Chapter 301: Heaven



At the deepest depths beneath the imperial palace lay the trial grounds-a sacred place shrouded in mystery and power.

The grand entrance to the trial loomed like the mouth of a colossal cave, golden light spilling out in flickering bursts, illuminating the surrounding walls with a divine radiance.

It was a constant beacon, a sign that someone was within, their trial ongoing.

For the past four days, the golden light had not waned.

Two figures stood vigil outside, their presence steady but marked by contrasting emotions.

The first was Emperor Leopold, his commanding demeanor unwavering despite the circumstances.

Beside him stood Princess Snow, her restless energy betraying the worry etched into her every movement.

“Your Majesty…” Snow’s voice broke the silence, tinged with concern.

Leopold turned his head slightly, acknowledging her.

His gaze, as steady as ever, softened just a fraction as he caught the distress on her face.

“How long did it take for you to complete your trial again?”

Snow asked, her voice tight with worry, though she already knew the answer.

The emperor sighed quietly, his composure unshaken but inwardly empathizing with his daughter’s turmoil.

He had answered this question several times over the past few days already.

“…Thirty minutes. No, perhaps longer-or shorter. I can’t recall the exact time,”

Snow’s expression darkened further. His words, repeated as they were, offered no comfort.

She clenched her hands tightly, her knuckles turning white as she stared at the golden light spilling from the entrance.

Trials were unpredictable.

For most, they lasted no more than a few hours, sometimes even mere minutes.

The distortion of time within the trials allowed them to seem longer or shorter, but never this long.

Four days-four excruciating days-had passed without any sign of Riley emerging.

Snow’s unease grew with every flicker of the golden light. Her thoughts churned with worry and frustration.

‘What’s taking him so long? Is he hurt? Did something go wrong?’

She clenched her teeth, her usually poised demeanor cracking under the weight of her emotions.

Riley’s absence gnawed at her, filling her with a sense of helplessness she rarely experienced. Leopold observed her quietly, his own thoughts kept carefully guarded.

He knew the trials tested not just strength but also will, resolve, and the ability to confront one’s innermost fears.

Whatever Riley was facing in that glowing abyss was clearly unlike anything anyone had experienced before.

“Should I go in and help-” Snow’s voice wavered, the desperation clear in her tone as she took a step toward the glowing entrance.

“Stop with the nonsense,” Emperor Leopold interrupted firmly, his voice carrying the weight of authority and experience. “You know better than anyone that wouldn’t help him overcome his trial. You’d only end up facing your own set of trials, putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Have I not told you this already?”

“B-but…” Snow hesitated, her words faltering.

The emperor’s stern expression softened ever so slightly as he gazed at his daughter. “I understand your worry, Snow,” he said, his voice gentler now. “But putting faith in him is the best thing you can do right now. Do you truly believe your beloved would fall so easily?”

“No…” Snow muttered, her defiance tempered by her father’s words, though the concern in her eyes remained.

Leopold sighed quietly, his ever-pragmatic demeanor giving way to a rare moment of tenderness. He reached out, patting Snow lightly on the head, his hand warm and steady. “Let’s just wait a little while longer,” he said, his voice carrying reassurance.

Snow nodded silently, her gaze once again fixed on the trial’s entrance.

The golden light flickered, its glow steady yet mysterious, hiding the fate of the one she held dear.

Riley already promised me he would return before I even realized it, she thought, clutching onto the memory of his confident words.

Riley was not one to break a promise-of that, she was certain.

Even though her worries threatened to overwhelm her, Snow resolved to be patient.

She understood that rushing in now would only create more problems, potentially becoming

a burden for Riley when he finally returned.

Stay strong, she told herself, exhaling softly.

If he can endure the trial, then I can endure this wait.

Seeing Snow calm down for a moment, Emperor Leopold let out a silent breath of relief.

However, his own unease remained buried beneath his composed exterior.

His gaze stayed fixed on the shimmering golden cave entrance, but doubt and concern simmered just beneath the surface.

As much as he wanted to reassure both his daughter and himself about Riley’s prolonged absence, even Leopold had begun to feel the weight of worry.

This wasn’t normal. Trials typically concluded in a matter of hours or, at most, half a day.

Four days?

That was unprecedented.

To manage his growing distraction, Leopold had entrusted most of his imperial duties to Duke Luther, his closest friend and most trusted aide.

Luther’s efficiency was unparalleled; the empire’s affairs were as well-managed in his hands as they would be under Leopold’s direct oversight.

He was confident that the Duke would ensure the empire’s operations ran smoothly as a well-oiled machine.

After all, Luther had proven time and again his ability to handle tasks of grand scale, rivaling even his own responsibilities back in his very own grand duchy.

Still, standing here and waiting was a trial in itself.

There was no indication of when-or even if-Riley’s trial would conclude.

Yet Leopold couldn’t shake the feeling deep within, a faint but persistent whisper from his divinity, urging him to remain present.

It was as if the very essence of his being knew that the moment Riley emerged, something significant would transpire-something that required Leopold’s immediate presence.

A gift? A curse? The emperor wasn’t certain, but he understood one thing: whatever awaited Riley at the end of this ordeal would likely ripple outward, affecting far more than just the boy

himself.

Leopold had to be ready for anything for his sake, for Snow’s, and for the empire’s future.

‘Just what sort of trial are you tackling, my future son-in-law?’ Leopold wondered silently, his thoughts laced with both curiosity and begrudging acceptance.

The last part of the thought lingered awkwardly in his mind.

‘Future son-in-law?’

The very notion ticked him off more than he cared to admit.

