Life is but a shitty mess, not a game. Take it from me, that's not a fun mistake to make.

As it turns out, you could indeed use the Phlegethon as a forge. Who knew?

Anyway. With my Curse ability, it was almost ridiculously easy to reproduce some of the nastier weapons. Apparently, due to my high proficiency with Attack Magic, which Curse falls under, I could Curse an object with even the most obscure of maladies. Combined with Devil magic, which appeared to be based entirely off of imagination, I didn't even have to try that hard. Of course, this shortcut guaranteed that the resulting weapon would make the user's life absolute hell, but that didn't matter if it was being used as a one-shot missile.

For instance, did you know that there was a demonic sword from the Nibelungen that both drives the wielder to ruin due to a powerful curse of "reparation," and also possesses a completely separate curse that makes the sword impossible to return to its sheath until it kills at least one other being? A lovely little thing called Dáinsleif, which drove its owner to madness back in the day. But when used as a projectile and Broken, it turns into a homing missile that creates an explosion large enough to level half an army.

…All right, so maybe I was enjoying this more than I should have. I was just letting off some steam while enjoying the ability to actually do something for a change. I was also slightly pissed that I couldn't make Hrunting yet. Every time I had tried, it had turned out significantly weaker than I had intended, and often fell apart mid-flight.

Fuck Archer. This was hard. And I was a master smith! How much skill did I need?

I sighed, watching the Cursed Arai fly away once more. I'd used ten lives now, just exploring the Pit and searching for a way out. I didn't learn anything close to what I wanted, but I did learn where all of the big nasties hid. And unfortunately, as one life had taught me, hydras were immune to aerial bombardment. Also, those things are a hell of a lot faster than they look. By the time the blast wave had cleared, I was missing the top half of my body. And even if I did have incredible regeneration, being blasted by seven separate elements while being drenched in acid would kill even the most resilient of regenerators.

There were actually a disturbing number of monsters who were capable of one-shotting me. Even through my various abilities and disturbingly high regeneration, the fuckers always found a way. Drakkons could drench me in acid, several creatures had venom that turned my regeneration against me, and Medusa just plain cheated. And that wasn't even counting the living cheat codes like Scylla or the Stymphalian Birds. (Names were helpfully provided to me by a very large python. I killed it right after it tried to swallow me whole.)

Side note, did you know that Typhon had children? I didn't before, but I sure did now. And let me tell you, of the few I'd met, they were all disgustingly overpowered. I'd been told that one of them was even a mini-Typhon, but I wisely avoided meeting it in person. If the gods themselves feared that thing, then I probably stood a burrito's chance in Von's forge.

Despite getting used to death, however, I was still terrified of dying. Wanna know why?

*The Eyes of Misery have been damaged*

-The power 'Memento Mori' has been nullified.

-The power 'Memorial' has been nullified.

-The power 'Spider's Eyes' has been nullified.

*Regeneration time: 3d 4h 5m*

Yeah. If my eyes got damaged when I died, I got a fucking respawn timer. And not the kind that helpfully kept you in a black void. No, this thing left me to the mercy of Tartarus for the entire time that my Eyes took to fix themselves. And what was worse- I was less than useless without Spider's Eyes, which, you guessed it, were also tied to my eyes.

I was a Wendigo. That means that without my Eyes, I was basically a glass cannon. And worse? I was incapable of feeling anything. Anything. My kind is so crippled due to our… well… undeath that we couldn't even understand the difference in power levels- or even magic types. That was why my Spider's Eyes made everything look like a game screen: that's all they could do. And when you're half-blind and stumbling through the Pit of the Damned, unable to even know where the monsters around you stood, much less about how strong they are, it's scary. And I'm not talking the conventional levels of scary. We're talking late-night horror film-gone-wrong scary. The kind that makes you scared to breathe let alone move. But you have to keep moving, because to stay still is to die.

If I weren't forcing myself to be scared, I wouldn't feel fear either. Do you know how alarming it is to not feel fear? Fear is what tells your body 'hey, dumbass, GET OUT OF HERE!' I was walking blind through a pit of monsters. I should have been scared. I wanted to be scared. After all… what killed the most of my kind wasn't the threat of a higher being. It was when they didn't know that the other thing was a higher being, and they attacked it without knowing. Without fearing. So I feared. I feared, and I tried to keep my spirits up, because if I gave up for even a moment it would be over. So even if I came across as being unconcerned with my surroundings, I was truly scared out of my skin. I just had to smile and joke, else I'd fall into despair.

During the times that I actually had my powers, I did my damnedest to avoid treating it like a game. It might've seemed like an RPG, but it sure as hell wasn't one. All I had were a pair of magic eyes and a power that let me use Scrying Magic even though I was a Diviner. Not some God-level hax powers, just a small boost that let me get out of situations alive.

'And speaking of being a Diviner, this whole 'escaping the Pit' thing would be a hell of a lot easier if my Sight did anything worth a damn,' I griped. 'Fucking Pit...'

I shook off my thoughts, my mind slowing back to normal speeds as I concentrated on the present. I set the half-finished blade beside me and rose, heading over to my fragile hovel. It was positioned on the other side of the Phlegathon, where most monsters couldn't go. I was immune to the toxins of Hell that had to potential to kill the majority of the Pit dwellers, so it was a simple decision to make my home in Hell rather than in Tartarus. I made a few bargains with monsters on the other side to get the materials to construct my little home, and it was fairly easy to get food around here.

After all, the Seventh Circle of Hell housed murderers, profligates, blasphemers, and rapists. And if I couldn't eat criminals, then who would I eat? The monsters who could destroy me in a moment? The broken glass at my feet? No thanks, I'll stick to the damned. Disembodied souls or not, they all tasted the exact same.

The trick is finding the fuckers.

If you think back, you'll remember that Spider's Eyes was the only thing that allowed me to see the supernatural phenomena around me. Apparently being an atheist counted for something, at least. I suppose if I were to just pick a faith, I wouldn't have to re-enact The Invisible Man. But as an atheist, as long as I didn't hurt the monsters around me, my inability to see them rendered all but the most powerful unable to touch me. I didn't know who enforced the Laws, but whoever they were, they had my thanks.

I picked up my backpack, grabbing a handful of jerky to munch on as I planned my next steps. I had a few days left until my timer ran out and I could get back to looking for a way back to the Underworld. Until then, I was stuck grinding skills and trying to figure out how to better craft the likes of Balmung and Ascalon.

In my downtime, I tried to figure out how my powers worked. From what I understood from my various tests, my Kangeki worked on the principle of storing memories and sending them back in time. Simple, efficient, and easily done. I hadn't yet figured out the means by which it sent my power back as well, but I did have a theory. It was less plausible than the one involving memories, but it explained more.

Souls.

As an atheist, I didn't believe in the concept myself. But in the time since I've gotten the Eyes of Misery, I'd learned that there was something powering sentient beings. Hell, the Book had an entire Section devoted just to Soul Magic. I didn't get all of it, but I'd understood enough.

The way the Author explained it, the 'soul' consisted of two parts: the Spirit and the Soul. The Spirit was what made you, you. It contained a 'backup drive' of all your emotions, memories, experiences -everything. The Soul, meanwhile, was the driving force, the 'power source' that enabled your Spirit to function. After you die, your 'soul' would be collected and separated into its components. Your Spirit would go to whatever afterlife you believed in, and your Soul would be dumped into the reincarnation cycle to be reused.

