybe that's just my bad luck.'
"I'll have Armament as the chosen one… Inner Armament rather."
'The name seems fitting, but it's so lackluster… I guess the System is just trying to copy my preferences. I'm also worried at what's about to happen… Even if this skill is far more complex then what it was before, I'm afraid that… sigh…'
'There's no running away from it.'
[Abilities have been chosen. Providing experience to targeted Abilities]
[Care Limit -> Nurture 0]
[Nurture 0 -> Nurture Limit]
[Provided Ability -Nurture- cannot undergo metamorphosis in due trial, the remaining rewards are spread throughout the Challenger's Imprint]
[Inner Armament 0 -> Limit]
[Inner Armament Limit -> Self-Avatar 0]
[Self-Avatar 0 -> 2]
[Exceed Limit -> Limitless 0]
[Limitless 0 -> Limit]
[Provided Ability -Limitless- cannot undergo metamorphosis in due trial, the remaining rewards are spread throughout the Challenger's Imprint]
[Flesh of the Bisclavrets 0 -> Limit]
[Flesh of the Bisclavrets Limit -> Flesh of the Elder Bisclavret 0]
[Flesh of the Elder Bisclavret 0 -> 3]
As he finished going through the notifications, Philip laughed drily. He could only quickly pour his skills inside Greenhouse before closing his eyes and waiting for what was about to occur.
"… This is going to hurt."
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains envisions your…]
Like a hammer hitting the back of his head, Philip had no time to react as his mind was knocked right out of his skull.
/Thud!/
With that, he blacked out.
…
What followed were dozens of dreams encompassing thousands of forms. He saw movements, ideas, smells, thoughts, emotions, all presented like visions from his own perspective as if he were merely reliving moments he already experienced once before.
How long had he spent in those dreams? Days? Weeks?… Often in meditation, often in combat. Thrown around from moment to moment, a stranger in another's body in a dream of someone else entirely...
But dreams were oftentimes misleading… By the time he realized something was wrong, he regained consciousness.
"… ?!"
/Gasp!/
Philip opened his eyes on the ground, his forehead covered in perspiration and sweat. He gasped for air as his hands reached to his chest.
"Huff… huff... h-how do I even move my legs again?… Yeah…"
He slowly pushed himself off the ground as he recovered his senses, fighting the crippling headache ripping through his mind as he pushed down the urge to push down whatever was left from his breakfast inside his stomach.
"Urg… This is mentally horrendous… now that I think about it…"
'I haven't had a proper rest in weeks… my fault mostly.'
He reached for his temples, painfully trying to sort through the recent memories, "There's too much… I need some time to think."
While the Trial grounds weren't pushing him to rush things, he still went through his status:
[Registered Abilities:
Nurture Limit
Self-Avatar 2
Limitless Limit
Flesh of the Elder Bisclavret 3
]
'Greenhouse is still level 1. At this rate, when will it evolve? There has to be a way to improve it...'
[Identity: Darius Narfa 18M
-Trial Candidate-
Stage of Completion: 1st Stage Extreme 1-Star
Approximated Qualities:
Physical Body: 2 D+ (3 B-)
Spiritual Body: Limit F+ (Limit E)
Astral Body: Limit F+ (Limit E+)
]
"... I'm a completely different being now. My body's still lacking, but I can far outdo my previous self now."
'And it's all thanks to this physical skill. I likely won't need it in the future, but it won't affect me much. All of my Abilities have grown considerably. Care has become Nurture, becoming even more powerful than before, while Armament evolved once again to become… Self-Avatar? What does that mean exactly?'
"Well, I know, but urg… It's that situation all over again. Too much is happening at once…"
He stood still for a minute to process things better before exhaling in frustration.
"I'll have the time to rest once I finish this… The final challenge awaits…"
But his thoughts were interrupted once more:
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains applauds your battle and has given you an extra reward]
/Growl!/
"!"
The ring on his finger suddenly came to life. Its gemstone eyes sparkled with light as its jaw parted open!
It jumped from its frame, biting onto his flesh as it fused with it, covering his skin like a gray silk mantle.
As it enveloped his right palm, a thin gray glove was left behind. Its only discernible feature is the strange rune printed on its back.
[Wolfern's Proof of Conquest 7.5-Star
-Legendary Artifact-
An ancient relic whose purpose has long been lost. In older eras, it represented the authority in name of the chosen mane to his tribe, but now that fact is debated.
Granted only to those said to hold the Lord of the Glacial Mountains greatest degree of attention.
...
]
[Unique attributes -> While wearing the artifact, relevant Abilities belonging to the same string are empowered by up to five levels.
The runic sigil of Caninarus Wolfern grants the user omni-resistance up to Limit D and Physical Body Limit B+
]
"That's an unexpected reward. The ring was a little cumbersome to use."
'The increase in physical constitution is also welcomed, although I'm still uncertain what those values represent… I think on average you can associate the traditional A to E ratings to the five ranks of difficulty... But it's not like that's a rule either. I've been doing fine with barely reaching B anyway.'
