System Change

“What is it?” Derek asked as he walked up beside Edgar. Everyone was focusing on him after his remarks. They had heard about the trial rewards, so everyone would want in on the next trial. Well, depending on what it was.

“Take a look yourself,” Edgar said, and stepped away, giving Derek room to access the orb. He placed his hand on it and pulled up the information.

Dungeon Trial

Trial Type

Battle/Survival

Participants

5

Trial Difficulty

Legendary

Please Select Participants

0/5

“Uh…” Derek said, smartly. “I guess this dungeon isn’t going to slowly work its way up in difficulty, huh?”

“I had hoped it would,” Edgar replied. “But this shows that it’s probably going to be random.”

“What is it?” someone from behind them asked.

Edgar turned back to the team, his eyes falling on the recently returned members. They were all in a rough state, and that was from an uncommon difficulty trial. Derek could tell that Edgar was thinking the same thing.

A sigh escaped the prince’s mouth. “We’re going to go with myself, Derek, Avery, Jasper, and…” Edgar’s eyes moved around until they fell on a middle-aged elven woman with dark skin and auburn. “Tara, are you up for it?”

Derek recalled that Tara Perez was a level 240 support type class. She wasn’t the highest level support class. That title would go to Kieron Dawson, but he had just gotten back from the previous trial and looked exhausted. Next up would be Tara.

“What’s the trial?” she asked.

“Battle or survival trial…” Edgar began. “Legendary difficulty.”

“What?” another voice called out. “Did you say legendary?”

“Yes, which is why I chose the people I did.” Edgar explained.

“Then we should go.” Two elves stepped forward, one male and one female. Both had similar features. It was the cousins, Victor and Asana Greenland. Both level 250 mages of their respective element.

“No,” Edgar said straight up. “The team I picked can cover all areas. What happens if we go into battle and whatever we are fighting is immune to magic? Can either of you make up for the loss of Avery’s physical attacks? And we have to have a healer and support.”

“What about him?” Victor pointed at Derek.

“What about Derek?” Edgar laughed. “If you can find someone who has better defense than this man, I welcome them to try. No, Derek is even more needed than Avery. Which leaves me. Would either of you like to take my spot?”

Victor and Asana glanced at each other, hesitating. Finally, their eyes fell on Tyron. He was another member of the party who was considered one of the strongest, and he hadn’t made a sound after Edgar announced the team. Then, they looked at Cain Ibarra, the leader of the Adventurer’s Guild in the capital.

He looked like he wanted to say something, but he remained silent. He was an elemental mage, and probably one of the strongest in the kingdom, if Derek had to guess. But, considering Edgar’s explanation, the only position he could try to take would be his own.

Derek mentally applauded the man. It wouldn’t look good having one of the strongest mages in the kingdom challenging the prince over a trial. Especially a prince who was in charge of the mission.

Still, Derek wasn’t entirely on board with being selected out of the blue. Though what Edgar said wasn’t wrong, so he didn’t speak up. It looked like his dreams of getting through the raid without leveling too much wasn’t going to happen. He could now only hope that there wasn’t going to be an insane number of enemies in the next trial.

After waiting for a bit, and seeing that nobody else planned to speak out, Edgar looked at each member he had chosen and asked if they were okay with the arrangements. Avery looked excited. Jasper had become serious. Edgar himself seemed to be almost as excited as Avery. Derek was nonchalant, and though she seemed very nervous, Tara didn’t seem willing to back down and give her spot away.

“Good,” Edgar said. “Tyron, you and Vanessa are in charge while I’m away. Are there any objections?”

“Why the Shadow Witch?” Asana Greenland questioned.

“Because she is under oath and contract to the kingdom. She must act in accordance with her contract. And Tyron is probably the man who is most trusted among everyone else here. Plus, I’ve seen him fight. Any more questions?”

“Alright,” Edgar said once everyone agreed to his arrangements. “It’s best that we do the trials sooner rather than later. Are the four of you ready?” he asked his team, who all nodded.

With a flash, a full set of armor appeared on the prince. The armor was silver plate, and Derek could see his element flowing through it along the extravagant runes carved in the metal.

“Uh… why didn’t you already have your armor on?” Derek asked.

Edgar snorted. “Because the runes on the armor are a constant draw on my stamina, and it’s gaudy. I only use it in extreme circumstances, like entering a legendary trial.” He answered, then, he moved back to the trial orb and placed his hand on it. Soon, Derek received the prompt.

You have been selected for a Dungeon Trial.

Trial Type

Battle/Survival

Participants

5

Trial Difficulty

Legendary

Participants Selected

Edgar Cydaria: Level 250

Avery Swan: Level 250

Jasper Ross: Level 250

Tara Perez: Level 240

Derek Hunt: Level ???

Confirm Entry: Yes/No

Derek mentally selected yes and waited. Soon, everyone else confirmed their own entry, and they vanished in a flash of light.

When he next opened his eyes, Derek found himself together with the other four in the ruins of an old city. Buildings were crumbled on the ground, which was beset with scorch marks, and any walls surrounding the city had fallen long ago. The surroundings looked as if they had been deserted for centuries. There were no signs of life, neither monster nor intelligent.

