Reward

Arthur's shout echoed across the entire arena. Ignoring the searing pain in his left arm, he exerted every bit of strength, pushing against the flames with solid determination. Despite the burns marring his flesh, his expression remained resolute.

The wolf, too, was not unharmed. Its energy was rapidly depleting, and to its astonishment, the human persisted within the onslaught of the dark flames. This puny creature was incredibly tenacious. The wolf's energy reserves were reducing rapidly, the dark energy almost exhausted. The creature had stopped its energy absorption with a flurry of arrows, leaving it with only a small amount to rely on.

Arthur tightly held onto his shield, his arm now charred beyond recognition. Still, he clung on, teeth gritted against the pain and burns as he refused to give up.

The wolf strained desperately to funnel energy into the crescent moon, but its reserves had been utterly exhausted. The energy absorbed earlier was completely used up, leaving it struggling in vain.

Amid the torrent of dark flames, Arthur's strength had been completely depleted, leaving him reliant solely on his sheer determination. It was willpower alone that sustained him through the relentless onslaught.

Gradually, the intensity of the flames subsided and then faded away. His efforts and perseverance had clearly not been in vain.

Exhausted, Arthur dropped to his knees, panting heavily. His shield slipped from his grasp, his arm reduced almost to bare bone. The pain was unbearable.

The wolf crumpled, devoid of all energy. The absence of support on its right side made it unable to stand. Its wound remained exposed without the dark energy to conceal it, causing it to continue bleeding.

Arthur's gaze fell upon the half-dead, still-bleeding wolf. If only he possessed a fragment of energy, he could swiftly end its life and bring an end to its suffering.

Summoning his last bit of strength, he pushed himself to stand, though after just a couple of unsteady steps, he collapsed once more. He and the wolf stared at each other.

With time, the wolf's vitality reduced as it lost more blood, while Arthur found a modicum of strength returning to him. He retrieved his sword and began a slow, staggered approach toward the wolf. His sword left a faint line on the stone floor as he dragged it along.

The wolf's eyes were half-closed, its life force seemed almost exhausted. It seemed on the verge of death. Throughout the battle, it had absorbed only a little amount of energy, using it to block the bleeding from its legs – a task that proved very difficult.

With his remaining strength, Arthur lifted his sword high overhead and brought it down in a powerful slash. The wolf's neck was cleanly severed, a fatal blow that ended its suffering.

A ringing sound followed, as if signaling an outcome.

"Ding."

The display on the expansive screen shifted.

[Victory!!

Contestants: Victor

Race: Human

Talent Evaluation: S.

Battle Evaluation: A+

Courage Evaluation: A

Overall Evaluation: S]

Arthur was taken aback by the unexpected outcome. The outstanding grade assigned to him was a surprise, one he hadn't anticipated. Yet, given that this was the evaluation of his battle, he was satisfied with it

Once the result display concluded, the contents on the screen shifted again. An arrow pointed to a specific area of the arena, indicating the next destination for Arthur.

Turning his gaze in the indicated direction, he spotted an entrance, marked with a wooden "Exit" sign. Assuming it was his means of leaving the underground area, he headed towards it. But upon passing through, he was met with an unexpected sight – a vast, dark-colored pool stretched before him.

"Welcome human"

A voice reached his ears, a greeting that made him turn toward its source. On the opposite side of the pool stood a man garbed in resplendent gold attire. His eyes were entirely white, his robe radiating a golden glow that illuminated his surroundings. A friendly smile adorned his face, lending him an easygoing appearance.

"Who are you?" Arthur inquired.

Yet, the old man did not offer an answer. He simply continued to smile.

Arthur sensed he might have phrased his question poorly, causing the old man's silence. "Alright, can you provide me with a hint about how to leave this place?" he rephrased his query, hoping for a more informative response.

"All you need to do is enter this pool," the old man finally replied before falling silent once more.

