Beyond Realities

It's been a year now.

A whole damn year since I accidentally broke some god-tier orb, got cursed, met a talking voice in my head who turned out to be Grim—the ancient god of death—and trained my butt off until my pickaxe became a divine scythe. Yep, sounds normal.

And now?

Now I'm about to leave everything behind.

My family, my annoying but lovable Spade team, Seraphina—who broke my poor noble heart—and the entire city of Archeon that once saw me as the weakest noble of all time.

I stood outside the gates of Archeon, fully geared. My divine scythe—formerly a humble pickaxe, may its handle rest in peace—was strapped to my back, glowing faintly. My cloak fluttered with the wind like I was in some dramatic movie scene, and yes, I felt cool.

Behind me were my comrades… no—my family.

Mother was crying silently, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. Father tried to look stern but his eyes were watery. Sophia waved with red eyes. Simon, my little prodigy brother, simply gave me a sharp nod. Even Lance tried to act normal but failed, wiping tears with his sleeve.

Seraphina? She didn't say anything. She just looked at me, eyes full of emotion. Regret? Guilt? Or maybe I was just hoping too much again.

"Tch," I muttered, forcing a smirk.

I didn't look back. Not even once. If I saw their faces again, I'd probably break and run back like a lost puppy. Nope. Not today.

Grim's voice whispered in my head.

"You sure you're ready for this, partner?"

I nodded. "I don't have a choice, do I? We still have to find your missing soul… and if we don't, something worse might come to Archeon."

"Well… that's one way to say it. I was gonna say you owe me rent for living in your brain rent-free for a year."

"Haha. Hilarious."

"You're welcome."

As the heavy gate of Archeon slowly closed behind me, I took a deep breath. This was it. The start of a new chapter. A journey through the unknown. The underworld, the mystery of the dark side, the missing soul of a literal death god, and maybe—just maybe—finding who I really am.

"Goodbye, Archeon… I'll be back. Stronger."

----

The first step of my journey brought me through the tangled wilderness of Greendale Forest—a place crawling with beasts and monsters, and yes, unfortunately, a lot of mud. Grim said this route was the most "efficient" way to strengthen both my body and mind.

Yeah, efficient… if you like getting chased by tree-sized lizards.

"Grim, are you sure this is the fastest route?"

"Fastest and deadliest. You wanted growth, didn't you?"

"I wanted muscles, not trauma!"

"They come together, kid. Just swing that scythe and stop whining."

Every day in Greendale was just fight, eat, dodge poison, sleep on rocks, wake up, and fight again. Honestly, it was tiring—but I did feel myself improving. My grip on the scythe was steadier, and my strikes cleaner. My instincts sharper. And the monsters were no joke. Even the flowers in this forest bite.

After nearly a week of walking, fighting, and talking to my freeloading death god roommate, I finally stumbled out of the forest and saw civilization again.

Katra.

My feet froze the moment I saw the city's shattered skyline in the distance.

"...This place," I muttered, "was destroyed."

The memory was still vivid in my mind. Five years ago, when I was sixteen, the Three-Headed Dragon obliterated this place like it was a toy. Fire rained from the sky, screams echoed across the region, and a kingdom was brought to ash in one night.

But now?

Katra was standing again.

Buildings were being rebuilt. People were walking the streets like they had hope again. Children played, vendors shouted, and life moved on—scars and all.

"It's… recovering," I whispered, stepping closer to the gate. "In just five years?"

"That's humans for you," Grim said softly. "You break easy… but you build like hell when you want to."

I smiled, just a little.

I decided to stay in Katra for a day. I deserved a soft bed. I hadn't slept comfortably in five days. My last "bed" was a moss-covered rock and a stick for a pillow.

The inn was small, but it had a bath, food, and a bed that didn't try to stab me. Heaven.

As I laid down to rest, I overheard whispers in the hallway.

"They say the dragon didn't die…"

"What?"

"Yeah. The Three-Headed Dragon… turned into a human. Just waiting for his core to fully heal before taking revenge."

"Revenge against that Awakener…"

I sat up, wide-eyed.

"Grim… did you hear that?"

"Mhm."

"You think he's still alive?"

"Probably. Monsters like that don't just die. They simmer. Wait. Heal. Then burn again."

"…What if he's already walking among us?"

"Then don't piss off any handsome strangers with red eyes, three scars, or oddly scaly hands."

I chuckled nervously but kept the thought in the back of my mind. What if the dragon was still alive? What if he remembered who broke him?

No. I think not.

Tomorrow, I would continue my journey. But tonight, I rest.