World's Last Hope

Glancing at his status screen, Eric's eyes it lit up.

-----

[Status]

Race: Human

Name: Eric

Traits: Blinding Star, The Last One, The Cursed One, Punching up, Charmed, Fearless

Soul: Faint

Miracles: The Cursed Set

Reminisces: EMPTY

-----

He saw that he had indeed gained a new trait and focused on it.

-----

[Fearless]

Description: Few can say that they are as brave and reckless as you are; few can boast of their achievements as well as you can.

Positive:

The more dire and hopeless the situation, the clearer your mind becomes, and the stronger your body grows.

Your calculating nature, even against the worst odds, inspires those around you.

If the requirements are met, this trait could evolve, pushing you further toward godhood.

Negative:

You often overestimate your abilities, putting yourself in harm's way.

If the requirements are met, this trait could devolve, pushing you further toward corruption.

-----

"So? What is it?" Olivia asked, curious about what he had gained for killing a Grade-5 abomination while he himself was somewhere around Grade-3.

"Fearless, that's the trait I got," he answered, glancing at Olivia.

Both Olivia and Aria's eyes widened, and they froze as they heard his answer.

"Is something wrong?" Eric asked, noticing the sudden change in their expressions.

"Are… are you sure it says Fearless?" Aria asked, still unmoving.

"Yes, it says Fearless, and its description is: Few can say that they are as brave and reckless as you are; few can boast of their achievements as well as you can."

"I… I'll be damned. Princess, you were really right! This is the guy we desperately needed!" Olivia exclaimed, shifting her glance to Aria.

"Is it something that special?" Eric asked, confused. Sure, it was a good trait, but it didn't seem good enough to warrant such a fuss.

"Yes, it is," Aria said, stepping closer to him. "It's a trait many have attempted to acquire, but very few have succeeded. The reason it's so powerful is that it can evolve."

"Into a heroic trait," Olivia interjected.

Nodding slightly, Aria continued, "It's said that the one who achieves the heroic version of this trait will be the one to lead us to victory against the Corruption."

Reaching forward, she placed her palm on Eric's face. The sudden gesture made him flinch, but he didn't move—too mesmerized by her beautiful blue eyes.

"Grandpa was right. You really are our last hope."

Not knowing how to respond, all Eric could do was lose himself in the beauty of Aria's face, which she didn't seem inclined to move anytime soon.

*****

The third day had already passed, and all three of them sat on the ground, letting their tired bodies rest. Aria and Olivia had dissolved their armor, while Eric still kept his on.

Opening the map, he saw they had crossed 25 kilometers already, meaning they were halfway through their journey.

The day wasn't very eventful; sure, they fought against some enemies, but all of them were Grade-3. Eric practiced against them while Olivia and Aria observed from a distance.

Something he had learned today was that each Grade monster was different in strength. Even monsters of the same Grade had varying power levels, classified as Lower, Mid-range, and Higher Grade.

Out of curiosity, he asked what level the monsters he had managed to wound the day prior were, only to learn they were considered Low Grade-5.

'If this was Low Grade, I don't want to imagine what a higher level is,' Eric thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Olivia asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Just stuff, I guess."

Something else had changed: Olivia and Aria's behavior. They acted with more respect toward him, almost as if he were their equal in strength.

Which, he currently wasn't.

'It's all because of the Fearless trait. It must be a title worthy of respect, I guess,' he thought.

"There's something you should know about," Aria interjected.

Raising an eyebrow, Eric asked, "What is it?"

"We're getting closer to the Corrupted Cathedral, so naturally, everything will start to change. Don't be surprised if the laws of nature stop working. Don't rely on your sight or hearing—they could mislead you," she explained.

"This… is too funny," Olivia said, bursting into laughter. "The only reason they sent us three was out of formality. They probably expected us to return the next day, but we're already halfway there. They must be worried sick!"

"Well, it seems they underestimated us… and above all, they underestimated Eric too," Aria commented, joining Olivia in laughter.

Their laughter was pleasant to the ears, almost like a song crafted by divinity. However, as a sudden thought popped into Eric's mind, he asked,

"How does it feel?" Eric's question made both women turn their eyes toward him. "How does it feel to be the renowned masters on whom the entire Last City relies?"

They thought for a moment before Olivia answered for both of them.

"Honestly… pretty shitty. We're just masters; the real power lies with the grandmasters."

"So, to make a meaningful change, we first have to become grandmasters," Aria added.

Nodding slightly, Eric went to sleep, and the girls followed his example.

The next morning, they continued their journey. The first hour was pretty uneventful—until…

Eric stopped, mesmerized by the sight below him—a ravine.

The ground was gone, replaced by darkness. Something told Eric that if he touched that darkness, he wouldn't live to tell the tale.

'How the hell are we supposed to get past this?' he wondered. They first had to descend into the ravine, but if they did, they would touch the endless darkness.

Suddenly, a chilling roar interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see a giant worm with a bestial face flying in the air, unaffected by gravity.

"So, it has begun," Aria said, looking at the ravine they needed to cross.

"How the hell do we get around it?" Eric asked.

"Simple. We fly," Olivia answered immediately.

"Fly? But how?" Eric wasn't aware that either of his companions could fly.

With a smirk, Olivia stretched out her hand and pointed at the flying worm.

"Simple—we catch ourselves a Grade-4 monster."