Not long after escaping the void, the boy found himself in a the same room where the Statues stood, and in front of him was the Ruler who wields a sword. As a form of respect, he bowed his head to the Ruler.
"In vow of my weapon…I will succeed."
He made his way across the hall, and the injuries he would usually feel after finishing a challenge was no longer there. His face was more lively now that blood wasn't running down his body like a broken faucet.
Walking at a pace where he felt confident, he could feel the warm look of acknowledgement from the three Rulers. Now only one Statue remained…he was confident, he could finish this Challenge in time before the terrorist attack would happen.
As he got closer to the Statue, he had the same impression of it as to the first time he saw its Enormous build…an indestructible tower that wouldn't crumble.
As he touched the Statue, he immediately received a prompt from the system. Just like the Blind ruler who accepted him from the simple touch to her dress, the Shield user accepted him from just a touch also.
[The Arduous Ruler has Accepted your Audience.]
And just like that his consciousness faded out and as he awoke, he founded himself at a corner. On his front was a blue curtain that covered something beyond, a burning light that gave the Curtain a more exposed view…
The boy decided to walk pass the curtain and to his surprise, a small room was only seen.
"...Its small."
It had the aesthetic of a Greek themed Architecture.
It had pillars with writings that he had never see before, torches that ignited a lighter color than the usual fire, and blue curtains with designs of stars embroidered into them. And at the Center was a Shield. A Golden shield…it was bright…alluring…it was alike staring at the sun…
Mesmerized by the Shield, the boy was lured in. At every step he made, the Shield would shine even more…luring him into a deeper state of hypnosis.
Allured by it, he reaches for the Shield, but suddenly a hand appears out of nowhere and grabs him by the wrist.
"!?"
Shocked, the boy jumps backwards and immediately freed himself from the grasp of the Bulky hands.
"Welcome." Said a Bald man with mean beard and a stature which was nearly 7ft tall…his body was like that of a Giant. Wide, Muscular and Intimidating.
Right then and there, the Boy knew who this was…he had the same face as the one on the statue did. It was the Shield User, the Arduous Ruler.
Yet for some reason he wasn't wearing the armor that was displayed back then at the Statue and instead he wore a plain blue robe that covered most of his muscles.
"Thank you for your Audience…I'm here to take on your challenge." said the boy for a direct request.
"hmm...Are you?"
"Yes I am, I've been up against all the other challenges the Rulers put me through and you are the last one."
"Ok…I see, thank you for coming." he said with his calmed voice but at the same time heavy tone.
"So, whats the Challenge going to be?"Asked the Boy.
"hmm…before that, would you like to have a drink?" said the man as he walks away from the boy and unto the corner where a table was placed, He grabs a glass bottle and a pair of glass cups and pours its contents into them…he passes one glass to the boy…
"here."
"...what is this?"
"...Esposa…a warm drink our country used to offer ourselves in all the times of celebrations…as congratulations for you passing the three challenges of the rulers."
"...Thank you for the offer."
"Cheers to you…" he said as he raises his cup.
"To...me." and the boy followed. But was a bit uncertain why this was happening.
Together they drank the warm drink known as Esposa.
As the boy tasted the Drink offered to him. His eyes opened wide and for a quick second he saw the flavors of Grapes and Berries floating in midair…it was a surreal moment.
"!!" The flavor was Strong…yet subtle…
"Well? How was it?"
"Its…amazing."
"Yes…yes it was…" Said the Ruler as he turns his back to the boy and puts the glass bottle down on the table.
"..."
The Ruler just stood in place…staring at the very bottle he just drank from…
His eyes showed nothing but a sad look but the boy couldn't see anything but the wide back of this ruler.
"My country…my people made this in honor of our victories…every time I drink this, I would smile and look to the Rulers and see that we have brought a bright future for these people…our people…"
"..."the boy just listened to the rambles of the man…clearly hearing the tense tone he was giving off.
