398 - 404

Chapter 398 - He Has Suffered A Loss?!

The second trial zone seemed easier than the first as the contestants only have to cross the trial region. There was no cringy illusion or pain-inducing memories, unlike the first trial. Furthermore, there was no life and death crisis as long as one doesn't confront the alien inhabitants.

Despite such lucrative features of the trial, almost fifty have contestants died so far.

The alien inhabitants in the area refused to give up without going all out. After all, losing Life Source Shard would not only result in their own death but also reduce the chances of having any future posterity. This was a fight to save themselves from extinction! Naturally, it resulted in the brutal deaths of their opponents.

In various areas of the crystal world, as contestants saw fellow companions dying, their desire for shards didn't reduce. And neither did they back away in fright!

The path of evolution was fraught with risks. Death was possible at every step. This was especially true for meteorites that offered priceless good fortune!

When the contestants arrived in the core region, they had already shown their determination to face the risks and advance further. The world of crystals was only a mean of proving it.

...

Throughout the trial zone, many geniuses showed their potential as they collected Life Source Shards. Given their young age, their performance was truly extraordinary.

But if the geniuses have to pick one member out of them for top performance, they would grudgingly pick Alistair - A Chosen!

Yes, he performed a bit lower than Sophia and Zed in the first trial, but the confidence people held on him didn't waver. After all, the first round was strange and didn't really check strength.

Presently, Alistair was literally in the form of a bottomless swamp as he faced five aliens. Misty liquid dripped off him as he expanded his swamp-like body to envelop the aliens.

The aliens retaliated with fierce attacks, but sadly, those attacks proved useless.

As his body was made of a swamp, the attacks either passed right through him, or, they didn't create any damage as he could recover with new portions. The few wounds the aliens created were quickly filled with more swamp liquid.

It was a truly desperate situation for them!

The aliens let out miserable screams as the swamp enveloped them with terrifying devouring force. The more they tried to resist, the further they sank into the swamp.

In less than a minute, they died from choking on the poisonous swamp liquid. The moment they died, crimson shards stabbed out of their chests.

Behind Alistair, three mutants looked at him with awe and respect.

"So powerful!"

"The aliens were completely defenseless against him!"

"Combined with the previous shards he gained, he has over forty of them!"

The three mutants were all praises for their idol with no traces of greed or envy.

Alistair ignored their praises and moved to another area to find more shards. He was a Chosen and using the time to its full potential was his motto.

"He isn't even taking a moment's rest!"

The three mutants muttered to each other while following Alistair.

"As expected of Chosen!"

"No wonder! Only someone like him could explore SA-102 meteorite!"

SA-102 meteorite was a fragment of Celestial Elysian Plane.

SA-102 was only a classification name given by the government just like BSE79 in Delta City. Most people called SA-102 as Primordial Enchantress Realm.

It was situated outside the State of Avalon.

...

In another part of the trial zone.

Leonardo aimed his mechanical arm at a crystalline tower-like structure. With a muffled sound, the mechanical palm opened to reveal a nuzzle.

Swoosh~!

Red light splashed out of the nuzzle and boomed into a distance, leaving behind ripples of destruction.

An alien inside the crystalline tower cried as the red light slammed forward. With cracking sounds, the alien exploded into pieces of crystals.

Leonardo slowly arrived in front of those pieces. As he arrived, the hand portion of the mechanical portion transformed. Instead of fingers, there were wires that stretched to the ground and grabbed a red shard.

"31 shards!"

Leonardo laughed while patting his belly with another hand.

...

In another region.

Kieron masked his presence and arrived behind an alien without making any sound. Black thread whipped out of his sleeves which quickly wrapped around the neck of the alien. The moment the alien realized the crisis and began to resist, Kieron pulled the threads tightly, strangling the alien.

"These aliens are so weak!" Kieron snorted coldly before grabbing the crimson shard.

As the black threads retraced back to his sleeve, he wondered about the cheating punk named Zed. A sinister smile appeared on his face as he imagined how Zed would struggle when the threads strangle him.

...

Almost every contestant, either in group or solo, was fighting for shards. The only exception to this was Zed and his companions. Their aim was only to cross the region and pass the trial.

Sophia glanced at Zed as they speeded on the frosty ground. He was enveloped into a column of fire as he ran alongside her and others.

"You are truly different," Sophia's body was wrapped in energy streams as she dashed forward. "No one could have done what you did."

Zed listened to her words without saying anything.

Jenina nodded in agreement and added, "To even give your rewards for saving some aliens... calling you strange and kind would be an understatement!"

"Kind?" Zed couldn't help but smile. "You use that word rather freely."

"What do you mean?" Jenina asked in puzzlement.

"I believe a kind person is someone who can be generous even at own cost," Zed replied with a smile. "So, how can giving away my rewards or saving those aliens be considered an act of kindness when it didn't cost me anything?"

Was there anything he lacked after doing the things he has done?

No.

It might have resulted in a loss of some resources, but for him, that was nothing. He neither lacked resources nor money so giving away a few explosives was nothing.

As for rewards beads... they existed for selecting items from the treasury vault located at the end of central zone.

But did he really want those beads to get some priceless treasures?

No.

He has pretty much every materialistic treasure he ever needed or wanted thanks to BSE79. Dream Rise House and the underground sections didn't lack anything.

Besides, if he truly lacked anything, his alter ego could always 'borrow' from kind patrons. That's how he met his demand whenever he wanted drugs and high-tech gadgets for research.

Sophia listened to his answer and a radiant smile blossomed on her cute face.

"Mom was right! A truly kind person neither advertise nor seek praises for acts of kindness!" Sophia thought with veneration.

"And there is that shameless villain... he committed immoral acts while acting as if he was kind and generous!"

Sophia recalled the robbery carried out by Kiba outside a cave in Desolate Blood Forest.

He has pretended to be a part of some fictional department of the World Government known as Anti-theft Department.

He basically carried out a daylight robbery by stealing everything from the people. Furthermore, he labeled the robbery as protecting innocent people from the eyes of thieves!!

After all, if the people lacked any valuables then criminal elements would have no reason to act. He even declared that he was ready to take all risks if it meant protecting innocents!

"That villain would label even his shameless acts as something moralistic! Then there is Zed... he doesn't take credit for real good acts!"

Sophia clenched her fists tightly as she compared extreme evil with extreme good. Her desire to teach that scoundrel a lesson amplified.

...

Two hours later.

Zed and others reached the end of trial zone. In front of them was a wall of crystals, stretching right up to the sky.

Zed touched the surface of the wall. A cold sensation engulfed his body and he was sucked right into the wall. The moment he disappeared, the only Life Source Shard he found faded, and a small bead appeared on his right wrist.

Sophia and others also pressed on the wall to leave the trial zone.

In just a blink of an eye, they arrived back into the hall.

"Isn't that the number one guy from the first trial?"

A young mutant pointed to Zed just as he appeared. This youth has quickly crossed the trial zone as he didn't have any confidence in winning against those aliens.

"Yes! It is him!" Another person identified.

There were many youths who have left the trial zone sooner as they didn't want to suffer under the hands of those aliens. Very few of them actually got a bead or two from the trial.

"How many beads he got?"

Every pair of eyes in the hall locked onto his wrist. As they counted the beads, they were shell-shocked. Not believing the number of beads, they rubbed their eyes to see again but the number remained same.

"His beads have reduced!?"

"Yes! I'm seeing that as well!"

"Earlier he has over a hundred beads but now only about fifty!"

"Instead of increasing beads... his beads reduced?!"

"How is this possible!?"

"That could only mean one thing!"

"What?"

"He used the special function of the beads to protect himself!"

"Right! You can use beads to avoid danger as well!"

"But he lost so many!"

Everyone in the hall broke out into discussions. The discussions were not only loud but also rude and abusive. Everyone began taking pleasure at Zed's plight .

This was especially true when the geniuses with great achievements arrived in the hall.

Chapter 399 - An Ancient Door!

Everyone in the hall was naturally impressed with the performance of Alistair, Leonardo, and other top geniuses. The underlings of Alistair and Leonardo were especially vocal in expressing their excitement. It was like it was them who have achieved those reward beads instead of Alistair and Leonardo.

"They are true geniuses!"

People commented while glancing at Zed.

"Not like certain someone who was at the top in the first trial!"

"Indeed! Everyone here has either gained beads, or at least they remained same... unlike certain loser!"

"What can you expect from a slum dweller?"

"Haha, right!"

"Those slum dwellers are only good at begging!"

"Poor guy! He couldn't have begged with those aliens!"

As Sophia listened to these mocking comments, her face turned red with fury. She wanted to tell them the truth about why he lost the beads but she didn't. After all, no one would truly believe her explanation, and even if they did, it would only lead to more abusive remarks.

Kindness and empathy for alien beings was not really a virtue.

Sophia eyed the verbal abusers and took a deep breath of air. If it was some other time, she would have used her fists to make them silent, but not now. She has witnessed how strictly the rule of protection was enforced in the trial areas. Attacking them would only result in her own demise.

Sophia swept her eyes on Zed and wondered if he knew of some loophole which she could exploit. She really wanted to teach those guys a lesson.

Some hundred meters away, Kieron glanced at Zed. When he learned of latter's lose, the corners of his mouth raised up in a mocking grin.

"He must be truly weak!"

