#3 Trial Road 1
Hours had passed, and Grim and Fernanse had crossed hundreds of meters. Throughout their journey on the bridge, they encountered no obstacles. Now, they stood at the very end, gazing blankly at the sight before them.
Although their expressions remained indifferent, deep down, they were both somewhat surprised—especially Fernanse.
She had heard countless stories about the Path of Ordeals. From what she knew, it was a place of purification, a domain where sinners were sent upon arriving in the Underworld. Many described it as a place akin to hell.
If one were to ask what hell looked like, no one could provide an accurate answer. However, one thing was certain—hell was the complete opposite of heaven.
Most living beings preferred heaven over hell. Even demons would choose heaven if given the chance, for hell was a place of torment. It was filled with eternal flames capable of burning even the bodies of gods. Those sent there were sinners whose crimes could no longer be erased.
In hell, punishment was endless. Bodies would be destroyed over and over again, only to regenerate and suffer anew. No matter how much they prayed, the condemned could never escape. The sins they committed in life were repaid a hundred million times over. Forget reincarnation—those who entered hell would never even be reborn as the lowest of creatures, not even as maggots.
That was the hell known to most—humans, demons, and spirits alike. The true nature of hell, however, was a secret known only to the true gods.
Yet what Grim and Fernanse saw before them was nothing like the hell they had imagined.
Before them lay a city.
It was eerily similar to the city near Yee Ling's palace. Within it, they saw humans—bodies on the verge of decay—engaging in the same foolish behaviors as those seven men Grim had seen before.
Without hesitation, Grim and Fernanse stepped into the city. The scenery was disturbingly familiar—people with various expressions, some filled with despair, others laughing bitterly, some crying, and others grinning with regret.
As before, Grim paid no mind to them.
However, despite the similarities to the previous city, there was something different here.
This city was armed.
Grim noticed that many of the people carried weapons—swords, knives, bows, spears, and shields slung across their bodies.
After some time, Grim came to a stop.
"Where should we go now?" he asked.
"I don't know," Fernanse replied softly.
This was their first time here. They knew little about this place, and even the information Fernanse had gathered before was uncertain. After all, it had come from other humans—who was to say it wasn't a lie?
To keep moving without a destination was foolishness—a distinctly human trait. Normally, when someone set out to do something, they had a goal in mind.
Yet now, Grim and Fernanse had none.
They simply stood there, watching as people passed them by.
Grim pondered deeply about where to go next.
Then, suddenly—
His heart pounded violently.
Since the moment he had been beheaded by the guillotine, this was the first time he had felt his heart beat so powerfully.
If a microphone had been placed against his chest, the sound would have been loud enough for many to hear.
Why was his heart still beating despite his death?
The answer was simple—Grim, as he was now, was different from the Grim who had died.
It was true that he had been executed, but according to the laws set by the gods, his soul had been sent to a place of judgment. His sins were weighed. If they could be erased, he was sent to the Underworld with a body identical to the one he had in life. But if his sins were deemed beyond redemption, a new body would have been created in hell, where he would endure eternal torment.
That was why all humans in the Underworld had bodies that still functioned. Their bodies could not die. Even if someone's heart were pierced by a sword, it would immediately heal.
However, that did not mean they were immortal. Instead of death, their bodies would slowly rot away.
Yet now, Grim's heart pounded.
Not just any heartbeat—this was different.
It was as if something was calling to him.
Without hesitation, Grim followed the pull and began walking.
"Where are you going?" Fernanse asked.
She was confused by Grim's sudden movement. More importantly, she had no idea where he was heading.
Grim didn't answer.
He simply walked, his pace slow but determined.
In the end, Fernanse had no choice but to follow him.
They passed through alley after alley. At first, the streets were crowded, but as they walked further, the number of people around them dwindled.
Fernanse had lost count of how many turns they had taken, how many people they had passed.
Eventually, Grim stopped in front of a massive building.
"This building… is it a temple?" Fernanse muttered as she took in the sight before her.
It certainly looked like one. Several statues stood tall at the entrance, and the building's walls were adorned with stone-carved faces, each expressing a different emotion—anger, sadness, despair, sorrow.
From the temple's entrance, a few individuals emerged, weapons still in hand. Their bodies bore signs of severe wounds—though, in this realm, all injuries healed instantly, leaving only scars.
"Are we going inside? I think it might be dangerous."
Even those armed to the teeth had been wounded. Fernanse couldn't begin to imagine what awaited them inside.
"I'm going in. If you don't want to, you don't have to. I won't force you," Grim said.
He was fully aware of the danger within.
But the moment he arrived here, his heart pounded even harder.
Something inside him urged him forward, demanding he enter the temple.
Grim wanted to know why.
And to find out, he had to go inside.
Fernanse hesitated for only a moment.
"I don't want to go in either," she admitted. "But since you're going, then I suppose I'll go as well. We came here together—I can't just leave you alone."
"I see. I hope you won't regret your decision," Grim said as he stepped toward the entrance.
Fernanse followed without hesitation.
**"Regret? I have never once felt regret in my entire life."**