Chapter 316: A New Record

Zich walked out of the portal and immediately heard a cry of alarm.

The plaza was even more crowded than when he had entered. Those who had been staring at the black stone monument all turned their heads, and the clamor died down the moment they saw him clearly.

Half his clothes were soaked through with blood, his shoulder sagged, and the hand gripping the Frostgrave Scythe was trembling. The light of the teleportation had not yet faded when he stopped at the gate, as though trying to get his bearings.

In truth, his legs simply couldn't hold him up much longer.

"Zich!"

Helen was the first to rush over.

Before he could speak, she had caught him by the arm. Zich instinctively tried to straighten up, but the movement in his shoulder made him suck in a sharp breath.

Helen softened her grip, circled to his other side, and let him lean against her.

"Don't move."

She glanced down at her palm. She had only steadied him once, and her hand was already covered in blood.

"Father!"

Arthur had already reached them, with healers following behind. He took in Zich's injuries, the smile faded from his face, and he raised a hand to clear some space.

"Sit down first."

A chair was brought over. The moment Zich sat down, his grip on the scythe loosened, and Helen caught the weapon in time, placing it where he could reach it with a stretch of his hand.

Someone nearby let out a soft sigh.

"Still just a little short."

"Making it to the thirtieth floor is already..."

"Quiet."

Jayden stood nearby, his expression not looking good. He had originally had a belly full of things to say, but when he saw the wounds on Zich, only that one word remained.

Zich heard his voice and lifted his eyes slightly.

"You got out too?"

Jayden's mouth twitched.

"Got out a long time ago."

He was about to say something else when a commotion suddenly rose from the back of the plaza.

"The monument!"

That shout came out somewhat distorted.

Jayden turned around. His gaze swept to the very top, and the words he was about to say caught in his throat.

Beneath Zich's name, the final evaluation had clearly appeared.

[Thirtieth Floor Trial Evaluation: SS.]

The discussion in the plaza stopped.

Some people tilted their heads back, their mouths still slightly open. Others pushed forward, as if afraid that standing too far away meant they had misread those words.

The person who had said "just a little short" unconsciously shut his mouth, and even his breathing grew softer.

Austin stood to one side of the crowd, his half bandaged arm hanging in front of him, not lowering it for a long time.

He looked at the monument, then at the blood covered youth on the chair, his fist clenched and his eyes bloodshot.

Nadia had already walked closer. When she saw the evaluation, her steps paused, and then she slowly let out a breath.

Zich had really done it.

The first to break the silence, unexpectedly, were the healers.

"Don't lift your shoulder, and let go of your hand first."

Zich looked down at the fist he was still clenching. He tried to loosen it, but his knuckles were stiff and would not obey.

Helen held his wrist and spoke softly, "Stay still. Don't move."

Helen stared at him. Everything she had wanted to say was held back. After a moment, she lowered her head and pressed down the clean cloth the healer handed her.

Her hands were steady, but her voice was not as steady as before.

Arthur walked up to Zich.

He did not rush to ask about the battle. Only after the healers had stopped the worst of the bleeding did he look toward the distant monument.

Twenty years ago, he too had been surrounded by many people like this, gazing at that tower.

Only back then, the final floor had not lit up with a clear evaluation.

"Zich."

Arthur withdrew his gaze and solemnly extended his hand. Then he saw Zich's shoulder and, smiling, placed his hand on the back of the chair instead.

"This handshake, I'll owe you for now."

Zich smiled too.

"All right."

"I passed the twenty ninth floor back then and fell at the final hurdle. That record stood for twenty years, and today someone has finally surpassed it."

Arthur's voice was not loud, but everyone nearby heard him clearly.

"Congratulations. From today on, the record is yours."

Helen lifted her head and saw the undisguised smile on her father's face. At last, she smiled too.

She had originally still been upset about not surpassing her father. But in this moment, watching Zich in so much pain that even sitting upright was difficult, all she wanted was for the healers to be faster.

Cheers finally rose from the crowd.

First from the front row, then even the back of the plaza boiled over. More and more people pushed forward, wanting to clearly see the youth who had fought through the Trial Tower, and the staff had to spread their arms to hold them back.

Zich listened to his own name coming from all directions. Only then did he belatedly look toward the monument.

Inside the tower, all he had cared about was how to survive.

Now, seeing that line of text at the very top, he finally felt a sense of reality.

Jayden stood beside him, also looking at it for a while, and finally said in a low voice, "You really don't leave people any room at all."

"I did."

Zich glanced at his hanging shoulder.

"If you challenge me now, your chances are pretty good."

"Get lost."

Jayden said it, then laughed first, and afterward stepped to the side, blocking those who wanted to crowd over and ask questions again.

After some simple wound treatment, the staff quickly brought over a stretcher. Zich glanced at it, and before he could speak, Helen pressed down on his arm.

"Lie down."

"I just wanted to get my weapon."

Helen paused, bent down to pick up the Frostgrave Scythe, handed it to a staff member nearby, and specifically instructed them to keep it close.

"Now you can."

Zich didn't argue further. Once his body was laid flat, the strength he had been forcing himself to maintain finally gave out. He closed his eyes and only reopened them after the cheers outside gradually faded away behind the door.