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Chapter 4 - A Very Tempting Offer

After eight years of dreaming about this moment, the long-awaited encounter finally takes place: Geal and the Chosen One are face-to-face once more. Our heroine's eyes sparkle like stars, her body frozen with emotion. Slowly, she rises to her feet, unable to take her gaze off Magnius, who rests his sword, Excalibur, on his shoulder as he speaks.

"Those robots have been causing trouble in the capital lately. They're dangerous," remarks the Chosen One. "I'm so glad you're safe. A second later, and this could've ended in tragedy."

Geal takes a moment to study her savior from head to toe. He's even more handsome than she remembered. A cold sweat forms as her face flushes crimson.

"W-why is my heart pounding so hard? I didn't feel this way as a kid. Why is the Chosen One so... so...?"

Her eyes turn into hearts, her face reddening so much it seems to emit steam. She nearly faints with a dreamy sigh. Geal is no longer a child; her feelings now respond differently.

Uruta catches her just before she collapses. Magnius, concerned, steps closer.

"Hey, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" Magnius asks, extending a hand in confusion.

After several moments lost in thought, Geal snaps back to reality. She shakes her head and beams a smile from ear to ear.

"You're the Chosen One! The real deal! I've spent half my life waiting to see you!" she exclaims, clasping her hands with excitement. She bows deeply. "M-my name is Geal! Do you remember me? I interrupted your festival in Canvas Village eight years ago—I'm the girl who wanted to fight you!"

"Geal? Sorry, I don't recall. I meet so many people all the time. My apologies," Magnius replies politely, offering an awkward smile.

Geal's heart shatters into pieces.

A moment later, she collects herself, realizing she's finally found the person she's been searching for. Determined to act mature, she straightens her back and narrows her lips and brow.

"Alright then! Chosen One, now that I have you in front of me, I must say this: fight me!"

Magnius' expression changes, his face reflecting a mixture of seriousness and confusion.

"I've spent years training for this moment! Becoming the Chosen One has been my dream since I was a child." She releases her shield and assumes a combat stance. "Now that I've found you, I can't let this chance slip away. Magnius, the Chosen One, I challenge you to a duel for the title!"

After a brief silence, Magnius smiles innocently and shakes his head.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, young Geal. There are a few things you must do before you can fight me."

Hearing this, Geal stomps her feet like a little girl.

"What? But I've trained so hard! It's not fair... I want to fight now!"

"Forgive her, sir," Uruta interjects. "She's a rollercoaster of emotions, you know how young humans can be."

"It's fine, I understand," Magnius says, extending his hand toward Geal. "You said you're from Canvas Village, right? Would you like to take a walk with me through the capital? I'll explain what you need to do to challenge me."

"Eh? Go on a d-d-date? I mean, take a walk with you? Of course!" Geal responds, her eyes turning into hearts again.

Later, the two walk through the bustling city, navigating a wide avenue filled with pedestrians. Geal marvels at the city's architecture while passersby gaze in awe at the Chosen One.

As they stroll, Magnius explains.

"You see, Geal, many people aspire to take my place, but I can't give everyone a chance. To fight for my throne, you must prove you truly deserve it. That's why you must pass the Chosen One's Trial."

Geal tilts her head in curiosity.

"The Chosen One's Trial?" she asks.

"It's a tradition," Magnius explains. "Every Chosen One in history has had to overcome it. To earn the right to face me, you must pass three tests: the Trial of Wisdom, the Trial of Perseverance, and the Trial of Strength."

"Wisdom, Perseverance, Strength? That sounds hard," Geal murmurs, her mind swimming with questions.

"Once you've passed the trials, I'll be waiting for you in the Sacred Palace," Magnius adds, pointing skyward. "There, you'll have the chance to fight me!"

"Really? Then I'll pass those trials no matter what and defeat you!" Geal declares with newfound energy.

"Speaking of which, where are these trials held?" Uruta inquires.

"Well..."

