Chapter 38: Chapter38-Entering the Trial of the First Seat Space
John stood within the isolated space, his gaze fixed on the Meteorite Corpse Tree.
He sneered. "Since you like using branches so much, I’ll help you trim them."
He suddenly raised his hand, and the Greedbound Flameserpent Ring lit up.
A blazing ray, massive as a pillar holding up the heavens, erupted in an instant.
After being strengthened by the Heart of the Fire God, the SSS-rank Flameserpent Ray possessed terrifying destructive power.
[-518900!]
[-518710!]
[-518800!]
...
In just a few breaths, the Meteorite Corpse Tree’s HP plummeted rapidly.
At the same time, its countless dense branches were cut apart and trimmed down by the Flameserpent Ray, leaving it as nothing more than a bare trunk.
Only now did the Meteorite Corpse Tree finally feel fear.
It moved its roots, attempting to flee.
But in the next instant, John’s figure flashed, appearing above the Meteorite Corpse Tree.
Sizzle!
The terrifying Flameserpent Ray lit up once more.
The Meteorite Corpse Tree was pierced straight through from its crown, leaving behind a huge, deep hole that extended all the way down through the trunk.
John’s figure flashed again, and he dropped into the hollow.
Immediately after, a large amount of violent fire elemental energy rapidly condensed before John’s chest.
The Meteorite Corpse Tree could clearly sense that a vast and surging force was gathering and charging up inside its own body.
The face on its trunk was filled with terror.
"Stop! Don’t do this! I can teach you how to control an undead legion!"
Blazing white light burned before John’s chest, but he remained unmoved.
"I still prefer the arrogant look you had just now. Goodbye."
As soon as his words fell, a shockwave like a nuclear explosion erupted from within the Meteorite Corpse Tree.
Boom!
As white light flashed, the entire region shook violently.
When the dust dispersed, the enormous upper half of the Meteorite Corpse Tree had already vanished.
All that remained was a bomb-blasted, rifle-barrel-like remnant.
The colossal corpse tree that had coiled around this place for hundreds of years crashed to the ground and completely perished.
John’s figure emerged from within the hideous hollow of the tree.
He raised his hand toward the corpse.
"Devour!"
[You have killed lv.70 Meteorite Corpse Tree, S-rank Boss. EXP +70000, gold coins +5000, Reputation +10000!]
[You have devoured the corpse of lv.70 Meteorite Corpse Tree. Free attribute points +7000!]
[You have obtained the S-rank skill Summon Undead!]
As the trunk of the Meteorite Corpse Tree turned into white light and was devoured by John, the ash that had filled this space finally dispersed.
The colors of black, white, and gray gradually faded away, and the space regained its original colors.
...
After dealing with the Meteorite Corpse Tree, John did not let down his guard.
The source of pollution in the restricted zone had now been eliminated. Sooner or later, the major forces within Axis City would notice the abnormality here.
It would probably not be long before the Witch Council, the City Lord Mansion, other NPC factions, and even some player factions arrived at this place.
John knew very well that once this place was targeted by other forces, it would become extremely difficult for him to enter the Trial of the First Seat silently.
As for the more than 57,000 attribute points he had gained this time, he did not rush to use them.
The battle against the Meteorite Corpse Tree just now had made him realize where his own shortcomings lay.
But these attribute points would be his greatest trump card after entering the Trial of the First Seat.
If he used them here, he might not be able to sustain himself later.
So until the moment truly came to use them, John had no intention of spending them in advance.
His figure flashed, and he landed on the ground below, beginning to search for the entrance to the Trial of the First Seat.
John’s spiritual perception rapidly swept across the entire restricted zone.
With the boost from his high Spirit attribute, it could easily cover the whole area.
After scanning the surroundings, he discovered that there was one region his perception could never penetrate.
John’s gaze sharpened, and he immediately rushed toward that location.
Soon, he arrived at his destination.
It was the original location of the Meteorite Corpse Tree’s root system. However, the ground had already collapsed, revealing a huge underground space.
Looking down from the edge of the underground space, John saw a pitch-black underground lake.
The lake water was as black as ink, as if it could even devour light.
And yet the sky was reflected on its surface with perfect clarity, making it appear extremely strange.
John used his spatial authority and slowly descended onto the surface of the lake.
The tip of his foot lightly touched the water, sending out a faint circle of ripples.
John looked around. The Meteorite Corpse Tree had previously rooted itself here, most likely using this lake as nourishment to continuously grow.
Yet after growing here for more than a hundred years, the lake showed no signs of drying up at all.
It was as if this lake water would never decrease.
John’s gaze fell upon the lake surface.
This black lake was definitely abnormal.
Otherwise, the Meteorite Corpse Tree, as a follower of the God of Undead, would not have chosen to descend here for no reason.
A hundred years ago, when it rooted itself in this place, perhaps it had not merely been trying to contaminate the Northern Exclusion Zone.
Perhaps it had been searching for something hidden within this underground space.
As for what that thing was, John guessed that it was very likely the All-Class Magus class-change scroll.
After thinking for a moment, John took out the Trial of the First Seat key.
He controlled the key and moved it around above the lake surface, trying to trigger the hidden entrance.
However, the key showed no reaction at all.
The entire space remained deathly silent.
John could not help but frown. He stared at the lake surface for a long time.
Gradually, the lake surface enlarged within his vision, and his consciousness continued extending into it.
Only when he was about to sink into the lake water did he suddenly snap back to his senses, and the illusion before his eyes vanished.
John shook his head, feeling a trace of lingering fear.
"This lake really is abnormal."
But in the next instant, his gaze froze.
Because he discovered that the reflection in the lake had not made the same movement as him.
The reflection in the lake stood beneath the water in an eerie posture, the corners of its mouth slightly raised as it examined John with a playful gaze.
John was startled and immediately turned around.
Only then did he realize that the surrounding environment had somehow changed without him noticing.
The original rock walls and the giant tree roots had all disappeared.
When he lowered his head again, even the underground lake had vanished without him realizing it.
At this moment, he was standing in an endless darkness.
There was no sky, no ground, and no direction he could sense.
Only the surface of the water beneath his feet emitted a faint halo of light.
John subconsciously looked toward his chest, only to see that the Trial of the First Seat key had somehow disappeared as well.
Only now did he finally understand.
John chuckled softly.
"Nice trick. Looks like this is the true entrance to the Trial of the First Seat."
So the key was not a tool used to open the dungeon entrance.
Its true purpose was to make the trial space acknowledge the holder’s existence.
If a creature without the Trial of the First Seat key entered this place, it would probably be like the Meteorite Corpse Tree, exploring the black lake for a hundred years while remaining only in the surface layer of the space.
It would be unable to truly enter this trial space.
...
Since he had already entered, John no longer hesitated.
Following his instincts, he began groping his way forward through the darkness.
John did not know whether what he stepped on was ground or some other substance.
He simply walked forward. Along the way, he encountered no monsters and suffered no hidden trap attacks.
But as time passed, John inexplicably felt a strange sense of pressure in his heart.
In places he did not notice, the skills on his personal panel began to dim one by one.
A layer of gray mist gradually covered Flameserpent Ray, Summon Undead, spatial authority...
Until the final skill was completely covered.
Then, a notification sound suddenly rang out.
