Chapter 260 : Ragnarok (6)
Chapter 260: Ragnarok (6)
♠ ◆ ♥ ♣
The first trial was finally over.
The participants had gone through a total of five tests, and NOX took first place in three of them while suffering defeat in the other two.
"It’s not exactly a pleasant feeling."
"Still, it was a rare experience. So this is what death feels like."
Following Carl and Queen, even Second, who went third, had secured first place, but Gallon For and Six, who went fourth and fifth respectively, were killed by demons from the Demon Realm faction.
It seemed too early to reveal their full power during the first trial, with many more trials still ahead.
Moreover, someone had to test what would happen upon death, so they had volunteered to play that role.
"Doesn’t look like anything’s changed."
"Right? I thought dying once and coming back would leave some kind of mark."
Other NOX executives examined the two’s bodies thoroughly.
Even if it was called a trial of Ragnarok, it still meant experiencing actual death once.
Therefore, they had expected some kind of aftereffect or change, but Gallon For and Six appeared just as they had before the trial.
"Then death could be used as part of a strategy. Not a bad method."
Queen gave a short nod and looked at the scoreboard.
[1. NOX +35]
[2. Alokes +25]
[3. Holy Church +20]
.
.
.
Having taken first place in the fourth and fifth trials, the Demon Realm faction Alokes had earned second place, trailing by just 10 points.
Though no one knew what form the next trial would take, taking an early lead held significant meaning.
"…Master?"
Queen set off to report her findings to Carl.
After all the trials ended, he had suddenly vanished during the waiting period.
Wondering where he’d gone, she walked deeper into the corridor and found him brushing his hand along a wall.
Carl gestured for silence and slowly sent the flow of his divine art’s energy into the inner wall.
‘It’s only natural to prepare for the worst-case scenario.’
Carl was trying to find a way out of this place without drawing attention.
What if the seat of the Demigod was taken by another faction, and NOX stood on the brink of annihilation?
What if Ragnarok’s laws and rules collapsed in an instant?
They could end up trapped in this space, facing inevitable death or an unending cycle of death like now.
Carl himself was confident he could respond to any situation, but it would be impossible for NOX and the other humans from different factions.
For such a case, he needed a way to break through this place…
—What are you doing right now?
"…"
At the sound from above, Carl glanced up.
At some point, the Fairy King Mabel had approached, staring at him with sharp eyes.
"…The construction of this corridor fascinated me. The material doesn’t seem to exist in the Middle Realm."
—If you’re even thinking of interfering with the ritual, stop. If such an act is discovered, a heavy penalty will be imposed. In the worst-case scenario, your qualification to participate in Ragnarok could be revoked.
"I had no such intention."
Carl shrugged and pulled his hand away from the wall.
He hadn’t meant to interfere with Ragnarok.
He was merely trying to channel energy through the wall to find a path that connected to reality.
‘Even if it’s a sealed dimensional rift, it can’t be completely isolated.’
There had to be a passage or door leading back to reality.
At the very least, knowing its location was necessary in case something happened.
…Or perhaps leave a marker so that "they" on the other side could recognize this place.
‘I’ve already marked it for now.’
The concept of a ‘dimension’ was too unfamiliar for most people, so he couldn’t be certain.
Still, for now, he had no choice but to trust those waiting on the outside.
"More importantly, I’m curious about the next trial."
—It will be announced in five minutes. Please wait until then.
With a transparent gaze, the Fairy King Mabel looked at him, then vanished as if fading away.
Carl, who had been watching him, sent a voice transmission to Queen nearby.
—Queen, it seems the entire corridor is within their domain.
—You didn’t sense his presence at all?
—No. I failed to detect any sign of his approach. Unlike the lodging area, in the corridor, they seem able to sense everything without showing themselves.
"Let’s go back. The others are probably waiting."
"Yes, I’m curious what the next trial will be. It won’t be as simple as the first one."
—From now on, relay that all important conversations should be done through voice transmission. Most of NOX’s members have resistance to mental interference, so their thoughts won’t be read.
To begin with, NOX operatives had been subjected to powerful brainwashing and suggestions to prevent betrayal against Carl.
Moreover, the executive level had long been protected by the Soul-Seizing Technique, rendering most mental magic ineffective.
The only variable was that the opponent was someone like the Fairy King, but even so, if any mental interference occurred, Carl would not fail to detect it.
—Everyone, please gather in the Central Corridor. The theme of the second trial will now be announced.
As foretold, the Fairy King Mabel announced the theme of the next trial five minutes later.
After confirming that all participants had appeared, he gave a short nod and continued speaking.
—The second trial is the Proof of Wisdom. Each faction must select three participants for this trial.
Following the Proof of Qualification came the Proof of Wisdom.
While the other factions were selecting their participants, a heated discussion also broke out within NOX.
“Since wisdom is covered by the Master alone, I think the remaining spots should go to the strongest.”
