"Tian Men huh? That's a pretty unique name. I guess it makes sense since you look lost." Penelope looked smug about her deduction.
"Y-Yeah, I'm just lost... So, can you tell me where the tavern is? I tried to find it, but everyone kept looking at me weirdly." I made an excuse to get away from her as soon as possible.
"T-The tavern huh? Well, you can find it by walking straight ahead. After you see a large well, turn to the left. You should see the sign for the tavern as you go straight ahead." Penelope coldly gave me the direction
Her compassionate gaze was instead replaced by absolute indifference and a hint of disdain was shown.
Looks like I've already made a bad impression on her. People who go to the tavern are looked down upon because the tavern in this world is a place where unsavory people reside.
It is not illegal, but highly looked down upon. That is why it is the best way to get away from a righteous person like Penelope.
I walked away from her as soon as possible.
I ran away again, why am I so pathetic, I've lived long enough to see the human race being exterminated by the Heavenly Demon. Yet, I'm over here running from my problems yet again. Just what did I achieve during my previous life?
I thought to myself while feeling ashamed of my behavior.
As I walked around the town aimlessly, I accidentally found myself at the training ground. However, this was a training ground that only me and Penelope knows about.
I looked at the chipped stone tiles, I could see some mold growing on them. The smell of musty and an earthly smell of mold invaded my nostrils and made me feel a bit nostalgic. I then looked around at the worn-out benches near the entrance. Instead of feeling uneasy at the wreckage, I felt comfortable and felt a sense of belonging.
"It's been a while huh? I can't believe I'm feeling nostalgic over such an ancient place." I sat down on the worn-out benches and slowly drifted to sleep.
In my dream, screams could be heard, but I've had this dream for a long time now; I've just learned to ignore them. I walked in a straight line, and darkness was slowly consuming the place where I was standing.
There it was, in front of me what can only be described as hell was unfolding in front of me, the bodies of my fallen comrades were piled up on one another. This was a scene I've experienced for a long time now.
However, something was different today. On top of the bodies stood Penelope, she looked grotesque, and her flesh was rotten just like a zombie.
This was the first time she had ever appeared in this dream. I can't help but think it might be because my trauma, and regret for not being able to save Penelope has caused this sudden change.
Suddenly, Penelope instantly vanished like a ghost and appeared behind me. Before I could even react, I felt her freezing arm penetrating through my chest, I coughed up a mouthful of blood onto the ground.
"Why didn't you save me? Why did you run, you coward? Are you finally feeling guilty, after so many years? I hate you; I hate you; I hate you! I wish I'd never met you, so I didn't have to sacrifice myself to protect a coward like you." Although I knew this was a dream, however, her words penetrated my heart.
"I know that I know I'm a coward, and I certainly don't deserve forgiveness. I was wondering why I was given a second chance to live."
She scoffed at my monologue.
"Isn't it because you are just lucky? You've survived many near-death experiences. If that isn't luck then I don't know what is." I cannot deny her words because it is true, many people were once in my shoes, yet they ultimately died in the end, I was always the one who barely escaped death.
"Although you are right, that's not correct." I retorted "I have finally realized why I was chosen. It is because I was the last survivor of humanity. I know more about the future than anyone else." I paused and looked at her determinedly.
"But, If anyone has a shot at changing the future, IT IS ME!" Energy started to burst out of my body, I used her dazed state as an opening and tore her frosty arm away from my chest.
Without giving her a chance to think, I willed a trusty sword of mine into existence and severed her head with my blade.
Her head rolls onto the ground with a soft thud.
"So you've finally made up your mind." The dead bodies of my comrades slowly dissipate. A beam of light could be seen shining through the darkness, a small sprout has risen from the ground. Slowly the ground transformed into a beautiful field of lush green grass plain.
Rivers could be heard flowing gently in the background, I could hear the birds chirping and singing, setting a tranquil scenery.
