Aster remained silent for a moment, the woman was looking at him and although he couldn't see her face, he knew she was waiting for his answer.
"Can I refuse?".
The woman shook his head, "unfortunately I can't send you back until you do the trial whether you pass it or not", her voice turned a bit sad before she explained "besides you are the first one to enter here and probably the only one, so please at least give it a chance… the fact that you are here means that you have surpassed what a mortal should be able to do in other words you died and reincarnated but your soul didn't get affected nor cleansed by the heaven's laws".
Aster was worried how come this woman knew so much about him?
The woman saw his expression turning hostile again and she explained herself in a voice that could made even the fiercest beast calm down.
"I didn't read your memories or something like that, you speaking with me itself is the reason as to why I know you have reincarnated so please don't be angry".
Aster contemplated things but finally he gave up, if the only way out of this was taking that trial, then he would pass it in order to go back with his girls again, his eyes turned golden before he looked at the woman directly, for a second her face seemed to be becoming visible for him but before he could distinguish something the blurry effect recovered.
The woman seemed to notice Aster's actions and she was amused by them.
"No cheating hehehe ♥".
Aster didn't try to deny it he just shrugged.
"Fine, then what is the trial?".
The woman waved her hand and a white gate appeared in front of her, "open the door and enter the trial's room, I can't follow you and I don't know what the trial will be, after all it's the first time someone has reached this place".
Aster nodded, when he entered and the door disappeared, after a moment the scenario changed, in front of Aster there was big extension of land with a castle which left side was colored in white while the right side was colored in black, he found it a bit strange but it was well designed.
After walking a bit, he reached the entrance of the castle but before he did, the door opened by itself. "Well, I guess I should expect this from something that looks like a haunted place" he thought.
He entered the castle, there was only one corridor so he followed the path until he reached what seemed to be a throne room, Aster was expecting something like undead to appear but besides him there was only a black throne in which there was sitting… a woman.
The woman had long black hair with some dark purple strands, her eyes were of a beautiful violet amethyst color, her beautiful fair skin tone made her look in middle of her 20`s, she had a slender but elegant figure with curves on the right places, she was wearing a white dress which made a nice contrast with her hair.
Aster saw the clod gaze that the woman was directing at him and he couldn't help but sigh.
"Come on, really? twice in a day, isn't this too much".
Before he could say anything, the woman spoke.
"You are the first one to come this far, what a shame you have such a low cultivation, you are not worthy enough to take my trial so just go and die".
As if her words were the law, the space surrounding Aster turned dark and for a split of a second, he felt as if his whole body was being torn apart, feeling its master life being threatened the golden armor manifested itself around him which somehow allowed Aster to escape from that dark space but he wasn't completely fine, his body felt numb.
He was really angry, he hasn't done anything to offend this woman and she just attacked him out of nowhere, seeing that there was no way to retreat he rushed towards the throne, after all he still had some seconds of invincibility left but when he reached a distance of two meters from where the throne was, something prevented him from advancing.
The woman saw his angered expression and she seemed to be doubting for a second but as if she remembered something her face became cold again before speaking.
"Humph, you are just a low-level human how would you be able to destroy a barrier created with the laws of someone that has transcended mortality, know your place".
The woman pointed at him with her finger and beam or dark energy was shot at Aster's chest, he tried to evade but his body didn't move on time, as he was about to sacrifice his left arm to receive the attack a rune circle appeared in front of him and a silhouette made of energy which resembled Lilia deflected the attack with her hand before disappearing.
Lilia's life-saving talisman protected him this time, the golden armor was starting to disappear because even now the dark energy was trying to crush him to death.
Aster spit out the blood that had accumulated in his mouth and then laughed, seeing Lilia's image a moment ago lit up his fighting spirit, as if the sun had descended on the room golden light exploded around him.
"Do you think that just because of the difference in our strength I should give up and let you kill me, well, fuck that".
"I have three beautiful girls waiting for me at home, so I can't allow myself to die here".