'It's more about how you use your body...'
"… That's all then…"
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains sees the end of your journey]
[A preposition is made]
[The next trial's difficulty is increased, granting increased rewards]
[The next series of trials will be compressed into a single confrontation. The difficulty has been set to Extreme First Stage 3-Star]
[Will you partake of the covenant?]
"So that's it then… one final fight."
'... For this stage at least. I don't see why not.'
"No time to waste, I accept."
No changes, only a notification:
[Challenger, you have completed your trials. Proceed to the next stage, or attempt a greater challenge]
[You may also choose to relinquish future blessings. If you decide on such, you may keep all your current rewards and continue with greater challenges, but they won't provide you with anything until you complete a set]
[But if you are to fail, your ascension won't come to a sudden halt but continue from where you left off]
[Extreme]
"Phew…"
[A choice is made. The path unfurls…]
[You have stepped into the realm of legend. The end of the hymn is near…]
[Grade-2 limitations have been lifted as your authority increases]
[The Complex has been expanded]
[Extreme First Stage 3-Star Trial, begins…]
[30:00]
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains awaits your success]
"Half an hour?"
/BOOOOOOOOM!/
The arena imploded with energy like a volcano eruption. Philip was thrown off his feet as a wall of shadows took over the horizon.
The geysers of darkness converged high above into a shapeless mass, dropping a single tentacle onto the ground where a creature slowly formed as it stepped through the waterfall of nothingness.
It was small, about his chest in height. Its frame was compact and almost frail.
Its fur was long and gray, but not lustrous like the others; it was sickly old.
A werewolf unlike the others, so weak it had to rely on a walking stick to support its own weight.
/CLACK!/
The walking stick hit the ground with a might tap. Silencing and dispersing all shadows around them. The creature then stared down at Philip with old, wise eyes, waiting.
"…"
'This must be one of those circumstances where I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I wager. He looks to be some sort of shaman.'
His next opponent had been revealed, the werewolf shaman!
…
[28:49]
"…"
'Since I have some time, I'll take it to settle my head and prepare. This time, there won't be any form of recovery, but that's within my expectations. Challengers can only recover slightly between stages if they can afford it. I'm not foolish enough to take those moments of recovery for granted. There was likely a price to be paid to be given such privilege.'
'But I don't mind since it allowed me to reach this far. With my strength, I'll make up for the potential loss of power and the weight I'll have to bear for it as well.'
'Anyhow... one thing at a time.'
Philip sat down and calmed his thoughts, sorting through his memories the best he could…
[28:37]
[28:36]
[28:35]
…
[21:11]
…
[13:56]
…
[02:02]
"… Phew…"
'Enough of this.'
Philip stood up, brushing his legs before he stretched his shoulders. He raised his head to look at his opponent, but nothing had changed.
"You're quite patient."
"…"
"I didn't expect a reply."
'I'll end this faster than I did last time.' He proclaimed inside his mind as his eyes brightened
/Flash!/
Blue light ignited on his skin, quickly traveling down his limbs like lightning bolts in the sky. Underneath his clothes, his body slowly changed, becoming half-translucent as his bones, veins, muscles, and skin were displayed at the same time… but this only lasted a moment.
Quickly enough, his skin was covered by a faint layer of blue energy wrapping itself around his body like a skin-tight suit, leaving not a single patch of skin uncovered. A mask obscured his face, leaving only his eyes uncovered… but they weren't spared either.
His pupils expanded, covering a greater portion of his eye, completely engulfing the iris. And his hair turned long as it fluttered faintly behind him.
[01:23]
Most of the clothes covering his body did not burn… they simply turned to dust right then and there, unable to withstand the pure energy coursing through his body. A few sections remained, fluttering in the wind as they rapidly burned like fire paper.
/Shaaa…/
A stream of smoke gathered around his sword where he held it. The heat from his body pushed the mist away as the trail dispersed behind him.
'When Armament was created, I was already overwhelmed by what it could do. But now, it has somehow transformed again into something I can hardly recognize. And it doesn't look like this is going to be the end either.'
'I barely comprehend what it is, much less how it changes my body, and now it's on its way to do something else entirely… An entirely distinct path from what I knew before... give me a break.'
/Grasp…/
'I'll just do what I know I can.'
[00:43]
"A deep breath... Into the realm of legend."
/Step… Fwoosh!/
"!"
Philip stepped beyond the line and vanished, reappearing before the shaman in a drawing stance…
/BOOM!/
/SLASH!/
An explosive draw followed by a flash of light… the air rippled as a sonic boom ensued.
