Just as the group was catching their breath after choosing the door marked "Fire," a shimmering light appeared before them. Out of the glow emerged Auralis, the ethereal, fairy-like guide who had been both a help and a mystery since the beginning of the tutorial. His translucent wings glimmered in the dim light, and his eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint.
"Ah, congratulations! You've chosen the correct door," Auralis said, his voice tinged with a playful yet unsettling tone. He began to count them, his eyes darting from one face to another. "One, two, three... ah, ten of you. How... unfortunate."
Lleyn raised an eyebrow. "Unfortunate?"
Auralis chuckled, a sound that was as enchanting as it was eerie. "Well, you started with hundreds, didn't you? And now you're down to just ten. It's a shame, but that's the nature of this tutorial. The weak will be purged, and only the strong will survive." His words were delivered without a hint of sympathy, making the group uneasy.
"So, why are you here?" Lleyn asked, trying to steer the conversation toward something more constructive.
Auralis grinned wider, showing off an unsettling set of perfectly white teeth. "Oh, I just wanted to check on you, Lleyn. You know you are my favorite, right?~ But anywayyyy, you'll have your hands full. A series challenges now await you, each more dangerous than the last. Don't think for a moment that it's going to get easier from here."
Tara, never one to hold back, chimed in. "What about the others who took the door marked 'Land'? What happens to them?"
Auralis's grin stretched even wider, if that was possible. "Oh, they won't be dying easy deaths, I assure you. Their path is, let's say, less forgiving."
The tension in the room was palpable. Auralis seemed to revel in it, his eyes twinkling like stars in the night sky.
"Any more questions?" he asked, almost daring them to speak.
The group exchanged glances but said nothing. It was clear that Auralis enjoyed keeping them on their toes, both helping and hindering them in ways they couldn't yet understand.
"Very well," Auralis said, preparing to leave. "Good luck. You're going to need it."
And with that, he vanished into a burst of shimmering light, leaving the group to ponder the weight of his words and the trials that lay ahead. They looked at each other, their faces a mix of determination and apprehension. Whatever challenges awaited them, they knew they would face them together. But Auralis's words were a chilling reminder that the path ahead was fraught with peril, and not all of them might make it through.
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As the group delved further into the chamber, it was as if they had entered the bowels of a fiery underworld. The floor was a chaotic mosaic of flames, each flicker and spark contributing to an overwhelming sense of heat and danger. Ahead of them, a towering wall of fire loomed, its flames reaching skyward as if challenging the heavens. It was a formidable obstacle, one that seemed almost impossible to overcome.
Lleyn, their unflappable leader, took a moment to assess the situation. He had guided them through a myriad of trials before, but this was something else entirely. Elena looked to him, her face a blend of trust and apprehension, as if silently asking, "What's the plan?"
"Okay, listen up," Lleyn began, his voice tinged with a calm sense of resolve. "We knew this journey was going to be filled with challenges. But we're here, together. Keep your focus, and rely on each other."
The group nodded, their faces showing a complex mix of determination and concern. With Lleyn at the helm, they cautiously approached the intimidating wall of fire.
The flames seemed almost sentient, their unpredictable movements creating a mesmerizing yet terrifying spectacle. The heat was so intense it made the surrounding air waver, as if reality itself was being distorted.
Elena, ever the curious one, moved closer to the wall. She extended her hand cautiously, feeling the waves of heat emanating from the flames but not daring to touch them. "This is something else," she murmured, almost in awe.
Lyria was already deep in thought, his analytical mind dissecting the situation. "These flames aren't just random bursts; there's a pattern here. We need to figure out how to navigate through it."
As they all focused on the wall, they began to notice what Lyria had seen—a brief pause in the flames, a window of opportunity that lasted only a moment before the fire roared back to life. It was a precarious dance with an elemental force.
Jace, quick to analyze and act, stepped forward. "I think I've got the timing down. Who's willing to take the leap with me?"
Tara, not willing to let him go alone, responded with a nod. "Always, Jace."
Taking a deep breath to steady themselves, Jace and Tara waited for the opportune moment. As the flames momentarily subsided, they lunged through the gap in a coordinated dash, emerging on the other side unscathed. The rest of the group watched with bated breath, a collective sigh of relief washing over them as the duo succeeded.
