As they stepped into the passage, Aster Grant felt like he had entered another world.
He turned back abruptly, only to find that the entrance he came through had vanished, replaced by a void of darkness.
In front of him, a mechanical figure slowly began to take shape—
[Trial Puppet·Enhanced Type]
[Level: Awakening Tier Five]
[Power: 90]
[Constitution: 90]
[Spiritual: 90]
[Speed: 90]
[Skills: Volleyfist, Attribute Enhancement, Balanced Force Field (Stackable)]
"Enhanced Type?" Aster furrowed his brows slightly.
Compared to a regular Balanced Puppet, this one was clearly a class above.
Not only did it have an additional enhancement skill called "Attribute Enhancement," but that "Balanced Force Field" was also troublesome...
If more enhanced trial puppets appeared simultaneously later, that could be problematic.
But for now... it's manageable!
"Lazuli, eliminate it!"
Before the words even ceased, Lazuli's silver-white wings had fully unfurled, and a longsword burning with blazing flames materialized in her hand.
With a gentle flutter of her wings, her figure flashed instantly before the puppet.
The golden blade light swept across like a new moon—
"Swish!"
The enhanced puppet split in response, collapsing into two pieces on the ground with a thud.
Although this Tier Five Awakening puppet was formidable, it stood no chance against Lazuli, whose attributes had all exceeded 150 points.
As the puppet disintegrated, the obstructing blue barrier ahead also dissipated.
Aster led Lazuli onward.
In the second chamber, awaiting them was yet another enhanced trial puppet, but this time its level had risen to Awakening Tier Six.
Observing the opponent's attributes surge to 120 points, Aster couldn't help but furrow his brows tightly.
No wonder past trialists were unable to pass this checkpoint.
With each space they passed, the puppet's power would increase exponentially.
The current Tier Six Awakening enhanced puppet's attributes were comparable to a Tier Five Epic-level Beastbond!
And this was just the second checkpoint...
Once more, Lazuli's blade light flashed, felling the trial puppet in response.
In the next chamber...
Two Awakening Tier Six puppets appeared simultaneously, and the Balanced Force Field began to exert its force, suppressing Lazuli's attributes by about 10 points.
Fortunately, even under suppression, Lazuli still held an absolute advantage, quickly dispatching the two Awakening Tier Six trial puppets.
Following that, the trial's difficulty continued to climb.
Three, four, five, Awakening Tier Seven...
When Aster and Lazuli reached the final chamber, three trial puppets exuding a terrifying aura awaited in formation!
[Trial Puppet·Enhanced Type]
[Level: Awakening Tier Seven]
[Power: 150]
[Constitution: 150]
[Spiritual: 150]
[Speed: 150]
[Skills: Volleyfist, Attribute Enhancement, Balanced Force Field (Stackable)]
Gazing at the three enhanced trial puppets opposing Lazuli.
With three Balanced Force Fields stacked, Lazuli's attributes were suppressed nearly 30 points.
This meant that even with Lazuli's strength, without entering the Blazing Angel Form, dealing with these puppets would be quite challenging.
But at this moment, his concern wasn't the battle at hand, rather it was...
Could the other two really pass this trial?
Crystal Winslow's Ice Phoenix had a spiritual attribute soaring to 170 points, coupled with her outstanding skills, clearing the trial shouldn't be a problem.
But Caelus Quinn's Warbark Treant...
Facing three Awakening Tier Seven enhanced trial puppets, it might just hang by a thread!
In the split-second of thought, Aster had already made a decision:
"Lazuli, activate Blazing Angel Form, make quick work of it!"
"Understood!"
The moment her crisp voice echoed, crimson flames erupted vigorously around her.
Four light wings unfurled from her back, sacred and fierce energy waves swept across the entire space.
Attribute Value—doubled!
Three hundred points of absolute suppression!
Three golden sword beams streaked across the sky like meteors, the three enhanced puppets couldn't even react before being cleaved in half uniformly.
The shattered bodies were incinerated into ashes by the Blazing Angel Flame, dispersing with the wind.
The wall of light at the end of the passage finally began to fade away slowly.
...
At the same time, in the core control room of the Trial Grounds.
A massive stone platform hovered in the center, displaying the trialists' progress in real-time.
"Commander, they've entered the second stage!"
Abel Vance nodded slightly upon hearing the news, gazing intently at the stone platform.
He knew better than anyone that after the second stage, the real test of this trial truly began.
In last year's trial, aside from that SSS-Level talent barely making it to the end, the other two SS-Level talents were eliminated after completing only 70% of the progress.
Abel unconsciously clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.
If they fail again this year, they can only wait for next year...
"Issue the order, have the border legion go into first-level combat readiness!"
After passing the second stage, part of the Trial Grounds will vanish, and Demon Clan creatures are bound to surge in through the breach.
Although it's not known yet whether the three can clear the second stage, it's never wrong to be prepared ahead of time.
"Yes!"
The adjutant was about to turn and leave, but his peripheral vision suddenly caught a flicker of brilliant light on the stone platform.
He widened his eyes in disbelief:
"Com... Commander! It seems someone has cleared the second stage!"
"What?!"
Abel turned around abruptly, his gaze locked firmly onto the stone platform.
It clearly showed "One Person Cleared" in bold letters.
Who could it be?
From the time the three entered the second stage until now, only half an hour had passed!
From what he heard from past trialists, the final space housed three Awakening Tier Seven trial puppets!
Awakening Tier Five vs. Awakening Tier Seven.
Even if all three of their tamed beasts were of Legendary Level, handling it would still prove tremendously difficult!
"Commander, I think it might be Crystal Winslow?"
The adjutant started to analyze cautiously as he came back to his senses:
"After all, the Winslow Family's bloodline is special, they can only contract with one beast in their lifetime..."
The adjutant's thoughts coincided with the suspicion in Abel's heart.
The Winslow Family, being one of the oldest families in Draconia, had an exceptionally unique blood inheritance—
Members could only ever contract with one Beastbond in their lifetime, but the power of the bloodline could gradually enhance the beast's talent.
Therefore, the beasts of the Winslow Family members at the very least start at Epic Level!
"Crystal from the Winslow Family holds the highest talent in nearly a century. It's quite reasonable she cleared it so swiftly."
"However..."
Abel's expression turned serious at this:
"Yet the issue now is, if Aster and Caelus can't clear it, no matter how strong Crystal Winslow is, it's futile..."
After all, this trial required all three to be one unit. If anyone failed to clear, the trial would be deemed a failure.
Nonetheless.
At that moment, the adjutant suddenly cried out again:
"Com... Commander! One... Another person cleared!"
"What?!"
Abel's gaze reverted to the stone platform.
The previously displayed "One Person Cleared" had astonishingly changed to "Two People Cleared!"
...
...