CH 221

Light

Dark

—Ultihate is basically the sword of the hero that was held by Hero Alex.

Its history isn’t anything to scoff about, but it is said to exist since before the Evil God Great War, the Seal Priestess is needed to obtain it, and when the priestess speaks the password at the fortress called the Old Castle, you will be able to take the Trial of Gods. By overcoming this, you will get the Absolute Divine Sword, Ultihate.

If the info leaked before the game was released is true, it has attack power that surpasses others at an impressive 999.

The second one with the highest attack power is the Soul Eater with its 666, so you should be able to tell just how incredible it is in comparison.

But what’s more incredible about it is the special ability.

It nullifies the long range attacks towards the wearer, and depending on how many friendly NPCs are within that field, you will get a 1% increase in your base stats for each one, so it is an unbelievably broken weapon.

Well, in reality they simply announced it and it wasn’t implemented in the game though. Being able to obtain that is truly moving.

However, this Trial of Gods for the sake of obtaining Ultihate is pretty nasty in nature.

With the priestess speaking the key words, a teleportation gate appears for a special map.

When you cross that gate, you will definitely show up in the map where the Ultihate is enshrined.

There you will find a light path of around 30 meters and the Ultihate in sight.

That’s as far as the companions can go with you. The only one who can take a step on that light path is the one person taking the trial.

If you try to proceed with more than two people, the light path that serves as your footing apparently disappears.

The trial consists of light blades assailing you from all sides. You would have to avoid them as you advance through the light path, and if you touch Ultihate, you win…but the stats of the person doing the challenge will be restricted to that of a normal person, and you won’t be able to use skills, spells, and items either.

If we talk about it in game terms, it is a map where the skills of the player dictate the result and not the level.

It becomes a complete action game where stats don’t matter, so for me who has been going ham with skills and stats, this is a pretty tough challenge.

But even if I am no good at it, it doesn’t mean I can leave this trial to the others.

The only one who can use Ultihate is the one who did the trial.

It apparently becomes an exclusive weapon for the one who overcomes the trial and touches Ultihate.

At least there’s the positive factor that when I said I would be heading off to get Ultihate at the Seal Lineage village, Sazan’s father -Shud- told me information that could be of use.

According to him, there have only been around 5 priestesses in recorded history to have activated the Ultihate altar.

Within those, there was one that simply confirmed the existence of Ultihate and was satisfied, but for the remaining 4, they would bring their respective partners, and actually challenged the Trial of Gods.

In summary…

The first one was apparently the number one most confident in his strength.

However, being strong won’t be of any help in this trial.

He apparently judged it was impossible for him and withdrew after just advancing a few meters.

The second one was a man whose bragging point was his nimbleness.

But that body of his was restricted in the trial.

An arm was severed from him after advancing around a third of the way and he desperately returned.

A light blade appeared on his way back and he injured his leg as well, but he somehow managed to return to the starting point, was healed by the priestess, and somehow managed to survive.

The third man was a smart one.

He casted every type of support spell on him and challenged the light path…

But all of them were negated the moment he entered the light path, and died in just a few seconds.

And then, the fourth one that reached the furthest was a careful man.

He challenged the trial over and over, and by retreating without overexerting himself, he was slowly measuring the timing and location where the light swords were flying from.

“It is possible! It can be done!

It is true that it is hard to get through here at your first try, but there’s a fixed pattern to these light swords!

I think I will be able to get through it if I take my time and practice!”

After challenging it dozens of times, the man said this when he had reached around the half point, and then, in his next challenge, he never returned again.

It is results that made me lose my fire, but there’s a number of things I got from this.

Even if you fail the trial, you can redo it.

The light path not only nullifies the activation of skills, but also the buffs you have on.

If you return to the start, you can use magic and skills, so you can recover without issues.

And most likely…

After further than half of this trial passes and the challenger gets used to this gimmick, ‘something’ will happen.

I don’t have the time to get cold feet.

After hearing the stories, we wrapped it up and departed. We returned to the Sky City while dragging Mitsuki whose cat ears were trembling and didn’t want to, and we all headed to the Old Castle.

Fortunately, it wasn’t that difficult to get all the way there.

We have our midgame ally, the flying ship…I mean, the Sky City.

The altar of the Old Castle is completely exposed outside, so we moved to the Old Castle from the sky, and simply by going down with the escape device, we managed to arrive at the altar without fighting once.

We managed to reach this hidden map thanks to the cooperation of Sazan, and if I can just touch that sword, it will all be done.

“If this wasn’t an isolated map, we could have done stuff like dropping to the goal with the Sky City though.” (Souma)

I muttered this unconsciously, but shook my head.

I don’t plan on doing such petty tricks here.

I will just go straight ahead, touch the sword, and come back.

That’s all there is to it.

Of course, there’s the possibility of me dying if I fail.

But…

“I am trying to get my selfishness through with the fate of the world at stake after all.

