MMORPG: Rise of the Primordial Godsmith

Chapter 1641: Breaking Barriers: The Final Trial (10)

”...Considering what he’s unknowingly shown me throughout the past year or so, he’s basically guaranteed to reach a grade of deeper understanding on all the pedestals he’s chosen.”

As these words left his mouth, Aeramis decided to enter the barrier after seeing the young man choose his first pedestal for the trial.

Noticing that the surroundings around Ataraxia started to give off the feeling that they were the epicenter of an oncoming storm, the man looked at the young man with a hint of anticipation and excitement, the gears in his mind turning as he thought back to his earlier conjecture.

’On second thought, he’s guaranteed to reach essence peering with the pedestal,’ muttered Aeramis to himself inwardly, showing no hesitation in correcting himself after obtaining new information on the matter.

’In fact, from what I could sense through the aura he’s radiating... it seems like he’s already nearing the level of assimilation?’

Whoosh!

While the man was still in the midst of assessing the extent of what Ataraxia had comprehended before tackling his first attempt at the trial, the young man in question had a solemn expression on his face as he sent strands of energy imbued with Intent towards the pedestal.

Swoosh!

Responding to the Intent contained within the energies, the pedestal began to radiate an aura containing the intricate characteristics of the Force of Raging Tempests, causing the two sides to clash as the nearby surroundings began to embrace part of the two concepts’ properties.

’...So that’s how much distance separates it from being a Force, huh?’

Of course, although he knew that he was having his comprehended Intent clash against the Force for the trial, Ataraxia still took the current collision of concepts as an opportunity to obtain more information on the Force he needed to comprehend.

After all, he only had two more opportunities to have the pedestal before him inundate his mind with knowledge regarding the concept he had to comprehend.

With that, he had to make the most out of the situation he was in, prompting his other self to crank [Perception of the Grand Origin] to its utmost as the gears in his mind continued to turn.

Fwoosh!

While gradually deepening his understanding regarding the underlying nature powering both his Intent and the Force of Raging Tempests, Ataraxia eventually felt the aura the pedestal emanating disappear, causing a slightly disappointed expression to appear on his face as he retracted his own Intent in response.

Swoosh!

After that, the pedestal’s surface began to radiate a various assortment of colors, prompting the young man to pay attention to it as he felt it slightly tap into a greater truth he had yet to uncover and explore.

Unfortunately, that display of colors only lasted for a few seconds at most, leaving him with no opportunity to comprehend anything about it other than the number of colors he had seen through his perception.

’Assessment: 100% Essence Peering, 40% Assimilation.’

After the pedestal stopped showing an assortment of colors, a holographic image soon began to manifest above the pedestal, its content informing the young man how deep his comprehension had gone in relation to the concept.

”40% assimilation, huh? I suppose I could reach full assimilation in my next three attempts?”

Feeling a bit proud at the fact that he had reached the threshold Aeramis had set for the trial’s limit on his first try, Ataraxia let out a slight chuckle as he decided to set his sights a bit higher for the two remaining attempts he had.

’...40% assimilation already?’

On the other hand, the man who watched the young man have his Intent clash against a bona fide Force was left somewhat awestruck.

After all, even though he had changed his earlier conjecture to where Ataraxia was nearing assimilation, it never occurred to him even once that the young man would actually reach that level.

Even more so on his first try.

’...Surely the results on the other pedestals won’t be as monstrous as that, right?’

Giving himself a bit of time to catch a breather, Aeramis soon returned his attention to the young man, his gaze glued to the latter as he watched him head towards the pedestal containing the other concept he had chosen.

Recalling how much of a disparity there was between the achievements Ataraxia had made in the two concepts, the man soon let out a faint sigh of relief, thinking to himself that the outcome this time around would be at a level that was within his expectations.

Though that eventually ended up becoming the case against the Force of Tranquil Winds...

The same could not be said for the three skills the young man had picked up for the trial.

...

”You’ve comprehended one of the pedestals to the level of assimilation, three to the level of essence peering, and only one at the level of deeper understanding.”

Looking at the young man in front of him with a slightly aghast expression, Aeramis let out a faint exhale as he tried his best to keep his thoughts under control.

”...If I were to be honest, with that kind of result for your first attempt, I’m quite tempted to just end the trial here and say you’ve reached the limit already,” the man continued, giving the young man a faint teasing smile.

”Please don’t,” replied Ataraxia with a slight chuckle, taking note of the man’s joking tone. ”I know you made an exception for me during the fourth trial, but let me reach essence peering on all of the ones I’ve chosen at the very least.”

”It wouldn’t even take you that much time to make your words a reality,” said Aeramis in response, a wry smile now adorning his face. ”After all, amongst all of the pedestals you’ve chosen, only the one for the Force of Tranquil Winds gave you a grade of deeper understanding.”

”For everything else, you’ve achieved essence peering, if not greater.”

”There’s just something about the concept that’s slightly eluding me,” answered the young man after giving a bit of thought. ”It’s unlike any of the concepts I’ve comprehended so far.”

”What about the concept eludes you specifically?” asked Aeramis, his current expression containing a hint of curiosity. ”Perhaps I might be able to steer your thoughts in the right direction.”

”There’s no need.” Ataraxia shook his head at the offer, only to then head back to the spot he had spent the past year. ”All it needs is just a little nudge before everything else falls into place.”

”Now if you’ll excuse me...”

”I’ll be making use of the two remaining attempts I have.”