[Heaven's Passage]
This thing...
Although it was clearly just a system ssage on the surface, the lack of a detailed description gave it an air of mystery.
It wasn't like the usual rewards or notifications I had encountered before.
The fact that it provided no context or explanation strongly suggested that it could only be fully understood-or activated-after reaching the end of the trials.
Based on the accompanying system notification regarding the Evil God, it seed less like a traditional reward and more like an invitation.
And if my hunch was correct, the likelihood of it being an invitation from the Goddess of Light herself was high.
For what purpose? To what end? That remained unclear.
The possibilities raced through my mind.
If the Goddess of Light truly had a hand in this, accepting the invitation might lead closer to the answers I'd been seeking answers to the mysteries surrounding my existence in this world, the abnormalities in my journey, and the strange divergence from the ga's original script.
Still, the sheer vagueness of it all was enough to make pause.
Would this invitation help unravel the truth, or would it throw into an even deeper abyss of uncertainty?
For now, all I could do was prepare myself ntally.
If it truly was an invitation, I'd likely need to face it eventually, and when the ti ca, I would accept it.
Ignoring such a significant event-one that could potentially change everything-wasn't an option.
I scrolled through the remaining system ssages, briefly skimming over them. So were important, while others were as trivial as I expected.
None of them demanded my imdiate attention, but the steady flow of notifications served as a reminder of just how far I had co.
Looking back at the long road I'd traveled to get here, it felt as though my journey was far from over.
If anything, the path ahead seed even more uncertain, the challenges even greater.
And yet, amidst the constant forward montum, the idea of taking a small break didn't seem so unreasonable.
A mont of rest wouldn't hurt-but that didn't an I could afford to slack off entirely. Ever since I'd started pushing myself, training my body had beco second nature, a habit deeply ingrained in my mind and muscle.
The lack of proper gym equipnt wasn't an excuse to stop.
"A simple jog and so calisthenics will have to do for now," I murmured, rising to my feet.
The cool air brushed against my skin as I stepped outside, stretching lightly before beginning a slow, steady jog.
The rhythmic sound of my footsteps on the ground, the steady beat of my heart, and the feeling of my muscles working reminded of the importance of keeping myself physically prepared.
An hour or two of exercise was enough to clear my mind and shake off the weight of lingering thoughts. By the ti I finished, exhaustion crept over , but it wasn't unwelco.
The next day—or at least what I assud was the next day, based on my calculations- started much the sa as the days before.
Walking, running, resting. Then walking and running again, followed by more resting.
The monotonous alternation between these activities, stretched across the seemingly endless, barren roads, wasn't exactly pleasant.
The atmosphere, while warm and sowhat comforting, did little to stave off the creeping boredom that began to gnaw at my resolve.
The worst part?
With my increased stats, my body was brimming with restless energy, desperate for an outlet. The constant repetition of this dull routine only made that feeling stronger, an itch I couldn't scratch.
It would've been nice to divert my path-to take one of the branching roads I occasionally spotted in the distance.
I had no doubt those paths led to other trials, ones that might offer new challenges or at least break the tedium.
But the system's warnings were crystal clear:
[Note: Do not attempt another trial. Your current physical and ntal state is not suited for further challenges.]
The ssage had been blunt, leaving little room for argunt.
Wel in the first place.
I doubted any actual legend of old would have the audacity to place in another trial without good reason.
And, the possibility of encountering another trial like the one I had last ti, that might dredge up another vivid image of my past, the mories I'd been desperately trying to bury -was a risk I wasn't willing to take.
For now, all I could do was keep moving forward.
That was the plan, at least.
But as the days dragged on, what should've been a relatively straightforward journey began to
stretch beyond my expectations.
I'd been counting the days, keeping careful track of my progress.
By my calculations, I should've reached the end of this road by now.
And yet, the barren path stretched on endlessly before .
"Hey, system, you're not ssing with , are you?"
The translucent interface flickered briefly in response.
[Note: .....]
I sighed, kicking a small rock off the road. It skittered across the ground, vanishing into the horizon. "Thanks for nothing."
And so, I kept going.
Step after step, day after day, the sa repetitive cycle continued until my sense of ti began to blur. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep this up before my patience wore
thin.
Then, finally-after what felt like an eternity-the barren landscape began to shift.
