chapter 44

Nathaniel's Point of View**

I was stunned when Melon mentioned that I could use the Last Wish to gain power. If I remembered correctly, I could wish for almost anything—except for matters involving life, death, or anything that tampered with time. It was an incredibly potent ability, but it could only be used once.

The thought was thrilling, but then a wild idea struck me: what if I wished for my mission to end, or for all wars in this world to cease?

"You'd be wasting the Last Wish on that," Melon interjected. "Its power is limited to benefiting the wisher and can't alter the hearts or fates of other beings."

Melon explained that the wars here stemmed from vengeance and anger among the creatures. Wishing for peace would mean erasing the histories and reasons behind those conflicts—an impossible feat.

When I thought about it, the wish could only serve my personal gain. If world peace wasn't an option, maybe I could wish for immense power instead.

"You could," Melon said cautiously, "but I'm worried about the consequences, especially since you're just a human in this world."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

Melon clarified that even if I gained tremendous power, my human body had its limits. It was like using Ataparag's crimson item—my legs couldn't handle the strain of moving at high speeds, which left them swollen and useless earlier. If I faced a fierce battle and pushed my body too far, even a powerful ability wouldn't prevent defeat.

"I didn't realize your power came with so many conditions," I grumbled. "What *can* I wish for, then?"

Melon suggested that if it were up to him, he'd choose an ability suited for a normal human—one that wouldn't overburden my body. "It's a good idea," I said, intrigued. "Like what?"

Minutes passed as we lingered in the abandoned building, hoping to hide until the trial's time ran out. Unbeknownst to us, something was watching. Melon sensed a presence rapidly approaching, poised to attack.

"What? How did they find me up here?" I panicked, bolting back into the building to hide. But as I descended the stairs, I ran into a pack of small monsters, just as startled by my sudden appearance. Before they could lunge, I raced back upstairs, slamming the door behind me to trap them inside.

"I'm stuck," I muttered, backing away from the door. The rooftop was a dead end—no other exits. I knew the monsters would soon break through, and when they did, they'd tear me apart.

"This isn't good," I said, my voice trembling. "But I can't die here, right? So there's nothing to fear… right?"

"Sure," Melon replied, "but you can still feel excruciating pain or lose an arm or leg. If I were you, I'd move *now* to get out of here."

"Easier said than done," I shot back, frantically searching for a way out.

Suddenly, a fireball hurtled toward me. It struck, engulfing me in flames as I rolled across the ground to extinguish them.

"Haha! Found you! This is too easy," a voice taunted.

An applicant, wreathed in flames, hovered above me, ready to incinerate me. The fire blazed fiercely, but I moved with unnatural speed, dodging in circles until the flames fizzled out.

"What's happening?" the applicant gasped, shocked that I'd survived unscathed.

"That was close," I panted. "Good thing the fire vanished before it got too hot."

Melon explained that I was protected from lethal attacks, like the one I'd just endured. But once the immediate danger passed, weaker attacks—like burns from fire—could still harm me. He urged me to stay vigilant and avoid taking hits, as not every attack would kill me outright.

"You think I *meant* to take that hit?" I snapped.

As I caught my breath, another fireball came flying. I dodged it swiftly. The applicant, flames dancing around him, sneered. "I don't sense any strong energy from you, but I didn't expect you to be using a crimson item."

His body surged with energy, intensifying the flames that crawled across him. He mocked my human weakness, claiming that even with a crimson item, I was no match for someone like him, who possessed natural abilities.

"So, your fire is a natural ability?" I asked.

He boasted that he was a Fireo, a fire-wielding creature from the Western Demon Continent, born with the magic to control flames. Unlike me, he didn't need a crimson item to be powerful and could easily defeat me.

I was stunned but saw an opportunity. "Perfect, Nathaniel," Melon said. "Want to test your power?"

The applicant gathered another fireball, preparing to hurl it at me. I knew it wasn't as strong as his first attack, so I had to dodge. Using the crimson item, I dashed away.

"How long can you keep running?" he taunted, launching fireballs that left patches of lingering flames, shrinking the space I could maneuver in. I couldn't attack him directly—he was floating out of reach. My only chance was to find something to stand on to get to him.

"You're done for, insect!" he roared.

Desperate, I ran to the door. As another fireball came, I dodged, and the blast shattered the door, unleashing the trapped monsters.

"What?" the applicant yelped.

The creatures swarmed him, leaping and clawing. He fought back, burning some with bursts of fire, but there were too many. One grabbed his leg, pulling him down, disrupting his flight.

