In Varian's opinion, the Sixth Trial "Nest of Regrets" was the most difficult trial for his team alongside the ninth trial.
"Please stay cool-headed," Varian said.
"You shouldn't be the one saying that," Sarah rolled her eyes at him. Sia nodded vehemently.
"…" Varian didn't really want to argue this point.
Even though he did remain cool most of the time, his rare outbursts would always end up bringing big problems.
"Anyway, even though the world seems real, it's only a construct. Reality is waiting for us," Varian said and the three were pulled into individual worlds.
— — —
"Var, why are you zoned out? Var?" Feeling the familiar voice ringing in his ears, Varian's mind froze.
Standing in front of him was his deceased mother and he was in the room of his old home.
In front of him was a chocolate cake. And standing beside him was a younger Sia.
Varian understood it was that fateful night.
Soon, the wolf would break in. To protect him, Enigma would wake up and in the process of killing the wolf, she'd kill his mother too.
Varian looked at his mother's worried face and the corner of his eyes grew red. "If this is a second chance…"
"Var? What happened?" Amanda frowned and approached her son with hurried steps. "A-Are you worried about your college? Don't worry, we'll figure something out. After going to the dungeon and awakening, just focus on your training and leave these worries to me."
"I…" Varian looked into his mother's eyes and froze.
There was only saw worry and love.
'I wish I spent more time with her…'
He then turned to Sia. She was looking at him with the same worry. In fact, she was clenching her fists at her side and biting her lip.
The Sia now didn't have to go through that unbearable pain. She didn't have that indifferent aura. Her eyes were still pure and not filled with a painful past.
"Did you fall sick?" Amanda put her on his forehead and shook her head. "Your temperature is fine, Var, is anything bothering you? You can always tell me!"
Before Varian could answer, Sia grabbed his arm and said in an anxious voice. "D-Don't worry, I won't go to a far-off college. I'll wait for a year, let's go to college together."
Just a few minutes ago, Amanda revealed that she saved up enough to send Varian to the Dungeon.
Sia thought Varian was worried that he was awakening late and would be separated from her. Since that's the case, she decided to take a break year on the spot.
Varian was overwhelmed by their care. But he quickly calmed himself and grabbed his mother's and Sia's arm. "Trust me once, we need to go!"
Pulling the two along, he ran out of his room and sprinted out of his house.
Sia was fine but Amanda was scared by his sudden actions. "Var, it's okay! It's okay! What's happening? Let's sit and talk!"
"A monster is—"
BOOM!
The fire wolf smashed on the road as it slipped out of a vehicle smuggling dungeon beasts.
It shook its body and growled at the three humans standing in front of it.
Varian pulled his mother behind him and said to Sia. "Enigma! Come out!"
"Woof!" The wolf rubbed its paws on the ground and dashed to them at full speed.
"Var, run! I'll block it!" Amanda channeled her power and ran forward.
"No," Varian raised his palm like a knife and hit the back of his mother's neck. She fainted at the unexpected attack and Varian gently but quickly put her down.
"Varian?!" Sia was struck between Varian's action and the incoming wolf. The situation was so urgent and so dangerous that she even neglected him saying something about Enigma just now.
"Enigma, please wake up!"
As the wolf approached closer and closer, Varian grabbed Sia's shoulders and looked into her eyes, his gaze going through Sia and reaching the woman in eternal darkness.
The wolf jumped for one last time and reached them in a flash.
"Go! I'll hold it back!" Sia unsheathed a small dagger and yelled with a quivering back.
"I'll stop it until you wake up!" Varian gave up asking Enigma and ran forward. He grabbed the danger from the unsuspecting Enigma and jumped.
The beast laughed at his arrogance and its body lit up with flames. Opening its jaw wide, the wolf was prepared to rip him in half.
"Varian!!!"
Varian jumped up and the wolf was falling down. The distance between the two was decreasing rapidly and the wolf's giant mouth was about to bite him into pieces.
Sia's brown hair turned silver and her golden eyes turned purple. Her body grew and a new path activated in her body.
Even then, she was still a moment late.
BOOM!
Right before clashing with the wolf, Varian twisted his body mid air to the left and shifted the dagger to his right hand.
His body, which was about to clash directly with the wolf was now going to jump right beside the flaming wolf except for his right arm which was going straight into the wolf's mouth.
The change happened in a flash and Varian thrust the dagger up with all his might.
Varian felt sharp teeth sinking into his right shoulder and warm blood gushing out. Before he could even react to the pain, a terrifying force ripped his entire his right arm out.
"Arghhhh!"
At the same time, the flames lit up on the fire wolf's body and swallowed Varian. His skin twisted, burned, and melted and a searing pain spread across his body.
Varian lost the ability to even yell as he felt his throat burn.
Boom!
He crashed onto the ground and rolled over like a trash can before hitting a wall and stopping.
Yet, despite all the pain, he didn't faint. If he fainted now, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.
'Even if this is not the real world, I don't want it to happen,' Varian got back onto his feet.