“Well, this isn’t promising,” Edgar said as they waited.

After a few seconds, he received the notification.

Trial #2

Survive the attacks from the enemy champions for ten days or defeat them within that the timeframe.

Time Remaining: 9 Days 23 Hours 56 Seconds

“Is that good or bad?” Derek asked. There were two ways to complete the trial. They could beat whatever it was they were facing, or they could just survive for ten days. Derek believed he wouldn’t have any problem doing the latter. If all else failed, he could shove everybody else in his Time Prison and survive alone. That was if his prison would be allowed during the trial.

“Both?” Edgar answered, unsure. “It’s good because we can turtle up if needed, but bad because the Great System feels that us just surviving is worthy of passing the trial.”

Derek grunted in agreement.

“Everyone be on guard. We don’t know what we’re up against.” Edgar warned, though he didn’t have to. Everybody was already extremely vigilant.

They stood in formation for over half an hour without anything happening.

“What do we do? Do you think we need to leave these ruins?” the healer asked.

“I don’t see any point in that. If nothing attacks us, then we can just complete the trial by waiting. Sure, ten days is a long time with the time dilation, but it’s nothing compared to free rewards from a legendary trial. However, I doubt we’ll be allowed to do so.” Edgar explained. “But I would rather wait here prepared than wander around and chance getting caught up in an ambush.”

Finally, after over an hour of waiting, something changed. An ear piercing roar sounded out from the distance, then another one, then another. Three of the same type but completely different pitched roars that were enough to shake the earth beneath their feet and cripple most people in fear drew all their attention toward one direction.

They heard the beasts, the champions of the trial, before anyone managed to spot one, even Avery, with his eyes. But soon, they could make out three rapidly approaching dots floating in the air at a distance. With each second, the figures became larger and larger until they could finally make out what they were about to be up against.

“Dragons…” Derek muttered. It was his first time seeing one of the legendary creatures in either his old world or this new one.

“Wyverns.” Edgar corrected as the dragonkin flew closer and closer.

Derek was able to get a better look after a moment. Edgar was right, they were wyverns. Their front legs were fused to their wings, showing the clear difference between dragons and wyverns. However, each of the three dragonkin were massive. If wyverns are this big, what are proper ancient dragons going to look like? Derek thought.

Each wyvern was distinctly different. One had red scales covering its reptilian body, one had blue-green scales, and one had black. Each had a tail with a dagger-like point at the end. They were simply giant beasts of pure destruction.

Edgar let out a deep breath. “This… is going to be fun,” he commented with a big grin on his face. “Derek, can you and Avery hold the black and blue ones off with the support of Tara and Jasper?”

Derek and Avery looked at each other and shrugged. “I guess,” Derek said.

Edgar nodded seriously. “Good. I want the red one. Tara, do not cast any support spells on me. Jasper, don’t heal me unless I’m critical or ask for help. Got it?”

Everyone, including Derek, looked at Edgar like he was a madman. Of course, Derek had always believed he was a madman, but it was different seeing it for himself. But before he could say anything, Avery spoke up.

“You’re going to tame it.” It was more a statement than a question.

“I’m going to try. It’s not every day you have a chance to get a legendary companion. Especially a dragonkin. I can’t miss this opportunity.”

“But, your class,” Avery said.

“Is legendary. If I can get it down, I have a chance.” Edgar dropped a bomb on the members of the party, announce that his class was legendary instead of epic as most had been led to believe.

Avery clicked his tongue. “I’m jealous. I doubt any of these beasts would submit to me with my class. It would be almost impossible for me to tame one.”

“What about you, Derek?” Edgar asked.

“Me? I already have the best beast companion. What would I want with some pathetic dragon? I’m good,” he said, but deep down, he was imagining himself riding on the back of a dragon, causing mass destruction. But could a dragon make him delicious steak and potatoes? No. He would stick with Silvi. Besides, he didn’t have another scroll, even if he wanted to.

And he wasn’t as suicidal as Edgar. He would for sure take all the buffs Tara could offer.

Soon, the three wyverns closed in. They were even more massive than Derek first thought.

“Protect the support,” Edgar told Derek. “I’m off.” With that, Edgar transformed into a ball of lightning, then vanished.

“Incoming!” Avery announced.

The three beasts flying just overhead opened their colossal maws and energy began to gather. Fire, wind, and… something else appeared in the mouths of the beasts.

“Get behind me!” Derek commanded, and just before the creatures released their attacks, a wall of Absolute Nullification appeared in front of the group.

Three beams shot down at them, combining together as they flew forward. Derek pulled the healer and support into his embrace and ducked down, making himself as small as possible. He was putting all his faith into his defensive skills. He didn’t need to bother with Avery. The man had already disappeared just seconds after Edgar.

Derek felt his back heat up and his silk-like shirt melt into his body. The heat was intense, but not unbearable. Soon it stopped, and Derek looked up to see the three wyverns continuing on past them. They had survived the first attack, but the battle had just begun.