Azazel’s Trial

After flying and travelling for nearly 7 hours, Veil finally arrived at the gates of the great library Qua'ar.

It is the biggest library in the whole world and what truly makes this library even greater is because of its librarian, a Seraphim.

The Seraphim are even higher forms of Archangels from the realm of the Gods.

The rumored librarian is said to banish every visitor who failed to complete the challenge.

The banished challengers could never set foot again in the library, thus, issuing new attempts after learning of the trial is impossible.

Through that established system, no one would be able to 'cheat' their way into the library.

The librarian must absolutely the ancient knowledge her library offers.

Entering the library via brute force and violence is also impossible, since a slap from the Seraphim could send you into the void.

Those who tried to force their way through could not even tell the tales.

As Veil approaches the gate, someone in her mind talked to her.

"I am the librarian, Azazel. What is your purpose for visiting the great library, human?"

"Esteemed Librarian, I am Veil. I was sent by the grand elder Charlos of Marlov here with hopes of learning more about the Middle Realm." Veil truthfully explained.

"That old geezer huh." The librarian said with a hint of excitement in her voice, and she added "I understand. You shall be able to get through the gate without an resisting force if and only if you passed my trial."

"I understand. However, may I know what I should do for this trial, Esteemed Librarian?" Veil respectfully inquired.

"Hmm, it is very simple. Just survive three of my attacks! If you are alive by the time I end my third attack, you are automatically allowed entry into the library." The librarian explained.

"I am prepared for the challenge, Esteemed Librarian." Veil said as she closed her eyes.

Shurururururuk.

Veil was absorbed by an invisible gate into another dimension.

By the time Veil opened her eyes, her surroundings changed, she is in a chaotic space with no sunlight nor any living thing beside her and the floating Seraphim in front of her.

When she turned her head to look up to the Seraphim approaching her, goosebumps rose from all over her back and she broke in cold sweat.

The difference in life force is too much for her to handle.

Even her will is showing hints of submitting without any hint of resistance towards the absolute entity in front of her.

"Mhm, you are able to easily land yourself inside my trial huh, human." Azazel said as she welcomed the first challenger for decades.

"I am grateful Esteemed Librarian." Veil said respectfully as she unhurriedly stood back up.

"Now, let's start the massacre!" As soon as Azazel finished speaking, she raised her right arm over her head.

First Divine Technique: Phantom's Descent!

A gigantic phantom aura of a sword wrapped the Seraphim's hand above her head then she swung her hand down with the phantom sword.

SWING! Vuwooooosh! Rumbleeee!

Veil, immediately protected herself with her array and pseudo-domain that she long since upgraded.

She also combined the two skills' effects into a new complete domain.

Skill: Shadow's Embrace!

Skill: Darkness Precinct!

Mana Expansion: Envoy of Darkness!

As her mana with the power of darkness and shadows expanded, she added attacks of her own to repel the attack of the Seraphim.

Skill: Shadow Dance!

She repeatedly slashed at a single point against the phantom sword falling above her for 20 times until her Shadow Dance runs out of empowered attacks.

Swing. Slash. Cling. Cling. Shuiiiing. Vuwooom!

The descending phantom sword slowly changed trajectory as it slowly lose its damaging force.

Gradually blurring, the energy holding the aura of the sword also dispersed.

'Great! Great!' Azazel is greatly amused and inwardly giving applause for the human.

She then unsheathed the sword on her waist and held it overhead similar to her earlier pose.

Second Divine Technique: Phantasmal Laceration!!

An even greater aura and threatening energy was absorbed and wrapped onto the surface of her Holy Sword.

Seeing that her Holy Sword is complete, she swung down with the gigantic aura extending the range of the sword.

SWING! Vuwooooom! Crackkk!

The land beneath the Seraphim's feet cracked as soon as she swung down her sword.

Veil sensing the danger with her combat instincts sending her warning signals, she made sure to increase her number of attacks similar to the sensation she did earlier.

If she could master the attack combination just like mages and magicians, she would be able to produce a greater firepower.

Skill: Shadow's Wings!

Skill: Dark Swipes!

Skill: Shadow Weave!

As she boosted the black strands with her domain, all the Shadow Weave intercepted the descending phantom sword.

The black strands working like threads, getting cut down and then instantly regenerating.

When the phantom sword is in melee range, Veil started slashing with great frenzy.

Ding. Clang. Rumble. Vuingg. Wooosh!

After loud metallic clangs fill the quiet dimension, Veil panted heavily as she barely repelled the Seraphim's second attack

'She has not mastered skill combination yet, but she can still stand up straight after my second attack? This is great! I got to thank the old geezer!' Azazel is amazed yet again.

'I wonder what kind of trump card she is hiding for my last attack.' Azazel curiously muttered as she grasped her Holy Sword with both of her hands overhead.

She released all her energy and focused it onto her sword.