So… what if my Kangeki didn't just affect the mind? What if it wrote directly to the Spirit as well? And every time I died, they used the energy remaining in my Soul to send my Spirit back in time. Since my Spirit was a perfect match with itself, it would merge flawlessly with its past version and would grant me the abilities that I gained in my previous incarnation. My Wendigo powers would tag along, granting me whatever bonuses I gained from Devouring other creatures in the meantime.

Of course, the process wasn't be perfect, as not everything the Spirit holds can be properly merged. My past Spirit could only hold so much, else my Soul wouldn't be able power it all That was where my Eyes would factor in. My Kangeki gradually adjusted my soul to be more compatible every time I used Memento Mori, essentially 'leveling' the ability every time it was used. Spider's Eyes acted as a helpful conduit to give me the ability to pick and choose what I wanted merged with my soul.

One eye to send my soul back with Memento Mori, one eye to merge the two parts of my Spirit together with Memorial. A perfect system.

That was just a theory, though. I still wasn't entirely sure yet as to whether my Eyes could even influence my soul, let alone detonate half of it to create a miniature wormhole in space and send the other half through. But any theory was better than just ignoring the implications of my power. Hell, for all I knew, I had detonated the entire universe every time I had travelled back in order to power the trip. For now, though, I would be acting under the assumption that my Eyes really did affect my soul and was treating them with the appropriate caution.

…God, I sounded paranoid. Where did the simple days go? The ones where my biggest worry had been someone stealing the Book?

Actually, scratch that, that was still my biggest worry. 'I swear to God, Kuroka, if you lose her…'

I exhaled, squinting and pushing a bit of mana into my Eyes.

*Regeneration time: 3d 3h 57m*

"Gaaaah. I'm so bored!" I growled to no one in particular.

My half-finished blade shone dully in the flickering light of the Phlegathon. I picked it up tiredly, grumbling to myself and hefting a crude hammer.

Time to get back to work.

I wiped the blood from my eyes as my odd, hourglass-shaped pupils returned to the three tomoe of the Kangeki's basic form. I observed myself with my Spider's Eyes, checking to see my new stats.

Name: Dee

Title: What Doesn't Kill You Hurts Like Hell

Race: Wendigo

Level: 53

Status:

-Malnourished (Advanced) (-15 to all physical Talent Values)

-Curse of the Wendigo (PERMENANT) (Negates all mental inhibitions, positive and negative)

-Wendigo's Endless Hunger (PERMANANT)(NEGATED BY TITLE)

-Wendigo's Freezing Chill (PERMANANT)

Talent Values:

MP: 295/295

Physical Attack: 205 (220)(-15)

Physical Defense: 175 (190)(-15)

Magical Attack: 240

Magical Resistance: 285

Agility: 286 (197+104)(-15)

Total Value: 1,286

Abilities:

—Attack Magic (All) {Mystic} Lv53

—Cooking {Advanced} Lv6

—Greater Regeneration {Advanced} Lv84

— Spear Mastery {Legendary} Lv54

—Archery {Legendary} Lv93

—Smithing {Legendary} Lv95

—Devour LvMAX

—Spider's Eyes LvMAX

—Memento Mori {Godly} LvMAX

—Memorial Lv13/20

—Music Proficiency LvMAX

…Hooooly shit. Wow. That was some serious gain.

I'd like to take the time to say how much I loved spamming anti-death hax. Even if I had had a few brief 'oh-fuck-me' moments when I was about to get trapped inside of some inescapable trap, I had always managed to Reinforce my brain until it popped. Not the most pleasant way to go, but it was better than being trapped for eternity as a lawn ornament. Or worse, getting my Eyes damaged with a stupid stunt.

I eyed my Attack Magic once more. 'That could bear some serious training, and I'm hardly short of targets. As long as I don't do something stupid and damage my Eyes again, everything is fair game.'

I glanced up at the horde of monsters in front of me, combing through my mental list of shelved projects. I suddenly remembered something the Arai had said about the natural abilities of Wendigos. I concentrated, summoning my mana and focusing.

Thunder rumbled in the skies above, and I grinned. Time for some serious training.

Say what you will, but magical lightning would never match true lightning. As long as I insulated my Eyes, I should even be able to dodge the dreaded Respawn Timer.

I rose, wiping the sweat off my brow and setting aside my newest creation. I poured the water of the Phlegethon back into the river, before walking back to the ashy ground to the side of the broken-glass bank and using my Mangekyō to save my progress. I brushed the Dragon bone shavings off of my ratty shirt, closed my eyes, and let out a deep sigh.

So, why did I need to use the river of damned souls as a makeshift forge this time? For my next experiment, of course.

I had once heard from Von that Samael the Dragon Eater was bound within the waters of Cocytus. And, unless I missed my guess, the river of ice some five hundred feet in front of me was that very river. I didn't know exactly what 'Wendigo's Freezing Chill' was, but I somehow suspected that it meant I would be 'immune to even the harshest climates' as the Arai had told me. And if I was immune to the cold… then couldn't I take a dive into Cocytus?

A perfect meal, just sitting there. Bound in chains, unable to flee if I decided to Devour him. Wonderful.

I smiled, bursting into motion. I wove through the crowds of monsters with practiced ease, my speed a product of endless practice. I made my way to the edge of the cold front in record time, and didn't even stumble as I pushed through.

It was a simple, irresistible feeling, entering the cold once more. Like opening the door to the Iron Strikeafter a long day's work. It was calm, comforting, soothing. I didn't break stride as I activated Spider's Eyes, glancing over my stats for any changes.

And then I promptly tripped and went arse-over-teakettle.

Name: Dee

Title: What Doesn't Kill You Hurts Like Hell

Race: Wendigo

Level: 53

Status:

-Malnourished (Advanced) (-15 to all physical Talent Values)

-Curse of the Wendigo (PERMENANT) (Negates all mental inhibitions, positive and negative)

-Wendigo's Endless Hunger (PERMANANT)(NEGATED BY TITLE)

-Wendigo's Freezing Chill (PERMANANT)[Active]

Talent Values:

MP: 10,295/10,295 [+10,000/10,000]

Physical Attack: 1205 (220)(-15)[1000]

Physical Defense: 1175 (190)(-15)[1000]

Magical Attack: 1240 (240)[1000]

Magical Resistance: 1285 (285)[1000]

Agility: 286 (197+104)(-15)[1000]

Total Value: 1,286

And got up without a scratch.

…I was fucking speechless right now. Just… just give me a second.

All right. Dee dot exe has restarted.

WHAT THE HELL!?

All of my stats were raised by a thousand when I so much as entered the cold? If I had known that, I wouldn't have busted my balls trying to avoid getting rekt!

I paid little to no attention to the monsters around me, instead heading straight for the river of pure cold. I took an instant to wonder if this was actually a good idea.

And then I dove in.

MP: 1,000,295/1,000,295

…I don't even… just… no. That was broken as hell.

I sighed to myself, reinforcing my lungs to their utmost limits. With the sheer amount of power I had running through my veins, I could hardly call this life-threatening. I just wished that I had found out about this back at the cave, so I didn't have to worry about suffocating to death the entire time.

I ignored the odd creatures bound in chains, all inert in their prisons. I was looking for bigger prey. I swam downwards, deeper into the murky waters. I glanced at my MP every once in a while, and was continually exasperated as it climbed into the trillions. Why? Because mythology was bullshit. Having a creature based off the concept of 'absolute hunter' mixed with a healthy dose of 'at home in the cold'? Even more bullshit.

I just wished I could use this power all the time, rather than needing to submerge myself into the literal embodiment of cold.

