Creatures Sent by Heaven

The second morning in the Nameless Valley came with the smell of wet earth and tense air. Unlike yesterday, this time Kain woke up with a magic circle drawn around his bed.

Grandma Bira stood at a distance, holding a staff that now glowed a pale blue.

"The second test begins when you open your eyes," she said.

[Second Test: Physical and Magic – Survive 10 Minutes Under Real Illusion Attack]

[System Power Partially Restored. Book Remains Inactive.]

"Good," Kain hissed, turning his wrist. A faint aura surrounded his body. "This time, I can fight back."

BOOM!

The ground in front of Kain exploded. From within the hole emerged a tall, half-transparent figure, carrying a dark spear:

[Aggressive Illusion: Nameless Knight – Lv. 60]

"A gift from the past," Grandma Bira said. "Every wound will feel real. If you die here, your body will remain intact, but your soul will be fractured."

Kain did not answer. The first knight attacked.

Clang!

Kain blocked with a magical barrier that barely formed. He took three steps back, then punched the ground. [Shock Root] — a basic spell that sprouted roots from beneath the enemy.

Roots appeared, but the knight cut them down with a single swing.

"You're too weak to fight head-on," Kain muttered. "But… I'm not a melee fighter."

He leaped back, forming three fire seals in the air.

[Triple Ember]

[Target: Head]

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The flames burned the air, but the knight was only pushed back slightly. But enough for Kain to shift position.

"Focus. Don't waste energy."

The seconds ticked by. Sweat dripped down his face. His spells grew slower. His breathing became heavier. But every time the spears came, Kain parried, dodged, or feinted.

In the seventh minute, his shoulder was torn open. Blood dripped.

In the eighth minute, his magical barrier shattered.

In the ninth minute… he fell.

The knight raised his spear, aiming for his heart.

But Kain smiled. "Fool."

[Trap Glyph: Delay Trigger – Active]

The ground beneath the knight exploded. Kain had drawn the glyph two minutes ago as he tumbled backward.

BOOM!

The illusion burned. The spear fell. Kain lay there, nearly unconscious, but alive.

DING!

[Second Trial Completed: Passed]

[Stat Increases: Endurance +2 | Cunning +1]

Grandma Bira walked over, placing her hand on Kain's shoulder. His wounds healed slowly.

"Your body is broken. But your heart stands."

Kain could only nod. But before he could speak—

A ROAR was heard from the edge of the valley.

A beastly sound, but not an ordinary one. Big. Old. Wild.

Grandma Bira stiffened.

"…That wasn't part of my test."

Lazu emerged from behind a tree. Her lazy face disappeared. "I know that voice."

Kain pushed himself to his feet.

"What was that?"

Lazu stared at the fog that was starting to change color.

"That… was sent by the gods to erase any evidence that you were alive."

The once soft mist began to clump and twist, as if being pulled by something very large. The ground shook slightly. The trees around the Nameless Valley bent back as if trying to move away from the center of the threat.

Oma Bira approached the source of the sound, her staff sticking into the ground and creating a protective line.

"No one should be able to enter this valley. Unless…"

Lazu grinned coldly, her face changing from lazy to serious.

"Unless they have direct permission from the Old Gods."

Kain forced himself to his feet. Although his body was weak, his gaze did not budge. "Who did they send?"

The sky above them tore like paper. Golden light flashed to form a giant eye, then slowly, a creature the size of a house descended from the gap.

Its body was like a combination of a lion, a dragon, and a bird. Its wings burned with magic. Its eyes had no pupils, only a dazzling white light.

[Entry Entity: Arkhadar, Devourer of Inheritances]

[Level: ??? | Status: Dimensional Penetration | Objective: Eliminate the Holder of the Book]

Grandma Bira immediately planted her staff into the ground. A protective barrier enveloped the three of them.

"I can hold it off… ten minutes. No more."

Lazu spat to the side. "That's enough to run. But we have nowhere to go."

Kain shook his head. "I won't run."

Lazu stared at him. "You just fought to the point of death."

"That's exactly it," Kain replied. "If I keep running, I'll always be a troublemaker, not a holder of the legacy."

The creature roared. A single flap of its wings destroyed half the hill outside the barrier.

Grandma Bira was stunned. "This… isn't just a killer. This is a warning."

Lazu pulled a small crystal shard from her pocket. "I was actually saving this for later. But if we die, the rest of the plan means nothing."

The crystal lit up. Lazu threw it into the center of the circle.

BOOM!

A dimensional door appeared, unstable, but large enough for one person.

"Go," Lazu said. "Oma Bira and I will hold this creature off as best we can."

Kain hesitated. But Oma Bira stared at him sharply.

"You have passed two trials. Don't let those sacrifices be in vain."

The creature began to charge a spell. The sound of the world rumbled.

Kain grasped the Ancient Book.

"I will return."

He jumped into the portal. Just before the creature unleashed a massive attack, the dimension closed, and light exploded behind him.

The world changed. The air changed.

Kain landed on dry ground, strewn with bones. Above him, three moons hung motionless.

[New Location: Forgotten Land – Domain of the Dead Gods]

[World System: Unstable. High Chaos Energy.]

Kain was silent.

"What kind of place is this…"