New Life

Within a vast chamber, large enough to accommodate thousands of people, stood a man with deep brown eyes and raven-black hair, garbed in a dark blue robe with golden embellishments around the edges, and a sword sheathed in a scabbard of the same hue. As he arose from the white floor, he surveyed the other seven contenders, each of whom was enveloped in a long cloak with a hood that obscured their features. The contest was a battle to the death, orchestrated by the previous ruler of the Lost Lands, to determine a successor to the throne.

Boyd was the only one without a hood, his face exposed to the others. The cloaks worn by the competitors were imbued with a spell to prevent any peeking.

The center of the vast chamber rose from the ground, and an elder with long white hair and beard perched upon the throne. "You seven have been chosen as the contenders for my succession," he declared. "As you know, only one of you can become the ruler of the Lost Lands."

The elder stood from his throne and regarded the competitors. "To find the next ruler, the seven of you will engage in a death match. The victor shall be crowned king or queen."

Seated upon his throne, he snapped his fingers and random spots in the room rose from the ground. "You may begin," he declared.

Boyd and his compatriots were taken aback by the sudden start to the battle. They had hoped to gain a suitable position before engaging. As everyone dashed away from one another, Boyd surveyed the field. Although he intended to conserve his strength until it was necessary, he noticed that one of his opponents shifted slightly in his direction, tightening their footing. Boyd raised his guard, but suddenly his vision went black. He remained blinded for several minutes before his surroundings changed, and the other six contestants vanished.

In their place stood towering grasses. "Welcome to Evankhell's Floor, also known as the 'Floor of Test.' We shall administer the test to determine whether you are qualified to ascend the tower."

Boyd lifted his gaze towards the source of the voice. A floating box suspended in the air emitted a series of instructions. "The rules for this test are straightforward. Four hundred regulars are participating. You'll have 20 minutes to eliminate each other. After the designated time, the test will conclude."

The chiming of bells announced the start of the test. Boyd was perplexed, unaware of what was happening. He heard a rustling in the grass to his left. In an instant, he redirected a spear that had been launched towards his head with his palm.

Taking advantage of the red-haired attacker's spear in the air, Boyd followed up with a swift kick to her stomach. However, this Boyd was different from the one from the Lost Lands - he was now as feeble as when he had commenced his quest to become the most powerful caster. Boyd was currently no stronger than an ordinary human boy.

"You can fight, but you have no power at all," the girl retorted, adopting a battle stance. She crouched down, keeping her back straight, and aimed her spear at Boyd.

Consecutive lunges were launched at Boyd by his opponent. They were quick, but not so swift that he couldn't react, or so he thought. The attack was closer than it appeared, and despite the fact that they seemed to be nowhere near Boyd, they still managed to strike him.

Cuts on his arms and legs were now visible, and his face was grazed with wounds. "I've lost all my abilities, even my ability to cast spells. The rings I formed are gone," Boyd thought to himself.

In the Lost Land, casters needed rings to use spells. Anyone could use them as long as they knew the meditative technique to manage the ki within themselves. By utilizing ki, which was the life force of a human, one could transform it into a circle and form a ring from it. There were three stages to the rings - the Stage of Enhancement, the Stage of Enlightenment, and the Stage of Power.

The Stage of Enhancement enhanced one's speed, strength, durability, and stamina. The Stage of Enlightenment allowed the caster to manipulate elements like fire, water, air, earth, light, lightning, and plasma. The Stage of Power was the most potent stage, but it was also the most challenging to control. It enabled the caster to do anything, but the stronger the cast, the more significant the drawback.

This was precisely why Boyd desired to win the contest for the next leader of the Lost Land. The winner would receive a scroll left behind by the first caster known to humankind. It elucidated how to bypass all limitations of the third stage, enabling the user to be all-powerful with no drawbacks.

Boyd hastily retreated from his red-haired attacker by throwing dirt into her eyes and fleeing. As he ran through the grassy fields, he stumbled upon a dark cave, where he sought refuge.

"This location will serve as the perfect place for me to form my ring," he thought.

Assuming a meditative position, Boyd focused on manipulating the ki in his body. He concentrated the blue-colored ki at the center of his being, and proceeded to create a circular shape with it.

Although the basics of ring formation were not particularly challenging, extreme focus was required to prevent any external stimuli from interfering with the process. As a result, most casters practiced for weeks, months, or even years to achieve the necessary level of concentration.

Boyd was determined to make the most of this opportunity to refine his technique, despite the remaining duration of the test.