Chapter 6: Ice Wolves; an opportunity!

The moment the enigmatic man vanished, the door situated at the opposite end of the chamber swung open.

The room suddenly flooded with a radiant light, catching Raven off-guard and momentarily blinding him. As he gradually regained his vision, he noticed a circular portal hovering a few feet above the ground. An irresistible force pulled him towards it, and he was instinctively drawn towards the portal.

Regardless, it appeared to be the sole escape route from this place as he couldn't spot any other available options.

He inhaled deeply before walking towards the portal, sensing an unusual energy emanating from it. As he approached, he noticed that the vortex was swirling with vibrant colors, as if it were a doorway to a different realm.

Raven didn't falter, bravely taking the final step into the vortex. In an instant, he was engulfed by a powerful force, causing him to close his eyes tightly. The sensation was indescribable; he felt as though he were being pulled and stretched in every direction. It was an experience that felt both surreal and authentic at the same time.

When Raven finally blinked his eyes open, he discovered himself transported to a drastically different environment. The sky had a vivid hue of purple, and the trees had an appearance of being crafted from glass. 

It was all peculiar, yet he felt a strange sense of familiarity. As he began to venture out and examine this place, he pondered on what kind of trial he had been put through.

As he proceeded further into the unfamiliar terrain, a sense of unease crept up on him; it seemed like he had been traversing the same path repeatedly.

Every path he took seemed to lead him back to where he started, and he began to feel frustrated. Just when he was about to stop, he noticed a small glimmer of light in the distance. 

The small glimmer of light floated closer to him, slowly circling around, as if it was scanning Raven to know his strength and his characteristics. 

Raven was filled with apprehension as the bright light scanned his body, unsure of the nature of the examination. Despite his misgivings, he remained motionless, unwilling to provoke the unknown force that governed this bizarre place.

As soon as the unusual light had completed its scan, it gradually dimmed into the form of a dainty sword, which floated in front of Raven. It seemed to be beckoning him to extend his hand and take hold of it.

Simultaneously, a peculiar set of instructions popped into his mind regarding the initial evaluation. Even though he had never used a sword to fight, but for the first test, he was to use the sword that he had been granted, and fight the Ice Wolves. 

The test was going to last for half an hour and to pass this first test, he had to survive those thirty minutes! Unfortunately, that didn't appear to be easy in the least. 

He gained another realization that death in this basic trial was irreversible. If he perished, there would be no chance of revival. Additionally, newcomers like him were not provided with any form of beginner protection. 

With a firm grip on the Sword, Raven looked serious as he prepared for the dangerous test ahead. 

Despite the risks involved, he remained unafraid. After all, if his own brother had been able to pass this very same test, how could he even consider seeking revenge without proving his own worth and capabilities first?

If he couldn't even do what his little brother was able to, then it would've been too frustrating for him. 

With a deep breath, Raven stepped forward and steeled himself for the impending trial with unwavering resolve. High up in the sky, a countdown timer loomed, reminding him that only ten minutes remained before the trial commenced.

The air grew thicker and the surroundings distorted as he reached closer to the trial. The Sword felt heavier in his grip, but he pushed through, knowing that he had to succeed.

Fortunately, there was one piece of good news for him. To maintain the fairness of the Bloodline Trial, the strength of the Ice Wolves that one had to face depended on the Player taking the trial. 

Every world and species possesses unique characteristics, some more powerful than those of humans, while others exhibit extraordinary speed or other exceptional abilities.

 As Players took on their first trial for Bloodline, they were confronted with challenges that align with their innate strengths, increasing the difficulty level.

During the Ice Wolf Trial, the participant's human identity provided a slight advantage in terms of facing relatively weaker wolves compared to other species, which made it comparatively easier for them to survive thirty minutes. However, the Raven remained cautious as this was his first encounter with these creatures.

After a short wait, the timer came to its end, vanishing from the sky. The once serene sky now transformed into a scary red hue, while an ominous atmosphere engulfed the surroundings.

Over ten Ice Wolves appeared all around Raven, surrounding him from every side. Their fur shimmered in the crimson moonlight shine, and their piercing sapphire eyes were fixed on Raven, seemingly eager to tear his head off. 

Raven stood still, taking a deep breath, analyzing their movements. It was his first time seeing such creatures that looked similar to Wolves on earth yet were completely different. 

The arrival of the Ice Wolves has coincided with a decrease in the surrounding temperature that dropped to freezing. 

Despite the cold, Raven remained focused. He understood the gravity of the situation and knew that one wrong move could mean the end for him. This was not just a game, and he couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

Eventually, the Ice Wolves sprang into action with lightning-fast movements that took Raven off guard. In a matter of moments, they swiftly descended on him from all sides, startling him with their remarkable agility and speed.

Raven was confronted by one of the Ice Wolves, with its sharp claws poised to strike and seemingly ready to tear him apart.

Raven's lightning-fast reflexes kicked in as he leaped to the side, narrowly dodging the attack.

He was aware that in order to survive, he needed to stay vigilant and concentrate. He felt a rush of energy coursing through his body as he hit the ground and readied himself for the forthcoming onslaught.

The pack of Ice Wolves continued to circle him, growling menacingly as they lunged forward to strike. Raven remained agile, dodging and counter-attacking whenever he saw an opportunity.

He narrowly dodged another Ice Wolf that jumped over him, by dropping down to the ground. Reacting quickly, he gathered his courage and counterattacked at that exact moment. He aimed his Sword upwards, piercing the body of the Ice Wolf with a swift and powerful strike!

The tenacious Ice Wolf persisted in its attack, shredding Raven's chest and leaving behind a deep, bleeding gash that elicited a pained groan from Raven.

The cry of the Ice Wolf echoed in agony, as its strength rapidly dissipated, while Raven deftly removed his sword.

The wolf collapsed onto the ground, its life slowly slipping away as it bled out. Its eyes eventually shut, marking the end of its journey.

Raven didn't have the luxury of dwelling on the wound on his chest. Despite the intense pain that made his complexion blanch, he valiantly repelled yet another assaulting beast.

[You have killed an Ice Wolf]

[Level +1]

As he took down a wolf, he finally came to the realization that his reflexes and observation skills had dramatically improved since waking up from his long coma. It was a revelation that made him feel slightly amazed since those skills came in really handy in this battle. 

The Ice Wolves may have been enveloped in a formidable Ice Armor, but the Sword in his possession proved to be a powerful weapon that was able to pierce through their Ice Armor. 

It appeared that the Sword was provided to him following the scan, possibly in an effort to even the playing field between the two sides to give him a better chance at survival. However, he instead took that chance to kill the wolves instead!

Furthermore, the thrill of killing an Ice Wolf had given him a newfound sense of strength. He had even achieved his first level up! Despite it being a trial, it was still a significant achievement for him.

This made him feel slightly relieved! He realized that this was an opportunity for him to grow stronger and level up more!

He just had to survive to pass this trial but if he killed them, that gave him even more benefits in the form of battle experience and level ups. This was a pleasant surprise, that made him momentarily forget the pain from his bleeding chest. 

Uncertain about the forthcoming challenge in the Bloodline Trials, he resolved to enhance his strength in the first trial! His goal was to become as strong as possible to face any challenge that comes his way during the trial.

He craved strength! Not just to simply clear the trials but to dominate it! His Brother received Legendary Bloodline yet fell. That meant he had to get something stronger! He had to at least find a way to get a Mythical Bloodline to have a chance!