Kieron thought coldly.

"Will is useless in the main trials! Only strength and bloodline matters!"

Keiron looked forward to the upcoming trials. He wanted to showcase this cheater what it means to be powerful.

The abuse and mocking remarks continued, but the target of those remarks remained seated with a calm expression.

"So many bad sons... how would their mothers feel if they knew just how abusive their sons were?"

Zed thought with an inaudible sigh. This sigh was for the poor mothers who had such bad sons. Imagining their unhappy state, a surge of determination swept throughout his body. He has to do something for the greater good!

"I need to establish a new company for the happiness of mothers around the globe."

He started thinking of a list of possible names for his new corporation.

As for its aim and vision, he wanted it to be on similar lines to Wife Pleasuring Service Pvt. Ltd, Maiden's Love Circle, Mistress' Massgae Center, Naughty Bunny Corporation and other non-profit companies he owned.

All he wanted was to spread happiness.

Profit was never his motto.

If anything, for the well-being of mothers around the globe, he didn't mind suffering a loss. He was ready to pay from his own pockets.

"Maybe I can have a tie-up with schools? Schools especially elementary schools are the best places for seducing hot moms who are new to their role... No, I mean the best place to teach manners to young children!"

Manners were something that can be learned best at a young age! This was something that most mothers were worried about! After all, when children are young, the new mothers are practically clueless about upbringing especially if it was the first child!

As he thought of this, a smile that was unique to his alter ego appeared on his face. Slowly a plan formed into his mind.

If things went as per what he wanted, he can really turn many sons into Good Sons from a very young age!

"Some of those guys must have sisters as well," Zed thought with a serious expression while looking at his abusers. "Should this new company also focus on sisters?"

Zed put a hand under his chin as he pondered. His face was like that of a man carrying the burden of entire world.

As he began thinking for the greater good, an announcement appeared.

{{The second trial has ended. You can now leave.}}

The message was short and abrupt with no additional details.

Sophia looked around and was surprised to see no portals or retracing of walls.

"How are we supposed to leave?"

Not only Sophia but others began to wonder as well.

"This wall! It has the outline of a door!" Someone at a corner shouted while checking a wall.

"Door?"

Everyone was startled.

They believed this hall was a copy of the hall from the first trial. This was especially true with all the designs and engravings on the walls and ceilings. They were completely identical.

Almost every contestant here has checked the hall of the first trial. In that place, there was no door or any outline. So when they appeared in this hall for the second trial, they didn't check around as a quick look hinted it was identical to the one before.

Now, they learned they have reached a conclusion far too soon.

Many people appeared before the wall.

As they looked at the wall, they noticed the outline of a grand door - 100 meters tall and thirty meters wide!

It wasn't a simple outline though!

There was magnificent design with rich texture and rune engravings. Through the corners of the door, there were small circles, the size of a pigeon's egg. Alongside, in the center, there were many wonderful inscriptions in various shapes.

A youth pushed the door outline but contrary to his expectations, nothing happened no matter how much force he used.

"How do we open it? There is no keyhole or anything!"

People broke out into discussions.

"What's there to discuss?" A mutant with great physical strength asked.

He stretched an arm back before punching straight at the door. Twisted energy ripples cascaded from his fist as it made contact with the door surface

A loud bang sound ringed out along with intense fluctuations of energy, proving just how much strength the punch contained. Some of the nearby mutants even lost their sense of hearing for a moment.

A few seconds later, as people regained their senses back, they looked in front. Much to their horror, there was not even a single dent on the door.

"What was that banging sound then?" A youth wondered aloud but he soon got his answer as he turned his head.

The strength-type mutant has smashed to an opposite wall. His entire body was broken and the hand with which he punched no longer existed.

As people saw his condition, they took a deep breath of cold air.

"This is an ancient door! Most likely enhanced with technology from Celestial Elysian World!" A young genius spoke. "It is laughable for us to try to break it!"

"Indeed!"

Everyone agreed with this assessment. There was no way they could open the door with force.

But then how to open it?

Many youths took out digital devices to scan the door. Mutants with enhanced vision began studying the door for clues.

In a few minutes, almost everyone gave up. They weren't getting any results!

"You guys stop wasting time."

A voice came from a distance. The youths in front of the door were angered and they turned around to coldly rebuke, but when they saw the owner of the voice, all words died in their throats.

The voice belonged to a fatty with a mechanical arm.

Leonardo.

He munched on wafers as he arrived before the door.

"You guys can't even open a door!"

Leonardo said in disdain while placing his mechanical hand on the door.

From the center of his palm, green light streamed out and covered the entire door like a screen.

As the nearby youths saw this, their eyes sparkled in amazement. Male or females, soon, everyone in the hall focused on Leonardo's action.

"Leonardo is a genius!"

"Not only in strength but he is very knowledgable!"

"Yes! Not to mention his mechanical arm that is equipped with advanced gadgets!"

"He can definitely open the door!"

Leonardo didn't pay any heed to the chatter and words of praise. Internally though, he enjoyed the spotlight.

After all, who didn't want to be the center of focus? Who didn't enjoy attention from beautiful females?

He could feel how so many gorgeous women were looking at him with expectations.

"Haha! They would definitely approach me after I open this door!"

Leonardo could imagine the scene of the girls trying to learn from him. This scene made his belly quiver in excitement.

He knew now was his time to shine and tell the world just how capable he was. So he earnestly began working on studying the door.

The green light screen analyzed the door, and after which, a digital window popped up above his arm. Leonardo's lips curved up as he read the data.

"I can definitely open it!" Leonardo was fully confident in his ability.

The male and female geniuses noticed his confident expression.

"As expected of a top genius!" A female muttered with admiration.

The admiration and veneration were not just because of his confidence in opening the door, but it was also for his skills.

After all, the door was created from a technology unique to Celestial Elysian Plane. The strange runes and engravings on the door were practically incomprehensible, not giving any clues on what they meant.

So, the person who can open it must have great knowledge of Celestial Elysian Plane. And in this era, especially when it concerned with the exploration of these wonderful meteorites, knowledge was everything.

Powerful families and reputed organizations would spend money and resources like water for acquiring such knowledge! Thousands and thousands of people would waste their entire lifetime in seeking this great knowledge but without any success!

Now, a youth not even twenty-five years old has the utmost confidence in opening a door requiring such knowledge! If this didn't deserve admiration, then nothing else did!

Leonardo rubbed his hand over the door surface, lost in deep thoughts. Minutes passed as he scanned every corner of the door.

With a popping sound, his mechanical arm stretched out, embedded with advanced sensors. From his fingertips, light beams shot out while from the wrist, wires and advanced gadgets rolled out. Soon, they covered the entire door.

"Such a wonderful technology!"

People commented in their hearts. They no longer spoke aloud as they didn't want to disturb him. So they only praised him internally while admiring his cyborg-like arm.

The hall has a complete pin-drop silence...

Almost thirty minutes have passed since Leonardo started, and while there was no change on the door, everyone was extremely patient.

They understood how difficult it would be in opening this door. If he could open the door in even a day, it would be a miracle!

Expecting the door to open in hours would be impossible! The technology of Celestial Elysian Plane couldn't be underestimated!

An hour passed, and finally, there was a sound. But much to the disappointment of everyone, the sound was not from the door but rather from behind.

It was the sound of steps!

The geniuses turned around and looked at the end of the hall. Their eyebrows raised up as they noticed it was Zed.

From the very start, he has been only sitting on a slab. He didn't even come to check the outline of the door.

People didn't fault him for that. For a former slum dweller, the development was far too overwhelming. They could understand he didn't want to make a joke of himself by trying to study the door like others.

But now...

He was moving towards the door. His every step broke the silence in the hall.

Leonardo also turned his head as he heard the stepping sound.

"Don't disturb me!" Leonardo ordered loudly.

Opening this door was a burdensome task and it required complete concentration. Even a slight disturbance could result in a failure.

"Apologies, sir," Zed said politely. "But the ladies are tired of waiting."

Leonardo looked behind Zed and noticed Sophia yawning. Alongside Sophia, there was Jenina and two more females.

"You think I'm doing time pass?" Leonardo asked viciously. He didn't shout at Sophia due to her stunning looks, but Zed was a different matter.

"No, sir, I will not dare imagine that," Zed answered respectfully. "It was just..."

"Just what?" Leonardo cut him in between. "Do you not understand that you are wasting my time by even speaking like this?! Opening this door is not some child's task that can be done in a matter of minutes!"

Leonardo mocked him openly.

Zed turned silent but he stepped forward and arrived in front of the door.

When Leonardo saw this, he chuckled coldly.

"You really have a thick skin!" Leonardo sneered.

Zed ignored those words as if he didn't hear them. He moved a hand over the beautiful inscriptions on the door.

"What is he doing?" Leonardo wondered aloud with a grin.

Does this idiot think moving his hand around and touching those patterns would reveal some secrets?

How stupid!

The technology of the door was not something that could be understood by these idiotic moves!

Everyone in the hall began laughing at Zed just as he tapped a finger over a reverse triangle engraving.

RUMBLE~!

The entire door shook with intense rumbling sounds.

"What's going on?!"

The contestants were alarmed by the tremors and the laughter died in their throats. They didn't get much time to think about this as rays of light splashed out from the door outline.

