I WAS The Rank–1 Hero Chapter 50: Hope [2]

A clear sky streched endlessly above , the sun hanging high.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, gazing up.

There are trees, green trees, reaching the top.

The sun rays greeting , passing through the leaves, hitting my eyes.

Slowly I stood up.

I wondered, "What is this place?"

This is unbelievable.

The last thing I rember is a large Essence explosion followed by my absorption of it, and now I was here.

I glanced around once more, my fingers ran through the moist soil.

An eerie silence lood over , except the lodious chirping of birds.

A dream?

No

This wasn't a dream.

At least, it didn't feel like one.

"Not again..." I muttered under my breath.

The sensation was too real.

Pushing myself up, I dusted off my clothes and took a step forward.

Step. Step.

As I venture deeper in to forest, the dense bushes seed to close in around .

The whole area lood with various animals— butterflies, squirrels, rabbits, and birds.

"Strange..." I pondered.

I had been certain I had escaped that Dream Authority's grasp, yet everything around carried the sa otherworldly essence. If this wasn't a dream, then... where exactly was I?

I kept on walking, thinking along the line.

Constructing a valid theory wasn't that hard, if I just pieced a few things together, then...

Everything ca clear to .

And with that, I started linking a few theories— from the teleportation, to the underground city, and to the authority holders.

Despite the situation I was currently in, I was pretty calm.

Being casted in a Demon Continent— must be terrifying, yet it doesn't affect much.

However, the thought of putting the people I cared about in a dangerous situation terrifies .

My thoughts drifted to my parents.

'They must be really worried...'

Knowing my mother, she must be crying right now. Losing her son once again... I won't let that happen again.

A heavy weight settled on my chest, just thinking about them made my heart ache.

Sigh...

I need to hurry and get out of this place.

Step. Step.

Rustle! Rustle!

"Now, how do I get out of thi—"

A faint lody drifted through the air, wavering past the rustling leaves.

"~Laaaa... Laa... Laaaa...Laaaaa..."

I stumbled on my step.

'This lody...?' I thought deeper.

It's familiar.

But sothing is different, it's way too clear and lodious now.

I kept on waking.

I stopped in front of a large tree, behind it was a majestic crashing waterfall.

The water falling over its edge generated a loud splashing sound.

The lody echoed.

It was soft yet highly clear, even slipping past the loud splashing sound, as if it existed outside the rules of nature itself.

It was...

Magical—there was no other way to describe it.

Drawn by its call, I walked even further.

My steps were slow and steady, my breathing was calm.

The towering tree before lood larger with each step, its massive roots digging deep into the moist soil.

"~Hmm.. hmm. Laaaa... Laaaaa. Laaaa."

Yet, despite the overwhelming noise of the falling water, the lody remained clear.

It was almost hypnotic.

As I neared the tree, my gaze dropped to the ground.

Resting neatly atop a large bay leaf was a set of neatly folded clothes.

I frowned.

'Clothes...?'

That ans soone's here.

The lody grew even sweeter.

My gaze lifted, finally falling on the figure beneath the waterfall.

There I saw her.

She stood there, her bare back facing , glistening under the sunlight.

The sun reflected off her pale white hair, scattering into a soft rainbow around her.

The water trailed down her delicate fra, her hands moving gracefully across her shoulders, and her hips, chasing away the droplets that clung to her pure milk white skin.

"~Hmm.. Hmm. Laaa. Laaaaa.... Hmmm.."

Her voice continued.

It felt divine to my ears.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

In 'her' presence—

I was speechless.

I felt powerless.

It's clear to .

She was beyond —soone of a higher plane, soone I wouldn't dare gaze upon.

Hurriedly, I turned away, averting my eyes to the ground.

But just as I did, the lody halted.

And then, she called—

"You're finally here. I was waiting for so long."

My body froze.

Not a single muscle moved.

Splash. Splash. Splash.

Each gentle splash of water sounded sharper as 'she' walk toward .

Not hold myself any longer, I opened my eyes—the ripples cast, the water parting ways as 'she' rose from it.

Step by step, 'she' fully erged.

Her bare body laid visible.

Her shoulders.

Her hands.

Her waist.

Her legs.

Her fingers.

Her ocean-blue eyes.

'She' was...

A goddess.

My mind struggled to comprehend what I was seeing.

'Who... is she?'

The answer ca quickly, before I could even think.

An instinctive understanding.

It wasn't any kind of knowledge that passed down on , nor a realization I just stumbled upon.

It was sothing deeper.

Sothing valuable.

Sothing I had always known but... forgotten.

I knew without being told.

I didn't need anybody's confirmation. Not even 'hers'.

The mont I laid my eyes on 'her', it was as if sothing deep within recognized her existence.

Maybe because... I was 'hers'.

I couldn't look away.

My breath caught in my throat, my face burned, my mind blanked.

My body moved on its own, without thinking, I dropped to my knees.

Lowering my head, with a soft voice, I greeted 'her'.

"I, Zane Skylark, greet thee—the Almighty, the God among gods, the Creator of this world, the Ruler of the Universe, the One who holds Authority over Authorities..."

My voice was steady, filled with sothing I couldn't point.

"I, your humble Apostle the holder of Authority Paradox, greet thee... Goddess Ylthea."

"~Hee..hee.."

Laughter, soft, light, and pure, like million bells, rang through the air.

Still bowing, slowly, I lifted my gaze.

'She' was now clothed in a full flowing white robe, her pale white hair cascading freely down her back. 'Her' ocean-blue eyes shimred with warmth, 'her' red lips curved into a smile so radiant that it lted every doubt, every worry I once had.

For the first ti in what felt like eternity, I felt... whole.

Reborn.

Then, 'her' voice echoed.

"Please stand, my dear child."

End of Chapter.

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[A/N]: I will do a mass release soon, before going premium. The Chapters will be locked from ch 42 onwards. And for more character arts join my discord server, and say hello to .