After getting home, Arpheus practically threw himself onto his bed, letting his body sink into the soft mattress as he buried his face in the sheets. The room was quiet, save for the muffled groan he let out. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest—even though he hadn't moved much during the fight earlier, the mental strain had taken its toll.
Agh... I'm so tired. He tilted his head to the side, letting out a long sigh. His hair was a mess, sticking to his forehead from the sweat he hadn't bothered to wipe off.
[You still have two more tests to go. -_-]
The familiar voice in his head chimed in, cutting through his moment of peace. His eye twitched.
"I know, but can you just let me rest for once?" Arpheus begged, his voice muffled by the bed.
[Nuh uh. You signed up for this, remember?]
He let out another groan and rolled onto his back, staring at the wooden beams of the ceiling. "Tell me, System. What actually happens after I pass these tests?"
[Wow. Someone's feeling confident today.]
There was a brief pause, and Arpheus could almost imagine the smug look the System would have if it had a face.
[It's up to you. Whether you become a hero, a villain, or something else entirely.]
He frowned, the words echoing in his mind. For a moment, he stayed silent, letting the weight of the answer sink in.
"...I'd rather just become a vigilante," he muttered. "No hero, no villain. Just me. I'll make a group of Wayfinders. We'll clear all 1,000 floors of this cursed place."
[For the first time, you've said something actually manly. >W<]
Arpheus blinked. "Huh? Have I?"
[;-;]
The silence between them stretched on awkwardly before Arpheus sighed, sitting up on the edge of his bed. "Let's just forget we had this conversation."
[Yeah, probably for the best.]
He didn't bother responding, flopping back onto the bed and closing his eyes. The exhaustion from earlier finally pulled him under, and soon, the room was quiet again.
Meanwhile, Holand and Faree walked side by side under the fading orange glow of the sunset. The air was cool, a welcome reprieve after the intense heat of the day. Faree glanced at Holand, her brows furrowing as she debated whether or not to bring up the topic weighing on her mind.
"About Arpheus..." she began, her tone cautious.
Holand's steps faltered for just a moment before he caught himself. He let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, I know. He's gotten more powerful." The words felt like admitting defeat, but there was no denying it. Arpheus had changed.
Faree's lips quirked into a small smile. "You've changed too. Is it because of him?"
Holand stopped walking, staring at the ground as he let her question hang in the air. Finally, he spoke. "Yeah... After getting humiliated like that, I should feel angry. But for some reason..." He hesitated, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Even I feel bad for doing those things to him."
Faree chuckled softly, shaking her head. Seeing Holand like this was rare. He had always been so arrogant, so sure of himself. But now? Now he seemed... human.
Not so bad like this, she thought, her cheeks warming as she quickly looked away.
Morning came too soon. The golden rays of sunlight spilled across the land, painting everything in a soft, warm glow. It should have been a peaceful scene, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Every examinee had gathered outside the Forest of Shynal, their chatter filling the space as they waited for instructions. The forest loomed ahead of them, its towering trees casting long, eerie shadows. The entrance seemed to breathe, as if the forest itself was alive.
"Alright, everyone! Listen up!" Denarlus's voice boomed, cutting through the noise. He stood at the center of the group, his presence commanding.
The crowd quieted down immediately, all eyes on him. One by one, he began calling out names, assigning the examinees to their teams. The process dragged on, each name feeling like an eternity to those waiting.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Denarlus reached the name Arpheus.
"Team 3!" he shouted. "Arpheus, Faree, Holand, Anne, and Ivy!"
Arpheus, who had been sitting cross-legged on the grass, let out a quiet sigh. Great. A team.
"Yo, Arpheus!" Holand's voice broke through his thoughts as he walked over, an easy grin on his face. He held out a hand, his tone surprisingly friendly. "Looks like we're on the same team. Let's win this."
Arpheus raised an eyebrow, studying him for a moment. The guy seemed... different. Less smug. More grounded. Finally, he smirked and shook Holand's hand. "You've changed."
Holand chuckled. "Yeah, well, getting your ass handed to you will do that."
Before Arpheus could respond, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned, raising an eyebrow at the timid figure standing behind him.
"H-hello... N-nice to meet you, Arpheus. I'm Ivy," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
"And I'm Anne!" Another girl chimed in, stepping up beside Ivy with a bright smile. The two seemed inseparable, their energy a stark contrast.
Arpheus blinked, caught off guard. Oh? I never expected them to introduce themselves. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Nice to meet you both."
Faree walked up next, her expression calm and composed. "I'm sure you know my name already. I'm Faree."
"Yeah, I know you," Arpheus replied, giving her a nod.
With introductions out of the way, the team moved to their starting point on the north side of the forest. The atmosphere shifted the closer they got. The playful banter from earlier faded, replaced by a tense silence. The Forest of Shynal wasn't just any forest. It was a place that swallowed unprepared adventurers whole.
The forest was a monster in its own right. The canopy above was so dense that sunlight barely trickled through, leaving the ground below bathed in an eerie, greenish glow. The air was damp, carrying the faint scent of moss and decay. Every step they took felt like a gamble, the underbrush crunching beneath their boots as if daring something to leap out at them.
"Alright," Faree said, breaking the silence. "We need a strategy. We're up against four other teams, and sabotage is allowed."
Holand crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. "We stick together. No splitting up. The monsters in this forest aren't pushovers, and the last thing we need is someone getting picked off."
"Agreed," Anne said, her usual cheerful tone replaced with a seriousness that surprised even herself.
Ivy fidgeted nervously, her hands clutching the straps of her bag. "W-what kind of monsters are we expecting?"
