The Rise of the God of Death
Chapter 45: The Trial
Walking along an abandoned path, Daimon and his companions continued their journey toward Mount Ignara. The ground was littered with small volcanoes and streams of lava, though the air itself remained unnaturally cold.
"I'm shivering," Lucy muttered, hugging herself.
"I'm using my lightning to make myself a bit warmer," Darren said with a pale face.
"Lucky you. I'm almost frozen," Nil sighed.
"Don't worry, we're almost there," Daimon replied calmly.
"You keep saying that, but it doesn't look like we're making any progress," Darren complained.
"From the moment we dropped down, the mountain seemed so close. But even now, it doesn't look like we're getting any nearer," Nil added.
"I agree," Lucy said quietly.
"It's normal for a magical volcano," Daimon explained. "Just be patient."
"Ugh…" Darren groaned, his shoulders slumping.
They pressed on. After a while, the group realized it felt as though they were walking upward, though the ground still looked flat.
"Why are we even going there?" Lucy asked.
"There is someone inside the mountain who will help us greatly," Daimon answered coldly.
"You mentioned an impossible trial before, right? What kind of trial is it?" Nil asked.
"It's a solo fight against a beast," Daimon replied.
Nil frowned. "What kind of beast?"
"An Elemental Beast stronger than a monarch-ranked creature," Daimon said without hesitation.
"What?!" Nil gasped, while Darren and Lucy froze, jaws dropped in disbelief.
"You want us to fight something that can easily slay that massive dragon we faced?!" Darren said, horrified.
"Dad! I'm still too young to die!" Lucy added desperately.
"How are you planning to make us pass this trial?" Nil pressed Daimon.
"No one cares, expired princess," Darren muttered at Lucy.
"The man inside the volcano was mostly interested in my terrifying power," Daimon answered coldly.
"Shut up, dandelion head!" Lucy shot back angrily at Darren.
"I'll fight the beast myself, and somehow try to draw his attention," Daimon told Nil firmly.
"Do you think you can even beat it?" Darren asked skeptically.
"Probably," Daimon replied, his tone unchanging.
They kept walking. Soon, the ground itself began to rise unnaturally, the path trembling and shattering around them.
"Move straight! It's trying to scare us away," Daimon ordered.
The floating ground cracked beneath their feet, but somehow they still managed to walk forward.
"How does this even work?" Lucy exclaimed.
"I swear I just stepped on air," Darren said, utterly confused.
Eventually, the path gave way, and the group dropped down—landing atop a towering mountain. Before them stood an enormous wall of aura, guarding the entrance. The summit was vast, the atmosphere strange: icy cold in some areas, blazing hot in others.
"I have a lot of questions," Nil muttered nervously.
"Stay here," Daimon commanded.
The three looked at him, both confused and afraid, as he strode toward the glowing wall. Standing tall, he looked up and declared:
"Open Entrance."
A deep, mechanical voice responded:
[ ENTRANCE DENIED ]
"Free Trial."
[ FREE TRIAL READY! ]
[ START? Y/N ]
"Yes!"
The wall split, opening a small doorway before Daimon. Inside was a vast arena. He stepped through, his gaze locking on a massive stone statue of a beast standing at the center.
[ TRIAL START ]
[ 3 ]
[ 2 ]
[ 1 ]
The statue began to crack. Pieces of stone shattered and fell away, revealing the monstrous figure within.