I finally caught sight of my prey. He was a large, ominous creature with bizarre features. He had the upper body of a fanged Fallen Angel, and the lower body of an Asian Dragon. His features were crudely defined, as if someone had drawn over the face of an Angel with a pencil and sharpened only the worst bits. His eyes were closed as if he were asleep, but I didn't dare let down my guard, if even for one moment.

(The Poison of God)

[Samael]

[Lv. ? ? ? ?]

{Status: Bound beyond all possible hope of escape}

'All right, I'm not going to lie, that status is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. And quite possibly the last, if this doesn't work.'

I pulled a sword equipped with the Light crystal out of my Gem. A sword I had poured all my blood, sweat, and tears into for the past three weeks. Then, I unleashed my incredible mana supply directly into the blade.

—O sword, Let thee be filled…

The jewel in the hilt glowed to life as the blade drank in my mana, glowing with a brilliant blue light and coating the blade in a twilight aura. In a flash of light, the blade's aura stretched into the sky above, effortlessly piercing through the water between itself and the surface. I forced more and more power into it, concentrating on shifting the power into a usable form. Then, with the force of a man swinging a blade through solid ice, I released the attack.

"Balmung!"

And with that, my vision went white.

When the light faded, I immediately focused on my target, almost praying that it had—

A single arm remained after the blast, all else having been demolished. I stared for a moment, waiting for the 'aha!' moment in which Samael popped up from behind me and ripped my heart out. My luck could not possibly be this good. It was like I existed to be the universe's chew toy.

And yet, despite all odds, nothing ganked me while I stared down the floating arm. Slowly, hesitantly, I approached. If I had any shield spells, I would've been spamming them like mad. But again, to my horror, nothing awaited me. Only a floating arm, bound by a single chain. I checked behind me in all directions, waiting for the inevitable surprise. My luck sucked. It wouldn't possibly just let me win, right?

I tentatively reached out, lightly tugging the arm out of the chain. I brought it to my mouth and took a large bite. My entire body shuddered in revulsion at the acrid taste of the hybrid's blood, but I continued regardless, picking clean the bone before eating it like a wafer. Nothing else happened, and I burped. Glancing around, I began to swim for the surface.

And then the pain hit.

My blood boiled, flesh simmered, organs ruptured as my bones shattered. I screamed without lungs as my body tore itself apart, piecing itself back together with disturbing ease. A cloud of my blood began to diffuse out from where I writhed, obscuring the surface and dying my vision red. My sight began to flicker as my strength dimmed, my mana being devoured as if by a monstrous black hole. Yet still, the struggle continued. My veins pulled themselves apart and stitched themselves back together in less than an instant, my muscles spasming as they dissolved and reintegrated themselves. My eyes burned, my nose poured out blood, and my mouth formed an endless, silent scream.

After what felt like an eternity, my vision finally faded, and my eyes fluttered shut.

I floated within the blackness of my mind for a while, a length of time that I cared not to count. Finally, I opened my eyes and tried to shake myself awake.

"MY, MY." A deep, rolling voice echoed inside my mind. "YOU TRULY ARE AN INTERESTING SPECIMEN. HOW HAVE YOU SURVIVED THIS LONG?"

I coughed, an odd experience for one who didn't have lungs. "Guts and will. Why?"

The voice seemed amused. "CALL IT PROFESSIONAL CURIOSITY. I COULD HARDLY IGNORE SUCH BLATANT IGNORANCE OF THE LAWS OF TIME WHEN YOU DANCE AT MY DOORSTEP."

I froze. "E-excuse me?"

A pair of golden eyes opened in the darkness, the voice quieting as it seemed to shrink. "Even as I caught your soul, you moved back in time. How utterly disrespectful of you to try to override my Authority in my very presence." He sighed, long and deep. "And yet, I cannot stop you with my current power. So this shall suffice." The golden eyes bored into mine. "COME FIND ME WHEN YOU WAKE UP."

And then my eyes snapped open, and I saw the familiar sight of the Phlegethon. At my side, the newly completed Balmung shone with an inner light.

I fell back onto my rear, gasping for air. I wasn't much for mythology, but even I knew who that was. The Lord of the Titans. The King of the Pit. The Father of the Gods. Chronos.

And he now apparently knew I existed. Lovely.

I sighed, focusing and drawing up Spider's Eyes. Thankfully, my eyes didn't seem damaged from my… experience, so they responded without issue.

[Memorial has leveled up! Lv13- Lv15]

[Memorial has activated!]

[Memorial—Motherfucking Sniped!]

[Choose four of the following bonuses.]

1. Curse Self Lv2

2. Greater Regeneration {Advanced} LvMAX- Renewal {Mystic} LvMAX- Regrowth {Legendary} Lv10

3. Agility +540

4. Pain Resistance {Basic} LvMAX- Greater Pain Resistance {Mid} LvMAX- Stone Cold {Advanced} LvMAX- Marble Skin {Mystic} Lv54

5. Swordsmanship {Mid} Lv10- Swordsmanship {Mid} Lv15

I sighed, selecting all but Curse Self. That was one ability I didn't really need. The spidery text cleared, and an odd notification greeted me.

{For not only having the sheer audacity to shank a higher being, but the balls and power to pull it off, you have gained the ability Larceny!}

[Larceny {Godly} Lv1]

{For Devouring a higher being, yet surviving long enough to consume half of his Legend, you may pick one half of Samael's Legend to make your own!}

{1. Angel of Death}

{2. Samael's Curse}

I blinked. Twice. 'You mean… that actually worked?' I thought in shock. 'But I thought—y'know what, never mind. Maybe I actually absorbed his Spirit or something. I'm just going to take it for what it's worth. Now.' I eyed the two options. 'Samael was the Angel of Death before he fell, so that's probably where one came from. I'm pretty sure the other one happened because of the way he fell. So, he can kill Dragons or something?' Balmung shimmered beside me, innocently reflecting the light of the Phlegethon. 'Well, I seriously doubt I'm ever going to have to face an actual Dragon, so I'll stick with Angel of Death.'

Suddenly, I felt something in the back of my mind click. It wasn't a mind-shattering revelation, or a sudden new sense, but something new became a part of me, something that never should've been mine.

[Angel of Death has become a part of your Legend! Due to your high compatibility, all parts of Angel of Death have immediately been made available!]

[Angel of Death: All things must die, and it is your job to keep it as such. Immortality breeds stagnation, and that is one thing you have always hated. Negates the "undying attribute" of all things, and inflicts wounds that cannot be restored by any methods other than healing in accordance to the natural laws.]

[Due to the effects of Angel of Death, a new ability has formed!]

[Annihilation {?} Lv1]

The text dissolved, and more appeared.

{For Devouring the remains of a higher being, yet surviving long enough to consume half of his power, you may choose three abilities to automatically raise one rank.}

—Attack Magic (All) {Mystic} Lv89

—Regrowth {Legendary} Lv10

—Marble Skin {Mystic} Lv54

— Spear Mastery {Legendary} Lv16

—Swordsmanship {Mid} Lv15

—Smithing {Legendary} Lv95

…Dammit, why!? Why did this have to be so hard! I wanted all of these to be insta-ranked, so why did I have to pick just three?

Grumbling to myself, I chose Smithing and debated between Regeneration, Spear Mastery, and Attack Magic. I eventually chose Regeneration and Spear Mastery, just because of how easy it would be to get better at magic once I had the Book again. After all, having a high-ranked magic ability did nothing when I didn't know enough to use it.

