"I see now. Illusion or not, every cause brings about its effect."
The bad news was that he had gotten the titan's attention. The good news was that he now understood how the illusion worked.
There were three things he paid attention to: the fact that it was an illusion and wasn't real, the fact that each of its actions carried real effects as if it had truly happened, and lastly, because it was still a weak illusion and it couldn't affect anything else but the wind.
"I need a diversion. I'll attack the real body at the first opening."
Leo didn't waste a moment and charged toward the creature once more. The giant was walking his way too.
He squeezed the rocks tightly in his hands, planning to launch at the real creature the moment he was close enough.
A giant this size lacked speed but carried power. He just needed to swing his rocks with all his strength, and that was exactly what he did…
Before the creature could strike again, Leo halted mid-run and launched the rock straight at the small creature with everything he had.
The giant hand swung in the direction of the rock and blew it away, but that was exactly what Leo had wanted.
He made sure the wind didn't take him this time, and while the creature was caught off balance, he moved in and attacked.
The real creature turned to flee the moment it saw Leo approaching, stick in hand. The giant had no room to swing again, its defense was finally off. But the creature couldn't escape, it was already too late. Leo pierced its heart without hesitation.
He didn't stop there. He wanted to make sure the creature didn't get back on its feet. Who knew if it had some kind of healing ability.
He stabbed it until his entire body was drenched in black liquid and the illusion had vanished completely and each stab gave him a moment of relief. What finally stopped him was the bronze status.
[ Congratulations! First task complete. You've secured your shelter! ]
He barely had time to celebrate when a massive wind swept through, and an enormous building began to take shape. Leo's body moved through the storm, pushed onto a throne. Before he knew it, he was sitting on a throne in a fully furnished throne room.
He was seated on what looked like a diamond throne. Up at the ceiling and across the windows, stained glass caught his eye, arts patterns he wasn't familiar with. And finally, the moon glowed the way it should, casting its glow through the stained glass above and the windows around him.
"What's going on?"
It wasn't the grandest throne room he'd come across, but conjuring one out of thin air wasn't something he'd anticipated.
Before long, the screen appeared again.
[ You have received the Trick of Illusion as a reward for completing your first task. ]
A diamond card popped out of thin air and hovered right in front of Leomaris.
[ Do you wish to inherit the Trick of Illusion, or would you rather use the diamond card to enhance your physical strength? ]
Leo stroked his chin for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure, but he knew this was what this world was about. Welcomed to Task and Trick as a Trickster, each task would lead to him obtaining a card. Each card would probably give him the ability of the entity he defeated. That much seemed clear.
"This is a difficult choice, but I believe I'll opt for the trick of illusion. Diamond seems far too valuable to squander on mere physical strength."
The moment the words left his mouth, the diamond card flew into his chest and disappeared completely. Confusion hit him right after. He felt nothing, and for a moment, he thought he'd wasted it.
[ You have inherited the power of the Trinity. The will of the Trinity is now yours to carry. ]
Leo frowned.
"Again? First, I was branded the Villain of Trinity, and now you're telling me I've inherited its power?"
It didn't matter, though. He was betrayed, accused of being the Villain of Trinity, and killed for it. If he was going to become what they killed him for anyway, it didn't matter. His revenge was all that counted.
While he sat there lost in thought, a small light appeared from nowhere and began drifting toward him. By the time he noticed it, it was already right before his eyes. He swatted it away in annoyance, thinking it was nothing but a firefly, but the next moment someone appeared before him.
The person was blurry and barely visible, as though wrapped in smoke. But the confusion and panic on their face was clear the moment their eyes landed on Leomaris.
Leo swallowed hard, confusion setting in as he watched the figure go down on one knee and bow before him.
"Thank you… for answering my prayers, Lord Trinity."