Tensions were rising.

The entire city was at the most alert it has ever been. Ever since the announcement of the second trial came about countless citizens started to harbor dark thoughts.

“I could escape but…”

“Better them than me.”

“This guy’s living alone, he’s easy prey.”

Those with red hair had their scalps torn away, those with red eyes had their eyes gouged out. The people who had the physical qualities that Yio wanted on the outskirts of the city suffered greatly. Sacrifices were starting to be made.

The bodies that were laid around the entire city finally started to rot. Unbearable smells ruined the city even further. Blood dried, muscles broken down, and corpses filled the streets and homes of this city. Even if someone were to survive this ordeal, the city was most likely going to be abandoned. There were just too many things that traumatized them.

On the third day of the Trial of Temptation, there was finally one person who had the guts to show up. He dragged a cloth bag filled with red crimson hair and a few red eyeballs, blood seeped down from the bag’s underside. Who knew just how many people he took from?

Countless inquisitors opened up a way inside the camp, where Yio was waiting for the man.

“Well done! What’s your name dear challenger?”

“Marques… Marques Greder,” the man softly spoke, he sounded weak and guilty but still retained his nerves against the very man that brought this cruel trial forward.

Yio’s smile grew wider, after all this time there were finally people who were starting to participate in this grand trial. In his view, the worthy will be separated from the lost.

“Dear challenger Marques, I greatly applaud your bravery to undertake such a hurdle! As much as I want to reward your bravery and sacrifice, alas, this is not enough! This is not enough to show your appreciation towards the God of Trials! More! More! More!!!”

Marques started backing off from Yio, his insane fanaticism was starting to scare him. Yio saw Marques back off yet he did not reprimand his actions.

“Child, you should be more thorough in your devotion. Only then will you see the light, only then will you be rewarded. Go on, promising one.”

Marques’ eyes widened, he knew that killing someone will result in his demise when he slumbers so he made sure to only take that final step just earlier this day. Now, he was on a timer, to survive or not will be based on how many cruel acts he is willing to take.

Marques gritted his teeth, he knew this was a strong possibility but he still wanted to try his luck. He already had red hair and red eyes, there only other way he could show his appreciation is to either increase the amount he has or fill out the entire list of items.

Getting more red hair and red eyes is already far too much for him, he already squeezed as much as he could from where he lived. There was only one thing left to do then, get a red tongue, red lips, and a red heart.

Marques still remembered the person he killed just earlier that day, he immediately ran back hoping to not miss out before the body started to ruin.

“Run! Run along challenger Marques! Go forth and overcome this trial, only then will you surely be rewarded!” Yio’s mad rantings behind Marques made him run away even faster.

Marques saw the young man’s body still there. His hair was missing, and his eyes were both gouged out, the very culprit was Marques himself. He hurried over despite the spectators watching from a distance, wanting to see what would happen.

He grimaced at the thought of having to carve someone’s face off but he had no choice. He already almost vomited from using his hands to scoop out the man’s eyes so taking the man’s lips and tongue was an even more daunting task. Then there was the heart, he had to open up his skin, either break his ribcage or dig out his lungs to reach his heart, after all that he has to dig it out, spilling blood everywhere.

Marques took out his knife and then hovered over the man’s mouth. He tried to pry open his mouth but with the corpse’s body turning rigid, he struggled a bit. He was kneeling over the corpse when he closed his eyes and clasped his hands still holding the knife, he rested his forehead on them.

He wondered what led him to desecrate a corpse, everything used to be normal a week ago. Everyone was about to experience positive changes, good news came one after another, and everything was going so well. His parents were alive, his sister was alive, and his lover was alive. Now he was left alone.

“Now’s not the time…”

He opened his eyes again and mustered enough courage to pierce the corpse’s cheek. He slowly carved out bits and pieces of skin until the young man’s once handsome face was nothing more than muscle and fat. His eyes were gone, his mouth was no more, and the only thing that was left of him was his body, yet that soon enough was about to be taken too.

He finally placed the man’s lips and tongue inside his bag. It was finally time, time to rip out the man’s heart.

Marques used his knife to cut open the man’s clothes, he started to create a line tracing down from the man’s neck down into his stomach. Not much blood spilled out but the stench of death bellowed out causing Marques to cover his nose.

He cut open the man’s skin, tore through muscle and fat, and finally dug out the man’s lungs to finally get to the heart. He out of the arteries surrounding the man’s heart, and it was finally at that moment did blood spill out.

Marques’ head was lopped off with a single slash.

Another person was standing behind Marques, it was one of the spectators. It was a 15-year-old child, a young girl. She was the man’s little sister, she had tears running down her face but only anger could be seen.