"I Drank this in honor for the People…My people drank this in honor of us, their Rulers. We all drank this in honor of…our Future."
"..."
"And now we drink this in honor of you…"
"Thank you." said the boy happily. His impression towards this Ruler was different than the others…he was more approachable. Compared to the fact that one ruler was living in darkness, one lived in a desert and one who was watching over a war like an everyday TV show. It wasn't to say that they weren't kind,
"Oh, no need to mention. Now about your challenge...I know. To pass my challenge, how about you…carry my shield over there." he said as he pointed to the Shield at the center of the room.
"…Are you sure?" the boy was taken aback, he didn't expect for it to be this easy of a challenge.
"Yes…a simple task isn't it. It doesn't have to be lifted over your head or even pass your waist…you just have to lift it."
The boy didn't question the Ruler and went to the Shield.
But just like before, the closer he got, the more mesmerized he was by just looking at that shield.
he stopped his tracks for a minute and turned back to the Ruler.
"Why did you stop me from touching the shield before?"
"...hmm, no reason."
"..."The boy ignored the Ruler's excuse and went to face the challenge.
As he faced the Shield in front. The moment he touched it, this staggering feeling was instantly rushing all over his body...like a flowing current of lightning, his body jolted just from the touch of it.
".…Whoa…" his body suddenly urged him to quickly lift it off the ground.
Filled with adrenaline, he placed his two hands at each side of the shield, gripping it as hard as he could. And so he strive for it.
"Hnn!!"
He gave it his all…
With veins appearing all over his arms. He could feel it….Rising…above midair…but.
"Is that all?" The Ruler spoke up, questioning the efforts of the boy…
"It hasn't moved an inch."
"!!" surprised by the statement, his arms suddenly gave way and pulled himself back.
*Thud* as his ass lands on the floor.
"...What? What do you--"asked the boy in a surprised tone.
"It didn't move." Said the Ruler as he cuts the boy off.
"I-Impossible, I felt it rising off the ground, I-I'll do it again."Said the boy.
"Well, give it your all." said the Ruler as he encourages the boy to lift the impossibly heavy shield.
"Hnn!!" the boy gave it his all again.
In his mind, a shield that was this heavy reminded him of a certain Magical hammer. On it he thought that maybe only chosen people were fit to carry this shield. It discouraged the mentality he had for this challenge.
Yet the shield shines at the moment of his doubt. Giving him back the confidence of pulling it off from the ground.
"huu…." his attempt to carry it was again was going to be futile, so he changed up his game and added mana to increase his strength. Not expending anything at all to pull this off, he used every ounce of Mana he could expend.
"Okay…hnn."
Mana: 0.0
Strength: 80(+50)
"Oh.." the Ruler was amazed to see the sudden rise of the boy's strength.
His body overflowed with energy when it was applied with Mana. Mainly it focused on his arms and legs. It was the first time he used all of his Mana to focus more on his strength and the effects towards just using solely it on his arms and legs gave him a slight muscle tension.
He didn't waste time and directly grabbed the sides of the Shield. As he gripped the sides, the veins started showing on his muscles.
"Hnn!!" but again, he struggles to pull it off.
".…" The Ruler stared as the boy tussled at the weight of the shield.
"!!!" without time to breath, his face was starting to turn red and his muscles were starting to shake
"...HNNNNAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!" He screamed in desperation. His voice, rolling at each corner of the room and his eyes closed to the open view of the shining shield.
".…"The Ruler stared and watch the very definition of desperation…and he ponders what this boy's reason was to give it his all. A shield he knew was heavy to a point that simply dropping it off a cliff would make the mountain shake.
As he observes the actions of this boy, a memory of the past was starting to play in his mind.
A boy giving it his all as he tries to pull off the same shield.
A father proud of his efforts.
A mother carrying a bottle with the word's written 'Esposa' on their own language.
Pouring the drink on the glass set…she offered it to her husband.
