Villain's Valor: A Noble Fantasy Resurrection

Chapter 86 : Truth

My body can't hold on anymore. I drop to my knees on the cold, damp ground, bowing my head in acceptance of my defeat. Strength leaves me as I feel my consciousness fading, accepting the bitter destiny imposed upon me. It's the end of the battle for me, but I can't help feeling a pang of resignation and despair as I sink into the darkness that surrounds me.

The thick raindrops continued to fall relentlessly from the dense gray sky, the strong storm continuing its relentless natural course, flooding everything in its path. In zone 3, the muddy ground and fallen leaves were completely soaked. My battered body and exhausted mind were extremely worn out after the battle.

My left arm, brutally severed at the level of my shoulder, hurt like hell as warm blood continued to flow uncontrollably from the horrible open wound, quickly soaking my uniform. The shattered bones of my numb arm didn't respond, I had no strength left, the pain and blood loss were pushing me to the brink of unconsciousness.

The massive loss of blood was weakening me by the moment, I could feel life escaping from my body. My complexion was deathly pale, I looked like a living dead. I breathed shallowly, with great difficulty, fighting for every breath. I could feel the malevolent and overwhelming presence of the demon right in front of me, staring at me, savoring my suffering.

The place plunged into a gloomy and oppressive silence, only the pounding of my frantic heart was heard. I closed my eyes reflexively, and a darkness deeper than the darkest night engulfed me from the depths of my being. Suddenly, I felt a comforting warmth that seemed to embrace me, like the tender and loving hug of a mother to her young child. My consciousness faded, sinking into the shadows.

But just then, a renewed strength and clarity flooded every corner of my body and mind, breathing hope into me that I had given up on.

I opened my eyes suddenly in surprise at being able to feel a sensation that somehow is very familiar, looking around the place there was only darkness, looking at my body I am surprised that it is in perfect condition, my brutally severed arm was back there, as if nothing had happened, looking up.

In the vast darkness, two eyes burn like glowing embers in the blackness. The iris, a deep black pit, seems to absorb the light that dares to approach, emanating an imposing and mysterious presence. But within that darkness, an indomitable magic unfolds in a whirlwind of infinite colors.

The pupil, like a starry vortex, is the epicenter of this chromatic wonder. Flashes of light dance inside it, creating a celestial spectacle of iridescent hues. There are flashes of crimson red, like the fury of an erupting volcano; flashes of molten gold, like the glow of the most precious treasure; flashes of emerald green, like the depths of an ancient forest.

These colors seem to emerge from the depths of the eyes, radiating outward in waves of pure energy. Each shade tells a story of epic battles and ancient secrets, engraved in the very essence of the legendary creature that possesses them.

The contour of the eyes, outlined by iridescent scales, highlights the majesty of this draconian gaze. The pupils, framed by the strength of the gaze, radiate an aura of power and ancestral wisdom, as if they contained the knowledge accumulated over countless eras.

The intensity of its gaze was overwhelming, as if it were looking beyond my skin and bones, scrutinizing the deepest recesses of my being. The darkness that surrounded it thickened with each blink, creating an atmosphere charged with mystery and malevolence. It was as if the darkness itself had come to life, manifesting its eyes to contemplate my existence with unsettling attention.

Every time its eyes landed on me, I felt as if I were being ensnared in an invisible web, as if thousands of invisible eyes were examining me from every corner of the universe. The sensation of being watched by such a vast and ancient entity was overwhelming, making my soul squirm under its relentless scrutiny.

A shiver ran down my spine as I plunged into the abyssal depth of those dark eyes. In its gaze, I perceived the presence of countless lost souls, each clamoring for attention and redemption. It was as if the darkness itself had gathered the essence of all those who had succumbed to its relentless embrace, and now, through those eyes, projected their despair and helplessness onto me.

The oppression became almost palpable, like a heavy slab resting on my shoulders, threatening to crush my will. Every breath became an effort, every beat of my heart resonated with the burden of the invisible weight that surrounded me. I felt small and insignificant, a speck of dust in the vast ocean of darkness that enveloped me.

With each passing moment under its gaze, the sensation of being watched intensified, as if I were being dragged into a bottomless abyss. My knees trembled, on the brink of giving in to the overwhelming pressure emanating from those eyes. At that moment, I understood the true magnitude of my vulnerability in the face of the unfathomable depth of the darkness embodied in its gaze.

It seemed like an eternity, until...

The darkness thickened around me, like a suffocating cloak weighing down on my shoulders, while its eyes bore into me with an indomitable intensity. It was as if the darkness itself had come to life, weaving its own eyes to watch me from every corner. An invisible multitude, a sea of invisible gazes, rested upon me, icy whispers cutting to the soul.

