For I Am A Side Character - 102: A Warrior's Second Awakening.

As I fill the surface of the floor with my own blood, I was shocked by the sudden visit of the warrior who once guided me in the presence of wielding a sword.

And just like in our first meeting, he faced me again in my worst of times…

Like our first encounter, I could feel the world’s time slowing down to accommodate his presence.

And my spirit moved to confront his own spirit. At that moment, my spirit stood before him to converse his own purpose for coming here.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked as he squatted down to my level, staring at me as if he was looking at a failure.

“…” heavy breaths were all that I could muster… as I couldn’t say anything to him, as my eyes continued to fade in and out of the darkness… even in spirit, I as affected by the Angel’s attack mentally.

“…Pathetic. You are utterly pathetic…” he said.

Although I couldn’t make clear of his face, I knew from his tone of voice alone, that he was dissatisfied with my current condition.

“…”

“…Why are you holding yourself back?”

‘…holding myself back?’ I was baffled when he asked me this question. Because I gave it my all… I did not hold back once against the enemy.

“I can see that you are giving it your all…all to a point that it should have manifested your spirit to form into your own desire…your desire for power…protection…freedom.”

“…But your holding yourself back because of God’s presence as a whole…and I get it. Your loyal and I respect that. But that’s the issue…you don’t act according to the will of what defines a warrior, you are not making full use of your own freedom.”

“God has no hold of you, he has said it himself…you are free, but you are too preoccupied with the practices you held in your past life.”

“…My practices?” I asked.

“…Practices that confines a man to worship a God….and that means his fear for God.”

In all sense, he is right. Deep in my consciousness, I fear God…I mean who doesn’t? it is simply natural to fear God…and especially in this life when I know he truly exist, and he’s not some silent watcher above his kingdom

“But you have to know, you don’t worship him…let me make this clear for you Soril…you work for him! And he expects you to finish this here and now!”

“.…I know that.” I said as I felt contempt over my words.

“Do you?! Let me remind you…you are a warrior! You have accepted your role to continue on our legacy! The moment you held your role, you must follow it to its end! Fulfill your promise boy!” he shouted to my face.

“Do not hold yourself back from this world…Grow and become an unstoppable force! Grow and lead a war to its end!!”

“Grow Young Warrior!”

“Be The Aranean Warrior who is meant to carry our legacy!!”

“How!?” I asked as I shouted back in rage.

The pressure he gave as he looked to me with doubt and expectation seemed all so burdening to my body. I know I accepted this fate the moment I accepted their skill under God’s gift…but its starting to affect me in my worse of times.

I couldn’t see a way out of this fight against the angel.

“…All you need is a step forward.” he said.

And in his words, he took a step forward to me and he touched his temple on his head and to it, a string of light was formed.

“What is that?” I asked in worry.

“…Your body is now strong enough to even Go against an Angel…and truth be told, I’m amazed that you made it this far this quick with your own asset of will and spirit alone. I could even say that without a doubt, you carry the strength of what my people used to call a hero.”

“..”

“…Now, I guess the skills granted to you before hand isn’t enough. As of now, you are ready to hold the next stage of what it means to be a warrior of our lineage. “ with that, he moved his hand who held the string of light, and he gently placed it to my own head.

As he pulled away his finger, the string of light remained intact to my own temple.

[The Aranean Spirit has held his voice to encourage your soul and will] said the system as it appears before me.

[The Aranean Soul has granted you access to the (Advance level) of the Aranean Sword and Shield Form-style!]

[Would you like to learn this skill? Y/N?]

“Is this an awakening to the skills?” I asked.

“Hmm, I guess in this world, you can call it that.” he said.

Just like in the same manner as how when a hunter is able to go past his current level, certain requirements are fulfilled and the skills they gained from skills books evolved. Making it into an awakening. Jason was able to achieve access to his awakening in his arcane swordmanship, but achieving this awakening requires certain objectives to be able to claim its awakening.

Yet in Soril’s case, it didn’t need any sort of requirement, all he needed to do was to gain the acknowledgement from the Aranean spirit himself.

Judging by the description of the system’s message, it was the next stage of the current skills I attained regarding the Aranean skill set.

“This time, prove your position in front of this fallen angel. Prove to her that you are a soul that is under God’s orders…you take what must be taken and you do what must be done. You are his mercenary…and most of all, you are a warrior that carries our history.” and in his final words, his spirit fades into the wind…

In his disappearance, my own soul started to fade back to my own body…yet as I did, I saw the system before me and without any sense of hesitation, I accepted his calling…

With just a single tap on my soul-like finger, I gained the knowledge to step into the world of true

Kin and blood. The path of a warrior widens before me…

And like a swift blow of a wind, I returned to my body.

“…”

Prove to the world that I am a warrior…and defeat the plague that stands before me today…

***

“Hmm?” as the gray angel stood over the corpse-like body of Soril, in just a split second, she saw a glimpse of fire in his eyes.

‘I thought for sure he was done for…but what happened? Why is there still hope in his eyes?’ she asked herself as continued to step over his body.

Being cautious, She raised her hand and decided to finish things once and for all.

“I know your flesh and bones are harder than most metals, so don’t think of this as me overcompensating things…” she said as she conjured a ball of light at a sizeable radius of 10 meters.

“Goodbye boy!” she said.

And as she threw her attack down, in a glimpse of moment, Soril raised his shield in the desperation of it all.

“Ha! Looks like your still desperate to the end! But its useless! This skill will end you once and for all!” she said as she didn’t held back.

But to her surprise, Soril had already fully raised his shield.

[Unyielding Bastion!]

