Chapter 11: Day 1 of Herris's Fate

Countless novels, anime, manga, and manhwa exist in the world. A significant portion of them either reference the Monkey King or feature him as a character.

Ever wondered why?

"Monkey King, you are a fucking menace."

Herris declared, his face splitting into a wide grin as he encountered the Monkey King, a character he had come across in countless novels.

Herris had a list of trickster gods, and the Monkey King, the Chinese Trickster God, occupied the top spot. He deduced that one of the two figures must be the Monkey King, just as he surmised that the Monkey King was indeed concealed within the fog.

The Monkey King's golden eyes pulsed rhythmically in the fog, a silent testament to his delight that Herris had identified him. Despite his apparent joy, he retained his fog form, lending an aura of mystery to his persona.

Silently, the Monkey King lifted his hands to his head, touched the foggy crown, seized something enveloped in black fog, and offered it to Herris.

The black fog dissipated, unveiling a golden headband.

The circular headband split into two parts that twisted into elegant spirals at each end, rendering the ring unique and artistic. Crafted from gold, it enhanced its aesthetic appeal and indicated its value and quality.

Herris was taken aback. It was the Monkey King's headband, a relic he had read about in various mythologies. The headband radiated a golden light that seeped into Herris's body, causing it to shimmer like a constellation of stars. He could feel a wave of energy surging through him.

Once the golden light faded, the Monkey King, without uttering a single word, vanished along with the black fog.

Feeling let down, Herris had anticipated at least the Monkey King's staff or a silly prank, but the Monkey King disappeared into thin air like Eris, leaving Herris alone with Loki amidst the carpet of fallen leaves and the lingering aroma of the forest.

Finally, Loki, who had been patiently waiting until now, seized his opportunity.

Loki reached out towards Herris, grasped his left hand where the insignia was, and pressed it, raising it near his lips and exhaling a cold breeze over it. The insignia started to glow green and gradually changed to a light green hue.

Herris had never come across a light green insignia in Rome's novel, as dark green insignias were associated with those possessing plant elemental affinity.

Once the insignia changed color, Loki released Herris's hand, leaned in close to his ear, and murmured, 

"I added another gift. I hope you make good use of her."

Afterward, Loki stepped back, a faint grin playing on his lips, and wished him well in his unique way. 

"We've bestowed upon you enough gifts to keep you alive for a few more years. Entertain us more to extend your existence."

Herris, still silenced and unable to retort, bristled with rage at being belittled and ridiculed.

"Do you have any more questions that could prolong your life?" Loki inquired as Herris's voice returned.

Herris's initial response after regaining his voice made Loki smirk in fury. 

"I don't know much about mythology. Whose son are you? A fucking pervert or a one-eyed bastard stalker?"

"HAHAHA…" 

Loki erupted into hearty laughter that reverberated through the forest. Once his laughter subsided, he fixed his gaze on Herris, his eyes glowing green, his teeth grinding in rage, but he managed to maintain his composure and retorted, 

"You… and your mouth."

Loki placed his right hand on Herris's mouth and flicked his left hand, causing Herris's throat to glow green. Loki commented, 

"If you ever curse the gods… No, not just the gods, but anyone, even in your thoughts, your lifespan will be shortened by a year."

"Hmmm…" Herris stifled a scream of shock at Loki's words.

As Loki slowly withdrew his hand, Herris's mouth refused to stay shut, and he mumbled before Loki had fully pulled away, 

"What the f…" Before he could finish, Herris clamped his mouth shut, avoiding reducing his lifespan.

"Now, all your issues have been addressed. Farewell." Loki waved his hand, signaling the end of their encounter.

"Hold on! What about that fire torch? It's going to burn me alive," Herris stammered, as the threat of imminent death loomed over him.

"Five seconds." Loki flicked his hand, conjuring a green flame on his palm with the number '5' displayed on it.

"Five seconds, what?" Herris was baffled.

