Den’s POV

Den watched as the dagger came down. It stabbed into his chest and he felt it dig into his body. His blood started dripping out of the sides of the wound. Then the girl pulled the dagger out of Den’s body and stabbed again. This continued onwards for another five stabs. All Den could think about now was pain.

Argh! It hurts! It hurts! Let it end please!

Den started screaming as he saw the dagger now coated with his blood go down again. As he felt the dagger enter his chest again a blue box appeared in front of him. From some small miracle he was able to read its contents.

Player is experiencing mortal injuries…

Player’s endurance is now unlocking new window in system…

Player will unlock new window if player is able to withstand:3 More Mortal Injuries

Den’s eyes looked at the box and thought to himself

May this be a blessing from the system or just false hope I’ll cling onto it! Just survive 3 more stabs! Endure!

The dagger was pulled out of his body once more spurting blood. Then raised again stabbing into him once more.

Player will unlock new window if player is able to withstand:2 More Mortal Injuries

Den didn’t scream this time. His face showed determination. The only thought on his mind was to endure.

Two more stabs. Just two more stabs!

Player will unlock new window if player is able to withstand:1 More Mortal Injury

He barely felt the next stab. His vision however was being eaten away as if by little ants. They crawled across his vision. He felt sleepy. So sleepy.

Player is falling unconscious… Fainting will be interpreted as a sign of giving up...

Den could barely read the words as he felt himself fade. All he could take in was the words. Failure and giving up. Den jolted and felt his head hit the back of the tree he was tied too. He was still conscious. Still fighting and saw the dagger fall once more. Digging deep into his body he felt is twist, but something stopped him from feeling pain. His eyes were being washed of the ants that were eating away at the corners of his eyes. He felt alive!

Player has withstood 10 mortal injuries…

System is now implementing the skills system in player…

Error… Error… System is being intercepted…

You have done well hero. This trial shall be the first.

The writing below the error seemed to be different from the system. It called Den hero. Not player. Before Den could think about this further another box appeared.

Player has unlocked the following skills: Will to survive and Blessing of the Goddess

The three skills seemed to ingrain themselves into Den’s brain and Den seemed to understand what every skill was able to do.

Will To Survive

Effect:

Enduring may allow player to survive even if mortally wounded

Increase in all stats for a temporary time

Blessing Of The Goddess

Effect:

Player is now blessed by the Goddess Gaia

Affinity with all nature related creatures +10

Increase in intelligence and wisdom stats +10 to each

Instantly healed to full health(One time use)(Status:Used)

Den started to laugh. He may have looked crazy with a knife still in his chest and his maniacal laughing, but he didn’t care. He was alive! Then a voice was heard from in front of him. It was the girl who stabbed him standing there her face and armor splattered with blood looking at him in horror.

“Why? Why were you blessed by a goddess! Scum like you should have been smited by the gods!”

Her face seemed to give up as she collapsed onto the earthen floor and started to cry. Her cold demeanor broken leaving only a young girl who had lost someone important to her.

Girl’s First Person POV

I looked in horror at the young man in front of me. I had just stabbed him ten times and even twisted the dagger into his body just for good measure. Then the light came, but let me recap on what happened.

It was a normal day at work. A noble came to complain about something or the other and three adventurers got into a brawl in the middle of the marketplace. This day just had to change. A relatively peaceful day changing with a single person’s death.

I had just finished my shift and dropped by the guard house. I stuck my head into a office like room and waved to the gruff looking man who was surrounded by paper work.

“I finished my shift chief!,"I said cheerfully. What I didn’t know was the pain I would be in soon.

“Ah! Good work Alice. Any troubles?”

I shook my head and smiled,”mostly just being mobbed by the kids when I walked through the slums area.”

The guard chuckled,”You are popular, I believe that at least half the kids there have declared marriage already. You won’t have trouble finding a husband”

I blushed then walked out of the room.