Holand grimaced. "Anything. From shadow beasts to venomous crawlers. This forest has it all."
Arpheus stayed quiet, his eyes scanning the tree line. Something about the forest felt... off. It wasn't just the atmosphere or the stories he'd heard. It was something deeper. Something primal.
A low growl echoed from somewhere deep within the woods.
Everyone froze.
"What was that?" Ivy whispered, her voice trembling.
"Nothing good," Arpheus muttered, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon.
Faree tightened her grip on her own blade. "Stay alert. This is only the beginning."
The team exchanged tense looks before stepping deeper into the forest. The shadows seemed to close in around them, swallowing them whole. Every sound—a rustle of leaves, the crack of a branch—felt amplified, setting their nerves on edge.
And then, it happened. A shadow burst from the underbrush, moving faster than they could react.
"No time for plans!" Arpheus yelled, his voice sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. He summoned his Light sword, its yellow glow casting a sharp, focused light over the clearing. The air itself seemed to hum with power. Damn it, this has to work, Arpheus thought, gritting his teeth. "Just do what I say!"
No room for hesitation, no time for doubt. Each command had to be fast, precise—his every move calculated, or they were dead. No pressure, he mused bitterly. "I hate being rushed."
He'd led teams to victory in past battles, each one a decisive win, each victory marked by his unshakeable leadership. But the final one? The one that had led him to this moment? It was marked by betrayal. Shit, I swore I'd never trust anyone again after that. His chest tightened at the thought, but he forced it out. Focus, now.
"Clang!"
The monster's claws collided with his sword, the impact vibrating through his bones, rattling him. Its claws were as black as midnight, gleaming with some kind of unnatural luster. Its eyes—white, almost glowing—locked onto him, making the air feel colder, heavier. Faree froze for just a moment, her breath catching in her throat. Her heart pounded as she tried to wrap her mind around the thing before them. What the hell is that?
Arpheus didn't give her time to think. His left hand shot out, and the light around him flickered. Without warning, the creature was bathed in a coat of light, just a millimeter thick, blinding it instantly.
"Faree! Legs!" Arpheus commanded, voice hard.
"Got it!" Faree responded, her voice shaky but determined. She darted forward, cutting deep into the monster's tendons, her sword flashing in the air. Slash!
A deep, guttural roar tore from the monster's throat, shaking the entire forest.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" It sounded like the earth itself was trembling in fear. The ground beneath their feet shook, reverberating with the power of its scream.
Then, everything froze.
The moment that roar echoed into the woods, time seemed to stop. The air grew thick, heavy, as if the very atmosphere was pressed down by an invisible force. This isn't good, Arpheus thought, every muscle in his body tensing.
And then it hit them.
A cold, crushing paralysis. It spread like wildfire, seizing their limbs, locking them into place. Arpheus couldn't move a muscle. No, no, no, his mind raced. I can't let this be how it ends.
"Holand!" Arpheus shouted, panic creeping into his voice despite himself. "Make a fireball and burn its head!"
"I can't move!" Holand's voice was strained, panic bubbling beneath the surface. The paralysis was choking them all.
Fuck… Arpheus cursed inwardly. Paralyzation magic? No time to debuff this. We're all going to die if I don't think fast.
His brain fired through ideas, searching for a solution. System? I need something. Anything. His chest was tight, the pressure of the situation threatening to choke him.
[Yes, you can manipulate light.]
Arpheus felt a flicker of hope. Alright, that's something.
[You're gonna die if you don't do something!]
I know, he thought bitterly. He didn't have time for the system's warnings. He needed to act, and fast. His grip on the Light sword tightened, and an idea bloomed—wild, dangerous, and exactly what he needed.
The knowledge from his past life surged in his mind. Stephenson 2-18, he thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Biggest star known to man. If I can tap into that…
"Alright, let's light this place up," he muttered, grinning despite the situation.
"HERE COMES THE SUN!" Arpheus shouted, the words bursting out of him like a battle cry. His sword pulsed with intense light as he gathered every ounce of energy within him, channeling the explosive power of Stephenson 2-18. The air around him thickened with heat, the pressure building to an unbearable level.
He swung the sword, and the light erupted in a flash so bright it was as if the sun itself had come crashing down on them.
Boom!
The explosion was deafening, like the sound of a thousand thunderclaps all at once. The ground trembled, trees around them groaning under the strain of the blast. A shockwave ripped through the forest, sending dirt and debris flying.
Fwshh!!!
The intense heat scorched the air, and the monster's roar was cut off by the overwhelming force of the explosion. Arpheus stumbled backward, his body thrown from the blast's force. His back hit the ground with a heavy thud, his vision spinning. Shit, stay with it, stay awake, he thought, blinking hard to clear the haze from his mind.
But even as his body screamed in pain, he couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips. The monster was dead, right? It had to be.
The air stilled. The deafening sound of the explosion faded into nothingness.
Then, silence.
But the silence didn't last.
Something's wrong, Arpheus thought, his eyes snapping open. It's too quiet. His breath came in ragged gasps as his hand reached for the ground, trying to steady himself.
Then, the ground shook again.
Arpheus's eyes widened. No way. No way.
The creature's growl pierced the air, deep and menacing. Arpheus's heart skipped a beat.
It's still alive.
Despite the full force of the light-infused blast, the monster was standing. Its body was scorched, singed, but it wasn't dead. It was more than angry—it was enraged. Its eyes glowed brighter than ever before, burning with a primal fury.
Arpheus swallowed hard. No more playing around. I can't afford another mistake.
And before he could even move, the monster lunged.