Chapter 204: Lower Realm Evaluation 3!

Chapter 204: Lower Realm Evaluation 3

As Tessa and Gastro pressed forward, they encountered two others, these two had their expressions tense with frustration. Like Tessa, they had discovered the same problem: their progress orbs weren't moving as quickly as expected. While Tessa and Gastro had managed to push their progress to about 20%, these two were still stuck at 4%. Realizing they could use the extra help, they decided to join forces and form a team of four.

Tessa was open to the idea, but she knew the importance of having teammates who would contribute positively, and not drag the group down or sow discord and incite division.

"I'm Liam, and this is Zuri," the taller of the two said, a forced smile on his face. "What about you?"

"Tessa," she replied, her gaze sharp as she sized them up.

Gastro hesitated. His name had already been the butt of so many jokes, and he wondered if sharing it here would invite more ridicule. But thinking back to how Tessa had accepted him when he first told her, even though she did smile, she didn't make it out to be bigger than what it was.

Also, she hadn't flinched when introducing herself just now, so that gave him the courage to push aside his reluctance, with a renewed vigor, he took a breath and spoke. "Gastro."

The moment the name left his lips, he felt an ominous weight settle in his stomach. He had underestimated just how much his name would affect others. Like a dam opened, the floodgates couldn't be stopped.

Zuri, a member of the stone race known for their human-like appearance but with bodies of living rock, broke into a wide grin. The regular clown of his race, Zuri's eyes lit up as he barely managed to hold back a laugh. "Wait, did you just say Gastro? Like... stomach-related?" His voice cracked, his cheeks puffing out as he tried to contain himself.

"Yes..." Gastro muttered, already feeling the dread coil in his chest.

Before he could brace himself, both Liam and Zuri erupted into laughter. Zuri doubled over, clutching his stomach as if it might split open. The echoes of their mirth reverberated through the air, drawing the attention of a few nearby competitors who watched in confusion.

Zuri, with no intention of stopping, launched into a series of jokes, each one more absurd than the last.

"Why did Gastro fail as a doctor?" Zuri wheezed, his voice almost breaking from the effort. "Because he kept diagnosing hunger as a life-threatening condition!"

Liam rolled on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Why doesn't Gastro ever tell secrets? Because it always leaks—through the grapevine... or his stomach growls!" His voice cracked with laughter.

Zuri didn't let up. "Why did Gastro get kicked out of the bakery? He loafed around too much and took the dough too seriously! Why is Gastro the best at solving mysteries? He has a sixth sense for anything fishy—he calls it his gut instinct!"

At this point, Liam was practically convulsing, and Zuri was half kneeling, holding his sides. Gastro's face was flushed, not from exertion, but from embarrassment. He clenched his jaw, trying not to react. He'd already vowed to change his name if he ever got out of this situation; it was a liability, and now he felt its weight more than ever.

Tessa stepped forward, her voice sharp with authority. "If you don't stop, you can forget about joining this team!" Even though she found the jokes amusing, she couldn't stand by while her new teammate suffered.

Gastro felt a crack forming in his composure, but he forced himself to stay strong. The last thing he needed was to be known as the joke of the group.

Zuri's eyes lit up with one last gleeful request. "Can I add just one more? Just one?"

Before Tessa could reply, Zuri blurted out, "Why did Gastro become a motivational speaker? Because his advice is always: 'Digest the criticism and move forward!'"

Tessa's eyes narrowed as she turned on her heel and delivered a swift kick to Zuri's gut. The pain shot up her leg, but she barely flinched. The stone-body of his felt like hitting a wall or hard brick, but Tessa's resolve was unyielding. Without waiting to see how Zuri reacted, she moved to Liam and delivered a sharp kick to his side. The impact was painful, but Liam was too deep in laughter to notice.

With a firm grip on Gastro's arm, Tessa pulled him away, ignoring the groans of the two boys who scrambled to follow. They stumbled to their feet and quickly fell into step behind her, still chuckling but now trying to catch their breath.

"Thank you..." Gastro muttered, his voice rough but grateful. He glanced at Tessa and offered a small, genuine smile. Maybe, just maybe, this team could make it after all.

-------

As Tessa advanced with Gastro, Liam, and Zuri, the faint metallic scent of the arena mingled with the musty dampness of the underground. Their path brought them to a chaotic scene: a group of competitors battling fiercely against a winged tiger in front of a towering door. The door's lintel bore the title Panel 1, etched in bold, glowing runes.

"According to the map, this door is critical," Gastro said, his voice steady but laced with concern. He stood close to Tessa, holding a crumpled map in his hands. "We must clear this gate to make the first-quarter progress. If we skip it and head straight for Panel 2, we'll face a far deadlier opponent and still risk getting locked out of progression entirely."

Tessa narrowed her eyes, studying the tiger's every movement. Its massive orange hide, streaked with jet-black stripes, rippled with tension as it leapt from one challenger to the next. Wings like darkened steel blades extended from its sides, catching the dim arena light with an ominous gleam.

From what she could observe, the tiger lacked divine advantages—every competitor in this gauntlet had been stripped of their celestial perks to even the playing field. Yet its sheer size and raw strength were a threat in themselves.

"What a massive tiger," Zuri murmured, awestruck, before his lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Hey, why did the huge winged tiger apply for a pilot's license? It didn't want to get arrested for flying without clearance!"

The punchline landed like a dull thud as Tessa, without breaking her gaze from the tiger, swatted the back of Zuri's head. "Shut up," she hissed through clenched teeth, her voice barely above a whisper.

But Liam was already doubled over, roaring with laughter. His uncontrollable outburst echoed through the cavernous space, drawing the tiger's full attention.

The beast stopped mid-lunge, its fiery yellow eyes locking onto their group. A guttural growl rumbled through its chest as it pivoted, stalking toward them with deliberate menace.

"Shit," Tessa and Gastro muttered simultaneously, exchanging exasperated glances at their less-than-discreet teammates.

"This is bad," Gastro whispered, his fingers twitching toward his weapon.

"No kidding," Tessa replied, her body tensing as the tiger approached. She shifted into a defensive stance, her mind already racing through strategies. Behind her, Zuri and Liam scrambled to compose themselves, the weight of their mistake dawning on them as the tiger loomed closer.

The battle had found them, whether they wanted it or not.