CHAPTER 9

“Hmm that was interesting…”

I said as I walked out of the seventh floor’s gate and into the eighth.

“So was that supposed to make me feel sad or something?” I said

“You seem unimpressed?” said the Overseer

“Well to be honest I already made peace with those things…and bringing back the past serves nothing to shake my will” I replied while shrugging.

“Very well” said the voice “Then you are to proceed to the next floor? Right?”

“Yes.” I said

Well honestly speaking I did feel a bit annoyed that he brought up the incident of my childhood.

But like I said I already made peace with that.

I walked into the next gate while a blinding light washed over me to find myself at a place where nothing but grass and an open field where it stretches to far beyond what my eye could see. And I can see far…

There was a light beam a few kilometers away from where I stood.

And when I looked behind me…there was a ray of ultimate death and destruction that was eating at the ground and headed directly toward me…

“Well…Morfii Drakh!”

I changed to the dragon aspect and flew like a bullet toward the pillar. Reaching it I found out that it was a gateway toward the crucible. I released the form and entered

“Hoo, you cleared it faster than any have…hmm, the art of the aspects I see…good, are you ready for the next floor challenger?” said the overseer

“Like I said before, I am always ready.” I answered surprised that he had knowledge over the art but he is an Overseer and this should be within his knowledge.

“You are strong challenger. These tests might not be enough…but I cannot change them just for you. However the top is still far. And if you think that your power is enough to clear it…you might be surprised” he said

“I know. I was told that the crucible tests the best and worst of a person. If it is just fights then I am more than able to handle myself…except if there is a primordial dragon at the last floor then I won’t be so certain of my victory” I snorted at my last statement.

“Oh, no worry not. The crucible is indeed cruel but not that cruel it won’t be challenging if I throw you into the jaws of a primordial being. However, it seems that you know of them, you, having the body of a dragon could only mean one thing. At least one of them had passed away…”

“Yes. One of them did. So next challenge please”

“As you wish.” He said and another doorway opened.

I was in a swamp, it was night time and it was stinky.

I expanded my senses and noticed a few monsters here and there most were hiding under the murky ponds. I released my presence and they all squirmed away with the exception of a few that remained unmoving. Either they are strong enough to sustain the weight of my presence or they are too scared to try and move.

I walked through the murky lands and straight toward the portal.

I began to feel hunger, but I don’t think that these guys will taste any good. I don’t know what they are anyway I can only sense their shapes, and most of them were deep under the water. So I gave up on trying to eat any of them.

I kept on walking for a long period until I left unchallenged and unperturbed…quite anticlimactic considering that this was supposed to be hard…

“Challenger…with your current strength, none of the first floors will prove to be challenging…do you wish me to get you directly to higher floors?”

“Isn’t this a bit biased? I mean everyone is supposed to clear the floors one by one, or do you just want to get rid of me by throwing me into something that should be impossible…” I said

“No, you can continue at your leisure if you wish. But I think that with your current strength you will only begin to feel true challenge at the final rounds of the crucible…Monsters and the like fear you. Only the humans that are stuck at higher floors will be foolish enough to test themselves against you…”

I then said

“So, hypothetically speaking, at what floor will I find true challenge?”

“If I calculate it correctly with your body and ‘maximum potential’…None! However the crucible does not challenge a person solely based on their power…you will find harder challenges the higher you go so what say you? Do you want me to get you to a floor that will test your mettle or do you still wish to continue forward without disturbance?”

Hmm…I wonder what he meant with maximum potential…and am I truly strong enough to clear it…it seems far-fetched considering that Even Drakhsis feared my inability to complete it…and I probably don’t want to miss something on the floors here that might probably help me later on…

“No! I will continue forward.” I said

“Very well, proceed challenger” said the voice and another portal opened.

I walked in and found it to be in a mountainous area that was filled with monsters.

And at the top of one of the mountains was the same pillar.

I released my presence and began to climb…

***

It was night. With only the moon shining upon the valley that I was currently in.

The stones of this valley were darkened, with the occasional howling of some beasts I took shelter inside a small opening of one of the walls.

I used my mana to force the wall to close only leaving a small crack to let the air pass through. And slept for the night.

I was unable to find my way through the valley. The pillar of light was shining far from where I stood but if I tried to use one of my spirits to try and climb to the top then go directly toward the light I was certain that I will meet one of the monsters above.

So I waited for day to come.

Once it was morning I summoned four wolves and sent them to look for the safest and surer path.

Three had died only few minutes of me sending them while one still kept on running.

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He however was destroyed few moments after that.

“So vexing…” I said to myself.

I moved toward the path where the wolf that survived the longest did and rested there once again.

I have been doing this for days. Only moving at a slow and steady pace once at a time. If I could avoid the monsters then it is good…but I am finding that food becomes scarcer…

As if my whishes were granted I saw a small goat like creature looking at me from above. I began to channel a heaven piercing javelin because I don’t want my lunch to escape

But as if it was there just to tease me a huge lion like beast jumped at it. Crushing it with his paws.

The lion had a horn on its head and had purple fur with a white mane.

It began to tear at the now dead goat and munch on it.

My Javelin was already conjured but I knew that if I missed I will die.

I threw the javelin at the lion’s hide only to have it shatter the moment it made contact.

This only served to give away my position and make the beast more furious…the drool and blood on his mouth only served to make me feel stupider at the decision I had made.

The lion roared and jumped toward me.

I dashed to the side while he crashed on the position I was at, making even the earth below him crack under the pressure and his weight.

The lion now looking down on me was huge. Almost three meters tall.

It began to growl and approach menacingly then it lunged.

I casted a small ice wall that was shattered in an instant and received the blow of the beast to my side… I think my right hand is now broken.

The attack sent me reeling until I crashed into a wall.

The beast then approached thinking that it had killed me and began to sniff at me.

It rolled me over and I winced from pain once he placed its palm on me.

It opened its mouth and I instantly placed my left hand inside its gaping mouth and shot an ice shard.

The beast began to screech from pain and retreated backwards trying to cough out the shard.

As I still had connection to it I willed it to shatter. And once it did. The lion stopped moving and dropped to the floor.

I stood up and began to walk toward it. Not feeling too sure I conjured another javelin and pierced his eye with it. Just to make sure it truly did die.

I began healing my right hand and slowly although painfully the bone began to recover.

Thankfully I was too excited and my heart was pumping so fast I didn’t get knocked out or shocked from the pain.

At least now I have something to eat…

***

Floor twenty two cleared…nothing really it was just a bunch of monsters although I got to fight in a war…it was too bad it ended so abruptly, I shouldn’t have killed the commander that fast…but the most interesting thing was that there were a few persons on this floor.

They all looked…defeated

Laying on the ground waiting for salvation…

“Huh” said one of them men. “We have a tough guy here guys look” and he pointed at me.

“Huhahahaha! Kid” he said. “If you think that wearing a mask and those fancy clothes is going to make you look scarier then you are mistaken. Where are your companions? I hope that it was not just you that made it here…we need to help each other If you want to survive” said the man who by the way was wearing nothing but tattered cloths and had a broken sword by his side.

The man was average. Not too tall and not too short just average he had an untrimmed hair and even more his face was filed with scares.

I ignored the man and proceeded forward toward the next gate.

The man feeling ignored almost popped a vein in his forehead and grabbed me by the shoulder.

“I said, we need to help each other…and looking at you it seems that you have a fancy sword. You see mine is broken so how about you ‘help’ me with your blade and I could consider this matter resolved.” Threateningly said the man

I turned to look at him and slowly reached out to his hand. I pressed on it so hard that first he winced from pain then I crushed it. Making him scream and screech from pain.

“You bastard!” cried the man while holding his now useless hand and backing away

And once he did that, the rest of them stood up. They looked like the type that want to vent their frustration at not being able to clear the crucible on the new guy.

I took a look at them all and released my presence. I want to see what effect it will have on humans.

And boy was I impressed

The men all froze. None even dared to move a muscle and the one in front of me began to wet himself

Seems rather effective…

I then continued forward. But right before I could reach the gate I looked up at the flying figure and said.

“How come there are people here?” I said

“They are losers that didn’t want to continue the climb. This is normal. Many would fall and prefer to stay on the safe zones but they will all go through that gate now or later. None can survive the hunger…”

“Hmm…I have nothing to do here. Next challenge please!” I said

“Proceed.” He said

And the gateway shone even more welcoming me.