One by one, the others followed suit. Each person timed their passage with surgical precision, relying on the trust and teamwork that had gotten them this far.
As they regrouped on the other side, a sense of triumph filled the air. They had faced down a seemingly insurmountable obstacle and emerged victorious. Their bodies were unscathed, and their spirits were high.
Lleyn looked at his team, his face breaking into a satisfied grin. "See? What did I tell you? We've got this."
Elena chimed in, her eyes shining with a mixture of relief and excitement. "So, what's next? Another wall of fire, or maybe a river of lava?"
"Whatever comes our way, we'll handle it," Lleyn assured them. "We've come this far, haven't we?"
The group nodded in agreement, their faces reflecting a newfound confidence.
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As the 10 of them delved deeper into the labyrinthine chamber, they were greeted by an awe-inspiring sight. The room was colossal, its dimensions dwarfing any chamber they had previously encountered. Dominating the center was a narrow, rickety bridge that seemed to stretch endlessly, connecting their current position to a distant exit. The sides of the room were shrouded in darkness, giving the impression of a bottomless abyss. From this abyss, pillars of fire would sporadically erupt, soaring skyward before dissipating into embers. Scattered haphazardly across the room were floating platforms, each one appearing more unstable than the last.
Dorian, never one to shy away from a challenge, stepped confidently onto the bridge. His eyes sparkled with a mix of bravado and excitement. "This seems straightforward enough," he proclaimed, his voice echoing through the chamber.
However, just as he took another step, a pillar of fire burst forth from the abyss below, narrowly missing him but sending a wave of intense heat that knocked him off balance. He stumbled backward, almost falling into the abyss but catching himself at the last moment.
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Selene, alarmed, rushed to his side, her eyes wide with concern. "Dorian, are you alright? That was too close for comfort."
Brushing off his clothes and swallowing his pride, Dorian responded, "I'm alright, but phew.. I really almost fell in, didn't I?"
Lleyn, the group's unwavering leader, scrutinized the room with a discerning eye. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations and strategies. He had a strong suspicion about how to navigate this perilous chamber but chose to keep his thoughts to himself, at least for the moment. Turning to Lyria, he inquired, "You've been meditating to sense mana. Can you sense anything unusual in this room?
Lyria closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration. She gripped her staff tightly, trying to attune herself to the magical energies of the room. "I can't really put my finger on it, but I do sense something peculiar. The mana in this chamber seems to be emanating from a specific direction." She extended her arm, pointing toward a far corner of the room.
Following the trajectory of Lyria's pointed finger, Elena squinted her eyes and focused. There, in the distance, she spotted a strange, arcane device. "There's something over there, some sort of mechanism. But it's not on a path we can easily traverse. The floating platforms are too unpredictable for the entire group to risk."
Lleyn nodded, his decision now clear. "I'll take care of it."
The tension in the room was palpable as Lleyn's eyes flickered to his status screen, which only he could see. He quickly scanned through his attributes, his gaze lingering on his agility stats. They had improved remarkably since this Tutorial journey began.
Name: Lleyn
Age: 26
Level: 5
Title: Early Awakening Lv1, Recognised by the Gods Lv1
Health: 440/440
Mana: 330/330
Defense: 7
M. Defense: 7
Exp: 42/400
[Attributes:]
* Strength: 35 +3
* Stamina: 30
* Health: 38
* Agility: 40 +5
* Magic Power: 30
* Dexterity: 30
* Perception: 30
* Luck: 3
Unassigned Points: 15
[Innate Skills:]
* Odin's Judgement (Level 2)
* Lightning Infusion (Level 2) - Channels the potent power of Odin's lightning, allowing its user to infuse objects or even themselves with electrifying energy.
* Clarity (Passive) - Increases the acquisition rate of skill experience by 20%.
* Sword Mastery (Level 2) - Enhances swordsmanship skills, improving precision, fluidity, and reaction time in combat. Allows for advanced techniques and mental clarity. Damage with sword weapons increased by 22.5%
* Ley Line Channeling (Passive) (Level 2) - Constantly channels the power coursing through Ley Lines into the body to increase the power of innate skills by 15% (skills from equipment are not included).