—Smithing {Godly} Lv95

—Absolute Regrowth {Godly} Lv10

—Spear Mastery {Godly} Lv16

…OP. I call OP hax. Really? Why the hell did it keep the levels the way they were? And how did this even work? My life wasn't a game, I couldn't just power-level skills like I was a character. I only got as far as I did due to Memento Mori letting me keep my muscle memory or whatever for physical tasks, but for three abilities to randomly gain enough experience to raise a rank? Something seriously screwy was going on here.

{For Devouring the remains of a higher being, yet surviving long enough to consume half of his power, you may choose two physical traits.}

-Angelic Form

-Dragon Scales

-Perfect Body

-Fearsome Visage

…Okay, now this I can use. Angelic Form, Perfect Body. Yes and yes. I really don't see the point of the other two.

[You have gained the memories of Samael the Dragon Eater!]

[You have unlocked the form: Samael the Angel!]

[Your power level has raised!]

[Your Talent Values have been raised!]

I grinned. It's time to—

['Perfect Body' has negated status condition 'Malnourished {Advanced}'!]

['Perfect body' has negated status condition 'Wendigo's Endless Hunger'!]

I blinked. 'Wait, there's more?'

*Due to your actions, you have activated a Rite of Ascension!*

*Your journey has now begun…*

I waited a few seconds, but nothing else happened. No more burning, ominous text appeared, nothing explaining what the hell a 'Rite of Ascension' was. Only a normal notification answered me.

[Due to the intense emotional trauma you have experienced, as well as the Sharingan has amplified your abilities once more! All physical abilities will now be 5000% easier to get.]

[You have gained the physical trait 'Photographic Reflexes'!

)DUE TO PHYSICAL DISFIGURMENT, MEMENTO MORI HAS SUFFERED EXTREME DEGREDATION.(

[Absolute Regrowth has partially negated the effects of 'Memento Mori'!]

[Remaining uses of 'Memento Mori'—2- 4]

'…Oh, fuck. I just lost 24 lives with that stunt. No wonder I didn't get the Respawn Timer. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I have only four lives left. In the middle of fucking Tartarus.'

I felt the familiar calm of my emotions dissolving as my mind began to shut down in panic. I guess the Curse of the Wendigo wasn't actually all that bad once you disabled the worst bits.

'So… is that 'Rite of Ascension' thing why I suddenly have three God-level skills? Is that it? I mean, it's not like I have any other explanation. I'll have to figure out what 'Ascension' is once I get out of this hellhole. I doubt anyone here would be willing to explain, even if they knew.'

I sighed, activating Spider's Eyes and bringing up my stats.

Name: Dee

Title: What Doesn't Kill You Hurts Like Hell

Race: Wendigo (*)

Level: 223

Status:

-Curse of the Wendigo (PERMENANT) (Negates all mental inhibitions, both positive and negative)

-Wendigo's Freezing Chill (PERMANANT)

Talent Values:

MP: 210,450 /210,450

Physical Attack: 4220

Physical Defense: 3190

Magical Attack: 3240

Magical Resistance: 4285

Agility: 6301

Total Value: 21,236

Abilities:

—Attack Magic (All) {Mystic} Lv89

—Cooking {Advanced} Lv6

—Annihilation {?} Lv1

—Absolute Regrowth {Godly} Lv10

—Marble Skin {Mystic} Lv54

—Spear Mastery {Godly} Lv16

—Archery {Legendary} Lv93

—Swordsmanship {Mid} Lv10

—Smithing {Godly} Lv95

—Devour LvMAX

—Larceny {Godly} Lv1

—Spider's Eyes LvMAX

—Music Proficiency LvMAX

—Memento Mori {Godly} LvMAX

—Memorial Lv15/20

…Wait. My now obscenely high level aside, if I only had four uses left in my Mangekyō, then did that mean—

In a panic, I pulled out a rough blueprint that I had written on a piece of skin a dozen lives ago. The words on the page were dim and blurry, and no amount of focus would make them legible. A cold chill raced down my spine. I now had to navigate Tartarus, avoid monsters, and survive intact while practically blind.

…Oh, and I still had to track down a mad Titan so I could talk with him. Knowing my luck, he was probably in that bronze fortress that I'd been avoiding this whole time.

I rubbed my blurry eyes, sighing. 'Welp. At least I can still use Spider's Eyes. That hasn't changed. Thank Arachne for my almost game-like Scrying abilities. Even if it's only because of my Kangeki that I can bring powers back with me, it still feels like an RPG.' I smiled grimly. 'Too bad it's not. I could really use a bunch of healing potions right about now.'

I picked up Balmung, tucking it into my Gem and rising to my feet. I squinted into the distance, ignoring the blurry horde of monsters. If I remembered correctly, the bronze fortress should be… there. Yes. Good. I could still pick out enough details to know where I was going.

I tensed, then burst into motion. The world around me blurred, but my Eyes effectively prevented me from getting tunnel vision as I cranked up my ridiculous agility. I used a touch of magic to remove the wind that would've knocked over every monster within ten feet of where I ran, but I couldn't do anything about the sonic boom that followed.

I reached the bronze fortress within ten seconds, blowing past the ornate decorations surrounding it and stopping just in front of a pair of enormous double doors. My approach was utterly silent, if it weren't for the wind that would've knocked down any bystanders, it would have seemed that I had magically appeared there.

The great bronze doors swung open with a low groan, and I hesitantly stepped into the darkness.

It occurred to me how reckless I had become when relying on Memento Mori. I should have really figure out a way to avoid situations like this.

As I strode down a long hall, torches on the walls sputtered to life. When I reached the end of the hall, a smaller pair of engraved golden doors opened to allow me inside. I didn't even pause, by now too far in to consider escape. I'd rather face a Titan head-on than have him use BS time powers to snipe me from afar.

'Actually, come to think of it, maybe he knows what Ascension is. I'll have to ask,' I thought absently, glancing around to make sure nothing was about to chop my head off. Noticing nothing, I continued through the doors.

I walked on a narrow, red carpet, tiled on each side. I was amused by the dramatic flair, especially with the torches only allowing me a few feet of sight at a time. Unfortunately, due to my night vision, I could clearly see the throne at the end of the hall, which kind of ruined the mood. I said nothing, however, instead calmly continuing down the path. Finally, the throne became close enough for me to get a good look the occupant.

(The Titan of Time)

[Chronos]

[Lv. ? ? ? ? ? ?]

{Status: Weakened {Severe}}

He was a tall, muscular man with golden eyes and white hair. He wore a set of golden armor, and a large scythe lay propped against the back of his throne. He leaned forward as I approached, a menacing smile growing across his face. "WELCOME!" he boomed, throwing out his arms and rising to his feet. "You must be the Time Mage I sensed. How incredible!"

I blinked, my mind beginning to dissect his words. He didn't know me… which meant that he didn't know of Memento Mori. He didn't know of my sudden power boost. He probably thought I was some noob that had stumbled into Tartarus. So, if worse came to worst, I had a decent chance of taking him by surprise and tagging him with one of my nastier moves.

"I am," I agreed smoothly. "I'm a Diviner, a former human who braved the wrath of Hell. You invited me here in one of the futures I saw, and I wanted to know how to get back to the surface."

"A Diviner, eh?" He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "How odd. I could've sworn I felt a Traveler."

I took a chance. "Actually, I do have a minor ability to Travel, but only back to one point in time."

The Titan raised his eyebrows. "I… see. That would explain the distortions I felt. I take it you challenged a higher being and took some of its' power back with you?"

