Evan emerged from the shadows cast by the frostweavers. His lips curled into a smile as he noticed that the frostweavers were all looking in the direction of the explosion as if awaiting the settling of dust to confirm the success of their hunt.
"Certainly, your collective might is noteworthy. Nevertheless, it proved to be futile as it didn't achieve its desired effect."
No one noticed his presence until he spoke.
But by then, it was already too late.
He had brandished his sword and decapitated one of his opponents while he was remarking!
[Ding! Congratulations, Player Evan, for killing a level 5 Awakened Soul Cultivator. As a result, you get +50 EXP and a +1 point increment in your constitution stat!]
"Four vs. one?" Evan seemed to be in an imminent threat as the last four members of the group lunged towards him, wielding their weapons aggressively in his direction. "Not fair!"
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
The sound of four gunshots echoed loudly, as each of the assailants was instantly taken down. The precision of the shots resulted in a fatal blow to their heads, causing them to collapse lifelessly before even landing their intended attacks on Evan.
"You got them good, Aiden!" Evan excalimed while looking at a certain direction.
Aiden emerged stealthily from the dense thicket, having sniped three of his opponents, and headed towards Evan. Evan was standing at the center of the half-frozen clearing, seemingly waiting for him.
"We've been led astray by Prince Charming." Aiden declared with a hint of frustration as he stood beside Evan.
"In what way?" Evan inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"This trial is not just about sheer strength or the determination to survive and climb the tower," Aiden explained. "Defeating numerous opponents on your own is an impossible feat, especially if you are a regular soul manifestation realm cultivator. The real key to victory lies in teaming up with your fellow contestants, planning strategies, negotiating, and forming alliances. It is imperative to be wise in selecting our teammates and even be willing to betray them if the situation calls for it. But he made us think otherwise. Only after seeing the frostweavers working together did I realize what a blunder we've made."
Truly, Prince Charming's words had sown seeds of mistrust among the contestants, making them extremely wary of each other. The only exception were the hounds of the frostweavers, who had entered the trial as a team, and hence, were immune to the prince's manipulation.
It was only after witnessing their exemplary teamwork that Aiden had come to this realization, and although impressive, this knowledge proved to be of no use at this point in their journey.
They had already collected the necessary five points to progress further, making Aiden's sudden epiphany irrelevant!
"Well, we've already got all the points we need, so this information is no longer useful to us," said Evan.
Aiden couldn't help but express his frustration, "Yeah, I know, but it's frustrating to think about how badly that Croc tricked us."
After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Evan spoke up again, "Let's head over to the building in the distance and complete the second trial."
"Absolutely," replied Aiden, "but we need to be extra careful and keep an eye out for any other contestants we might run into along the way. We must be prepared to fight if the need arises."
They made their way towards the towering structure that loomed over the undulating hills. The moon's ethereal light lent a mystical quality to the grassy terrain, creating an otherworldly ambiance.
After a while, they stood before the formidable entrance. They cautiously placed their hands on the doors, which swung open effortlessly, beckoning them inside.
Without a moment's hesitation, they stepped through the foreboding threshold, only to find themselves instantly transported to separate rooms, completely isolated from one another.
.....
[You have entered the Backroom!]
Evan found himself standing in the middle of a room. The room was spacious, with a high ceiling adorned by an elegant chandelier that hung in the center, casting a warm glow across the room.
He looked around, taking in his surroundings. The walls were decorated with intricate patterns, and there were several pieces of antique furniture placed strategically around the room, enhancing the room's exquisiteness. There were five doors in the room. Who knows where they led to?
"Is there no prize for passing the trial on the second level?" Evan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Before he knew it, a humanoid figure appeared in the room as if from nowhere. He was the manager of the third level, a tall and lean man with a serious expression on his face. He wore a crisp black suit, complete with a matching tie and polished leather shoes. If not for the bat-like wings on his back, he would look like a true gentleman.
"Ascending to the third floor and gaining the exclusive right to exit the tower at will are the rewards bestowed upon you by Prince Charming himself for completing the trial of the second floor," Victor D'Angelo replied to Evan in a deep and patient voice. "You can verify it by looking at the back of your right hand."
On the back of Evan's hand, there was a tattoo featuring a door with the number 1 at its center. Strangely, it appeared there when he walked into the building, and he had been completely unaware of its presence until Victor drew his attention to it.
"I see," Evan said, "So this number represents the number of chances I have to leave the tower, and it remains effective even during an ongoing trial, right?"
Victor D'Angelo nodded in agreement.
"That's correct," he replied.
Evan Frost then looked around and asked, "Is this the third floor?"
Victor D'Angelo shook his head and explained, "No, this is the room that contains pathways that lead to the third floor. You can access those pathways through the doors you see behind me."
"I understand," Evan said, his curiosity piqued. "So, what's the trial of the third floor, and what do I need to do to pass it?"
Locking eyes with Evan, Victor provided the details, "The trial is rather straightforward. You'll be facing off against the clones of the first-generation members of the Imperial Frost Clan! To pass the trial, you must defeat at least one of them. However, if you manage to take down all of them, you'll earn additional benefits."
