Free Web NovelChapter 5: Inheritance 1
"Do you have any idea what is waiting for you there?"
"No, I don’t think so."
"Well... good. I’ll wait for you here... good luck."
Arshaf said that while pulling a nearby chair and sitting on it calmly, as if the matter did not concern him much.
I sighed lightly.
In truth... I knew what was waiting for me.
In the original route of the game, Neron did not obtain any inheritance.
None of the family’s ancestors appeared to him, as if they had all agreed that he was not worthy. No one acknowledged him... and he was not even given a chance.
And this... is the fate that awaits me now.
But... who knows? Maybe I am more worthy than him.
...No, I don’t think so.
"What are you waiting for? Do you want me to help you enter? I can do that."
Arshaf’s voice came this time tinged with clear impatience, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I took a deep breath, then stepped toward the gate until I stood directly in front of it. freёwebnoѵel.com
"Here I am..."
And without hesitation, I entered.
In an instant, my vision was flooded with a bright red glow, almost blinding me.
Not even a second passed before I found myself standing on the edge of a steep cliff.
I almost fell.
But I pushed my body backward at the right moment, and fell to the ground heavily.
I groaned silently.
The fall was painful... it took me a moment to regain my balance and stand up again.
I raised my head and looked around.
There was nothing.
A pale world, devoid of colors... I stood on the edge of a high mountain, with no sign of life.
Complete silence.
Then... within a few seconds, black figures began to form in front of me on the horizon, one after another.
Their auras... suffocating... rather, they were heavier than Arshaf’s own aura.
"The ancestors of the Statelas family..."
They floated above me in solemn silence, looking down at me without uttering a single word.
I knew what would happen.
After a few moments... they would disappear.
They would decide that I am not worthy... and cast me out.
And that is exactly what happened. In a blink, they disappeared... just as they had appeared.
"It seems... nothing has changed. Well, cast me out gently."
I closed my eyes, ready to fall again to the outside—beside Arshaf.
One second... two seconds... but nothing happened.
My brows furrowed, and I slowly opened my eyes.
All the black figures had disappeared... as I expected.
But—not all of them disappeared.
There was one figure still suspended in the sky.
It was not blurry like the rest of the ancestors... rather, it was frighteningly clear.
I stared at it.
His features... resembled me. Or rather... I resembled him, with a slight difference.
His hair was silver, and one of his eyes was golden, glowing calmly... and an overwhelming presence emanated from him, to the point that I felt for a moment that this entire place could collapse if he wished.
And yet... it was gentle. More than that—it felt as if it was... embracing me.
I froze in place.
Then I saw him open his mouth slightly, as if he was speaking to me...
but his voice did not reach me. His words were distorted... distant... incomprehensible.
And before I could understand what was happening— the figure rushed toward me suddenly!
I couldn’t move.
It pierced directly through my body. And in an instant... everything changed.
...
...
...
I found myself sitting on a tree trunk, holding a stick and moving the fire in front of me.
I found myself sitting on a tree trunk, turning a stick over a burning fire in front of me.
Around me was a group of people, laughing and talking noisily.
A scene... warm.
But... they were not talking to me.
Rather, to him—the person through whose eyes I was seeing the world.
When an ancestor finds a worthy heir... he does not only grant him his power—he forces him to live parts of his life.
"Wait... why am I here? Wasn’t it supposed... that no one would choose me?!"
I do not want this, I want to go back. To my bed... to sleeping... and eating... and nothing else.
This... was the worst possibility. Because I would not be just a spectator. I would feel everything. The pain... the suffering... the emotions... all of it.
What if... I lose myself? The thought alone was enough to terrify me.
Rather... what if I go insane? That is a possible outcome. I... am not mentally strong to that extent.
...
...
...
Standing on a rocky slope, and my hands were trembling intensely, while wounds covered all parts of my body. In front of me...
Those who were laughing with me moments ago were torn apart by ferocious beasts, led by a group of dwarves who controlled them as if they were puppets.
It only took moments... until I was left alone.
I felt a deep sorrow choking my chest, and my tears mixed with my blood, but even so I rushed to fight with everything I had left. I resisted... I fought... but I did not last long.
The claws of the beasts pounced on me from every direction, pierced through my body, then pushed me violently off the cliff.
I fell... and fell... until my body crashed into the violent riverbed.
And before I lost consciousness, I swore... to take revenge on them.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself inside a dark cave, my body groaning in pain, and my bones nearly shattered.
I was wrapped in bandages from every side.
The smell of medicinal herbs filled the place.
I heard a soft voice, a young girl. She told me my injuries were severe, and that I had to rest.
Then she began explaining what had happened... her grandfather had found me on the riverbank while he was fishing, so he carried me to this cave... and saved my life.
Days passed slowly... while I gradually recovered inside that cave.
And over time, a strong bond formed between me and the old man and the girl... until they became like my family.
And without realizing it... I fell in love with her.
And she shared the same feeling.
We planned to get married at the end of the year... and little by little, the hatred that filled my heart faded away.
I forgot my revenge... and chose to live a quiet life.
But... that peace did not last.
A massive war erupted, sweeping across the region, between creatures of darkness on one side, and humans and demons on the other. No place was spared from destruction, until it reached us.
And in an instant... everything collapsed.
Creatures of darkness attacked the cave... and killed everything I held dear.
They killed my beloved... in the most brutal way possible, in front of me.
And they killed the old man... who once saved my life, sacrificing himself to save me again.
...
...
...
I became a mercenary again... living a life that knew no rest.
