Chapter 13: The Intrepid Ruler's Challenge part 3 Chapter 12
I finally killed it.
The monster that hunted me for over 500 days….its over.
I stood by its dead body. The features of this monster was incomprehensible the first time I meet it and halfway through, I began to see its face. And no doubt this monster was ugly as hell, both personality and appearance. Aside from its sharp claws and ink-black skin, the face of this monster was something you could find in your typical bible description of a devil. Its Horns that was about a foots length, the long scraggly hair and bald spot atop its head, its sharp but plaguing teeth, and dark spots all over his face. This monster was something no one would like seeing in public…I'm not saying that I judge people base of their appearance but if you've fought this thing for over 500 days, and see how it plays with your body, how it consumes it, how it slaughters it, how it laughs at every pitiful moment I had…well, all I can say is that this thing is clearly a demon no doubt.
Now that I killed this thing, the progress I made along the way, the Strength I obtained…my status, it was five times stronger than ever. My strength, my speed, my reaction time, it was all inhumane if I were to compare it to my old world but here…its just the start.
"Character Profile…"
[CHARACTER PROFILE]
:Stats:
Name: Hamil Crux
Occupation: Warrior in Training
Age:17
God's followed: The Rulers (1/4)
-Blind Ruler
Mana: 10
Strength: 57
Luck: 0.8
Agility: 70
Stamina: 66
Intelligence: 45
+++++++++++++++
Bow Proficiency: 50%
Spear Proficiency: 50%
+++++++++++++++
[The Challenge of the Rulers: Become worthy to be another Ruler (1/4)]
[Blind Ruler's Challenge - Acknowledge]
[Intrepid Ruler's Challenge - Not Established]
[Time Limit: 00000]
[Time Spent: 507:02:08:16]
My Spear Proficiency didn't grow as fast as my Bow Proficiency did, it must have something to do with a skill or something. Just using a spear is not enough same with the Bow. So maybe I needed a teacher or an actual lesson, not just something I taught myself.
My Mana also remained the same. If I were to increase my Mana, I needed to train more on focusing on Mana…or Drink a potion that Breaks through a Mana circle, but those things are expensive…so maybe not now.
My intelligence also increased, it was weird knowing that intelligence mostly remarked my ability to learn and think…so it probably increased due to my battle sense. If that were true then…I guess it makes sense.
As I marveled at my Progress…one thing bothered me the most was the progression towards the Challenge. It was still marked as 'Not Established' meaning, it was still ongoing. It was worrying. Maybe this demon was just the start, maybe I'll have to face an even stronger monster, maybe…I'll be too late in stopping that terrorist attack by wasting too much time in this place…what then?
"What now?" I asked myself as I sat down by its dead body.
Staring at it's dead body, thoughts came to me. Thoughts I always thought of whenever I faced off against this beast. "Who was this before it became a demon? Was it always a demon before it met me? Did it do something so wrong that it became like this?" For 500 days, constantly waiting its every move, constantly looking for every chance I get to improve myself and kill this thing…I actually felt sympathetic. But it was a fleeting moment. I killed it and now its irrelevant.
I looked to my spear on hand and watch as it pulse at every heartbeat I make. I was exhausted but I also felt relieved.
I now wait for the Ruler to meet me again.
".…."
*Tok* *Tok* *Tok* *Tok* *Tok* *Tok*
Footsteps were heard at the back of my head. The Sound of metal stomping on floor, the Fluttering sound of a cape swayed at each step he made. Along the way, Lights began to appear as every step he made created a stroke of Light. Covering the whole area in Light.. And then it stops.
I turned to face him, and just like how we first meet, He was as imposing as ever.
"My challenge…you've lasted 500 days for it to be completed."
"...yeah, it took longer than I thought."
"Tell me, do you know what Intrepid means?"
"No…its not something I hear from a day to day conversation."
"It means fearless."
"Okay…now that you've mentioned it, can you tell me why, Why was this event the representation of my Fears?"
"It does not matter." said the Ruler.
"What?"
"Whatever fear you face, what situation leads to it, it does not matter."
"Why?"
"Because you walk the path of a Ruler."
"..."
"As I've said before, This challenge represents a Ruler's Worth. No matter how dangerous, how frightening, and how difficult it is, you must see it to the End."
"..." I stayed quiet, knowing what he said. I have to face every challenge they shot at me. If this is what it takes to save a thousand lives.
"Now, unto the next Challenge."
"What?" bewildered by what he said, I unconsciously step back.
"Your Spearmanship." His tone changed. At first it was a calming and firm tone. But now it was entirely different. It had killing intent.
"...!?" My grip tightened as it held the Black spear.
"I've seen many people use the Spear I gift them and many have given up, they never attained the Full Enlightenment of its use, it was almost the same as yours. You never attained mastery over the Spear. But yet…you killed the beast."
"I killed the Beast because of the chances given to me. From how I died over and over again while learning as I go. Without it…I could have never won."
"Obviously…but do you know why it took you so long?"
"...Because I'm weak?"
"No, its because you're desire laid in a different mindset."
"My desire?"
"Yes. You Desired to learn from the beast, to grow as time passes and you desired to kill it BUT you never desired to conquer it, just like how a Ruler should."
"I..I don't get it."
"Its Because you feared it…deep in your mind, you had doubts. That doubt made it your weakness. You doubt that you will never kill it, that you will never gain the confidence to win…instead of conquering it from the get go. You slowly piled you confidence from the moment the Beast touched the tip of your Spear…at that moment you didn't mean to Conquer it but to Kill it as you go."
".…I"
"Your spear could have easily done the Job."