And he smiles as this gesture was a simple sign on their love…and yet the bells rang…the people screamed…and everything went dark after that.
The Arduous Ruler stared, his eyes went dreary and a look of worry appeared.
he knew this was going to be another failure.
But yet a miracle happens.
"...!" The Ruler saw the shield move…it shook…and it rises.
But the weight of its impossibility was too much for the boy. His arms gave way…his eyes lost its light…and his breath burst out…
It was just an inch of culmination…yet as it falls back…
*Ting!!*
Like a bell falling of its church. The sound it made ran through the room, deafening the ears of the boy. And what came after was the Shield's power.
A blinding light erupted the room.
"AH!! what is this!?" the boy screams in confusion.
As the light faded away and the boy opens his eyes. He found himself in a completely different place.
A dark land where nothing would shine and a sun that was hanging by the sky while covered by a still sphere. It was an eclipse no doubt.
In front of him was a boulder and on that boulder was a shield embedded into it. He thought it was the same shield but as he took a closer look, it was a different shield entirely, its colour was somewhat dark and its design in front was a crescent sun molded into shape instead of a full sun.
Despite the fact that everything else was empty and dark, the giant boulder in front of him was noticeably in perfect view…everything else was questionable.
"What am I supposed to do now?" The boy was clueless.
*Ting*
But then he heard it. The shield was ringing.
Calling him forward.
"..." and so he followed. Making his way.
At each step he made…the ringing became even more louder, and the land was becoming more brighter as the eclipse was starting to move…but the shield remained dark.
*Ting*
*Ting*
*Ting*
*Ting*
*Ting*
*Ting*
…..*Ting*
In front of him was the shield at arms reach.
His arm unconsciously made its way up…as he felt the touch of its front…
The final ring sounded off.
*Ting*
The boulder started to crumble, the sphere that covered the sun was gone and the land was finally seen. As he picks the Shield from the rubble, he looks to what was in front of him and to his surprise, A massacred City laid in front, its buildings fallen, grass painted red by the blood of its citizens, and the breeze of the wind made the black birds fly away. This view was a sad thing to witness.
"What is this…?" questioned the boy.
"Its the Land I ruled over."
"!?" surprised to see the Ruler appear out of nowhere, he jumps back in surprise.
"Its in ruins." said the boy.
"Its the result of a failed Ruling"
"...failed?"
"Our enemies finally came…Gods they were…and with no mercy, they destroyed everything."
"Gods..."
"Randull's Prophecy was right…it was inevitable"
"Why?"
"Why ask why? It's a simple answer…The Inferiority of a God's Complex."
"..."
"Gods hated us…we went against their influence. We ruled over our own strength and they feared it. And we…we were to Prideful to go against the very principles of our faith."
"We all lost that day."
"..." The Boy looked and saw the face the Ruler was giving him.
it was a sad and soft look…
The Ruler stayed silent after that.
And the boy too stayed silent...
"...."
"...."
The silent made them both watch the view in placed before them. it was a moment where even though none of them talked, the boy felt the pain the ruler was going through...the pain of losing something you cared for. He sympathized with the old man.
"Life itself has value…and to carry the very life you choose to protect, that will be your responsibility until your death. How many can you carry…One? Two? How about Five? Maybe Ten, why not a hundred? A thousand? Can you carry that weight?"
"If its price where I can save them...then I'll carry it."
"Then are you ready to carry a Shield?" The Ruler said to the boy.
"...I wanna think that I can."
"My shield Protects my People and only my people…but I failed…can you promise me you'll do better?"
"...I promise to do better...enough that I'll let you forget about the past and make you look forward to the Future."
"...I know you will, you're a Ruler after all. and a Ruler takes pride in Promises."
"So you'll acknowledge me?"
"Yes."
"Thank you. I am ready to give it my all…even at the cost of my life. And if I'll fail at protecting someone…I promise you I won't."
"..." The Ruler was silent.
An expression where he was no longer worried came out of him.
A soft smile was all that's seen.