Chương 96: Indecision

Corel sat alone in her room at the Relashran Pillar, visiting her cousin while the Treasure Hunt unfolded. Her heart was in turmoil. What was she doing? She stared at the walls in silence, confused by the weight pressing against her chest. Once, she had walked tall and proud among her clan, never worrying about the future, never dwelling on what tragedies might come. Now she felt hollow, uneasy. And she wasn't entirely sure why.

"Cor, what is going on with you?" Varaiya asked, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Talk to me." Corel tried to form words, but they slipped through her grasp. What was she feeling? Was it fear? Was it worry?

"Rai," Do you think I did the right thing?" Corel asked.

"What do you mean?" Varaiya answered, moving forward to lightly touch her cousin's shoulder. The warmth of her hand flowed into Corel, centring her slightly.

"About living outside the clan. About turning my back on you all." Corel said with a sigh.

"Oh Cor'. No one thinks you have abandoned the clan. How could they? If not for you, we'd all have perished on that mountainside. And no one would have even known." Corel met her cousin's gaze and only saw tenderness there. She breathed deeply, regaining a small bit of herself.

"Thank you. But I still feel like I have been selfish lately," She strode to one of the windows and looked out towards the passing clan members. The new Clan Relashra. A few breaths passed before Varaiya spoke up.

"That's not really why you're in a mood, is it?" She began, looking straight through Corel's mask.

"I know you, Cor'. This is about your bond. Have you cleared things up with him yet?" Corel knew what she was talking about. And no she had not. Honestly, she was scared to have that talk. It meant opening up a part of herself she wasn't sure she was ready for.

"Is it always… this complicated?" Corel asked, turning to her cousin.

"Yes. Males, or men as the humans say, their purpose is purely to exasperate us at every turn." Despite herself, Corel chuckled at her cousin's words. Her mind suddenly drifted to her family. To her brother, to her parents, to her younger sisters. All dead, taken too soon. She never truly laid their spirits to rest. Even after her freedom, she pushed the mourning aside, trying to move forward, burying her grief until it clawed back to the surface. Maybe this was compounding her current confusion.

Maybe she should let go of the past before she can truly accept a bright new future.

"It's time, Rai," she whispered at last. Varaiya's eyes softened, and she nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. The preparations took a single day. A pyre was built just south of the city. As the sun dipped toward the horizon, Corel stood beside Varaiya and three elders, all dressed in dark greens, their hair tied in solemn buns. The burning embers crackled before them, flames dancing in the waning light. When her family had died, she hadn't been able to enact the passage of spirits.

She had run from it, refusing to dwell on her loss, pretending she could push forward. But now there was no escaping it. Elder Mirko stepped before her, hands outstretched in a presenting gesture. His voice was steady, ceremonial.

"Corelliandra Relashra, last of your Kraal, the last true Relashran. Who do you mourn today?" Corel bowed her head, her voice carrying the weight of years unspoken.

"I, Corelliandra, today mourn the passing of my mother and father, Zaiya and Rockfar Relashra, my mind. Today I mourn the passing of my brother, Valedra Relashra, first son of Zaiya, my heart. Today I mourn the passing of my sisters, Tes and Kier, my soul." She held out the last possessions of her family, treasures she had carried with her all this time. For a moment, she hesitated, fingers trembling, before placing them in Mirko's hands.

"Are you clear?" Mirko intoned, reciting the ritual words.

"I am clear."

"Have you forgiven yourself?" Corel's hand trembled once more. She drew in a sharp breath and finally answered.

"I have." Mirko placed a gentle hand on Corel's shoulder. She leaned in, and their foreheads touched. A single tear slipped down her cheek.

"You are forgiven, child," Mirko said. A smile of pure sincerity spread across her face.

"I am forgiven," Corel whispered, tears flowing freely now as she closed her eyes.

"She is forgiven!" Mirko cried to the sky before turning to the pyre. With deliberate grace, she cast each possession into the flames. One by one, the fire flared, sending bright bursts of light streaking upward into the darkening heavens. Corel watched as the final wisps of her family's spirits drifted away. The crushing weight on her soul eased, the burden she had carried for so long finally lifting. For the first time, her smile came without effort.

"Goodbye, Father. Goodbye, Mother. Goodbye, Brother. Goodbye, Sisters. You will always be with me. Let us meet again, one day." Varaiya wrapped her arms around Corel's shoulders, steadying her as she leaned close. Grateful for her cousin's presence, Corel raised her head high. She had shed her fears and worries. From this day forward, she would look ahead. As she returned to the city, one thought solidified in her mind: she could no longer avoid the conversation she had been putting off.

