NOVEL WEB Chapter 475: The Third Trial
"Keep going! It's working!" the flaming bird encouraged.
The portal slowly expanded, growing wider until it was large enough for a single person to pass through.
"Now step through before it closes!"
Reign allowed his divine energy to flow into the portal first and confirmed it was safe before passing through.
As the portal closed, the flaming bird found itself alone in the sky, surrounded by nothing but the clouds and the distant glow of the sun.
It felt as if the world had grown dull and tedious, its charm fading every time it remembers Reign's words.
Deep inside, a tiny spark of hope emerged, wishing that Reign would really accomplish his mission, and give it freedom.
After a while, the flaming bird's body began to grow larger again. This world was connected to it, allowing for rapid regeneration as long as it wasn't completely extinguished.
In no time, it returned to its full power,
Before it could even catch a break after regaining its full power, a teleportation sound echoed from another platform, indicating that another challenger had successfully completed the first trial.
The flaming bird turned around to see who it was, freezing in place as it sensed the energy radiating from the newcomer.
'Too powerful '
The figure before the divine beast had an overwhelming amount of energy, causing the platform to shake and struggle under the immense pressure.
"Stop wasting my time and just tell me how to pass this stupid trial!" The new comer sneered in contempt , acting as if this whole thing was nothing but a bother.
The figure had six arms and four eyes open, with one eye closed at the top middle. Its skin was a deep crimson shade.
If Reign was present, he would be ecstatic to met this being, as it was the same Demon King who had nearly killed him back in Brentwood-- Vinsh.
'Who is this person ?'
The flaming bird paused, contemplating which of the two was more powerful. It quickly realized that Vinsh's aura was far more intimidating.
Maybe it was because Reign's second body leaned more toward divine energy, while the later exuded chaotic energy that felt more volatile and threatening.
But one thing was certain: if those two ever crossed paths, something huge would happen.
"Hey, aren't you going to give me the test? Or do you want me to beat you up like I did to that serpent?" the demon king warned.
Once again, he found himself in this region through forced teleportation, and he despised being treated like a lackey by other demon kings.
Initially, he had protested against it, but after receiving orders from a Demon God, he swallowed his pride.
The flaming bird didn't appreciate Vinsh's attitude. His words made the divine creature think Reign was much better, raising its opinion of him even more.
"You just have to endure my attack!" It screeched, unleashing a powerful burst of flame that was far stronger than usual.
"That's too easy," he sneered, a self-satisfied smirk forming as his fifth eye opened.
A surge of negative and chaotic energy erupted from him, forming a dense black dome that easily withstood the flames Continue your journey with empire
Undeterred, the divine beast continued to pour on more power, and for a brief moment, it felt like the sun and darkness were locked in battle for dominance.
The air trembled, and the other platforms began to float away, unable to withstand the sheer intensity of their clash.
However —
In the end, the flaming bird exhausted most of its power and realized it couldn't defeat him.
"You pass the test," it said, conceding defeat.
"That's given, but to find a demon of your caliber keeping watch here is more interesting than I expected," Vinsh remarked, thinking the bird was a demon as well.
The flaming bird did not correct him and, just like Reign, opened a portal to the next trial.
This time, the portal turned dark, reflecting the negative energy the demon king had supplied.
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In the third trial, Reign found himself in a disorienting maze.
Rather than being surrounded by tall grass walls, he faced a dark landscape of towering obsidian rock.
He gave flying a shot, but it ended in failure. Next, he tried to destroy the walls, but his attack was just absorbed.
In the end, he decided to just walk.
As he roamed the area, he noticed several stone tablets covered in writing that would confuse most people.
In their eyes, the text would be nothing more but a series of incomprehensible symbols and marks.
But he had no trouble reading them.
The text shared various stories about heaven, earth, and hell. Each tablet also had a symbol that stood out to him.
He noted them mentally, recalling that Lilith had chosen him for his ability for deciphering such writing, making these insights potentially valuable later.
Reign also checked the content of the tablets which resembled biblical texts, drawing parallels to stories from his old world.
But he wasn't shocked by this.
It was not surprising that various cultures and worlds develop similar myths and narratives.
These stories often address universal human experiences, fears, and aspirations, such as good versus evil, creation, sacrifice.
For example, many cultures share myths about a great flood, a savior figure, or the struggle between light and darkness.
These recurring themes can arise more frequently, and it has been proven and tested that different religions, cultures, and beliefs share similarities in various ways despite them not being related.
Once he finished examining the tablet, he moved ahead. With limited clues about the maze, spending more time on it felt like a waste.
It made more sense for him to keep walking and investigate.
Hours passed with no sign of anyone else. He wondered if others had already completed the test, but quickly dismissed the thought.
With his extremely high IQ, it was unlikely anyone could finish before him.
In addition, solving this maze required more than just intelligence; it demanded intuition and a lot of luck.
Just as he prepared to take another step, a loud crash echoed through the walls.
'What's that noise?'