Everyone wore casual swimsuits made from Lilith''s threads after removing their magic outfits and entering the pool.


    "The two-piece bikinis are looking nice," Erixughed.


    Lily had a gray bikini with dark red patterns, Lilith had a ck one with red patterns, and Rin had a dark red one with blue designs.


    They swam at the center of the pond, but the feeling they got was mystical. It was like the air was carrying them and not the water, but the wetness they felt shattered that reality illusion.


    "Sofortable," Rin closed her eyes as shey on her back while floating on the water.


    The others were also the same as they floatedfortably and closed their eyes.


    "Let''s begin," Erix said, and everyone entered meditation as they absorbed the spiritual power of the pond to boost their consciousness.


    Rin and Erix started deriving insights to form their Arcane Spirit Pool.


    Lily startedprehending a primary element that she had been aiming for the past ten days. Light!


    ''Once I pass the test, I''ll use the remaining insight scroll for an Exotic element,'' she thought with eagerness and resumed her focus.


    Meanwhile, Lilith focused on making progress in her Super Exotic Element, Meizen—thebination of Death, Blood, and Shadow.


    Maleina watched them for a bit before she also sat cross-legged a few meters away from the pool''s edge and entered meditation.


    But nobody knew that deep within the pond was a tiny cave page, and in that small cave sat a beautiful girl with long light blue hair and purple eyes.


    There was a magical glowing book beside her where the slime sat with peacefully closed eyes while Aria was meditating.


    ''Let''s see if this bunch is worthy of my boon.''


    ''I don''t want another case like that bastard.''


    The book below it faintly shone before Erix, Rin, Lilith, and Lily felt something briefly and found themselves arriving in different, mysterious dreamscapes.


    Aria opened her eyes as her mystical purple pupils faintly shone, and a cute smile appeared as she grabbed the slime and put it on her ample bosom covered by a long-sleeved white dress of linen-type material with a leather-like brown border.


    "We have some guests taking the test of the pond like those who arrived a year ago," the slime said upon seeing Aria opening her eyes.


    "Waaaa…they will die or pass?" Aria curiously asked as her pupils faintly shone.


    "I don''t know."


    Aria was surprised. "You don''t know? I thought you could know beforehand."


    Amu shook its slimy head and separated from her bosom before floating before her.


    "This bunch is better and has potential, so I can''t know like before."


    "The previous two who arrived were not that impressive, so I knew they would fail."


    "Oh….I want to see," Aria said with shining eyes. "Is there anyone like my father?"


    The slime puffed its cheeks.


    "Stop talking about your father. He doesn''t care for you."


    "Nuu…" Aria pouted. "Father is just busy, and I am a strong girl, so I don''t want to trouble him."


    Aria grabbed Amu and pulled it towards her face before rubbing it on her cheeks.


    "Hehe, I can just y with you and stay here. But I want to see the test for now…Is there anyone like my father?" Aria asked while grinning.


    "There''s one man, and others are his women. We will see how he fares in the test."


    ''Humph, his test is more difficult because he is a guy, and I don''t want to make someone like Aria''s father pass the test again,'' Amu thought with a snort.


    ''That wussy can''t even care for his daughter because of some silly pressure and his ascension. Worthless, useless trash!''


    ''Only those with unbreakable and unbendable will with straight character will pass the test!''


    "Okie, let''s go!" Aria said with excitement.


    "I will have to leave soon because my training will start, but I will leave after watching this."


    She was excited because this was a chance for her to see something new.


    The only good ce for her was this pond, but she couldn''t stay here forever. The pce was boring and hurtful for her, so whenever she got a chance, she would escape.


    ''Aria…'' Amu could clearly sense Aria''s feelings.


    She was bound to the pce. Her father had set training sses for her, and Aria, being her daddy''s daughter, didn''t want to disappoint him and work hard.


    ''You will soon be free. I will make it happen.''


    "Close your eyes and meditate. We''ll drift into his dreamscape and observe."


    "Okie," Aria quickly closed her eyes and cleared her mind.


    The mystical book shone again before Aria saw her consciousnessing into the mysterious dreamscape world.


    "What is this test, Amu?" Aria curiously asked as she appeared above a farm where a ten-year-old young man was farming.


    He was none other than Erix!


    Everything moved very quickly as if time was speeding up, but this was the nature of the test and set up by Amu since it was the world it created.


    "I''ve wiped his memories but kept the real instincts and personality that he had developed. It''s gonna be painful and confusing for him in the test, but this is a must."


    "The test is about him facing various troubles at first with no one supporting him except one," Amu said as the slime nced at Aria.


    "But that someone is not impressive and a nobody, but that person was the one who will push him to strive higher....up until this part will be ording to his real memories that I read but with different settings for this test."


    "Can I see his real memories?"


    "Yes, butter. Let me continue first."


    Amu continued his narrative of the test.


    "Erix will suddenly gain power and also face more troubles that he eventually will have to ovee."


    "He will gain fame as he ovees troubles, and the tide of this world will separate him from the only person who cared about him when he was at his lowest."


    "Waa…then?" Aria eagerly asked, her beautiful purple eyes filled with curiosity.


    "He will gain many people who will care for him on his journey because of his power and fame.


    He will be a king and powerful ruler, but then…there will be a cmity!"


    "The cmity is specifically on that person who cared about him long ago."


    "Nuu….Then what will happen?"


    "That''s up to him," Amu said as a glint passed through its golden eyes. "His decision and the capability he disys is the main crux of his test."


    "He will have to make a choice and fight for that choice. If he fails, he will die."


    "Here and real both."


    Aria nodded as she looked at Erix and saw the passage of time moving fast.


    "Only he and his mother are living?"


    "Yes, but she is going to die soon."


    Indeed. She died.


    "Where is his father?" Aria pouted.


    "This is based on his real memories, and he didn''t have a father in his life. He left them. It''s the same in here but with a bit of twist."


    "Oh...it''s sad. But he is strong-headed, hehe. Those nasty vigers can''t do anything."


    Amu nodded, "Yes, but his troubles are only going to increase."


    ''It would be a bummer if he dies before reaching the final stage of my test.''