"What happens when I enter the pool?" Arthur pondered. His hesitation wasn't driven by fear of the water itself, but rather the uncertainty of what lay beyond. He harbored concerns about being trapped indefinitely, disconnected from reality. "I must be cautious. Anything could occur."

"Your true fate," the old man stated before vanishing from sight. Arthur stared at the pool, his mind overflowing with questions about the mysterious figure he had encountered.

"What's with that old man? He could've simply explained the consequences of entering the pool. Now I'm staking my life on chance."

After a few minutes of thought, he resolved to take the dive. Stripping down, he stepped into the pool slowly

The moment his body entered the water fully, his consciousness seemed to vanish, and his vision was covered in darkness. An invisible force carried him toward the center of the pool, his form floating atop the dark surface.

The swirling, dark waters enveloped him in a gentle manner, seeping into his being. An astonishing transformation happened – his once-painful injuries began to heal at an unbelievable rate. Steam wisps spiraled from his skin as his body merged with the mysterious essence, repairing him.

Throughout this process, Arthur remained unconscious, sealed in a deep slumber as his body underwent this miraculous renewal.

At that very moment, the elderly man, who had previously vanished, suddenly reappeared. His emotions were filled with unconcealed joy and pride, his face brightened by a radiant expression.

"Finally, Gorgonabe, we have discovered an unparalleled prodigy to inherit our legacy," his voice bore a tone of deep affection for his old companion. Gorgonabe, well known as the undefeated god of destruction among the pantheon of deities, had long been absent.

The emotion conveyed in his words echoed the fondness he held for his old comrade. The unearthing of this extraordinary talent appeared to reignite a silver of hope, a reassurance that their legacy would be carried on by a candidate worthy of standing alongside Gorgonabe in the realm of gods.

Arthur's eyes fluttered open, his senses jolted awake. With a sudden start, he propelled himself into an upright position. The last recollection he held was falling into unconsciousness upon entering the pool's unknown depths. Yet now, as he took stock of his surroundings, he realized he was still within the pool's bounds. The once-dark waters that had encased him had completely vanished, leaving behind an entirely different scene

The dark waters that had once engulfed him were now gone, replaced by an empty pool. Arthur couldn't help but be amazed by the transformation that had taken place during his unconsciousness. The change in the pool's appearance left him puzzled.

Behind him, Arthur heard reassuring words: "You've conquered the final test, as well as earned your first reward."

The voice belonged to the elderly man who had appeared earlier throughout this journey. A mixture of relief and excitement welled up within Arthur. He had faced the challenges head-on and emerged victorious, earning his place to claim whatever awaited him as his rightful reward.

Amid his confusion, Arthur bombarded the old man with a rapid succession of questions. "What was the purpose of this test? Where exactly are we? What is your role here? And why was I chosen?" His questions poured out in a flurry, displaying how confused he was. The old man responded with a gentle chuckle, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

Despite the ton of questions, the old man maintained his composed appearance. "I suppose you'd prefer to be properly clothed before we discuss these matters any further," he quipped, his words carrying a playful undertone.

As Arthur's gaze lowered, he became aware of his own state of nakedness. The memory flashed back – he had discarded his garments before immersing himself in the enigmatic pool. Without a moment's hesitation, he retraced his steps quickly, reaching for the spot where he had left his attire.

Fully dressed once again, Arthur returned to the side of the pool where the old man patiently awaited. His demeanor now held a newfound composure and heightened curiosity. He was prepared to engage in conversation, eager to unravel the mysteries that his enigmatic guide held the key to.

"The result of your efforts is within that emerald chest over there," the old man's voice held a sense of anticipation as he gestured towards the chest, positioned a short distance from where Arthur stood. Arthur stepped towards the chest, excited and curious of what his reward might be.

His fingers grasped the chest's edges, and with a steady pull, he opened it. Within, a burst of brilliant light emerged from within, casting a radiant glow across his features.