* Magic Circuit Level 1 (Passive) (Level 1): Increased Mana Flow: +10% mana pool. Enhanced Spell Precision: -15% spell failure. Magic Affinity: +10% magical damage. Magic Resistance: -10% magical damage received.
* Chain Lightning Lv1: Targets up to 5 enemies within a 10-meter radius, dealing electrical damage and jumping to the next closest enemy.
[Equipment Skills:]
* Shadow Veil: Activate to become invisible for up to 5 minutes. Cooldown: 20 minutes. Invisibility ends abruptly if the user attacks an enemy.
* Windblast: Allows the user to unleash a focused burst of air with a quick slash of the dagger.
* Gravitational Grasp: By focusing on an object or enemy, the user can increase its gravitational pull, making it heavier and harder to move. As the skill grows, larger objects or multiple targets can be affected simultaneously. When used on enemies, their agility and strength are reduced by 15%.
[Quests:]
1. The Strongest (1)
Objective: Come out as the highest ranking challenger in the first phase of the tutorial.
Rewards: 400 Gold, 20 stat points, and the Skill "Eyes of the Strongest. Lv1"
[Inventory:] Silver Reward Box
Gold: 600
*Recognized by the Gods Lv1: Allows the owner to reset the cooldown of any of their skills once. Cooldown: 12 hours.
*Early Awakening Lv1: The user will receive 5 more stat points from every level up.
Before anyone could voice an objection or offer an alternative plan, Lleyn took a deep, steadying breath and broke into a full sprint. His boots touched the first floating platform just long enough for him to gain the necessary lift, propelling him into the air toward the next precarious landing spot. For a moment, it was as if the chamber itself held its breath, the world blurring around him as he became a fluid arc of motion and controlled power.
Elena watched, her heart in her throat, as Lleyn executed his daring maneuver. She had seen him perform incredible feats in the last few days, but this was something else entirely. Her hands clenched into fists, her knuckles white with tension.
Just as Lleyn approached the midpoint of his aerial trajectory, a pillar of fire roared to life directly in his path. With an agility that defied belief, he twisted his body in mid-air, altering his course just enough to evade the pillar. The flames surged past him, so close he could feel their heat searing the air around him, but not close enough to touch him. His focus was a laser beam, unshakable and precise.
Tara's eyes widened, her breath catching in her chest. She had been ready to leap into action, to do whatever was necessary, but Lleyn's performance left her momentarily stunned. "How is this even a challenge? We would all have died if Lleyn wasn't here.." she whispered, almost as if she couldn't believe it.
Landing with the grace of a cat on a distant platform, Lleyn paused for a moment to catch his breath. His chest rose and fell rapidly, but his composure returned almost instantly. Now standing before the arcane device that had been the source of their troubles, he studied it for a brief second before his fingers danced over its surface, deactivating it with a series of deft movements.
Selene let out a sigh of relief, her eyes meeting Elena's. Both women were awash with a mixture of awe and relief. "He's incredible," Selene murmured.
The moment Lleyn's fingers pressed the final rune, the pillars of fire that had been their tormentors ceased their chaotic dance. An eerie, almost otherworldly silence descended upon the chamber, as if the room itself was acknowledging their hard-won victory. Lleyn exhaled a long, slow breath of relief, his body relaxing for the first time since he had embarked on this daring feat.
With the pillars of fire now dormant and the floating platforms stabilized, Lleyn began his return journey to rejoin his companions. This time, there was no need for acrobatics or death-defying leaps. He jumped along the platforms with a calm, assured gait, each leap a testament to the skill and courage that had brought him.
As he stepped off the final platform, rejoining his team, the room erupted into cheers and relieved laughter. But amidst the celebration, Lleyn locked eyes with Elena. In that moment, they all knew that this was just one trial of many yet to come, and their journey was far from over.
As he rejoined the group, a chorus of cheers and applause erupted. Their faces were a tapestry of relief, awe, and newfound respect.
As they crossed the now-safe bridge, their steps were light, their hearts full. The chamber of scalding pillars had been a formidable test, but it was one they had conquered together. And as they stepped into the next section of the labyrinth, their bonds felt unbreakable, their resolve indomitable.
They knew, deep in their souls, that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them united, as one indomitable team.