A faint glow appeared in the distance, growing brighter with each step I took.
My heart quickened as the system chid, breaking the long silence.
[Congratulations! You have reached the end of your road!]
I stopped, staring ahead as the glow intensified, illuminating a massive archway carved from
gleaming stone.
"So, this is it,"
The end of the road.
Just like in the ga, the end of the road led to what appeared to be an abandoned church-or perhaps a temple-like sanctuary.
It radiated an ancient reverence, a sacred air untouched by ti, clearly dedicated to the Goddess above by the civilizations of old.
This was no ordinary place of worship. It was said to have been built by her first followers, the pioneers of faith in this world, and the very first apostles of her divine will.
The structure itself was as extravagant as it was grand yet bore a simplicity that hinted at its
ancient origins.
Towering white stone pillars lined the sanctuary, their surfaces glowing faintly with golden, ethereal energy, like veins of divinity running through their core.
They shimred gently, casting a serene, almost dreamlike atmosphere over the entire area.
And there, standing in the heart of it all, was the Goddess's statue.
A colossal, awe-inspiring figure carved with such precision that it was said to be the most accurate depiction of her in existence.
Her serene gaze and graceful posture conveyed both power and compassion, radiating an undeniable presence that could humble even the most stubborn nonbeliever.
In the ga, this was a place where legends ca to life. A sanctuary embodying the grandeur
and mystique of an era long past.
Under any other circumstances, I might've allowed myself to take it all in. To admire the breathtaking sight of this holy site and revel in the feeling of standing amidst a piece of living
legend.
But I couldn't afford to do so...
"So, you're finally here," a familiar voice echoed through the sanctuary, calm yet tinged with
faint amusent. "Took you long enough."
I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as I turned toward the voice.
"You..." Seated casually at the base of the Goddess's massive statue, as if it were a throne, was soone I never thought I'd ever see except behind my mind and dreams....
Golden blonde hair, clear deep-blue eyes, and a face that mirrored my own in nearly every
way.
There were subtle differences, just enough to remind that he wasn't -not exactly.
His expression carried a maturity that ca with age and what seemd to be proper wisdom, and though he had the sa intense gaze I often saw when I looked in the mirror, there was an
edge to it.
A weight that hinted at experiences I couldn't yet comprehend.
It was like staring into an aged, perfected copy of myself.
It was him.
Or rather, it was .
The other Riley.
In full flesh and blood, sitting nonchalantly before as if he got tired with waiting...
Crossing his legs with an air of nonchalance, the other Riley casually raised a hand and
snapped his fingers.
SNAP!
The sharp sound echoed through the sanctuary, reverberating off the ancient pillars.
In an instant, a glowing system notification window materialized in front of , the translucent interface filled with cryptic text.
"Now then, let's end this tutorial, shall we?" he said, his tone calm yet dripping with an infuriating confidence.
My eyes darted to the glowing ssages.
[System Notification]
[Note: Tutorial breakthrough attempting progress...]
[Note: Trial interference detected...]
[Fixing problems...]
[Trial maintenance appl-] [Note: Trial interference granted permission...]
[Note: Trial rewards will now be temporarily delayed.]
[Note: Tutorial breakthrough will now be in progress.]
[Do you wish to proceed?]
[Yes/No]
I frowned.
The notifications weren't unusual in themselves, but the content-specifically the ominous
undertones-left uneasy.
[Note: Tutorial will only end after user life presence is confird to be ZERO.]
I froze, the words glaring back at like a death sentence.
"Wha-"
"Clench your stomach, Riley,"
Before the aning of his words could register, he was already moving.
BOOM!
A fist drove into my gut with unrelenting force, knocking the wind out of in an instant.
"UGH!!"
The sheer impact made stumble back several steps, nearly losing my balance as pain
exploded through my core. My vision blurred for a mont, and I had to fight to stay
conscious.
The force behind his punch was monstrous.
It felt like my insides had been rearranged, and despite my A-rank in Strength, it didn't seem
to matter.
"Get up, Riley Hell,"
There was no malice in his tone-at least, not overtly-but the sheer disdain, as if I were
nothing more than a weak imitation, was palpable.
Gritting my teeth against the pain as I struggled to steady myself.
'Fuck...'
Even with my stats maxed, that still hurt like hell...
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