Chapter 21:
"Why didn't you take the sword, Chris…" a female voice whispered in the pitch-black room. "Don't you remember your promise…" The voice repeated, now unmistakably familiar.
Chris spun around, searching for the source. "Who are you… and why are you using her voice?!" he shouted, eyes darting across the darkness.
"That's because… I'm her," the voice replied softly.
Suddenly, the room lit up. Twenty B-rank beasts filled the chamber—resembling Dreadmanes but with key differences. Their manes flickered with the color of fire at the tips, but their teeth were smaller, and the flames were absent.
"Well, well, boy… you find yourself in a pickle," a commanding voice boomed. "The first stage has begun. Defeat these beasts to open the next stage… fail, and it's death. Can't keep up? Press the button on the sealed door. Have fun!"
Chris exhaled. "This is nothing… I've faced A-rankers far worse." He instinctively reached for the side where his sword would normally rest, then froze. "Right… no weapon. This… might actually be challenging." He lowered his head, steeling himself.
---
Elsewhere, Lucien stood in a vast, empty hall. "Okay… where's my challenge?" he muttered, lifting his hands in confusion.
"Relax, dear buddy," a teasing voice echoed. "Your trial will be simple… all five stages will be here. You just need to endure and think fast. Stage one: dodge arrows from multiple directions… now. 3… 2… 1…"
"Wait, what—"
An arrow whizzed past his face, embedding itself in the wall. As he stepped back, he triggered a tile, releasing a swarm of venomous snakes from hidden holes.
"Oh, come on!" Lucien shouted, dodging a strike.
"My apologies… I may have forgotten to tell you: every step must be calculated, or you may trigger another trap," the voice said lightly.
"Oh, thanks… didn't know that," Lucien replied sarcastically. "Now I get to fight snakes too?"
One snake lunged. Lucien dodged, only to step on another trap. Smoke billowed from beneath the walls.
"As you are right now, inhaling that would paralyze your body," the voice warned.
"Thanks for the heads-up," Lucien muttered, covering his mouth and nose as he dodged simultaneous attacks from snakes and arrows.
"Time's almost up… hold on," the voice said.
"Not like this is going to be easy," Lucien thought, narrowly evading another snake.
"Three… two… one… and… stop." The snakes retreated into their holes, the smoke dissipating. Lucien panted, leaning on a wall for support.
"Shall we continue?" the voice asked.
"Yeah…" Lucien replied, brushing himself off. "I can't lose at the very beginning…" His vision blurred as the paralysis smoke had already begun to take effect.
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Jessica's Golem Gauntlet
Jessica faced ten C-rank earth golems, each striking with devastating force but avoiding vital spots. One powerful punch sent her sprawling to the ground.
"Oh my… Miss Jessica… looks like things aren't going well. Press the button and quit for the day," the voice taunted.
"No!" Jessica snapped, forcing herself upright. "If I run now without even doing damage… I couldn't face my mother."
Dizzy, she raised her hand, forming a glowing orb of energy. Before she could release it, a golem blocked her path, jabbing her in the stomach and knocking her unconscious.
Another golem moved in to finish her, only to be obliterated by a mysterious force. "You've done enough… now go back," the voice instructed. The remaining golems retreated, leaving Jessica alone with the figure.
---
Seraphine entered her chamber, facing four enormous A-rank bee-like beasts, each wielding long-range elemental attacks. Fire, water, wind, and earth missiles flew relentlessly, tearing through the hall.
Her clothes were ripped; her breathing labored. She aimed her attack, but an earth bullet struck her mid-motion, sending her flying. Unable to continue, she dashed to the door and pressed the button, halting the swarm.
A hole opened beneath her feet, dropping her straight to the training ground's exit.
---
Outside, Seraphine joined Jessica, still unconscious, Lucien, bent over and panting, and Chris, whose eyes were wide with shock at his own hands. None had found an easy path. Lucien had survived the first srage but terror still lingered in his gaze.
"Well, well… training seems to have gone wrong," Ethen said, stepping from the cave.
Chris lunged at him, grabbing his collar. "Was that training?! That!!" he shouted, pointing toward the arena. "Not one of those beasts was ordinary! I doubt you could even defeat one!" he add slamming Ethen to the ground.
"Not even one… you say?" Ethen's voice was cold. He rose, dusting himself off, then pointed to the forest. A golden beam shot from his finger, slicing through trees and gouging a massive trench into the earth.
"Next time you complain about my training," he said, turning toward the cave, "remember I wasn't trained by anyone to get here. Consider this a warning… next time you hold me like that, there won't be anyone to hold you back."
Chris froze, staring at the damage, sweat forming on his brow. One attack… and the scale of Ethen's power became painfully clear. He had truly gotten himself into trouble.
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To Be Continued…