1500 cadets marched into the grounds of Helios War Academy, led by 50 Ascended military personnel.
Shortly after, they arrived at a massive, state-of-the-art building almost a mile long, forged entirely from pure Delirium.
Inside, the cadets stepped into a large, spacious hall — completely empty.
They looked around in confusion.
"What's happening? Where's the trial?" someone asked.
But the Ascended guards remained silent, unmoving like statues.
Even the others simply stood watch, saying nothing.
Moments later, a middle-aged lady with thick, muscular arms like steel buckets walked into the room. Ethan's instincts flared the Great Trial had already begun.
BAM!
"What was that?" someone yelled as everyone turned toward the back.
The steel doors forged from 100% pure Delirium slammed shut with a heavy clang.
When the cadets looked back at the guards, they saw they were all wearing gas masks.
Puuuffffffffffffff!
White smoke burst into the air from the lady's body pouring out of her pores. Within seconds, cadets started collapsing one by one as an invisible energy drained through their bodies faster than they could resist.
[ Warning: Sedative gas invading body system. ]
[ You have become immune to the gas. ]
[ The sedation gas cannot be converted into stat points — energy too weak. ]
"Eh, so much for a gas," Ethan muttered, pretending to slump to the ground.
Ten minutes later, through his [Third Eye], Ethan saw that all cadets had fallen into a deep sleep. The thick-armed woman pressed a red button on the wall.
The ground trembled. Panels slid open as numerous high-tech pods rose from below each gleaming with silver tubes and glowing blue fluid.
"Shit, I'm cooked… I better faint now or they'll find out," Ethan thought quickly.
He watched as one of the Ascended guards gently lifted a girl and placed her into a pod. The lid sealed over her, a mask covering her mouth and nose as strange liquid began to bubble and fill the chamber, submerging her completely.
Slowly, the guards did the same for each cadet one after another. Ethan remained still, calm, and utterly motionless.
He could sense the woman's power Apex level. The aura radiating from her was fierce, crushing.
After some time, a bald Ascended male approached Ethan and lifted him. Ethan relaxed his muscles to stay limp, perfectly mimicking unconsciousness.
He was placed into a pod. The lid sealed.
A mask covered his face.
Gas hissed.
A strange liquid flooded in.
The entire hall remained silent — deathly quiet.
[ Warning: A powerful substance has invaded your body system. ]
"Please don't work…" Ethan prayed silently.
[ Unfortunately, your level is too low to resist the effects. ]
[ You will fall into a deep slumber for 3 days. ]
"What?" Ethan's eyes widened.
Three days? What kind of substance is this…?
His mind blurred. His vision faded.
"Fuuuuu—kkkk…" Ethan groaned as darkness swallowed him whole.
**********
"Ethan…"
A voice echoed in the endless void.
Ethan opened his eyes to find himself floating in a boundless black abyss. His body glowed faintly, illuminating small patches of space around him. The silence was absolute no sound, no movement, no air.
"Ah… this reminds me of the Void," he muttered with a small chuckle.
He tried to move nothing. His body felt locked in place, restrained by unseen chains.
"Goddammit," he hissed.
"What the hell am I supposed to do in this never-ending abyss?"
Minutes felt like eternity.
"Is this supposed to be a mental trial?" he wondered aloud.
Hours passed. Then twenty.
Using the breathing techniques taught by his mentor in his past life ( a Transcendent warrior)Ethan calmed his spirit.
The technique was known as the Mind Calming Heavenly Buddha Sutra — a method that focuses the mind on the rhythm of one's heart and veins. It shields against illusions, suppresses chaotic thoughts, and conserves internal energy.
[ Congratulations. You have learned the technique: < Mind Calming Heavenly Buddha > ]
[ You have gained +10,000 EXP. ]
"What… the system can still talk here?" Ethan blinked, shocked — then smirked.
"Of course. What can suppress the Astrum System?"
Still, that massive EXP gain was new. Even when he learned the Star Sword Technique, he hadn't gained experience for it.
Suddenly, a new notification appeared:
[ New Quest Received. ]
[ Break the Dreamscape of Oberon to acquire ????? ]
"Damn it, not again. Please let it be a sweet treasure this time," Ethan groaned.
Then he smirked knowingly.
"Ah… those old fools. So this is the trial — a dreamscape."
But Ethan wasn't good at breaking illusions. Not yet.
If this was truly a Transcendent-level Dream Spell, then he might be in trouble.
And then it came —
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion shattered the silence, nearly tearing his mind apart.
Bluergh!
Ethan spat a mouthful of blood.
[ System Alert: Mind synchronization—2% complete. ]
[ Unknown Entity Detected Within the Dreamscape. ]
[ Warning: Dream Realm is collapsing. Brace for cognitive interference. ]