Answer

"Warren, what do you think makes life worth living?" A man in his late thirties with a scraggly beard asks a kid who seems to be around 10 years old. The kid appears to be cross-legged in a meditation posture closing his eyes with a bored and annoyed look.

"I don't know, is it happiness?" He answers sultrily as he's been forced to be in the same position for the past 30 minutes.

The man then shakes his head and speaks deeply as he strokes his beard like some poser. "No Warren, the answer is desperation! Only when you are desperate and overcome said desperation can you truly feel the weight of life! Like when you overcome a dangerous situation, get into your dream job or college after months of hard work, or even do something as simple as completing an assignment at the last second on time. Desperation gives life its meaning and shows there's always light at the end of the dark tunnel."

The kid seems to open his eyes in disbelief as he says in a surprisingly astute way unbefitting for his age. "Something seems wrong with that statement, if that's the case, what if you don't overcome it? What if no matter how much one works or tries, they still fail?"

The man laughs heartily as he then says. "Then they simply weren't desperate enough! Enough of the questions, since you opened your eyes, you're going to have an extra 30 minutes of meditation!" He then chops at the kid's head in a precise manner, causing a yelp of pain from the kid.

'Damnable old man! Giving me such shoddy questions to distract me!' Soon after, the kid enters a deep meditation state, cutting his senses off from the world.

The man looks deeply in regret as he whispers. "If this can help you even a little bit in the future, then everything will become worth it..."

***

"Urggghhhh!" My eyes suddenly opened with my entire body like broken glass, the seething pain causing a muffled shout out of me. I minimize my movements to reduce the pain.

'Why did I suddenly dream of such a thing? All that talk about desperation is just nonsense! I'd rather live in a mansion and in leisure with no hardships!' As I was thinking stupidly, I noticed that while laying on my back, the sky came into full view in my vision.

"This!" Hurriedly stretching my neck, I discover that I'm out of the station!

Just as I was about to celebrate this fact, I remembered everything that occurred until then. I mutter weakly. "Why did you guys do all that? to play hero?" My chest feels tight and heavy despite knowing everyone for so little time. I can't seem to bring myself to find joy despite completing the quest and surviving.

Thinking about the quest, I use all the energy I can muster to slowly take out the watch from my pocket, trying to ignore the pain. After getting the watch and opening it, I speak absentmindedly. "How long have I been out?" And as if responding to my words, the watch displays the words [5 minutes and 15 seconds].

'Heh, I guess you can function as a clock huh?' Trying to distract this heavy feeling with a quip, I try to take a look at the quest rewards, especially the one that has information on how to unlock the main function. Just as I was about to receive the reward, a sudden alarm blared out, along with a warning text.

[Warning! Warning! Warning! A high spiritual being has been detected, it is advised to immediately evacuate the area!]

'I would if I could!' Knowing that I couldn't move, the only thing I could do was wait and see. The next moment, I noticed an eerie fog condensing into a single point. The fog itself is chilling and seems to have the souls of the dead screaming in grief and pain in it. Once it fully coalesced, it revealed the figure of a floating lady at least twice my size. The skin has a bluish-black tint, skinny as a stick with a dull grey tattered dress. The face is that of a 'beautiful maiden', with crooked teeth, eyes that seemed to be sucked into the skull, and a malevolent expression and tears of blood adorning her face.

'No way! just the presence of that thing makes me freeze and unable to move!' It was then that the lady, looking at me in annoyance, expressed its desire to kill me with its eyes.

[Based on the earlier analysis, it has been determined that the spiritual being is the owner of said domain.]

Seeing the alert, I suddenly remember that the watch said there are four different types of unnatural beings. And I've only seen three until now. 'Wait! I recall before passing out there was the sound of something breaking, what if it was the domain and that lady is here and angry because I destroyed it.' Thinking about how screwed I was to have a crazy lady ghost angry at me, I recall that there's the other reward allowing me to use the power of the lost ancient! Just as I was about to tell the watch to activate it...

*Whoosh*

*Slash*

*Spurtttt*

In shock, I realized the watch fell on the floor, along with my fingers. I yell in pain. "AHHHHHHHHH! Watch! Activate the lost ancient!!!" Despite saying so, the watch was silent, probably because I need to be in contact with it. With my bleeding hand, I crawl toward the watch in pain. But alas, the lady lifted me up like magic and levitated me towards her. With despair in my expression, I watch as she puts her hand on my face, and along with a subtle glow, starts something that causes me unimaginable suffering.

'UGGGggghgGHHGHGHGHGHggh' Unable to speak, I can only feel as if my very sense of existence is being taken away from me. In combination with a falling will, a broken body, and one's sense of self disappears. I never felt feebler.

'Isn't it fine to just stop trying? To simply let go? I've tried my best, made it through many near-death experiences, and gone through so much pain. All I want is to rest, to save myself from this suffering.' Just as I think that way and was about to lose everything forever, for some reason, I remember something told to me long ago.

'Desperation gives life its meaning and shows there's always light at the end of the dark tunnel.'

As if starting something unstoppable, many thoughts and recent events that occurred recently seemed crystal clear as if a lighthouse is shining down on them. The Rust-Skinned Demon I killed and the way it jerked by crushing its brain, and how the light disappeared from Mark's eyes as I stabbed his throat. The thoughts dominating me from those memories were. 'I don't want to end up like that.'

And then another memory shows up, remembering the look in Liam's determined eyes as he brought away the horde despite knowing his end. And the small smirk Ken gave me before shooting his last bullet. The thoughts transformed into. 'I can't end up like that.'

