The three young geniuses were completely unaware of their ghostly pursuers. The staircase was eerie enough on its own. It didn't need their help to frighten them.
The darkness was lit by twin torches on the narrow walls. When the trio walked between them, they'd flicker with blue flames and reveal that there was far more staircase waiting for them than they ever expected.
It was a much longer descent than it needed to be.
Was it meant to destabilize their minds? If so, it definitely worked.
There was a haunting aura to each and every step. The further down they went, the more they felt like they were walking into the underworld.
The fact that they were together was a huge help. If any one of them had to do it alone, they might not have been able to.
Still, they took it step by step and eventually made it to level ground again.
When they looked up at the path of torches they'd left in their wake, they found that the surface wasn't visible in the slightest.
Even with the light, it was a staircase that led into an abyss.
The place they'd arrived in was a large cavern. There was nothing developed here, which made it look more natural.
Actually, there wasn't anything waiting for them to explore at all.
Instead, it was just a single being.
As their eyes adjusted, they were able to make out its figure in the darkness.
Impaled by over ten extremely thick chains that were pulled taught by their ends that were embedded in the ground and the ceiling was a being with a head like a cow, but a physique more like a giant.
He was over ten feet tall, covered in fur that couldn't hide his bulging muscles, with crimson red eyes and a large bull ring in his nose.
Perhaps his most prominent feature was his horns. They were not too tall or too thick, but they adorned his head like a crown that he clearly took pride in.
They were clean and pristine, completely lacking the dirtiness that the rest of his body seemed to have.
Except for one thing. The dull crimson stains that looked to have existed from long ago, the remnants of the blood that they had once drawn from their foes.
"That…what is that?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Valerie's eyes widened. It was a creature unlike any other she'd seen before, and if it managed to get its hands on the axe stuck in the ground in front of it…
'...it's dangerous.'
"...it's a Minotaur."
Valerie and August spoke at the same time.
Valerie's point was obvious, so August was the one who continued talking.
"It's a Minotaur. My dad told me about them when I was a kid. They're mythological creatures with great strength. For us to find one here…"
"...this is the actual trial we were supposed to find."
"Correct."
August did say that the test wouldn't be judging their minds a second time.
It seemed a bit too obvious for it to be a mere battle, but this was just a game, after all. It wasn't meant to test them too much or be complicated enough to be seen as an actual challenge.
"In the end, our job is simple," August said, a slight grin on his face.
"That thing has an amazing regeneration ability. Do you guys know what that means?"
He looked back, and slowly, Valerie started to match his smile.
For Melania, who was still confused, she voiced it out.
"That guy is free target practice."
For the three of them, who were competing soon in a competition beyond all competitions, training was the most important thing right now.
They had 2 weeks to become the best versions of themselves before they faced the world with their talent.
For a target like this to be provided to them in a friendly setting where they could guarantee their lives…
It was truly a blessing.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})"Guys…what are you doing?"
Melania stayed back because she was still a bit apprehensive about the creature, but August and Valerie immediately approached it without fear.
"Just watch," August said with a smile.
"Look at what we do, and you'll naturally join in when you're ready," Valerie continued.
GRRRRR!
A rumbling growl resounded as the Minotaur recognized their presence. It glanced at its surroundings, and immediately, it roared out in fury.
ROOOOAAAAR!
Its arms bulged as it exerted the most force it possibly could.
Like they were made of butter, the chains that kept him contained were destroyed, shattered into thousands of pieces.
It reached into its chest and gouged out the chains stuck in its body, and as its flesh visibly healed, it picked up its axe and looked at August and Valerie.
They grinned, and the Minotaur huffed, letting steam billow out of its nostrils.
As if they had a mutual understanding between them, all three bent their bodies and prepared to rush.
In the same moment, they charged.
The battle immediately began in front of an audience of only two.
Yes, not one, but two.
After all, a certain Damien Void was also spectating from far away.
'That one needs some mental training.'
Damien wasn't just watching his son's adventure. He was assessing the people he'd chosen as companions.
Their personalities were good enough. The problem was more in their talent.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})'Alcharist's girl isn't bad. She just needs to gain some experience and she'll blossom. As for the other one…there are a lot of barriers, but if she can show some potential, it's not impossible to help her thrive.'
When Damien was an upcoming genius, he had the convenience of the Void at his beck and call.
Because of its aid, Rose, Ruyue, and Elena were always able to somewhat match his progress so they didn't get left behind.
It was the same for even people like Long Chen and Su Ren who he befriended. Every single one of them received a boost in talent that allowed them to rise fast enough to face the threats that were coming at them.
August bore the same last name, but he did not have a connection to the Void. The people around him would eventually be left behind, unable to even see his back in the endless desert that power was.
Damien could change that future. He also knew how much it hurt to reach a level where old comrades started to view one as a god.
It was painful, and it was lonely. Damien didn't want August to ever have to go through that.
Eventually, he would have to suffer some pain. This aspect would probably cause a good deal of it.
But, while he still could, he wanted to help.
And it started with the first few friends that his son had made.
'Even for me, it was the ones who were there at the beginning who stayed until the end.'
Those three would definitely beat the Minotaur with ease. He made it specifically so that it could be killed whenever they decided they were done with it.
However, the next trial…
Well, it was a bit more intuitive.
'I know these tests will probably repeat themselves in the heir wars, considering that it's those uncreative people organizing it, but…it's good to prepare them, right?'
They were new friends, so he obviously didn't expect too much from them.
But he really was curious.
When it came time to unravel that third clue…
Just how would they react?
