And then darkness swallowed me whole, but a strange sensation washed over me, as if the very fabric of reality had shifted around me.
Startled, I tried to open my closed eyes, but...
I couldn't.
[The <■■■> is looking at you.]
[The <■■■> is pitying over your fate.]
How much time had passed?
I don't know.
.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, but all I could see was
Darkness...
'W-where am I?'
'W-what is this darkness?'
Suddenly, as if the darkness itself had awakened, a grand, closed eye appeared above me and began to slowly open.
I wanted to look up at that enormity hovering over me, but my instinct screamed.
Screamed to not look up.
That if I did then I would die for sure.
I felt intense dread.
Fear was so strong that it made my whole body go numb.
Fear was so overwhelming that it paralyzed me.
Because.
Death...
It was staring at me.
It wasn't just fear; it was a primal terror, coursing through every fiber of my being.
Images of imminent death flashed through my mind relentlessly.
'I will die if I raise my head.'
'I will die. I will die. I will die. I will die. I will die. I will die. I will die. I will die. I will die.'
Fear crept insidiously, like a cold hand clutching at my heart.
It wasn't just fear of the unknown; it was fear of confronting something beyond my comprehension—a higher existence.
This fear wasn't rational; it was primal, a deep-seated terror that threatened to overwhelm me completely.
"Huuu.... Huuuu...."
My breath quickened, each inhale tinged with the taste of panic.
Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the chill in the air.
As if my soul had departed, I stood frozen.
Every part of my being was immobile, not my eyes, not even thoughts—nothing moved as fear filled me whole.
My muscles tensed involuntarily, ready to flee yet unable to move.
Every nerve screamed with apprehension, urging me to flee from the gaze of that higher existence above.
But there was nothing I could do to run.
There was no land, not even void around me.
There was only darkness.
In that moment, fear wasn't just an emotion; it was an all-encompassing experience, gripping me in its merciless embrace.
Time seemed to stretch as I grappled with the overwhelming dread that was broken with the sound of
[The <■■■> is condemning if you are worthy.]
Time passed as I tried to control my overwhelming emotions.
Calm down... Calm down...
Calm down...
Calm down...
Deep breaths.
Yeah, deep breaths...
Calm down.
'I need to calm down...I need to calm down...hooo..hooo.'
Remember what Father told you at that time?
Remember.
"Ssss... Haaa... Haaaa..."
Remember.
--
"What's the difference between a man and a coward?"
"Hmm? I don't know. What is it, Father?"
"There's no difference. Inside, they're both exactly alike. Both scared of dying or getting hurt."
"But it's what the man does—it makes him a man. And it's what the other guy doesn't do. It makes him a coward."
--
After a long time, I finally calmed down a little and mustered every ounce of strength to lift my gaze towards the grand eyes hovering above me.
Just as I lifted a little of my head, a surging of unbearable pain gripped my entire being.
It felt as if my insides were twisting and contorting, wringing me out from inside out.
Each movement was an agonizing struggle, as if unseen hands were mercilessly pulling me apart in all directions.
My chest tightened with the effort to breathe, but my lungs refused to fill with air.
Cough... Cough...
Each cough tore through me, a violent spasm that left me gasping for breath.
It seemed as though my very soul was being torn apart.
Ba... Thump!
The steady rhythm of my heartbeat faltered and slowed, each pulse weaker than the last.
Ba... Thump!
My limbs grew cold and numb, as if disconnected from the core of my existence.
Urghhh....
A groan escaped my mouth, mingling with the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth.
Alongside it surged the expulsion of stomach contents—a bitter mix of vile and acid that burned my throat.
The pain was relentless, radiating from every organ.
My heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a vice, each beat a painful reminder of my fragility.
My lungs burned, desperate for air, while my stomach twisted in knots, the muscles seizing uncontrollably.
Senses began to fade into oblivion.
Vision blurred and darkened at the periphery, leaving only fleeting glimpses of the ominous eyes above.
Sounds retreated into a distant hum, like whispers lost in the void.
