Capítulo 11: A not so warm welcome
In the midst of this distant and enigmatic chamber, cloaked in darkness and exuding an undeniable aura of power, a feminine voice reverberated, "Mistress, something unexpected has occurred."
In response, a more seductive and alluring feminine voice inquired, "What is it?" The first voice replied, "Allow me to show you so you can decide what to do." With those words, the individual with the first voice presented a crystal ball to the mistress.
Peering into the crystal ball, the mistress beheld Tom traversing through a corridor entirely made of ether. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Oh... a descendant of Mael Black."
The servant's voice echoed as she asked, "What kind of zone should I assign him?" The mistress, whose curiosity had been piqued, calmly replied, "Assign him a zone of calamity level."
The servant was taken aback and fearful, exclaiming, "M-Mistress, a zone of calamity level, isn't that too cruel?" The mistress responded, "Do it and don't worry about him. Besides, a calamity level zone is indeed almost impossible to complete, but you shouldn't forget that the rewards are greater than those in lower-level zones."
The servant's voice still held uncertainty as she continued, "Nevertheless, it's still..." but before she could finish, she was interrupted by her mistress. "As I told you, don't worry about him. Moreover, he possesses 'that,' so he should be fine. And if he fails, then so be it," the mistress said.
"I will do as you say, Mistress," the servant replied, finally accepting her orders.
***
Back in the world of the Trial of Power, Tom found himself traversing through a peculiar and otherworldly landscape. The environment shifted around him, transforming from serene meadows to daunting mountain ranges. Each step he took felt like stepping into a new dimension. He knew that the trials he would face here would not be ordinary by any means.
As he reached the end of the tunnel, he was assaulted by a blinding white light that forced him to shield his eyes. After a few seconds, he cautiously opened his eyes and found himself in a dense forest with towering trees. The forest exuded an eerie darkness due to the tall trees blocking the light from the stars and moon.
It took him a few minutes to adjust to the darkness, and once he did, he realized it was nighttime in the forest. This phenomenon was entirely normal as time in the Trial's world passed more rapidly than the outside world. A decade here could equate to just one year in the normal world, and the difference in time varied depending on the zone.
As he scanned his surroundings, Tom couldn't see far ahead due to the dense forest. He thought to himself, 'I must find a relatively safe spot to concentrate and check the status of my first seal.'
He walked in a random direction for a few minutes, but then an uneasy feeling washed over him. He thought, 'There's something odd about this forest. It's not just the darkness; it's too quiet. There should be sounds of wildlife, but there's nothing.'
He scanned his environment once more but found nothing suspicious. Deciding to head towards a nearby mountain, he thought, 'Perhaps I can find a cave or something up there.'
Approaching the mountain, he noticed a cave entrance and thought to explore it. But before he could take a step forward, he sensed something behind him. Without hesitation, he swiftly dove to his right, narrowly avoiding a strike aimed at him. He managed to escape with just a scratch on his arm, but his heart was racing.
He glanced at were he was standing and to his astonishment, a massive creature stood before him. It closely resembled a monkey, but its size was monstrous, standing three meters tall and a meter wide. Its claws were incredibly sharp, each fifteen centimeters long, and its mouth bore two long fangs that extended past its chin. The creature's ferocious gaze and extended claws sent shivers down Tom's spine.
'If I hadn't moved in time, I'd be...', Tom couldn't even bear to think about the potential outcome.
'If I don't act carefully, I'm in grave danger,' he thought, trying to maintain his composure.
The creature let out a mocking cry, and Tom knew he had to stay focused. He considered escaping but decided against it, realizing that the creature was likely much faster than him. As it lunged at him again, he swiftly blocked its claws with his sword, but the impact sent him flying into a nearby tree. Tom collided with the tree and felt pain like he had never experienced before. Every part of his body ached, and blood trickled from his mouth.
As he pulled himself away from the tree, he struggled to catch his breath. 'what the fuck is this strength?," he thought, realizing he was up against an incredibly dangerous foe.
As Tom regained his composure, he knew that he couldn't afford to back down. 'I need to focus and find a weakness,' he thought, gripping his sword tightly.
As he analyzed the lasts two strikes of the creature's he noticed that it was heavily reliant on its speed and claws.
'If I can somehow slow it down or disable its claws, I might have a chance, he strategized, trying to stay calm amidst the adrenaline rushing through his veins.
The massive creature charged again, its claws slashing through the air. This time, Tom anticipated the attack and swiftly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike. As he evaded, he made a mental note of the creature's agility and how it used its claws to maintain balance. 'Its claws seem crucial for stability,' he observed.
Seizing the opportunity, Tom lunged forward, aiming a quick, but powerful thrust at one of the creature's claws. He managed to graze the claw, causing it to twitch momentarily. 'It's not enough,' he realized, 'but at least I know it's susceptible to attacks on its claws.'
The creature let out a growl of irritation, and Tom knew that he needed to be cautious. He couldn't afford to underestimate this adversary.
'I have to be patient and wait for the right moment,' he thought, taking a defensive stance.
As the creature lunged again, Tom parried its claws with his sword, but this time, he also attempted a swift kick aimed at its other claw. The creature anticipated the move and swiftly retracted its claw, avoiding the kick. However, this allowed Tom to land a blow on its leg, causing the creature to stumble slightly.
'I can use its predictability against it,' Tom realized, feeling a glimmer of hope.
The fight continued with Tom evading the creature's attacks and delivering calculated strikes. He focused on weakening its claws and disrupting its balance whenever he got the chance.
'I can't afford to make any mistakes,' he reminded himself, knowing that one wrong move could be fatal.
As the minutes turned into what felt like hours, Tom's body was covered in sweat and his muscles screamed in fatigue. But he refused to give in. 'I have to keep going,' he thought, "I will die if this creature defeat me."
Finally, an opportunity presented itself. The creature lunged forward with both claws extended, but this time, Tom managed to sidestep quickly and deliver a powerful, precise strike to its midsection. The blade of his sword bit deep into the creature's flesh, and it let out a howl of pain.
As the creature staggered back, Tom felt a surge of determination. 'I can do this,' he thought, 'I just need to keep pressing.'
With renewed vigor, he continued to attack, focusing on its injured midsection and weakening claws. Despite the pain and exhaustion, Tom's resolve remained unshaken. He refused to back down, knowing that he had to prevail.
After what felt like an eternity, the creature's movements slowed, and it became evident that it was struggling to keep up the fight. Tom saw his chance and delivered a final, powerful blow to one of its claws, disabling it completely.
With one of its main weapons disabled and its strength waning, the creature was now vulnerable. Tom took a deep breath and lunged forward, aiming for its weakened midsection. His sword found its mark, and the creature let out a final cry before collapsing to the ground.
Tom stood there, panting and covered in sweat, as the adrenaline finally began to subside. 'I did it,' he thought,
'I survived.'
As he looked down at the defeated creature, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, As the sense of accomplishment washed over him, Tom couldn't ignore the immense fatigue enveloping his body.
The adrenaline that fueled his fight was now wearing off, and the pain from the injuries he sustained began to intensify. He could feel the weight of that single strike he took during the intense battle. He thought 'just one strike managed to get me to this state, how strong was that thing ?'.
With each step, he felt the weariness in his limbs, nevertheless, he mustered enough strength to approach the cave.
As he approached the cave his eyes gleamed with determination as he thought ' it's time to know what the fuck is going on that time manipulation thing'
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder