"This flower is not of this realm. It's also not grown in nature. Someone has produced them using some unknown magic and then placed it here." Stormbreaker said in a serious tone.

All four of them were shocked. They looked towards each other. a single name came into their minds hearing Stormbreaker's words. The society for endless night. Those dark evil heretics.

"Then, can those who have placed these flowers here, also open the portal to this realm senior?" Luke asked.

"It's tough to do that…but not impossible if you have knowledge of space magic and are able to find the spatial nodes to the pocket realm." Stormbreaker said.

"It's definitely those bastards work then. But what is their aim in doing this? I can't think of anything that can profit them." Shane said in a confused tone, his thoughts were muddled.

"I don't know. But they are definitely planning something. We'll find out after all of the participants are out from the realm." Luke said.

"Why would the king not investigate though? What I find even more confusing is that he's even encouraging this, organizing a tournament and asking us all to bring him these cryo lilies." Noah said.

"Is that king of yours very old?" Stormbreaker asked.

"Yes. He's seventy, senior." Luke said.

"These lilies are for him then. Because the cryo lilies have the power to make someone younger. The thousand years cryo lily can even return one's youth." Stormbreaker said.

"What color is the thousand years cryo lily senior?" Noah asked skeptically.

"It's crimson."

They were stumped. It was the very lily which was 1000 points each.

"The king is blinded by greed for the crimson lily. He is being exploited by these heretics it seems." Ruby said in understanding, as the three of them nodded.

"There's no use thinking about this. After we get out of here, we'll talk with commander Cahill about this. other then him, no one could be trusted now." Luke said. "Let's focus on doing what we came here for." The three of them nodded and stopped thinking about the conspiracy, focusing back on their awakenings.

"Are you ready for the trial then?" Stormbreaker said, looking at Noah with a smile.

"Trial? What trial, senior?" Noah asked, confused.

Luke then explained Noah everything. About the tower and what its purpose was. How he would be able to get in the awakening pool only after he passes the trial presented to him by the tower. A rule even Stormbreaker couldn't break.

At first, Noah thought that he'd get to awaken directly in the pool. He had felt a bit hesitant, since he was getting the chance to awaken his dragon bloodline all because of Luke. it was not being earned by him but served to him because of someone else's hard work. But he felt relieved now. Passing the test and earning the chance to awaken by himself was far more satisfactory than getting it for free.

"I'm ready senior." Noah said, determined.

"All right then. Here you go." Stormbreaker waved his hand and a door appeared beside the door he had conjured up for Shane and Ruby.

"After passing through this door, you'll arrive at the first floor of the tower. You trails will begin from there. Good luck!" Stormbreaker said with a smile.

Luke, Shane and Ruby nodded at Noah, giving him confidence. Noah released a deep sigh. He steeled his mind and with determined eyes, he looked towards the door and moved forward. After passing through the door, he vanished from the scene, leaving the four of them behind.

Noah now found himself in the room of the first trial. The flambeaus ignited on the wall of the circular room inside, with the raised platform made of stone in the middle of the room.

Flames from the flambeau separated and moved in front of him and morphed into letters. They slowly arranged themselves forming a sentence in the air.

WELCOME CHALLENGER TO THE TOWER OF TESTS

The letters then broke away and rearranged into another sentence and kept repeating many a times as Noah read them carefully.

PASS THE TRIALS SET BY THE TOWER AND PROVE YOUR WORTH

CLIMB TO THE TOP AND RECEIVE THE REWARD THAT LIES DORMANT AWAITING YOU

FIRST TRIAL: TRIAL OF GROWTH

GET ON THE TEST GROUND

Noah followed the instructions and moved up on the platform.

DEFEAT THE SHADOWS AND MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Black smoke started rising and moved up on the platform. The smoke collected into one and morphed into the form of a beast. It was a wolf beast, not much bigger in size. It was the very first beast that Noah had killed. It was a killer class grey wolf.

Noah smirked seeing the wolf. He still remembered his first kill. He was forced to fight this beast when he was just ten. At that time, he was injured all over, the wolf had left long claw marks all over his body. He had finally defeated it after struggling a lot.

He pulled his shield and hammer forward and took his stance. The shadow beast then rushed forward and jumped at him. He moved his shield forward and swung it towards the beast, hitting it right at its face. The beast was thrown on the ground and before it could stand up, Noah's hammer fell on its head.

The shadow beast was defeated as the smoke dissipated. A killer beast was nothing in for him now. He had come a long way from his ten years old self. He stomped his hammer on the floor and stood poised, ready for the next one to arrive.

After just a few seconds, smoke started rising from below the flambeau as it then morphed into a screelowa this time.

The corner of Noah's lips lifted into a wide smirk. The memories of being helplessly defeated by the Screelowa and almost on the verge of losing his life, were still fresh in his mind. He had wanted to defeat it alone from a long time. the tower had finally given him this opportunity now.

"Come bastard! I have a debt to pay you." Noah got ready, his hammer ready for a swing and the shield placed forward.

******

Noah was able to defeat the screelowa quite easily. He had faced it a few more times after their first encounter. He had also leveled up after that and had a lot of experiences, and had grown out of his old self.

After the smoke dissipated. Smoke rose from below the flambeau again as it then morphed into the Imoogi this time.

Noah couldn't stay relaxed this time. The Imoogi was a tough opponent for him. It was a peak nightmare class beast. He wasn't even able to get close to it in both the encounters. In the sword mountains as well as in Frostbane. Though the one in Frostbane was a different case, it was still unbelievably strong.

Mana covered his whole body as well as his feet. He firmly rooted his legs to the platform, ready to take the huge impact from the Imoogi. The shadow Imoogi didn't wait and rushed forward. Slamming its head right into Noah's shield.

Noah's whole body shook from the force of the impact. But instead of being pushed back, he didn't move a single step away from his spot. Just then he realized that the shadow Imoogi was not a peak nightmare class. maybe because of the test, but it was nerfed a lot.

Confidence returned to Noah's face. Instead of just defending, he started attacking more. Though the Imoogi was nerfed. It still presented a small challenge to Noah. Since his style was focused more towards defense, his attack prowess was a bit lacking. But his hammer strikes were no less than a power packed punch.

After a long fight, going on for almost half an hour, Noah's one final hammer strike sealed the deal. The shadow Imoogi fell on the ground and the black smoke dissipated completely. After that the flame letters appeared to announce the results.

FIRST TRIAL CLEARED

MOVE ON TO THE NEXT FLOOR

The doors to the second floor appeared in front of him. The other side was glowing bright. Noah didn't wait anymore. He passed through the door immediately, moving onto the next trial.

The blinding light from the other side made Noah close his eyes shut. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a palace training ground. What surprised him though, was that he had returned to his eight year old self. In his hand was a wooden sword.

SECOND TRIAL: TRIAL OF RESOLVE

STAND UP FOR YOURSELF. NOT WITH STRENGTH BUT WITH DETERMINATION AND FIRM WILL

PROVE YOUR RESOLVE AND PROVE YOUR WORTHINESS

Noah had a bad feeling. The surrounding and the scene was too familiar for him. he still remembers that day crystal clear, as if it had happened just yesterday. It was the day that made him hate the sword forever.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.