"There you are."
The first place he headed to was the main square. More precisely, he approached the statue standing by the fountain. The statue, pointing towards some distant place, was commonly believed to depict an old hero, but it held a small secret.
[1123, L200, 130]
Etched at the base of the statue was an obscure mark. It was a hint discovered in his past life by a detective-game enthusiast obsessed with mystery. The theory was, 'Somewhere in the direction the hero points, his legacy remains!' Most players laughed it off, dismissing it as fantasy or mystery novel fodder. But that player had ultimately been proven right.
'It took him a while to become known because he lacked the stats back then.'
But he wasn't worried. He was confident.
He confirmed the hint and began to follow the instructions.
'1,123 steps in the direction the statue is pointing. 200 steps to the left. 130 steps back towards the original direction.'
While individual stride length varied, there was only one alleyway near the calculated location. Only the final spot required slight adjustment.
"It should be around here…"
His eyes narrowed as he took the final step, scanning the area for the hidden mechanism he remembered.
*Sparkle!*
At that moment, a seemingly ordinary section of the wall glinted.
[A hidden device has been discovered by the effect of the title 'Pathfinder'.]
The title effect had activated.
'Lucky!'
He immediately pressed the spot firmly.
*Click!*
The indented section sank in, and the wall began to transform, sliding aside to reveal a doorway. Beyond it, an endless staircase descended into darkness.
"Lantern on."
He lit his lantern, but its light was swallowed by the pitch blackness ahead. Though wary of what might lurk unseen, he hurried down the stairs.
* * *
'Should be coming up soon…'
After descending for some time, the path began to slope upwards and downwards again, a design meant to disorient and obscure the sense of depth and distance. Eventually, the stairs ended, replaced by an upward-sloping tunnel. After another ten minutes of walking, a deep, rumbling vibration echoed from ahead.
*KRRRUMBLE!*
[The first stage of the Hero's Trial begins.]
"Bring it on!"
In that moment, he broke into a sprint, using Dash. He reached a point where a massive boulder was rolling down, threatening to fill the entire passage.
"Strike!"
Bracing himself, he met the boulder with his bare hands, activating his strength-boosting skill to avoid being crushed. Even so, he was pushed back for a good ten seconds before finally halting the rock's momentum.
"Whew!"
Simply stopping it had drained a significant portion of his health. Bracing his body against the immobilized rock, he took a deep breath and summoned his strength again. Then, he began pushing the boulder *back up* the slope it had come from.
"Huah! Hup!"
Even for someone with his immense strength, rolling the colossal boulder uphill for dozens of minutes was arduous. But it wasn't impossibly difficult. Digging the steel-toed boots he'd taken from the Orc Fighter into the ground, he pushed with his back and hands, finally reaching the top.
[Hero's Trial Step 1. You have passed the Test of Will.]
'The Test of Will.'
Originally, this was designed to push willpower to its limits. The boulder's weight adjusted based on the challenger's level and class, and the test was meant to be overcome by mental fortitude, pushing against an overwhelming force to surpass one's limits.
"Simpler than I thought."
However, he was an entity that couldn't be judged by normal levels and classes. For him, rolling a boulder of this weight was tedious, but not a test of spirit. He cleared it through pure, brute force, a scenario the developers likely never anticipated.
"Is the next step here?"
[Hero's Trial Step 2 begins.]
The system was unhelpful, not naming the test. Unlike the 'Test of Will,' the name itself wasn't a hint. But even without being told, he knew what this was: the 'Test of Wisdom.' It wasn't about the Wisdom stat, but about using one's intellect.
"Annoying."
The path ahead was a narrow passage, flat and featureless. One simply had to walk forward. But it was riddled with hidden traps.
"Hmm, this would be dangerous for anyone."
*Toss!*
He lightly threw the lantern he was carrying onto the path ahead. The area was lit now anyway, making the lantern unnecessary.
*Whish! Thud!*
The moment the lantern touched the ground, arrows shot from hidden slots, shattering it and turning the immediate area into a deadly gauntlet.
"Yikes, brutal."
It was a real trap zone, triggered by pressure or contact. All sorts of hazards lay ahead: arrow volleys, springing blades, jets of flame. Navigating it would be nearly impossible without a thief's Trap Detection and Disarm skills. This test was meant to be passed by thinking, observing, and moving carefully.
"But where's the fun in that?"
Furthermore, one or two mistakes could be fatal. Meticulously analyzing every step didn't suit his style.
