"And I just want to pass it on... before I vanish for good."
Alden didn’t know what to say.
Leaving a legacy? Was it more important than survival?
Still, he asked the only thing he could. "What do you an?"
The possibility’s voice was quieter now, as if it was fading with each word. "I’m not alive, Alden... I rember dying."
He let the silence settle between them before continuing.
"I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But right before my final breath... sothing pulled here as if giving one last chance."
Alden stayed silent for a mont.
But he could see it—
The possibility’s body was growing dimr.
He didn’t have much ti left.
Alden knew the system would block him from answering anything about the events he hinted at.
Still, there were other questions. Ones which hopefully wouldn’t be restricted.
He knew he was being selfish by asking questions to soone who was dying but if he didn’t ask now, he might never get the answers he needed.
So he asked.
"When will I awaken my bloodline?" His voice was calm. "And what is the seed of transcendence?"
These two questions had been sothing he was most curious about ever since he first awakened them.
But he never found answers to them, so he dismissed it back then.
The possibility didn’t complain if anything a smile appeared on his face as if only now had Alden asked a useful question.
"I can’t speak clearly about the bloodline," he said. "The system won’t let . But know this—"
He paused.
"It will awaken... when you’re worthy of it. Our mother made sure of that."
He continued.
"As for the Seed of Transcendence..." His tone deepened. "It is the key to breaking through the barrier of Primordial. The knowledge of it was erased from the world long ago."
He turned back to Alden.
"But without it... no one can step beyond the Overlord Rank ever. This is all I can tell you about it."
"Any more questions? And don’t ask about our previous life... I won’t be able to answer that." He said, his body was nearly transparent as if every word was consuming his ti here.
Why?
Alden frowned but he didn’t have any ti to overthink.
So, he asked his last question.
"Who are our parents?"
The possibility let out a bitter smile.
"I don’t know, Alden. I really don’t."
He looked down, for the first ti avoiding Alden’s gaze.
"They were just... selfish bastards."
His voice cracked, just slightly.
"Bastards, who wanted their child to live, no matter what... even if it ant that child would suffer for eternity."
And then, his body began to fade.
"It seems my ti is over."
His gaze t Alden’s one last ti.
"Rember this, Alden—
Right now, you’re too weak for the answers.
Too weak to understand the truth about the world beyond."
"But when the ti is right... the answers will co."
"So for now, just focus on growing stronger."
And with those words, he vanished.
The space around Alden trembled.
As a system window appeared before him.
[YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE FINAL TRIAL]
[THE TEMPLE OF SHADOWED SELF IS BEING DESTROYED]
His body turned ethereal and weightless.
Through fading eyes, he saw the temple begin to collapse, stone by stone.
Just then, from the heart of the ruin, a massive altar appeared.
And then they ca. Countless orbs of soft blue light spiraling upward from the altar, forming a vortex.
Alden recognized them instantly.
Souls. The ones trapped here for what might have been centuries.
As his own form shimred, he knew he was returning to reality.
But before he completely vanished, he heard a voice.
"Thank you Damien."
He turned and then he saw her. The girl with platinum blonde hair and golden eyes, standing right in front of him.
Elva.
Unlike the others, her soul hadn’t taken the shape of an orb. She still looked... human.
Is this because she was a guardian?
He didn’t know if she could hear him anymore. But he smiled... brightly. "My real na is Alden."
He tried to search the sea of souls for the other girl... the quiet guardian of the third chamber.
But she was nowhere to be found.
Before he could search further, the light swallowed him whole.
And he vanished.
—
Elva looked at the spot where her savior had stood only monts ago.
"Alden..."
She whispered the na softly as a small smile appeared on her face.
"Fate really does work strangely, huh?"
Her gaze drifted toward the altar, towards her freedom.
"How can the one who trapped us... and the one who set us free... share the sa na?"
She paused, the corner of her mouth curling into sothing bittersweet.
"Must be a coincidence... right?"
—
anwhile, Alden was teleported within a dark void.
A place he recognized.
He didn’t know what it truly was but he called it his soul space.
Yet, unlike the last ti he’d found himself here, sothing had changed.
The golden book—his Eclipse Codex—was still floating in its usual spot without a change.
He understood the reason.
The upgraded to the failed possibility left behind... It was still sealed, waiting for the right mont to reveal itself.
Then, his gaze paused on the Crimson orb—his supre skill. It was also the sa as before.
But this ti...
There was sothing new.
Just beyond the orb’s reach, a massive sun hovered. Its core glowed with blinding light while its edges swallowed by shadows.
Is that the strike he left behind?
Alden stepped forward towards it. But no matter how much he walked, he couldn’t reach it.
An invisible wall held him back, sealing the sun away...
Tsk, can’t even check it huh?
Just then, with a ding sound the system window appeared.
[THE ▒▒▒▒▒ TRIAL HAS BEEN COMPLETED]
[THE ▒▒▒▒▒ INSIDE YOUR SOUL INCREASED]
[33% → 40%]
[REWARD — A STRIKE FROM A FAILED POSSIBILITY RECEIVED]
So, it counted the strike as a reward.
Talk about being stingy.
But he couldn’t really say anything. If that strike could truly help him avoid that future... then it was worth it.
Even losing [Limit Break] felt like a small price.
He had many thoughts about,
What was the temple?
Were Elva and the little girl really released?
Who was the spectator?
How was his failed possibility there?
But he knew, now wasn’t the ti to be thinking about that...
Kyun’s probably panicking right now,
Especially since my whole body had vanished this ti, not just the soul.
He thought with a small smile as he walked to the crimson orb of his supre ability and tapped it lightly.
Ti to go back ho.
With that last thought, his whole body vanished.
—
Author’s Note:
I honestly don’t know how this arc turned out.
Maybe so of you felt it was rushed.
Maybe others found it too slow.
Maybe a few parts felt a little too dramatic or even cringe.
And if that’s the case, I would really love your feedback about it and what felt off, it would help a lot to improve as an author.
With this Trial Arc is Over.
Next: Inter-Academy Tournant Arc will begin.
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