I have fucked up.

  Like, big time.

  I don’t think I’ve ever screwed up this badly in my entire life. And that’s saying something, considering I once burned down a mansion when I was only 13.

  I’d love to sit down and tell you an epic tale full of dramatic twists and turns, but I’m not really in the mood. So, here’s the short version:

  I killed someone I absolutely should not have killed.

  Like, say… the only grandson of the Demigod who rules this planet.

  Yeah. That happened.

  I even triple-checked his pulse. Or, well… I tried to. Slit throats aren’t exactly great for that.

  Why Do These Things Happen to Me?

  This is not my fault. I swear.

  I didn’t mean to kill him. It was just instinct. A guy pulls a gun on you, you strike first. That’s just Survival 101.

  Besides, I wasn’t even trying to start a fight. I was simply blackmailing him, like a reasonable person. A few compromising photos of him and a succubus doing things his holy bloodline wouldn’t approve of. You know—"Pay me or I make your dirty little secret public."

  Normal, everyday stuff.

  But no, Mr. Genius Heir of the Andreas Family just had to go full psycho and try to kill me instead. His holy bloodline is good enough for doing god knows what with a literal demon, but blackmail is where he draws the line. Damn, hypocrite, pulling a gun on me.

  So, I reacted.

  And now, here I am. Standing in a dark alley, covered in hot, sticky blood, staring down at the most expensive corpse in the galaxy.

  Great. Just great.

  You know what really sucks?

  Tomorrow is the Trial of Enlightenment. The day I was supposed to awaken my awesome innate skills, rise in rank, and finally drop the whole ‘shy, nerdy girl’ act I’ve been faking for years. The organization I work for barely pays enough to cover my tuition at Dawn Academy. Studying there was totally worth it though, considering they gave me access to a few sweet titles and skills that I wouldn't have gotten elsewhere. In such a capitalistic cutthroat planet like Andreas, people like Damien (The dead guy) get every facility and meanwhile people like me need to do shady illegal stuff just to study at a good school.

  Strangely enough, I wasn't exactly dissatisfied the way this planet works. I understood the concept of 'Strength trumps all' mentality and sort of respected that. After all, bitching about being weak wasn't my thing. I have wanted to manipulate the entire universe ever since I was a little kid. That is why I'm even more angry at myself. Tomorrow was the chance for me for getting that strength I desire.

  Trial of enlightenment is the first step towards the path of any sentient being. A trial that is held every year on the same day, throughout the entire multiverse. A trial that is protected by the System itself. A trial that judges your worth and present with you unique Innate Skills. Skills that you are going to be stuck with until you reach B rank. A trial that was supposed to be the beacon for my rebirth.

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  Instead?

  I’m about to be hunted down and brutally executed because I killed the wrong rich kid.

  Can I actually get out of this situation?

  Let’s assess the situation, shall we? First, let's think about the basics.

  Hiding the body? Useless. The Andreas family has C-rank necromancers. They don’t need a body to interrogate a soul. They can just call his name and Damien's soul can be easily slap it into skeleton or something. They can just question him about his killer then.

  Burning the body? Pointless. Fire won’t erase his memories of me.

  Running away? Hah. I don’t even have enough money to move to the next continent, let alone flee the planet. But fleeing the planet might even not be enough, considering that Andreas is the strongest demigod in our entire solar system. Fleeing the solar system might be the only option for me.

  Begging for help from the organization? The leader of my organization is just an early B-rank vampire, which is nothing compared to a freaking late A-rank Demigod. Besides, they would never risk their neck for an unranked person like me.

  No matter how I look at it—I’m dead.

  My brain started working on overdrive as I dragged Damien’s corpse to the side of the alley, I stripped him down and set his clothes on fire. I started to think about a solution. I needed to multitask. Besides cleaning up clears my mind usually. A quick and dirty cover-up. Not that it’ll help much. Just to delay the inevitable.

  I repositioned his body, making him look like a drunk beggar who passed out in the wrong place. His blank, glassy stare was unsettling, so I fashioned a makeshift hat from his own burnt clothes to cover his face.

  Then, as I stood there, watching the flames flicker, I looked down at the pool of blood below my feet as my own reflection stared back at me. Just an ordinary 16 year old tall dark haired human girl who wants to survive in this harsh multiverse. The dark circles beneath my brown eyes told me enough about how much I've been working for the last week. I have barely slept. Participating in the Trial of Enlightenment is extremely expensive and working non-stop has given me just enough for attending it. That's why I blackmailed this moron today. I just wanted to get some good Innate skills tomorrow and sleep for a few days without worrying about bills and stuff. The smell of blood felt familiar to me somehow. I wasn't exactly doing office work for an underground organization. Killing, blackmailing and kidnapping was just another Tuesday for me.

  Tch. My mind is spiraling out of control. And yet...

  Somehow it keeps coming back towards the Trial of Enlightenment again and again. I knew very well how my mind works, so I started repeating it inside my head repeatedly. I know the answer that I need. I just need to figure it out.

  Suddenly everything clicked all at once. Two things came to my mind.

  Escaping from the Solar System, Trial of Enlightenment.

  An idea emerged.

  A dangerous, reckless, completely insane idea.

  But…

  If I pull it off—I won’t just survive.

  I’ll come out of this better than before.

  My lips curled into a grin.

  Yeah. That could work. I wasn't exactly the sanest person. And doing something insane might just be what I need.

  I tapped my earpiece, waiting as the line rang three times before a grumpy voice answered.

  "Ugh, what do you want, June?"

  "Hey, Anton!" I chirped. "Remember that favor you owe me?"

  A pause. Then, suspicion. "…Yeah?"

  "It’s time to cash it in."

  ---------

  "So, you killed Damien Andreas?"

  Anton repeated the question for the third time, his tone carrying a mix of disbelief and resignation.

  "Yes. How many times do you need to confirm?"

  A long sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back against the bar counter, the neon lights casting eerie reflections on the tattoos that covered his arms.

  "You know I like you, kid. But even I can’t help you with this one." His fingers drummed against the counter. "That tyrant demigod of ours cares about his family way too much. No matter where you go, he will hunt you down."

  "I know that." I swirled the cheap drink in my glass before downing it in one gulp. The bitter taste burned slightly as it went down. This might be the last time I get to enjoy something like this. Once you become an F-rank, normal alcohol stops affecting you.

  I set the glass down and met Anton’s gaze. "I’m going to the Temple of Beginning tomorrow."

  He blinked. "I’d say congratulations, but… are you sure that’s a good idea? Considering, you know, your situation."

  "No, it’s not just a good idea. It’s my only plan." I exhaled slowly. "You know how the Trial of Enlightenment has different difficulty settings? That is my plan."

  "Yeah, but that still doesn’t explain—" Anton suddenly froze, his eyes widening as realization hit him.

  "Wait. No."

  A beat of silence.

  Then, in a hushed, almost horrified whisper, he said,

  "You’re aiming for the Godslayer difficulty. Fuck. You really are insane."