While he had come to acknowledge Riley’s resolve and determination, the idea of someone as bold and unpredictable as that boy marrying his precious daughter still ruffled his feathers.

…

“Fuck!!!”

My voice echoed in the cavernous sanctuary, mingling with the dull hum of divine magic that seemed to permeate everything around me.

Haah… haah…

Breathing heavily, I wiped the blood trickling down my forehead, the sticky warmth a grim

reminder of the battle’s intensity.

The sanctuary’s divine magic worked diligently, knitting my wounds back together, albeit at a

slower pace now.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to keep me alive and repair the worst of the damage.

“You two were quite persistent…” I muttered, glancing at the aftermath of the battle.

“Hahaha! That was fun!”

The spear-wielding Riley’s laughter echoed across the sacred chamber.

His body was slumped against the now-rebuilt wall on one side of the sanctuary, embedded

like some grotesque mural.

His ever-present smirk was still plastered on his face, even as deep scars crisscrossed his

body.

A gaping hole in his chest marked the spot where a spear infused with aura had pierced him— a final, desperate move he’d used to try and end me.

That’s right. In the heat of battle, he had aimed for my heart, throwing everything he had into

a single strike.

And for a brief, terrifying moment, he succeeded.

I had died.

But in that fleeting instant, I’d made the only choice that could save me.

I channeled every ounce of my divinity into my heart, reinforcing it against the killing blow.

The sanctuary’s divine magic did the rest, restoring me to life.

[Empathic Pain (S)] had done its job, as cruel and efficient as ever.

Since the skill only reflects the damage I’d taken back at my attackers, now the two remaining

Riley’s bore the consequences.

Both him and the crossbow-wielding Riley’s lay crumpled, unmoving.

Each had a fatal wound-a pierced heart, just like mine had been.

Unlike me, though, they lacked the means to regenerate such catastrophic injuries.

Even the sanctuary’s divine blessing couldn’t save them now.

I took a shaky step forward, surveying the scene.

The smirking Riley’s laughter faded into a soft chuckle as he wheezed, blood bubbling at the

corner of his lips.

“Persistent, huh? Is that how you see it?” he repeated, his voice weak but tinged with an

unmistakable trace of amusement. “You’ve got no idea… how hard we had to push you. But…

you did good, kid.”

The spear-wielding Riley’s words hung in the air, carrying a strange sense of finality as his body began to crumble into puffs of darkness.

I opened my mouth to ask him more, anything that might clarify the cryptic things he and the

others had said during the trial.

But one look at his face-the satisfied, almost peaceful expression-told me it would be

pointless.

Like the rest of my other “versions,” there was a frustrating limit to what they could or would

tell me. Whether by design or by their own constraints, they seemed incapable of fully

explaining their actions or motives.

Causality, payment… always talking in riddles.

It was clear enough now that there was a price to everything they had done, a reason why they

were so cryptic. They had left breadcrumbs, sure, but the answers were there for me to piece together.

Asking for confirmation at this point would just earn me an insult, like, “What are you,

dense?”

I sighed, turning my gaze to the crossbow-wielding Riley.

He was also succumbing to the same fate, his form dissolving into the dark ether.

He caught my eye and gave me a slight smirk before winking.

“Congratulations, Riley… this time, don’t fail, okay?”

His words struck a chord. A bittersweet mix of encouragement and warning.

And then he, too, vanished, his presence fading into the void like the others before him.

As the last of their remnants disappeared, I felt a wave of mental exhaustion hit me.

My shoulders sagged, and I tilted my head back to stare at the ceiling of the sanctuary.

With this… everything’s over, right?

Just as the thought crossed my mind, a brilliant golden light engulfed the room. A translucent

golden screen materialized above me, its radiant glow reflecting in my tired eyes.

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE PASSED YOUR TRIAL!]

[TUTORIAL BREAKTHROUGH IS NOW COMPLETE!]

[TUTORIAL PROTECTION IS NOW LIFTED!] [Hidden Skill: Great Restart] shall now be absolved.]

[Skill will now vanish under user’s soul skill codex.]

[USER SHALL NOW UNDERGO COMPLETE RESTART…]

[TIME OF DEATH IN 3… 2… 1…]

“Huh?”

The words on the screen made my stomach drop.

A cold chill ran down my spine as I processed the implications.

Restart? What the hell does that mean?

I barely had time to voice my confusion before the countdown reached zero.

The sanctuary trembled, the golden light intensifying until it was blinding. My body seized

up, a sharp, burning sensation erupting from within me as though my very soul was being

ripped apart and pieced back together at the same time.

And then-

Nothing.

Darkness.

…

When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by a sight unlike anything I had ever seen-a

vision of ethereal beauty so breathtaking it felt as though I had stepped into a dream.

Before me was an impossibly radiant woman, her entire being glowing with a gentle yet overwhelming light that seemed to illuminate everything around her.

Her expression was serene, her gaze tender as she looked at me with an almost motherly

warmth.

My head rested on what felt like her thighs, and I couldn’t help but notice the soft, cloud-like sensation cradling me.

The warmth of her touch as she gently patted my head sent waves of calm through my body, momentarily easing the disorientation I felt.

The air around her shimmered, filled with an almost divine presence, as though the world itself bent to accommodate her existence.

“W-Who…?” My voice came out weak, a mixture of awe and confusion.

The woman’s lips curled into a soft smile, and her voice, melodic and soothing, resonated in

my mind rather than my ears.

[…Oh my, you’ve awakened, child,] she said, her tone as comforting as a lullaby. [It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Riley Hell.]

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