Every inscription and engraving on the door flashed with vibrant colors. With every passing second, the door turned more and more life-like, emitting an endless burst of light.

As the youths bathed under this light, they felt as if they were approaching closer to the secrets of their abilities. It was like enlightenment!

The youths held their breaths and stared at the door in disbelief. The intensity of the light turned stronger, almost to the point of blinding, and then dimmed down.

Creek.

The door slowly opened up, and from the slight opening, waves of energy streamed out. A few youths nearby felt those energy waves crashing on them. Their eyes turned wide and their mouth fell open as they noticed what the energy waves were doing to their bodies.

Their strength was advancing! It was a qualitative leap in strength!

As the youths realized this, they stupidly stared at Zed who was the target of those energy waves. They only got this benefit because they were near him, but he was the true receptor of this blessing!

Damn! He is too lucky!

...

Even though everything took a long while to describe, it happened in less than a minute. The time was so low that it didn't even warrant mention, but in such a small time, an unbelievable scene has occurred.

The door has completely opened!

Zed ignored the eyes on him and stepped into the doorway. Sophia followed him without any hurry. Her expression and demeanor were like what happened was something obvious. She wasn't the least bit surprised!

Some distance away, Leonardo's eyes popped out. He has earlier felt it was his time to shine. He knew his strength wasn't as great as Alistair but he has complete faith in his knowledge and skills.

That's how he could achieve so much without facing any difficulties. His high-tech mechanical arm was an extension of him; a manifestation of his knowledge and skills. It was still raised up to open the door in a perfect manner.

But...

The door was already opened! And that too without any efforts! There was no use of any advanced gadgets, abilities, or even time!

Just a few random touches and the ancient door opened!

How could all his efforts be smashed by those few touches without any mercy?

"Could someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?!"

Chapter 400 - A Spectral Face!

Leonardo was completely dumbfounded, his eyes wide open. The open door seemed to be mocking his confidence and so-called knowledge.

"How can this happen...?"

Leonardo felt what just happened now was too ridiculous. He has been trying to open the door for over an hour but...

Leonardo was trying to come to terms with reality when other contestants broke out into discussions.

"Just a few touches were enough to open the door?"

"Then why was Leonardo wasting time?"

"I don't understand that either."

"Maybe he was trying to show-off his mechanical arm."

When Leonardo heard the chatter, the fat on his body shook.

What show-off?!

I was earnestly trying to open the door!

And few touches enough to open the door?!

Like hell! Didn't you guys tried various means without any success?!

So stop blaming me!

Leonardo cursed them for their ignorance. He was in the middle of venting his frustration when others began stepping forward.

Leonardo's heart ached as he saw female contestants walking ahead. Many of them were admiring him till a few minutes ago, but now, they pretended if he didn't exist.

Damn! How can they avoid me so openly for one failure?!

I have the fifth-highest number of beads!

Leonardo muttered while raising his other hand to show the beads on his hand.

So far, Alistair was first followed by other geniuses.

That might be but Leonardo knew his own performance was extraordinary. Most contestants didn't even have five beads but he had over fifty! It was even greater than that punk from slums who lost almost half beads in the second trial!

Sadly, no one considered him worthy of praise. People only venerate the first!

Except for his followers, no one paid him any attention.

"That punk! This isn't over!" Leonardo swore to punish the guy responsible for his failure.

...

Zed stepped into what could be called a wasteland. It was similar to the one which everyone has crossed after the first trial.

"Do we have to cross it like the last time?" Jenina asked as she arrived next to him.

She was stunned by how easily he opened the door, but she has also gotten a bit used to him doing things that were considered unbelievable.

"No idea. There was no announcement," Diya replied while checking the wasteland. "And the nature of trials is changing... nothing is even making sense."

As per the records, there should be an announcement every time. But there was no mention of how to leave the hall and unlock the door. Nor there was any mention of what they have to do.

"Most likely we have to cross..." Sophia guessed.

"The question is whether this area is a trial zone," Jenina said with a sigh. "And if not, does the rule of protection exists?"

After some discussion, just as a precaution, they decided to assume the rule didn't exist just like the first wasteland. They also assumed there would be no rewards.

Quickly, they dashed forward in one direction. They have crossed half a mile when Zed's expression changed.

"Retreat!" Zed jumped backward.

The moment they backed away, the ground in front of them was smashed by a monster made of rock.

"Obstacles?"

Jenina was startled. The first wasteland had no danger like this.

Zed's eyes flickered and he wrapped himself with streams of fire. Flames exploded under his feet and leaped high in the air.

At the same time, a boulder came crashing down at that spot, sending dust into the air.

"There are multiple monsters!" Sophia said as her body turned into a series of afterimages as she avoided a frontal assault.

In total, there were seven monsters.

Zed was still in mid-air when he saw bullets made of rocks raining down at him. They were shot down by a monster through its palms.

Zed created a barrier of fire around him as he fell down and the rock bullets closed onto him. As he expected, the bullets weren't stopped by the fire barrier at all.

That was something obvious as the earth element was normally resistant to fire.

That might be, but the fire barrier reduced the speed of the bullet. This resulted in some time gap which he used to land on the ground.

Just as he landed, the monster charged at him with both fists pointed at his vitals. Zed sighed as he saw the monster rapidly closing onto him.

"If you were a woman or even a human, fighting you would be fun," Zed thought as he retrieved a plasma grenade from his storage ring.

While it was possible to defeat an earth element opponent, it would make him spend a lot of strength. That was something he wouldn't mind if it resulted into good time.

But knowing the opponent was a monster programmed to attack humans, there was no fun in it.

So, he decided to follow the motto of fighting smart.

The monster didn't flinch or backed away as Zed activated the grenade. All the monster cared was smashing the human into a bloody pulp.

Airstreams whipped around its fists as they brutally smashed forward. But much to its anger, using flames to increase his agility, Zed leaped backward at the last moment. As he backed away, he tossed the grenade at the monster.

ROAR

The monster roared and smacked the grenade. Just as its fist smashed into the grenade, it imploded into waves of plasma.

A terrifying explosion swept out, instantly obliterating the monster.

Some two hundred meters away, Sophia and others were astonished as the shockwaves of the explosion swept towards them. Their expressions turned serious and they fleed with all their strength.

Alas, the monsters weren't as smart or quick and few shockwaves crashed into them, wrapping them into rays of plasma.

At the same time, new beads appeared on Zed's wrist. He didn't show any reaction by the addition of twenty-one beads.

"Each monster is worth three beads?!" Jenina was amazed by the outcome.

He gained so many beads without actually doing anything!

"Every time it is the same! He earns beads with the least efforts!"Diya remarked with a bitter smile.

"Yeah! Lowly mortals like us do all the hard work and yet we hardly gain a few reward beads!" Rita echoed to the sentiment.

"The designer of this wasteland would definitely be angry!" Sophia said with a smile.

"..."

Zed didn't react to their words.

"I guess we know it is a trial zone for sure!" Jenina concluded with a heavy expression. "Or at least, similar to a trial zone given the rewards!"

"Yes! We can earn beads as long as we defeat those monsters!"

"Let's find them more!"

Sophia and other women decided to hunt down monsters. Zed, on the other hand, followed them with no actual interest.

Throughout the wasteland, other contestants similarly began targetting the rock monsters. Everyone was hungry for the rewards they carried.

No one cared if it a trial zone or not! After all, why should it matter if they are getting beads!?

...

Six hours later.

Zed and others finally arrived at the end of the wasteland. Sophia's wrist has an additional sixty beads while the other girls had around twenty to twenty-five.

"Thanks, Zed!" Jenina said. If not for his help, other than Sophia, none of them would have gained this many beads.

Except for the twenty-one beads he gained, he hasn't earned anything. But that was his own choice as he has no interest in them.

"You are welcome," Zed replied before bringing his eyes on the rift ahead.

Based on the experience in the first wasteland, he knew he has to jump into it to transfer into the next area.

Without saying anything else, he leaped into it with his eyes closed. The only reason he could jump without any thoughts was due to his premonition ability. He knew there was no danger.

...

When he opened his eyes, he found himself to be teleported to the insides of an enormous palace. It was almost as wide as a small town with royal grandeur.

Alongside him, there were the remaining contestants who survived and passed. There were only fifty or so youths alive!

The passage of the wasteland seemed easier for Zed due to the preparations done by Claudia, but for others, it wasn't that easy. Not everyone could afford priceless explosives like him.

As the last of the contestants arrived in the palace, the silence was broken with quick discussions. People began showing off the reward beads they gained.

"Stop boasting!" A youth with the ability of physical transformation said to his friend. "And if you want to, how about comparing with Alistair?"

The palace instantly turned silent with all eyes moving on Alistair. He was standing without any expression, not saying a single word.

"Over two hundred beads!"

The mutants were alarmed and their throats turned dry in envy. They knew as a Chosen, he would perform well, but this was just too shocking.

The youths who knew about Alistair could only smile ruefully at the difference in performance.

"No wonder he has explored Primordial Enchantress Realm! His experience of that meteorite is proving useful here!"

As people turned green with envy, Alistair suddenly turned his head towards the end of the palace. The other youths did the same as they felt intense space fluctuations.

Under their shocked eyes, space ripped apart as if it was sliced from the other end. When people saw this, they felt a chill down their spines.