I should be gambling my life here a bit too.” (Souma)

This is the least I can do to take responsibility.

“H-Hey, Souma, are you really going to be doing this?” (Maki)

The one who interrupted my thoughts was the uneasy voice of Maki.

“I told you about the specs of Ultihate, right?

That weapon is absolutely necessary to defeat the Evil God.” (Souma)

“Y-Yeah, I get that, but…but Souma, you are really completely hopeless when it comes to physical stuff. Can you really clear this without skills and magic?” (Maki)

I smiled at Maki who was still worried.

“Don’t worry. It is not like I am going to go straight on to the goal.

I have come here today just for a taste test.” (Souma)

Putting my life on the line doesn’t exactly mean to throw my life away.

Different from the sudden troubles we have had, I am planning on challenging this trial with perfect preparations.

“Ringo, I am sorry, but prepare healing items just in case.” (Souma)

After confirming that Ringo had run to my side in the starting point, I moved towards the light path.

Maki seems to be worried, but I do have my plan.

I may not have any athletic skills, but I have a big ‘weapon’ other challengers didn’t.

“Now then, shall we refresh for a bit.” (Souma)

I take out the stone slate and touch the 12th Chapter.

I was shown the gallant figure of Alex challenging the Trial of Gods.

—The 12th Chapter starts just when Alex arrives at the altar. When he is just about to challenge the Trial of Gods.

The moment Neitia chanted the incantation and the view moved to that of the trial, I internally cheered when I saw the scenery spreading before me.

Because the scenery I see in the recording wasn’t one bit different from that of the trial I am in at the moment.

I couldn’t say for sure just from memory, but when comparing both like this, the length and width of the light path, and the distance to the goal which is Ultihate, it should be safe to assume they are all exactly the same.

It should be safe to assume my chances of winning have increased with this.

If I just rely on the recording to practice, it should work plenty well in my trial.

(Woops…) (Souma)

There might be some sort of pitfall if I get all confident like this.

I carefully observe the performance of Alex in the trial even more seriously than when I saw it before.

He jumped the first light blade created flying in an angle as if cutting off the ankle, and that jump served as the beginning of Alex’s trial.

I was impressed by his acrobatic movements, but when I tried thinking ‘if I was the one standing there’, I understood something new.

(I…see…) (Souma)

The movements of Alex are truly incredible.

Even though his physical strength is being restricted, with his unbelievable physical reflexes and his ability to deal with things on the spot, he was avoiding each and every pinch he fell into.

It is not only simply because his ability is high, but because he has mastered how to use his own body.

I doubt I would be able to pull off the same thing as him in my first try.

But that’s if the amount of knowledge we have is the same.

Even if I can’t match him in his speed to react to things and the sharpness of his decisions, if I simulate beforehand where the next blade comes and how to move at that time, it may not be the same, but I feel like I would be able to move in a way that wouldn’t lose to him.

(I am somewhat good at memorization games.) (Souma)

I watched while thinking this, and Alex finally arrived two meters before the goal.

But then…

(U-Uwa!) (Souma)

Without any sign of it, a light blade was created right at the feet of Alex and flew at him.

The amount of time it took to appear and fly was just a mere 0.5 seconds.

I don’t know if it was wild instinct or the protection of the gods, but Alex was coincidentally looking down, so he noticed the blade just in time, and bend his body to avoid it, but I doubt anyone would be able to avoid it without knowing about it.

…That’s right. If you don’t know about it.

(Did the 4th man fall for this and die?) (Souma)

But if the ‘pitfall’ of this trial is just that, it won’t reach me as someone who holds the stone slate.

It shouldn’t pose that much of an issue.

(I should try testing out the activation of the traps later.) (Souma)

I think this while Alex overcame the trial and was happily looking at the Divine Sword, as I myself couldn’t hide my own happiness.

“—Souma!!”

A shout hit my ears.

That wasn’t a voice created from the recording but the voice of Ringo notifying me of danger.

The reason for that shout was clear.

The light blade created from around the area where Ultihate is flew at me at high speed.

“Woah there.” (Souma)

I let out a languid voice and jumped to the side in an exaggerated manner.

The light blade passed by my side and disappeared into nothingness.

“Here is…” (Souma)

I got shivers at the blade I saw on the raw for the first time.

But there’s no doubt about it.

This place is completely the same as the one in the recording, and the light blade that showed up just now is exactly like the first trap of the recording.

It is true that I am not good in all facets of athleticism.

But if it is just advancing 30 meters, I should be able to do it as long as I practice over and over!

Feeling some faint hope in this, I tightened my fist.

“It is possible! It can be done!

I think I will be able to get through it if I take my time and practice!” (Souma)

Seeing me all merry, my comrades that were tense until just now directed soft smiles at me.

Just one person…

“…It is okay to believe in you, right, Souma?”

Excluding my cousin who is still looking at me with worry…

—-

Author:

Q. It is okay to believe in you, right, Souma?

A. There’s no way it is okay to believe in Souma.