The third trial began immediately after Adam reached the center.
Already stripped of all weapons and artifacts, he was placed inside an enormous underground wilderness. Dark places, marshes, and poisonous undergrowth made for the perfect hunting ground for snakes.
The snakes weren't stronger than him. But they far outnumbered him. An army of ants could kill an elephant, they said. So this trial wasn't about defeating the proverbial ants, but to survive them.
Serpents hunted him through scent and sound and sight. Surprisingly, there were many that could even sense his spirit energy. Others could simply sense his fear. And he was filled to the brim with fear.
If a candidate somehow managed to survive the first two trials, they would fall within the first day of the third trial.
Adam did not. Fueled by rage, he survived all seven days. He feasted upon snake meat, vindictively biting into them.