Ripping space was something that not even a Beta-rank mutant could do on Earth. And in a meteorite like this, even an Alpha-rank mutant would be hard-pressed to create spatial fluctuations much less rip space apart.

Now, space was torn in front of everyone's eye. Blinding rays of light swept through the rift as it turned as wide as a giant portal.

As the talented geniuses regained their vision back, they gulped down a mouthful of saliva and looked ahead.

The end of the palace has turned into a spatial portal. Inside the portal, there was an endless plane filled with what appeared to be dots of light.

No one could be sure if they were dots of light or not due to the distance. The only thing they were sure was those dots of light were floating, emitting a serene glow.

From a distance, the plane seemed to be filled with a sea of myriad colors.

"What's going on?"

The youths were extremely nervous due to this unknown phenomenon. Many of them jumped up in terror as they heard sound from the portal.

The sound was like of liquid splashing...almost like waves.

As people tried to calm themselves and steel their resolve, an enormous spectral figure flew out of the portal.

The spectral figure was not really a figure but rather only a face.

A strange, feminine face.

Half of it was white while the other half black.

Throughout the face, there were tiny flashes of light, like tiny stars.

On the forehead, there were three incorporeal horns resembling antennas.

[[You have done well.]]

The face said in a language that was understandable to everyone, almost as if it was spoken mentally.

[[Then again, given your performance in that place, this so-called core region should have been a child's play for you.]]

The face slowly flew further as it spoke. The lights in the palace dimmed as if its very presence was shaking its foundation.

As the youths heard her voice, they were dumbstruck.

Done well?

Performance in that place?

As people thought of these words, they brought their eyes on Alistair. It was only him that has been to another meteorite before coming here!

And given how this spectral face spoke of how he has done well, there was no doubt the face was speaking to him!

The contestants felt their hearts thumping violently and their faces cramping. Their expressions were complicated, this was especially true for geniuses from influential backgrounds.

Some of them have read secret records related to the meteorites. After they saw the face and its strange features, they identified it as a venerated figure. It was someone that even councilmen from the World Government would beg to see.

Now such a grand figure was praising Alistair!

This was just too shocking!

Alistair usually didn't care about flattery or praises. It was something that he has rather grown used to due to his status as a Chosen.

But when he heard the praise from this spectral face, his entire body was filled with ecstatic happiness. The corners of his mouth touched his ears as he excitedly looked at the face.

"All those hard work has paid off!" Alistair recalled the intense training and close encounters with death.

His life so far has been torturous and nothing less than a violent fantasy, but now after being acknowledged by this esteemed figure, he knew it was worth it.

He could imagine how astonished the elders from the aristocratic families would be when they learn this. Not only his own family, but even other families would be ready to give him anything he wanted.

That's how precious the acknowledgment of this figure was!

Leonardo, Solomon, Kieron, and the remaining top contestants clenched their fists tightly. They unblinkingly stared at the venerated face while envying Alistair.

At the same time, the lackeys of Alistair were brimming with happiness. It was like they were basking in glory instead of their idol.

Many youths - both males and females- instantly decided to establish good relations with Alistair. A few gorgeous women have even decided to use extreme methods to develop goodwill.

The enormous face continued to fly further. It was just a few meters away from the place where the contestants were standing.

Alistair felt his heart beating fast. His blood flow sped up in excitement as he waited to see what the face has in mind for him.

"I should pay my respect!" Alistair cursed himself for forgetting basic courtesy.

He might have been praised, but this face warranted utmost respect even from the elders of his family.

Knowing this, he bent his knee and brought a hand on his chest to pay respect.

"I'm extremely grateful for the praises you showered upon me," Alistair said, his voice extremely polite. "I will do everything that is required of me to become worthy of your..."

Alistair has a long monologue in mind but those words now died in his throat. The spectral face has just passed right through him!

Alistair's body froze in horror.

What's going on?

Why hasn't that face stopped before me?!

As he thought of a possible answer, his expression turned extremely unsightly. It looked worse than crying.

No! That's not possible!

Alistair quickly broke out of his thoughts and turned around. He saw the enormous face has stopped in front of a handsome youth in the early twenties.

As the face floated in front of this youth, the faces of everyone else in the palace turned white. Their eyes popped out and jaws almost dropped onto the ground.

Surely, there must be a misunderstanding! This couldn't be happening, right?!

Alistair felt like his heart had been struck with a knife.

...

The feminine face hovered in front of the youth with a barely noticeable smile. The youth's posture was straight; with no traces of either excitement or nervousness.

[[Zed.]]

The face called out to the youth standing in front of her with his hands in his pockets.

"Enchantia," Zed said with a slight nod. 1

[[It has been a while.]]

Enchantia remarked.

"Indeed, it has been over four years," Zed agreed.

[[How should I refer you now that you have changed?]] Enchantia asked.

"....."

[[Should I still call you Zed or...]] She has been first mentioned in a flashback: Chapter 293.

Chapter 401 - Enchantia's Gift

The palace was vast; filled with grandeur that could not be matched even by the top royal houses on Earth. Throughout the palace, priceless gemstones flashed, emitting sparkling rays of light. A fresh, cold breeze swept through the air, making one feel energetic.

The style and atmosphere were imposing but welcoming like the embrace of a mother.

Despite this, the young geniuses had their eyes widened until they were round. Their ears were ringing so badly that they felt faint.

There was not even the sound of breathing as they gazed at the spectral face.

The entity that deserved veneration of the echelons was now speaking to a youngster. That too, in a manner that denoted familiarity!

They could understand if she was speaking in such a manner with a Chosen from a powerful lineage, but she wasn't. She was talking to a former slum dweller - Zed. A youngster that spent at least starting twelve years of his life in a slum.

Yet, such a man with no foundation or status to speak of was praised by her!

The words she first spoke when she arrived through the space portal were still ringing in their ears like a clap of thunder.

'You have done well... This so-called core region should have been a child's play for you.'

Her words, her tone, and her faint smile left them both distraught and alarmed.

How was it possible that she would show such courtesy to someone like Zed? Except for the first trial, he hasn't performed exceptionally well. He was not even in the top three when the reward beads were concerned!

Despite this, how could she still say "so-called core region should have been a child's play." How could she consider him worthy of her attention?

Not just worthy enough for her attention, but also efforts to create a special portal just to meet him!

This development had exceeded their thinking capabilities. Their bodies turned stiff knowing she considered him only worth her attention and no one else.

✢✣✤✥

As the geniuses found themselves in a situation far beyond their scope of understanding, Enchantia asked, [[Should I still call you Zed or...]]

Zed looked at her as she trailed off in between without completing the question.

"It is just a name, so, call as you please," Zed answered casually with a smile.

Enchantia observed him through her black and white eyes before replying: [[We met when you were only known as Zed so I shall continue with that.]]

The star-like flashes on her half-black and half-white page gleamed brightly, like a diamond.

"Met...yeah."

Even though it has been over four years, their meeting was still fresh in his memories just like everything else related to BSE79. Back then, only he and Castor Damon reached the vital regions of the spaceship while everyone else had died. He was poisoned by Castor Damon and has to rely on him for a periodic dose of antidote. It was a method used by Castor Damon to ensure Zed didn't think of escaping.

But much to Castor Damon's shock, the kid he considered as a worthless slum insect forced him to hand over entire antidote through an ingenious method.

Zed has interfered with hypersleep chambers. This awakened the aliens who were in a long slumber; effectively turning Castor Damon's plan into a mess.

Zed has also created further distractions for Castor Damon so that he can flee. Sadly, even though he escaped from Castor Damon, he was chased by one of the aliens. The resulting chase forced him to seek refuge in a hall where an ethereal sphere was floating. He has unconsciously tapped on the sphere and was sucked right into it. (Chapter 292).

[[At that time, you were in very bad shape.]]

Enchantia recalled how he arrived into her dimension through that sphere.

Zed listened to her words before nodding.

[[I'm happy for how things played out for you.]] Enchantia added.

"...." Zed heard her additional remark without replying.

Next to him, Jenina and others were completely dumbfounded.

He was having a casual conversation with a venerated figure! That too, without any sign of awe, respect, or even politeness!

They couldn't understand a lot of things, but just by the way Zed was speaking to Enchantia, made them feel as if their brains had been slammed.

Sophia looked at him, her beautiful eyes filled with shock. She has witnessed meetings between echelons of the World Government and was more than sure that if they were here, they would have conversed in an entirely different matter.

She felt she has understood him perfectly ever since they first meet in Desolate Blood Forest.

They have might not have spent a lot of time, but she has seen him putting expert paleographers and linguistics to shame with his understanding of alien languages.

Then there were his unrivaled skills in medical science and genetics by which he saved her acquaintance's life.

His expertise in robotics and explosives was at a terrifying level.

The talent he showed in those three fields has already gone beyond the realms of comprehension. Still, they could be considered a blessing of nature and accepted as such.

Perhaps, as far as Sophia was concerned, the most memorable feature about him was his unwavering kindness. That was especially true with how he acted even after the life he has lived in the slums. He has no resentment, envy, or even any desire of changing his bitter past.

He was everything her mother said about a perfect human...

But now looking at him, he was like a completely different person. Even though he was still Zed, there was something different about his demeanor.

It was like there was a mist of mystery around him, making it difficult to understand him.

