The Runic Alchemist

He was Walking in a big circle around his lab, so he could run back any time he wanted when Damian finally heard a familiar fire crackling sound that usually came from the fiery tails of hell-hounds. So he stopped and after focusing on the source of sound, he sneaked forward with soundless steps and finally saw the fiery behind of the clueless hell-hound.

With a swift dragon breaks the ranks Damian lunged at the monster with his sword stretched out and just as planned it met its target, cutting one of the legs of the monster and severely injuring the other.

The monster screeched out and finally noticed the enemy and tried to put some distance between the two, however the running fell short with injured legs and a momentary loss of balance earned the monster a cold blade through heart.

"187 – 14 more to go."

Damian continued his slow circling of the chosen path and soon enough, met another hell-hound, this one noticed him though before he could attack. So he had to dodge some of its charges before he could injure and kill it. But in the end the repetitive practice came in clutch and helped him putting another one down. And he continued the struggle.

It was already high noon and the sun was making the heat unbearable yet he continued walking forward.

Another distant sound, another quick attack, another kill.

The hunt was going pretty good for the small swordsman, however just as he was turning to maintain his distance a loud rustling sounds came from behind him. Damian immediately took the stance of mountain stands alone and prepared for the incoming.

And in just another second, two monsters came rushing towards him together and aimed at his two sides. Damian shifted his weight on one leg and jumped right while maintaining the stance.

Now the right side of monster was in his center while left one had to change his direction, which made it seconds late than the first one who received a blade on his back leg after Damian managed to dodge with just barely a centimeter length between them.

But before Damian could readjust his stance, the second monster came rushing and tackled on his side which threw him off few meters away. Seeing an opening both hell-hounds opened their maws and two big red magic circles filled with runes started to form. Damian also readjusted himself and opened the parchment he had already prepared beforehand with his injured hand.

Soon two huge fireballs hurled in high speed towards Damian however the boy just smiled and lunged forward with his injured shoulder. A huge gale of wind flew the two fireballs back at the stupidly standing monsters. They couldn't see Damian charging towards them behind the incoming fire, which resulted as a blade cutting clean through head of the hell-hound standing in front.

While the back one successfully dodged the fireballs and charged once again towards its enemy, but it only earned a huge slash across its belly as reward; spilling everything inside in a giant mess.

Damian calmed his rapidly beating heart, wrapped a clean cloth around his upper left arm and started heading back. It wasn't wise to continue this crusade with an injury, he had slain enough for today anyway. He still had 9 days before the trial will end.

The return journey was relatively safe, he did saw one hell-hound in distance but he let it go. After taking a shower and properly disinfecting and covering his wound he laid down on the bed.

"191, just 10 more to go.."

The next day Damian started his hunt in the early morning, when temperature was somewhat bearable.

So just like the day before Damian continued circling around the lab, slowly and full of focus. He extensively strained his ears trying to hear even the smallest of noise and preparing for any sudden attack that might come. He was determined to not let the mistakes of yesterday repeat.

After half a day walking like this, Damian had already killed another 7 fiery monsters and was now currently fighting against two of the bastards at the same time. He initially planned to attack only one but the second one was attracted by the nearby fighting sounds.

However Damian was ready this time, he had already activated modified air rune towards the charging new monster making him close his eyes while the one he was fighting was already limping with one leg injured.

The incoming hell-hound without his sight directly pierced itself through head on Damian's sword while Damian kicked the injured one, which resulted in it losing balance and falling down on its side. Damian removed his sword from the monster's skull with a grunt and lunged forward to behead another.

"Haaa..haa.. This shit is harder than it looks in comics and movies! Just one more.. that was no.200."

With a loud screech the hell-hound died at last with a blade going through half its neck. Damian prepared to run away before another monster showed up but before he could take one step forward, he heard the familiar voice,

[All requirements are met. The lord of hell-hounds has been notified of your accomplishment.]

"What?"

Damian was thoroughly confused about the booming voice that was echoing throughout the green field, yet his feet did not slow down at all. Whatever was happening Damian had an ominous feeling that it was a bad news for him, so he just wanted to run back to the safety of his lab. But before he could even travel 100 meters, a loud boom of something crashing was heard right behind him.

He did not spare even a single second trying to look back and ran like hell.

"WHY DO YOU DESERVE IT?"

Damian was surprised by the monster speaking in common language, but he did not fell for the trap and kept running. In the next second Damian saw a humanoid red skinned monster with spear in one hand just appearing out of nowhere in front of him.

Damian tried to slow down but he was running just too fast, the creature raised his hand and very slowly gave him a backhanded slap that made him fly hundreds of meter from the direction where he initially was.

His entire left side of the face was feeling numb, the rest was feeling like his skin was on fire and all his bones had shattered in thousands of pieces. He had formed a small spiderwebs like cracks beneath him when he finally landed.

"WHY DO YOU DESERVE IT?"

Damian heard the same question from right next to him, which was impossible. How fast was this thing?

"Because this is my trial and I have fought for it! I have done all that was necessary for it!"

Damian finally replied fearing that if he stayed silent he would get another slap. Yet it was all for nothing the slap still came and just as it landed he blacked out.

Damian woke up to the cold breeze of the open field. Millions of stars were twinkling, however he did not pay any attention to the night sky. His entire body was burning and he still couldn't feel his face. With a struggle and curses that could shame miners and sailors Damian somehow managed to stand up. Using his sword as crutches Damian slowly walked back to the lab.

It was a sheer miracle that no hell-hound had eaten him yet. Even now none were around, maybe they left because it was night-time.

"That damned monstrosity, he was clearly too overpowered and cruel yet he left me alive for some reason! What's going on? How the hell is this trial any kind of fair? How is a 10 years old supposed to fight that!?"

Damian was pissed. He struggled and struggled, thinking solutions to the problems that were way out of his leagues, fighting monsters day after day, surrounding himself around corpses and mind numbing silence, why? What the hell was he even doing here? He was no warrior, he was no challenger or a noble man.

He was just a kid who wanted to study and pass his exams somehow, get a decent job and live a decent life. Why the hell was he even fighting monsters?

Damian entered his lab and without doing anything else, just laid down on the bed and closed his eyes. He slept and slept, night ended and day came, then evening and then night again followed by another morning yet Damian did not left his bed. He was tired just too tired.

"Why should I? I already did all that I was supposed to! I passed the damned trial didn't I?"

"I fought, I killed enough... didn't I?"

.

.

.

.

"I already lived one life, didn't I?"

'WHY DO YOU DESERVE IT?'

Damian opened his eyes wide open, he stood up, left his messed up bed, opened the lab door and stared at the heavens. In the next second a creature of dark red skin and face of a dog with a fiery spear in his hand fell from the sky and crashed right in front of him cracking the land beneath his legs.

The lord of hell-hounds walked towards him with his majestic aura that commanded unconditional respect. After stopping in front of Damian, the lord of hell-hounds raised his hand and gave him another blow with his backhand.

Damian was flying once again but this time with sheer will and stubbornness or maybe it was just plain foolishness but he somehow managed to land on his knees. Everything hurt like hell and even lifting a finger was struggle but Damian somehow managed to lift his head and walk towards his biggest adversary with slow, trembling yet determined steps and then it came,

"WHY DO YOU DESERVE IT?"

The damned question.

Why does he deserve this power? Why does he even deserve this life? Isn't it simple..

"Because I deem myself worthy."

A harrowing grin was plastered on the hellish abomination's face, then he raised his hand once again and struck Damian's face, who once again lost his consciousness.

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