Return Of The Strongest Player

His eyes pierced through the darkness. His gaze landed on a throne in the center of a massive hall that seemed to represent that of a King. The hall was lined with dark bricks and seemed to be forged through years of hard work.

The hall was massive and seemed to be able to support thousands of people within it. Arthur's steps reverberated across the hall, echoing several times before fading into the darkness that the space was enveloped by.

'This should be the last trial of the first stage,' thought the crimson-eyed man, utilizing [Mana Sense] to its full potential. His eyes pierced through the shroud of darkness, falling upon the kingly throne.

The throne was lined with corroding gold and a layer of scarlet red fabric. The fabric was tattered and dirtied by black splotches. It fluttered, despite the lack of wind within the throneroom.

Suddenly, Arthur's gaze landed on something that caused shivers to shoot down his spine.

'Is that…'

He suddenly realized that the throne was not unoccupied. On his sat an existence clad in purplish armor that emanated dark orbs. The orbs flickered in and out of existence, producing a faint hum in the process.

The armor shone, despite the lack of sufficient lighting.

Suddenly, invisible hands grasped Arthur's arms, locking them in place. Arthur gritted his teeth, desperately trying to escape the shackles that bound him. Yet, only a sense of fear remained in his heart and mind.

All resistance was futile.

With his current power, laying a scratch on the entity that stood atop the throne was entirely impossible. Even Agonizer Nova's difficulty would fall short to the task of defeating the existence that stood before him.

If his previous opponents were like a towering mountain, the being in front of him was like the endless sky.

At least mountains could be conquered…

But the sky was always out of reach.

Suddenly, the armored figure spawned only a few meters before him. The invisible hands continued to lock Arthur in place, preventing him from moving a muscle. Never had he been humiliated so much ever since his regression.

The armored figure tilted its head, gazing directly at the crimson-eyed man.

"How did you enter this space?" A crisp voice reverberated across the dark hall, striking Arthur's ears with intensity. The crimson-eyed man winced at the pain that began near his ears, flowing across his entire body.

He didn't respond.

"Well, it doesn't matter," said the armored figure, grasping his temple. "You are not qualified to enter."

"Who… are you?"

"You're saying you don't know who I am? You entered this space without any knowledge of how I look?"

Arthur shook his head, but in his eyes was a sliver of resistance. The sight caused the armored figure to break out into boisterous laughter. It wasn't certain if it laughed at Arthur in pity or with praise.

"Well, child."

A short silence descended.

"I am Severin Nocturne, the Baron Of Death."

With a silent slash, Arthur's head detached from the rest of his body, landing with a loud thud on the cold, hard floor of the hall. From the few seconds of consciousness that prevailed, Arthur witnessed the armored figure take his helmet off.

"Until we meet again."

*

Arthur arose from his slumber, gasping desperately for breath. He lay on the rough, damp floor of a dark tunnel, unbeknownst to what had occurred during his time of unconsciousness. What had happened?

Severin Nocturne?

Wasn't he dead? Was that a soul remnant? But it felt all too real.

Arthur clutched his head as a searing pain assaulted his temples. He immediately circulated mana across his body to alleviate the pain and was successful for the most part. However, a certain, unknown emotion remained in his mind.

Fear.

As he gazed upon the Baron Of Death, he truly felt like he was gazing at his own death.

Second death, to be precise.

As he looked around, Arthur's eyes suddenly widened to the size of saucers. With a crazed look, he rushed towards a light in the distance, barely maintaining his balance while spamming [Ethereal Glide].

A few seconds passed, and he arrived before a treasury.

There was gold and other jewels, but that was of no value to Arthur. What interested him was the black skeletal structure of a human that hung from the ceiling. Arthur approached the skeleton, sensing the violent aura of death emanating from it.

He caressed the rough edges of the skeleton, finding it to be peculiar.

This was the reward one received for clearing the first stage. Arthur expected there to be another trial, but he was elated that there wasn't.

'The Bones of Death, or the Death Bones…' Arthur muttered internally, smiling brightly while gazing upon the bones. 'If I can integrate these into my skeletal structure, it'll be a massive boost to my constitution. Also, since it's a part of my body instead of a separate energy, the aura of death and life won't clash.'

Arthur immediately assumed a meditative stance in front of the black skeleton, circulating mana across his body while preparing his body for integration. Although it wouldn't be too painful or difficult, it was still an alteration of his entire skeletal system.

A thin layer of mana covered his body, after which his bones became softer. The black skeleton reacted to the changes, melting into a dark liquid that seeped into Arthur's body, following the direction of his mana.

As it coated his bones, Arthur felt a warm sensation enveloping his body.

His spine hurt like hell, but the rest of his body was enjoying the pleasure with open arms.

After what seemed like an eternity, Arthur opened his eyes, displaying an expression of pure satisfaction.

His bones were now a stark, black color.

Not only had he obtained the death bones, which nulled the threat of his deteriorating mana circuits, but he'd also received a skill and a trait from the endeavor.

Suddenly, he felt like the trip was worth it.