Chapter Thirty-Three: Horrors of an Inheritance
Dusken's expression changed vividly as a cold light ran through his eyes.
'Someone has completed phase one already?' he thought, gazing at the distant castle.
Dusken knew that moving quickly was imperative if he wanted this inheritance. Pushing himself to his feet, he advanced with steady, unwavering steps.
He took one step at a time, walking forward as blood rolled from his lips. Yet his eyes held a deep profundity and great bearing.
Dusken no longer wanted to put on the mask he usually wore; right now, it was time for him to be himself. Someone who had reincarnated with great experience and a deep understanding of the way of life.
The cold, relentless will he had developed over time began rising to the surface, propelling his progress significantly. He had to get this inheritance, no matter what. Everything else was just air.
The roars of creatures echoed in the area as they fought amongst themselves for food and resources. The mucky ground below his feet stained his brown boots as he moved.
The chilly winds caressed his skin as he advanced. The metallic taste of blood filled his taste buds, but he swallowed.
The smell of mud permeated the air, but he didn't care.
Shapes of different creatures were sensed by him through the darkness, seen by him through the darkness, and looked down upon by him due to their stupidity.
He walked among them, shrouded by the darkness, yet they didn't sense him. The castle in the distance was drawing closer and closer as Dusken advanced.
He couldn't help but sink deep in thought. 'This inheritance, why had it moved? Why had it absorbed all living beings in its surroundings?' he pondered.
Something within him stirred, telling him that this wasn't simple.
'What if… we're going to be used as a sacrifice or something?' His eyes blazed with an unknown light as soon as this thought occurred to him.
'Lillian, she is strange. She knows phrases from Earth, is a candidate, and holds deep knowledge about the world in the trial. Perhaps she already knows a way to obtain the inheritance?' Dusken mused.
There was a possibility that Lillian had also reincarnated from 40th-century Earth, just like him.
However, that didn't guarantee her deep knowledge about this world in the trial. It felt like she had been here before, experienced all of this before.
Perhaps, just maybe, she had been through it all before?
Joining all the clues together, there were only two explanations. As soon as Dusken had this thought, he couldn't help but chuckle at his own thinking.
The first explanation was that Lillian had likely reincarnated. However, it may be different from others. She had perhaps reincarnated from the future into the past.
Dusken massaged his forehead with a grin on his face. This was all ridiculous, reincarnating from the future into the past while being aware of the events?
He wanted to believe it, but it sounded too absurd.
While for the second explanation? His expression grew cold. Lillian had another side ability, one capable of making her aware of hidden information.
Secrets that were untold or would be revealed in the future. This would explain her in-depth knowledge of this trial, the inheritance and also the quote of Nael from Earth.
Perhaps, one day in the future, he had said that quote and when Lillian came in contact with him, she had seen it through her weird side ability.
There was also the fact that it may not have been a coincidence that the path they took out of the forest led to the inheritance.
Dusken inhaled sharply while shaking his head. No matter which explanation, first or second, they were both too absurd to be true.
Either way, Lillian had information about this trial, somehow. The way she knew it, however, was a information that he may, or may never find out in the future.
Raising his head and glancing ahead, he saw that the castle was now near.
It stood majestically on a massive mountain, its tall, finger-like spires piercing the dark clouds above as cold winds blew wildly.
The surroundings were packed with mountain ranges and uneven terrain covering the castle's base.
The full moon shone through the thick, dark clouds, casting a dim radiance over the castle, as if blessing it.
Dusken inhaled deeply. He could now see the castle, and with every step, it drew closer. However, it wasn't only him - across the area, tens of people approached the castle.
Many were beastmen, some were humans, and those humans were exactly the ones who had summoned weapons during the battle of the beastmen tribe.
They were all contestants for the legacy of Norhing. Yet, no one attacked one another. In this situation, with the threat of death hanging over them like a guillotine's blade, everyone cooperated.
They arrived at the closest mountain range before the road leading to the castle at the mountain's peak.
Inhaling deeply, Dusken took a step forward, and his vision shifted. He found himself standing in a constantly shifting labyrinth.
'Illusion, huh,' he immediately realised. It was just that there was nothing to be done about it.
A voice suddenly sounded in the area, making him flinch slightly.
"Welcome to the first stage of the inheritance. With every question you answer correctly, the more you advance; the more questions you fail, the closer you are to death." The cold, emotionless tone of the voice was palpable.
Dusken was getting tired of all this. Ever since his arrival here, the word 'death' had been the only constant.
'So repetitive.' Dusken's fear of death had already become nonexistent due to this inheritance.
The voice spoke once again, asking its first question.
"What is darkness?" The question left Dusken confused.
'Is this a tricky question?' he asked himself, pondering. After a few moments of silence, his eyes suddenly shone, and he answered,
"Darkness is the absence of light." His words were spoken with cold confidence.
The mysterious voice immediately responded.
"The first question has been passed; two more to go." The voice echoed in a cold, neutral tone.
'I was right.' Dusken smiled internally. The question had been slightly deceptive. It was simple, but that very simplicity made it tricky.
One thing about smart people was that they tended to overthink everything.
This question was designed to make Dusken question the obvious, to make him overthink a simple thing, and thus give a wrong answer, then fail.
Luckily, he had seen through it - after all, he had used such methods in his previous life.
The maze suddenly shifted, and a path was created for Dusken to pass. Without hesitation, he walked through it.
As soon as he entered another section, a question was asked again.
"What comes after love?" This question almost made Dusken's step come to a halt.
A distant memory of his past life flashed before his eyes. That beautiful smile when they first met, those compassionate days spent chatting through the night.
Everything came rushing back - the day they had held hands, clothed in wife.
Shaking his head, Dusken suppressed such thoughts.
Coldness radiated from his eyes, making the darker in the area thicken.
His lips parted.
"Marriage," he said, his voice cold.
There was a moment of silence, then suddenly sharp daggers appeared in the air, falling toward his skull.
The cold voice of the one who asked the question sounded once again.
"Wrong, you failed. Now die."