And finally, words from a distant past resound in my head once more. 'Then they simply weren't desperate enough!' Bringing my thoughts to only one conclusion.

'I won't end up like that!' Barely bringing my slowly devoured thoughts together, I tried to put up a resistance. Noticing the devouring speed is slower the more active my thoughts are, I put a storm of curse words that I can think of towards the lady. As if feeling the resistance, the lady seems someone shocked as the grip on my face lightens. Using that chance, I open my mouth and bite down heavily on the hand gripping me!

"AhhhHHHHH" The lady screeches which causes my eardrums to burst. But that doesn't stop me as I press down even harder barely piercing the skin. Due to this, the lady throws me towards the ground heavily in rage. And just as she was about to finish me off for daring to injure her, I yell out loudly with my forehead barely touching the pocket watch.

"Activate the one-time use Lost Ancient!!!" And finally, after being silent for so long. The watch glows ominously, and changes form into what seems to be a miniature eclipse. As soon as the transformation finishes, it turns into a beam of black light and enters my body.

*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*

Responding to my change, the lady backs off in instinctive fear. And earthshaking changes occur elsewhere as the sky is progressively getting darker despite it being midday, and an unknown black celestial body covers the sun. The darkness covering the earth seems to possess a special energy as it envelops all. As the darkness covers me, I get up and feel like I've been reborn. As if everything covered in the darkness is under my absolute control. Looking at the lady once more, the bone-chilling fear I felt is nowhere to be found as it's replaced by complete calmness. 'A mid-level Banshee with the potential of growth huh?'

Seeing my calm look, the Banshee feels insulted by its earlier fear and tries to eliminate me completely. Seeing this, I stand still as if I can't even see her as I say in a distorted manner. "{Relinquish} [Attribute] (Spirit)" As soon as I said that the Banshee fell to the ground as if it lost its ability to levitate.

I then say in an emotionless tone. "You got my fingers with that, didn't you? I guess I'll have to pay you back in kind then." Taunted by my words, the Banshee was about to scream to show off its might.

"{Relinquish} [Attribute] (Voice), I guess the trademark ability of a Banshee is its cursed screams?" Saying so in a ridiculing tone, I move slowly step by step towards the banshee. The Banshee tries to scream but it's as if it suddenly became mute. As I reach half the distance the Banshee suddenly feels threatened as it commands the souls in the area to attack me using the domain.

"Huuu, how utterly lacking, {Overwrite} [Law] (Domain). Proceeding with the takeover process and merging with [Attribute] (Voice) and [Attribute] (Spirit), /Establishing creation of [Law II] (Crying Soul Domain)/" After completing the process, the area instantly changed as if a soulful cry emerges confusing all spiritual beings.

As the souls that were trying to kill me are confused, I then begin to act out the last stages. "Activate the ability of the crying soul domain 'Redemption of tears'" The lost souls that were confused seems to have been given steroids as they look at the fallen banshee in hatred. They immediately charge at and tear apart the Banshee who's panicking after losing everything that gives it power. As the Banshee is being torn apart, I reach her with my slow movement and step on her head with my feet.

"Get torn apart and lose yourself as I almost did." As I whisper these words to the Banshee, I reach out to her heart and grab it while muttering.

"With the authority of the eclipse, I declare ownership of the banshees existing laws and bring them under my veil of darkness!" The Banshee mutters a silent cry in fear and pain, disappearing completely into the darkness.

"Hmm, I was only able to get the Domain huh? Well, it was my main target and will be useful in the future." As I say this, the souls under the domain all got set free, restoring their sanity. I noticed familiar faces such as Mark who is bowing to me in apology. Jane is beating up Danny senselessly he cries and profusely apologizes. The middle-aged man whose name I never learned is hiding in the corner, and Liam and his mother are holding hands together once more in happiness. And finally, Ken who is looking at me with that same smirk he showed me before he died, seemingly saying I did a good job before they all disappeared the next moment.

The effects of the Lost Ancient disappeared, making me almost black out in pain. "Ugh, I feel like utter shit!" After the effect cancels out my mind feels stirred up, not even able to comprehend even a percentage of what I just did. At the same time, the sky brightens up again, showing a dull grey sky. The exhaustion seems to be catching up to me as I lay down but try to prevent the drowsiness from overtaking me at the last moment.

"I'm glad their souls got to be in peace at least... Now, before passing out, I got to know what that goddamn requirement is for unlocking the main functions." The watch is gently in the palm of my hand as it responds to my inquiry.

[Would you like assistance in unlocking said functions?]

Seeing this I said. "Why wouldn't I?" Soon after, the watch vibrated at a certain rhythm, causing a wave to spread out to who knows how far.

"Ummm, I know you're supposedly helping me, but you still haven't told me the requirement?" It was 30 seconds before he answered which I thought was odd, as he usually answers within at least 5 seconds.

[Unlocking Information on function availability... please wait]

It was then that I noticed that despite all the ruckus in front of the station, there was not a soul in sight. Giving off the feeling of a ghost town, I suddenly have a bad feeling.

[Answer acquired. The requirement... is death.]

"Wha-"

*Puchi*

Suddenly feeling something piercing my chest, I stiffly turn around as I see some sort of giant mosquito-like being. And soon after the tip of the spike reach my heart.

*SLOOSH*

In less than a second, I felt my heart disappeared and turn into mush. feeling like I lost all my strength, the last thing I do is look towards the watch and ask in a trembling manner. "Y-you, why..." Before falling down and losing all feelings and thoughts.