Ryuu Lion dreamed, and in her dream, she fought tirelessly with a man under the moonlight. The man dons shining dark armor, a on top of his head is a crown signifying his status, as the man fights with endless vigor, his royal cape flutters nonstop. Meanwhile, his mighty rapier rends whoever meets its sharp end asunder.
The man was unknown to Ryuu, she didn't know where the man had come from, but she was thankful for him for some reason. So she fought with him, and the man followed him into the depths of the abyss.
She watched the man as she fought and realized his complexity and seemingly countless contradictions. The man fought with reckless abandon but with the cautiousness of that of a veteran. His movements were stiff, yet his swordsmanship was like a beautiful moving painting. He cowardly fears for his life, yet he bravely continues to follow her to the heat of the fight instead of running away. He doesn't know her, yet he trusts her like a companion he has known for life, he even unabashedly calls her a partner. He looked like royalty, yet he gave off the aura of a commoner. It was honestly perplexing to her.
His struggle for life was not only charming to Ryuu Lion, she somehow felt it calling to her. She is reminded of the days before the disaster that struck her familia and wiped them out. As the fight goes on, their cooperation becomes more skillful and natural, they are fighting in total sync. She felt his burning passion within her. For someone like Ryuu Lion who had given away her life for revenge, she felt his struggle intoxicating.
When she finally confronted the strongest enemy, he was still there to assist her. Even in the impossible, he continues to aid her. His action didn't go thankless.
And when the man dropped on his knees as soon the fight was over and once more contradictingly asked for more opponents to fight while he cried with tears falling from his pained eyes. She felt something inside her. She didn't know if it was out of obligation to drag him to her mess or as a twisted form of thanks, she had found herself comforting him even for a brief moment.
When Lion completed her goal against the impossible, she felt all her strength leave. She was happy to end it this way. But the man didn't let her, he grabbed her and carried her like a princess. She wanted him to stop, but he didn't listen to her and sternly scolded her by telling her about the preciousness of life.
Honestly, she didn't care and was more interested in why he cared so much about her. She had only felt such feelings from her familia. Not even her elven sisters give her such tender care. Ryuu Lion wanted to know why and for what reasons he cared for her, but the man didn't answer and continued telling her the joys of life as he carried her on a dark pathway.
Countless questions erupted from her, but none was answered.
Soon Ryuu Lion saw the light at the end of the tunnel. The man laid her down on her back with care. After saying something to her she didn't catch, the man starts walking away from me as I feel care being applied to my wounds.
I screamed at him, telling him to stop and return to me. I screamed again asking him to answer my questions. But he continued walking.
As he walks away, I hear him say
"It's time to wake up, partner."
"At least tell me your name!"
He stopped and looked at me
"You already know my name."
He continued his walk again while the light slowly devoured my vision.
And when Ryuu Lion opened her eyes. She was greeted by a certain, bluish-grey-haired maid.
_______________________________________
As I slumbered deeply, I dreamed of a place, I was sitting in front of a table with an empty plate and cup. Around me were twelve other people shrouded in mist doing the same, Meanwhile, another one, the one in the center wasn't covered in fog. He had a beard, he exuded a gentle aura along with the charisma of a god.
He looked at me and smiled gently. Then he grabbed the sole bread on the table and divided it into pieces as he gave us all one each. After all of us were given a piece, the charismatic man grabbed the sole grail on the table, and magically it was filled with wine. Again, he distributes to us the magical wine, the grail, seemingly infinite wine within it despite its size.
I began to fill my stomach along with the others using the food he had given, despite being so little, I felt my innards fill to the brim. There was festivity around me, everyone was talking in a foreign language that I didn't understand, including me. I stood up and left the festivities.
When I returned, I came with a mad crowd carrying various weapons, from swords to sticks. The fogged beings looked shocked, but the charismatic man looked at me with a gentle smile, he said something I couldn't understand. As soon as his mouth closed, a blinding light erupted from behind. And when looked back
A horrifying sight greets me in the form of wings. The being was titanic beyond measure, its six wings covered in eyes were burning brightly. At the center of its symmetrical wings, was a human head, beautiful beyond understanding. I looked at it in fear but it said
"Do not be afraid. Judas, your journey will soon end, this is your last chance, make it count. The Lord said to look for the secret beneath. You'll find your answer them."
That being said. The voice released a terrifying pressure, yet it was soothing at the same time.
Suddenly his wings engulfed me, In fear, I screamed at myself to wake up from this nightmare.
While sweating heavily I woke up from my sleep shouting.
When I opened my eyes, it laid up the following system prompts.
[Congratulations on your grand feat, you have gained the following rewards!
2500 points
Title - Performer of Secrets
Title - The One Who Courts Death
Perk - The One Who Courts Death
Perk - Sword Dancer]
[Congratulations on unlocking your 7th Origin]
[Origin Unlocked - Betrayer of Destiny]
Although the rewards were great, my eyes were too focused on the Red Imp grinning evilly in front of my face.
_______________________________________
Liliruca Arde finally finished reading the books she was given by her master. To celebrate she decided to go outside to treat herself with a drink for a short rest.
But when she got out of the door, there was a mass of commotion going on the streets.
Guild representatives and adventurers move around knocking on doors and asking people about a poster.
Arde decided to let her curiosity get the better of her and went to eavesdrop on one of the guild representatives.
"Have you seen people who looked like this?... No? Good... They're dangerous. If you see them, contact the guild immediately, and do not get close at all to them!" The man was about to leave but Arde blocked him.
The man glared at her for a moment but softened his gaze when he realized she was just a child.
"C-can you tell Lily what's going on?"
The man took out two posters and showed them to Arde. The first one was a masked man with a black crown on his head while wearing an expensive full armor and cape with a bounty in the millions, the second one was a female hooded adventurer with thousands of bounties.
"These two are bad people ojou-chan. Be careful when you see them! The man is called Black Emperor, he should be an evil cultist who follows a god called the Joker." he sternly said, then he sighed as he showed me the female poster "This one is Gale Wind. Former Level 5 adventurer of Astreae Familia she's dangerous as well."
"What did they do mister?" Arde asked while her ears perked at the word Joker.
The man's eyes suddenly became angry and shouted.
"WHAT DIDN'T THEY DO IS WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK KID! They massacred hundreds of people and an entire familia! They even killed Rudra-sama, the god of Rudra familia! What a damn mess!..." The man said as he left went back to work.
When the man left, Liliruca Arde used her brain to try and puzzle out the mysterious crime.
'Didn't Joker-sama say his Favoured Ones would punish Rudra Familia for what they have done as part of Evilus?' To think his Favoured Ones can wipe an entire familia with a Level 5 adventurer! He should be those strong and mysterious beyonders that Joker-sama said!
'As expected of Joker-sama.' Arde was impressed but a little scared. She shakes her head at a certain thought 'Joker-sama should be one of those righteous gods. As long as I do good, Joker-sama would praise me more and reward me!'
She smiled and her eyes lit up at the possibilities.
'To think not even an Evil God can't escape Joker-sama's wrath! Beyonders sure have capable strength.'
As she imagined the fight, she bought her juice and returned home filled with excitement. Soon she will prepare her beyonder ritual and drink the Assassin Potion.
_______________________________________
Chapter End
Thanks for reading.