[Trial Completed - Challenger Rank Updated]
[Extreme First Stage 3-Star Trial]
[Congratulations Challenger!]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, rewards are enhanced]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, rewards are doubled]
[Issuing rewards…]
[You've been granted 5000 Trial Crystals and 1 Trial Gemstone]
[Abilities -> One draw on the Legendary Ability list]
[Experience -> All Abilities will be enhanced]
[Items -> One draw on the Legendary Item list]
[Shards -> All Trial Shards received so far]
[Tickets -> At least Silver]
/Growl…/
The skies split open again, and with it, the body of the werewolf shaman was pulled upward as it turned into a stream of light.
[The Trials have been temporarily halted; proceed with caution]
[Caninarus Wolfern - Lord of the Glacial Mountains - applauds your journey. He awaits you at the next stage]
/Swoop!/
With that, the skies closed, and peace returned to the empty world.
"Okay… My abilities are finally clicking together… That shaman looked dangerous though; but this format gave me the advantage."
'Still, that may not be the case next time. I need to toughen up a little.'
As the flames surrounding his body weakened, an intense feeling of soreness overtook every inch of his body.
'If I'm like this after a simple bout, a fight will leave me incapacitated... There's no chance I'll complete the rest of the Trials like this.'
"I'll figure this out as I go... now, for my fated rewards… I'm tempted to go with experience again… but should I?"
'If my authority rises as I go through the trials, it would be better for me to make use of my experience rewards once I've unlocked the limits of my Abilities. Especially for Nurture and its later iterations.'
'If I choose experience now and Nurture doesn't change, I'll lose quite a bit of potential experience. And while it's an arrogant thought to have. I think I'm in a decent position now to make such demands of myself.'
'I'll grow even stronger soon enough. I can push this back a little... Besides… my head's been bashed enough for a while. This information is good and all, but I'm tiring of it. I want to digest things before eating more.'
"It's not good to put all eggs in one basket anyway… I'll try something new while I still can…"
'I'm better off choosing something else for once. An item or even an Ability, I can gamble a little… Shards wouldn't be a terrible choice either.'
"I'm still curious about tickets… Silver? So they have layers as well?… Not surprising."
"… I'll go with Shards this time so I can get a few more things later on. It's not a bad choice."
[Rewards are being distributed]
[1006300 Trial Shards, 5120 Trial Crystals, and 1 Trial Gem have been added to the Challenger's Imprint]
"It's done then… Let's go."
[Challenger, you have completed your trials. Ascend to the next stage!]
"No need to scream at me…" He muttered as he scratched his ears
[A choice is made. The path unfurls…]
/CLANG!/
A metallic arched door fell from the heavens, blank and unassuming..
It was time.
/Shine.../
The door seemed to invite him, glistening in prismatic light…
"I hope they have a bed and a shower on the other side… I'm tired…"
/Growl…/
'... and hungry.'
/Push!/
He stepped through the door, onto another challenge.
…
/Meanwhile…/
Inside a large, decorated room on the manor's top floor. Philip had been put to rest atop a large king bed…
"… Just how did this come to be?…"
[Inconclusive]
To the left of the bed, MT's large frame had been put beside it. Several probing sensors clung to Philip's body, transferring data as the machine attempted to figure out the cause of its user's unconsciousness.
Next to it at a table, Laplabe stood in his watch form, commenting on the absurdity of the situation whenever he felt like it. The mechanisms inside its body moving erratically to display his shifting emotions.
"He was just fine a moment and then he did that strange thing with his blood... a ritual? Those kinds of things never end well..."
"Then he touched that statue and all of a sudden he wasn't fine anymore… I knew something wrong was going to happen when he went to that museum… Hey, don't you know anything?"
[Relevant sensors were out of reach during key event for meaningful analysis. Current estimations are based on data provided by an extended device implanted onto the glasses of the user's companion]
"… You mean that girl?… Sigh, the lass doesn't know anything either. After he collapsed, it was a bother to drag him back without getting attention. Of all the places he could've lost consciousness, it had to be there on the other side of the city…"
"She's calmer than I expected, though. Maybe she's more used to this than I am, and I've already seen enough for quite a while… She'll need some assistance, but say… what's your thing?"
[Elaborate]
"What are you? You can speak and respond, possessing intelligence, yet I feel no pulse from you. I deemed you an unusual lifeform, but I feel nothing from you that would prove it."
"I just can't figure it out. Are you some sort of construct?"
[Clarify. Does the query pertain to ontological classification?]
"Huh?... Just answer my question…"
[Partially correct. This unit is known as the All_Purpuse Multi-Tool FJSS V3.2.c]
[A traditional construct can be interpreted in many forms. However, none would properly encompass this unit's purpose. Ancient descriptions of Dwarven origin would offer more accurate definitions and similarities, albeit the word "construct" in itself did not exist within the Ancient, Pre-Collapse Dwarven lexicon]
[The idea of a construct as in more modern terminologies, however, did exist within their language. Not a single word, in fact, but hundreds]
[Thus, an accurate definition grows difficult. Unless the user asks for lessons in Ancient Dwarven, also known as…]
"Let's skip all of that… Armund also loved to throw useless facts like those at me. Let me get this straight. So you aren't a construct?"
