Reincarnated With The Strongest System

A few minutes before Psoglav, Erchitu, and Jareth faced off against Princess Iron Fan…

Tears of blood fell into the red sea that reflected the sky of his Sea of Consciousness. 

William, who had just recovered his consciousness within his spiritual world, saw Kasogonaga's lifeless body in the hand of the Bull Demon King, through the reflection on the water's surface.

The rainbow-colored Anteater and him had a rough start. But, in the end, Kasogonaga helped him overcome some of the obstacles that faced his way. It fought alongside the Half-Elf during the battle in the Southern Continent.

Whenever he needed the adorable Anteater, although it would complain to him, Kasogonaga was always there to lend a hand. 

The Half-Elf was kneeling on the ground as he looked at the water's surface. He was clenching his fist so tightly, that blood was starting to spill from his hands. 

After losing half of his soul due to Elliot's and Conan's deaths, William was in a very unstable state. He was feeling excruciating pain in his head, but his heartache was greater than the pain he was feeling. 

The moment Erchitu died for the second time, William wept because he knew that he wouldn't be able to resurrect him a second time. Revenants had already died once, so dying a second time would be an eternal death for them.

The next one that died was Jareth. 

He was the Goblin Paladin that William had chosen to become the leader of his Goblin Army. Jareth was a very loyal and brave individual who led the others to conquer the Dungeon of Atlantis, while he was busy dealing with the events in the world of Hestia. 

When Psoglav died, a pained sob escaped his lips. 

When he met the Demonic Dog for the first time, the two of them had been enemies. Later, Psoglav became his contracted partner, who helped him in times of difficulty. Even when he had surpassed the Demonic Dog's rank, the latter had remained with him through thick and thin, becoming one of his trusted subordinates.

"I'm sorry," William gritted his fists as tears of blood fell from his eyes. "I wasn't there when all of you needed me the most."

He wasn't there when his wives died as they rushed to his side in his defense.

He wasn't there to prevent their souls and Celine from being whisked away by the God of Death.

Elliot had to sacrifice his life in order to bring him back from the borders of life and death. 

He wasn't there when Ella used up her life to wipe out as many enemies as she could.

He wasn't there when Conan died in order to buy time for him and the others to escape.

He wasn't there when his trusted subordinates were fighting with their lives on the line.

He wasn't there.

HE WASN'T THERE!

William cried out in sorrow as the sky above him turned pitch black. 

Suddenly, an otherworldly beauty appeared behind William. She then hugged him from behind before whispering in his ears.

"If you don't do anything, more of them are going to die," the otherworldly beauty whispered. "That Amazon Princess, the twin of your beloved, as well as those Elves that have served you for many years. Are you just going to continue to cry and do nothing about it?"

Due to the damage his soul had taken, William wasn't able to think properly. The only thing that mattered to him right now was to save the others and prevent them from dying in front of him.

"What can I do to save them?" William replied as the otherworldly beauty held him more firmly in her embrace. "I don't have the means to save them."

"You don't, but I do," the otherworldly beauty said with confidence. "I can give you the power to save them, and perhaps, allow you to seek vengeance upon those that had taken the important people in your life away from you. But, it will not be free. Everything should have a price, and the power you seek requires a price."

The otherworldly beauty's silky voice sounded so pleasant, so alluring, and seductive that William's thoughts seemed to scatter away with every word that she said.

"What price?" William asked as he fought off the pain in his head that was driving him crazy.

"I want this," the otherworldly beauty pressed her right hand over the gem on William's chest, which also served as his heart. "And also this."

A golden ball of light appeared in front of William showing a face that was very dear to him. Scenes of his memories on earth appeared in front of him. The festival he shared with Belle when he was younger. Their wedding, and several other memories where Belle was with him. They all flashed before his eyes, reminding him of the love that was waiting for him back on Earth.

"I want these things," the otherworldly beauty whispered seductively in William's ears. "Your heart, and your memories of her. I want them all."

"What if I…"

"You can't refuse. If you do, those before you may not die, but they will all become slaves. They will live a life which is worse than death. They will become mere playthings to be discarded when they no longer have any value."

The otherworldly beauty said these words softly, and yet William knew that she was telling him the truth. However, she was not finished yet.

"Your mother in the Silvermoon Continent, your family in the Southern Continent, none of them will be spared," the otherworldly beauty said with confidence. "Ahriman will not stop until everything you hold sacred in your life has been trampled under his feet. Is that what you want?"

William didn't reply as he stared at his memories with Belle with dazed eyes. 

"You don't have much time left. The Heir of Darkness has finished dealing with his father. It will be your people's turn next. So, what will it be?"

After waiting for a minute, the otherworldly beauty frowned before holding the side of William's face and forcing him to face her.

"Has your soul been damaged to this extent, or did your grief overcome you?" the otherworldly beauty muttered as she looked at the unconscious Half-Elf who still had his eyes opened, yet no longer unable to see anything. 

"Perhaps it's both."

After caressing William's face and wiping his bloody tear stains away, the otherworldly beauty smiled sweetly.

"Since you can't make the decision in your current state, I will make the decision for you," the otherworldly beauty said before kissing William's lips. 

Slowly, but surely, the color of the Half-Elf's hair became black, and the gray gem on his chest turned the color of obsidian.

The kiss wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. The half of William's soul that had been lost was slowly being filled up with darkness. 

"Now then, it's time for you to become mine." the otherworldly beauty smiled as she reached out for the golden orb that represented William's memories of Belle. 

However, just as her hand was about to touch it, it was repelled by a snowflake that prevented her from corrupting William's important memory.

Suddenly, a silver bell shot out from William's chest and hovered between William's memories, and the otherworldly beauty.

"I should have known," the Primordial Goddess clicked her tongue when she saw the familiar silver bell getting in her way. "Even in death, you still oppose me, Amalthea."

The silver belle shook and the crisp sound of a peeling of thousands of bells reverberated within William's darkened sea of consciousness.

The golden orb that contained all of his memories of Belle was absorbed by the silver bell. After completing its mission, it flew back into the gem on William's chest, preventing the otherworldly beauty from taking it away.

A light snort echoed within the black world, as the otherworldly beauty caressed the gem on William's chest.

"It doesn't matter," the Primordial Goddess said. "Everytime he uses his powers, those memories will become mine anyway. So, hold on to them for now, because you will not be able to keep them for long."

The otherworldly beauty once again pressed her seductive lips over William's as she hastened the process of filling the rest of his soul with the Power of Darkness.

When the remaining part of William's soul had been filled completely, the Primordial Goddess reluctantly pulled away before cupping the face of her Dark Prince.

"Remember, it will take some time before your power fully awakens, " the Primordial Goddess reminded. "Now is not the time to fight. For now, it will be best to gather… willing sacrifices so you can feast on their blood, and their life force. This will hasten the power of your awakening. 

"Also, gather the powers of those that hold Divinities inside their bodies. Ahriman is a Primordial God of this world, and you are not his current match. In order to fight him, you must have an army.

"An army that will surpass that of the previous Dungeon Conqueror. An army that will fight for your side, and give you the vengeance that you desire. Then and only then will you be able to sit on the throne that is rightfully yours by birth."

The Primordial Goddess caressed William's face one last time before pressing her index finger on his head. "Go, My Prince."

William disappeared from the spiritual world, and awakened a few seconds later in the real world.

The Primordial Goddess watched her Prince as he escaped the combined assault of the Pseudo-Gods and reappeared beside the fallen Deity of the Sky.

She watched as he picked Kasogonaga up and lightly patted its head.

"Light is easy to love," the Primordial Goddess said softly. "I want you to show me your Darkness."