Vastarael stood above smoldering remnants of the Lavalouse. His breaths came heavy as the aftereffects of unleashing such a massive wave of energy began to take their toll. Despite the exhaustion, a strange, unsettling sense of confusion settled over him as a series of notifications flickered in his mind.
[You have defeated a Lavalouse.]
[Your physical body capabilities have increased.]
[You have gained a new artifact.]
Lavalouse? He hadn't even known such a creature existed. And the idea that his physical capabilities had been increased... what did that mean, exactly? Was this some side effect of using his powers? But the last notification made him pause even more:
[You have gained a new artifact. Would you like to use it?]
"An artifact?"
He turned his gaze down to his hands, which were still crackling with residual energy from the battle. He glanced around, wondering if this was some kind of trick. Was it the academy? Had it somehow been watching them this whole time?
This wasn't Phaenora's system.
Noticing the sudden spike in energy within his own system, his mind snapped to Phaenora. He had been relying on her for advice throughout this journey, so it only made sense to ask her now.
'Phaenora, what's going on?'
[I... I didn't trigger those notifications.]
Vastarael's eyes widened slightly at that.
"What do you mean, it wasn't you? Who else could it be? The academy system?"
[Yes, I believe it is the academy system from another Omniscient. From what I can gather, this is part of some unknown protocol. It seems like there's an external force intervening in this process. This system is... not under my control. It's something else entirely.]
Vastarael felt a flicker of unease sweep over him. The academy system? The very idea sent a ripple of distrust through him. He had suspected something strange was happening, but to learn that the very forces controlling the trials were beyond even Phaenora's reach... well, that was an entirely new level of concern. Phaenora is an Omniscient, one of the Four Great Races. If there is anyone who can interfere with her, it...
His eyes widened.
'There's an Omniscient in Minafallen Academy, isn't there? One more powerful than you.'
[That... is the only plausible explanation.]
"Is this... normal? Are these artifacts something I should expect every time I kill something?"
[Not exactly. Artifacts are rare, usually tied to specific trials or high-ranking adversaries. But for the system to randomly award you one... that's highly irregular. It could be an attempt to push you forward in your path. The system's motives are unclear to me, though.]
This felt like something more calculated. Artifacts are man-made, not created from killing a creature.
"Well, it's not like I have much of a choice. Guess I'll take whatever it gives me."
He hovered his fingers above the prompt, watching as the words blinked, awaiting his response. Without much more hesitation, he selected Yes.
The moment he confirmed, the air around him seemed to shift. The ground beneath him trembled as a flash of sapphire light erupted from the very core of the creature's remains. Vastarael's body reacted instinctively as the energy swirled around him. From the remnants of the louse, a shimmering object materialized in the air. A small, obsidian-black sphere floated before him for a moment. As Vastarael held the artifact in his hand, a soft pulse emanated from the translucent shard embedded inside the obsidian-black sphere. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen.
The artifact began to draw in the energy from the blue lava, which had been scorching hot and seemingly uncomfortable. The blue hue gradually faded, replaced by a dull, ashen gray. The lava was now being pulled into the artifact. The color shifted through shades of molten gold and crimson and finally settled on a more neutral, bluish tone. What was once an active, deadly volcano had now transformed into a dormant heap of rocky magma.
For the first time, the ground felt cool beneath Vastarael's feet.
Chainless stood beside him as she watched the transformation unfold. Her sharp eyes were fixed on the artifact and Vastarael could sense her curiosity but even she couldn't deny the sheer power emanating from the artifact.
"That... was unexpected."
As he continued to stare at the artifact, Phaenora's voice echoed in his mind.
[This artifact... it's far too powerful. The energy it has just absorbed is not just from the lava. It's tapping into the very core of the volcano. This is beyond anything you've ever encountered. You're really lucky.The eruption you narrowly avoided was all a result of the artifact's influence. It's as if the volcano itself was fed into it.]
"I didn't ask for this but it's done now. Now I'm beginning to understand what is going on with the selection."
He was definitely sent to the past by an Omniscient who exists in Minafallen Academy. The Omniscient was linked to everyone in the academy, including him. So, he had two Omniscients supporting him. And for some reason, the Omniscient was testing him. But why the past? Why kill the creature? Why tame Minafallen and make her his subordinate?
'What is that Omniscient planning?'
Vastarael sighed, running a hand through his hair. His mind raced through the possibilities and implications of what had just transpired. The last thing he needed was to attract the attention of forces that could complicate things.
He turned to Chainless, who hadn't moved an inch throughout the entire exchange. Without a word, she adjusted her grip on her chains and nodded toward the now-dormant volcano, as if to say that they needed to move on.
"Let's go I guess. I wonder what the third test is—"
His words trailed off as he heard a faint buzzing sound in his ear. He saw the academy system, which revealed the next test. Vastarael read it for a few seconds before he froze. A slight laugh escaping his lips. It wasn't a joyful laugh. It was more of a low, dry chuckle.
"Ah, so that's the game you're playing? The Omniscient controlling the academy system is playing with me like a puppet, huh?"
Vastarael exhaled slowly. Here he was, standing in front of a volcano, only to be told to kill a bunch of guards. What was the point of this test? To test his strength? His morality? His mental state?
"So, it's a mental game then. I'm sure it's supposed to push me and make me question who I am. But what's the point of that?"
He stopped again and turned to Chainless with a smirk.
"You hear her they just sent me? Annihilate all the guards. Leave no survivors. It's not like I was planning to take it easy on them, but still, it's a bit much, don't you think? Killing them? Seriously, what the hell is this test anyway? How is this determining my rankings?"
Chainless, who had been silently trailing behind him, stopped too. There was something about the way she held herself now.
She was excited.
"Well then, if you're up for it, let's make this quick. I don't want to waste any more time than we have to. I want to be done with this soon. I don't know how many days passed by."
He took a step forward and Chainless, without a single word or sound, fell into step behind him. The excitement in her step was almost evident now.
She couldn't wait to kill the same guards who tortured her back in the arena.