《The Genius Paradox》 Chapter 1 - Trial Zero A low buzzing sound reverberated in Lin¡¯s ears, growing deeper with each passing second and urging him to open his eyes. On any other day, the warm sunlight piercing through his bedroom window would have stirred him from slumber, accompanied by the birds outside chirping a melody that never grew tiresome. Less pleasant sounds often joined in¡ªthe frantic honking of cars, the roar of engines, the rumble of large machinery¡ªall blending into the relentless symphony of modern life. It was the price of convenience, and to Lin¡ªand perhaps to most¡ªthe morning rush was a cruel reminder that everyone had somewhere to be, a role to play in the grand scheme of maintaining society. As Lin¡¯s eyes fluttered open, he knew immediately that something was wrong. At first, he ignored the subtle clues: the rough, warm surface beneath him or the fact that his body wasn¡¯t nestled in his familiar bed. But what his eyes saw made the situation impossible to dismiss. The usual morning clamor was gone. His "room" was strangely spacious¡ªfar too large. In fact, it was massive, comparable to the size of a shopping mall. Its uneven ceiling loomed high above, adorned with jagged spikes that jutted down like stalactites. The lack of symmetry and smooth craftsmanship made it clear: this was no man-made structure. A cave. That was the first thought to cross his mind. He lifted himself up, finally getting a proper look at the ground beneath him. It was oddly level for a cave, almost unnaturally smooth¡ªtoo uniform to be natural, yet devoid of the polish that would indicate human intervention. Like the ceiling, the floor was a dark grayish color, just shy of black, further deepening his confusion. The smoothness doesn¡¯t seem like a product of water erosion, but the stalactites suggest a possible water source nearby, Lin thought, his mind racing as he brushed a finger across the rough surface. Then, shaking his head, he muttered to himself, Doesn¡¯t feel like limestone. The dark color¡­ past volcanic activity, maybe? Where the heck am I? He sighed in frustration, giving up on analyzing the geology of the space. Only then did he take in his surroundings¡ªand the unfamiliar figures scattered around him. Some of them glanced at him briefly before looking away, their disinterest almost casual, as though they had seen this scene too many times before. Why are they just standing there? Lin wondered, a frown forming on his face. It was strange. The figures were clustered in small groups¡ªif they can even be called that¡ªyet they maintained an unnatural distance from one another. Their stances felt cautious, as if they were all guarding against something. But strangely, it didn¡¯t seem like the caution was directed at each other. His gaze drifted downward. Why am I still wearing this? He noted his clothes: the same long black pants and white shirt he had worn the day before. His blazer was gone, but the outfit still gave him his usual office look. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake,¡± a soft voice interrupted his thoughts, carrying a hint of relief. Lin turned, still seated, to find a figure standing a few feet away. The person made no move to come closer, maintaining a cautious distance despite initiating the conversation. Is that distance a rule? Lin wondered. Something they decided on themselves, or instructions from whoever brought us here? The thought lingered as Lin took in the speaker¡ªa boy, younger than he expected. Golden hair framed the boy¡¯s face, and a black, cross-shaped earring with complex silver patterns dangled from his ear, giving him an otherworldly, almost devilish charm. A high school student? Lin guessed, noting the boy¡¯s white school uniform, which contrasted starkly with the casual clothes worn by most of the other figures in the cave. It felt oddly out of place. Most of the others were dressed casually as if they had been snatched during a day off. Lin noticed only a handful of people in more formal attire like his own, adding another layer of mystery to the unexpected grouping. Day off? Or maybe¡­ a difference in time zones? Were we taken from different countries at different times? That seems more plausible, but the logistics would be a huge pain, Lin reasoned, noting everyone¡¯s distinct appearance. He ignored the boy¡¯s words for the moment, rising to his feet with effort as he shook off the last remnants of grogginess. This is why I hate mornings, he thought, brushing the faint dust off his clothes. They weren¡¯t as dirty as he¡¯d expected, given the ground¡¯s unnatural cleanliness. Lin instinctively checked his pockets. Empty. The items he usually carried to work were all gone. No phone. Was I really kidnapped? Forgetting to take his work items home was one thing but losing them entirely was unthinkable. Some of those items were more valuable than his own life, so the idea of simply ¡®forgetting¡¯ them was absurd. As Lin tried to calm his thoughts, his gaze swept across his surroundings. It was then that he noticed something highly unusual on the wall behind them. The fact that his mind hadn¡¯t registered it when he first woke up only made it stranger. ¡°No one has any idea what it is, but we decided it¡¯s best not to move around for now,¡± the golden-haired boy interrupted his thoughts. His tone carried a heavy tension, as though the words themselves weighed on him. Is this some kind of joke? Lin frowned as his eyes locked onto the wall. Covering it was something that could only be described as a bluish, transparent hologram, and while the display itself was strange, what truly unsettled him was the information it contained. Still, the hologram was a sight to behold. He wasn¡¯t particularly knowledgeable about cutting-edge technology¡ªnor did he care to follow it¡ªbut he had encountered his fair share of holograms in his life. Many, particularly in his city, used spinning fans to create the illusion. This one, however, was different. Is it real? There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything holding it up¡­ The hologram hung in the air, perfectly still and eerily silent, about a meter away from the cave wall. Its vivid clarity and stability made it feel like a prop from a sci-fi movie, far removed from the noisy, imperfect holograms he was familiar with. Finally, Lin¡¯s eyes focused on the text displayed on the hologram. It explained the strange behavior of those around him but also sent a slight chill down his spine, heightening his unease.
The trial will begin in the next: 35 minutes 34 seconds Rules:
  1. Do not leave your block before the timer runs out; otherwise, this will signal the trial to begin immediately.
  2. You have One hour thirty minutes to reach the goal, but there will be a cost for wasting time.
  3. Do not follow the rules.
PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO REACH THE GOAL: DEATH.
Is it¡­ them? Lin¡¯s thoughts drifted briefly to a possibility but dismissed it almost immediately. No, they¡¯re not this stupid. Glancing down at the ground, he noticed faint lines drawn across the surface, as though reading the rules had triggered their appearance. The lines were a dull brown and stretched across the cave in both horizontal and vertical directions, intersecting to form perfect squares. These lines extended all the way to the far side of the cave, where he spotted another anomaly: a hologram with the word GOAL emblazoned on it.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. His mind returned to the rules as he scrutinized the grid. They seem to be around one meter by one meter¡­. He began estimating the distance to the goal, noting that the blocks were just large enough to barely fit one person. There wasn¡¯t even enough room for lying down, so he had woken up with some parts of his body lying outside his block which surprisingly wasn¡¯t considered ¡®leaving¡¯ his block. These rules don¡¯t make any sense. That was the only conclusion he could draw after briefly contemplating them. Shifting his gaze back to the original hologram, he searched for more clues, but nothing stood out. ¡°Um, excuse me,¡± a voice rang out, louder than the background chatter. The murmuring quickly ceased, and Lin, along with everyone else, turned toward the source. A man stood there, exuding an air of authority, though it seemed to come more from necessity than design. ¡°Thanks for your cooperation,¡± the man said with a small, reassuring smile. The gathered individuals nodded in silent acknowledgment. The pseudo-leader, Lin thought, observing him with mild curiosity. His presence was almost inevitable in such situations¡ªsomeone who instinctively tried to restore order amidst chaos. It explained why everyone had been obediently following the rules thus far with no attempts to recklessly do something stupid. The man was casually dressed, wearing blue jeans and a plain black T-shirt. His long black hair was tied back into a ponytail that nearly reached his shoulders, giving him a slightly feminine appearance that teetered between handsome and beautiful. The man raised his voice again. ¡°I¡¯m glad everyone managed to wake up on time, but I think this is a good moment to discuss the situation. Does anyone have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± His tone was calm and straightforward, but his question was met with silence. Eyes darted around the room, filled with lingering hope that someone might have answers. ¡°Um¡­¡± Lin turned at the sound of a hesitant voice beside him. The golden-haired boy had raised his hand slightly, as though waiting for permission to speak, a gesture reminiscent of a classroom. As more eyes turned toward him, the boy seemed to take it as a sign to continue, his tone cautious. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really an expert or anything, but I¡¯ve never seen a hologram like this,¡± the golden-haired boy said. Many around him nodded in agreement, though those unfamiliar with holograms likely couldn¡¯t grasp just how bizarre the one in front of them truly was. ¡°I thought there would be ceiling mounts, some kind of floor unit, or even a doorway of sorts, but there¡¯s really nothing keeping it up. This is the kind of tech governments would kill to have. So, whoever brought us here¡­¡± He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air. Judging by the grim expressions around him, the others seemed to understand without him needing to elaborate. He¡¯s right. If it¡¯s that significant, then it¡¯s probably not easy to get access to that kind of tech, Lin thought silently. As if to confirm everyone¡¯s fears, the feminine-looking man added. ¡°They¡¯re likely very powerful,¡± he said simply. Hearing it spoken aloud by someone they¡¯d been following made the weight of the situation settle even deeper. Expressions grew darker, though a few faint glimmers of optimism still lingered. ¡°I think we should try to escape,¡± a voice suggested suddenly, cutting through the tension. All eyes turned toward the speaker, whose growing confidence seemed fueled by the attention. ¡°There are twenty of us here. If we can get some guns or something, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll manage,¡± he explained, his tone brimming with confidence. He seems confident, Lin observed, his eyes scanning the man. He was tall and well-built, his physique lending credibility to his bold suggestion. His neatly cropped blue hair added to his striking appearance, its short length in the front clearly meant to keep his bangs out of his eyes. His attire, though casual like most, was oddly mismatched: a plain blue hoodie paired with shorts. Is he stupid? The thought arose in Lin¡¯s mind, though he kept it to himself and continued to observe the unfolding discussion. Thankfully, before the blue-haired man could continue, another voice interjected, becoming the weight of reason. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± the deep voice echoed across the cave. Turning toward him, it was easy to match the voice to the speaker¡ªa bald man with an imposing physique. Though slightly shorter than the blue-haired man, his solid build and aura made him far more intimidating. A physique honed to near perfection and a brown tracksuit. Can you be more obvious? Lin mused inwardly, sparing a glance toward the blue-haired man, who seemed momentarily thrown off by the sudden opposition. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t expected the most imposing person among them to go against his plan of fighting back. ¡°Then what the heck should we do? Sit around and wait to become some rich bastard¡¯s entertainment?¡± the blue-haired man shot back, frustration leaking into his voice as if he already had someone specific in mind for their captor. They don¡¯t seem to disagree, Lin noted, glancing at the others. Although most remained silent, their reluctant expressions betrayed an unspoken agreement with the blue-haired man¡¯s sentiment. ¡°Sorry if I offended you,¡± the bald man began, his tone surprisingly calm as he offered a conciliatory smile. ¡°But I¡¯m an active soldier. I know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± he explained, softening his voice as much as the circumstances allowed. The cave¡¯s sheer size meant most people had to speak loudly to be heard, making quiet diplomacy nearly impossible. The bald man¡¯s measured words were not meant to antagonize but to persuade both the blue-haired man and the rest of the group. ¡°Whoever brought us here likely has the manpower to handle all of us. I doubt we¡¯ll be able to force our way out that easily¡ªespecially since most of us probably don¡¯t even know how to use a gun,¡± he added, emphasizing his point. His reasoning seemed to strike a chord. A few people wore complicated expressions, clearly uncomfortable with the bald man¡¯s blunt assessment but unable to refute his logic. He¡¯s right. People in high society love hiring ex-military for their security detail. Lin recalled the years he¡¯d spent living among the elite. Though he no longer lived in those circles, his memories lent weight to the soldier¡¯s argument. Even against a police-level unit, we¡¯d probably lose if more than 30% of us can¡¯t handle firearms. While Lin agreed with much of the bald man¡¯s reasoning, he couldn¡¯t help but mull over the conversation. A nagging question bubbled to the surface. Is he also stupid? ¡°If you¡¯re in the military, shouldn¡¯t you know what¡¯s going on?¡± a voice piped up, cutting through the heavy atmosphere. Lin glanced to his side to see the golden-haired boy speaking again, his question drawing attention from the two arguing men and the crowd as a whole. ¡°Maybe the tech rings some bells?¡± the boy added, his tone infused with a mix of curiosity and faint optimism. It was enough to ease some of the mounting tension, though the weight of the situation still loomed overhead. At his words, everyone turned back toward the bald man, who seemed caught off guard by the pitiful gazes directed at him. His expression darkened as he shook his head. ¡°S-sorry, but I don¡¯t recognize any of this,¡± he stuttered, and the brief moment of hope faded again. Maybe I should step in¡­ Lin¡¯s expression began to harden with every word spoken. He could feel himself becoming more affected by the unfolding conversation, a tension building that he knew might soon compromise him. His gaze shifted to the blue-haired man, anticipating the inevitable, and to his despair, the man spoke. ¡°Mmh, that sounds very convenient, doesn¡¯t it?¡± the blue-haired man said, his voice sharp as he grabbed everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Why should we trust you? Maybe you¡¯re part of this whole setup,¡± he continued, glaring at the bald man with unflinching confidence. The bald man, however, didn¡¯t rise to meet the aggression. He appeared calm, confident in his innocence, and barely reacted as he responded coolly, ¡°If I were in on it, I would¡¯ve kept quiet and played dumb,¡± he stated sternly. It was a logical rebuttal to the baseless accusation, and it seemed to give others pause. Drawing suspicion to himself would serve no purpose if he were involved¡ªespecially after everyone had already concluded that their captors were both powerful and methodical. The unspoken consensus seemed clear: only an entity with significant resources, like the government, could pull off something of this scale without consequence. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re doing this to try and earn our trust. Since you claim you¡¯re military, everyone here would obviously want your protection,¡± the blue-haired man continued. The words introduced a new layer of tension as several others cast wary glances at the bald man, clearly waiting for his defence. That sounds like a stretch¡­ but no one else seems suspicious, Lin thought, scanning the faces around him. From what he had observed so far, there weren¡¯t any overt signs of deception. If there¡¯s a spy among us, they¡¯re either highly skilled... or they don¡¯t even know they¡¯re a spy, he considered, his gaze lingering on the bald man. However, he soon noticed a shift in the atmosphere¡ªseveral individuals had begun casting glances in his direction. They¡¯ve noticed me watching them. Their wary gazes lingered briefly before turning away, cautious of his behavior. Strangely, this reaction gave him a sense of comfort. It meant that they, too, were cautious, making them potential allies in his mind. The bald man stayed silent; his expression thoughtful as if carefully weighing his next words. Before he could speak, someone else interrupted. ¡°I think you should both stop that. None of us want to be here,¡± the feminine-looking man interjected, his calm but firm voice cutting through the rising tension. ¡°I was one of the first to wake up, and I didn¡¯t see anyone faking their confusion. So, please, let¡¯s try to work together.¡± Those who had begun to fear the possibility of infighting seemed to relax immediately afterward, nodding in agreement. So, everyone woke up at different times, Lin noted, tuning out the tension as he focused on the new piece of information. ¡°Tsk,¡± the blue-haired man clicked his tongue, visibly annoyed, but thankfully said nothing further. Despite his bravado, Lin couldn¡¯t help but notice that the man obediently stood within his designated block, just like everyone else. Comfort in numbers, huh? Lin mused, his sharp gaze dissecting the man¡¯s behavior. It was clear the blue-haired man would only act if he had the collective backing and motivation of the group. Without their support, any resistance he might attempt would be futile. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Lin¡¯s calm voice cut through the air, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. Feeling their gazes on him, he wondered briefly what they might be thinking. To him, the conversation he had just witnessed felt baffling¡ªalmost beyond comprehension. How should we proceed? (for visual representation, not drawn to scale) Chapter 2 - Worst Case Scenario ¡°Excuse me,¡± Lin¡¯s calm voice cut through the air, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. Feeling their gazes on him, he wondered briefly what they might be thinking. The conversation he had just witnessed felt baffling¡ªalmost beyond comprehension. First, he needed to shift their focus, making them consider the situation not just through their own subjective lens, but in a more objective manner. ¡°You,¡± he said, gesturing toward the bald man. The action seemed to catch the man off guard. ¡°You said you¡¯re in the military, right?¡± Lin asked simply, though the question felt redundant given that everyone had already established this fact. ¡°Yes?¡± the bald man replied, his tone uncertain as he furrowed his brow, clearly wondering if there was more to the question. Lin, however, seemed satisfied with the answer and turned his attention to the blue-haired man. ¡°And you. You want us to escape, right?¡± he asked¡ªyet another seemingly redundant question that raised both confusion and anticipation about where the conversation was heading. The blue-haired man, however, didn¡¯t share the others¡¯ curiosity and snapped in irritation. ¡°Yeah. Are you fuckin¡¯ deaf?¡± he retorted sharply, glaring at Lin with fierce eyes. Given the distance between the three, their voices were slightly raised, allowing everyone around them to follow the exchange. That¡¯s the problem¡­ ¡°I see,¡± Lin muttered in a resigned tone, as though confirming his suspicions. Then, raising his voice slightly, he asked, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good idea to share all this information right here?¡± His gaze remained fixed on the blue-haired man, who clearly didn¡¯t appreciate the condescending implication in his words. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± the blue-haired man demanded, his glare hardening. Lin, unfazed by the aggressive tone, merely shrugged. His questioning wasn¡¯t meant to antagonize him; rather, it was to provoke introspection. Starting with the bald man was a fairly calculated move since it created a kind of herding effect, making it more likely for the blue-haired man to follow suit and humour his questions. Fishing for a different reaction, Lin turned back to the bald man, who looked equally puzzled but thankfully not as agitated. Noticing the distinct looks the others were now giving him, he quickly adjusted his tone and spoke again. ¡°Let¡¯s think about this,¡± he murmured, glancing up at the ceiling. The others followed his gaze, their confusion deepening as there was nothing notable to see. Before they could voice their questions, Lin continued, his tone strangely calm, almost as if delivering a lecture. ¡°From what we can see, there aren¡¯t any visible cameras or other surveillance equipment in the cave,¡± he began, pointing out an obvious fact. He then gestured over his shoulder, pointing at the hologram behind them. ¡°However, the rules made it clear that someone is definitely watching us. On top of that, we¡¯ve been placed a short distance apart, meaning that whenever one of us speaks, we have to raise our voices. And there¡¯s also the possibility that someone here is a spy for whoever put us here.¡± His gaze settled on the blue-haired man, whose expression shifted to unease, as if he was beginning to understand the implications. Even as Lin¡¯s words sank in, some faces remained confused, glancing at one another for answers. What Lin was driving at wasn¡¯t just about whether or not they were being watched¡ªit was about their actions under the assumption that they were being monitored. ¡°So, with all that in mind¡ªwhy did you think it was a good idea to discuss an escape plan right here?¡± Lin asked, finally connecting his line of questioning to his point. A wave of realization swept over the group. The previously oblivious as well as those who had already suspected as much now shared a similar despair: one rooted in a lack of knowledge, and the other in their failure to stop the damaging conversation. If their captors were indeed monitoring them, openly discussing an escape plan was reckless¡ªstupid, even, as Lin would put it. Not only that, but it seemed everyone was operating under the assumption that their captors already knew everything about them. That assumption had even made the bald man comfortable enough to openly share his occupation as a soldier. We might have been kidnapped and sold multiple times; there¡¯s no guarantee the people who brought us here know everything about us, Lin thought, noting how the group¡¯s expressions now reflected a deeper level of caution. Now you look like proper captives. In a situation where all variables around you are completely unknown, something as insignificant as your name should be treated as a secret you''d take to your grave. ¡°I think that one¡¯s on me,¡± a voice interrupted his thoughts. He glanced up to see the feminine-looking man, just a few blocks away, gazing at him with apologetic eyes. ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked. We should start by figuring out these rules, right?¡± he added, admitting to his mistake and adapting a moment later.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. The moment they had woken up in the cave, their first priority should have been to figure out the rules, not to wait idly for everyone else to wake up. Why was I the last to wake up? Lin wondered once more, narrowing the list of probabilities from his previous one. He then nodded at the feminine-looking man, acknowledging him almost as an afterthought. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he murmured, offering no further comment before turning back to the hologram screen.
The trial will begin in the next: 31 minutes 55 seconds Rules:
  1. Do not leave your block before the timer runs out; otherwise, this will signal the trial to begin immediately.
  2. You have One hour thirty minutes to reach the goal, but there will be a cost for wasting time.
  3. Do not follow the rules.
PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO REACH THE GOAL: DEATH.
They¡¯re too vague, he thought, a small frustration bubbling up inside him¡ªan emotion he hadn¡¯t felt in a very long time. As if noticing his deep concentration, the others turned their attention back to the hologram, racking their brains to make sense of the rules. However, because they had already attempted to do so while Lin was asleep, their frustrations resurfaced quickly. ¡°The rules don¡¯t make any sense,¡± the feminine-looking man said, though his words weren¡¯t solely directed at Lin. His tone indicated the desire for a group discussion, and in the next moment, someone else quickly joined in. ¡°Maybe we should start walking toward the goal? It might be that simple,¡± a woman suggested from one of the blocks in the front row, positioned slightly ahead of the others as though she had been granted a head start to the goal. She¡¯s trying to test the third rule. Lin¡¯s eyes shifted toward her. The woman had long, flowing dark hair combed backward, leaving only the sides of her face framed. Barely noticeable to many of them was a small scar at the tip of one of her ears, as if sliced by a blade. Similar to Lin, she wore office attire, including pants, which set her apart from the typical long skirts most women wore to work. She might have a valid point, but her reasoning is too poor, Lin concluded. The third rule, which stated not to follow the rules, hinted at the possibility that stepping out of their blocks and walking toward the goal might be the solution. However... ¡°That¡¯s a bit risky,¡± the feminine-looking man interjected, as if he had already considered the possibility. ¡°The first rule says the trial will start if anyone steps out, and without knowing exactly what that means, it wouldn¡¯t be worth the gamble,¡± he explained. Most of them nodded in agreement. The risk of triggering an unknown consequence immediately after stepping out seemed too high just to test the validity of the rules. ¡°Yeah, I also think we should wait for the timer to hit zero first,¡± another woman near the front added, her expression anxious. No one seemed willing to take the risk, not even the blue-haired man from before, who had been ready for a fight earlier but now remained firmly in his assigned block. There could still be a way. ¡°How long ago did the timer start?¡± Lin finally cut in, his calm voice breaking the silence. He glanced at the feminine-looking man, who had mentioned being among the first to wake up. Everyone turned their attention to him, their faces showing a renewed sense of hope directed at Lin. ¡°It was around 1 hour 12 minutes when I woke up, so it¡¯s been a while,¡± the man replied, his tone sounding a bit uncertain. A few of them looked amazed, likely having spent far less time awake and already feeling the mental strain. ¡°It might have been designed to align with the time needed for all of us to wake up,¡± he added, still unsure what Lin was trying to deduce from the question. All things considered, his theory seemed plausible. Lin, as the last to wake, had emerged just in time for roughly 30 minutes of discussion before the trial began. ¡°I see,¡± Lin muttered, looking back at the screen and ignoring the many eyes that had landed on him. What would be the worst-case scenario? he wondered, studying the rules one last time before a voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Did you figure something out?¡± the golden-haired student asked from just a block away, watching him with curious eyes. He¡¯s surprisingly calm, despite clearly being the youngest here. Meeting the boy¡¯s gaze, Lin felt oddly uncomfortable with the trust reflected in the boy''s eyes. He looked away and muttered, ¡°Not really.¡± However, his next action didn¡¯t align with his words. As everyone processed his uncertain response, their expressions shifted to confusion, quickly replaced by fear. Calmly, one foot in front of the other, Lin stepped out of his block. The color drained from their faces, and their eyes widened. ¡°W-what did you do!?¡± someone shouted in a panic, their voice tinged with anger as they glared at Lin, who stood there, unapologetic. Why? they all seemed to wonder, but before they could voice their questions, the hologram behind them abruptly changed. The previous rules disappeared, replaced by a new set of instructions, which were just as¡ªif not more¡ªconfusing than the last ones.
Time Limit: 29 minutes 34 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 98 seconds.
¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± the blue-haired man broke the silence. Everyone immediately turned to Lin for an answer, but his response fell short of their expectations. ¡°No idea,¡± he muttered, his expression neutral, which only deepened their grim faces. What could that mean? His internal frustration didn¡¯t show, but his mind was already racing through multiple possibilities. Despite the possible despair Lin had thrown them into, some among the group began to grasp the consequence of his actions. From what they could discern on the hologram, it was hard to completely fault him. From the previous rules, the timer had been the only variable that remained the same, only changing its title from ¡°The trial will begin in the next:¡± to ¡°Time Limit:¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the more perceptive individuals to realize the implications of this change. The timer, which they had carelessly watched ticking down every minute, wasn¡¯t merely a countdown to the trial¡ªit was the time they had to complete the trial itself. Now, instead of 1h 30min, they only had 29 minutes to reach the goal and finish the trial. The worst-case scenario. Chapter 3 - Adaptive Genius ¡°So¡­ the timer was actually showing the time we have to reach the goal?¡± the dark-haired woman muttered, her displeasure clear as she stared at the screen. Not only had their waiting been in vain, but it had also proven counterproductive. The realization shook everyone, and they anxiously exchanged glances. ¡°Ah¡­ so we weren¡¯t supposed to wait for the timer?¡± the feminine-looking man added, his worried expression shifting to Lin for an answer, though Lin simply shrugged. He should have stepped out of his block while everyone was still asleep. After all, it was exactly what he would have done in a similar situation. The biggest problem with the so-called trial was the order in which they¡¯d woken up. This sequence had greatly influenced the rest of the individuals who woke later, creating a bandwagon effect. Those waking last followed the trend set by the early risers, regardless of how good or bad it seemed¡ªsimply to avoid being the cause of everyone¡¯s demise. ¡°But what now? There¡¯s some kind of riddle,¡± the bald man said, drawing everyone''s attention to the new information displayed.
Time Limit: 29 minutes 13 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 77 seconds.
¡°There¡¯s a second timer,¡± someone muttered, their voice trembling slightly, causing a spike in the group¡¯s anxiety. The second timer, unlike the first, would end very soon. But what would happen when it did? The uncertainty made everyone uneasy¡ªeven Lin, prompting him to speak up. ¡°There¡¯s no point in trying to figure it out now. Just react to whatever happens,¡± he said, his words surprisingly confident for the situation. A few of them seemed to relax, their panic momentarily subdued. "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Burn? Does it mean actual fire? Lin wondered as his thoughts became more erratic. No obvious clues presented themselves, and his frustration grew. 58 seconds. 57 seconds. He watched the seconds tick down, each beat heightening the tension as though counting down to their deaths. Maybe the previous screen has some clues? he thought, quickly replaying how he had deduced the hidden meaning of the first set of rules. His earlier decision to step out, though reckless at first glance, had been a calculated risk. He had weighed the potential consequences of action versus inaction, leaning away from the worst-case scenario. After carefully analyzing the rules, he had identified two distinct ¡°penalties,¡± which suggested that as long as he avoided both, he would remain safe. The most critical factor was recognizing the implications of the first rule:
  1. Do not leave your block before the timer runs out; otherwise, this will signal the trial to begin immediately.
Despite the stated consequence, this rule did not specify an actual penalty for disobedience. The trial would begin either immediately or when the timer hit zero¡ªthose were the only outcomes. Since the trial would start regardless, initiating it sooner wasn¡¯t really a penalty. In fact, it had no disadvantage, especially given the absence of details on how to win or clear the trial which meant that starting later versus starting now provided no strategic or psychological benefit. Some might argue that waiting gave newly woken participants time to adapt to the environment, but Lin disagreed. Even if someone had been awake for 30 minutes, seeing the new, cryptic rules would immediately erase any sense of calm. Anxiety and confusion would set in, leaving them as disoriented as they had been upon waking. No amount of time could prepare anyone for the unknown. In truth, waiting for the timer to run out had been the wrong choice. There was no benefit¡ªonly a wasted opportunity.
  1. You have One hour thirty minutes to reach the goal, but there will be a cost for wasting time.
In Lin¡¯s view, standing still and staring at a timer for over an hour was the very definition of wasting time. The longer they waited in their assigned spots, the more time they wasted¡ªan action that had landed them in their current predicament. He should¡¯ve tried waking everyone up, he thought again, glancing at the feminine-looking man, who sensed his gaze and responded with a self-deprecating smile. He could have taken off his shoes and tossed them at those closest to him. Lin considered the options he might have taken even in a cautious point of view. Even if he missed, the person he managed to hit could carry on the process¡ªtaking off their shoes and repeating it. Two shoes would become four, then eight, eventually waking everyone up without the need to leave their blocks. Finally, the last rule:
  1. Do not follow the rules.
Weighing the benefits of starting the trial now versus later¡ªand reflecting on the implication of ¡°wasting time¡±¡ªhe felt even more certain that stepping out of his block had been the right choice. The third rule was a hint¡ªa way to prompt deeper consideration of the first two rules. Was it better to blindly obey or blindly defy? After reasoning through the possibilities, Lin arrived at the optimal conclusion. There were only two real penalties:
  1. The penalty for wasting time.
  2. The penalty for failing to reach the goal.
If someone stayed put for the entire One hour Thirty minutes, they would inevitably incur the first penalty. Beyond that, the only other penalty would occur when the trial officially began. This meant that there was no real risk in stepping out of his block¡ªother than starting the trial sooner than others might have expected. And so, to Lin, stepping out wasn¡¯t a gamble at all. She had the right mindset, but her reasoning would¡¯ve caused problems. He recalled the dark-haired woman¡¯s earlier suggestion. Her reasoning, however, had been focused solely on testing the third rule, rather than strategically interpreting all of them.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The current countdown¡ªor ¡°mini-timer,¡± as they had called it¡ªfurther reinforced his reasoning. Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 17 seconds. The first person to wake up would have had 100 seconds to wake everyone else. Lin thought about this as he stepped back into his block, watching the timer closely. Waking 19 individuals in 100 seconds would have been chaotic, but it was far better than the penalty they now faced for wasting time. With roughly 28 minutes left, could they reach a goal intended to take more than an hour? We¡¯ll find out soon. As the mini-timer ticked its final seconds, Lin quietly memorized the cryptic phrase from the screen, just in case the hologram changed again. More importantly, he suspected the message might hold the key to beating the trial. ¡°T-ten seconds, everyone¡ªbe ready!¡± the bald man called out, his deep voice snapping most of them from their daze. They had been so focused on the hologram¡¯s screen that they nearly dissociated from their surroundings, forgetting that the goal was in the opposite direction. ¡°Five!¡± the bald man shouted again after a few seconds before falling silent. The silence felt more profound than before, as if everyone collectively held their breaths in anticipation. Although no instructions had been given on how to reach the goal, most people bent their knees, ready to sprint at a moment¡¯s notice. Lin, however, remained still, standing naturally with no intention of running. It might take 20 to 30 seconds at a quick pace. He estimated, noting how the distance wasn¡¯t too significant. However, his inaction wasn¡¯t due to confidence in his speed but a lingering doubt about the trial¡¯s true nature. If we were meant to finish this within 1h 30min, then running straight to the other side doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ I could be wrong, he thought, almost hoping he was. His intuition was quickly confirmed. Ding. Ding. Ding. The sound of bells echoed through the cave, each chime following the last in perfect sequence. As everyone frantically looked around, no visible change appeared¡ªnot on the hologram screen, not on the ground beneath them, not anywhere. ¡°W-what?¡± someone stammered, breaking the silence. Panic rose as more voices joined in. ¡°Do we run!? What are we supposed to do?¡± the dark-haired woman up front asked, her face growing pale. Confused murmurs filled the air, but no one had an answer. What should we do¡­ Regrettably, the answer arrived swiftly. Shhhhhhh! S¨Cshit! Lin¡¯s eyes widened in horror as the nauseating sound of burning flesh filled the air, followed by a sharp, searing pain that pierced through his entire being. He looked down in disbelief¡ªthough no visible flames were present, his skin was blistering and charring right before his eyes. ¡°Uuuhh!¡± A screech erupted from a few blocks away, triggering a chain reaction of anguished cries that followed in rapid succession. ¡°Ahhghh!¡± Their agonized screams echoed throughout the cave, the disharmony turning the space into a living hell. People frantically tried to escape the pain. Some stumbled to the ground, rolling and kicking wildly, while others clawed at their clothes and slapped their burning skin, desperate to extinguish the invisible fire. Yet their efforts were futile¡ªthe agony only deepened. Their skin peeled away like burning paper, layer by layer, revealing raw muscle and blood beneath as smoke wafted into the air. Strangely, their clothing remained untouched, as though the invisible flames fed solely on flesh. Lin¡¯s thoughts turned dark, completely overtaken by the unimaginable pain. Every nerve in his body screamed; there was no way to distinguish one source of agony from another. His entire being was consumed by the burning sensation. As his body reached its limit, he collapsed to the ground, anger flaring within him even in his torment. Fuck! The searing pain transformed into fury. Gritting his teeth, he dragged himself forward, his blurred vision barely registering his surroundings. Tears streamed down his face from the heat and smoke, and the nauseating smell of his own burning flesh barely registered in his dulled senses. If I find the person who did this¡­ he cursed inwardly, but his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, hard tug that yanked him forward. What? Looking up, he caught sight of the bald man. The man¡¯s face contorted with pain, but before their eyes could meet, he quickly ran off. Confused, Lin tried to rise, and the fact that his body obeyed his instructions felt oddly unreal. Now on his knees, he glanced down at himself. White steam rose from his body, like mist from a hot shower. What the hell? Disbelief washed over him as he inspected his arms. The exposed red layer of his skin¡ªlikely raw muscle¡ªwas regenerating before his eyes. Each layer reformed rapidly, brown skin wrapping back around him as though time itself had reversed. He slapped his cheeks hard, the sting bringing him to full awareness. Yet the bizarre, supernatural phenomenon continued to unfold. This can¡¯t be real. ¡°Aghhhh!¡± A loud cry snapped him out of his daze, jolting him back to reality. He surveyed the scene around him. Most of the others had recovered and stood trembling on ¡®safe¡¯ blocks, watching the remaining stragglers with a mix of horror, guilt, and helplessness. Some looked away, unable to bear the sight, while others wept openly, covering their ears to block out the cries. It was complete chaos. Three left. Lin counted the individuals still struggling and quickly rose to his feet, scanning the cave. Everyone¡¯s in a new block, but what¡¯s the difference? He glanced at his current block, then at the one he¡¯d occupied moments ago. But because of his previously disoriented state, pinpointing its exact position was a bit difficult. I¡¯ll use the others. His eyes darted to those around him, studying their positions and recalling where they had stood before. Using the four individuals closest to him, he started piecing together multiple patterns. I see. Having narrowed it down, Lin deduced the answer. As he prepared to act, his gaze landed on the bald man, standing two blocks away. The man¡¯s strenuous breaths and pained expression suggested he was contemplating something. Is he thinking of saving them? Lin wondered, recalling how the man had helped him moments ago. But from the bald man¡¯s actions, it seemed he wasn¡¯t yet aware of what Lin had figured out. Lin¡¯s thoughts shifted to the timer displayed on the hologram.
Time Limit: 27 minutes 21 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 11 seconds.
With mere seconds remaining, Lin gritted his teeth and stepped out of his block. Pain erupted once more, engulfing him as his skin began to sear. He pressed forward with a determined stride, enduring the agony as his flesh burned again. Each step sent shockwaves of pain through his body, the sound of sizzling skin echoing in his ears. But just a few steps in, his legs gave out. He stumbled and fell, collapsing near one of the still-screaming stragglers. The others watched in bewilderment as Lin forced himself up, grabbed the screaming man, and shoved him onto a nearby block before dashing forward again. Moments later, he reached the second straggler, hoisted him up, and took a step forward. But his weakened legs gave out, and he collapsed, the man''s weight pinning him to the ground as his piercing screams echoed directly in Lin¡¯s ears. Damn it, you¡¯re fuckin¡¯ loud! Lin cursed inwardly, frustration bubbling up despite the overwhelming pain. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the man by the collar, dragged him three steps forward, and hurled him onto a nearby block. Without pausing to catch his breath, Lin staggered toward the third straggler¡ªthe dark-haired woman, who was furthest away. Her screams rang out louder than anything he¡¯d heard from anyone in the cave¡ªno, louder than any scream he¡¯d heard in his entire life. With each step, his legs felt heavier, as though the sound itself was draining his strength, sapping his will to move. It was then that a sudden realization struck the onlookers, their wide eyes darting between Lin and the blocks. He knows which blocks are safe. Chapter 4 - Thinking He knows which blocks are safe. Earlier, the bald man had already saved two people before helping Lin, but since he didn¡¯t know which blocks were safe, he¡¯d dragged them through multiple blocks until their screams stopped, indicating their safe block. This led to the consensus that no more than one person could share a ¡°safe¡± block. A few more. Moments later, Lin suddenly collapsed right in front of the dark-haired woman as he finally reached her block. As he paused briefly to recover, his skin still searing, a huge man towered next to him, scooping the woman up before turning to Lin with a rushed tone. ¡°Which one!?¡± he shouted, his flesh searing as he gritted his teeth, a contorted expression on his face. ¡°Kkuu¡­ Th-that one,¡± Lin rasped, barely able to form words as a wave of drowsiness began to overtake him. Thankfully, the message was clear. The man rushed forward, hopping across a few blocks in quick succession. Despite his pain, he carefully laid the woman down on a safe block before returning to Lin and picking him up. That was reckless. Lin thought this as the mysterious white steam began to heal him upon reaching his block. The sensation was almost ecstatic, the excruciating pain and injuries vanishing completely, making the ordeal feel like it was all in his head. ¡°I-is this even real?¡± someone asked shakily, their voice trembling as their eyes darted nervously around the group. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later,¡± the feminine-looking man interrupted, quickly turning to Lin with a pleading expression. ¡°Did you figure something out about the blocks? Can you please share it? Quickly, if you may...¡± he asked in one breath, focusing on clearing the trial first, determined not to repeat his earlier mistake. Lin nodded silently, glancing at the mini timer as it ticked down to 4 seconds. ¡°R-right,¡± he began, noticing his rapid heartbeat and taking a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s the bells. Move one block for each ring you hear. This time, it was three,¡± he explained briefly. The others looked confused, glancing down and trying to recall their previous blocks. But as Lin had experienced, the pain of navigating to a new block made it difficult to remember the exact location of your old one. ¡°Shit, is that really all?¡± one of them snapped, their fear and frustration evident. Lin simply shrugged, choosing to remain silent¡ªit was clear their anger wasn¡¯t really directed at him. Staying quiet was the best way to allow them to introspect and regain control of their emotions. Do whatever you want.
