CH276

Stepping into the trial, he was actually given a few reasons to feel optimistic. There was in fact solid ground for him to walk on, though it seemed more like a construct of mana than stone or earth beneath his feet, and his enchantments were holding. More than that, he was actually too cold from them and lowered their output until he was comfortable, knowing that in all likelihood he’d need to change them again soon enough. Even if it wasn’t too bad so far, it was still hot, it just wasn’t starting at a temperature that would cook him alive.

From there, he took a quick look around, trying to figure out where he needed to go when a sight stopped him in his tracks.

“Greed, either I’m dreaming of the trials messing with me ‘cause I already see a light.”

It was nothing but a twinkle in the distance and he was already sure it would take as many hours of suffering to reach as any other part of the trial they’d been through yet, but he was sure it was there, clear as day.

One of his bigger concerns had been how he’d be able to find the thing if the trial was going to be flooded in flame, with light in all directions to mess him up, but so long as it wasn’t a bit of fire already started, it might have been their first bit of good news so early into a section so far.

“Well then don’t turn your nose up at a bit of mercy and get moving!” Greed yelled at him, getting him moving with all of his speed.

The armour was weighing him down, but his strength and stamina were both high, raised all the more thanks to the crab pressed into his chest, and combined with the time enchantment on the armour flooding him with its effects he was all but flying across the land, making distance at a speed he could never normally hope to achieve. With every step he got farther as the world moved in slow motion, and he couldn’t help but harbour a hope that he’d make it there before things got truly bad, his only concern being adjusting the water enchantment to keep things cool as the heat rose.

That hope lasted right until a pillar of fire exploded from the ground only seconds later.

He hadn’t been expecting it. He couldn’t have expected it. He’d been looking out into the distance, thinking he’d see the first sign of whatever was being thrown at him much farther away to give him at least a hint, but it had appeared right under his feet, briefly engulfing him in flames as it did.

It was large enough that it took him seconds to get out, but by the end he felt himself sweating despite the various enchantments from him. He wished it was from worry or fear, but enough warmth had gotten through to leave him in that state as he went on, swearing to himself as he did.

This is on me. We kept seeing signs at least a little bit away, I thought I could depend on it. Never expected to be thrown into the middle of a freaking inferno! Damn it, if those things only get hotter too then I’m in trouble.

As he tried to think of how he might be able to avoid such things in the future, there was one thing he didn’t account for, his current speed and horrid luck. With the time enchantment on top of the previous buffs, he was moving much faster, meaning he’d gotten farther into the trial. The reason he hadn’t seen any yet was because that was the first one. The fact that he had ended up in the center of it when it went off had all come down to poor chance, while the fact that he’d lived was thanks to the work he’d put in to prepare for it.

Ben, having no idea of any of that, rushed on as he went, doing his best to be vigilant but seeing no warning that would give away the coming flame. All he could do to try to be safe was to lower the temperature further, going beyond what he was comfortable with to try and protect against anything that might catch them unaware.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

He watched more pillars shoot up around him, each one seeming to be larger than the last and erupting without warning, but thankfully missing him as they did. They were beginning to come faster though, with more appearing at once so he tried to push himself harder, forcing more speed out of his legs with every step he went, only to find he couldn’t. The first few sections had been making him grow accustomed to giving every drop of sweat and blood he could when he pushed his body and when he started running for this one he was already forcing his body to its absolute limits.

It hurt to breathe and everything ached, but Greed was constantly healing him, repairing every torn muscle fibre, stimulating the breakdown and removal of any acids and other byproducts of exercise as he pushed himself so he didn’t have to stop. Until they got through the exit, his body was nothing more than a machine designed to move.