Earlier before entering the safe zone, Serena was humming to herself with a smile. She noticed that she was now in first place with 1700 points. For some reason, the person with the overwhelming advantage stopped gaining points, allowing her to get past.

"Maybe they've gotten stuck somewhere. Too bad for them." Serena looked around and found a golden door with the words, safe zone, on it. Her green eyes shone, and she sprinted ahead with her light feet. "A safe zone! I can't wait to get on a nice bed and take a good bath."

Every door so far was full of grueling and tiresome trials like the harsh beating of a stick, making the safe zones a place like a sweet carrot for the examinees at the height of their exhaustion. Serena swung the golden doors wide open and stepped in, closing her eyes to immerse in the cool and refreshing air. The sounds of the nice artificial breeze and the water flowing down the creek rejuvenated her.

Her skin glowed with a wide smile, and she stretched out fully to release the tension. However, once she was done, Serena couldn't believe someone was already in the meadow, staring at her. A flush of embarrassment filled her face.

This person was staring at her without reservation. Serena recognized the boy with an average face, black hair, and black eyes. It was the man who was chatting with Mary Jones earlier.

"You!"

Serena shouted while covering her chest with a flush. She knew her stretching must have emphasized her chest for this man to see without reservation. She cursed the Pavilion for making these safe zones shareable and not even informing them of that fact.

If she had known, she wouldn't have put on such a shameless display for others to see, and she felt some anger toward Oscar. Her indignations about Oscar's supposed leering were completely wrong, but she had already pegged the crime on him.

Her eyes stared daggers into the man with an aggrieved face.

Oscar stood up and asked, "Want to fight?"

"Did you get a good look?" Serena had veins across her forehead as she clenched her one-handed axe. She knew well about her beauty and that it attracted many stares, but it never made her comfortable. She was ready to beat Oscar down as a lesson.

"Good look at what?" Oscar looked confused but then realized what Serena was thinking. He sighed and said, "I was more cautious of a fight happening in this supposed safe zone rather than your physical features. Don't label me as some unruly pervert. I'm not interested in you."

"Not interested?" Serena had a crack in her expression; one of her eyebrows trembled. She took another long look at Oscar and found that Oscar truly had no ulterior motive or perverted notions due to his serious face and straightforward eyes. However, she felt her pride was damaged.

Was he not the slightest bit affected by her beauty? She began to think that perhaps she was in some weary look.

It wasn't due to any shortcomings of her own. Oscar grew up with Isabella and was used to seeing Emily and Celestina, all incredibly beautiful women, so the usual effect of a woman's beauty did influence him.

Serena was about to say more but was interrupted by the loud sound of a bell. Oscar and Serena looked down to find that a circle had formed under their feet. It was the teleportation formation, but it was not rippling with Ein to start the teleportation.

"Two people have met in the safe zone."

Oscar looked up and saw another elder of the Pavilion floating in the air.

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The elder looked from Serena to Oscar with a smile and said, "A safe zone is a place for rest, but when two students meet, an exception can occur. That is what I am here for."

"Exception?" Oscar asked. It was as he had suspected earlier. There was no way the Pavilion wouldn't miss a chance at adding some form of conflict or surprise in the safe zone.

The elder nodded and snapped his fingers, lighting up the circles under Oscar and Serena's feet. "If two or more students happen upon the safe zone, they can enter a special trial. But only if they agree to do so. It is a special opportunity for the two of you."

Serena pondered for a moment before staring at Oscar. This man was an acquaintance of Mary and didn't seem strong, so if they were to compete, then she would win. "I agree to go to the special trial."

Oscar, however, was hesitant and asked, "What is the trial? And what are the rewards?"

The elder shook his head and said, "You can only know if you agree to go. Examinee #2 has agreed to undertake the trial. If you say yes, the trials will begin; if not, the two of you can stay idle in the safe zone."

Oscar closed his eyes and crossed his arms in thought.

"Well? Are you afraid?" Serena smirked. "I would like this chance to get more points, so don't ruin this for me." She goaded Oscar to get him to agree; she didn't want to miss this chance to get more points and win against someone.

"I suppose you're right." Oscar cracked his knuckles and neck. "I wanted to rest after a long day, but if there's a gift on my table, I shouldn't be too shy to unwrap it."

"Examinee #9 has agreed to enter the special trial." The elder smiled, and the teleportation formations began to swirl with bright Ein.

Serena was delighted by Oscar's consent; she had him fall hook, line, and slinker, but after she listened to the elder's words, she was astonished and shouted, "You're the one in second place?" Her eyes darted toward Oscar's chest and could make out the badge with the number 9 on it.

At the moment, she had no idea about Oscar's Grade Four Exolsia and thought that with his points, he had to be someone of a high grade. If she knew, then her shock would have been greater.

Oscar smiled and nodded. "Yup. I'm surprised you're the one who overtook me on the rankings. Well, then, best regards, may the stronger one win."

Serena's red hair fluttered in the air from the bursts of wind that blew upward from the teleportation formation. She scoffed confidently and declared, "That winner will be me. You may be the former first place, but you will lose; don't feel too bad."

"Likewise, don't feel too bad when I win," Oscar responded. Internally, he was slightly wary because Serena was currently in first place, meaning she had prowess and wasn't an easy opponent.

The teleportation formations flashed with pillars of light, engulfing the two, and the two disappeared from the safe zone. The elder chuckled and smacked his knee in the throes of laughter. He wiped the tears from his eyes and said, "They're in for one hell of a shock when they arrive at the special trial."

…….

Oscar felt slightly nauseous from the teleportation, despite preparing himself for it since the formation wasn't instantly activated this time. He was getting better adjusted to it; several more times, and Oscar believed he'd be used to it.

Next to him, Serena was coughing and breathing slowly to calm herself down. However, she remembered what was happening and quickly took a stance against Oscar. Her blue one-handed axe shone with Ein as her eyes darted around their location.

Oscar was also observing the place. They were in some underground cavern with crystals embedded in the cavern walls that illuminated the tunnels. "This place is weird. I can't believe this is all in the Spire of Ascension."

The Spire of Ascension was vast and tall, created by the efforts of many powerful elders and past Pavilion Masters. Many rooms could be adjusted and changed for the different types of exams. One of the best features was the creation of certain environments in the rooms.

The safe zone was a meadow. The illusion trap trial was in a real mini-forest. It was not out of the question for there to be a cavern.

"So, do we fight here?" Serena kept up her hostile stance, treading carefully and maintaining a certain distance from Oscar. The reveal of Oscar as examinee #9 made him a very real threat to her, and she stopped looking down on him.

Suddenly, the ground cracked, and a large stone tablet appeared.

"Welcome to the Great Caverns Trial of the exam. This is a special trial created for those who meet in the safe zone. The students have agreed to come here, and now the details shall be revealed."

The stone tablet grew upward, revealing more words that were hidden in the ground.

"Find the exit of this cavern. The trial is completed when everyone gets through the exit."

Oscar's eyes narrowed. "Everyone? Meaning we both have to get to the end?"

Serena was also puzzled.

The stone tablet extended up again.

"This trial is a team trial. The students must fight as a team, work together, and make sure to protect each other. The reward is 8000 points for each student."

Oscar and Serena didn't focus on the rewards but were fixed on a single word.

"Team?"