"ARGGHH!!!" screamed Angus.
Angus felt being burned alive. The Heart Obsidian in his hand shattered and released a dark black fire towards the surrounding.
Like a chemical reaction, the liquified molten iron is starting to turn into a colorful color instead of a red molten one, while on top of it, there is a pure black flame that keeps burning.
The scene is bizarre yet also majestic. However, the two dwarfs ignore this and look at the smelting tub in solemn expression.
"I hope you survive, kid." muttered Balrug while looking at the smelting tub.
Inside the tub, Angus feels the hot iron molten destroying his body slowly by melting it. At first, he feels hot and pain all over his body, then the next moment, he feels a weird cold sensation while the pain is still there. After a while, he feels hot and painful again.
Angus feels time moves slowly during this vicious cycle. Soon, he forgets about the time and starts to lose his mind in this endless torture. Angus wants to get out of the tub and run from this eternal torture. But, he remembers Balrug's advice to let everything go.
When he gives up to struggle, the pain itself suddenly goes away, and his mind becomes clear. Before he knows it, he is inside darkness.
Slowly he regains the feeling of his body inside this dark space. Angus didn't know how much time passed by, but he felt inside this space for a long time.
Soon, he could regain control all over his body. But because of the darkness, he couldn't see his body condition. He could only feel it through his senses.
Angus tried to walk forward and found the darkness suddenly dimly brightened up. He could see a vast, majestic black-colored gate in front of him.
When Angus sees the gate, 'Why is the gate so damn huge? Did any giant pass through it?' thought Angus inwardly.
Suddenly, Angus hears a voice from his surroundings, "No, is it not. The gate shows that only the worthy one could pass through it. So, Are you a worthy one?" said the voice.
"Okay, How do I prove that I am worthy?" asked Angus while trying to locate the source of the voice.
"You know exactly how to prove it." the voice coming in front of him.
Angus could see a cloaked man with the same height as him. He didn't know why but his instinct told him to beat the cloaked man in front of him.
Angus approaches the cloaked man using [Beast Walk] and punches through him without wasting any moment. Before Angus's fist reach the man, the man redirects Angus's hand using his own [Yin-Yang Balancing].
Looking at the familiar skill used by the cloaked man, Angus immediately stomps the ground hard [Force Stance] to rebalance his body. Then, Angus stepped back a few meters away from the cloaked man.
"I see you are me. This is going to take a long time." said Angus in a lazy expression.
The cloaked man revealed his hood and showed a clone of Angus's face without any expression. Its eye is pure black, like the darkness in the surrounding.
Angus didn't truly surprise looking at the clone in front of him, "Well, At least I will enjoy this fight for a while." said Angus excitedly.
Suddenly, the two people using [Beast Walk] launch punches towards one another like a mirror [Dynamic Punch]. Dozens of the punches clash in less than a second. *Bam* *Bam* *Bam*
During this exchange, 'Our power and skills seem to be the same. He could also use [Yin-Yang Balancing] before, which means he is not a mindless puppet that only mirrors my skill. So, the only way to beat him is by overpowering him.' Angus begins to analyze his opponent.
Soon, both of them begin to use the same skills for a few minutes. Angus keeps launching attacks and tries to lead the clone into a trap many times. Yet, the clone begins to use different skills and adapt to Angus's tactic like himself.
After fighting for a dozen minutes without gaining the upper hand, Angus stopped attacking. He noticed the opponent didn't feel tired while his stamina was getting worse every time he clashed.
"Huff… It seems I don't have any choice but to use those forbidden skills. To win this trial." said Angus.
Like noticing Angus's intention, the clone in front of him nodded at Angus. In his past life, there is a reason why he was called the strongest person even before he got the heritage chi. He has superb adaptability and is a master at controlling his body.
Combined with his talent in insight as a martial expert, Angus could copy any kind of skill or technique by looking at it once. Given enough time, he could even improve them into better skills or techniques.
With this kind of talent, Angus has the upper hand against the other martial experts. Among all the skills he knows, some are categorized as forbidden skills because they could harm the user physically or mentally.
Angus didn't want to use this skill because he feels it is unnecessary since his life goal is to have a peaceful life. However, ever since he declares his love for Jayna, he knows that it will take a hard road to achieve his peaceful life.
Sooner or later, he needs to use all these forbidden techniques and skills. Thinking about this, Angus begins to realize the trial itself seems to want to push him and make him go all out without any shred of hesitation.
He began to remember when he was still young in his previous life, where he pursued power and strength without hesitation. Ever since he was born in this world, he constantly contradicted himself in wanting to get stronger.
He fears that he will be too powerful, like in his previous life, and betrayed by his loved one. As someone who stood at the top, he knows that power brings happiness and peace. It also brings sadness, hatred, and resentment leading to betrayal.
Angus is afraid of all of this happening again. He is worried that his lover and family will betray him if he gets too strong, like in the past.
On the other hand, he also wants to stand at the peak as the strongest. This contradictory feeling haunted him. But, he chose to ignore it and run away from it.
During his time thinking all of this, Angus didn't realize that the clone in front of him didn't move or attack him like he knows that Angus has an inner struggle.
Inside the dark space, Angus's contradictory feeling that he always escapes from amplified many times more vital inside the dark space. He could even see some of his fear inside the darkness.
While his mind becomes more chaotic, the dark space shrouds him like going to swallow him. After a moment, all his fears are gone while Angus's demeanor is changed.
"Hahahaha…. " Angus began to laugh madly.
"This is very funny. A mere trial like this, trying to hold me back. Weak.. So.. Weak. It disgusts me. I Am the strongest person on Earth. Nothing is going to stand in my way to reach the peak!!" shouted Angus like he was declaring himself.
Then, Angus knocked his chest with his finger and continued towards his neck and finally his shoulder [Forbidden Art - God of War Point]. After doing all of this, Angus feels a surge of power inside his body.
He feels like having enormous power and is ready to fight countless battles like a God of War. Couldn't withstand the strong force, the dark space itself starts to crack.
Meanwhile, outside the tub, an enormous amount of energy comes out from the tub. The tub itself begins to crack.
Looking at this, "Boss, what happened?" said Bail.
Seeing the crack on the smelting tub, "I don't know what happened, but since the dark flame still flares up brightly, the test is still going on. We need to prevent it from cracking any further."
During this time, the energy wave keeps cracking the tub. Looking at this, Baldur immediately brought a big chain and wrapped it around the tub. Without wasting any moment, he began enchanting the tub with the help of the chain.
While Balrug and Bail prevented the tub from being destroyed, Inside the dark space, "Come, let's end this trial." said Angus with a crazy smile.
Soon, the two people begin to clash again. However, unlike before, the clone of Angus was entirely overpowered by Angus. Like Angus thought, the clone could not use the forbidden technique like him.
"Tch… Weaklings…" said Angus while his fist was covered with dark red fire.
Angus fist immediately strikes at the clone in front of him [Flame Strike]. The enormous force from the [Flame Strike] forces the clone to fly towards the gate and embedded on it.
Then, Angus approached the clone's body slowly. However, with every step he takes, his contradictory feeling amplified more until he couldn't even make a single step.
Angus stops in front of the clone, his crazy smile already exchanged with an expressionless face.
"I.. Angus Victory... will stand at the top. Nothing.. I mean, nothing will hold me back from it, even my past and the world!!" Angus throws a punch towards the clone with everything he got.
[World Punch]