Cheating the Second Trial

The game continued with Void Slayer losing three more pieces. He couldn't figure out how Leo's pawn was executing so many attacks. Each one of his pawns lost to a different earth attack. The first was an Earth Spike, the second was a Rock Shot, and the third and fourth was Tombstoned after being surrounded.

From the fear of moving his piece and being attacked, Void Slayer chose not to touch his final pawn this turn. He passed, and Leo walked forward and pushed his piece one square at a time.

After not moving for three turns, Void Slayer released his Void Blast, and the attack was three times stronger than the first one after charging for so many turns.

One second after the blast was fired, an earth spike rose underneath the Void Slayer's pawn piercing it, and mere seconds later the Void Blast blew apart Leo's final piece.

Everyone was looking on like the game ended in mutual destruction until the massive Sphinx announced, "The winner is the human."

The entire pack of lions was astonished, and so were the remaining contestants. Void Slayer looked up and said, "Mother, how have I lost? I also destroyed his piece."

"You fell into each one of his traps, and you still don't even know how lost. Let me ask you, how did he attack using so many different spells only being at the Core Builder level?"

When Void Slayer heard the giant lioness ask him that question he felt dumbfounded. He honestly didn't know why. He looked down at the ground, defeated.

"I will tell you. The human filled the board with mana, not the pawns. We have never had a warrior do this before, and as such, there was never a rule against it. He fought like a true earth cultivator."

Void Slayer mumbled, "He used the board to attack me..." He never thought of that, nor did he think that was what was happening. Then that last attack could have been quickly blocked. Void Slayer looked up into Leo's eyes. This man lived up to his expectations after all.

"Mother, I admit my defeat." Void Slayer said sincerely, as he stepped away from the arena and returned to the pack.

The massive Sphinx wasn't even angry at Leo. She just nodded her head in silent approval and Leo returned to Lucy's side. Just like that the first of the seven warriors won the second trial.

Reiner stepped forward, and to everyone's astonishment, he decided to have the Trial of Cooperation. He knew this trial was one which he and another would fight together to determine the victor.

The large lioness asked him to choose his partner. Reiner chose Usdem because he was wounded and wouldn't survive a battle on his own.

A giant arena filled with water appeared, and two boats seemed to be opposite of each other. The Trial of Cooperation would involve two parties battling in the ancient form of water-jousting. One would control the ship with mana while the other fought.

Usdem eyes watered when he realized Reiner did this for him. This powerful man was arrogant and made him question why Adam's blessed children accepted earthlings, but at this moment, he understood. They were brothers in all sense of the word.

Reiner chose to be the fighter while Usdem moved the boat. A beast by the name Grey Skull joined by Red Tide took them on. Grey Skull attacked as soon as the match started. Death mana claw strikes ripped across the water, but with Usdem experience and control of wind, the boat easily dodged the attack.

The Blood Knight counter-attacked. With Usdem controlling the wind to dodge and Reiner attacking with water, the lions' ship was destroyed, and the two beasts lost the Trial of Cooperation.

The next bout didn't go too well, though. The peggian with the missing arm took on the Trial of Strategy after being inspired by Leo. The massive Sphinx added a new rule as in no one could use the board to fight using it. The warrior realized that the weaponless pawns couldn't utilize his ax techniques, and at that moment, he realized he made a mistake taking on this challenge. The lion he faced had a pawn release a soul attack that shattered the peggian's focus and caused him to fall over, unable to finish the game.

Although the warrior was mighty, his race is super weak to mind and spirit attacks. The peggian focus was already split between healing his shoulder and the game. The attack caused an overload of sorts, and the warrior bled to death before everyone.

Some of the final seven tried to step forward to help, but an invisible force kept them from moving. The body disappeared into the void, and the large lioness asked for the next contestant.

The draconian stepped forward, but then Lucy spoke out, "I wish to have a Trial of Knowledge."

Leo looked at her in shock. Why would she choose such a twisted trial? Reiner and the others thought the same thing.

"Fine then, I shall ask you the same question as before." The massive Sphinx paused for a second and then asked, "What is that which has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?"

The entire went quiet as Lucy stood there thinking. Without her even noticing, Lilith's Locket started to glow.

Leo started to think about what the answer would be himself. He was thinking maybe the answer simple.

A voice entered Lucy's head, "the answer is a man." Lucy made a face of disgust. She hated Lilith interfering in her life. She chose to come here to find a way to stop her.

"CHEATER!" A booming voice echoed through the realm. The massive Sphinx was furious. How dare this insect cheat to solve her riddle. She didn't care where this voice came from, but she knew two things about it. One it reminded her of Adam and two it gave her the answer.

Losing control the massive Sphinx tore open space behind her and launched a mana blast at her.

"Lion's Grace!" Moving forward at his fastest speed, Leo's pushed Lucy away at the last moment taking the full brunt of the blast. The Sphinx's mana ripped Leo's body apart and blasted him into the void. The space tear closed, and Leo was gone.