Chapter 8: Desolate Trial
As his vision cleared, Noel found himself standing in the center of a long, white corridor. The walls seemed to emit an ethereal glow that filled the space with an almost blinding light. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the bright environment.
"Here we go" Noel thought, taking his first step into the the strange corridor. He could feel the excitement coursing through his veins. He had been waiting for this moment, the beginning of Kaspian's trial.
After a dozen steps, a strange shadow-esque humanoid figure materialized before him, its form hazy and indistinct. A grin spread across Noel's face as he instantly knew this was the start of the trial. From playing the game, he knew that his real body was lying unconscious somewhere, and everything he was experiencing was merely an illusion meant to test his resolve.
Not wasting any time he launched himself towards the figure, a wave of excitement filling his heart.
The figure threw a wild punch at Noel, but he deftly dodged the attack, sidestepping and jabbing his opponent in the stomach. Not giving the shadowy being a chance to recover, he immediately unleashed a flurry of strikes, landing blow after blow until the figure crumbled to the ground and dissipated into nothingness.
"Too easy" Noel scoffed, continuing down the long corridor. He couldn't help but notice that no matter how far he walked, the hallway remained unchanged, making him feel as if he was constantly walking in place. In truth, if he didn't know about the trial beforehand, the whole experience would feel terrifying.
After what felt like half an hour, two more humanoid figures appeared before him, their forms just as indistinct as the one before. Noel's eyes flashed with determination as he prepared for another fight.
"Two against one? Hopefully this won't be as easy" he said, clenching his fists and charging towards them.
As he neared the first figure, he noticed the second one moving to intercept him. Noel quickly dodged its attack and managed to deliver a swift jab to its side. He knew he couldn't maintain the same aggressive pace as before with two opponents, but he refused to let them gain the upper hand.
"Come on, you'll have to do better than that!" Noel taunted, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Despite the figures being emotionless and unable to respond.
He continued to battle the two figures, their movements growing more challenging to predict. Yet, Noel refused to slow down, driven by a thrill to test himself and prove his own talent to the world.
Noel's heart pounded in his chest as he charged forward once more. He swung at the closest figure, but was forced to dodge reflexively when the second figure appeared next to him, its fist aimed directly at his head.
"Nice try" he muttered, shifting backwards and readjusting his stance. Immediately launching his fist again, while avoiding the figure's strike, he managed to land a clean jab against his opponents stomach.
Sweat dripping down his forehead as he kept up the relentless assault. With two opponents, he had to be more cautious, but he refused to let them dictate the pace of the battle.
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As the minutes ticked by, Noel finally managed to land a series of well timed blows, sending both humanoid figures back wherever they came from. Similar to his first opponent they dissipated into wisps of smoke, leaving only an empty corridor behind.
Stretching his legs, Noel continued his journey, soon realizing that despite the intense battles and endless walking, he still didn't feel tired.
"Sigh, mana truly is insane" he whispered to himself, marveling at the supernatural energy coursing through his veins. It’s impossible to put into words the strange feeling controlling his mana gave Noel.
Still, if he had to think of an analogy for his increase in strength it would have been akin to a rhino on a diet of nothing but steroids. Despite him still being so weak, knowing that such a tiny bit of mana control could make such a difference made him excited for when he mastered his control in the future.
As Noel ventured deeper into the seemingly endless corridor, three shadowy humanoid figures materialized before him. This time, one wielded a black shield, its surface shimmering like obsidian. Without hesitation, Noel charged forward, fists raised and ready for combat.
"Three against one? Finally, some fun!" he shouted, feeling the thrill to fight surge within him.
Some might have called his actions reckless, but Noel knew Kaspian's trial was designed to test not just physical prowess, but also courage and determination. It wasn't about flawless technique or unwavering discipline, it was about simply seeing who was willing to fight.
"Let's see what you've got!" Noel yelled as he lunged at the trio, his blue eyes blazing with unyielding resolve.
The battle had only just begun, and he knew there would be even greater challenges ahead. But one thing was certain, this was just the start.
The fierce gleam in Noel's eyes intensified as he hurtled toward the three shadowy figures, their outlines rippling like a mirage.
Kaspian’s trial was never designed to test the challenger's current strength, in truth Kaspian simply wanted to find a descendant who loved fighting just as much as himself. You see despite the fame and fortune gained through his 8 star status, Kaspian had one nickname that stuck out amongst all others throughout his life.
Kaspian The Brute
Sometimes even referred to as ‘Idiot Brute’ In his time, Kaspian was known for charging headlong into enemy lines without a moment's hesitation, and luckily this trial and mindset seemed tailor-made for someone like Noel, who relished the thrill of battle.
"Come on!" Noel muttered under his breath, a wild grin splitting his face as he closed the distance between him and his foes.
GRRR
As he approached one of the shadowy figures growled towards him, giving him a shock. Clearly, these new opponents weren't as brainless as their predecessors.
After taking a second to calm down from the surprise, Noel lunged at the nearest figure, his fist connecting with a satisfying thud. But as he pulled back, a second opponent seized the opportunity to strike, forcing Noel to twist away awkwardly and deflect the blow with an upraised arm.
Despite successfully avoiding a direct hit, the raw strength behind the punch caused enough momentum to send him sliding back a few feet. He could feel his arm numbing on his side, struggling to get back into position.
“Such terrifying power..” Noel mumbled, his eyes glaring at the shadowy figures before him. Yet despite this display of power, Noel could feel his body bubbling over with excitement.
‘Finally a challenge’ he thought, before launching forward once more.
20 minutes later, as the last shadowy figure dissipated into nothingness, Noel stood panting, his body burning with pain, as sweat poured off of him. But despite the pain, a triumphant smile spread across his face as he watched a bright corridor light wash over him like a tidal wave, consuming everything in its path. As he felt the loss of his consciousness once more.