I've looked around the peaceful plains to try to find the one who spoke to me.
I walked around the forest, I crossed many rivers until I finally found it.
A small plot of open land in the dense forest. This was the place where I'd spent almost all of my life training.
As I approached the land I felt an invisible barrier stopping me from entering.
"Why am I being stopped right now?" I asked out loud, I was unsure if there was anyone in there.
"Welcome to my humble abode." The same voice I've heard replied. "To pass through you must meet the qualification.
"Am I not qualified?" I demanded an answer from him "What do I have to do to be qualified?"
"You lack... Motivation, now show me your power!" He threw me a sword and blitzed toward me
"Argh!!! Get off of me!" I looked for some openings and utilized them as much as possible.
Unfortunately, my opponent seems to be mimicking my every move, making this fight harder than it should've been.
I attacked his openings, but at the same time, it left me open as well, the figure took advantage of that opening and dealt a significant blow to me.
"I was coughing up some blood, but it is nothing that I can't handle. I decided to just rush in this time, I hope I can gain some advantages by not giving him time to think.
As if reading my mind, the figure already prepared himself for a blitz attack. His stance is identical to mine when I fight against fast enemies.
Instead of being overwhelmed by my attacks, he was steady and calm, he sent me flying with his kicks, and he appeared behind me in an instant, and he barely missed my vital area.
At this point I was running out of tricks, my muscles were already screaming for me to stop now, my leg grew soft, and my stance became unstable. But I didn't give up, I must see this through the end.
"Well, I must commend you on your resilience, but this is the end now." He launched a flurry of slashes at me.
After I had used my last bits of strength to sidestep some attacks, I landed some hits on the figure. In the desperate situation I was facing, I decided to pretend to be at my limit, I showed him some openings, and lured my opponent to attack me.
"That's all you got?!" He looked at me with disapproval.
"No, but you've made a big mistake on your part." I panted tiredly and used the footwork that I had developed from decades of experience then I suddenly disappeared without a sound. It was as if I never existed, it didn't matter if he knew this move or not, once I was using this technique, no one could detect me, besides the Heavenly Demon. I appeared behind him and stabbed in in the chest with my blade.
Before he realized what just happened, he was already on the ground bleeding.
"Am I qualified now?" I've asked in a tried tone
"Yes, you have proved yourself. You may enter now." The barrier that was blocking me slowly dissipated into shards of transparent energies, and the figure's wound healed like nothing ever happened
"Since you have provided for yourself, I'm sure you've finally made up your mind to utilize your second life now, correct?" He healed my wounds and fatigues as well.
"Yes, I don't want to be trapped in my guilt anymore." The person I was facing was myself.
"That's assuring, now how about we take a trip down the memory lane? Do you remember this beautiful grass plain? " The other me asked as the scenery changed into a gorgeous field of grass.
"I wish I could forget. But just to amuse you, yes. I do remember this plain, this was where we'd gotten my first monster kill. We barely managed to defeat a simple slime, without our master we definitely wouldn't have been able to kill even a simple slime.
"Indeed, now about this." The scenery was switched to a grim one. Buildings were set ablaze, civilians were getting slaughtered. The town was dyed red by a singular monster, the Eternal Dragon of Chaos.
"Why are you showing me this?" I glared at the other me not knowing his intention.
"Save this place where you call home this time, you are given another chance, it would be a waste to repeat the same events again. After you clear the tutorial, you are capable enough to slay the dragon. Change the future, Chen Tian Men!" As soon as he said this, the dream came to an end.
"He's right, I was given a second chance, I need to stop acting like a coward and change the future for the better!"
As the sun began to set, my new journey began, this was the start of my redemption. The weight of humanity's future was placed on my shoulders once more. This time, I will be sure to not let them down once more. I will not run away anymore.
The first step I have to take to save humanity is to get rid of anything emotions that will weigh me down even more.
Thus, I headed toward the place to Penelope's favorite place.
The Arena