Thankfully, Daz didn't have to wait the full 30 minutes he'd personally decided on. Not 20 minutes had passed until two figures entered the once blood and corpse decorated room.
'How strong does one have to be to annihilate strong healthy bodies with just their re presence alone? It would make one hell of a frighteningly efficient cri-scene cleaner if nothing else. All I can do is move on to the final room imdiately if sothing like that pops out for the two of them. My soul physically cannot take any more punishnt,' Daz thought as he slowly stood up.
"Be very careful. Should whatever cos out to test you try to kill you with its mind alone, I shall attempt to intervene and save you. I barely passed this test as it is. No one else did," he said just before the door could reveal to them the nature of this room.
"Test of Might phase 2: Prove your might of mind."
Daz approached his citizens and stayed close to them.
The man of the two had the ti to ask a single question before the space in the centre of the room began warping. "What exactly is this test about?"
"I was given a riddle by a being of incomprehensible power. The other groups had their minds attacked in various ways. Is it possible to interfere in other tests? If not, I may be bringing you out of here in body bags," Daz said.
Izumi didn't seem to be bothered by that statent. "If that's how it ends, that how it ends. Door-san, who are you testing first?"
"Response: You."
"I see." The woman closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before she walked forwards. "I ask you to not interfere, Your Majesty. Even should it cost my life to ignore your offer for aid, I wish to do this alone... or die trying."
'So including myself in the test can work, or is she just assuming? I doubt her words are truly genuine. She's in shock and pain after losing her family mber.' Daz frowned. "Door, is what I asked him possible or not?"
A being of fur and many limbs was coming into focus from the space-warping but it was no Qunjara or anything even close to as powerful as that dragon-esque being was. It felt similar to him to the Yaoguai in power. Daz was more than thankful for that.
Should the door answer favourably, he could subdue this beast with minimal effort since he could use Rimmy and all of his clones if need be.
"Response: Yes, but it is not advised if you value your life."
'Threatened by a door? There's a first for everything,' Daz chuckled internally. 'I can't afford to die here. Sorry, Miss Izumi. It's frustrating but saving myself here will save more lives in the future. I guess you truly are on your own. You as well,' he noted while glancing at the other man in the room.
A loud roar drew in his focus. The beast had fully ford and it seed angry. He had no idea what the creature was, exactly. It kind of looked like a lion but it had eight legs and two wings. 'A griffon of so sort?'
He was given no ti to inquire with the system before the beast roared a second ti, this ti twice as loudly and with power backing it. Not a second later, Miss Izumi's head exploded.
'A ntal attack. Ha-ah...' He glanced away from the corpse of one of his citizens towards the now shaking man at his side. "I don't suppose you can resist a ntal attack like that, can you? Or do you have an insane amount of Luck or Fate? I think I only survived due to my Luck in so twisted way."
"... You think you can kill this thing? This dungeon?" the man asked while his fury-filled eyes locked onto Daz's calm ones. "Izum- Hara-san... she called you 'Your Majesty'. You're High King Crowthorne, aren't you?"
Daz nodded, taking off his mask and storing it since it really didn't have any purpose anymore. His reasoning to make it was sound though a second conventional fight where his eyes could be injured never ca about.
Perhaps that was for the better, he thought. "Indeed I am, however, no, I can't. Not from in here at least. What would I even attack? The glass? I'll certainly try though when I get out. The entrance itself might be a weakness."
The man seed to take in his words and consider them deeply. "I... see. Luck, you said? I can't survive that kind of attack. My weapon was just a kendo sword originally. The mind is a big weakness for ."
He stared at his own shaking hands for a mont before smiling weakly. "I'm Hiro, by the way. I... I don't want to die. Call a coward if you will but I can't just... let myself go like Hara-san did. I... I'll pour everything I have left into Luck. I have an open stat slot so... sink or swim I guess? Hopefully I swim."
"Hopefully," Daz replied. 'Anger, upset, pain, distress, but shining through the other emotions is a clear sense of fear and wisdom. He wants to live above all else.'
Daz could respect that. The man had entered as a team of four only to remain as the last man standing. Perhaps he, too, would fall here. Only the next few minutes would determine whether or not that would co to be.
"And there's nothing cowardly about not wanting to die. Not in this situation. I'll see if I can intervene or not should the situation call for it. I have a good sense of danger," Daz added.
"Haha, well, you ca in here and nearly died in this test, didn't you?" Hiro chuckled a little. "Thank you."
"Touché, and don't thank unless you need my help and it actually ends up saving you," Daz answered emotionlessly.
The thing Daz had assud to be so sort of griffon had already disappeared during their brief conversation, returned to wherever it had co from.
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"Test of Might phase 2: Prove your might of mind."
Daz heard Hiro gulp before space started to shift once more. A few monts passed before a small humanoid creature with muddy yellow skin appeared.
This creature was dressed from head to toe like an assassin of sorts and it had a massive crooked nose peeking out from under its hood.
Deep purple eyes glowed brightly as well but apart from them and the large nose, nothing of the thing's face could be clearly made out.
"I was actually summoned by a Door of Fortune... Fascinating," the thing spoke. "I am to test you, yes?"
It paced around calmly as if observing Hiro closely, carefully evaluating him. "I see, I see... A riddle you want, yes? Well, a riddle you shan't get. I won't just kill you though. That would be needlessly cruel. in my business, its efficiency or nothing. Cruelty is not efficient."
"Then... how will you test ?" Hiro asked as Daz sensing his nerves spiking.
He could also feel confusion from the short robed being though his Ember of Empathy. It stroked its jaw thoughtfully then said, "Whatever tongue you just spoke in, I do not understand. You understand though. That being the case, here is your test."
