153 Nightmarish Advancement Test
"RedQueen!" Samar greeted Stivi who had just arrived at the statue of Tier 5 Runeblade, Anisa. "Her fighting style greatly matches yours. See if you can undergo her Tier Advancement Test and inherit her legacy."
"So this is the reason you called me here so urgently…" Stivi murmured, taking a careful look at Anisa.
The statue of the heroic warblade stood with a stoic expression, her sword drawn and ready to kill. Its armor gleaming under the soft rays of sun, Anisa exuded a mighty pressure upon all those who sought her approval.
Stivi and Samar bowed with reverence to the statue, paying their respects to the valor of the deceased Runeblade.
"Runeblade Anisa, please test my qualifications," Stivi said in a respectful tone and extended her hand towards the base of the statue. As soon as her palm touched the shallow palm imprinted on the base, Stivi disappeared from the Memorium, leaving Samar alone.
"Good luck, Stivi," Samar said in his heart, looking at the spot where she had disappeared. Then he ventured deeper into the hall in search of his opportunity for advancement.
After searching for nearly half an hour, Samar failed to find the statue of Sage Nyasa in the Memorium. His heart sank as he realized that not even a tablet of his revered teacher was erected in this Memorium that honored the heroes of the last war.
Samar had a feeling that this was not done to insult Sage Nyasa's memory but rather it had another deep meaning behind it. What it was he did not know.
He may not have found Sage Nyasa but he did find someone who was capable of conducting a Tier Advancement Test for him- His Eldest Senior Brother, Sage Vikran.
His statue stood tall and proud even amongst the other Sages, a testament to Sage Vikran's legendary status.
The intricacy of the statue's details, from the graceful curve of the bow to the ethereal glow of the arrows, were truly mesmerizing. However, what awed him was that this person was also a Vedic Archer, only the second one after Sage Nyasa and he had also reached Tier 6!
To reach the 6th Tier, the same as their teacher, was an extraordinary feat, and Samar couldn't help but feel a deep respect for his Eldest Senior Brother.
Steeling himself against the lingering disappointment of not finding Sage Nyasa's statue, Samar approached the statue of Sage Vikran. With a deep breath, he bowed before the statue and placed a hand on its pedestal, feeling a faint hum of magic beneath his fingertips.
"Eldest Senior Brother," Samar whispered, his voice barely audible in the vast hall. "I request you to conduct my Tier 2 Advancement test."
As if in response to his words, a strange sensation washed over Samar. His surroundings blurred and shifted, and suddenly he found himself standing in an unknown wasteland.
The air was heavy in the desolate land and the ground beneath his feet felt barren and gray. As Samar stood on the corrupt ground, he felt a revulsion towards it from deep within his body and his Mana and HP recovery rates dropped to zero.
Then a spectral figure materialized before him, unmistakably the Tier 2 version of Sage Vikran. The ghostly image of his Eldest Senior Brother regarded Samar with a piercing gaze, his bow at the ready.
"Deathless, it seems you have found the teacher's last memento and inheritance," the voice echoed in Samar's mind as Sage Vikran pointedly looked at the Deathsong in Samar's hands.
"As my fellow disciple, I will hold you to even higher standards." Sage Vikran said, shooting an arrow at the cliff, exploding a part of it into a rubble of dust and stones.
Screeching sounds came from within the hole Vikran created and a swarm of dark bats emerged from within. The Vampire bats, with their sinister red eyes and razor-sharp fangs, filled the sky with their eerie presence. They were so terrifying that even Samar, who was usually unafraid, felt a chill down his spine.
"You will compete against me to shoot down as many Vampiric Bats as you can before me," Sage Vikran said in a somber tone, aiming his bow at the Vampiric bats, "This is your first test."
"That's it?" Samar wondered in his heart, unable to believe that was the content of the test. "Shouldn't the Advancement Tests be of Nightmarish difficulty?"
Although competing against a Tier 2 version of a Sage was no joke, the difficulty was still less than what Samar expected. Despite his disbelief, Samar decided not to look the Gift horse in the mouth and went with the arrangements.
With determination in his heart, Samar raised his bow and took aim at the flying Vampiric Bats.