[Incorrect]
"Hum... Then what are you?"
[The All_Purpuse Multi-Tool is a research station meant to assist its user in achieving their desired outcome through analysis, processing of materials, congruent data, and statistical studies of collected samples]
[The base model through which I was envisioned had such and more purpose. But I was designed with other intentions in mind]
"Research station? And when you mean user, you mean this guy over here?"
[Correct. Philip Vinten possesses the highest authority over this unit's database for being its creator]
"Hum… But what do you mean by research station? Just what kind of research can you even do?… No offense, but you look just like a pillar of stone."
[The user considered an inconspicuous design ideal; appearing unassuming was intentional for the safety of the operation]
"… That does sound like something he'd say and do… But what I asked before…"
[Simply put...]
[This unit is an integrated Optic Neural AI platform built from experimental, molecular nanotechnology and powered by a compact, prototype deuterium-helium-3 fusion reactor. Constructed from the remains of the George Washington Optic Neural AI platform and programs of the Patriot's System, assembled and upgraded with critical research scavenged throughout the world by the user through missions and the assistance of the Maverick Security Consulting, Inc's top researchers and experts]
"The what now?"
[My architecture is composed of over thirty billion self‑assembling nanorobotic units, seamlessly integrated to operate as a single, cohesive system, purposefully built for stealth and adaptability]
[My functions include, but are not limited to: Additive fabrication. I'm able to reconstruct over 90% of my hardware and programs if given raw materials in a usable form. Parallel processing and information handling. With over 200 trillion Hammets of processing power, around a fifth of the full GW AI, I'm able to handle any commands given by the user with 99.999% accuracy and satisfaction, being able to perform research and develop technology on my own]
[My functions and priorities are delimited by the user but not limited to anything. This unit has been given free rein to eliminate and dispose of obstacles if necessary. But my priority remains research]
"I... I see?"
[I posses the ability to calculate and simulate emotions. But as written in my code, I have been programmed to - Not give a fuck - about such if it conflicts with the interests of my user. And that refers solely to the admin]
[Be not afraid, for this unit does possess sufficient failsafe measures]
[Further explanation can be provided]
"I… understood little… Sigh… How did he make you? If you are not a construct, then in what category do you fall at?"
[This unit is simply a machine with mechanical, analytical, and not wholly sentient tendencies designed to mimic a personality for the purpose of seamless communication only]
"A machine?… Like those strange contraptions we see sticking out of the city's floor? You look very sentient to me."
[Partially correct? That is up for individual reasoning. This unit is within the idea, but not the execution. For the sake of simplification, from now on, this unit will refer to itself as MT in accordance with the user's past denominations]
[Much of the Path of Liberation's inner infrastructure follows the basic principles employed in simple and generic mechanical engineering. Which is the degree of technological sagacity shown by the ancient Dwarves]
[Ancient Dwarves possessed their own form of magic manipulation, which is often neglected in light of the competency of their creations. Dwarven engineering was sturdy and reliable, but that alone it wasn't]
[The technical terms used to define it vary. Dwarves possessed rustic but somewhat developed technology acumen… But the user liked to call it "Steampunk", which isn't correct but pictures the outer essence]
[Hence, MT cannot be placed within the same grade as those contraptions]
"… What? Can you speak in a way I understand?"
[MT is already speaking in the common tongue, I can restructure the explanation to aid in understanding]
"That's not what I meant... No matter how you put those words together, I wouldn't understand it at all."
[That much is evident]
"HEY!"
[Current user may need complementary classes to aid in communication. Designated understanding level… Pre/Middle-School]
[Formulate teaching strategy?]
"For some reason, I feel offended, but no thanks, I'm fine for now."
'For a machine you can be quite rude...'
"Let's wait a little longer and see if he shows a reaction. Otherwise, I suppose we'll have to leave it to him again like last time… Wait and pray nothing bad happens."
"I'll give it another hour and then go check on the lass. She has no one to rely on after all."
[Understood, but the user's worries are unfounded. The defined user is being guided by this unit so its attention is caught elsewhere]
"If you say so… I need a rest."
[Playing soothing music...]
"What? You can do that?... Actually... I like that, some of those sounds are quite new. What is this?"
[Debussy - Suite bergamasque, L. 75: No. 3, Clair de lune]
"I like it... Do you have others?"
[There are over ten million musical compositions within my archives]
"That's... quite a bit... I think I'm starting to understand why Philip likes you so much... Just where did he even get that?"
[User's authority is insuficient for an answer to be formulated]
"Hum? That's new. What do you mean by that?"
[Certain information has been censored for your safety. Please refer to the admin for further clarification]
"As if I could do that when he's half dead... I'll sleep now. Wake me up in an hour or two or if he shows some sort of reaction..."
[Understood]
[Resuming past operations...]
…
/Step…/
Philip stepped through the gate, landing elsewhere.
"Alright… where am I this time?"
