Chương 3: Blessed Trial

Anadis found himself floating in a place of pure emptiness. It felt like a metaphysical void unlike anything he had ever seen or could even imagine. There was nothing but pristine white that stretched endlessly in every direction, shimmering like fresh snow beneath the twin suns, but there were no twin suns here. How could something so empty feel so full? The paradox did little to comfort him. It wasn't that he felt uncomfortable, but he didn't feel right either.

The space held time as if it were almost motionless; perhaps time itself did not exist wherever he was. Anadis felt that if he remained here too long, the place would eventually rob him of his equilibrium entirely. It's probably already happening… Suddenly—or who knew, it could have been a century already, and he wouldn't have even noticed—an angelic voice spoke. Yes, Anadis was sure it was the voice of an angel.

It was like the first breath of dawn, so soothing despite the distance, and yet somehow it felt close, warm, and also cold. The tone imbued him with a solace like he'd never experienced before. You are now on your way to the Trial's location. It will begin shortly. Steel yourself—for what comes next will not be kind. SURVIVE! A blinding flash of light forced Anadis to squeeze his eyes shut. When he slowly opened his eyes, he stood in a dense forest.

Muddy ground squelched beneath his feet, surrounded by lush green grass. The air was thick and warm, heavy with the scent of earth and wood. Towering trees loomed all around him, each one colossal—at least ninety, maybe a hundred meters tall—their leaves rustling far above like the deep, rhythmic breathing of ancient giants. Welcome to the Blessed Trial, Core bearer.

"Gods… I'm really here," he muttered after assessing his surroundings. It looked relatively normal. Well, aside from the gigantic trees. He had thought the Shrouded Continent would be… well, shrouded in something, either never-ending fog or flames. He shook his head.

"Forget that." He shuffled over to the side of a huge tree and… relieved himself with a quiet, shuddering exhale.

"Ah… I've been holding that for far too long." After shaking himself and his little friend—making sure there were no leaks—he stepped back into the open and stretched with a groan.

"Much better. Now… how do I go about checking the Divine Voice?" He glanced at the silver ring on his finger. The pastor had said it synced with his blood—that it was his only way back. But besides that, it was also built to connect him to the Divine Voice. Anadis focused and thought about hearing it again, and as soon as he concentrated, it echoed in his head. Greetings, Core bearer. Alright… that was easy.

He'd read about the Divine Voice, an architectural wonder built after the Age of Sorrow, when the Citadels were first constructed. It was the eternal guide that every Blessen carried. Some texts claimed it was built from the remnant of a powerful Archangel; others insisted it had been forged from the Thirteenth Goddess herself, shaped from her actual voice. Those sources, however, were… maddeningly sparse and unreliable. But Anadis had never expected to hear it so soon, certainly not before becoming a full Blessen.

He also thought it would feel more… tangible. A glowing presence, perhaps, or a shimmering figure at the edge of vision. But no, it was literally a voice echoing throughout his mind. ✦ · ✦ Blessed Trial initialized. Delivering current information for Human Anadis Kalonis. Divine Core Black Ascension none Blessing name none Weapons allocated 0 Boons allocated 1 Imprints collected 0 Total cohort count 6 Ledger of objectives: 0 of 2 completed.

Cohort objective: eliminate all Grulls - Progress: 0 of 2 Personal objective: save a life - Progress: 0 of 1 Time remaining: 35 hours, 59 minutes. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ✦ · ✦ Anadis blinked.

"That's… a lot of information." But then the Voice spoke again, its tone shifting slightly—now more like an expositor delivering a solemn truth. As a Core bearer participating in the Blessed Trial, your physical capabilities have been temporarily elevated. Your strength, speed, and endurance will exceed those of an ordinary person for the trial's duration. This enhancement does not constitute a Blessing, nor does it reach a Blessen's capabilities. Anadis flexed his fingers, then his arm.

At first he felt nothing different, but then a small spark traveled through his body, invigorating all his senses. Clenching his fist with more hesitation than he cared to admit, he drove it into the bark of the nearest colossal tree. The tree didn't budge, but the bark around his fist cracked like dry clay. He stared at his hand and grinned. Okay. So that's real. And it didn't hurt half as much as I thought it would. Something else nagged at him, something that didn't add up and he couldn't ignore.

He pushed his antics aside and concentrated on the voice. Boons allocated: 1 The voice echoed. One gift. He wasn't supposed to get anything.

