As Sophia finished speaking, the group followed closely behind, entering the ancient labyrinth. The surroundings suddenly became eerily dark, with only the faint light from their torches illuminating their path. The air seemed to grow heavier, and with each step, they felt an unknown pressure.
"This place... is a little scary," Lala muttered softly, a hint of fear in her voice.
“Don’t be afraid,” Jerry gently patted his sister’s shoulder, “everything will be alright.”
Leading the group were Karl and Sofia. Karl's eyes constantly scanned ahead and to the sides, as if ready to deal with any sudden crisis; while Sofia held the newly pieced-together map fragments, referring to the instructions in her hand from time to time to ensure they were heading in the right direction.
Just then, a series of soft yet clear footsteps sounded behind them, causing everyone to stop and turn around—a ragged, thin man was slowly emerging from the darkness. "Oh dear~ where are you all headed?" he said in a hoarse, low voice, a mysterious smile on his face.
A murmur of discussion immediately erupted from the crowd:
"My God! How did this person appear? Could he also be participating in this trial?"
"He doesn't look like it, and there was clearly no one around just now!"
"Oh my god, this is so creepy! If I were one of those contestants, I'd be jumping up and down in fright right now!"
Despite the sudden appearance of the figures and the various speculations of onlookers, the four main characters remained remarkably calm. "Who are you?" Nova asked coldly, gripping her longsword tightly, poised to fight at any moment.
The mysterious man chuckled and raised his hands to show he meant no harm: "I am one of the guardians of this land. You can call me Shadow. I heard that some brave warriors have entered this place in search of answers, so I have come here to welcome you heroes."
After hearing this introduction, everyone present showed expressions of either doubt or amazement. One little girl couldn't help but ask the adults, "Really? This person looks strange... Is he a good person?" The little girl's parents gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, sweetheart, maybe he's just a friendly but peculiar character..."
“Alright, Mr. Shadow,” Jerry stepped forward to speak on behalf of everyone, “so please tell us what to do next?”
Hearing the other party address him so politely, the man who called himself 'Shadow' nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Since you are all willing to follow my arrangements, things will be much easier. First of all, you need to understand that the most important thing in this space is not how many enemies you defeat or what earth-shattering feats you accomplish, but how to overcome your inner fears and misunderstandings about others."
“In the end, our real enemy is ourselves…” Sofia repeated these words in a low voice, nodding thoughtfully.
Just as the conversation was about to end, the ground suddenly shook violently, and then a crack radiating light appeared beneath their feet. "Damn it! Get out of the way—" Aiden shouted, and everyone quickly scattered in all directions.
After the dust settled, a deep crater appeared in the once flat land. And in the center of that newly formed cavity, an ancient book, radiating a dazzling light, floated in mid-air, spinning incessantly…
"This...this is the secret you were talking about, right?" Nova looked at the strange sight before her and turned to ask 'Shadow'.
The mysterious figure smiled slightly, offering no direct answer: "The truth always belongs to the hearts of those who bravely pursue it. You have come a long way, but much more awaits you ahead... Go and grasp that light; perhaps it can guide your path."
Just as everyone was still hesitating whether to approach the strange ancient book, heavy, firm footsteps echoed from the end of the passage. As the sound grew louder, the outline of a large, indistinct human face gradually drew closer...
"Looks like new challenges are on the horizon," Sofia murmured, clenching her fists, but the light in her eyes never dimmed. "Whatever it is, be prepared!"
And so, in this place full of mystery and danger, a new adventure is about to begin... and the final result will depend on the courage and belief in the hearts of each participant.
As the massive, indistinct human face drew closer, the crowd grew increasingly tense. The surrounding chatter vanished instantly, everyone's eyes fixed on the enormous figure emerging from the darkness. The humanoid silhouette gradually became clearer, revealing a tall figure wielding a giant axe. It was a warrior clad in heavy armor, his face stern and unsmiling.
"Who is this? Another trial participant or an enemy?" Karl asked warily, gripping his longsword tightly, his voice carrying a hint of undeniable hostility.
The tall figure didn't answer immediately, but slowly approached, each step seemingly creating an invisible ripple in the air. "Don't worry, I am another guardian of this land—Leo," he spoke, his voice deep, powerful, and filled with authority. "I've come to test your resolve and your understanding of the true meaning of power."
Hearing that their opponent had revealed their identity and wasn't the malicious challenger they had imagined, the four friends breathed a slight sigh of relief. However, they knew that things were far from over.
"Alright, then, Lord Leo, may I ask how your test will proceed?" Sofia stepped forward to greet him. Although she tried to remain calm, her eyes still betrayed a mixture of curiosity and wariness.
“It’s very simple,” Leo nodded and said, “You must prove that you deserve the power you are about to receive.”
At this moment, the murmurs of discussion among the onlookers began to rise:
"Looks like the real test is about to begin!"
"Can these people pass this trial?"
"Wow, that sounds amazing! If it were me, my legs would go weak with fear..."
"Oh my, I can't wait to see what happens next!"
Noticing the whispers around her, Sofia became even more determined: she couldn't let others down no matter what.
Just then, the light emanating from the mysterious ancient book suddenly intensified several times, almost blinding people. "What does this mean..." Aiden asked, puzzled. Before he finished speaking, several small, shimmering orbs flew out of the book, floated in the air for a moment, and then drifted off in four different directions. "Go chase these orbs of light. Each person is assigned one. Whoever touches and absorbs the energy contained within first will pass my trial," Leo explained.
The group exchanged glances, then quickly sprang into action. Each person chased after one of the glowing objects, hoping to reach it as soon as possible to successfully complete the most important part of the entire journey.
Just as everyone was fully engaged in their respective tasks, Jerry found himself facing a particularly challenging path—not only was the route winding, but it also concealed many seemingly ordinary yet fraught with danger. But he pressed on without hesitation. "I must complete this challenge no matter what!" he silently told himself.
Meanwhile, Lala, running in the other direction, was much luckier. Although she also had to navigate various obstacles, she didn't encounter too much difficulty. The little girl was extremely excited: "Hehehe~ It wasn't so scary after all~ I'll hurry up and catch up with the brothers!"
Finally, after a fierce race, all the luminous objects were successfully captured. As each point of light was touched and absorbed, a warm and powerful force surged through the corresponding human body. "Is this the legendary power that can change destiny...? This is amazing!" Nova exclaimed.
Seeing this, Leo, who had been quietly observing, revealed a gratified expression: "Not bad, you have all passed the test I set, proving the value of the courage and determination you hold in your hearts."
But the story is far from over. "However, to fully unravel all the secrets of this ancient city and grasp deeper knowledge, this current progress is probably still insufficient," the shadow joined the conversation from behind, its eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Where should we go next? Perhaps only by finding the key hidden in the deeper corners of the labyrinth can we truly unlock the answers to more unknown mysteries..."
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