Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree

Chapter 852: Chapter 768: Coffin_2

The coffin was carved from a whole piece of black stone, about ten zhang long, five zhang wide, and over three zhang high.

The surface was engraved with a dense array of symbols, which glowed faintly in the darkness, like countless eyes watching the visitors.

The lid of the coffin fit seamlessly, showing no gaps, as if it was originally a complete piece of stone.

Four stone pillars stood around the coffin, each engraved with the same inscription.

Duke couldn’t understand the text, but these people gathered here were all elites from various regions, never lacking in well-educated individuals.

A student specializing in ancient languages from Star Tower was brought over.

He circled the coffin once, then leaned in to examine the inscriptions, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Finally, he straightened up, stepped back, and with a slightly dry voice said, "This is a passage to the third level, to open it requires the infusion of a large amount of magic power, one person’s strength is far from enough; it needs everyone to exert their power together."

"And then?" someone asked.

The student shook his head, "The inscription doesn’t say, only mentions the activation method."

Silence. Someone had already started discussing, someone was hesitating, someone was observing.

Audric stepped out from the crowd, standing before the coffin.

His gaze swept across everyone present, his voice soft but clearly reaching every ear, "If it requires everyone to exert their strength, then let everyone exert their strength. Whoever wants to enter the third level, come forward. Those who do not wish to enter can leave now."

No one left.

Audric said no more, just walked to the coffin, raised his right hand, and placed his palm on the lid.

A faint golden light surged from his palm, like numerous small golden dragons, weaving across the surface symbols of the coffin.

The coffin trembled slightly, emitting a low, muffled hum, as if responding to his power.

Vera was the second to walk forward, pressing her palm against the coffin.

Emerald green light flooded from her palm, intertwining with Audric’s golden light.

The coffin shook more intensely, and the brightness of the symbols began to increase.

Duke walked over, raised his hand, and pressed it on the coffin.

Earthy yellow light poured from his palm, steady and heavy.

The coffin lid began to produce a slight sound, as if something inside was loosening.

One by one, all the remaining Wizards stepped up, pressing their palms against the coffin.

Various colors of light surged from different palms, merging together like a rainbow river, flowing along the symbols on the coffin.

The brightness of the symbols grew stronger, from dim to bright, from bright to glaring, illuminating the whole palace.

The coffin began to tremble violently.

The cracks on the lid started to widen, from thread-thin to finger-width, from finger-width to fist-wide.

Blinding white light seeped through the cracks, too bright for anyone to keep their eyes open.

Boom—!

With a loud crash, the lid burst open.

Countless fragments flew outward, blocked by various Shields.

After the dust settled, a gigantic vortex appeared at the center of the coffin.

The vortex was pure white, rotating slowly, like a sleeping eye that had just opened.

Small points of light danced at the edge of the vortex, like countless fireflies flying through the air.

The center of the vortex was a deep white, with nothing visible, nothing perceptible.

Someone approached cautiously, but was pushed back several steps by the energy fluctuation at the vortex’s edge.

Everyone gazed at the vortex, with no one speaking.

The student from Star Tower stepped forward again, looking at the small characters etched on the inner wall of the coffin.

His expression changed.

"What does it say?" someone asked.

Audric stepped over, lowered his head for a glance.

His expression remained unchanged, but the perpetually upturned corner of his mouth smoothed slightly.

He turned around, facing everyone, "The inscription says, after entering, only one person can come out alive."

The room fell into dead silence, some turned pale, some clenched their fists, some instinctively retreated a step.

"However—" Audric’s voice remained calm, "The Six-Ring Badge just provided a hint that the protection mechanism is still active inside."

Some began whispering, some lowered their heads to check their badges, some exchanged glances with their companions.

The active protection mechanism meant that even if one was killed upon entering, they wouldn’t really die, only be eliminated from the examination ground.

Unable to die, but possible to be eliminated.

This meant that whatever lay on the third level was worth risking elimination for.

Audric stood before the coffin, gazing at the white vortex.

Then he lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone, the corner of his mouth lifting once more into its signature curve, "In the third level, only one person can come out. So—" he paused, eyes lingering on everyone for a moment, "whoever wants to enter, be ready to face me."

Audric then turned, stepping into the vortex first.

The white light consumed him, his form disappearing into the depths of the vortex.

The remaining people exchanged looks. Some hesitated, some clenched their teeth, some turned away.

Duke gazed at the vortex, hesitated little, and stepped toward the coffin.

For him, the test was already satisfactory, and likely he could retain a top ten ranking.

In such a case, it was certainly worth entering for a chance, even if it ended the test early. The remaining time until the test’s end was minimal anyway, an early finish wouldn’t matter.

Only those Wizards who had not accumulated enough resources, and wished to gather more, would hesitate to enter.

After all, the inscription was clear, only one person would emerge alive from inside.

Audric had entered first, and the ones remaining had to consider if they were a match for Audric.

Duke didn’t weigh this, for he didn’t fear Audric, and felt confident he could survive.

Footsteps sounded behind him.

Vera followed, without questioning why he was entering, nor saying anything extra, just walking beside him, her stride matching his steady pace.

Leon also joined, hoisting the newly acquired War Axe onto his shoulder, grinning as if attending a party.

Ely hesitated for a long time, finally shaking her head and stepping aside.

Her resources were sufficient, she needed no further risk.

Adrian stepped out from the crowd, cast a glance at Duke, and also stepped into the vortex.

Duke stood at the edge of the coffin, gazing down at the slowly rotating white vortex, took a deep breath, and stepped in.

The white light consumed him.

The sensation of solid ground underfoot arrived sooner than expected.

Duke opened his eyes, finding himself standing on a desolate land.

The sky was leaden gray, devoid of clouds, sunless, just a uniform layer of lifeless gray.

The earth was cracked, with no water in the crevices, no plants, only parched soil bleached white.

The wind was strong, but not natural, rather some ancient, melancholic force sighing.

This was an Ancient Battlefield.

Broken weapons lay scattered on the ground, some embedded in soil, some snapped into fragments, some corroded into mere outlines.

Various weapons, seemingly discarded here at random by someone.

Duke crouched, picked up a short sword.

The blade already corroded, crumbling into dust at a slight touch.

The dust sifted through his fingers, blown away by the wind.

Further away, countless corpses lay sprawled.

Some had turned into skeletons, bones scattered on the ground, weathered into gray white.

Some still retained human form, their skin mummified, clinging to their bones like dried fruit.

But some... Duke’s gaze settled on the nearest corpse.

It was a Warrior in armor, the armor damaged, exposing the body beneath.

The body hadn’t decayed, muscles shriveled but intact, skin an ashen blue-gray, like a piece of meat weathered for millennia.

His eyes were shut tight, mouth slightly open, as if still shouting at death.

Duke gently kicked the corpse with his foot, finding it hard as stone.

Not formed naturally, but by some force.

Perhaps the Secret Technique they practiced while alive, or something that eroded them post-mortem, making the body harder than steel.

The soul was gone but the body remained, like an empty shell, an abandoned vessel.