I nodded, slightly nervous about how accurately he had predicted what had happened. "I did. I'm really weak, though, and if I hadn't abused a special ability of mine, I wouldn't have survived." 'True, but I still managed to absorb half of him before I lost it.'

The Titan obviously knew what he was talking about, so I decided to try my luck. "Actually, I have a question about that."

The Titan nodded genially. "I am in an accommodating mood. Speak."

I hid a smile. "Right. So, you might've noticed my… ah… situation."

He raised an eyebrow. "I take it you refer to your undeath?"

I nodded. "Exactly. Because of some unfortunate circumstances, I had to resort to… unsavory means in order to survive. A Denizen of the Pit offered me its' blessing in exchange for a favor, and thus I'm now able to scry any being within around fifty levels of me."

The Titan looked intrigued. "Interesting. Normally your kind are unable to use Scrying due to your mental inhibitions. And you speak of levels?"

I nodded pleasantly. "Yes, I can only see numbers and figures instead of feelings and impressions. Level means 'power level', and 'title' is 'legacy'. Everything Scrying can tell you is represented as a game mechanic to my eyes. But that's not the point. I recently Devoured a piece of a higher being, and my Scrying Magic started acting oddly. It told me that I had begun something called a 'Rite of Ascension' and immediately gave bonuses to several different abilities of mine. Do you know what's happening to me?"

The Titan hummed in thought. "Your case is rather odd." He admitted. "But simple to understand once you have the proper knowledge. Do you have anything to offer me in exchange for my advice?"

I sighed, expecting this. Time for something risky. "How about this? I don't know what everything on my statsheet represents, and you do. If I show you what I see, you can know what I can do, and I can learn what everything means. We both walk away with more knowledge than we began with."

Chronos grinned. "I accept this bargain. I take it you know how to Scry onto a surface?"

I nodded. "A Child of Arachne named Weavox taught me."

"Then do so. We have ourselves an accord."

I nodded, pulling out a warped piece of glass. It was easier to scry using a reflective surface, and I doubted Chronos had anything else on hand. I focused, pouring magic into the glass and setting it aglow. Of course, not being a complete moron, I hid some of my abilities before tossing the Titan the glass.

Chronos eyed the statsheet. "Interesting, indeed," he murmured. "This blessing… Spider's Eyes? You must've traded something truly incredible in order to get these without dying. The Mother of Spiders does not give her blessing lightly."

"Ah, yes," I began smoothly. "When I first arrived, one of her children had wandered too close to—"

He waved off my half-spun line of bullshit. "I care not. I merely expressed my approval. Now, for our accord." He glanced once more at the pane of glass. "Name seems rather obvious. It explains the Name one most closely identifies as. It doesn't seem to reveal True Names, unfortunately." He slid his finger down the sheet, continuing. "Your title, as you have surmised, represents one's Legacy. It is one's space in the world, a sum total of one's trials and experiences. Race… well. That one is more complex. I'll get to what the star means in a bit. Level is power level, with one being an inanimate object and ten being normal human. Status gives a summary of abnormal conditions, and Talent Values are essentially your… 'stats'? Was that what you called them?"

He finished looking at the rest of the sheet. "Nothing much to see here… normal skills… what's this? Godly?" He chuckled. "I somehow doubt that."

He tossed back the tablet, still chuckling. "Well, now I know why you're so confused. You're Ascending. That's why your, ah, 'abilities' are growing so powerful."

I felt my frustration being cooled by the Curse of the Wendigo. "What is Ascension?" I repeated.

"Is it not obvious? How odd. It means that you're becoming a god, boy. Or, at least, some comparable being such as myself." He grinned. "You see, when you begin to gain power, your body begins going through some changes…"

I felt a cold ball of fear drop in my stomach. "Pleasedon't give me The Talk," I begged.

He burst out laughing. "Oh, no, no. I was just messing with you." He wiped a tear from his eye. "No, I meant to explain that your path from here is dependent on the, ah, 'abilities' you choose to specialize in. If you were to focus on your Archery, you would become a God of Archery. If you were to focus on your Smithing, you would become a God of the Forge. Do you understand? That is the function of your 'abilities' list. It shows how close each ability is to becoming superhuman. At Epic level it rivals the top of one's craft, and at Legendary one is on par with the heroes of old. Do you understand?"

I nodded slowly. "…Yes. I do. So if I poured all my effort into Smithing, I would gradually become a God of the Forge?"

"Indeed. The feeling is much like a… spark. It rests deep within you, and once you begin to pour all your effort into something, it begins the process of Deification. It could be any one of your abilities, or your Divination, or any combination of the above." He frowned, his face darkening. "That being said… do you know of the repercussions of your actions?"

I blinked, confused. "Uh… what do you mean?"

"My apologies. I meant, do you understand what will occur as a result of using your Traveling ability to force an Ascension?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't. I've never met another Traveler before."

He nodded, as if I had confirmed something he had already known. "Time travel is tricky, particularly whenever you use it to subvert Fate. The larger the change you make, the larger the effect. By taking a higher being's power back with you, you stole from the power they currently have. That's a large change, and one that will have consequences."

I felt a chill. "Consequences?"

"Yes." He grunted. "And since Time is a delicate tapestry, unraveling a single thread will cause ripples in past, present, and future. To put it in a way you'd understand, breaking the sound barrier creates a sonic boom, which shatters windows and cracks solid concrete. Breaking the time barrier? That's something nature never intended. Sonic booms affect the physical world, but chronic ripples affect the entire fabric of space and time. Even going back ten seconds causes unexplained events, impossible occurrences, a re-rolling of the dice of Fate. I ceased Traveling once my machinations caused my own downfall."

"Unexplained events, you say," I repeated slowly, trying to wrap my mind around his explanation. "Like what?"

"Beings born before their time, or their genders being different than they ought to. Sudden tremors in the earth that happen like clockwork. Gaps in the natural order that the Balance must fix, and often fixes by subverting a law of reality." He chuckled darkly. "And the worst part is, you've already caused andexperienced them. I can feel the ripples of your changes spreading through causality, numbing my senses and tearing down my Authority. You have created many a paradox, young lad."

I digested the Titan's words. If what he was saying was true, it was probably due to my alterations in the present that the ceiling collapsed on me in the past. And, even more disturbingly, my actions had caused the timeline to shift. Who knew if Carn was even supposed to be born this century, or if Kuroka was supposed to be born a male? That was a sobering thought. My actions had consequences, ones beyond just me.

However, it also told me something else. No matter how much more I screwed up the timeline, nothing more would happen, since I had actually already done it in the future before the thought had even crossed my mind in the present. I could easily use Memento Mori, with no further consequences occurring as a result. Not the best idea, no, but not the worst either.

But for now, I had a more immediate problem in front of me. The 'accord' between myself and the Titan before me was complete now. We had both gotten what we wanted, which meant that my temporary protection had expired. Which meant that I was probably about to get my ass handed to me.

After a moment of hesitation, I elected to trigger my 'flag,' activating my Mangekyō and changing my restore point. Whether I lived or died, I would make my stand here. I cleared my throat, speaking up once more. "So… what happens now?"

He sighed. "Well, as much as it pains me…" He hefted his scythe onto his shoulder, a wicked gleam in his eye. "…I fear I have a greater need for your power than you do. I have been weakened, you see, by both the gods' actions and your own. And consuming your soul to take over your body is exactly what I need to restore myself to my full glory."

…I'd said it before, and I'll say it again. I hate it when I'm right.

