The Monkey King's Challenge

SUN WUKONG, THE MONKEY KING.

'I have been waiting for this for quite some time now,' I thought as I stood at the entrance to the magical gate at Mount Hua Guo, leading to the real Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. 'I think I am well-prepared by now,' I reflected on my preparations during the flight here.

Four hours ago,

We had finally entered and were now waiting for our next flight to Lianyungang. I couldn't help but notice that many people were staring at us, more precisely, at Kuroka, who was sleeping peacefully on my lap, and Arya, who had his head on my shoulder. I was their personal pillow at this point. As I sat there without moving, I thought of opening the system and buying some items before reaching Hua Gua.

"System," I said in my thoughts, and immediately I was greeted with a message:

[QUEST COMPLETED: KILL 15 ENEMIES]

[KILL 30 ENEMIES: REWARD 600 POINTS]

[ACTIVE KILL STREAK: 5% DISCOUNT IN THE SHOP]

[250 POINTS AWARDED]

"Damn, there's a kill streak discount for the shop," I muttered, intrigued. With that said, I opened the shop:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[5550 POINTS]

<WEAPONS>

<ARTIFACTS>

<DIMENSIONAL CARDS>

<CURRENCY CONVERTER>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Among the options, the DIMENSIONAL CARDS intrigued me:

<DIMENSIONAL CARDS>:

-They allow you to acquire access to parallel dimensions, each with its own set of rules.

-Maintain an exclusive dimension, a sanctuary or base of operations tailored to your preferences.

-These are personal dimensions exclusive to the host and do not exist in the multiverse.

And the CURRENCY CONVERTER:

<CURRENCY CONVERTER>:

-Financial translator in a multiverse filled with countless currencies.

-Seamlessly converts any type of currency to another type(coversion rates may vary)

-Ensures that you never run out of resources in any World.

-Please provide enough currency incase of conversion does not reach the base amount of currency to be converted to.

-Will accept currency gained by host only. Even if it is a looted, plundered or stolen.

As I read through the descriptions of these options, I was a little surprised by the last two. The DIMENSIONAL CARD allowed me to buy a separate dimension for myself, and the CURRENCY CONVERTER could change any type of currency into another.

I was curious to try this experiment, but I currently didn't have enough of my own currency to spare for it.

First things first, I was in desperate need of a weapon. Before specializing in a particular type of weapon, I thought I'd buy a standard weapon for most isekai protagonists: a sword.

I had two particular swords in mind. Yes, indeed, I wanted to become a dual-wielder. I searched for them, and voila, here they were:

[SOUL EDGE (SOUL SWORD) - GROWTH TYPE]

Origin: "Soulcaliber"

Type: Cursed Evil Sword

A malevolent and cursed one-handed sword.

Sinister appearance with a wickedly curved blade.

Hilt adorned with dark runes and a menacing aura.

Abilities:

Has the power to corrupt and consume souls.

Capable of inflicting malevolent influence upon its wielder.

Radiates an ominous presence, even with its spirit form sealed.

Can change its form at the user's will, adapting to different combat situations.

Spirit Form: Sealed

[COST: 2500 POINTS] <BUY>

[SOUL CALIBUR (SOUL SWORD) - GROWTH TYPE]

Origin: "Soulcaliber"

Type: Holy Sword

The counterpart to SOUL EDGE, a one-handed sword.

Radiant appearance with a blade that shines with celestial light.

Hilt adorned with intricate, luminescent patterns.

Abilities:

Possesses the ability to purify and heal.

Can harness the power of celestial light for devastating attacks.

Radiates a soothing warmth, symbolizing its benevolent nature.

Can change its form at the user's will, allowing versatile combat styles.

Spirit Form: Sealed

[COST: 2500 POINTS] <BUY>

"As expected, these are really costly, but they're worth it," I convinced myself, although my heart ached for spending the 5000 points I had accumulated until now. I didn't know if my common man's heart could handle buying more expensive items in the future. With a brave spirit, I selected both of them and pressed buy. To my surprise, I was given a wonderful message:

[COMBINATION WEAPONS DETECTED...]

