At the deepest depths beneath the imperial palace lay the trial grounds-a sacred place shrouded in mystery and power.
The grand entrance to the trial lood like the mouth of a colossal cave, golden light spilling out in flickering bursts, illuminating the surrounding walls with a divine radiance.
It was a constant beacon, a sign that soone was within, their trial ongoing.
For the past four days, the golden light had not waned.
Two figures stood vigil outside, their presence steady but marked by contrasting emotions.
The first was Emperor Leopold, his commanding deanor unwavering despite the circumstances.
Beside him stood Princess Snow, her restless energy betraying the worry etched into her every movent.
"Your Majesty..." Snow's voice broke the silence, tinged with concern.
Leopold turned his head slightly, acknowledging her.
His gaze, as steady as ever, softened just a fraction as he caught the distress on her face.
"How long did it take for you to complete your trial again?"
Snow asked, her voice tight with worry, though she already knew the answer.
The emperor sighed quietly, his composure unshaken but inwardly empathizing with his daughter's turmoil.
He had answered this question several tis over the past few days already.
"...Thirty minutes. No, perhaps longer-or shorter. I can't recall the exact ti,"
Snow's expression darkened further. His words, repeated as they were, offered no comfort.
She clenched her hands tightly, her knuckles turning white as she stared at the golden light spilling from the entrance.
Trials were unpredictable.
For most, they lasted no more than a few hours, sotis even re minutes.
The distortion of ti within the trials allowed them to seem longer or shorter, but never this long.
Four days-four excruciating days-had passed without any sign of Riley erging.
Snow's unease grew with every flicker of the golden light. Her thoughts churned with worry and frustration.
'What's taking him so long? Is he hurt? Did sothing go wrong?'
She clenched her teeth, her usually poised deanor cracking under the weight of her emotions.
Riley's absence gnawed at her, filling her with a sense of helplessness she rarely experienced. Leopold observed her quietly, his own thoughts kept carefully guarded.
He knew the trials tested not just strength but also will, resolve, and the ability to confront one's innermost fears.
Whatever Riley was facing in that glowing abyss was clearly unlike anything anyone had experienced before.
"Should I go in and help-" Snow's voice wavered, the desperation clear in her tone as she took a step toward the glowing entrance.
"Stop with the nonsense," Emperor Leopold interrupted firmly, his voice carrying the weight of authority and experience. "You know better than anyone that wouldn't help him overco his trial. You'd only end up facing your own set of trials, putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Have I not told you this already?"
"B-but..." Snow hesitated, her words faltering.
The emperor's stern expression softened ever so slightly as he gazed at his daughter. "I understand your worry, Snow," he said, his voice gentler now. "But putting faith in him is the best thing you can do right now. Do you truly believe your beloved would fall so easily?"
"No..." Snow muttered, her defiance tempered by her father's words, though the concern in her eyes remained.
Leopold sighed quietly, his ever-pragmatic deanor giving way to a rare mont of tenderness. He reached out, patting Snow lightly on the head, his hand warm and steady. "Let's just wait a little while longer," he said, his voice carrying reassurance.
Snow nodded silently, her gaze once again fixed on the trial's entrance.
The golden light flickered, its glow steady yet mysterious, hiding the fate of the one she held dear.
Riley already promised he would return before I even realized it, she thought, clutching onto the mory of his confident words.
Riley was not one to break a promise-of that, she was certain.
Even though her worries threatened to overwhelm her, Snow resolved to be patient.
She understood that rushing in now would only create more problems, potentially becoming
a burden for Riley when he finally returned.
Stay strong, she told herself, exhaling softly.
If he can endure the trial, then I can endure this wait.
Seeing Snow calm down for a mont, Emperor Leopold let out a silent breath of relief.
However, his own unease remained buried beneath his composed exterior.
His gaze stayed fixed on the shimring golden cave entrance, but doubt and concern simred just beneath the surface.
As much as he wanted to reassure both his daughter and himself about Riley's prolonged absence, even Leopold had begun to feel the weight of worry.
This wasn't normal. Trials typically concluded in a matter of hours or, at most, half a day.
Four days?
That was unprecedented.
To manage his growing distraction, Leopold had entrusted most of his imperial duties to Duke Luther, his closest friend and most trusted aide.
Luther's efficiency was unparalleled; the empire's affairs were as well-managed in his hands as they would be under Leopold's direct oversight.
He was confident that the Duke would ensure the empire's operations ran smoothly as a well-oiled machine.
After all, Luther had proven ti and again his ability to handle tasks of grand scale, rivaling even his own responsibilities back in his very own grand duchy.
Still, standing here and waiting was a trial in itself.
There was no indication of when-or even if-Riley's trial would conclude.
Yet Leopold couldn't shake the feeling deep within, a faint but persistent whisper from his divinity, urging him to remain present.
It was as if the very essence of his being knew that the mont Riley erged, sothing significant would transpire-sothing that required Leopold's imdiate presence.
A gift? A curse? The emperor wasn't certain, but he understood one thing: whatever awaited Riley at the end of this ordeal would likely ripple outward, affecting far more than just the boy
himself.
Leopold had to be ready for anything for his sake, for Snow's, and for the empire's future.
'Just what sort of trial are you tackling, my future son-in-law?' Leopold wondered silently, his thoughts laced with both curiosity and begrudging acceptance.
The last part of the thought lingered awkwardly in his mind.
'Future son-in-law?'
The very notion ticked him off more than he cared to admit.