I dodged a sudden swing of Chronos's scythe, ducking under a second and sidestepping a third. Chronos seemed almost amused by my struggles. It was clear he was hardly exerting himself, though I wasn't sure why. Still, at this tempo, I didn't stand a chance. In my moment of desperation, I remembered what the Arai had said about Wendigos affecting the weather, and I began focusing on turning down the temperature in the room.

Swing. Dodge.

I felt a slight chill in the air, and I immediately focused on what had caused it. I began shoving huge chunks of mana into it. The temperature plummeted, my breath coming out in white mist. The Lord of Time barely seemed fazed, and a truly bored expression crossed his face. "Is that all?" he asked, and I felt a surge of power erupt from him.

Then, blackness.

I opened my eyes once more to see the Titan towering over me.

[Memorial has levelled up! Lv15- Lv16]

[Memorial has activated!]

[Memorial—Time to die.]

[Choose four of the following bonuses.]

1. Attack Magic (All) {Mystic} LvMAX- Attack Magic (All) {Legendary} Lv2

2. Magical Attack +100

3. Magical Resistance +4340

4. Agility +420

5. Resist Time Control {Basic} LvMAX- Resist Time Magic {Mid} LvMAX- Resist Magic {Advanced} Lv45

…What the hell had just happened?

I frowned, cranking up Thought Acceleration. 'Magical Resistance just frickin power-leveled beyond all logical reason, and I just got offered an ability to resist Time Control. Chronos probably has some ability to freeze time, and he used it to one-shot me. But that's fine, I was only testing the waters on that run.'

I growled to myself, resisting the urge to slam a fist into the ground. What use was a shitload of training, when he could just pull a time pause out of his ass and stop me dead while he butchered me?

I selected all but the Magical Attack bonus, my thoughts still moving many times faster than normal. 'Gotta love Thought Acceleration.'

I cleared my throat. "So… what happens now?"

He sighed. "Well, as much as it pains me…" He hefted his scythe onto his shoulder, a wicked gleam in his eye. "…I fear I have a greater need for your power than you do. I have been weakened, you see, by both the gods' actions and your own. And consuming your soul to take over your body is exactly what I need to restore myself to my full glory."

"Yeah, no." I deadpanned, reaching into my pocket and pulling out Gáe Bolg. The temperature plummeted, and I took my stance. "I think I'll pass."

The Titan moved forward, and with the speed of a seasoned warrior, began to launch a flurry of strikes at me. I blocked or dodged each blow, easily holding my own.

Internally, however, I was slightly awed. 'Holy shit, there's a world of difference between Legend and God levels of ability! Jesus, that slash should've decapitated me! How the fuck am I still alive?! Is this that 'Ascension' bullshit at work? If so, fuck humanity! I wanna be a god!'

Chronos laughed, pressing his advantage as I began to slow. "A worthy fighter you may be, but you seem somewhat weak physically. But then again, the Wendigo race was never known as the strongest." He swung his scythe harder this time, forcing me backwards. "Perhaps in a hundred years, you might be a match for me. But not today."

Time slowed to a crawl. I felt like I was moving through molasses as the Titan stepped back and swung once more. Even with my incredible resistances, I still wasn't strong enough to escape the slim blade as it carved through my neck.

My vision faded once more, and I opened my eyes to see the Titan on his throne.

Dammit.

I only had two shots left with Memento Mori until I went completely blind, and I could hardly make out Chronos's facial features as is.

'Am I going to die here?'

I took a deep breath, emotions running at full strength for the first time in a very long time. No, I wasn't going to die. I'd been through too much for that. I'd sacrificed too much, and taken too many hits for all of this to be in vain. So what could I do? I couldn't resist his Time Control, and Gáe Bolg had refused to activate when I had tried to use it against him.

I exhaled, activating Spider's Eyes.

[Memorial has levelled up! Lv16- Lv17]

[Memorial has activated!]

[Memorial—Time takes twice.]

[Choose four of the following bonuses.]

1. Attack Magic (All) {Legendary} Lv2- Lv67

2. Magical Attack +232

3. Magical Resistance +3000

4. Agility +560

5. Resist Magic {Advanced} Lv45- Lv92

I selected all except the Magical Attack once more, feeling my body shifting and changing. I wasn't a video game character where each upgrade altered stats only. This was real life, and adding to my stats changed my body physically. Especially considering that adding this run's Magical Resistance to last run's was equal to over seven thousand Resistance being added to my body all at once.

I pulled up my stats, almost desperate as I tried to find something, anything that could save me.

Name: Dee

Title: What Doesn't Kill You Hurts Like Hell

Race: Wendigo (*)

Level: 227

Status:

-Curse of the Wendigo (PERMENANT) (Negates all mental inhibitions, both positive and negative)

-Wendigo's Freezing Chill (PERMANANT)

Talent Values:

MP: 320,460 /320,460

Physical Attack: 5520

Physical Defense: 3690

Magical Attack: 3440

Magical Resistance: 12,225

Agility: 7281

Total Value: 40,742

Abilities:

— Attack Magic (All) {Legendary} Lv2

—Cooking {Advanced} Lv6

—Annihilation {?} Lv1

—Resist Magic {Advanced} Lv45

—Absolute Regrowth {Godly} Lv10

—Marble Skin {Mystic} Lv54

—Spear Mastery {Godly} Lv16

—Swordsmanship {Mid} Lv10

—Smithing {Godly} Lv95

—Devour LvMAX

—Larceny {Godly} Lv1

—Spider's Eyes LvMAX

—Music Proficiency LvMAX

—Memento Mori {Godly} LvMAX

—Memorial Lv17/20

Dammit. I wished I knew how to activate some of these powers. A skill called 'Annihilation' would be extremely helpful right now. 'Larceny' would be similarly useful, as it could possibly enable me steal Chronos's Time Control. As it was, I'd have to improvise.

I remembered something I had gotten from Samael— Angel of Death, if I recalled correctly. It had said that the skill allowed me kill the unkillable. And considering my current situation, I could hardly turn down something like that. So I focused, trying to draw forth the power hidden in the back of my mind. It came slowly but rather easily, like a panther slinking across a field.

['Curse of the Wendigo' has been temporarily suppressed by a higher power!]

I took a deep breath, focusing my stinging eyes on Chronos's blurry form. Now wasn't the time for emotion; it was a time for action. I spoke the words, repeating them from memory. "So… what happens now?"

He sighed. "Well, as much as it pains me…" He hefted his scythe onto his shoulder, a wicked gleam in his eye. "…I fear I have a greater need for your power than you do. I have been weakened, you see, by both the gods' actions and your own. And consuming your soul to take over your body is exactly what I need to restore myself to my full glory."

I rolled my eyes. "So stereotypical villain lines it is, then. Jesus, have you even read the Evil Overlord List?"

'Not that he could've. That was something random I found in the Book one time. But whatever.'

He ignored me, stepping forward and beginning his first strike. I concentrated, and just as before, the temperature plummeted, but with far greater effect this time. Ice crystals instantly formed over my skin as I breathed out, and Chronos stumbled in surprise at the suddenly subzero temperature. I smiled wryly, my spear in my hand once more as I charged the Titan. I threw my entire weight into my strike, guiding the spear directly towards his heart—

And the world slowed. Chronos merely stepped back, looking amused, then released time.

He was understandably shocked when I changed my trajectory mid-strike, the long red spear suddenly sprouting from his armpit. I grinned and waited a few seconds, expecting something to happen. Him exploding into a cloud of dust, perhaps. But no, Chronos merely smiled widely and began to laugh.

