Trial of the Twelve Zodiac Gods - Part 1

The next day at the bouquet hall of the Kurama Clan…

"So, what now?" asked Rin as he stood before a pond filled with this purplish-blue liquid that resembled mercury in consistency which was filled with tiny glowing dots.

"Sigh, truly you can't be this dumb, right Rin?" Maze muttered as she conjured a dagger and gave it to her cousin, "Now stretch your hand out and cut your palm allowing a few droplets of your blood to fall into the pond then step back and wait for the pond to change color from purplish-blue to a bright fluorescent goldish white. Before walking slowly into the pond until you are completely submerged, during which you will be transported to a realm filled with stars where you will gaze upon a spinning disk filled with various symbols, names, and four distinct colors that each resonate with one of the four elements. Now after you have been chosen you will be transferred to your respective trial and undergo a set of tests. Now, does that answer all your questions, Rin?"

"Yes, cousin, and thanks for the dagger," Rin replied as he did what Maze told him and waited patiently for the pond to change color before fully submerging himself.

"You're welcome, now please don't tarnish the Kurama Name, or else you can kiss goodbye to your life," Maze smiled as she gazed deeply at Rin before walking to a nearby tree and leaning against it as she hummed a soft melody.

"Sorry, but I don't plan to die anytime soon, Maze," Rin muttered as he glanced at her before disappearing from the audience's gaze and being transported to this starry realm Maze called it.

Plop.

"So, considering this might take a while does anyone want some refreshments and snacks, whilst we wait for Rin's trial to begin?" Crystal asked with a smile as she clapped her hands causing a load of food, drinks, tablets, and chairs to appear around them in a circular formation with the pond as its center.

"Why not as free food is free food, plus it is not like we have anything better to do in the meantime?" An elder of the Damen Clan, a family of body cultivators and beast tamers said as they proceeded to indulge themselves in the food presented.

Before finding somewhere to sit and watch Rin fail miserably at his trial, considering only 1/100,000 cultivators on Earth have ever been chosen as apostles for a Zodiac God.

"Hmm, while true, Mike I wouldn't doubt the potential or luck of that kid," Brent said lightly as he ate some Oreo cheesecake.

"I'm not saying it's impossible, Brent… but when you look at the statistics, his chances aren't high, my friend," Mike said before continuing to eat resulting in many of the people who came to watch Rin's trial nodding in agreement.

Since what Mike said was not wrong and could be seen as being realistic from a certain point, however, then again anything can happen so who knows…

*** 

Within the Starry Realm…

'Hey, Rose so just how exactly does this astrological diagram work?' Rin thought as he hovered before a slowly revolving wheel that was divided into twelve parts with each part containing three components: Name, Element, and Symbol.

[It functions based on the star formation you were born under which would make you a Libra, your element Water, and symbol associated with the scales.]

'Thanks,' Rin replied as the wheel out of nowhere began to spin quickly before stopping on Libra as Rose predicted. Which began to glow brightly as the projection of a woman wearing a blindfold and a long plain white dress manifested before Rin, who had a sword in one hand and a scale in the other.

"Rin Jasper Kurama, do you solemnly swear to speak the truth, tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Themis the Goddess of Truth, Justice, and Balance asked as she pointed her sword at Rin and lifted her scales.

"I swear," Rin said as he placed his right hand on his heart and raised his left hand to the sky.

"Hmm, then once you finish my trial you shall be my last and final Apostle of Truth," Themis said as her projection disappeared and Rin was teleported to his trial, "Hopefully, you can surprise me Rin as many have sought my trial, but only a few have ever found and completed it."

She muttered with a smile before shifting her gaze to one of her apostles and leaving her clone to monitor Rin's trial in her absence.

***

Later that day, following Rin's successful completion of his trial….

"J… J-Just what nonsense is this!? How could a Peak Angelic Cultivator slay a Goddess?"

"Tsk, just what type of monster is the Kurama Clan nurturing? Surely, this cannot be someone of the younger generation; sigh, surely it cannot be time for us old timers to retire and just enjoy our time with our grandkids."

"Lord please have mercy on me and allow me to have an ounce of Rin's strength, so that I may be able to live comfortably knowing that I too can achieve the impossible," Nathaniel muttered to himself as he yearned to be able to have the strength to make his family proud and make a name for himself.

"What did I tell you, Honey," Adam nudged Crystal as he knows how difficult it is for her to see her son in such pain and not be able to help him.

"I know, Adam, b… b-but, sigh, I rather he just be ordinary than extraordinary and live a life of a mortal than a cultivator where every step he takes could either lead to his death or life," Crystal whispered subtle as she leaned on her husband and just closed her eyes.

"While that would be lovely, Crystal we are but temporary guardians for him until he spreads his wings and flies like a Phoenix into the firmament. So just have faith that he will overcome every trial and tribulation thrown at him as that is all we can do as his parents, my love." Adam said as he comforted Crystal while waiting for their son to finish his anointing.

Meanwhile…

"So, Aunty considering Rin's completion of the trial…"

"Relax, Gabriella there is no need to be anxious or worried as is not it better for us that Rin is more powerful than any of us could have ever imagined? Plus, are not the first in a thousand years of our Shinobi Clan to inherit the legacy of Jessica Willow, the first Shinobi of our clan and the creator of Willow Mist, a Heaven-tier technique that has six stages but a thousand transformations." Eveline said as she gazed at her niece with a smile. 

{In the Cosmos, all techniques can be categorized into Earth, Heaven, Star, Divinity, and Spark and be divided into Low, Mid, and Peak, respectively. Earth to Heaven techniques can be used by Mortal Warriors until True Gods. Star to Divinity techniques are used by Godkings until Ancestral Gods; with Spark techniques being the only skills that can be used by anyone if they have a high affinity with that specific Law Seed or Primordial fragment. As the story progresses, I will provide more information for each specific category.}

"Yes, but Aunty I can't seem to gaze at any information from him, not even his cultivation rank, it is as if he is a mortal but not at the same time," said Gabriella with some concern as this was the first time Willow Eye had ever failed her.

"What do you mean you can't gaze any information from him, Gabriella?! Can't you at least see the type of heavenly body, he is acquired from his blood awakening?" Eveline asked with panic as she had never heard of the founder's technique failing, but then again, her niece is weaker than Rin so maybe that was the problem. 

"Nothing it's as if he just does not exist, Aunty," said Gabriella as this is where her anxiety and nervousness stemmed from.

"Welp… I guess we can try and lessen the cultivation gap between you and Rin or else this might become a problem for us," Eveline told her niece who could only nod in agreement with her as that's the only issue she could think of that would lead to the clan founder's technique not working. 

'Just what secrets are you hiding Rin Jasper Kurama, the dark horse of Asia and a prodigy who might be able to put an end to the terror known as Zack Azura, the prince of the Cerulean Empire, and earn us a victory in the National Dive which occurs once every 20 years.' Eveline thought with a sigh as she planned to ask that old grinch for a favor, "Hopefully, she isn't in a bad mood as I can't afford to suffer another setback like last time."

"Okay, Aunty, hopefully, you're right," muttered Gabriella as she took out her phone and headphones and began listening to some music to calm her nerves as she along with everyone else waited for Rin to return.