Chapter Thirty-Three: Horrors of an Inheritance
Dusken's expression vividly changed as a cold light ran through his eyes.
'Someone has completed phase one already?' He thought as while 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. However, his eyes held deep profundity and great bearing.
Dusken no longer wanted to put on that mask he usually wore, for 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 was rising to the surface, propelling his progress significantly. He must get this inheritance no matter what. Everything else was just air.
The roars of creatures sounded in the area as they fought 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 kinds of creatures were sensed by him through their shadows, seen by him through the darkness and looked down upon by him due to their stupidity.
He walked in their midst, shrouded by the darkness and yet they didn't sense him. The castle in the distance was getting 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 on this thought.
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 he had this thought.
'Lillian, she is weird. She knows wording from Earth, is a candidate and knows deep information about the world in the trial. Perhaps she already knows a way to get the inheritance?' Dusken thought.
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, experienced this before, perhaps?
Joining all the clues together, there was only one reason for all this. As soon as Dusken had this thought, he couldn't help but tremble, cold sweat running down his forehead.
Lillian had likely reincarnated, yes. However, it was different from others, she had most likely reincarnated from the future into the past.
Dusken wanted to deny it but all clues pointed at it. Her knowledge of this world, her calm actions and great expertise in using her ability like she had received it from day one.
All these clues meant she had been reborn. But for what reason? Dusken wasn't aware.
Raising his head and glancing ahead, he saw that the castle was now near.
It stood majestically on a huge mountain, its tall, fingerlike spires pierced the dark clouds above as cold winds blew wildly.
The surroundings were packed with mountain ranges as an uneven terrain covered the castle's base.
The full moon shone through the thick, dark cloud as if blessing the castle with its dim radiance.
Dusken inhaled deeply. He could now see the castle and while advancing, it only drew closer. However, it wasn't only him; from all the parts that he could inspect, tens of people approached the castle.
Many were beastmen, some were humans and those humans were exactly the ones who had summoned weapons in the battle of the beastmen tribe.
They were also contestants for the legacy of Norhing. It was just that no one attacked the other. In this situation, with the threat of death hanging like a guillotine's blade, everyone cooperated.
They arrived at the closest mountain range before the road leading towards the castle at the top of the mountain.
Inhaling deeply, Dusken took a step forward as his vision changed. He found himself standing in a constantly shifting labyrinth.
'Illusion, huh.' He immediately realized. 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, and 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 he came here, death was the only word used here.
'So repetitive.' Dusken's fear of death was already becoming zero due to this inheritance.
The voice spoke once again, asking its first question.
"What is darkness?" Its question made Dusken confused.
'Is this a tricky question?' He asked himself in his mind. For some seconds, he didn't respond, pondering. Then suddenly, his eyes shone and he answered.
"Darkness is the absence of light." His words held cold confidence.
The mysterious voice once again spoke.
"The first question has been passed; two more to go." The voice blurted out in a cold, neutral tone.
'I was right.' Dusken smiled internally. The question of the voice was a slightly tricky one. It was simple, but was tricky due to this fact.
One thing about smart people was that they tend to overthink everything.
This question was asked to make Dusken think there was a hidden meaning behind it, making him overthink a simple question, then giving a wrong answer and failing it in the process.
Luckily, he had seen through it, after all, he normally used such methods in his previous life.
The maze suddenly shifted, as a path was created for Dusken to pass. Without hesitation, he walked through the path created.
As soon as he entered another section, a question was asked once again.
"What comes after love?" This question almost made Dusken stumble.
A distant memory of his past life flashed through his mind. That beautiful smile when they first met, those compassionate days of chatting overnight.
Everything came pouring down in his mind. Then a scene played out, the day they both became married. Shaking his head, Dusken suppressed such thoughts.
Coldness started radiating from his eyes, making the shadows in the area grow darker.
His lips parted.
"Marriage." After he said those words, there was silence before suddenly sharp daggers appeared in the air, falling at his skull.
The cold voice of the one who asked the question sounded once again.
"Wrong, you failed, now die."