I was beginning to hate that laugh.

"Ah, the foolishness of youth." He sighed, wiping a tear from his eye. "I am far beyond your means, mortal, so far that even should you train for ten thousand years, you could not hope to harm me. We Titans cannot be slain by normal means, and it took an entire pantheon of gods working in perfect harmony to defeat me the first time. Even weakened, I have more power in my little finger than you will in your entire life."

He tore the spear from his armpit, using my grip on it to hurl me away like a piece of trash. I bounced painfully on the palace floor, bones healing almost instantly as they snapped and shattered. I felt time slow once more, and Chronos stepped back to sink onto his golden throne.

"I am above you, little mortal." He sneered, golden eyes flashing. "As the land is from the sea. Give up. You can never harm me- you have neither the means or the power. And yet, I am not a monster. If you submit willingly, I will place your soul within another vessel, as a testament to your skill and ferocity."

I felt it rise inside of me, all the emotions that the Curse had been suppressing. The rage, the hate, the loneliness, the desperation, the fear. It flowed through me like a river of ice, sharpening my mind and setting my soul ablaze. He dared to tell me that he was above me? What right did he have to command me? What right did he have to deny my importance? To offer me 'mercy' in the form of imprisonment?

The fuck has he ever done? Who the hell does he think he is? He was born with his power, living a life of luxury while everyone precious to me had to crawlthrough the muck for even a scrap. Did we deserve this? To have people like this lording over us? Looking down on us like we were worth less than dirt?

NO.

I wouldn't, couldn't stand for it. I could take everything else the universe threw at me. I could let myself get beaten to a bloody pulp over and over again, I could let my bones break and my tendons snap as the strain of living destroyed me from inside out. But I would neverlet go of my dignity. It was the one thing I had left, the one thing that remained as a testament to my human life. And to let this golden asshole trample all over it?

NEVER.

Power surged through me, and the world snapped into crystal clarity. I felt blood running down my cheeks, my eyes straining to see clearly for one last time. I stepped forward, and somewhere in the back of my mind, something snapped.

[Annihilation has been activated!]

I ignored the text, not even bothering to read it as my rage built to a crescendo. I rose to my feet, glaring at him. "I will never," I spat, fury burning in my eyes, "surrender to you."

I hefted my spear once more and stepped forward, fully intent on killing him. I felt power coursing into the cursed weapon, and I allowed my mana to flow along with it. The spear suddenly began glowing brighter and brighter, a deep red miasma coalescing around it. The light around the spear seemed to twist and bend erratically from the sheer amount of power being emitted from the weapon. Then the light condensed around the tip of the weapon, as if becoming absorbed by the spear, and Gáe Bolg vibrated so hard in my hands that I was afraid I would lose my grip.

Chronos's eyes widened, and I felt the pressure trying to hold me back intensify tenfold. Yet I didn't falter, pouring even more power into the weapon until my mana reserves were almost entirely depleted.

The head of my spear became blacker than night, still emanating a menacing glow. It shone like a second sun, as if there was just an absence of everything where the weapon head should have been.

I felt a shout of pure rage tear from my throat as the temperature plummeted to under negative two hundred degrees Celsius. I launched the spear with all my strength. "GÁE… BOLG!"

The spear transformed into a red beam of light, the only light in the dark room as it sprang forth, hurtling at impossible speeds towards Chronos's heart. He tried to block the attack, visibly pouring incredible amounts of power into his Time Control and slowing the spear ever so slightly, allowing him to survive a mere ten seconds more before the spear could continue.

Yet, the lance had been thrown, so causality was altered. The heart has been pierced so the lance must have been thrust became the lance has been thrust so the heart must have been pierced.

And so the lance, laced with the power of the Angel of Death, pierced Chronos's heart straight through his armor.

Chronos stared blankly at me for a moment, as if unable to comprehend the events that had just taken place, his hands grasping feebly at the shaft of the spear. There was very little blood for such an incredibly powerful attack, a mere trickle of crimson flowing from the small wound. And then, without pomp or circumstance, without so much as a whisper, the Primordial Titan Chronos died.

I stood, still gasping for air as my heart hammered in my chest. I felt the Curse activate once more, signifying the recession of Angel of Death. I collapsed to my knees, feeling my entire body tremble at the strain of my last attack. My mana was quickly recovering in the cold, climbing past the billions and into the trillions.

*Soul check: Passed. {5003/3000}*

*Congratulations. You have Faced the Raven*

The text burned my retinas to look at, bright and fiery in its splendor.

*You have faced your fate head-on, and defied it in the most spectacular of ways! Congratulations, you have Ascended.*

I stumbled to my feet, walking over to Chronos's rapidly cooling corpse. I pulled the spear from his chest, wearily wiping off the blood with a ratty cloth. I concentrated, activating my Mangekyō and changing the location of my 'flag.'

Then, I tugged off Chronos's breastplate, cutting open his ribcage with a quick slice. I pried it open, the bones cracking and popping, and let it hang off of the thin strand of skin still attaching the ribs to his sternum. I aimed the head of my spear and, with surgical precision, cut his heart from his body. Pulling the organ from its' former home, I began to eat.

My Regrowth, however useful, demanded an incredible amount of food to stay active, to say nothing of 'Wendigo's Freezing Chill' and my Attack Magic. Those abilities, while they were my most powerful combination, increased my appetite to nearly insatiable levels after prolonged use.

And so I cleaned, gutted, and ate the entire Titan in one sitting. Sure, he was a bit hairy, but skinning him and cooking his meat by using Gáe Bolg as a spit yielded wonderful results. I seasoned him with various herbs I had gathered from a few of the less bloodthirsty monsters, and dined on roast Titan.

He tasted remarkably like fish.

I finished the last of the meat, burning the hands, feet, and various other inedible organs. Then, I yawned and stretched, stumbling over to lean against the wall.

Precisely seven seconds later, the pain hit.

I opened my eyes to see the blurry form of Chronos once more.

*Congratulations, you have Ascended! Phantasmal-class abilities are now possible.*

*Soul check: Passed. {5003/4500}*

*Due to the hidden Rite of Ascension 'Absorption Consumption', you have permanently gained Titan status!*

I blinked away the burning text, moving on to the next notification.

[Memorial has leveled up! Lv17- Lv18]

[Memorial has activated!]

[Memorial—How the fuck did I just do that?]

[Choose four of the following bonuses.]

1. Spear Mastery {Godly} Lv16- Spear Mastery {Phantasmal} Lv2

2. Absolute Regrowth {Legendary} Lv10- Lv13

3. Physical Attack +900

4. Marble Skin {Mystic} Lv54- Pure Soul {Legendary} Lv5

5. Resist Magic {Advanced} Lv45- Resistance {Mythic} LvMAX- Galvanism {Legendary} Lv32

…

…

…

I was not apologizing.

Ahem.

Physical Attack would probably be easier to level than the Godly-level abilities, so I'd skip that for now. Everything else was something I might need, so I selected them.

{For not only having the sheer audacity and balls required to shank not just one higher being, but two, but Larceny has leveled up!}

[Larceny {Godly} Lv5]

Y'know what would be really great? Actually explainingthis shit. Larceny was great and all, but I couldn't. Fucking. Use it.

{For Devouring a higher being, yet surviving long enough to consume most of his Legend, you may pick one half of Chronos's Legend to make your own!}

{1. Lord of Titans}

{2. Father Time}

No contest. Number two, selected.

