Journey to the Top : The path of Power

As the Monarch's soul entered Roy's body, the young man fell to the ground, writhing in excruciating pain. It was an indescribable torment that coursed through every nerve in his body. His eyes bulged, veins popped, and he clutched his head, almost on the verge of losing consciousness. Unbeknownst to him, losing consciousness at this point would be fatal. He felt as if his very essence was being torn apart and rebuilt simultaneously.

"Noooooooo," Roy screamed, the pain driving him to the edge. He bit his lip hard, drawing blood, using the pain to keep himself awake. He feared that something might go terribly wrong if he lost consciousness, and his determination pushed him to endure the unbearable suffering. He forced himself to focus on anything but the pain—his dreams, his desires, the people he wanted to protect. His mind was a battlefield, waging war against the overwhelming agony.

For what felt like an eternity, Roy writhed on the ground, his screams filling the cave. The echoes of his pain bounced back from the cave walls, making it seem as though countless others were suffering alongside him. His entire body convulsed as the energy of the Heavenly Monarch melded with his soul, a force far greater than anything he had ever experienced.

One hour later

Finally, the torment began to subside, leaving Roy gasping for breath. He was still on the ground, trembling, barely conscious, his body drenched in sweat. The mental and physical exhaustion had taken a toll on him, and every muscle in his body ached from the relentless ordeal. His eyes were bloodshot, and his lips cracked from the strain, but there was still a spark of life in his gaze. 

After five hours

"YOU HAVE DONE WELL, YOUNG ONE," the Monarch's voice echoed within Roy's mind, gentler now, almost approving. "THIS CONNECTION WILL HELP US BOTH. YOUR JOURNEY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN. SEEK OUT THE TEMPLE OF THE ANCIENTS WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED THE PEAK OF THIS WORLD. THERE YOU WILL FIND ANSWERS AND ALLIES."

"Argh," Roy groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. His body ached all over, and he felt like he had been through a harrowing ordeal. It took him some time to gather his strength and sit up. He winced as he moved, every joint protesting, but there was also a new sensation—a faint warmth deep inside, like a flickering ember that had been lit within him.

"Hehe, I got my chance that I always wanted," Roy murmured to himself, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. Despite the overwhelming exhaustion, there was hope now—a hope that had not existed before. He had always dreamed of breaking free from the chains that bound him, and now, it felt like the first step had been taken.

"I need to organize my thoughts first," he thought as he contemplated his next steps. The cavern was dimly lit by the ethereal glow of the tree at its center, its leaves still shimmering with the soft golden light. Roy took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm settle over him. He needed to plan, to focus on what came next.

First and foremost, he had to get out of the cave, but before that, he remembered the Monarch's request.

"Let's get the ring my master asked me to retrieve." Roy considered the Monarch his master in his heart and started referring to him as such, a sign of the deep respect he now held.

He approached the tree in the center of the cave. On the tree trunk, he noticed a natural hole. He reached inside and retrieved an object, cradling it in his hand. The bark of the tree was smooth, and the hole seemed almost perfectly shaped, as though it had been waiting for someone like him.

Opening his hand, he examined the ring. It was a translucent black ring with light blue engraved characters on the outside. The engravings seemed to glow faintly, like they were alive with hidden energy.

"Mmmm, it looks quite beautiful," Roy remarked. He could feel a faint resonance from the ring, as though it held secrets that he had yet to uncover. He turned it in his hand, examining the intricate details of the characters etched into its surface. Each symbol seemed to pulsate with an energy of its own, drawing him in.

Using a black thread from his pocket, he fashioned the ring into a locket and wore it around his neck. His shirt had been torn apart during his fight and fall, so he discarded it, wearing only his black pants. Despite his lean frame, he felt a newfound sense of strength coursing through him. He could feel the power within, slowly spreading, like a seed that had just been planted. Well, all of this was just his imagination as he felt stronger because of his soul, not his body actually becoming strong.

"I am thirsty," Roy noted, realizing his need for water. However, there was no apparent source of water in the cave, and he needed to find a way out first. His throat felt dry, and he licked his cracked lips, trying to ignore the discomfort. He glanced around the cavern, hoping to spot something that could help.

