[Veiled Trial: Kill One of the Temple's Main Monsters
Grade: B+
Time Limit: 70 minutes
Conditions: retrieve the soul of the Fenghuang
Failure: permanent imprisonment in the temple's spire
Reward: 5000 species]
The main loopholes were how different challenges did not coincide with the criteria given by the trials. Rhian pushed open the door, and a deafening roar pushed them back—Zane could feel his ears ring the moment the cry was silenced. "Ready?" he asked Rhian.
Just because he didn't happen to know the interior of the spire didn't mean he didn't know about the monsters and the way they operated. It no longer hurt to recall memories, and a rather pleasant one returned to him at that moment.
〈The church was infested. It was infested with monsters of the priests who had transcended and were locked away by the System to use as future monsters. Thus, it was no surprise that the basement was full of these creatures, bound by a golden thread and their heads hanging as though they were prisoners held captive.
"Their source of power comes from the spire." 〉
The spire was a pinpoint location in a temple, along with the 'Altar' and the 'Dungeon.' Thus, the mana accumulation was the highest here. And to be able to fight it without being overpowered, Zane would have to do what he had thought a while back.
Rhian had called him foolish for it, but there weren't many other options available, were there? Zane glanced at the other man, who seemed hesitant but nodded regardless. "Okay, if we die, you're responsible," Rhian said, pushing himself into the room.
The Fenghuang was a beautiful beast; it was similar to the 'phoenix' that resided in the royal mages' chambers. It was bigger than both of them and was smaller than the description of a dragon. Upon setting its sight on them, the Fenghuang roared again, the binding around its wings breaking one by one.
Zane shot one last look at Rhian, then the other man was running into the room and waited at the open window. Now, Zane needed to wait for the final bind to snap. The phoenix stared daggers at Zane as it put more force into breaking the binds against his wings.
When the last bind broke, Zane snapped Wisteria in its direction and watched as the whip coiled around the phoenix's neck. As if seeing the count, Rhian had already jumped out of the window.
[
Zane rushed out the window and jumped out as well, tugging the beast along with him. It cried out loudly as it was breaking the pillars supporting the window and was dragged out. Zane let go of Wisteria's grip on it the moment it was falling. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about falling on the ground or being killed by the flame that erupted from the monster's mouth, as hands were catching him and dragging him away just at the point of impact.
—Kraa!
The Fenghuang caught flight before it hit the ground, and Zane found himself on his feet with one of Rhian's hands supporting him. "Now what?" Rhian asked.
"How much of your mana core can you open?" Zane asked.
Rhian glanced at him. "Why are you asking?"
"How much?"
"Ten percent," Rhian replied.
"Okay, that's far more than me," Zane muttered, glancing at the Fenghuang, who was staring daggers at them. "I need you to do a favor."
"If that involves using me as bait, fuck off," Rhian snapped, holding Executioner out in front of him. "Well?"
Zane quickly withdrew a few element-based crystals from the Clandestine Chest. "These crystals are ice-based, so would it be possible for you to activate them and amplify their effect by using your mana?"
"When?"
"When I give you the count, for now let's focus on weakening this creature!"
Zane moved first. Rhian wasn't wrong; most of his skillset was based heavily on fire-based attributes, and the Fenghuang also was just that. Zane rushed ahead and narrowly avoided the flame that escaped the phoenix's mouth as he stabbed his sword into the creature's foot.
[
[
[
[The Great Sword, Ember's 1st attribute, is blooming!]
[The first attribute of Ember, Lacerate lvl 1, is triggered!]
The sword began glowing slightly, and Zane could feel it pulling mana from his palm. Instinctively, he knew what to do. Zane backed away, accumulated some mana into the blade, and swung it. A razor-like light tore through and hit the side of the Fenghuang's face, causing it to screech before it began hurtling towards Zane.
"Shen, did you mention this property of Ember?" Zane asked, running a little until he had veered clear from the sight of the monster's line of attack.
[Shen mentioned everything, but Zane fell asleep]
"Pity," Zane murmured, accumulating mana into his sword and swinging it again.
The monster screamed in pain as the attack tore the flesh near its nape. "Rhian!" Zane shouted, gesturing to the open wound.
It wouldn't be as straightforward as killing anything simple, but a few hits should do the trick. Rhian took a small run-up before he jumped off a tree's branch, which provided him just the required height that reached that of the Fenghuang.
Zane watched as a blue aura surrounded Rhian.
[
[
Rhian stabbed Executioner into the wound of the monster, causing the Fenghuang to wildly move its body, the telltale blue aura spreading through the wound along with little icicles coming into existence. Rhian clutched at it, but with one wild move of the Fenghuang's body, he was eventually thrown with his sword, hitting a tree and falling.
'Well, shit,' Zane thought. He aimed at the same place and shot another beam of Ember's Lacerate. The light dug into the wound, melting the ice and causing more of the creature's blood to pour out. It ruined its beautiful golden scales, but they had no choice either way. It was them or the creature.
"Rhian! Get up, dammit!" Zane shouted again, waiting for mana to accumulate into Ember as he triggered Wisteria. The whip glowed and uncoiled, and he triggered the second attribute.