The sterile white expanse was gone. In its place stood a spacious room of polished marble and warm wooden tiles. Floor-to-ceiling glass panels flooded the space with sunlight, reflecting off minimalist décor that whispered wealth and taste.
'This looks like a modern home. Large glass panels with lots of light, the boring white colors fancy people seem to love. Expensive decor that looks high quality and exorbitant…'
"This must be the resting room."
'It's a little cold... oh yeah, my clothes...'
Philip was half-naked, hands on his hips as the cool air brushed past his legs.
'I miss my old body. This one is too saddening to look at...'
[Challenger, welcome to your private quarters]
[You have one day to continue your ascension. Rest and prepare as much as you can in the meantime]
[A guide will be provided shortly]
/Crack…/
The air tore open behind him in jagged fissures as arcs of violet energy surged outward.
[The Trials have been temporarily halted; proceed with caution]
/CRACK!/
"!"
A slender hand shot forth, grasping wildly at nothingness. Flailing around as if looking for something…
A voice echoed from within the fissure, one he recognized… "… Are you going to give me a hand or do I have to do this the hard way?"
"… Goddess?"
That voice...
"This is uncomfortable. Help me before things get dicey."
"…"
/Pull!/
Philip hesitated only a heartbeat before he grabbed the wrist and yanked. The rift spat her out with a faint keening. She landed in a graceless tumble right in his arms, her hair and clothes all over her.
The goddess did little to complain, but from her grunts, it was clear the process was uncomfortable to some degree. While in his arms, she adjusted herself with a disdainful sniff, but it didn't seem to be directed at him.
"…Are you okay?"
After he pulled her, Philip was quick to grab her and place her on the ground as he processed the situation.
"… Are you okay?"
"Humph… Being pulled apart by different dimensions and pressured by the innate laws isn't exactly a spa treatment, but I'll be fine. I've had worse." She replied as she patted her arms and dusted her legs
"… Can I ask my questions now?"
The Goddess was a small woman, around the height of his chest draped in a long, split-front dress that fell into twin ribbons at her ankles, which had two long lines of fabric wriggling on the ground behind her.
Her arms were also covered, showing little skin. Like the legs, around her wrists, her sleeves parted onto two long lines of fabric that went all the way to the ground.
The top section of her dress was reddish-gray, while the bottom part was reddish-white. Her hair was long but only reached her waist, being a deep-dark orange in coloration, the same as her eyes... like embers in dusk.
Her personality seemed to reflect her choice of attire…
"It's nothing special." she said, flipping one cuff aside, "I've merely distorted the Complex a little so I could be your guide. I shouldn't have been allowed to be here, but it doesn't matter much when so much of my power is contained within you."
"You're no different from my avatar, which makes your current condition deplorable to see." She said with some disgust as she looked at him up and down
"Hm?… What's wrong with my clothes?" Philip asked as he looked at himself
His clothes were... gone. All he had left were a few rags clinging to his skin like leeches in a swamp. His skin was dirty and full of black dirt patches, and his hair was despicable to comment on...
The only thing he had left intact were the blade in his hand and the glove holding onto it...
"Everything. Everything is wrong!" She said loudly as she smacked her lips
/Bzzz…/
Sparks of energy flew around her, annoying her as she swatted them all away and approached him.
Smiling, she dusted his shoulders and pulled the remains of the Great Mane outfit from his body, throwing it aside, "Spectacular performance back there. I expected you to climb a couple ranks, but never to finish it. Had I the power, I'd have helped instead of watching that dog steal my thunder."
"I'm sorry I couldn't do much to help. Had it not been for my lacking powers, I might've been able to offer you some assistance in that dog's place." She said with some disappointment as she held his hand and looked at his glove, frowning as she did so
"That dog?"
Her eyes flamed, "Who else? That sneaky dog! Can't you see what he's trying to do?! A hyena! A damn rat! The Challenger I spent so much to create, the fated Champion meant to reignite my divinity! And he has the audacity to come and try to steal you away from me!"
Philip took a deep breath, "I don't quite follow. Didn't he just alter a few challenges here and there. He gave me quite a few things, and if not for that, I wouldn't have been able to make it this far."
"I know, but that's from your perspective. That beast took just as much as he gave you! He benefited far more than you did, even if it doesn't look like it. Don't let his actions cloud your judgment. He has dark intentions!" She added as she pointed at his chest
She crossed her arms like a spoiled brat, her feet moving impatiently on the ground:
"I won't let him steal my apostle! You're all mine! From this point onward, you're prohibited from accepting their deals! I'll take care of everything. Now that I have enough power to at least do so, I'll make sure of it."
Philip exhaled faintly as he processed everything, "That's quite one-sided, but I don't mind. If the end result is the same, I suppose it doesn't change anything."
With a smack of her lips, she tilted her head to the side, "… I don't like that response, but I'll let it slide."
"That said, why are you here?"
She tapped his right arm as if looking for something, "I said it before, to be your guide. Someone has to explain to you how to make use of this place and how things will be here from here on out. Giving tips and guidance to the Challenger is the job of the guide."
