Icarius navigated through the items in the mystical store, scrolling until something caught his eye: a tool called the Exchanger. The description was vague but enticing—it promised the ability to revive his body, but at a heavy cost. Four years of his life. Without much hesitation, he purchased it. The price wasn't just in years; the tool required bargaining with demons from the underworld. The idea sent chills down his spine. The risks were high, but he was desperate.
Once he activated the Exchanger, a roulette-like system appeared, spinning endlessly through the names of underworld entities. He watched, anxious and uncertain. "Random demons, huh? This can go so wrong," Icarius muttered, his thoughts racing. The screen kept spinning for what felt like an eternity. Six minutes passed before it finally stopped. The name displayed made him sit up straight: Hades.
Icarius's heart raced. "Hades? He exists? The god of the underworld? But… he's ranked 37th?" His confusion grew. Hades was supposed to be one of the most powerful entities, yet he wasn't even near the top of the rankings. "This doesn't add up."
He hesitated but knew he couldn't afford to waste time. He opened the messaging interface within the system and began typing.
Icarius: "I need help with reviving a body. Are you really Hades?"
There was a pause before a response came, the text appearing slowly.
Hades: "Who do you wish to revive? And how did a mere mortal manage to get a connection with me through this crude method?"
Icarius's mind raced. He couldn't be too honest—mentioning that it was his own body might complicate things, especially with someone as unpredictable as Hades.
Icarius: "A… friend. His spirit's intact, but his body is gone. I need a solution."
He waited, his eyes fixed on the screen. Seconds felt like minutes. Hades's response finally came.
Hades: "Odd… Your name isn't showing up for me. I can sense something's off. Are you hiding something?"
Icarius gulped, his fingers hovering over the keys as he quickly crafted a vague reply.
Icarius: "I wouldn't know. I just need your help."
There was a long silence, and for a moment, Icarius feared he'd blown his chances. Then, another message appeared.
Hades: "There's a potion—Oxehinium. It can restore any physical body, no matter how damaged. But I don't deal for free. I want your magic core."
Icarius's eyes widened in disbelief. His magic core? The very essence that allowed him to use magic? He thought back to the moment he first gained it through the Sage system, when he was brought into this world. His powers had been sealed, leaving him unable to access his mana, but the magic core was still there, dormant. Without it, even if he restored his mana, he would never be able to cast spells again.
The weight of the decision pressed down on him. "No magic… ever again?" he whispered, doubt clawing at him. But he couldn't afford to let his physical form deteriorate—it was already a miracle he'd lasted this long in his current state.
Hades: "Tick-tock, mortal. My time is valuable."
Icarius clenched his fists, feeling the pressure mounting. "This is insane," he thought. "But I don't have a choice." His form was fading, and the instability was worsening. He could feel it—the threads holding his existence together were fraying. It was either lose his magic or cease to exist altogether.
He took a deep breath and typed his reply.
Icarius: "Deal."
The transaction was instant. The screen flickered, and a vial of shimmering liquid materialized in front of him. It was the Oxehinium potion. Icarius didn't wait. He grabbed it, hesitated for just a moment, then downed the liquid in one gulp. The taste was bitter, almost burning, as it slid down his throat. For a moment, nothing happened. He stared at his reflection in the darkened system screen, anxiety hitting on him.
Minutes passed, and doubt began creeping in. "Did I just give up my magic for nothing?" he thought, panic rising. "What if this was a trick?"
Before he could spiral further, a wave of exhaustion hit him like a brick wall. His vision blurred, and the world spun. He staggered, clutching at nothing as his consciousness slipped away. "No… I can't pass out now…"
But it was too late. Icarius collapsed, his thoughts fading as darkness swallowed him whole.
In the void of unconsciousness, Icarius's mind wandered. Flashes of memories, emotions, and voices swirled around him. He was haunted by visions of the people he had met and of the stakes he had put on the line. "Did I make the right choice?" The question echoed in his head, but there was no answer, only silence.