Chapter 7: Welcome To The Underworld!

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The old man roared in anger. "Obviously! Can't you see how people are trampling the others just to make sure they don't become skeletons!? And you only said now that something is wrong! Everyone's moral character is wrong!"

Actually, Leyte was also quite scared by what he was seeing. It was just that when he saw something that was not matching up with his common sense, he somehow calmed down and started to ponder.

He once again said, "Something is really wrong."

"You!" The old man next to him stared at Ley as if he was a hopeless nutcase.

"When that person was beaten up, there's no blood or bruise. However, she's one of the odds."

"Huh?"

"There are also people in evens that got punched and beat up but they bled. And they are those who turned into skeletons."

"Young kiddo, what are you saying?"

Leyte shook his head in dismay. He also didn't get it.

A thought crossed his mind, "Is ensuring you don't turn into a set of bones the condition for passing?" However, he immediately shook his head because he thought, if it's not, then what? He smiled bitterly as he realized he's been thinking too much about it.

The old man creased his forehead in annoyance. Leyte was quite dumbfounded when he saw the grandpa striding towards the rock. He asked himself if the old man has gone senile but he made no action to stop him. He also actually walked after him, thinking he had already observed enough.

"Make way! Let me through!" Said the old man overbearingly. When he touched the stone, Ley saw him turn into skeletons. People clamored to go next. Leyte ignored them and just silently touched the stone himself with eyes closed.

His heartbeat was so fast, he suddenly remembered what was wrong... Those people who tried to climb up from the edge of the rock were not affected. The first person who touched the base of the stone should be that school girl who was the first to become a set of bones, right?

Why was that so... when she should be the very first 'odd'?

Leyte was currently feeling afraid because he had already touched the rock. Yet he was scared to open his eyes to see what happened. Almost a minute already passed and a feeling of jubilation rose from his chest when he made out that he still could feel his senses working.

So he passed? Just like that?

His eyes opened, Leyte later on blinked and confirmed he was not dreaming. He was now at the other side of the rock, freely feasting his eyes on the wonders of nature in the forest before him. So he really passed through a rock...

The young man subconsciously looked down at his pair of hands and inspected his whole body. After that, his eyes went to every direction and saw people who appeared lost somewhere or dumbfounded. The old man was also present.

Now, everyone was slowly figuring out the simple truth.

"Haha, congratulations on passing. Thankfully, no one really got stuck to that side which means nobody will be victimized by the dead plains tonight." Anda's voice made way into their ears.

Leyte looked up and just as he expected, the branch where Anda was sitting slowly shifted to their side.

"Congratulations once again. Celebrate your passing by engraving your names on the trees near you. Only after that will each and every one of you be officially recognized as citizens of the Sacred Mountain."

Leyte composed himself, gathered his courage and then raised his hands to ask.

"...Is this place... really Mount Balatukan?"

Anda raised a brow at him. "Yes, it is. Are you doubting a Goddess' words?"

"I... think, I am remembering something about this." Said Leyte, massaging his forehead as bits of memories flashed by. 

Anda motioned the branch to bring her nearer to the human youngster. She looked interested. It was not an every day opportunity to encounter a young man who would say he was remembering things related to the challenge. She told the people, "Actually since you all have now passed through the holy rock, you should be recovering your memories now. Young man, you said something interesting. Why not let me hear it?"

Leyte frowned. He was quite intimidated by the goddess' aura so he backed away a little. He hesitated a little but still went on. "It's messy. But it was about a ritual... First, pass through a rock called Liyang to reach the forest."

"Hmm."

"Then, engrave  your name on the Tree of Life." He glanced up and down the nearest tree he saw and pondered.

"Go ahead." This time the goddess showed rare laughter which resembled that of a mischievous child whose prank got uncovered.

He obediently continued, "...Dance in Pinagsayawan, a place that lies beyond the sea of trees, to shake off all the bad things and sins from the body. I, just read this on an article about our ancestors."

This time, the goddess Anda truly beamed and laughed hysterically. Her actions frightened most people below her. Ley's heart was beating erratically. The old man and the other people around were giving her questioning glances.

When Anda stopped laughing, she looked really pleased as if someone discovering her prank was really joyful. She stood up and smiled. "This is really surprising. It is very rare for someone to know the ritual."

Leyte bitterly whispered to himself, 'It's only because I can remember things now. Including that accident.'

"Well, allow me to introduce myself once again to clarify everything. My name is Anda Lapit, and I am the Goddess of Judgment. I'm here to guide and, of course, judge you all in this ritual. So from now on, please listen to my instructions carefully."

The goddess paused and laughed. "By the way, to every confused soul here, please don't be shocked."

When the people below heard the word 'soul', their faces darkened. They thought of a painful possibility but they immediately furiously shake off that idea.

Unfortunately, Anda refused to let them escape reality.

She smiled once again, and after a giggle, she enunciated word by word.

"Hehe. I'm sorry. But everyone here is dead... only existing as a soul... which obviously means all of you are already deceased people... and that all of you have already died. Later, you will be judged. Because this place is Kasakitan, in other words, the Underworld!"