Chapter 146: Ancient Tales

The princess told the story. I asked her to. This was to accomplish one of the many quests the System, or Game, has put in my way. So I asked her to. I think. I'm not sure. Did I ask for the Ancient Tales again, or did the System ask for me?

The woman's gentle, feminine voice related counts of a faraway time, and the "child," if people wanted to consider me one, simply listened attentively.

The first time I listened to such a mystical story, I was created. Quite literally: I arose from water, and was granted life, becoming living. The words of the story assembled parts of me together, and there I became a monster.

Today, I ignored the words. I mean, I did listen to the noblewoman's voice as she educated me about my past, but... very soon, my mind went blank. Everything turned to darkness.

And a notification from the System arose. It encouraged me to listen attentively.

"Hear the ancient narration," the System read, "and see to it that falsehood be separated from truth."

Once upon a time, within a most Fantastical Forest, there was a tribe of people. The forest was ancient, full of riches, wondrous, and prosperous. The forest where everything began. This tribe of people, they were the First Men. The Ancestors. And they dwelled at the heart of the most fantastical, legendary woods.

Peace. There was peace. ...One day, peace was no more.

A young boy. There was also a young orphan boy. And, absolutely: One day, peace was no more.

It was a very long time ago. The young boy wasn't a good lad, and he called for monsters. So monsters came. After they came, they ransacked everything in the peaceful forest, and the young boy was responsible for that.

Why, according to the story I listened to, he was a bad lad. The lad had lost his parents to illness and was left alone to care for his baby sister. Life was harsh on him. And that's why, one day, he decided to call for monsters. Demons. How do you call for demons?

You injure people... You disrespect your betters... You steal in the marketplace. You repay kindness with ungratefulness... There were lots of ways to follow if you wanted to call for demons and monsters.

Mostly, you cause trouble. Never cause trouble.

"I never caused trouble!" suddenly cried a feminine voice, the same voice I noticed sounded like the System's. "I wasn't a monster—they made me! Skill... Skill... My Skill... You have to listen to me...!" Like a lost echo, in the dark, the dramatic voice disappeared.

The orphan boy was a little demon himself. He had a devilish grin plastered on his face and eyes full of darkness. He was a bad boy, he caused trouble, and so he disrupted the peace. That's why you must never be a bad boy. Otherwise...

From one day to the other, his monsters showed up. Otherwise, monsters would come for you.

The people of the Ancient Tribe, the First Men, the Ancestors... they valiantly took their weapons in hand and set out to defend their lands from the devilish orphan's monsters. With his monsters, the orphan was targeted, too.

The fight was hard. The tribe's warriors fell in battle. Monsters were mean things. The children cried and didn't stop till dawn came after the night. To the First Men, it was a terrible experience. The village had never known war, but all because of a bad boy who insulted, disrespected, and stole from people, it all became a reality.

The First Men had a hard time surviving. That's when they discovered that this fantastical forest was where everything should begin. The First Men went to the heart of the forest, respectfully got on their knees, bowed their heads, and asked for the—

"They asked for my help!" the feminine voice of the System, which wasn't so monotone and lifeless, cried again, and my listening heart trembled. "They asked for my help... and I gave them...! But then... But then..."

—and asked for the Divine Spirits' help.

"The Worldtreefolk, my Skill! You have to know...!"

A day passed, then it was a week, and then a month. The tribe of the Ancestors was on the verge of extinction. At last, the First Men were gifted with strength. The first mana users of the Continent emerged. Within days, the monsters were dealt with, and the First Men survived. Peace came back.

Soon after, the devilish orphan boy was severely punished. Calling for monsters is a really bad thing to do. Although, a few weeks after the incident, the devilish orphan, who stole, injured, and disrespected everyone struck again, and called for demons and monsters again.

It is also said that, when the devilish orphan did so, naturally, yet another monster emerged. This demon was kind of like the last boss. It was the most fierce and dreadful monster the tribe had ever seen.

"Lies! They made... a monster...!"

Some say that it had the exact same devilish grin and eyes full of darkness as the wicked lad who called it.

"Lies! ...Lies! Lies!"

Again, the demons' party was defeated by the Ancestors. Calling for monsters and demons never has worked for anyone. Under the Divine Spirits' guidance, nine heroes were chosen among the First Men. One was granted power over the fairies and elements—Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, and the others.

