"If I can open the gate, can I enter the tree?"I ask to confirm.
[That's right]
"So where is the gate?"
I ask, I don't see anything that resembles a gate around me.
"The only thing here is that giant gray sun in the sky…"
I close my mouth and take a deep breath.
"Hey the gate you are talking about. Is it that damn thing?"
I point at the sun and ask.
[You are quick witted. Instead of looking at the obvious thing many would wander around and look for something that resemble a gate to them]
The voice whispers in amazement.
"You piece of…"
But I can't help but curse.
[Hmm what did you say]
I stomp my feet strongly on the ground. The ground cracks like glass. Stones and dust fly in the tens of meters in the air.
[What are you doing?]
"Nothing, it's just the reason most neglect something so obvious is because who would think of something like the sun as a gate. Even if they know they would give up and try to find something else hoping that, this is the gate they are supposed to find."
[...]
An awkward silence follows neither me nor the voice say anything for some time. And finally that voice says something I don't understand.
[For everyone it is not necessarily sun]
I pause at his words "What do you mean?"
[Nothing… since you have found the gate just open it and leave]
With those words the voice disappears completely. Although I can still feel its gaze, I instinctively know he does not wish to converse anymore.
The only reason his gaze still remains is probably because he wishes to see how I open the so-called gate.
"Haa.. How can I even open a sun? Damn it… Why is this so hard?"
I lay down flat on the ground gazing at the gray sun and began to think how I could open it. In the first place how can anyone even open a sun.
"By cutting it or by poking a hole in it." I grit my teeth "Is that even possible. Should I look for another gate? Even the system stopped talking ever since I entered this place."
Since nothing came to my mind I closed my eyes and took a nap. I got this body a month ago and ever since I haven't even gotten a wink of sleep.
No matter how transcendental this body is, rest is a necessity.
[...]
[...]
After a long while I opened my eyes.
"Yawn! This is so damn hot. Huh.. did that sun get bigger."
I get up and stretch my body. But I find the sun in the sky has gotten ten times as big.
"Seriously, all that talk about worthiness. Who would want to be worthy after seeing this."
I take a look at the former king's resonator and open its inventory.
"Now let's just get it over with."
[Are you finally going to make a move]
That being whispers in my mind again and I ignore it.
"Found it. I knew he had one."
From the inventory I summon a black sword belt.
[What are you going to do with this?]
The voice whispers again full of confusion. But I simply tie it around my waist and bind Escalon in it.
"Hey, do you have a mirror of something?"
I say. And after a brief period of silence a mirror appeared with a blue flash. I look at my reflection and nod my head in satisfaction.
"It really suits me now all that is left is just a change of clothes."
[...]
Then I unsheath Escalon and hold it in my right hand.
"Now it's time for the gate to open."
I take a deep breath and try to remember the words of The former king.
[The name of this sword is King's Might]
'King's Might. It is a fitting name.'
I close my eyes and put strength in my whole body and try to push myself up.
Slowly my body begins to float in the air and I open my eyes.
'In the past month I wasn't just punching around.'
As I was getting to know my body I found a few particular things interesting. First of all is my senses. My senses are extremely sharp. I can sense everything in the area of a kilometer around me.
Second is my endurance. My body is capable of withstanding almost anything without even getting a scratch.
And lastly, the strength of my body is powerful enough to break even the laws of nature.
Using that strength I can break free from gravity and fly. At first it was tough but I slowly adapted to it.
Now with my sword in my head I fly close to the gray sun. It is so big I feel like a speck of dust in comparison.
"Now let's see if you can withstand my might."
I pull my sword above my head and hold it with both of my hands.
In that position I empty my mind and only focus on the blade of my sword and remember the mountain like image of the former king and his might.
"Huu!"
I exhale and open my eyes. I put everything I have onto that sword. My strength, my resolve and most of all my will to cut this sun.
As I do that an invisible pressure spreads from me making the ground tramble.
"Crackle!"
From the blade of my sword, streaks of gray lightning began to manifest.
"Haaaaa!"
Then I swing my sword vertically.
Slink!
[...]
Silence… everything quiets down.
Krrrt!
Only the sound of me unsheathing my sword spreads.
After that I look at the gray sun burning with great intensity. At that moment a straight gray vertical line appeared on the sun and it split in two.
Half the sun stays in the same place and half slides down and then it collapses into a gray black hole.
"I pass right." I say with a smile.
[...]
No reply came but the gray black hole began to spin furiously pulling me inside.
As Elite was swallowed by the black hole. The golden status window that was silent the whole time appeared with a message written on it.
[[------] no Elite L Gray I wish you a great adventure]
[Hey tell me who that was?]
The black hole in the sky disappears and a voice resounds.
[That doesn't concern you]
The message on the status window changes in response to the voice.
[...]
[Now you tell me what do you think about him]
[Well another special one has emerged from the humans]
[...]
[It has been over a hundred thousand years since the king of humans first became a pioneer. Since then including that being just now there have only been twelve individuals who have opened the gate]
[...]
[And all of them are humans. No wonder this tree is ruled by them]
The text on the status window changes.
[What do you think about them]
[What do I think? Hahaha]
The entire space trembles from laughter as if an ancient being is about to wake from his long slumber. But it doesn't affect the status window even a bit.
[Well all of them are lunatics, especially the eleventh one who entered the tree a thousand years ago. He is a real piece of work. Now he has made a name for himself in the tree]
[...]
[A piece of advice from me. If you ever meet him don't make him an enemy. As for the rest it is up to you]
With those words the voice disappears completely.
[I will try]
And the status window follows suit.
— — —
Inside a void a man two metres tall is moving at very fast speed. He is looking at his surroundings with curious eyes.
"Wow… look at these stars I feel like I am travelling through space."
I marvel at my surroundings. On my side billions and billions of stars are flashing at a very high speed.
Then something golden appeared in front of my eyes congratulating me.
[Congratulation host for becoming the twelfth pathstrider]
I smile "Oh you finally know how to show your face and what is this about pathstrider stuff."
[Host those who have opened the gates are called pathstrider]
I look at the screen confused.
"Wasn't that what everybody is supposed to do?"
[Of course not opening the gate means creating your own path. And not everyone one can do that]
I quiet down for a second and think.
"You are telling me you can get out of that place with other methods and you don't have to do stuff like splitting the sun."
[That's right, anyone can pass through that place by just entering the purple door. That place is just an intersection where those chosen beings pass through to become a pioneer]
"Ha.. hahaha."
I began to laugh loudly because I found it so funny. Instead of going through so much trouble I could have just entered through the door.
"So who are the others beside me to open the door?"
[That would be the former king along with six high lords and the other highest beings in the tree]
"So what's the point of becoming a pathstrider?"
[The host will find that as you climb the tree]