Time Limit: 25 minutes 34 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 6 seconds.
"A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Move one block for each ring of the bell... Suspecting that their starting positions might influence the trial¡¯s progression, Lin had memorized everyone¡¯s placements. This made it easier for him to notice changes in the blocks and understand why certain ones were now ¡°safe.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. As the thought raced through his mind, the mini timer hit zero, and the now-familiar sound of bells echoed through the cave. Ding. ¡°O-one!? Is it one?¡± a frantic voice cried. Everyone turned to Lin, waiting for his decision. Without overthinking it, Lin stepped forward onto the next block. One by one, the others followed his lead, putting their trust in his judgment. However, not everyone moved. ¡°H-hey, get moving!¡± a voice called, drawing the group¡¯s attention. They turned toward a particular block, their faces darkening as they realized the situation. ¡°D-does she not hear us!? Shit!¡± someone shouted in panic, fighting the instinct to step out and help, as if haunted by the memory of the pain they had endured. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s deaf!? You saw the rules?¡± another suggested, and for a brief moment, they all seemed to consider it. Let the deaf burn¡­ The person in question was the dark-haired woman. She hadn¡¯t moved during the previous round and now sat curled up on her new block, hugging her knees and mumbling something incomprehensible¡ªa psychotic scene straight out of a horror movie. Panic is a very bizarre state of being, Lin thought. The same people wondering if she was deaf had been talking to her just minutes ago. Yet fear had twisted their logic, making an absurd idea seem plausible. ¡°Tsk.¡± Lin clicked his tongue, shaking himself free of the same thought process and preparing to step out to help her. Shhhh! ¡°Uhhh!!¡± Her piercing scream echoed through the cave, causing those around to grimace as they relived their own pain. Despite their shared understanding, none of them moved to help. Lin could see it in their faces¡ªthe relief that it wasn¡¯t them. It¡¯s a completely normal reaction¡­ but it¡¯s still scummy, he thought, taking a step forward. His entire body trembled as if something invisible were holding him back. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. It¡¯ll be a problem if I pass out before building tolerance. A self-deprecating smile crossed his face as a low voice escaped his lips. ¡°Is this really worth it¡­¡± Shhh!! The sound of burning flesh snapped his focus. Lin turned to see the bald man rushing toward the woman, pushing through the pain without hesitation. In seconds, he reached her, lifted her up, and carried her to the next block. The moment she was safe, the man kicked off the ground and dashed back to his block, three spaces away from Lin. He¡¯s trying to build tolerance through brute force, Lin noted with a small frown. It was a method he was trying to avoid since it brought the risk of passing out from overexertion. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lin asked, his voice tinged with frustration, though he couldn¡¯t hide the trace of amazement in his expression. ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯ll manage,¡± the man replied, forcing a small smile as white steam rose around him, healing his injuries. He¡¯s not fine, Lin thought, sensing the man¡¯s true state of mind. However, the others, taking the response at face value, seemed impressed, watching him with a mix of awe and envy. As an active soldier, the bald man¡¯s physical abilities were clearly superior to most of them, making his durability and mental fortitude unmatched among the group.
Time Limit: 24 minutes 53 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 10 seconds.
Twenty seconds, huh? Lin noted that the mini-timer always reset to 20 seconds after the bells rang¡ªbarely enough time to mentally prepare for the next stride. It seemed the initial 100 seconds given were only for the first round, further supporting his theory that the first mini timer was meant to wake everyone up. It¡¯s impractical, he concluded after some few seconds of thought, glancing toward the goal looming on the other side of the cave. There were approximately 200 blocks to cross, yet they had only managed to move four blocks so far¡ªthree in the first stride and one in the second. Worse, the chaos of the first round had caused some of them to move sideways, wasting the round entirely. Is there a way to get there without waiting? He briefly considered sprinting to the goal, but memories of his previous runs sent a chill down his spine. It would take roughly 25 seconds to run the 200 meters to the other side. However, running that distance while his entire body felt like it was on fire wasn¡¯t a practical solution. If he failed to make it, he¡¯d have to turn back midway, enduring more pain just to reach a safe block. It¡¯s possible, but¡­ ¡°This might take a long time to finish, so make sure you jump into blocks that take you closer to the goal,¡± the feminine-looking man interrupted Lin¡¯s thoughts, reminding everyone of their ultimate objective ¨C beyond just avoiding pain. Right¡­ the others might not make it. The rules were too vague on the condition of not reaching the other side, meaning that, in the worst-case scenario, a collective punishment might apply even to those who made it across if others failed to reach the same goal. It was a punishment he wasn¡¯t eager to find out after enduring the pain of the invisible flames¡ªa phenomenon beyond human comprehension. I should help out as much as possible. Chapter 5 - Trial and Error I should help out as much as possible. Lin glanced at the mini timer behind him, now at 4 seconds, and quickly added, ¡°There¡¯s a five-second pause after the final ring before the burning starts, so don¡¯t rush.¡± His calm tone eased the tension, and the others nodded, taking his guidance without question. Most hadn¡¯t noticed the long pause before the burning began since they had been too preoccupied with counting the number of rings, but a quick recollection of the first round confirmed his statement; there had been a few seconds of panic before the burning actually started. 3 seconds. As the mini-timer hit its final moments, Lin moved closer to the edge of his block. Since everyone else was doing the same, preparing to dash out at any moment, his actions didn¡¯t attract much attention. But from the corner of his eye, he could feel a certain person¡¯s gaze¡ªthe golden-haired boy just two blocks away, watching him curiously. Ding. The first bell rang, and everyone¡¯s senses immediately sharpened. At that moment, Lin slid his foot forward, stepping out of his block as his teeth clenched in preparation for the pain¡ªyet none came. ¡°Wha¨C¡± the golden-haired boy muttered in surprise, but he quickly fell silent as Lin¡¯s gaze met his, conveying a very clear message: stay quiet. What he¡¯d just seen was valuable information that could potentially benefit everyone, but likely out of respect for Lin¡¯s contributions so far, the golden-haired student nodded obediently, trusting Lin¡¯s judgment. As two more bells echoed and silence followed, someone shouted, ¡°T-three!¡± Everyone lunged forward, stepping onto the third block that brought them closer to the goal. As they moved, Lin continued to stand, calmly glancing down and making a few more observations. As if counting the seconds in his head, he swiftly moved forward, leaping to his third block with quick steps just before the 5-second grace period ended. Shhhh! The sound of burning flesh reverberated just ahead of him, his eyes following the source. He spotted the bald man, once again running while carrying the dark-haired woman. He reached her third block, set her down, and quickly dashed back to his own block seconds later, panting as the white steam began to heal him. This time, as soon as the bells stopped ringing, instead of saving himself like everyone else, he rushed to the dark-haired woman, moving her to safety before returning to his block. Everyone watched in silent awe, their respect for him growing with each round, solidifying him not only as the strongest but also as the most selfless among them. Thankfully, because of his continued efforts, they didn¡¯t have to hear the woman¡¯s painful cries this round. Interesting. While some were impressed by the bald man¡¯s chivalrous actions, Lin¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere. He watched the scene not with admiration but with a calculating glint in his eyes, trying to make sense of the mechanism of the trial. After turning away from the scene, he glanced back at the timer once more.
Time Limit: 23 minutes 34 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 11 seconds.
Noticing everyone¡¯s focus had turned toward the timer, Lin took another step forward, hoping no one was watching. Unfortunately for him, he seemed to have picked up on a starker.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Again? The boy¡¯s face flashed in his thoughts as he tried to ignore him. This time, as he reached the edge of his block, he lifted his foot, extending it out of his block and into the next one¡ªbut without ¡®stepping¡¯ into it. This meant his foot hovered ¡®outside¡¯ the block, and since he hadn¡¯t fully placed it down, no burning sensation reached him. He could feel a few gazes starting to focus on him, though a quick scan from the corner of his eye revealed just how confused they were, meaning they likely wouldn¡¯t think too deeply about his actions. Choosing to ignore them, he slowly lowered his foot, stepping outside. Shhh! ¡°Kuhh,¡± he let out a muffled groan as a hot sensation shot through his entire body despite his foot being the only part that touched the illegal block. Quickly pulling his leg back, the familiar white steam suddenly surrounded him as if acknowledging his previous action as having left the block entirely. So it only works on direct contact? Lin pondered, running a few mental simulations before letting out a thoughtful sigh. It wasn¡¯t like they could fly their way to the other side, so the discovery itself wasn¡¯t too significant. What really piqued his curiosity about this was when the bald man carried the dark-haired woman¡ªshe hadn¡¯t burned because she made no direct contact with the blocks, even when the bald man was burning. Noticing Lin''s strange behavior, the golden-haired boy finally spoke up. "Did you find something?" he asked, trying to keep his voice low. But because everyone in the cave was already focused on Lin, they all turned their attention toward them, listening in on the conversation. "You were watching. What do you think?" Lin replied casually, not even glancing in the boy¡¯s direction as he continued studying the ground. This made the boy give an awkward cough before stammering, "S-sorry," he said, trying not to offend him. Lin, however, didn¡¯t seem bothered. "It¡¯s fine,¡± Lin said, giving him a side glance before continuing. ¡°You came up with a plan just now. Isn¡¯t that why you called out?" The statement only made the boy more uncomfortable as he muttered, "How did you..." He trailed off before shaking his head, reminded that they were fighting against time. In just a few words, Lin had deduced that the boy called out because he had a plan of sorts. It wasn¡¯t unnatural to make such a guess, but out of the many reasons the boy might have spoken, Lin seemed 100% certain it was for that specific reason. It was almost as if Lin could read his mind. "Well, since it seems you can only burn when in direct contact with the blocks, maybe we could spread some clothes on the floor so we don¡¯t touch it directly or something?¡± the boy suggested, building on Lin¡¯s new discovery. A few listeners nearby seemed to consider this, but Lin dismissed it without a second¡¯s hesitation. "We¡¯re already wearing shoes," he replied, saying nothing more. Realizing the oversight, the boy¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, and he quickly nodded, looking away to hide his expression. Some others had also considered that the boy¡¯s plan might work, but after Lin¡¯s swift retort, they, too, felt a pang of second-hand embarrassment and looked away, sparing the boy further discomfort. Indirect contact, in the current context, seemed to be limited to human-to-human rather than object-to-surface. Being carried by someone qualified as indirect contact, but placing a small barrier like clothing between oneself and the ground didn¡¯t seem significant enough to qualify. Lin glanced at the golden-haired boy, feeling a small sense of pity. The boy seemed to have blurted out the first thing that came to mind without much thought. Beyond that, he wasn¡¯t as socially alert as most of the others. Of course, Lin¡¯s definition of alertness was far from normal. To him, deducing that the boy had spoken because he had an idea wasn¡¯t a special insight¡ªit was simply logical. While the golden-haired boy had been observing Lin closely, Lin had also been watching him. After Lin¡¯s initial experiment, the boy seemed ready to speak up, but Lin had subtly shut him down, ensuring his findings didn¡¯t reach the whole group just yet. Typically, being shut down once would make anyone reluctant to speak out again, especially if the context remained the same. That¡¯s why Lin quickly deduced that the boy¡¯s second attempt wasn¡¯t as insignificant as the first¡ªmainly because:
  1. He believed what he shared wouldn¡¯t directly interfere with Lin¡¯s findings.
  2. He believed what he had to share was something Lin might¡¯ve overlooked, which could potentially help them complete the trial much faster
Simply put: he had a plan. Predictable¡­ Lin once again pitied the golden-haired boy, gauging his chances of surviving a simple conversation in high society, where even a short greeting could reveal a wealth of valuable information. Of course, there was a reason why he had entertained the boy¡¯s words. ¡°Next one is coming; everyone, make sure you¡¯re ready!¡± the bald man called out, refocusing their attention on the screen as the mini timer hit zero again. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding¡­ The longest stride... Chapter 6 - Conditioning Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding¡­ The longest stride. ¡°Four! Go!¡± the bald man shouted, and everyone immediately moved, Lin included, opting to skip his experiments this time. His eyes darted toward the bald man, who was, once again, running to lift the woman and move her forward. But just as the bald man was about to set her down on her safe block, Lin¡¯s voice suddenly boomed across the cave. ¡°Don¡¯t put her down! Bring her to your block!¡± The bald man paused, looking confused and hesitant as he glanced back. ¡°W-what? Are you sure?¡± he called, but Lin¡¯s only response was an urgent shout. ¡°Hurry!¡± Without further hesitation, the bald man shifted course, bringing the woman not to her block but to his own safe block. Shhhh! The burning suddenly started at the same time he reached his block, lunging forward as relief washed over him, the white steam surrounding him. He prepared to set her down, but suddenly¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t put her down!¡± Lin shouted once more, startling the bald man, who quickly nodded, holding the woman as instructed. ¡°O-okay,¡± he said, continuing to hold the woman in a princess-carry. Although she was fully awake, her eyes darted around wildly, and she continued to mutter incomprehensible words to herself. The bald man looked down at her with concern, and it was only then that he seemed to realize the situation. Glancing toward Lin, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention turned to Lin, bewildered by what had just occurred. ¡°The blocks seem to be activated by direct contact. If you avoid touching the ¡®illegal¡¯ blocks, you won¡¯t get burned,¡± Lin explained in one breath. The others nodded, some recalling how they¡¯d seen Lin testing this theory earlier, hovering his foot above various blocks to check for a reaction. What had confirmed this, however, was watching the bald man carry the woman¡ªthe fact that she never screamed despite the bald man burning the entire time. None of them had considered how useful this ¡®indirect¡¯ contact information might be, especially after the golden-haired boy¡¯s earlier suggestion about walking on clothing was quickly dismissed. Seeing the principle applied in this way highlighted the difference in their approaches to solving problems. ¡°Mmh, I see. Wait, does that mean¡­¡± the golden-haired boy muttered, glancing at Lin as if seeking permission to continue. Lin simply nodded, prompting him to go on. ¡°I think if those up front could carry people who are still a few blocks behind, we could move a lot faster,¡± the boy suggested hesitantly, and the others seemed to think it through as they glanced at Lin. He nodded in confirmation, turning to address the group. ¡°Right, I was thinking along the same lines. We might be able to skip a few blocks¡ªmaybe ten or so¡ªand everyone can reach the goal at roughly the same time,¡± he explained. The group began to murmur, realizing the potential of the strategy. Since some had started a few blocks ahead, they were naturally ahead of the others. By having the front runners carry those lagging behind, they could significantly speed up their overall progress. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea, but¡­¡± the blue-haired man interjected, looking toward the people ahead¡ªmost of whom were women. The front runners included three women and one man. The middle group had a mix of five women and four men, while the back row was made up entirely of seven men, completing the twenty people present in the cave. ¡°It won¡¯t work if it¡¯s the other way around, will it?¡± the blue-haired man asked. What? Lin paused for a moment. He wasn¡¯t stopping to think but rather holding himself back from saying the first, unfiltered response that crossed his mind¡ªa response that would have been highly inappropriate.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Doubtful,¡± he finally muttered in a neutral tone. The others let out heavy sighs. While it was theoretically possible to carry the back runners forward, it would likely become a question of endurance, especially since they had no idea how long it would take to reach the other side. There might be a way, but¡­ ¡°We¡¯ll just have to follow the rules for now,¡± the feminine-looking man interjected, sensing the dulling atmosphere. Everyone nodded in reluctant agreement. If they couldn¡¯t find a shortcut, they¡¯d have to reach the goal by playing strictly by the rules¡ªa difficult task in itself. ¡°Sorry, but if we continue at our current pace, finishing this trial will be impossible,¡± Lin said bluntly. His tone was confident, and the weight of his words caused their faces to darken. Hearing such a grim prediction from the person who¡¯d contributed the most so far made it hard for anyone to hold out hope. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the feminine-looking man asked. His expression showed worry, but there was a trace of optimism in his tone. Lin almost felt sorry for him as he shrugged and laid out the brutal facts for everyone. ¡°It takes 20 seconds for each new ¡®stride¡¯ to start. If we assume the minimum number of strides allowed is one, that¡¯s one second just for the ring of the bell. Add the five seconds they give us to move between blocks, and that¡¯s 20 plus 1 plus 5, giving us 26 seconds minimum per round,¡± he explained in one breath. As they followed his reasoning, doing the mental calculations in their heads, a few faces turned grim, quickly grasping the implications. Seeing that confusion still lingered in the majority, Lin continued, ¡°The first stride took 28 seconds (20+3+5), and this previous one was even longer at 29 seconds (20+4+5). If it takes at least 26 seconds minimum to move one block and we still have almost 200 blocks to go, that¡¯s roughly 1hour 30minutes to reach the goal,¡± he concluded, bringing up the familiar ¡®1hour 30min¡¯ they¡¯d seen in the first hologram. To drive the point home, Lin gestured to the hologram behind him, where the timer ticked down mercilessly, showing barely 20% of the estimated time needed to reach the other side.
Time Limit: 21 minutes 41 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 10 seconds.
¡°...¡± They all stared at the timer, the harsh reality sinking in. It¡¯s a bit ironic, Lin thought, glancing at the screen. If we pray for four bells so we can move further with each stride, it also means we¡¯re losing three more seconds on the clock. If the maximum time was 29 seconds per round and they could move four blocks each time, they might make it in about 24 minutes. A hopeless outcome either way. There didn¡¯t seem to be any obvious pattern in the number of chimes they heard in each round. Unless they could find a way to artificially push for four rings in the remaining rounds, clearing it wouldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that,¡± the golden-haired student muttered, as if he¡¯d just done the math in his head. His expression was serious but surprisingly composed. He then turned to Lin, voicing the question on everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°So¡­ what do we do now?¡± he asked, and everyone¡¯s attention immediately shifted to Lin. Why are you asking me? Lin noted their expectant gazes, then shook his head. Watching their faces quickly darken, he finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking. For now, just follow the rules,¡± he replied calmly. They all nodded, feeling slightly reassured. As long as Lin hadn¡¯t given up, they felt they shouldn¡¯t either. Would they really follow my lead? Lin wondered briefly as he scanned their faces, but the thought was quickly overpowered by his more logical side. No¡­ Everything is going more or less as expected. From the start, Lin had been subtly proving his worth, creating strategy after strategy to establish his superior mental resilience ¨C calmness in the face of chaos. By putting himself on the line, enduring burns and pain to save others, he had also solidified his image¡ªmuch like the bald man¡ªas a selfless and reliable individual. Because of this, many had already overlooked his riskier actions, including how he had used some of them as unwitting test subjects to confirm his theories. They trust my judgment more than their own. By giving them a glimmer of hope with practical strategies, only to cruelly tear it away at the most crucial time, he had forced them to confront the dire reality of their situation ¨C that time was never on their side. What¡¯s more, Lin had made himself the bearer of the bad news. In doing so, he secured his position within the group, becoming not just someone they counted on, but someone to whom they were willing to yield. ¡®So¡­ what do we do now?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m still thinking. For now, follow the rules.¡¯ Conditioning. Lin knew that from this point on, while they navigated the trial, they would subconsciously wait for his guidance. They wouldn¡¯t bother formulating their own plans, believing that whatever Lin devised would ultimately save them. The reason he had given an ear to the golden-haired boy¡¯s earlier suggestion wasn¡¯t due to kindness or curiosity but to shut it down as bluntly as possible, discouraging the others from trying to come up with ideas of their own. Lin probably knows this plan already, they might think. If he¡¯s not bringing it up, there must be a flaw that only he can see. I¡¯ll just remain quiet for now¡­ Lin found no enjoyment in manipulating them like this, nor did he think himself superior to anyone present. However, the reality of the situation demanded it. To defeat the perpetrator of this trial, he first needed to command the trust¡ªand control¡ªof his fellow captives. No more suggestions, Lin thought as he glanced at the mini-timer, calculating his next move. From now on, my word is law. Chapter 7 - Breakthrough ¡°Next one incoming!¡± a rough voice reverberated across the cave. It belonged to a bald man wearing a brown tracksuit, and in his arms, a black-haired woman rested. At his words, everyone¡¯s senses immediately heightened as they shifted their attention to the holographic screen behind them, noting the timer. 5 seconds.
Time Limit: 19 minutes 12 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 5 seconds.
Lin glanced at the timer, making a mental note before looking down at the blocks around him, doing a quick count. He waited for the timer to hit two seconds before suddenly speaking up. ¡°Oi, big guy! Bring her to me,¡± his voice cut through the silence, causing everyone to glance at him in confusion. The bald man, who had been called out, looked even more bewildered as he met Lin¡¯s gaze before glancing at the woman in his arms. Ding. The sound of bells echoed through the cave, interrupting the man¡¯s thoughts. Silence followed, his face turning grim. As he had done multiple times throughout the trial, Lin had timed his words perfectly. By speaking only when the time was almost up, he took advantage of the urgency building in everyone¡¯s minds. This way, they wouldn¡¯t have time to ask questions¡ªonly to act. ¡°Two!¡± another voice shouted, and everyone immediately started moving, skipping a block and jumping onto the second block closer to the goal. ¡°A-are you sure?¡± the bald man called out, glancing at Lin, who simply nodded. The man then dashed toward Lin, who, instead of stepping forward toward the goal, turned to his side, skipping a block and stepping onto the second block to his left. As usual, the first to notice the strange action was the golden-haired boy, just a few blocks away from Lin. His expression showed confusion as though trying to dissect Lin¡¯s thoughts. They had already established how long it would take to reach the goal, yet Lin had essentially chosen to abandon the round, moving sideways instead. This meant he¡¯d still need to cover the same number of blocks to reach the goal on the other side after this round. ¡°Careful¡ªshe¡¯s a bit heavy,¡± the bald man said, arriving in front of Lin. He then gently passed the woman into Lin''s arms before dashing away toward his safe block just ahead. At that moment, if Lin had actually tried, he could¡¯ve still reached one of the safe blocks that would bring him closer to the goal. However, he remained where he was, glancing down at the woman in his arms. She¡¯s very good-looking. He raised a curious brow, noticing that, upon closer inspection, she was strikingly beautiful. However, her defocused, eerily dark eyes gave her a very lifeless expression. Her lips moved slightly and erratically, producing words that were barely comprehensible or even audible. Lin frowned as he observed her, meeting her gaze. Though she occasionally glanced at him, it didn¡¯t seem as though she was processing anything around her. Psychosis? Lin wondered but quickly dismissed the idea. Rather than showing fear or reacting to delusions, she seemed to exhibit a severe case of dissociation¡ªa complete detachment from reality. Lin wasn¡¯t a doctor or specialist, but coming from a very ¡®unique¡¯ family, he¡¯d seen his fair share of mental disorders.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The elite have too many mental issues. ¡°Um, shouldn¡¯t you be moving forward?¡± the golden-haired student finally voiced his concerns, snapping Lin out of his thoughts. Lin turned, glanced at the boy, and, after a second of thought, simply muttered, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± The boy could only nod, sensing he wouldn¡¯t be getting a straight answer about Lin¡¯s actions. Ignoring the gazes directed at him, Lin took a quick glance at the timer.
Time Limit: 18 minutes 49 seconds REACH THE GOAL! "A stride for a strike, let the deaf burn except for those with heroes." Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: 14 seconds.
He continued to stand in silence. The tension in the cave was palpable, as though they were in a graveyard. A few of them were already worn down, feeling neither optimistic nor hopeless¡ªjust going with the flow. As the timer approached 10 seconds, Lin suddenly began to move, catching everyone¡¯s attention as yet another incomprehensible scene unfolded before them. He turned to his side, still not facing toward the goal, as if intending to move sideways in the current round too. Stepping to the edge of his block, he suddenly bent down and began lowering the woman. ¡°W-wait, what¡¯re you doing!?¡± the bald man shouted, his eyes widening in horror as he realized Lin¡¯s intentions. But Lin didn¡¯t answer. Gently, yet with cold precision, he lowered the woman onto the block next to him. Those around him instinctively covered their ears and looked away, bracing for the expected screams of agony. However, none came. Confusion, surprise, and amazement flashed across everyone¡¯s faces as they took in the scene. Lin stood in his own block, while the woman lay peacefully on the next one. She wasn¡¯t burning, nor was she screaming; she was simply lying there, still locked in her dissociated state but completely unharmed. ¡°And this?¡± the feminine-looking man muttered, unable to hide his confusion. Before anyone could respond, a chuckle rang out, drawing their attention to the golden-haired boy, who was watching the scene with an amazed smile plastered on his face. Completely oblivious to the tense mood, he spoke up in an enthusiastic tone. ¡°This¡­ This is one of his safe blocks,¡± the golden-haired boy said, pointing toward the bald man. The bald man glanced down in confusion before quickly counting the blocks and nodding in agreement. ¡°Ah, I see,¡± the feminine-looking man murmured, glancing at the golden-haired boy. ¡°So, any block you step on when the mini-timer ends becomes your new block,¡± he said, and the student nodded. Their unexpectedly optimistic reactions left others confused, prompting one of them to finally speak up. ¡°And? What does that mean?¡± the blue haired man asked, his brow furrowed. He seemed to understand their explanation but couldn¡¯t grasp the source of their strange optimism. If the discovery didn¡¯t directly help them reach the goal, then why be optimistic? Sensing his hesitation, the golden-haired boy turned to Lin, who gave him a simple nod, granting him permission to elaborate. ¡°It means the people at the front don¡¯t need to carry us forever. Just one round is enough to make a block register as your own. As you see with the girl, she¡¯s not getting burned anymore because she only moved two blocks away from the one she was on last time¡ªwhich happens to be the block where the big guy was standing while holding her,¡± the golden-haired boy explained in one breath. Faces flushed with newfound hope while amazement shone in their eyes. Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: ## seconds. When the woman had been carried by the bald man, the block they landed on became her new safe block, meaning the rules now applied relative to that specific block. A strike for a stride. That rule would not be validly applied if her original block is used to calculate her new safe blocks. For example, if the bald man¡¯s block was four blocks away from the woman¡¯s initial one, carrying her to his block meant that her old block could no longer be used to calculate her strides. Instead, the new block redefines her actual safe blocks. In future rounds, should the bell ring only once, then using her initial block to calculate her next safe block would mean that she needed to travel more than the agreed-upon strides. Instead of moving one block per strike, it would mean the woman had actually moved a total of no less than two strides to arrive at her new safe block, no longer adhering to the stride-per-strike rule. In conclusion, it meant that her old block could no longer be used to calculate her ¡®strides.¡¯ It¡¯s a play of words. Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: ## seconds. The block you¡¯re standing on when the mini timer hits zero is ¡®your block¡¯. With this, we might be able to win¡­ Chapter 8 - Lin Gollin
There¡¯s a thin line between cunningness and cruelty; one is a means to an end, and the other, an end in itself. However, for the victim, the two are one and the same.
