05:00 IST, Seventh Day, First Month, 3080 PV | Arcos Bastion City / General’s Quarters

  I awaken to that familiar sensation. One of complete inae burnout.

  I also can feel a heavenly sensation, I feel like it is very familiar. There is also something gently moving over my hair.

  It's weird, the dichotomy between pure bliss, but also all-consuming pain.

  The heavenly bliss continues on for several minutes, but then I feel a sharp flick to my forehead.

  “Worthless Jerk.” a voice says. It's a very beautiful voice, one that I'd like to hear speak forever. Though it feels familiar somehow, almost as if I've known it for quite a while.

  I think if this voice were to tell me to fly off into space on an adventure spanning galaxies, I'd instantly comply. Without even a single question. After all, who would resist such a nice voice.

  “You're such a meanie, always passing out and making me do the hard work. But at least you're cute, so it's actually quite fun.” Hmm, I recognize this voice now.

  Oh right, it's my mega super duper ultra omega cute girlfriend Ray. The prettiest, most beautiful, cutest, sweetest person in the universe. Hmm, that statement was quite hypocritical. Given my situation and her current mood, perhaps there is a better course of action than my next words. Oh well, at worst I get another nice flick to the forehead I suppose.

  I barely manage to whisper out, “Speak for yourself, Cute Prodigy. I'm carrying you home on my back like every other day.”

  “Woah, the worthless Jerk awakens at last. You've been out for three whole days!” She says, as she leans in to give me a nice long kiss. She then proceeds to wrap me in a hug that would've broken my ribs were I a normal human. Not that I can really feel it, considering my body is still in all-consuming pain anyways.

  “Hey, no need to worry. I haven't managed to die yet. Somehow.”

  “Well, that's never gonna happen. Ima drag you into your thousands with a leash if I have to. Ain't no way you're gonna die on me.”

  “Well then, I'll just have to run into the thousands alongside you then. Saves effort from the both of us.”

  “You're such a worthless NEET. But, you're my worthless NEET, thus I shall protect you from your worthlessness.”

  Several hours of intense lazing about later

  (Base AI): “Attention General Ducker and General Inan. We are receiving a priority 3 message from the IEC. Your immediate presence is requested in command room 2.”

  “Kooooo, I dont wanna.”

  “Well, darling, I think this is one we cannot skip unfortunately. If I had to guess, we are about to learn when Trial 3 shall start.”

  “Ooooh, now that might be half interesting enough to make me let you go.”

  After several minutes of intense convincing, I manage to get Ray out of bed. Wow, look at me, the ever responsible worthless NEET.

  Though, I did take a few extra minutes for myself. Wouldn't you do the same, with a partner as cute as Ray?

  “Woah, look who finally showed up.” comments Initae as we enter the command room.

  “Well, this Ko here was just so reluctant to get up. I had to practically drag him out of bed. You should be thankful to me!”

  I give Ray a nice, solid, flick to the forehead. “You know that's not true, you were like singularity, it was nigh impossible to move you out of bed.”

  “Hmph, you weren't inclined to get up either!”

  “Alright, enough of your bicker-flirting, you two. We've got an important communication.”

  Ray and I take our seat (a single one), and the hologram of none other than The Gamekeeper appears. Ready to deliver some cool news I suppose.

  “Greeetings, Contestants Kovon and Rayleigh. I trust you two are doing well on this fine day.

  I hope you have recovered well from your stunt at the new years gala.

  As you have probably deduced, I am here to announce that Trial 3 of Humanity’s Trial of Ascension shall begin on the twentieth day, of the first month, 3080 PV. Navigation instructions will be transmitted shortly.

  The entire universe is waiting to see what you will do next, Moonlight Duo. I do hope you don't disappoint them.

  Also, as a side note, there will be no gala for the commencement of the trial. You will learn why later.

  We shall watch as you soar to the stars, and beyond, contestants."

  With that, the hologram vanishes and the room is put into a flurry of movement. Various peoples that were gathered set off to do various things with the new information.

  Ray and I stand up and try to go out the door, back to our room for some extra lazing about. But, before we can make it through the boundary, we hear something we don't wish to hear behind us.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  “Oi, kiddos, where the sevran do you think you're going?”

  Both Ray and I flinch at Initae’s words. I even notice that Rigar and Emil tense up as well a bit. Linda seems oblivious and looks around wondering why the tension in the room just increased by two hundred percent.

  “Oh, well, miss Initae, we were just heading to go do some planning. Y’know, strategy for the upcoming trial.. Please don't hurt us.”

  She did, in fact, hurt us. Quite a lot.

  15:00 IST, Seventh Day, First Month, 3080 PV | Arcos Bastion City / Training Grounds

  The whip-like crack can be heard as the pure inae shard flies through the air directly at my face.

  I raise my shield and take the full impact of the projectile. I am pushed back several meters and my shield practically crumbles in my hand.

  “Oi! That could've taken off my head! Shouldn’t you be more careful!?”

  To punctuate my statement, another shard comes flying at me, it nearly hits my shoulder but I manage to dodge out of the way.

