"Are you ready? There's no turning back." The boy's gaze swept across everyone's faces, his tone firm yet full of gentleness. His words were like a warm current, soothing everyone's hearts in this tense moment.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, accompanied by a deep, hoarse voice: "Heroes of the Temple of Light, you are surrounded! Give up the fight!"
Upon hearing this, someone in the team instinctively gripped their weapon tighter. "Who's there?" Samir shouted alertly. "Come out! Don't cower!"
There was no immediate response from outside, only heavy breathing echoing in the air. A moment later, a gigantic hand suddenly reached out from the void, attempting to grab anyone near the door. But Rex was already on guard; he swiftly raised his sword, pointing it directly at the palm of the giant hand. At the same time, the girl Mary clasped her hands together and softly chanted a spell—instantly, a golden protective barrier enveloped everyone.
The old farmer and another villager were watching this scene from a secluded corner. "They are really amazing... they were able to resolve even a crisis so easily!" one of them exclaimed in amazement.
Seeing its sneak attack fail, the creature lurking in the shadows let out a frustrated roar before vanishing again. But this did not mean the danger was completely over.
Robin licked his dry lips. "Hey everyone, although I've never been one to go all out... it seems we don't have any better options right now, right? How about we take this 'Crystal of Wisdom' first? Maybe it'll bring us some unexpected surprises!"
The blacksmith nodded slightly in agreement. "He makes a good point. Whatever awaits us next, we must at least make sure we have enough leverage to deal with it."
Just as everyone was about to touch the gem, the entire room began to tremble violently. An even more powerful and malevolent aura approached from afar, sending chills down everyone's spine!
Immediately afterward, a tall, dark figure blocked the doorway. Thick black mist emanated from the figure, and red light flickered in its eyes. "Utterly foolish beings... daring to dabble in forbidden knowledge! Do you even know the gravity of your crimes?" The voice was as cold and piercing as a demon from hell. "Now, surrender obediently and you might still save your lives! Otherwise..." The words were abruptly cut off by a sudden gust of wind.
Sensing the overwhelming killing intent emanating from their opponents, everyone in the group instinctively took a few steps back, except for the young man who remained steadfastly at the forefront. "Since there's no turning back, we must charge forward! Brothers and sisters, let's go! Let the world remember our legend!" With that, he launched the first charge towards the enemy…
"Haha~ I never expected to run into you here, big brother." Robin said with a grin, quickly pulling out a few gadgets and tossing them into the air to create a temporary visual barrier to buy time for his attack; meanwhile, the blacksmith took a deep breath, gathering all his strength to prepare for his attack; even the two usually timid villagers were roused by the atmosphere and mentally prepared for the final battle...
Just as everyone was united in fighting the invaders, the crystallization of wisdom suddenly shone with an even more dazzling brilliance. That beam of light pierced through the darkness, reaching the depths of everyone's hearts—this was the true purpose of the test! It wasn't just testing their courage and faith, but more importantly, their spirit of relentlessly striving to protect those around them!
“So, this is the enlightenment brought about by the so-called crystallization of wisdom…” Mary murmured, glancing at her companions who were engaged in fierce battle not far away.
"No matter what, we will face the challenges together until the very last moment! No matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, they cannot defeat us!!"
As the shout subsided, the entire secret chamber seemed to be enveloped by some mysterious force, and everything fell silent...
Suddenly, a mocking voice came from outside the door: "Heh heh...you really are tenacious little ants~ But this farce will soon be over~When you see your real owner, you'll know how futile resistance is..."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill: Was there something even more powerful and terrifying hidden behind this, waiting for them to uncover it?
The tremors in the room gradually subsided, but the tense atmosphere in the air did not dissipate. Everyone remained tense, their eyes warily fixed on the doorway. Samir gripped his sword tightly, cold sweat soaking the back of his shirt. "We must remain vigilant; who knows what other tricks that guy might have up his sleeve?"
Mary nodded slightly, a determined glint in her eyes. She closed her eyes and began chanting a complex incantation to strengthen the barrier.
"Heh heh, you foolish humans, do you think you can withstand the darkness like this?" A deep voice came from outside the door, full of mockery and threat. "Soon, you will pay the price for your arrogance."
Meanwhile, in a small tavern on the outskirts of town, several local residents were gathered around a table, discussing the matter. "Have you heard? Some powerful figures from the Temple of Light have arrived!" a young man said in a low voice. "My brother saw it with his own eyes. He said he was almost scared to death by some monster! But those strangers made a move and sent the monster flying for miles!"
The other person's eyes widened in astonishment: "What incredible strength! Where are they right now?"
"It seems they went to the legendary 'Valley of the Wise' in search of some kind of power... Anyway, ordinary people definitely can't get in." The man shrugged.
Inside the secret chamber, facing the unknown and powerful being, Robin revealed his signature relaxed smile. "Hey, no matter what, we can't give up easily! Even if there are huge difficulties waiting for us, it's still the same!" As he spoke, he quickly pulled out several different gadgets from his pocket, clearly intending to continue using his extensive knowledge to find a breakthrough.
The blacksmith focused his attention on the elemental light gathering between his hands. "No matter what, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we must strive for victory," he murmured, his entire being seemingly transformed into an unshakeable rock.
Suddenly, a strange and dazzling light emanated from the secret chamber—the crystal of wisdom had begun to conduct in-depth tests on everyone present! Several thin, silky golden rays emanated from the crystal, encircling each person. Whenever someone's mind wandered or their will weakened, the light would dim; conversely, those who persevered and maintained a pure and steadfast heart would receive unexpected enhancements in power.
Upon experiencing this miraculous change, the villagers wore expressions of disbelief. "Is...is this really true?!" one of the villagers exclaimed, feeling an unprecedented energy flowing through his body. Although it wasn't strong, it was enough to boost his confidence.
Meanwhile, the enemy forces seemed to have noticed the situation as well. "No! We must stop them immediately!" A roar echoed from outside, followed by the entire door collapsing with a crash—revealing an even more ferocious figure behind it…
At this critical moment, the crystallization of wisdom suddenly erupted with an even stronger radiance, as if determined to fight against the darkness to the very end. "What we possess is not just courage..." the girl Mary spoke slowly, her voice soft yet filled with conviction, "but also the power of unity, the power of trust, and the determination to protect our companions! These are weapons that darkness can never defeat!"
As soon as the words were spoken, all the light instantly converged into a dazzling pillar of light that shot into the sky. At the same time, the aura of the powerful enemy outside the secret room began to fluctuate violently, and even showed signs of panic.
Just then, a strange yet familiar voice came from not far away: "Hehe, it seems you guys performed even better than I expected... But the game has only just begun, hasn't it?" The words sounded ordinary, yet they gave people a strange sense of unease.
As those words fell, the entire space fell silent again, leaving everyone in the room looking at each other in bewilderment, wondering what would happen next...
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