[: Daniel POV :]
“We’ve completed the quest. Let’s return to meet the Saintess,”
I declared, a sense of accomplishment resonating in my voice as I surveyed the now-restored forest.
“Alright,”
Katie nodded in agreement, her eyes reflecting a newfound admiration.
As we made our way back to the South Holy Templar, the atmosphere had shifted.
Upon our return, it was the Saintess of Nature who awaited us, her emerald eyes conveying a depth of of shock.
“You’re already back, and you’ve completed the quest!?”
The Saintess exclaimed, her eyes widened in utter shock.
The air in the Holy Templar seemed to crackle with disbelief as if the very fabric of reality had been momentarily disrupted.
There was no need for words.
Our presence alone conveyed the successful completion of the seemingly insurmountable mission. T
he Saintess, a figure of wisdom and authority, stood before us with an expression that danced between awe and disbelief.
he Saintess, a figure of wisdom and authority, stood before us with an expression that danced between awe and disbelief.
It was as if the very concept of accomplishing the quest within such a short span of time defied the laws of the mystical realm itself and I could feel the weight of the Saintess’s gaze upon me. The Saintess, in her shock, seemed to grapple with the idea that the quest, which might have appeared designed to be unsolvable, had been conquered within the span of an hour.
At that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Saintess, placed in my shoes, would have found the accomplishment beyond the realm of the conceivable.
“Yes, that’s right, Saintess. We have completed the mission,”
I declared, my voice steady with confidence that mirrored the successful accomplishment of the seemingly impossible quest.
The Saintess, though visibly shocked just moments ago, composed herself with a regal air.
“Since you have solved the quest, then naturally, the reward should be given to you. Come and follow me.”
Despite the curiosity that undoubtedly lingered within her, she carried herself with an air of acceptance, as if reconciling with the fact that extraordinary feats were not beyond the scope of reality.
It was as though I was a rare species that was worth remembering and I was like a celebrity in her eyes. As we followed her deeper into the Holy Templar, we eventually arrived at a chamber where the Saintess retrieved a treasure chest, reminiscent of the one Katie had presented earlier.
“For completing the quest within a short time frame, you deserve the reward, player,”
The Saintess acknowledged, her eyes holding a blend of admiration and respect.
The treasure chest was handed to me and with a gesture of a smile, I humbly accepted the treasure chest and without any hesitation, I opened up the chest and gulped my salivae. There it was, resting within the ornate depths of the treasure chest, a Forbidden God Fruit.
Its unusual form, bathed in a rich red hue, spoke of mysteries and powers concealed within its unique structure.
The fruit seemed to pulsate with otherworldly energy, promising untold secrets to anyone daring enough to partake in its consumption.
Before I could grasp the opportunity to eat the fruit, the Saintess began to speak, her voice carrying a weight of history and melancholy that hung in the air like a lingering mist.
“Player, the Saintess of the Moon might have told you about the story between her goddess and the Forbidden, and if you had heard it, then you’d probably understand the story between this fruit and my goddess,”
She explained with her expression that carried emotions that mirrored the complexities of the tale she was about to unfold.
I raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, not anticipating the twist that the narrative was about to take.
The notion that the story between the Forbidden God Fruit and the goddess in question mirrored the relationship between Luna and Sun caught me off guard.
If the story she was narrating indeed mirrored the tales between Luna and Sun, a realization dawned upon me.
The remaining two Templars might hold their own versions of this cosmic drama.
“The fruit that you’re looking at is named after ‘Red,’ one of the Four Demonian Kings that rebelled and lost, sealed away without any chance of liberation,”
The Saintess revealed, her words carrying the weight of ancient sorrows that clung to the very essence of the Forbidden God Fruit.
Her narrative unfolded, and the tale took a different turn.
“However, at one point in his life, he met a certain goddess of nature, Antheia, and they fell in love despite their contrasting personalities.”
The air seemed to thicken with the echoes of a love story that defied the boundaries of existence.
The Saintess continued, “While Antheia possessed the charm and personality akin to nature and peace, Red was the exact opposite. His entire existence was confined by the word ‘Wrath,’ and he loved wars more than anything.”
A melancholic smile played on the Saintess’s lips, and her eyes, despite the sadness, held a glimmer of something more deeper.
As the Saintess spoke, I could sense a different aura emanating from her.
“However, when he met Antheia, everything changed for him,”
The Saintess continued, her voice carrying a blend of nostalgia and longing.
Her smile widened, and a sense of yearning flickered within her eyes as if she were momentarily transported back to the echoes of a time long past.
“Ever since he met Antheia, he became a lovable person, showing a side to her that no one had ever seen before, a side that none had expected,”
She revealed, unravelling the layers of transformation that had occurred in the wake of their forbidden love.
“Although Antheia was afraid of chaos and disliked wrath, for some reason, she found his existence charming. It all started from being curious about him to falling in love with him.”
The air in the Holy Templar seemed to resonate with the echoes of a love story that transcended the boundaries of the divine.
Perhaps, Antheia’s initial curiosity bloomed into a love that defied the conventional order of their beings.
“But because Red had rebelled, he was punished, and the Goddess Antheia decided to be the protector of the fruit, just like how the Goddess Luna had made,” she explained.
The weight of the past seemed to hang in the air, and I could sense a myriad of emotions coursing through her as she recounted the tale.
As she spoke, I observed her clenching her fist, a physical manifestation of the complex emotions tied to the story.
It was as if the threads of history had woven themselves into the very fabric of her being.
“But now that someone has the potential to use its powers and skills to the fullest, the Goddess of Nature, Antheia, is adamant about you taking the fruit,” she conveyed.
The urgency in her tone hinted at the gravity of the decision at hand, and the responsibility that came with wielding the power sealed within the Forbidden God Fruit.
“Then, I won’t hesitate to do so,”
I declared the weight of responsibility and the anticipation of the unknown hanging in the air. The Saintess nodded, her head adorned with a sweet, gentle yet encouraging smile as if she genuinely wished for me to consume the fruit and unlock its hidden potential.
As I cradled the Forbidden God Fruit in my hands, I took a bite, and the moments that followed mirrored the surreal experience I had with Sun’s Fruit.
My consciousness was once again transported to a different realm, and before I could question my surroundings, the presence of another being called out to me.
“Yo,” the voice greeted, and as I turned towards its source, I was stunned to behold the former form of the Demonian King, Red. Just like its name, Red, the King adorned himself in reddish armour that covered from its head all the way to its feet.
His presence was formidable, and the weight of his legacy echoed in the air.
Despite not showing any hostile or killing intent towards me, I could feel the implicit threat, a residue of the countless wars and conflicts he had once revelled in.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t bite,” he reassured, sensing perhaps a trace of trepidation in my demeanour.
His attempt at comfort, however, only emphasized the incongruity of the situation.
“But damn, you’ve already consumed Sun, three more other of our races, and now, you’re going to consume me?”
His voice held a tone of disbelief, as though my existence was a perplexing enigma that defied the boundaries of reason.
“What kind of monstrous freaking soul do you have to wield our powers? And aren’t you a bit greedy?”
He questioned, his words laden with a mix of disbelief and a subtle accusation.
“You’re already insanely powerful, yet you still want more?”
The inquiry hung in the air, challenging the very essence of my pursuit and the intentions behind wielding the powers of beings such as Sun and Red.
”It’s not enough” I said with a smirk and moments later, I could see his smile widening.
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