4. Karnakith

Tirnath sat after spending time lying down to rest. The time needed for recovery is much faster when compared to his condition before his first return.

He watched the sword he took by risking his life. The sword was still resplendent, as if it had just been forged. The sword is also carved with some sockets filled with several gems that have a grandiose aura. 

Tirnath tried to swing the sword several times and praised, "What a great relic." Tirmath put on a stance and then asked, "Can I take it out of the Trial of Custodian domain?"

"Yes, you can, that's why it's very useful to take it before," Vyras stopped before continuing with a very slow voice, "Even though it will weaken."

Tirnath, who is not aware of Vyras' quiet words, becomes a little enthusiastic. A relic weapon will definitely help him.

"Great, that means I can be a war chief."

Even so, he could not hold back his suspicion of Vyras, but what could he do? 'I've gone too deep.'

Although Tirnath is seen relaxing and off guard, he is always ready. He only had 2 deaths left before he lost the opportunity to know the contents of his agreement with Vyras.

Tirnath began to think about what the test he had to take was. Based on his previous performance, Tirnath was worried about this test. The first test, where he just had to swim, he died twice. What about the test that could possibly require this weapon?

Tirnath could not hold back a sense of confusion that was suffocating his chest. Concerns that the next test will be very heavy. Tirnath closed his eyes and in his head imagined himself fighting against himself. 'Let's try a new trick.'

"Please speak, I'm quite bored of seeing you silent, especially if you don't even move."

"Okay, I'll get used to talking."

After spending time practicing in the head, Tirnath stood up and stepped toward a tunnel. "Is this the way?"

Vyras did not answer. Tirnath, who was in suspicion of Vyras, began to be restless. Did Vyras finally show his true self? A cold and cruel old man? But before anxiety fully conquered him, he tried to ask again. "Lord Vyras, is this the way?"

"Ah, yes, that's the way. I fell asleep from being bored seeing you practicing in your head."

Tirnath was a little surprised. First because Vyras knew that he was practicing in his head. "I have to train my poker face, huh?" And second, because the reason for 'sleeping' is very cliché, which could mean Vyras really falls asleep.

'But it could be that he deliberately said a cliché reason so that I thought it was an obvious lie and finally I assumed he really slept even though he wasn't asleep.'

"Whatever. Now let's go!"

Tirnath immediately stopped his excessive concern and began to walk along the tunnel. It didn't take long for that, and he had arrived in a fairly spacious space.

"What should I do?" Tirnath immediately asked after making sure the surroundings were safe.

"You only need to kill a puppy."

"A puppy…?"

"At least in my eyes, they are puppies." 

"Wait, wha-"

Suddenly, Tirnath heard the sound of Growl from the side. A creature with the same height as him looked at him sharply.

The creature immediately ran towards Tirnath. Tirnath turned around and dodged almost. "This is your puppy?!"

Tirnath tightened his handle on the sword and put on a battle stance. "I prefer archery, but after my body recovered and the increased strength I felt..." He took a breath and focused his attention on the creature. "I will win."

Tirnath bowed his body and ran fast towards the creature. Along with Tirnath, the creature also moved towards him.

The creature then jumped towards the head of Tirnath. Tirnath bowed and swung his sword at the creature, hitting one of the four creature's legs.

Tirnath now feels the courage of fighting flowing in his body. He immediately turned around and moved towards the creature—who still had not risen, with a sword ready. And after approaching, immediately attacking that creature.

The creature was lying lifeless with dark brown blood inundating. Tirnath starts to dive into his thoughts, this is quite easy. After he calmed down, he realized that this was a little too easy.

"Only this? What is this creature anyway?"

"The creature is named Karnakith, and after you defeat the 'puppies' you practically succeed, you just have to escape from the cave."

"What? 'Practically?'" The answer increased Tirnath's suspicion. Although all Vyras' words were suspicious in Tirnath's ears.

Suddenly a creature resembling the creature he killed before appeared. Tirmath felt his heart almost stop. This creature is much, much bigger than him. The length of one of its legs was equivalent to two of him.

"This is what I meant by 'the next trial may be a little more difficult.'"

Vyras stopped talking, but Tirnath was still deep in his thoughts. There is a possibility that Karnakith today goes out, or sleeps, or anything that makes him not ready or not available if he arrives faster. With Tirnath always resting and delaying, when he arrived, the Karnakith was ready for him.

"Do I have to kill him? Is it even possible?"

"No, you can escape right away."

Tirnath immediately took a breath and slipped to the opposite side of the cave from Karnakith. The Karnakith moved slowly towards the corpse of the small Karnakith. Tirnath continues to move away and get closer to the outside.

Suddenly the Karnakith roared, it found Tirnath's location and ran towards him. Tirnath immediately came out of his hiding and tried to run towards the way out of the cave. 

However, before he managed to reach the last step, he felt unbearable pain in his feet. His feet were pulled, and he fell with his chin hitting the ground. He was then thrown inside by the Karnakith, failing his plan to escape and forcing him to fight.

Fortunately, the sword was lying not too far from his landing location. He immediately got up and ignored his pain to take his sword.

But before he got his sword, the Karnakith charged into him and crashed himself on the wall of the cave. Tirnath has started accumulating serious injuries.

"No, I can't die yet!" Tirnath shouted, forcing his consciousness to not let go of his body.

Tirnath kept beating the Karnakith with his hands. Even though he could not hurt it, he hoped that the Karnakith would at least be angry and throw him away.

Sure enough, the irritated Karnakith then bit Tirnath's right hand and threw him again. Tirnath crashed to the ground but ignored his pain and immediately ran towards his sword. But when he tried to reach for his sword, he found that his right arm was nowhere to be seen.

He immediately felt an unbearable pain in the right side of his body. Tirnath bit his lips, causing more blood flowing from his mouth

Tirnath grabbed the sword with his left hand, and immediately rolled. Sure enough, he managed to avoid the Karnakith who jumped at him. 

Tirnath immediately ran with only his instinct to lead him. His mind could not be focused enough to think about the next step, let alone a few steps ahead, he could only follow his instincts like before.

His heart was beating hard, and at the same time, he riveted on his feet and rolled to the left. But his instincts this time were wrong. He felt the Karnakith's sharp claws pierce into his back and forced him to hit the ground.

Tirnath holds his sword and with all his might stabs his sword into the Karnakith's claw at his back. He felt that he stabbed something, and he stabbed many times with a strength that was getting more and more weakened.

The Karnakith then roared and became increasingly angry. He raised his hand, making Tirnath raise his back in an attempt to run away just to be stomped to the ground hard. The Karnakith stomp Tirnath's body until it flattened into the ground. 

The first stomp crushed all of Tirnath's bones. Tirnath felt his broken bone move and made his body feel awful. He felt pain in his organs that was caused by being stabbed by his own bone, he felt his bones coming out of his skin. He felt his bones keep moving away and away from the place they should be.

The second stomp destroyed his organs. He felt his heart crushed, he felt the contents of his stomach suddenly pushed, making him puke. He felt his blood flowing out of his skin—that was stabbed from the inside. He began to feel his body numb, along with the loss of hearing and vision.

The third stomp caused his flesh and muscles to tear and flatten. The fourth stomp shattered his bones into powder, crushed his organs into porridge, and his body became far from what humans should be. Tirnath entered the condition where he felt he was just a soul inhabiting his body. Luckily, the unimaginable pain is decreasing, but so is his consciousness.

The fifth stomp finally caused him to lose his consciousness.

The Karnakith then looked down to make sure that Tirnath was really death, and opened his mouth. He bit the ground and at the same time swallowed all of Tirnath, or at least what was left of him.