Chapter 187: The Soul Trial-1

Farah's POV

I slowly wake up from the deep slumber.

-Where am I? (Farah)

The last thing that I remember before I lost my consciousness was a ball of light that appeared.

-You have awakened, successor. (???)

In front of me, the ball of light is talking to me.

-Finally, you have paid attention to me, successor. (???)

-You are talking to me? (Farah)

-Who can I talk to aside from you? (???)

-... Were you the one that saved me? (Farah)

The ball of light answers back in a monotone voice.

-Right, I was the one saving you from the hand of the outer god and those "filths." (???)

-What do you mean by that? (Farah)

-I have taken you out of the body of those parasites. (???)

-Parasites? (Farah)

-They are the four existences that stay within you. Therefore, I have taken you out and left them behind. (???)

The moment I heard the statement of the thing in front of me, I became angry and asked it back.

-They are not parasites. They are my friends. (Farah)

-Successor, you shouldn't waste your energy on those mortal feelings. (???)

-I want to get back to my friend's place. (Farah)

I glare at the ball of light.

-I don't want to listen to the one that calls my friend "filth." (Farah)

The ball of light seems to ignore my opinion and continues talking.

-Are you upset because you lost your body, successor? (???)

-Eh? (Farah)

I look down at my body and find out that it is transparent.

-What? (Farah)

-Don't be so upset about that, successor. You will get a brand-new body once you finish the trial. (???)

-... Return me to my body! (Farah)

The ball of light ignores me.

-You have no right to command over me, successor. I'm a part of "her" will. (???)

The ball of light continues.

-It's a fair price to get absolute power. You always want more strength, don't you? (???)

-I want the power to protect everything I have, but not to exchange everything for power. (Farah)

-Your demand is unreasonable. (???)

-You! (Farah)

-Let's start the first trial. (???)

The ball of light disappears and leaves me alone in the white space.

-Stolas and everyone else, I hope they are alright. (Farah)

I grasp my hand and talk to myself.

-There is no Death and the others. This time, I'm truly alone. (Farah)

In the middle of the white space, a person suddenly appears from nowhere.

-Who are you? (Farah)

The person raises her face and looks at me.

-Eh, why do you have my face? (Farah)

The other "me" doesn't reply and starts shooting the magic at me.

-Huh? (Farah)

I tried to cast magic to defend, but nothing came out at all.

-Urgh! (Farah)

I can still feel the pain when her magic pierces through.

-That really hurts. (Farah)

I try to activate another skill, but nothing responds.

-Then how can I win against my clone at this rate. (Farah)

The clone of mine keeps attacking me for a while. I have no option but to dodge and tank the magic. The pain keeps accumulating, and it's painful enough for me to lose consciousness.

-Her attacks are really terrible. (Farah)

I finally reach my limit and fall to the ground.

-I can't stand it anymore. (Farah)

What will happen if I lose my consciousness now? I stare at my body, which has become more transparent.

-If I lose now, I think I will die for real. (Farah)

I shake my head and raise one again.

-I won't lose here and now. (Farah)

I stare at the clone of mine.

-I am going to defeat you. (Farah)

>Your soul has been refined.

A random stat +1.

The change will take place once you regain your body.

I run to the clone of mine with all my might. The clone of mine fires magic at me and pushes me away.

-It's painful to take the magic directly. (Farah)

I think the only way to win this trial is to defeat my clone.

-But I can't even reach her. (Farah)

I sharpen my sense and try to dodge the magic coming from the clone. I avoided the first two fire lances that came at me, but got hit by the third one.

-I think my dodging skill has improved. (Farah)

The moment I thought so, the attacks of the clone became fiercer. The clone starts casting intermediate and advanced magics more frequently.

>Your soul has been refined.

It hurts, but I can still keep going.

>Your soul has been refined.

I have become familiar with the pain.

>Your soul has been refined.

I am able to reduce the distance between me and the clone by half.

>Your soul has been refined.

I got blasted away by the clone's compound magic.

>Your soul has been refined.

The clone uses complicated magic I have never seen before. If I copy the clone technique, can I use it once I return to my body?

...

>Your soul has been refined.

This notification marks the 100th time that my soul successfully refined. I stare at the clone of me, who is currently casting magic composed of 5 different elements.

-It hurts. (Farah)

I got blown away when that magic hit me. And what comes along with it is the tremendous pain.

-So I can use magic like that. (Farah)

A complicated magic circle is formed under the clone's place. In the process of fighting with the clone, I keep observing and trying to learn the clone's technique.

>Your soul has been refined.

You can no longer gain stats this way.

You can now use magic in your soul's form.

I smile at the clone.

-It's time for my counterattack! (Farah)

Madeus