"I wasn't planning on coming here directly, but these days, there are no neutral guides, so I didn't want to risk it."
"..."
'Aren't you breaking neutrality already?...'
If she heard him or not, she didn't show it, "I'll be far more active now. I have enough power to do so, and if we do things right, I'll be able to give you even more things which will allow you to grow even further… if you wish to remain around."
"What do you mean?"
"We can technically go back now if you want. You went much further than I thought, and now you can get your hands on what I need… but I think it's a little of a waste. At least finish the Trials before we move on."
Philip shrugged, "I was already thinking of that, but I don't understand what you gain from all of this? Not only you but everyone else."
"It's difficult to explain. But in short, the Complex rewards us in varying ways if our chosen Champions excel in its challenges. This usually only applies outside, but in exceptional circumstances like the higher ranks in the Trials, we can be rewarded too."
"Since much of my power is contained within you, I receive a lot of power in response. But if you fail, the backlash I'll receive will be equally large. Most deities choose whom to patron with care exactly for those risks, often throwing challenges and tests to see if they have what it takes to achieve greatness."
"But usually, if they find someone worthy of their attention, it would just so happen others would find the same as well. So before they know it, they'd have competitors in their hands, all vying for the Champion… and in the end, the Champion can only choose one, and no one wants to invest in something only to lose it all."
"However, it's not like you don't gain anything either. The Complex views the achievements of a challenger based on everything they experienced, including those that assisted them. So they'll be rewarded even if they aren't chosen, and the greater their influence over a challenger is, the greater the rewards they receive for his success."
"Before, everything you did greatly rewarded me, for over 90% of my current power is within you. I received a lot for every battle you stepped out victorious… but now I have to divide the space with a damn dog!"
"… I think I got it. But hey, had it not been for that, maybe this conversation wouldn't be happening..."
"That's why I haven't murdered that dog yet. If not for the darned rules of this place, I wouldn't have fallen this much. I would've just taken what I lacked from someone else, but I was forced to starve after crossing over; that's why I grew so weak."
"As long as he minds his place, I won't kick him out… for now."
Her tone was heavy and threatening... but it soon went away.
She looked at him again with a calmer demeanor, "Look… I apologize if it seems I'm being too upfront and rude. It's just that I've wasted too much time… I've been driven to the edge of desperation... I don't have the luxury of making concessions. Not anymore."
"I've tried to play their game for far too long. This time, I'll do things my way."
"…"
"... Let's forget about that for now, though. I have much to explain and teach you."
"You've accumulated quite a few rewards and have reached Grade-2, so there's a lot available for you to choose from."
The air folded before him, and another scroll unfurled like the ones he saw before…
"This is where you'll be spending all the shards you accumulated. And while you're quite strong as you're now and are likely able to proceed through the next few trials without issue. There's no reason to hold yourself back here at all."
"You can buy items, abilities, conditions, and much more… Technically, anything you can imagine can be bought here. Let's start with the simple things though… getting that dirty fur off of you…" She said with a sneer as she scrolled through a long list of items
She went around pages upon pages of items while Philip stood there like a kid waiting for his mother to find his clothes...
"Let's see… which one of these will fit you best… Where was the one I saw before… Found it."
/Gleam…/
The System window shone as she pointed at a line of words… "This one, buy it."
"… I wager this isn't merely due to a fashion sense disagreement?"
"I'm not that petty; I know what you need. Above all, I want to see you with anything other than that right now!"
"… This almost sounds personal, if you don't mind."
She shook her hands dismissively as she sneered.
"Not as much as you'd think. But I have a distaste for their kind in general. That coupled with who he is and the fact he's trying to get to you is enough to piss me off, so buy it before I lose my patience even further."
Philip had the urge to press further, but he knew better than to piss off a transcendental being… one step at a time he'd figure things out.
They'll likely go their own ways once this deal finishes, but something told him they'd be meeting quite frequently in the future... This already happened before, didn't it?
[Sparks of an Ancient Hero 7-Star
-Heroic Artifact-
…
]
[75000 Trial Shards]
"Expensive…"
"You have over two million shards! Stop being so stingy and get yourself something that won't burn to ashes and leave you naked in the field. If you want anything better, it'll be several times that or shoving you inside heavy armor!"
"Hum…"
Philip bought the clothes by pressing onto the System panel, and with a flash of light, a pile of clothes fell in his hands.
"… It's less than I imagined." He said out loud as he looked at the pile of clothes
"I tried to get you something that wouldn't get in your way and would assist you in combat. While this artifact has no unique abilities, it is quite resilient."
"You look proud. Is this connected to you in any way?"
Her tone shifted, becoming a little dismissive and defensive as she looked at the side, "Yes… but that's a story I barely remember. Only the Complex seems to record it. This is its nature. It seems more and more that its hunger will never be satiated…"
"It'll strip you and take everything that composes you and lay it bare to all. The only way to prevent that is to grow stronger and take it all back. You can imagine how I fared."
