I groggily opened my eyes, wincing at the bright light streaming through the window. I rubbed my temples, trying to shake off the vivid dream still lingering in my mind.
What was that all about? Was that a dream. I recognized some of the characters - Arianell, Marianne, Jason, and Justina - but who was that silver guy? Ryuk? It didn't quite add up.
In the game, Ryuk was never fully accepted as emperor by the royal guard, so Justina's obedience to him seemed out of place.
And what's with the Eclipse Sword? That was Jason's discovery in the sunken continent, not Ryuk's.
I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. Forget it for now. Time to focus on the day ahead.
[That's a great attitude, Ryuk]. Ella's voice chimed in, her tone a mix of condescension and enthusiasm. I rolled my eyes, chuckling. "Yeah, yeah." I muttered, turning on the shower and stepping under the warm water.
The soothing sensation helped wash away the lingering fogginess, and I began to feel more alert, ready to tackle the day.
As I strolled towards the palace training facilities, where Justina awaited my arrival, my mind wandered back to the events of the previous night.
I noted with satisfaction that Ryuk's lingering sentiment for Marianne had finally begun to wane.
It wasn't that the emotions had vanished entirely, but they were now more manageable.
Marianne was no longer my top priority, and that realization brought a sense of relief.
I pondered my plans for the evening, recalling my desire to fly under the queen's radar.
However, I had come to realize that it might be wiser to leave the castle altogether.
Last night's events had likely led to my efficiency rate being announced, and I suspected that Father had shared a sanitized version with them as well as the servants.
Their respectful glances and admiring stares hinted that they believed me to be a talented individual, perhaps even a genius, with an efficiency rate around 70-75%.
While that might not be the full truth, it was still enough to make me a perceived threat in the queen's eyes.
And although Father seemed to care about my well-being for the moment, I couldn't be certain when that might change.
Thus, I had made up my mind to leave the castle, ensuring my safety and freedom from the queen and her antics for now.
**********
I charged at Justina with a sturdy bastard sword in hand, its leather-wrapped hilt fitting snugly in my grasp.
The training room, with its polished wooden floors and high ceilings, echoed with the sound of clashing steel.
The walls were adorned with racks of swords, shields, and other training equipment, while the windows allowed sunlight to stream in, casting a warm glow over the scene.
Justina, dressed in her sleek black and silver training attire, her hair tied back in a ponytail, stood poised with her own sword at the ready.
Her eyes narrowed as I lunged at her, and with a swift motion, she blocked my strike with her sword. The blades clashed, ringing out with a loud CLANG.
Undeterred, Justina counterattacked with a wide swing of her own sword, forcing me to jump back a few steps to avoid the blow.
As I landed, her figure blurred, and she reappeared in front of me with alarming speed. 'Shi-' I inwardly exclaimed as she slashed at me with her sword.
I raised my own sword to block the attack, but Justina's move proved to be a feint.
With a swift kick, she sent me crashing into the wall with a resounding BOOM.
I groaned, rubbing my sore head as I looked up to see Justina walking towards me, a hint of a smile on her face.
"Come on, Your Highness," she teased. "Put up a better fight than this."
Justina's figure blurred once more, and she reappeared beside me. I swiftly brought my sword to my side to parry her incoming attack.
CLANG!
Our swords clashed, and as we exchanged blows, Justina brought her knee up towards my stomach.
I dodged the attack by sliding to the side, using the momentum to unleash a powerful roundhouse kick at her head.
My leg swung through the air with a whooshing sound, WHOOOSH, but Justina didn't flinch.
With an almost casual air, she raised her hand and caught my foot, her fingers wrapping around my ankle like a vice.
I froze, my eyes widening in alarm. Oh shit, I'm in trouble. Justina's expression remained serene, but her eyes sparkled with a hint of amusement.
With a swift motion, she lifted me off the ground, my body dangling helplessly in mid-air.
Then, with a ruthless efficiency, she began to use me as a human rag doll, slamming me into the ground from side to side.
THUD! THUD!
My body bounced off the wooden floor like a rag doll, my bones rattling with each impact.
Finally, with a contemptuous flick of her wrist, Justina hurled me at the walls.
BOOM!
I crashed into the stone with a sickening crunch, the air knocked out of my lungs. Ouch.
Dazed and disoriented, I struggled to raise my head, my vision blurring. But before I could even focus, Justina blinked into existence right in front of me, her face inches from mine.
Oh shit.
With a swift, economical motion, she launched a powerful punch into my stomach, her fist connecting with a meaty THWACK.
The air exploded out of my lungs, and I felt my vision begin to tunnel. And then, darkness overtook me, my world reduced to nothing but an inky blackness.
***********
"Ouch"
I muttered, wincing in pain as I dragged myself back to my room. Justina, that asshole, hadn't held back one bit.
We'd sparred four times in total, and each session had left me battered and bruised.
The goal was to land a clean hit on her, but that was laughable, considering she was astronomically stronger than me.
I mean, she was a freaking level 8! In the modern era, she'd be akin to a nuclear bomb – no, scratch that, she'd be three times a nuclear bomb. Haaa...
But despite the beatdowns, I'd gained something. I thought to myself, a hint of determination creeping into my voice. "Ella, show me my status."
[Acknowledged]. Ella's robotic voice echoed in my head, and my status screen appeared before my eyes.
________________________________________________________________________________
Name: Ryuk Vers Heidal (James Ford)
Age: 13
Level: 1
MP: 130
Exp: 120/200
STR: 16
AGI: 17
DEF: 15
INT: 16
Skills:
Body Strengthening
Flame Manipulation
Ice Manipulation
Space Manipulation
Traits:
Soul Absorption (Unique)
Weapon Master (Unique)
Bloodline (locked)
________________________________________________________________________________
I scanned my status, noting the changes. My experience points had increased, and my stats seemed to have shifted slightly.
While I had made progress, it was clear that relying solely on training to level up would be a slow and arduous process.
My gaze drifted to the sleek black box in my hand, adorned with intricate designs. Inside, a black crystal awaited, a gift from Justina on the Emperor's orders.
It seemed they wanted me to start using crystals to accelerate my growth.
I opened the box, and my eyes widened in surprise. Instead of one crystal, two black grade crystals lay nestled in the velvet lining.
Huh? Two? I thought it was just one. Oh, what the heck. I'll absorb them and level up before leaving tonight.
A plan had been forming in my mind, and I felt a thrill of excitement. Escaping the royal castle undetected, especially in the dead of night, was an impossible task.
But I knew a secret passage, one that Jason had used in the game to rescue Arianell and Elizabeth(Queen) when Ryuk ascended the throne.
Lost in thought, I arrived at my room, feeling a mix of exhaustion and anticipation. Haaah, this is quite tiring.
With a weary sigh, I pushed open the door and stepped inside, ready to prepare for the night ahead.