Chapter 275: The Volcano Trial
Hundreds of players had already gathered in the area. Some sat resting against rocks, others discussed strategies in small groups, and new players continued arriving every minute from Misty Woods, Arkham River, and Volcano Land.
Caelus walked toward a nearby player who appeared experienced based on his equipment.
"Excuse me," he said politely, "what is going on?"
The player glanced at him briefly.
"You’re new?" he asked, pointing toward the giant door. "That is a Secret Realm, the Volcano Trial. People came here for it."
Caelus raised an eyebrow.
"Volcano Trial?" he repeated.
The player nodded.
"It is basically free levels," he explained. "If you can survive, of course."
The player continued explaining without being asked.
"Inside is a trial left behind by an ancient civilization. Reach the Volcano Heart and you will receive ridiculous rewards."
"Players below Level 20 can almost skip straight to Level 20 if they complete it. Players already Level 20 or above can still gain around fifteen levels."
Caelus and Sylvia exchanged a glance hearing this.
"...Fifteen?" Caelus asked in surprise.
The player nodded seriously.
"That is why everyone is here," he replied.
Caelus asked another question.
"How hard is it?" he inquired.
The player laughed bitterly.
"Hard? It is torture."
He pointed toward several exhausted players sitting nearby, looking defeated.
"Those guys barely made it halfway. Some left the Domain crying yesterday."
Another player joined the conversation overhearing them.
"Your legs constantly feel like they are burning, and your skin feels like it is melting. Unless you can take that, it is better if you do not go in," he listed rapidly.
Another added his experience. "If you reach halfway, you still receive participation rewards, but almost nobody reaches the Volcano Heart."
Caelus turned toward Sylvia thoughtfully.
"What do you think?" he asked. "Should we keep grinding monsters or try this?"
Sylvia didn’t hesitate at all.
"Let’s do it," she replied confidently.
Caelus laughed hearing her immediate agreement.
"I was thinking the same thing," Caelus said with a smile. "People love exaggerating. Besides, fifteen levels? That is at least a week’s worth of grind. If we can skip it, then we should go in."
’I have invested a lot into HP,’ he considered. ’Let’s see if it was worth it.’
And it cannot be that bad, right? How bad can it be? They had always gotten past such things before; now will not make a difference.
The two walked toward the massive stone gate together.
Players instinctively moved aside watching them approach. Whispers spread rapidly through the gathered crowd.
"It is Caelus Kross and Sylvia Reign."
"They are actually entering," a third observed. "I saw them fighting that Raid Boss yesterday. It was insane."
"Think they will clear it?" someone asked with a thoughtful look.
"Maybe..." he spoke thoughtfully. "They are the first people who actually have a chance."
Someone nearby suddenly said loudly, "Nobody has broken the record yet."
"Volcano King’s record still stands tall. It hasn’t been broken yet. That’s also why he is called the Volcano King. It is said that he got something very powerful once he reached the Volcano Heart."
"He is insane. He reached the Volcano Heart in twenty-seven minutes. Nobody has even come close." A third player added.
The crowd murmured respectfully hearing the name.
Caelus placed one hand on the gate. Sylvia followed his lead, placing her hand beside his. The runes suddenly shined brilliantly with blinding light.
The world turned white.
The moment they regained consciousness, system messages appeared before their eyes.
[Secret Realm: Volcano Trial]
[Participants have entered the Trial of the Volcano Heart.]
[Trial Rules:]
[Death inside the Trial results in immediate removal from the secret realm.]
[All healing effects are reduced by 80%.]
[HP regeneration is disabled.]
[Aura regeneration is reduced by 90%.]
[External recovery items cannot be used.]
[Flight, teleportation and spatial movement are sealed.]
[Every participant begins under the "Volcanic Pressure" debuff.]
[Clear the trial by reaching the Volcano Heart.]
[Reaching halfway grants participation rewards.]
[Time moves faster in here.]
The instant the notifications disappeared, an overwhelming force crashed down on them.
Both Caelus and Sylvia nearly fell to one knee, their legs buckling under pressure they had never experienced before.
"What the..." Caelus gasped, struggling to stay upright. "What is this weight?"
Sylvia gritted her teeth beside him.
"It feels like... three people are standing on my shoulders," she managed to say.
Gravity felt three times heavier than normal. Every breath burned their lungs painfully; the air itself felt like fire entering their bodies with each inhalation.
Sweat immediately poured down their bodies despite only standing still.
Even maintaining their current position consumed stamina rapidly, their muscles straining just to keep from collapsing.
"Caelus..." Sylvia called out, her voice strained.
"Yeah," he replied through gritted teeth. "No wonder people quit halfway."
They struggled to adjust to the oppressive environment for several more seconds. They finally looked ahead at what lay before them, the sight making their hearts sink slightly.
They had overestimated themselves and underestimated this trial, it seemed.
Endless black volcanic rock stretched toward the horizon as far as they could see. Rivers of lava flowed between jagged stone paths, creating a maze of deadly terrain.
Volcanic ash fell continuously from the dark sky above like toxic snow.
Fire rained from the sky intermittently in random patterns. The Volcano Heart could barely be seen far in the distance, glowing with crimson light like a beacon. It appeared impossibly far away from their current position.
"That is... that has to be at least five kilometers," Sylvia estimated.
Caelus nodded grimly.
"In this gravity, it might as well be fifty."
"We really underestimated this."
They began walking forward slowly despite the difficulty.
Every single step sent searing pain through their feet; the volcanic rock itself was hot enough to scorch them even through protective gear and Aura enhancement.
"Ah!" Sylvia winced, stumbling slightly. "It is like walking on hot coals."
"Keep your Aura focused on your feet," Caelus advised, doing the same. "It helps a little."
The psychological pressure was immense beyond the physical pain. There were no enemies attacking them, no monsters to fight, only constant pain testing their endurance with each passing moment.
"At least if there were monsters..." Sylvia muttered. "We could take breaks between fights."
"This is pure torture," Caelus agreed, wiping sweat from his forehead.
