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Chapter 147 : Customized Trial
🕑 Added 2024-12-04 21:56:33 +0000 UTC« Chapter-146 | Index | Chapter-148 »
Watching Morgan lose the battle, Sora thought, 'So I'm the only human in the top 4. The others are the Spirit that beat Clémence, Eloj, and Kro Nel. Two demons, a spirit, and a human.'
Facing Eloj in the semifinals, he stood in the center of the arena, waiting as she appeared to be in conversation with her brother.
Feeling bored, he looked around, his gaze drifting toward the stands once more. This time, having learned his lesson, he did not use any mental energy or his [Mana Eyes]. The ghostly figures had become much more numerous, and as he tried to get clues about their identities, he noticed that their positioning did not seem to be random.
'They aren't scattered randomly but appear to be seated in distinct groups.'
At the lowest rows of the stands, closest to the arena, sat the largest cluster of figures. Their presence felt faint, almost flickering, as though they barely existed. They appeared like shadows rather than fully materialized entities. This section of the audience seemed to pulse with activity, the figures standing and moving slightly, probably radiating a sense of excitement.
'If this is a show, maybe they have the cheapest tickets?' He thought, a smile forming on his face.
Further up, the figures became more defined. This middle section contained fewer "ghosts," mostly in small groups of two or four. These figures sat still, barely moving, as if quietly and intently observing the spectacle below.
In the highest parts of the coliseum, a thick veil seemed to obscure the audience entirely, as if no one was present or their presence was intentionally hidden.
'There seems to be a hierarchy...' he concluded, the idea taking shape in his mind.
Before he could delve deeper into his theory, a feminine voice pulled him back to reality. "Kro told me he almost died in the group stages because of collateral damage from your punishment… Don’t tell me you still haven’t learned your lesson?"
Sora turned toward his opponent, smiling faintly. "What did I do wrong this time?"
Eloj frowned at his nonchalance, crossing her arms. "I don’t usually waste time warning my enemies, but watching a suicidal genius like you is exhausting. You don’t need to do anything wrong to paint a target on your back. And right now, you’re doing exactly that. Don’t be stupid—at least wait for more updates before digging your grave."
Sora was taken aback, his thoughts racing. 'I just looked around. How can this be considered painting a target on my back?'
He voiced his skepticism aloud. "Do you expect me to accept your advice when you just called me an enemy?"
Eloj shook her head at his question. "Well, technically, we are enemies. Only one Kingdom can survive the war. But that doesn’t mean we can’t cooperate from time to time. You dying from dumb mistakes might benefit the Demon Kingdom, but it won’t benefit the Demon Race. Whether you trust me of not doesn't matter to me anyway, so let's fight."
Her cryptic words left Sora puzzled. 'What the hell does that mean?' he wondered, his mind trying to piece together the meaning behind her words.
Eloj, now changing her stance, began preparing for the battle, yet she didn’t summon any familiar. Noticing her approach, Sora did the same, fully buffing himself and preparing for a devastating opening assault.
As soon as the battle began, he activated [Psychic Hold], releasing a wave of overwhelming mental energy that put the entire arena under his control.
Feeling the equally powerful powerful mental defense Eloj released, Sora immediately suspected she also possessed a Supreme Skill tied to mental power.
He quickly adjusted his strategy, summoning six [Sentient Elemental Nexus] clones, each one with a specific elemental focus, and watched as they encircled his opponent.
Entirely focused on the mental battle, Eloj struggled to fend off the assault of Sora’s clones. It took her a moment to adapt, barely surviving the coordinated strikes when she suddenly felt her mental defenses falter. Sora’s energy began infiltrating into her mind, attempting to devour her mental power.
While Eloj was preoccupied, Sora capitalized on the opportunity. Channeling his [Condensed Mana] to boost his body, he activated [Lava in my Veins], pushing his body past what everyone considered as the limit.
Sora's body flickered, vanishing from his spot in an instant. The surge of power from his [Lava in my Veins] form amplified his speed to an unimaginable degree. Above Eloj, he flipped mid-air, rotating at an extreme speed.
Using the momentum of his spin, Sora unleashed a devastating somersault kick aimed directly at Eloj’s head. The impact connected with a resounding crack, his condensed mana fueling every ounce of power behind the strike. The force was so overwhelming that Eloj’s body was sent downward like a meteor, the ground below giving way as she plummeted underground, until she struck a reinforced barrier below.
'Oops.' Sora thought, wincing as he surveyed the aftermath. Eloj’s body lay in shambles at the bottom of the crater, and he realized he might have overdone it.