Before he finished speaking the golden light disappeared from almost all his body with the exception of his right hand that was still leaning against the barrier, he gritted his teeth and used whatever force he had left on his body to strike the barrier again.
As if a thunder had fall there was a big exploding sound and gusts of wind dispersed from the impact zone but the barrier didn't seem to suffer any damage, seeing his actions, the woman had a sad expression on her face.
"Just die already, your blood is staining my thr…".
*Crack*
The woman couldn't finish her sentence because she heard noises coming from her barrier, before she could react, it… broke.
"Impossible", she muttered.
Tons of glass-like shards dispersed in the floor, then feeling something warm, she used her hand to touch her neck and when she retrieved it… there was blood on her fingers, for a moment she froze before speaking in a soft voice.
"Who would have thought tha someone like you existed, I wish we could have met under different circumstances, if... I had the chance I wouldn't mind accepting you but unfortunately..." the woman sighed while thinking "I have to admit it you have earned my respect".
While the woman in the throne seemed to be lost in her thoughts, Aster had an exhausted expression, in that last attack he used all his spiritual energy along with the maximum force he could gather from the paragon body right now, in his anger he even somehow compressed the whole arm of the armor on his hand which now was broken due to the tension it caused on his body, he put on an unyielding smile before saying.
"It was not enough huh… I can't fucking die in a place like this" after saying that Aster's consciousness faded away, but before his body could hit the ground a hand held him in place, then another woman's proud and charming voice echoed through the room.
"That's more than enough… my dear master, rest for a bit while this empress gets you a reward for what you have achieved", she kissed Aster's forehead and then a golden platform appeared in the air after she snapped her fingers, she gently placed Aster on the platform which seemed to wrap his body in a beautiful pure golden light and steam started to come out of his body as his wounds started to heal.
The woman in the throne woke up from her trance but when she turned to see the human kid that somehow managed to leave a scratch on her body she saw another person, a woman on top of that which should have been impossible due to the laws and restrictions that existed on this space, not only this new intruder didn't lose to her in appearance but she actually felt a bit intimidated by her.
Beautiful long golden blonde hair that reached down to her lower back, her eye color was silver with slight blue tone, she was quite tall reaching about 1.80 meters of height, she was wearing a beautiful black dress with golden decorations that embraced her mature voluptuous body, all her presence exuded a sharp yet elegant and dignified aura that would make others unconsciously want to kneel in front of her, she was covered in a dazzling golden light which made it look as if the sun had descended in the room.
The woman sitting in the throne felt danger, she quickly stood up but when she was about to ask for the blonde woman to identify herself, she was interrupted by her.
"You know, in the countless number of years I have being conscious, in all the planets, realms or dimensions that I have witnessed, there has never been a case of a mortal no matter what methods used making someone that has gone beyond divinity bleed… until this day".
The space started to distort and cracks appeared on the walls of the room as her relaxed tone changed to a cold one before she continued, "this mortal trash" as you said is my precious master which makes him the most noble existence in all the creation and… you actually dared to called him "not worthy enough", for that… this empress shall make you regret ever raising your hand against him, now tell me who are you so I can put a collar on your neck with your name engraved on it, to present you as a gift for my master".
The woman in the throne was furious but feeling the pressure being radiated from the blonde woman she was apprehensive to take action so she wanted to drag things a bit.
"My name is Alessia, who are you!!! and how did you force your way into my personal realm?".
The blond woman smiled a bit before returning to her relaxed expression.
"I don't have a name, but my tittle used to be… "Hyperion", as for your second question I will always be wherever my master is".
Alessia looked through her memories and the result terrified her, as far as she knew "Hyperion" also known as the sword that cuts the universe in half, is the name of the biggest constellation that has ever existed, which disappeared from the firmament on the immemorial age, what kind of person will be able to claim such a title she wondered.
Before Alessia could say anything, the blond woman suddenly smiled which made her feel a chill running through her body.
"Now little book-girl… it is time for punishment ♥".
Alessia's eyes widened while she screamed on her mind "no way? she actually saw through me".
Chapter 57
Hyperion