At night, I hunted demons in the shadows, and by day, I faced beasts without hesitation.
I protected caravans from bandits, and moved from one battle to another, as if I was born only for fighting.
And over the years... I grew stronger, slowly but steadily.
Until I reached forty. Even so... I did not stop.
I never knew the meaning of peace.
I fought without stopping, driven by a single resolve... to annihilate all creatures of darkness from existence.
...
...
...
I was in the middle of a sea of red blood.
The sounds of screams filled the sky, and tongues of flame devoured the ships.
I stood on the deck of one of the warships, shouting with all my might, while facing a massive creature of darkness.
I jumped high into the air... and drove my sword into its blue eyes.
The battle continued violently.
I fought side by side with giants and orcs, trying to bring down the legendary creature of darkness that had claimed the lives of thousands, and left behind immeasurable destruction.
But the situation got worse... the dwarves were there. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
With their destructive weapons, they slaughtered most of our forces, and we were on the brink of defeat.
However... there was hope.
A single weak point of that beast... that it would swallow "Sairmen", a substance capable of weakening it from the inside.
But executing the plan... meant death.
I volunteered to carry it out.
And with everyone’s help, we succeeded in forcing the creature to swallow it.
It exploded inside it, tearing it apart from its deepest core, ending its existence... even if the price was for me to lose my arm and be on the edge of death.
...
...
...
I had surpassed one hundred years of age.
One of my eyes had turned into a glowing golden color, while I stood in an open plain, with winds raging around me.
In front of me... there was a person with unclear features.
I heard his voice.
It was calm... comforting... but strange to the soul, carrying something that could not be explained.
"This... is the final lesson."
Slowly, I drew my black sword... a sword forged from the blood of creatures of darkness.
I swung it through the air— and a massive mountain split in front of me from the impact of the strike, and the ground beneath my feet trembled as if it would collapse.
My golden eye flared with power, and a blue aura ignited around my sword.
I gathered all the remaining strength I had... and launched a single strike toward him.
He only raised his hand. And easily blocked the attack.
He suffered only superficial scratches.
I collapsed to the ground, breathing with difficulty, sweat pouring from my body like rain.
He approached slowly and said:
"Do what I asked of you... from now on. Establish a family. Have children... and leave the gift I gave you behind when you die. For darkness... will be unleashed. And when that happens... it will devour everything."
Suddenly... I found myself walking in the garden of a luxurious palace.
I had become an old man... a body worn down by time.
Beside me, a beautiful woman was supporting me, trying to make me smile, reminding me of everything I had lived through...
But her voice was fading... as if I no longer belonged to this world.
We stopped in the middle of the courtyard.
She slowly moved away from me, holding back her tears with difficulty... and left me alone.
I raised my hand... and dug my fingers into my golden eye.
I tore it out.
The pain was unbearable... it penetrated my depths, and tore apart what remained of me.
And in moments, my aging accelerated in a terrifying way, until I felt as if my bones were exposed beneath my skin.
I did not feel fear. I muttered my final words in a faint voice:
"I walk the path of darkness unwillingly... I bury my emotions in the depths of darkness... I sharpen my resolve in the heart of suffering... and at the right time... I will bathe in the blood of my enemies. From today... I will stop moving like a shadow driven by its desires."
And in the next moment... my body exploded.
I opened my eyes forcefully.
"Hah... hah...!"
I gasped for breath with difficulty, wiped the sweat gathered on my forehead with a trembling hand, then looked around with focus.
I’m back...?
A complex feeling washed over me. A mixture of sadness, anger, emptiness... and other emotions I couldn’t even distinguish.
Are they my feelings... or not mine?
I placed my hand on my chest.
My heart was hurting intensely... to the point I thought it would stop at any moment.
And suddenly—tears poured out of my eyes without warning.
I started breathing quickly, as if I was suffocating, and I stayed in that state for minutes... until I finally managed to regain control of myself.
Is what is happening real, or just an illusion?
I wasn’t sure... had I been living the life of someone else?
Or had I... simply returned?
I got off the bed slowly, and headed toward the nearest mirror.
My face reflected on it... I smiled slightly.
"Finally... I’m back. That was really dangerous... I thought I would lose myself. I will never try something like that again... never."
I paused for a moment, staring at myself.
I thought I would lose my mind... or act like another person.
Am I still me, really?
Honestly... I don’t feel like I changed much, except for those overwhelming emotions I went through.
But in the end... I’m still me... I think.
"Whatever... just let me... rest a little."
As soon as my body touched the bed, I felt as if I hadn’t slept for years.
Bang!
The door opened violently.
My eyes widened immediately, and as soon as I looked, I saw Arshaf’s face in front of me.
He rushed toward me quickly, grabbed my shoulders, inspecting me anxiously.
"Are you okay?! You’re not injured, right?! What happened to you to remain unconscious all this time?!"
I blinked slowly.
"Huh... what? How long?"
"One full month! This old man almost died from worrying about you... I feel like I aged years because of you!"
"Alright... tell me, what happened? Did you obtain any inheritance?"
Inheritance...? I think I obtained something.
But... who was that person.
"I think... I got one."
Arshaf immediately smiled, relief appearing on his face.
"Good! Good! Haha... that’s excellent! You woke up at the right time. I was about to send you to the academy while you were unconscious, but it seems you’re lucky."
"Get ready. You will leave in one hour."
I suddenly sat up.
"What?! No! I refuse! Even if you force me... I won’t go! Just kill me. Yes, kill me... and let me sleep forever."
