Souls Online: Mythic Ascension
Chapter 174: Domain of Truth and Deception

Chapter 174: Domain of Truth and Deception

(Authors Note: This Chapter depicts copious amounts of gore and violence. Read at your own discretion)

Arachne had a playful smirk on her face when Adam’s head hit the ground with a wet plop. His thick blood prevented it from pooling on the floor around her clone who was standing in place motionless.

"Aww~. Over Already? I don’t think so~!"

She snapped her fingers and the spiderweb glowed momentarily.

The Domain of Truth and Deception has deemed the death of Ouroboros to be Lie. Resurrection in progress....

Resurrection Complete!

Adam sat up, sweat pouring down his face as he touched his neck with both hands. There was no mark.

’Was it a dream?...Wait...Why am I lying down here?!’

Naturally, his gaze shifted to Arachne who was still sitting on her throne with a malevolent grin etched onto her face, one of her legs dangling over the side as she sat there totally relaxed.

"You didn’t even last a second that time~! Sloppy~! You need to do better Little Snake~!"

"W-What are you even talking about? What just happened?!"

Arachne’s grin turned into a feral smile that showed her teeth that were sharpened into razor sharp fangs."

"You died~! Then I brought you back~!"

Adam’s face paled as he knew that Arachne had never once lied to him and she had no reason to start now. He immediately jumped to his feet as the predator-like gleam of Arachne seemed to grow stronger.

"This will continue until you awaken a skill~!"

"The Fuck?! What do you mean contin–"

He didn’t get to finish his sentence as he felt a hand on the back of his head. Before he could say anything, the floor rushed up to meet him

CRUNCH!

[You have Died.]

His skull shattered like a watermelon after the clone drove his head into the ground.

A snap of a finger.

The Domain of Truth and Deception has deemed the death of Ouroboros to be Lie. Resurrection in progress....

Resurrection Complete!

Adam sat up again, this time he couldn’t help but vomit on the floor. How could he not? He felt every bit of dying in that moment. The time before had been relatively painless as he didn’t feel a thing before he was dead.

This time, while only briefly, felt his skull splintering, teeth turning into shrapnel that shredded his tongue and the inside of his mouth. He was on his knees, sweating as he panted for breath, his heartbeat was skyrocketing while his mentality was fraying.

"Not good enough~! Again~!"

Arachne’s voice was like the call of an executor, making Adam feel like his blood was running cold. No sooner had she said Again, he felt his ribs shatter as a hand plunged through his back and out his chest,holding his still beating heart in their hand. Before his vision faded again.

[You have Died.]

[You have Died.]

[You have Died.]

[You have Died.]

[You have Died.]

[You have Died.]

[You have Died.]

Each time he heard those words was followed by a snap of a finger and he awoke on the floor. He lost count of the times that he died.

[You have Died]

A snap of the fingers.

The Domain of Truth and Deception has deemed the death of Ouroboros to be Lie.

Resurrection in progress...

Resurrection Complete.

Adam blinked.

He no longer gasped for air. No longer looked around in confusion. The pain didn’t register. The dread had long since faded.

He sat up slowly, brushing the dust from his pants with mechanical motions. His eyes were dull, almost glassy.

He glanced at Arachne’s clone standing nearby. Then at the real Arachne, lounging on her throne like this was theater. Maybe it was.

"How many times does this make it? 6000?...I guess it doesn’t even matter does it? I lost track somewhere in the thousands"

he mumbled to himself quietly.

His voice lacked weight. Like it was spoken out of habit rather than emotion.

Arachne giggled from her perch.

"Oho? Is that pride I hear? Or surrender~?"

Adam looked at his hands. They were steady now. No shaking. No sweat.

"Neither. It just doesn’t feel like I am dying anymore."

Snap.

[You have Died.]

...

Snap.

...

Resurrection Complete.

He sat up again. No reaction. No words. Just motion.

The clone didn’t always kill him the same way anymore. Sometimes it was slow. Sometimes it was sudden. Sometimes he felt it all. Sometimes it was over before he knew it began.

But there was one thing that he did notice. The clone seemed like it was actually trying to teach him something. It was using his body as the guinea pig to teach. Then it clicked. He had been too focused on his own death to notice what it was trying to show.

Its movements were deliberate. Measured. It no longer felt like slaughter for the sake of it. There was a rhythm within the madness and the endless repetitions. A pattern. It would repeat the same motion several times, only changing when Adam began to react differently.

It was teaching.

Using his body as a demonstration. A tool. A lesson.

At first, Adam had been too lost in the pain and fear to notice. Too distracted by the agony of each death. But now, numbness had dulled the edges. He no longer screamed. No longer cried out or begged for it to stop. His mind had become quiet enough to see what was in front of him.

Every mistake he made was punished.

Every hesitation was met with destruction.

But every instinctive movement was... different. Sometimes, the clone paused. Sometimes, the blow was slower. Less forceful. Like it was waiting for something. Trying to adapt.

The clone lunged forward and Adam let his instincts guide him, taking a step forward instead of sidestepping or lunging. In the second that the clone attempted to adapt, his dagger was already rising.

The Clone didn’t even make a sound as his dagger embedded itself in its jaw, piercing through the tongue and the roof of the mouth to puncture the brain. Adam’s expression didn’t even twitch as he twisted the blade and with a strong yank, tore the head of the clone clean off of its body.

The clone sank to its knees, spewing a sickly purplish black blood all over his body while Arachne watched on with an overjoyed look in her madness. Instead of feeling off put by the cold way that he decapitated a perfect clone of her and by extension another version of himself, she looked genuinely pleased.

She even began to clap once more as she cooed

"Good job Little Snake~! Good Job~! Now it’s time for you to collect your reward~!"

It was only then that a faint gleam of recognition ignited inside of Adam’s lifeless eyes.

’That’s right...This is a game...I was just doing a quest...right?’

Arachne’s eyes narrowed as she growled

"Little Snake. This is the only time I will give you this advice. A being who splits themselves in two, someone who tries to hide their true selves from everyone, including those they care for will end up split in two."

Adam’s eyes twitched in confusion, not understanding what she was trying to say.

She let out a tired sigh before she slowly stood up as notification screens appeared in front of Adam.

"You will understand what I said another time. Hopefully then it will not be too late~!"

"W-What are you talking about.."

His voice was hoarse as he tried to shout but his words failed to reach her as she disappeared like grains of sand in the wind.

System Notice: You have gained the Following Skill(s):

- Assassination (C)

- Pain Tolerance (A)

- Assassins Instinct (C)

You have Completed Guidance with your Instructor

You may return for Guidance once you have reached Level 20.

Adam frowned when he saw the Skills. He did remember hearing that he was supposed to only learn 1 skill, yet he had learned 3. Something was off. Was the cruel torture that Arachne put him through some sick way of showing him her favor?

But he did not open his mouth to ask aloud. After all, someone else might be watching.

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