“Why! Why did you do that?! Brother! Bring him back! You said you would protect me! So, come back!” She kept chopping away at the man’s corpse, completely undisturbed by the blood spraying out from him.

Each hack at Marques’ body left a deep cut on his body. She didn’t even care about how much blood sprayed out, she was only lashing out at the only thing she could.

After constantly slashing away, she finally lost her strength and collapsed to the ground. She dragged Marques’ body from her brother’s. She kneeled down and hugged her brother’s mutilated body, she kept muttering hopes and dreams of what was never to come.

Another female spectator slowly inched forward and asked the child but she merely kept muttering words of hope.

“Brother, the bad man’s gone, please come back…”

“You must be tired, right? We can rest here until you feel better…”

“I won’t leave you ever again…”

The woman couldn’t bear it in her heart to continue tormenting the child with such useless questions. She was already mentally broken when she finally closes her eyes will be her last moment she will do so.

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Seeing that the young man’s heart was still in Marques’ hands she picked it up and put it in the bag. She brought the bag over her shoulder, she smelled the foul odor coming from these bits and pieces of flesh, nonetheless, she continued forward.

She was about to enter the inquisitor’s camp when another group of friends showed up to block her way. Knowing that fighting back was useless, she dropped the bag and ran away.

The three friends looked at each other and played a simple game of rock-paper-scissors, seeing that one of them won fair and square, the other two just let him have it. Their friendship was rock-solid, if they don’t have each other then there’s no point in living.

The winner of the three dragged the bag inside the camp where Yio met him.

“Ohoh? Challenger Marques failed? Such a shame, such bravery would’ve been very much welcome to join our crusade! I digress, young one, are you submitting these as your spoils?”

“Y-Yeah… can I?”

“Yes! As long as you earned it before you entered the camp it is yours! Tactics and physical strength, both are part of your skills! I will not worry about how you acquired these, the only thing that matters is if you’re sincere enough!”

“I’m sincere enough! Look, everything you asked for is in here!” the man hurriedly opened the bag to show Yio his spoils.

“Hmm! Good! You showed enough devotion, very well, you may go!”

“Is that it?”

“Yes! You may leave now,” Yio waved his ceremonial sword and placed it over the man’s shoulders. A warm light penetrated his body and the man felt suspiciously content.

Hannah saw this happen and was quite intrigued.

“Rei said that the number was ambiguous, how come that’s not the case?”

The man went outside the camp and was greeted by his two friends, the man tried to work out what happened to him when they decided to check out of it was real. Countless other spectators came out to look at the man who just successfully came out from submitting the trial requirements.

The gazes from this many people startled the man, he was at a loss for what to do. He was about to run away when another person came out from one of the tents inside the camp, it was Raxer.

“Worry not, child. I’ll guide you towards your path to salvation!” Raxer proudly exclaimed.

Raxer’s status was now a Higher Deacon, someone who was directly in line with the supreme authority in the church. His ranking was well beyond Yio.

Right now, if the inquisitors were to be ordered, Raxer’s words would hold more precedence than Yio’s. The strict hierarchy of their church is based on the offerings they gave to the God of Trials.

When Raxer appeared, everyone in the vicinity had mixed expressions. Their previous noble who had once been very loved by the people was now one of the reasons why they were all suffering.

They all wanted to express their anger towards Raxer but they knew that if they said anything their safety would be in question. None of them tried to refute Raxer nor did they try to make any sudden moves.

Raxer walked over towards the man who just successfully submitted the requirements for this trial. He was smiling widely, extremely friendly looking. The red-gold aura around him was exuding peace and serenity, making one feel at ease while one was near him.

This calming effect did not deter the man from feeling fear. The man oddly smiled back and thanked Raxer for protecting him.

They both carried on their way, taking the official path toward the city gates. The crowd was too curious to let this chance know whether this trial was true. Two men were being followed by a massive crowd, turning the once silent streets lively once more. The only problem with this scene was the massive amount of crushed rotting bodies laid out in the streets.

At last, it was finally time for everyone to see what was about to unfold. A golden-red glass-like dome was covering the entire city, multiple symbols were engraved on it. There were a few repeating symbols but the most prominent was a cross piercing a circle.

“Go on,” Higher Deacon Raxer smiled.

The man nodded, it was finally the grand reveal. He slowly inched forward, getting closer and closer to the barrier that has held everyone inside like a prisoner for days. He reached out his hand first, trying to see if it was a trap.

He slowly edged his finger closer towards the barrier, he was very careful. If he went in too fast he might turn his finger into dust. Eventually, his finger touched the barrier, and another golden red light was emitting from his finger blending into the barrier.