Why does Riley like to tease me so much.

As I walked out of the guardhouse still a bit red faced I ran into another guard. I stumbled backwards before stabilizing.

“I’m so sorry about that,"I said apologetically.

The guard seemed to not mind being run into.

“It’s fine.”

It was then when I noticed the thing that changed this day in a horrible way. I wished I never asked in the first place.

“Who is that?”

It was something that looked like a person that was slung over the guard’s shoulder. I couldn’t see it too well since it was covered with a cloak. The guard’s face startled at the fact he was being questioned and then his face turned hard.

“I’m sorry I can’t reveal anything”

I was confused since usually the guards didn’t being in anyone that was confidential. So I started to tease the guard. His face flushed and then softened while leaning his head in.

“Fine,"he whispered,”I’m not suppose to reveal this, but I suppose that it will come out sooner or later.”

“What? What's going to come out?,"I whispered back.

The guard’s face seemed to turn sad as he said,”Earl Zeon was assassinated.”

My heart dropped I could feel myself become cold.

No no no! This can’t be right! He can’t be dead!

Earl Zeon, a man that I respected for his treatment for everyone. He was a noble that acted noble. He was never snobbish and never took advantage of the common class. He was the one person that everyone in the city knew. He was the kind earl, a man worthy of being loved by almost everyone, except for other nobles who thought of him as a disgrace to the rank of earl.

“Then is that thing on your shoulder,"I said, my voice was unnaturally cold and detached.

The guard sighed then nodded his head. That was all I needed to see. I turned and walked back to the office. Riley had a surprised look on his face when he saw me walk in again.

“What’s wrong Alice?”

I looked at him then began to speak,”He’s dead isn’t he?”

A look of surprised flashed through Riley’s eyes before vanishing just as quick. He seemed to process the words I said in a moment. Then took a deep breathe. His chest was heaving. Then confirmed my worst fear.

“Yes, Earl Zeon is dead”

I felt my legs give out on me. I collapsed onto the floor and blacked out.

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I woke up confused on why my bed was so stiff. I sat up noticing that this wasn’t my bed. It was the guardhouse infirmary. Then everything came tumbling back and I started to cry.

He’s really dead.

I felt a hand patting my back. Looking up tears still in my eyes I saw the Riley. Then I don’t know what came over me, but I hugged him. Crying loudly into his chest. After another five minutes of sobbing I stopped. Now all I could think of was getting revenge on the person who did it.

“Where is he,"I said my voice cold.

Riley seemed to try to dodge the question,”Where is who?”

“You know who I’m talking about. Where is he? Where is the killer!”

Riley sighed then looked me dead in the eyes.

“Go home Alice. Take the week off”

I was reluctant, revenge was still burning in my eyes, but couldn’t find a reason to stay. So I stood up shakily and walked towards the infirmary entrance. Then as I was walking towards the guardhouse entrance I head Riley’s voice sound again.

“Take care of yourself!”

I kept walking. After turning the corner out of view of the guardhouse I stopped. I started waiting. As I saw people come and go I never took my eyes off the guardhouse. After about an hour of watching I walked back towards the guardhouse. Sneaking by the office area where I could see Riley doing more paperwork. I headed towards a certain door. The door leading to the cells.

Walking down the stone steps, I entered a long corridor with light crystals embedded into the walls. I started checking each cell. Since today was a slow day there wasn’t anyone in the cells, so I found the one I was looking for with relative ease. I unlocked the door with the cell keys that I had and walked in.

What I saw was a young man with a ovalish face and black hair scattered across it chained to the wall and having his legs wrapped with several rune chains. He was squinting since I blocked the light from the corridor he could only see my profile. Although I could see him perfectly fine. What took over next was my anger. I raised my leg and kicked him in the gut.

“Owww,"the young man yelped.

“You're lucky that’s all you're getting you bastard,"I said my voice was getting colder and colder.

