Chapter 742 Final Trial, Phase 2: Fight the Strongest Mortal in our Memories
Chapter 742 Final Trial, Phase 2: Fight the Strongest Mortal in our Memories
Nadarus also had his?own?ideas?as well, but the?man only cared about money and beating up the Demon King?so?he wasn't bothered about whatever planet Evan originated from.
Eliza's lips tightened, and she rose from her seat to approach Evan.
"Hey..."
"?"
"You're really 'Evan', right?"
The girl's question plastered a confused expression on Evan's face. He looked at her with a raised brow as he replied.
"I don't know what's?going on?in your head, but I've always been 'Evan'. From?the day I was born until my lifespan ends.
Though, I'd like to try my luck at becoming Immortal."
"Mhmm…that's good to know."
Eliza nodded, moving to stand beside him. She pointed at the door ahead and asked.
"Phase 2?"
"Yep."
Evan was?a bit?surprised that Eliza hadn't?pressed him with?more questions.?He had even prepared answers in his head.
'Maybe she thinks?I'm restricted?from telling her? But I'm not.
If?this were when we first met, then it might've been an issue.?But after Roselia seeded those ideas in her mind, she's already figured out enough on her own—that's why causality isn't bothering me.'
Shrugging off his earlier concerns, Evan refocused on the task at hand.
"Did you fight any Replicas on the way here?"
"Yeah. Laurene, David, My brother and Princess Heather."
Evan was mildly surprised that the dungeon had replicated a family member for her to face. But he realized it might be a tactic to catch her off guard.
Most people would hesitate to attack a Replica of a loved one, even if they knew it wasn't real. There was always that subconscious urge to pull punches.
Eliza didn't do that?though.
She was irritated that the dungeon had created a Replica of her brother, trying to sneak up on her just as he used to do when they were younger.
"Evan... did this dungeon read our memories?"
Evan nodded in affirmation to her question before explaining.
"It scanned our surface memories and pulled details about people we've thought of since entering."
"It's unsettling. I didn't even notice."
"Even a Transcendent wouldn't notice."
Considering Eliza's experience with the Replicas, Evan's confidence in predicting the Final Trial rose to 99%.
"The moment we cross this door, the dungeon will scan our memories again.?Not personal memories but memories of people we've encountered over the course of our lives.
It needs that information to recreate them."
Based on the information and statistics from Aidos Online, Evan?gave his prediction on?what the Trial would be.
"The Final Trial is to 'Fight the Strongest Mortal in our Memories'."
"Strongest…Mortal?! Evan, we know Transcendents!!!"
Eliza could not?be blamed?for raising her voice. If Evan was right, they might?have to?face one of 'The Five'.
After all, Transcendents were still 'Mortals' in a sense.
They'd die in a single strike against even the weakest Transcendent.
"Don't worry. Remember how the other Replicas were weaker than the originals? It'll be the same here.
The Replica will have their skills and abilities, but?its power will be scaled down?to our levels.
This?is a 'Trial';?it's not meant?to kill us."
In simpler terms, they'd be facing a Level 500 variant.
In the game, meeting Replicas in Phase 1 meant a high chance of facing the 'Strongest NPC Interacted with' in Phase 2.
Artemisia and Aphine are NPCs in the game, but they were not part of that pool, so Evan figured the same went for any beings above Transcendence.
"How would it even know their skills? I don't know all of Uncle Kolvar's skills. If it chooses him, would the Replica only have the skills I know?"
Evan had just learned the answer to that question a few minutes ago?when he browsed the 'Cavern of Trials' section in the Archive.
"This Dungeon is connected to the World itself. The World?is linked?to the System that allows us to 'Level Up' and grow stronger.
That System holds the information of every entity that has 'Levelled Up'—our Status boards.
I believe it scans our memories and checks the System to determine which person from our memories possesses the most power before downloading that data to create the Replica."
Eliza pondered this explanation and saw It made sense, especially in explaining how the Replica had replicated Heather's skills?which?she didn't know.
"Strongest Mortal, huh?"
"I have about 7-8 possible candidates in mind."
Evan pulled out a chair from his inventory and sat down, setting one out for Eliza?as well?before raising his fingers.
"The first five are naturally Aidos' Transcendents."
This?made sense as they were the Highest Levelled Mortals/Lower Existences they both knew.
"Sixth is the 'Second Finger' of the Demonic Hand."
This?being?was a Level 899 Sovereign Level Nonstandard Existence, possessing enough power to fight Transcendents to a standstill despite the difference in Existence Level.
"Seventh is 'Vaeri Valren'."
Eliza was momentarily puzzled by the name. Then she remembered the Peak Ranked Demon from Lacertilia and instantly understood why Evan considered her.
"There's something I haven't told you about her."
Roselia and Nadarus know since she was Roselia's Lieutenant in the past."
"Wait, what?"
The fact that Vaeri once served in the Army under Roselia's 'Sin Legion' was something Eliza was?just?hearing for the first time, however, it wasn't what Evan had to say.
"Vaeri Valren is a Frost Demon."
"Okay…?"
Seeing Eliza's expression, Evan knew she clearly did not understand what he was?talking about.
"Vaeri is the 'Harbinger of Space and Gravity', and with those powers, she's just as strong as the Second Finger.
But she's a Frost Demon.
That?means,?her?main?powers…are Ice attributed."
"?!"
Eliza finally understood what Evan was insinuating.
That Vaeriusingher Frost Demon powers was evenstrongerthan the'Second Finger'.
"Then why do you keep saying the Second Finger is the Demonic Hand's strongest combatant?"
"Because they are. After all, Vaeri is NOT a member of the Demonic Hand. She only sticks around because of the Second Finger and has no obligation to help them.
