Bro, I'm not an Undead!

"Huh?" Skullius raised a brow in surprise. Had he heard that right?

These guys would give him the legacy of Fulgardt? How was that even possible?

"What do you mean? How would you have the legacy of Fulgardt when you were locked in here the whole time?" Skullius asked.

"Please trust us. As long as you release us, we'll give it to you. We won't say anything else until you agree," the burly man said determinedly.

Time had licked away these peoples' egos. They were now left desperate to go to the outside world to experience life again or better yet, death.

Within the large crowd, many were already insane or getting close it, which made the scene a bit more chaotic.

Skullius took some moments to think.

"You said someone else came through here. He was just like me, right?" he asked. "Why didn't you have him help you?"

"That is true but you don't seem to understand the uniqueness of being able to comprehend [Just Light] and [Evil Darkness]. In reality, most people aren't pure or evil, which would immediately qualify them to bear these elements."

"[Just Light] and [Evil Darkness] search the immediate intent of the target. If their immediate goals are deemed righteous or pure, then [Evil Darkness] will settle in them and if they are meant to harm indiscriminately, then [Just Light] will be granted to them. The last person to reach this place was a carrier of both but unfortunately... Anyway, please make your choice."

'Unique huh?'

Skullius remembered how he had experienced it when he was granted the two powers. The notifications that came claimed that he had neither evil nor righteousness which seemed different from what the burly man was saying.

Skullius could imagine the various scenarios that could emerge when one entered this place with the intent to find Fulgardt's legacy.

Some came with goals of attaining wealth, riches, protecting their country and so on. It wouldn't be rare to find someone who wanted to get both after they attained Fulgardt's legacy, but there was always an agenda that took precedence in the minds of all humans.

What about him though? What were his goals? Well, he wanted to survive and that was basically it.

The Doom Factors were an objective that were imposed on him but they couldn't overshadow Skullius' desire to keep existing.

'Do I really want the legacy?' Skullius asked himself.

Thinking back, he had never considered acquiring the legacy of Fulgardt in the first place. His one goal had been to survive, which is why he had taken matters into his own hands.

Now, he began considering. Would he even be able to get it?

He had been hoping to find something else to allow himself to leave this place but he had been ignoring the obvious choice because he felt he never stood a chance of getting it.

It would be useful though; with the legacy, he would probably have the ability to take down the people that had dragged him here.

"So? Do you agree?" the burly man asked with an expectant light in his eyes.

"Hmm... this is something that Fulgardt himself did to you. How am I supposed to help?" Skullius asked.

"We'll help you get through it. We know how Fulgardt used his powers to bind us. We can teach you to replicate his skill! It may take years but afterwards, not only would you have gained a great proficiency in the two elements, you'll also have all of us as your allies!"

'Hmm...' Skullius thought. 'HELL NO!'

Of course, Skullius' answer was a resounding no.

Why would he agree to this?

Why would he start trusting the prisoners in the Labyrinth now when he had been abused by Dezrael earlier, made to toil on the yoke for hours?!

Why should be believe that these people had Fulgardt's legacy when they were prisoners to his powers even after he had died?

Also, even if these people indeed could teach him how Fulgardt wove [Evil Darkness] and [Just Light] so profoundly, Skullius didn't have years to learn all that skill. He had Doom Factor 2 hot on his trail!

Worse yet, even if he could believe that one of the powerfup people could help him get rid of the Doom Factors, how would he get them to understand what he was in the first place?

Eventually, when [Flesh It Like You Mean It] timed out, his true form would be revealed and would he get enough of a chance to explain himself before being killed for being an 'undead'?

No,no,no! This wouldn't fly.

Skullius' optimism didn't transcend into the realm of stupidity, and stupidity is exactly what collaborating with these people would call for without understanding a lot about this place than he did now.

Although he barked his 'Hell no!' in his mind, Skullius couldn't help but wonder if it was wise to say it aloud.

Skullius was already beginning to piece together what happened to the last person who came here. He was probably faced with the same choice and declined.

...The poor bastard was likely killed for it.

Would Skullius be willing to make that same choice openly and get himself murdered?

What could he possibly do when surrounded by these overpowered people?

He couldn't use the biggest offensive asset he had on command - [Pseudo Evil Veneration] - which made him feel infinitely less confident.

Unfortunately, the burly man noticed Skullius' hesitation at once. From that, he discerned the young Discount Human's decision.

His amiable smile turned into a discontent, savage one.

The same could be said for the hundreds of people that were within this place as they glared at Skullius with malicious intent.

'Hmph! He's just like the other one - stubborn and short sighted! If they help us, they would gain a decent comprehension in their elements. We might not have been able to make a move on you earlier, dear guest, but now we can!' the burly man sneered.

The reason they had buttered up Skullius and told him to eat at first was because the rules created by Fulgardt stipulated that a challenger who had reached this place had to 'celebrate'. The wisps of darkness and halo around the captives in the hall commanded it.

Their agendas could only be carried out afterwards.

A suffocating wave of mana thundered down on Skullius as the full power of the individuals in the hall poured out!

Skullius dropped to the ground.

He began to vomit blood while being pressed hard to floor. He couldn't stand.

"You fool! You should have accepted! If not for the small grace that we can't compel you - as we could have if not the damned rules of this place - we wouldn't even be having this conversation, yet you're so hellbent on defying reason!"

Skullius' face smashed into the floor.

The intense energy that assaulted him didn't wane.

'Damn! These socketholes are strong!' Skullius thought while barely containing his wits.

His encounters with strong beings had caused him to become a bit desensitised to tanking powerful energy signatures with his body, but this experience was chilling still.

"How am I... going to get out of this one?" Skullius asked himself while grinding his teeth under the immense pressure exerted upon him.

***

The lone figure of Benzard held onto a chipped sword, heaving deep breaths as blood oozed from its body.

His armour was on its last legs, torn, broken and shredded to a pathetic state. His body had numerous wounds that poured blood, the ripped flesh on it adorned in swells that shone.

'Is it... truly worth it?' he asked himself while looking at the disembodied head of a humanoid creature bound to a yoke.

On his sword, wisps of darkness danced lazily.

The power he had discovered hours ago had grown, but not in proportion to the severe gaps in strength between his opponents.

Benzard was about to take a step forward when he suddenly turned.

CRACK!

The wall hidden under the darkness behind him shifted as a large crack on the wall appeared, dust flying as the thing that sought to come through exerted more force!

CRACK!

Chips fell, and a large, red eye appeared from the crack, locking onto Benzard sharply!

...!