A deep whisper, as penetrating as the echo of eternity, echoed in the air. "Have you surrendered already?" The voice, omnipresent and sepulchral, pierced through me, causing my skin to crawl and my heart to beat violently. Remembering the fight I had faced against an imposing demon, a force that eclipsed all hope.

The difference in power was abysmal, an insurmountable gap that left me breathless, a Base-Platinum rank being.

As I found myself on the ground on my knees in the deepest recesses of my being, a titanic struggle raged. An inner cry clamored for resistance, for the courage to rise and face adversity. But another murmur, insidious and seductive, whispered the sweet song of surrender to me.

It was a battle of emotions, a frenzied dance between courage and resignation, and in the end, surrender rose as the victory of fear.

My strength faltered, my arms hung inert at my sides, mute witnesses to my misfortune. The shattered bones reminded me of my fragility, my vulnerability to the ruthless power looming over me. Every movement was torture, every breath a challenge, and the idea of continuing seemed like an unattainable chimera.

But why was I there? What strange force had led me to this dark abyss? The questions danced in my mind, insistent like unsettling shadows. Was I already dead? The idea slid into my thoughts, icy and disturbing, bringing with it the echo of an ominous destiny.

"You're not dead, little one," echoed the deep voice, tearing apart the veil of my conjectures. A shiver ran down my spine as I absorbed his words. "The time outside, around you, has simply frozen." A mantle of incredulity enveloped my mind, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what those words implied. Frozen time?

How was that possible?

The answer resonated in the darkness, an echo of certainty in a sea of uncertainty. "That's right," his deep and resonant voice left no room for doubt. But still, the feeling of bewilderment persisted in my mind, like a shadow stubbornly clinging to the light.

"But why?" My words floated in the air, laden with confusion and longing for understanding. What purpose could there be in being a disposable piece in the great board of destiny? Was my existence devoid of meaning, condemned to triviality and insignificance?

The answer resisted materializing, evading my attempts to understand. Was I simply a toy in the hands of forces beyond my comprehension? The idea plunged me into an abyss of fear, I didn't want someone else to take hold of my destiny, besides I don't have the strength to do anything...

After a few seconds, he spoke again, "Believe me, boy, if you weren't such an important piece in this world, I wouldn't have taken the time to save you, considering that I am already dead, what resides within your soul is only a projection left by myself, I have no intention of replacing you, I have no soul right now, as I told you I am simply a projection from the past."

The words echoed in my mind, like distant echoes of a truth yet to be understood. A projection from the past? The idea slowly made its way into my consciousness, revealing a new and puzzling panorama. If that being lying before me was a shadow of the past, then what did that mean for my own existence?

The feeling of being a pawn on a chessboard faded before the revelation. If that being had made the decision to save me, then there must be something more at stake, something that transcended the barriers of time and space. My soul, a projection left by his own will, became the thread that connected our intertwined destinies.

"So, what should I do?" My words floated in the air, charged with a renewed urgency. If that being from the past had invested his energy in saving me, then there must be a deeper reason behind his choice. What was my role in this strange and mysterious fabric of destiny?

The words resonated in the air, imbued with a mystery that slid through the shadows. "I still cannot reveal the answer to you, it is not the right time," the voice whispered, like the echo of an ancestral secret waiting for its moment to be revealed.

"Does this mean I must first achieve the gold rank?" I inquired eagerly, feeling anticipation burning in my chest like a flame anxious to be ignited.

"Indeed," was the response, spoken with the solemnity of one who knows the designs of destiny. My deductions were confirmed, the gold rank, symbol of nobility and power, was a fundamental step in my path towards transcendence. It was the threshold that separated insignificance from greatness, where the soul

rose above mere existence, unlocking its deepest potential.

"So, how do I kill that thing?" I asked with a glimmer of hope, longing for a solution to mitigate my uncertainty.

"You won't kill her, you'll save her," the voice resonated with a solemnity that shook me to the core of my being. The revelation was shocking, defying my expectations and leading my mind into unknown territories. Save my enemy? How could that be possible?

"The reason I didn't kill you on the spot when you fell to your knees like a bitch, was because the being inside her, feeling another dragon awakened from its deep sleep still fights against the corruption that consumes her soul, in fact, I had never seen anything like it in my millennia of existence, an anomaly, a mistake that shouldn't have existed, besides she is a true dragon, dragon blood runs through her veins as protectors of our race, it is a sin to kill one of our own," he said with a serious tone.