How was it possible for her to know so much about him and yet truly know nothing?

"Just what is he?" Sophia wondered in her heart.

At the same moment, the area around Zed flickered with myriad streams of energy, making his clothes and hair float.

Swoosh~!

Alistair, who was still in a kneeling position, has a look of complete shock on his face. As he saw the space around Zed change, his pupils constricted as if he has seen a ghost in daylight.

With Zed and Enchantia as the epicenter, hundreds of orbs rotated around them. The orbs were the size of an adult's fist, made of myriad colors. Like a firefly, they continuously glowed with a soft radiance.

Alistair's entire body froze and the saliva inside his mouth turned into ice as he muttered, "Legacy Orbs!"

Sophia was stupified. She was physically next to Zed and yet, there was a distance as if some laws of space has changed to make a place for the floating orbs.

[[Zed, if I'm not wrong, when two people meet, the older of two parties is supposed to give a gift to the younger one.]] Enchantia said as the orbs appeared.

When others in the palace heard her words and realized her obvious intent, their hearts thumped violently.

"Gifting Legacy Orbs?!"

Leonardo sucked in a breath of cold air. Very few people knew the worth of Legacy Orbs and he was one of them.

People often referred to high-grade and rare treasure items as priceless but that was undermining the meaning of priceless.

As far as he was concerned, in the entire universe, there were only two things priceless.

Immortality.

Legacy Orb.

The former was something that no one has ever achieved. At least, not Transcendental Immortality - the realm where one is free from all rules of the universe. A realm where one is entitled to eternal life, being exempt from death, and unending existence.

The latter - Legacy Orb - was something that could be still be gained.

Based on the ancient records he has read, the founders of the World Government - The Great Nine Sovereigns - were someone who had found Legacy Orbs.

They were considered as Gods!

There was not a single doubt in Leonardo's mind on what role Legacy Orb played in the rise of Nine Sovereigns.

That's how precious these orbs were!

Yet, such priceless items were being gifted to a twenty-something youngster...

Just the thought of it made him feel repressed, almost suffocated.

Sophia glanced at the orbs in front of her. Every time her vision passed on an orb, she felt as if she was experiencing visuals on an epic scale.

Fantasy lands, depthless oceans, infinite stars, space shuttles, technology she never thought was possible, knowledge without any boundaries, battles that shook worlds, abilities that shouldn't even exist, and creatures that could exterminate an entire galaxy with the flick of a finger.

Sophia felt as if she was living the life of powerful figures. She tasted power like an aphrodisiac, lived like a god, and spent time without worry of an end...

Everything occurred in just a fleeting moment.

When she regained clarity, her blood flow was in a state of excitement she has never known. Her entire body was filled with goosebumps in sensory ebullition; more powerful than any orgasm or drug was capable of.

"What was that?!"

She tried to recall what she has just experienced, but much to her shock, she couldn't remember anything.

It was like she has awakened from a dream, forgetting everything. But the state of her body left no doubts on what she experienced was stronger than a dream or illusion was capable of.

A strong desire to possess the orbs shrouded her thoughts. As she felt herself loosing in the intense desire, she felt her arm pulled.

An intense pain filled her body that suppressed her thoughts. Her eyes regained focus and she looked in front.

"Zed..."

She knew it was him that pulled her. He didn't say anything and handed her four circular pills, emitting strong psychic energy. Those pills were the second-most precious pills he currently owned. They were made for enhancing psychic endurance.

"Consume them before desire engulfs you again," Zed said.

Sophia was startled by his words. She checked the pills and based on her understanding, she felt they were most likely grade V or above.

And yet he was asking her to consume four!

Such a heavy dosage of pills would obviously lead to severe side effects.

Still, she did as he said and stuffed the pills in her mouth.

✬✭✮✯✰

Zed eyed a few contestants near him who were drooling and trembling with desire. He then swept a glance at the orbs rotating around him, radiating beautiful glow.

"Some things never change despite the passing of time," Zed turned towards Enchantia. "You are one of them."

Enchantia remained silent at his remark. She continued to observe him with a faint smile on her incorporeal face.

"You haven't given up on trying to scam me, have you?" Zed asked with a sigh.

Chapter 402 - Consider Yourself As Passed

As the Legacy Orbs continued to rotate and swirl around him like planets around a star, Zed asked, "You haven't given up on trying to scam me, have you?"

The serene and stunning glow from the orbs flashed on his face, as if inviting him to hold them. Radiating stardust swept from the glow and flew towards him like a magnet.

This stardust resonated with the very depths of his existence. It made his soul explode with a desire and a temptation... an intense effect that not even the most beautiful woman could create.

No matter how pleasurable sex was, in the end, it was nothing more than a desire created by body due to the need for reproduction. It was an instinctual need embedded in the genes to ensure the continuity of species.

Legacy Orb, on the other hand, tempted the very soul instead of just flesh. It offered what a soul wanted... a chance to break from the cycle of life and death.

Furthermore, for the body, it offered hope of acquiring a power of epic proportions by which one can do as one pleases.

For the mind, it offered a well of knowledge that knew no depth...

[[Why would you hurt my sentiments by calling a gift as a scam?]] Enchantia asked in return.

"Enchantia, please don't insult both your and my intelligence," Zed replied with a frown. "We both know what you have in mind."

He then recalled his experience in Hall of Legacies where he first met her. With a bitter smile, he further added, "And I'm sure you know last time was your best chance of getting me."

[[You have always misunderstood my intent, even when all I wish is best for you.]] Enchantia's faint smile didn't waver as she continued, [[But since you have expressed your wish, I shall respect it.]]

Swoosh~!

The orbs broke into countless dots of light that drifted around him like autumn winds. It was an absolutely beautiful and dazzling sight as the dots of light faded into thin air.

As soon as the orbs disappeared, the contestants in the palace broke out of their earlier trance-like state. They were startled to find themselves soaking in sweat and drooling.

"What happened?"

The contestants were shocked by their state of bodies which were in extreme excitement. They remembered the rush of adrenaline and a dose of strongest aphrodisiac known as power... something they were injected with as soon as they saw the glowing orbs.

The geniuses quickly suppressed their shock and looked at Zed.

✢✢✣

Enchantia's incorporeal figure floated further in front of him.

[[I never expected you to arrive at another World Fragment]] Enchantia changed the topic. [[At least, not in this World Fragment that is pretty much useless for you.]]

When the sole Chosen - Alistair- heard her words, he stumbled. His body turned stiff and rigid as her endings words repeatedly played in his mind.

Pretty much useless to you...

"Is my brain all right... or did I really heard her calling this meteorite as a waste?!"

Alistair was in complete shock.

The meteorite in the Desolate Blood Forest was something that even the elders of Nine Aristocrat Families were interested in! They found it invaluable, and its importance was more than words could describe!

Every two years, not only those great families, but even many powerful organizations would send their members to this meteorite for training and resources. It contained incomparable good fortune!

Power, knowledge, evolution, treasures, and even clues on immortality.

This meteorite has pretty much everything that a living being could ever want.

Yet, this reverend figure was saying it was useless to someone like Zed?!

Zed!

Someone who has lived at least half his life in slums! He was the poorest of the poor! He has no background, no foundation... he was practically nobody!

Yet, this meteorite which great families found priceless was useless to someone like him?!

Like hell!

Alistair, Leonardo, Kieron, and everyone else refused to believe this was possible.

If they believed her words then wouldn't it be accepting they belonged to a category even worse than beggars?!

Jenina gulped down and looked at Zed. All she could see was his straight back, and now that she saw him, he seemed to be as tall as a mountain.

Every time she thought she knew him, he would shock her outs of wits. Presently, she was in a situation where nothing more could shock her.

"This World Fragment is far more precious than others... It has something I really want," Zed answered, his voice filled with traces of bitterness.

Enchantia studied his face for a few seconds.

[[Is it for that woman?]]

As Sophia heard her question, her cute mouth turned agape. She recalled how Enchantia praised Zed for his performance till now... so she instantly thought of the first trial.

The world of illusion.

Sophia has a feeling Enchantia was referring to the woman from the illusion world. That stunning woman was sleeping, most likely in a medically induced slumber.

Felicity.

Sophia knew the name as she has witnessed the illusion he faced for ten seconds. He has a look of concern on his face as he stepped in front of Felicity with a container filled with medicinal liquid.

There was something in his eyes as he looked at her... it was more than genuine concern.

As Sophia thought of everything so far, she didn't know why but a strange feeling exploded in her heart...

Zed nodded his head and answered, "Yes, it is for her."

[[You have truly changed.]] Enchantia could feel his emotions.

"Change? Well, my situation has changed, but I think I'm still the same," Zed disagreed with her assessment.

"No, you have changed. Last time, you only lived for yourself and no one else.]] Enchantia explained.

Zed couldn't help but grin at her remarks.

"I'm still living for myself... What I'm doing is not some selfless act as you are trying to make it," Zed replied.

He wanted to cure Felicity due to the importance she has in his life. She filled a gap he never knew existed before he met her.

In a way, he needed her just as much as his alter ego wanted his dreams.

As far as he was concerned, there were no selfless thoughts involved.

[[If that's what you want to believe, believe it.]]

Enchantia said while turning towards another part of the palace. Her vision has no hindrance as it passed through various walls before stopping on a few bridges tread by humans and beasts. The bridges were connected to the palace, and the living beings on it were all older than twenty-five years old.

