"You're down already? From a simple love tap?" Chief scoffed at Will groaning on the ground.

Chief grabbed Will's head, and the poor Ice Walker saw the world go in a fast-forward before he was mercilessly smashed to the ground.

BOOM!

"AAAACK!"

Will felt the world crashing down, his head splitting like an egg. He groaned in pain, holding the back of his head. He noticed blood gushing out, but he had seen that far too often for him to care now. Besides, even if he said anything, no one would care.

A daemon's bodies were far sturdier than humans.

"To fall for such an obvious ambush, what did the Big Sis see on you, little Walker?" Chief said with a venomous snarl, "In combat, you do not know when the strong will appear. If you are weak, you will fail to even last a minute on a true battlefield!" Chief looked down on Will and snorted, "As for you, stand up and go back to the starting line. If you want to give it to you, just say the magic word."

"Ye-yes, General, I will go to the start line."

Chief spat on the ground, growling in irritation, "Tch, everyone, go to Formation B! This time, up the tempo by a notch!"

Will begrudgingly got up from the ground and limped his way to the start line while the Shamans and Healers gathered around him to fix his injuries so he could try again. For an hour, this would be Will's morning training.

He would attempt to enter the forest while the Shadow Troops and the Army members try to stop his advance. It didn't matter how they did it, use skills, brute force, tactics, traps; no one cared if they could stop his advancement to the 100-meter mark.

There was only one rule, to make sure Will does not die.

This Hell started precisely a month ago after Will finished the Army's basic training and reached LVL 19, and was just about to get the appropriate level to become a Rare-Tier Daemon when he was suddenly visited by a number of the Village's big shots.

They were [Eve: Captain of the Shadow Troops] and a grumpy [Chief: General of the Army].

According to them, the one known as [The Big Sis] of the Village offered him a deal.

"She wants you to refrain from reaching LVL 20 for now and wants to make a deal with you. If you complete a set of trials, we will arrange a meeting with your family."

Will's rendezvous with his family was limited to voice recordings.

When Mirsha escorted the Priestess on her return, Will was always stopped at a certain distance. They could not meet, at the moment less a scandal about the Village transforming humans into daemons might suddenly appear.

There were far too many eyes around them.

"Keeping you with us is not going to be easy. We have suffered from the hands of humans, many of us have died by their hands. Even by your wife. She killed dozens of us. But, you are now a daemon. And anyone who submits, I will accept under my wings."

"How about my family? Can I meet them again?" Will fearfully asked.

"I promised your daughter to return you to her side. I do not break my promises. Just wait and be patient I will "

This was Will's first and last meeting with Lilith.

Will could only agree.

Will was thankful for the Priestess' generosity. He had only received the greatest accommodation because of the Priestess' magnanimity.

But, he could not help but feel the creeping longing to be reunited with his family. When the offer arrived before him, it was like hope knocked on his doors.

It was a simple deal, and because of his desperation to see his family. Will obviously accepted the agreement without a moment's hesitation.

At the time, he didn't think any of it would be so brutal that he would lose more teeth in a week than in his whole human life.

That he would bleed in a single hour enough to leave several puddles of blood.

That he would see death's hands reaching out to him on a daily basis.

However, if given the chance, Will wouldn't have changed anything.

If he could see his wife and daughter faster than agreed upon, he would undergo pain time and time again without a second thought. He had already gone through hell and back in the past.

'Compared to that place, this place might as well be heaven.' Will was resolved to complete the trial. He had nothing to lose. After all, he was already supposed to be dead.

To stand with his mind intact was a miracle on its own. So time and time again, Will got up. Time and time again, he walked back to the starting line, "LET'S DO THIS!" he roared once again before entering the Forest a second time.

"Oh, he's still in one piece, must mean it hasn't been long." commented a girl arriving on a rooftop. With tears in the corner of her eyes, it was easy to see she had just woken up.

[Luna LVL: 148 (Epic-Tier)]

Luna had just woken up. As the overseer (proxy) of the Village, Luna wakes up before the guard shift changes. She would try —emphasis on the try— practicing how to control her vague abilities for combat. Attempting to branch out what she could do as per the Priestess' advice.

After failing another day, Luna stepped out to watch one of the most unique members of the Lilith Village. The one who was unilaterally referred to as the night shift blow-off where the high-leveled daemons try different tactics to ambush a target on Will.

"The smell of blood already permeated the air. Hmm, but won't he die if this continues? Should I tell Chief not to be too harsh? The Healer Squad may have gotten some practice this past weeks, but they are still not the Priestess." Luna became worried, "We'll get in trouble with the Priestess if he dies."

"Relax, Sister Luna, he won't die; Chief is suppressing his strength so much that he'd been skirmishing with the Northern Tribes before coming to the morning ambushes. He's being cautious; he's been training the younger members of the Army, so do not worry. If he's serious, Brother Will would've been a stain on the ground by now. Though the same cannot be said about his anger. But, he did have his most awaited training session with the Big Sis cut short to train Will. We can't do anything about that."

[Killa LVL: 247 (Epic Tier)]

Killa was given the task of watching over the training. To ensure he would step into the fight if he sees Will had enough. He had too much time now that Lilith didn't need him to act as her seat.