Before Magnius can respond, a man cuts through the crowd, making his way toward the Chosen One. He's a serious-looking figure in a sharp suit, his pale skin and composed demeanor radiating authority.

The man halts before Magnius, panting and catching his breath.

"Mr. Magnius, I deeply apologize..." the man says.

"Dubh? Is that you?"

We learn that this man is Dubh, 41 years old but looking younger. Tall and mature, with short, neatly combed black hair, he wears glasses and a tuxedo. His gaze is piercing, like that of a hunter.

"I apologize, sir. During our testing, one of our robots malfunctioned and escaped. I'll ensure all damages are covered," Dubh says earnestly.

"I was going to speak to you about that..." Magnius responds sternly.

"Who's this guy?" Geal wonders.

Seeing Geal, Dubh straightens up and offers a thin smile.

"I see you have company. Am I interrupting something?" he asks.

"No, she's an aspirant. I'm teaching her what she needs to do to challenge me," Magnius replies, smiling.

"I'm Geal, the future Chosen One!" Geal announces, catching Dubh's attention.

"Geal? A pleasure to meet you. I'm Dubh, General Manager of Curie Industries, the largest tech company in the land," Dubh says, placing a hand on his chest. "I'm the most powerful man in the country..."

Magnius glances sideways at Dubh, raising an eyebrow at the claim. Dubh quickly adds:

"...After Mr. Magnius, of course."

After a brief awkward silence, the Chosen One stands beside Dubh and places a friendly hand on his shoulder, introducing him to Geal.

"Curie Industries helps life in the capital thrive. We owe a lot to Dubh," Magnius comments.

"Dubh? The second most important man in the country? You must be very strong, sir!" says Geal, curious to know more about him.

But Dubh slightly lifts his lip, releasing his Crystal by his side—a white one.

"No. Unlike Magnius, I'm not a warrior. I'm just a businessman; I don't fight," the CEO clarifies. "You want to become the Chosen One, right? I see your Crystal is white. You've got a long road ahead."

"Well, it's just that... my Crystal is different from the others," Geal adds, lowering her gaze. "No matter how much I train, it can't change color."

This comment unusually catches Dubh's attention. His eyebrow twitches, and for a second, his serious expression turns to mild surprise.

"A Crystal that... doesn't change color?" he murmurs to himself.

"Are you serious? That's a very rare condition these days," Magnius comments, also impressed. "I've been the Chosen One for a long time, but I've never come across a Crystal like that."

"Listen, Geal, it's going to be very difficult for you to become the Chosen One without an appropriate Crystal. With one like that, your dream is impossible," Dubh says, in a slightly condescending tone. "However... I can help make your Crystal stronger."

"You can... make my Crystal change color?" Geal asks, stunned.

The atmosphere shifts suddenly as Geal turns her full attention to Dubh, even Magnius grows alert.

"Yes, I can make it any color you need—yellow, maybe green, or even black. With my technology, it wouldn't be a problem," Dubh says with a slightly sinister smile as he extends his hand. It's clear he's hiding something. "All you need to do is give it to me."

Geal and Magnius glance at each other, checking if they heard the same thing. Before the girl can respond, Uruta bursts out excitedly.

"Did you hear that, Geal? He's going to fix your Crystal!" Uruta exclaims, flapping its wings enthusiastically. "Come on, give it to him. You'll finally have powers."

"That's a great offer, Geal! Dubh is very trustworthy. He'll definitely repair it," Magnius adds.

Both Uruta and Magnius insist that she accept. Dubh grows slightly tired of keeping his hand extended. Geal ponders for a moment, hesitating on whether to accept. However...

"No."

"Huh?" Dubh is confused; his eyebrow twitches again.

"I'm sorry, I can't accept that," Geal states.

With all eyes on her, Geal stands firm, her expression genuinely serious.

"If I'm going to become the Chosen One, it'll be with the Crystal I have now. I don't care if it's not strong; I promised myself I'd achieve my dream with it!"

