「Arcanus」
The ground of the fake world shook with such intensity that the boy felt like his body was about to crack open like an egg.
A light brighter than the sun itself shot through the false reality, shattering the very fabric of the illusory world.
Rock dissolved, the sky cracked, and Raphael's very essence broke down into nothingness, fading from the world.
His core felt like fire, incinerating his being as his mind reconnected with his mortal body that rested within the giant's stomach.
Then, without another moment's delay, the boy awoke with the feeling of a slimy green substance coating his skin.
Gagging in disgust, the boy pushed downward as hard as he could, sending him flying into the air and onto pieces of rubble that floated in the goo.
Stomach acid…
Looking down at his skin, red blisters covered every inch of his pale complexion, with some areas even showing signs of rot and decay.
Blood dripped from scratches and bruises that were scattered around his figure, causing him to wince ever so slightly.
Overall, however, he was in decent condition even after what he had faced, and his renewed hope allowed him to persevere.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sound of the entire chamber shaking sent the boy stumbling, nearly forcing him off the small platform he precariously balanced on for dear life.
I-It's moving?
Raising his hand, he blew air upon it while using a minuscule amount of mana to discern the direction he was facing.
His red face paled in realization of the giant's path, sending him into a refreshed panic that onset faster than he could blink.
Towards the ship… If it makes it there, then…
If he failed in stopping the massive creature's trajectory, it would collide with his vessel, sinking it to the depths of the sea.
After that, no matter what he did would be meaningless.
There was no hope of him defeating a giant in his current state with only enough mana left in the Dormyrr core for one last large spell.
Thinking logically, he was saving the remaining droplets in case of an emergency, such as a healing spell or something of the sort.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP!
The rumbling beneath his feet intensified as the giant seemingly accelerated its pace.
I don't have time to waste, drowning in such pitiful thoughts…
Shaking his head and taking in a deep breath, he felt his mind begin to wander, a side effect of the gaseous mist that floated inside the giant's stomach.
While the Dormyrrs that the creature had devoured led to the strange mindscape illusion, the Dream Patch amplified this effect tenfold, leaving permanent residuals on the terrain.
With each passing second, he felt his own head become more and more sluggish, dragging him back into the World of Dreams where he would slowly be digested.
I will not die like those little pests.
The ground beneath his feet crumbled slightly, sending sharp pebbles into the slimy liquid, only to be dissolved in seconds.
It's more acidic than before…
Watching the substance break down other items within it faster and faster, he knew that his time was limited and that if he wished to escape, he had to start now.
Under his breath, he muttered a prayer; it was so silent that it was barely audible between the sound of stomach acid sizzling and the giant's loud steps.
"Oh great lord above, please watch down upon me…"
Raphael himself was a fierce believer in the great God of the Sea, who, according to some, rested beneath the ocean waves in his divine kingdom.
It was for this reason that he, with every fiber of his being, clung to the notion that the acknowledgement of Camilla Buckley, the one who ruled over the Sea of the Ancients, was by far the most valuable reward from this test.
Her participation was the very reason he had signed up for the test in the Sea of Dreams rather than the Sea of Wishes like his brother had.
That woman hid secrets beyond her years, and to the deeply religious boy, for any chance at being of service to freeing his god from the depths of the sea was a mission far surpassing that of a simple guild.
So as he muttered the silent prayer, he stared upward to where the sky would be, hoping that wherever his lord may be, he would be looking down upon him.
Exhaling heavily, the boy raised his staff, scanning the walls of the creature's stomach for any weakness he could exploit.
Got you.
Near the esophagus, there was a small unprotected layer of flesh exposed due to the ingestion of a tree.
Its size was less than that of a human head; however, if he struck the crux of the giant, it would certainly make it tumble, and the larger it was, the harder it would fall.
I only have one chance. There is no room for error.
A moment passed as he collected himself, turning his pale face a magenta hue as the staff illuminated brightly.
Mana pulsed and flickered like lightning as it was channeled into a single, small projectile that solidified at its tip.
