"Don't be surprised just because I'm talking."
The Duskfang Harpy's voice echoed across the battlefield soft, melodic, and laced with something eerie.
"This beast was nothing more than one of my puppet beasts. My mission today is simple
I'm here to meet you… and give you a gift."
She paused. "A gift… from my Master."
WHOOSH…
A gust of icy wind swept past as her feathers ruffled slightly under the twilight sky.
Jack's shoulders, which had been tense like steel cables, finally relaxed a little.
When the Harpy had first uttered his name, his instincts screamed danger. He thought she had come to kill him to end his existence before he even understood his own power. And he thought he was targeted by someone.
But hearing it was just to deliver a gift?
It unsettled him in a different way.
And then… it hit him.
'Gift? Master?'
These words echoed in his head. Suddenly, something clicked.
Jack remembered the beast tide.
A horrifying onslaught of monsters had appeared from seemingly nowhere, an event that even the top Guild Experts failed to trace. No one could figure out where these beasts came from or why they had appeared so suddenly.
The words slammed into his mind like a hammer.
DING!
The realization clicked.
He clenched his fists. His golden eyes flared with rising fury.
"So… this entire beast tide," he said in a low voice, "was your doing?"
CRACK!
Tiny sparks of aura snapped from his fingertips. "All of this chaos… just so you could meet me?!"
His voice trembled not from fear but from rage.
"Because of your little game, I nearly lost my parents! I was dragged to the gates of death!"
BOOM!
A pulse of killing intent burst from his body, shaking the nearby debris.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
But the Harpy… simply laughed.
A sweet, condescending laugh that made Jack's blood boil.
"Hold your horses, little one," she teased with a smirk.
"Ask your questions asked one by one after I done. Let me finish my explanation first."
Jack's face twisted.
He was a moment away from launching an attack.
But then… he stopped.
THUMP… THUMP… THUMP…
His heart pounded like a war drum.
The Harpy's smile faded. Her eyes turned seriously sharp like daggers dipped in moonlight.
"Let me get to the main point." Her voice grew colder. "Until I finish speaking, do not interrupt. You may speak after. Understood?"
Jack stayed silent, but his gaze turned razor-sharp.
She nodded, pleased.
"First this beast tide was a test. A trial prepared by my Master… for you and your family."
"I am merely a messenger. I did not start the fire, I only carried the flame."
"And you… Jack…" She leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "You passed the trial… with flying colors."
THUD!
Those words hit harder than any spell.
Jack blinked.
The Harpy continued, her wings stretching wide casting a long, ominous shadow behind her.
"My Master has been watching you from the moment you entered this world."
"He took interest in you the very second you drew breath here."
"And now… for surviving your first trial…"
She extended her clawed hand.
"You've earned your first reward we talk about later."
Jack's breath caught in his throat.
The Harpy smirked once more.
"As for your parents… their trials aren't over yet. They face other tests in future"
"But if they pass…" She whispered now, like a prophecy. "Their rewards will surpass anything they ever dared to dream."
Then she folded her arms with elegance, her crimson talons gleaming under the cold winter sun. Snowflakes danced in the air around her.
The battlefield had gone silent.
Only the wind howled. And Jack stood still, facing a messenger of some unknown Master…A puppet of a force greater than anything he had yet to understand.
----
The Dustfang Harpy smirked and said coldly,
"Now it's your turn. You can only ask three questions only three. My Master was very clear. Anything beyond that is above my authority."
She folded her wings behind her with an annoyed pout, her talons scraping the stone beneath her. Scritch…"Honestly, I'm irritated. My Master hasn't taken interest in anyone for ages... and now suddenly, you of all people? What's so special about you? I don't get it."
She crossed her arms and glared with frustration, her golden eyes narrowed.
"Even after watching your every move since the start of your Ascendant journey, I couldn't figure it out. But today, I finally understood when My Master personally chose you."
Jack's face twisted through a storm of emotions: shock, amusement, astonishment, awe, and disbelief.
His fists clenched, then slowly loosened. He took several deep breaths, letting the whirlwind settle inside him. The weight of her words pressed into his chest like a boulder.
Thump-thump...
His heart pounded.
Ding!
A realization struck like a bell in his mind.
He finally sat down, breathing deeply, eyes dimly glowing with focus.
The Harpy gave him an approving nod.
"Not bad. Most would've lost their minds... or turned greedy, begging for power once they realized a god was watching."
Jack's thoughts drifted to something Ava once told him: "Monster dens, dungeons, and pocket dimensions… they're either created by gods or formed by their will."
Now it all made sense. A God no, something greater than a god had been watching them.
This wasn't just a test. It was an audition.
A rare opportunity had landed at his feet. If they were to survive in this brutal world… they would need power and backing.
And this unknown god... could be the backer.
He steadied his breath."Alright," he said in a low, determined tone. "My first question..."
He stared at the Harpy, his voice calm but edged with intensity. "Who is your Master?"
The question echoed like a blade unsheathed.
Shing!
But the Harpy's face darkened, and she shook her head. "That… I cannot reveal. You're not strong enough yet to bear that truth."
She stepped forward, her talons clack-clack-clacking on the ground.
"All I can say is that among your two blessings, one of them comes from my Master."
BOOM!
Jack's mind exploded with realization.
'What?!'
Normally, one knew who gave them a blessing. The divine name was etched into their soul. But one of his blessings… came from an unknown? That meant
His Superior Blessing came from unknown master of Harpy. He is True God
A being above the Main Gods.
Crack!
His reality split open, shattering everything he thought he knew.
A thrill surged through his veins like wildfire.
WHOOSH!
The Harpy smiled, sensing the wave of realization ripple through him. "Now you're starting to understand."
Jack's eyes gleamed. He quickly composed himself, and asked his second question:"What does your Master want from me? There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."
The Harpy chuckled. Heh.
"A smart question. But again… you're too weak to understand the full extent of His will."
She raised a clawed finger. "All you need to know is this: every trial you face will be matched by reward. Equal exchange. And no, my Master bears no ill will toward you."
Jack nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.
Then he asked the question that weighed on his heart the most: "...Is my family also involved in this?"
The Harpy's playful demeanor faded.
Thud. Her talons pressed into the earth with weight. Her tone turned solemn. "Yes. They are already part of the plan."
"If they succeed in their trials, they will receive rewards tailored by my Master. If not..."
She didn't finish.
Then, she leaned in slightly, her voice lowering with gravity.
"And your father… if he survives what's coming… will be granted a Main Blessing."
BANG!
Jack's eyes shot wide.
'A Main Blessing… for Father?!'
Blessings were granted at sixteen. That was the rule. But Otherworlders like Jack and his family were exceptions. Even so, the idea that his father gets Main blessings it's a rare, James who had always blamed his limits on lacking a Main Blessing might now receive one…
It was overwhelming.
His father's words echoed in his mind:"If only I had a Main Blessing… I would've stood more powerful."
Now that chance was real.
Jack's gaze flickered between hope, fear, and awe.
The Harpy saw it all, then broke into a wide, fang-filled grin. "Now... for the main event!"
CRACKLE!
WHOOSH!
The wind twisted violently around her as mana surged in chaotic spirals.
Her wings expanded, casting a shadow over the earth. Her claws glowed with radiant energy. Then
DING!
A light exploded from her palm.
"Your reward... for passing my Master's first test"
She held it up high, her voice thunderous "A Gift from the One Who Watches Beyond Realms!"
BOOOOOOOM!
This… was no ordinary gift.
------
To Be Continued…!!