Lin watched the dissociated woman lying on the block beside his, staring blankly at the ceiling while mumbling to herself. In just a few rounds, he had exploited the rules as much as possible, and finally, a less risky plan had presented itself. ¡°Oh, I get it! Then let¡¯s try it this next round, yeah?¡± someone suggested optimistically. The newfound hope spread quickly, and everyone nodded, eager to do anything that might help them reach the goal. ¡°We will,¡± the feminine-looking man said, cutting through their enthusiasm, ¡°but I think we need to plan it out first. Right?¡± He directed their attention to the screen behind them, which now displayed the mini timer at just 3 seconds. Reluctantly, the group agreed to focus on normal movement for the current round and plan properly afterward. Chaos would have erupted if everyone had jumped off their blocks at once and demanded to be carried by the same person. 2 seconds. ¡°I have a plan,¡± Lin suddenly muttered. Panic flashed across their faces as they looked between him and the screen, where the timer hit zero. ¡°The rest of you, keep moving; big guy, come to me now¡ªquick!¡± he shouted as the sound of bells¡¯ drowned his voice. The others turned back to focus on their blocks, while the bald man, sensing Lin¡¯s urgency, braced himself and stepped out without waiting for the bell¡¯s rings to finish. His face suddenly flickered with confusion, as did everyone else¡¯s¡ªwhy wasn¡¯t he burning? But the subsequent sound of the bells redirected their focus as they counted the number of rings. ¡°Count exactly 110 blocks and drop her there; I¡¯ll guide you,¡± Lin instructed as the bald man arrived. The bald man picked up the woman, lifting her into his arms. He hesitated, his confusion evident, but meeting Lin¡¯s calm, unwavering gaze seemed to steel his resolve. He slung the woman onto his back and launched into a sprint toward the goal. ¡°F-four!¡± someone shouted, confirming the number of rings, and everyone began moving forward. As they settled on their safe blocks, the bald man continued charging ahead at an impressive speed. However... As expected... Shhhhhh! The sound of burning flesh reverberated through the cave. The bald man¡¯s skin seared as he tried to push onward at a steady pace. Though he was fast, just as Lin had anticipated, the distance was simply too great for a single sprint¡ªespecially while carrying the added weight of the woman on his back, which slowed him from reaching his full speed. Everyone watched in silence, the constant sound of burning flesh reverberating through the cave. He¡¯s too slow, Lin thought as he watched him, a bit surprised that the added weight of the woman was slowing him down that much. His pace had dropped far below average, almost to the level of jogging. Ding. ¡°Huh?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The bell¡¯s chime echoed, catching everyone¡¯s attention. They looked back, realizing more than 20 seconds had passed. At the same time, the sizzling sound up ahead abruptly stopped, and as if gaining newfound energy, the bald man suddenly pushed forward with a much quicker pace. Two more bells rang, prompting the group to move forward, concentrating back on themselves. Lin continued to watch the bald man closely. After a few seconds, the sizzling resumed as his speed slowed slightly. He staggered for a second as if caught off guard before pushing forward, fighting through the pain. He crossed multiple blocks, having long surpassed the 110-block milestone, as though determined to reach the goal. It¡¯s possible for him, Lin thought to himself. Running to the other side was indeed possible. However, the primary challenge wasn¡¯t just endurance¡ªit was pain tolerance. Though unconfirmed, Lin suspected that even the blue-haired man, who seemed to be the second most physically capable among them, would struggle to reach the goal. You can build endurance by training your muscles and stamina, but pain tolerance is a bit different. To develop it, one had to endure pain intentionally¡ªsomething incorporated into martial arts training, perhaps, but not a skill a normal person would have much use for. That should be fine, Lin concluded. He had watched when the man passed the mark he¡¯d specified, refraining from calling out and waiting a few more seconds. Once the bald man reached a ¡®suitable¡¯ distance, Lin finally shouted. ¡°Right there!¡± his voice reverberated across the cave. The bald man stopped abruptly, surprisingly quick on the uptake despite his burning skin, placing the woman on the block he was standing on before turning to sprint back. However, as he did, the woman¡¯s face twisted, darkening with an unsettling expression. ¡°Uhh!!¡± An ear-piercing scream tore from her throat, freezing the man mid-step. He turned back to her in alarm before glancing toward Lin, shouting, ¡°Are you sure!?¡± ¡°Yeah! Come back, quick!¡± Lin called back without hesitation, his eyes darting to the mini-timer, which still showed 12 seconds remaining. The bald man hesitated, his gaze flicking back to the woman. Finally, the searing pain of his burning flesh forced his decision. He clenched his teeth, steeling himself, and sprinted back toward the others. But just a few seconds later, Lin¡¯s voice cut through the tension once again. ¡°Stop!¡± he shouted. The bald man slid to a halt, confusion flashing across his face. As he stood there, the realization suddenly dawned. Glancing down, he saw his body was no longer burning. Instead, a strange white steam enveloped him, soothing and healing his wounds. Before he could process what had happened, another agonized scream pierced the air. ¡°Uhhh!!¡± The woman¡¯s wails filled the cave, drawing his attention back to her. She was curled up on the block he¡¯d left her on, her body trembling violently. Yet, despite her torment, nothing seemed to change. ¡°I-it¡¯s not working! Should I pull her out?¡± the bald man shouted, panic evident in his voice. All eyes turned to Lin, who shook his head calmly, offering no reply. Even from across the cave, the bald man could see the gesture. His face darkened, frustration brewing as he seemed to battle the urge to run back and pull her out. As for everyone else, the silence was palpable as they all watched Lin¡ªthe Lin who observed the scene with a mostly calm expression, one they hadn¡¯t expected to see in this situation. The sight spiked their anxiety as they glanced at each other, silently asking themselves the same question. Finally, someone broke the silence. ¡°Sorry, but¡­¡± The feminine-looking man¡¯s voice wavered, his displeasure evident. He grimaced as another of the woman¡¯s tortured screams echoed. ¡°What exactly is this going to achieve?¡± he asked, his question filled with a hint of anger ¨C an emotion he hadn¡¯t shown even as he burned and suffered through pain. At his question, Lin slowly turned toward them, his crimson-red eyes showing an unnatural dullness that gave him an eerie air, more lifeless than the dark-haired woman with a broken mind. Coldly, and in the same tone he¡¯d used over and over since waking up, he muttered an incomprehensible statement. ¡°Victory,¡± he said simply, their eyes widening as he continued right afterward. ¡°This will achieve victory,¡± he said again, solidifying his statement. The words were enough to send chills down their spines. For many, the fear stayed in their hearts for as long as they lived. But for a select few, a different emotion emerged from this. Hate. Resentment. Envy. Disgust. Inferiority. And, perhaps most strangely, love. But above all, motivation. Motivation to surpass the monster that stood before them. Motivation to surpass Lin Gollin. ~the end of no one. Chapter 9 - Path to Victory Among the select few, the golden-haired boy, seemingly understanding Lin¡¯s intentions, stayed silent, his expression a mix of pity and sadness. None of them wanted to die¡ªthat was the reality¡ªbut if their survival depended on someone else¡¯s death, some were visibly uncomfortable with it. One of them, who had seemed the least likely to speak out, glared at Lin and asked, ¡°She¡¯s going to die. What makes you think you can decide her fate?¡± the blue-haired man said, voicing everyone¡¯s thoughts. But Lin, as though the question was trivial, merely shrugged, glancing forward¡ªtoward the dark-haired woman, seemingly unbothered by her screeching as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly how this works, but¡­ she won¡¯t die,¡± he replied in a firm tone, showing no doubt in his words. She¡¯ll be fine, he thought to himself, recalling the rules from before. The penalty for not completing the trial was death, and so, looking at the supernatural healing factor of the steam, he could more or less conclude that the burning wouldn¡¯t persist to the point of killing them off. Rather, it was meant to deter them from stepping outside their safe blocks. ¡°Huh? And how do you know that?¡± the blue-haired man shot back in a much more threatening tone, moving to the edge of his block, ready to step out at any moment. Seeing this, Lin¡¯s expression remained calm as he glanced at him. ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something,¡± he said, his voice becoming louder as he addressed everyone present. ¡°No, all of you don¡¯t understand. That woman is not suffering because of me. Everything I¡¯m doing is to help you, not myself.¡± His words left them puzzled, and their expressions became more complicated. Rather than coldness, his calm confidence made him seem almost delusional. I guess this is enough, Lin thought as he mentally prepared himself, and instead of proving his words with more words, he did something completely unexpected. Calmly, without a hint of hesitation, Lin took a few steps forward until, finally, he completely stepped out of his block. The sizzling sound of burning flesh echoed through the cave as smoke rose from his skin, but his reaction wasn¡¯t what they expected. ¡°W-wh¡ªhow!?¡± someone gasped, breaking the silence as they all stared in awe. Having experienced it themselves, they were well aware of the pain, and yet, Lin stood there, his expression completely blank, as though he felt nothing at all. The blue-haired man, who, despite his high physical abilities, had struggled with enduring the same pain, widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± the words left his mouth without thinking. ¡°As you can see, I can make a run for the goal if I wanted to,¡± Lin said simply, not bothering to answer the man¡¯s question as he stepped back onto his block, white steam rising around him and healing his burns. Watching the scene, it was questionable if he even needed the steam, but as if to disperse such thoughts, Lin continued out loud. ¡°It¡¯s painful, yes, but I think I can handle it. The big guy is already ahead, and maybe a few others can make it¡ªbut more than half of you won¡¯t make it.¡± His words cast a grim shadow over their faces, though at the same time, his words were very deliberate. Even if the majority could probably reach the other side, he had essentially forced them into doubting themselves. Believing you had a chance to reach the other side required looking around and trusting that you could endure the pain better than half of everyone present¡ªan action that would fundamentally lead to self-doubt. He could read their expressions, noting the few who still seemed confident. ¡°So, before you take out your anger on me, remember why we¡¯re here. Remember why we had to resort to this. Every single one of you is responsible for what¡¯s happening. I don¡¯t blame the first person who suggested waiting; everyone else who agreed is just as responsible. The instructions we were given are to reach the goal, and that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯ll do. I have no idea what will happen if one of us doesn¡¯t make it, so I¡¯ll make sure everyone reaches the other side.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. His words seemed to touch them slightly, though the woman¡¯s continuous, tortured screams in the background cast a chilling contrast over their expressions. Sensing the growing tension, Lin added, ¡°Even if it means dragging all of you to the goal, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ll do,¡± he concluded, and the sound of a bell echoed immediately afterward. The entire time, he hadn¡¯t even looked back at the hologram behind him, and yet, for what felt like the umpteenth time, he¡¯d timed his words perfectly with the end of the mini timer, giving them no room to question¡ªonly to act. Ding. A second chime echoed across the cave, pulling everyone¡¯s attention as they scanned their surroundings. As the sound of the bells faded, they all advanced two blocks forward¡ªeveryone except Lin. Without hesitation, Lin, who had just finished speaking, kicked off the ground, sprinting straight ahead and covering multiple blocks at an incredible speed. Although the bald man had performed a similar feat, even while carrying the woman, Lin¡¯s speed was on a whole other level, comparable to that of professional athletes. Shh! The sound of burning flesh reached their ears, and their faces creased with worry as Lin came to an abrupt stop. He turned around, took a shaky step back, and suddenly collapsed to the floor. "Haah¡­ Haah," he panted, his breathing heavy as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Sweat trickled down his entire body. Rather than appearing like someone suffering from the agony of his flesh burning, he seemed utterly exhausted from running, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. This is harder than I thought. Drowsiness began to overtake him, and he marveled once again at the bald man¡¯s extraordinary pain tolerance. The experience also reinforced his previous fears¡ªrunning to the other side was not a viable option for the rest of the group. Ding. The sound of the bell echoed in his ears as white steam surrounded him, whisking away the pain. Snapping back to reality, he wasted no time. He shot up from the ground and shouted toward the rest of the group. ¡°From here on out, follow my instructions if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± he demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument, and although no one openly agreed, not a single voice rose in opposition. He then quickly turned around again, glancing at the bald man, who had just finished moving the dark-haired woman to her safe block just ahead before returning to his own. The alignment is good, he thought for a moment, jumping into his next block before speaking up. ¡°Match my pace. We¡¯ll grab any stragglers and help them move. Understand?¡± he instructed the bald man, who, despite his earlier hesitation, nodded in agreement. He seemed to be quick on the uptake, taking Lin¡¯s actions as a necessary evil for the eventual survival of everyone present. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll try my best,¡± he replied sternly, his eyes showing a burning conviction. Even with the distance between them, Lin could see his expression, giving a nod of acknowledgment. Satisfied with the response, Lin turned back to the others. ¡°How many of you think you can reach me in a single sprint?¡± he asked, this time using his natural tone, but the cave¡¯s echoes seemed to carry it just fine. From his question, a tense silence followed as they all exchanged glances, reluctant to answer¡ªlikely because of the doubt he¡¯d put in their heads. Finally, as if fighting the edge, the blue-haired man spoke up. ¡°I can do it,¡± he said simply, and Lin nodded, scanning the others to see if anyone else would volunteer. Some seemed more afraid of the pain they could potentially experience rather than the sprint itself, but eventually, another man raised his hand. The man had a neatly trimmed buzz cut, wore a pair of glasses, and, similar to Lin, appeared as though he¡¯d just come from the office¡ªdressed in business attire. ¡°Same here,¡± he said out loud. Satisfied with the two volunteers, Lin immediately gave instructions. ¡°When you hear the first bell, I want the two of you to sprint to me,¡± he explained, not elaborating further. As if already accustomed to his vague directions, both of them reluctantly nodded, not asking any questions. Lin added, ¡°The rest of you should discuss and compare your speeds. I want two more people to come forward in the following round.¡± The group nodded at his words, their eyes now turning to the mini timer, slowly ticking down until finally reaching its final moments, a familiar chime signaling the start. Ding. The two volunteers dashed forward, their sights set on Lin. Although not as fast as him, they sprinted at incredible speeds, with the man in glasses slightly in the lead. Watching them, Lin sidestepped to a block on his left, still facing their direction, showing no intention of running toward the goal. Shhh! The searing sound of burning filled the air just as the two barely reached him. Instinctively, both men leaped toward Lin, each stepping on one of his feet for support and balancing themselves by gripping onto him. Despite the added weight, coupled with their momentum, Lin steadied his body, killing their momentum. A sharp pain ran through his feet, but he didn¡¯t complain¡ªconsidering the alternative would have been getting rammed to the ground and sat on. The rest of the group watched in silence, worry etched on their faces as they considered how they, likely slower than these two, would manage the same challenge. This should do, Lin thought to himself, the path to victory finally taking shape in his mind. Chapter 10 - Stepping Stone ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what to do next,¡± Lin muttered in a low voice, addressing the two men standing on his feet. They both nodded, quickly piecing together Lin¡¯s plan. As if seeking extra confirmation, the blue-haired man spoke up. ¡°We jump onto the big guy next, right?¡± Lin nodded, their eyes meeting briefly as though a similar thought had suddenly surfaced in their minds ¨C one unrelated to the bald man up ahead. The man in glasses, seemingly coming to the same thought, interrupted, tackling the issue head-on. ¡°And after that?¡± he asked. Lin¡¯s expression remained calm. They were currently around the 35% mark of the cave (roughly 70m), while the bald man was at the 70% mark (roughly 140m), creating a series of ¡®stepping stones¡¯ that reached all the way to the goal. First, they would reach Lin, rest for a few seconds by having him carry them to negate the burning, then jump off and sprint toward the bald man. But after that... ¡°Step on the girl¡¯s stomach,¡± Lin said coldly. The two glanced down at him with disapproving expressions. The blue-haired man seemed the most bothered, but after a moment of silence, he suddenly muttered under his breath. ¡°You have bad taste.¡± At that moment, the bell rang, and both of them stepped down and sprinted toward the bald man. Meanwhile, from the first group, two more individuals were already racing toward Lin at an unnatural speed, likely fuelled by sheer adrenaline. Reflecting on the blue-haired man¡¯s words, Lin let out a dry smile, shaking his head as his mind wandered. Crazy women aren¡¯t my type. He thought to himself as the new pair reached him some seconds later¡ªsurprisingly faster than the first two volunteers since the burning hadn¡¯t yet started. However, since the bell had rung thrice for this round, they had more time to reach him, unlike the previous two who had to run at the sound of a single bell. They both stepped onto his feet just as he arrived on his new safe block, mimicking the previous pair, relief evident on their faces at avoiding the burning. Since each ring lasted roughly one second, each pair had a minimum of six seconds¡ªfive seconds to move into a new safe block plus one second for the chime of the bell. However, the more times it rang, the more seconds they received: two bells would give them seven seconds (5+2), three would give them eight (5+3), and so on. Lin turned his head, noting the two ahead just barely reaching the bald man. They scrambled up onto his back, holding onto his large arms. Despite the added weight, the bald man also remained steady, completely unfazed. We should add more¡­ Lin thought, turning to check the mini timer on the screen, waiting for the right opportunity. This should do. As it hit three seconds, the two still standing on his feet readied themselves to jump off. What happened next, however, defied all comprehension. In a dazzling show of speed, Lin swerved his body sideways. The sudden movement caused the man on his left foot to stumble back, struggling to regain his balance as he quickly held on to Lin¡¯s arm. At the same moment, Lin blitzed away from him, driving his elbow into the second man¡¯s stomach. The man''s face twisted in pain as he fell back, clutching his abdomen. Shhh! He immediately started to burn, and instantly, Lin turned back to the first man, who was still trying to steady himself. His face shifted to horror as Lin¡¯s right knee shot into his stomach.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Kuh!¡± he gasped in pain, releasing his grip on Lin as he staggered backward. Without hesitation, Lin grabbed him by the collar and threw him onto the next block. The sound of burning flesh filled the air, the pain on the man¡¯s face intensifying as it spread from his stomach to his entire body, forcing a scream from his throat. Then, just as suddenly, the burning sensation ceased. Both men looked down in confusion as thin, white steam began to rise from their skin. The familiar sound of the bell snapped them out of their daze. Ding¡­ ¡°W-why?¡± one of them stammered, staring at Lin, who offered no explanation. Instead, he turned away from them, shouting toward the group. ¡°Send two more!¡± His voice cut through the ringing bells. At the same time, two more people sprinted forward¡ªnow a total of four running toward them, their eyes filled with worry as they rapidly approached Lin. ¡°Move to the fourth block and prepare to meet them,¡± Lin commanded in a low voice. The two men, now fully processing what had just happened, stood up from their blocks just as the final bell echoed, quickly dashing toward the incoming volunteers. They claimed their new safe blocks, coming to an abrupt stop at exactly four blocks away from their previous ones. As always, Lin stepped sideways, neither advancing toward the goal nor retreating. The first two people reached them, seemingly aiming for the blocks the other two had just occupied, but Lin quickly intervened. ¡°You two are with me, hurry!¡± he shouted. Their faces darkened slightly, but they curved their paths, reluctantly complying as they rushed toward him. This time, it was a man and a woman, each quickly climbing onto one of Lin¡¯s feet but still showing a little bit of delicacy as if trying not to hurt him. Just a few steps behind them, the next two¡ªwho had moved a second later¡ªarrived at the newly claimed safe blocks. Each was being carried by one of the men Lin had instructed to secure the new positions. Since these blocks were closer to the main group, they managed to arrive before the burning could start. ¡°This is how it¡¯ll work,¡± Lin immediately spoke up at their arrival, wasting no time in explaining the plan. ¡°The two I¡¯m carrying and the two I carried before that will all move to the big guy. The rest of you will claim new blocks and move in the next round.¡± Lin explained simply, and all of them nodded. The question of whether or not the bald man could carry all four of them didn¡¯t seem to even cross their minds¡ªa reflection of just how strong everyone viewed him to be. This should be faster, Lin thought, turning his head to assess the situation just ahead. As expected, when the blue-haired man and the spectacled man reached the dark-haired woman, they had positioned themselves carefully, trying to sit on her legs and other areas that wouldn¡¯t cause her additional pain. Afterward, instead of rushing toward the goal, they decided to move a few blocks to the side, aiming to act as the bridge for the incoming individuals rather than simply using the woman¡¯s body as some kind of stepping stone, as Lin had suggested. The strategy was going as planned thus far, with the only adjustment being the addition of the two new safe blocks next to him. Since he couldn¡¯t carry as many people as the bald man at once, he used the two individuals he attacked to create more safe blocks so that more people could advance in each round. Having experienced it once and still being able to move afterward, it was clear that everyone could endure the burning for a couple of seconds, which made it easier to exploit the mini-timer rule. Make sure you¡¯re in your block when this mini-timer runs out: ## seconds. Waiting until there were around three seconds left, he threw each of the two into adjacent blocks, meaning they only had to endure about two seconds of pain before the bells eventually rang, solidifying those blocks as their new blocks. This approach allowed them to move four people at once and burn through the crowd quickly. ¡°Four more!¡± Lin shouted to the group again, where the numbers were trimming down with each round. As the bell rang, four individuals immediately darted forward from the group, while the two Lin had been carrying jumped down and sprinted toward the bald man. Just ahead of Lin, the two he had attacked earlier each released the individuals they were carrying before darting toward him, zipping past as they headed for the bald man too. As instructed, the pair left behind immediately moved to their new safe blocks, advancing two blocks each and bracing themselves to receive the next arrivals. The seconds quickly ticked down. Good, Lin thought, just as the sound of burning flesh echoed just ahead of him, prompting him to glance up. Two of the four new volunteers were already starting to burn, while the other two had already reached the safe blocks. Among the two burning, one of them was lagging far behind, her speed slowing down with each step as her face contorted in pain. She won¡¯t make it. Chapter 11 - Inhuman Two of the four new volunteers were already starting to burn, while the other two had reached the safe blocks. Among the two burning, one was lagging far behind, her speed slowing with each step as her face contorted in pain. She won¡¯t make it. She tried to push forward, but after a few steps, Lin dashed toward her, moving past the man who was still rushing toward his block and reaching her in seconds despite the burning sensation on his own skin. Scooping her up, he turned and sprinted forward, reaching his safe block at the same time as the man he had passed, who quickly jumped onto his foot. After a few more seconds, the bell rang again, and the four around Lin dashed toward the bald man, while another four broke off from the main group and sprinted toward them, leaving only one person behind. Lin turned to survey the progress, noting that a few had already reached the goal, their figures barely visible behind the holographic screen ahead. The rest of the process went just as he¡¯d predicted, each person using the three designated "stepping stones" as milestones to reach the goal¡ªLin at 35%, the bald man at 70%, and the duo up front at around 85%. One by one, using the stepping stones to rest, they all made it to the endpoint. It was a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion, but to everyone involved, it was a huge relief. Lin, being the last to arrive, passed through the hologram with cautious steps. Not what I was expecting, he thought, glancing around. It was a small, enclosed space, indicating the end of the cave, but the main issue was the apparent lack of a doorway or anything that suggested a continuation of the path. The grey, sloped wall stood before them. ¡°Now what?¡± someone asked aloud, and they all exchanged uncertain glances. They had expected to be received by someone at the end, but with no one here, there wasn¡¯t anything they could do. Even knowing this fact, perhaps predictably¡ªand just as he intended¡ªtheir attention collectively turned to one person: the one they silently acknowledged as the reason they were all still alive. Feeling their expectant gazes, Lin merely shrugged. ¡°No idea,¡± he muttered, though his eyes continued to scan the room, calculating, memorizing, and absorbing every detail around him. Despite his unenthusiastic reply, none of them looked disappointed. The hope in their eyes didn¡¯t fade; instead, a collective thought seemed to surface among them: As long as he¡¯s here, we¡¯ll be fine¡­ After standing around and waiting for a few more minutes, burning through the final moments left for the trial to officially end, something strange suddenly occurred. ¡°Huh?¡± Their eyes widened in shock¡ªa phenomenon beyond comprehension unfolding before them. If everything until now could be explained by advanced technology, the bluish-transparent screens floating in front of them felt oddly supernatural. [Congratulations! You have completed the trial!] [Your Soulex has been awakened!] [God System has been obtained!] [Elements of the God System]This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. [Echo] (sealed) [Pulse] (sealed) [Form] (sealed) [Veil] (sealed) [Bind] (sealed) ¡°Eh, a system?¡± one of them muttered loudly, their voice tinged with confusion, though a hint of excitement crept in. What the hell is this? A frown formed on Lin¡¯s face as he stared at the screen, his reality slowly crumbling. The screens floated in front of them, and each person could see the others'' screens. Still confused, Lin turned to eye the man in glasses, and as everyone else followed his gaze, one of them finally decided to ask. ¡°You¡¯ve seen this before?¡± the golden-haired student asked, curiosity laced in his tone. However, from the mixed expressions that followed, it was clear a few of them somewhat understood what he was talking about. ¡°A-ah, sorry. I got a little carried away,¡± the spectacled man replied with a wry smile. ¡°Have you seen this before?¡± Lin¡¯s voice suddenly cut in, repeating the question as if reminding the man that he hadn¡¯t answered. The man flinched slightly, clearing his throat as he gave a nod. ¡°Y-yeah, not the exact thing, but I¡¯ve read about something similar in novels and stuff,¡± he explained, his tone growing less confident with each word, as if embarrassed to share. Lin¡¯s expression, however, remained unreadable. The man, noticing Lin¡¯s lack of reaction, hastily added, ¡°Honestly, with everything around here, we might not even be on Earth anymore.¡± Lin¡¯s eyes narrowed suddenly at this. ¡°O-of course, I could be wrong! So, please, don¡¯t take me too seriously!¡± the man added, noticing the darkening expressions of those around him. And as if waiting for that exact moment, an unfamiliar voice reverberated around them. ¡°No, you¡¯re correct,¡± a soothing voice said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. Across from them, instead of the rocky end of the cave, a woman stood there, surrounded by a soft, white aura that gave her an almost divine presence. Her skin was pale white, her long, white hair glowing faintly, and her eyes a light shade of red. She wore a long, white dress that covered her feet, and as she took a step forward, everyone instinctively knew they were looking at someone¡ªor something¡ªnot human. ¡°Huh!?¡± A few surprised gasps broke the silence as everyone looked around. In an instant, the scenery changed, and they found themselves standing in a vast white room that seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions. ¡°W-who are you?¡± one of them asked, refocusing on the woman. Her expression remained unchanged¡ªneither happy nor sad¡ªyet for some reason, her presence gave them a strangely soothing, comforting feeling. ¡°I¡¯m the one who brought you here,¡± she said calmly, her tone soft. The group¡¯s reactions were varied, most of them seemingly confused as they waited for her to elaborate. However, not all of them were too keen on waiting. Like a detective who¡¯d just received the confession he sought, Lin stepped forward, stretching as he spoke. ¡°I see,¡± he said, glancing away from the woman. His eyes met with the bald man¡¯s, conveying a very simple message, and the bald man, though seeming reluctant, quickly steeled himself, nodding in return. If this was the person responsible for bringing them here and subjecting them to that entire ordeal, then there was only one thing to do. Asking pointless questions isn¡¯t one of them. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want to do that,¡± the woman suddenly spoke up, seeming to sense his intentions. But as if oblivious to her words, Lin gave a small smile, replying, ¡°Do what?¡± His tone was calm, as always, but a hint of bloodlust flickered in his eyes, which seemed to have lost some of their color, devoid of any life. Sensing this, a few individuals around him took a small step back, bracing themselves for what might happen. The more confident ones, however, seemed to weigh their options as they slowly moved toward the woman¡¯s side, widening their group to prepare to flank her if it came down to it. ¡°You¡¯re planning to fight me, aren¡¯t you?¡± the woman finally answered his question. ¡°Are you suggesting you¡¯d surrender willingly?¡± Lin retorted, his strong tone indicating it was the only alternative he was willing to consider. The woman, however, remained silent. ¡°...¡± She simply watched him, as if waiting for him to act, showing not the slightest hint of caution in her stance. Despite the warning signs flashing in his mind, Lin suppressed his instincts, forcing himself to think more logically. No matter how strong one person might be, taking on multiple opponents unarmed wasn¡¯t realistic. But then again¡­ Maybe this is all just a dream, Lin thought, wrestling with the same disbelief and confusion as everyone else¡ªa sign that he wasn¡¯t in control. That he should step back and rethink his choices. Against his better judgment, however, Lin took a step forward and muttered, ¡°Looks like we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± We¡¯ll just have to contain her. Chapter 12 - Potential We¡¯ll just have to contain her. Immediately as Lin thought this, the spectacled man suddenly grabbed his arm from behind, prompting him to turn with a frown. ¡°Um, sorry, but usually... uh... she might be a goddess or something,¡± he stammered in a low voice, trying to dissuade him from fighting. Lin, understanding the caution behind his whisper, responded in a much louder voice. ¡°Goddess?¡± he repeated, causing the man to flinch at the unexpected reply and hesitantly glance toward the woman before nodding. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± he said, averting his gaze as if fearing her disapproval. Are we really not on Earth? Lin thought, trying to process the reality before him¡ªa reality that felt completely out of place. The concept of the game they¡¯d just completed wasn¡¯t entirely unfamiliar. Growing up in high society, he¡¯d witnessed a lot of things he wished he never had¡ªthe type of things you couldn¡¯t casually report to the authorities because nine times out of ten, the authorities already knew about it. Among such atrocities were ¡°survival games¡± where the poor were forced to fight for their lives for the amusement of the rich. But even with all the high-end tech they usually utilized to create these games, Lin had never seen anything like this. Steam that healed you instantly while erasing pain entirely. Fire that burned skin without a visible ignition source. Did they implant microchips in our bodies? Or maybe they were unconscious, all sharing some kind of dream. Countless possibilities formed in his mind. However, since he had never heard of these types of technologies, it seemed unlikely that such revolutionary advancements were being used one after the other as if they were publicly available resources. If it can¡¯t be explained by advanced technology... ¡°It¡¯s magic,¡± the woman¡¯s voice reached his ears, snapping him out of his thoughts. His eyes widened as he looked up, meeting her gaze which seemed to see right through him. Can she read minds? The thought surfaced in his mind, and unfortunately, it seemed to be the only plausible explanation, considering the fact that she¡¯d brought up a completely unrelated topic out of nowhere¡ªa topic that had been playing in his mind. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Lin finally asked, having considered all possible explanations and arriving at a conclusion he¡¯d been resisting with all his might. I don¡¯t know... As if reading his thoughts, the woman immediately answered. ¡°As the boy said, I¡¯m what you might call a goddess. Or would you like a demonstration of my powers?¡± she asked in a straight tone, adding a tempting offer at the end. Should I stand down? Lin wondered, glancing around the endless white room and letting out a sigh. The others around him seemed to be glancing at him, a hint of anticipation in their eyes as if urging him to agree. However, demanding proof of her power felt very risky given their current situation. If she displays something too supernatural to even comprehend¡ªit might completely shatter everyone¡¯s fighting spirit. It was typical of Lin to analyze the threat this way. Though leaning toward a new belief in the supernatural, he still assessed the so-called goddess as a potential threat that might need to be taken down, viewing her not as an unknown variable but a dangerous one. As far as he was concerned, her admission of bringing them there was reason enough for Lin to see her as a threat. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll play along. Where are we, and why did you bring us here?¡± Lin finally asked, standing down and giving in to her taunt while throwing multiple questions to take as much control of the conversation as possible. The others¡¯ expressions immediately became relieved; although they considered the being in front of them a possibly powerful foe, they couldn¡¯t imagine winning against her at all. ¡°Good choice,¡± the woman replied, her tone sounding unsurprised by Lin¡¯s reaction. She turned slightly and extended her hand toward the floor. Instantly, a small cylindrical structure emerged from the ground, capturing everyone¡¯s gaze. ¡°We are currently at ground zero of the Tower of Heroes, a kind of bridge between worlds,¡± she explained. Everyone glanced at the tower, which seemed very plain, resembling old medieval towers most had seen in parts of the world. Their faces clouded with confusion, though a few seemed excited at the mention of ¡°hero.¡± ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about all those other worlds out there,¡± she continued. ¡°The twenty of you have been chosen to become the heroes of your world.¡± Heroes? Lin frowned, his thoughts still stuck on the sudden revelation of multiple other worlds besides theirs. Everyone else seemed to share a similarly conflicted expression. The contrast between being chosen as a hero and the ordeal they¡¯d endured in the ¡°Trial¡± left them struggling to reconcile the two. ¡°Why us?¡± the blue-haired man cut in, sounding annoyed at Lin¡¯s prolonged silence. The group gave him a brief glance, noting the dark-haired woman still sprawled in his arms. He ignored their gazes, only glancing at a particular individual.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Is he still mad? Lin wondered as their eyes met before quickly looking away. After completing the trial, Lin had tried to reconcile with the man by offering to carry the woman himself, but his offer had been bluntly rejected. ¡®Can you promise you won¡¯t try to use her for any experiments?¡¯ the blue-haired man had asked. Lin, pausing to consider his response, had only ended up losing the man¡¯s trust entirely as he walked away without waiting for an answer. I didn¡¯t want to carry her anyway. Lin had already suspected they would meet some kind of gamemaster or host after the trial, and if things turned physical, she could become deadweight and hold him back. ¡°All of you here currently hold the title of ¡®Hero Candidate,¡¯ that is, the greatest potential to become a hero,¡± the woman¡¯s voice interrupted, starkly contrasting with Lin¡¯s dark thoughts. The contrast wasn¡¯t lost on the others as they all turned toward him, the same thought floating in their minds. Hero? There was no doubt he had been the greatest aid throughout the trial, but calling him ¡®heroic¡¯ felt misplaced, especially given some of his more questionable actions¡ªparticularly against the dark-haired woman, who had been in a vulnerable position. As if sensing their confusion, the goddess continued. ¡°Even as ¡®gods,¡¯ we don¡¯t choose who becomes a Hero Candidate. We didn¡¯t choose you; the system chose you,¡± she explained. At that moment, the pure white space around them suddenly dimmed, revealing a sky scattered with stars as if they were floating in space. Several planets hovered nearby, and to their amazement, some looked very familiar. Earth. There were thousands of planets spread throughout the space around them, possibly even an infinite number, as the worlds stretched endlessly in all directions. Their eyes wandered in awe, taking in the aesthetic scene. As the goddess waved her hand again, one of the planets suddenly moved toward her, zooming in to reveal the various locations in it, many of which seemed familiar. ¡°The Algo-God system allows us to simulate any world and observe how the future might unfold when certain variables are changed. For example, we can see what a world would be like if a particular person was never born, or if a major event never happened. This allows us to monitor potential outcomes and determine when we might need to intervene,¡± she continued, and everyone nodded, still processing how they might fit into all of this. ¡°One part of this system is the Hero Selection 1000. To qualify as a Hero Candidate, a person must succeed in at least 700 out of 1,000 simulated timelines of their own world. In other words, if each of you here were born as a completely random person with different upbringings, gender, economic circumstances, among multiple other factors, you would still achieve a level of greatness that the world regards as genius in 70% of those timelines,¡± she explained, prompting worried gazes from everyone as they tried to make sense of her words. That¡¯s a bit¡­ unreasonable, Lin thought as he considered the numbers in his head. A large factor of most people¡¯s success was rooted in their upbringing¡ªa motivation to one day change their environment for the better, whether out of love or hatred¡ªor a motivation borne from an environment that promoted growth. Success was an accumulation of that, all falling under one¡¯s unique experiences in life. A difference in environment would also affect an individual¡¯s personal goal. If the profession you chose was primarily rooted in becoming rich and famous, would you have the same aspirations while growing up in an already wealthy and famous family? If not, then it meant that out of the 1,000 simulated timelines, you were likely to have 1,000 completely different goals and aspirations, and out of all of them, you achieved 700 to the level of genius? That sounds too farfetched. Even as someone already possessing potential in a variety of fields, the idea that the same level of greatness could be achieved if he were raised in a completely different environment didn¡¯t sound believable. After all, many of his accomplishments were a product of the magnitude of resources allocated solely to his growth¡ªnot primarily a product of innate talent. ¡°It might sound unbelievable, but that¡¯s the reality,¡± the woman suddenly interrupted, as if reading his thoughts, prompting him to look up at her. Catching everyone¡¯s attention once again, she continued, ¡°Whether you were born and raised in an orphanage, a street kid living on the streets, or born in a village that barely shows up on any map, success would await all of you in whatever profession or path you pursued.¡± Her words stirred a mixture of emotions in the group. A fleeting sense of superiority flashed across their faces, but it didn¡¯t last long as another thought surfaced. How do we compare to the rest of humanity? If they were chosen based on exceptionalism, did that mean the rest of the human population had failed to be chosen? The answer came without the need to voice it. ¡°You may think little of this, but for the average person, success comes in only 100 to 150 timelines out of 1,000. The twenty of you here are outliers, individuals we refer to as Hero Candidates. Your potential means that you have the power to change the course of a doomed world,¡± she explained, solidifying the growing feelings of superiority among them. Being called geniuses was one thing, but possessing potential far above anyone else in the world was something else entirely. That¡¯s only 10% of the timelines, Lin thought, glancing around at the others, who seemed equally astonished by the numbers. Roughly 1 in 400 million, he calculated, scanning the group of individuals considered to hold potential beyond even the present-day standard of genius. He understood the concept better than most. Throughout his life, he had encountered numerous individuals celebrated as geniuses in their fields, people whose talents far exceeded the norm. He had seen their abilities firsthand and acknowledged them as worthy of the title. Most importantly, he had been the one to make them hesitate to ever call themselves by that title¡ªan outlier even among outliers. Is it the same for them? he wondered, hopeful, more so than any of them could imagine. ¡°Before we begin the Hero Trials, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious to know how many timelines each of you succeeded in out of the 1,000 we randomly simulated,¡± the goddess said. Although no one spoke, their faces were suddenly filled with anticipation. In the next moment, glowing numbers appeared above each person¡¯s head. Still confused, they quickly looked around, first checking each other¡¯s scores. Lin glanced around, focusing only on those who had caught his interest. The bald man, standing a few steps away, had a surprisingly high score: 803/1,000. Noting this, Lin then turned his attention to the blue-haired man, who was staring at him with wide eyes for some reason. Ignoring the expression, Lin checked the scores of both him and the woman he was carrying. That¡¯s pretty high, Lin thought, surprised by the woman¡¯s score: 891/1,000. The blue-haired man wasn¡¯t far behind, with 830/1,000. Most of the others were in the 700s, except for two more individuals¡ªa man and a woman¡ªwho had staggering scores of 905 and 911. From the goddess¡¯s explanation, even a difference of one successful timeline was significant in this context. Finally, as a few eyes darted between him and a certain individual in the crowd, Lin looked upward, taking note of the number floating above him. Not what I was expecting. Strangely enough, seeing his own score dampened his mood slightly. However, what he saw next more than made up for it. Among the crowd was a man with an unassuming appearance. He had short, dark hair, his tired-looking eyes shadowed by faint dark circles. He fell into the first category of people¡ªwearing a simple white T-shirt and black jeans. His build was neither thin nor particularly fit, but an almost perfect balance of in-between. A cold sweat trickled down the man¡¯s forehead as he met Lin¡¯s gaze, seemingly just as surprised by the number above his head. Interesting. It was the highest score in the room and the highest that could possibly be achieved, period. But more surprising than that, it was the same number floating above Lin¡¯s head. 1,000/1,000. Chapter 13 - #!Try ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re excited to see your scores, but don¡¯t become too enamored with them,¡± the goddess¡¯s words dragged everyone¡¯s attention, bringing them back to reality. ¡°Everyone here is already exceptional, but you should remember that those numbers only represent your potential across multiple timelines¡ªnot your potential in your current timeline,¡± she concluded, and everyone seemed to nod in understanding. If a person had a 70% chance of succeeding in any goal they set their mind to, then throwing 20 of such individuals at your problems would guarantee a possible fix. However, such an excessive force was also a reflection of how severe the problem might actually be. Lin¡¯s thoughts wandered, turning away from the man who was apparently measured to be his ¡®equal,¡¯ glancing back toward the goddess. ¡°What happens if we refuse?¡± he asked casually, a question most of them had never even considered as their faces flashed with curiosity. Would she simply let us go back? They all seemed to wonder, but the answer wasn¡¯t what they expected. ¡°I won¡¯t force you, but you should know that as of right now, you will be stuck here until you complete the trials. As you¡¯ve seen, death is not possible in the tower,¡± she explained, sending chills down their spines as they looked at her with worried gazes. So she doesn¡¯t have the power to force her orders onto us after we return, Lin thought to himself, taking in the news with all its minute details. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged. No one has ever failed to complete the trials. However, for some, it might take a few weeks or months, and only when everyone passes will you be allowed to return,¡± she explained, their faces changing to ones of confusion. There was no doubt, from how a few of them were dressed, that they would need to go to work or school, making the prospect of staying there for a few months very unsettling. ¡°That¡¯s a bit long. Will we make it back in time to help them?¡± the golden-haired student asked, his worries surprisingly unrelated to anything about school. Lin turned to look at him, finally glancing at the number above his head: 711/1000. It was a bit lower than he had imagined since the boy seemed to have an air of genius about him. Not only that, but he was also the youngest of them all, which should¡¯ve set him apart from everyone else who seemed to be in their 20s. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. There¡¯s no concept of time in the tower, so the perception of it will always be manipulated in line with fate. Outside of this place, time moves slow enough to be considered frozen, so it doesn¡¯t matter how long you spend here¡ªyou will pass on at the right time,¡± she explained. Although their confusion still lingered, they at least grasped the concept. Seeing this, Lin decided to cut in. ¡°And what about the rest of us? Do we have to wait for months for the others to finish?¡± he asked calmly. Although the question was valid, the subtext was very clear to everyone in the room¡ªhe believed he would finish first and later be forced to wait for the others. However, some of them noted that he had said "us" instead of referring to himself only. ¡°As I said, there is no concept of time in this place. When an individual is resting or has nothing to do, their perception of time will move quicker than those tackling the trials. You might observe a person walk into a trial and walk out the next second, but to them, they might have spent a few hours or even days in the trial,¡± she explained, and they once again nodded reluctantly.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. As if confirming his suspicions, Lin began to nitpick her words, trying to go beyond the surface-level information she was trying to feed them. ¡°You make it sound like we might be separated for some of the trials?¡± he asked, and the goddess, still expressionless, simply nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Some may require you to work in groups, and others alone,¡± she explained, and everyone¡¯s faces showed slight discomfort. If the trials ahead were anything like what they had just experienced, it was clear that they might need to rely on Lin again. However, after seeing everyone¡¯s Hero Selection 1000 scores, the group dynamics were slowly starting to shift, with everyone¡¯s perspectives of each other gradually changing. ¡°Don¡¯t make those faces. You might feel overwhelmed because of that boy¡¯s performance, but trust me, in time, you too will all reach his level. This has nothing to do with talent, but rather, conditioning,¡± she said, focusing on Lin, who, at that moment, glared at her with cold eyes. ¡°What did you say?¡± he asked in a threatening tone, but the goddess ignored him, continuing to address the group as if she hadn¡¯t even heard him. ¡°In the future, such a level of thinking is a natural part of combat. You will meet people more cunning than you can ever imagine, but you should always remember that most of them reached that level through experience, not talent,¡± she explained, though everyone still seemed skeptical of her words. ¡°Is that really possible?¡± the feminine-looking man muttered, and the goddess nodded again. ¡°It is,¡± she said, her expression calm, and though they remained doubtful, they couldn¡¯t help but believe her words. What she said wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. People naturally adapted through experience, and such growth had nothing to do with talent. As long as someone possessed the minimum innate talent to enter a particular field, the more experience they gained, the easier it became. For someone to show adaptability in something, they would need to combine past experiences with a constant evaluation of the present problem ¨C how quickly they could do this in real time was what set them apart from Lin in the so-called trial. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lin? Is there something wrong with what I said?¡± the goddess finally turned to Lin, who was silently glaring at her. He didn¡¯t respond, continuing to stare. However, a short distance away from him, the blue-haired man, still carrying the woman, raised a brow, as if suddenly recalling something. ¡°Mmh, that¡¯s interesting. Did you really consider those people your parents?¡± she continued, her voice cold, sending chills down their spines. Lin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his emotions threatening to run rampant as he muttered, ¡°Do you want to die?¡± he said in an even colder tone, the tension in the room rising as everyone held their breath. They already knew the existence before them was someone they could never hope to touch, which only made Lin¡¯s behavior even more confusing and unsettling. ¡°How pitiful,¡± the goddess finally said, as if done with him. She stared him straight in the eyes, and Lin met her gaze without even flinching. ¡°Remember that the world will never return to how it was, so choose carefully. You can simply continue to be Lin, your parents¡¯ son, or Lin, your own self,¡± she said, her words surprisingly sweet, but Lin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. There were two types of people Lin hated with all his heart, and the woman standing in front of him was the embodiment of one of them: She thinks she understands me. Lin thought to himself, continuing to look at her, as if daring her to read his mind and speak against him. However, the goddess didn¡¯t entertain him, moving away and glancing at the rest of the group as if regarding him as an afterthought. The others showed slight discomfort at the goddess¡¯s underlying cruelty, but as with all beings beyond human comprehension, they understood that their own concept of morality couldn¡¯t apply to her. ¡°Since we¡¯re on the topic of power, this is a good time to demonstrate what I mean,¡± her words suddenly cut through the tension, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as anticipation sparked in their eyes. Chapter 14 - Soulex ¡°Since we¡¯re on the topic of power, this is a good time to demonstrate what I mean,¡± her words suddenly cut through the tension, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as anticipation sparked in their eyes. ¡°The previous trial you just experienced was meant to introduce you to how Soulex works,¡± she explained. Everyone seemed to recognize the term, recalling it from their status windows just after they had finished the trial. ¡°Put simply, Soulex is the materialization of a soul¡¯s desire, and the elements of the god system are universal tools that can be used by everyone with Soulex,¡± she said. At the same time, a whitish steam began to leave her body, and everyone watched in amazement at the power they would soon wield. However, some confusion still lingered, rather than a preparation for the possible threats to befall humanity, they hadn¡¯t expected the trial to be an introduction to how powers would work. ¡°The trial you experienced was actually an imitation of a certain individual¡¯s Eternal Soulex¡ªunique to each and every person,¡± she continued, glancing at each of them. The tension in the room suddenly spiked, their faces becoming more serious as she continued. ¡°The way the caster uses it is much more complicated than you might think and largely relies on elements of the god system rather than their actual abilities,¡± she said. Immediately afterward, the white aura around her body began to rise, ascending before suddenly dispersing across the room. In the next moment, a huge, golden bell materialized, hanging above her, and everyone looked up in amazement. ¡°[Bells of Motion],¡± she muttered. A red streak of light quickly left the bell, wrapping around the areas where each of them stood, webbing and boxing them into their current positions without touching them ¨C effectively dividing the floor around them into small circles across the white space. The space is smaller, Lin noted, glancing down at the thin, red ¡®string¡¯ that circled around his feet, confining him to a space with barely enough room to take even a single step forward. Each person, just as they had been stuck in the blocks before, was now stuck in these small circles. However, unlike the uniform blocks from earlier, the circles varied in size¡ªsome barely large enough for a person to stand on one leg, while others were almost as large as the blocks from the previous trials. Interesting. He imagined a battle scenario under these conditions, concluding that dashing toward the larger circles would likely be the first instinct for most people, as it would provide more room for free movement. ¡°Everyone in a 100-meter radius will only move according to the bell¡¯s rules. If you step out of your circle, you will hallucinate the sensation of the most excruciating pain you can imagine. The pain you felt before was actually toned down to less than 10%,¡± she said, their faces immediately turning pale. Even the cool-headed Lin broke out in a cold sweat, thinking he would likely have passed out if the pain were increased to full capacity. Anything above 1.7 times what we felt would¡¯ve been enough to make me pass out, he thought. ¡°Of course, this ability also affects the caster since they¡¯re standing within the radius as well. And unlike the trial you completed, even hovering a part of your body outside the safe zone would immediately engulf you in pain,¡± she explained, glancing at Lin, who merely shrugged. If this was what they had faced, there would¡¯ve been no way to safely complete the floor. ¡°It sounds like a powerful ability, but it¡¯s not as refined as you might think. For one, there are four conditions you must meet before activating it, and as you¡¯ve experienced, even after activation, you would just need to gradually approach the caster while listening to the bell and knock them unconscious,¡± she continued, and everyone nodded in understanding, though they had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as she made it sound. Ding. Ding. The bell suddenly rang twice, and everyone¡¯s faces darkened as if recalling the previous torture they endured. They quickly jumped two circles ahead, stepping into their safe ¡®blocks¡¯. Seeing this, the goddess nodded. ¡°Good,¡± she said, her tone almost proud, though her expressionless face betrayed little emotion. She added, ¡°In a real fight, however, the caster leverages elements of the god system to launch some attacks simultaneously.¡± The bluish screen from before popped up in front of them.
