The MAD GOD
Eren's eyes lingered on the mirror, his expression twisted into a grimace as he scrutinized his reflection. Despite his unnaturally handsome appearance—likely a result of the malfunctioning system that had annoyingly converted his starter bonus into points—he couldn't shake the bitter reality that he was nothing more than a pawn in the cursed narrative of a grand, malevolent game.
The Saga of Elysium.
A world where the very existence of all beings teetered on the edge of destruction. It hadn't always been this way, but everything changed after the old gods vanished—the day the Ascendants launched their devastating attack. No one truly understood why the old gods suddenly fell silent, though theories abounded, giving rise to legends of an era when all gods met their demise at the hands of the one known only as the Mad God. Yet, these remained mere myths, with no records to substantiate the existence of this enigmatic figure. However, many believed that the disappearance of the old gods was intrinsically linked to the emergence of these creatures—the Ascendants.
It all began on a fateful day when a rift tore through the veil of reality, unlike anything the world had ever known. Creatures, the likes of which no one had ever seen, descended upon the world unprepared. Entire races were obliterated in the ensuing war against the Ascendants. The conflict was a massacre, a nightmarish bloodbath that no one wished to relive. Two-thirds of the world was lost in the battle, and with each passing day, hope dwindled. Despair engulfed the land, as there seemed to be no way to counter this apocalypse. While magic was a common tongue among the inhabitants of Orenia, it was powerless against what these creatures wielded—an energy far beyond mana, denser even than the notorious ether. It was a force that seemed to defy existence itself.
But just when the world was on the brink of annihilation, something unforeseen occurred... something that would halt the destruction wrought by these beings.
INHERITANCE.
"Wait a minute," Eren muttered as his eyes caught sight of what appeared to be a... neck chain? It was initially invisible, revealing itself only when he unintentionally released mana from his body. It looked like a collar.
No... it WAS a collar.
"Hmm," he hummed, attempting to remove the object from his neck. But as he tugged at it...
"AHHHHHHHH!"
A searing pain, pure and unrelenting, surged through him, as if his brain was being ground in a relentless machine, regenerating only to endure the agony anew. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the cold, hard floor, his body convulsing violently.
[Host in severe danger due to impaired shell]
[Arael >>> 50%]
[Samael >>> 35%]
[???????? >>> 15%]
"Haah!" The pain ceased abruptly, and his breath slowly returned to normal.
"That was... excruciating," he gasped, struggling to move.
The STING—that was what he had just experienced, something he had anticipated from Samael's memories if he dared to tamper with the collar.
This wasn't just any collar; it was a relic that every child born in Elysium was mandated to wear, regardless of race or status. Even the offspring of the most powerful families in Elysium could not escape this decree. After all, no one knew when the Ascendants might return, and they had to be prepared at all times. The collar served as a means to notify the authorities of anyone deemed a "Defaulter"—those who defied the laws of Elysium by not enrolling in an academy at the age of eighteen.
It was mandatory for all inhabitants of Elysium to attend the Guardians Academy at eighteen, and this collar ensured compliance. It could not be removed by the wearer until after their service in the military, the only time one could truly be free. Until then, the collar remained, signifying whether someone had yet to or was already attending the academy.
"Damn this cursed body," Eren groaned in pain, cursing his wretched luck before closing his eyes once more, steeling himself with newfound resolve.
He had to escape this house, or it might very well be the last place he ever saw.