Last End

Harry sometimes wondered if she had come straight out of a fantasy world. Her beauty and intelligence had earned her the nickname "The Princess" or "School Belle" among their peers.

She had this aura about her like she was meant for something greater, like she could handle anything thrown her way with grace and poise. If she were here, he had no doubt she'd have everything under control by now. Well, at least his gut feeling told him so.

As Harry thought about other possible protagonists, two more names crossed his mind.

Claire, the top scorer in academics who always seemed to know what to do, and Logan, the captain of the soccer team, who was known for his leadership and bravery. They both had the qualities that made them fit for being a protagonist in any story.

'But, those two are in the other classes...'

But then, the image of another classmate unexpectedly popped into his head: Max.

Harry frowned. Max? Why was he thinking about him when considering who could be a protagonist?

Max was quiet and reserved, always keeping to himself, never really drawing attention unless you were looking for him. But now that Harry thought about it, wasn't that exactly how some protagonists started? The ones who seemed insignificant at first but turned out to be incredibly strong when it really mattered?

"Weird," Harry muttered, tilting his head to the side. "Why am I thinking about him now?"

He recalled the last conversation he'd had with Max, just before everything went sideways. Max had mentioned something about a "first tutorial" or something cryptic like that. Harry had brushed it off at the time, thinking Max was just being his usual mysterious self or messing with him. But now… in this context, it felt like it could mean something more.

A strange sensation crept over Harry, and he went silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. Could Max be here too? Did he get transported to this world, or place, or whatever it was? And if he did, could he be doing what he did best, staying unnoticed, quietly watching, maybe even planning?

Harry shook his head, a wry smile creeping onto his face. "Max, a hidden protagonist," he muttered under his breath, chuckling softly at the thought. "Who would have thought?"

The idea was almost laughable, but at the same time, the more Harry considered it, the more it made sense. If there was anyone who would be quietly navigating this chaos without anyone realizing it, it would be Max. And if that was the case, maybe… just maybe, they weren't as alone in this as they thought.

Harry glanced around at his exhausted companions, a new idea forming in his mind. If Max was out there, maybe he'd find a way to help them all out like all the other protagonists would do. And until then, Harry would do everything he could to keep them safe and moving forward. 

For now, all they could do was rest and prepare for whatever came next.

'I bet he is having fun leveling up or something, that lucky guy...'

______ ___ _

"Huff... Huff..."

"Gr... gr... r..."

"Huf..."

Heavy breaths echoed through the dimly lit chamber, mingling with the steady drip of blood hitting the cold, stone floor.

Max stood at the center of the room, his body battered and bruised, a myriad of cuts and injuries marking his pale skin. His clothes were torn and stained with blood, both his and that of his opponent.

In front of him knelt the Lesser Demon, a grotesque creature with leathery skin and jagged teeth.

Its once-menacing red eyes were now dull and lifeless, and its body trembled as it knelt before Max. Max's hand had pierced through its chest, his fingers wrapped tightly around its still-beating heart.

With a final surge of strength, Max squeezed, and the demon's heart burst in his grip, its dark blood spilling over his hand.

The demon let out a guttural groan, its body shuddering violently before it collapsed to the ground, dead. Max stood over it, panting heavily, his vision blurring from exhaustion and pain. 

Suddenly, a familiar, blue-tinged system message appeared before his eyes:

---

[Congratulations! You have cleared the First Tutorial.]

[Would you like to finish the tutorial and receive your rewards?]

---

Max blinked, barely able to focus on the words. His legs wobbled, and he could feel his strength waning. With a groan, he let his knees buckle, collapsing onto the cold, unforgiving floor next to the demon's corpse. For a moment, he just lay there, taking in deep, ragged breaths, his chest heaving with each inhalation.

He closed his eyes for a brief second, feeling the weight of exhaustion crash over him like a tidal wave. He wanted to rest, to just let go for a moment, but he knew he couldn't. Not yet.

"Yes," he rasped, his voice barely more than a whisper.

The system seemed to pause, as if processing his response, and then a flurry of messages flooded his vision.

---

[You have chosen to finish the tutorial.]

[Calculating rewards…]

[Congratulations! You have gained:

- 10 Ascendency Points

- 10 Attribute Points

- Skill: Demon Slayer (Basic) (Unlocked)

- Item: Lesser Demon's Fang (Standart) obtained

- Item: Lesser Demon's Blood (Standart) obtained

- Skill: Demon Destroyer Fist (Standart) learned

Special Reward: "Timeless Enigma's Favor" (Unique Passive)

Spetial Note: For completing the 1st Tutorial in the Hell Mode, your stats will be set to the maximum of Non-Awakened Human. You will also receive the 'The Tutorial Maniac' title.]

[Would you like to return to reality?]

[YES] / [NO]

---

Max let out a shaky breath, his body trembling with fatigue and pain. He couldn't even muster the strength to read or check his rewards. His mind was a haze of exhaustion, his body barely able to keep itself together. But he knew he had to keep moving. He had to get back.

"Yes," he muttered again, forcing the word out through clenched teeth.

As soon as the word left his mouth, a warm, white light enveloped his body. The pain, the injuries, the crushing fatigue—all of it vanished in an instant. His wounds closed, his bruises faded, and the strength returned to his limbs. It was like being born anew, a strange sensation that left him feeling whole again.

Max opened his eyes, standing back on his feet, every trace of the battle erased from his body. He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers experimentally, amazed at how light and strong he felt. It was as if the past few hours of grueling combat had never happened.

But before he could fully comprehend the change, another system message appeared before him:

---

[Since the End: Stage 1 has already started, you will be teleported to the Stage One.]

---

Max's eyes widened as he read the message.

He barely had time to register the words before his body began to glow once more. He could feel himself being pulled away, his form dissolving into particles of light. The sensation was strange and disorienting, like being pulled through a tight space at high speed.

As the world around him blurred and faded, a final message appeared in his vision. But he couldn't read the last words.

---

[Good luck on your travels, The Unyielding Traveler.]

---

And then, Max was gone, his body vanishing into the ether as he was transported to the next stage of his strange, otherworldly journey.

However, the system window flickered a few times and a new message appeared. In a pitch-red blood color, as if it was a warning.

[Final Travel: This is your last End. Embrace the finality of the cycle.]