Then I decided that I didn’t care, so I kicked him again even harder. He coughed up a mouthful of blood. The liquid flowing out of his mouth made me feel better.

“Why?,"the young man asked while having a pained look on his face.

I felt fury take over. As I started shouting at him almost hysterically.

“Why!? You ask why!? You murdered the one of the only nobles that actually treated commoners like people!”

The young man seemed confused,“Murdered? What? I haven’t even been awake long enough here to actually meet anyone let alone murder a noble!”

“Then how do you explain your clothes and dagger with the Earl Zeon’s blood on it.”

I should have mentioned that I saw a dagger that Riley seemed to try to hide when I woke up, being not quite right in my mind I assumed that what he was hiding was the murder weapon.

“My clothes? Dagger?,"the young man looked down at his own cloak and started protesting,”What! These aren’t my clothes!”

He’s a horrible actor. Does he think I would really fall for that act?

“Yes? And the dagger with blood isn’t yours either?,"I said with a voice dripping with sarcasm.

He seemed to be panicking and then I heard footsteps coming from behind me. I turned. It was Riley. He didn’t seem surprised when he saw me in the cell and started speaking.

“We are going to execute this man for killing a noble.”

I felt pleasure knowing that this monster was going to be executed, but also a bit saddened that I couldn’t end his life personally.

I turned again to see a panicked young man who was yelling,“What! No! I’m innocent I tell you!”

He started to struggle against the chains while yelling. Then he quieted down. After a second his lips started to move and it whispered something that I couldn’t hear.

“What are you mumbling about!,"Riley said and strided forward kicking the young man in the chest. I could hear the air leaving the young man’s lungs. Riley was about to kick again when another set of footsteps were heard behind us. Riley stood up quickly while retreating to the door. Another guard ran in. Then began to whisper quickly into Riley’s ears, then ran off again. Riley followed the guard.

I was alone with the young man again. I debated whether or not to go kick him again when I felt myself float. Then the world spun before grinding to a halt. I quickly assessed the surroundings. It was the outside with trees all around. She then saw the young man stand up and brush himself off before speaking aloud to himself.

“Well not the best place to be, but anywhere is better than that jail cell”

How did he get out? Rune chains should have restricted any magic he could use. No… This might be my chance to kill him myself.

“You would think that wouldn’t you,"I said while pointing the dagger that I kept on me against the young man’s back,“Move forward to that tree in front of you.”

I took out the second thing I had on me, it was a magic ribbon that would follow my mana’s commands. Once he reached the trunk of the tree I instructed the ribbon to tie him to the tree. The ribbon jumped and started to wrap itself quickly around the tree.

“Flip him over," I instructed and watched the ribbon twist and turn as it switched the young man’s view. I watched him and then said.

“I might as well kill you right here. Trying to escape is enough grounds to execute you here and now. I’m glad, I’ll be able to kill you with my own hands. The person who dared kill the only one that ever cared about the common class.”

I then raised the dagger still in my hand and plunged it into the man’s chest. I felt as it sunk into his body and I felt happy when I heard the man’s screams. I stabbed him again and again. Counting each deep wound I made in him. 1...2...3...4...5...6…7... Then something seemed to change as I stabbed him for the eighth time. I saw his face. He showed a determined face as if wanting to die with dignity. His screams had stopped. In anger I stabbed again.

How dare he! He dare he!

He slumped over and I saw that his breathe was getting weaker.

This is it!

I stabbed him for the tenth time and twisted it into his flesh just for good measure. Then the light came and the man started laughing maniacally, but what registered wasn’t the laughing rather it was the light. A light that would only appear when blessing someone.

No! No! No! How could this be! How could someone like him!

I was horrified and angry. This man was blessed by a goddess!

“Why? Why were you blessed by a goddess! Scum like you should have been smited by the gods!” I shouted. Then felt my legs give out for the second time that day. All I could do now was cry.