Once again, I felt the odd sensation of having something in the back of my mind click. It wasn't a mind-shattering revelation, or a sudden new sense, but something new became a part of me, something that never should've been mine.

I grinned as my Sight suddenly returned, embracing it like an old friend. I'd missed it quite a bit while imprisoned, and it felt wonderful to have it back.

[Father Time has become a part of your Legend! Due to your high compatibility, all parts of Father Time have immediately been made available!]

[Father Time: All things know time. You just so happen to be the one who owns it. Allows immediate access to all Time-based abilities, at a greatly reduced cost.]

[Due to the effects of Father Time, a new ability has formed!]

[Infernal Clock {Phantasmal} Lv1]

No regrets. Nope. None.

{For Devouring the remains of a higher being, yet surviving long enough to consume nearly all of his power, all Abilities automatically raise one rank!}

Wait, really? Holy shit, I had been kidding when I had said I wanted all of my skills insta-ranked.

Mostly.

Probably.

Maybe.

{For Devouring the remains of a higher being, yet surviving long enough to consume half of his power, you may choose three physical traits.}

-Titan's Blood

-Monstrous Strength

-King's Aura

-Golden Eyes

Fffffuuu—

Ahem. I'd pass on Titan's Blood- that'd probably be more trouble than it was worth. I'd rather not be nine feet tall, thank you very much. Everything else, yes please.

[Monstrous Strength has become Divine Strength!]

[King's Aura has become Authority!]

[Golden Eyes have become God's Eyes!]

[God's Eyes have merged with Spider's Eyes!]

…Okay, then.

[You have gained the memories of Chronos the Primordial!]

[You have unlocked the form: Chronos the Primordial!]

[Your power level has raised!]

[Your Talent Values have been raised!]

Nothing else appeared for a few seconds.

[Due to the intense emotional enlightenment you have experienced, the Eyes of Misery have amplified your abilities once more! All physical abilities will now be 300% easier to get.]

[Your Eyes have evolved to grant you the ability 'Clairvoyance'!]

[Clairvoyance: An ability given to those with the natural ability to clearly perceive the world through forms of Extrasensory Perception. Takes the form of enhanced visual acuity and perception beyond the limits of sight.]

[Absolute Regrowth has partially negated the effects of 'Memento Mori'!]

[Remaining uses of 'Memento Mori'—1→ 2]

I exhaled in relief. I was kind of worried for a moment, there. Having only one life left before you went blind and lost your only advantage was scary as hell. I wasn't not going to question as to why my eyes didn't explode like last time; I was just glad they didn't.

I used my new 'God's Eyes' to pull up my stats.

Name: Dee

Title: What Doesn't Kill You Hurts Like Hell

Race: Wendigo (*)

Level: 454

Status:

-Curse of the Wendigo (PERMENANT) (Negates all mental inhibitions and influences, both positive and negative)

-Wendigo's Freezing Chill (PERMANANT)

Talent Values:

MP: 320,460 /320,460 [32,046,000/32,046,000]

Physical Attack: 11,040

Physical Defense: 7380

Magical Attack: 20,640

Magical Resistance: 24,450

Agility: 21,843

Total Value: 40,742

Abilities: Traits: Legacy:

—Attack Magic (All) {Mystic} Lv24

—Cooking {Mystic} Lv6

—Clairvoyance {Basic} Lv1

—Weapons Mastery {Phantasmal} LvMAX

-Spear Mastery LvMAX

-Archery {Godly} Lv93

-Swordsmanship {Advanced} Lv10

—Smithing {Phantasmal} Lv95

—Absorption Consumption LvMAX

—Arts Proficiency LvMAX

-Piano and Harp {Godly} LvMAX

-Brass {Legendary} Lv54

-Strings {Mystic} Lv96

-Woodwinds {Advanced} Lv5

-Voice {Phantasmal} LvMAX

-Acting {Legendary} Lv2

—Larceny {Phantasmal} Lv5

—Memento Mori {Phantasmal} LvMAX

-(2 uses left)

—Memorial Lv18/20

'I love my life sooo much right now.' I laughed softly as I began preparing Chronos's body for the second time.

Now, if only I were able to find someone to explain what the hell these things meant, I'd be all set. I mean, I guess I could understand most of them, seeing as I had trained my Eyes by trying tons of different things, but why voice? That wasn't not something I can learn with my eyes.

Unless… unless it was actually a racial ability. The Arai did tell me that Wendigos could perfectly mimic human voices. Maybe that was it.

That still didn't explain the rest of the text, though.

I glanced at the odd tabs at the top of the abilities list. Maybe I could...?

Traits: Abilities: Legacy:

-Devil's Silver Tongue

-Mangekyō Kangeki (Kaleidoscopic Eyes of Emotion)

Eye of Insight LvMAX

Eye of Hypnotism LvMAX

God's Eyes LvMAX

Devil's Eyes of Night LvMAX

-Angelic Form LvMAX

-Perfect Body LvMAX

-Absolute Regrowth {Phantasmal} Lv13

Phantasmal Rebirth LvMAX

-Divinity Lv3

Divine Strength {Godly} Lv1

Divine Core LvMAX

Pure Soul {Godly} Lv5

-Galvanism {Godly} Lv32

-Authority {Godly} Lv1

Dominion over Time (LvMAX)

Dominion over Death (LvMAX)

Huh. So that was where those went. Cool. I guess God's Eyes just amplified and compartmentalized, then. That would definitely be useful.

I wonder what Legacy is?

Legacy: Abilities: Traits:

—Father Time

[Infernal Clock {Phantasmal} Lv1]

-Time Pause {Phantasmal} Lv1

—Angel of Death

[Annihilation {Phantasmal} Lv2]

—Shapeshift

[Chronos the Primordial]

[Samael the Dragon Eater]

[Angelic Form]

Shapeshift? Was that even something that Wendigos could do? 'Wait, I remember reading something about this before. Something about their forms being 'unlocked'. Does that mean I can change into them? Sweet.'

I finished the last bite of my 'fish,' licking my fingers. Then, not wasting a moment's time, I began to look for a way out.

After much searching and frustration, I finally found a small wooden door in one of the back rooms that, when opened, led to a small wooden hovel. I walked through the decrepit building, ducking under sagged timbers, and kicked through the wall on the other side.

And exited into the cool winter air of the Underworld.

A harsh snowstorm whirled around me, winds tugging at my ratty clothes. I dropped the decrepit backpack on the ground next to me as I stumbled forward in awe. The cold did nothing to me, recognizing me as one of its own as the frozen air filled my lungs. I began to laugh hysterically, sinking to my knees as I scooped snow into my hands and threw it into the air. "I'm alive," I whispered deliriously. "I'm back."

I stumbled to my feet, running in circles and rolling around in the snow like a madman. "I'M BACK!" I cackled.

I didn't give a shit what others might've thought of me right then. I had finally made my way back to where I had come from.

Well. Not quite.

I faltered slightly, stretching my newfound Clairvoyant powers over the area around me. Nothing seemed even remotely familiar, and there wasn't a soul within five miles. I used my bullshit Agility to run up a tree, but there was no one to be seen. Just me, a wooden hovel, and a shitload of trees.

…Well, at least I was out of the Pit, right? Now I just had to get back to Naskapi. And who could possibly hurt me after everything I'd been through?

Just in case, though, I was going to continue grinding my abilities while no one was around. I wasn't touching Infernal Clock, but that Time Pause ability looked interesting.

'Time' to train, I guess.

Heheheheh.