[2nd attribute of Wisteria, Electric Flame lvl 6 is in use!]
He whipped Wisteria to coil itself around the Fenghuang's neck. "Rhian!"
"Stop shouting!" Rhian shouted back, picking Executioner up and stabbing into the same injury on the Fenghuang's neck again. However, just then, the monster set its eyes on prey.
[The 2nd Monster of the 31st Temple is looking at you!]
[The 2nd Monster of the 31st Temple is using phoenix's breath!]
Zane was too slow to evade it. The flame hit his hand, and Zane loosened his grip on Wisteria. 'Fuck,' he cursed. He didn't dare look at the injury, knowing he'd throw up. 'It smells like burning flesh.'
He quickly triggered Clandestine Chest and retrieved a Type B elixir. Without thinking, he swallowed it and could feel the pain in his hand start to disappear.
[Elixir Type B is incapable of removing scars!]
Zane gripped Wisteria tighter and tugged at the whip, causing the Fenghuang to let out a choked sound. "Come on…"
"The way they kill these in folklore is by causing their tombs to break," Rhian shouted. "It's said that they draw their power from there!"
"Power or not, you don't want to disturb the Fuzanglong!" Zane gritted his teeth.
The monster in between them roared, far too loudly for either of them to withstand the aching screech. Before Zane could react, he was being thrown into the air.
—Thud
Zane collided with the trunk of a tree. He looked up and noticed the Fenghuang stalking towards him, its eyes fixed. However, something seemed off.
[Shen needs you to communicate with it!]
[Shen wants you to trust Shen!]
[You've invested 6000 species in 'Naturist Communication'!]
[Naturist Communication lvl 5 > Naturist Communication lvl 10]
[You've met the breach of the trial!]
[Warning: if you increase your stats, the trial will be forced to set appropriate hurdles]
"You can talk, can't you?" Zane suddenly found himself asking. He looked at the Fenghuang that was approaching. Naturist Communication… He doubted that skill would help him all that much since he was technically still just at the beginning.
The Fenghuang paused. [Funny little thing,] it suddenly murmured.
Zane blinked at it before pushing himself to stand. "I mean no harm if you mean to cooperate."
[You mean harm], Fenghuang corrected. [Regardless of what I mean.]
"I have what you seek," Zane said.
[And what must that be?]
"Something that you'd do anything to get your hands on."
The Fenghuang seemed to have analyzed Zane's words, as its voice was taken aback. [You don't mean?]
"That is precisely what I mean," Zane said. "You seem to have noticed that."
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[
[
Zane raised the Stone of Immortality. "I'll make a trade. No one has to die permanently."
There were a total of three Stones of Immortality. The one belonging to the Qingshe happened to be the weakest of them all. The stone, despite its name, could not provide actual immortality; rather, it could provide a certain extension.
There were also other purposes, such as using it to break the curse of immortality and repel the consistent notion. "I know," Zane murmured, standing up with the help of the tree he was thrown against. "You're much stronger. But the more you try to increase your strength with no regard to the grade of this trial, the worse it'll get. The repercussions will do more harm."
The Fenghuang puffed out a breath. [What do you want in return? Nothing is free.]
"I've come here for a ␣␣," Zane said.
[You're on a tight time limit to kill me,] the monster whispered. [There's no way you're here just for it.]
"There is a way. I'm quite keen on getting my hands on that," Zane said. "And is it necessary for you to push out fire through your nostrils every single time?"
[There has to be a viable threat. Or maiden there will try to kill me]
Zane glanced at Rhian, who was emitting a blue aura as he stood with Executioner pointing ahead.
"Put the sword down; the Fenghuang feels threatened," Zane said.
"Motherfucker. Animals are one thing. This creature just tried to kill us; it's a monster!" Rhian said, pointing his Executioner at the monster. "Animals, cool. Monsters?"
[Ouch], the Fenghuang muttered.
[Creator of the skill 'Naturist Communication' wants to tell you that it's not limited to just the animals]
'Thank you,' Zane thought, ignoring Rhian. 'But I'm not going to ask you to be my sponsor.'
"Hey Shen?" Zane asked, feeling the pouch against his waist move. "What is up with this negotiation?" The bunny didn't come out, but Zane could hear a few vague words.
[Fetter…]
The Fenghuang seemed to retaliate as it continued staring at Zane. [The ␣␣ you're looking for is the golden piece?]
Zane blinked. He was looking for the story vestige, and although the word was just about faint coming from the Fenghuang's mouth, he could make it out.
[Many
"Yes," Zane said. "It can connect multiple outputs in the future."
[How do I know the stone of immortality is the real deal?]
"There's only one way to find out, and it's not favorable."
[So you want me to hand you the fetter and the ␣␣?] Fenghuang laughed.
Zane's eyes widened. 'How did it know that I wanted the fetter?'
The monster looked at Zane and then sat down. [I want more. There is no way I can break free. I want my incarnation body. Give me something more]
"... Where must that be?"
[I am unsure. The time here has preserved it, that is for sure]
"I won't be able to do it in less than… "
[Time left: 12 minutes]
[Then I'm afraid you've lost without having me kill you.]