Healing System

[Child of Shadows, would you like to embark on a journey?]

[Yes/No]

'What...?' Kevin stared at the black hologram in shock. It looked eerily similar to something he had once heard about.

That being the system.

The way Michael had described it was a stupid interface that forced him to do menial tasks while giving a mediocre reward in exchange.

However, because of those menial rewards that had added up along the way, he had become much stronger than Kevin.

At first, the gap did not seem large, but every single time the two competed, Michael inched closer and closer to a win before completely surpassing him in the long run.

And from the looks of it, he was now being presented with the same opportunity.

Kevin took a glance toward the silvery cocoon, noticing that aside from the pulsations, nothing different was happening. Her heart rate was stable, and she did not seem in any immediate harm.

Therefore, if whatever this thing was could help him free her, then that's exactly what he would do.

He was about to reach for the Yes button, but alas, he could not move. Therefore, he tried his best to control any amount of shadows around him to press it.

In just a few moments, a tiny spike formed, shakily heading toward the button, and soon, it pressed it.

However, the expected flash of awakening or anything of the sort did not happen. Instead, a different sound resounded.

-Ding

[Welcome, Child of Shadows. Trial commencing in 5 seconds.]

[5]

[4]

'Huh? Wait a moment.' Kevin's eyes widened as a countdown appeared. He used each bit of mana he had to somehow cancel it.

But it was to no avail.

[3]

[2]

Taking one last glance at Elizabeth's cocoon, he sighed.

'Fuck.'

[1]

[Trial commencing.]

As soon as the system's words fell, his vision darkened, and in the very next moment, he found himself sitting in a chair sipping booze.

However, just as the booze was about to reach his mouth, he halted and slammed it down, a puzzled look plastered all over his face.

There were a bunch of people all around him, as well as a barkeep who was glaring daggers at him.

"Whose pint do you think you are slamming, prick?" the barkeep called out in a strong accent, but Kevin merely ignored it, taking a few more glances around.

It was an inn, one that gave off a cozy yet medieval feel, with the surrounding people dressed in either armor or shabby clothing.

Nonetheless, they all ate in unison, some even chatting with one another.

[Part 1 commencing: Origin]

'I have no idea what is going on...' Kevin proceeded to simply stand up upon reading that message. From the looks of things, this trial was somehow related to the origin of whatever Child of Shadows was.

There were people that called him that in the past, but they were mostly fanatics who thought he possessed some deeper power of darkness.

Yet, all he had was a simple Shadow affinity. It wasn't extremely high-ranked either.

However, it did not stop them from honoring him, humans and demons alike.

But what was happening currently was especially strange.

It was almost like Child of Shadows had become some sort of title of his, one he had never been after from the start.

All he wanted to do was kill demons and live peacefully with those he cared about, yet here he was, in a trial that did not make sense.

"Oi, did you not hear me, prick? I told you no one slams my pints like that." The barkeep once again spoke up, this time in a much deeper voice.

Kevin glanced back at him before fiddling with something in his pockets, trying to find anything that could make the man back off.

Until eventually, he found a single silver coin, which he simply handed over to him and proceeded to take his leave.

The other people inside of the inn were giving him strange looks now, but he ignored them.

That was until he finally arrived outside, and upon taking a glance around, he was left even more puzzled.

Or more like conflicted, considering he knew where this place was—at least roughly.

There was a single world called Arkasia, a neutral world of sorts where many different races and alignments gathered.

It was mostly a basecamp to relax. However, many used it as a bridge to get across the many worlds.

The few portals that were in this world all led to medium worlds. Therefore, it was especially exceptional, and hence why the neutrality pact even formed in the first place.

But there was just one issue, and that was this city, Avalon—it had fallen long before he even arrived there the first time.

And what stood out even more was that the architecture was way different this time around than the last time he had been here.

It seemed older, ancient even.

A massive crystal spire was off to the side as well, signifying the center of the city as well as the world, the same place where most of the portals were located.

'So I am back in the past, a very distant past...' Kevin pondered, striding across the rock-layered streets.

People were scattered all across, some operating food stalls, while others simply minded their business and walked around.

It was peaceful, and for the first time in god knows how long, he could truly relax.

But as those thoughts crossed his mind, he immediately froze, turning to the side as he caught the silhouette of a certain individual.

They had short red hair, yet before he could make out their actual appearance, they blended into the crowd, completely disappearing from his vision.

'Did I imagine it?'

Paranoia was starting to slightly gnaw at him. He knew Elizabeth was fine; she was with him in a way, in that strange cocoon.

It was impossible for her to be here as well.

'Right...?'

He couldn't help but let out a sigh after just a few moments. Instead of going in the direction of where the city center was, he decided to follow after the red hair he had seen just moments ago.

Everyone's hair color was normal—either brown, blonde, or black—nothing out of the ordinary.

And from his general perception, he could tell that whoever that red hair was, her hair was a natural red.

Even if his suspicions were incorrect, he could at least gain some closure, for all that mattered.

Stretching out his shadows to all sides, he switched places with the one that reached a roof the fastest, and soon, he was overlooking the entire street he had been on.

But to his avail, there was no redhead in sight, almost like he had been hallucinating it.

'...Did I imagine it?' His thoughts raced further as he started tracing the roof in accordance with the street, trying to find who he was looking for.

And yet, even after he checked every single alleyway, every single nearby street, and even the one before, there was nothing.

There was no redhead in sight, and all he was left with was unsatisfied curiosity that he had no choice but to reel back in.

'I must have been too dazed... yeah... that had to be it.' Kevin thought while sitting on the edge of a roof, holding his head before standing back up again.

Since he couldn't find who he was looking for, he would rather get this trial over with quickly.

All he had to do was find some kind of origin.

Just how hard could it really be?