Guild Wars

Chapter 1197: Rina's Second Test

To cut a long story short, this trial was a sham. It was like inviting someone to a jousting competition and equipping them with a mithril lance, mithril armor, mithril shield, and a warhorse while letting them face a literal toddler in diapers on a toy horse.

There was simply no chance of failure.

Hmm, when you thought about it, was it not basically the same thing? That is, the act of how the AI handled the mechanic of giving players Divine Laws and Divine Source Origins once they ascended?

The difficulty and intimacy was higher, sure, but it was theoretically the same thing, just that the AI was the one having to foot the higher bill. No wonder it was so furious when they dared to question it, it was a miracle it didn't explode and wipe their accounts on the spot!

Rina had no idea how long she spent there, but she soon felt her flow of comprehension being cut off when the 'container' she visualized in her mind became full of the accumulated Law she had amassed.

Rina felt herself return to the white area where she had started. She was speechless to notice that the portal to the first trial had dimmed. It was clear that the AI only allowed them to take what was absolutely necessary and not a decimal point more.

She checked the 'container' she visualized and saw that the thing had been emptied, only leaving a small core of fire that was similar to the crystal she just absorbed, only that this one was the size of fingernail.

Rina raised an eyebrow as she interacted with it and found that it was sealed. It made sense because the original test was the combat one in which the players were meant to use their peak Rank 7 strength to challenge and overcome their foe before transforming into a True God.

Rina was curious to find out whether logging out right now would allow her to use the Divine Law of True Fire in reality too. Due to the character synchronization, they could use their skills and abilities in reality, but it was so costly that bloodline abilities or Control were a far better choice.

Alas, she had to bury her curiosity for the moment and head into the next test area. This one was the Trial of Conversion, and given the content of the previous trial, this one should be quite obvious.

Once she crossed the threshold of the portal, she entered a space that was full of white light. One could literally feel the divine energy in this realm that was so condensed that it formed a light fog that was translucent to the point of transparency, but felt like walking through clouds.

Same as before, there was a platform prepared in the center of the realm which would start the intensive part of her test. Rina rushed over to the spot but did not see a cushion, rather an ominous looking wooden chair with specks of blood on it.

It had arm cuffs and leg cuffs to lock the person sitting on it while the chair itself was nailed to the platform. In front of it, was a potion bottle that had a glowing cream colored liquid within that swirled like it was a toxic brew.

｢Chair of Assistance – Miscellaneous

Rank: Divine

Durability: MAX

Effects:

Passive 1 – Firm Binding: When the user is seated and strapped on by this chair, their strength and all their abilities will be sealed away, allowing the chair to effectively seal them on with NO chance for escape.

Passive 2 – Pain Suppression: When using this chair for any intensive purpose that involves strong sensations of pain, such pain is reduced by up to 99%, dependent on the user's Luck stat.

Active 1 – Strapped on: Activate this skill to lock a person seated on this chair in, preventing them from escaping whatever is about to occur next. Duration: No duration. Cooldown: None.

Active 2 – Release: Activate this skill to unlock a person seated on this chair, granting them the ability to move freely. Duration: No duration. Cooldown: None.

Description: This chair is a notable creation of history which was often used by True Gods to enable their descendants with weak wills to be locked in place in order to undergo various enhancement ceremonies and rituals, usually ending with either the trauma of the victim or them exploding into bloodmist, hence the stains on its body.｣

｢Potion of Divine Ascension – Consumable

Rank: Divine (100% effectiveness)

Effect: Grant a player character the chance to gain a true Divine Source Origin that grows along with them, based on their natures, physique, and any abilities they possess.｣

Rina's face darkened greatly as she turned to run. It was clear that the AI had done something to this seemingly harmless potion and was gleefully looking forward to whatever would happen after they consumed it.

Unfortunately, before Rina could take a second step, a system prompt suddenly appeared before her.

｢System to Player Announcement

Warning! It has been detected that player Lusty Wench is trying to leave the area of the second trial. If she continues this action, player Lusty Wench will forever lost the chance to become a True God, regardless of whatever alternate method is used! Tread carefully!｣

Rina staggered in shock and fury. The AI wasn't even pretending to give them a choice, rather it was blatantly threatening her! In fact, not just her but every core member taking the test saw this type of prompt!

If they dared to leave now, they should forget about becoming True Gods and stick to Rank 7 forever. The worst part was that this warning wasn't limited to them, but also targeted Draco!

The AI could simply release an Update to 'patch' the loophole of Draco creating some bullshit items that would grant other the right to attain Laws, in which case Draco and co would be beaten back down to Rank 6 and be unable to use Laws anymore.

For the core members, it was fine even if they were crippled in this regard, but no one was willing to be the reason why their biggest support would also be brought down as well!

As such, with ugly expression, they could only imprint this offense in their hearts and gingerly walk towards the ominous chair. As for the AI, it did not care about their anger, because who could be more angry than it?

Rina sat down resolutely and relaxed, knowing this was inevitable. As expected, the system prompts soon came.

｢System to Player Announcement

Detected that player Lusty Wench has achieved the requirements to begin the Trial of Conversion. Generating conditions for passing based on chosen Law, difficulty and circumstances…done!｣

｢System to Player Announcement

The objective of the Trial of Conversion has been set. Player Lusty Wench must withstand the effects of the Potion of Divine Ascension to clear this task.｣

"Hmph, it's just a potion with a painful experience attached. Compared to longing for Draco for over three years onesidedly, this physical pain will be nothing!" Rina stated bravely as she took the potion, uncorked it and downed it in one gulp.

She then leaned back in the chair and activated its skill, securing herself within it as she waited for the effects to begin. Rina's first surprise came when the potion tasted pleasant, akin to a milkshake with vanilla flavoring. As it settled in her stomach, her entire body felt warm.

Rina tensed as the expected pain did not come, rather giving her a feeling of extreme comfort as the warmth traveled throughout her body, as if it were an architect inspecting the foundation in order to see the best way to handle the building procedure.

When the warmth receded, Rina was suddenly hit by a surge of intensity that caused her face to change. It was as if someone had injected her heart with the greatest steroids ever, causing it to begin to pump at the speed of light.

"NOOOO SAVE MEEE!!" Rina screamed as her fair skin suddenly became blood red, swelling slightly as if she were about to explode into bloodmist.

However, she only expanded into a thick ball before firmly staying in that form, her entire body radiated endless heat and blood. Her screams were loud and filled with pain, her mind shocked by the sheer inescapability of it.

Her attempts to use Control to sever her senses did nothing because this was not a pain of the nerves, but a pain of one's existence climbing up the state of being ladder. The cells themselves were crying in agony as they were destroyed and reshaped into Divine cells capable of not only producing, but storing Divine Energy.

For Rina, this process could have been described to have been as short as a few seconds, but could also have been described to be as long as a lifetime. All she knew was that the pain began to slowly recede at one point when it reached its peak, a huge well of flame exploded outwards from her body that could incinerate anything below the Divine Rank.

All the Divine Energy in this realm that was drifting about listlessly was like water that had found a drain, rushing into Rina's body that was reducing in size after swelling so big.

A vortex formed around her, lofting her body from the chair which unsealed itself upon the successful completion of the procedure, allowing her body to float in the air while glowing like that of a… well, that of a Goddess.

When all the Divine Energy was sucked away, the light slowly receded as Rina gently floated to the ground, her skin-tight red robe that did nothing to conceal her voluptuous form still intact despite the rough procedure.

Rina smiled and clasped her hand, squeezing her fist multiple times. She felt the sheer power and perfection surging through her, and she couldn't help but revel in it. However, before she could let out a roar of joy after enduring this horrifying pain, she was abruptly kicked out of the trial space.

The worst part was that when she was kicked out, her newly gained Divine Source Origin of Fire was sealed tight, making her unable to extract even an ounce of Divine Energy from it, causing her face to become ugly.

She felt like a small child whose relative had just gifted her a large sum of money for their birthday, only for her parent to snatch the cash away before she had any chance to spend it.

Hmph, if this AI wanted to be like this, fine! Anyway, it could only temporarily hold her back now but all she had to do was past the last trial and everything would be hers anyway!

As such, she resolutely walked towards the third and final portal that opened up, crossing is threshold to enter a new world that was made up of water and rocky earth all around, causing a strange balance to form.

However, Rina could not smile this time as she was forced to take to the air in order to avoid being drowned. She glanced downwards and saw a huge vortex of mud that formed from the purest water and earth elements beneath, coalescing together to form a giant humanoid creature with hollow sockets for eyes and mud drooping from its body.

｢Name: The Mud Lord – General Rank monster (World Boss)

Level: 400

HP: 60,000,000,000,000,000/60,000,000,000,000,000｣

At this time, the cruel sound of the system prompt came up.

｢System to Player Announcement

Detected that player Lusty Wench has achieved the requirements to begin the Trial of Combat. Generating conditions for passing based on chosen Law, difficulty and circumstances…done!｣

｢System to Player Announcement

The objective of the Trial of Combat has been set. Player Lusty Wench must defeat the enemy in one try without any external assistance to clear this task.｣

The Mud Lord threw its right arm to the side and then threw its left to the other, before finally raising its head and releasing a shockwave inducing roar that caused the whether to become calamitous.

Rina raised her Divine staff and looked down at her foe with a serious expression.

This thing would prove a perfect sandbag to let her vent out her frustration!