"Must I explain everything to you, mortal? Touch your insignia." Loki's flames morphed into a pointing finger, directing Herris to his left hand.

With his hands free, Herris rubbed the insignia.

"WOOSH!" Suddenly, a transparent window screen materialized before him.

"Seriously! I have a system window." Herris was both stunned and thrilled at the sight of the system.

"You have five seconds to find a skill in that system and escape if you can," Loki stated casually, his body gradually enveloped in black fog. As the fog began to rise from his legs, he prepared for a dramatic exit, his presence fading into the darkness with an almost theatrical flourish.

Herris found himself alone, left to navigate the system window.

"How am I supposed to find a skill in five seconds that will allow me to escape?" Herris cried out, his voice filled with desperation.

[5] Loki's green flames appeared before Herris as Loki vanished.

[4]

"You fu… funny bas... biscuit! I will k… Ahhhhh…" 

Herris let out a scream, hastily opened his system window, and navigated to the [Skill] tab.

[3] 

Herris saw three skills with vague names he couldn't comprehend and didn't have time to read the descriptions.

[2] 

Herris spotted one skill that seemed like what he needed and clicked on it.

[1]

"BLAZE!" The torch struck Herris as time resumed. The elves, who had been frozen in place before, burst into cheers and celebration, reveling in the gruesome spectacle of Herris burning alive.

The scorching pain from the flames felt like molten metal searing through his flesh, each breath felt like shards of glass scraping his throat.

"AHHH…" Herris's scream echoed through the air, the crackling firewood adding a disturbing undertone to the chaos. The heat from the fire intensified, sending a warm breeze that caressed the elves' skin, creating a surreal and unsettling atmosphere.

Slowly, they began to leave the place, feeling satisfied, believing they had punished the murderer.

After a few hours of Herris being burned alive,

In the evening, as the sunlight bathed the sky in red, a burned tree stood in the middle of the vast field. Once 20 feet tall, it now crumbled into dark ashes, which swirled in the air, leaving behind only the remnants of its former grandeur.

In the burned wood, a dark silhouette of a child, nearly 5 feet tall and tied to the tree, crumbled into ashes. The remains created a dust smog that lingered in the air, blending with the remnants of the tree.

"THUD!" "THUD!" 

Inside the burnt tree, the sound of knuckles pounding echoed through the remnants, reverberating in the hollow space.

"CRACK!" A huge hole bored through the tree as it slowly crumbled into ashes. The silhouette dissolved into dust, polluting the surroundings with a choking dust smog.

"COUGH!" Amidst the swirling dust, Herris emerged, his clothes nearly burnt off and fire burns searing across his body, especially on his chest.

But Herris didn't rest for a second. He kept running in the opposite direction from where the World Tree and elves resided.

After running for a few hours without a break, barely staying conscious and on his feet, night fell with a half-moon blessing the sky. Herris collapsed under a tree, seeking refuge and rest for the night.

"COUGH!" Herris kept coughing, having inhaled most of the fire smoke.

"COUGH!" "COUGH!" 

Herris vomited a black phlegm-like substance, struggling to breathe after running for so long. The irritation in his respiratory tract made him gasp for air, further intensifying his distress.

The fear of being caught again had driven Herris to run without a break. Now that he had stopped, his body began to break down, showing the toll of his relentless escape.

Herris tried to rub his insignia to check for any skill to help him, but found nothing useful. His hands trembled, his body shivered from the cold, and his head began to ache as his body heated up with fever.

"Am I going to die again from a stupid… COUGH!" Herris's voice stammered.

**[Just check the inventory, idiot.] **

An unknown voice directed Herris. Though he thought he was hallucinating, he opened his inventory tab out of sheer will to stay alive and found a blue crystal bottle stored inside.

Herris clicked the bottle, and it materialized before him. He opened the bottle and gulped it down until he faded into unconsciousness, with a voice echoing in his mind.

**[Deity Loki, I already hate working with this idiot.] **

[End of Chapter]