[[The next trial is going to start soon.]] Enchantia turned back towards him. [[And there would be no more age distinction.]]

Zed didn't react in any manner but the other contestants in the palace were startled. So far, they were divided by age group so they only have to compete with people similar to their young age.

Now, if what she said was true then...

As they thought of this, they felt a heavy pressure. Except for a few top geniuses, no one has any confidence in performing well.

[[Zed, this central zone has rules and regulations which I shouldn't break...]] Enchantia trailed off in between.

"?" Zed blinked at her.

[[But since you are here, I should make an exception.]]

The moment she said this, the crystalline thread and the beads on his right wrist exploded into a flash of myriad colors. In the blink of an eye, all the merit he earned faded into oblivion.

Shocked gasps came out from the contestants. They knew the importance of the thread and beads, and seeing how they were destroyed, they knew he has lost all chances of participating in future trials much less explore the treasure vault!

He was basically ruined!

Many geniuses had smug expressions and they scoffed at him.

So what if she gave you special attention till now?! You have lost all your hard work in just a blink of an eye!

Why don't you try to smile now?! Smile, if you dare!! Do it!!!

"He tried to act smart and now he is paying for it!" Kieron grinned in contempt. "There was no way a reverend figure would let him thrive after he ignored her kind intentions!"

Leonardo thought of how Zed refused her gift. He has never been respectful or polite so this was only natural!

How dare he treat her like she was some acquaintance?! She was not someone a slum dweller could afford to offend!

Kieron was grinning from ear to ear in extreme happiness but then the corners of his mouth turned stiff. His face lost all color and his pupils shrunk to the size of a needle as he looked in front.

The air around Zed thundered with turbulent energy waves. It was like he was in the middle of a storm.

Whoosh~!

The storm-like turbulence flashed, and then like a bolt of thunder, rushed at his wrist, swirling around it.

Zed raised his wrist as the turbulent energy waves transformed into a black band with two jewels - red and blue - embedded in it.

[[You can skip the further trials and consider yourself passed.]] Enchantia informed him.

The moment she said this, the entire palace turned silent like a graveyard.

Those mocking Zed turned pale and collapsed on the floor. It was like a giant hammer has battered them out of senses.

Skip further trials!?

Consider yourself passed?!

The contestants forgot to breathe as these words ringed in their ears.

The central zone was a trial zone! Everyone has to pass many life and death crisis in every round! It was not some video game that one can skip the rounds!!

The contestants wanted to shout and scream at this unfairness. They wanted to remind Enchantia of the rules and regulations.

But no matter how angry they were, they didn't dare to!

No one had the guts to complain or express unwillingness at this unfairness.

[[The red jewel would allow you to choose any treasure from what you humans refer to as treasure vault.]] Enchantia further added.

Zed listened to her words and just as he opened his mouth to speak, she continued.

[[The blue jewel would allow you to enter Hall of Legacies as long as you are in the central zone. You can select any Legacy Orb of your desire.]]

"I..."

[[Let me complete. In case you don't want them, just give that band to someone else, sell it, or toss it in a garbage box. It is none of my concern on what happens with that band.]]

"....."

[[See you later, Zed.]]

At lightning speed, her incorporeal figure rushed into the space portal at the end of palace. With screeching sound, the space crack disappeared and the portal faded.

Zed shook his head and thought, "She hasn't given up."

Meanwhile, the contestants were at a point that they couldn't even react any further. Their bodies had turned stiff and listless like zombies...

Every contestant tried their best to perform well in trial and gain maximum beads to improve chances of acquiring a treasure from treasure vault! Now, Zed was getting ANY treasure he wanted unlike them! They might at best get some low-level item but he...

Then there was the opportunity of getting a Legacy Orb! The priceless Good Fortune that only a selected few have received on Earth!

Such unbelievable use of the two jewels should have shocked the contestants, but with all the shocks they have received so far, they had already grown numb.

"This is wrong!"

Alistair gripped his fists tightly.

"How could she be so unfair?!"

Veins bulged out of his forehead and neck as he recalled the struggles he has undergone to reach his current position.

Alistair eyed Zed with intense hatred.

He refused to accept a slum dweller could receive such welcome when even he wasn't getting... despite him belonging to an aristocrat family!

"People would kill to have the opportunities that slum bastard is getting!"

Alistair's eyes flashed with viciousness and a smile appeared on his face.

"Right! That venerated figure said she wouldn't care about that band! Hahaha!"

As he thought of this, he licked his lips. He wasn't the only one with such thoughts...

Chapter 403 - Intense Greed!

Enchantia returned back to her dimension - The Hall of Legacies; a dimension with no definite end or beginning.

As she returned, the pool of crystalline liquid and the floating orbs flashed with blinding radiance.

Swoosh~!

Her incorporeal form dissolved into vapors and disappeared into the radiance. Slowly, the dimension reverted to a state of tranquility.

[[This should create some entertainment.]]

Enchantia's voice echoed through the entire dimension. It was like she was everywhere but also nowhere.

As her voice echoed, on the surface of the crystalline pool, ripples swept out. Through the ripples, a projection of Zed and other contestants appeared.

All eyes were locked on Zed and the black band on his right wrist. The red and blue jewels on the band glinted brightly, attracting the attention of everyone. It was like they were the only things that mattered in the world.

As the expression of top geniuses flared with greed and envy, a burst of soft laughter echoed in the Hall of Legacies.

[[Humans never fail to amuse. Greed, envy, desire, and an innate sense of pride turns them so stupid.]]

For over a century, she has observed the worst of humanity. She has seen them murdering each other for reasons she considered stupid.

Lust, wealth, and plain arrogance.

So, Enchantia obviously knew the effects her actions would have.

[[The young ones are even more amusing.]]

✢✢✣

Inside the palace, Zed lowered his hand.

"Zed," Sophia glanced at his band and continued, "I don't think the world has ever seen a contestant like you!"

Zed turned towards her, waiting for her to explain.

"Not only you cheated in your trials, but you have formed such a grand reputation that the top examiner passed you directly from the rest of rounds! Most likely, the examiner saw no reason for you to participate further and continue cheating!"

"....."

"Mom was wrong for once! Cheating does have advantages!" Sophia exclaimed with starry eyes.

"....."

The corners of his mouth twitched.

Sophia noticed his awkward expression, and in response, she giggled, "I'm kidding!"

"....."

Nearby, Jenina and others from her group broke out of the trance. They looked at Zed in shock and awe.

So far, every moment they spent with him has been filled with unexpected. Whether it was his expertise in multiple fields or his unique kind disposition, everything has only shocked them.

"How can such a kind man fare so well?"

Jenina thought of his actions so far especially how he protected the aliens in the world of crystal. He was kind to the point that it was almost annoying, and yet, he survived and achieved which even the shrewdest mind couldn't.

Could this be karma?

Was the universe rewarding him for his selfless actions?!

Jenina was trying to make sense of the recent events when she heard Divya asking, "You are here for the lady named Felicity, right?"

Zed brought his eyes on her before nodding. It was not some secret so there was nothing to hide.

"You must really love her for you to come here!" Rita remarked with traces of envy in her voice.

In the present era, everyone was selfish and concepts like true love only existed in fairy tales. In some places, especially the high society, selfishness was to such a degree that even the relationship between parent and child has lost its innocence and pureness.

The relationship between lovers didn't even warrant any mention.

Whether it was a male or a female, they would be ready to proclaim love with mighty words, but when the time came to walk the talk, they would back out.

That was what Divya and most women believed. At least, they did before meeting Zed.

Now, knowing that a handsome, talented, kind and sincere man was here for a woman, how could they not feel envy?

"Why couldn't there be more men like him?" Divya internally wondered.

Sophia had no such thoughts, and she only looked at Zed. She was waiting for him to reply to Divya's remark.

"Of course, I love her," Zed replied with a warm smile. "She is the best!"

When Sophia heard this, she didn't know why but her heart sank. An unpleasant sensation devoured her body.

"What's happening to me?" Sophia wondered.

She was trying to process this feeling when she heard Zed continuing.

"Then again, as her brother, I might be biased," Zed completed his words, his expression filled with reminiscence.

Brother?!

Sophia's eyes brightened and her mood lit up. Much to her amazement, her cute face glowed with happiness.

Jenina, Divya, and Rita were dumbfounded.

He is here for his sister?!

That girl named Felicity is not his girlfriend?!

Jenina took a deep breath.

Right!

He only said, love! And yet, we reached conclusions and misunderstood love between siblings!

So he must be single, right?!

"Sister? Wasn't he an orphan?" Divya muttered to herself.

She recalled the second part of the trial where many memories from the time he turned four to twelve played. While there was no second and everything took place in fast motions, but based on the glimpses she saw, she concluded he was an orphan.

She was curious but she didn't dare ask. After all, bringing out such a sensitive topic carried the risk of offending him.

Zed didn't see their expressions. He checked the black band for a few seconds before saying, "Let's meet later."

Sophia was startled but then she nodded. She understood that he has no need to participate in the upcoming trials so most likely he would leave, at least temporarily.

"All the best!" Sophia wished him well.

"Thanks!" Zed thanked her. "And to you as well!"

Zed turned around and enveloped his body with flames. He then shot into a distance, leaving behind a streak of fire.

