"You want to keep me in this illusion by using those who made me the warrior I am today? That will not hold me!" Minos said as he pierced the body of the false God of Death with his golden wings.
Unleashing a power greater than level 100, the imaginary being in front of him slowly disappeared, while Minos felt like a key had been turned in his mind.
After killing that illusory enemy, he felt as if a chain restricting him had suddenly disappeared while his movements and powers became stronger.
He flapped his wings and flew towards Henricus Longus, this time forming the Divine Sword, feeling that he could use more of his powers after killing the false God of Death.
"This disrespect will end soon!" Minos dodged his opponent's attack attempts, who was using Time to try to prevent him from reaching it.
But Minos also had some control over Time and wasn't completely limited by the ability of the false Henricus Longus.
He used his Godslayer sword and attacked the enemy, using the third and strongest move created by this fusion of the techniques of the real Henricus Longus.
The enemy tried to dodge the attacks, but it was useless. The more he dodged, the more blades would chase him, and the eventual moment of collision would be worse for him.
"Let me show you the true Space and Time Avatar!" Minos controlled the area, causing not only time to pass at a different speed but also the space of this illusion to behave strangely.
The blades chasing the fake Henricus Longus changed their trajectory, surprising this illusion created by the combination of resources Minos absorbed.
While he dealt with his opponents in his own mind, a dark substance began to leave his skin, attracting the attention of the observers of this selection test.
"It looks like he's going to wake up soon." One of the Armhand aliens commented, only 10 minutes into this challenge.
"Impossible! Nobody passes this test in less than 30 minutes!" One of the level 104 men overseeing this selection shouted in disagreement, not believing that Minos would do such a thing.
But another was more reasonable and commented. "The hallucinogenic residue from the potions he drank is already leaving his body. He will succeed in the next few minutes."
"It seems this person's mental strength is stronger than his own body." The chief observer of this selection commented when he saw that Minos was mentally and physically different from everyone else.
This exam tested the mentality and determination of the candidates. It didn't matter if one had a high or low talent or a strong or weak body. If they didn't have strong enough mental solidity, they would not only fail to reach the peak, but they would also be someone who was extremely unreliable.
Being trustworthy wasn't about not planning behind other people's backs but about having the skills and confidence in yourself to do your best and perform in a trustworthy way.
When forming a team, no one would want to be around a negligent, easily manipulated partner with traumas to resolve.
This test allowed someone to recognize and deal with their demons. The deeper the traumas and misgivings one had about oneself, the harder it would be to overcome their opponents in their illusion and the longer they would be tortured.
The faster one could break out of the illusion, the greater their determination, self-confidence, and clarity about who they were.
The greater these qualities, the better their future prospects and the more reliable their ability to overcome challenges.
Minos was the first to show signs of completing the test and would soon succeed in defeating Henricus Longus as the two dragons in his illusion disappeared.
"Now it's up to you..." The real level 100 dragon said to Minos as he went back to watching this young man from inside himself with the remaining fragment he had left in Emperor Stuart.
Standing alone in his illusion in front of the false Fah'um of Dunov, Minos saw the giant scratching his face in confusion, feeling the pain of the mental attack amplified by the telescope.
Now, this false Fah'um of Dunov was much weaker than before, while Minos seemed stronger than ever, feeling his powers reach a level of stability beyond anything he had ever felt.
'It looks like that test did me some good.' He thought as he realized he had internal problems to solve and could improve himself by dealing with them.
"Child, you have come further than I thought." Said the false Fah'um of Dunov. "It looks like I won't be able to take over your body... You were better than I ever imagined." A smile appeared on the giant's face as the red and black lines disappeared from his body.
"Will you disappear?" Minos asked, holding the Divine Sword in one hand and his wings spread wide on his back.
At that moment, he looked like an angel of destruction capable of destroying everything in his path.
"Hmm, thank you, Minos. Not only have you completed an important mission by going through this experience. It is also a liberation for us." He said this while glowing an increasingly white color. "Even though what you faced wasn't really us, rest assured that we felt your victory and evolution. Now, you are ready to surpass all of us completely!"
"Ancestor..." Minos murmured as he saw the smile at the corners of the giant's mouth.
"Reach the pinnacle, Minos! Become the strongest and bring some of Panvuter's ancient glory to your world! If you can become a Supreme, everything will be different!"
With these words, the figure of Fah'um of Dunov exploded like glass, ending the illusion Minos had been in for the last 22 minutes.
In the midst of this, Minos' aura rapidly strengthened while the old binds that had existed on his body disappeared.
His mental and spiritual stability was at its best, while his aura closed the gap between level 94 and level 95.
When Minos opened his eyes after passing the selection test, his cultivation had stabilized at the beginning of level 95!
His breakthrough had come six months earlier than he had expected, which made him smile with satisfaction at this bonus in the midst of the difficult situation he had fallen into.
As he stood up and looked at the horizon, he clenched his fists, feeling different than he had all his life.
'Isabella, just wait. I'll end this war sooner than anyone expects!'
