The Temple of Trials (2/?)
Kai stared at the holographic head floating in front of him and could not help but be amazed. The said head reminded him of a certain floating head from a certain famous live action show when he was but a young teen back on Earth.
Ozma the said floating head also stared at Kai in wonderment.
"You don't seem to be a Karnian. But it matters not. Since you activated the pedestal of trials, you are eligible to take the trial and test your skills and luck. But beware, the trials are not easy and there's a high chance that you'll lose your life. Learning of this, are you still going to take your chances?"
Ozma explained that Kai would be able to take the trials despite not being a Karnian, but also warned him that the danger involved is high to the point that he might lose his life.
Kai hesitated for a moment before making up his mind.
"I'll take the trials!" answered Kai with determination.
Seeing Kai's determined gaze and hearing his reply, Ozma smiled with satisfaction.
"Very well! If you succeed the trials, this temple and everything in it are yours! Are you prepared?" Ozma asked in a stern voice.
"I'm ready!" answered Kai.
ziiiinnnngggg!!!!
Blinding white light covered the entire room, and once Kai regained his vision, he saw himself in a vast, grassy plain.
"Where am I? Have I been transported outside?" Kai asked loudly, despite not knowing if Ozma will reply.
But to his surprise, Ozma did reply and explained.
"You are inside "reality plane" created by the core of the Temple of trials. Everything you perceived while inside the said plane is both real and not."
Ozma's explanation confuses Kai more, fortunately, he is from Earth and had read a lot of fantasy novels with lots of weird system and laws, as such he could try to rationalize what he is seeing. Also, he has his very own System inside his head and it wasted no time explaining everything to him. Coupled that with Ozma's explanation, Kai figured out that he is inside of a virtual reality of sort but instead of using just advance technology, it also uses magic to create such an effect. A magitech if you will.
Once again, Kai was blown away by how advance the Karnic civilization was, and could not help but wonder how such an advance civilization could have fallen. And though he wanted to ask Ozma about it, he knew that this is not the time for such a question. After all, there are hundreds of mechanical puppets steadily walking to his direction.
"I guess I need to defeat them all if I wanted to pass this trial, am I right, Ozma?" asked Kai.
"That is correct. But defeating them all is not the only way. If you could stay alive for a certain time, you should be able to pass this trial as well." Ozma affirmed and mentioned the other way of passing.
"How generous! But it also means, staying alive long enough is going to be difficult too! Hey, Ozma, any tip for me?" Kai jokingly asked.
"...The mechanical puppets have weaknesses, if you could find them, you'll have a higher chance of surviving," Ozma answered after a while.
Kai did not expect that Ozma would give him such a reply. It seemed that whoever created these trials might still have a heart...
"well now, I should try to reduce their numbers first!"
Kai quickly draws his sword and channeled his mana into it. Then with incredible speed, charges to the nearest mechanical puppet.
swing!
slash
shhhiiinnnggg!!!
A mechanical puppet was cut in half to Kai's surprise.
"Oh? That was easier than I thought! I guess no need to run and hide then!"
Seeing that his attacks are working surprisingly well, Kai renewed his vigor and cut mechanical puppets after mechanical puppets.
Kai was not the only one who is surprised, even the trial administrator Ozma was surprised as well.
"His surprisingly strong. His control over mana is one of the best I've ever seen. Is the new civilization that replaced the Karnics this strong, or is he just an exemption?" Ozma thought curiously.
Not long after the last mechanical puppet was defeated.
"Whew! Glad that's finally over." Kai said after letting out a breath.
"Congratulation for passing the first trial! The next trial will start soon so prepare yourself. Be warned, the next trial will have thrice the opponent so take caution. Trial starts at 5...4...3...2...1!"
Knowing what's going to happen next, Kai closes his eyes. And as expected a blinding light covers the entire plain and when he opened his eyes he saw himself inside a forest.
"So it's a forest stage this time, huh?"
Seeing the stage for the trial, Kai frowned. The trees and greeneries could serve as obstacles when fighting. Though he has experienced fighting inside a forest, his fast-paced style of fighting might not be as effective when fighting in terrains with open spaces. Fortunately, Kai always trained extensively on different terrain and style and is not really that concerned of the new terrain.
"I better change style..."
Kai took out a bow and a quiver of arrows from his inventory. The moment he did so he heard noises coming at him in a hurried pace.
"They are here, huh? Ozma wasn't kidding when he said that I'll be facing thrice the number of opponents!"
Readying himself for the second trial, Kai knock an arrow and fired!
To be continued...