Dancing on the golden ashes-Chapter 186: Doom on the Horizon

The immense energy surrounding me felt incredibly pure, but what scared me the most was that it wasn’t healing me. As I was flooded with soul energy, my body started to deteriorate. It was as if I was being refined by this overwhelming power, and when I glanced down, I could see the fear in the eyes of my friends. I saw it in their gazes—saw the worry, the uncertainty—and I knew they could see the same fear in mine. I was dying.

What’s happening? Why isn’t it healing me? The thought echoed in my mind, but before I could process it fully, I heard the eerie voice in my mind, cutting through my panic.

"Idiot, I already told you this would happen. Just embrace it and take it like a champ. You can do it. After you’re back, you’ll be a new person, someone who no longer stands on the same plane as those below you. Trust me and accept the transformation. If you don’t, the heavens will deem you unworthy, and you won’t be able to advance. It’s time for you to reap the benefits that only a few could ever enjoy."

Those words struck me deeply, calming the storm of fear inside me. The voice, strange as it was, somehow gave me a sense of confidence. I understood now that this wasn’t something to fear, but rather something I had to endure to move forward.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

I took a deep breath, trying to relax, and I let the energy wash over me, feeling the transformation taking place.

I clenched my fists and allowed the energy to fully engulf me. There was no turning back now.

The pain soon faded, and I lost consciousness for a moment, but in the next instant, something stirred within me—a beat. It felt like a heartbeat, but it was the same yet different in an unexplainable way. I could no longer fear for this beat to stop. How strange was that? With each pulse, I could feel the energy moving within me, flowing with rhythm. I couldn’t see anything yet—there was no color, not even black. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was as if I no longer existed. It was only about the feeling that made me believe I was alive.

Then, I felt it—the energy that pulsed from what I imagined was a new heart. It traveled in a pattern, creating a maze of loops, a system that forged an energy flowing through me. I realized, there was no blood anymore, only pure energy that coursed through my body. And then, for the first time, I took a sharp breath. I could breathe again.

Soon, the feeling of hearing returned to me. My eyes shot open, and in that moment, the world was painted in colors I had never imagined were possible. It is said that humans can only see around a million different color combinations, but now? Now I could see at least five times more. Some colors were so profound, I couldn’t even begin to describe them. They were mostly affecting the energy in the air and sky—the sky wasn’t just blue anymore; it was a tapestry of hues I could never have imagined.

This is amazing... My heart raced in awe, my breath hitching at the beauty of it all. This transformation—it left me in shock. It wasn’t just physical, it was beyond comprehension.

At first, when I looked at myself, I couldn’t feel much difference. But when I heard the cheers from below, tears in their eyes, I realized what had happened. They had thought I had perished. And yet, here I was—alive, stronger than ever before. But it wasn’t over.

When I moved, the air around me cracked. The sound echoed through the air, and I felt the shift, the raw power of the Soul Lord stage coursing through me. This was the beginning of something far greater than I had ever imagined.

Every single movement I made was so powerful that if I didn’t control my strength, I could easily crush mountains with just a flick of my finger. The raw energy radiating from me felt overwhelming, like the universe itself was bending to my will. It was exhilarating, but also terrifying.

"Just how powerful am I?" I couldn’t help but exclaim, the shock clear in my voice. The power surging within me was more than I could have imagined.

"You’re ten times more powerful than before. This is the Soul Lord realm. Welcome to immortality, Gaon. And this is only the beginning of your journey. Soon, we will battle this damn system. Very soon." The eerie voice responded, its tone filled with an odd blend of impatience and excitement. I could feel its urgency seeping into me, syncing with the racing beat of my heart.

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The thought of breaking free from the system, of relying on this newfound power instead, made it all seem like a tangible reality. The system, with its rules and restrictions, felt insignificant now—like a child’s game compared to the sheer, undeniable force of my soul power. It was pure, unyielding, and as domineering as anything I had ever felt. The feeling of standing at the precipice of something greater than myself filled me with both awe and determination.

For the first time in my life, I was in control—not just of myself, but of everything around me. And with this power, nothing would be able to stand in my way. Not the system, not even the heavens themselves.

But soon, my thoughts were interrupted by the dark, floating object next to me. It resembled the soul orb I usually consumed for sustenance, but this one was different—its aura was far more potent, almost intoxicating. Instantly, a hunger surged through me, something primal and deep within my soul, urging me to consume it. Without thinking twice, I reached out and devoured the orb.

The moment I did, an overwhelming surge of energy slammed into me, and I could feel the power of the soul coursing through me. This wasn’t just any soul—it was the soul of the fallen warrior, the chariot driver. The value of this soul was incomprehensible, a power on a whole new level. I could feel its essence flooding into me, unlocking something deep within.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ground shook beneath me, and my senses went into overdrive. Something massive was approaching from the horizon. I could feel the weight of its presence, the air around me becoming dense, like it was holding its breath. The level 200 monster was coming, and I realized that I had set things in motion far too soon.

"Idiot, you fucked up!" The eerie voice suddenly blared in my mind, its tone sharp with panic. It only took me a second to understand what it meant.

[Congratulations, the quest for Memento Vivere has been completed][You will now die for the next nine days]

I froze, horror creeping over me. We were doomed. My heart sank into my stomach. I had pushed too far, too fast. And now, I would pay the price.