Third Divine Technique: Transcendental Severance!!!

As if the end of the world is happening, all the excess mana in the dimension is seeped out.

The colors of the world disappeared and turned into ash gray instead.

The air fluctuations are bending the space and spatial tears are appearing even without a direct movement happening.

Just the absorption of the Seraphim's Holy Sword is enough to destroy a whole city.

How could Veil survive such attack?

Swing! Vuwoooooooooom!!!

As the force of the Holy Sword gets swung downwards, the ground immediately cracked and created a massive spatial tear on its woke.

All the land beneath Veil and the Seraphim has disintegrated, not even a single speck of dust could be found.

With no ground left, Veil finally summoned her newly-gained eternal flames from Lauerveck.

Her body is exuding an extremely powerful aura that caught the attention of the Seraphim.

As the dark-blue flames get spread evenly to her body and surroundings, she imitated the Seraphim's process of wrapping her hand or her Holy Sword with her aura.

The dark-blue flames then danced around her before submitting to her will, immediately forming a similar phantom that extended her own sword.

Pseudo-Divine Technique Application!

Iyaaaaaaarrghh!!!

Veil screamed at the top of her lungs while swinging in a horizontal swipe to counter the Seraphim's final attack.

When the phantoms of the sword collided, a miniature black hole that devoured even sound was produced on the epicenter.

Not even the sound of contact or explosion can be heard.

Tiiiiiiiiiing…

A very high frequency ringing was the only thing that Veil could hear before the blinding light expanding from the contact of the swords exploded.

[...]

Veil slowly opened her eyes; she looked at the azure blue skies.

Cough cough. Aughh.

She slowly sat down as she lowered her feet and assess her own situation.

She found herself in a garden, birds chirping, a sound of a miniature fountain could be heard.

'Am I in the so-called Heaven?' Veil wondered in herself.

"You are awake, human." Azazel said as she slowly approached.

"Where am I, Esteemed Librarian?" Veil respectfully asked.

"You are in the inner courtyard of my great library. I teleported you into here because you have been sleeping outside for 3 straight days." Azazel explained.

"Did I fail the test?" Veil smiled bitterly.

"No, no. In contrast, well done, human! You passed my trial so I naturally let you in!" Azazel applauded.

When Veil tried remembering her final clash with the Seraphim, she could not remember anything else.

"I can pretty much read what you are thinking now. You are wondering what happened in my last attack right?" Azazel smiled.

"Mhm."

"You suffered from a mind down, as all the mana in that dimension has been used up, or more accurately, devoured."

"It has been decades since the last challenger visited me, however, no one besides a certain man has reached the third level of the trial."

"You could not fully repel my Third Divine Technique; however, you showed great promise because you did not immediately die as soon as making contact with my sword."

"When I say dying, your real body will not be destroyed even if you die within the dimension."

"That is why I still counted your challenge attempt as a success!" Azazel unhurriedly explained.

Veil smiled bitterly and sighed. She barely learned to apply the Divine Technique of empowering her attacks with her own aura and energy. But she still fell off short.

"I am eternally grateful for your consideration, Esteemed Librarian." Veil knelt down as she thanked the Seraphim in front of her.

"So, what did you wish to learn from my library? You are recognized by a Draconic pillar; it seems to me that you have already showed great skill against an Otherworld invader?" Azazel asked.

Veil then told the events in the forest and how she got blessed by Lauerveck.

"It seems that the lizard is greatly interested by your prowess as well." Azazel let out a soft chuckle when remembering the young Lauerveck.

'Lizard?' Veil smiled bitterly.

Such a strong entity is just a lizard, what was she in front of the Seraphim then, a moss ball?

"Very well, I shall personally aid you in your mission to slay this great evil that has been similarly bending the balance of the realms."

"You see, this Gaia Lord is not as simple as you think. Otherworlds have always been balanced in terms of power and blessed humans are similarly given equal opportunity to grow stronger."

These so-called blessed humans are the Adventurers, who received skills after continuous hard work and slaying the evil forces.

When certain ordinary humans reach the level of where the Angels will recognize their willpower, they will then give skills to that human and transcend their life force.

Adventurers have the ability to grow stronger through constant battles once they transcend their life force.

Ordinary humans will always hit the ceiling in terms of growing stronger and learning battle skills.

Azazel continued explaining: "However, just as this balance is maintained for all the inhabitants of all the worlds, may it be humans, animals or Otherworld denizens, there are the Gaias who wish to attain greater power and turn humanity into their puppets."

"Even monsters found in the world of humans are created by Angels like myself in order to encourage humans to grow stronger, in order to protect themselves if invasions from Otherworlds do happen."

When Veil heard that monsters are for such purpose, her skills obtained from the Noir functions similarly.

She just needs to slay evil or dark forces and absorb their Dark Soul Fragments.

Her requirement to grow stronger is harsher than other Adventurers, but the difference in growth is qualitatively better.