One was granted near-omnipotent power over runes and alchemy. One omnipotent leadership. One a hand so large and powerful that it could hold and carry limitlessly. One perfect dominion over the beasts as a king. One the ability to create weapons. One a dominant eye from which to fully see the world. One god-like expertise fighting any kind of enemy.

And finally, one was granted the power to reach out a hand into a blue AR display named "Shop Menu" and buy "Item: Creamy Ice: Salted Butter Caramel x1" for a few golds... or even some "High-Level Monster-type: Rare Mystic Earth Dragon Lizard x1" item.

These nine teamed up together, and the evilest monster was defeated.

All nine of them then fully succeeded in their life. All nine of them then became emperors, kings, and queens holding the most powerful kingdoms and empires the Continent has ever carried. All nine of them, today, are said to still be occupying their places and fortresses around the Continent, plenty happy to have once defeated the monster.

"Lies! I wasn't a monster—I am not!" the dramatic voice went on. "My Skill, my love... you will take revenge for me!"

The devilish lad, who was then again punished, was also defeated.

However! Some say that the little demon still carried on his calling for monsters afterward, and that's why...

Yes: It was said that the evilest monster, who was defeated by the nine heroic Ancestors, was kind of the last boss... except it wasn't.

Before the "last boss" monster was thoroughly defeated, it called out to the nine heroes and growled, "Humans, I will crush you! You shall pay for this! My will shall not die with me!"

One day, because the devilish orphan kept on calling for monsters and demons, even thousands of years after the Ancestors lived, it is said that yet another last monster will come.

...The last boss, I think it was me.

That monster's will was to chastise the bad people.

.

.

.

—All of a sudden, I was pulled out of the darkness where I subconsciously listened to the Ancient Tales. With a "Huff—!" I woke up, but I was still all in darkness. I was afraid. I felt danger all around me. Cold sweat poured down my back, and my eyes trembled like they never had.

Still all in darkness a cold hand was placed upon my throat—

"Hello, there."

Two eyes, big, wide open, suddenly shot open in front of me. Each one of these eyes was ridiculously enormous in front of me, even though they weren't a giant's eyes. Demonic, icy eyes, engulfing me in a sea of dread and terror.

"Skill, is it?"

Other eyes, as demonic and frightening me opened up around in the darkness, intently staring at me like I was the rarest jewel they looked for for a thousand years.

"It is Skill." "Skill has woken up." "The experience at the restaurant has succeeded." "Liken me not to the Last Fragment~!" "The archenemy." "...So, so, so! Will ya come for our asses, hee-hee?" "Bring it to us, we have experiments to do." "Shop's will prevail."

All voices spoke at the same time. The cold hand I felt on my throat pressed it down, and then, the person behind all this presented me with their neck, tapping two fingers upon it.

"That's where you'll have to aim... Only if you truly are worthy of beholding the fragment of Skill, that is."

❮ Bite the nape. 0/1 ❯

"Ah ha ha ha~!"

When I instinctively tried to literally bite the person's nape, to plant my fangs inside of it and—

.

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From a long night of sleep, I woke up— "Ouch!" —for real this time, and I was covered in sweat. "Goddamn, my tongue!" I bite my tongue. "Did I really have to bite my tongue in my sleep?!" So I complained. Right after waking up. I complained and frowned deeply. "It's so hot in here... Wait, am I still at that royalty's apartments? Well... What time is it...?"

It was well past morning. The next day. How long did I sleep here? What was I even doing here anyway? Taking care of the Main Quest? Yeah, I was doing that.

Ring! ❮ "What lies behind the story...?" Main Quest — Hear the Ancient Tales from Princess Elina. 1/1 ❯

"Did I? I don't quite remember...? Wait, more importantly, I also dreamed something super bizarre, didn't I? Something about... ...Hmmm... ...Well, I dunno! Whatever."

❮ Main Quest — New instructions: ... ❯

Two new quests were obtained, and I looked at those with sleepy eyes as I rubbed them.

❮ "???" — After having heard and listened to the Ancient Tales, the Player knows to become the King. — Become the King. 0/1 ❯

And also,

❮ "First Dungeon" Main Quest — Quest can be obtained at the "Guild Bureau." Head to the Guild Bureau and obtain your quest via "Guild's Attendant" to proceed. ❯

A new day had come.