“Relying on sheer strength will be problematic. We need someone capable of responding organically in various situations.”
“Plus, we should consider compatibility with the Master as well.”
The other executives objected to Second’s proposal.
If strength was the sole measure, Queen and Second would surely be chosen.
However, the name of this trial was ‘Proof of Wisdom’.
If brute strength was enough, the trial wouldn’t have been structured this way.
Carl, who had been thinking the same, looked at the executives and made his choice.
“Let’s go with Gallon and Six.”
“Okay!”
“A wise decision indeed.”
“……”
The two selected clenched their fists with determination, while the others stepped back with regretful expressions.
Carl’s decisions within NOX were absolute, so no objections followed.
“Queen.”
“Yes. I’ll keep a close eye on things.”
There was a clear reason why Queen and Second were left behind.
Queen possessed the judgment to lead NOX in Carl’s stead, and Second was currently the strongest asset aside from the King.
Even if something happened while they were taking the trial, those two would be more than capable of handling it.
—All participants from each faction have been confirmed. I will now explain the rules of the trial.
Pop.
An image was projected into the air.
Pointing at it, the Fairy King Mabel continued his emotionless explanation.
—Each faction will be summoned at a random location. The map is a massive labyrinth implemented in this space, filled with traps and monsters in each section.
Carl stroked his chin as he looked over the shape of the labyrinth.
For some reason, the structure reminded him of the entrance exam held at the Bayern Academy.
—By defeating monsters or overcoming traps, you can acquire ‘Orbs’. Orbs serve as currency within the labyrinth and are also converted into points based on how many you possess upon reaching the destination.
Orbs.
They were small marbles about the size of a fingernail.
Blue ones were worth 1 point.
Red ones were worth 5 points, and gold ones held a value of 10 points.
—Combat within the labyrinth is unrestricted. You may plunder or transfer orbs from other factions. In short, as long as you remain inside the labyrinth, everything is permitted. The trial will run for 72 hours from the start. Now, let the test begin.
Pop─!
Once again, a blinding flash of light flickered.
As Carl slowly lifted his head, he saw a towering stone wall that seemed to reach the ceiling.
“This really is a labyrinth. Master, what should we do?”
Gallon For, knocking on the stone wall with the back of his hand, asked, and Carl lightly clenched his fist.
“Both of you, step back for a moment.”
“Okay.”
“Yes.”
As Gallon and Six retreated, Carl slammed his fist into the wall with full force.
Kwaaaang─!
A massive shockwave echoed through the labyrinth along with a deafening noise.
The twisted terrain seemed to amplify the sound even more.
“…Not a single mark?”
Gallon looked at the wall Carl had struck with curiosity.
It had been a blow strong enough to bring down most buildings in one hit.
Yet the wall had neither a crack nor even a dent from the punch.
Shaking off his hand lightly, Carl clicked his tongue and said,
“It’s the same setup as the corridors of Ragnarok. Looks like it can’t be destroyed with physical force.”
“So in other words, breaking through the walls isn’t an option.”
Given it was a labyrinth-style trial, that much was obvious.
Since the rules forbade jumping over walls or leaving the labyrinth, it was natural to consider breaking them as a possible strategy.
But it seemed that had already been accounted for, and the walls were completely intact.
“Let’s move. Six, can you mark our path?”
“Yes. I’ll begin recording from this starting point.”
The most dangerous part of a labyrinth was losing one’s way.
Of course, someone of Carl’s level could sense the path with intuition alone, but things would get annoying if the other side tried anything tricky.
However, with Six’s Heavenly Silk, the thread wouldn’t easily break and would mark the path they’d taken.
Srrk.
The unspooled thread clung to the wall, marking their route.
Soon, led by Carl, they began moving deeper into the labyrinth.
There was no reason to stroll leisurely, so all of them kicked off the ground and charged forward.
“Master, I sense a presence up ahead.”
“Let’s take it down. I want to confirm what this ‘Orb’ really is.”
“Okay.”
Pop!
With enthusiasm, Gallon dashed forward.
What appeared in front of them was a humanoid monster.
Distortions riddled its form, causing its body to continuously crumble and fall apart.
It looked grotesque at a glance, but Gallon didn’t care and threw a punch.
Splat!
His fist, infused with pure divine power, crushed the monster instantly.
Brushing off the flesh with his words, Gallon soon found a small blue orb buried within.
“So this is it. Blue’s worth 1 point, right?”
“……”
However, Carl was more focused on the monster Gallon had defeated than the orb.
Despite its body being scattered flesh, distortions still clung to parts of it.
As if it were something that should not exist.
“A grotesque form. I don’t think such things exist on the continent. Was it brought in from another dimension?”
“…No.”
At Six’s words, Carl shook his head.
The moment he infused it with his inner energy and activated the Soul-Seizing Technique, he understood what the monster was.
“It’s a human who participated in a previous Ragnarok. Must’ve been trapped here in the labyrinth and turned into that.”