"I suppose that went more smoothly than anticipated."
Gazing down from an elevated vantage point, I couldn't help but release a quiet chuckle.
"This will certainly elevate Maximus's profile among the heroes and neighboring kingdoms... in a rather unfavorable light," I remarked, shifting my focus to Eveline, who struggled to break free from Julius's restraint in her determination to confront Maximus.
"Indeed... I hadn't anticipated her desperation would reach these heights." I shook my head in mild disbelief.
You might be curious about the events leading up to this. Here's a brief overview:
In order for me to successfully fake my own death, a careful plan had to be orchestrated. I understood the necessity of a convincing injury to make the ruse believable — which is why I let Maximus put a scar on my eye without dodging using my Teleportation.
Afterwards, I discreetly made my way to the window, intending to find a bandit with almost similar appearance to mine, whom I could use for my plan.
I soon found my target, killed him, disassembled the corpse and placed it on bag along with monster that I've hunted to avoid suspicion.
It was hard, but thanks to my little knowledge about dissecting a human body from anatomy, it wasn't hard as you think... It's just bloodily annoying.
Once my task was complete, I retraced my steps, ensuring no prying eyes had witnessed my actions. Satisfied with my precautions, I returned to my room and cautiously approached the window.
Upon returning to my room, I meticulously positioned everything as if there was a fight that happened inside the room. Placing the disassembled corpse of the bandit to the ground and put a scar, I burned the face slightly — not too much so that they can still see the scar — to make sure that no one can identify the difference.
Having concluded my part, I exited the scene via a concealed window. Ensconced beneath a cloak to obscure my identity, I ensured that one of the palace maids observed my departure from the window, appearing to head in the direction where Maximus was.
As events unfolded the following day, and the fabricated remains were discovered, the same maid would serve as a crucial eyewitness. With the sole individual who glimpsed the supposed assassin, which is actually me, the evidence would later stack up against Maximus.
Plus, given that Maximus held the strongest animosity towards me, he naturally became the prime candidate to be implicated in my supposed demise.
I anticipated that his reputation and influence would wane considerably as he became the leading suspect in the apparent murder of the hero — which can lessen Julius' problems.
"This will be the last time I'll help you, Hero Julius..."
I shall chart my course at my own tempo, assembling a more adept and capable party to propel my forthcoming strategy.
We shall labor in obscurity, guided by an unwavering sense of purpose.
For PARADISE...
"Via ad paradisum..."
Henceforth, I will forge my own consortium.
"PARADISUS..."
The primary catalyst behind my choice to sever ties with heroism stems from a profound lack of faith in the Goddess herself. It's an intrinsic quandary—how can one place their trust in an entity that seems to perpetuate nothing but illusionary optimism? The crux of my skepticism lies in the prophetic utterance she delivered. In her oration, she assured that as long as the assembly of heroes managed to surmount the ultimate obstacle, a gateway to PARADISE would be unlocked for all. Yet, conspicuously absent from her proclamation was any reference to a crucial factor—the existence of a KEY to unlock this elusive destiny.
The notion of putting faith in a being that selectively disseminates information and withholds pivotal details serves as a reminder that blind trust can lead one astray. My decision to abdicate the hero's mantle is anchored in the realization that subservience to the Goddess's whims might well entangle me in a web of half-truths and concealed agendas.
"If my suspicions are accurate, then the true adversary of this world must be none other than the Goddess herself."
Rising from my seat, I pivoted and wrapped my hand around the hilt of my sword.
"I will reach the PARADISE... even if it necessitates the audacious act of becoming a harbinger of divine demise."
...
..
.
What constitutes the paramount path to accessing the elusive realm of PARADISE?
Is it through the mantle of a hero, perhaps? A title that, though esteemed, need not be the sole gateway.
No...
The truth, my friends, is starkly simple: victory.
To triumph over the odds, to emerge victorious in the face of adversity — therein lies the crux of the matter. The path to PARADISE unfurls before the tenacious, irrespective of the route they choose.
For in this realm of challenges and trials, one singular objective reigns supreme: the annihilation of every Boss Monster, wave after relentless wave. The rest, you see, is superfluous, inconsequential in comparison.
Survival becomes the lodestar — a beacon guiding every decision, every strategy. Ethics bend, alliances form and shatter; all that prevails is the ceaseless pursuit of self-preservation.
The means employed may diverge, even border on the unthinkable, for they too must bend to the overarching imperative: survival. Such is the crucible of this world, where the threads of existence are woven with the unyielding fibers of perseverance.
Thus, as I navigate the tumultuous waters of this journey: the pursuit of survival supersedes all. In a universe marred by turmoil, the essence of PARADISE emerges not from grandeur or heroism, but from the quiet tenacity to endure, to overcome, and above all...
To SURVIVE is to WIN.
***
Somewhere...
In a distant locale, a woman adorned with lustrous, cascading locks of ashy brown hair delicately sealed her book, her gaze then drawn towards the expanse beyond her windowpane.
"To WIN is to SURVIVE."
She softly uttered, her voice a mere whisper that danced on the air. With a flourish, she propelled the book aloft, and in a breathtaking twist, it dissolved into the inscrutable abyss.
"Saber... For the survival of my world, you need to DIE."