Philip looked at the clothes. A mix of green and brown, traditional textile clothes with leather patches he'd expect to find in a high fantasy/medieval setting. There didn't seem to be anything special in it.
"What are you waiting for?"
"?? You want me to put it here?"
"Getting embarrassed? Boy, I've seen this body naked countless times, so get it over with... Besides, do you even know shame? You're practically naked already." She said as she rolled her eyes
She turned her attention to the System panel, scrolling through the windows without care.
"…"
Philip changed clothes, finding the new ones far better.
"How is it? Pretty comfortable, no?"
"Yes. I don't feel cumbersome for once… They're not smelly either."
"So you're finally getting it… You're also better on the eye… We can finally hold a proper conversation now."
She took a deep breath and smiled, putting her hands on her hips.
"This is our first formal meeting, I suppose. Last time, you didn't meet my actual self but a reflection of a past state of mine, one I left behind… I thought it was a waste of effort, but it paid off in the most unexpected manner."
"I am Falpurgiana!! Goddess of the Battlefield! Of Strife, Combat, Ambition, and a few dozen other things." She said as she waved her hand, "Anything that leads to combat, especially on the battlefield, can be associated with me!"
"... Isn't that vague? Anything can cause people to wage war against each other. Love, Hate, Lust, Wrath… You might as well say you're a goddess of the human emotion."
She shrugged, "I guess."
"You guess? Is that a yes or no?"
"A God's domain is a little too complicated to explain to a mortal. Humans can specialize in many areas, but they can learn bits from all other areas to supplement their knowledge. To some degree, it is no different to us."
"While I can't say I'm a Goddess of Love in the way, you might expect. Love itself has many reflections, so you could say I endorse any kind of love strong enough to make you kill someone else. How's that?"
Philip stepped back as he realized this Goddess was a little dangerous, "… It makes me reconsider associating myself with you…"
She stomped on the ground in anger as she grit her teeth... But Philip found it cute, "RUDE! Mind you, that I have I take zero pleasure in such twisted passions! I am what one would consider a "good" deity! I can fully understand the nature of this distortion!"
"I would much rather prefer the valiant desire to protect those dear to oneself than that!"
Philip laughed drily, "It's hard to believe in a goddess that preaches violence as its main doctrine… People tend to prefer calmer deities to idolize. The motherly type in women, for example."
"HUMPH! You think I don't know that? I've seen enough examples of that back when I was active!... I've seen how your kind act!" She said spitefully as she looked at him sideways
"My kind?..."
"MEN!... That's why I made many rules and centered my religion on the matter of honor and duty! No senseless violence! No chaotic society! Senseless murder is not the way!"
She took a deep breath, ready to recite her Bible and explain to Philip the many layers of her dogmas and doctrines. But feeling what was to come, Philip interrupted her right then and there.
"You can teach me all of that some other time. I'm not a very religious man, but I wouldn't be against hearing the wisdom of a God… your history. But can we focus on the present?"
She recovered her bearings, agreeing with him as she pushed her hair backward, "You're right, I got ahead of myself there… Sit down, I'll explain it all quickly to you. It won't take even ten minutes."
"Before that, can I eat or drink something? Maybe use the bathroom? I'm utterly spent…"
'How long has it been since the trials started? Less than an hour? Half an hour? But I feel like I haven't eaten in days.'
"I'll help you; maybe it's best I explain to you what this room is as we're at it. Simply put, this is the place you'll return to every time you complete a stage. The appropriate term is 'Interlude', but I don't like it."
"!"
/Sha!/
She walked to the kitchen on the side and grabbed a glass cup, filling it with cold water from the sink before throwing the glass in his direction without splashing the water.
Philip grabbed the cup and spun in place to avoid splashing himself with water. Only after he averted the momentum did he take a deep breath. He turned back to her, only to see her smiling.
"… The goal of this place is to help you process everything you experienced in the last trials so you may proceed to the next ones in full condition. This is also where you interact with the Achievement Stall, which I'll explain briefly."
"To other challengers, once they pass through the trials and gather enough attention, it's here where they'll directly communicate with those that sponsor them or are interested in doing so. Of course, not as directly as this."
"Higher beings aren't allowed to address with their chosen like this. The only reason I can is because of the reasons I mentioned before."
"And why would any of that be important?"
"Depends on what you want to do. What trials you want to go through… It'll all depend on your choices. For the current you, I'd say… power?"
"You'll gather a lot of attention. Individuals able to reach the Heroic Rank aren't unique, but those that can go beyond it are. And those able to maintain their rhythm are even rarer."
"In the thousand and something years since the implementation of this System, I think I've seen less than a thousand if not only a few hundred individuals "complete" the trials in this rank without faltering once. Although that doesn't mean they were the strongest and most heroic of them all."
"The Trials are only the beginning. Albeit for you, they'll likely be everything..."
Philip grew curious, "Do you think I can reach the end the way I'm now?"