The thing approached the corpse of Izumi Hara and pulled out a dagger. "Attack in any way at all and you fail the test. Look away, you fail the test. Simple as that. A test of the mind, yes? Can yours endure, I wonder?"
Daz then watched as the strange assassin began violently ripping apart Izumi Hara's corpse, shredding her clothes apart and splattering her guts all over the place as if intentionally.
'Definitely passable when looking at it objectively. However, can Hiro stomach watching soone he seed to care for being treated like this in death? His new Luck certainly gave him an opportunity to make it through this. I won't fault him though if he gives in and tries to protect what's left of her. I certainly would if that were Rose or Madison's corpse,' Daz thought.
Hiro ground his teeth and clenched his fists hard enough to draw blood. Daz could feel the vortex of emotions swelling within him and it was only getting worse and worse until... it cald.
Like a storm dismissed by a mighty sea god, everything boiled down into one emotion that Daz recognised: acceptance.
"Death by overpowered alien assassin isn't such a bad way to go... Maybe I'm not a coward after all..." Hiro mumbled before he drew the sword at his hip and flew at the short assassin like a dart.
Daz was a little bit familiar with kendo from his ti in the system's grand auction. He'd fought quite a few practitioners there when he had first t Vanessa, after all.
This guy though was leagues above them in skill. Form, stance, the way he shifted his weight, even the grip on his sword's hilt, everything seed perfect to the inexperienced Daz.
A fraction of a second later he felt the muted emotions of apathy in the strange yellow-skinned being shift to feelings of joy. 'It's happy he gave in and is trying to kill him now?'
It reached a hand up and elegantly stopped the man's blade with a single finger. Not even a drop of blood was spilling from the action. 'Talk about tough skin,' Daz comnted ntally.
"You pass. A firm mind that values the right thing over survival. I can respect that even if it isn't my way of life." The being stood up and cleaned off its dagger. It sheathed it before turning towards the silent Daz. "You're an interesting fellow. It's incredibly hard to read you unlike our mutual friend here. That's rare in my line of work. I wonder if we'll ever et again... for your sake, I hope not."
The being then vanished as space around it folded and twisted.
"Statent: You have proven your might of Mind. You may proceed to Room 5, The Treasury."
"I don't fucking care," Hiro answered as tears stread down his face. "Hara-san... Michiru-san..."
He knelt down next to the mutilated corpse of his teammate and then glanced up to Daz with snot running out of his nose and a haunted expression plastered across his crying face. "Your Majesty... can you...?"
Daz nodded wordlessly and walked next to him. He then put the woman's corpse in his Industrial Item Box before placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "Let's get out of here, shall we?"
He had a feeling that any words of consolation he may offer would just fall upon deaf ears. He was no expert in this kind of thing, sadly. 'I should get him an appointnt with Mu. His emotions are in a complete state of disharmony. I'm sure Mu could help a lot to fix that.'
Hiro slowly nodded as he stumbled up onto his feet. "Y-Yes, let's."
He and Daz then stepped through the door in the centre of the glass room. What t them on the other side was another glass room though this ti there was a small pedestal at its heart.
This pedestal had a small handprint atop its smooth surface and it was the only thing in there besides Daz and Hiro. 'I wasn't really expecting a royal treasury but this is rather dull. Is it a trap? A surprise test, maybe?'
"Closing ssage: Place your hand upon the terminal and choose your reward. Thank you for participating and for giving data to Door 6,796."
'Data? Maybe likening the Tests of Truth to surveys was more accurate than I had initially assud,' Daz thought.
"May I?" the emotionally distraught Hiro asked.
Daz shrugged. "Go ahead."
He nodded thankfully in response. Daz watched as he approached the pedestal. The man put his palm on it and then appeared to zone out.
'System ssages of so sort, perhaps?' Daz theorised while he crossed his arms and waited patiently.
He watched in silence as a stream of energy left the pedestal and entered the man's body. Hiro then closed his eyes and a few monts passed before he withdrew his hand from the device.
'That's faster than I thought It would take. Were the options limited? I wonder what reward he g-'
"A precog ability," the man said, answering Daz before he could even ask any questions. "It's simple and not very strong but it has one of those... Stars of Eternity? Seems useful. Definitely not worth it though..."
"I see. Thank you for sharing," Daz replied as he approached the glass column.
The man nodded and stepped away, disappearing through a door Daz couldn't see yet, presumable the one that was this dungeon's exit.
"A dungeon that rewards skills with an existing Star of Eternity on them? You're no ordinary dungeon, that's for sure." Daz felt that the Qunjara had given that fact away but now he was certain.
Whatever this place was, it was incredibly rare and it was more than likely a massive opportunity coveted by many in the greater system.
Stars of Eternity were exceedingly rare. The fact that Earth essentially had a production plant for them in El Dorado was worrying enough for him as it was but now a door from a series of only 10,000 had appeared on Earth to offer its riches to those willing to brave it?
If he couldn't destroy the entrance he may have another major issue on his hands just waiting to erupt the mont Earth finished its trials.
'Just how special is Earth really, system?' Naturally, he got no response. 'I'll probably have to destroy El Dorado too once we leave the trial phase. Well, if we leave the trial phase. Players like Big Bo and Altros likely already know of the Altar of Permanence. It won't do us any good having extra attention from people like that.'
He put that matter at the back of his mind for now. What he needed to do wasn't stress over future issues for future Daz, it was to pick his reward and leave this place.
After all, he had only initially co here to train for his planned northeastern expedition. With that in mind, he placed his palm atop the pedestal.
Words that only he could see quickly ca into view right in front of him.
[Choose one of the following.]
[Ability]
[Longevity]
[Clarity]
Daz frowned. "Is this a lottery of so sort?"
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