Chapter 3: Second Trial: Lord's Quest
His so-called best friend, Kally, betrayed him.
His girlfriend, Len Len, betrayed him.
The two of them did it together.
Yet Jax still didn't want to believe it.
Those weird noises and those words he heard... He really wished that he was just hearing things. Or it was just a nightmare that he could wake up from.
How could they do this to him?!
He trusted them both, but now they were thrusting each other?
Unacceptable!
Jax felt like tears would come out of his eyes, but as he was now just a mere ghost, not even a single drop came out. In the end, Jax forced out a smile.
It couldn't be helped. He was now dead. There was no point getting angry about it. Perhaps, it was even a good thing. After all, he would leave this world with his girlfriend who wouldn't mourn his death anymore.
Thinking about it, Jax turned around as he decided to go back instead and wait for the Grim Reaper to deliver him to the other side.
Before, he wanted to see them desperately.
But now, he didn't even want to hear their voices.
He better leave that place before he lost his mind and did something that an evil spirit shouldn't have.
''By the way, how is Jax? Did you give him more works to strain his body? I hope you did, so he will be too busy to get suspicious on us and we can have more time together with each other.''
But as if fate was making fun of him, he heard the two of them talking with each other again. Their words this time were difficult for him to ignore.
''Haha, of course, of course. I even planted some annoying people to deal with him daily.'' Kally replied.
''If he is being bullied, I bet he won't fight back as I told him to behave properly. He is quite obedient to me, after all. And that obedience will soon kill him, haha.'' Len Len replied, her chuckle soft, yet mischievous.
''Haha, adding the fact that I added more work for him, he will definitely die from overwork sooner or later.''
''Poor Jax, he can only blame his own incompetence. Did he really think that I would marry him? Ugh, just thinking about how my life will become once we really end up marrying each other, I feel like I'll live a hellish life.''
''Spot on! You're only wasted under his care. Don't worry, I plan to hasten his death sooner or later. I'll send my man to dispatch him quietly.''
''Just don't let me see him begging for mercy, okay?''
''Hehe, fine, fine. Anyway, do you want another round?''
''Can you even do it?''
''Who do you think I am? Of course, I can!''
Smooch! Smooch!
Chuckle. Chuckle.
More strange noises...
Plok! Plok! Plok!
''...''
Jax finally lost it. His entire ghostly body darkened. He couldn't hold it in anymore. The anger, the pain, the sorrows... All those burning emotions had completely devoured him.
Right now, he didn't even feel a slight trace of fear anymore.
To hell was being a ghost. He didn't care anymore.
''I will kill you...'' Jax muttered, his voice utterly cold and threatening. Right now, he was exuding a cold aura that even the living were able to feel.
''What?! Who goes there?!'' Suddenly, a voice of a man sounded from inside the room.
Jax could tell that it was his traitorous best friend, Kally. And he could tell that he was going to come out of his room after hearing something outside.
Good thing he heard. Jax was prepared to make him suffer. Then his girlfriend. This rage in his heart — it would never cease to exist as long as those two were not ghosts just as he was.
Creak!
The door creaked open. Jax was prepared to make a move the exact moment he saw the other party's face.
However, something unexpected happened.
To his shock, when he was about to make a move, an invisible suction force suddenly pulled him away at a terrifying speed. Jax's eyes widened. He clenched his teeth to resist but the suction force was just too strong.
''NOOO!!!'' Jax screamed desperately, his hands trying to reach his friend's neck. ''I still want to kill him. Please, don't take me away!''
But too bad, his desperate plea wasn't heard. He was pulled away as the speed only went faster.
''NOOOOO!!!'' Jax could only shout relentlessly, he departed at an insane speed.
Meanwhile...
''Hmm??? Was that just my imagination?'' Kally muttered, many question marks floated over his head.
But seeing that he was just hearing things, a wide grin appeared on his lips as he went back to the bed and continued their deeds.
As if they were prepared to do it till the arrival of dawn.
Plok! Plok! Plok! And another big PLOK!
More and more strange noises.
***
''Pwaaahhhh!''
Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!
Somewhere in the woods, a young man who was lying lifelessly on the ground before, suddenly woke up and got up from the ground. He felt like he was out of breath, like he had just survived from drowning in deep water.
Looking at his eyes, they were filled with confusion and disbelief. But there was a trace of pain, a grimace of rage and hatred.
Not surprisingly, it was Jax. Not in the soul form, but Jax in the actual flesh.
''What happened? I clearly...'' Jax uttered, he still recalled what had clearly happened to him a short moment ago.
But why was he in that place now? This couldn't be the afterlife, right? And this familiar feeling... Wasn't this what he could feel when he was still alive?
What exactly was going on now?
Jax was still in the midst of his confusion about his current situation when he finally noticed something floating in front of him. Three question marks floated over his head.
Strangely, it was something similar to an ancient scroll, glowing dimly in the shade of black. It was also exuding a black aura similar to that of a steam.
Then suddenly, the otherworldly scroll rolled open downward for him to see unfamiliar words that also looked ancient.
But what was more strange was that Jax was able to read it, and he could understand it. Although he himself didn't realize it yet at that moment.
[Congratulations! You've conquered your greatest fear completely. You've become a Master.]
Said the first paragraph. Then what came next was what followed.
[Ability conquered: Vengeful Soul (epic). You can now freely use your ability within the territory of any Sacred Statue. Unless you become a Lord, you'll lose your ability once you step out of the Sacred Statue's territory.]
''What the hell is this now?'' Jax gasped, his eyes constricted. He blinked multiple times and rubbed his eyes, yet he still saw the same thing.
Strange scroll containing strange messages...
Conquest of fear... Master... Ability conquered... Sacred Statue... Territory... Lord...
Jax kept those key points in mind. Confusion naturally filled him. Those words it said... He couldn't understand what in the world it was trying to explain.
In the end, he sighed as a helpless smile surfaced on his lips, ''Damn, I think I'm still dead.''
Then the scroll rolled close, and then rolled oped again after a short second. The information that it showed, instantly changed just like that.
[As the first person who completed the First Trial, that is to conquer your greatest fear, you have been rewarded by the Forbidden Sacred Statue that now dwells within you.]
[You acquired a new ability!]
[Ability acquired: Primal Element.]
''Forbidden Sacred Statue and Primal Element? Is it something to be happy about?'' Jax muttered as he tilted his head slightly sideways. He was still trying to mull over things when the scroll rolled close and open again, changing the information that it showed.
[Will you proceed to your Second Trial, the Lord's Quest?]
[Yes | No]
''Lord's Quest?'' Jax responded with a low voice. He rubbed his chin in shallow thought, as he ended up shrugging his shoulders. Then he continued, ''Yes?''
The scroll didn't roll close and open this time, but the words written on it emitted a faint golden light as the words changed magically.
[Beginning the Lord's Quest... Preparing the dungeon... Preparing the monsters...]
[Preparation Complete!]
[You will be transported to one of the Forbidden Sacred Lands...]
_____________________
[Mission]
• Slay fishes and collect 100 souls or more within the time limit of 30 days.
(Souls collected: 0/100)
(Remaining time: 30D)
_____________________
Before he could have a good grasp of the situation, Jax suddenly disappeared out of thin air. He left without a trace as if he didn't exist in the first place.
He never expected that the decision he chose without too much care and thought could be the greatest regret in his life.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone