Chapter 44: Hunting the Goddess of ab*se
This is an accident.
Even Soren did not expect this accident, because according to his assessment of the Battle Flag Trial, high-level professionists should not d*e in real life just because they died in the trial.
However, the accident still happened.
The dead elite pirate had already stopped breathing and his heart had ceased to beat, and Soren had captured his soul in his hand.
The Battle Flag Trial has a downside.
Due to being a real illusion, all those who d*e in the trial must undergo a mandatory d*ath exemption test upon exiting. If their will is insufficient, the trialist may d*e in the illusion, resulting in their real-life d*ath as well.
Clearly.
This elite pirate failed to pass the d*ath exemption test.
The accident had already occurred.
Soren had no other way now but to send these trialists out first. He had long had a plan for damage control, as he had initially considered what to do in case of an accident.
Iron golems appeared.
“Trial completed.”
“Please follow me to leave this place.”
The leading iron golem spoke to the pirates in a cold mechanical voice. Having just experienced a real d*ath, these pirates were very fatigued. Although they noticed one less person around, only one of them spoke up: “Where’s Swordfish? Why is he missing?”
The iron golem replied, “He has completed the trial and has been sent to another location.”
“Now I will escort you to leave here.”
Hearing the iron golem’s words, the other pirates hesitated for a moment before following to leave.
These pirates were randomly selected and did not have a strong relationship with each other; they did not know what had happened, so even missing one person did not seem to matter.
The experience of d*ath had given them much insight.
On the other side, the arrangements were much easier; the officer class of Modo returned to the military camp.
Soren also arrived at the corpse of the deceased pirate at this time. The body had no wounds, and the expression on the dead man’s face was one of terror, still retaining the expression of facing d*ath in the illusion.
In simple terms.
He was scared to d*ath!
With the abilities of a high-level professionist, he could fully withstand the side effects of trial failure. However, if he believed at that moment that he was truly dead, then the final result would be that the body dies in reality.
“I must think of a countermeasure.”
Soren pondered, raising his hand to lightly carve complex runes on the device connecting to the Battle Flag Trial, muttering, “A magic circle to enhance will? Strengthen their exemption resistance the moment the trialists exit! This should reduce the probability of accidents, right?”
The magic circle was quickly completed.
After finishing this exemption enhancement magic circle, he was momentarily stunned because the magic circle seemed somewhat familiar to him.
“Where have I seen this before?”
Suddenly, Soren seemed to recall something, standing in place dazed. After a while, he exhaled and left.
…………..
The accident of the Battle Flag Trial did not spread.
On the contrary, its benefits circulated among the upper echelons of Modo, as one trialist, Jack, broke through his original bottleneck after experiencing a d*ath battle, and leaped to become a professionist very close to the Legendary Domain.
The Battle Flag Trial had a clear improvement on professionists, especially for the warriors on the front lines.
Facing d*ath is something every warrior must experience.
In reality, such experiences do not always allow one to survive, but the dire deaths offered by the Battle Flag Trial provided warriors an opportunity to build up rage; the breakthroughs between life and d*ath enabled Jack to master nearly Legendary Level resilience.
“The trial must continue.”
“A minor casualty is still bearable compared to the results brought by the Battle Flag Trial.”
Soren sat in his study, contemplating everything. All those who had passed the Battle Flag Trial were under his covert observation; nearly every trialist would go through a period of weakness immediately after completing the trial, but their strength significantly improved after this weakness period.
Almost all trialists had a slight enhancement.
In comparison, one trialist who died unexpectedly was not so important.
Soren did not have excessive compassion or mercy.
The second wave of the Saint’s Cataclysm could erupt at any moment, and the subsequent third and fourth waves might claim many lives; only a few would survive in the end. Exchanging a small risk now for future survival was worthwhile.
Modo. Port Area.
Accompanied by a dull rumbling sound, a giant floating airship slowly docked near the lighthouse in the Port Area.
Although the number of floating airships had already reached double digits, people still gathered around every return. This floating airship had just returned from Arendelle, using advanced alchemical technology to travel between Arendelle and Modo in just a day and a half.
In the sky, it flies a linear distance.
Such high efficiency instantly made many people realize the business opportunities it presented, and even other merchant guilds were thinking of ways to replicate the structure of floating airships.
Soren was not surprised.
As long as he controlled the core technology of the floating ring, he could firmly hold onto the profits within.
The Grand Temple.
A wanderer cloaked in a hood hurriedly entered the rear hall and knelt on one knee toward a person deep in thought: “High Priest!”
“We have discovered the traces of the Painful Maiden.”
“She and her believers have appeared in Talon City, and the city’s nobles have already been infiltrated and corrupted by them; many of the powerful individuals are secretly controlled by them.”
Hearing this, the High Priest raised his head slowly and said, “Have we finally found her?”
“I am now informing my lord.”
“You should monitor their church’s movements closely and not miss any vital intelligence.”
The wanderer responded, “Yes!”
The next moment.
The High Priest appeared in Soren’s study. Soren, puzzled by the High Priest’s sudden arrival, looked up and asked, “Is there something important?”
“My lord,” the High Priest bowed, “we have found the trace of the Painful Maiden, Lav.”
“She and her church are hiding in Talon City.”
Finally found her?!
Soren’s expression brightened at this news, then he said in a low voice, “Keep an eye on them.”
“I will send someone to the continent; it’s time for a hunt!”
He had been searching for the Painful Maiden’s traces for some time now. This evil goddess seemed very cautious, and even with Soren controlling a large number of wanderers, important clues had only just surfaced.
Soren thought for a moment and said, “Do not alarm the snake in the grass.”
“I will personally head to Talon City tomorrow, and send someone with a message to the Princess of Arendelle.”
“The Painful Maiden and Winter Maiden are allies.”
“Surely she will take an interest in eliminating her enemy’s ally.”
………….. (To be continued ~^~)
