"That is why, while they are unaware of your existence, every single day counts. You have to get stronger, at least reach Level 3 before the first month since you've arrived ends so that you have a higher chance of survival."
"I understand, King Melis. If that is the case, I am more than willing to receive the Hero's Blessing immediately."
King Melis nodded and assured me, "We will try our best to prolong the news. Everyone here is my most loyal subjects. Furthermore, unless the Demon General made her way here, no one will be able to lay a finger on you."
Demon General, huh… as of now, the Demon Race has no king per se. While the Human Race is trying to summon an otherworlder to be a Hero, the Demon Race is trying to summon an otherworlder to be their Demon King. Thus, the Demon General is their strongest warrior who has reached the Creation's Limit.
Also, can we end the feast? I just want to get onto the Hero's Blessing ceremony right away. I don't want to die.
As if answering my prayers, King Melis have announced the upcoming event where I, the Hero, will receive the Hero's Blessing. The venue didn't change and while we were eating, a stone statue was wheeled into the center of the hall.
It seemed that the king was more impatient than I was. They have to set up the ceremony first. If it were a simple procedure, it wouldn't be hard to think that this king would commence the ceremony the moment I arrived.
The setup didn't last long by then. King Melis and I discussed for a few more minutes before another old man came up. It was Minister Lou, the one who is in charge of event.
"Your Majesty, the pope has arrived."
"Great! Let us begin!"
Another set of people arrived. They wore white armor and looked intimidating from head to toe. They form a square formation with one man in front. Only he has his helmet removed. He commanded and split the group in half for another old man to enter.
"Pope Ginh has arrived!"
Pope Ginh was accompanied by several clergymen in a neat formation. He wore long robes and a tall headpiece. His limping leg was supported by the long staff he held. On top of the staff was not the cross symbol I'm familiar with, or any symbol for that matter.
Along the royal family, I went down from the raised platform to greet the pope. The Elithis Kingdom is not the only faction of the Human Race, there are other larger and greater territorial units. For example, the Church of the Human Race is its own entity that is larger than Elithis Kingdom.
However, with my arrival, the Elithis Kingdom is sure to be recognized. That is what's happening today.
King Melis was praised by Pope Ginh and the king couldn't hide his smile. Soon, the pope came up to me with measuring eyes.
"Good, good. Just like what you'd expect from a Hero!"
Yeah, I also wonder about that. I still have no idea why my appearance changed, even though I was supposed to be just summoned and not reincarnated into another body. Wait, we couldn't throw the possibility of me being reincarnated yet. Maybe the concept of reincarnation was not far from their summoning magic.
After impressing the pope with my handsome talk, the ceremony commenced.
The mood shifted. It became heavier and all looked at me with hopeful yet worried eyes. I was confused by the sudden change but then remembered about the trial of the Hero's Blessing - the immense pain.
For them to be this worried, just how much pain do they expect it to be? As if to answer my question, the pope came forward to speak about it.
Currently, the tables have been cleared out and I am standing in the middle of the hall in front of the sword statue.
"Otherworlder Aust, we have to let you know that in the process of receiving the blessing, you will feel immeasurable pain along with the risk of death."
Death!? I haven't heard of that!
I didn't reveal any change in my expression, but I managed to sneak a glance at King Melis, this old bastard. He noticed my eyes and looked away with an expression of guilt. This guy-!
Are you afraid that I'll destroy the image of a hero and chicken out? Now that I am here, it is incomparably hard to back out. On top of that, this fossilized pope is still continuing.
"This pain is akin to pulling your nerves out all at once, again and again. It is worse than being dropped into a lake of fire. This may destroy your sanity and turn you mad…"
Are we on the same team, pops?
But I have to keep it in and wait for the pope's speech on how horrid my experience will be to end. As I looked around, I saw a group of people at the corner of the hall with medical equipment and a bed ready. It looks like they are prepared for me to just faint here, aren't they?
Finally, the pope ended his useless speech.
"Otherworlder Aust, are you willing to accept the blessing?"
I stepped forward.
"Yes"
Admiring gasps came from the crowd. It was as if they couldn't believe that the pope's words didn't deter me. It did, actually, a lot. However, I have to put up a tough face.
"Well then," Pope Gihn looked at the other clergymen, and they began to chant with words I couldn't comprehend. It sounded like they were speaking in tongues.
Then, a familiar sight appeared before me. A magic circle was being written in the middle of the hall, and its light was greater than the sunlight. However, none took their eyes off the spell. Once the magic circle was complete, another one appeared, overlapping the first one, and they both oscillated slowly.
After the second magic circle comes the third, and then the fourth. Each appearance of a new magic circle, the heavier the air in that venue. I feel myself suffocating and the thing hasn't even been activated.
Then, what happened next, it was hard to remember. All I knew was that when the ninth magic circle was complete, the sword statue vibrated.
It was as if the sword had eyes, it glared at me.
The next thing I knew, I was in the middle of a vast land of greenery. A powerful gust of wind blew over me as if telling me this wasn't a dream. Was I summoned to another world again? However, the experience is very different. For some reason, I felt very awake in this place, and my senses were more sensitive than usual.
As I was wondering, a presence revealed itself in front of me. It was a figure in full-body armor. Its cloak is as long as a royal cloak, swaying in the wind. In the gap of its helmet were glowing orbs for its eyes. They were emotionless.
However, while it does not have any conscience, I felt that it had a goal and its goal created hostility against me. To my startle, the intimidating soldier rushed at me and swung its arm as if it was holding an invisible sword.
The being was fast, and before I could react, it had covered tens of meters in a matter of seconds and sliced through my body. In its hand, a sword formed out of nothing and was used to seamlessly cut me in half.
Time seemed to slow down. My eyes were glued to the blade as it sliced through me. However, no matter how much I tell my body to move, it can't keep up. Only my mind had sped up, turning this experience into much worse. This should have been instant, but because of my sharpened senses, the blade slicing me felt like it was in slow motion. It first cut through my skin like it was paper, then ripped my flesh, fiber by fiber. I thought bones were tough, but in this case, it was not tougher than my skin, as the blade cut through them. Just like that, my arm was severed. Before it could even fall to the ground, the blade unhesitantly went through my body, to my ribs, to my lungs, heart… until I was in many pieces.
I wanted to scream, but my jaw was tightly clenched.
—
"Otherworlder Aust"
The pope's voice snapped me back to my senses. My eyes wandered around, and it seemed that I was back in the real world, in this different world, that is. Here, not a lot of time had passed as much as the time I spent on the field being tortured to death. Fortunately, my body is as good as before.
However, there is fatigue weighing in my mind as it screams for me to stop and not take a step forward onto the sword statue.
"Step forward and receive the blessing!"
Do you have a grudge against me, Pope?
When I looked at the sword statue, calling onto me, I knew that the pain had only just begun. There is one obvious option here and that is to step forward. That's what I did.