His finger passed through, then his hand, his arm, until finally he was fully through. The entire crowd was full of gasps, it was true. At that moment, everyone looked at each other, they all saw the greed and malice behind one another.

“Now, now, it seems as if you all need a tiny push to get started. Worry not, I won’t do anything as uncouth as forcing you. Everyone, if you would please follow me,” although Raxer said this with a soothing calm voice, everyone dared not disobey him.

Hannah was looking at the man that was through, he was extremely happy, immediately falling into tears. He was finally out, the dangers outside weren’t even a threat to him as long as he stayed low. He glanced back at his friends, he saw that they were also looking back at him, the man immediately looked away, running away.

Hannah blended into the darkness. Raxer briefly glanced in her direction then focused back on leading the group back to the camp.

The two people felt betrayed, and multiple emotions swelled up within them. Anger, despair, and too many emotions to be verbally expressed.

Raxer was walking back to their base alongside the massive crowd behind him.

Once they managed to get back, Raxer showed took out thirty-three people. These people had weirdly specific physical qualities, these people all met the requirements for the trial. A life for a life.

“These thirty-three were inquisitors within our ranks. Men offer up your swords. Let your life be the leading light for all these people!”

Thirty-three inquisitors, in synchronized movement, all took out the swords from their waist and kneeled down, putting their hands up in offering. They all had fanatic looks as they tried to show everyone here the true way of their god.

There was no greater happiness for them than to be used by their God.

“Thirty-three people, who want to be led into the light of salvation? Come forward, I welcome you with open arms!” Raxer’s exotic gem-inlaid appearance was extremely eye-catching. His tattoos were all changed into the God of Trial’s symbol.

The crowd was initially in shock when a young girl raised her hand. Immediately, Raxer gathered his newly found power from the God of Trials. A golden red light appeared from his hands, projecting into empty space forming a seven-fingered hand.

The young lady was picked up and raised above everyone else, her skirt was unfortunately wide open and a few people glanced at her underwear. She blushed and sat down, trying to cover up as much as possible. The other ladies learned from this and covered up. Soon enough, thirty-three people were all raised up in the skies.

“See this, this is the power of the God of Trials! Heretics cannot fathom the power our god holds! Now you people, be led into the path of salvation!” Raxer lowered them all in front of the inquisitors.

Some participants were a bit hesitant at first but realizing that the other participants were already carving out one of the inquisitor’s hearts they followed soon enough. Some participants quickly and surgically took out the necessary parts from the inquisitors while the other participants like the first girl had messy eyeballs, a cut-up tongue, and other disfigured body parts from her victim.

With no bag to hold them, they were all forced to take their spoils of torture by hand.

“Very well, it’s finally time. Sir Yio, would be so kind as to check these people’s spoils?”

A golden-armored inquisitor appeared from the camp and jovially said, “Why it would be my pleasure, Higher Deacon Raxer! I truly am thrilled to see so many volunteers joining the true path! Your ways truly are blessed!”

“Your words are too kind,” Raxer’s smile showed teeth replaced with gems, these gems all had the symbol of the God of Trials engraved on them.

“Now, now, let me confirm your spoils, challengers,” Yio came up and examined each of the participants’ body parts.

“Truly magnificent! This piece was carved out with care and meticulous detail! You would truly suit us, young man,” Yio was examining a frail-looking young man. “Sadly, it’s not enough.”

“What… do you mean?” the young frail man replied.

“Of course, you aren’t sincere enough! See here, it's only one set! To show your devotion, give me two sets of requirements! I truly wish you the best on your journey.”

The frail young man without hesitation, took out the sword in his hand and immediately went after the first girl.

“Give it to me.”

“But-“ the young woman tried to defy him.

“Give it to me or you die.”

She saw the brutality in his eyes, she didn’t have a choice but to give it to him.

“Sir Yio, here you go,” the young frail man respectfully gave Yio another set.

“Ahahaha! I truly did not see wrong! You are well-equipped to deal with various trials! Straight to the point and practical! I like you a lot!” saying so, Yio took out his ceremonial sword and baptized the frail young man with his ceremonial sword.

Seeing this, everyone caught on. Immediately another person threatened another, then one more threatened two others. The weak were bullied into giving their sets while the strong monopolized everything.

“You all must understand what’s happening. It rises by one set every time someone submits their parts.” Yio widely smiled.

Of the initial thirty-three participants, only six people managed to pass the trial. The rest, well, they had to start hunting or it’s their turn to meet the grinder.

These twenty-seven people glared at the rest of the crowd.

“Ah! Such a divine sight! I can’t help but tear up! I feel that the requirements were too stringent, any piece from a set can be switched out with another red heart. All to show how benevolent my god truly is to all of you.”

Raxer said, “Happy hunting!”