The colossal palace hall was supported by towering jade pillars, each reaching tens of thousands of meters high, evoking an imposing and majestic feeling that could make one's heart tremble.
At the end of the palace hall, a throne was positioned high up, with a man in his thirties seated on it. He was undoubtedly smiling, yet the fierce aura emanating from him was enough to send tremors through heaven and earth.
He was none other than the supreme ruler of existence - The Cosmic Emperor!
The Cosmic Emperor was handsome and outstanding in bearing. However, the crimson shade emanating from his pupils granted him a fearsome visage.
His cold and unfeeling eyes darted downward, gazing at the group of thousands of mortals.
"Mommy, where are you... sob sob." A little girl's pitiful cries echoed in the palace, her eyes welling up with tears that cascaded down her cheeks like a trail of shimmering pearls.
"Shut up!" A naked man who was curled up nearby shouted furiously, his face twisted as both of his hands tried to cover his crotch, 'Fuck, I can't hold it in any longer. I need to take a shit!'
The little girl glimpsed at the naked man and was momentarily stunned before wailing even more loudly.
In normal times, someone would rush to console the child. However, at this moment, not a single soul dared to move an inch.
The situation below was extremely chaotic resembling a fish market. Considering the fact that these mere mortals had been living their mundane lives just moments ago and were now abruptly teleported to an unknown place, it was only natural for them to feel scared, confused, frustrated, and also a bit curious. If they weren't, that would indeed be quite peculiar.
"Mortals are truly ants, but these mortals have some use when utilized adequately." The Cosmic Emperor spoke, and boundless might stirred with his voice.
"What did you just say?!" A hot-blooded youth immediately rebuked loudly.
"Hmm, aren't you a lively one." The Cosmic Emperor chuckled as his gaze landed on the noisy youth.
In an instant, the boy's cries turned to dreadful silence, his lifeless body sprawled motionless on the cold floor, a ghastly wound on his forehead gushing fresh crimson.
Blood sprayed into the air as the heads of mortals started to burst open. They were all people who had protested against the Cosmic Emperor, as well as those who screamed or went wild. Those who caused the slightest fuss had their heads blown. Suddenly, the palace became a scene of gruesome bloodshed.
More than half of the people present here had perished, leaving the heavenly palace filled with headless corpses. Now, no one dared to scream. Like primitive apes facing a formidable predator, everyone just watched the Emperor with unprecedented terror.
"Today is the luckiest day of your pitiful lives, so rejoice," the Cosmic Emperor spoke with a cold and callous smile; "It happens to be my great-granddaughter's 6th birthday, and she has generously decided to bestow upon you mortals from the mortal plane an opportunity to break free from your mundane confines, isn't that great."
"But this is merely an opportunity; whether you can succeed or not solely relies on your resolution, intellect, and strength. If you wish to attain something, it is only natural to pay a price. Isn't that right?" Saying this, the Cosmic Emperor snapped his fingers.
Zzz...
In front of everyone's eyes, a mysterious small window materialized, radiating an eerie blue light.
•••
[The system trial has arrived!]
Clear Conditions: Survive the given time limit, there can only be ten inheritors remaining at the end of the trial. The inability to follow the rules will lead to failure.
Time Limit: 45 minutes
Rewards: ???
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Failure: Death.
•••
The Cosmic Emperor smiled faintly and spoke leisurely as his body turned transparent, slowly vanishing into the void. "Then, good luck to everyone, and do remember to put on an entertaining show."
Deathly silence gripped the palace before it erupted into pure chaos.
After the Cosmic Emperor disappeared, people reacted differently. Some attempted to flee the palace, while others frantically used their cell phones to call the police.
But their efforts were futile, nothing they did seemed to have mattered at this moment.
Out of nowhere, a mechanical voice resounded in everyone's minds simultaneously.
[The trial begins in ten, nine, eight... two, one]
[Beep! The trial has begun!]
In an instant, the text on everyone's light screen underwent a rapid change.
[Trial ends in 44 minutes, 59 seconds]
[Please enter the name of the weapon of your choice, _______ (Note: explosives, guns, military vehicles, and weapons of mass destruction are prohibited)]
"What the hell is happening!? Someone, please save me!"
"Shit, the trial has begun! Which weapon do I choose? Uhh, why can't we choose guns?! Goddamn it!"
