Chương 19: Chapter 18 - The Wall (IV)

July 31, 2024 - Headquarters of the United Nations, New York, US"I hope the coffee wasn't too bad," Elena began as everyone settled back into their seats.

"Now, let's move on to the second part of our meeting. This section will involve a deeper discussion on the effects of the orbs and the fourth trial, The Arena." As her words hung in the air, the atmosphere in the hall grew more serious.

"Unless the Marshall wishes to entertain us again with the recordings from his young Canadian source, I can proceed and show the footage we have gathered and prepared for today," she said, glancing at Viktor.

"Please continue, Madam Secretary-General. I am sure your detailed insights will be far more enlightening," Viktor replied with a faint smile. Elena nodded and then signaled the technician. The screen lit up with a typical PowerPoint presentation. She was handed a remote, and she quickly scrolled through the slides until she reached one titled: Fourth Trial - Recording #1: Red Ring. The slide showed a paused video from an isometric perspective of a white room.

In the center, a red circle was drawn on the floor with a white creature holding a sword standing in the middle of it. At the edge of the video, a woman was visible from behind, poised at the perimeter of the circle.

"Before we play the recording, let me quickly go over the characteristics of the fourth trial," Elena started." The Arena, as it is popularly known, and note that it is by far the most discussed topic online as of now, consists of a series of one-on-one combats between the climbers and these white creatures. It's important to note that a sword is offered to the climbers, and the creature will not attack unless the climber steps into the circle drawn on the floor."

"The circle, as you can see from the paused video," she said, using the laser pointer to highlight it on the display, "starts red, but as each duel finishes it changes color. We also observe that the creatures in this room are somewhat different from those in the previous trials. They are taller, though not quite as tall as the average human. They also wield swords and have demonstrated proficiency in using them. Aside from these differences, they are mostly the same: no ears, nose, or eyes."

She looked around at those gathered, ensuring she had their full attention.

"Alright, let's watch the first recording before we continue," she said, pressing the play button on the remote. The video sprang to life, showing the woman crouching to pick up the sword. She then glanced at the creature in the red circle. The footage sped up, capturing her cautiously inspecting the sword, her eyes darting between the creature and the rest of the room. The fast forward ended as she took her first hesitant step inside the red circle. Instantly, the creature sprang to life, rushing toward her.

Despite the creature's initial speed, it soon became apparent that it moved with a sluggishness. The woman, initially trembling, tightened her grip on the sword, her resolve hardening. With a decisive slash, she brought the sword down, severing the creature from the neck to the waist. The cut was clean, and as the creature dissipated, so did the bright red blood it had sprayed. All that remained was a glistening orb on the floor. The woman stared at the orb, hesitation clear in her eyes.

After several seconds of doubt, she reached out and touched it. The orb absorbed into her skin, causing a brief shimmer. She didn't react to the orb's absorption itself, but something else seemed to catch her attention. She stumbled back, looking around in confusion, her eyes wide with an emotion that was hard to pinpoint. The video ended there. Elena paused the screen and addressed the room.

"As you can see, the creature was rather weak and sluggish, something an average human can defeat without much trouble. Now, you may be wondering who this human is. This climber is named Sofia Nilsson. She was born in Finland and moved to Italy at a young age. She is an artist, and there isn't much more to note about her life. She is not someone known to do sports or engage in daily exercise."

"Now I ask you all," she said, looking around the room, "would a woman adapted to the peaceful modern life be able to do this?" she pointed at the screen. The room fell silent as her question hung in the air. Elena continued, "Tell me, General Reed, would it be possible to train this woman using whatever means we have available to make her react like this and sever an alien creature in half using a medieval sword, in," she paused for emphasis, "less than 48 hours?

She had spent less than that time inside The Tower when this was recorded." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. General Reed leaned forward, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"No, Madam Secretary-General," he finally replied.

"Given our current training methods and technology, it would be impossible for an average person to achieve such a level of proficiency and combat readiness in such a short time."

"And this is just the start," Elena said, pointing back to the presentation as it transitioned to the next slide. The title read: Fourth Trial - Recording #2: Vermilion Ring.

'The mind?' He stared at the two buttons on the wall.

'But what is the mental challenge here?'

'It is reasonable to expect that every trial is harder than the one before, or, in another sense, each challenge prepares you for the next.'

'Without the challenge from the first room, it would have been harder to muster the courage to face the creature in the second, even if the main drive was thirst and hunger.'

'Without the experience of battling the creature on the second floor, coupled with the slight enhancement from the first orb, it would have been harder to fight in the dream realm and, perhaps, harder to come back from that desire.'

'Without the killing spree on the third floor, it would have been incredibly difficult for me to cut down the first creature in the ring.'

'Then... what did the floor below, or better said, what have all the trials before given me that can serve me in this room?' He pondered this, trying to piece together the puzzle.

'The first trial taught me patience and resilience. It was a test of my will to survive despite isolation and deprivation. The second trial pushed me to confront my fears head-on and to act decisively, to fight for survival. The third trial forced me to resist the lure of power and maintain clarity of mind despite overwhelming temptation. The fourth trial was a test of adaptability, honing my combat skills and teaching me to harness newfound abilities effectively.'

He glanced at the buttons again, considering their significance.

'Each trial has been a mental challenge disguised as a physical one. The common thread is the mind's ability to overcome adversity, to adapt, to control.' He spent several minutes considering various possibilities, but none of them felt right. There was an essential point he was missing; he was sure of it.

"Let's go back to the last test," he started talking to himself.

"What did I gain? First, great proficiency in combat, particularly in the use of the sword. Second, significant physical and mental enhancement, the effects incredibly pronounced." He was confident that there weren't many humans who could defeat him in a melee fight now.

"I am sidetracking again. Focus," he admonished himself.

"The mental enhancement. That is the key here. I am fairly confident in that. But what would a stronger mind help with? I mean, what the heck is a stronger mind in the first place? I can feel my thoughts are more fluid, I can maintain calm under more pressure, I can think... faster, I suppose. I can also recollect my memories much more easily, and things that seemed forgotten have resurfaced. But how would all that help here? There is no puzzle on the wall, no enigma to be solved. There is absolutely nothing."

He sat down, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind.

'What if the challenge is not about the buttons themselves, but about understanding their purpose? Maybe this is about trusting in that growth, trusting in my own judgment.' He stood up and looked at the buttons again, this time with a clearer mind.

'Maybe it's not about choosing the right button. Maybe it's about making a decision with confidence, without second-guessing myself. Maybe… that's the true test.' He started walking toward the left button. His hand lingered in front of it, but he shook his head and pulled his hand back.

"This is just the easy way, just like the staircase and the purple ring." He began walking slowly in circles around the narrow room, deep in thought. He had already analyzed most of the factors since his first trial. He had taken into account the black ooze coming from his skin and the gray vomit. He had connected those, perhaps, with the evolution of his body, expelling waste so it could reach a more refined state.

He had read something similar in some of the Chinese light novels he used to read, where humans transcended their realm and expelled the toxins of mortality from their bodies, cleansing themselves. Maybe… this was like that? It was hard to tell, but it was his best guess. He had also taken into account that last battle, where, despite his memories being a bit fuzzy, he could recall his body moving surprisingly well. It was as if he could clearly see the movement of the white creature, and in slow motion at that.

'Wait,' his steps paused.

'See? How could I see? Was it instinct… no. No, it was something else. It was like a sensory feeling, as if something had opened that had always been closed. Like a blind man seeing again. But then… have I awakened another sense?'