Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Test of Knowledge (4)

Meanwhile, Andrew was getting impatient. He hated being in the heat, and his nerves were getting the better of him. Without thinking carefully, he blurted out his first guess.

"Uh… a dragon? Dragons can fly and walk, right?"

The moment he said it, the ground beneath them shook. Cracks appeared, and lava began to bubble up more violently around them. The stone pillar glowed red, and several flaming arrows shot out from hidden openings, heading straight for Andrew and Lila.

They quickly jumped to the side to avoid the arrows, the heat from them searing the air as they whizzed past.

Andrew's face turned pale, and he muttered under his breath, "That was a bad idea... What happens if we get it wrong again?"

Lila took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "We only have one more try," she said, her voice shaky. "We need to be absolutely sure before answering again."

Andrew was too anxious to wait any longer. Without discussing with Lila, he hurriedly shouted out another answer,

"A phoenix! It's reborn and changes form, right?" S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the stone pillar flashed bright red, and the ground rumbled even more violently than before. The cracks widened, and suddenly, streams of lava shot upward from the ground. The temperature in the chamber seemed to spike as the air filled with ash and smoke.

Before theycould react, parts of the rocky ceiling began to crumble, sending large chunks of rock crashing down. They quickly scrambled away from the falling debris, trying to find a path that wasn't blocked by lava or falling stones.

"Great, now we've used up both tries!" Lila shouted as they ran, her voice filled with frustration. She dodged a piece of the ceiling that fell right where she had been standing a second ago.

The heat around them started to lessen as they sprinted towards a tunnel that had just opened up in the chamber wall.

Once they crossed into the new area, it was no longer hot, and the molten glow faded behind them. But they weren't safe yet. The tunnel ceiling was shaking, and small rocks continued to fall. They had to keep running.

As they dashed down the long, narrow passageway, another question appeared on the stone wall ahead of them, glowing with faint blue light:

"What is the role of a Beast Doctor when faced with a wounded beast that has lost its will to fight?"

The words floated in the air in front of them as they continued to sprint, dodging falling rocks. This new question was clearly connected to the entrance exam's theme, and Lila's mind raced as she tried to think about the correct answer while staying alert to the danger around them.

"This question… it's about understanding a Beast Doctor's duties," Lila said breathlessly, glancing at Andrew as they continued to run.

As they kept running, dodging rocks falling from the ceiling, Andrew took a deep breath and focused on the question in front of them. He had to think carefully this time. The words glowed softly on the wall, and he remembered something Sir Thomas had once said about Beast Doctors.

Andrew spoke out loud, "A Beast Doctor must restore balance to the beast's body and spirit, ensuring it can find the strength to move forward again. This involves calming its fears and providing the right kind of support for recovery."

The moment he finished speaking, the shaking of the tunnel stopped. The falling rocks ceased, and the path ahead of them lit up, showing a way forward. The blue light from the words faded away, signaling that they had answered correctly.

Lila stopped running and took a deep breath, looking at Andrew with a smile. "Nice one, Andrew," she said, feeling relieved. "You got it right."

Andrew scratched the back of his head, grinning. "Hehee, thanks. I really studied hard because I want to be like Sir Thomas one day," he replied proudly.

Lila nodded, feeling a bit more hopeful now that they had passed this challenge. "Well, let's keep moving," she said. "We don't know what's next, but we're not out of this yet."

"Anyway, What is the answer in the first question? What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?" Andrew wondered and Lila sighed.

"I just remembered it now, The answer is Human Damn it."

After the first test was over, all the participants who had passed found their familiars reappearing beside them. Seojun's slime familiar, Sui, bounced excitedly towards him.

"Master! Kyuu! Where did you go?! You suddenly disappeared!" Sui squealed, bouncing up and down with a worried expression on his tiny face.

Seojun quickly caught Sui in his hands and shook his head with a small smile. "You're the one that disappeared. Where did you go?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sui tilted his little head. "Kyuu, me?"

Seojun nodded, still curious about what had happened.

Sui bounced a little in Seojun's hands as he answered, "When we were separated, I looked around and found myself with other beast familiars above,

Seojun's eyes widened slightly as he realized what had happened. "So, they teleported you back above," he thought aloud.

"Kyuuu, Master?" Sui called out, sensing that Seojun was lost in thought.

Seojun smiled down at his little slime companion and gently put him back on the ground. "Don't worry, Sui. Let's get out of this maze for now," he said, his voice calm but determined.

Sui bounced playfully in a circle around Seojun. "Kyuu! Yes, let's go, Master! I'll lead the way!" he said, hopping excitedly ahead.

Days passed since Andrew and Lila had barely escaped the underground test, and the heat and danger had left them with little time to relax.

The exams grew more difficult with each passing day, and the remaining participants had to stay sharp, for even one mistake could mean elimination.

The entrance exam had taken its toll.