Chapter 2286: Break through
Sam increased the intensity of the energy vision.
He is not just focusing on the energy of the whole area, instead his focus is mostly on the white wind itself. Whatever formation that is dragging this white wind from all sides, must gather the ice elemental energy within the wind.
And all of that energy should pool up at the core from where it dissipates to the nodes. So, he is trying to get to the core. However, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't see it through the energy vision. It is being masked my the ice elemental energy of the surroundings.
A similar tactic to the one used in the tunnel challenge.
Sam deactivated the energy vision and started thinking.
Meanwhile...
"One hour... not too bad." Elder of the Loki academy clicked his tongue and praised Sam. "What's so great about it? Its just the first of many." Mangus of course tried to undermine it. But that statement itself is not enough, so he went on with more words.
"There will be other kids who could understand the wind pattern in less than an hour. There could be some who could do it in thirty minutes.
This just shows that the first prelim is just a fluke for him. He was coincidentally in possession of a blueprint that fits the challenge."
The other elders looked at him.
His bias against Sam is almost non-sensical to them. Of course, they knew all about the controversy and stuff. In fact, in the Norse region, Thor academy was the biggest victim. But Olaf made sure that none of them will go after Sam for their personal grudges.
And also made sure inform that the academy grudges will be dealt with in time and they are his to take care of.
It is just a subtle way of saying everyone to stay out of his lane.
So, the elder put everything aside and kept a neutral stand. He is not going stoop his own level and dignity just to make things difficult to one of the participants.
However Mangus is crazy about this. He is the first one to go and pick a fight with Sam. Even his words were out of the line the moment he opened his mouth. Knowing Sam's temper, which most people do, there is no way he could take it lying down.
He did exactly as it was expected of him.
He shut Mangus up with the most arrogant response they could image and now this madman is trying to screw Sam over. It is great that he is way ahead of others. Otherwise, the elders thought about what Mangus could have done with his dirty tricks.
The other elders completely ignored his comments and discussed.
"It is indeed a bit weird that it took so long for him to notice the oddities of the wind patterns. Judging by how quick he was for the first one, I kinda assumed he would be done in an instant here too."
One of them commented.
The others nodded as well.
"And I don't know why he is observing so much. All he need to do is stick with the wind patterns and await for the winds to grow in intensity. Both of them combined will solve the puzzle.
Until then, he just needs to use formations to either trap the Jotnars or block their attacks." "I mean, that is the obvious choice, but once again, the standard procedure takes too long. I wonder how he can speed up the process to find the nodes. The answer to the first round was pretty unique."
"He is moving."
Only then did they move back to look at the screen. Sam indeed made a move, however this is different from what they initially expected.
Sam dashed down and started placing formations. These are similar ones to the energy gathering formations that he has created in the first round. However, there is some small tweak which is he added with space elemental energy.
Sam focused at the central point and placed his formations only there. He felt some space for him to stand in and place four formations around him.
Front, back, left and right.
He stood in the middle and connected himself with all the four formations before activating them.
Sam flew out from the tornadoes and went to the first node, he placed a trap formation similar
to the one he placed in the first round.
*SWOOSH*
A club was swung at him. He dodged and it landed on the trap.
*BOOM*
It was destroyed.
*RUMBLE*
The ground trembled from the explosion. The Jotnar was blown away like a broken kite. Sam
knew he succeeded. He destroyed a node. Only a few more to go.
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
*BOOM*
One after another the nodes fell within a couple of minutes. Sam is fast and precise. After five
more nodes, the broken formation revealed the energy network that was already broken and
fluctuating wildly.
Sam then saw the glitches in the illusion.
The Jotnar that was swung at Sam flickered and collapsed into itself. Sam with the rocks and
snow and a few patches of just cold grey floor were revealed.
*BOOM*
One more node and that is it.
*SWOOSH* *ZOOM*
Weird sounds followed before Sam found himself in a large grey room with nothing but a
stairway in it.
He stepped on in confidently and reached the next floor and he don't know why and when, as if
it his mind glitched, he found himself in a wasteland It looked like a desert, but from the fairly solid ground instead of just plain sand, along with some signs of some life that existed in distant past, he believed the waste land could be more suitable term. The bright sun that
almost looked like it is right next to him, made him feel parched in an instant.
*GRRR*
A growl could be heard from behind.
*KAT*
Sam leaped forward and missed it. Something was ready to take a clean and swift bite out of
him and he barely escaped. He turned around to look at a large creature that looked like wyvern except it didn't have wings.