Chapter 48: the Heavenly Pressure Trial 5

Veyron Ignis, standing in the elevenfold gravity zone, and Max Strom, struggling in the eightfold gravity zone.

The audience erupted into an uproar at the sight.

Two geniuses were still standing after hours of enduring the crushing pressure, continuing to challenge their limits when hundreds of others had already been eliminated.

Yet, all eyes remained fixed on Veyron.

After all, he was the one who had pushed the boundaries of the trial farther than anyone had expected, and no one could predict just how much farther he would go.

Veyron could barely lift his head anymore. His black robes were completely soaked with sweat, which dripped steadily onto the floor as his breathing grew heavier with every passing moment.

The pressure bearing down on him was becoming almost unbearable, and even maintaining his posture required tremendous effort.

[Stay calm... Stay focused. If you clear this challenge, you’ll receive something significant, so concentrate on one thing only, reaching the end of the hall.]

Hearing the system’s words, Veyron steadied his breathing as best he could.

The trial was even more difficult because of the hall’s inclined staircase. Although each step was relatively short, the ascending floor made every movement more demanding under the crushing gravity.

Still, the system’s words caught his attention. It seemed that completing this challenge would grant him a substantial reward, and that thought gave him another reason to keep pushing forward.

After gathering his strength, Veyron slowly turned his head and glanced behind him.

Max was still struggling to advance, pushing himself to his absolute limits. Seeing the young man refusing to give up, a faint grin appeared on Veyron’s exhausted face.

"Huff... W-why don’t you... huff... give up, Storm?" Hearing those words, Max trembled with rage.

He couldn’t believe it! How the hell had this guy reached the elevenfold gravity zone when he himself was struggling just to approach the ninefold gravity zone?

Clenching his teeth, Max forced the words out between his heavy breaths.

"Huff... N-never!"

Veyron couldn’t help admiring the young man’s determination inwardly. Not bad. He’s got more resolve than his elder brother, Victor Strom.

Meanwhile, outside the hall, Elder Leo’s excited voice once again rang across the Azure Battle Grounds. "Looks like Max Strom refuses to give up, and Veyron Ignis has no intention of stopping either!"

He paused for dramatic effect before continuing.

"If Veyron manages to reach the twelvefold gravity zone, he will become only the second person in the history of the Outer Court to accomplish such a feat! And if he advances beyond that, he will become the first!"

Leo shook his head in amazement before adding jokingly, "And let’s not forget his cultivation level! It seems we’ve discovered a genuine freak of nature!"

His words drew laughter and cheers from the audience, who wholeheartedly agreed with his assessment.

The two young men had already exceeded everyone’s expectations, and the audience couldn’t help cheering them on as they continued their struggle against the overwhelming pressure.

Meanwhile, Selena watched her youngest brother with a complicated expression.

’It’s alright, little brother. You don’t have to push yourself any further. You’ve already proved to everyone that you’re just as capable as anyone else.’

She couldn’t bear watching Max struggle so desperately. After all, he was the youngest among her siblings, and their entire family doted on him.

In her eyes, Max was even more impressive than her second-youngest brother, Victor, whom she privately considered rather foolish.

Yet, despite her concern for Max, she couldn’t help being impressed by Veyron again and again.

His extraordinary performance continued to captivate her, stirring an unfamiliar feeling within her heart that she couldn’t quite understand.

Back inside the hall, Max finally managed to reach the ninefold gravity zone.

He stood there for a moment, panting heavily as he gathered whatever strength remained in his exhausted body. Then, gritting his teeth, he attempted to take another step toward the tenfold gravity zone.

However, the moment he tried to advance, his legs gave way beneath him. His knees struck the floor.

Max Strom was disqualified.

As Max was disqualified, some of his supporters couldn’t hide their disappointment. Nevertheless, the cheers for him didn’t stop, and his name continued to resound throughout the Azure Battle Grounds as he was teleported out of the hall.

Max still couldn’t believe that he hadn’t even managed to reach the tenfold gravity zone. A sense of shame washed over him as he looked up at the projection and saw Veyron still moving forward.

Just then, he heard his elder sister’s voice in his mind. "It’s alright, little brother. You’ve already proved yourself. Just listen to the audience."

It was Selena, comforting him through voice transmission.

Taking her words to heart, Max focused on the sounds around him. Sure enough, the audience was still cheering for him, and many were calling out his name.

He turned toward his elder sister, who smiled reassuringly at him. Seeing her expression, Max finally felt a little calmer. At least he hadn’t disappointed everyone, even if he hadn’t achieved what he had hoped for.

Meanwhile, Elder Leo’s voice rang out across the Azure Battle Grounds once more.

"With that, we have only one participant remaining in the trial! Now, all we can do is wait and see just how far Veyron Ignis can go!"

High above the grounds, Grand Elders Aveline and Eleanor, along with Xialyn, remained silent. None of them had any attention to spare for anything else.

Their eyes were fixed entirely on Veyron’s movements within the hall.

Another hour passed. And then, Veyron reached the fifteenfold gravity zone!

He had not only become the first person in the history of the Outer Court to surpass the twelvefold gravity zone, but had now advanced all the way to fifteenfold gravity.

The entire Azure Battle Grounds fell silent.

The audience, which had been cheering enthusiastically just moments ago, no longer knew what to say.

They simply stared at the projection in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the feat unfolding before their eyes.

Even Elder Leo, who had been making occasional comments throughout the trial, had grown mostly silent. There were moments when even he couldn’t find the right words to describe what he was witnessing.

Everyone’s attention remained fixed on Veyron.

Blood trickled from his nose and ears, dripping onto the floor alongside the sweat pouring from his body. The immense gravitational pressure had pushed his physical condition to a terrifying point.

There was only one conclusion to draw from his condition.

His body had reached its limit.

Yet, despite the tremendous pressure bearing down upon him, Veyron’s legs still refused to buckle. His unwavering willpower continued to hold him upright, preventing him from collapsing beneath the overwhelming force.

His back had begun to slump, and his entire body trembled with exhaustion. Every movement had become an agonizing struggle, and even remaining standing seemed like an impossible feat.

But Veyron was still there Still standing. Still refusing to surrender.

High above the Azure Battle Grounds, Aveline covered her mouth with one hand as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her heart trembled with pain as she watched her beloved baby push himself to such terrifying limits.

She had never imagined seeing Veyron in such a condition. Every drop of blood and every trembling movement felt like a knife piercing her heart.

She was immensely proud of him, yet watching him suffer so terribly was becoming increasingly unbearable.

"Please, my baby..." she whispered, her voice trembling as she fought back another sob.

**

Thanks for reading...