A notification confirmed his victory, and without lingering, Sora returned to his seat in the stands, leaving Eloj behind.
From across the arena, Kro Nel’s furious gaze locked onto him. Feeling his anger , Sora sighed and sent a voice transmission through mana.
"Please tell your sister I’m sorry. I overdid it," he said, his tone slightly regretful.
With the other party shaking his head and stepping into the arena for his fight, Sora sighed. 'Who knows what these guys have up their sleeves? They act as if they know so many things. I can’t afford to hold back when fighting.'
Thinking back to Eloj's resistance, he considered her Supreme Skill related to Mental Power. While it seemed slightly superior to his own, the difference wasn’t vast and he gained the upper hand by distracting her. 'I need to find a way to learn more about my opponents’ Supreme Skills…' he mused, knowing that countering such abilities would be essential in future battles.
Being the only competitor left to watch the last semi-final, he sat alone in the stands. Observing Kro Nel, Sora noted the glaring weakness in the demon’s mental defenses. However, the Spirit Kingdom player, who specialized in Mental Power, was unable to dominate as expected.
Kro Nel’s strange methods consistently allowed him to land hits, despite his opponent hiding in another space, keeping the battle balanced.
After both combatants sustained heavy injuries, the spirit was the first to falter, falling from the sky and losing the fight.
'Finally. The end is near.' Sora thought, relieved to see the trial progressing toward its conclusion.
[The finalists will be given 30 minutes to prepare for the final battle.]
Sora was taken aback by the notification, feeling betrayed by the tower. 'I'm tired of this trial.' He sat back on his seat, and started meditating.
Half an hour later, he stood in the arena, facing Kro Nel.
"We meet again." Sora greeted him.
"You really did my sister dirty. But I get that it's difficult to hold back against strong opponents," Kro Nel said, his tone surprisingly understanding.
A strange silence settled between them as they watched the countdown ticking away. The tension in the air was palpable, but Sora remained focused, ready to fight the strongest player inside the tower.
As soon as the battle officially began, Kro Nel raised his hand in an unexpected gesture. "I surrender," he said simply, his tone calm and composed.
Sora blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. "Again?!" he blurted, not liking his opponent's action.
"You can always meet me on the battlefield, I guess," Kro Nel added, a smile on his face. Before Sora could respond, Kro Nel’s body dissolved, leaving the arena empty.
A notification popped up on Sora’s panel.
[Kro Nel has sent you a friend request.]
After a moment of hesitation, Sora accepted the request, fully aware that his friend list would be wiped clean the next time he reset.
[Phase 2 of the 16th Trial is over.]
[16th trial [Individual Tournament]] Ranking:
1 - [Ralph Eden] - Human Race
2 - [Kro Nel] - Demon Race
3-4 - [Eloj] - Demon Race
3-4 - [Pukk] - Spirit Race
5-8 - [Morgan Casey] - Human Race
...
9-16 - [Clémence Berger] - Human Race
9-16 - [Kara Spirine] - Human Race
...
17-32 - [Emily Frekk] - Human Race
17-32 - [Pedro Cruz] - Human Race
17-32 - [Salim Msakni] - Human Race
Focusing on the ranking of his allies, Sora ignored the other names. Seeing that everything seemed to match what he saw, he looked at the notifications, eager to receive his reward.
[You will be allowed to access the 17th to the 20th floor.]
[You are ranked 1/64: Reward x5.]
[You are granted 5 weeks inside the 20th floor.]
[Your total of points is multiplied by 3.5.]
Reading the notifications, Sora was confused, unsure what he could do with his rewards. Feeling his body dissolve, he soon appeared inside the familiar waiting room. Facing the familiar doors, he found himself choosing between leaving the tower and heading to the next floor.
Curious about his last reward, he checked his total points.
[Ascension Points : 101,017,102 points.]
Seeing the number, he was taken aback. 'I had less than 29 million points. That's a massive increase. But what am I going to do with all of this?'
Having conserved his reserves of energy, he felt ready for the next trial and opened the door without hesitation.
[Welcome to the 17th floor of the Tower.]
[Trial: [Customized Trial] – You have proved your worth inside the tower, and it is time to reap the fruits of your labor. Choose a trial based on your needs.]
[First Trial Option: [Body Forging] – Develop your body level and forging skills.]
[Second Trial Option: [Mental Training] – Develop your mind level and related skills.]
[Third Trial Option: [Energy Refinement] – Develop your energy level and related skills.]
Surprised by the choices, Sora fell deep into thought. 'Maybe this is to adapt to different profiles. But I've already reached high achievements in these three fields... do I still need these?'
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