Utter and complete shock was apparent on the faces of the men left behind. I don’t know why though was it due to my presence that scared them? Or was it something else?

I walked into the gate and into another floor.

I spent about one day in this crucible and I am already at the twenty third floor.

It seems that I would have spent much longer if I had to fight my way through all of those monsters but they were too busy trying not to do so…

Ughh this is boring…

I walked into a cave area. It was dark but not for me. As I was in equilibrium I changed my left eye into that of a dragon and kept moving forward.

Nothing too dangerous just few over grown rats and bat caves. But nothing too challenging…I am seriously thinking about accepting the overseer’s offer to go directly to higher floor…but I don’t want to miss anything of importance…

Anyway I kept on walking feeling the air flow into the cave lead me straight into the exit.

“…”

The overseer seemed to be quiet this time.

The gate opened and I walked into it…

I have been doing this for a long time nothing too impressive nothing too serious just mindless walking into different places…when will the challenge truly begins…

Once I was at the twenty fourth floor I met three people. They were fighting.

Two of them were swordsmen while the other was clearly a sword mage. How I knew it was easy

The sword mage had his weapon that was a long sword by the way ignited with flame.

The other two had normal knight armor with no emblems on them just full metal plates and nothing too showy. They had kite shields and broad swords with helmets covering their faces. The other man was wearing hardened leather and fur over him he looked like someone that spent a lot of time in the wild. He looked old a probably in his late forties but still he had a handsome face with green hair and emerald eyes, and was clearly not interested in the fight. He was just parrying the attack of the two offenders with minimum movements.

“Next floor I said” but was not answered… something is not right.

The sword mage then took notice of me and instantly made a series of movement that cut the Achilles-heel of the first soldier making him drop and instantly cut away at the other man’s sword holding hand.

They were both done for. But the man didn’t finish them off, he left them there and got closer to me.

“Young man.” said the sword mage.

I looked at him and said

“What is it?”

“You are strong. Very strong I can see it…what are you doing in this place someone of your strength should not risk their life into a place like this…”

“I can say the same to you.” I said “A Verda-tribe member should not be here. I thought you are all dead”

“What do you mean dead?” he said with an inquisition look

 “You should know this yourself old man. The Verda clan almost went extinct sixteen years ago. They were all met with an unfortunate incident…”

“No! Roared the man you must be lying!” he said

“I am not. And I have no reason to do so.” I said

The man dropped to his knee

“It can’t be…My family…” he said “My tribe…all dead…” he began to cry

“They were the only reason I remained sane inside this damn place…for thirty years I struggled for the crucible to open once again so that I could leave…”

I then asked

“What do you mean? Old man”

“I was young…and foolish. I tried to beat the crucible to bring glory to our clan…but I gave up and the crucible closed down… I was stuck inside for thirty years…”

“Hmm…so you got another chance. Good, there is one girl however that managed to survive. If you want to meet her you will be needing to finish the climb. Only one floor remains, old man” I said to him as I felt true sadness coming from within him

“One of my tribe still lives?!” he said like all the hope in the world was thrown back into him.

“Yes, and she is strong. She is back at Astarte. She is attending the Mächtige cling”

“Thank you young man. For that you had brought me joy with these few words.” Said the old man and rose back up.

“But do you have an idea of what is the next challenge?” I asked

“Yes I do.” He said and then turned away. He went toward the two fallen men and gave them sweet merciful release.

“Challengers. You had cleared the first part of the crucible.” Said the overseer. “Do you wish to proceed? Or leave content with your achievement?”  These words however were directed only to the old man.

Ah so it was like that…only two could leave. Hmm…

The gateway to Quietus opened and another one opened for the next floor.

The old man then looked at me and said

“I wish to leave”

A golden box appeared in the middle of the platform and the overseer said

“Claim your reward. And be gone!” said the overseer with a bit of contempt.

The old man grabbed the box without even opening it and looked at me saying

“Are you not coming young man?”

“No, I still have a long way before I leave.” I said almost hoping that the Overseer would let me exit but fully knowing that he will not.

“Why do you want to risk your life?! The exit is right over here”. Said the old man.

“I have my reasons…good luck old man” I said and turned away.

“What is your name young man!” he said

I didn’t feel like answering so I ignored the man and walked through the gate to the next floor.