“How dare you fall asleep?! Wake up!”
“Wake up! Your Lord commands you!”
“Wake up!”
Kyle’s brows furrowed as he slowly regained consciousness.
‘What?’ he thought, feeling a heavy weight on his body.
A moment later, he remembered everything, and his body shot up.
Or, at least, it tried to.
The rubble was a bit heavy.
‘Right! Ore Fiend and shit!’ he thought as he took a deep breath. ‘Shit, I’m actually still alive.’
‘Sorry for calling GG prematurely.’
“Stand up! Your Lord commands you!”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Kyle grumbled as he kept lying beneath the rubble.
He didn’t like following orders when they were shouted at him like that.
Sure, it was quite uncomfortable beneath the rubble, but Kyle was willing to feel some discomfort just to annoy this arrogant ass.
“If I were still alive, I would have you executed for such insubordination!” the voice shouted.
“But you’re not alive, based on what you’re saying,” Kyle answered.
“I command you to stand up!”
“No.”
“How dare you?! If I were still alive, I would have you executed for such insubordination!”
“You literally just said that exact sentence, and it didn’t work the first time. Why would it work now?” Kyle asked from beneath the pile.
“Insolence! Who are you?! State your business!” the voice shouted.
Kyle grew increasingly frustrated with the stupid ranting and moved the pile to the side.
After freeing himself, he looked at the origin of the voice.
It was a white crystal that was lying on the ground.
A moment later, he looked at the rubble, which was completely black.
‘Could’ve sworn the Ore Fiend was white.’
“Who are you?! State your business!” the crystal repeated.
Kyle furrowed his brows. “I’m pretty sure I just saved your ass. A bit more gratitude would be appreciated.”
“Insolence! What could a mere mortal like you do to save me?” the crystal asked arrogantly.
“Dude, you literally whined at me that your trial is ruined because of all the Ore Fiends earlier and told me to run away. Yet, I beat the shit out of the Ore Fiend while you kept being as helpful as a broken leg on the first day of vacation,” Kyle said.
“Ore Fiends?! How many?!” it asked.
“About 20.”
“20?! I knew I should have gotten rid of the Ancestral Stone Spring!” the crystal said.
“Okay, what the fuck is going on?” Kyle asked as he looked at the crystal with annoyance. “You literally said that sentence like three times already. You keep asking me who I am when you damn well know who I am.”
The crystal became quiet for a second.
“I see,” it said.
Kyle’s brows rose when he heard a hint of shame and embarrassment in the arrogant voice.
“You see, I am Lord Theodor, but I am not really Lord Theodor,” the crystal said. “I- the real Lord Theodor died many years ago, but before dying, I created a Golem Core with my knowledge and personality. The Inheritance Crystal is this Golem Core.”
“However, I am not a real living being. I do not have a spirit or will. I am essentially just a machine.”
“Creating new golems is easier than creating a Golem that has the human spirit.”
“The knowledge implanted in this Inheritance Crystal is so immense that there is barely any space left for other things.”
“If I want to learn new things, I have to delete old things, and I can’t do that. My inheritor needs all this knowledge.”
Kyle looked at the crystal with a raised brow.
‘So, this guy has a learning disability or something.’
“Okay,” Kyle answered. “Can you just delete some Golemancy stuff then? I’m not really into that.”
“How dare you?!” the crystal shouted. “I am the great Lord Theodor, and my Golemancy skills are unparalleled under the sun! Who are you to command me?!”
“I am your inheritor, and I just saved your ass,” Kyle said.
“As an inheritor, you are subservient to me! Also, what could a mere mortal like you do to save me?”
Kyle just looked with a deadpan expression at the crystal.
He knew what was coming, but he wanted to see it play out again.
“I killed the big Ore Fiend that is currently lying behind me. The one that, I assume, ate you.”
“Ore Fiends?! How many are there?!” the crystal asked in shock.
‘Holy fucking shit,’ Kyle thought in exasperation.
“Just tell me how to gain the inheritance. We literally just talked about that,” he said.
“Oh? We did?” the crystal asked in surprise. “You see, I am not the real Lord Theodor. I am a Golem Core-”
“Yes, yes,” Kyle said, interrupting it. “You literally just said that. How can I officially become your inheritor?”
The Inheritance Crystal seethed with rage at the disrespectful act that was interrupting its explanation.
However, it knew that it was not the real Theodor.
“Touch the Inheritance Crystal and use your Soul,” it spoke.
Kyle walked over and roughly grabbed the Inheritance Crystal before putting his Ether in it.
The crystal became brighter, and Kyle’s eyes opened widely in surprise.
BANG!
And Kyle was unconscious again.
“Wake up! How dare you be asleep at this time?!” the voice shouted.
“Wake up!”
“I can’t see anything with your eyes closed!”
“Did it work?”
Kyle slowly opened his eyes.
“Ah, it worked! Great!” the voice spoke.
“What?” Kyle asked before remembering what had happened.
There was a bright light and then… nothing.
“Splendid!” the voice spoke. “I believe introductions are in order.”
“I am Lord Theodor. I welcome you, inheritor! You have assimilated the Inheritance Crystal and have, therefore, become my true inheritor!”
Kyle looked around in confusion, looking for the origin of the voice.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Foolish mortal! The path to power is grand and unfathomable! There are abilities that mere mortals like you can’t comprehend!”
“Okay,” Kyle answered, “but where are you, though?”
“The Inheritance Crystal has been assimilated by you. As part of the contract, you will receive the inheritance, but you must also fulfill my dying wish!” the voice shouted.
“What? I don’t remember signing a contract.”
“The third of the four requirements to undergo my trial is that the heir must be willing to carry on Lord Theodor’s legacy. The heir must be willing to dedicate their entire life to fulfilling the Lord’s last requests. My faithful servant, Sulfur, should have informed you,” the voice spoke.
“Oh yeah, right. Forgot about that,” Kyle said. “So, back to the original topic. Where are you?”
“Have you not realized it yet, foolish mortal?” the voice spoke. “You have assimilated the Inheritance Crystal, and I am the Inheritance Crystal.”
“I am inside you.”
Kyle’s body shuddered.