It was time to speak openly with her bond. __ Joe stood staring at the two figures before him, weighing his next move. Both flinched as he slowly raised a finger and pointed left.

"You, step forward." The chosen competitor obeyed, standing ready. Both lifted their hands skyward.

"Jan Ken Pon!" they shouted together. Joe's hand came down in a fist, rock, while his opponent revealed scissors.

"Yes!" Joe cheered.

"I win! Hand over your treasures." He strutted forward, palm outstretched. His opponent grimaced but clasped Joe's hand, and a notification flashed as every treasure transferred to him. Turning to the second figure, Joe grinned.

"Looks like it's your lucky day. Now scram." Relief poured off them both as they fled. Joe chuckled, six hundred points richer and two fewer corpses at his feet. Not everyone demanded blood. He was surprised they had agreed to his little game, but they must have been desperate to cling to their place in the Hunt. He knew one had carried most of their treasures, but since neither ranked in the top fifty, he chose to be lenient. Day four of the Treasure Hunt had just begun, and a major event was about to start.

He had only intercepted them because they'd made the mistake of attacking first, an error he doubted they would repeat. Sprinting toward the central plain, he glanced at his leaderboard rank: Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. 8. Feormere - 12, 800 His position wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't great either. To his dismay, the number one spot belonged to Bas, sitting comfortably at just over 20, 000 points.

They had clashed several times over the last two days, each fight ending in a stalemate. Joe still couldn't break through the beastman's seemingly endless defences. At least he had learned most of them came from arrays and talismans, not skills, which made him feel a little better. Bas must have spent a fortune just to keep Joe at bay. Still, he was confident. If he fought seriously with Jingu Bang, he could eventually overpower him. But with only two days left, it was time to stop holding back.

The herd had thinned drastically; only 112 competitors remained. The rest had been killed or forced out. Joe himself had gained two more levels in each class, climbing to 142. One level per day at this stage was remarkable, and it drove home how much faster it was to progress by battling other integration competitors. Still, he preferred to avoid killing when possible, hence his recent game of Janken. His Aura flared as he blasted into a wide clearing, making no attempt to hide.

Two blurs vanished into the trees at his arrival, unwilling to risk facing him. At the centre stood an old, rickety house shimmering behind a mana shield, a countdown flashing above it. Five minutes until the first Tier 2 Trial opened. He just hoped it wasn't another damn puzzle. It didn't take long before he felt three massive Auras closing in. He knew who they were: Bas, Gold, and Forgot. The top three, converging on the same target. This time, Joe pulled out Jingu Bang.

The staff hummed softly in his grip as Bas emerged from the forest opposite. The beastman slowed at the sight of him, halting halfway to the shimmering house. Gold and Forgot arrived moments later, skidding to a stop a short distance away. All three locked eyes with Joe, greed and anger simmering in their stares. Joe lifted Jingu Bang and levelled it at Bas.

"I suggest you leave. This one is mine." Bas froze, clearly thrown off. He had expected Joe's usual levity, not a deadly serious declaration. That moment of hesitation was all Joe needed. He Space-Jumped, appearing beside the beastman. Jingu Bang's hum turned into a scream as it cut through the air. Two pillars shot up to block it, just as expected. But a sliver of purple mana uncoiled from Joe's stream, wrapping around the staff and multiplying its force.

The blow tore through both defences and slammed into Bas's side, the impact knocking the air from his lungs and hurling him into the forest beyond.

"Shit!" Joe swore. He hadn't meant to send Bas flying like that. Now he was stuck, chase after Bas and try to rob him, which would almost certainly mean missing the first chance to enter the Tier 2 Trial, or let him go and once again miss out on those 20, 000 points. He clenched his jaw, weighing the options, then made his choice. Staying was the better gamble. If he cleared this Trial first, he could easily surpass what Bas had. So he turned toward the other two.

Gold blurred away before Joe could even think of attacking. That left only Forgot, who stood his ground, taking a ready stance.

"Excellent," Joe said with a grin.

"At least not everyone here is a scared chicken." He vanished, reappearing behind Forgot as Jingu Bang hummed through the air. But Forgot teleported away in the same instant, reappearing at the edge of the forest with a massive crossbow aimed at Joe's back. Joe's mini-map lit up with Forgot's movement, and his hand twitched. Seeds planted earlier burst to life, towering stalks of corn erupting all around his opponent.