Jenina and others were surprised. He didn't even give them time to say anything before leaving.

His speed was faster than a rocket, leaving them no opportunity of catching up.

✡✡✡

Ten minutes later.

Zed stopped into a long corridor; more than two miles long and ceiling three hundred meters away from the floor.

"Haah~!"

His face was a bit pale as he has rushed here with his top speed.

"No time to waste," Zed stuffed an energy pill into his mouth.

He checked his surroundings with a thoughtful expression.

The walls and ceilings were engraved with white gemstones out of which rays of light swept out.

Zed rubbed a hand over the surface of the walls and he carefully examined the gemstones. After a few minutes, his eyes flickered as he arrived in front of a gemstone, similar to a marquise-cut diamond.

The gemstone was the size of an adult's eye. It was well polished and dazzling with its reflection sparkling.

"Sealstone," Zed muttered, his expression grave. "This must be how Royal Will of the World is suppressing power Cosmic here."

Sealstones were created at the beginning of time, billions of years ago. They were a product of nature, a balance to check power.

Zed connected with his storage ring and took out a few items. He then brought his eyes back on the sealstone.

"These stones were capable of suppressing the power Cosmic to such an extent that a god-like being can turn into a mortal," Zed recalled the details he knew.

In Celestial Elysian Plane, the high-level war criminals and sinners were punished by planting Sealstones within their very spirit. Then they would be exiled into forbidden lands of no return.

Most times, they would become food for dangerous predators...

"Thankfully, this sealstone has been active from thousands of years, if not millions," Zed thought while pressing the items on the wall. "And if I truly go out, I can overpower its suppression like I first thought, but that would be ultimately catastrophic for Felicity... No matter what happens, I can't resort to that method."

Zed fixed his vision on the wall.

What he has retrieved from storage were the most powerful explosives he carried. He planted them on the sealstone.

"It wouldn't be enough," Zed then took out 95% of explosives he carried. "Nor would this be."

Zed sighed before retrieving a hovercraft the size of an insect. It was the same high-tech alien hovercraft he earlier used to help Sophia and her middle-aged servant.

Presently, it was in its shrunk form.

Zed didn't think much and put the insect-size hovercraft among the explosives. He then rapidly backed away after clicking on a timer.

Twenty seconds later.

The explosives exploded in a chain reaction, emitting dazzling rays of destructive light.

BOOM

The high-tech hovercraft - which has survived from time unknown - broke into pieces. Its power reactor and engine imploded from inside out, intensifying the might of explosion.

Flashes of plasma waves shook the air into exploding temperature like a small-scale nuclear fusion.

Zed shut his eyes tightly while still retreating and covering his ears.

The sound of explosion was ear-numbing, and if not for the special materials used for building the corridor, the sound alone was capable of turning a few skyscrapers into dust.

Thankfully, the enhanced materials prevented the sound from echoing forward. It also restricted the explosion cloud from expanding beyond a few meters.

Zed was relying on these properties. He believed this would make the explosion concentrate its might on the sealstone and destroy it.

A few seconds later, Zed opened his eyes. His expression turned downcast as he looked ahead.

The sealstone was still emitting radiance!

"Damn!"

Zed quickly arrived in front of the sealstone. There were hundreds of cracks on the sealstone, and yet, from them, rays of light swept out.

As for the wall, it was completely intact. That was something he expected...

Zed was thinking of his next course of action when he heard breathing sound from behind.

"As expected of a slum dweller! You really know how to run!" A familiar sound voice entered his ears.

Zed turned around to see the voice belonged Raxu. Alongside him, Onur was standing with a grin. Next to Onur, there were two more mutants whose name Zed didn't know.

The four of them were the ones he initially met in the forest due to Sophia. They were also there in the earlier trails but he didn't have any contact with them.

"We met again," Zed said with his signature polite smile. "I didn't expect to meet this soon though."

Raxu eyed him with viciousness.

Around a week ago, Zed has defeated him when Raxu tried to send a droid to spy on a hot spring where women were having a bath. That episode was something extremely embarrassing for him, and back then, he has sworn to teach this punk a lesson.

After the first trial, when he learned of Zed's poor background, the thirst for revenge was only stronger. He has even insulted Zed along with other contestants for his poor lineage.

Onur didn't reply and just smiled. His eyes were fixed on the black band and the two jewels on it.

Zed blinked at them after getting no response.

"The next trial should start in some time," Zed kindly reminded them.

"You don't understand do you, slum dweller?" Raxu mocked him. "We are here to grab that band! So hand it to us and we will show some mercy."

"What do you mean? Don't tell me you plan to beat me!?" Zed's expression was filled with confusion. He couldn't understand how they could do such a thing.

"Obviously!" Onur finally spoke in disdain.

He has known Zed's character so he was well-aware of how shocking this situation would be for him. After all, they were supposedly friends or at least, well-meaning acquaintances.

"You can only blame your poor luck!" Raxu answered while charging at him. He slanted his arms diagonally before opening them downward.

Screech~!

The air around him rapidly concentrated into sharp wind blades. The concentration of air was so high that the wind blades were visible to the naked eye.

"You are really attacking me!" Zed has his eyes wide in shock.

As the wind blades rushed forward, the sound of air sliced apart reverberated. It was like two razor-sharp swords were cutting through everything.

Flames erupted under Zed's feet and he jumped backward. He raised a hand and launched two fireballs that slammed into the wind blades.

The fireballs stopped the wind blades for a moment but then they moved forward, at much faster speed.

"Don't even think of defeating me! After last time, I have advanced!" Raxu coldly said. "A slum bastard like you with no background has zero chances of surviving!"

As the wind blades arrived in front of him, Zed ducked sidewards, narrowly avoiding the blade but falling in the process.

Raxu's lips curved up.

So what if you have dodged my starting attack?! This was enough to put you in backfront! That's how strong I'm now!

By now, Raxu was just fifty meters from Zed. He stretched his hands and swirling wind concentrated into his hand.

"Orphan, let me show you my new skill! Wind vortex!" Raxu was saying this when he saw Zed's pupils shrinking to the size of a needle.

What happened?

Haah~! He must be terrified!

He was thinking this when he heard Zed say," Enchantia! Why are you here again?!"

Enchantia?!

That powerful entity from before?!

Raxu was dumbfounded and afraid.

Was she coming here because I targetted this band?! But didn't she say she wouldn't care what happens with the band!?

Shit! I must apologize and tell her this is a misunderstanding!

Raxu quickly turned around, his entire body soaked in cold sweat.

"Huh? There is no one there?!" Raxu saw no one but only his friends who were staring at him.

He was startled to see that their expressions were filled with alarm!

What's wrong? Why are they looking at me like that?!

He has a bad premonition and he rapidly turned around.

As he did, all he noticed was two fists, wrapped in flames, punching right into the chest. The moment those fists made contact, the flames exploded, creating a force of intense magnitude. The impact sent him tumbling into the air and crash into the ceiling.

Hot, fresh blood sprayed out from his mouth like a geyser. Broken teeth were sent flying along with the blood.

"Argh!" Raxu cried in intense pain. He felt his ears ringing and bone cracking from the crash.

"I might be a slum dweller, bastard, orphan, or any of those words you called," Zed's voice entered his ears as he began falling down from the ceiling. "But at least I'm not an idiot who gets distracted in the middle of a battle."

Raxu coughed up more blood in the free fall. He wanted to curse but the sudden attack has resulted in massive injuries that wracked his body, leaving him in no capacity to retort.

Just as he was about to slam on the ground, from the corners of his eyes, he noticed streams of fire rushing at him, like enormous cobras, ready to devour him.

"Noooo!"

This was the final word he muttered in his life. Afterward, all his mouth let out was blood-curling screams, filled with raging pain and despair.

At the same time, Onur and the other two mutants were running towards Raxu to help him, but just sixty meters away, they stopped as they saw the streams of fire wrapping his entire body.

By the time Raxu slammed on the floor, he was literally a man on fire!

His entire body was burning, no, grilling with a sizzling sound. Charred flesh fell off from his body, exposing pure-white bones.

The smell of rotten flesh filled the air...

Onur's expression turned unsightly.

He looked on as Zed stepped on burning Raxu, making the latter scream further.

"Oops! I thought you were dead!" Zed apologized by making a slight bow. "I hope your highness can forgive a poor slum bastard for this."

Raxu could only wail in agony. By now, even his inside organs and bones were melting, making the pain surge like a volcano.

He wished he could faint and just die, but sadly, the raging flames didn't even give him this mercy.

"Well, sorry for defeating you so quickly as well," Zed added further.

"I truly apologize for not giving you a chance to show off your new skill... but please understand, I meant no disrespect.

"You see, there are many idiots here, and more would be coming soon. So, I can't afford to waste my energy on an idiot like you."

As Zed stepped forward, a radiant smile appeared on his face. Raxu was already on brink of death and he couldn't see, but Onur and others could.

The smile was murderous, sadistic and even pleasant... a smile that could never fit a human!

Onur felt a chill crawling up his spine. He didn't know why, but the moment he saw the smile, he felt as if the man in front of him was a devil.

"What happened to him?!"

Onur couldn't believe the sudden change in Zed's disposition.

His expression was still polite and respectful like a perfect gentleman, but everything else was devilish.