In a click of his skill, his power emerged and a defensive stance was formed. This caused Soril to fortify his shield into an impenetrable barrier. The moment the ball of light came crashing down, in return his shield starting absorbing a significant amount of damage from the attack in mere seconds. As it clashed, not once has Soril been pushed back.

And not just that, but in shock of it all, as the attack ended the second the angel was done, his shield started emitting a concentrated power of light…and with just a thought in his head, he threw back the attack that was absorbed into his shield. He threw into the Angel that stood before him.

At a point blank distance, the angel received every fiber of that attack, and it threw her at a considerable distance.

At that moment, Soril was losing his blood and energy. So to compensate, he started drinking his health potion.

But while he was doing so, he noticed that the three demon fanatics were still nearby. And beside them was Chrome and Tyen who were both injured to no compare.

As his body was healing, he quickly took action and took out the enemy in just a flash of a second.

[Steps of the Emissary Ghost]

In a sheer moment, he appeared behind them and he quickly executed them to where they stand. Despite the Demon Fanatic’s confidence in speed as an A-ranker, they could compare to Soril in every bit of his strength.

They died the moment they caught his attention.

The moment, he executed them, he thought that he might have gained some experience points from that but to his folly, their lives as humans were not considered the same way he hunts a monster in a dungeon.

The only thing that could gain him some experience was from hunting monsters, demons and anything outside the human life.

As he slowly healed himself because of the health potion, he decided to move and heal the others as well.

So he quickly went near Tyen-lin and he lifted her head. As he pulled out another potion, he tried making Tyen drink it.

“Drink, hurry!” he said as he was worried that she was nearly dying with how severe her injuries were.

“Hnn?” having to wake up, she found herself lifted up close to him.

“Drink.” he said.

And as he poured the potion to her mouth, she unconsciously started drinking it.

Soon enough, her body was healing. Yet as it healed, in the distance he could see that the angel was starting to recover from the wall she was thrown to.

“What the…fuck happened?” she asked as she slowly started to heal.

“The only enemy left is the Angel…and I’m not sure I can keep you guys safe in here, so I need you to get Chrome and take him away to a Safe place.” said Soril ass he sounded worried.

“What?”

“The healing potion won’t work on an inanimate object, so I can’t heal Chrome with just a potion. He needs Principal Crufter to heal the damages filled to his body!”

“B-but the angel…she’s too strong for you to handle her on your own.” she said weakly.

“Don’t worry about me. Just go.” said Soril as he sounded determined.

“Ah…haa…” as Tyen started to stand up, Soril started to notice the Angel’s stare from the distance.

“Go!” said Soril.

And to his call, Tyen picked Chrome up from the floor.

In just a mere second, the Angel appeared before Soril and she could not care less for those escaping from the vicinity. All of her attention was on Soril.

“It hurts you know…” she said as she rubbed the injuries that was placed on her stomach.

“…” yet as she jokingly said this, Soril remained alert to her every action.

“So tell me, how potent is that potion of yours? I mean its really incredible to see that all of your injuries are already healed. It must be a high valued potion, right?” she asked. As she turned to the cuts on Soril’s arms as they slowly started to mend together.

“…”

“Not talking huh, I get it. Still, it makes me wonder how can you still have the courage to stand where I stand…its obvious that I can easily overpower you.” she said confidently.

“…lets see about that.” said Soril as he positioned his shield up front, ready to battle her out.

“Time for round two!” she said in her sadistic smile.

The moment she said this, she suddenly spread her wings wide and to its free spread, her aura suddenly changes. Like an erupting volcano, her power suddenly tripled and her wings suddenly grew in size.

And next to her wings spreading ever so freely, a halo over her head suddenly appeared. But it wasn’t a halo made of simple light, but a halo that churned like a void. As black as a shadow was in the deep space, the halo above her head was as menacing as that of a black-hole. It filled the pressure around her, turning her very presence into a demon-like nature.

And from her gra feathers, they darkened slightly more than what it was…

In terms of power, she evolved.

It was a sign that she wasn’t going to hold back any longer.

“Neh, I’ll give you one last chance…since I like you, I’ll spare your life if you join our side. How about that?” she asked ever so confidently. By her expression alone, she knew she had a high chance of killing Soril on the spot with just her magic alone, and from Soril’s grave expression that was filled with anxiety and pressure, his confidence was not as filling as what he would normally show.

But to her question, Soril remained determined.

Instead, the fire in his eyes that spoke of hope never once was disturbed. Instead, it remained strong and hot.

And in his hopeful youth and spirit, he declared the words of his authority and Gods…

“… Under God’s authority and under the warrior’s code…you, a fallen angel and an agent of the dark, shall fall under my hand…your execution is underway.” he said in a stoic tone.

And to his order, he activated a skill…

[Dominion Overload]

The ultimate ability that temporarily enhances all attributes and skills, granting the user a significant boost in power and speed, and unlocking hidden potential for a brief period.

Like that of the cries of a warrior, Soril inherited a power that overwhelmed the Angel’s outlook.

In the moment he showed this skill, the Angel’s demeanor quickly changed…

From being entertained of his weak existence, to that of a cold warrior from the heavens…the moment he showed the skill that once was owned of a past legacy, the angel knew then and there who he was…

The two stood against one another…eager to take one’s life.

“…So its you…you’re God’s agent.” said the Angel as her interest towards Soril was no longer present in the same manner.

“…”

“You asked for my name once, I shall tell it. I am Agifell, the 10^th Fallen Seat.” in her presentation of name, Soril in returned acknowledge her attendance.

“…I am Soril Remus, God’s Mercenary. And I am here to execute you.” he said in the same cold way.

It was underway. The final battle to end this conflict… to end this mission…

And as both presences were devouring the space of the vault, one certain character from the corner was simply watching as the final fight unfolded itself.