The chair vanished beneath Theodore without warning, and he landed on the ground with a loud thud.
"Damn it, old man! At least give me a heads-up!" he shouted, rubbing his sore backside.
The old man chuckled, the sound low and sinister. "Fufufu, how about we do something different this time, young master?" He raised his hand, and out of thin air, a sword materialized, its black blade glinting ominously.
Theodore's eyes widened. "Wait… fight you?!" He stood up, his face pale with disbelief. "Are you serious? Do you want to end my life that quickly?"
"Indeed," the old man said with a grin. "Fight me. You can't grow stronger unless you face an opponent you can't beat. If you never challenge what's impossible, how will you ever surpass your limits?"
Theodore froze, his heart pounding. The old man's presence alone was enough to send chills down his spine. It wasn't just fear,it was the suffocating realization of how utterly outmatched he was. The memory of hiding from Mother Cry in Daunt Village flashed in his mind. That was terror, and this was worse.
"I know you're scared," the old man said mockingly. "But how do you plan on facing the gods if you can't even lift your sword against me?"
Theodore took a step back. Did this lunatic truly want him to fight? He didn't even need to try,his aura alone could crush him.
"I see." The old man sighed dramatically. "If you won't fight me…"
Theodore let out a shaky breath, relieved that the old man might give up. But his relief didn't last long.
"Then I'll come at you!" The old man's voice boomed as he vanished in the blink of an eye, appearing behind Theodore. Before he could react, the old man's sword slashed across his throat.
Theodore's eyes widened as he stumbled forward, clutching his neck. His vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was his headless body falling to the ground.
"Damn… bastard…" he murmured weakly as darkness consumed him.
.
.
.
Theodore gasped awake, his hands instinctively reaching for his neck. His body felt fine,completely intact. He looked around frantically, but there was no blood, no corpse. The old man stood exactly where he had been, his expression unreadable.
"What… just happened?" Theodore managed to ask, his voice trembling.
The old man grinned. "Oh, you died. And then you came back. Simple, really."
Theodore's hands flew to his throat again, trembling. "Damn it, old man! I'm ten years old!"
The old man threw his head back and laughed. "Ah, my apologies. But weren't you the one boasting about being thirty years old in soul? Shouldn't you handle this better?"
Theodore glared at him, his face red with anger and humiliation. "You… You're insane!"
The old man's smile faded, his yellow eyes glowing ominously. "Get up, young master. With that mindset, you'll accomplish nothing. Do you want to appear weak?"
Theodore clenched his fists, his anger mixing with determination. He struck his palm against the ground hard enough to draw blood. "Fine, old man. I'm ready this time. Let's fight."
The old man's grin returned as he vanished again. Before Theodore could react, he felt the cold steel of the sword slash through his neck once more.
.
.
.
Theodore gasped awake again, sweat pouring down his face. His knees wobbled, and he barely caught his breath before realizing he was back in the exact same position as before.
"What… is happening?!" Theodore yelled. "You're manipulating time, aren't you?"
The old man smirked. "Not quite. You're just too slow to notice the difference."
This time, Theodore didn't wait. He summoned his aura, his sword glowing with dark energy, and dashed forward at full speed. His blade slashed through the air as he unleashed a flurry of attacks, his speed amplified by magic.
But the old man didn't move. He stood still, his sword by his side, dodging every slash with the barest tilt of his head. It was as if he wasn't even trying.
"Impressive," the old man mocked, yawning dramatically. "I think I almost felt a breeze. Did you skip breakfast?"
Enraged, Theodore pushed himself harder, pouring all his energy into one powerful slash. The old man sidestepped effortlessly, driving his sword into Theodore's chest.
.
.
.
Theodore woke up again, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. His body felt heavier with each revival, and his resolve began to waver.
"Damn it, old man!" he shouted, tears brimming in his eyes. His knees buckled as he collapsed to the ground, gripping the dirt beneath him. "What's the point? No matter what I do, I can't touch you!"
Tears streamed down his face as he trembled. "I thought I was special. I thought I was strong. But I'm not, am I? I'm just a fool chasing a dream that's too big for me to reach!"
The old man's sword vanished as he watched Theodore silently. For the first time, his expression softened. "Good. You're starting to understand."
Theodore looked up, his face streaked with tears.
"Planet Vornix isn't some fairy tale," the old man continued. "This isn't a novel where you magically overpower everyone with ease. Just because we granted you power doesn't mean you'll succeed. This world is filled with mana, beasts, and beings stronger than you can comprehend. If you keep clinging to arrogance, you'll never survive."
Theodore stared at the ground, his hands trembling. "Then why was I brought here? Was it all because of my arrogance?"
"Yes and no," the old man replied, his grin returning. "Yes, because you needed a lesson. And no, because despite your flaws, you're clever. You've made Belial your servant, claimed the Dark Soul Realm, and even replaced your stepmother with a shadow puppet.That's not bad for a ten-year-old boy."
Theodore blinked. "You've been spying on me?"
The old man smirked. "Of course. I don't have time to babysit you constantly, but I like to check in now and then. Consider it my duty as your guide."
Theodore wiped his face, his resolve slowly returning. "Then… what now?"
"Now," the old man said, "prove yourself. Grow stronger. Climb the steps to the gods if you truly want to rule the world or even the heavens."
Theodore's trembling ceased as a small smile tugged at his lips. "The heavens and the world… That doesn't sound so bad."
"Good," the old man said, tapping Theodore's forehead. A swirling portal opened behind him, its dark energy crackling.
"Wait!" Theodore shouted. "I still have questions!"
"Save them for next time," the old man said with a grin. "Don't die before we meet again, young master."
Before Theodore could protest, the portal pulled him in, leaving the old man alone in the temple. He walked toward the statues, his fingers brushing against the cold stone.
"I hope you don't fail this time," he murmured. "After all, you are the curse of everything."
*****
The portal spat Theodore out onto the ceiling of his dorm room. He fell with a loud crash, only for Belial to rush forward and catch him with ease.
"My lord!" Belial exclaimed, inspecting Theodore carefully. "Are you alright? Welcome back."
Theodore groaned, rubbing his temples. "I'm fine… I think." He glanced at the ceiling, a sinking feeling in his chest. The old man was hiding something, something important.
But for now, he was just glad to be back.