An Ounce of Bravery (part 1)

A flash of blue light illuminated the surroundings, chasing away the darkness and blinding the supposedly eyeless creature whose frame seemed to have shrunk to common human size.

The strange bubbles morphed into some sort of energy that coursed through Aito's entire body as his wounds progressively closed, healing at a rapid pace, visible to the naked eye.

His muscles, genes, bones, and organs discarded some of their previous constructs to be replaced by strengthened, more evolved ones. Radiant blue steam arose from his pores, promptly purging the impurities from his past self.

His fatigue disappeared.

So did the coldness.

So did the voices.

Aito breathed in, enjoying the oxygen that had returned while sucking in some of the blue light. He felt empowered by his newfound strength but didn't revel in it—the pain that remained constantly reminded him of his previous arrogance.

He took his first step forward as a man reborn from the ashes of his troubling past, but that has yet to atone. Still aware of the threat in front of his eyes, Aito drew two axes from his inventory when a notification window appeared once again in the corner of his vision. A feature that seemed to be designed on purpose for him to avoid obstructing his vision while in combat.

[Host's status window updated]

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[Aito Walker]

[I. General Info]

Death: March 20th, 2030

Species: Human

Sex: Male

Age: 25

Height: 180cm

Weight: 80kg

Emotional state: Curious/Furious

Class: Lv1 Axwielder

Titles: Black Challenger, Father killer

[II. Attributes]

1. Gifts:

- [Sharpened!] Instinct (Potential to sense danger slightly before it happens. Activation is random but more frequent)

- Strength blessed (Boost strength by 1 level)

- [Sharpened!] Fury (Boost strength by 1 level when furious, minus the mindless state)

2. Skills:

[New section unlocked] Passive:

- [New] Ax Mastery Lv2

- [New] Shield Mastery Lv1

- [New] Weapon Throw Mastery Lv1

[New section unlocked] Active:

- [New] Shield Bash Lv1

- [New] Fearless Aura Lv1 (Shields the host from the lesser Fear)

- [New] Ax Throw Lv1

- [New] Whirlwind Lv1

[III. Basic stats]

- [Level up] Strength: Lv3

- [Level up] Body: Lv2

- [Level up] Stamina: Lv2

- [Level up] Agility: Lv2

- [Level up] Mana: Lv2

- [Level up] Destiny: Lv2 (cannot level up with Glory Points)

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A flurry of information entered Aito's brain as he took his second step, covered in a receding blue light, towards the still bewildered creature. It took him a third step to process the new knowledge he felt somewhat very familiar with.

The creature finally regained its footing. Angry and feeling ridiculed, it let out an invisible wave of energy that rapidly transmitted through the entire cave, which enraged his enemy even more.

-Gift: Fury-

Aito's muscles contracted as his skin shone red. He sensed the air being deprived of oxygen, as well as the temperature dropping and the voices returning. He smirked at the ridiculous power but did not cower.

-Active Skill: Fearless Aura–

Instantly, formless golden energy covered him from head to toe, lighting the surroundings with a warm radiance while protecting him from the creature's strange magical attack. As if they were illusions, the Fear negative effects around him dispersed, disintegrated by the light.

"ImPosSibLe! WhErE dID yOu GeT ThA—"

Leaving no room for his opponent to recover from its confusion, Aito aimed for its tentacles and flung his two axes.

-Active Skill: Ax Throw-

The two weapons rotated in midair, rapidly closing on their targets. Reflecting Aito's aura, their moving ax heads shone like two murderous suns in the dark, viciously cutting through the creature's arms.

The two axes continued their flight, heading towards a wall behind the creature. Unable to resist the power behind the throw, the blades shattered into multiple pieces.

Six tentacles fell on the rocky ground as the creature wailed in pain, its deformed voice rebounding on the cave's walls.

Aito equipped a shield in one hand, and a two-handed war ax in the other—finding the weapon unusually light for its weight.

The creature sent its remaining tentacles his way, their pointy tips ready to puncture Aito's body. He sidestepped to avoid the first incoming attacks and used his new skill to parry a few others.

-Active Skill: Shield Bash-

His shield broke from the sheer power of his skill, combined with his strength. Three tentacles veered upward, their momentum embedding them into the rocky ceiling.

Aito gripped his ax with two hands and dashed towards the creature, slicing through the remaining tentacles that were pointlessly delaying the inevitable.

"StAY BaCK!" The creature said, feeling fear for the first time in its life.

"Have a taste of my iron," Aito replied, his enemy finally in range for the finishing blow.

In a tornado-like motion, he twisted his body while swinging the ax with every iota of strength he could muster.

-Active skill: Whirlwind-

The blade sliced through the creature's body from head to toe. Its motion unimpeded by what had seemed like an iron skin before. Fluid and deadly, the ax cut the creature into multiple pieces.