"I choose the sword! It's the best weapon for me. I've played countless fantasy games with it before, and not to mention swords are cool as fuck!"
While everyone was busy picking a weapon, a nineteen-year-old youth dressed in a black hoodie quietly made his way towards the center of the crowd.
Samuel had snow-white skin that complimented his sharp facial features. His deep blue eyes looked like two marbles made of ice, which were shrouded in a thin layer of coldness.
Samuel quickly moved towards what seemed to be the most secure spot within the trial— the center of the crowd. Here, he would not only have some meat shield forming a layer of defense around him but could also take his time to observe the situation carefully.
'The trial has commenced, but as of now, there are no changes.' Samuel silently thought to himself.
Most of the individuals here had armed themselves with swords, katanas, sabers, spears, sledgehammers, and steel rods. However, Samuel had completely disregarded urgency and haste; instead, he patiently waited for the right moment, cautiously examining the area.
Time quietly slipped by, the seconds turning into minutes as the atmosphere in the palace remained tense and uncertain.
[Trial ends in 39 minutes, 44 seconds]
Five minutes had passed without any mishaps, and there were no indications of any abnormalities. The atmosphere remained calm and serene, but most people were still on guard, tightly gripping their respective weapons. Only a few brave and foolish individuals acted in a carefree manner.
"Good, good, it seems there has been a problem with the organizers who are responsible for this trial. Nice take all the time you need, Hahaha."
"Yeah, it would be fantastic if we could pass this trial without encountering any difficulties."
All kinds of comments could be heard from the crowd, expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts.
Despite the calm atmosphere, Samuel frowned slightly, pondering; 'This is a bit strange. Why haven't there been any irregularities yet? That godly figure's words and actions suggest it can't be this straightforward. I must be missing something crucial. But for now, let's keep waiting.'
By now, everyone except for Samuel had already chosen their weapon of choice, making him slightly stand out in the crowd for all the wrong reasons.
Time continued to drift away, without any intention of pausing for anyone.
[Trial ends in 28min 54seconds]
The tense atmosphere from before had now improved significantly. People were casually chatting among themselves, and only a handful remained vigilant. Everything seemed strangely normal.
While others appeared at ease, Samuel's expression grew increasingly dark. His eyelids slightly drooped as he pondered deeply on the current scenario.
Samuel's eyes abruptly lit up as a wild theory surged within his heart. After thinking over it for a dozen seconds, his eyes turned incomparably cold and malicious.
Without any hesitation, he chose the ideal weapon for the job and took a few steps toward the lonely and defenseless little girl standing near him.
Buzz buzz buzz!
Upon hearing a special sound coming from beside her, the girl blinked in surprise.
The sound was like a buzzing, like the revving of a chainsaw. It was full of arrogance, dominance, and wildness.
The little girl had barely managed to look at the source of the sound and her childish face froze in terror at the nightmarish sight.
Samuel unsympathetically raised the chainsaw like a sword and waved it like a sliver axe in the air. The razors rotated violently as they slashed toward the girl's waist.
The razors entered the meat as if it was cutting butter, and as Samuel flicked his wrist, the chopped-up meat flew all over the place along with the fresh crimson blood. The girl's spine was smashed and her intestines were grinded to a pulp.
The little girl's upper half of the body flew into the air, while her lower half remained on the spot.
Thud.
She stared with wide-opened eyes, staring in fright at her lower half, dying in extreme fear and shock.
The chattering of mortals abruptly ceased, and the palace was once again engulfed in deathly silence. All eyes turned towards Samuel, sending shocked, terrified, and angered gazes his way.
Samuel's body was covered in blood, with the girl's flesh still sticking to his clothes. The Chainsaw's two edges were still rotating violently, and with such ferocity, it caused everyone to look away.
[+1 Origin point gained from killing participant #987]
[1 Origin point automatically used to increase weapon-body constitution!]
'As expected.' Samuel lightly glanced at the glowing screen. He then turned his gaze to the furious crowd, his lips curling into a cold and cruel smile.
"Hahaha, let the crimson flower of life bloom, while we dance to the tune of death!" Samuel laughed loudly, then without hesitation, he charged into the herd with a maniacal expression on his face.
Buzz!