Legends of Primordial Anthropos (Second Part)

"Is this it?"

Leon stared at the panel before him, taking a deep breath. It was the first time he had seen something this strange.

"A system… like in those novels, huh?"

His eyes narrowed. He wasn't naive enough to believe there was no catch.

Fiction was fiction—but this was reality. A world where a single misstep could cost him his life. He had to tread carefully, think ahead, and navigate every choice with caution.

His gaze shifted back to the panel. "So these runes are sealed… but I've already maxed out all their proficiencies."

With his chin resting on his hand, he muttered, "Now I have to complete some sort of trial? What kind of trial is this supposed to be?"

This wasn't the first time he saw this panel however it was the first time that he has gotten a good look into it.

Countless questions swirled in his mind, each one without an answer, leaving him even more confused and bewildered.

As he followed this train of thought, his mind inevitably drifted toward the Legend of the Primordial.

"Maybe this book will have a surprise for me…"

So far, many things in the first part of the legend seemed to correlate with his own experiences.

Especially the flicker of lights—his black flicker bore an uncanny resemblance. And the demons… there had to be some truth behind it all. If he could trace the origins of this legend, maybe he could uncover the answers he sought.

Determined, Leon stepped out of his room in the dead of night, his cautious gaze scanning his surroundings.

"Leon, what are you doing here?"

He turned abruptly.

"Mother?".

"Did something happen that you're not telling me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Umm… eh…" Leon averted his gaze, a hint of guilt creeping into his heart. But he quickly composed himself—his past life had been filled with regrets.

"Mother, do you know where I can find the second part of The Legend of Primordial Anthropos?"

Zara stared at him, momentarily stunned. Then, to his surprise, she chuckled in amusement.

"I thought it was something serious, but you're just asking about that old legend," she said with a smile. "You don't have to take everything so seriously."

Leon's eyes widened. "So you do know about it?"

"Of course. The first volume is given to everyone, but the second volume is restricted to royalty."

"Please tell me." Without hesitation, he bowed deeply.

"Alright, come inside first. It's too cold."

The night air was icy, the wind cutting through him like a blade.

Once inside, Zara remained silent, pulling out a book and beginning to write.

"That story is incredibly vast, and I've forgotten some details," she said as her pen moved swiftly across the pages. "I'll write it down for you so you can read it whenever you like."

"Alright, Mother."

Before long, Leon returned to his room, a thick book in his hands.

"She writes fast, huh?" He marveled at its weight. "This is almost as massive as those medical student's book from my previous world."

With curiosity burning in his eyes, he flipped open the first few pages.

Primordial Anthropos, having lost his intelligence yet regained his youth, was now nothing more than an aimless wandering fool…

The Strix, hidden in the shadows, emerged once more to feast upon his flesh and drink his blood. They did so ruthlessly, swarming him until his body collapsed to the ground—yet Anthropos remained dazed, like a fool lost in his own world.

A pool of blood slowly spread beneath him, his agonized cries echoing through the desolate place.

He was dumb, but he could still feel the searing pain tearing through his body!

But then, something astonishing happened. Even after the demons had drained him dry, his body began to regenerate—his flesh knitting back together, his blood replenishing itself.

The fiercer they attacked, the faster his regeneration became.

Time flowed like an unrelenting river, and three months passed.

Anthropos remained pinned beneath them, but the Strix had changed. Once ravenous, now they had grown fat and sluggish, their movements heavy with exhaustion.

In the end, the Strix collapsed on their own, too bloated and weak to move.

Anthropos rose to his feet, his anguish bursting forth in a wretched scream before he stumbled away, tears streaming down his face.

With the mind of a mere toddler, he spent his days cowering in the corner of a cave, sobbing endlessly.

Day turned to night. Night turned to day.

Yet he remained in the same place, weeping over and over again.

Centuries passed. Decades slipped away.

Yet Anthropos' youth never faded—his body remained in its prime, untouched by time.

Then, on a fateful day, the clouds parted.

A sinister darkness seeped from his body, an eerie aura twisting through the air.

A shadow materialized before him, gripping a scythe in its hand.

"It is time for your end, Anthropos."

Anthropos lifted his tear-streaked face, gazing at the figure without the slightest trace of fear.

"End?" he murmured.

Then, shaking his head, he spoke with quiet certainty—

"No. It is your end that is near, not mine."

The shadow paused.

"Everything is impermanent," it intoned. "It is the law of this world that all living beings must eventually come to an end. You cannot escape that fate, Anthropos."

"Hmph." Anthropos sneered foolishly.

"I don't want to talk to you. Go away."

Without hesitation, he leaped forward and threw a punch at the shadow, showing no mercy.

The shadow let out a derisive snicker. "A mere mortal cannot kill me."

With a swift motion, it swung its scythe.

Anthropos' body began to break down, his skin peeling away piece by piece until even his internal organs were laid bare.

But, at that moment, a flicker of light—hidden deep within him—suddenly ignited, shining with an ethereal glow.

An ancient roar erupted, shaking the surroundings—

"My true name is Eternal."

The shadow was engulfed by the blinding white light, vanishing without resistance.

"No… you cannot disrupt the natural order!" it howled before being completely erased.

Anthropos' body mended itself, his skin renewed—perhaps even stronger than before.

"Ahe?" He tilted his head in confusion, then simply sat back in the corner, as if nothing had happened.

Watching this, the Rune scoffed in disdain.

"This foolish human is too stupid and unworthy of me… Should I leave him?" Forgetting that it was the one who took away his intelligence.

But before the thought could fully take shape, a tranquil voice echoed from the sky.

A massive palm descended, stretching across the heavens.

"One who has forsaken the laws of nature shall be cast into the depths of hell. As for you, Eternal Rune, your very existence is a disruption to the world and a meaningless existence… cannot be allowed to remain."

The palm vanished from the sky and Anthropos disappeared from the world. The eternal rune, lonely and stunned.