The Beginning of the First Trial

As the days passed, Kayden's life fell into a monotonous cycle.

Each day, he would wake up early, cultivate, train his swordsmanship, train his body, and eat something to avoid starving to death.

Day after day, he repeated the same routine, seeking progress in his abilities.

Finally, the long-awaited day of the Trial arrived.

Kayden got up from his bed, his gaze filled with unwavering determination.

He stretched out his body before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.

It had been nearly a week since the physical test, and Kayden had relentlessly focused on his training as if there were not a tomorrow. He did not spare a moment for leisure or rest, devoting himself fully to his pursuit.

Still, as he examined his body, Kayden knew the sacrifices had been worth it.

Sixty-five nodes were now unlocked, increasing the amount of mana contained within his body by a margin.

The path to reaching this level had been far from easy, but he was now a cultivator close to the Noble Grade, something that many could only dream of.

Especially, unlocking the sixtieth node had been a hellish task where both the pain and the required time seemed endless for Kayden.

In fact, that had been after having the special menu at the canteen, which slightly eased the process.

Nevertheless, the advantage given by the menu had clearly diminished compared to the previous time, making Kayden realize that the food, at least the one the canteen offered, would not be able to help him with his cultivation anymore.

Feeling the power that now coursed through his veins, Kayden knew that if he were to confront his former self from just one or two weeks ago, he would completely overwhelm him.

Even though there were still some hours before the two weeks mentioned by Lord Thasal were up, Kayden set aside his cultivation, wanting his body to be in perfect condition for the upcoming challenges.

He had no worries about the average participants, who would likely have around twenty unlocked nodes. His focus was on the outstanding ones, those who may pose a true threat.

While Kayden was confident that barely anyone could rival him in terms of unlocked nodes, he remained mindful of the surprise the physical test results had brought to him after seeing that Elena had gotten the same score.

There might be others out there who possessed similar power, so he had to be cautious.

And what was more probable, a group of talented cultivators might band together against him, potentially putting him at a disadvantage during the Trial.

With these factors in mind, Kayden chose to prioritize his safety, ensuring he was in peak condition for the Trial.

As the hours ticked away, the anticipated moment drew nearer.

Kayden and the recruits gathered with the captain at the entrance of the building.

When exactly two weeks had passed since Lord Thasal's words, all the earthlings across the planet heard a deep voice in their heads.

Startled, Kayden listened to it.

"Do you want to participate in the Trial?"

The words echoed in his mind as the voice paused.

"You have 10 seconds to answer this question."

Another pause.

"You only need to think intensely yes or no, depending on your intention."

The voice slowly faded from Kayden's mind while he thought about his response as the words indicated.

'Yes.'

Trepidation and anticipation coursed through Kayden's body as he waited for the ten seconds to pass. His mind was filled with nervous wonder about what would unfold next.

Soon, Kayden got the answer to his question.

The suspense was finally broken as his vision suddenly went black, accompanied by an intense feeling of dizziness that came over him.

For an indeterminate amount of time, Kayden was lost in a void, disconnected from his senses.

Gradually, his senses returned, and he slowly opened his eyes. To his astonishment, he found himself in an entirely unfamiliar place.

The room exuded a rustic charm, reminiscent of a countryside cottage, with simple wooden furniture adorning the space.

Observing his surroundings, something drew his attention. On top of a table, a dark wooden board with words on it could be found.

Intrigued, he approached it, his eyes fixated on the words inscribed upon it.

"The Trial," Kayden read aloud, his interest piqued.

His gaze moved to the next line on the board, revealing the details of the Trial.

The first point said, every participant will have an engraving on the back of their hand.

Reading this, Kayden, who still had not looked at his body as he observed the room, swiftly eyed his hands.

As the board mentioned, something akin to a tattoo but different at the same time could be seen on the back of his left hand.

Examining it more carefully, Kayden felt as if the engraving was alive. He did not understand the reason, but it possessed an inexplicable vitality that stirred his senses.

The design, a detailed gem resembling a diamond, was of a crimson-red color reminiscent of blood.

After being stunned by the sight for a while, Kayden's gaze returned to the wooden board, moving to the next line.

It said, the engraving will improve by defeating other participants, or by completing the different tasks that can be found in the village.

'As expected, fighting will be one of the main ways to progress in the Trial,' Kayden thought, as he read the third point. 'After defeating another participant, the winner's engraving will absorb the loser's one.'

It became clear that once defeated, a participant's journey in the Trial would come to an end.

The next point said, after completing a task, a certain amount of energy, which will depend on the task's difficulty, will merge with the participant's engraving.

'The duration of the Trial will be one week,' Kayden read in the next line.

It also explained that on the last day, the participants would have the option to leave the Trial at any time without it being considered a failure. For the rest of the days, the participants would be able to withdraw from the Trial.

However, it also mentioned that a participant would not be able to leave the Trial if he had taken part in a battle in the last half an hour.

Finally, the board mentioned that the performance of each participant would be decided by the level of his respective engraving, along with an evaluation of his achievements during the Trial.

Kayden absorbed the information, his mind processing the rules and dynamics of the Trial.