Chapter 1032 Keep Going

In a lovely bluish dress with straps hanging from her shoulders, the most beautiful woman sat in their living room, as stiff as a rock. Arthur stood rooted at the door, looking at her with both amazement and nostalgia. As if sensing his presence, the blonde woman turned toward him.

"You look adorable," said the woman with a giggle before rising from the couch and walking over. Her slender hand caressed his head, tidying the mess of hair his sleep had created. "I sure hope you won"t go on our date like this."

Diana looked more beautiful than before in a dress that he had never seen before. It reached her knees and swayed whenever she turned. Noticing his gaze, the woman grew shy and lowered her hand.

"Why are you staring at me so intensely?"

"I am just sad… that you do not exist," said Arthur with a broken expression, defeated by his longing for her. "I have to go forward still, Diana."

Arthur knew this had to be an illusion and the final trial. There was no way that Diana would be in his house, meeting his mother and waiting for him. However, he did not know how to leave this nightmare yet.

It was at that moment the world froze, turning gray in color. His mother was coming down the stairs, and she turned into a statue, as did Diana. Arthur sighed as he knew that the end of this sweet dream was here.

"This is no dream," said Yuvan Perli, who looked like a ghost, standing on the far side of the living room. "This is an alternate timeline where you never obtained your abilities and Diana was in your life. In this life, there is no suffering, just pure happiness. You two will grow old together and die in each other"s arms."

"And what would you accomplish by bringing me to this place?" asked Arthur before he was surprised that no rage filled his heart. He was stern, although he knew that this man was his enemy. "I cannot feel the wrath."

"As I said, you are just a normal person in this world," said Yuvan Perli with a smile. "This is what you have been fighting to achieve, Arthur Silvera. This is the happiness you have dreamt about."

"And if I reject this world?" asked Arthur with a frown, and Yuvan Perli pointed toward his neck. Arthur looked down and found a necklace wrapped around his neck, a mixture of black crystals with gold.

"You can just break that necklace, and you will be taken outside the dungeon. This is the final trial for you, and if you wish to pa.s.s it, you will have to give up on your happiness. Remember one thing, Arthur Silvera. This world, alongside everyone in it, is real. The world you would go back to after this trial ends is one of suffering. If you ever break that crystal, we shall meet again."

After leaving him with those words, Yuvan disappeared without a trace. Arthur held the crystal in his hand, wishing he could break it this instant, but a gentle hand held his. Diana looked concerned as she saw him making such a face.

"Is everything alright, Arthur?" asked the gentle woman he loved so dearly. Arthur stared at her with a blank expression before biting his lips and letting go of the necklace.

"It is," answered Arthur with a smile as he patted her head. "I will go and wash my face. Let"s have the best date there is."

This world was identical to the last one, except for everything being the best there is. His mother was singing as she moved stuff around. Even his brother was sleeping in his room, snoring as loudly as thunder. Arthur changed into his best clothes and took Diana out.

Kera was still the same, filled with dungeons and guilds. The two took a train to the center, where they saw the skysc.r.a.pers touching the clouds and flying mounts racing between them.

Arthur looked for inconsistencies in this world that would confirm Yuvan to be lying, but there were none. Everything was so real and present, but what bothered him was the gap in his chest. No mana of creation and no black lightning.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Diana after she swallowed down her hazelnut waffles. Her beauty was unparalleled even with a chocolate stain on her lips, making Arthur dazed.

"Nothing at all," said Arthur as he used some tissues to clean her lips, making the girl turn red. "I was just thinking about a question I read online the other day. It was some sort of an impossible choice."

"I hate those," said Diana with a sigh. "What was the choice?"

"a.s.sume that you became the strongest in the world," began Arthur as he stared at the mango juice twirling in his cup. "However, that only happened because the world was facing a grave danger. Would you accept those powers alongside the responsibility?"

"If you are the strongest, then no threat can harm you, right?" asked Diana with a smirk. "You can become the strongest and save everyone. Then, you would live a peaceful life."

"There is one more detail," muttered Arthur as he stared at the blue and red in her eyes. He paused as he remembered what the fallen Arthur had told him about her. "The path of power is a lonely one."

"...I understand," said Diana as she placed down her fork, looking at her sweets with such intensity that Arthur suspected she might be attempting fortune-telling. "Would that danger end the world?"

"If left alone, then it might," answered Arthur with some expectations for her answer. "The world needs a hero to save it."

"You are no hero, Arthur," said Diana with a chuckle. "You are just a good person. No matter what choice you are offered, you would make the right one."

"I have no idea what the right one is," muttered Arthur as he stared at the table. "I"m just tired and scared of losing you. If I make that choice, then I would have to choose between you and peace."

"Something is wrong," said Diana with realization that he was shaking. Her hand held his as she rose from her chair and rushed to stand beside him. "What happened, Arthur? What are you talking about?"

Arthur was still staring at the table, and he could see his dangling necklace. All it would take was a simple flick, and the necklace would be broken. He would be sent back to a world where he must face the hardest decision, where everything rested on his shoulders.

Noises disappeared from the café as Diana stood beside him, seeking to understand what he was feeling. Arthur gritted his teeth as he could feel her warmth, and turned toward her with a broken expression.

Her beauty never ceased to amaze him, but that might just be his infinite love for her. Arthur missed her face and the way her eyes betrayed her concern for him. If he went back, he might never feel this warmth again.

"I live in h.e.l.l, Dia," muttered Arthur while staring at her. It was the first time he heard himself become so desperate. Everything was real about this world, and he did not want to leave it. "Everything is h.e.l.l for me."

Diana paused as she saw his expression, and then a smile covered her face. Then, her arms wrapped around his head before she pulled him to her chest. Her beating heart echoed in his ears as her warmth comforted his skin. Then, she spoke in the softest voice in the world.

"If you are going through h.e.l.l, then keep going. I will wait on the other side."

Her words sank into his heart, and his mind grew calm for the first time ever since he awakened. His fate was one he had fought against all this time, but not anymore. The h.e.l.lish life would not last forever. As long as he moved forward and defeated even the G.o.ds, then it would be over.

Holding the necklace felt like he was holding his happiness by the neck, but Arthur knew that he could not stay anymore. If he stayed another moment while feeling her warmth, Arthur would never leave her side.

Crack.

The necklace broke in half in his hands, and his body began to glow. Diana was confused as she retreated and stared at him with worry. Arthur, however, had a smile on his face.

"I will meet you again soon, my love."

Dia gave him a smile and nodded, and the world disappeared from his eyes. Arthur was now standing in an endless desert, similar to where he had met Jizo before. Yuvan Perli was standing not so far away.

"You chose to come back," said the illusionist with a smile. "You have finished the final trial by forsaking your happiness. How does it feel?"

"It feels…" muttered Arthur as he stared at the broken necklace in his hand, "liberating."

"Those with something to lose can never advance," said Yuvan Perli with a nod. "I believe you already know the reason I brought you to the Red Tower."

"You had to intervene before I entered the ruins," said Arthur without looking at him. "That does not change that I have to kill you here."

"I am just a ghost, but you can kill me once you reach the last floor in the Red Tower," said Yuvan with a smirk. "The path of the demon king is a harsh one, but some skills in this tower will help you achieve it. Find them and reach the final floor. Bring my brother too, and we can end this madness."