"We all want power, but at what cost?" A voice suddenly vibrates through the space, and everything around me stops just like before. This time it is different; nothing is moving, it is all still, and the color of the world is fully drained.
"What are you willing to pay for power?" Something emerges from the shadow behind me, and I struggle to glimpse it until it hovers over me. It has no face, only a sleek black surface with a human-like body.
"Anything..." I blurt out, the words escaping before I can even think to hold them back, as if they've been waiting all along to be set free.
"How about instead I give you a quest to fulfill for me?" It tilts its head; I can feel the burning amusement in its voice, deep and barely enough to make out.
"I accept," I say, the finality of the words lingering in the air, sealing my fate with a mix of anticipation and dread.
"Defeat the demon king of sins. The great inventor Leonardo, my creator." Its voice deepens, as if resetting the words it is saying.
"Okay."
_________
[System]
A pact has been formed: Dagger of Gluttony is now yours.
A weapon feared by many, known to consume its owner's deepest desires and transform them into raw power. Forged by the legendary blacksmith Leonardo, it is one of the seven Sin Daggers, each embodying a deadly sin.
The legendary Leonardo, now hailed as one of the Prime Three, ranks among the most dangerous out of the three in the fantasy monster category, capable of bending reality with his most prized weapons.
_________
Time continues again, the color flooding back to the surroundings and everything going back to how it was, though the tightness in my chest is gone, and air finally begins to seep back into my lungs.
Yet that moment is cut short as the wolf lunges at me again with relentless fury. But before it can strike, obsidian-colored sashes materialize out of thin air, binding its massive paws and halting its attack mid-air.
"I don't know who you are! But..." The girl's voice cuts through the chaos, but she pauses for a second. "I want to live and… destroy someone too! I want to destroy the people that wronged me! I want to become strong!"
_________
[System]
Accept Avidia into your ring? (yes/no)
—Disclaimer—
This will change her title and system.
_________
A girl whose goal isn't small; it's something that has meaning, something that can help me. "Yes!"
_________
[System]
Changes will be made after the current battle.
_________
Safely landing on the ground, I barely register the searing pain radiating from my chest. There's no time to falter. Ignoring the agony, I pivot on my toes, launching myself back toward the wolf. The ground quakes beneath my feet as I slam down, sending shockwaves through the dungeon.
This beast cannot keep up its defense forever. Power alone is not enough; it's the drive, the sheer will to transcend, that separates the weak from the strong. Many fall short of their potential, but I will not. I will forge my path to greatness, and I will carry those who dare to follow, those whose goals align with the fall of normalcy in these worlds.
The first will be her, a girl who has the will to fight to get revenge on those who wronged her.
Iced swords materialize around me, their sharp edges gleaming with energy. His mana is running low; it is the only reason why I can see it now. With a single thought, it hurls toward me. Each one heads at speeds mirroring the wolf.
"Give me power!" The dagger suddenly changes; the rust corroding the blade fades away, and it shines even though it still has hints of rust.
Fibers on my body fill with this unexpected energy, and lightning dances around my whole body and blade as I dart off like a bolt, avoiding or destroying the iced blades in my way.
With each strike, I feel the power becoming one with my body, the lightning synchronizing with my every movement, my mind, my senses. I feel… powerful. While Avidia manages to contain the beast, even as it breaks away for a second, now the sashes are wrapped around its neck.
With a few feet separating me and the beast, one last iced dagger launches right at me. Bending down, I head straight for it, and with one swift kick, I send it back flying toward the beast.
A sound reaches my ears—the shattering of glass, like the final note of a requiem. The dagger, now glowing with a blue light that matches the fire in my eyes, heads straight for me as the sashes untie from its neck, letting it go.
Adjusting my dagger, I leap up as its claws come down on me and clash. "Come on one more!!" I shout.
_________
[System]
Add him to your ring or kill him. (Choose)
_________
"What do you mean, choose? I just fought to stay alive, and now you're telling me to choose? Is this how it's going to be—every single beast I come across, you're going to throw this option in my face?" I can feel my frustration rising with every breath just looking at the system.
_________
[System]
Replaying…
This beast is the last of its kind.
Yes (or) No
_________
Why should I even have a ring... I can become strong enough to defeat them all. I alone can rival the gods if I become strong enough. I have always fought by myself, so why should I rely on ring people who can betray me in the future?
"What are you doing? You could die!" Avidia shouts, causing me to come out of my turmoil.
Shit, shit, shit! Think fast, Cipher; do you want to add him?
"Learn to trust; you might find something blooming from it, and if not, it doesn't hurt to try." I recall my mother's words, which before filled me with warmth but now fill me with this bone-chilling anger.
As if she was the one to talk... She left me for dead with that man, and now she's having fun in some field!
My thoughts spiral, and finally, the words slip out. "I accept," I say softly.
_________
{System]
Ranking dropping to human form.