Chapter 404 - Zed Vs Onur & Company

Onur and his two companions - Gazet and Bairwa - looked on as Raxu scorched to ashes. The moment his body caught fire, they knew he couldn't be rescued so they didn't even try.

"We would avenge him!" Onur snapped his teeth and declared.

In response, Gazet and Bairwa nodded fiercely, their eyes bloodshot.

"You were using him as a guinea pig and now you want to avenge him?" Zed's body radiated with intense fire energy fluctuations as he continued, "Your hypocrisy is really admirable!"

Onur's expression changed in disbelief. For a moment, he was struck on spot.

How did he know my intentions?! Could he read my thoughts?! Or it was a guess?! Am I so obvious?!

Gazet and Bairwa, on the other hand, looked at each other in dismay.

What hypocrisy is he talking about?

"You didn't tell them, do you?" Zed was amused.

"What is he talking about?" Gazet asked.

"Nothing! He is just trying to create a rift between us!" Onur shouted and charged at Zed. "Let's kill him before others arrive!"

Gazet and Bairwa didn't think much and rushed forward.

Some time ago, before they arrived in this corridor, Onur has flared the hatred Raxu felt towards Zed by reminding him of his embarrassing defeat. He has done it subtly so that Onur would attack Zed on his own, without involving them.

Even though Onur didn't show it, he was terrified.

Not of Zed, but of the trial zone itself!

More specifically, the rule of protection!

The palace was also a part of trial zone, and while there was no trial taking place now, he believed the rule was still in force.

So, he wanted to know if the rule protected Zed not!

Raxu and others naturally assumed the protection didn't apply to Zed as he was no longer a 'contestant'. But Onur wasn't so sure.

If by some chance the rule also protected Zed then wouldn't they be killed instead?

This was why he allowed Raxu to take the lead. If Raxu died by trial zone, then Onur could simply back away.

When he saw Raxu was still safe after launching an attack, he was relieved... It was a different matter that he didn't expect Raxu to die at Zed's hand.

"Oh my! Three against one!" Zed gaped in shock, his face filled with fear.

Onur ignored his words and summoned an energy chain. He twirled the chain in his right hand and lashed it at Zed.

With a whistling sound, the chain swept forward to catch Zed.

The fear on his face turned into mocking and he wrapped his body with swirling flames. As the chain was about to catch him, he propelled himself high into the air.

As he expected, the chain turned its direction to catch him.

At the same time, Onur and others have already closed the distance. They stepped on the remains of Raxus's existence as they lashed out at him.

"You should never insult the dead in such a way," Zed said while somersaulting in the air. "Otherwise, bad things happen!"

Onur's eyes flickered and he lowered his head.

From the ashes below, bright sparks dispersed out and exploded like firecrackers, carrying blistering heat waves.

"It was a trap?" Onur couldn't believe it.

Hang on!

Was this why this punk stepped on Raxu while he was burning? Were those conversations a distraction?!

Onur was having a hard time understanding this.

He gritted his teeth and brought the chain back just as it was about to tangle Zed. Without saying anything, he slashed the chain down.

BANG

The blistering heat waves dispersed into thin air.

"This is child's play!" Onur shouted in anger. "You might be strong, but so are we!"

At the same time, as Zed landed on the floor, he was a bit surprised to see Gazet running through the remaining heat waves without any injuries.

"Enhanced strength and strong durability," Zed thought.

Gazet pounced on him like a cheetah. Zed retreated, enveloped in flames, but Gazet's speed amplified and he caught Zed.

"Got you!"

The flames sizzled and the air whirled as Gazet grabbed Zed by his chest!

He locked Zed from behind with his arms, and as Zed strengthened the flames around him, Gazet only grinned.

"Give it up!" Gazet was confident of his physical powers to resist fire. He decided to teach this punk a lesson and further tightened his arms.

Cracking sound ringed from Zed's chest and the veins on his face bulged.

Meanwhile, Bairwa appeared some hundred meters away from Zed. Onur also stepped beside Bairwa.

He was happy with the quick conclusion of the battle. They didn't have to spend much efforts!

"Why don't you smile now?" Onur asked.

Zed didn't respond, his eyes filled with despair.

"Hehe, this punk was sure overconfident till a few minutes ago!" Bairwa laughed loudly before adding, "Let me vent some frustration before we kill him!"

"Good!" Gazet agreed with his suggestion. He grabbed Zed tightly and locked him in one place, and said, "Check how good our punching bag is!"

Bairwa responded by charging forward, his right fist ready to throw a punch. Even though he said it was to vent, the punch carried a staggering strength.

He was also a strength-type mutant and the vibrating ripples spreading out from his fist was proof of just how powerful he was.

At this moment, the corners of Zed's mouth curled up.

"Hey! Is your entire body immune to fire?" Zed asked Gazet.

"Of course! So don't even think you can escape from my grip!" Gazet answered, his voice filled with viciousness.

Gazet was just twenty meters away! Just five seconds!

"I still want to try though," Zed replied by yanking his feet upwards. He was still pinned by the chest and has no space to leave.

Just as Gazet opened his mouth to tell this punk to stop, his pupils constricted.

Zed's feet moved upward but they were from behind. They stopped between Gazet's knees, most likely due to physical limitations.

But this wasn't what made Gazet shocked.

He screamed as he sensed Zed's feet booming out streams of fire. They crashed straight into his crotch!

Gazet left Zed and brought his hands to stop the fire. Thankfully, the fire wasn't strong enough and he extinguished it in a moment.

Just then, he heard sharp sound along with a shocked voice.

"Gazet!" Bairwa called out in alarm as his fist slammed onto Gazet. It was just a second ago that Zed ducked the punch by crouching down!

Sadly, a second was enough.

With a bang sound, Gazet was sent flying into a wall.

"Bastard!" Bairwa brought his eyes on crouching Zed.

Bairwa's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and as he eyed the punk, he saw Zed was sporting the same devilish smile from before.

"Punk! Gazet would be fine!" Bairwa was sure of his companion's strength. "So stop smiling! You are done for!"

"No idea whether I'm done for or not," Zed replied, still smiling. "But you sure are."

"What?" Bairwa suddenly felt a strong suffocating pressure.

He collapsed on all fours, his face deathly pale.

What's going on?!

Bairwa was sure this was not done by Zed. He tried to process this when every bone in his body began crushing to powder.

"AHHHHH!" Bairwa screamed.

Some distance away, Onur's pupils dilated.

The fine hairs on his body stood up in fright as he muttered, "It is the punishment from the trial zone! Zed is not protected by the rule of protection but Gazet is!!"

The trial zone didn't intervene when Bairwa threw a punch at Zed, but when it landed on Gazet, the rule was broken.

It resulted in this unique punishment.

THUD

Bairwa crashed further with his head slamming on the floor. The terrifying pain of skeleton turning into powder has already killed him.

Now, he was just a corpse of flesh and blood... no bones.

~step~

Zed got back on his feet.

He took out a recovery pill from his storage ring and consumed it. The minor cracks in his chest rapidly filled up, and he returned to his peak condition.

With a swoosh sound, flame erupted on his body as he gazed at Onur.

Behind, Gazet has recovered from the punch. When he regained clarity, he saw the condition of his companion, and realized the tragic truth.

"Son of a bitch! I would kill you!" Gazet wailed and charged forward.

He was like a berserk mammoth, thirsting for blood.

"Die!" Gazet punched straight.

The air exploded under his shocking full strength as his punches rushed to kill Zed. But just as it was about to land, Zed twirled his body like an insane gale and jumped, narrowly avoiding the punches.

The jump was not for a retreat!

He was jumping backward, just a few centimeters above Gazet's height.

"In next life, learn to use your brain," Zed said, his voice cold. "Unless there is an overwhelming difference in strength, never believe you have won before the battle concludes."

A fireball appeared in his hand which he smashed straight into Gazet's eyes!

"And also, remember: nothing in this universe has perfect immunity, nothing," Zed added as the fireball exploded into Gazet's eyes.

Gazet was in no condition to think about his words.

As soon as the fire swept into his eyes, he opened his mouth and screamed.

His eyeballs were melting!

Some distance away, Onur jumped into action.

He thought he didn't need to step in due to Gazet's berserk state, but now he obviously realized how wrong his decision was.

He rushed to help Gazet and stop the fire.

"I have pills with regenerative abilities!" Onur shouted to let Gazet know everything would be all right.

In the midst of despair, Gazet was a bit relieved that there was a chance!

That might be but he still wailed like a dying dog due to the raging pain.

"Just a few moments and I will be fine!" Gazet thought as he screamed.

But just then, he felt something hot stuffed into his open mouth.

"You think this is some game where I would let you heal?" Zed asked coldly as he threw a fireball into Gazet's mouth.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The moment the fireball entered into Gazet's mouth, it exploded into streams of fire.

Just like how blood flows through the body, the streams of fire coursed through his body, burning him from inside.

Gazet learned that no matter how durable and strong his body was from outside, but from inside, it was considerably weaker and far more susceptible to fire.

At the same time, Zed stretched another hand towards Onur and released a column of fire.

"Damn!" Onur's eyes flickered and he rotated the energy chain like a spinning wheel.

A strong gale erupted from the chain and crashed into the incoming column of fire. Alongside, Onur ducked sidewards and whipped the chain diagonally at Zed.