While he had co to acknowledge Riley's resolve and determination, the idea of soone as bold and unpredictable as that boy marrying his precious daughter still ruffled his feathers.
...
"Fuck!!!"
My voice echoed in the cavernous sanctuary, mingling with the dull hum of divine magic that seed to perate everything around .
Haah... haah...
Breathing heavily, I wiped the blood trickling down my forehead, the sticky warmth a grim
reminder of the battle's intensity.
The sanctuary's divine magic worked diligently, knitting my wounds back together, albeit at a
slower pace now.
It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to keep alive and repair the worst of the damage.
"You two were quite persistent..." I muttered, glancing at the aftermath of the battle.
"Hahaha! That was fun!"
The spear-wielding Riley's laughter echoed across the sacred chamber.
His body was slumped against the now-rebuilt wall on one side of the sanctuary, embedded
like so grotesque mural.
His ever-present smirk was still plastered on his face, even as deep scars crisscrossed his
body.
A gaping hole in his chest marked the spot where a spear infused with aura had pierced him— a final, desperate move he'd used to try and end .
That's right. In the heat of battle, he had aid for my heart, throwing everything he had into
a single strike.
And for a brief, terrifying mont, he succeeded.
I had died.
But in that fleeting instant, I'd made the only choice that could save .
I channeled every ounce of my divinity into my heart, reinforcing it against the killing blow.
The sanctuary's divine magic did the rest, restoring to life.
[Empathic Pain (S)] had done its job, as cruel and efficient as ever.
Since the skill only reflects the damage I'd taken back at my attackers, now the two remaining
Riley's bore the consequences.
Both him and the crossbow-wielding Riley's lay crumpled, unmoving.
Each had a fatal wound-a pierced heart, just like mine had been.
Unlike , though, they lacked the ans to regenerate such catastrophic injuries.
Even the sanctuary's divine blessing couldn't save them now.
I took a shaky step forward, surveying the scene.
The smirking Riley's laughter faded into a soft chuckle as he wheezed, blood bubbling at the
corner of his lips.
"Persistent, huh? Is that how you see it?" he repeated, his voice weak but tinged with an
unmistakable trace of amusent. "You've got no idea... how hard we had to push you. But...
you did good, kid."
The spear-wielding Riley's words hung in the air, carrying a strange sense of finality as his body began to crumble into puffs of darkness.
I opened my mouth to ask him more, anything that might clarify the cryptic things he and the
others had said during the trial.
But one look at his face-the satisfied, almost peaceful expression-told it would be
pointless.
Like the rest of my other "versions," there was a frustrating limit to what they could or would
tell . Whether by design or by their own constraints, they seed incapable of fully
explaining their actions or motives.
Causality, paynt... always talking in riddles.
It was clear enough now that there was a price to everything they had done, a reason why they
were so cryptic. They had left breadcrumbs, sure, but the answers were there for to piece together.
Asking for confirmation at this point would just earn an insult, like, "What are you,
dense?"
I sighed, turning my gaze to the crossbow-wielding Riley.
He was also succumbing to the sa fate, his form dissolving into the dark ether.
He caught my eye and gave a slight smirk before winking.
"Congratulations, Riley... this ti, don't fail, okay?"
His words struck a chord. A bittersweet mix of encouragent and warning.
And then he, too, vanished, his presence fading into the void like the others before him.
As the last of their remnants disappeared, I felt a wave of ntal exhaustion hit .
My shoulders sagged, and I tilted my head back to stare at the ceiling of the sanctuary.
With this... everything's over, right?
Just as the thought crossed my mind, a brilliant golden light engulfed the room. A translucent
golden screen materialized above , its radiant glow reflecting in my tired eyes.
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE PASSED YOUR TRIAL!]
[TUTORIAL BREAKTHROUGH IS NOW COMPLETE!]
[TUTORIAL PROTECTION IS NOW LIFTED!] [Hidden Skill: Great Restart] shall now be absolved.]
[Skill will now vanish under user's soul skill codex.]
[USER SHALL NOW UNDERGO COMPLETE RESTART...]
[TI OF DEATH IN 3... 2... 1...]
"Huh?"
The words on the screen made my stomach drop.
A cold chill ran down my spine as I processed the implications.
Restart? What the hell does that an?
I barely had ti to voice my confusion before the countdown reached zero.
The sanctuary trembled, the golden light intensifying until it was blinding. My body seized
up, a sharp, burning sensation erupting from within as though my very soul was being
ripped apart and pieced back together at the sa ti.
And then-
Nothing.
Darkness.
...
When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by a sight unlike anything I had ever seen-a
vision of ethereal beauty so breathtaking it felt as though I had stepped into a dream.
Before was an impossibly radiant woman, her entire being glowing with a gentle yet overwhelming light that seed to illuminate everything around her.
Her expression was serene, her gaze tender as she looked at with an almost motherly
warmth.
My head rested on what felt like her thighs, and I couldn't help but notice the soft, cloud-like sensation cradling .
The warmth of her touch as she gently patted my head sent waves of calm through my body, montarily easing the disorientation I felt.
The air around her shimred, filled with an almost divine presence, as though the world itself bent to accommodate her existence.
"W-Who...?" My voice ca out weak, a mixture of awe and confusion.
The woman's lips curled into a soft smile, and her voice, lodic and soothing, resonated in
my mind rather than my ears.
[...Oh my, you've awakened, child,] she said, her tone as comforting as a lullaby. [It's a pleasure to finally et you, Riley Hell.]
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