Releasing a shallow sigh, Luna could not help but feel tired just from watching them,  "Even Brother Will doesn't want to stop… I still have so much to learn." Luna answered as she brought out an HNP to take pictures of their training.

Killa continued Will's attempt to clear the Trial with worry written across his face, "Sigh*Despite knowing Chief's dislike of him, he's still going? I'd say I admire his courage; he'll fit right into the Army once he's cleared."

"Well, what can we say? It might be a human trait he retained." Answered Luna as she hummed and took a picture of Will bleeding and on the verge of collapse, "Okay, morning report completed. I don't have anything to do until the morning meeting with the representatives. I'll just watch them for the time being… or should I check if Sylva is awake now?"

"Stop it. Sylva's opening up, don't weird her out now. You're gonna make her angry if she finds you watching her sleep again."

Luna pouted at Killa's reasonable words, "But, the Werewolves said I need to watch over her when she's sleeping to show affection."

"...you're not a Werewolf, Sister Luna." an exasperated Killa answered, "You two siblings are a handful at times."

Killa dn Luna spent the morning watching over the torture disguised as a trial. Talking as they enjoyed the morning screams.

They did not pity Will. In fact, they envied his position for the same reason Chief disliked him. Will was undertaking the Trial designed by none other than Dhampy, The Big Sis.

Any warrior in the Village dreamt of one thing, to receive Dhampy's direct training. They would go to any lengths to get her attention.

Chief the General, Eve the Shadow's Hands, Sylva the Golden Tempest, the Twin Storm Guardians of the Priestess, Killa the Brute, and others who made a name for themselves in the village were trained by Dhampy. According to Legends, those who were seen with potential would be called and nurtured and transformed into invincible warriors once they complete their training.

The Twin Storm Guardians Scarface and Luck were prime examples of this. They were but ordinary Ogres until they disappeared for some time and received Dhampy's training.

After training with Dhampy. They experienced a mutation and became formidable warriors. Solidifying their position next to the Priestess as her guardian.

This coincidentally was why Chief very much wanted to tear Will apart. Because as he was training with Dhampy, it was suddenly decided that he would have to teach the flimsy newcomer instead.

"For Chief to be told that someone like Will is someone who was acknowledged by Big Sis is mind boggling. Not to mention that his most awaited Hell Training was interrupted for Will's sake." Luna commented, "Brother Will is going to suffer."

"Speaking of Big Sis, where is she these days? The Trial of Will's wife is handed to Sylva, correct? How come she just suddenly upped and disappeared?" Killa suddenly raised a question..

Shrugging her shoulders, Luna also had no idea, "Nobody knows. According to the Priestess, she sent Big Sis away for a mission. She has always been the Priestess' favorite sword and the one she trusts the most, so we don't have to worry about her. Right now, only the Priestess knows for sure what Big Sis is doing. However, I did hear from Sylva that Big Sis was sent to clean up the Central Regions of the mountains with Cerber. We might relocate soon; I want to see my Cerber."

Luna missed the three headed dog's soft fur.

Killa noted everything that Luna just said, especially for one particular statement.

With a big smile on his face, Killa gently nudged on Luna's shoulder, "So, you and little Sylva are talking more frequently now to the point she's informing you of what is happening on her side?"

Luna's face instantly reddened hearing Killa's words. She looked down and hid her face before nodding and letting out a squeal of glee, "Yes… Sylva is talking to me more than before. "

"Aiya, that is good to hear, truly good to hear."

Killa said these as Will's cries of agony echoed far and wide.

***

Dhampy looked over at the peak and saw her target.

She trekked over the carnage left behind by the target and finally reached the peak. She stood by its side, overlooking the eastern seas, "The Boss has been looking all over for you."

Bleeding Rage Valley, at its Highest Peak there sat a three-headed dog that had gone missing from its home for over three weeks. It looked over East, over the horizon,

Somewhere no one but it could see.

It spared Dhampy a glance and smiled, "Is she now? Didn't peg the Priestess of the Absolute One to be so caring."

"She is, though she can be callous and ruthless when the time calls for it. Anyway, as the new direct follower of the Boss, you should be someone who coordinates with her. Many are already questioning why a dog can become a direct follower when even Chief cannot. Not to mention you don't even speak most of the time. Don't just disappear without letting anyone know."

"I'll keep that in mind." Cerber answered.

Dhampy responded with a satisfied nod but did not further pursue the matter. Her mission was to find Cerberus and find out what he was doing, not punish him. She needed only to deliver the Priestess' words.

"So, what are you doing here anyway? Killing so many daemons, and leveling up so quickly, if you wanted to get stronger to get revenge, you could've just told us, you know? Us followers can help you."

Only a few like Dhampy knew of Cerberus' intentions. The young pup wanted to avenge its former master.

Though only Lilith knew who this bastard was to enrage the tiny puppy.

"Though you're right, I did come here to increase my level, it is not for revenge. That is a different matter. No, I just wanted to check on something, but I needed to level up, so I took care of the trash at the Central Regions."

"I see. So, did you find what it was?"

"Sadly, I did" Cerber raised its right paw due east,, "I fear a Fallen God or something of that caliber is awakening somewhere over that direction."