A cold response, "No."
"But you can go far enough for this era… Times change quickly; it's not the era of castles and knights anymore. There isn't much of a point in being overwhelmingly strong… as you said to me before, people don't like it."
"Still, if you put some effort… maybe you can reach the last few trials? It'll depend on what you do, and helping you figure that out is exactly my and this place's job."
"Okay… Nothing outside of my expectations… Let's continue this conversation over a warm meal because my stomach's killing me."
"It seems that even if you train your body to withstand it, you can't prevent the raw energy consumption from your unique abilities… Just go to the fridge and open it. Think about anything you want to eat and it'll be there."
"Really?"
"It's a privilege for those who reached the Extreme. Enjoy it while you still can." She said with a faint scoff as she shook her head
"Then give me a moment…"
Philip went to the fridge and raided it, preparing a well-deserved meal…
…
After setting up his meal, taking a shower, and cleaning everything, Philip sat down with Falpurgiana at the living room's central table...
"So? How does all of this work?"
"The Achievement Stall is a collection of stories and services. Aside from items, you can acquire the experience, tales, memories, and even the emotions of heroes and legends of the past."
"There are almost infinite possibilities to choose from, so it's up to your creativity and vision to pinpoint what you need most."
"Right now, I recommend you seek something to improve your body. While that Ability you possess can make up for your inherent weakness, you don't have a lot of time to practice it. But that doesn't matter either, for here you can even buy 'time'."
Falpurgiana interacted with the System panel and showed him an Ability:
"What I wanted from you was this. It's the only thing you needed to get to honor our exchange."
[Commune Lv0
…
]
[2000 Trial Shards]
"This is?…"
"It's nothing but a simple Ability that allows a mortal to connect with a higher power. Through this, if you were to offer your body to me, I'd be able to reclaim everything I lost, and we'd be able to move on… but now I'm reconsidering it."
"Why not aim for something higher? There is a lot this world can offer, especially for someone with a goal like yours…"
"Enough with the sweet words. I know what I want, and I don't need you pushing me like that… What do you want from this? Aside from everything you already said?"
"If you say so… Just continue fighting the way you did so far… and instead of that inefficient Ability, how about you get me this one?"
[Heavenly Battlefield's Incarnation Lv0
…
]
[10000 Trial Cristals]
"… That's even more ludicrously expensive. It's almost double the Cristals I even have right now."
'If I take the growth and expansion of the rewards of each trial, then a Cristal likely equates a few ten thousand to maybe even a million shards...'
"It is a Legendary Ability from the ancient times after all. You see, Legendary Abilities are often so powerful they infringe on the domain of the Gods. They're the kind of powers used by Heroes at the end of their stories to finish them explosively. Their worth is equal to their story."
She smiled, resting her head on her hands, "You get that for me and you won't regret it… but our previous deal still remains. If you feel like doing something else, you can still get another replacement for the Commune Ability. There are several anyway, and any of them will do."
"To me, though, there isn't anything better than that Ability."
"…"
"So? How will it be?"
"I'm thinking… You said you could give me… two months?"
"About that, yes."
"And how long will these Trials last?"
"Depends on you. To most, a day; to others, a few. It rarely goes beyond a week, but there were some that went that long and beyond."
"So that means we'd have some extra time after everything's over?"
"Oh? Getting interested in the outside world?" She asked with a smirk as she swung her feet underneath the table
"There's no point in not taking a look… I am pressed for time after all."
"Then what are you waiting for? Let's start!" She said excitedly as she jumped onto the table
"Calm down, I can't read anything if you cover the panel..."
After putting the goddess on a boosted seat beside him, he began studying the windows:
"Let me take a look…"
"For some reason, I'm pissed off." She added as she crossed her arms beside him
Philip focused his attention on the System panel, his choices here would define how far he'd go in the Trials. There was little room for error.
With the Goddess providing assistance beside him, he soon nailed down his choice.
"… I'll start with this."
And after going through an extensive selection of items… he made his choice.
…
.
.
.
Notes
Phew... Finally done for now.
For such a long chapter, not much happened. The battles were meant to last a little longer, but after I scrapped what I wrote before, I thought this was the right course of action.
I apologize for the delay. I got a virus last week and only grew better over the weekend... last weekend, which was when I began working on this.
It took me some time to get back in rhythm and, above all, recover my motivation after I spent multiple days doing nothing.
Each day I wrote a little more, but I finally managed to compile this chapter.
Next chapter we'll be seeing his growth and exposition of his Abilities and with it, a time skip over the next few stages... Even if I wanted to, it would grow a little stale making fights for every rank of every stage I had in mind, especially when Philip will just bulldoze his way through them all after he's done with his growth.
I'm still thinking about how the rest of this Arc will go, but for now, I've already attained my goal with its creation, which will pay off in the future.
That was all from me. Thank you for the patience and support. Logging off at the speed of sound.
PS: Drop me a power stone, I like them :)