Last entrance trial

Cayden watched expectantly.

Fifteen minutes later, Pete finally had some reaction. His purple slit eyes receded, replaced by black deep eyes with no whites. The color of his skin changed. Half of his skin became identical to his usual tanned skin but the other half was still striped and scaly. Resembling snake skin.

Pete closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them again. This time, his eyes returned to normal. At least, it was like that for a second before the iris turned deep purple.

Pete only stared at Cayden, he did not say anything.

"Pete?" Cayden called out softly.

This time, Pete had some reaction. His expression is still blank but he responded. He slowly looked up at Cayden. Then as if he recognized his voice, Pete tentatively stood up.

Pete's fingers grip the cage and without a change of his face, he rip two metal bars and step out of the cage without a struggle. The silk that held on to Pete retracted and went beside Cayden.

Pete stood imposingly in front of Cayden. Even though he was bloody and his shirt was ripped, Pete's body had undergone extreme changes. He no longer has the body of a seventeen year old boy, but has the muscles and biceps of a man in his twenties who frequented the gym.

Pete had also grown taller than Cayden's current body. Towering with a head taller than Cayden, Pete's momentum is surprising, especially after he ripped the cage in half.

After a few minutes of staring down, Pete looked away and start to make his way out of the cabin. Cayden silently followed.

"Pete... can you speak?" Cayden tentatively asked when they come out.

Pete only stopped, looked behind him before ignoring him completely.

Cayden helplessly sighed.

That team leader was able to recover his consciousness because of his experience and strong will. But Pete is still a seventeen year old. A fresh meat that never experienced hardship.

Usually, he should be able to recover now that he had eaten the heart of that Alpha, replacing that Alpha's position and gaining his power. But...

Cayden absentmindedly played with the [Endless] dagger in his hand. If giving Pete the Alpha Beast Snake's heart did not cure him... then he should hunt down those hunters who watched and dared to make a bet about them.

A slight cruel smile appeared on Cayden's lips.

He directly patted Pete's shoulder and willed to come out of the [Dimension]. The environment change and they are once back again at the arena. The countdown is now in one minute.

Cayden instructed Pete. "The next trial will be the worst out of all the two trials we just experienced. No matter what happens or what we face, swear to me, you will not leave my side. You hear me?"

Cayden knew Pete could understand what he was saying. Indeed, Pete nodded his stiff head twice.

"Good."

Communicating like this is good too. Before they visit their homes, Cayden needs to make sure that Pete will not have any violent reaction when he witnesses the current state of things.

[Within thirty seconds, all players who either pass or fail but survive the second trial will be transported to the final trial arena.]

[All surviving humans will be given a second chance to prove themselves they are worthy for the Dark Tower.]

Sudden darkness covered their eyes. Cayden just listlessly stood while his hand was on Pete's shoulder. Making sure this half human half snake beast bestfriend of his won't get separated in this last trial.

When he opened his eyes, Cayden saw the familiar view of the city square. The descending scene of the Dark Tower eating away the earth's atmosphere can make one skin's tingle in fear. The red chains have already drilled itself in the ground's surface. Eating away the life present on the planet.

Plants withered quickly, and bodies of animals scattered the ground together with unrecognizable human bodies. Cayden glanced around and saw the towering buildings with multiple bubbles floating around them.

These bubbles are as large as the glass walls of a building. Occupying the size of a square room, all of them have pulses. The flexible transparent edges fluctuate as if it was a cocoon about to give birth to a monster.

[Ding! The Dark Tower's final entrance trial, the 'Extreme Difficult', has been triggered.]

[The game's rules have been decided.]

[The game's mission: Collect 20 alien monster nuclei or 10 mutated monster nuclei and survive for 7 days.]

[Reward: If a player manages to collect 20 alien monster nuclei and 10 mutated monster nuclei and survive 7 days, the hunters will not only let that player give priority pass card for privilege benefits to the Dark Tower, they will also grant that player's wish.]

[There is no limit to what a human could wish for that hunters could not grant.]

Cayden and Pete found themselves at the center of the city square. Right where the most brutal first 'Difficult' elimination trial happened. The thick smell of blood swirled in the air as limbs were gnawed by human turned monsters.

"Aaaahhh!!!!" A piercing woman's scream came from Cayden's side. Pete vigilantly pulled Cayden behind him and grabbed the white silk in Cayden's wrist. His face was expressionless but his body was positioned as if he was going to pounce on any bloody monster wanting to approach them.

But no... There was no monster yet.

It was a woman who screamed after seeing the bloody scene in the city square. She appeared out of nowhere and made Pete raise his vigilance. But Cayden just looked gloomily at the sky.

Then one after another, players from different trials started to pop into existence around them. There are cried of surprise and whimpers. The sudden burst of human activity made Pete stiffen.

"What's wrong?" Cayden glanced at Pete's face but could find something amiss in his expression.

Without any warning, a sudden loud explosion of fireworks erupted above their heads.