"Since I know there are no pitfall traps…"
Remembering the details of this test from his past life, he immediately prepared to run.
'Three, two, one…!'
"Berserk! Dash!"
The next moment, having stored his weapon, he burst forward at full speed. Arrows and darts flew, blades scraped his body, and fire magic seared his flesh, but he gritted his teeth and ran steadfastly. He used Dash repeatedly as soon as it cooled down, pouring all his energy into escaping the trap-laden zone in the shortest time possible.
[Hero's Trial Step 2. You have passed the Test of Wisdom.]
He broke through the entire trap section in seven minutes.
"Whew, Cancel!"
[Health is critically low. If you do not recover to 10% of your maximum health within 5 seconds, you will die.]
"Tch."
The Berserk aftereffect caused his health to plummet, but he wasn't alarmed. He had expected this. He chugged a pre-prepared Intermediate Health Potion and sprayed a Lesser Potion on his wounds. His health bar refilled rapidly. Intermediate potions were expensive, but their effect was clear: instant recovery compared to the over-time healing of lesser potions. His flickering vision stabilized as his health entered a safe zone.
"Worth the price."
At one gold per potion, the cost was exorbitant at this stage, but it had saved his life. Of course, that valuation depended on successfully completing this trial.
"Shall we go now?"
After using First Aid to top off his health and raise proficiency, he waited for the Berserk aftereffects to completely wear off before proceeding. He knew there was no combat in the next stage, but it was best to be in peak condition just in case.
[Hero's Trial Step 3 begins.]
The final test. As he passed through the doorway from stage two, the announcement came accompanied by a thick, obscuring smoke.
The third stage was the 'Test of Temptation.' In some ways, it was the most terrifying—a powerful mental magic designed to seduce the challenger with their deepest desires. Success required overcoming these illusions and finding the correct path.
'What will appear?'
This time, he steeled his mind firmly. According to interviews from his past life, the illusions could manifest as seductive figures, piles of treasure and powerful items, or lavish feasts. They targeted not just sight, but all senses, requiring extreme mental discipline.
*Flash.*
An unexpected notification popped up.
[The effect of the title 'Indomitable Will' has resisted negative psychic effects.]
"... … What?"
As he blinked in confusion, the fog obscuring his vision vanished, revealing a simple log bridge spanning a chasm where the path should have been.
"That's it?"
The chasm was a thousand-foot drop, a fatal consequence for anyone stumbling while battling illusions.
"Too easy."
He crossed the log bridge with a strange sense of anticlimax. It was narrow, requiring balance, but that was trivial for him.
[Hero's Trial Step 3. You have passed the Test of Temptation.]
*KRRRUMBLE!*
Upon crossing, the pass notification appeared. A section of the wall on the other side slid open, inviting him in. But he didn't move immediately.
"Bell of Truth, summon. Is that the real exit?"
[False.]
That door was the final trick of the test. He had used the ability on a hunch, recalling vague mentions of the third stage's nature from his past life.
"Right, it couldn't be that straightforward."
Instead of entering the door, he felt along the other walls. No new doors appeared, and the Bell of Truth was a once-a-day use. Now he had to rely on his instincts.
"Here?"
*KRRRUMBLE!*
When he pushed a seemingly solid section of the wall, it rotated, revealing a hidden entrance.
[You have passed all tests of the hero.]
Upon entering, a final, pleasant notification welcomed him. He found himself in a large chamber. On an altar in the center rested a helmet.
When he picked it up, new alerts appeared.
[You have acquired the Sealed Helmet of the Lion King.]
[You have acquired the quest 'Finding the Lion King's Armor'.]
[Finding the Lion King's Armor][Quest]
Collect the sealed armor of the Lion King Gaokan and inherit his power.
Success conditions:
-Acquire the Sealed Helmet of the Lion King (Completed)
-Sealed Breastplate of the Lion King 0/1
-Sealed Leggings of the Lion King 0/1
-Sealed Pauldrons of the Lion King 0/1
-Sealed Boots of the Lion King 0/1
Reward: Unseal the Lion King set
[Lion King's Sealed Helmet][Set][Sealed]
A helmet worn by the Lion King Gaokan during his lifetime. Most of its power is now sealed.
-Defense: 530
-Durability: 3,000/3,000
-Strength +50
– Stamina +30
-[Lion's Roar] effect increases by 50% when using all shout-type skills.