The sudden growth knocked the crossbow aside just as it fired, the bolt blasting harmlessly into the distance. Purple flecks scattered through the air as the corn shook violently. Forgot teleported again, to the opposite side of the clearing. Joe appeared at his side. Jingu Bang slammed down onto a giant shield that shimmered into existence. The impact cracked it, then shattered it, driving Forgot to his knees as the staff hammered him to the ground. Joe's foot crashed onto his chest with a sickening crunch.

"AAHHH!" Forgot roared, pain echoing across the clearing. Joe's boot came down again, this time onto his arm. Bone snapped cleanly, leaving it to dangle limply against the dirt. Two more booming strikes shook the ground, and Forgot finally slumped unconscious. Joe placed a hand on the fallen figure's chest. A notification flared as 16, 500 points were ripped from Forgot, propelling Joe into the number one spot. He pulled a healing pill from his ring and pressed it into the figure's mouth.

"Cheers, fella. But you're no longer welcome here." He hauled the body up and tossed it into the forest, then turned back toward the shimmering house. The barrier vanished as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation and stepped inside the first Tier 2 Trial. Six hours later, a blood-soaked Joe emerged, every part of him dripping crimson. His expression was grim but satisfied. He was also 50, 000 points richer. Ding! Class Absolute Space Farmer has reached level 143 - stat points distributed. Ding!

Class Absolute Farmer has reached level 143 - stat points distributed. Joe closed his eyes and forced himself to steady the drumbeat pounding in his chest. That Trial had been horrific. He hated this cursed system with every fibre of his being. The atrocities he'd committed inside those walls would never leave him, but he vowed no one else would ever hear of them. That burden was his alone. From the treeline, two competitors had been watching. They exchanged a nervous glance, then wisely turned and fled.

There were easier targets than him. Joe shook his head and pulled up the leaderboard. Treasure Hunt leaderboard: Feormere - 79, 300 Bas Horo - 31, 000 Druss Valoo - 22, 400 Gold D Roger - 19, 650 Cane Viro - 19, 250 On the final day of the Treasure Hunt, three hours before its close, every remaining treasure vanished. A global announcement rang through the skies. Congratulations to the remaining Treasure Hunt contestants. The main portion of the competition is complete.

Anyone happy with their standing on the leaderboard may leave now, keeping all points and treasures. You will receive your final standing prize once the remaining three hours are up. To those who choose to stay, feel free to rob and fight without restraint. The last trial will begin when one hour remains of the hunt. All who enter will have that one hour to claim as much treasure as they can from within. The last Trial is an Omega Trial, with one treasure worth 1 million points going to whoever clears the trial.

This trial has never been cleared in any integration. The trial is also littered with Alpha and Tier 1 treasures. There is no entry limit. Everyone who enters will have their levels limited to 100 to make it as fair as possible. Good Luck. Joe reread the message, then smiled faintly. A level cap of one hundred? That would give him a ridiculous advantage. His doubled stat growth meant that while others would be shackled, he would still stand far above them. Maybe, for once, the system tilted in his favour.

He still had a couple of hours before the Trial began. Wrapping himself in the steady glow of his purple Mana Stream, Joe leaned back, letting exhaustion take him. A short nap before the storm. __ Druss Valoo stared at the sleeping figure of Feormere. Activating his Mana Sight, he frowned in confusion. Was he… injured? One of his legs held no mana at all, yet he had fought like a demon. None of it made sense. The Grosii's intelligence must have been wrong, or hopelessly outdated.

He cursed under his breath, turning away from the sight. Facing Feormere head-on would be suicide, and Druss wasn't suicidal. His world sat at rank twenty-nine. If they didn't climb soon, they would be stripped of their resources, leaving his people to starve. Nothing mattered more than survival. Not the bounty. Not revenge. Only survival. He vanished into the forest, heading for the last Trial's location. __ Joe awoke with a start as something bounced harmlessly off his Mana Stream.

He turned his head, catching the blur of a figure slipping back into the brush. He chuckled and rose, stretching with a long yawn. Excellent. He felt refreshed, ready for the final Trial. Above him, the sky had darkened. A mass of roiling black clouds spread across the heavens, heavy and oppressive, as if the system itself was trying to be dramatic. White mana rippled like lightning through the stormfront, each pulse followed by the crash of thunder that shook the forest and set the leaves swaying.

One hour remaining. Competitor, will you enter the last Trial? Y/N He clicked yes, and the world dissolved around him. All the remaining 46 Competitors of the Treasure Hunt have entered the Trial of the Dragon King. Gar Zool Von Flameburst. Surviving Competitors 46/46 Bathe in the blood of the fallen dragons.