[COMBO DISCOUNT APPLYING...10% REDUCTION]

[APPLYING KILL STREAK DISCOUNT...5% REDUCTION]

[NEW COST: 4275 POINTS] <BUY>

"Well, at least I got some good price reduction," I said to myself, feeling somewhat relieved, and immediately bought them.

[TRANSACTION SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED]

[PLEASE BIND THE SWORDS WITH THE HOST'S SOUL...]

'Initiate soul binding,' I commanded.

[INITIATING SOUL BINDING...13%...54%]

[SOUL CORRUPTION DETECTED...!]

[CORRUPTION PREVENTED!!...]

[BINDING...79%...100%]

[PROCESS SUCCESSFULLY ENDED]

With that final prompt, I entered my soul sea. There, I could find two identical swords. As I laid my eyes upon the first one, SOUL EDGE stood before me, an embodiment of malevolence and darkness.

The one-handed sword boasted a wickedly curved blade that looked more like a sinister, jagged claw than a conventional weapon. Its surface danced with a crimson aura, akin to flickering flames in the night, casting unsettling shadows.

Sinister runes, etched deeply into the blade, seemed to writhe and pulse with unnatural energy that sent shivers down my soul's spine. I grasped the hilt, wrapped in tarnished, blackened leather, feeling the scars of countless battles etched into its surface.

An eerie and malevolent eye-shaped gem embedded in the hilt gazed back at me, its unsettling crimson light piercing through my very soul. Even with its spirit form sealed, SOUL EDGE exuded an ominous presence.

Then, I moved to the other one. Opposite SOUL EDGE, SOUL CALIBUR stood as a radiant counterpart.

A celestial one-handed sword that seemed to have been forged from starlight itself. Its blade gleamed with a silvery luminosity that captivated my gaze, drawing me into its elegant design. Delicate and intricate patterns etched into the blade's surface caught the light, creating an enchanting spectacle.

The hilt, adorned with luminescent, celestial motifs, gave the sword an otherworldly and ethereal appearance. As I grasped the hilt, a calming and pure energy radiated from the serene sapphire gem embedded within it, bringing a sense of serenity and awe.

SOUL CALIBUR's presence was nothing short of divine grace, and a feeling of reverence washed over me as I beheld it.

[NEXUS POINTS: 1275]

With the current gains being satisfactory for now, I exited from the Soul Sea. With some time left before the flight, I decided to cultivate.

Present,

We are currently standing in front of the Gate to the Monkey King's home. With Arya by my side and Kuroka holding my arm, we stepped into the gate. Suddenly, the surroundings shifted, and I found myself alone in front of a huge stairway leading up the mountain. Before I could comprehend what happened, I heard a mischievous voice.

"Ehahaha! Welcome, traveler. You, who want an audience with me, the Great Monkey King. To hear your request, you need to show you are worthy. If you think you are, then step on the first stair to start your trials. Don't worry, your friend and lady are safe. Take your time to decide." The voice seemed to come from every side.

I half-expected that I would be asked to prove my strength. This was my chance to meet and learn fighting techniques from one of the best. With determination, I stepped on the first stair.

"Ooh, you're ready already? I like your confidence. Let's begin. The rules are as follows: There are 100 steps to the top. Every 20 steps, you will be given a trial to solve to advance to the next 20."

Trial 1: (Steps 1-20)

Grey faced a puzzle involving a perfect prison. Sun Wukong's voice posed the challenge, "You are tasked with creating a prison so perfect that no one can escape from it. How do you design it?"

Grey contemplated the paradox, recognizing the intricate nature of this puzzle. After moments of thought, he replied, "The perfect prison is one where no one desires to escape. To achieve this, I would design a prison that provides inmates with a sense of purpose, personal growth, and fulfillment. In such an environment, they would not wish to leave."

Sun Wukong nodded, acknowledging Grey's insightful approach. "You have a unique perspective, traveler."

Trial 2: (Steps 21-40)

Sun Wukong's voice challenges, "You enter a labyrinth with two doors, guarded by two guardians. One door leads to certain death, and the other to freedom. You can ask one question to one guardian, but one always tells the truth, and the other always lies. What single question do you ask to determine the path to freedom?"

