“Well, well, well...” the fairy began in her high-pitched voice, “You cattle did well. Very well!”

Zero watched with eyes hungry in desire to butcher the hellish creature. Memories of its insidious means and twisted humor sent his teeth grinding, but he remained where he was. One eye focused on what the Fairy had to say next, and another on his busy hands that worked to wrap bandages tight on his wounds.

“Hehehe... Usually your Humans die before the Goblins do. This time though,” she swept her gaze over the ground of littered corpses, “only 12 of you Humans died while the 50 Goblins were...butchered,” she said the word in a slow drawl of near sexual arousal. “But, I guess we all know who to thank for that outcome.”

In unison, the Fairy and the surrounding people turned to watch Zero. In the people’s eyes, looks of fear and terror were evidently visible. The Fairy though, only had a perverse smile on her barbie-doll like face.

“33 Kills. What an interesting fleshy. I knew you were special. I just knew it.” The Fairy zipped through the air and spun around Zero as if he was the center of attention. “But you really have outdone yourself. It was such a magical experience to watch you slaughter those hideous Goblins.”

The Fairy made a disgusted face before she rolled her eyes and waved her hand ‘shoo-ing’ motion.

“The little vermin are so idiotic and horny. I can never get them to do anything beyond attack you new arrivals. But, they had their use this time around. Letting me watch as you decapitated them. Seeing your blood run down your squishy body as pain flared across your face. Oh...” a shiver rippled through the Fairy as she finally paused in her flying and floated just before Zero.

At her antics, Zero bit down the bile that rose in his throat. He hated her. Of all the races he encountered, the Fairy’s were some of the worst. They were tricksters, freaks, and psychopaths. Spectators of the Abyss that got off on watching others struggle and die in despair.

Zero hated them with a passion. But, he knew they were a necessity. More than spectators, they were also Guides for the Abyss. Beings with freakish abilities that granted power to those in the Abyss, as it was intended. Of all the Guides though, Fairies were the most loose in regulating the Abyss’s rules. They always added a little twist or pushed an element into play at their whims. Most of the time is was damaging, but sometimes...

“As is ordained, for having the greatest contribution for your first Trial, I am to grant you something of worth that will help you. However, seeing as you killed so many of the little green pests and gave me a good show...” Zero watched as the Fiary paused and a charming smile graced her features. “Well, I’ll let you see.”

Before Zero, the Fairy waved her hands that glowed in a purple light, and a medallion appeared before him. As large as a hand and covered in pristine gold, the medallion shined with an alluring beauty that caused Zero to immediately have an attraction to it. Used to a Skills attraction though, Zero locked his will down firmly and the manipulative attractive quality of the medallion vanished.

“Listen up all you flesh-bags. This here,” she yelled while gesturing to the medallion, “is a Skill. Like Runes, Skills drop from creatures you kill, human or otherwise. They are very noticeable to spot, and even cause you to feel attracted and possessive of it. The same is true for others around you though, so be careful when you find a Skill. But,” the fairy continued after adding a sentence of warning as an afterthought, “what you should know are that Skills are true power. Runes can always be gained and increased, but Skills are the true determinant of a creatures strength. A powerful skill, or one that has been ranked up, is what truly matters in the Abyss.”

Done with her explanation, the Fairy waved her hand and the medallion sunk to chest level. Reaching out, Zero grasped the medallion in his fingers and immediately as flood of information appeared in his head. The information explained what the Skill was, what it could do, how powerful it was, and more. It also had information on how to accept the Skill if Zero wanted to. Normally, people wouldn’t even think twice about gaining a Skill, but Zero was a special case. He had to pick and choose what was best to accept as a Skill.

Seeing what the Skill was however, his pearly white teeth appeared through the hardened blood on his face as he involuntary gave a brief smile. Eyes flashing to look upon the Fairy that watched him inquisitively, Zero couldn’t help but thank the creature before him in his head.

With a flash, the medallion disappeared as Zero accepted the gift. As soon as he did, information about the Skill and all its properties and details became immediately available to Zero. It was like information that he always knew but just never paid attention to.

No longer paying attention to the Fairy whose grin grew even wider at his acceptance of her gift, Zero spoke once more in his cold and slightly immature voice. “Status Screen.”

Name: Cooper Hayes

Runes [ Affinity for ----- ]

Strength: 10.7 *

Stamina: 15.54 *

Agility: 10.23 *

Intelligence: 10.00 *

Wisdom: 10.00 *

Perception: 10.01

Skills [ 0% Growth Rate ] [ 1 / 13 Skills ] [ Affinity for Fusion ]

Fire’s Edge *

As Zero’s eyes swept over his Status Screen, he took in the gains from the battle. Having received 1.32 Runes in total from his 33 kills, .68 went to Strength, .44 went to Stamina, and .2 went to Agility. Even more important though, was the unlocking of Intelligence and Wisdom, due to him gaining the skill Fire’s Edge. Intelligence acted as magical power, with higher Intelligence acting to boost Skills to display more of their ability and power. Wisdom acted as Mana. The more Wisdom a person had, the more Mana they would have to use to power spells and the greater the regeneration of that Mana would be.

With only 10 Intelligence and Wisdom, Fire’s Edge would be of limited use for the time being. Still, its power would grant Zero an even greater edge in the coming days.

Fire’s Edge

Rank 1: 0.00%

Imbue your weapon with a searing heat and an edge that releases burning flames.

