The Huntsman Of Death:A Gamer's POV As Side Character

"Despite having a body that is much faster and better in reflexes than my previous life, I was almost beaten by my mother."

"Maybe her physical attributes have also improved."

"As for skills, she was more adept than me."

In the midst of the thinking, I saw a small hill appearing before me, covered by a faint layer of mist hiding the peak.

On looking up, I felt a beckoning ringing in my ears.

[Climb up.]

As I ascended the steep slope, the air grew colder and denser, sending shivers down my spine. The ground behind me faded, consumed by a creeping darkness that enveloped me.Each step became heavier as if the very ground sought to weigh me down.

Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through the area as though signifying my despair. I paused, feeling my heart pounding in my chest as the temperature dropped further.

From the shadows, a figure emerged.

A figure unlike anything I have ever seen.

The figure had a human-like body wrapped in a dark cloak. Its face was like a bird's beak lined with sharp teeth, and its empty eye sockets stared blankly. A necklace made of squirming eyeballs hung around its neck, and a crown of feathers jutted out from its back.

"Welcome," the creature intoned, its voice echoing like a distant chime, warped and unsettling. "I am the Keeper of Death, and I await your arrival. You have traversed the Thorny Path, proving your resilience, but the true trial begins now."

A wave of dread washed over me as every instinct screamed to turn back. Yet, I stood my ground, eyes narrowing slightly in preparedness to confront whatever challenges lay ahead.

"For the last and final trial, you simply need to choose."

"A simple yet quite arduous task. And let me give you a warning. Before, many may have reached here, but everyone failed, and from their ashes arose the hill."

The moment I heard that, my eyes widened with horror. I looked down and only then noticed bones erecting out from the soil all around me that seemed to have been hidden by mist.

"Now for your final task, you need to choose one of the doors."

The Keeper presented three distinct paths, each choice resonating with a different aspect of existence.A low rumbling voice, echoed in the vast emptiness around us.

As he spoke, three shadowy doors materialized behind the Keeper, each swirling with a different hue of darkness.

"First," he began, gesturing toward a radiant figure cloaked in light, "do you want to be a saint? A beacon of kindness, someone who helps others and radiates compassion. Your life would be dedicated to serving those in need, lifting them from despair, and spreading goodwill wherever you go."

He paused, letting the image of the saint linger in my mind. The warmth of that choice was tempting, filled with the promise of a life devoted to love and benevolence.

"Or," he continued, shifting his tone to something darker, "do you wish to be a ruler? A powerful leader who reigns over a territory, protecting your own while destroying others for your people's gain. You would wield control, demand respect, and hold the fate of many in your hands. But at what cost?"

"The thought of power was intoxicating, a siren's call that tugged at the ambition within me."

"And finally," he said, his voice now softening, "do you want to be a lone wolf? A solitary figure who answers to no one, free to pursue your desires and forge your own path without the burdens of leadership or the expectations of others. It is a life of freedom, but it can also be a life of isolation."

I stood before the three choices, each one alluring in its own right, yet also fraught with challenges. The Keeper watched me closely, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

"You must choose wisely," he urged, a hint of menace creeping into his tone. "You can only select one path. Choose who you will be or who you want to be."

"Your choice will prove whether you are fit or unfit."

I felt the pressure of his words bearing down on me. My heart raced as I weighed each option carefully. I wanted to embody the qualities of all three compassion, power, and freedom but the boundaries he set felt suffocating.

'What is the correct answer? Now this is difficult.'

'A Saint, A Ruler, A Lone Wolf.'

I tried to understand the symbolic meaning behind it.

A saint portrays kindness and selflessness.

A ruler portrays ambition, greed, and arrogance.

A lone wolf portrays resilience, solitude, freedom, or even mistrust.

'Is he asking me which one I am or choose to be?'

At that moment, something inside me snapped.

'Wait! If these three are the only answers, then someone might have already inherited the class, but they didn't. So it must be something outside the box.'

With my mind lit up, I shook my head defiantly, the realization crashing over me like a tidal wave. "I choose what I want!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the vast emptiness.

"Who are you to command me?"

I might have overstepped a bit with the last one, but since I did, I should persist, as these types of guys are often weirdos and quirky, who like similar types.

"You don't have the right to force me to choose a path. I am free to do what I want."

The Keeper's expression shifted, surprise flickering across his features. I felt a surge of power within me, a refusal to be constrained by his choices. I was not just one thing; I could be many things. I would carve my path, blending the virtues of kindness, strength, and independence into a life uniquely my own.

"Walking on a fixed path might grant you ideal strength, but it won't be ideal for your survival because it's inflexible."

"I will show kindness where it is needed. I will fight to protect my people when danger strikes and be selfish when I need to. Bear others' mistrust and fight alone when I need to."

SWISH!

The next moment, I saw a pair of voracious dark eyes staring at me as if peeking straight into my soul, attempting to know the truth.

"Oh! You are certainly an amusing kid. But you should know that if you don't adhere to this rule, you might be disqualified."

"So?" I sneered.

'Damn! Is this the wrong answer?' I clicked my tongue to control my uneasy pounding heart.

Taking a breath, I grinned. "Do you want me to bend my rules and sell my soul for some legacy which I didn't know about? If I can't walk a path true to myself and my wish, then I can even walk a path others laid for me."

These were my own words.

Truest to the core.

I don't know what fate had set for me, and I don't know what the person who pulled me here wants, but does that give me a reason to follow the defined path set by a stranger I don't even know?

I hate this.

The Keeper looked at me with an amused expression, seizing me, and then put on a serious expression.

"Before we conclude, I want you to answer me one thing."

"Yes?" I asked, tilting my head, wondering.

'Did I pass?'

'I think I did.'

Here it comes.

The question of confirmation.

"Tell me..."

"Who is the greatest hunter in the world?"