Why do you think she didn't try to kill David and me in Lacertilia? Because that's the 'Demonic Hand's business' and it 'Doesn't concern her'.
Vaeri only cares about the SecondFinger,and Kethryllia by extension."
When Maude died, the First Finger mentioned that he couldn't order Vaeri around because she wasn't his subordinate. The only one who could potentially give her commands from him was the Second Finger, but even that wasn't a certainty.
As for why Vaeri even took an interest in the Second Finger,it was statedin Aidos Online that Vaeri saw similarities between the Second Finger and someone she respected—the 'Demon of Pride'.
'True, they are indeed similar in some aspects.'
There was also the fact that the Second Finger was the 'Child of Space' too.
"Who's the last person we need to watch out for?"
When Eliza posed that question, Evan's expression shifted to something unreadable.
"Well, this person currently ISN'T Mortal, but my most recent memories of them are from when they were."
Thisgot Eliza curious about this person's identity. Them NOT being a Mortal anymore meant they had surpassed Transcendence, a feat no one on Aidos had achieved for the past nine centuries.
"Who?"
Evan went silentfor amoment,before giving an answer that Eliza never saw coming.
◇ ◇ ◇
While Evan and Eliza were outside the Final Trial doors, Roselia and Nadaruswere preparingto face their own Phase 2 Trial.
Dressed in matching casual outfits of dark-brown T-shirts, black jeans, jackets and face caps, theyreallynailed the sibling look.
The Avatar of the Spirit of Justicethat they hadmet in their First Trial had even commented on this.
He had also been less-than-pleased when Evan, using his Hero Authority, transported them directly to the Tenth Trial.
Coincidentally, they encountered Replicas in Phase 1, so though they didn't know, they were bound to meet a similar Trial as Evan and Eliza in Phase 2.
On a side note, the Spirits had been giving a 'Trial of Wits' as their final Trial.
Anyway, Roselia and Nadarus entered without hesitation, although their expressions were somewhat grim due to the identities of the Replicas they had faced.
For Roselia, one of the Replicas was her younger sister, Ophelia (Lust), and for Nadarus,he had been facedwith aformerlover.
Their discomfort stemmed not just from having to fight lovedones,but also from their deductions about what awaited them next.
Given that the Mini-Dungeon's mobs were Replicas, they surmised that the 'Final Boss' wouldlikely be a Replica as well.
[The Trial would begin Immediately.]
The Replica materialized from the ground up, forming before themin its entirety. As the figure took shape, Nadarus cursed aloud.
"I fucking knew it!"
"…"
Roselia was silent, but she was no less displeased than Nadarus was.
A tall, pale-skinned man with black and red hair stood before them. He had a familiar hue of red eyes that fit perfectly on his well-proportioned face.
He wore a pinstriped suit with a matching long overcoat loosely hanging on his shoulders as it swayed in the wind.
In hishands,was a pure white double-edged blade emitting black miasma.
The man—a Demon they both knew—looked at them expressionlessly, raising his hands before firing a bolt of white lightning at them.
Roselia swung her blade and deflected the lightning, feeling her hand tremble from the sheer power behind it.
The Demon race inherently leaned towards the Negative end of Polarity.
In other words, they were weak to; and usually unable to use things on the Positive side.
They were proficient in Dark-type magic and used powerful Demonic energy, conversely, things like Celestial Energy, Divinity and light magic were their weaknesses.
And yet…
AND YET!!!
This motherfucker in front of them wasclearlyusing Light Magic!
'Heaven Splitting Flash.'
Orbs of light materialized above, firing laser-like beams that cut through everything in their path. Even Nadarus' Earthen Ramparts created with his Geomantic Wrath Unique Skill were no match, easily pierced by the beams.
Hewas forcedto use his sword to block the beams, but the force behind just one of them was enough to send him flying.
Roseliaonthe other hand, unhesitantly released the seal on her titleanda new line appeared on her status.
'The One Who Stands Above All There Is.'
She raised her hands and used her Idiosyncrasy, creating a miniature gravitational well in front of themwhichbent the magical light and redirected the trajectory of the beams away from them.
Withouta moment'shesitation, she shot towards the man, a shimmering coat of dense gravity enveloping her form.Thisallowed her to deflect all the light beamsthat firedat her as she closed in for an attack.
Once she got within melee range, the manat lastlifted his sword, meeting her blade with a resounding clash. The impact resonated powerfully, sending shockwaves rippling outward, tearing the earth asunder in a radius of over a hundred metres.
In the blink of an eye, their swordsbecame a bluras they engaged in a high-speed melee. Blades clashedandsparks flew, each strike filled with power and an intent to kill.
Despite the intense battle and countless strikes, neither gained the advantage.
Seizing an opportunity, Nadarus lunged from behind, wielding his mighty great sword in a sweeping arc aimed at the man's back. But the man suddenly vanished and reappeared behind him, landing a powerful kick that sent Nadarus flying.
Roselia brandished her sword, unleashing a cutting wave of dark demonic energyandin response, the man swung his blade
—and countered with a slash of radiant white divinity.
If anyonesaw this scene, theywould doubt the image their brain was receiving from their eyes.
A Demon was not only using Light Magic, but Divinity as well!!
Thiswas absurd! Unheard of!
However, Roselia and Nadarus were not surprised.
They knew of one such personwho wascapable of performing this absurd feat.
One of the 'Exceptions' to the Law of Polarity.
The Eighth Person Evan was telling Eliza couldpossiblyshow up in their Trial.
He inherited his Light attribute powers from his father, the man famed across worlds as the 'Demon of Light'.
The Current 'Supreme' Demon King of Gozon.
Ginaroad Sargon.