Chapter 1651: The Flame Venerable's Inheritance First Trial Begins!
Drake composed himself, calming his own chaotic mind. He quickly began to dedicate half of his total mind power to one thing.
Think!
He started to create countless strategies inside of his head, beginning to imagine himself fighting Pandemonium.
Through the powers of the System, his analytical abilities had been improved to ridiculous levels.
This meant he could think, and even create simulations inside of his head.
He kept thinking, imagining, and creating new scenarios as he walked through the corridor in silence.
What if I do this?
What if he does this?
How do I respond to that?
What should I do if that happens?
He kept thinking on countless strategies within mere seconds.
His face was completely serious, his Aura giving the air of a powerful, wise being, despite how panicked he truly was.
"T-This is..."
Yet as he simulated more and more scenarios inside of his head.
90% of them ended with Pandemonium reaching him, breaking through everything he had, grabbing his soul, and shattering it into countless fragments.
And eating it!
He would die instantly; no amount of immortal body powers would help him!
"No, this is..."
However, there was another 10% where he would survive, scenarios where there were chances of winning, or perhaps of surviving multiple blows.
He concentrated on those, while scratching all other strategies that failed.
"Drake..."
Benladra, his wife, was the only one that truly realized what was happening with Drake.
Through her connection to him as her wife, and her powers as a Primordial Dragon of Chaos, she could feel it within him.
"He's... incredible."
She quickly realized what he was doing, countless simulations, countless strategies!
Despite all the odds, Drake was not giving up.
Thinking, thinking, and thinking more!
"I have to do my best too..."
Benladann had her own trump cards, some which she had not even revealed to Drake yet.
The Realm of the Chaos Dragons was beginning to slowly tremble.
Thousands of rivers of chaotic draconic energies flowing everywhere.
The once desolate, empty landscape was now full of strange, bizarre Soul and Divine Treasures she and Miranda had been growing there all this time.
And such Treasures began to give them new energy.
"Master Drake..."
Surtr was looking at Drake who kept himself composed with an air of coldness.
He admired his composure.
Despite how strong Surtr was, and how he had even managed to beat the Flame Emperor, he felt utterly helpless after facing Pandemonium.
"What am I doing...?" he thought. "Master Drake is relying on me too; I can't be a coward... I have the power to revive once, even if my soul is destroyed, I have to use this, somehow..."
Surtr had his own set of powerful abilities, and he had to think on ways they could be useful for everyone's survival.
"Ugh..." Emerald sighed. "Even after all of what I said, I am still a coward, huh?" He thought, giving a small glance at Amehia and Tyrannus. Yet, she quickly held his hand.
"Don't worry, we're together in this."
Her gentle smile, and her Spiritual aura flowed through everything, filling him with a warmth he had never felt before.
"Amehia..." Emerald muttered. "You're right... I can't doubt..."
Emerald glanced at his own hands.
Heavenly Winds surged from them.
"This power I have... There must be some way I could use it to help everyone as well."
Every person in this group was a piece of a big puzzle Drake as imagining.
A puzzle that was surviving, and also killing Pandemonium.
Yet each piece was mismatched in colors and shape and didn't fit exactly together.
"I have to find a way..." Drake thought. "A way with everyone together..."
FLASH!
And then he felt it, his eyes widening.
The presence of the last ingredient for his Ascendancy Law!
"The Divine Treasure!" He muttered. "It is inside of his Trial, right..."
As long as he could get his hands into that, his Ascendancy Law could be finally created.
An Ascendancy Law brought unprecedented powers that defied logic and shaped the laws of the world of Yggdrasil.
As long as he could create his own...
Perhaps his chances against Pandemonium would improve.
He gripped his fists tightly.
"I have to get it before I fight him no matter what..."
As all the participants stepped into the end of the corridor, they found themselves standing above an elevated area, which led to four different gates.
Divine flames flickered, quickly combining together into the form of a blazing giant.
"Welcome to my Trial, my four participants, and their allies," the Venerable of Fire spoke. "I see you're eager to kill one another, but this Trial is one of both strength and teamwork. I took into consideration you are bringing allies after all. The first of the three Trials is easy. Every participant and their allies must step into the gates."
Each gate gained a number, from 1, 2, 3, and 4, made of blazing red fire. The first trial was to step into these gates with each participant in the lead.
"Each leader enters first, then their allies. I will proceed to explain what you must do once you step inside... Or it would spoil the fun, wouldn't it?" smiled the Fire Venerable.
"Hmph..."
"Hah, this guy is really playing games with us."
"Very well."
"Let's go."
The mysterious man, Pandemonium, Drake, and Surtr stepped forwards.
The first man had no army with him, he was alone. The second, Pandemonium, brought with himself a dozen demons and demonic beasts.
Drake brought his family and friends.
Surtr brought everyone else with him.
As they entered the gates, and then the allies right afterwards, all groups found themselves separated into four different areas.
Their eyes widened in surprise as they felt space shifting around as they stepped forward.
They found themselves standing above large castles, each one with their distinctive color and scheme.
The castles were surrounded by walls, and inside the walls there were various facilities.
All four Participants suddenly saw a number count made of fire above their heads, and letters announcing their arrival, and the name of the First of Three Trials.
[Welcome, Participant, to the First Trial of the Venerable of Flames Inheritance: {Territory Defense}!]
[Survive against all other four participants, send allies and summon creatures for your aid, reinforce your castle and walls, and create facilities to further improve your defenses.] [By defeating the allies or summoned monsters of the opposing sides, you'll accumulate Score Points.]
[You can use Score Points to summon more Monsters, Strengthen your Castle, Walls, or create Facilities.]
[Anybody that reaches 100.000 Score Points is qualified to enter the Second Trial.]
[Trial Duration: 24 Hours.]
It was an immense landscape right below the ground, there were jungles, deserts, forests, and tundra, divided in four, like the slices of a pie, pizza, or perhaps a cake.
In the center of these territories that were as vast as hundreds of kilometers, a large castle stood, where the Participants were sent.
"Hoh, this is interesting..." Pandemonium smiled.
"What kind of stupid game is this?" sighed the man shrouded in shadows.
"T-This kind of looks fun, somehow..." Surtr muttered.
"Is this a freaking Tower Defense game?" Drake wondered.
A blazing titan appeared above the skies, looking down on everyone.
"You may begin," he said. "Every 1 Hour, I will alert you of an incoming Beast Wave that will attack all Kingdoms at once. Be quick, and don't you dare die so easily... I want entertainment after all!"
The First Trial began.