Chapter 105: Raven Master

Ruchir barely had time to register his surroundings when the figure in black spoke, his voice low and resonant, echoing with an authority that seemed to permeate the very air around them.

"So, you are the next one... hmmm."

The words sent a shiver down Ruchir's spine. He quickly bowed, instinctively recognizing the power before him.

"Greetings, Raven Master," he said, his voice steady but respectful.

He knew he was in the presence of someone extraordinary, a being of immense power and wisdom.

"It is an honor to stand before you."

The Raven Master, his expression unreadable behind the mask, gave a slight nod.

Ruchir could sense that this man saw through him entirely, reading not just his actions but his thoughts and intentions as well.

It was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Before Ruchir could collect his thoughts, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Another figure had appeared, and this one was unmistakable.

A small, bright-eyed creature with an air of boundless energy and innocence.

The figure's voice confirmed Ruchir's suspicions before he even turned fully to look.

"Hello, Ruchir! How are you? What did you encounter? Was it difficult? Did you feel scared? How did you make it this far? What was the trial like?"

The questions poured out in a rapid stream, each one more exuberant than the last.

Ruchir blinked, somewhat taken aback by the barrage of questions.

He turned to see Flippy, who was looking at him with wide, curious eyes, as if genuinely fascinated by Ruchir's experience.

Despite himself, Ruchir couldn't help but smile.

Flippy's presence was like a burst of light in the otherwise intense atmosphere.

"Flippy?" Ruchir asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "How did you get here?"

Flippy puffed out his chest proudly, his small stature doing nothing to diminish his self-satisfaction. "Of course, by passing the trials!" he declared, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The Raven Master, who had been silent up until now, suddenly let out a deep, amused laugh.

It was a sound that seemed to resonate through the nest, carrying with it a sense of warmth and mirth.

"Passing the trials, you say? More like breezing through them," the Raven Master said, a note of genuine amusement in his voice.

Ruchir looked between Flippy and the Raven Master, confusion written all over his face. "Breezing through...?" he echoed, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.

The Raven Master nodded, his gaze shifting to Flippy with what could almost be considered fondness.

"Indeed. Every trial this one underwent was the most out-of-the-box way of passing that I have ever seen," he explained, his tone both bemused and impressed.

"Where others struggled with the challenges laid before them, Flippy here simply found ways to circumvent the difficulty entirely."

Ruchir's brow furrowed as he tried to wrap his mind around what he was hearing. "Circumvented... how?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Flippy, still wearing that smug, innocent smile, looked up at Ruchir with wide eyes. "Well, it wasn't that hard, really. I just did what made sense!" he said cheerfully.

Ruchir's confusion deepened. "What do you mean? What exactly did you do?"

Flippy tilted his head, as if considering how best to explain. "Oh, you know, little things," he said nonchalantly.

"Like when I was supposed to break that giant rock as big as Mount Tai, I just used my transformation technique to make it small. Then, I broke it easily!"

Ruchir stared at him, dumbfounded. "You... made it small?"

Flippy nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Just shrank it down to the size of my palm, and then—" He mimed smashing something with his tiny hands. "Bam! Broken in two!"

Ruchir's mind was spinning.

The task that had taken others what felt like years to complete, Flippy had bypassed with a simple application of a technique.

It was ingenious in its simplicity, and yet it was something Ruchir would never have thought to do.

The Raven Master chuckled again, clearly entertained by the exchange. "That was just one of the many 'solutions' Flippy came up with. Where others saw obstacles, he saw opportunities for creativity. It was quite remarkable, really."

Ruchir shook his head in disbelief, still trying to process everything. "I... I don't even know what to say."

Flippy, on the other hand, remained blissfully unaware of the magnitude of what he had done. He just stood there, proud and happy, as if everything had gone exactly as it should have. "It was fun!" he said with a grin, clearly pleased with himself.

Ruchir couldn't help but smile back, despite his lingering confusion. Flippy's innocence was disarming, and his approach to the trials was nothing short of astonishing.

As Ruchir tried to piece together how Flippy had managed to reach this point with such ease, the Raven Master spoke again.

"Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective," he said, his tone thoughtful.

"And sometimes, innocence and creativity can overcome even the most daunting of challenges."

Ruchir nodded slowly, his respect for Flippy growing by the minute. "I suppose... there's a lesson in that."

The Raven Master nodded, his gaze shifting between the two of them. "Indeed. And perhaps that lesson is one of the most important you will learn on this journey."

Flippy, still beaming, seemed completely content, while Ruchir's mind raced with new thoughts and insights. This journey was turning out to be far more complex and enlightening than he had ever imagined.

And as he stood there in that enormous nest, with the Raven Master's presence looming over him and Flippy's innocent smile beside him. 

Meanwhile, Alice reached the 140th step, her body trembling under the immense pressure. The gravity was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and every step felt like she was dragging a mountain behind her.

Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her legs felt like they were made of lead, and her vision started to blur. She fought valiantly, gritting her teeth and pushing herself onward, but in the end, the weight was too much. With a final, exhausted sigh, she collapsed onto the step, defeated.

From a few steps below, Garret caught sight of Alice's fall and couldn't help but let out a triumphant laugh. "Hah! I knew you'd bite the dust sooner or later!" he called out, his voice carrying a mixture of amusement and relief. "Looks like you couldn't handle the heat, huh?"

Alice, still sprawled on the step, opened one eye and shot Garret a withering look. "And who exactly is mocking whom here?" she retorted, her voice laced with playful sarcasm. "Need I remind you that I trounced you in that last trial?"

Garret's smirk faltered for a moment, and he scowled at her. "That doesn't count!" he snapped, clearly annoyed by the reminder. "If it were a gravity competition, I would've crushed you like a bug!"

Alice managed to push herself up into a sitting position, her grin never faltering.

"Oh, sure, Garret. Whatever helps you sleep at night," she teased, batting her eyelashes at him in mock sympathy. "But you're still stuck below me, so I guess we'll never know, will we?"

Garret clenched his fists, his face turning red. "Just you wait, Alice! I'll show you who's really got the strength here!" he declared, his voice full of determination—and a hint of desperation.

Their banter continued, each one trying to outdo the other with increasingly ridiculous boasts and jabs.

The tension of the trial was momentarily forgotten as the two engaged in their usual charade, neither willing to back down or admit defeat.

As the day wore on, and the sky began to darken, the steps grew quiet. The oppressive gravity had taken its toll on the remaining students, and one by one, they began to drop out, unable to continue.

By the time the moon had risen, not a single student had managed to surpass the 150th step.

Principal Yuan, who had been watching the proceedings from below, sighed deeply. It was time to bring the trial to an end.

He cleared his throat, the sound carrying across the mountainside, and all eyes turned toward him.

"Students, citizens, esteemed guests!" Principal Yuan began, his voice booming with authority. "It is my honor to announce that today's trial has come to an end.

And while not all of you reached the top, let it be known that each and every one of you showed great spirit and determination!"

He paused for dramatic effect, raising a hand to the sky. "You faced challenges that would have broken lesser individuals, and for that, you should be proud!"

Garret, still standing on his step, rolled his eyes. "Here we go again," he muttered under his breath, earning a stifled giggle from Alice, who was barely managing to sit upright.

Principal Yuan, oblivious to the undercurrents of amusement, continued with his speech.

"Today, you have taken a great step forward on the path of cultivation! Whether you succeeded or not, you have grown stronger, more resilient, more determined!"

He puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with his own words.

"And it is this kind of growth that will one day make you great warriors, leaders, and perhaps even heroes!"

In the crowd below, someone stifled a laugh. "Yeah, right," a voice called out, dripping with sarcasm. "And maybe pigs will fly!"

The comment didn't go unnoticed. Principal Yuan's eye twitched, and he scanned the crowd, trying to locate the source of the mockery.

"Who said that?" he demanded, his voice growing sharper.

"Who dares to mock the wisdom of Principal Yuan?"

The crowd was silent for a moment, but then a few muffled snickers could be heard. Garret, watching the scene unfold, smirked.

"Looks like someone's got a fan club," he quipped to Alice, who was now standing and dusting herself off.

Principal Yuan's face turned red as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"I will have you know," he continued, his tone haughty, "that it takes great courage to even attempt such a trial! And those who mock from the sidelines would do well to remember that!"

Another voice piped up from the crowd, barely holding back laughter. "Maybe you should try it yourself, Principal! Show us how it's done!"

This time, the laughter wasn't so stifled. The crowd burst into chuckles and snickers, and even Garret couldn't help but laugh out loud. "They've got a point," he said, grinning. "Maybe Principal Yuan should give it a go."

Alice giggled, leaning on Garret for support. "I'd pay to see that," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Principal Yuan, now thoroughly flustered, pointed an accusatory finger at the crowd.

"Enough! I will not tolerate such insolence!" he shouted, though the effect was somewhat diminished by the laughter that continued to ripple through the audience.

"I am your principal, and you will show me the respect I deserve!"

The crowd, far from being cowed, continued to laugh and joke among themselves, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Principal Yuan threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine! Laugh all you want! But remember this—those who mock the strong will never become strong themselves!"

With that, he turned on his heel and stomped away, muttering under his breath. Garret and Alice, still chuckling, watched him go.

"Well, that was entertaining," Garret said, still grinning. "I guess even the mighty Principal Yuan can't escape a little mockery now and then."

Alice nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "I suppose not. But he did have a point, in his own way. We did all grow stronger today."

Garret sighed, his laughter fading as he looked back at the steps. "Yeah, I guess we did. But it's still fun to mess with him."

Alice chuckled, linking her arm with Garret's as they began to walk back down the steps together. "Always."