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Chapter 98: Trials

The roar is so loud that it shook the whole place. The reverberating roar is enough to collapse the whole ceiling if not for the tough foundation of this place.

"What was that?!" I frowned because I can't sense anything ahead of us using my Mana Scan. Everything is blurred out.

"Maybe the guardian of this place?" Maple is also at loss.

"My father said that some sort of guardian was placed in hopes of guarding whatever it was in there. The door will be opened eventually so it is not impossible for a guardian to exist and guard whatever it was," Anya explained, still calm in our situation.

I wanted to find out the enemy as soon as possible and think carefully if we have to retreat or forge ahead. However, my mana scan seems to be not working properly with this some sort of scanning interference. I can only see a deep void in my scan further ahead.

"Can you see anything on your end Kazuma?" Maple asked.

"No. It was very hard for me to depict whatever is hiding in there with this interference."

The roar once again reverberated but this time, it is getting louder and clearer. It is definitely a beast. But even if there is a beast or guardian or whatever it was, we have to forge ahead. We either get the power lurking inside this cavern or we die from the demon assault.

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"Should we press on?" Maple is hesitant.

"We have no choice. We either retreat and die or proceed and find out whatever it was."

I tried to contact Blue in my mind but for some reason, Blue cannot respond. My phone keeps on vibrating and when I looked at it, my phone seems to be getting interfered by some unknown force causing it to work like this. If this is happening, whatever that was, has an ability to cause this strong interference.]

When we step inside the door, Maple and Anya suddenly fell over the ground, even the mimic bracelet fell. From what I can see from them, they are being oppressed by some kind of force, making them fall. The only one unaffected by the phenomenon is me.

"K-kazuma go! Proceed...with care!" Maple said and struggled to overpower the force.

Anya is also gritting her teeth and her wings and tail started to emerge from her body as she also tries to overpower the force. She looked at me and sign to proceed.

I want to help them but then, a voice seems to enter my consciousness.

"Child of man, your trial is about to begin. Whether you pass it and prove your worth or fail is none of our concern. We will be spectators of this trial and will look at whether you are worthy or not. Proceed to the hall alone. Your companions can't enter the holy ground."

I was hesitant to go but I have no choice. I started walking towards the end of the hallway. I still can't see a single thing using my Mana Scan on the place I am heading into. I can only rely on what my senses are telling me.

Arriving in the area, I realized that it was so big that an arena for football tournaments are just small size in this place. It was so big. However, how did they build this area without the ground above collapsing?! The whole place started to brighten up when all the torches placed on the wall ignited one by one spontaneously. It was like entering a dungeon or boss room in a game. When I scan my surroundings, I almost shivered to see 5 monsters staring at me intently. 

Wait for some reason, they seemed to be familiar. The 5 beasts are a white tiger, a vermillion bird that seems to emit flames, a black turtle with a snake tail, an azure dragon, and lastly, a gold dragon with orbs floating around its body. When I tried to jog my memory, the beasts started talking.

"The trials of the celestial beings will now commence. The trial of Byakko will now begin," a figure walks in from the shadows, holding a blue crystal ball that emits weird pull of mana in the surroundings. From the sound of the voice and from the stature of this person, I deduce that it was a small boy.

When I heard the word "Byakko", I quickly remembered what these beasts were. The Celestial Beasts that represent the North, South, East, and West and the very center of the four directions! They also represent the four seasons while the central beast represents the midsummer. Their elements are Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and last is the Earth. If I am not wrong, these beasts are Byakko, Suzaku, Genbu, Seiryuu and the last one is the holy beast Kohryu but they sometimes call it Qilin

The moment the small boy said "trial of Byakko", the surroundings shook and the white tiger which is Byakko roared in the sky. Even though the sky is not present, clouds formed and the thunder roared while the lightning strikes. I already expect it to Byakko since it governs the Lightning Attribute but to see it close, it made me shiver. One strike of that lightning to me and I am toast.

The moment Byakko stood before me and roared, my instinct kicked in.

Dodge!

Without hesitation, I jumped back from my location, and split seconds later, a huge bolt of lightning struck the place I was standing earlier. Before I can comprehend, Byakko raised its paws and slams it in my direction. Without flinching, I rolled and escaped the strike and stood up once again.

Only one thing is certain, this trial is a battle to the death. Defeating Byakko is my only way to proceed and find out the situation. If this trial wants me dead, then I can only fight back. I conjured the flames in my gloves and set the shoes ablaze.

"Come!"

Byakko roared and lunge forward while covered in electricity. Once again, I dodge from the attack. Facing it head-on is suicidal and I am not some maniac who would face it without dodging the attack. When Byakko missed, it didn't stop and look at my direction before firing another lightning strike. I dodge sideways but my sleeve has been burned from the attack.

When everything seems to be fine, Byakko roared while staring in the sky all of a sudden and before I knew it, lightning strikes rained like water in the whole area. One strike from it, and you are dead. I can't dodge something so many like this and I am sure to get beaten up in death with this situation. My only option was to protect myself.

"Domain of Balmung!"