Louise clutched the scythe and tried his best to stand up. However, the adrenaline he had during the battle was gone, and he felt his body weakened by the extreme blood loss. He felt like he was fainting, but the unbearable pain from his left shoulder kept him awake.
His last attack had been purely instinctual, driven by a desperate need to survive. He had abandoned all thoughts of defense, focusing solely on delivering powerful, reckless strikes that left him vulnerable but gave him the edge he needed.
Now that the adrenaline was slowly vanishing, it was replaced by an incredible pain from his stabbed shoulder. He looked down at his clothes and saw that he was already swimming in his own blood. He could only grit his teeth and push forward, determined to face whatever came next.
He staggered forward and looked around. He was waiting for the new adversary to come.
"Bravo, bravo. What a magnificent battle! For such a weak human to kill three of my specters is nothing short of amazing." Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him, but it looked more like a hologram of a middle-aged man.
The man looked like a middle-aged European aristocrat. He wore a luxurious outfit adorned with intricate patterns and a monocle over his left eye. A rainbow-colored cape hung from his shoulders, adding an aura of mystique. His face was white and pale, reminiscent of those from vampire movies, and he was very tall and handsome, exuding an air of authority and elegance.
"I must say, I'm truly amazed by your performance," the man continued. "Louise, isn't it? You have been marked as one of the humans I look forward to meeting in person."
Louise felt that the man was suffocatingly powerful, but luckily, he held no enmity despite him killing his minions. He let down his guard, thinking that at the worst, he would just get killed. After all, he was powerless at this point.
Using the scythe as a cane to prevent himself from falling down, Louise decided to converse with the man. Since the other guy seemed to have no malice, he might as well try to learn something.
"Who are you?" Louise asked politely, his voice strained. "And I'm sorry for killing your specters. I had no choice."
The middle-aged man laughed heartily. "No need to apologize, young man. My name is Raizel. And those specters? They are nothing. I have millions of them at home. I only appeared before you because I found your fight amusing and wanted to give you a gift."
Raizel reached into his luxurious outfit and pulled out something that looked like underwear. He threw it to Louise. "This, my friend, could be your last line of defense once your peculiar barrier breaks."
Louise caught the item, bewildered. "An underwear?"
"Yes," Raizel said, smiling. "It's a magical artifact. It may look like underwear, but it can protect you from a fatal blow. Consider it a token of my appreciation for the entertainment you've provided."
Louise, still trying to process everything, asked, "Why are you doing this? And what is happening to Earth? Why are we being pulled into these games?"
Raizel's expression turned serious. "I can't answer those questions, I'm afraid. But you will soon understand everything yourself. I merely made use of a glitch in the system to appear before you and give you this gift. Think of it as a little cheat to help you on your journey."
Raizel paused, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You are still too weak, and your planet has yet to fully awaken. Once Earth is incorporated into the game, many things will start to make sense. Until then, survive and grow stronger."
"Wait," Louise said, desperation in his voice. "There must be something more you can tell me!"
Raizel shook his head. "I'm sorry, Louise. Our time is up. Just remember, the game has only just begun. Farewell."
Before Louise could say anything else, Raizel's figure vanished, leaving him alone once again.
Louise dropped to the ground in exhaustion. He thought he was a goner, but suddenly, a warm current flowed throughout his body, healing all his wounds and restoring his strength. He felt a surge of energy revitalizing him.
Within seconds, Louise was fully recovered. He heard a notification inside his head.
[Quest Accomplished]
[Eliminated Enemies: 4/1]
[Rating: SS]
[Returning in 30 seconds.]
[Rewards will be sent out once open-beta begins.]
Louise slumped to the ground, the scythe still clutched in his hand. He looked at the magical underwear, a strange sense of gratitude mixed with bewilderment washing over him. As the countdown to his return ticked away, he couldn't help but sigh.