Grey's mind raced, grappling with the intricacies of the paradox. He knew this was a test of both intellect and strategy. After careful consideration, he replied, "I would ask either guardian, 'If I were to ask the other guardian which gate leads to my freedom, what would they say?' I would then choose the opposite gate from the guardian's response."

Sun Wukong grinned, impressed by Grey's logical prowess. "HAHAHA. Well done, traveler."

Trial 3: (Steps 41-60)

Upon reaching the sixtieth step, Sun Wukong presented Grey with a perplexing riddle. "I am a sword that never kills, a song that never ends. What am I?"

Grey furrowed his brow, pondering the enigmatic riddle. It was a true test of his intellect. After careful consideration, he ventured, "The answer is a legend. It's a tale that never ceases to be sung."

Sun Wukong nodded in approval. "Correct. Now, let us proceed."

Trial 4: (Steps 61-80)

Sun Wukong's voice presents you with a classic puzzle. He says, "You are a contestant on a game show and faced with three doors. Behind one door is a valuable prize, while the other two have goats. You choose a door, and then the host, who knows what's behind each door, opens one of the remaining two doors, revealing a goat. You are given the chance to switch your choice to the other unopened door. What do you do, and why?"

I analyze the paradox, my mind racing to find the optimal solution within the ancient riddle. After careful consideration, I respond, "It may seem counterintuitive, but I would choose to switch doors.

Initially, my chance of picking the prize was one in three. When the host opens one of the other doors and reveals a goat, it doesn't change the fact that the prize has a one in three chance of being behind my original choice.

However, the probability of the prize being behind the other unopened door increases to two in three. So, switching doors maximizes my chances of winning the valuable prize."

Sun Wukong's voice resonates with approval, acknowledging my astute response. "Impressive, traveler. You've navigated this with ease. Now, let's delve into one more challenge before you reach the top."

Final trial: (Steps 81-100)

Sun Wukong spoke in a rather mischievous way, "This time you will have a little different challenge. No more riddles and answers," he said while laughing. "On the last trial, you need to defeat one of the 5 great Dragon Kings, Yun-Long the Jade Dragon, my partner. GOOD LUCK, kid," he said, grinning.

My heart dropped suddenly upon hearing it. "THE DRAGON KING!!! THEIR PURE DESTRUCTION CAPABILITIES RIVAL THE ULTIMATE-CLASS DEVILS, AND ON TOP OF THAT, HE IS THE ONE WHO TRAVELED WITH SUN WUKONG IN 'JOURNEY TO THE WEST,' AFTER SUN DEFEATS HIM AND MAKES HIM A HORSE TO RIDE!! HOW IN THE WORLD SHOULD I FIGHT HIM?" I panicked, my heart racing and my brain calculating solutions.

~Partner, calm down first. Let's think of a solution together. You shouldn't panic at times like these. Let's fight this together with everything we've got,~

Ddraig's voice reassured me, preventing me from overthinking.

I took a series of deep breaths, regaining my composure. "You're right, Ddraig. I should think level-headedly at times like these instead of panicking. I need to break this old habit of mine," I admitted. "Okay, let's consider this: if we fight with everything we've got and employ a hit-and-run strategy, we might have a chance to win this battle. It's the most favorable approach for the fight to proceed. Hmm, fight, fight?... FIGHT!! That's it! I think I've figured it out, Ddraig!! You're the BEST!!" I exclaimed with joy.

"Huh? What? Yes, of course, I am the best. Muhaha," Ddraig chuckled proudly.

With newfound confidence coursing through my veins, I ascended the 81st step and entered the formidable cave of the Dragon King, Yu-Long.

As I ventured deeper into the cavernous lair of the Dragon King Yu-Long, I was met with a sight that struck me with awe.

Yu-Long was nothing short of majestic, an embodiment of ancient power and wisdom. His scales glistened like emerald gemstones, and his eyes radiated an ageless, contemplative intelligence. Each movement he made seemed deliberate, as if he had seen centuries pass with every blink.

It was clear that challenging him would not be an ordinary feat.

The exchange began with his deep, resonant voice echoing through the cave, "HO, you decided to enter here this fast. Very well then, should we begin?"

"Yeah, Jade Dragon," I replied confidently, my voice resonating with newfound determination,

"IT'S TIME TO DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DU-DUEL!"

"HUH?!?!?"