"So I actually got something?" His lips curved upward. Maybe a god had finally noticed my potential. Alright, how do I see it? As if the voice had read his mind, an old wooden shield materialized in his hand. The wood was splintered and decaying, its white paint flaking away, whilst the metal rim around its edge was tarnished and chipped in several places.

"What—?" He turned the shield over in his hands. It felt like it would crack if he gripped it too hard.

"Is this little thing really a divine creation?! No way?!" Then, as if answering his desperate desire to know more about it, the Divine Voice rang out once again. [Shield of the Weak] 🛡 Boon: A god has taken pity on you and given you a small shield that does not flinch before the fury of the greatest predator as a consolation gift. Type: Defense Rarity: Common Effect: Blocks one attack, then shatters The Divine voice breathed gently.

"Pity…" he grumbled, the word bitter on his tongue.

"I'll show them. I'll have all of you fighting each other to give me a Blessing by the end of this." He shook a defiant fist into the air.

"Trust me." He began walking forward with measured steps. As he did, he mulled over the Blessed Trial's objectives, especially his personal one.

"Save a life?" Anadis scratched the back of his head as an idea formed on its own. The Voice hadn't specified that the life had to be a person… so could he? Looking around, he headed toward the thickets, skimming through each one and parting branches aside as he rummaged. After ten minutes, he was murmuring muffled groans under his breath, just about to give up, when he spotted a spider's nest thick with webs and at least a dozen insects.

Most were dry carcasses, except for one bee that was still struggling weakly against the sticky silk, desperately trying to free itself. The spider itself was huge, maybe the size of Anadis's own head, which made him shudder. How the heck is it so big? Does it eat Grull carcasses? Are the insects just dessert? The ugly creature was already descending toward its prey. Anadis reached out, batted the spider away with his shield, and quickly but carefully freed the bee from its bindings.

It buzzed near him for a brief moment before flying away.

"Did that work?" he wondered aloud, already running before the spider decided to take revenge. Ledger of objectives: 0 of 2 completed. • Cohort objective: eliminate all Grulls – Progress: 0 of 2 • Personal objective: save a life – Progress: 0 of 1"Figures," he muttered, releasing a defeated sigh.

The Divine voice hadn't been very specific, so he'd hoped to cheat the objectives by saving a bird from a snake—or in this case, a bee from a spider—hoping it would count as saving a life, but as he expected, it didn't work. Of course. Because why would the gods miss something that obvious? They probably had a good laugh watching me think I was clever. As it turned out, it had to be a human, or one of the Fourbloods, Mimikin, Daemons, or Elves. Not that any of those were here.

All six Core bearers, including himself, were human. With a sigh, he resumed his walk, wishing his brother and sister were nearby—that nothing had already happened to them. He wasn't particularly worried about Albus. The boy was as good as him. Actually, better with a sword, or any form of fighting, for that matter. Aelia was the one who worried him. True, she had a better core than him. She'd probably get an incredible Boon, one strong enough to make him jealous. But with her?

It'd be like handing the finest meat and the sharpest knives to someone who'd never set foot in a kitchen. Pointless. Maybe even dangerous. Father had tried to train all of them, including his sister, because a core could awaken in anyone, regardless of gender or how well they fought. But Aelia never paid attention, choosing to spend her time painting, writing, or shopping for new dresses. Anything but swing a sword, and now she was walking among Grulls. A muffled, powerful rushing noise rumbled in the distance.

"Huh?" Anadis slowed and rounded a tree, stopping as soon as he saw the path cut out and fall away into a steep, treacherous drop. The angle was so absurd that he could barely see where it went down, and he felt as though the soil might give way under the gentlest step. Below, he saw the source of the sound: a strong, surging river. The water was furiously white, crashing over boulders with each strike making a deafening noise. Anadis felt his stomach twist into a knot as his head began to sway.

For a second he imagined himself tumbling down the ravine, helpless, to certain death. He gripped the trunk beside him and forced himself to take a deep, steady breath.

"Uh… yeah, I'm not falling there. Better keep myself away from the edges." He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and carefully stepped back one step at a time. Once he was safely in the clearing, away from the river and the dangerous drop, he wiped his brow and was about to resume walking—when the noise of leaves rustling behind him sent his heart rate soaring. Anadis spun around, stepping back as the weak shield materialized in his grip.

He lifted it to protect himself from what would probably be a Grull that would surely kill him. Then he saw it and frowned.

"You?!"