"Let go, you filth!" he shouted, bitten by a monster. Enraged, he unleashed a massive burst of flames, incinerating those closest to him and attempting to take flight again.

I didn't hesitate. "This is my chance!" I sprinted, leaping onto the tallest monster and launching myself off the building's edge toward him. It was reckless—if I missed, I'd plummet five stories—but I had no choice.

"How?!" he gasped.

I grabbed onto his back as he tried to escape, weighing him down. "Let go, you insect!" he roared, struggling to stay airborne.

Melon popped out of my hood. "Do it! Unleash your hidden power!"

"Hand of Kula!" I shouted.

Red crystals formed on my hands, glowing brightly. I pressed them against the applicant as he thrashed. Slowly, the flames on his body faded, and we crashed onto a nearby building, sliding and rolling across the ground.

I sprang to my feet, ready for more. "I did it! That was awesome!"

I stared at my hands, feeling a warm energy coursing through me, wrapping my body in a fiery aura. "With Kula's power," Melon explained, "you can absorb a creature's energy and make it your own."

"Wow, this is incredible!" I exclaimed.

"That's just the start," Melon said. "It's not even Kula's most special trait."

As I marveled at my newfound energy, the applicant staggered to his feet, furious and trembling with exhaustion. "What did you do to me? Why do I feel so weak?"

He unleashed another fiery blast, aiming a fireball at me. "Now, Nathaniel," Melon urged, "use that energy with the crimson item to strike back!"

My body felt light, fueled by the fiery energy within me. I was confident I could take him down with a single punch. I wound up, and as he hurled the fireball, I activated the crimson item, charging forward. Flames erupted from my arm, swirling like a tornado as my fist collided with the fireball, shattering it. The force of my punch surged toward him.

"How is this possible?!" he cried.

"Take this!" I roared, my fist connecting with his face. He spun through the air, crashing into a wall and collapsing, unconscious.

I couldn't believe it—I'd actually won a fight! "I did it! Did you see that? I punched him and won!"

Ecstatic, I felt the energy pulsing through me, flames flickering along my arms. "But why do I have fire like he did?" I asked.

"That's the Hand of Kula," Melon explained. "It's derived from Kula Stormrage, one of the mightiest warlords of ancient Endoryo." When I'd asked Melon to grant me Kula's power through the Last Wish, it had worked instantly. The ability allowed me to absorb not just an opponent's energy but their natural abilities too.

However, Melon noted a limitation: I could only absorb natural abilities, not those from crimson items, eyes, or curses, as those stemmed from the celestial Crimson. "Kula's power comes from a different celestial," Melon added.

"Wait, there are other celestials besides you?" I asked, surprised.

Melon explained that celestials often rested or slumbered on various planets for eons. "You don't need to know more about them," he said. "They're hard to deal with, with minds that work differently. Be thankful you've only met Koko."

I thought about Koko, that chaotic angel who abused her power. If even she was overwhelming, what would a godlike celestial be like? It made me wonder about Crimson, who treated this world like a game. If I'd created this world through my comic's story, did that mean I created Crimson?

"You don't understand," Melon said. "Crimson, a celestial, was created by the Great Creator. It's complex, but let me explain."

Crimson had crafted Endoryo and its systems, but its future depended on what I'd written. Even Crimson didn't know what lay ahead, as the Book of Life's power surpassed his. "You could say Crimson built this world based on your story, and every creature lives here to fulfill the roles you destined for them," Melon said. "The Great Creator's power has no limits."

Melon added that Koko could have made me a powerful being using the Book of Life but chose not to, perhaps out of some grudge. "She wants you to understand what it means to be a god in this world," he said.

"Be a god?" I scoffed. "That's too complicated. Most beings here hate gods or don't believe in the heavens. I'd only be disappointed if I expected them to worship me."

I didn't press further about celestial matters. As a mere human, I couldn't grasp or control such things. As I stretched, the flames on my body faded, and the crystal on my hand shifted to my arm. Lifting my jacket, I saw ten crystals embedded in both arms. They felt strange against my skin.

"What are these for?" I asked.

Melon explained that they were energy cores, storing the energy I absorbed from others. I could use them whenever I wanted, but once their energy ran out, the abilities I'd gained would vanish—unless I absorbed them again.

I realized my power had conditions, but it wasn't so bad. What mattered was that I now had a real ability to fight anyone. The situation was changing, and I was thrilled to see what would happen next.

I was overjoyed, especially since I finally had the power I should've had all along—if not for that crazy angel who seemed to want me to suffer in this world. "It's time for my real adventure to begin!" I declared, punching the sky.

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