A doomed ending

The Rumble sliced through the fallen ones with deadly precision, their weapons making quick work of their enemies. Each fighter displayed immense power, moving as one, their teamwork seamless as they navigated through the chaos.

"They can't see us. We're protected by a veil," the woman said, her arms outstretched, creating a barrier. "They must be a team. Otherwise, they'd be fighting each other."

"Why not?" Avidia asked.

"Because it's smarter to eliminate the competition now," I answered, my gaze locked on a figure whose face was hidden beneath a black mask. "That way, they'll have fewer opponents in the tournament."

The masked man moved with a grace unlike the others, his body slipping through the battlefield like a shadow, even in the light of day. His skill was superior, a natural-born fighter. I could tell—I had seen many in my time as a ghost.

"How many are entering this tournament? How many are chasing this mythical village?" I asked, curious about what lay ahead.

"Could be tens, hundreds... maybe thousands," Avidia replied. "The prize is a weapon crafted from the bark of the Spirit King's tree, and the chance to join one of the Seven Great Guilds."

The Seven Guilds: Phoenix Order, Wraithguard Dominion, Sovereign Oath, Ironspire Syndicate, Horde Legion, Astral Enclave, and Oblivion Knights. In the eyes of many, they were kingdoms in their own right, their influence reshaping the world.

"A new take on the old kingdoms," the woman smiled, dropping her arms and turning to face us. "But don't bother trying to join them. You're better off eliminating them." She started walking again. "Let's find a place to tend to the boy. Bandage him up, and get you some clothes." She cast a disdainful glance at me, her eyes lingering on the ragged white cloth I'd barely managed to throw on after watching the fight.

As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, darkness swallowed the land, leaving only the stars and dual moons to light the sky. Thankfully, it wasn't an Inferno Night—a night when every beast's strength surged, making survival near impossible.

We continued along the valley's edge, winding past rocks and small mountains until we found a cave. It wasn't much, cold and damp, but Elga soon had a fire going. I sat by the flames, grateful for the borrowed cloak from Avidia, though I was still chilled to the bone. Cold was the only sensation I had known for so long as a ghost, and now, even in this body, it clung to me, like a reminder of the price I had paid for this path.

___ 

**[System]** 

*Level up!*

*Level 1 > 2*

*Reward: Stat points* 

___ 

Where is my reward for defeating the beast? I didn't kill it, but I defeated it...right?

___ 

**[System]** 

*Reward already given.* 

___ 

I turned to the woman, narrowing my eyes. Was she the reward? As she wrapped cloth around the boy's wounds, stuffing it with green herbs from a pouch, I couldn't help but wonder.

"These herbs have been with me for decades," she murmured, smiling to herself. "They'll do the job."

"Elga," I called out, struggling to control my voice. "Why do you want to die?"

She didn't answer immediately, continuing her work in silence. Then, she spoke. "You should know why, considering we've been in the same place."

"What place?" I asked, intrigued.

"Living without truly living," she replied, her sightless eyes staring straight at me, as if she could see through me. "I have a body, but eternal life isn't what you think. It means forming connections, knowing they'll age and die while you remain. No matter how hard you try to protect them, they're destined to perish. So, you end up living like a ghost, just watching."

She was right—I knew exactly what she meant.

I had no body for years, only able to watch those I cared for die, powerless to save them. Though they never knew me, I had formed attachments. It was like they were family.

And yet, their joy, their love—it all felt like sharp blades piercing my soul, an unreachable mountain of happiness they climbed while I stood frozen at the bottom.

"I grew to hate humans, too," I blurted out without thinking.

"Exactly," she muttered, her gaze fixed on the ceiling of the cave. "I hate them... so much. They waste their lives on things like love and joy. But it's envy, really. I wanted that—I wanted everlasting love. I wanted to be happy." Her voice cracked, pain seeping through her words. "But I'll never be happy."

We both spoke the last words together, like a truth neither of us could escape.

"I could end it easily, let the gods take me," she continued, "but I don't want that."

"You want revenge," I said, understanding her more than ever. We were the same, both cursed by the gods, both seeking retribution.

"Yes," her voice shook with fury. "I want them to suffer for what they did. To remember they were once human and that death can still claim them." Her anger rippled through the air. "And I want you to stand over him."

"Over who?"

"Vitalis." A sadistic grin twisted her face. "I want you to feel the glory of killing him, of making him beg for forgiveness. After all, we are just humans."

Just humans. Complex, flawed, emotional beings—none of us deserved this.

A girl cursed by her father, a god. A woman made immortal by the destruction of her world. A boy, the last of his kind, awoken after an age-old massacre.

And me, an anomaly, insignificant in the eyes of the gods.

No matter how complex or beautiful humanity is, I still hate them.