What was happening with the deities? Sterl had no idea.
He was completely baffled.
At that moment, he looked around and found himself standing in an arena. However, the arena was in ruins, with only some fragmented remnants remaining, and the spectator stands were completely empty.
The entire arena seemed to be shrouded in a layer of gray mist, indicating that it hadn't been used in a long time.
It wasn't that the Archduke of Blood had managed to come up with a countermeasure to prevent the array plate from being destroyed, which Sterl found somewhat reassuring. But wasn't this method a bit outrageous?
Had this divine-level demon really been able to host a hell trial after unifying the layer of hell for countless years?
Sterl had gathered a lot of information from various texts, thanks to his high attributes.
The hell trial was an event held in each layer of hell, similar to the Trial of the Brave in the Hall of Valor.
It was only called when there was a need for a unified divine-level demon to cultivate combat power, selecting a group of potential "individuals" to help them grow.
But the problem was—
This was an uncontrollable mechanism.
What gave the Archduke of Blood the right to manipulate it? To put it bluntly, even exploiting a bug wouldn't allow for such a thing. How did he come into contact with the will of hell and command it to serve him?
Sterl was utterly confused.
He continued to think about the details of the hell trial.
The highest difficulty of the trial corresponded to the divine level, as the purpose of the trial itself was to cultivate a divine-level demon.
The reward system was tiered, based on the number of challenges completed minus one; the final number determined the reward level, with higher numbers unlocking more lucrative rewards in the reward shop.
This system was designed to prevent exploitation of bugs. If a divine-level entity entered the trial, they would directly face a divine-level opponent. However, since rewards were based on the number of challenges completed minus one, even if you defeated a divine-level warrior that had been summoned by the layer of hell at great energy cost, you wouldn't gain any benefits.
When facing divine-level opponents, even gods had to put in some effort. Although the divine-level warriors simulated by the layer of hell were significantly weaker than true gods, they were still strong enough to assist the Archduke of Blood and buy him a considerable amount of time.
The array of seizing heaven and creating fate wasn't drawing Divine Power at a fast rate, and a single formation bearing the pressure of five divine-level beings was quite taxing. Thus, the five deities wouldn't be drained completely.
However, the Archduke of Blood could leverage the accumulated Divine Power to have an overwhelming advantage in battle. Moreover, while drawing power, the high consumption of his Origin of Chaos would be fully offset.
Even facing five opponents, he still had a significant advantage!
If this was all part of the Archduke of Blood's initial plan, then he truly was a cunning strategist. However, Sterl, possessing the Holy Spirit Bloodline, could sense the Archduke's earlier disdain for the siege and his panic when unable to unleash the Origin of Chaos—it wasn't an act.
"So, launching the hell trial comes at a significant cost for the Archduke of Blood as well?" Sterl pondered silently.
For him, participating in the hell trial was quite convenient. Starting from the third class and fighting all the way up to the divine level, he was sure to earn some impressive rewards.
Moreover, since the enemies at the third class posed no threat to him, he could calmly think while waiting.
Suddenly, with a wave-like ripple, an enemy wielding dual blades and wearing a smiling mask charged down from above, followed closely by another enemy sporting a crying mask.
These two units exuded an intense aura, far beyond what an ordinary third-class opponent could handle. The blades they wielded were gathering energy, seemingly preparing to undergo some transformation...
Sterl's eyes flickered, and the FlameLaw automatically ignited.
He reduced the two monsters to torches.
[Congratulations! You have completed the first challenge. The next wave will load legendary-level enemies.]
Sterl ignored the notification, feeling tense.
What he wanted most was to quickly face a divine-level opponent.
Either he would eliminate his opponent swiftly and exit the hell trial, or the divine-level entity would dispatch him, sending him back to the battlefield.
At that moment, the demigod-level trial began.
A rather peculiar-looking creature emerged, resembling a unit of the eye demons Sterl had seen previously in the Trial of the Brave.
Sterl's eyes suddenly lit up.
Even amidst the immense pressure, his mood brightened a bit.
"What a coincidence! This is an opportunity for me to take revenge!"
He quickly gathered his power.
In the massive pupil of the eye demon, a strange gleam flickered.
Odd waves dispersed, but under the enhancement of the Holy Spirit Bloodline, Sterl didn't even try to block it; he simply felt a gentle breeze on his face, with no adverse effects whatsoever!
With a swift motion, Sterl unleashed the Star Point Finger. The attack wasn't particularly strong, but he infused it with the power of Fission!
The eye demon was pierced through, and then...
It began to collapse from the inside!!
A terrifying white light erupted as this incredibly powerful war god was shattered, the force of the Fission power creating a small mushroom cloud that engulfed everything in the blinding light!
[Congratulations! You have completed the demigod-level trial!]
[Your reward level has increased!]
For some reason, Sterl noticed that after each trial, the notification text was not formulaic; each time it was different.
He didn't bother paying attention to such details.
He continued to simulate the formation in his mind.
Every second counted; he had to make the most of it.
He thought that the next opponent would be at the divine level. Although he wanted the rewards, he decided it was wise to sacrifice some time.
He didn't want to do it earlier because the demigod-level eye demon would have to stand still for a while to kill him.
With a divine-level opponent, if he actively engaged without any defense, there was a chance he could be eliminated in a single blow.
To his surprise, there were still two more stages left.
A perfect-level demigod and a Supreme-level trial—seemingly, the hell trial was quite generous, offering two additional levels of reward!
However, Sterl felt a bit helpless under the time pressure; he believed that if he could complete all the trials, the rewards would be substantial. But the problem was, he needed to survive to claim those rewards!
[Perfect-level demigod trial has begun!]
[Brave one, please try to resist temptation! Those with weak minds will find themselves sinking into despair.]
The perfect-level demigod was a succubus of the same kind as Licitris, possessing immense charm. She appeared with a beaming smile.
"Oh, hello there, handsome..."
"Huh?"
The succubus intended to entice Sterl, but as she felt the dual enhancement of the Holy Spirit Bloodline and Solidification Method, the perfectly alluring Mephistopheles in her transformed into a shade of pink.
"Damn it, why do I have to encounter you during a trial?"
"Forget it, it doesn't matter."
"May I ask how you would like to be addressed?"