"!?"
"The spear is the Ultimate weapon that utilizes in both the Preciseness of its Aim and the Range of its length. Unlike an arrow where its shot is Constant or a Sword where its range lacks from the skill. The Spear is the Ultimate Weapon.
"You just said that…"
"And I am not wrong for saying it. Now, all I want from this whole Challenge is for you to at least learn Precision and Desire"
"You have no idea…t-the pain I went through just to kill this bitch. Are you saying I did a terrible job at it?"
"From my perspective…yes"
I did a bad Job? Me? I-I don't get it.
"I've learned! I've grown! I-I'm stronger than I was before I got here…the Challenge you put me up to…I've completed it!"
"No you didn't. There's still one more."
"Y-You-w-what?"
"You said you've grown, that you were stronger than ever….well then, PROVE IT."
The man held his hand upfront and Glowing yellow particles started to appear before him. And then Lightning strikes.
*BOOM!*
On his hand was a golden Spear. It shined like a star and it emitted lightning sparks all over it. It was truly a weapon fit for a Ruler.
"I won't attack…but I also won't sit still for you to hit me. Now, HIT ME!"
"!?"
My grip tightened even more than before and a thought came to mind.
'A challenge worthy of a Ruler…is fighting a Ruler itself?'
"Now…" as soon as he steps forward, a glimpse of light appeared and he disappeared.
"Remember what I told you…Precision and Desire."
If I were to compare to the devil who I spent 500 days over just to kill, then this bastard itself was a Living Godlike Entity. He was hundreds…no, Thousand more faster than that Devil. Even if I were to stab the Guy, what I would end up hitting would not be his body but instead the After image itself.
How can I hit him?
With Precision? With Desire?
I..I don't get it…how is those two any different from how I acted against that Devil.
I don't know…but…if I keep on just standing here…watching this Ruler mock me…The way it looks at me.....Fine.
"He's basically telling me to be Selfish…"
***ARTHUR'S POV
The Boy sat on a cemented floor…meditating…waiting…and listening to the one small flutter of wind…while sitting in the center of a tornado.
".…." His eyes opened and a green glowing aura could be seen reflecting on his eyes.
With a calm mind he learned at the first challenge, he gained a certain level of inner-mindfulness. It applied to any situation that could easily help in avoiding a ruined mind.
The Eye of the hurricane is usually known as the Calmest place to be…so using his Inner-mindfulness had another reason.
".…."
*Flap* *Flap* *Flap*
"its here." He said as he raise his head up high. Above the swirling winds, was the image of a green glowing butterfly. At appearance, it looked like it flew with the Winds of the tornado. Like a fish who freely swan in its lake, it too flap its wing freely. But at each flat of its wing, the Disaster became much stronger.
Arthur only had one thing in mind.
To catch this Butterfly.
Emur only wanted one thing from Arthur, and that is to catch the Wind or more specifically, the thing that's making the wind.
Arthur has struggled for 10 days trying to catch this Insect but…at every try, it proves to be impossible every time.
At his first try, he recklessly tried to catch up to the Butterfly but he underestimated the strength of its ability. At the single touch of the swirling wind, his mind froze and as if time also slowed down, he saw his arm being torn off, like a farmer picking out fresh apples, it reminisced on the sound of a Snapping string.
Arthur was bewildered by what happened…at first he panicked, he tried looking for Emur for his help, but all he got in return was the Calm look of the Prideful Griffin. In the End he, died because of the loss of blood.
At the Second try, he realizes that he was in a pickle but he also realized that he died, so at the thought of being revived. He simply thought that…maybe by chance if he repeatedly tried to grab the Butterfly. He might be lucky enough to actually catch it… but all he got in return was the repetitive cycle of dying and being revived.
For the 15th try of his Death, he gave up and finally tried to think things through. He finally applied what he learned from the First challenge. Inner-mindfulness.
He observed the Butterfly. For days, he looked at the sight of a Green glowing butterfly.
He listened to its patterned flaps and sway.
For 10 days…he only observed, until finally he saw a flaw.
At every 1,328,400 beat of its wing, the Butterfly has this moment where in just one millisecond, a millimeter of its wing would overlap from the Tornado.
In conversion, at every 36.9 hours, the Butterfly would give its chance.
That was his only chance of completing this event.
Time passes and his failures piles up. But he didn't gave up. Just like how the Protagonist should, he did everything to his utmost 100 percent to win the Challenge.
Patience was his key in winning.
And finally…
"Haa….I got you."
The butterfly was clamped by his fingers and soon after, the winds started to die down.
This challenge was completed.
In return of catching the Butterfly, he was gifted with the Knowledge to touch the wind itself.
"...Whoa…" he said as he made motions of his finger where he tried catching air. In his hand it actually felt like he was holding a wild snake that was wriggling around. It was a surreal moment for him.
After attaining this ability, Emur came landing right beside him and Congratulated him.
"Congratulations Arthur, you were gifted the ability to touch the Wind. Now, 2 more challenges to go."
***HAMIL'S POV
Precision and Desire….
Precision
Desire
Precision
Desire
Desire
Precision
What does it mean…what does he want from me…
Right now I stood on the stage of a man who I titled the Greatest game of Tag ever.
And its been…100 days since…I could never reach. I could never hit him…I don't get it.
He now stood just a meter away from me. Waiting for me to actually get him. But…I can't.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Simple_Thought
Simple_Thought I wonder of Schrodinger would allow me to pet his Cat.
I wonder if it would be okay to open Pandora's Box.
I wonder if it's okay to poop by the side of a Highway.
"The answer is Pineapples."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone