944 Training, Trial, and Turmoil
Elysia finally could understand Rhea’s inner desire because Elena’s possessiveness made Rhea jealous. They did need to talk calmly later, but she now needed to cultivate her physical body for the benefit of everyone.
Rhea was the one who would guide Elysia step by step. She was glad because before Elena and Ai came back, it was just Elysia and her.
While Elysia was practising in the time chamber, Ella and Evelyn were going through the registration stage guided by Nell’s little avatar in the form of a small plush doll.
“Alright, that’s all from me. Please prepare yourself physically and mentally before entering the first floor. You can meet me at the rest area on any of the fifth floors.” Nell’s plush doll disappeared into light particles after finishing the short explanation.
“All right, we can do it, Eve.” Ella took out her longsword with a burning passion.
“Well, we need to be able to reach the fifth floor to trade our tower points into something.” Evelyn prepared her daggers.
“Eve, we shouldn’t use our high-rank weapons or artifacts on the early floors. The tower will assess our combat power and adjust the obstacle difficulty accordingly.” Ella reminded Evelyn with concern.
“This is the lowest-rank dagger I have. Lend me your ordinary daggers if you bring one, Ella.” Evelyn checked her Space Bag but couldn’t find any weapon below Spirit rank.
“I only have an ordinary-grade longsword. How about that?” Ella gave her a longsword, then took another one for her.
“Okay, thanks. Let’s enter the first floor now.” Evelyn held the longsword, then put her hand on the gate.
“We open it together.” Ella pushed open the gate with Eve and entered the first floor.
It was a hall with a glowing white floor and pitch-black walls. There was nothing but blue ice steps in the corner.
“There are no enemies?” Evelyn looked around in confusion.
“The trials don’t necessarily involve fighting. This tower of divine angel will test all of your capabilities and qualities. The first floor is the trial of resolve and will. How strong is your determination to become stronger and who are you doing it for? Climb those ice steps and good luck~” Nell’s voice came directly to Ella and Evelyn’s ears.
“Resolve and will… I want to help everyone save the world and lighten the burden that Ely is carrying. I want to reach her one day. And at that time, I can proudly say that we are best friends!” Evelyn rushed to the ice steps and took her first step.
“!?” Evelyn gasped when her consciousness was suddenly pulled somewhere. She then stood there silently as she experienced an event in an imaginary realm.
It was about her first meeting with Elysia at the magic academy. Yet, she was merely a poor girl from the countryside, while Elysia was a kind-hearted girl with royal blood. Elysia was caught in deep trouble, and she tried her best to help Elysia with whatever she could.
Evelyn lived the academy life with Elysia for several days. Still, her resolve had faltered a bit due to several events. She eventually died while protecting Elysia. The first step trial ended, and she got the announcement of success.
A few seconds passed in the tower, but what Evelyn experienced in the imaginary realm felt real. She gasped and held her chest as her consciousness returned to her body. “Gasp! I’m still alive?”
“Eve?” Ella was confused about what Evelyn had just gone through.
“Ella, we need to go up these steps. I will go up first and wait for you on the second floor. Our resolve and will will truly be tested. I died there, but I was declared successful.” Evelyn took a second step, then a third.
She passed each event in imaginary places more easily because her resolve became more vigorous. She was faced with various kinds of events and used her brain to solve them with suitable methods.
“…” Ella immediately stepped onto the first step. Yet, she was declared a failure on the first day of trial at an imaginary place.
*Thud*
Ella was sent to the previous step, falling on her buttocks. She widened her eyes because she remembered what the girls had said about her immature resolve. The Goddess of Nature had warned her before, but the Goddess of Blessings was the one she worshipped. However, her master, the one she had to serve her life, was Elysia!
After being confronted with a bitter event in an imaginary place, Ella climbed the stairs again with renewed determination. This time, she succeeded and immediately caught up with Evelyn.
Elysia and Rhea were practicing while Ella and Evelyn had their trials. The divine group that Lifa led in the outside world was confronted by tragic news in various cities.
“So, they’ve already started their plan huh. It’s not even midnight yet.” Nell muttered softly while gazing at a town that had been reduced to ruins.
“Doll One, go hunt down the remaining Ruvoid Avatar. Send a distress signal to me if you need help.” Lifa folded her thoughts, giving her orders firm and clear.
“Affirmatives.” Doll One tore the void, then went hunting the Ruvoid Avatars.
“Doll One will search for the whereabouts of the remaining six Ruvoid Avatars, and we must quickly purge the demonic undead before Ely returns. This is pure tragedy, and we must end this as soon as possible.” Fortuna informed everyone with concern.
“Yes, we have cleared this town of any undead, but we came too late. The revived heroes of the past have killed all the townspeople.” Sylvia reported the situation down there with a heavy heart.
She and her group had just come to this town a few minutes ago and exterminated all the undead in sight. However, all the townspeople died and became blood sacrifices to strengthen the undead.
‘All right, we deliberately sent Elysia and her master away for training, but they also accelerated their plans. We will scatter across the region to take care of the revived demonic heroes of the past and the accursed. We will trap them in their game.’ Lifa spoke via telepathy to everyone.
‘Yes, we will do as planned.’ Nell nodded in understanding.
‘Scattering individually, huh… I would be worried if it was the previous me, but we now have Elysia’s spirit blessings.’ Fortuna was feeling confident.
‘Yes, our power boss is currently in a dormant state. We can activate it in a moment of urgency and give it a surprise.’ Luna held her upper chest. She felt warmth and power from her spirit connection.
‘I’ve contacted the Emperors, Empresses, and Gods. They are already in battle as we speak now.’ Nell reported the situation after looking at her golden talisman.
‘Then shall we depart now on this three-day mission?’ Yuuki stared at the horizon.
‘We’re leaving now. Please keep in touch via our spirit connection. I have sent details of your coverage area. Please eliminate the undead as soon as possible as the main objective before they get stronger.’ Lifa raised her hand for attention.
‘Undead are relatively easy to exterminate because their resistance to magic isn’t as terrifying as accursed creatures.’ Lynn nodded in understanding.
After everyone agreed to disperse to the world’s various regions, they raised their palms before saying something in unison. “No compromise to the evil and the accursed. Eliminate without mercy.”
*Swoosh*
Everyone flew in different directions. Their task was to assist any territory attacked by the revived heroes of the past and demonic beings or accursed creatures.
Vanessa flew to the Beast Continent, Yuuki to the Beastkin Continent, Luna to the Elven Continent, Lynn to the Fairy Continent, Sylvia to the Devil Continent, Dori to the Aquatic Ocean, and Xentia to the Dwarven Continent. But, Fortuna was assigned to oversee the overall situation.
Nell would stay on the Human Continent, and the others would go with Lifa on the riskiest missions. The Nameless Land, Unknown Continent, Boundless Desert, and Eternal Winter Continent needed to be examined in detail one more time to make sure there weren’t any hidden threats there.
No one could tell why the Ruvoid Avatars pulled the turmoil simultaneously. Still, everyone knew that the Ruvoid Gods wanted Elysia’s divine group to be overwhelmed in the face of the current world’s predicament.
Lifa came up with a plan, and everyone was going to show they were in the opponent’s game.
‘Please stay alert all the time. We will uncover the hidden mysteries within the four forbidden regions.’ Lifa reminded the little calamity beasts beside her.
‘I’m and my brother Cherub are capable.’ Gio thumped his chest with pride.
‘Rawr!’ Cherub roared in telepathy.
‘Good, we accelerate our flying speed there. Someone powerful from the Unknown Continent was watching us just now.’ Lifa noticed an aura spike from the eastern region. She immediately turned around and headed to the Unknown Continent.
Unknown Continent was a floating landmass that frequently moved places due to mysterious underwater energy waves. It was currently located in the northeastern region of the Aquatic Ocean, seven thousand kilometers southeast of the Dwarven Continent.
The vast expanse of forest with unique and eerie flora filled the entire continent. Some strange beasts possessed characteristics similar to the plants, namely having an intimidating aura that looked like a curse.