It was a simple assault spell used in holy magic, yet with specific requirements met, there was no limit to the destructive potential.
And as he pushed every last drop of mana he had stored within the Dormyrr's core and his own into the spell, he knew that there was a chance of permanent damage.
Whether it be reduced healing or lower power output, it was a risk he was willing to take to solidify his own survival.
Finally, pushing every organ within his body to the extreme, he uttered the words that would set him free into the world of light once again.
「Holy Bullet」
Faster than light, the spell shot forward, colliding with the fleshy opening and sending a shockwave so strong it sent Raphael to the ground.
The giant roared in agony, stopping its run as smoke billowed from the location it had struck, along with a strange increase in temperature that had arisen at the same moment.
As the white-haired boy's eyes cleared, he lay sprawled against the hurriedly breaking rock, staring up at the ceiling, awaiting the light to break through.
Unfortunately for the boy, such a thing never came to pass.
As the dust settled and his vision cleared, all he saw was a tiny red bump signaling where he had struck.
He had failed, and it would cost him his life.
Sputtering up blood, eyes wide in shock, he just stared into the darkness, realizing that this time, there would be no way out.
His eyes filled with crimson liquid as a vessel popped within, causing his vision to blur in and out along with his consciousness.
T-This is actually where I will die…
Raphael's heartbeat slowed as he felt the world grow distant, the fierce heat being the only feeling that still clung to his body.
Ah, the rumors are wrong. Death isn't a cold embrace…
He paused his thought, coughing up a piece of his lung that was caked with blood and grime that he had inhaled.
D-Death is a warm hug that brings you to his domain…
As he finished his thought, his eyelids began to droop, the effects of the backlash and the Dream Patch sending him into an eternal slumber.
He would soon enter the divine kingdom of Death himself, a true god and one at the same level as the deity he worshipped.
Reincarnation or eternal longing in the Great Beyond… Maybe I'll be reborn as an Angel this time…
Another fit of coughing overtook the boy as the heat surpassed the level a normal human could withstand, frying his skin and bones to the extreme.
Beyond his vision, an illusion appeared before him, it was one that brought a tear to his eye, one that he had wished to see for years.
"M-Mother…"
He could barely speak as he croaked the words with the single tear expanding into many as he sobbed.
Death was so close, and his mother awaited him in a place far away from the suffering he had faced.
The illusory woman opened her mouth in response to the boy's words.
There was no sound as she spoke, with the soft language written on her lips for the boy to see clearly.
"Live long. My son."
Her whisper hung deep in the boy's dying heart as she vanished into the abyssal nothingness, leaving him alone.
Tears streamed down his face as he begged for her to take him with her and not to leave him in this infernal hell of existence.
His body exploded into flame as his flesh burned and seared, forcing him to writher in agony as he finally grasped the edge of death.
Closing his eyes gently, he embraced this feeling of emotionless bliss, his burdens gone, his status erased, and the reward for his labors finally here.
It was at that very moment that, before his fading eyes, the entire world lit up, and a sound so loud that his eardrums burst in an instant appeared before him.
SHHHHRRAA-KKAAABOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!
The giant's insides bubbled, then burst out like a bomb, launching pieces of flesh far away from the boy while sending him hurdling downward.
Out of nowhere, hands reached around his body, holding him tightly, with the feeling of weightlessness fading rapidly.
Fire coating his body vanished in a heartbeat as a cold sensation wafted over him, while ten tiny pricks walked around his back.
Looking up with the last of his strength, Raphael von Steinfeste, second-born son to the Steinfeste Dynasty, stood shocked at the face he saw.
Aaron Grimstall, a large turquoise crab perched atop his head with its two beady eyes, stared right back at him.
The boy flashed him a smile so reassuring that his body immediately fell limp, vision waning as he finally lost consciousness.
In the arms of somebody he knew wouldn't let him die, he felt the memories of his youth rush back, reminding him of the long life he had lived and would continue to live.
All thanks to one blond boy and his crab.