He began searching for an exit, but despite his efforts, he couldn't locate one. He knew there was a hole in the ceiling, and he was determined to climb it, even if it meant scaling a few kilometers. However, he had no way of reaching that hole in the first place. Frustrated, he sat down with his back against the tree trunk, closing his eyes for a moment. He needed to think, to find a solution to the challenge before him.

After some time, Roy gazed up at the tree, its leaves providing the source of light in the cave. He noticed something peculiar—many of the leaves had golden lights blinking at their tips. The shimmering glow captivated his attention, and curiosity piqued, Roy climbed the tree, a challenging feat given his body's recent ordeals. His soul was strong now, and his body was healed, but he was still malnourished, and each movement made his muscles protest. It was a slow climb, but he refused to give up.

Upon reaching the branches, he closely examined the lights and touched one. To his surprise, the light transformed into a droplet of liquid that dripped down onto his hand. Without hesitation, Roy brought his hand to his mouth and drank the drop. The moment the liquid touched his tongue, a warmth spread through his body, and he felt an immediate surge of energy. It was as though the liquid replenished not just his thirst, but his entire being.

"Wooshhh," a gust of wind emanated from his body as his energy was replenished. It felt as though every cell in his body had been revitalized, the exhaustion fading away to be replaced with a powerful vitality.

"Aahahaha. This is amazing. I no longer feel hungry, nor do I feel thirsty," Roy exclaimed, realizing the significance of this newfound discovery. He felt an overwhelming sense of relief and exhilaration, as though he had just stumbled upon a secret treasure.

The sparkling lights on the tree's leaves seemed to provide sustenance, relieving him of his need for food and water. It was an incredible discovery—one that made his situation feel much less dire. He couldn't help but marvel at the wonder of the place he found himself in.

"This is a heaven-sent gift, or rather, a gift from my master to his student," Roy mused. His gratitude toward the Heavenly Monarch deepened even further, and he realized just how fortunate he was to have been given this chance. Not only had he been gifted immense power, but also a seemingly magical that could sustain him without any external help.

He had an idea and retrieved a vial from his bag, which had fallen alongside him but got separated during the fall. He found the bag in the cave while searching for the exit.

"Let's get to work," Roy murmured to himself, determination setting in as he climbed the tree once again, carefully collecting the golden droplets that had become his salvation.

After a few hours

Roy sat on the ground, a broad smile on his face, as he held a vial filled with around a thousand drops of the sparkling liquid. It was a shame he didn't have more vials, but this was a substantial find. The golden liquid glimmered within the vial, almost like molten sunlight, and Roy could feel its energy just by holding it.

He carefully placed the vial in his pocket, aware of its incredible value. He knew that what he held in his hands was something extraordinary, something that could potentially save his life in dire situations.

"Now, how to get out of here?" Roy pondered, his gaze shifting to the cavern ceiling far above. He was deep in thought, considering the challenges of climbing out of the crevice, which could prove to be a perilous endeavor. The distance seemed impossible to cover with his current physical state.

Suddenly, he heard a voice in his mind—the familiar voice of the Heavenly Monarch.

"DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LEAVE YOU STRANDED HERE?"

A portal materialized before him, a mesmerizing whirlpool of darkness that seemed to draw in all the surrounding light. At its center, a profound blackness beckoned, promising an adventure beyond imagination. The very edges of the portal emitted a radiant, golden mist, a shimmering aura that hinted at untold secrets waiting to be uncovered.

It was as though the portal itself held the essence of a cosmic doorway, connecting different realms and dimensions. The spiraling abyss at its heart whispered of ancient mysteries and uncharted territories. Roy could feel the portal's gravitational pull, tugging at his very soul, urging him to take the step into the unknown.

With a mix of curiosity and exhilaration, Roy took the first step into the enigmatic vortex, his surroundings dissolving around him as he entered the portal's embrace. His senses were overwhelmed by the sudden shift—the sensation of his body being stretched and compressed simultaneously, as if the fabric of reality itself was folding around him.

Unbeknownst to him, the cave he left behind vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed, leaving Roy to embark on a fantastical journey into uncharted lands and realms.