Out of all the information on the Status Screen, Zero’s eyes kept drifting to the most noticeable features. [ Affinity for ----- ] next to his Runes showcased the hidden talent that he had. It would be an impressive, and vital attribute for him. Especially considering the fact that his fighting style was based on solely around that feature. However, the truly eye-catching part was where the Skills were listed.

Even as his eyes traced the words for the millionth time of his life, Zero couldn’t help but release a disparaging smile. Every human had the ability to grow. This included both Runes and Skills. But God makes no man so great without flaws, and for Zero this rule was painfully clear. Unlike the rest of humanity, he could not rank up his Skills. He had zero ability to improve his Skills with practice and usage. A failure to improve Skills to become fiercer and more powerful than could be attained otherwise.

It is of course the reason why he was nicknamed Zero when he entered the 2nd Zone. It is the reason he was discarded and tossed aside like a piece of garbage. It was the reason he was so weak for so long. The reason why those he cherished died and his future was crushed.

Yet, his misery didn’t end there. For while the rest of humanity had around 100 Skill Slots, Zero only had 13. 13 Skill Slots that would be all the possible Skills he could use for his life. Once acquired, they could never be forgotten.

Zero’s smile only grew wider as he saw those two features. It was a smile of chagrin frustration. He was blinded by those two features in the past, destroyed by their limitations that they placed on him. But, just as God and Fate deal bad hands, so too does Balance reign supreme. Because for Zero, while he couldn’t grow his skills, he could do something much greater.

He could combine Skills of similar abilities and powers into one another. Fusing them, and transforming the two into something greater.

This ability...this is the reason why he could stand tall amongst other Heroes. Heroes, who years before he arrived, fought for strength and carved their path in blood.

The thought brought a grim smile to his face, as he would -

“Oh hello little flesh-bag. Little flesh-bag?”

Zero, snapped away from his immersion of the future and the possibilities of his new life, twisted his head to watch the Fairy that floated upside down before him. Her head, tilted to a near 90 degree angle, remained fixated on him as he addressed the Fairy with a cold, unnerving stare.

“Oh good! You are still alive. And here I thought I would have to incernate your body if you didn’t respond.”

Zero watched as she flashed him a very canine smile before she zipped through the air on her wings and rose to address the gathered group of people.

“So, as I was saying, the first Trial has ended. Congratulations to you flesh-bags!” The Fairy, clapped her hands excitedly, and shot off purple sparks of foreign power that glowed in the dying light of the afternoon. “But do not fret my little toys, there will still be plenty of opportunity for you to grow or die in the coming days. So, please, please, please! Keep me entertained. It is so boring being trapped to this little section of the Abyss for the remainder of my eternal life. There is nothing to do besides watch new little flesh-bags like yourself kill or be killed.”

With a deep sigh of sorrow, the Fairy deflated almost as it spoke. “Still, I and my kin will be watching, so do impress us. For now, enjoy your time. Relax, eat, sleep, fuck, fight, kill; whatever your puny little hearts desire. Just remember, in three days time at sunrise, the next leg of your journey will begin. So until then...too-da-lu!”

With a flash of purple light, the Fairy was gone, but everything else remained. Zero, situated in a pile of dead Goblin’s rose steadily to his feet. His Stamina, helping to act as a minor boost to speed up the healing process of his body, had stopped the outpouring of blood to a large degree. Still in immense pain however, Zero bit back the scream that wanted to rip itself out of his throat. With steady but slow steps, Zero walked through the muck and the mire. It was sluggish work, only worsened by the tears of pain that pooled involuntarily in his eyes. They served only to distract him from his torn and blood spattered running shoes that slide across the blood slick grass.

Just as he crossed through the bodies and across the indent that the Fairy’s barrier left on the ground, a feminine voice called out sharply for him.

“Cooper! Cooper, hey!”

Zero’s steps faltered at the mention of his past lifes name. Mentally combating whether to address the person or not, he remained still. The pause gave the speaker the time she needed to make Zero’s decision for him.

“Cooper, what...what the fuck!” As the high-pitched and almost frantic words echoed out just next to Zero’s ear, a tan hand which was highlighted by a deep burgundy nail-polish latched onto his shoulder. Tracing his eyes over the hand, Zero watched the immaculately manicured fingers dig into his bloody clothes without hesitation, before he traced the hand towards the owner.

There, standing smaller than his towering 6’1 frame, was a small and relatively attractive young woman. Her thin frame was draped in high-end athletic apparel that left little of her body to the imagination, while the rest of her figure was accessorised with other expensive tastes like golden bracelets and huge glittering earrings that drew one's attention.

With nary a pause on her figure, Zero instead turned his implacid gaze to her face. There, he saw her vibrant red lipsticked lips become nibbled on by her pale yellow-ish teeth in a fit of nervousness. The rest of the woman’s heavily make-up covered was taunt as well, with the woman’s green eyes displaying at look of fear. Whether at him or at the dead bodies around them he couldn’t tell. He didn’t care however. Instead, it was the crowd that gathered around the young woman, about half the total remaining survivors, which shuffled hesitantly side to side that caught his attention.

“Cooper Hayes!” Screaming now to grab his attention, the young woman stared up at him with bloodshot eyes that only worsened as the first signs of tears became evident. “W-wh-what is going on? Who....how did you do this?”

A sigh of frustration escaped from Zero’s tightly pressed lips as he found himself under the scrutiny of people. People, he know realized, that knew him from his past life.

As he switched his gaze between the young woman, the crowd behind her, and the dead Goblins, only one thought entered his mind.

Fuck...how can I lie my way through this...