At the base of the mountain they reached a long staircase seeming to reach for the heavens. Brian explained "This test is for your soul. Each step adds a specific amount of pressure on your soul. Walk as far as you can and we will give you an analysis considering your personal situation. So come on get going. Oh right the one who can go the furthest can choose a Early foundation technique from the Library." Brian said as he disappeared. Ryuk eyes had a bright spark run through it.
Ryuk stepped forward first. A large wave of pressure fell onto his soul. Ryuk was able to move onto the next step pretty quickly. Like this Ryuk climbed, but on the 10th step he fell to the ground, but he still climbed. He didnt continue climbing because of the drive for a prize, it was more of his own desire to prove himself now. On the 20th step Ryuk coughed up a mouthful of blood. On the 39th step blood tears emerged. On the 45th step he became unable to breathe. On the 47th step he fainted.
Ryuk woke up in a strange place. He tried to stand up, but realized he didnt have a physical body. He looked around and realized it was his soul sea. Ryuk had never really explored the depths of his soul sea, but when he saw a small tree, a ghostly sword, a dead body, 5 statues of beasts Ryuk knew, and a ring: he obviously found it weird. Ryuk first tried moving to the tree, but felt a repulsion so Ryuk looked at the sword and realized it was his sword intent. Ryuk thought that the dead body was his law of death and the 5 statues his laws of fire, water, metal, earth and wood. Ryuk was thinking about what he should do, but there was only one thought appeared "build". Ryuk was perplexed and said in his head "Build what?" Ryuk felt a spark shoot off in his head. He saw a structure appear in his head it wasnt clear on the details, but the outline was present. Ryuk seemed to have some understanding of what he had to do, but it wasnt enough. Ryuk pondered on for a long time and had some brilliant ideas, but nothing conclusive. Ryuk was exhausted mentally he had thought every kind of idea, but the schematic in his head remained that an ordinary shape without any substance. Ryuk felt that he could build the structure, but his mind kept saying no. Ryuk then thought why not let the river flow and the storm rage. Ryuk let go of all restrictions and simply allowed his instincts to construct the image in his head. At first nothing happened, but slowly a pillar began to form.
The pillar was short, but it seemed to reach for something far away. There were all kinds of mystic and ancient lines all over it. The piller was made of a strange material which contained untamed power, but the tower wasnt finished in construction. Soon another layer covered the original thin piller and another. Soon the piller became like a jade sperating itself from all ordinary things. Ryuk felt a desire to kneel before the pillar. There were constantly large grinding sounds as the pillar was being crafted into something unimaginable. Ryuk looked upon the labyrinth like pillar and finish its construction and then a violent earthquake erupted in his soul. A strange energy that seemed to wish to be with Ryuk came from all over and poured into the pillar. The originally mystical pillar cracked all over and crumbled. Then the dust from the broken pillar shook violently and lifted up and started reforming with the strange energy as its center. The pillar reformed becoming something defiant, something unique, something unyielding something uncontrollable and powerful. Ryuk felt his heart beat violently like a drum as he looked upon the strange yet familiar pillar. The pillar sensing Ryuk cried out like a child greeting its mother. The original emotions the pillar contained resonated with Ryuks own emotions becoming more resplendent and complex. Soon the pillar didnt seem to reach for something above, but call down something.
On the outside after Ryuk collapsed. Thomas, Fiona, Brian and even Goboro came over. "What's wrong with him?" Thomas asked scared. Fiona was in Reverence of Ryuk. Brian was equally as confused as Thomas. Goboro was ecstatic that he was visibly shaking and said "He's a monster! A real god damn monster! His first tribute at such an age." Thomas asked again "What's wrong with him!?" Fiona quickly answered her voice trembling "His soul sea is forming a tribute." As soon as she finished talking something amazing happened. The clear skies darkened and were filled with the roars of thunder. The wind growled like a angry tiger. The lakes and rivers tumbled like large whales. The sturdy buildings shook like mad cows. There were endless Sparks of flames lighting the darkness. "What's going on?" Thomas asked feeling and endless fear engulf him like a ravaging sea. "His tribute isn't an ordinary one. His soul is being reviewed by the heavens." An ancient voice answered. Goboro, Brian, Fiona and Thomas got on their knees quickly and saluted "Greetings sect master!" The sect master seemed to not care and waved his hand. The sect master looked at Ryuk gently as if he looked at his own grandson and then said "Move away! If anyone is present when the heavens descend they will rage killing Ryuk and the rest of us."
Ryuk was feeling the tree desiring to share some of its essence with the pillar, but ultimately it was stopped by the fire law within Ryuk which humbly told it to stay. The fire law bloomed like a lotus and entered the pillar causing loud crackles like millions of fireworks exploding at once. The fire was entered the pillar and Ryuk sensed his south acupoint shake as well as his red base in his dantian. The fire seemed too volatile a element to fuse with the tower and so it seemed on the brink of exploding. Ryuk felt that his life depended on this and immediately used infinite thoughts.
100 years later in infinite thoughts. Ryuk was there experimenting with a blue star throwing it from one hand to another. "The greatest flame is the origin flame. In a sense one could say the entire universe was born from that flame. The closest embodiment of that all encompassing flame is this star. After years of experimenting its done. The path to the origin flame is open to me. Ryuk then commanded the blue star to combust rapidly. The thought he had was engulfed in that blue flame. Back in Ryuks soul sea the previously unstable pillar shone in azure luster becoming sturdy and profound. Ryuk saw the completed pillar and smiled, but Ryuks previous youthful eyes seemed to have aged.
In the real world.
The sect master and the Colored cloaked elders were watching Ryuk. "When is that lightning coming for gods sake? Its already been 5 hours." A dark blue Colored cloaked elder asked. No one answered they simply waited.
The rampant skies and earth shook in fear. Instead of a tribulation lightning something even more mighty and fearsome fell. The sect master didnt understand what was happening, but felt extreme fear. A long river that seemed to contain millions of stars and Galaxy's ran down from the sky. Ryuk was washed in this universal bath. The sturdy pillar shook violently when facing this river, but it held on like a hungry ghost. Finally the universal bath stopped and the previously shaking pillar emitted an endless hunger. It devoured the long river containing the river until none was left. Ryuk felt his soul on the brink of splitting apart the pain was greater than any he had ever felt. Ryuk clenched his fists tightly and grit his teeth the pain caused all of Ryuks organs, muscles, tissues, cells to shake in agony. Finally the pain subsided and Ryuk saw the pillar stand like a flame god in his soul sea shining brightly and proudly.
Ryuk soon woke up. On the long staircase there were 10 people looking at Ryuk in fear including the sect master. "Um... Did I win? Can I have a early foundation technique?" Ryuk asked trying to break the silence. Goboro just gulped and nodded his head.