A projection of a lady appeared, just like during the city selection. Klaus and everyone fell silent, eager to hear what she had to say.
“Congratulations on making it this far,” she began. “This is the regional trial. As you already know, we will only be selecting 1,000 out of the 12,000 present here. However, those who wash out of this trial will still receive some attention from the academy.”
Everyone listened intently. They understood that this would be their last chance to make an impression, even if they didn’t succeed. “But that’s as far as it goes. You might gain some recognition, which, while limited, will still draw some positive attention toward you.”
No one was shocked by her words. They all knew that only the top 1,000 would advance, so they braced themselves for the news. Still, a few couldn’t help but sigh in resignation.
“Now, let’s discuss the structure of the trial. It will be like the city selection, but instead of moving through multiple stages, there will be only one stage called Endless Tide. As the name suggests, you will face an unending onslaught of monsters and zombies, ranging from Tier 4 to Tier 6.”
A hush fell over the crowd as they absorbed her words. “There will be no breaks between tides. So if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by stronger monsters, it’s advisable to kill as quickly as you can. The strongest enemy you’ll encounter will be Tier 6 Terrors or Tier 6 Zombie Generals, and there will be tides of them. So prepare yourselves.”
Hearing this, everyone let out a collective sigh, a chill running down their spines. The weight of the challenge settled heavily on their shoulders. Klaus, standing with his friends, glanced at them and shook his head. They looked scared.
He understood their fear; they had never faced such large tides of monsters before. Klaus had, and it had been thrilling. Seeing his friends so worried made him want to comfort them, but instead, he said something that made them want to murder him.
“You guys are chickens. They’re just monsters. How hard can it be to kill them?” It wasn’t just his friends who glared at him; those nearby were ready to join in on the murder.
Klaus just smiled, unfazed, and turned his attention back to the lady’s projection.
“Also, I know many of you noticed that the monsters during the city trials were weaker than those in the real world. We designed it that way so they could exert only 60 percent of their strength.” Many nodded in understanding, recalling how easy it had been to defeat those creatures.
“However,” she continued, “for this trial, the monsters will wield between 80 to 90 percent of their strength. So good luck, and may the strong and intelligent come out on top.”
A heavy silence fell over the crowd as the implications sank in. The stakes had just risen dramatically. But there was no time to hesitate; doors opened along the walls, signaling them to enter.
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“Alright, guys, try not to die early. It would be a bummer if some of you washed out,” Klaus said with a grin. He cast a sneaky glance at a certain blonde-haired beauty who was watching them, more specifically, Danny. “Also, Danny, I think Alice is gunning for you, so be sure to make her happy.”
Danny smiled and walked away, ready to chase his dreams. Anna looked at Klaus, and for some reason, she smiled as she walked off. This made Klaus raise an eyebrow, puzzled by her expression. The smile wasn’t ordinary at all and Klaus knew that.
“Big sister, you should probably go. I think all of Mom’s good luck has been given to you,” Klaus said with a playful pout, eyeing Hanna, who couldn’t help but smile before leaving. Clearly, the mommy’s boy didn’t like not getting all the attention anymore.
‘Maybe I should take her to the mountains and leave her there for a few days. That will give me more alone time with Mom,’ Klaus thought as he moved toward a certain door. The idea made him chuckle, but he quickly focused on the task ahead. The challenge awaited, and he was ready to face it head-on.
After walking through the doorway, he found himself in a room similar to the one for the city selection. Klaus lay back in a bed-like chair and placed the gaming helmet on his head. Soon, his consciousness entered Oracle, leaving his physical body vulnerable on the outside.
Meanwhile, in a room somewhere within the large building, the officials overseeing the trial were gathered. The lady who had made the announcement was present, along with a certain cute, dark-haired lady with a heavy chest—the War Goddess. She sat with her arms crossed, almost as if supporting those mountains.
“War Goddess, are you sure about this?” the announcement lady asked, her voice tinged with concern.
“Yes, Set his trial to 100 percent and increase the rate at which the monsters come,” she replied. The lady looked puzzled but nodded, glancing toward the screen that showed Klaus selecting his weapons. She made some adjustments and sighed.
Inside the game, Klaus was presented with all types of weapons, but he chose only two: a sword and Viper Piercing Needles. It would be his first time using the needles in combat, so he wanted to have a backup plan.
The sword served as that backup, but even without it, he had the Ice Lotus and his Pentaface bead. However, he didn’t plan to use any of that now; he wanted to focus on training with the needles and sharpening his mind during this trial.
After selecting his weapons, Klaus was transported to a vast field that stretched for thousands of kilometers. The landscape was dry and deserted, but with his senses heightened, he could already feel the presence of monsters approaching.
He could use the needles effectively within a 10-kilometer radius; beyond that, their attack power would drop. So, he waited patiently. According to the instructions, there would be an endless tide of monsters, and he knew there would be plenty to kill.
In the other parts of Oracle, youngsters stood in similar fields, preparing themselves and their weapons for the impending onslaught. Anna held her staff, exuding an air of calm as chill as ice. Lily gripped her sword tightly, the atmosphere around her seeming to respond to her steady heartbeat.
Danny, Daniel, and others were also poised in their respective trial spaces, eagerly awaiting the monsters’ arrival. This is their time to show what they are made of, whether they qualify to be Klaus’s friends or not.
Meanwhile, on one side of the trial space, Hanna stood with her bow in hand, crackling with subtle lightning. She has an affinity for the lightning element which in some way is very lethal for an archer.
Suddenly, hundreds of Tier 4 dark monsters appeared on the horizon, their various shapes and sizes looming ominously. Hanna narrowed her eyes watching them as they crossed the 5-kilometer mark. In an instant, a thick lightning arrow materialized in her bow. With a powerful pull, she released the arrow.
As it flew toward the first monster, it burst into sparks of lightning that streaked through the bodies of the creatures. Just like that, over a hundred monsters were dispatched, and she was just getting started. More Lightning arrows followed
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Back to Klaus’s battle space, he watched as the monsters entered his 10-kilometer radius, a smile creeping across his face. He suddenly released the Viper Piercing Needles, making 45 of them float around him. With a thought, the 45 Needles moved and merged forming one large and thick needle.
He grinned again and, with a quick gesture, he sent the needle flying at terrifying speed. What followed holes through heads and monsters dissipating into nothingness.