Even then Aito didn't stop his skill because…

'Damn it, how do I stop this thing!?' He thought, his every muscle aching from the strain of his skill but also the strength that didn't match his body's capabilities.

Desperate and with a mind going hazy because of the whirlwind motion, he released his grip on the weapon in an attempt to stop it.

The ax flew a few meters away before finishing its course like the two other weapons: shattered against a cave wall.

Aito forced himself to a stop. His rotation progressively slowed down, putting an enormous strain on his muscles that threatened to tear apart.

He slowly stumbled to his feet and towered over the creature's remains. Panting, he stared at the thick sushi-like pieces of grey meat soaked in blue blood. A putrid stench arose from the corpse as another notification window appeared, this time in front of him.

[Hum… clumsy performance but commendable for a mortal]

BING!

[Congratulation! You have completed a hidden quest!]

_____________________________________________

[Black Trial's hidden quest completed: An Ounce of Bravery]

Hidden Quest: Kill the Paineater

Enemy: The Paineater is a type of Fearmonger who feeds on its target's psychological and physical pain. Compare to other types, it uses the Fear to torment its prey with what it dreads the most. Upon consuming the prey's most painful memories, the Paineater grows stronger.

Difficulty: Hellish

Rewards:

- One part of Valinar's Inheritance

- Ancient Shard

- Glorious points according to your performance after the Black Trial is completed

- Tutorial points according to your performance after the Black Trial is completed

_____________________________________________

"The heck are those?" He said, looking at the items that appeared in his inventory.

[Lol.] A notification window "said," popping up in front of Aito's vision.

"Lol?"

[I've just found my divine self a potential inheritor, and he is a fool on top of being a mortal. Sigh.]

"Who are you calling a fool? You blue ass flying win—" Aito replied, but was interrupted by a grim reminder.

[Shush. If you want to save your dying monkey over there, you'll have to listen to what I'm about to tell you. I have little time left so pay attention.]

Guided by the notification window, Aito took out a small candle from his inventory and ran towards Jack—hoping his friend was still alive. He settled the item on top of Jack's dying body.

[Now infuse your mana in it.]

"I… don't know what you're talking about."

[Sigh. Useless.] It said. Aito's jaw tightened upon reading the insult, but he kept his anger in check. [I'll give you a hand. Be sure to remember this feeling.]

Some sort of energy originating from his bosom traveled through his arms and transferred into the candle, instantly lighting the wick. Shortly after, a notification window appeared on top of the candle.

BING!

[Scanning. Appropriate Class found. Would you like to grant "Jack" the Lv1 Daggerwielder class? Yes or No?]

Aito pressed "yes." Multiple bubbles of light coming from the Paineater's pieces of body parts flew towards Jack and merged with the monkey. Its body shone blue and its wounds rapidly closed.

The monkey that was on the verge of death sprung to his feet and instantly prepared for a battle that was already won.

"Good to see you too, Jack," Aito said, smiling warmly when yet another notification window appeared in front of him. "I'm getting tired of those."

BING!

[Would you like to see Jack's status window? Yes or No?]

Curious, Aito pressed "yes."

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[Jack]

[I. General Info]

Death: Never died

Species: Evol Monkey

Sex: Male

Age: 2 months

Height: 70cm

Weight: 25kg

Emotional state: Pissed

Class: Lv1 Daggerwielder

Titles: Little punk

[II. Attributes]

1. Gifts:

- Digestion (Will be able to digest and secrete some sort of condensed feces out o the food previously consumed. Can lead to the creation of a new skill.)

- Adaptability (Learns much faster than normal living beings)

- Agility blessed (Boost agility by one level)

2. Skills:

Passive:

- Dagger mastery Lv1

- Poison resistance Lv1

Active:

- Faint aura Lv1 (An aura that partially hides the host's presence to those it does not wish to be seen from)

- Poisonous Feces Lv1 (Secrete a poisonous substance from the host's rear upon activation)

- Shadow concealment Lv1 (The host merges with the shadows, becoming harder to detect to the untrained eyes)

[III. Basic stats]

- Strength: Lv1

- Body: Lv2

- Stamina: Lv2

- Agility: Lv3

- Mana: Lv2

- Destin—

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SLAP!

"Little punk!" Aito said, interrupted in his reading by a surprise attack. "Why did you do that?"

Jack showed Aito its tongue before giving him a thumbs-up, then extending its hand to ask for food.

He sighed, "Seriously? That's the first thing you ask for upon escaping death? Whatever, at least now I'm sure you're back on your feet."

Jack was always in a foul mood when it was hungry.

Using the candle he had in hand, he lit a fire built with the wood he had in stock. He then cooked their dinner while notifications popped up in front of his face times and times again.

[Now that this is done. Let me introduce myself. I am Valinar, goddess of Bravery. Or at least what remains of her.]