The creatures swooped and darted through the air, their screeches grating on the ears. Each bat seemed to be a challenge in itself, moving unpredictably as if to evade their arrows.
Sage Vikran stood beside him, his presence calm and composed. "I hope you shoot more bats than me," the spectral figure wished him luck, something Samar had seen no NPC do.
Samar focused attention and channeled his energy into each arrow as he let them fly.
The tension in the air was palpable as he watched his arrows streak towards the bats, aiming for their dark forms silhouetted against the barren landscape.
Sage Vikran calculated each slot and perceived their trajectory. His arrows flew with precision, each one finding its mark with deadly accuracy. The Vampiric Bats, only the one's Samar aimed at, fell from the sky, their screeches silenced by the swift strikes.
But Samar was undeterred. He adjusted his aim, anticipating the bats' movements as he continued to fire. The thrill of the challenge coursed through him, his focus unwavering as he tried to match Sage Vikran's skill.
However, Sage Vikran was not making it easy. As Samar loosed his arrows, the spectral figure played tricks of his own.
Two arrows flew from his bow at once, one to intercept Samar's arrow mid-flight and the other to pierce through the heart of the Vampiric Bats.
Samar's eyes widened in surprise and frustration as he realized the challenge had taken an unexpected turn. "No wonder the Advancement Tests are considered to be of Nightmarish difficulty," Samar thought with dismay.
Sage Vikran's tactics were cunning, his arrows a blur of motion as they danced through the air. The Vampiric Bats fell one by one, each shot from Sage Vikran's bow a testament to his mastery.
Try as he might, Samar found himself incapable of keeping up. Samar had almost given up when he decided to try one last trick. He activated the Rune of on a Wind Rune Arrow and let it fly towards the Vampiric Bats.
The spectral figure of Vikran seemed to anticipate his every move, countering it with flawless precision. However, even he seemed incapable of stopping Samar's Rune activated Wind Rune arrow.
Unfortunately for Samar, in his haste to release the arrow, his accuracy had taken hit and the arrow flew wide, missing the only Vampiric Bat still in the air.
In the end, Samar found himself with zero points, his arrows failing to match the relentless assault of Sage Vikran's double shots. Even if Samar tried Multi Shots, Sage Vikran would cast the same skill, ultimately making Samar's arrow fall.
The Vampiric Bats lay scattered across the barren landscape but none had been killed by Samar.
"You have failed," Sage Vikran said in an imposing manner, not recognizing Samar as his legitimate junior yet.
Samar admitted this result, his eyes full of disappointment. The weight of defeat settled heavily upon his shoulders as he turned to face the spectral figure of his Eldest Senior Brother.
"You have two more opportunities to take the test," the voice echoed in Samar's mind, its tone solemn yet encouraging. "Learn from this experience, and you may emerge stronger."
With a nod, Samar accepted the words of encouragement. He had been prepared to face failure from the start. He was determined to learn from it and challenge the Advancement Test again.
Meanwhile, Stivi faced her own challenge with Tier 5 Battle Saint Anisa. The Runeblade's strikes were swift and precise, each blow carrying the weight of her mastery.
Stivi fought valiantly, giving her all to withstand the strikes. But despite her best efforts, Stivi found herself overwhelmed by Anisa's skill.
The Runeblade's movements were a blur of speed and precision, her blade finding its mark with unerring accuracy.
Soon she too had failed her test but Anisa had a few words for her. The Runeblade regarded Stivi with a mixture of sympathy and respect.
"You have shown courage, young one," she said, her voice gentle yet firm. "But you have much to improve before you are qualified to advance using my legacy."
Then Stivi was also sent out of the trial space.
"I... I cannot withstand even three of her blows," Stivi admitted to Samar, her voice filled with frustration. "I have no idea how I can counter her attacks to fulfill the quest."
Hearing her words of dismay, Samar realized that the both of them faced the same problem in essence- Their opponents were too strong for them.
"Let's go, RedQueen," Samar said, looking back at the statues of his elder disciples, "We will return after a period of training in the Military Tree.
Saying so, Samar left the Memorium with Stivi in tow.