[Elements of the God System] [Echo] (sealed) [Pulse] (sealed) [Form] (sealed) [Veil] (sealed) [Bind] (sealed)
¡°You don¡¯t need to memorize every element you see at the moment, but this should serve as a rough representation of the elements of the god system,¡± she explained, raising her left hand. A black bow suddenly materialized from thin air, its dark hue starkly contrasting with the surroundings, while its white string merged seamlessly with the environment, making it nearly invisible. She pointed the bow toward Lin, who didn¡¯t seem too bothered, continuing to watch calmly. ¡°Her main weapon is a bow, which she will always have upon activating her Eternal Soulex.¡± She cocked the bowstring, and at the same time, a whitish aura appeared, warping and transforming into multiple arrows on the string, each of them pointed toward Lin. ¡°He¡¯ll first use [Form] to create multiple arrows,¡± she explained. So [Form] can create things from scratch? Lin wondered, watching the demonstration and pondering if there were limits to such a god-like power that seemed to disobey the laws of physics. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed. However, even if Soulex was considered a type of energy, the amount of energy required to not only create matter from scratch but to rearrange it into a complete and complex object as small as an arrow would still border far above the realm of nuclear energy, meaning that...Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The elements of the god system... A restriction? ¡°...¡± A slight chill suddenly ran down Lin¡¯s spine as he finally glanced up, where the goddess, for some bizarre reason, had completely stopped the presentation. She was now cautiously glancing at him, her face still neutral, but within it, a small discomfort was reflected. Noticing the pause, the others started to look toward Lin with confusion, but the goddess immediately spoke up. ¡°Right. Secondly, he¡¯ll use a Speed [Pulse] to enhance the arrows¡¯ physical properties to become as fast as possible,¡± she continued. At the same time, more energy wrapped around the arrows. The tension in the room rose, and everyone¡¯s faces broke into cold sweats. They didn¡¯t know much about these powers yet, but just looking at the arrows menacingly aimed at them was enough to cause a lot of unease. [Pulse] for enhancement? Lin mused, trying not to overthink it as he¡¯d done last time. Instead of fear, however, his face was etched with curiosity, staring at the arrow¡¯s tip pointed directly at him. At this point, everyone expected the next step would be to shoot, but the goddess continued. ¡°Next, he¡¯ll use Forced [Bind] to link himself with the target¡ªor in this case, multiple targets.¡± Suddenly, multiple white strings shot toward them, seemingly emerging from the energy around her and latching onto their bodies. A moment later, their screens flashed with the same messages.
[Your Soulex has been forcefully linked with someone.] [Use Echo to search for the link.]
¡°!?¡± ¡°With that, all she has to do is shoot with the intention of hitting all bound targets. If the speed doesn¡¯t kill you...¡± she trailed off, releasing the string. In an instant, the arrows seemed to teleport, stopping just inches from the foreheads of four individuals, freezing them in place. A small thud followed as one of them stumbled backward in fear, falling onto his butt in shock¡ªand ultimately stepping out of his circle. The limited space already makes it hard to move around, they all seemed to think, watching in awe. However, the other three she had aimed for were watching the arrows anxiously as they floated near their foreheads. Fighting would be pointless, Lin finally admitted, his mind trying to process what he¡¯d just seen. Even as multiple simulations ran in his mind, he realized there was simply no way he could have possibly dodged the attack. ¡°While everyone can use an Eternal Soulex, they are inherently given to you at the same time you unlock your Soulex, but this isn¡¯t the case for everyone,¡± the goddess simply continued, dispelling the Eternal Soulex. Relief washed over their faces as they barely processed the words she¡¯d just spoken. ¡°I guess you could call them Gifted, but there are those with the ability to define their own Eternal Soulex¡ªa one-in-a-million ability, so very few are given that privilege,¡± she explained, emphasizing the rarity of such individuals. Although the number was now barely in line with their current standards of gifted individuals, hearing it after the previous figure of one in 400 million simply wasn¡¯t as impactful. ¡°The purpose of the trials is to help you create those abilities, and above all, to make sure they suit your style of combat. When the day of reckoning comes, many of those gifted individuals will likely waste their rare opportunity and create Eternal Soulex abilities that only benefit them for that particular time and never again in the future,¡± she explained, and everyone seemed to understand, connecting their reason for being summoned. However, after seeing how complicated the ability she¡¯d just demonstrated was, they all worried if they could even create something that complex while managing the so called restrictions that came with it. ¡°As I stated earlier, the Eternal Soulex I showed you has four activation conditions. These conditions usually relate to its strength; the more powerful the ability, the more conditions it requires to activate. Four is actually very high for an innate Eternal Soulex, but even for a created one, it¡¯s generally seen as a high number,¡± she explained. At that moment, the screens suddenly changed again, and this time, the promised power they¡¯d been waiting for finally appeared: Eternal Soulex. Hmm, Lin¡¯s face tilted as a frown appeared. He glanced at the top of the screen, where a brief explanation regarding the ¡°creation¡± of an Eternal Soulex appeared, outlining the rules. The rules themselves weren¡¯t confusing; however, one of the already set conditions caused him to lift his head and glance at the goddess, who, as if already anticipating this, was looking directly at him. He asked, ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem fair.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fair,¡± she shot back, and Lin could only shrug. When he¡¯d heard that four conditions were a lot, he had already mentally prepared himself for the possibility of maneuvering around even five of them. But looking at his screen, he couldn¡¯t help but complain about the unfairness. From what he had just witnessed, it was possible for someone to win a fight using only the elements of the god system, so having multiple conditions on an ability wasn¡¯t really an advantage. I might die before activating it.
[????] [Define...] [Activation Conditions] [Set a minimum of 8 activation conditions] [System will choose to allow or deny a condition depending on the definition of the Eternal Soulex] [Restrictions] [Set automatically in accordance with the definition of the Eternal Soulex] [Strong ES will have corresponding restrictions]
Sigh. A small sigh escaped Lin¡¯s lips as he glanced to his side, where the unassuming man considered his ¡°equal¡± was also looking at him from across the crowd as if understanding his pain. Him too? Lin scoffed at the thought, the idea strangely alleviating his worries as he looked back at his screen, trying to memorize everything displayed. Even without knowing what kind of activation conditions or restrictions would be imposed, the power they had just observed was enough to conclude that both variables were meant to hold it back from becoming nearly omnipotent. Otherwise, beating ¡°[Bells of Motion]¡± shouldn¡¯t be possible. The caster being restricted to the ¡®circles¡¯ and not being able to freely move as they please is probably one of the so-called restrictions, Lin wondered curiously ¡°For now, I will leave you with three elements. You will only be required to learn those three before tackling the first trial. The more you use them, the more you will understand the restrictions of each element, and gradually, you should be able to create your own Eternal Soulex by the end of the third trial,¡± she said, and the screens in front of them changed in response.
[Elements of the God System] [Echo] [Pulse] (sealed) [Form] [Veil] [Bind] (sealed)
¡°I will give you five hours to play around with those elements. Try to get to know each other while you¡¯re at it. You¡¯ll be spending a lot of time with one another from here on out,¡± she said, and everyone looked at each other awkwardly. Although it may have seemed subtle, they had collectively decided not to introduce themselves to one another, hiding even their names. Some might be famous, but I don¡¯t recognize them, Lin thought, linking their caution not only to his earlier advice but also to their own cautious natures¡ªtypical of famous people. Most of them had barely kept up with what was happening, but now, with the goddess suddenly disappearing and leaving them alone, their attention fell on each other, creating a much softer atmosphere than the first time they had met. The hundreds of questions that had been floating in their minds surfaced after her departure, but they all chose to be patient and focus on the issue at hand. It was time for a proper introduction... Chapter 15 - Introductions ¡°So what now?¡± a voice reverberated across the quiet space, prompting everyone to turn toward the source as they tried to calm their nerves. They had been so engrossed in reading through the details of their Soulex abilities that they hadn¡¯t even noticed the goddess was already gone, leaving them alone in the endless white space. Now, as they tried to make sense of the situation, their expressions grew more complicated. ¡°She said she¡¯d give us five hours. I think we should share our names and maybe any skills we have that might contribute to our group going forward,¡± one of them suggested, and they all nodded in agreement. Since they also had to learn some of the elements of the god system, they needed to get through introductions quickly. The person who had suggested this was a man with dark hair tied back in a ponytail and a face that walked the line between beautiful and handsome. Though he wasn¡¯t fully recognized as their leader, he had been instrumental in maintaining the group¡¯s social calm. ¡°I¡¯ll go first then. My name is Nolan, and I worked at a big tech company. Though I doubt we might encounter any, if there are any tech-related issues, I might be able to help out in that aspect,¡± he said calmly. A few of them showed curious expressions but didn¡¯t press for specifics beyond that. Doesn¡¯t ring a bell, Lin thought as he replayed the man¡¯s name in his head, skeptical about his claims. From the small introduction, he didn¡¯t seem too enthusiastic about hearing out everyone else. A moment later, he bent down and sat on the floor, legs crossed, simply watching as the next person introduced themselves. ¡°Same here. Name¡¯s Adem,¡± the man in glasses chimed in, drawing a quick glance from everyone. Seeing this, Nolan simply smiled, seeming unbothered by the possibility of his role in the group being taken and viewing it in a positive light. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. It might be better to share the burden this way,¡± he said, and Adem nodded in agreement, matching his energy. ¡°Well, before you make the rest of us feel any more mediocre,¡± another voice cut in¡ªa tall man with blue hair, carrying a woman in his arms. As everyone turned to face him, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m Kian. Currently unemployed, but I did some underground boxing, so I was pretty well-off,¡± he explained, and they all looked a bit impressed and intimidated at the same time. His physique already suggested he exercised a lot, but knowing he was a boxer earned him even more respect and envy. ¡°Kian¡­ Y-you don¡¯t mean¡­ Kian Nill?¡± Adem muttered, adjusting his glasses, his voice cracking a bit. At the same time, a smile appeared on Kian¡¯s face, which seemed to send a chill down Adem¡¯s spine. ¡°Hahaha, I guess it¡¯s no surprise for you tech nerds to come across those kinds of streams,¡± Kian said, while everyone else looked confused, glancing between the two. He then added, ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter, but I guess you could still use my nickname,¡± he said confidently, shrugging as if it wasn¡¯t an issue. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Is he some kind of big deal?¡± a voice cut in, coming from a blonde-haired woman among the crowd. Adem nodded, giving a serious look as he replied, ¡°Are you familiar with Jimmy Rackenberg?¡± he asked, but the woman only tilted her head in confusion. At the same time, Lin seemed to wince at the mention of the name, quickly turning to look at Kian as if suddenly recalling something. However, Kian¡¯s gaze was already fixed on him, the two of them staring at each other for a moment before Lin finally looked away. I see. So he¡¯s the ¡®friend,¡¯ Lin thought, just as the blonde woman spoke up. ¡°I think he¡¯s a famous boxer, right?¡± she asked, still a bit puzzled, but some of them nodded, confirming her suspicion. They all turned to Adem, waiting for an explanation of why such a famous individual would have any connection to an ¡®underground¡¯ boxer like Kian. As Adem began to speak, their expressions grew even more amazed than before. ¡°Yeah. There was a hot rumor a few years ago that Jimmy lost to Kian in some underground fight club, but he never responded to the allegations, so the rumor died down. Everyone thought it might even lead to an official fight between the two, but since Jimmy went into early retirement, we never got to see it,¡± Adem explained, and everyone looked toward Kian with awestruck expressions. Despite the admiration in their eyes, Kian wore a slightly agitated expression, as if something Adem said didn¡¯t sit well with him¡ªor maybe he was just bitter that they never had that ¡®rematch.¡¯ Lin, who somewhat understood the situation, simply remained silent, though he noticed Kian stealing a few glances his way, still choosing to ignore him. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really amazing,¡± the blonde woman said loudly, grabbing their attention. Noticing their collective gazes, she decided to continue, holding her chest out and speaking with a confident smile,If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I¡¯m in the same category, but I don¡¯t have any major skills to speak of. My name is Sera, nice to meet you,¡± she said, and everyone looked at her in slight amazement. The second highest, Lin thought to himself, recalling the score that had floated above her head, which was the highest after his own: 915/1000. She wore casual clothing¡ªjeans and a pink, baggy jacket that gave her a stylish, relaxed look compared to everyone else. Her face, however, was dotted with several silver piercings¡ªsome on her eyebrows, which drew attention away from her deep blue eyes, another on her nose, and one below her bottom lip. They all seemed momentarily surprised by her revelation, and as if prompted by her confidence, a few others gained the courage to speak up. ¡°Same here. Artin, unemployed, no skills,¡± one added, and everyone turned to him, nodding. Surprisingly, this type of introduction continued for more than half of the individuals present, which was very unexpected. These were people considered to have the greatest potential in all of humanity, yet the society they lived in hadn¡¯t recognized them as such. Is it a problem with society? Lin wondered, shifting his gaze to the next person introducing themselves. It was the person he¡¯d been eagerly waiting for, however, the man¡¯s introduction fell flat¡ªfailing to stir Lin¡¯s interest in the slightest. ¡°Ren. Kind of in the same category. I played games, so unless there were tournaments or something, I didn¡¯t have any other hobbies. But I¡¯ll try my best to contribute,¡± the man said, the reason for the bags under his eyes finally becoming apparent. Everyone seemed a bit underwhelmed. Given that he shared the same perfect score as Lin, 1000/1000, they had expected more than just a self-proclaimed gamer. They began to wonder if his silence all this time was due more to a lack of social skills rather than an inherently observant nature. As they finished with him, they naturally turned to the man considered his ¡®equal,¡¯ and calmly, without getting up from the floor, Lin muttered, ¡°Lin. Normal office worker,¡± he said, glancing up at the person next to him as if passing the baton. However, everyone¡¯s eyes lingered on him, their expressions clearly showing their skepticism about everything he¡¯d just said. ¡°You don¡¯t expect us to believe that, do you?¡± the blue-haired man asked, echoing everyone¡¯s thoughts as they nodded slightly. Lin quickly glanced at their faces, letting out a tired sigh. ¡°I guess you could say I come from a rich family, so I was taught a bit of martial arts. Since there wasn¡¯t much else to do, I ended up working a regular office job to pass the time,¡± he explained in one breath, mixing truth and lies. Some of them showed a bit of pity, while others displayed hints of resentment. After all, he was part of the ¡®high¡¯ society, which the public often viewed in bad light¡ªindividuals who looked down on everyone else, thinking themselves superior. ¡°Did you also learn some boxing?¡± Kian asked, glancing at him curiously. Lin hesitated for a moment, thinking ahead a few steps, before answering casually. ¡°I did,¡± he said, causing everyone to look slightly impressed, though Kian¡¯s expression grew even more complicated. ¡°I see. You know, I had a talk with Jimmy before he retired,¡± Kian suddenly muttered, going completely off topic as his eyes grew distant, a small smile crossing his face. ¡°A few years back, he got an invitation from some rich guy to fight in an unofficial match. That was the last time I saw him face-to-face, and after he came back from that place, he just announced his retirement and never spoke to me again.¡± As he spoke, everyone¡¯s expressions softened with sympathy. Kian¡¯s tough exterior had made him seem larger than life, but this glimpse of vulnerability allowed them to see him as just another human being with his own struggles, beyond their admiration. ¡°That sounds like a sad story,¡± Lin remarked, his face completely neutral¡ªa stark contrast to his kind words. His red eyes met Kian¡¯s, cold and calm, giving him an almost unsettling appearance ¨C one they were gradually getting used to. Seeing this, Kian chuckled to himself, seeming unsurprised by Lin¡¯s reaction. Unexpectedly, he suddenly bent down, gently lowering the woman in his arms and laying her on the floor. Her expression suddenly shifted as her eyes darted around the room, as if waking from a deep sleep. ¡°Hehe. It is, isn¡¯t it? But as a good friend, I kept bugging him until he finally opened up a bit,¡± Kian said, taking a step forward, closing the distance between himself and Lin, who remained seated on the floor, legs crossed, calmly meeting Kian¡¯s gaze. The tension in the room spiked, and some of them exchanged glances, a flash of realization appearing on their faces¡ªbut the thought seemed too outrageous to voice. It¡¯s impossible, they all thought. But Kian¡¯s next words sent a chill down their spines. ¡°If you ever meet a kid named Lin, avoid fighting him under any circumstances. That¡¯s all he said to me.¡± An incomprehensible statement, and yet, Lin¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he continued to watch Kian, now just a few steps away. ¡°Strange, right?¡± Kian scoffed, chuckling to himself again. ¡°At first, I thought he¡¯d been threatened or something. I mean, why would he retire so suddenly? I dug deeper, going through his paper trails and everyone he¡¯d met, but there was nothing. On the surface, it looked exactly as he announced to the world¡ªan early retirement to spend time with family and friends.¡± He continued, finally stopping just a step away from Lin and looking down at him. In that position, Lin had no time to untangle his legs and stand, forced to rely only on his hands for balance. Despite his vulnerable stance, his demeanor gave no hint of weakness. In the competitive entertainment industry, it was common for participants to face pressure to fix games or be offered large sums to lose on purpose. Usually, such payments were made on a match-by-match basis, securing a quick profit in each match. But forcing someone to retire entirely? That was unheard of. The worst-case scenario would be holding someone hostage to continuously fix all their upcoming games, ensuring a steady profit over the years. In a one-on-one competition, the whole point of fixing matches was to control at least one of the two variables (players) to influence the outcome. Eliminating one variable entirely would simply introduce a replacement variable¡ªone you couldn¡¯t control¡ªeffectively bringing you back to square one: needing to control one of them. ¡°Jimmy Rackenberg. He lost to you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Kian finally muttered, a hint of anger in his tone as he looked down at Lin, who remained silent. But the silence spoke volumes. ¡°Would you mind having a friendly spar with me?¡± Kian added, causing everyone¡¯s faces to darken, a few of them stepping forward as if ready to hold him back and prevent a fight from breaking out. Chapter 16 - Fear ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a great idea. We should be¡ª¡± Nolan began, trying to intervene, but Kian turned to him with a calm expression, holding neither hatred nor resentment. Caught off guard, Nolan paused mid-sentence. ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t sweat it. This isn¡¯t about revenge or anything like that. Just one round, and I¡¯ll stop even if there¡¯s no clear winner,¡± Kian explained, his tone steady. Nolan still seemed skeptical, glancing between Kian and Lin, who was still seated on the floor. Sensing this, Lin finally decided to speak up. ¡°Are you stronger than Jim?¡± Lin asked, referring to the man with a casual nickname. Kian paused, his eyes showing a bit of surprise as if taken aback. He seemed to consider his words and responded afterward, ¡°Well, I beat him once, a year before he started blowing up. We had a promise to fight again on the world stage, which kinda makes us rivals, so a fight could go either way,¡± he explained, his tone sounding nostalgic as if recalling a good memory. Lin, however, didn¡¯t seem amused. In fact, his expression showed slight annoyance as he bluntly repeated, ¡°Are you stronger than Jim?¡± Kian paused, then smiled before finally answering, ¡°I believe I am.¡± His answer was clear, but Lin¡¯s expression remained unimpressed, even more bored than before. He looked away from Kian, turning to the person standing on his left, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s continue with the introductions.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces soured a bit at Lin¡¯s disinterest, and Kian, now on the receiving end of a cold shoulder, wore an annoyed expression as he muttered, ¡°Is that a no?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lin replied without further explanation¡ªa choice that seemed unwise, given that Kian, the boxer, was still looming over him. ¡°Is there a reason?¡± Kian asked, sounding unexpectedly ready to back down despite his initial eagerness. Relief washed over the group, glad they wouldn¡¯t need to intervene. The bald man, in particular, looked especially relieved, sensing that the task of keeping the two in check would have likely fallen on him. But Lin¡¯s next words only stoked the small spark that was already present. ¡°You¡¯re weak,¡± he said simply, without a hint of hesitation¡ªneither condescending nor hesitant, as though he were stating a fact. Rather than feeling insulted, Kian seemed amused, chuckling and replying, ¡°I guess if you beat Jim, I might look that way. But maybe I¡¯ll surprise you,¡± he said, surprisingly taking no offense to Lin¡¯s words and instead humoring him. Lin seemed to calculate multiple factors in his head before reaching a conclusion and muttering, ¡°Your name was likely on a list among other skilled boxers for the selection. Jim wasn¡¯t chosen because he was famous but simply because he was considered the strongest. Even the current you wouldn¡¯t have won against him¡ªthat¡¯s what it meant,¡± Lin explained firmly, and Kian paused, letting the words sink in. No one dared ask why Lin, someone who seemed so young, would have been forced to fight someone considered the strongest boxer in the world. Just what kind of family did he come from? Many questions floated in their minds, but none left their lips. ¡°I see,¡± Kian finally said, though his words didn¡¯t convey true understanding. He bent his knees, lifted his arms into a fighting stance, and muttered, ¡°And what if I forced you to fight me?¡± Lin, however, remained seated, looking up at him with a slight frown. ¡°You¡¯ll die,¡± he answered coldly, sending a shiver down everyone¡¯s spine. The words felt more like a promise than a threat, yet Kian didn¡¯t back down. A cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he shot back, ¡°Heh, then we¡¯ll just have to see,¡± he said, and at the same time, his leg came flying toward Lin¡¯s face at breakneck speed. How annoying. Lin thought to himself. The man before him reflected the second type of person he hated: Someone who glorifies pointless struggle¡ªa hard worker. A small breeze swept past Lin¡¯s face as the leg grazed his bangs, Kian¡¯s body jolting back as a bulky man yanked him from behind, preventing the kick from connecting with Lin¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Calm down,¡± the bald man said, holding Kian firmly as he braced himself. Kian, momentarily surprised by Lin¡¯s casual demeanor, tried to pull free but quickly realized he couldn¡¯t move¡ªhe was completely restrained. Surprised, he shot a glance back and met the bald man¡¯s steady gaze before finally relaxing, as though acknowledging he couldn¡¯t win in a contest of raw strength.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. He might be stronger than Jim, Lin thought, meeting Kian¡¯s gaze. ¡°Tsk,¡± Kian clicked his tongue, the tension in the room dissipating as he turned around and walked away. Returning to his spot, he bent down beside the woman who¡¯d just woken up, speaking softly, ¡°Are you alright now?¡± he asked, his tone surprisingly gentle, as if the earlier display was all an act. Is he a ladies¡¯ man? the others wondered, watching him closely. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± the dark-haired woman, still disoriented, nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your name? We were actually introducing ourselves,¡± Kian continued, seemingly trying to forget what had just happened. The woman seemed momentarily confused, casting a quick glance around before meeting Kian¡¯s gaze and stammering, ¡°O-oh, right. Um¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± She looked around again, visibly lost, her face clouding with confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± she murmured, her eyes drifting over the strangers around her, none of whom she recognized. She mumbled under her breath, causing a flicker of concern to cross their faces as they remembered the previous trial¡¯s events. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± the blonde-haired woman, Sera, said loudly, snapping the woman out of her daze as she looked up. ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± she said before falling silent again. No one had the heart to remind her that she hadn¡¯t introduced herself, noticing how her eyes darted around the unfamiliar space. Kian, visibly concerned, tried to prompt her gently. ¡°Do you remember what happened in the¡ª¡± he began, but another voice cut him off. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Lin interrupted, snapping everyone¡¯s attention back to him, including Kian, who looked slightly agitated. ¡°What was that?¡± Kian asked, trying to keep his voice calm, though Lin¡¯s composed expression seemed to stoke his barely-contained frustration. Unfazed by the glare, Lin replied, ¡°It might be post-traumatic amnesia. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to remind her of what happened¡ªunless you want to end up carrying her through all of the trials?¡± he explained, and the others turned to the woman, who looked slightly surprised, her gaze dropping to the floor. Kian seemed to understand, opting to stay silent. He extended a hand, helping her to her feet before turning back to the group. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn,¡± the golden-haired boy said, shifting the atmosphere as everyone turned toward him. Unperturbed by the adult gazes on him, he continued, ¡°My name is Isadore. I¡¯m still a student, but I¡¯ll do my best to keep up with all of you.¡± A wave of sympathy passed through the crowd; they realized how challenging such a life-altering situation must be for someone so inexperienced, though his calm demeanor gave them some hope, hinting at his competence. ¡°Rick here. Worked in finance, no special skills to speak of,¡± another man added promptly. He had short red hair that gave him a fiery look, though his downturned eyes made him appear slightly sleepy. Lin glanced at him curiously, recalling the number that had hovered above his head¡ªthe third highest in the group: 905/1000. ¡°Roben, military,¡± the bald man finally said, concluding the introductions as everyone¡¯s attention returned to Nolan. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s everyone,¡± Nolan said, gazing into space as a bluish screen suddenly appeared in front of him. The screens seemed to materialize and vanish at will, triggered by thought alone, and everyone seemed to pick up on this quickly. ¡°Now then, I won¡¯t pretend to understand everything here, so it¡¯d be nice to go through the elements together,¡± he said, and everyone nodded in agreement. ¡°Then should we start with Echo?¡± Sera suggested, and they all agreed. Since it was the first item on the list, they assumed there might be some significance in learning it first.
[Echo] Allows the user to monitor their environment, detecting any Soulex abnormalities within a specified area and displaying alerts on a status screen.
Variations: ¡ñ Normal ¨C Scans a minimum radius based on the user¡¯s Soulex level, marking everyone within range as a "target" and monitoring any fluctuation in their Soulex. ¡ñ Echo Target ¨C Focuses exclusively on a single individual/object and ignores all else unless it directly involves the target¡¯s Soulex. ¡ñ Echo Sight ¨C Enables the user to see Soulex visually, allowing real-time monitoring of surrounding Soulex signals. Note: All modifications made to Echo will have varying Soulex consumptions. Increasing the environmental range, number of targets, or combining different variations and elements will naturally consume more Soulex.
Danger Levels: Upon activation, each target within range displays a number indicating their danger level based on Soulex fluctuations.
It seems very strict, Lin thought as he reviewed the screen, committing everything to memory so he wouldn¡¯t need to reference it constantly. "I think we should start by using Echo Sight to see exactly what this Soulex energy looks like," the golden-haired boy suggested, seemingly excited to test their new powers. ¡°Oh, yeah. Good call. Alright, everyone, let''s give it a try,¡± Nolan nodded in agreement as tension rose with everyone looking at each other, waiting for someone to be the first to take the step. ¡°Echo Sight,¡± Nolan muttered, and the others repeated the phrase as they activated the ability and looked around. Echo Sight, Lin thought to himself, and the element activated just as everyone else¡¯s did. His vision shifted, revealing faint auras around everyone¡¯s bodies. So this is Soulex¡­ Chapter 17 - Echo Echo Sight, Lin thought to himself, and the element activated just as everyone else¡¯s did. His vision shifted, revealing faint auras around everyone¡¯s bodies. So this is Soulex¡­ ¡°I wonder what the colors mean,¡± someone muttered, voicing what they were all thinking. Lin looked down and noticed his own aura was pure white, similar to the one they¡¯d seen from the goddess. On the other side of the crowd, Ren, the self-proclaimed gamer, emitted a similar shade. Although each person¡¯s aura had slight color variations, the quantity of Soulex leaving their bodies didn¡¯t seem to differ. Echo, Lin thought, switching from Echo Sight and glancing at his screen. A few people noticed his action and did the same. On his screen, a flat ¡®map¡¯ of his surroundings appeared, with small white dots representing each person present. He then looked around, noting the numbers floating above everyone¡¯s heads: [Target 1][1] [Target 2][1] Danger level 1? Lin thought, observing how most of their danger levels appeared as ¡®1¡¯, which, according to the explanations, indicated a low Soulex energy emission. However, as he continued scanning the group, he noticed something unusual: [Target 13][?] [Target 14][?] ¡°Is everyone else seeing a cap on the normal Echo?¡± Nolan¡¯s voice suddenly cut in. A few nodded, while others¡ªstill focused on Echo Sight¡ªquickly switched to their screens. Seeing this, Nolan added, ¡°Mine¡¯s stuck at ten. Is it the same for everyone?¡± he asked curiously. Several people exchanged looks, their expressions mixed as they responded. ¡°Six here,¡± one person said, and a few others sighed in relief, clearly reassured that they weren¡¯t the only ones experiencing a much lower cap. Just like that, they began calling out their Echo limits aloud, with most reporting numbers between five and eight, making Nolan¡¯s ten an outlier at the time. Lin glanced back at the numbers floating above everyone¡¯s heads, confirming his own limit. From Target thirteen onward, the danger levels were unreadable, indicating that his own Echo limit capped at twelve. ¡°Mine¡¯s at eleven,¡± Isadore muttered, drawing a few envious looks from the crowd as he took the lead. The caps on each of their Echo seemed confusing since, purely based on their Soulex, there didn¡¯t seem to be anyone with an especially large aura around them. As Lin listened to their numbers, he tried to recall the colors of their auras, searching for a connection between those and the Echo limits. ¡°Thirteen,¡± the blonde girl raised a hand, surprising everyone¡ªincluding Lin, who hadn¡¯t expected anyone to exceed his own number. Everyone then turned to him, expecting perhaps an even higher answer, but he simply shrugged. ¡°Twelve,¡± he replied simply. Though still higher than most, his answer seemed to leave them a bit underwhelmed. As they moved past Lin, they turned to Ren, whose limit Lin was especially curious about. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Ren exceeded all their expectations. ¡°Sixteen,¡± Ren muttered, his expression calm though he betrayed a hint of satisfaction at the astonished looks around him. While the group continued with the next person, Lin decided to run a quick experiment. He re-scanned the people in the room, mentally selecting those he specifically wanted to target with Echo. [Target 1][?] [Target 2][1] ... [Target 13][1] [Target 14][?] So it¡¯s adjustable, he concluded, realizing that by removing focus from Target 1, he could add Target 13 in its place. This confirmed that, while his Echo limit was capped at 12 people, he could choose which 12 to actively monitor.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I¡¯m also at ten,¡± the blue-haired man muttered, shifting his gaze to the bald man, who added, ¡°Eleven,¡± he said, bringing their Echo limit discussion to a close as everyone refocused on their screens, exploring the other options of Echo. Based on what everyone shared¡ªassuming no one was lying¡ªLin couldn¡¯t discern any clear pattern contributing to their varied limits. Gender, physique, age, Soulex energy, or even their Hero Selection 1000 scores¡ªnone seemed to correlate directly with the Echo limit. It might simply be innate talent, Lin thought, considering the possibility that the limit reflected individual aptitude in that particular element. As the goddess had explained, their initial scores didn¡¯t directly represent how they would perform in the future, suggesting that a person¡¯s inherent abilities might not perfectly align with the potential the system sees in them. However, Lin didn¡¯t dwell on it, shifting his attention to Echo¡¯s final feature. Potential is just that¡ªpotential, nothing more. With this in mind, he focused on one of the individuals in the room, specifically Ren, casting Echo Target on him. Immediately, the area map disappeared, replaced by a screen showing more detailed notifications.
Echo [Target 1] ¡ª [Target 1] is using Echo Target on [Target 2] ¡ª [Target 1] is using Echo Target on [Target 3] ¡ª [Target 1] is using Echo Target on you.
So you can layer it? Lin observed as Ren seemed to target multiple individuals simultaneously with Echo Target. As if aligning with what Lin saw on his screen, only Ren¡¯s selected targets¡ª[Target 2] and [Target 3]¡ªdisplayed descriptions above their heads, while the rest remained unmarked. I see, Lin thought, recalling Echo Target¡¯s description. Anything Ren¡¯s Soulex directly touched or influenced became part of his Echo description. This meant that, outside of Ren¡¯s direct targets and any actions involving his Soulex energy, no additional details would reach him. I assume it would work similarly for detecting the use of other elements... Before he could test the feature on multiple targets, however, an interesting question popped into his mind. Abandoning the experiment, he cast a different variation. Echo Sight. His vision immediately changed, showing the Soulex energy around everyone¡¯s bodies. But this time, something was different. As he looked at Ren¡¯s Soulex¡ªor rather, everyone¡¯s Soulex¡ªhe noticed multiple strings directly attached to each of them. Ren¡¯s Soulex, in particular, had four strings connected to four people. Lin glanced down at his own body and saw nearly nine other strings, one of which came from Ren, tethered to his own Soulex. Even though the others¡¯ Soulexes were different colors, the strings themselves took on Lin¡¯s color¡ªwhite¡ªas if pulling his Soulex toward them. I see. So the Soulex actually extends and attaches to others when you use Echo Target. Still curious, he cast a normal Echo without turning off Echo Sight. As if confirming his thoughts, his Soulex instantly spiked in all directions, casting multiple strings that attached to everyone around him, drawn like a magnet. No. It might actually be targeting everything around that has Soulex. Lin pondered this as he recalled more details from the description. This meant his Soulex would react to anything nearby, which led him to another thought. These status windows are meant to try and interpret this for us. He reminded himself not to fully trust the screen. Outside of the bluish displays in front of them, the concept of Soulex was natural and dynamic, a flexible part of the environment rather than a purely artificial system. Still using Echo Sight, he switched off the normal Echo and activated Echo Target instead, focusing on two individuals. As expected, his Soulex immediately spiked and connected to the two individuals, linking their Soulexes to his. After a few moments, information began appearing on his screen.
Echo [Target 1] ¡ª [Target 1] is using Echo Target on [Target 3] Echo [Target 2] ¡ª [Target 2] is using Echo Target on [Target 4] ¡ª [Target 2] is using Echo Target on [Target 5] ¡ª [Target 2] is using Echo Sight
Lin noted the information on the screen before shifting his focus to the actual changes visible through his eyes. He glanced curiously toward Ren, who was also staring in his direction. The first thing he noticed was that the string of aura connecting him to Ren was much thicker than the one he had attached to Sera¡ªthe blonde-haired girl. Is it because Ren is using more Soulex energy? It was the most logical conclusion. The thicker string might indicate higher Soulex usage or activity. This could mean that the more changes Echo observed in an individual, the thicker the string of aura connecting to them. Or maybe... Lin suddenly walked toward Ren, unnoticed by the others. Although the group had initially agreed to work together, everyone was now so engrossed in their own experiments that only a few were actively interacting. As curious as people were, they seemed to take immense joy in learning and discovering things independently, no longer burdened by dread. Chapter 18 - Experiment Lin suddenly walked toward Ren, unnoticed by the others. Although the group had initially agreed to work together, everyone was now so engrossed in their own experiments that only a few were actively interacting. As curious as people were, they seemed to take immense joy in learning and discovering things independently, no longer burdened by dread. ¡°Do you mind turning everything off for a moment?¡± Lin asked simply as he approached Ren. The boy seemed surprised at first, but a small smile crossed his face, as if he had been entertaining the same thought. ¡°Right,¡± Ren replied, complying with Lin¡¯s request and deactivating all the Echo functions running on his screen. He then added, ¡°Does it shrink?¡± His question was casual and without elaboration, which might have confused most people. But Lin only shook his head, glancing at the string that still connected their Soulexes. ¡°No...¡± he said, holding his chin thoughtfully. Lin¡¯s working theory was that the thickness of the Soulex strings created by Echo depended on the amount of Soulex an individual was actively using. For instance, Sera, who was scanning just one individual, had a much thinner string attached to her Soulex than Ren, who had been scanning three targets simultaneously. Yet, even after Ren had stopped all three scans, the string connecting him to Lin remained the same size. Ren, also appearing puzzled, suggested, ¡°Maybe it takes time to shrink?¡± Lin shook his head. ¡°That would still be bad,¡± he replied bluntly. Ren paused, then nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, seems like it. If the target starts off with a huge Soulex spike, casting Echo Target on them might invest a proportional amount of Soulex to monitor them,¡± Ren said, matching Lin¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Right. They could artificially spike their Soulex to bait you into targeting them, then drop it to a lower emission while you continue burning a lot of Soulex to monitor them,¡± Lin added, his expression darkening. In contrast, Ren still seemed to find the experimentation enjoyable, like most others in the group. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Echo Target prepares for possibilities presented by the target. Kind of like a flexible drainage pipe,¡± Ren muttered suddenly. Lin glanced up at him, slightly confused by the random analogy. Ren, however, didn¡¯t seem to find it strange and continued explaining. ¡°If a lot of water flows through it, the pipe expands to match the flow, and then, after the water slows down, it gradually shrinks back to its original size,¡± Ren explained. Lin shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with expandable pipes,¡± he said flatly. Ren chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°Ah, sorry. I was just trying to hypothesize that maybe it works like that, but on a permanently expanding basis. Think about it¡ªif someone was using Echo Target on 20 individuals and you targeted them, you¡¯d get almost 20 notifications in the next 10 to 20 seconds. Now, if they dropped down to targeting just one person, and your Echo Target string adjusted to become thinner, you¡¯d lose a lot of information if they suddenly switched back to 20 targets right after. That delay in adjustment could make you miss critical data,¡± Ren elaborated.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Lin nodded thoughtfully but still seemed somewhat skeptical. The experiments they were conducting were still confined to only one element of the God System. If Echo could detect other elements, they might eventually face scenarios where over 50 status notifications appeared in rapid succession, each relaying the ever-changing state of a target''s Soulex in battle. Constantly adjusting from thin strings to thicker ones would be counterproductive, given the lag in how quickly information updates on the status window. The most efficient solution Echo seemed to employ was to use the maximum amount of information a target had previously generated as the baseline for future interactions. This way, the string created would always be able to handle an equivalent data load for the foreseeable future. Consequently, if a Soulex string became thicker, it stayed that way permanently. That¡¯s a much better analysis, Lin thought, shaking his head at Ren¡¯s earlier explanation. Although Ren understood the concept, his explanation had been overly convoluted. ¡°I guess it¡¯s good enough. As for the eyes¡­¡± Lin said, mentally shifting away from the topic. He squinted slightly, considering something. Ren seemed to catch on quickly and nodded. ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯ll use it now.¡± Ren activated Echo Sight, meeting Lin¡¯s gaze, which reflected the same element in use. Is that it? Lin frowned, squinting harder as he observed the white Soulex swirling around Ren, trying to discern something meaningful. ¡°Switch it off,¡± he muttered. Ren complied, prompting Lin to let out a quiet sigh. Ren, who had tried to analyze the same phenomenon, offered a wry smile and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t see anything either.¡± To his surprise, Lin shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s a change, but it¡¯s not noticeable from a distance,¡± he replied, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure despite Ren¡¯s curious expression. Noticing Ren¡¯s interest, Lin elaborated. ¡°For one, the Soulex above your eyes, just at your forehead, tilts slightly to the left while moving upward,¡± he explained. Ren¡¯s expression shifted to mild surprise as he reactivated Echo Sight, focusing on Lin¡¯s forehead. Lin deactivated his own Echo Sight, and as if coming to a realization, Ren¡¯s face lit up with surprise. ¡°Ah, wow, you¡¯re right. Your Soulex moves vertically upward the moment it seeps out, except for the aura around your forehead¡ªit tilts slightly when you activate Echo Sight,¡± Ren said, practically repeating Lin¡¯s observation in one breath. Lin only shrugged in response. Noticing Lin¡¯s lack of enthusiasm, Ren added, ¡°Mmm. It might be impossible to see that when someone is more than two meters away from you,¡± he concluded, reaching the same understanding Lin had moments earlier. This meant that, unless you had exceptionally sharp eyes, you wouldn¡¯t notice any visible changes in a person¡¯s Soulex when they used Echo Sight. The two continued exchanging information, eventually realizing that neither of them had uncovered anything the other hadn¡¯t already figured out. While Lin was fully absorbed in the process, he didn¡¯t consider it remarkable that Ren could keep up with his pace; he treated him as he would anyone else. ¡°Okay, everyone, I think we¡¯re all done with Echo, right? Should we move to the next one, or is there anyone who didn¡¯t understand something?¡± Sera suddenly addressed the group. Her words prompted everyone to glance around, but no one raised their hand. The calm atmosphere seemed to foster a natural ability among many to grasp new concepts quickly. While some were slower to catch on, small groups had formed to help each other learn a few tricks. ¡°Ah, I guess not,¡± Sera muttered, sounding a little disappointed. It was as if she had been looking forward to teaching anyone who needed help. ¡°Then I¡¯m sure everyone can move on to the next one. We¡¯ll just continue as we¡¯ve been doing,¡± she said. The group nodded collectively, with most members deactivating Echo and starting to test the next element. Lin, however, kept Echo Sight active. He skimmed through his status screen, preparing to cast the next element. While most were focused on experimenting with the status window and trying different variations of Echo, Lin and a few others delved deeper, attempting to uncover the principles behind Soulex itself¡ªreverse-engineering the data their screens were interpreting from the world around them. ¡°Form, huh,¡± Ren muttered beside him, reading through his status window and nodding thoughtfully. As they had done with the previous element, they immediately began dissecting its mechanics, just like everyone else around them. Creating matter... Lin thought to himself. This was the element he¡¯d been most curious about, and even as he read through its description, a flood of questions surfaced in his mind. Chapter 19 - Third Axis
[Form] ¡ª Allows the user to create tangible matter using Soulex energy, which can range from anything small to large or simple to complex, depending on the level of Soulex energy. ...
¡°Do you mind if we join you guys?¡± a voice interrupted as Lin studied the details of [Form], the second element of the God System. He looked up, a slight frown appearing on his face. Ren, who stood beside him, didn¡¯t seem to notice as he replied casually, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind,¡± turning to look at Lin, who didn¡¯t respond but continued to study the newcomers. The speaker was a tall man with blue hair, dressed in a hoodie and shorts. Beside him stood a dark-haired woman in office attire, looking visibly anxious. ¡°Why?¡± Lin asked, his gaze meeting Kian¡¯s. The man let out a sigh, already seeming to regret his attempt at conversation. ¡°Straight to the point, huh?¡± Kian said, but Lin remained silent, waiting. From their previous interaction, Kian knew that if he didn¡¯t directly answer Lin¡¯s question, anything he said would be dismissed as pointless. After a moment, Kian turned to the woman beside him, subtly guiding her to address Lin as he explained, ¡°Well, we have a little problem, you see.¡± As she was brought into the conversation, the woman¡¯s eyes briefly met Lin¡¯s before quickly darting away. ¡°...¡± ¡°She can¡¯t access her status window,¡± Kian finally explained. Lin¡¯s eyes flashed with momentary curiosity. ¡°Mmh? Really?¡± Ren muttered in surprise, his curiosity evident in contrast to Lin¡¯s more reserved reaction. The woman nodded meekly, still avoiding their gazes. Ren looked down at his own screen, holding his chin thoughtfully before glancing at Lin. ¡°Do you think state of mind could affect Soulex?¡± he wondered aloud. Lin considered it, observing the woman for a few seconds before suddenly shrugging. ¡°Her Soulex doesn¡¯t look any different from everyone else¡¯s,¡± he said. Ren activated his own Echo Sight, confirming Lin¡¯s observation. She had a purple aura around her, flowing in the same manner as everyone else¡¯s. It doesn¡¯t make sense, Lin thought, studying the woman for a few more seconds before speaking again. ¡°If she has temporary amnesia, we can assume she isn¡¯t in a terrible state of mind but rather in an anxious or cautious state. It¡¯s a negative emotion, but everyone here is feeling somewhat the same,¡± he explained, prompting a few nods of agreement from the others. She may have suffered the most on the first floor, but if she¡¯d lost her memories of what happened there, it meant she was simply in a state of confusion¡ªjust like everyone else who remembered what had happened but emerged unscathed. To find the root of the problem, they¡¯d have to look for a factor that applied solely to her and not to everyone else. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s true. A lot of us here are just good at hiding our anxiety,¡± Ren added. Lin furrowed his brow briefly before looking away. You¡¯re not hiding it well. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to wait for the goddess to explain,¡± Lin finally admitted. Kian, though visibly disappointed, nodded in return. However, as they were about to leave, Lin interrupted again.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°In the meantime, you can leave her with us.¡± Kian¡¯s expression immediately turned serious, clearly not expecting this statement. ¡°What do you mean by that? If she¡¯s staying here, then I¡¯m also staying,¡± he said firmly, and the woman beside him nodded in agreement, her wariness toward Lin evident. Lin didn¡¯t seem bothered, casually replying, ¡°Then you can leave.¡± Kian looked momentarily confused, prompting Lin to briefly clarify. ¡°But don¡¯t expect me to help you in the trials,¡± he added, his gaze shifting to the woman, who appeared even more uncertain. Although Kian seemed to have tried explaining the situation to her, it didn¡¯t seem like he had gone into much detail about the trials or what they might face moving forward. ¡°Is that a threat?¡± Kian shot back, a frown forming as he glared at Lin. However, contrary to his expectations, Lin shook his head. ¡°If you ever get into trouble, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help you,¡± Lin said, his contrasting statements leaving Kian visibly confused. Lin then turned his attention to the woman, adding, ¡°You can leave if you want to. Just don¡¯t expect any help from me,¡± he said, his tone cold. The woman looked at Kian anxiously, uncertain about the group dynamics and how severing a potential relationship with Lin might affect her future. Kian¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t any more reassuring. Just as he was about to respond, a different voice cut in. ¡°You don¡¯t really have to do that,¡± Ren interjected, glancing at Lin with a serious expression, almost as if disappointed. Lin turned to meet his gaze but chose to remain silent. Feeling the weight of their attention, Ren suddenly stammered, ¡°W-well, I¡¯m just saying. She¡¯s confused and all; we don¡¯t have to be too hard on her,¡± he tried to explain, hoping to make Lin reconsider. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything to her¡­ I just said she shouldn¡¯t ask me for help. Is that wrong?¡± Lin asked, his gaze fixed on Ren, who now wore a worried smile. None of them were obligated to help one another, so Lin¡¯s stance wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable. Still at a loss, Ren replied, ¡°Then I¡¯ll help her,¡± he said, causing the three to look at him curiously. ¡°I might not be able to fight, but I can help out if she needs anything,¡± Ren added, clarifying his offer as a non-physical means of assistance. Kian, who had been listening quietly, glanced at Lin curiously. As if feeling his gaze, Lin spoke up. ¡°And what if it¡¯s against my orders? Will you go against me to protect her?¡± he asked, meeting Ren¡¯s gaze. More than anything he¡¯d said thus far, this was the first direct threat that left his mouth. Ren hesitated for a moment, as if recalling the events of the trials, but in the end, he let out a sigh. ¡°If it comes to that, then I¡¯ll go against you and find a better way,¡± he replied, holding Lin¡¯s gaze as the tension around them rose. The idea of opposing Ren, who was considered his equal in hero potential, was already something Lin had tucked away in the back of his mind. Did I want him to say that? Lin couldn¡¯t help but wonder, glancing away from Ren and looking at the woman in question. From his earlier interaction with Kian, it was already clear that Kian didn¡¯t trust him. Kian doubted Lin could protect the woman without putting her in danger, and after hearing Lin¡¯s name and his possible connections with Jim, Kian¡¯s trust in him had dropped even further. Lin was well aware of this. Yet despite everything, when Kian came asking for help, Lin made a completely absurd request: Leave the girl with us and walk away. A request Kian would never agree to, which naturally led to an argument. For the final push, Lin decided to concede, but rather than directly threatening Kian, he indirectly targeted the woman¡ªa decision that would alarm any normal person into thinking Lin was being unreasonable. Beyond that, it would prompt only one type of person to speak out: someone who believed they could find a solution, even if it meant going against him. Ren. It wasn¡¯t something Lin had planned in advance. He simply exploited the situation to issue a challenge and see what Ren was capable of and why he was considered so special. In one move, Lin had achieved just that. However, one question still remained. Would he be able to keep up? A smug smile suddenly crept onto Kian¡¯s face as he interpreted Lin¡¯s silence as caution toward Ren¡ªthe one with the same 1000/1000 score as Lin, or, in other words, someone who could match him. ¡°Fine then, just don¡¯t come crying to me when you need something,¡± Lin finally said, looking away from them and focusing back on his screen. Kian, taking this as a positive sign, glanced at Ren and muttered, ¡°Talk to me if you need anything.¡± Ren nodded anxiously in return. Kian then walked away, the dark-haired woman following behind him with hurried steps, still trying to process what had just happened. ~the birth of a tactician, one of the five axes of evol. Chapter 20 - Form Now left alone with Lin, Ren stole a few worried glances at him, but Lin remained silent, focused on his status window. Despite Ren¡¯s asocial nature, he could somewhat grasp the logic behind Lin¡¯s actions. Since Lin had approached him first, "breaking up" their small group would require Lin to be the one to walk away¡ªand because he was still there, it could only mean one thing. As long as Ren didn¡¯t bring up what had just happened, they could continue bouncing ideas off each other and experimenting with the other elements in peace. This one seems more straightforward, Lin thought to himself as he read through all the details regarding the element.
[Form] ¡ª Allows the user to create tangible matter using Soulex energy, which can range from anything small to large or simple to complex, depending on the level of Soulex energy. Features of Soulex Objects: Note: This is an equivalent exchange. Rather than using Soulex as a courier to create objects, the energy itself is transformed into an object. Once created, the object cannot be transformed back into Soulex.
Interesting, Lin thought as he finished reading through the information. It was fascinating how all the elements of the god system seemed to connect seamlessly with this one, allowing for a wider variety of applications. He brought his hand forward, imagining an object in his palm. In the next moment, the Soulex around his hand gathered and condensed, and a small object materialized in his grasp. Not much of a sensation, he thought, a slight worry etching itself onto his face. Ren, who had just finished reading as well, glanced at the object in Lin¡¯s hand with a slightly puzzled expression. ¡°A pebble?¡± he asked. Lin simply nodded. Rolling the pebble between his thumb and index finger, Lin held it forward. At the same time, he quickly activated a normal Echo around the room, observing the scene through Echo Sight. The sight revealed a faint white Soulex around the pebble, subtly rising upward but barely noticeable. Just above it, a small description floated: [Target 1][6]This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Danger level 6. Lin thought, recalling the rules under Echo that indicated all objects either created from or directly influenced by Soulex would be listed as a level 6 threat. He took a quick glance around the room, noting the numbers above everyone¡¯s head. Just as before, the limit was still capped at 12 targets, with the additional target being the object in his hand, making 13 total targets with threat levels. I wonder¡­ ¡°Maybe it¡¯s equivalent to the emission?¡± Ren¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Lin turned to look at him, considering the possibility. At the same time, Ren opened his hands, and multiple pebbles suddenly formed in his palms. Additional targets started to pop up on the small map in the status window next to Lin, with the new pebbles, each roughly the size of a small marble, all displaying descriptions above them. ¡°I made 20 more,¡± Ren muttered excitedly, casting a normal Echo and looking around, as did Lin. ¡°This is a bit¡­¡± Lin muttered to himself, shaking his head. Instead of the original limit of 12 targets, only two targets had any information about their threat levels above their heads, while the rest showed nothing. [Target 1][2] ? Ren [Target 2][2] [Target 3][?] ... ... [Target 20][?] Although these targets were recognized due to their Soulex emissions, there was no further description about them. Meanwhile, all the pebbles in Ren¡¯s hands displayed threat assessment numbers above them ¡ª all 20 of them. [Target 21][6] [Target 22][6] ... [Target 40][6] Even this one, Lin thought, realizing that the pebble in his own hand also had a threat level displayed above it: [Target 4][6] The target numbers seemed to shuffle randomly each time Lin deactivated and reactivated Echo. Ren was now labeled as [Target 1] with a danger level of 2, likely due to the Soulex energy he was using to create the pebbles. The blonde-haired girl, Sera, was the other visible target with a descriptive danger level; everyone else, except for the pebbles, had lost their assigned danger levels. Lin refocused on the palm of his hand, using [Form] to create exactly five more pebbles before glancing back at Ren¡¯s description above him. [Target 1][?] I see. He took a quick look at Sera and noticed a similar [?] symbol on her description, indicating that he could no longer view the danger levels of anyone else in the room. However, the pebbles in both his and Ren¡¯s hands¡ªsix on Lin¡¯s side and twenty on Ren¡¯s¡ªall displayed danger levels, leading him to two conclusions. Ren, surprisingly, had reached the same insight as he spoke up: ¡°There¡¯s a one-to-two ratio between Soulex users and Soulex objects,¡± he said, and Lin nodded in agreement. If the limit on the number of Soulex users scannable with a normal Echo was 13, then the number of detectable Soulex objects would double, allowing for 26 Soulex objects to be scanned simultaneously. When Lin created one pebble and Ren created twenty, they collectively scanned 21 Soulex objects, which meant the Soulex user equivalent would be 21 ¡Â 2 = 10.5 people. This left two additional slots before reaching the maximum cap of 12 people, which explained why only Ren and Sera¡¯s danger levels were visible. ¡°And¡­?¡± Lin prompted Ren, as if sensing there was more to his discovery. Ren, seeming slightly surprised that Lin was already piecing things together, continued. ¡°The normal Echo uses danger level to prioritize main targets,¡± he explained, and Lin nodded, like a teacher confirming a student¡¯s answer. What Ren had suggested was that the initial targets for a normal scan would reveal only individuals with high danger levels. Therefore, a person would need to manually set the main targets constantly to fit that particular situation. As demonstrated with the pebbles, a normal scan would prioritize them as the primary targets due to their danger levels of ¡®6,¡¯ while ignoring everyone else with a level 1 or level 2 danger level. This also explained why Ren and Sera, who had a much higher Echo cap than the rest, had shown up in the first few scans, likely because of their high Soulex consumption and their level 2 danger levels. As for his observations through Echo Sight, there was nothing particularly new. The pebble Lin created from Soulex had a small string attaching it to him, similar to how Echo connected his Soulex to others. When manually activating Echo, his Soulex linked to all the pebbles, including the 20 in Ren¡¯s hands, just as it did with everyone else in the room. Veil pebble. Lin thought, finally moving on to the final available feature of [Form]. Chapter 21 - Veil Veil pebble. Lin thought, finally moving on to the final available feature of [Form]. Since the other features were still locked, Lin could only use [Form] in conjunction with [Echo] and [Veil]. After their previous experiments, he could somewhat imagine how [Echo] might interact with [Form], or rather, with objects created by [Form], leaving [Veil] as the last element to fully test. The moment he cast it, something unexpected happened. Although he still felt the pebble in his hand, it was now completely invisible, as if nothing were there. ¡°That¡¯s a bit creepy,¡± Ren muttered, staring at Lin¡¯s palm with similar amazement. At the same time, they both activated Echo Sight, and for a moment, confusion flashed across their faces. ¡°Right... it detects Soulex,¡± Ren muttered, as if reminding himself, and Lin nodded silently. Instead of seeing the pebble in its physical form, they observed a pebble-shaped Soulex floating in Lin¡¯s hand, as though he were directing his Soulex into it. If not for the fact that the Soulex in question was red, they might not have noticed it at all. Maybe the colors are just for visual differentiation of Soulex, Lin considered, wondering if the colors had no deeper meaning beyond helping distinguish each person¡¯s Soulex. Conducting their Echo experiments would have been far more challenging if everyone¡¯s aura appeared in the same color, making it difficult to differentiate between personal Soulex strings and those created by others. ¡°Can I try something?¡± Ren asked. Without much thought, Lin extended his palm forward. Delicately, Ren attempted to pick up the pebble, and surprisingly, he was able to grasp it. Though invisible, it was ultimately still there. To anyone not using Echo Sight, it looked as though he was holding air. He turned, picked a direction with fewer people around, and suddenly threw it as hard as he could. The pebble flew across the endless white space and landed somewhere in the distance. As it landed, the two began to follow the thin red string connecting Lin to the pebble. ¡°This is a troublesome ability,¡± Lin finally remarked, and Ren nodded in agreement. Without Echo Sight, the pebble was entirely untraceable. This introduced a surprisingly high number of tactical possibilities. Lin glanced back at his status window before casting another element. Echo pebble. A small map popped up on the blue screen, showing the pebble at a distance, with metrics indicating how far away it was¡ª82 meters. On the right side of the screen, a second status window appeared, displaying more information.
Height above sea level: ?? Radius Scan: [1 meter] <>
Could be useful, Lin thought to himself, closing the two screens and opening a new one that displayed information about the third element they had to deal with. Because of how complicated the system was, he still felt the need to thoroughly review [Veil], despite the hints they had already received from the other elements. He opted to study all the information displayed.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
[Veil] ¡ª Allows the user to completely hide the presence of their Soulex. ¡ª Useful against abilities that might track you through your Soulex, such as Echo or Bind, which rely on detecting or receiving feedback from a person¡¯s Soulex to function. Restrictions while using Veil:
More or less what I imagined, Lin thought, closing the status screen and activating [Veil]. However, as a consequence, Echo Sight was automatically switched off, and the Soulex around everyone completely disappeared. Ren, who was still using Echo Sight, seemed surprised and muttered, ¡°The aura is gone, but¡­¡± He squinted further, prompting Lin to look at him with a confused expression. Before Lin could speak, Ren continued, ¡°There¡¯s still a small stream leaking out. It¡¯s not completely gone,¡± he finally said. The two stared at each other in silence, racking their brains, until Ren spoke again. ¡°It might be how ¡®normal¡¯ people without Soulex currently look,¡± he said, and Lin could only shrug. Since Lin couldn¡¯t see what Ren was talking about, he wasn¡¯t ready to jump to that conclusion. As if realizing this, Ren added, ¡°Let¡¯s switch then,¡± he said, turning off Echo Sight. All the other screens that had been floating around him suddenly disappeared. It was only then that Lin realized that, despite using [Veil], he could still see the blue screens floating in front of everyone. So anyone can see them? he wondered, realizing how problematic that could be. After considering it briefly, he pushed the thought to the back of his mind, activated Echo Sight again, and glanced at Ren in front of him. The large, white Soulex that had surrounded him was completely gone, replaced by a very faint energy leaving his body, as if steam were rising from him just after taking a hot shower. But this steam appeared even less faint than that. ¡°I see,¡± Lin said, turning away from Ren and glancing at a few individuals around the room who were also experimenting with [Veil]. The same sight reached him. This time, however, the faint steam rising from those using [Veil] was the same color¡ªwhite. What¡¯s the significance of color? he couldn¡¯t help but ask himself again, wondering if there was something more to it. It doesn¡¯t matter for now, he finally concluded, sighing to himself as he wrapped up his round of experiments. As if sensing this, Ren spoke up again. ¡°I actually have a few more experiments I wanted to try with the others. Do you mind helping out?¡± he asked. Lin paused, glancing at him for a few seconds as his thoughts raced. Although there were still a few more experiments he wanted to try, he wasn¡¯t too keen on performing them here, in front of everyone else, which would reveal how much he knew. However, the person standing next to him was likely already thinking along the same lines, meaning everyone would likely still receive this information if he disagreed and pushed him away. ¡°Sure,¡± Lin finally muttered, and Ren seemed happy as he nodded. He glanced toward Nolan in the short distance, who seemed to be with a slightly larger group, then looked back at Lin. Despite suggesting it, Ren seemed to want Lin to take the lead and mediate between everyone. Lin didn¡¯t mind, though, simply shrugging and walking forward. At the moment, there wasn¡¯t anyone he considered an enemy, so leaking all the information they had gathered wasn¡¯t a huge blow to him. The more they know, the more useful they¡¯ll be. Multiple experiments took place after that, with everyone participating and bouncing ideas off each other. Before anyone knew it, five hours had passed very quickly, and the goddess suddenly made an appearance. Having regained their focus, they had taken the opportunity to make a mental list of questions to ask the goddess¡ªquestions they primarily couldn¡¯t bring up because of the overload of information she had suddenly thrown at them. At the top of this list was something they all agreed they should¡¯ve asked the moment they met the goddess. Who would be their enemy? Fortunately for them, the first trial would give them a glimpse of the incoming disasters that would soon befall humanity. Trial One: The Art of Tracking. Chapter 22 - Answers? ¡°I can''t answer that,¡± the goddess''s calm words reverberated across the white space, shooting down the very first question they''d gathered the courage to ask. "¡­" Everyone simply stared at her, confusion etched on their faces. They¡¯d been forcefully summoned out of their day-to-day lives and suddenly tasked with becoming the saviors of an incoming doom that would befall humanity, yet the goddess couldn''t answer the most basic of questions. Who would be their enemy? ¡°What you refer to as the ¡®enemy¡¯ concerns information about the future, so I cannot reveal that,¡± she explained casually, as if it wasn''t that big of a deal¡ªa stark contrast to many of their thoughts. Worst-case scenario, it might be another human, Lin thought, considering how bad it would be if the threat came from fellow human beings rather than an external source. Without knowing who or where the threat might come from, they wouldn¡¯t be able to effectively gather allies or even trust anyone other than themselves. ¡°And how long do we have until the ¡®threat¡¯ reveals itself?¡± Lin suddenly cut in, asking the question on everyone¡¯s mind. If they couldn¡¯t be told about the details of the threat itself, then simply knowing when it might come would be very beneficial. Unfortunately for them, the goddess didn¡¯t seem to relent. ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± she replied, her expression neutral despite the dark looks spreading across the group. She added, ¡°It might take a few years or perhaps a few days after you arrive. I¡¯m not allowed¡­ no, rather, it wouldn¡¯t be beneficial to tell you,¡± she explained, pausing as if choosing her words carefully. A risk? Lin thought, considering multiple possibilities in his head. The way she was explaining it made it seem like revealing the future¡ªsomething that would normally be beneficial in their situation¡ªmight actually do more harm than good. ¡°The uncertainty of the future is a natural aspect of mortal beings, just as every mortal will eventually meet their end, regardless of any attempt to extend their life. One might say that even the instinct to resist this fate is a natural aspect of mortal beings,¡± she began, eyeing everyone in the room. They nodded slightly, acknowledging the philosophy she''d laid out. Seeing this, she continued, ¡°An eventual end pushes them to live life to the fullest, while an uncertain future makes life worth living,¡± she said, and a few of them seemed to reflect deeply on this. That goes without saying, Lin thought to himself. Human behavior is largely goal-oriented; removing even one element of what makes a person human would make life itself meaningless. ¡°If you knew about an event too far into the future, the consequences would be dire. If the major threat were something that revealed itself within a very short timeframe from your return, the impact might be manageable. Otherwise, exposing the future in the current situation would mandate a complete rewrite of the future. It¡¯s simply the law of nature,¡± the goddess explained, their faces continuing to show confusion. So, a butterfly effect? Or rather, a difference in severity? Lin wondered. There wasn¡¯t any other concept that could explain it. The difference between someone with knowledge of the next five minutes and someone with knowledge of the next five years was in how much they could potentially alter the timeline. While both may cause an initial butterfly effect from their first divergent action, the individual who sees only five minutes into the future can only affect the timeline once. Subsequently, all their future actions would fall within the new timeline, no longer considered butterfly effects but a part of the foreseeable future. By contrast, an individual who could see five years ahead would likely take continuous actions to change the anticipated future, compounding multiple butterfly effects from their first action and all actions afterward. This would lead to multiple branches and an eventual butterfly effect on the scale of impacting the entire world. It doesn¡¯t sound reasonable, Lin thought. Their current stance as heroes, gaining knowledge of this upcoming threat and even training against it, wasn¡¯t something he thought should align with ¡®nature.¡¯ What they were being tasked to do would obviously change the future to a great extent, and yet the future wouldn¡¯t attempt to rewrite itself... So, changing the future itself isn¡¯t against natural law? Or is it simply a mortal ¡®knowing¡¯ the future that defies natural law? Lin wondered, eyeing the goddess curiously. As if reading his thoughts, she turned to look at him as she continued. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± the goddess said, moving away from him and addressing the others. ¡°Any other questions?¡± she asked, showing no desire to elaborate further. They all eyed each other, worry etched on their faces, until finally, one of them¡ªthe blonde-haired woman¡ªraised a hand. ¡°Mmm. You said Soulex is a part of us and all, but how come we can''t even sense it?¡± Sera asked, tilting her head, and everyone immediately nodded in agreement. This whole time, they had been conducting experiments with Soulex, but at the core of it, they hadn¡¯t felt anything at all. Even as they created matter from ¡®nothing,¡¯ there was no sensation or feeling of actually doing something that amazing, as if it were simply an automatic action activated by thought alone. "It''s because the [Pulse] element is still sealed,¡± the goddess answered, and they all recalled its mention in many of the other elements. It seemed like an ¡®enhancement¡¯ type of skill. She added,This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°It''s the only element that involves directly manipulating your Soulex, so it also acts as a connection between your Soulex and your entire nervous system,¡± she explained, and they all nodded, starting to understand the concept. ¡°Oh, so Soulex has a sensation?¡± Sera repeated, her voice sounding strangely relieved. Like everyone else, she found it unsettling to perform these miraculous actions without feeling as though she were the one doing them, which only made them question their reality even more. "That''s right," the goddess replied in a neutral tone, turning away from her and glancing at a certain boy. This time, the golden-haired student, Isadore, seemed to have a question as he spoke up. "What about the status window? How does that work?¡± he asked, sparking a curious look from Lin, who¡¯d also been wondering the same. Can someone activate the elements without the status window? Lin wondered, returning to a question he¡¯d had since beginning the experiments with Soulex. If [Pulse] allowed them to fully manipulate their Soulex, then it meant they could potentially mimic how their Soulex behaved when activating certain elements through the status window, making it possible to perform them without the help of the status windows. "The status window is simply an automated system for using Soulex,¡± the goddess explained, an answer that left much to be desired. What she said was something they could already understand and see with their own eyes. Seeing their skepticism, she suddenly added, ¡°Trust me, if you had to use Soulex intuitively without a system, it would take ten lifetimes to master all the elements,¡± she said, and they all seemed to keep quiet, wondering how much truth there was to her words. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in trying to understand the flow of Soulex as you use these elements, but you should abandon any idea of learning Soulex without the system,¡± she added, and they all looked at her reluctantly. It had taken them less than five hours to learn three of the elements, and though they weren¡¯t ¡®masters¡¯ yet, they trusted they could apply them when necessary, which only made them more skeptical of her words. Lin, who had previously been questioning whether the system acted as some kind of restriction, tried as much as possible not to overthink it. While they anxiously watched the goddess, a different voice suddenly interrupted. ¡°You said [Pulse] would allow us to feel the sensation of Soulex, right? What¡¯s the point if we¡¯re still going to rely on our status windows?¡± Ren asked curiously, his voice surprisingly loud given his previously timid demeanor. Lin glanced at him, a bit taken aback by his sudden boldness. He¡¯s a bit talkative, Lin thought to himself. While this side of Ren had shown during their earlier experiments, Lin had assumed it was just his nerves. But after everyone had gathered and started working together, many seemed very impressed by Ren¡¯s creativity, naturally gaining acceptance by almost everyone in the group. Since he was also less intimidating than Lin, it was much easier for others to approach him and ask questions, which had allowed him to open up a bit. It seemed that rather than being ¡®antisocial,¡¯ he was simply just shy. ¡°Feeling your Soulex makes things easier than simply relying on the status screen,¡± the goddess replied to Ren¡¯s question, lifting a finger as the rest looked at her, puzzled by the sudden action. A moment later, a status window appeared in front of everyone.
[Your Soulex has been forcefully linked with someone.] [Use Echo to search for the link.]
¡°For example, if you could sense your Soulex, you would have felt a tug on it the moment I used [Bind] on you just now, which I activated at the same time I lifted my finger,¡± she explained. Everyone looked at her with surprise. Though they weren¡¯t yet familiar with the [Bind] element, they could more or less guess what it entailed. A few of them immediately activated Echo Sight, noticing a faint, white Soulex at her fingertip, with 20 strings attached to everyone in the room. The strings look similar to a normal Echo, Lin thought as he stared at the goddess¡¯s finger through Echo Sight. Or maybe it actually uses Echo to attach to the Soulex? He wondered, recalling how many of the other elements synergized in similar ways. One example was [Form], which created objects always connected to the user¡¯s Soulex immediately after creation, much like how Echo¡¯s strings functioned. As Lin¡¯s thoughts raced, the goddess¡¯s words suddenly interrupted. ¡°Because of the difference in skill, I¡¯m able to momentarily trick your Soulex into thinking it¡¯s a normal Echo, which doesn¡¯t typically appear on the status window since it¡¯s nonlethal. For speed-based Soulexes, that split second would be enough to launch an attack before you could even activate [Veil] to disconnect the string,¡± she explained, and everyone seemed to contemplate her words deeply. Oh? Lin thought, quickly activating [Veil] and glancing to his side, where Ren was already observing him with Echo Sight. Ren looked momentarily intrigued, prompting Lin¡¯s curiosity as he moved closer, still listening to the goddess¡¯s explanation in the background. ¡°However, don¡¯t mistake performing each of the elements intuitively, without the status window, as true understanding of their underlying principles,¡± the goddess continued, her words drawing confusion across their faces. Sensing this, she elaborated further. Meanwhile, Lin reached Ren¡¯s position, curious about what he¡¯d just observed. ¡°You might be able to imitate how your Soulex splits and attaches itself to nearby Soulex signals for tracking, as Echo does, but what you¡¯re actually doing is activating Echo through ¡®muscle memory¡¯ already ingrained by the system. The only difference is that you use proprioception to map out where each target is in your mind, instead of relying on the visible map on your status window,¡± she clarified, though confusion still lingered in their expressions. Everything you¡¯re able to do without the status window is something that can just as easily be done with it, Lin concluded, turning away from the goddess, who continued explaining the concept to the others who still seemed puzzled by the details. He glanced at Ren beside him, who quickly spoke up. ¡°The string just snaps back really fast. Same as last time,¡± Ren said, and Lin nodded. They had already experimented with how using [Veil] while someone was still using Echo on them affected the connection. The result matched exactly what had just happened with the goddess¡¯s use of [Bind], leading them to a clear conclusion. ¡°It incorporates Echo,¡± Ren voiced aloud, mirroring Lin¡¯s thoughts. They had managed to learn something new about [Bind], even though the element was still sealed, demonstrating just how much they were beginning to understand the elements of the god system. But would applying that knowledge be just as simple? ¡°I will now explain the rules of the first trial,¡± the goddess¡¯s voice reverberated across the white space, silencing their casual banter. Their expressions turned serious. Unlike the last trial, where everyone had been completely unprepared and hardly understood what was happening, this time, they were alert and ready. In the next moment, a blue screen appeared before them, detailing the conditions of the first trial.
Trial One: The Art of Tracking Clear Condition (Choose one):
  1. 90% survive until their individual timers reach zero.
  2. Kill the Soul-vor beast.
Permitted Abilities: [Echo], [Veil], and [Form]. Time Limit: N/A Individual Timer: 75 minutes [Rules] ...
Chapter 23 - Trial One Looks complicated. Lin thought as he skimmed through the rules, a slight frown forming as he looked up at the goddess, who, for some reason, was already watching him. Meeting his gaze, she addressed the group, still looking directly at Lin. ¡°I hope everyone works together in this trial. Let¡¯s try to keep our psychotic tendencies in check,¡± she said simply. Several people instinctively glanced toward Lin, realizing who she was addressing, though Lin remained calm. To him, such behavior wasn¡¯t remotely ¡°psychotic¡± compared to his own definition of the term. If I really did something like that¡­ A faint chuckle escaped him, immediately sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spine as they tried to imagine the thoughts going through his mind. What is he thinking? their expressions seemed to ask. However, for Lin, the action wasn¡¯t as mindless as they may have imagined¡ªrather, it was a small push in the direction he wanted the group to move. Now then, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got, he thought, casting a sidelong glance at the boy standing beside him, who was beginning to break into a cold sweat, stealing nervous glances toward him¡ªRen. ¡°The first trial is quite simple,¡± the goddess¡¯ voice echoed across the white space as she raised her hand. The ground in front of her began to morph like clay, quickly forming a small structure, just as she had done to show the tower they were in. This time, though, a large island-like plain took shape, its terrain segmented in a very strange manner. ¡°Please pay close attention to the scaled-down map of the first floor,¡± the goddess said, and everyone simply nodded, stepping closer to get a better look. Lin stared intently at the structure, noting multiple distinct biomes and terrains dividing the island into four parts of roughly the same size, each marked with a different symbol floating above it. Some of the symbols looked oddly familiar. Blindness? Lin thought, glancing at the rocky region where an eye symbol crossed by a line floated above it¡ªa common symbol for indicating blindness. His gaze shifted to the other regions, each marked by a similar crossed-out symbol: a hand, an ear, and a nose. ¡°The area is divided into four equal regions, and each of them imposes a unique restriction for staying within it,¡± the goddess explained, providing more details about the strange symbols. She waved her hand, and the structure transformed, zooming into one of the regions and enlarging it for everyone to see. It was the rocky region, which seemed to have a very uneven terrain. Different-sized boulders were scattered across the area, parts of which were grouped together for long distances, as if forming a ¡®floor¡¯ of their own. There also seemed to be multiple holes and patches on the ground, as if the ground had fallen in on itself. Overall, the landscape was so irregular that you couldn¡¯t move in a straight path without frequently climbing up and down. It¡¯s not too deep, Lin thought to himself, noting the holes across the region. Although navigation would require a lot of climbing, the boulders and even the holes on the ground weren¡¯t too high up¡ªsomeone with basic athletic skills, even if they were short, would probably be able to navigate the region. Of course, this was simply one of the four regions¡­ ¡°In the rocky region, the penalty is your sense of sight¡ªthat is, you will not be able to see anything until you leave that place,¡± the goddess explained. Everyone¡¯s faces turned pale as they glanced back at the terrain. They had already been mentally preparing themselves to possibly navigate the area, but this sudden restriction darkened their expressions, completely dissolving their confidence. That would be dangerous, Lin thought, shaking his head slightly. Navigating that terrain was one thing, but doing so without sight was simply too risky. There was no doubt that those without experience might end up with a few broken bones, and for someone particularly unlucky, a fall at the wrong angle could break their neck. As if to add fuel to the fire, the goddess continued. ¡°You should also remember that the Soul-vor beast will be actively hunting you the whole time,¡± she added, sending a chill down their spines as they tried to picture the situation. Not only would they be blind, but they would also have to evade some kind of predator, making any safe attempt at scaling the terrain nearly impossible. As they processed this, the goddess continued, ¡°You can take this as just a part of the ¡®threats¡¯ that may be coming in the future. For the first trial, this is the Soul-vor beast you¡¯ll be facing.¡± At the same time, a large holographic figure appeared beside her, and everyone¡¯s eyes widened in shock as they took in the creature towering next to her. ¡°A¡­ minotaur?¡± Adem muttered, a sharp glint reflecting off his glasses as he stared. He looked up and down, sizing it up with a mix of fear and excitement etched on his expression. Standing at a staggering ten feet, its bulky, brownish body was partially covered in fur, while two horns jutted upward from its head. As described in famous mythology, a minotaur stood before them. ¡°It¡¯s carrying a bat?¡± Sera murmured, surprisingly calm as she observed the weapon in the minotaur''s hand. Perhaps because they all knew the beast before them wouldn¡¯t suddenly attack, they were relatively calm for the moment. ¡°That¡¯s right. It goes without saying, but it can also use Soulex,¡± the goddess added, her tone neutral as she waved her hand again, dispelling the hologram to refocus their attention back on the terrain. ¡°The next one is the snowy region, and as you can see, anyone in this area will lose their sense of touch,¡± she explained. By this time, everyone simply watched with little reaction. The initial conditions were already absurd, and with each new restriction, the boundary of the absurd seemed to stretch, making such things sound almost normal. Frostbite. That was the first thought to cross Lin¡¯s mind as he eyed the snowy region. A few trees were scattered across it, covered in white snow, with the ground piled so high that it would likely sink them knee-deep with each step. The lack of touch would certainly make navigating it less painful, as they wouldn¡¯t feel the sting of the cold, but it also meant they wouldn¡¯t notice if a part of their body succumbed to frostbite.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. As the goddess continued explaining each region, it became clear that all of them had their disadvantages, though some posed far greater challenges than others. The final two regions were slightly less severe than the first two. ¡°The soundless region is a dense forest with a few small animals, and the scentless region is a toxic swamp with a few patches of trees and some muddy lakes,¡± she explained, moving through the remaining regions fairly quickly. Even though these regions were less harsh, they were still challenging in a hunting scenario. In a place where you couldn¡¯t hear anything, evading a beast with heightened senses would be extremely difficult. ¡°Now that you know the terrain, let¡¯s go over how to actually clear the trial,¡± the goddess said. Simultaneously, a large blue screen materialized behind her, displaying the rules already visible on everyone¡¯s status windows.
Floor One: The Art of Tracking Clear Condition (Choose one):
  1. 90% survive until their timers reach zero.
  2. Kill the Soul-vor beast.
Permitted Abilities: [Echo], [Veil], and [Form]. Time Limit: N/A Individual Timer: 75 minutes [Rules] ...
