ushernet Chapter 170 - 170: Storms on the Horizon
Chapter 170 - 170: Storms on the Horizon
The Empire—last bastion of the world, protected behind colossal walls…
It had kept at bay the monstrous hands that lurked in the dark beyond.
Far from the Trial Island—deep within the heart of the capital, Belgrad—
Inside one of the massive re
"For the first time in four hundred years, the chosen one shall receive the will of the Lightbringer!"
"And with it—comes the time to bring forth the Sword of the Sovereign—Vermithor—to choose its next master!"
The pilgrims roared in unified praise upon hearing the bishop's announcement.
"And the one who shall bestow this divine gift upon the chosen apostle… will be none other than the only believer who can hear our Lord's voice."
And as the cathedral gates slowly opened…
A divine and awe-inspiring sight awaited within.
A vast, empty hall—majestic in its silence—adorned with intricate glass ornaments that shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors and light.
At its heart stood a grand structure resembling a shrine.
There, seated in solemn stillness, was a lone woman. Her robe, impossibly white, flowed around her like mist, while golden hair cascaded over her shoulders—part of it neatly braided.
She turned, revealing piercing crimson eyes that glowed like embers in the shadows.
Behind her, a colossal sword lay embedded in the ground, emitting a radiant, blinding light.
Many looked on in awe.
"Saint Eurasha… and the Sacred Sword."
Without a word, the saint reached out and drew the blade—Vermithor—which yielded without resistance.
It was a breathtaking sight. Vermithor had long defied the faithful, refusing to be drawn regardless of how devout the hand.
Yet now, it rose with ease.
Bishop Blatter nodded with deep satisfaction.
"To the Victoriad."
There… the chosen hero would awaken.
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—Frey Starlight's Pov—
15 hours had passed since the trial began on the forsaken island.
It was now 3:00 a.m.
I was already on the move.
"I have a bad feeling about this..."
I'd been ambushed twice so far—both times by standard third-year students.
The elite hadn't made their move yet, which meant they likely hadn't pinpointed my location.
"No one's gathered enough points to track others yet…"
Meanwhile, my bounty had risen to 30 points.
That made me a prime target.
To make things worse, powerful Nightmare Creatures had started appearing as well.
"La~ la~ la~"
The haunting melody echoing around me left no doubt.
"The Brains of Mensis."
Monstrous nightmares that roamed under moonlight—creatures that assaulted their victims' minds with overwhelming illusions.
Their bodies were ordinary. But their heads… massive, exposed brains lined with dozens of blinking eyes.
Those brains would split open, revealing gaping maws teeming with writhing tendrils.
They were a nightmare to deal with.
"La~ la~ la~"
That song of theirs… a form of psychic hypnosis meant to pull you into madness.
I had no choice but to stay sharply focused, leaping silently from tree to tree, putting as much distance between us as I could.
Ding!
Monster: Brains of Mensis
Rank: A
Reward: 15 Points
"A little late for that."
I scoffed at the Smartwatch delayed notification.
I was headed toward checkpoint G3.
My goal was to collect as many points as possible—early—because something told me things were only going to get worse from here.
Of course, picking a fight with a Mensis Nightmare was absolute lunacy.
A creature like that couldn't be handled through conventional means.
Quietly, I continued slipping past them, avoiding confrontation.
Sadly, not everyone had my caution. Many of the other players had already fallen victim to that grotesque horror.
And the outcome? Truly grim.
If a Mensis Nightmare managed to penetrate your mind… even an emergency extraction and immediate treatment couldn't guarantee recovery.
You wouldn't die. But you'd spend the rest of your life mentally broken.
"What a miserable state of affairs..."
The Temple might lose more students than ever this time.
I ignored the chaos around me and pushed forward.