  I am still pretty exhausted from the massive expenditure of inae. But it seems the more time I spend recovering, the faster the worst effects dissipate. Though the coma still seems to stay the same length.

  I feel reality shift behind me and I barely manage to raise the shaft of my spear to block the blade that comes streaking for my neck.

  Initae gets up real close and practically growls into my ear, “Careful? Why the heck would I be careful? This is combat training, you won't learn if you don't nearly die a few times. Don't you dare think for a second that your opponent will hesitate to go for a killing blow. You'll be dead before you can even blink if you're not prepared.”

  She jabs the guard of her sword into my side and sends me flying several meters away into the air.

  I land hard on my back.

  If I was not super-human with ridiculous pure inae armor, I'd have died at least ten times in the past hour.

  It's not a comforting thought to think that Initae is going extraordinarily easy on us. She could vaporize this entire bastion in the time it takes us to take a few steps. Or heck, she could probably just slice us into ribbons with blades from another dimension.

  I stand up and pick up my spear and materialize another shield.

  Next to me out of the trees appears Ray. It's so nice to see her, her cuteness always brightens my day.

  Well, it would be, if that cuteness wasn't wielding a very pointy stick aimed at my gut.

  I raise my shield and manage to deflect her thrust off to the side. But I am knocked off balance and she rams her own shield into my spear-arm.

  I get knocked back into a nearby tree. My poor back, I don't think it can take much more impact.

  “Ha, I've got you cornered, little Ko.” Ray says with a menacing smirk as she places her shield at my throat. “Hmm I wonder what sort of things I should do with my newly caught prey?”

  The entire ground shakes and suddenly we are blown back, along with several nearby trees and sent flying several dozen meters.

  A terrifying war cry arises from the direction of the impact. “For Dominion!”

  Oh great, it looks like Rigar and their massive warhammer have shown up. Now we are just missing good Ol’ Emil and brand new Linda.

  I think I saw her running around in panicked circles earlier. Something tells me she isn't that well suited to the whole combat thing.

  “Hey darling, whatdya say we call a small truce? You can resume those things you were thinking about later, hmm?”

  Ray spits out some blood from her mouth, must've bit her tongue, “Sure thing’ darling. But you better remember that promise. I don't want to have to catch you again.”

  I get to my feet and proffer my hand to assist Ray. She gratefully accepts and pulls herself up and in to give me a quick peck on the cheek.

  I reinforce her armor and weapons with a bit of pure inae.

  She was given normal weapons and armor for this exercise, but it doesn't mean I can't offer her a bit more protection. After all, I wouldn't want my super cute girlfriend to get hurt.

  The mighty Rigar emerges from the dust cloud that was kicked up in the shockwave, warhammer held menacing over their shoulder.

  “Hey Ray darling?”

  “Yes dear Ko?”

  “How the heck do you fight an extreme-level warrior that has a giant warhammer with a couple tiny spears?”

  “Ive got no klacking clue. Maybe we just throw them and hope Rigar doesn't dodge?”

  “Ive got a great idea!”

  “What is it?”

  “Run the klack away as fast as you can!”

  I grab Ray's hand tightly and we run as fast as we can in the opposite direction of Rigar.

  We run for maybe thirty seconds, only to run.. Right into Emil.

  Out of the shadows of the trees, Emil’s katana comes flashing out, perfectly posed to remove my hand.

  Ray quickly jerks me out of the way, though I manage to get nicked and I lose a few drops of blood.

  “What the klack, this is bloody insane.”

  I quickly regained my balance and thrust my spear at Emil’s exposed flank.

  I manage to get in a glancing blow on his flank, but it only leaves a small mark on his armor.

  “Ha, it's gonna take more than that to get me, milord.” Emil says, as his elbow connects squarely into my nose.

  My nose is likely broken and I fall unconscious from the strain and lingering inae exhaustion.

  Like, how did Initae think it'd be a good idea to throw the barely-able-to-walk human right into a battle Royale with opponents that cause minor quakes with their hammers.

  She even said Ray and I should fight each other too! As if that could do anything.

  I've spent.. I spent a lot of time studying her. I know every move of hers by heart, no need to train against it.

  Several hours later

  I awaken yet again to a heavenly situation. Wait, this feels like a bit of deja-vu.

  Oh, I'm laying in Ray’s super comfy lap again as she runs her gentle fingers through my hair, giving my aching scalp a massage in the process.

  I open my eyes to find Ray’s brilliant blue eyes staring at me, with some degree of concern obvious.

  “Ko, you're a big idiot.”

  “Hey, I'm not the one that signed up to be trained by that devil incarnate.”

  “Well.. you kinda did agree to become her apprentice and friend. So I blame it all on you.”

  “Hmm, when I can easily move again, remind me to give you lots of headrubs and cuddles. A few kisses too perhaps.”

  “Daaarling, don't forget that promise you made me.” She says, with a very creepy smirk on her face.

  It's safe to say, I did end up fulfilling that promise. It was quite fun.

  I'm sure that there is much more to come in the future. But, no matter what, Ray and I shall overcome it together. So, bring it on.

  End of Chapter 79

  Next: Chapter 80 | Ruler’s Conquest