Eryx felt a chill run down his spine. When the system informed him that he had a trace of divinity inside his body, Eryx could already guess that his original background must not be simple. After all, his original parents are unknown. He was found abandoned by a member of the Devlin Family.
Now, the mechanical voice detected that he used to have a Divine Body and Bloodline, but they were lost.
How?
How did he lose such precious things?
How could this even be possible?
He was no longer the same person, yet somehow, traces of his original divine body and bloodline remained.
The air in the hall seemed to grow even colder, and Eryx could only stand still, wondering what this all meant.
As Eryx stood there frozen, the air around him grew even colder. His mind was racing with several questions. Unfortunately, no one was there to answer him.
It was at this time, the mechanical voice echoed in the air again.
[Starting the second trial!]
[Would the challenger like to proceed?]
Eryx's breath quickened. His heart pounded hard in his chest.
He didn't understand why there were rewards without a trial in the first stone chamber. In the second chamber, he had passed the first trial, though by cheating. Now that the mechanical voice was asking if he wanted to continue with the second trial, he didn't know how to react.
The first trial had been intense. Without the system's help, he would not have passed. In fact, the second stone chamber might have become his grave. Now that the option to proceed with the second trial was in front of him, he hesitated. It was clear that the second trial would be even more difficult than the first.
But then, the mechanical voice echoed in the air again.
[If the challenger successfully passes the second trial, the challenger will be given the opportunity to choose a reward from three options.]
[We will evaluate the result based on the challenger's performance. If the achievement rating of the second trial is S or above, the challenger will be given an extra reward.]
[Would the challenger like to proceed with the second trial?]
The voice was clear and direct. Eryx blinked in surprise. He even felt as if the mechanical voice was actually trying to tempt him.
Was this feeling real?
Eryx was not sure.
However, the opportunity to choose his own reward... That wasn't something he had expected.
Looking back, the three treasures he had obtained from the first stone chamber, along with the Storm Lion's innate skill from the second stone chamber, were undoubtedly amazing rewards.
Logically, the rewards for passing the second trial should surpass everything he had gained so far. And who knew, maybe he could cheat his way through again. If that were possible, wouldn't he get another valuable reward without putting in much effort?
The more Eryx thought like this, the more greed clouded his judgment. He failed to notice the small tricks that had been there since the beginning. Had he thought more clearly, he would have realized that obtaining three incredible rewards without facing danger or trial in the first chamber was already suspicious. The second trial had nearly cost him his life, if not for the system. And now, the mechanical voice seemed to be tempting him with even greater rewards.
Yet, Eryx still lacked the experience and the wisdom to see through these subtle traps. His desire for more treasures clouded his ability to think critically. In the end, driven by greed and ambition, he agreed to proceed with the second trial.
"I accept. Let's start the second trial!"
The moment he spoke, the air in the hall seemed to shift. It grew even colder, and the lights from the torches flickered.
[Proceeding with the second trial...]
[Opening the Record of Shadow King—Azadin's world.]
[Chapter: Prologue-The Awakening!]
Eryx was stunned and confused.
Shouldn't the trial involve something straightforward, like facing an opponent and winning? Maybe it would be about evading dangers in a deadly place or killing a hundred demonic beasts.
But what was going on here?
What exactly was this "Record of the Shadow King"? And what was "Azadin's World"?
Before Eryx could comprehend the nature of this trial, a sudden gust of strong wind blew past him. Energy began to swirl from all directions, gathering around the lion's statue. The three stone pillars glowed with a brilliant golden light.
And then, something unexpected happened.
Eryx watched in shock as the golden statue began to fade. Slowly, it disappeared completely, and in its place, a giant book materialized in the air. This book exuded an ancient aura.
As the book floated, its ancient pages started to flip rapidly. The sound of the pages turning filled the hall.
When the pages finally stopped, Eryx could only see three large words glowing on the page: Prologue: The Awakening!
All of a sudden, magical energy surged around Eryx. He saw his surroundings changing as if the space itself was shifting completely. It didn't take long before the hall where Eryx stood transformed into a room, and he found himself lying on a large bed.
"Arghh... I feel like shit!"
Eryx rubbed his head.
His head felt heavy.
His condition was not good. The headache was stopping him from observing his surroundings and understanding his current situation.
The headache took a while to subside. He breathed deeply and left the bed.
As he stood, he realized something strange. He noticed his arms were pale and thin, but slightly bigger. Moreover, the clothes on his body were different. These were definitely not his arms or clothes.
A sense of dread washed over him.
It was then he noticed that the room was spacious. It was filled with every luxury a person needs in their bedroom. Most importantly, he saw a computer, gaming console, smartphone, and a few more technological products.
A thought suddenly flashed in his mind.
Could it be...
He looked in a certain direction and immediately rushed to the bathroom, and when he looked in the mirror, the reflection staring back at him was unrecognizable.
Purple hair, sunken cheeks, purple eyes.
The face in the mirror appeared to be suffering from some sort of disease. Even so, this was definitely the face of a handsome man.
"W-who is this?" Eryx stammered, and unsurprisingly, his reflection in the mirror mimicked his movements.
Suddenly, memories surged into his mind, and the headache came back. Eryx felt like his head was about to explode. But then, everything calmed down all of a sudden.
"I... Did I transmigrate again?"
Eryx was so shocked that he stayed in front of the mirror for a long time, staring back at his reflection and lost in his thoughts.
Then he tried to call the system, wanting to see his information panel.
To his fright, the system did not respond. It was as if the system had disappeared along with his transmigration.
Or so he thought!
Eryx returned to his room, breathing heavily and feeling exhausted. He was exhausted due to this weak body that is affected by the "Heartfire Weakening".
"What do I do now?" After a long time, Eryx muttered.
According to the memory, the owner of this body was Azadin Sullen. He held from a prestigious family, the Sullen Family in the Yorus Kingdom.
This world is completely different from Infinite Land Star and Earth. This world is more like a sci-fi world that has stepped into the Interstellar Era.
He was a student at Star God Academy. Unfortunately, things hadn't gone well for him. He lacked the talent to become a Star Warrior. He entered the academy due to his family's influence. His performance had always been the lowest, and he couldn't keep up with the other students. He struggled all his life in his studies and training.
To make matters worse, Azadin was suddenly affected by a condition called Heartfire Weakening.
Heartfire Weakening is a condition where a person's "heartfire," or inner flame of life and vitality, is weakened or diminished.
Due to this condition, Azadin became physically weaker. He started to get tired easily and suffered from a diminished life force.
He already lacked the talent; however, Heartfire Weakening Condition completely broke his ability to gather, control, and use energy. Even with his family's power, money, and connection, this condition was not cured. Just like that, he became emotionally unstable.
Aside from his sister, everyone in the family looked down on him. His father provided money and everything he needed but never spoke to him like a father should. As for his mother, she acted as if he didn't even exist.
That was how his parents treated him. The rest of the Sullen Family were even worse. In the end, he left the family to live on his own. He stopped going to the academy. It had been an entire year since he had even left the house.
Eryx didn't know whether Azadin had truly died or not, but somehow, he had now taken over Azadin's body, and he would have to live as him.
It was at this time that a familiar mechanical voice echoed.
[Second Trial: Prologue-The Awakening.]
[Detail: ...]