The CEO lowers his hand and steps back two or three paces, clearly not expecting that response. Meanwhile, Magnius smiles, realizing that the young girl is more determined than she appears.

"Wow, your nobility is admirable, Geal."

"As you wish," Dubh concludes, subtly annoyed, though he tries to hide it.

Then, Magnius turns his body toward Dubh, his expression becoming stricter.

"On the other hand, I hope there won't be any more accidents with your robots. They've been very frequent and caused a lot of damage," Magnius orders. "It almost seems like you're doing it on purpose..."

"Mr. Magnius, I recommend you mind your own business while I handle mine," Dubh replies with a calm but firm tone. "You can't draw hasty conclusions without knowing what happens inside my factories."

A certain tension builds between the two, palpable in the air. Geal feels it but doesn't know what to do. Shortly after, Dubh turns his back on them and walks away, while Magnius continues watching him.

"Well, I see no reason to stay here. I'll return to my office. Geal, I suggest you think carefully about my offer; it will remain on the table until you decide." He raises his hand in farewell. "We'll meet again. Until then..."

An electric aura envelops Dubh's body, and he teleports elsewhere in a flash, disappearing from the scene. Geal furrows her brow; she didn't particularly like him.

"What's his problem?" Geal says irritably.

"Forgive him. Dubh has a lot of composure. He seems tough, but deep down, he's very reliable," says the Chosen One, justifying his actions. "Anyway..."

Returning to the matter at hand, Magnius faces Geal again, making his cape sway dramatically. He prepares to say something important.

"Young Geal! If you want to face the Chosen One's Trial, pay attention..."

Geal and Uruta comply.

"The first test you must pass is the Trial of Wisdom. It will take place in Paintbrush Town, to the north." He affirms, "If you pass, you'll earn your first badge; but it's a very difficult test, and you won't succeed unless you have what it takes. Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Geal responds immediately, clenching her fists.

Before leaving, Magnius rummages inside his long cape, pulling out a rolled piece of paper and handing it to Geal. She opens it to discover its contents and smiles upon seeing it.

"It's a map!"

"This map will help you get anywhere in the Land of the Gem. It will be useful on your journey," Magnius explains.

"Thank goodness! Now I'll know where to fly next time," Uruta adds, looking relieved.

With his task complete, the Chosen One turns his back to Geal. Soon, an enormous power radiates from his body, enveloping him in a golden aura that makes his hair sway.

"Okay, I wish you the best of luck, Geal. See you later!"

A magical glow surrounds Magnius as he teleports through a pillar of light shooting skyward. Geal watches the point of light fade on the horizon, her eyes focused, ready for adventure.

This is Geal's first step toward achieving her dream. Her journey to becoming the Chosen begins now! 

*

When night falls over the capital, the stars paint the sky alongside the lights of the skyscrapers. By the light of the moon, we see the silhouette of a young woman wielding a long scythe. She stands on the rooftop of a building, leaning against a wall.

Her phone begins to ring—it's a call. She pulls it from her pocket, brings it to her ear, and presses the button to answer, but she doesn't speak. She just listens.

"I have a job for you," says a deep male voice on the other end of the line. "An interesting target has appeared, and I need you to capture it."

"An interesting target?" she murmurs.

"It's a blonde girl named Geal. She's in the capital, her Crystal is white, and she's accompanied by a strange bird. Capture her alive and bring me her Crystal."

"Understood," the mysterious girl replies.

With nothing more to add, she ends the call.

"A White Crystal, huh?" 

The girl takes a few steps forward. As the moonlight reveals her better, part of her face becomes visible—she has fangs and a piercing gaze. Her outfit is entirely black, blending seamlessly with the shadows.

She walks toward the edge of the rooftop, pausing to take in the cityscape in detail. Her orange pupils suddenly light up, giving her an eerie aura as she scans the city below. She is ready to hunt.

"This will be an easy prey..."