NABC Chapter 470 The Second Trial 2
Chapter 470 The Second Trial 2
reign watched the hunters on the other platforms, noticing determination and fear on their faces.
most had their fists tightly gripping the hilt of their katana out of instinct.
a few exchanged relieved glances, thankful that many had survived so far.
with each successful attempt, their confidence grew.
but reign felt different.
he was trapped in his thoughts, trying to find a loophole in this trial.
'what am i missing?' frustration simmered within him. he could sense the faint heat radiating from the bird above.
it was only a matter of time before it turned its attention on him.
'was lilith's calmness part of the trick?' he wondered.
reasoning through how she had managed it, he considered the complexities of her identity.
he was willing to reluctantly admit that, compared to him, she might be a little less evil.
still, that didn't change the fact that she was a devil—a person willing to sacrifice others for her own gain.
there was no way she was without darkness in her heart. it lingered beneath the surface, hidden behind her charming smile.
he considered all the times she had used others, turning them into tools to achieve her goals.
each decision she made, no matter how well-meaning it appeared, was steeped in self-interest.
the more he thought about it, the clearer it became: the darkness in her heart was just as real as his own, even if she wore it differently.
'maybe it wasn't about the darkness of her heart, but how she faced it.'
as those thoughts circled in his mind, he suddenly remembered the flaming bird's words:
'you must endure.'
the diamond-bodied hunter stood firm, his near-impenetrable defense reflecting his inner will.
among the survivors, reign also noticed someone unexpected—a young boy, barely fifteen, standing near the edge of one of the floating platforms.
the boy wore a sharp black suit, looking completely out of place in this rough environment.
his blonde hair and blue eyes stood out, but reign didn't find that odd; those features were common in the west.
up close, he didn't look like a fighter at all, but the fact that he was still here meant he had somehow passed the first trial.
this raised all sorts of questions. how could someone so young endure what seasoned hunters struggled to survive?
"are you strong?" the boy's lips moved, and reign could understand the question clearly, even without hearing the words.
'is this kid trying to pick a fight with me?' he wondered.
but before he could respond, the flaming bird shifted its attention to the boy and hovered in front of him.
to reign's surprise, the boy didn't flinch or show any fear.
instead, he smiled confidently at the flaming creature, his fearless demeanor radiating a level of assurance that was unlikely for someone his age.
there was a certainty in the boy's eyes, as if he understood exactly what was about to happen.
creeeek!
the flaming bird unleashed a torrent of fire, flames spiraling down towards the platform.
but the boy stood firm, eyes locked on the approaching inferno.
just like lilith, he faced the trial head-on, passing it easily as if the flames were nothing to fear.
'i'm pretty sure that kid is not normal,' he sighed. it seemed the hunters weren't the only ones he needed to worry about. discover hidden tales at empire
'there's a pretty high chance that kid is a meta-human,' he added.
meta-humans were the only beings he was wary of fighting, even if he was using his original body. their unpredictable and illogical powers posed a unique challenge that was hard to anticipate or counter.