¡°For starters, each person will have a timer above their head that will count down from 75 minutes,¡± she said, pointing upward. They all immediately glanced up, noticing the number floating above each of them. Similar to their Hero Potential scores, all of them displayed the same thing: 75:00. ¡°If 90% of you¡ªor, specifically, 18 out of the 20 here¡ªare able to survive until your individual timers reach zero, then you will all clear the trial,¡± the goddess explained, referring back to the first clear condition. Everyone nodded, though they appeared a bit confused by the concept of an ¡®individual timer¡¯ rather than a single time to monitor for all of them. As if reading their thoughts, the goddess continued, ¡°These individual timers will be influenced by various factors, meaning one person¡¯s timer might progress faster or slower than another¡¯s. Check rule number one to see a few of those factors,¡± she said, prompting everyone to look back at their status windows.
[Rules]
  1. Clear Condition 1: Each person''s individual timer may be affected by different conditions. This clear condition will only be valid once 90% of everyone¡¯s counters reach zero ¨C 00:00.
    1. [Veil Rule] ¡ª Using [Veil] will slow down your individual timer by one second for every five seconds that passes.
    2. [Unconscious Rule] ¡ª The individual timer will pause completely if a person is rendered unconscious.
    3. [Proximity Rule] ¡ª Individuals within a 40-meter radius of the Soul-vor beast will have their individual timer reduced by 2 minutes for every second that passes. ¡­
Is that risk worth it? Lin pondered as he reviewed the conditions, particularly the ¡®Proximity Rule,¡¯ which seemed almost too good to be true. 37.5 seconds. If someone could survive within the Minotaur¡¯s 40-meter range for just 37.5 seconds, their timer would no doubt reach zero. It was an appealing shortcut, but it raised serious questions about the beast¡¯s strength and abilities. Lin doubted whether many of the individuals here could stalk a predator that closely for even a few seconds without being noticed. Achieving this feat would be difficult even for the most skilled hunter, and the fact that at least 18 individuals needed to succeed made it certain that the approach wouldn¡¯t be as easy as it sounded. Can it really take down anyone in just 37 seconds? Lin wondered, recalling the towering beast that had stood next to the goddess¡ªa creature he¡¯d previously known only from Greek mythology. His current knowledge of them was limited to the curious reads he¡¯d done as a kid. ¡°The second clear condition is straightforward, so I need not explain further. If the beast stops breathing, then you simply clear the trial,¡± the goddess¡¯s words interrupted their thoughts as she moved on from the first rule.
[Rules] ¡­
  1. Clear Condition 2: The Soul-vor beast will be considered dead when its heart has stopped completely. If Clear Condition 1 fails, this will be the only other option.
    1. [KILL ONLY] ¡ª If three individuals die before Clear Condition 1 (survival) can be accomplished, you will be forced to clear the floor through Condition 2. In this case, the trial will only end if everyone is dead or the Soul-vor beast dies first.
¡­
¡°The floor will begin with each of you selecting a region. You¡¯ll also have the chance to choose which region the Soul-vor beast will spawn in,¡± the goddess explained. Everyone appeared to be thinking the same thing: If we place the beast in one region, we could hide in the opposite one. But as if reading their minds, the goddess continued, ¡°However, there are limits on the number of people who can occupy any one region.¡± She directed their attention to their status screens, where the third rule was displayed.
[Rules] ¡­
  1. Each person will choose one of the four regions to start in and will be spawned in a random location within that region (no two people will spawn in the same spot). The regions will also have restrictions on the number of participants:
    1. [Majority rule] ¡ª If a single region has more than 60% of the participants for more than 5 minutes, the beast will automatically spawn in the middle of that region (if it isn¡¯t already within that region).
    2. [Overload rule] ¡ª If all participants (100%) are in a single region for more than 2 minutes, they will all be randomly teleported to different regions. ¡­
They all looked on with frustration. Although this rule limited how many people could be in one region, its impact was much larger than that. It complicates using the Proximity Rule. Lin thought as he reviewed the other rules. The [Overload rule] restricted their ability to gather in a single region, teleporting them to random locations on activation. In a situation where they chose to win through the [Proximity Rule], they would need to gather in one region to fight the beast together. However, with the [Majority rule] in place, they would only have 5 minutes to not only find the beast but also get within its 40-meter radius and avoid being killed while doing so. On the other hand, the [Overload] rule presented an additional challenge. To avoid triggering it, they would need to work with only 19 participants at most. Otherwise, they would have just 2 minutes to execute everything¡ªfind the beast, gather within its radius, and survive¡ªbefore being randomly teleported. In a scenario where their foe seemed overwhelmingly strong, even missing one person could upset the balance. In contrast, if they chose to avoid the Minotaur entirely and focus on survival, the [Majority rule] would be equally punishing. The only viable strategy would be to spread themselves across different regions(less than 60% in each), a risky move that would force them into smaller groups. Such isolation could easily result in disaster if any group encountered the Soul-vor beast. Hunt or be hunted. This seemed to be the trial¡¯s primary theme, and whatever choice they made would heavily influence the outcome. The restriction on [Veil], which slowed down the individual timer, added yet another layer of difficulty. It meant they would need to expose themselves to the beast¡¯s Echo scans while trying to evade it. On the other hand, hiding for the next two to three days was theoretically possible if they were cautious enough. Alternating between activating and deactivating [Veil] could provide some relief in quickening their timer¡¯s progression, but overall, this was a slow and risky strategy. What¡¯s the best approach? Lin wondered as he analyzed the rules, running multiple simulations through his mind. Each scenario seemed to be littered with multiple risks, particularly given their group¡¯s lack of combat-oriented members. Chapter 24 - Torch What¡¯s the best approach? Lin wondered as he analyzed the rules, running multiple simulations through his mind, though each seemed too risky, especially given their group¡¯s lack of combat-oriented members. ¡°You have one hour to prepare, and then the trial will begin,¡± the goddess¡¯ words snapped Lin from his thoughts. He glanced back at her, noticing that multiple weapons had suddenly materialized in mid-air, floating around the space. ¡°You can choose any weapon you want,¡± she added. They all marveled at the array of weapons¡ªswords, daggers, rapiers, and even guns¡ªfloating in place. However, their excitement was tempered the moment they recalled the minotaur¡¯s bat, which had been much larger than most of the weapons available. ¡°Sorry, but we have a little problem here,¡± a voice interrupted before the goddess could leave, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to a blue-haired man in a hoodie and shorts. ¡°One of us can¡¯t use Soulex,¡± Kian explained, gesturing to the dark-haired woman beside him. She looked downcast as she stepped forward. The goddess observed her with a mostly neutral expression, then glanced back at Kian. ¡°And?¡± she replied coldly, sending a shiver down his spine. His eyes widened in confusion as he looked around, then back at her. ¡°What do you mean? She obviously can¡¯t fight in this condition,¡± he said, his tone genuinely confused. The goddess fell silent, as if considering his words, but her response wasn¡¯t what he expected. ¡°She will participate regardless,¡± she said, turning away. Before he could retort, she added, ¡°Remember, she won¡¯t die even if she dies during the trial, so it doesn¡¯t matter. No one here will be getting special treatment.¡± Her tone was cold, and before anyone could react, she disappeared, vanishing from sight as though she had never been there at all. Her abrupt exit left Kian frustrated, and the others cast sympathetic glances at the dark-haired woman. ¡°She¡¯s a bit cruel sometimes,¡± Nolan muttered, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as he stepped forward. One by one, the others followed, moving toward the small structure displaying the terrain of the first trial. ¡°I think it¡¯s obvious by now that we should prioritize survival,¡± he continued, and everyone nodded in agreement. They weren¡¯t only thinking about the dark-haired woman¡¯s situation but also their own. Facing a monster like the one they had seen seemed absurd, and if they could complete the trial without confronting it, that would be the most ideal outcome. ¡°So, does anyone have a plan?¡± Nolan asked. The confidence in their eyes immediately faded as they looked at one another, and gradually, their gazes turned toward a particular individual in the room. ¡°...¡± Lin stayed silent, feigning obliviousness to their stares and waiting for them to ask him directly. Unexpectedly, another voice broke the silence. ¡°What do you think, Ren?¡± Kian interjected, redirecting everyone¡¯s attention to Ren. Their faces brightened with a glimmer of hope, reminded that he was also a fairly capable ally. ¡°Huh?¡± Ren muttered, looking at Kian in confusion. ¡°You seem like you¡¯ve got something on your mind. If you have a plan, why not share it?¡± Kian said with a smile, ignoring Lin¡¯s penetrating gaze, which seemed to have already grasped his intentions. Seemingly aware of the situation, Ren glanced at Lin nervously and began, ¡°Uh, actually, I think Lin would¡ª¡± he started, but Kian interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s fine, right, Lin?¡± Kian turned to Lin with a smug smile and continued, ¡°Or do you only cooperate if it¡¯s your plan?¡± His words raised curious eyebrows among the group. Lin had led them to their first victory so far, but would he abandon his role as the group¡¯s strategist that easily? If he chose to hold his stance and decline Ren¡¯s plan, such a move would be viewed as selfish, exposing the image of a ¡®necessary evil¡¯ he¡¯d crafted thus far as merely a way to keep them under his control. But, to Kian¡¯s surprise, Lin shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he replied, prompting a few surprised expressions, especially from Ren, who muttered back,This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°A-are you sure?¡± Ren asked, confirming to everyone else that he indeed had some kind of plan. This realization brought a sense of relief to the group as they watched him, their gazes drifting back to Lin, who replied once again. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Lin said calmly, not a hint of bitterness in his tone despite having his role taken away. Ren seemed the most surprised by this and, continuing to mutter, finally spoke up. ¡°O-okay, then I¡¯d like to share my plan, but you can comment if it needs any changes,¡± he said, glancing at Lin as if seeking his guidance in formulating the plan. However, his attempt had the opposite effect as Lin raised his head, met his gaze, and retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me,¡± Lin said coldly, and a worried smile appeared on Ren¡¯s face. Lin had already surmised that Ren¡¯s casual attempt to involve him in the planning was just a ploy to appease him, to make it seem like Lin was also a vital part of the process. In reality, Ren was likely going to try to leave out certain details about the plan and let Lin fill them in, which Lin found very disrespectful. ¡°Sorry. But will you give your full cooperation?¡± Ren asked, realizing his subtle manipulation, though purely subconscious, wouldn¡¯t work on Lin. Surprisingly, this seemed to relax Ren, as though speaking with someone like Lin was easier than with anyone else. ¡°Sure,¡± Lin muttered simply, curious to see what kind of plan Ren would come up with. From earlier¡ªtargeting the dark-haired woman to forcing Ren to go against him, coupled with his subtle manipulation of the group by showing his so-called ¡®psychotic¡¯ side and even chuckling at the goddess¡¯s warning¡ªit was clear what Lin was trying to achieve. Simply put, he had naturally made the others wary of him. In the end, they would all gravitate toward Ren¡¯s side, giving him the mantle of leader. Now, fully handing over the reins to Ren, he would get to see him in action and gauge his so-called potential by his own standards. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll share my plan,¡± Ren said, walking closer to the island-like structure while opening the rules on his status window.
Floor One: The Art of Tracking Clear Condition (Choose one):
  1. 90% survive until their timers reach zero.
  2. Kill the Soul-vor beast.
Permitted Abilities: [Echo], [Veil], and [Form]. Time Limit: N/A Individual Timer: 75 minutes
[Rules]
  1. Clear Condition 1: Each person''s individual timer may be affected by different conditions. This clear condition will only be valid once 90% of everyone¡¯s counters reach zero ¨C 00:00.
    • [Veil Rule] ¡ª Using [Veil] will slow down your individual timer by five seconds for every second that passes.
    • [Unconscious Rule] ¡ª The individual timer will pause completely if a person is rendered unconscious.
    • [Proximity Rule] ¡ª Individuals within a 40-meter radius of the Soul-vor beast will have their individual timer reduced by 2 minutes for every second that passes.
  2. Clear Condition 2: The Soul-vor beast will be considered dead when its heart has completely stopped. If Clear Condition 1 fails, this will be the only other option.
    • [KILL ONLY] ¡ª If three individuals die before Clear Condition 1 (survival) can be accomplished, you will be forced to clear the floor through Condition 2. In this case, the trial will only end if everyone is dead or the Soul-vor beast dies first.
  3. Each person will choose one of the four regions to start in and will be spawned in a random location within that region (no two people will spawn in the same spot). The regions will also have restrictions on the number of participants:
  1. In addition to choosing your spawn region, everyone will collectively decide which of the four regions the Soul-vor beast should start in. The beast will be placed in the center of that region. Each region has the following conditions:
    • [Soundless Region] ¡ª Everyone, including the Soul-vor beast, will be unable to hear anything inside this region.
      1. Features: A thick forest with many small animals. Beware of poisonous snakes and other hazards.
    • [Sightless Region] ¡ª Everyone, including the Soul-vor beast, will be unable to see anything inside this region.
      1. Features: Rocky terrain with large boulders scattered around. Watch your step.
    • [Smellless Region] ¡ª Everyone, including the Soul-vor beast, will be unable to use their sense of smell inside this region.
      1. Features: A less dense forest with toxic swamps and a lot of dead trees. Fire hazard¡ªbe careful when using guns and fire-based weapons in this region.
    • [Touchless Region] ¡ª Everyone, including the Soul-vor beast, will be unable to feel any physical sensation on their skin inside this region.
      1. Features: A snowy forest with fewer trees and an open landscape covered in snow. Beware of frostbite.
  1. The Soul-vor beast will have access to all five elements of the god system. In addition to your permitted abilities, it can use:
    • [Pulse] ¡ª An element allowing for physical enhancement of the user¡¯s body and objects, as well as manipulation of their Soulex.
    • [Bind] ¡ª An element allowing the user to link their Soulex with one or more individuals, either to use Soulex against them or to perform targeted attacks using the other elements.
  2. A mini-map of the area will be provided, showing only your location.
Chapter 25 - Childish Creativity ¡°So, what do you think?¡± A momentary silence hung over the white space, conflict reflected in the varied expressions across everyone''s faces as they absorbed Ren¡¯s plan. ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± someone spoke up, voicing what most were thinking, and the group collectively nodded. Their hesitation wasn¡¯t due to the plan¡¯s content but rather to how strangely simple it sounded¡ªeerily reminiscent of the ease of Lin¡¯s strategy in the previous trial. This made them wonder. ¡°It honestly sounds too good to be true. Isn¡¯t this a bit too easy?¡± Sera said, voicing her concern as she looked back at the map in front of them. She reviewed the rules one more time, her expression saying what words didn¡¯t. It¡¯s really too easy. ¡°It depends on the role you¡¯ll be playing. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as simple as it looks,¡± Nolan chimed in, trying to instill some caution, concerned they might be lowering their guard too soon. Truthfully, however, he was also feeling a bit underwhelmed. ¡°Hmm, I guess you¡¯re right. So, who¡¯ll be taking on the role of attacker?¡± Sera asked, glancing back at Ren, who paused to consider. Though most people would have relatively safe roles in the plan, the ¡®attackers¡¯ would be the ones facing real danger. ¡°I was thinking maybe Roben and Lin could handle it. If they don¡¯t mind, of course,¡± Ren suggested, looking particularly at Lin, clearly unsure if he¡¯d agree to the proposition. As Ren waited for an answer, another voice cut in. ¡°I can go instead if Lin¡¯s too scared,¡± Kian suggested, not even sparing Lin a glance. Absorbing Kian¡¯s words, they all turned to Lin, awaiting his response. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said casually, his nonchalant tone surprising the others. Despite the role he¡¯d been assigned and the danger it entailed, Lin seemed completely at ease, as if the thought of facing that beast didn¡¯t faze him at all. ¡°Same here,¡± Roben added, and everyone nodded, though it seemed they already assumed he¡¯d be willing to do it regardless. As a soldier, he was clearly the best fit for the task, but sending him in alone would be too risky. Roben continued, glancing at Lin. ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried, though¡ªdo you have any survival experience?¡± he asked, directing the question at Lin as the others also looked to him curiously. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Lin replied simply, without directly answering the question. Even so, Roben seemed somewhat reassured, nodding firmly. Having observed Lin in the previous trial, he already knew that Lin possessed impressive physical resilience and a relatively high tolerance for pain¡ªboth invaluable traits in any type of combat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave the approach to you,¡± Ren interjected, looking at Lin, who responded with a brief nod. Ren then turned to the rest of the group and spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much everything. Let¡¯s pick some weapons and start sorting ourselves into the teams I mentioned.¡± Everyone nodded, their focus immediately shifting to the weapons floating around them. Curious, they scattered, each approaching a weapon to try and find the one that suited them. Echo Sight. Lin looked over the weapons, noting the faint white aura emanating from each one, indicating that they were all Soulex objects. However, unlike the items they¡¯d been creating earlier, these ones didn¡¯t have any strings attached to them, indicating that they were ¡°cut off¡± from their creator.Stolen novel; please report. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± a voice interrupted from his side. Glancing over, Lin saw Ren standing next to him. He turned back, reaching out to grab a dagger that floated in front of him. The handle was pure white, and the blade gleamed with a sharp, silvery edge that flickered with each subtle movement, showcasing its sharpness. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Lin muttered, still staring at the dagger in his hand, making it unclear whether he was talking to himself or answering Ren¡¯s question. However, even as his question hung in the air, Ren didn¡¯t seem too bothered and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m still open to suggestions, you know,¡± he said, trying to draw Lin into the conversation, but Lin only shrugged. He had high expectations for Ren¡¯s abilities, and after hearing the plan, he wasn¡¯t really disappointed¡ªif anything, his curiosity was piqued, even if only a little. Childish creativity. The words floated through Lin¡¯s mind as he reflected on Ren¡¯s strategy. To put it bluntly, if he had given his twelve-year-old little sister a similar problem, the strategy Ren presented was something she might come up with. However, when it came to how quickly Ren had created the plan, his speed was impressive¡ªspontaneous even. His pattern recognition is almost as fast as mine, but his foresight¡­ ¡°Are you familiar with ¡®dead reckoning¡¯?¡± Lin asked as the thought passed through his mind, sparking a confused expression from Ren. While unfamiliar with the term, Ren seemed to pick up a bad vibe from the mention of ¡°dead.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he answered honestly, waiting for an explanation. But Lin remained silent, as if Ren¡¯s response had announced the end of the conversation. Sighing, Ren sensed he wouldn¡¯t be getting an answer anytime soon, so he quickly moved on. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll explain that soon,¡± Ren said, walking toward one of the floating weapons. Everyone else continued searching for their weapon, and naturally, many gravitated toward the most common choice in the modern world¡ªthe gun. It seemed to have an easier learning curve, but in the world of Soulex, its usefulness was questionable. After a few more minutes of preparation, the goddess finally returned, silencing everyone¡¯s excitement as tension rose. Gathered around her, they wore anxious expressions, waiting for her instructions. ¡°Select the region you wish to start in,¡± she said, prompting them to glance at the blue screens floating in front of them, which displayed four options: Select a region:
  1. [Forest Region] [Soundless]
  2. [Rocky Region] [Sightless]
  3. [Swamp Region] [Smelless]
  4. [Snowy Region] [Touchless]
Each of them selected their choices based on the plan they¡¯d discussed together. Once their selections were made, the goddess continued, ¡°Which region should the Soul-vor beast start in?¡± she asked, and all eyes turned toward Ren, who quickly responded. ¡°Snowy Region,¡± he said. The goddess nodded, giving a quick glance around and seeing that there was no need to confirm with the others. She waved her hand, and suddenly, the 75-minute timers reappeared above everyone¡¯s heads. At the same time, an additional blue screen popped up in front of them, displaying a map of the four regions. The screen, however, was minimalistic¡ªsimply divided into four equal squares ¨C each representing a single region ¨C without any further details. ¡°A word of advice: please pay attention to your energy usage. This is a kind of waiting space, so your energy is unlimited here. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed you haven¡¯t felt any fatigue, but that won¡¯t be the case during the trial,¡± she said simply. As her words sank in, worry spread across everyone¡¯s face. You¡¯re mentioning this now? Lin frowned, glancing at the goddess. The issue wasn¡¯t that they had expected to use their power infinitely without any pause, but the fact that she brought it up at the last minute. They hadn¡¯t thought to discuss the limits of Soulex energy use, assuming it was already obvious that restrictions would apply. Bringing that up right before entering the trial could easily stir unnecessary paranoia and doubt, eventually creating a reluctance to use Soulex in the name of ¡®saving¡¯ energy. ¡°Good luck,¡± the goddess said, snapping Lin from his thoughts. Her voice was quickly drowned by the sound of roaring wind as his vision abruptly changed. [Snowy Region] Chapter 26 - Intelligence x Instinct [Snowy Region] A familiar whiteness surrounded Lin¡ªthough this time, it felt less artificial as fresh air finally entered his nostrils. He looked down, noting that he was still wearing his restrictive office clothing, with two daggers sheathed at his sides. Unexpectedly, a long white coat hung over his clothes, shielding him from the harsh winds. This is a bit disorienting. He thought, lifting his leg to reveal his foot, which had been buried in knee-deep snow. Fierce winds blew past his face, but with the [touchless] restriction, there was no sting from the cold or sharpness in the wind¡ªjust a neutral sensation, or rather, no sensation at all. It was completely different from simply resisting pain; there was no pain at all. His surroundings, dotted with a few trees, were blanketed in snow as far as the eye could see. A few large boulders broke up the otherwise empty landscape, and above him, dark clouds stretched in all directions as snow slowly drifted to the ground. An incoming storm? he wondered, a brief moment of dread flashing through his mind before he shook the thought away. Echo. A transparent blue screen appeared before him, the same one they¡¯d received for the area map. It seemed to be linked with Echo, making it much easier to gauge distances in the area. Echo Sight. He observed as a few strings of Soulex left his body, darting off in a particular direction as if pulled by a magnet. The regions were large, making it difficult to track individuals without the use of Echo, but since Echo didn¡¯t appear to consume much Soulex, he managed to cover most of the region in a single scan. A few seconds later, several figures appeared on the map, each a few miles away. Instead of moving immediately, he remained still, checking the timer above him and counting the seconds in his head. He glanced back at the map, noting the movement of one of the targets heading directly toward another target. That one, huh. He thought to himself, immediately choosing a direction and moving forward, each stride heavy as he trudged through the deep snow. He continued, keeping an eye on the map, where one of the dots was drawing closer and closer to the first one. Then, suddenly, one of the dots vanished. Since he was using Echo Sight, he caught sight of the Soulex string rapidly retracting back to him a few seconds later. Reaching to his side, he drew a dagger and held it in a reverse grip, hiding it under his coat as he moved forward, his eyes still monitoring the map. He watched as the remaining dot began curving in its path, minute by minute angling directly toward him¡ªas if selecting new prey. He quickly steeled himself, mentally preparing for the confrontation while marveling at its insane speed. He did a few calculations in his head. At its current pace, it would close the gap between them in about 12 minutes. While that might seem slow, he estimated it would take him at least 18 minutes to cover the same distance¡ªand that was a low estimate, as he hadn¡¯t factored in the disadvantage of the snowy terrain. 25 minutes, give or take, he thought to himself, continuing to walk forward with cautious steps, slowly adjusting to the snow¡¯s uneven ground. He noted how deeply his feet sank in some areas and barely at all in others. Scanning his surroundings, he observed the trees, rocks, and patches of sand amidst the snow, even noting the size of each tree and boulder¡ªhoping to identify some kind of pattern in the snow¡¯s coverage. ¡°Raoor~!¡± A piercing roar snapped him from his thoughts. ¡°!?¡± He immediately froze, looking up to see a figure hurtling toward him in the distance. It moved with its body low, almost crouched, horns thrust forward as it charged through the snow as if running on solid ground. A massive club trailed through the snow behind it, scattering powder in its wake¡ªthe sheer size of the weapon finally clicking in his mind.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. A low vibration pulsed through the ground, snow dusting off a nearby tree as the beast¡¯s form grew larger and larger with each powerful step. It¡¯s huge. A cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he locked eyes with the beast. Its cow-like red eyes glared with wild intensity, teeth bared as white saliva dripped from its mouth. Just a few steps away from Lin, it suddenly came to an abrupt stop, raising its club and resting it on its shoulder. The creature cautiously turned its head to the side, as if noticing something in the snow, causing Lin¡¯s expression to sour as he quickly spoke up, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re not going to attack?¡± he taunted, provoking the beast to turn its head back toward him, its expression still angry. Its intelligent eyes darted around Lin¡¯s body, as though wary of whatever he had hidden under his coat. This... This is very bad. The thought ran through Lin¡¯s mind, and the image he had of the beast quickly fell apart. Rather than a wild creature recklessly hunting them down, it seemed to possess a sharp instinct¡ªviewing them not just as prey, but as dangerous prey. It still works in our favor, Lin thought, steeling himself as he took a step closer to the beast. His heart began to pound faster as a rush of euphoria flooded his mind, adrenaline surging through his veins. His eyes dilated, causing the cautious beast to take a step forward. At the action, Lin¡¯s lips curled into a strange smile, teetering on the edge between fear and excitement. He immediately pulled out his second dagger, gripping it tightly in one hand while keeping his other hand hidden under his coat. A moment later, he dashed forward, his legs kicking up snow as he closed in on the beast. Another step later, he ducked just as a gust of wind whipped above his head, stirring up a cloud of snow while his coat fluttered wildly. The shockwave pushed him slightly backward, but he quickly regained his balance. This much power from a simple swing? He kicked back, trying to put some distance between himself and the minotaur, which immediately gave chase, taking a massive step forward and swinging down at him. But instead of retreating, Lin did the unexpected. He dashed toward the minotaur, closing the gap in an instant as he lowered his body, sliding forward just as the club began to slow, mere inches from his head. He ducked and rolled between its legs, narrowly dodging the swing as the club crashed into the ground, sending snow flying while the ground trembled from the impact. Not pausing, the minotaur quickly turned, catching sight of Lin as he tried to stand. It immediately leapt upward, surprisingly agile despite its massive weight, its hooves aimed straight at Lin¡¯s face. Lin threw himself to the side, tumbling across the snow as the minotaur landed a step away. It instantly advanced and swung at him again. However, Lin repeated the same maneuver, darting toward the swing¡¯s direction and rolling under its legs. This time, he followed up swiftly by throwing himself to the left after rolling, moving counter to the direction the beast had turned last time. Form. The minotaur spun, finding only empty space as the snow crunched to its side. It pivoted quickly, turning and preparing to strike again¡ªbut there was nothing there. Turning back once more, it finally spotted Lin standing a short distance away. Seeing this, Lin smiled faintly and lifted his dagger, now stained with blood. The minotaur looked down cautiously, scanning its body for any visible injury. Seeing none, it momentarily panicked, glancing behind itself as though expecting the wound to be on its back. Suddenly, a faint whooshing sound filled the air, followed by a drop of blood splashing onto the white snow. ¡°You should watch your chest,¡± Lin muttered with a smile. The minotaur looked down, its face twisting in rage as it noticed blood trickling from a small puncture wound on its chest. It tightened its grip on the club, stepping forward as Lin observed the Soulex around it. The energy rose rapidly to an impressive scale, enveloping its entire body in a thick, white aura that extended nearly a meter outward. Simultaneously, some of the aura began to flow into the club, creating an ominous atmosphere as the snow clinging to it melted, along with the snow on the ground nearby. It¡¯s getting serious, Lin thought, finally revealing his left hand from under his coat, exposing the fresh knife wound across his palm¡ªa self-inflicted injury. Ignoring the dried blood on his hand, Lin quickly cast [Form], summoning a small glass bottle. Without hesitation, he flung it at the minotaur. The beast instantly raised its club, smashing the bottle midair. The bottle shattered, releasing a liquid that immediately burst into flames. But in the touchless region, the beast felt nothing, allowing the small flames to flicker ''harmlessly'' on its body. With a crouch, it suddenly charged at Lin again. This time, its speed was unreal. It closed the distance in a single second, the flames on its body extinguished as it swung its club in the next instant. The weapon came within inches of Lin¡¯s face before the dull sound of wood striking wood echoed, momentarily startling the minotaur. It looked down in confusion, seeing its club meeting an invisible resistance, as if striking air itself. This brief pause allowed Lin to leap back, and in the next moment, the top half of a tree tumbled down. The effects of [Veil] dissipated as the minotaur caught sight of the ''tree'' it had just attacked. The beast¡¯s confusion didn¡¯t last long, however. In an instant, it was upon Lin again, swinging its club with terrifying speed, undeterred and even more furious. Form. Chapter 27 - Combat Genius [Snowy Region] The minotaur closed the distance instantly, swinging its club forward as it tore through the air, aimed directly at Lin¡¯s face. Still disoriented from dodging the last attack, Lin quickly swerved back, attempting to leap further away. At the same time, he suddenly shut his eyes, a brief spark of worry flashing across the minotaur¡¯s face. The club came within inches of Lin¡¯s face before a bright light flooded the surroundings, forcing the minotaur to shut its eyes. The strike connected with Lin, and a massive impact reverberated through the air as snow exploded upward. His body was sent flying meters away before skidding to a stop in the snow. Lin quickly stood up, glancing at his right arm, which trembled slightly after absorbing the blow. He dispelled [Veil], revealing a transparent police shield strapped to his arm that had absorbed most of the attack''s force. Instead of attempting to completely block the incoming strike, Lin had angled the shield just enough to deflect it. By not anchoring his legs to the ground, the force of the attack had sent him flying backward, reducing the actual damage. Still, judging by the way his arm shook, it was clear he wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand another blow of the same magnitude. As the brightness faded, the minotaur opened its eyes and glared at Lin, who remained standing despite the previous attack. Sensing something was wrong, it glanced down at its own body. Two new puncture wounds were now visible¡ªone in its stomach and the other in one of its legs¡ªblood slowly trickling from the injuries. Furious, the minotaur gave Lin a single glance before its eyes darted past him, focusing on the ground just a few meters ahead. In the next moment, as if the snow itself had come alive, a figure emerged from the ground. As he stood, the snow covering him fell away, revealing a white coat that concealed his entire body and a white balaclava that blended seamlessly with the surroundings. The man removed the balaclava, uncovering his bald head, and began moving forward. Upon seeing him, the minotaur¡¯s fury seemed to intensify, glaring at the man as though it recognized him as the one who had shot it from the shadows. ¡°Rrr,¡± it growled, fixing its menacing gaze on the man with each step. However, despite being on the receiving end of this wrath, the bald man showed no fear, calmly reaching to his side and drawing two small knives, one in each hand. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Roben asked, his eyes still locked on the minotaur. ¡°Not really. I¡¯m pretty sure my right arm is broken,¡± Lin replied casually. His tone was unbothered, a reaction not particularly unusual given the circumstances. After all, they were in the [Touchless] region, where any pain they would normally feel was completely nullified. This made it nearly impossible to gauge the extent of their injuries accurately. It was both an advantage and a disadvantage, making the region the most ideal battleground for this encounter¡ªunlike other regions where the beast¡¯s natural instincts would have given it a significant edge against them. Without pain, the body gradually loses its instinct to protect itself from harm. Each time it sustains damage, the brain continues to believe that "everything is fine," making it harder to even react to the same attack twice unless the attack had previously inflicted some visible damage. ¡°Did you finish your calculations?¡± Roben asked, stepping closer to the beast while simultaneously circling around it, attempting to flank. Lin, caught slightly off guard by Roben referring to his actions as ¡®calculations,¡¯ furrowed his brow before answering. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, dropping the shield to the ground and shrugging off his coat, which he threw down as well. He glanced at his hands, clenching and unclenching them a few times. It¡¯s unnatural, he thought, his mind grappling with the capabilities of his own body, which now seemed to exceed his expectations. Initially, they had assumed they would perform at their peak physical conditions since the body''s natural limiters were removed in the absence of pain. Without those restrictions, they could push their muscles beyond normal limits, even at the risk of damaging them. However... That¡¯s not the only thing happening. ¡°I think our physical abilities might have been tripled. Otherwise, I should¡¯ve died from the first swing,¡± he concluded, recalling the information the goddess had provided regarding the minotaur¡¯s physical capabilities¡ª¡®ten times stronger than the average human.¡¯Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Roben¡¯s eyes darted down as he focused on Lin¡¯s body, his expression showing a hint of surprise. Watching Lin from the shadows earlier, "impressed" didn¡¯t quite capture it¡ªLin¡¯s speed and reaction time were nothing short of inhuman, further proving his theory. ¡°I see,¡± Roben muttered, a spark of curiosity in his tone as he seemed to wonder how much of his own abilities had been enhanced. Finally, he took the last step, positioning himself directly behind the minotaur. The beast shifted its stance, angling itself to keep both opponents within its sight. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s just because of the [Touchless] region?¡± Roben asked, voicing the same suspicion Lin had been considering. Even with their bodies surpassing natural limits, this level of performance seemed almost unreal. ¡°No,¡± Lin replied, bringing his hand forward as Soulex quickly gathered. A small tennis ball materialized in his palm. Fixing his stance, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m guessing it has something to do with Soulex,¡± he muttered. Roben nodded, his expression turning serious as he took a step forward, waiting for an opening. ¡°Now!¡± Lin shouted, tossing the ball toward the minotaur. The ball reached the beast in seconds, but the minotaur simply sidestepped, letting it sail past before immediately turning its focus to the incoming Roben. In a blur, Roben closed the distance, standing face-to-face with the minotaur. He lunged forward, lowering his body, and the minotaur instinctively stepped back before swinging its bat. Roben whipped his head back just in time, the bat passing mere inches from his face. Without pause, he surged forward, closing the gap and stabbing one of his knives into the minotaur''s leg. He quickly jumped back, leaving the blade lodged in its flesh. The minotaur snarled and gave chase, catching up in an instant and swinging its bat again. This time, the weapon connected squarely as Roben crossed his arms to block. A thunderous bang echoed through the snowy area, and the impact sent him flying through the air. Despite the force, Roben twisted his body mid-flight, using the momentum to fling his remaining knife. The blade zipped toward the minotaur¡¯s face, but it quickly sidestepped, the knife narrowly missing its eye. Without hesitation, the minotaur turned, shifting its focus to Lin, who was now charging forward with a similar weapon in hand¡ªthough much smaller than the minotaur¡¯s¡ªa club. The momentary surprise quickly left the minotaur as it swung toward Lin, determined to keep him from getting closer¡ªa range that would put the beast at a disadvantage due to its large weapon. However, because of the distance, Lin managed to swerve backward just in time. Without hesitation, he darted forward with an explosive first step, closing in on the minotaur and swinging downward. A sharp pang echoed as his strike landed, prompting the minotaur to step back and immediately swing again. Lin ducked, the bat zipping above his head as he surged forward, forcing the minotaur to retreat further to maintain its range. But then, something unexpected happened. As the beast moved back, one of its legs slipped, and in the next moment, its massive body tumbled back, crashing into the ground. A soft, green ball rolled forward. Seizing the opportunity, Lin dashed toward the fallen minotaur, swinging at one of its legs. Another sharp pang echoed, followed by a gush of blood from the minotaur¡¯s wounded limb. It quickly raised its upper body and swung its bat while still seated, forcing Lin into a hasty retreat. It was then that the minotaur noticed its injured leg¡ªspecifically the knee. A deep cut now ran along it, with blood streaming out, and embedded within the wound was the knife Roben had lodged earlier. Lin had aimed for the embedded blade, striking it with precision to drive it deeper while widening the wound. Each of his attacks seemed to have struck the blade, forcing it further into the flesh and causing even more blood to pour from the injury. Furious, the minotaur quickly rose from the ground, clutching its bat and dashing toward Lin at full speed. However, it suddenly stumbled, tumbling forward as it once again stepped on the tennis ball. Surprise flashed across its face, but in an impressive display of agility, it immediately released its bat, landed on its hands, and darted forward on all fours, its horns aimed directly at Lin. Lin¡¯s eyes widened in shock as cold sweat trickled down his face, his body freezing momentarily. Unlike swinging a weapon, the minotaur¡¯s new approach allowed it to abruptly change directions while charging, meaning that no matter where Lin tried to dodge, the beast could likely outmaneuver him and impale him with its horns. In a desperate attempt to survive, Lin dropped flat to the ground, lying on his stomach. The minotaur immediately began lowering its body to match him but suddenly lost its balance, tumbling forward and sliding across the snow. Lin wasted no time, quickly springing to his feet and darting to his left. The minotaur rose again in a flash, pivoting on its right leg to chase him, but the injured limb instantly gave out, sending the beast crashing down once more. It rolled across the snow but quickly stood again, now glancing at its wounded leg. The realization finally dawned on it¡ªthe knife embedded just above its knee had torn through the muscles, and when it tried to lower its body earlier, the strain caused the injury to worsen. Lin¡¯s sudden movements when he quickly stood up and turned had forced it to pivot on its injured leg, placing its entire body weight on one limb and applying massive pressure on the muscles around the injured knee¡ªfurther tearing the muscles. However, because the [Touchless] Region nullified pain, the minotaur couldn¡¯t immediately assess the full extent of the damage as it worsened with each attack. The minotaur quickly scanned the area, spotting Lin a short distance away and Roben standing nearby. For some reason, Roben wasn¡¯t moving¡ªhe was simply watching from the sidelines, as if waiting for the right moment. Confused, the minotaur looked back at Lin, whom it had now regarded as the more dangerous of the two. Strangely, Lin didn¡¯t appear as tense as the beast expected; instead, he wore a relaxed expression. This shift from ¡®fear¡¯ to confidence puzzled the minotaur, marking Lin as the bigger anomaly. However, despite Lin¡¯s calm demeanor, his body told a different story. From a distance, he didn¡¯t seem out of breath, but his entire body was shaking, as if most of his bones were broken, and he was straining with all his might just to hold himself together using only his muscles. Chapter 28 - Trigger ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pick up your weapon?