As my consciousness ebbed away, a chilling realization gripped me—that my body had succumbed to force far beyond my understanding or control.
Every breath, every heartbeat was a struggle, a losing battle against the overwhelming pain that consumed me.
My organs felt as though they were bursting, the searing pain spreading through my chest, my abdomen, and my limbs, leaving me helpless and broken.
But finally, my head lifted all the way to the grand and majestic eye.
It was large—very large and huge. I couldn't see where it started and ended.
It was as if it were 'Beginning and End' itself.
Suffocating.
It was suffocating.
My breath came in shallow, desperate gasps, each inhalation a struggle against an invisible weight crushing my chest.
Panic surged through me, my heart drumming wildly, as if trying to break free from its confines.
The air felt thin and inadequate, leaving me dizzy and disoriented.
Every fiber of my being screamed for relief, yet each breath seemed to offer little respite.
Various emotions surged within me at this moment.
Fear.
Anxiety.
Curiosity.
Dread.
Trepidation.
Helplessness.
Then I lost my consciousness.
[The <■■■> ha—]
----
There were blankets of snow all around, covering the endless frozen lands devoid of life.
Floating frozen islands stretched out, devoid of any greenery or signs of life.
***
I opened my eyes.
Snow filled my vision, its icy particles stinging my eyes and invading my mouth.
I was buried deep within the snow, cocooned by its cold embrace.
The snowstorm had passed.
And Haaa... Haaaa... I have survived.
The frozen land was stretched out in every direction, a vast expanse of white punctuated only by jagged rocks and sparse.
The air was bitterly cold, biting at my exposed skin due to the layers of clothing being trashed during my fight with the mana beasts.
Above me, the sky was a dome of pale gray, heavy with the promise of more snow to come.
I struggled to free myself from the snow's suffocating grip, my limbs heavy and numb from the cold.
"Uhh? My left arm, it's healed? H-how?"
Relief.
Astonishment.
Disbelief.
Hope.
Sorrow.
A whirlwind of emotions surged through me.
Then I remembered.
I remembered that grand and majestic eye.
It was otherworldly.
It was TRANSCENDENT.
There were no words to describe that thing.
Huuu.... Huuuu....
Deep breath.
Take a deep breath, Noir.
--
I tried to move, but each movement sent sharp jolts of pain through my body.
As I struggled to my feet, I surveyed the landscape. The snow dominated everything, its pristine surface masking the dangers lurking beneath.
Yet there was a strange beauty in this icy wilderness, a quiet serenity that belied its harshness.
But I couldn't enjoy it.
I have lost everything.
My parents.
My territory.
My future.
But despite the odds, I have to survive.
I will live.
I will live and kill those fuckers.
I knew I had to keep moving to find shelter and warmth before the relentless winter claimed my life.
Gasp... Gasp...
I took a shaky breath, the cold air filling my lungs, but was interrupted as an holographic panel appeared in front of me.
———
-「Noir Vi Britannia」-
[Title: One Who Has Lost Everything]
[Traits: Benevolent, Complex, Hubris, Dark, Manipulative]
[Level: 14]
[Exp: 0%——69%——100%]
● Talent-
• Mind「Emotive」|♧♧♧♧♧|
• Weapon Mastery |♧♧♧♧♧|
● [Insignia] - Monarch Will
● [Innate] - ■■■■ [Suppressed]
● Skills:
—「Emotive」
• Basic Emotions: Beginner
﹂Happiness |◇◇◇|
﹂Sadness |◇◇◇◇◇|
﹂Fear「Elementary」|◇|
﹂Anger |◇◇◇◇|
﹂Disgust |◇◇|
﹂Suprise |◇◇|
• Guilt: Beginner |◇◇◇◇◇|
• Pride: Beginner |◇◇◇|
—「Swordsmanship」- Elementary |◇◇|
— 「Archery」- Beginner |◇◇◇|
「Quest—To Live」
• Requirement: Don't die
• Time limit: 3 days
• Reward: You can live
• Penalty: Death
———
"W-what is this?"