Chapter 56: Chapter 56: The Trial of Ashura’s Will
"No... that’s impossible. I promised to protect them," Ryutaro said in a desperate tone.
"Impossible? Then what is standing before you now?" the shadow of anger said.
"This must be an illusion, right? Hehehe, yes, it must be an illusion," Ryutaro said, despairing.
"An illusion? No, this is not an illusion. This is a glimpse of your future—where you fail to protect your women," the shadow of anger replied.
Hearing those words from the shadow, Ryutaro immediately felt despair upon facing that harsh truth.
But in the midst of his hopelessness, suddenly Alex—who had not been heard for a long time—spoke to him.
"Don’t accept that decision. Remember your promise to your women," Alex said.
"But? This is all my future. I cannot protect them. I’m breaking my promise," Ryutaro said.
"So what? If that’s your future, isn’t it still possible to change it? Don’t give up just by seeing a small part of your future. And don’t forget, your women are still fighting the Bloodflare outside," Alex said.
Hearing Alex’s words, Ryutaro rose from his despair and stood back up.
The shadow of anger was shocked to see Ryutaro rise again.
"What? That’s impossible. You were so desperate just now, and now you rise?" the shadow of anger said.
"Yes, I was desperate earlier, but after hearing someone’s words, I am now certain of one thing," Ryutaro said.
"One thing?" the shadow of anger asked.
"Yes, if what I see here is my future, then I will change my own future with my own two hands," Ryutaro said firmly.
Hearing Ryutaro’s resolve, the shadow of anger laughed.
"Hahaha, very good, very good. Don’t forget your words," the shadow of anger said.
"So, did I pass?" Ryutaro asked.
"Yes, you passed this first test. Now, accept this," said the shadow of anger.
Suddenly, a shadow of Ashura appeared before him, face full of rage. Then the shadow entered Ryutaro’s body. His iris changed to a deep red. Suddenly, Ryutaro saw a faint shadow within himself—a representation of his determination to protect those he loves.
"Is this Ashura’s power?" Ryutaro asked.
"Yes, this is the first stage of Ashura’s power—the Silent Gaze of Ashura. With this, you can see your opponent’s deepest emotions," the shadow of anger explained.
"Good, with this I can fight the Bloodflare," Ryutaro said.
"Don’t celebrate yet, you still have two more tests to pass," the shadow said.
"Alright then, I’m ready," Ryutaro said.
"Good, then go," the shadow said.
The shadow of anger disappeared before Ryutaro, and the dimension used for the first test collapsed. It was replaced by a new dimension filled with blazing lava and fire that could continuously burn a person’s body.
"What is this? Why is this place different from before, and why is my body starting to burn by itself?" Ryutaro said, fanning the flames on his body.
As he was fanning the flames, a voice echoed in the dimension.
"Hello, can you hear me?" the voice said.
"Yes, I hear you. Who are you, and what place is this?" Ryutaro asked.
Suddenly, a fairy appeared before him.
"Let me introduce myself, my name is Jasmine. I will be your guide in this test," Jasmine said.
"Jasmine, who are you? How are you here?" Ryutaro asked.
"I am a fairy adopted by Ashura, and now I will guide you through this second test," Jasmine explained.
"Oh, I see. Please tell me, where exactly is this?" Ryutaro asked.
"This is the Eternal Fire Dimension, a place where the body is continuously burned. Whenever the body is close to breaking down, this dimension heals your wounds immediately. In this dimension, those taking this inheritance test must fight the manifestation of the ’Body’s Sin’—the embodiment of all physical weaknesses and worldly desires: fear of death, pain, and lust for power," Jasmine explained.
"Oh, I see. So what must I do to pass here?" Ryutaro asked.
"You must endure for three days and three nights without surrendering to the pain that burns your body and defeat the Body’s Sin, which will try to tempt you, offer shortcuts, or seduce you with powers you are not worthy of," Jasmine said.
"Oh, I see. By the way, what happens if I fail?" Ryutaro asked.
"If you fail, part of your soul will be burned permanently. If your soul is burned, you won’t be able to use your powers fully. You might even die. Every time you use your powers, it will feel like being pierced by thousands of swords striking your body simultaneously. Also, your soul will form a wound called Ashura’s Eternal Curse, a symbol that you failed in inheriting Ashura’s power," Jasmine warned.
Hearing Jasmine’s words, Ryutaro felt a chill at the side effects, but there was one thing that piqued his curiosity.
"By the way, you mentioned the Body’s Sin earlier. What happens if I fail to defeat my own Body’s Sin?" Ryutaro asked.
"That’s a good question. If you fail to defeat your own Body’s Sin, the entity will seize control of your body. If that happens, not only you but your loved ones will be affected," Jasmine said.
Remembering the risk if he failed to fight his Body’s Sin, Ryutaro recalled the vision from the first test—him standing beside the corpses of his women.
He quickly steeled his resolve to pass this test so that event would never come to pass.
"All right, then I’m ready," Ryutaro said.
"Good, then let’s begin the test," Jasmine said.
The dimension immediately emitted a scorching heat that could melt anyone instantly.
Then, a figure resembling Ryutaro appeared, with a face blackened like charred coal.
The figure suddenly spoke:
"You want to inherit Ashura’s power? Don’t dream of it with your weak body and soul. Better surrender your body to me, and the pain you’ve suffered will end," the figure said.
"Tch, don’t dream it. Even if my soul vanishes, I will never surrender my body," Ryutaro said.
"Hahaha, very well if you insist," said the figure.
The figure began to attack Ryutaro as his body was slowly engulfed by flames.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Ashura was talking with Ryutaro’s father. After their conversation, Ryutaro’s father looked shocked.
Will Ryutaro pass this trial? Why was Ryutaro’s father so shocked by Ashura’s words? Wait for the continuation in Chapter 57.
*If I made any minor mistakes that might be distracting, I sincerely apologize. I have done my best for this novel, and if you enjoy it, please consider giving it a like and sharing your feedback, suggestions, or criticism so I can learn and improve. Thank you for reading, and see you in the next Chapter!*