¡± Lin muttered, smiling faintly at the minotaur. The beast¡¯s gaze shifted toward its bat a few meters away, but there was a cautious edge to its movements. From where the weapon had fallen, it noticed three more green balls scattered nearby¡ªlikely thrown by Lin whenever it had turned its focus away from him. The minotaur¡¯s keen instincts sensed something was off; thinking back to the exchange, the small shifts in Lin¡¯s movements seemed almost deliberate, as if he had manipulated its steps to ensure it would unknowingly step on the tennis balls. Because of the deep snow, the balls had been hidden from sight, making them all the harder to detect. The minotaur took a cautious step forward, mindful of its injured right leg to avoid worsening the damage. Lin and Roben stood still, watching its every move as it advanced toward the bat. Once it reached the weapon, it picked it up and turned back to face them. Instantly, Lin and Roben raised their new weapons, both created using [Form] but identical to their previous ones¡ªtwo daggers and two knives. The minotaur scanned the ground warily, searching for any traps and even going so far as to use Echo Sight to reveal anything that might be hidden beneath the snow. Yet, it found nothing¡ªthe area was as clear as ever. ¡°Rrr,¡± the minotaur growled, tightening its grip on the bat before suddenly raising its other hand. A surge of Soulex rippled around it, and in an instant, another large bat materialized, roughly the same size and just as menacing as the first. With a weapon in each hand, it wouldn¡¯t have to worry about missing its initial strike and getting overwhelmed by Lin and Roben¡¯s speed. But as if anticipating this move, Lin and Roben suddenly dropped their weapons, letting the knives and daggers fall to the snow. Soulex gathered around their arms, morphing and shaping into new weapons¡ªlong metallic blades tipped the edge of their newly crafted weapons, with sturdy wooden handles binding the weapons together¡ªspears. Still cautious, the minotaur continued forward with slow, calculated steps, carefully observing their movements. With each step the beast took, Lin and Roben moved apart slightly, forcing the minotaur to subconsciously choose its first target. The decision was obvious: it curved toward Lin, who stood his ground, holding the spear firmly with both hands and pointing it directly at the beast as he cautiously backed away. Before the minotaur could close in to its advantage, Lin suddenly darted forward, Roben following up the next moment, both charging at the beast. Confused by their unexpected move, the minotaur hesitated for a brief moment before focusing on the closer of the two¡ªRoben¡ªand lunging toward him, swinging one of its bats with a ferocious arc. Roben leaped back just in time, raising his spear with one hand. The weapon slid backward slightly with the momentum before he swung it forward in a wide arc, muscles straining as the spear aimed directly for the Minotaur¡¯s head. The beast immediately raised its second bat, blocking the strike with a metallic clang that reverberated through the air.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. In the next moment, it swiftly spun around, arm still raised and pushing Roben¡¯s spear away while swinging its other bat with the gathered momentum, aiming for Lin, who had been closing in from behind. Lin paused mid-step and jumped back just in time, but the Minotaur, in an unexpected move, released the bat mid-swing, sending it flying toward him. Lin¡¯s eyes widened as he threw himself backward, the bat grazing past his face as his back slammed into the ground. Before he could rise, another bat quickly descended, aimed for his face at breakneck speed. The Minotaur was already towering above him, swinging down at him with terrifying force. I won¡¯t make it. This time, there was no maneuver that could save him. Lin accepted his fate, staring straight at the incoming bat as time seemed to slow down. It inched closer, slower with each passing second¡ªuntil, suddenly, it vanished. The beast towering over him disappeared as well, replaced by a deafening silence. A shockwave followed moments later, sweeping through the air around him and scattering snow in every direction. Lin continued to stare upward, now glancing at the gray clouds above. His thoughts raced, trying to process what had just happened, fragments of panic and relief swirling together in his mind. ¡°Haah, that was way too close,¡± Roben¡¯s voice cut through the stillness. He stood next to Lin, his figure towering above him, cold sweat dripping down his face as his eyes darted around the area. ¡°Mission complete?¡± he asked, glancing down at Lin. Lin quickly raised himself, his battered body protesting with every movement. He ignored the signals, scanning the chaotic scene around them. The ground was now a messy mix of blood and dirt, scattered across the snow like a crime scene, but there were no bodies¡ªnothing left of their opponent. ¡°We should get moving,¡± Lin muttered, forcing himself to stand despite his injured state. Roben gave him a worried look, then offered, ¡°I can carry you.¡± However, Lin shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter what I do from now on. As long as I stay in the snowy region, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± Roben nodded reluctantly. Compared to Lin, his condition was far better¡ªgood enough to fight again if it came to that. He was slowly starting to understand why Lin had chosen this approach. ¡°Do you really think it was necessary? Honestly, I can¡¯t see any way this plan would fall apart,¡± Roben said, his expression showing genuine confusion. Lin¡¯s current strategy seemed focused on preserving their strength for as long as possible. Yet with Ren¡¯s plan, Roben doubted they¡¯d even need to fight again. In fact, if everything went according to plan, they wouldn¡¯t be fighting at all until their teammates timers hit zero. ¡°Who knows? I might have sacrificed myself for nothing. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be comfortable moving on without doing this,¡± Lin replied, his voice carrying an uncharacteristic tension. Even though he had handed full control to Ren, the idea of losing¡ªwhether or not it was his fault¡ªseemed to be something he didn¡¯t want to experience. It was a mindset that Roben found troubling, especially from his own experience in combat, where even a small ego could lead a man to his death. ¡°Just trust your allies more,¡± Roben said with a self-deprecating smile, as if unsure of what else to say. Lin seemed to acknowledge his words, giving a simple nod, but deep down, Roben¡¯s advice fell on deaf ears. I don¡¯t trust any of you. For Lin, trust wasn¡¯t something to be given to others¡ªit was something that existed solely within himself. To him, stepping onto a tightrope above a raging fire wasn¡¯t a reflection of his trust in the rope¡¯s strength or agility, but rather, his confidence in his own ability to navigate it. In the same way, he didn¡¯t work alongside Roben because he trusted him, but because he trusted himself. Trust in his own decisions. Trust in his own judgment. As the battle in the [Snowy Region] came to an end, Lin and Roben began to move, their part in Ren¡¯s strategy now complete. The plan, which Ren had so crudely named, was officially in motion: The Rotating Centre Strategy. Chapter 29 - Cry ¡°Let¡¯s stop for a second,¡± Lin¡¯s calm voice carried through the wind, reaching Roben, who halted with a puzzled expression. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Are you tired?¡± Roben asked, watching Lin as he stared at his map, seemingly deep in thought. As if finding what he was looking for, Lin suddenly dispelled the status window before speaking. ¡°No, I¡¯m still fine. I just wanted to leave something here,¡± he muttered, opening his palm as Soulex gathered, forming a familiar green tennis ball. Confused, Roben glanced at the ball and asked, ¡°Is that to monitor the area?¡± Lin simply nodded without much thought. As they had already experimented, creating a Soulex object also allowed them to use Echo on it, monitoring its immediate surroundings for any anomalies even while standing at a distance. Lin stood there for a long time, pouring his Soulex into the ball, eventually sparking a worried look from Roben, who watched from the side. But even after nearly a minute, Lin didn¡¯t seem exhausted. Completing his action, he simply dropped the ball onto the snow and cast [Veil] on it. ¡°You¡¯re really full of surprises,¡± Roben finally muttered. Lin looked back at him with a puzzled expression before bending down and shoving the snow forward, burying the ball beneath it. Once finished, he stood, and the two immediately continued on their path. ¡°You said you¡¯re a boxer, but you fight like a veteran soldier,¡± Roben eventually muttered, clarifying his earlier statement. The way Lin fought didn¡¯t seem to be inspired by any boxing techniques he knew; instead, it felt like watching a fellow soldier who had been handed a weapon and ordered to eliminate a target at any cost. ¡°I never said I was a boxer,¡± Lin muttered, and the realization quickly dawned on Roben as he recalled Lin¡¯s introduction. Although Lin had admitted to doing some boxing, he had never explicitly claimed to be a boxer. Seeing Roben¡¯s confusion, Lin continued, ¡°It was just a small phase,¡± he muttered casually. A surprised chuckle escaped Roben as he shot back, ¡°Hehe, calling a fight against the best boxer in the world a ¡®phase¡¯ is pretty unusual,¡± shaking his head at the thought. While most would consider it an honor to even stand in the same ring as one of the greatest boxers in the world, Lin didn¡¯t seem to share that sentiment. He had only mentioned it when called out, despite the fact that he had allegedly won the match. ¡°Did you also do some military martial arts?¡± Roben asked curiously, and Lin seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, thinking there was no reason to hide it. A lot of military martial arts were drawn from traditional and commonly practiced ones, so it wasn¡¯t that unusual for a civilian to learn such techniques. ¡°Oh, does that mean you¡¯ve also fought a soldier in a sparring match?¡± Roben asked, giving Lin a curious look, but Lin quickly shook his head. ¡°Nope,¡± he said casually. ¡°Mmh,¡± Roben eyed him suspiciously, skeptical of Lin¡¯s words. If it had been anyone else, he might have believed them, but based on what he¡¯d seen from Lin so far, the idea didn¡¯t seem far-fetched. As if reading his thoughts, Lin continued. ¡°Soldiers are trained to kill, so if the match isn¡¯t a battle to the death, it wouldn¡¯t really be a fair fight for the soldier, would it?¡± Lin said, as if stating the obvious. It would be like asking a boxer to win a match using only kicks, without throwing a single punch throughout. ¡°Mmh, I get your point, but couldn¡¯t you just fight with some classic rules?¡± Roben muttered, slightly thrown off by the seamlessly strict logic. Rather than killing each other, a match could simply require both parties to fight purely using martial arts and adhering to the friendly rules of said martial arts.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Then I would be winning against someone who¡¯s clearly holding back. Not much of a match,¡± Lin said, as if the very suggestion filled him with boredom. ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Roben finally relented, realizing that Lin might actually be telling the truth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask why I didn¡¯t do a death battle instead?¡± Lin¡¯s voice reached him, and Roben turned to look at him, suddenly locking eyes. Lin smiled, sending shivers down his spine. The reason he never asked such a thing¡ªor rather, why no one would even consider asking¡ªwas that no normal person would think it was an option to begin with. As Roben stood there speechless, Lin spoke up, walking just ahead of him. ¡°Well, my father was actually all for it, but my mother managed to convince him otherwise. The risk of losing me seemed to touch his heart, so we decided against it,¡± Lin said in one breath, snapping Roben out of his daze. Roben quickly ran up to him, catching up and matching his stride. His expression shifted, a mix of pity and regret flashing across his face as he stammered, ¡°S-sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± He trailed off, unsure of what to say, his gaze fixed ahead. Lin¡¯s voice cut through. ¡°Sorry for what?¡± he asked, his tone unnaturally cold. The unexpected sharpness caught Roben off guard, and he turned to face him. Lin¡¯s face was serious, his expression unreadable. ¡°Uh¡­ I mean, you must¡¯ve gone through a lot and stuff¡ª¡± Roben said, trailing off as he tried not to offend Lin, but Lin didn¡¯t relent. His cold voice hit back immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Is there something pitiful about the story I just told?¡± Lin said, stopping in his tracks to face Roben, his eyes cold and his expression stern. ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Sorry,¡± Roben replied, fumbling for words. But the repeated apology seemed to irritate Lin further, as he asked again, ¡°You¡¯re apologizing again. Why?¡± ¡°I¡­ I just¡­¡± he muttered, struggling to find an answer. Suddenly, Lin broke into a fit of laughter, the tension evaporating in an instant as he abruptly turned and started walking away. ¡°I was just messing with you. As if something like that would ever happen,¡± he said with a smile, shooting Roben a side glance. Roben let out an anxious nod, his confusion still lingering. ¡°R-right,¡± Roben muttered, reminding himself never to bring up such a topic again, regret still plastered on his face. ¡°No parent would ever do that to their own child, right?¡± Lin said, turning to look at Roben with a smile¡ªa smile that seemed to pierce through his heart, causing him to look away as an overwhelming guilt seemed to wash over him. ¡°...¡± He nodded, saying nothing more. A dead silence followed them as they completed the rest of the journey without exchanging another word. After a few more minutes, the terrain ahead of them began to change. A few green trees appeared in the far distance, and to the right of it, a rocky area came into view. As they approached, they started to notice several individuals, each seated in small groups and chatting casually among themselves, seemingly without a care in the world. They seem fine, Lin thought, making a quick headcount while also assessing the condition of their bodies. None of them appeared to be injured. One of the individuals spotted them and quickly approached with hurried steps, relief evident on his face. The man had dark circles under his eyes as if he had been under a lot of stress, though everyone had already acknowledged this as his natural appearance. ¡°Thank god, you made it,¡± Ren said, meeting Lin and Roben with a smile. Both of them nodded silently. Lin walked past him, heading to one of the small boulders at the edge of the region and sitting down, drawing the attention of everyone around. ¡°I¡¯m surprised everyone arrived here this quickly,¡± Lin muttered, his gaze sweeping across the group once again to confirm that all twenty of them were really present. His surprise was evident¡ªnavigating these regions was challenging enough, but successfully coordinating a group this size was an even greater feat. Yet, Ren had ensured their safe arrival. ¡°Oh, yeah, we used a buddy system, so everyone traveled in groups,¡± Ren said, trying to downplay the accomplishment. ¡°I see,¡± Lin replied, his eyes continuing to dart around. They were currently in the ''middle'' region, the point where all the other regions divided. Just ahead was the [Smelless Region], covered in a dense green forest. To his right was the [Sightless Region], with its rocky terrain, and to the left was the [Swamp Region], a dark brownish terrain with muddy lakes in the distance. A few individuals were stationed at each region. Swamp Region: 2 Forest Region: 3 Rocky Region: 12 Snowy Region: 3 The individuals gathered at the rocky region seemed especially anxious, cautiously reacting to every sound they heard. Their eyes stared into space, unable to see anything because of the unique restriction. Seeing this, Lin turned to Ren and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the plan going so far?¡± ¡°We are now at the third jump. The next one is back to the [Snowy Region] to complete a full rotation,¡± Ren explained. Lin simply nodded, deep in thought. The next jump will decide everything, he thought as he broke down Ren¡¯s plan once more in his mind. There were no visible faults in it. In fact, from an objective standpoint, it was a perfectly crafted strategy. However, what worried Lin wasn¡¯t an apparent flaw but the potential for an unforeseen variable¡ªa possible flaw rather than an actual one. Chapter 30 - Tactical Genius ¡°We are now at the third jump. The next one is back to the [Snowy Region] to complete a full rotation,¡± Ren explained. ¡°I see,¡± Lin muttered, a few simulations running through his head as he contemplated Ren''s plan. Just as his thoughts raced, a soft voice interrupted. ¡°How did the fight go? You guys don¡¯t seem half as dead as I imagined. Maybe we can fight back?¡± a blonde-haired woman asked, seated atop a small rock directly opposite Lin. However, as his eyes landed on her, he noticed her gaze wasn¡¯t on him. She was directing the question at Roben. From an outsider''s perspective, there didn¡¯t seem to be any visible damage on either of them, making it appear as though the fight with the Minotaur had progressed much easier than expected. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with getting a few fractured bones, then we can do it,¡± Lin cut in before Roben could answer. His remark caused the woman, Sera, to glance at him briefly before turning her attention back to Roben, seemingly dismissing Lin¡¯s words entirely. ¡°He¡¯s right. We were only able to outmaneuver it with speed. I imagine killing it would require us to pin it down somehow, which would take a lot of manpower,¡± Roben explained, stealing a few worried glances toward Lin. His statement fueled the already existing suspicion among them¡ªthat their collective power was the only way to successfully kill the beast. The others listening close by wore stiff expressions, clearly dreading such a task. ¡°Ren¡¯s strategy is already working as we speak. We won¡¯t need to fight anymore, right?¡± Sera said, turning to Ren, who nodded in agreement. ¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s the idea, unless there¡ª¡± he began, trying to explain further, but Sera immediately cut him off. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t ask this prick for an opinion. Trust in yourself a little bit more,¡± she said naturally, though a few people didn¡¯t even catch the first part. Lin, noting this, looked at her curiously, but it didn¡¯t seem she had any intention of retracting her statement. She calmly met his gaze, staring back. ¡°R-right,¡± Ren muttered afterward, not wanting to start an argument, effectively ending the conversation. A minute later, as the silence grew deafening, another voice rang out from their side. ¡°Almost done here! Prepare for the next jump!¡± one of the individuals in the rocky region called out, alerting everyone. Those who had been sitting quickly stood up, getting ready for the next rotation. Ren cautiously stepped toward them, ensuring they were properly directed. Seeing this, Lin smiled faintly and turned his attention back to Sera as he spoke. ¡°Sera, was it?¡± he said. The individual in question tilted her head with a puzzled expression, prompting him to continue. ¡°You seem to have a lot of trust in this plan. Do you even understand how it works?¡± Lin asked, causing a frown to appear on her face as though he had insulted her. Still, Lin didn¡¯t change his words, remaining quiet and waiting for an answer. ¡°Obviously. It¡¯s because I understand it that I trust it this much,¡± she replied firmly. Lin couldn¡¯t blame her¡ªRen¡¯s plan was just that good, and anyone who could fully grasp its intricacies would naturally recognize why it inspired such confidence. Curious, he continued. ¡°So you also know the huge flaw in this plan?¡± he asked. Sera shook her head, straightening her posture. ¡°Flaw?¡± she asked, genuine concern starting to show on her face. There couldn¡¯t be anything she had overlooked, but because it was coming from Lin, that in itself was a bit ominous. Rather than fearing what the flaw might be, it seemed more like she was afraid Lin¡¯s existence could be the ¡®flaw¡¯¡ªa prospect that many of the onlookers briefly shared.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°I guess not. How about we go through the plan together? Maybe you forgot something,¡± Lin said, a provocative smile appearing on his lips as he looked at her. She paused, wondering if he was trying to trick her somehow or if he was simply messing with her. However, the potential danger of not hearing him out seemed to outweigh her skepticism. ¡°I think I remember everything,¡± she muttered, prompting Lin to nod while still watching her, encouraging her to continue. ¡°The first part was drawing the Minotaur away from the ¡®center¡¯ while everyone else in each region gathered there,¡± she said, glancing at Lin as if waiting for confirmation. He simply nodded. As one of the two responsible for the task of drawing it away, he was the most qualified to speak on that aspect of the plan. (center refers to the center of all four regions) ¡°After everyone gathers at the center, we play around with numbers,¡± she said. At the same time, a few individuals began walking toward them, stepping into the [Snowy region]. One by one, their expressions showed relief as they regained their sight. Altogether, ten individuals entered, leaving two others in the rocky region, who immediately joined Sera in the [Swamp region.] It was a visual representation of what she was describing. ¡°Currently, there are 13 people stepping into the Snowy Region, meaning that, as per the [Majority Rule], the Minotaur will now be transported to the center of the Snowy Region in the next five minutes,¡± Sera explained. Lin nodded again, once more confirming her statements. ¡°And since it will be teleported to the center of the region, it will take around 10 to 15 minutes for it to reach us here. But instead of waiting,¡± she continued, pointing toward the Swamp Region behind her, ¡°we¡¯ll immediately send 13 people into the Swamp Region. As the Minotaur is still trying to reach us from the Snowy Region, it will be forcefully teleported to the center of the Swamp Region after five minutes of running toward us.¡± Her tone held a hint of admiration, as if hearing the plan aloud made its brilliance even more apparent. ¡°The plan is to keep doing it every five minutes and always cut its chase mid-way,¡± she concluded, glancing at Lin and waiting for his response.
[Majority rule] ¡ª If a single region has more than 60% of the participants for more than 5 minutes, the beast will automatically spawn in the middle of that region (if it isn¡¯t already within that region).
The idea behind the rotating center strategy was to take turns triggering the Majority Rule, exploiting the distance between the center of each region and the central point where all regions collided. Using the Majority Rule, they could forcibly redirect the Minotaur to different regions every five minutes, ensuring it never reached the center. The journey would require at least 10 to 15 minutes¡ªan extremely rounded down estimate based on the information provided by the goddess regarding the Minotaur''s physical abilities.
Hopefully, we did enough damage to its legs, Lin thought, recalling the Minotaur''s injured right leg. Although not explicitly part of the strategy, Roben and Lin, as experienced martial artists, had taken it upon themselves to inflict as much damage as possible aimed solely at restricting its movements. A destination that could never be reached. The strategy would trap the beast in a never-ending loop, failing to reach them while buying more and more time to burn through their 75 minutes and win via the first condition¡ªsurvival. A perfect plan. ¡°So you still don¡¯t see any flaws?¡± Lin asked. Curiosity and unease spread across their faces as everyone held their breath, waiting for Sera¡¯s response. Some of them had hoped Lin¡¯s skepticism stemmed from a lack of understanding of the plan. Yet, even after going through it and acknowledging its potential, Lin still seemed unconvinced. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Sera admitted, still seeing nothing wrong with the plan. The only way it could fail was if the individuals involved didn¡¯t play their part. That realization seemed to heighten the group¡¯s caution, their attention focusing more sharply on Lin, who was considered a wild card. Noticing their alertness, Lin let out a quiet chuckle. ¡°Then maybe I¡¯m overthinking things,¡± Lin said simply, though his words only deepened the dissatisfaction etched on everyone¡¯s faces. Ren, standing a short distance away, had already considered asking Lin for clarification but decided against it. He remained silent, opting to scrutinize the plan on his own, hoping to identify any potential flaws. Yet, with how things appeared, finding an issue felt like an impossible task. The plan seemed flawless. ¡°Do you mind sharing those worries? Maybe we can explain it to you,¡± Sera suggested. Lin glanced to his side, his eyes briefly flicking to the timers above everyone¡¯s heads, which he had been using as a makeshift watch. Without turning back to her, he muttered, ¡°I do.¡± His calm reply left the group visibly conflicted. They exchanged uneasy glances, struggling to discern whether Lin¡¯s behavior stemmed from unmatched intelligence or outright insanity. Despite their efforts, they couldn¡¯t reach a conclusion. Let¡¯s just hope I¡¯m being paranoid. Contrary to their assumptions, Lin wasn¡¯t as composed as he appeared on the surface. Chapter 31 - Miscalculation "Few more minutes! Prepare for the next one!" a voice broke the silence, drawing everyone''s attention as they rose to their feet. Lin, still seated on a small rock at the edge of the [Snowy Region], surveyed the group. He noticed a few of them seemed hesitant to leave the region, where physical touch was entirely nullified. Is it really that good? The thought lingered in his mind. Personally, he disliked the regional restriction, feeling as though it deprived him of control over his own body. But for others, it seemed the restriction offered a reprieve. Lin guessed that those reluctant to leave might have sustained minor injuries during their trips to the center. For them, the region''s restriction provided much-needed pain relief. ¡°All right, it¡¯s teleported. Let¡¯s start moving,¡± Nolan called, his gaze locked on a bluish screen displaying a map dotted with markers. Once he confirmed the Minotaur had been teleported to the [Snowy Region], the group began their next move. Some stayed within the Snowy Region, while others reorganized, ensuring the required 60% before stepping into the Swamp Region. This marked their third jump. By employing this strategy, they had already burned through 20 minutes of their 75-minute target. However, slight deviations in their individual timers had emerged. Navigating to the center while Lin and Roben held back the Minotaur had shaved off roughly 25 minutes from their timers. As a result, the group''s timers now ranged between 30 to 35 minutes, just at the halfway mark. Two more rotations. If they maintained this pace, they would finish by the second rotation. ¡°W-what the¡­¡± Nolan suddenly stammered, his voice breaking the group''s rhythm. Heads turned toward him, confusion spreading across their faces. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sera asked sharply, rushing to his side. She glanced at his screen, her eyes widening at the map displayed there. Without hesitation, she summoned her own status window, her expression souring as it confirmed what she had seen. Curious and concerned, the others quickly followed suit, casting Echo and checking their maps. ¡°W-where did it go?¡± one of them finally muttered, voicing the question on everyone''s mind. Lin glanced down at his own map, his puzzled expression catching the attention of the group and amplifying their unease. ¡°Dammit, what do we do now? It won¡¯t reach us just because it used [Veil], right?¡± Sera asked, her gaze snapping to Ren, who was staring at his own screen. Within seconds of teleporting into the [Snowy Region], the Minotaur had activated [Veil], effectively disappearing from the map. But that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any problems. Even if it¡¯s using [Veil], it should still be forcefully teleported to the [Swamp Region] in the next five minutes. We just won¡¯t be able to see it on the map¡­¡± Ren said, though his voice wavered near the end, betraying his lack of confidence. While his words managed to ease some of the group''s nerves, not everyone seemed convinced¡ªespecially in light of Lin¡¯s earlier cryptic warning.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°It¡¯s probably trying to bait us. We should continue with the plan,¡± Ren added, his tone shaky, as though trying to reassure himself as much as the others. His unease, however, only served to heighten the tension. Finally, he turned to Lin, desperation plain in his eyes. ¡°Is this what you meant?¡± he asked. Lin shot him a sidelong glance before responding. ¡°It¡¯s worse than I imagined,¡± Lin said, dispelling his blue screen with a simple hand motion. His gaze swept over the group in the [Swamp Region], their faces growing pale. The flaw Lin had hinted at earlier now seemed even graver in their minds, the weight of his words pressing heavily on them. Lin¡¯s eyes flicked back to Ren as he continued. ¡°Instead of a violent beast hunting us down, try to imagine how it would go if I was your opponent.¡± His casual remark sent a ripple of unease through the group. Some, like Kian, took Lin¡¯s words at face value. He began stepping toward Lin, his posture seemingly relaxed, but to those familiar with martial arts, it was clear he was ready to strike at any moment. ¡°You mean if you were the one hunting us down?¡± Ren asked, a hint of confusion in his tone as he tried to process the analogy. ¡°That¡¯s right. What do you think I would do in this situation?¡± Lin replied calmly. Ren stayed silent, his expression thoughtful, but time was not on their side. We might die if you don¡¯t figure it out quickly. Lin thought to himself, refraining from pressing Ren further. Crafting a creative strategy like Ren¡¯s and then devising a counter wasn¡¯t something easily done under pressure. As Ren glanced between Lin and the blue screen floating before him, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on him. He looked behind, scanning everyone gathered before quickly glancing toward the various regions they occupied. That was fast. ¡°The shortest path¡­¡± Ren muttered, his gaze snapping back to Lin with a startled expression. He repeated it aloud, more firmly this time. ¡°You would take the shortest path?¡± Without waiting for Lin¡¯s confirmation, Ren turned toward the others, his expression panicked. His anxiety spread through the group like wildfire, their faces mirroring his dread. ¡°Oi, is there a problem?¡± Kian asked, finally reaching Ren¡¯s side. But Ren didn¡¯t seem to hear him, his focus locked on Lin. ¡°Is it a bluff? Should we jump now?¡± Ren asked, his voice growing more frantic with each word. Lin didn¡¯t respond, merely shrugging and staying silent. ¡°Hey, calm down. Just explain what¡¯s going on,¡± Kian said, gripping Ren¡¯s shoulder and giving him a shake. The action seemed to jolt Ren out of his daze, calming him slightly. ¡°R-right,¡± Ren muttered, quickly gathering his thoughts. ¡°It might be heading for the [Swamp Region],¡± he said, his words sparking confusion among the group. They hadn¡¯t expected him to say such a thing. ¡°Huh? How would that help¡ª¡± Kian began, then suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his expression shifting as if he had realized something. ¡°¡ªAh, shit,¡± he cursed, pulling up his status window and glancing at the map. He¡¯s smarter than he looks. Lin¡¯s gaze briefly lingered on Kian, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. Or maybe¡­ instinct? The rest of the group remained largely confused, their faces reflecting doubt and bewilderment. Meanwhile, those who understood looked visibly shaken, questioning how a mere beast could demonstrate such a level of Strategic insight. ¡°I see,¡± Nolan muttered after a few seconds, frustration flickering across his face as he continued, ¡°If it¡¯s already in the region, it wouldn¡¯t be teleported to the center.¡± His statement confirmed the group¡¯s growing realization. Ren¡¯s complex plan had one critical flaw¡ªa flaw that wasn¡¯t due to poor planning but could only be exploited by an opponent with a high level of intelligence.
[Majority rule] ¡ª If a single region has more than 60% of the participants for more than 5 minutes, the beast will automatically spawn in the middle of that region (if it isn¡¯t already within that region).
The [Majority Rule] wouldn¡¯t trigger if the Minotaur was already present in the region alongside the required 60% of participants. Instead of chasing them, if the Minotaur moved directly into the next region they planned to force it into, it would effectively bypass the [Majority Rule]. This would allow it to continue its pursuit from wherever it entered, possibly even gaining ground on their position. Applying this to their current predicament, if the Minotaur entered the [Swamp Region], it wouldn¡¯t be affected by the [Majority Rule]. Instead, it would simply resume its chase from the point of entry, potentially closing the gap between itself and the group. A simple miscalculation¡­ Chapter 32 - Second Axis ¡°Should we jump to the next one? What do we do?¡± Nolan finally asked, glancing at Ren, who still hadn¡¯t decided on a solution. Ren, still deep in thought, turned to look at Lin, who sat calmly in place. ¡°Is this what you meant?¡± Ren asked, and Lin nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to use [Veil], though. It seems I also underestimated it,¡± Lin muttered, causing everyone¡¯s expressions to sour. The remark struck a strange chord, as his admission of a minor misstep felt almost arrogant compared to their complete lack of foresight. ¡°But won¡¯t that still take time?¡± Sera interjected, her gaze fixed on her map. She still wasn¡¯t convinced this was such a dire problem. Even if the Minotaur intended to move to the next region, the regions were all equal in size. Surely there was a significant distance between the center of one region and the edge of the next. ¡°It¡¯s the shortest path,¡± Ren said, enlarging his status window for all to see. He drew a line from the center of the [Snowy Region], where the beast had been teleported, to the edge of the [Swamp Region], where it could potentially slip through. ¡°It might cross over before the timer hits zero,¡± he added. As the group studied the map, the implications began to sink in. (Distance from center to vertex vs. distance from center to midpoint of one side.) Since the group was positioned at the central vertex where all the regions converged, the beast would take approximately ten minutes to reach them. However, for any square, the distance from the center to a vertex is the longest, while the distance from the center to the midpoint of a side¡ªperpendicular to that side¡ªis the shortest. This meant that heading directly toward the next region¡¯s midpoint would take the Minotaur less time than heading straight to their position at the vertex. ¡°Eh, then shouldn¡¯t we jump immediately? We can just draw it to the other regions,¡± a voice interrupted, suggesting a straightforward solution: move to a completely different region, away from the [Swamp Region], to nullify the Minotaur¡¯s attempt to bypass the [Majority Rule]. While the Minotaur would still reach the [Swamp Region], it would still require more time to get to their exact position. The suggestion made sense, and the group immediately began considering it. ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Ren said, turning toward Lin as if seeking confirmation. This time, Lin answered without hesitation. ¡°It might be a bluff,¡± Lin said, pulling their attention back to their screens. He continued, ¡°It could still be heading straight toward us while making us think it¡¯s going to the [Swamp Region]. If we jump to another region, we¡¯ll give it five more minutes to reach us,¡± he explained in one breath. The realization dawned on them. On the small chance that the Minotaur had used [Veil] to conceal its movement but remained on the longer path, pulling out now and jumping to another region would grant it extra time to close the distance¡ªthe time they wasted right now plus the five minutes required to trigger the [Majority Rule] for the second time. ¡°But that¡¯s... it might not reach us. Let¡¯s just do it,¡± Sera said, as if weighing her options aloud. All they had to do was ensure the beast was teleported before it reached them¡ªnothing more. As she spoke, Lin suddenly interjected, ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that the beast only needs to kill three of you, and everything you¡¯ve done so far would have been for nothing,¡± he said coldly, reminding them how a single misstep could undo all their efforts. ¡°You knew this all along?¡± Sera muttered, taking a few small steps toward Lin. Her voice was unnervingly calm, but her actions stunned everyone when they realized what she was doing. ¡°Mmh?¡± Lin glanced at her, a flicker of worry flashing across his otherwise composed face. ¡°W-what are you doing!?¡± Ren shouted, breaking the silence as everyone struggled to process the scene unfolding in front of them. Sera stood over Lin, her hand gripping a gun aimed squarely at his forehead. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± Sera muttered again, her tone even as she met Lin¡¯s gaze. Lin quickly steadied himself and answered, ¡°It¡¯s not my plan,¡± he said simply, causing her calm fa?ade to crack entirely as her glare hardened. ¡°Who the hell cares!?¡± she shouted, shoving the gun harder against his forehead. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything!?¡± Her frustration spilled over, and the group seemed torn¡ªsome hesitated to intervene, waiting to hear Lin¡¯s response, while others appeared visibly alarmed, preparing to act. ¡°Sera, I think¡ª¡± Nolan began, but was swiftly cut off.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Shut up,¡± she snapped, her voice lower but no less intense, as though barely containing her anger. Her eyes stayed locked on Lin¡¯s, his unflinching calm only stoking her fury. ¡°Why do you keep defending this bastard? He tortured someone for some bullshit reason and made us feel bad for it. Why the hell is no one talking about that?! Why are you acting like he¡¯s normal? This is not normal! Am I the crazy one?¡± Her words came out in a torrent, each one laden with frustration as she glanced briefly at the others. Overwhelmed, confused, and angry, she was voicing the thoughts that had lingered, unspoken, in everyone¡¯s minds. Lin¡¯s presence¡ªespecially with the emergence of a more approachable strategist like Ren¡ªhad become increasingly difficult to reconcile. A confrontation was inevitable. ¡°You should calm down for now. We can deal with that later,¡± Nolan said, trying to soothe her, but his words barely seemed to reach her as she turned her attention back to Lin. ¡°Start talking. Why didn¡¯t you say anything? If you give me a stupid reason, I will kill you,¡± she said, her finger tightening on the trigger, poised to act without hesitation. She¡¯s not bluffing, Lin thought, meeting her gaze. His voice remained flat and calm as he responded. ¡°Do it,¡± he said simply. ¡°Dammit, Lin!¡± a frustrated voice shouted from behind. The bald man stepped forward, seemingly intent on stopping her, but before anyone could intervene, a deafening gunshot echoed. ¡°Mmh?¡± Lin muttered, his face betraying only mild surprise as he glanced down at his stomach. Blood seeped through his fingers as he clutched the wound, his body instinctively trying to stem the bleeding. Despite this, Sera remained calm, pressing the gun firmly against his forehead. ¡°Answer my question,¡± she demanded, her threat now chillingly real. The others, visibly shaken, began to reach for their weapons, uncertain how to defuse the escalating tension. ¡°Sera, you¡¯re doing the exact t¡ª¡± Nolan tried to interject again, but she snapped, turning toward him with a furious expression as she shouted, ¡°Bullshit! Stop talking!¡± Her voice carried heavy, raw emotion as she continued, ¡°You know very well I¡¯m only doing this because he won¡¯t actually die! Let¡¯s not say stupid things, okay?¡± As she turned back to Lin, her arm was suddenly shoved upward. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Roben, already standing in front of her. Before she could react, he kicked her legs out from under her, sending her tumbling to the ground. In one swift motion, he disarmed her and pinned her to the floor. ¡°W-why, you!?¡± she stammered, still stunned as she glared up at him. ¡°Sorry, but you need to calm down,¡± Roben said, his tone firm yet apologetic. The tension in the air began to ease, but time was cruelly slipping away. They had already wasted two minutes, and with the looming threat of the Minotaur, they couldn¡¯t afford these kinds of distractions. ¡°Tsk, what did he tell you?¡± Sera spat, clicking her tongue sharply. Her tone sparked confusion as Roben furrowed his brow. ¡°Huh? What are you¡ª¡± he began, sounding confused. ¡°What did he tell you when you were coming here? Did he feed you some sob story? Do you actually believe whatever that prick told you?¡± she pressed, her words striking a nerve as his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Huh? How did you¡ª¡± Roben started, pausing as suspicion crept into his mind. Had she overheard them? Bugged him? Such ideas floated in his head, but all seemed implausible; they hadn¡¯t interacted much before now. However, one fact remained ¨C she knew about the conversation he¡¯d had with Lin. ¡°I saw your face. You kept giving him pitiful glances ever since you arrived here,¡± Sera said, her voice finally steady. Roben opened his mouth as if only realizing it now. He hadn¡¯t been aware of it, but it seemed Sera had been observing them closely since their arrival. ¡°Look at him. Do you really believe whatever bullshit he told you?¡± she demanded, directing Roben¡¯s attention behind him. Slowly, he turned to look. Lin was already standing, towering above them. His small, enigmatic smile betrayed neither malice nor joy. Yet, in the tense atmosphere, it came across as deeply unsettling. Was he trying to manipulate me? That¡¯s probably what he¡¯s thinking. Lin mused as he stood over Sera, offering her a faint smile before stepping past her. She¡¯s very manipulative, this one, Lin thought, slightly amused by the girl¡¯s actions. Pulling a gun on him at such close range was a move most wouldn¡¯t dare attempt, knowing full well what he was capable of. Yet, for some reason, she was confident he wouldn¡¯t fight back. ¡°How did the fight go? You guys don¡¯t seem half as dead as I imagined. Maybe we can fight back?¡± Lin thought back to her first question, realizing now how calculated it had been. She was trying to gauge the extent of their injuries. Although he felt a tinge of shame admitting it, her blatant disregard for him and the pointed question toward Roben had caused him to make a reckless statement, effectively falling into her trap. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with getting a few fractured bones, then we can do it.¡± It might have sounded like a direct jab at Sera, but Lin wasn¡¯t the type to throw assumptions without thought, especially not about someone¡¯s physical abilities. Instead, his statement had inadvertently hinted at the injuries both he and Roben had sustained against the Minotaur. However¡­ Roben hadn¡¯t sat down once since arriving, so Sera must have concluded that the injuries Lin hinted at were actually his own. Seeing Roben stealing worried glances at him was likely the final nail in the coffin, leading her to the perfect conclusion: Lin is heavily injured. What amazed Lin most, though, was how she had recycled the same observation to brute-force a reaction from Roben. She knew nothing about the conversation they¡¯d had, but because the two had been together for so long, she correctly deduced there was a high chance Lin had told Roben something he wouldn¡¯t want the others to know. She had simply grasped at straws until she got a reaction, then pivoted in that direction to antagonize Lin by making Roben doubt himself. A very keen observer. ¡°Since you asked so politely, I guess I¡¯ll assist you,¡± Lin finally said, his tone laced with clear provocation. It had been a long time since such a thought had surfaced, but at that moment, as he turned to meet Sera¡¯s gaze, he couldn¡¯t help but admit to himself wholeheartedly. I was completely outwitted. Social manipulation was one of his strongest assets, so for someone to so effortlessly make him dance in the palm of their hand, amazed was all he could feel. However, unbeknownst to Lin or any of the other 18 Hero candidates gathered, the blonde-haired girl, helplessly pinned to the ground, was the most terrifying opponent anyone could ever wish for. ~psychological warfare, the second axis of Evol. Chapter 33 - Computational Genius ¡°Since you asked so politely, I guess I¡¯ll assist you,¡± Lin said, his tone laced with clear provocation. Sera stayed silent, her gaze fixed on him, wondering who would be the next sacrifice in one of his crazy plans. Everyone else seemed to share the same thought. ¡°Ren,¡± Lin called, breaking the tension, and Ren quickly responded, still dazed from the previous exchange. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your estimate for the time it would take for the beast to reach the point of ¡®entry¡¯ and for us to reach the same point via the border?¡± Lin asked, strolling to the edge of the [Snowy region], his hand still clutching his stomach. He stopped directly at the border between the [Snowy Region] and the [Swamp region], then turned, gesturing across the border to clarify the exact paths he was referring to in his question:
  1. From the center of the [Snowy region] to the border of the [Swamp region], the ¡°shortest path.¡±
  2. From their current location to the point where the beast would potentially enter the [Swamp region].
Ren glanced at his screen for a moment, a thought suddenly striking him. ¡°Since it¡¯s kind of a right-angled triangle, we could use Pythagoras,¡± he muttered, prompting a few among the crowd to grimace at the sudden mention of a math term. Oblivious to their sourness, Ren¡¯s fingers traced across his status window, drawing a few lines to form a triangle. The status window updated in real time, reflecting his calculations as though it were a digital chalkboard. That¡¯s useful. The group collectively marveled at the windows functionality, imagining the nightmare it would¡¯ve been to explain the concept through words alone. ¡°But we only have the hypotenuse¡­ which is about 10 minutes minimum. How do we¡­¡± Ren suddenly trailed off, jotting down a few variables on the screen as he fell deep into thought. He¡¯s panicking. Lin observed silently, attributing Ren¡¯s scattered thoughts to the pressure of the situation. They had previously estimated that the time the beast would take to travel from the center of the [Snowy region] to their current location was around 10 minutes, representing the hypotenuse of the triangle (path c). However, without another known value, applying the Pythagorean theorem was impossible ¨C they needed at least one more variable to do that. ¡°Mmh, maybe we can use some trig functions? But we¡¯d need the angle¡­¡± Ren muttered after a moment, mentally shifting gears and expanding on his drawing. If the paths formed a right-angled triangle, they could apply trigonometric functions even with just one side¡¯s value. However, another problem arose: determining the angle between path c and path a¡ªthat is, the longest path from the center of the [Snowy Region] to their current location and the path from their current location to the possible point of entry at the border of the [Swamp Region]. Thinks too far ahead and makes simple mistakes, Lin thought as he watched Ren. The others seemed impressed, especially those who could follow Ren¡¯s reasoning. Although they vaguely remembered such concepts from their high school days, they never imagined they¡¯d be useful in a situation like this. Noticing Lin¡¯s disappointed expression, another figure stepped forward¡ªa golden-haired boy dressed in a school uniform.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°If the area is as symmetrical as the map suggests, then¡­¡± Isadore said, erasing some of the details from Ren¡¯s screen and drawing two simple lines. ¡°We have an isosceles right-angled triangle,¡± he explained simply. The realization hit Ren a second later as more lines appeared on the screen, almost as if mirroring his thoughts before he could even write anything. ¡°R-right, so the two distances would be the same, meaning we only have one unknown variable,¡± Ren said, slightly thrown off by Isadore''s quick thinking. If their maps accurately reflected the area, and given that all regions were the same size, they could deduce that any path from the center of the region to the midpoint of any side of the region would be equidistant. This symmetry made it easier to apply the Pythagorean theorem. The distance from the center of the [Snowy Region] to the border of the [Swamp Region] through the shortest path would be equal to the distance they would also need to travel to reach that point of entry from their current location. With only one variable left to calculate, reaching a conclusion became straightforward. ¡°Should be around seven minutes, give or take,¡± Isadore muttered, bringing a smile to Ren¡¯s face as he nodded, having reached a similar conclusion. ¡°Mmh, you¡¯re really good at this,¡± Ren said, praising Isadore, who gave a small chuckle. ¡°Well, I¡¯m still a student, you see,¡± Isadore replied, trying to downplay the compliment. However, everyone could immediately tell he was just being humble. While being a student might mean he remembered most of the theories off the top of his head, not every high school student would have been able to think of applying them at a glance¡ªespecially under such intense pressure. ¡°Correct,¡± Lin interrupted, cutting short their bonding moment. Though he didn¡¯t even have a status window open, everyone could somehow guess that he probably already knew everything they were discussing. Sensing their gazes fall on him, he continued, ¡°It might be seven minutes at best, but we should assume it could take the beast even less time, especially if its primary objective is to move while keeping the five-minute forced teleportation limit in mind,¡± he explained. Both Ren and Isadore nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s definitely possible if it disregards its own body entirely,¡± Roben interjected from the sidelines, still pinning the blonde woman, who wore a bored expression, to the ground. If the beast abandoned all rationality and aimed solely to reach them, it would be unwise to put too much faith in their calculations of the estimated times. ¡°Yeah, the chance is very high,¡± Ren muttered, his focus on his status window. ¡°That¡¯s only surface-level thinking,¡± Lin muttered, drawing their attention. He walked up to Ren, standing near his status screen as he added, ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t go there directly.¡± ¡°Mmh?¡± Ren mumbled, a spark of curiosity in his gaze. ¡°Heading toward the midpoint would be the best choice,¡± Lin said, tracing a new path on the screen¡ªfrom the center of the [Snowy Region] to the midpoint between their current location and the point where the Minotaur was presumed to be heading. ¡°But how long would that take?¡± Ren asked, noticing that while it cut through both the longest and shortest paths, it still appeared somewhat lengthy. ¡°Since it¡¯s the midpoint, we just divide the value we found¡ªseven¡ªby two to find the shortest path, which would be 3.5. Using that and the previous hypotenuse of ten, we can find the other path using the cosine rule,¡± Isadore muttered, already working on it as he began drawing on Ren¡¯s status window. ¡°What about the angle?¡± Ren asked, as if trying to recall the theory Isadore referred to. ¡°It¡¯s 45,¡± Isadore replied, pointing to the triangle. ¡°It¡¯s an isosceles triangle, so we already know the base angles are equal. And for a right-angled triangle, since one angle is 90, the other two would be 45 each using the equal sides, equal angles rule,¡± he explained simply, his fingers gliding across the screen to perform the calculations for everyone to see. Since Pythagoras¡¯ theorem only applied to right-angled triangles, they needed an alternative approach for other types of triangles. In this case, knowing the lengths of two sides and the angle between them made the law of cosines the most suitable method. Given that 45 degrees is a special angle, the calculations were straightforward even without a calculator. ¡°Eight minutes tops,¡± Isadore concluded, his tone calm as everyone watched in awe. Oblivious to their gazes, he continued, ¡°The deviation caused by aiming for the midpoint adds just one minute, but we could probably target the midpoint of the two midpoints to reduce the deviation further while still keeping the other path within the five-minute range. I estimate it would take about seven minutes and 30 seconds to reach the swamp region, and at least five minutes from there to reach us,¡± he said, starting to mumble. His increasingly technical words began to lose some of them, and they just nodded, trying to follow along despite the details slipping past their comprehension. He¡¯s quick on the uptake, Lin thought as he watched Isadore with a small smile, following his train of thought. Chapter 34 - Counter ¡°The deviation caused by aiming for the midpoint adds just one minute, but we could probably target the midpoint of the two midpoints to reduce the deviation further while still keeping the other path within the five-minute range. I estimate it would take about seven minutes and 30 seconds to reach the swamp region, and at least five minutes from there to reach us,¡± he said, starting to mumble. His increasingly technical words began to lose some of them, and they just nodded, trying to follow along despite the details slipping past their comprehension. He¡¯s quick on the uptake, Lin thought as he watched Isadore with a small smile, following his train of thought. Since the path from the middle of the [Snowy Region] directly to them was the longest, and the other path, perpendicular to the border of the [Swamp Region] from the center of the [Snowy Region], was the shortest, the path he had drawn represented a middle ground. Not only did it allow the beast to reach the [Swamp Region] in the most optimal time, but it also meant that once the beast entered the [Swamp Region] within eight minutes, it would need only three minutes and 30 seconds to reach their location¡ªa nightmare scenario, as they needed five minutes to forcefully teleport it to another region. What Isadore was proposing took it a step further: finding a "sweet spot" by adjusting the path further to the left. This would increase the distance the beast would need to cover to reach them after entering the [Swamp Region], while at the same time decreasing the distance needed to reach the [Swamp Region] from the center of the [Snowy Region]. Isadore¡¯s path:
  • Time to reach the [Swamp Region] from the center of the [Snowy Region]: 7 minutes 18 seconds
  • Time to reach their location after arriving at the [Swamp Region]: 5 minutes 18 seconds
Lin¡¯s path:
  • Time to reach the [Swamp Region] from the center of the [Snowy Region]: 7 minutes 54 seconds
  • Time to reach their location after arriving at the [Swamp Region]: 3 minutes 30 seconds
It would be scary if the beast figured that out, Lin mused, wondering if instinct alone could propel the creature to levels even beyond pure intelligence. ¡°I see,¡± Ren muttered, finally grasping the situation and realizing how small his oversight had been. ¡°The biggest flaw in my plan was assuming the Minotaur wasn¡¯t that smart,¡± he admitted, though the group didn¡¯t seem as disappointed by his realization. ¡°Mmh,¡± Nolan nodded. ¡°We should have skipped one region in each jump. That way, the Minotaur would still be forcefully teleported even if it tried to jump to adjacent regions, making reaching us its only viable option,¡± he explained, briefly summing up the situation. ¡°Should we just give up and start over?¡± he asked, seeing that everyone seemed to be entertaining the same idea. With this new knowledge, they would no doubt be able to beat the trial next time, but to their surprise, Lin cut in.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°No,¡± he said, a spark of dread flashing across their faces as they imagined what he had in mind. ¡°Everyone, use [Veil] right now,¡± he continued in a firm tone, as if he was already timing it. There was only a minute left for the [Majority Rule] to trigger, so his order sparked confusion among them. Nonetheless, everyone complied. Will it work? Lin thought to himself as he fiddled with his status window before casting [Veil] himself. The silence was deafening as everyone waited, growing more curious by the second. After a minute passed, Lin broke the silence. ¡°Jump to the Rocky Region,¡± he said, and everyone immediately complied without question, with 60% of them moving from the [Swamp Region] to the region opposite it¡ªthe [Rocky Region]. This meant they skipped the [Forest Region], a solution to Ren¡¯s earlier misstep. However, the main problem now was the possibility that the Minotaur had already entered the [Swamp Region] when the teleportation occurred, which would negate the majority rule and position it in a spot where it could reach them in less than five minutes. 1 minute. 2 minutes. ... 5 minutes. Nothing happened. ¡°Go back to the Swamp Region. You can use your Soulex now,¡± Lin muttered as everyone looked at him in surprise, trying to figure out what had happened. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Did you do something?¡± Nolan broke the silence, trying to discern if the threat had truly been dealt with. Lin simply pointed at the screen in front of him, prompting them to open up a map and use Echo to scan the surroundings. ¡°Eh? There¡¯s a Soulex signal in the Snowy Region?¡± someone muttered, and everyone seemed worried, thinking the Minotaur had somehow gotten to the [Snowy Region]. But as if catching on, Roben let out a mutter. ¡°Wait a second, isn¡¯t that the tennis ball you threw earlier?¡± he asked, surprise etched on his face, recalling how Lin had thrown a tennis ball somewhere in the area to ¡®monitor¡¯ the surroundings. Since he had used [Veil] on it, none of them could see it until now. ¡°It is,¡± Lin nodded, confirming his thoughts. ¡°I see,¡± Roben said, a smile appearing on his face as he continued in amazement, ¡°So that''s why you poured so much Soulex into it. From this distance, it almost looks like another person¡¯s Soulex,¡± he concluded. The others seemed to catch on as they glanced at Roben for an explanation. ¡°Lin did quite a number on the beast, so I¡¯m sure it immediately sensed the spike and maybe changed directions,¡± Roben said, and all of them turned to look at Lin in astonishment. On their way back from the fight, he had dropped a tennis ball filled with an immense amount of Soulex. Just now, when everyone cast [Veil] on themselves, Lin immediately revealed it, simultaneously casting Echo throughout the entire region via the tennis ball before cutting it off and casting [Veil] onto himself. The way Echo searched for Soulex made it such that an individual close by and using [Veil] could quickly alternate between Echo Sight and [Veil] without triggering Echo. The idea behind the move was to stretch his Soulex wide, so the beast, even if it didn¡¯t sense it instinctively, might catch sight of the strings as they searched through the area. If it recognized the Soulex as Lin¡¯s, it would inevitably change directions, choosing to respond to the provocation since he would appear much ¡®closer.¡¯ ¡°So you already had a contingency plan,¡± Ren muttered, a mix of surprise and appreciation on his face as he smiled. ¡°Thanks,¡± he added, but Lin didn¡¯t answer. Another voice cut in. ¡°Bullshit. He should¡¯ve said something earlier if he really wanted to help,¡± Sera retorted, sitting in one of the regions with two people guarding her sides, ready to hold her back if she tried anything rash. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet, so you should stay alert,¡± Lin suddenly said, cutting through the improving atmosphere. Everyone went silent. ¡°Mmh. I can¡¯t think of anything else it can try¡­¡± Ren said, his face twisted in frustration as he considered multiple possibilities. And yet, ¡°Is that even possible at this point?¡± he asked, glancing at Lin, who simply smiled in return, offering no answer. The only viable strategies at this point are high-risk, low-return. Now then. How will the beast respond? Lin wondered, a hint of disappointment flickering in his expression that his first contingency plan had already worked against it. But with how quickly the beast was learning, he still held a sliver of hope in its ability to cause havoc. We¡¯ll wait and see. Chapter 35 - Reverse Counter ¡°All right, next one!¡± A loud voice reverberated, sparking an immediate spike in caution as everyone scrambled into different regions, with Ren and Nolan efficiently sorting them out. ¡°Two more after this, and we¡¯re finished!¡± Nolan called out, boosting the group¡¯s morale. Faces began to relax, the end of the trial finally in sight. After successfully completing this jump, most of them would have less than ten minutes left on their individual timers¡ªa guaranteed win if they succeeded. However, as they grew increasingly at ease, their eyes inevitably drifted toward a certain individual, and their spirits dampened each time they caught sight of him. Unlike the rest, he didn¡¯t share their relief. Instead, he seemed displeased, as though wary of what might happen next. Is this really it? Contrary to their assumptions, Lin wasn¡¯t displeased but rather disappointed. Sitting with a hand pressed to his stomach, he let various scenarios play out in his mind, trying to distract himself from the dull reality before him. By now, he had envisioned several strategies the beast could use to bypass Ren¡¯s plan. But as more time passed, many of those possibilities became unfeasible, leaving only a few that might work with so little time remaining. ¡°Yo.¡± A voice broke through his thoughts, snapping him out of his daze. Lin looked up to see an enigmatic blue-haired man accompanied by a dark-haired woman. ¡°Take off your shirt,¡± the man suddenly demanded, prompting a frown from Lin. He glanced between the two of them before replying, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not interested.¡± His response provoked confusion from the man, who furrowed his brow. ¡°The heck are you talking about?¡± Kian shot back, stepping closer and forcefully grabbing Lin¡¯s hand. He pulled it away from Lin¡¯s body, revealing blood seeping from his stomach. The woman immediately stepped forward, pressing a white cloth against the wound. ¡°This is¡­¡± she murmured, her eyes widening as she stared at Lin¡¯s body. A similar expression of shock appeared on Kian¡¯s face. Their reaction, however, wasn¡¯t due to the bullet wound but to the scars that marred Lin¡¯s body¡ªmarks that seemed to arise from very brutal fights or even torture, like those of a seasoned war veteran. Yet, even as they reacted with visible discomfort, Lin¡¯s expression remained neutral. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked calmly, his tone steady, causing the dark-haired woman to flinch. She looked up, met his gaze briefly, then quickly looked away, muttering, ¡°S-sorry, it¡¯s nothing. I can, um... seal the wound,¡± she stammered, her focus shifting back to Lin¡¯s stomach. Lin showed no strong reaction, replying simply, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± He then shifted his gaze to Kian, who, surprisingly, no longer looked at him with the same unease as before. It wasn¡¯t anger or fear reflected in Kian¡¯s eyes anymore but something closer to pity. Meeting Lin¡¯s gaze, Kian straightened and spoke quickly. ¡°She said she can do some first aid, so I thought, why not,¡± he said casually. Lin¡¯s eyes sparked with faint curiosity as he turned back to the woman, who had begun unpacking a small cloth bundle containing various utensils, including surgical scissors and some oddly shaped tools. ¡°Oh, did you work in a hospital?¡± Lin asked. This time, the woman wasn¡¯t as startled as she shook her head. ¡°No, it was just a small first aid training program,¡± she replied calmly. Lin nodded, not pressing further, watching as she delicately wiped away the blood around his wound. ¡°Can you hold this?¡± she asked naturally. Lin pressed the cotton to his stomach, complying without much thought. Seeing that Lin wasn¡¯t going to cause trouble, Kian began to move away, silently distancing himself and leaving the two alone. The moment Kian was out of earshot, Lin spoke up. ¡°You know, I was also taught a bit of first aid,¡± he said, his tone curious as he watched her work. She paused for a second, then resumed her task as though she hadn¡¯t heard him, choosing not to respond.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Lin scoffed as he continued, ¡°From what I was taught, removing a bullet isn¡¯t part of first aid,¡± he remarked. At the same time, the woman inserted a silver surgical instrument resembling a larger version of surgical scissors¡ªthough its edges were blunt¡ªcleanly into the bullet hole. She applied pressure, her fingers halting midway as if gripping something lodged inside. Then, with careful precision, she slowly extracted the object¡ªa small bullet that had pierced Lin¡¯s flesh¡ªand dropped it onto a nearby cloth. Curious, Lin glanced at the bullet and activated Echo Sight, noticing a reddish aura emanating from it. He pondered briefly why the goddess had provided them with all the weapons they desired instead of having them create their own. Since he hadn¡¯t chosen firearms, this was his first encounter with a Soulex-made bullet. A cascade of potential uses crossed his mind. If Sera had created the bullets using her own Soulex, she might even use them as a tracking mechanism, pinpointing the exact location of anyone she shot. It could¡¯ve been a game-changing tactic when they¡¯d shot the Minotaur. However, the fact that such a trick hadn¡¯t been utilized suggested it wasn¡¯t as reliable as it seemed. Even when [Veil] was applied to conceal the bullet¡¯s Echo string, a simple Echo Sight would reveal the threads, prompting someone to remove the bullet as soon as possible. ¡°Done.¡± The woman¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts. Lin glanced at his stomach, where neatly placed stitches now closed the wound. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin said, his tone calm. She nodded, packed up her utensils, and walked away without saying another word. As Lin watched her retreating figure, he decided not to press the matter further, deliberately ignoring her peculiar behavior. Why is she pretending she can¡¯t use Soulex? He wondered briefly before pushing the thought to the back of his mind. ¡°G-guys, I think there¡¯s a problem,¡± a voice called out loudly, coming from someone standing in the Swamp region. The announcement made everyone grimace, especially those currently in the Rocky region, who were still rendered blind by the regional restriction. There were only two minutes left before the [Majority Rule] would take effect. The remaining individuals quickly turned to their screens, confusion and alarm washing over their faces as they tried to make sense of what they were seeing. ¡°I-it can¡¯t be, right?¡± a panicked voice stammered. ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s in the Snowy region?¡± another mumbled, his tone laced with disbelief. All eyes immediately turned to Ren, waiting for an explanation. Their Echo displays revealed a Soulex signal at the border between the Snowy and Swamp regions¡ªthe exact spot they had predicted the beast would reach if it had taken the shortest path in the first rotation. However, the presence of the Soulex signal was unnatural. Given their recent movement from the Swamp region, the Minotaur should still have been there. Yet, the signal suggested it had already crossed the border and entered the Snowy region in under three minutes. That¡¯s impossible¡­ Lin thought, his eyes darting to his status window. His expression darkened, a nagging sense of having overlooked something creeping into his mind. ¡°It probably tossed a Soulex object from its current position in the Swamp region¡ªor maybe it dropped one the last time it was in the Snowy region,¡± Ren said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. The group seemed to consider the theory. If the Minotaur had indeed left an item behind during its previous visit to the Snowy region, it would explain the Soulex signal. There didn¡¯t seem to be any other plausible explanation. However, there was a glaring issue with this idea, one that Lin couldn¡¯t ignore. He spoke up, intending to confirm his suspicions. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of a problem with both possibilities,¡± Lin said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention before continuing. ¡°For one, I already used a similar tactic last time, so there wouldn¡¯t be any point in the Minotaur trying to bait us with a Soulex object. It also hasn¡¯t used Echo this entire time, so it wouldn¡¯t know exactly where we are,¡± he explained. The group mulled over his reasoning. ¡°I guess that makes sense, but what if it dropped the object the first time it was there?¡± someone suggested, attempting to find a logical explanation. However, Lin¡¯s words carried implications he was deliberately avoiding. Sensing this, Isadore spoke up. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean it already knew it wouldn¡¯t reach the Swamp region?¡± he asked simply, and Ren¡¯s eyes widened in realization. If the Minotaur had dropped an object in the Snowy region while its apparent goal was to reach the Swamp region, it implied it had anticipated its failure. The reasoning behind this was straightforward. ¡°It would suggest the Minotaur created the object, cast [Veil] onto it immediately afterward, and kept it hidden this entire time,¡± Lin continued, leading everyone to the same unsettling conclusion. But this line of thought also pointed to a more alarming outcome¡ªone Lin had been suspecting all along. ¡°Mmh!?¡± A loud splatter echoed through the air, droplets of red liquid splashing onto some of the group as they froze in place. A fast-moving object zipped past them, striking a rock in the Rocky region. All eyes slowly turned toward the Rocky region before darting back to the source¡ªthe Swamp region. A low thud followed. A headless body collapsed to the ground, blood splattering the two individuals who had been standing nearby. ¡°Uhhh!!!?¡± A screeching scream pierced the air, sending everyone into chaos¡ªespecially those in the sightless region, who were left in utter confusion as panic spread among the group. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening!?¡± one of them cried, frantically waving her arms as she stumbled, trying to grab hold of anything nearby. ¡°What?!¡± another voice stammered, panic evident. Dammit! Lin jolted upright, his worst fears coming true as a flurry of scenarios raced through his mind. Forcing himself to focus, he quickly surveyed the surroundings before barking an order. ¡°Stay low and roll toward the Swamp region, now!¡± he shouted. Chapter 36 - Predators Instinct ¡°Stay low and roll toward the Swamp region, now!¡± Lin shouted. Momentary confusion flashed across the faces of those in the Rocky region, but they didn¡¯t hesitate for long. They dropped to the ground, rolling forward toward the [Swamp region] as instructed. Since they were at the edge, it only took a single roll to cross the border and re-enter the [Swamp Region]. Lin wasted no time issuing another command. ¡°Everyone else, do the same! Roll further in!¡± he yelled. At the same moment, a rock zipped past one of them, missing their face by mere inches as they dropped to the ground and began rolling sideways. As the individuals from the Rocky region regained their sight, they froze briefly, horrified by the headless corpse of their fallen comrade. Fear overtook their shock, and they obeyed Lin¡¯s command, rolling further into the Swamp region to avoid the same fate. Dammit, it had to be that region. Lin cursed inwardly, his mind racing. He shot a glance at Roben. ¡°Flank it from the right; I¡¯ll go left,¡± he instructed quickly. Roben nodded without hesitation, darting out of the Snowy region and into the Swamp region with quick, large strides. Lin¡¯s eyes darted forward, his eyes narrowing as he took in the dense cluster of trees a short distance away within the [Swamp Region], their bases surrounded by murky swamp waters. ¡°Ren!¡± he suddenly called out, lowering his body as he paced toward the border of the [Snowy Region]. Ren, who had just finished rolling into the Swamp region, looked up. ¡°I¡¯m leaving you in charge! Coordinate with us once you reach the tree line¡ªwe¡¯ll try to box it in!¡± Lin shouted. ¡°R-right!¡± Ren replied loudly, his voice shaking but resolute. The exchange caused a few others to grimace, but they pressed on, spurred by the urgency of the situation. In this situation, most of them were focused solely on escaping and buying enough time to burn through the final ten minutes. However, Lin, having weighed his options instantaneously, had already concluded that running away was the worst possible idea. He dashed forward, snatching a weapon¡ªa gun¡ªfrom one of the crawling individuals near the border of the [Snowy region] before bolting away. His movements were fluid despite the deep snow as he skirted the border of the Swamp region before abruptly changing direction and entering it. Shit! he cursed inwardly, grimacing as a sharp wave of pain shot through his body. His head felt light, the pain threatening to overwhelm him, but with a sudden, deliberate motion, he shoved a finger into his stomach wound. The burst of intense pain jolted him back to focus, dispelling the drowsiness creeping in. Adjusting his trajectory, he moved deeper into the Swamp region, curving his path to flank the Minotaur from the left while Roben approached from the right on the other side. The unfolding scenario was something Lin had deemed too improbable to consider¡ªand yet, here it was. As a contingency for Ren¡¯s potential failure, Lin¡¯s plan had been to force the Minotaur to divert its path back to the Snowy region ¡ª via the tennis ball, which would result in successfully teleporting it to the center of the Swamp region. This would maintain the [Majority Rule] and buy them precious time. However, this strategy hinged on the Minotaur being delayed within the Snowy region. The reality of the situation was clear now: the beast never fell for my taunt. After confirming the passage of five minutes to trigger the [Majority Rule] in the [Swamp region], the natural assumption would be:
  1. The Minotaur was teleported to the center of the Swamp region.
  2. The Minotaur was already within the region, and therefore, nothing happened.
However, the next action that Lin took¡ªtelling them to move into the Rocky region¡ªwould confirm which of the two had actually happened. The reasoning was simple:This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
  1. In the case that Lin¡¯s bait succeeded, the Minotaur was successfully teleported into the Swamp region and therefore would not reach them within the next five minutes because it would need to travel from the center of the [Swamp region] to their location (10 minutes minimum).
  2. In the case of the beast already being within the [Swamp region], the assumption would be that the beast had bypassed [Majority Rule] and would therefore reach them before they could trigger the [Majority Rule] in the [Rocky Region]¡ªthat is, in less than five minutes.
Since the Minotaur did not reach them even after five minutes had passed, everyone came to the same conclusion: Scenario one had played out, and since the Minotaur had failed to reach the [Swamp region], it was currently being forcefully teleported between the [Rocky region] and [Swamp region] through [Majority Rule]. However, as things stood, Lin¡¯s contingency plan didn¡¯t work. On top of that, the beast never showed itself, making the current scenario even more bizarre to imagine. If it didn¡¯t fall for the trap, then it meant the Minotaur was within the Swamp region when the [Majority Rule] was triggered. When they jumped to the Rocky region, the Minotaur somehow managed to reach the [Rocky region] within five minutes to bypass [Majority Rule], and then, in the next movement, it reached the [Swamp region] within the same timeframe of 5min, negating the [Majority Rule] each and every time. These two regions were on opposite sides, meaning that, if you had to avoid going straight through, you would have to travel through at least one other region before reaching them. Swamp ¡ú Snowy ¡ú Rocky or Swamp ¡ú Forest ¡ú Rocky. For their group currently at the center of all four regions, traveling between the two regions was possible, but for the Minotaur? It¡¯s also possible. Lin finally concluded, still pacing toward the dense tree area with cautious steps, thinking back to the conversation they had about reaching their location quicker. He had suggested that he would aim for the midpoint, giving himself 7 minutes and 54 seconds to reach the Swamp region, followed by 3 minutes and 30 seconds to reach the center (their current location). Although Isadore had suggested an even better solution¡ªtilting the path slightly to give himself more time to reach the Swamp region, reducing the time to 7 minutes and 18 seconds, and then 5 minutes and 18 seconds to reach their location¡ªLin never backed down on his own path. The reason for this was simple:
  1. It gave him a manageable time to reach the Swamp region.
  2. It allowed enough time to travel from the [Swamp region] and enter the [Rocky region], negating their ¡°skip a region¡± strategy, since he could reach both in less than five minutes each time.
The beast would have 7 minutes and 54 seconds to reach the Swamp region, and assuming it tried to get there by any means necessary, the moment it stepped into the region, it would only need 3 minutes and 30 seconds to reach them. However, instead of heading straight toward them, it had the option to travel only half that distance (1 minute 42 seconds) before jumping into the Snowy region and cutting across to the Rocky region, thus bypassing the [Majority Rule] of the Rocky region. By staying in the shadows, the beast could repeat this strategy, taking only 2 to 3 minutes to travel between the [Swamp region] and the [Rocky region]. This constant movement in the shadows would create a false sense of security, lowering their guards as they assumed it was being forcefully teleported each time. A predator¡¯s instinct? Lin couldn¡¯t help but wonder as he moved past a few trees, getting closer to the tree area. The reason he hadn¡¯t considered such a possibility until now was simple: there wasn¡¯t any time left. It wasn¡¯t because he arrogantly thought the Minotaur couldn¡¯t kill them quickly, but rather because of the [Proximity] rule. [Proximity Rule] ¡ª Individuals within a 40-meter radius of the Soul-vor beast will have their individual timer reduced by 2 minutes for every second that passes. I¡¯m sure it noticed our timers dropping when we fought it... Using that logic, it¡¯s safe to assume the Minotaur wouldn¡¯t want to enter their ¡°40-meter¡± radius because, with the current state of things, they would only need to survive for less than 5 seconds inside its range to drop all their timers to zero. But... I didn¡¯t expect it to start throwing stones from a distance... The reason he opted for everyone to rush toward it was to try and drain their individual timers quickly. If they decided to run away instead, they would become easier targets, increasing the chances of the beast killing them off one by one. The decision to launch the attack within the Swamp region was uncanny, to say the least. Not only did it force Lin and Roben, their most powerful combatants, out of the Snowy region¡ªreturning their sense of touch and making them feel the fatigue and pain from the previous battle¡ªbut it also eliminated the smell of ammonia Lin had thrown at it during their last encounter. Without his sense of smell, he wouldn¡¯t be able to sense it coming. It also chose to attack when the majority were standing in the Rocky region, ensuring that only a few would see or even notice which direction the stones came from. Running to the Snowy region meant being out in the open, while running to the Forest region meant losing their hearing, negating the advantage of the trees blocking the thrown stones since they wouldn¡¯t even hear them crashing through. All in all, the beast was operating on a completely different level. As much as Lin praised the beast¡¯s ingenuity, however, his response to the situation wasn¡¯t something to downplay. The moment he saw the flying rock, he immediately told everyone to duck and start rolling toward the Swamp region. This action reduced their surface area, making it excessively harder to hit them from a distance, and because of this, the beast would need a more elevated position to attack effectively. And right now... Found it. Chapter 37 - Instinct vs. Intelligence Lin started to curve his path, glancing toward a slightly elevated area with dense trees. From the way the rock had moved, it was the most likely location to find the beast. As if to confirm his thoughts, Roben on the far side was already curving toward that direction, aiming to flank from the far right. Lin took a quick glance back, noticing that a few of them had reached a small patch of trees, hiding behind them while cautiously looking ahead. He immediately dashed toward the trees ahead, carefully watching his step to avoid falling into the nearby swamps. Mud piled under his shoes, dragging down his speed with each step, but he pressed on. 1:34 This should be fine, he thought, recalling the rules for the first clear condition. Clear Conditions (Choose one): ¡ñ 90% survive until their timers reach zero. ¡ñ Kill the Soul-vor beast. ¡°90% survive until their timers reach zero.¡± Using some wordplay, Lin surmised that if an individual¡¯s timer hit zero, they would be considered to have ¡°survived until their timer reached zero¡±¡ªeven if they died immediately afterward. This meant that if he and Roben were to die fighting against the Minotaur, they would still be counted in the percentage of those who ¡°survived until their timers reached zero.¡± 1:38 Lin continued forward, finally reaching the trees. He stopped and created a dagger through [Form] before stepping into the dense foliage. Without hesitation, he began dashing forward, paying no regard to the rough and rigid ground. His sole aim was to find the beast as quickly as possible and, hopefully, forcefully push it back to buy more time. The real reason he had chosen to flank the Minotaur wasn¡¯t to catch it off guard or to avoid the stones it might throw. Instead, it was a strategic deadlock designed to force the Minotaur to ¡°run away.¡± (error on illustration: Going toward them triggers the timers to quicken) As the two of them approached from both sides, the Minotaur¡¯s only viable choice was to back away, since the rest of their group was already advancing down the middle. If they entered the 40-meter range, their timers would quickly burn out. If the beast attempted to continue attacking, it risked getting flanked by Lin and Roben, who might hold it down long enough to drain everyone¡¯s timers. Moreover, the moment it chose to engage them in battle, the rest of the group might reach its 40-meter zone without it even noticing. It was what Lin would call a ¡°simple¡± strategy, primarily because it utilized everyone involved to achieve the best possible outcome. However, even such a high-level plan could be countered... Instinct. Lin suddenly came to a halt, spotting the Minotaur between the treelines as it charged toward him at full speed, its massive bat resting on its shoulder, ready to swing at the slightest movement. Seeing this, Lin couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he muttered, just loud enough for the beast to hear. Instead of running away from the two, it had chosen the furthest person¡ªhim¡ªand rushed straight toward him, ensuring it reached its target before the other could intervene.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. As the thought crossed his mind, Lin continued in a much louder tone, the corners of his mouth rising into a frantic smile. ¡°The best counter is to cut ahead and chase one of us down!¡± 1:45 The beast ignored his taunt, its bat descending toward him in a powerful swing. Lin immediately jumped back, a loud crash reverberating as the weapon smashed into a nearby tree, splinters flying everywhere. The Minotaur¡¯s face reddened with rage. Seizing the opportunity, Lin turned and dashed in the direction of their main group. But after just a few steps, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He instinctively ducked as something zipped above his head, crashing into a nearby tree. Chunks of wood sprayed across the ground as the tree bent under its own weight before snapping and falling. 1:48 Lin turned, his eyes locking onto the Minotaur, which was already holding another stone in its hand, presumably formed through [Form]¡ªready to toss it once more. Yet something about the pause just now seemed... uncanny. Is it trying to tell me not to run? Lin wondered to himself, amazed at how many times the beast continued to surprise him. It understood risk. It knew that by giving chase, it was inadvertently placing itself closer to the main group, increasing the likelihood of them entering its 40-meter range. Even if it defeated Lin, it wouldn¡¯t take long for Roben to join in, preventing it from retreating. At the same time, the beast strangely seemed to realize that after witnessing its last attack, Lin wouldn¡¯t risk turning his back on it. Instinct or intelligence. Which one is it? Just as humans can transcend physical limits to overcome a physically superior foe, could a wild predator trigger a similar compensatory mechanism, pushing it to bridge the line between instinct and intelligence? Could it reach a level of cognition that rivaled the best minds humanity could offer? Pure instinct. Lin smiled, a flicker of curiosity lighting his face. He removed his coat before tossing it to the ground. Immediately afterward, he conjured a small box in one hand and a stick in the other. Sliding the stick across the box, a flame ignited instantly. The Minotaur¡¯s expression darkened, but Lin, remaining completely calm, dropped the matchstick, letting it fall slowly toward the ground. The Minotaur¡ªperhaps instinctively recognizing the toxicity of the swamp region¡ªseemed to understand exactly what would happen if a fire came into contact with the muddy ground. Following its immediate instincts, it began to retreat, trying to escape the area. What had initially seemed like the ideal location to isolate Lin and kill him now appeared to be the most dangerous, with the abundance of trees providing ample fuel for a fire. However, just as it turned its back on Lin, he bent down swiftly, catching the burning matchstick in his hand. His palm burned slightly, but he simply clenched his fist, immediately extinguishing the flame. In the same calm motion, he raised his other hand, lifting his gun and aiming it at the spot where the Minotaur was about to step. 1:57 A manic smile spread across his face as he muttered, ¡°Human intelligence will always win.¡± He pulled the trigger. A roaring flame engulfed the Minotaur, rushing toward Lin in an instant. The fiery explosion that followed was deafening, illuminating the entire area. Lin¡¯s ears rang violently, and as the fire began to scorch his skin, his vision suddenly shifted. A familiar landscape came into view before him¡ªsnow slowly falling all around as his feet sank into the icy surface. ¡°Not bad,¡± he muttered to himself as a bluish screen popped up in the next moment, white steam rising from his body while his wounds began to heal.
[You have killed the Minotaur] [Congratulations on completing the first trial]
¡°My timing was a bit off,¡± he said, recalling the moment the explosion struck and the minor burns he¡¯d sustained from the fire. The idea of self-sacrifice to secure victory for the group was something he¡¯d briefly considered in the final moments. However, deep down, he knew it was an outcome that would never truly come to fruition. Whether due to hindsight or plain arrogance, as he looked back on the entire trial, Lin couldn¡¯t help but conclude that, despite the Minotaur¡¯s ability to learn, it never truly stood a chance against them. Even without my presence, they would¡¯ve won. Whether to convince himself or because he genuinely believed those thoughts, the idea lingered in Lin¡¯s mind¡ªa small belief, or rather, a small wish¡ªthat among the 20 individuals, even as chaos unfolded, at least one of them, any of them, had the same thought that crossed his mind.
[Overload rule] ¡ª If all participants (100%) are in a single region for more than 2 minutes, they will all be randomly teleported to different regions.