Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Guardian.

A stretched stairway that seems never-ding. Soma began to stomp his foot, passing the two trees that stood towering as a guard. As soon as he bypassed the tree, the fresh air that lighted his mood turned heavy and thick with mysteries of unknown force.

The bright light from the sun that covered almost the land turned dimmed as his body felt tingling, and his instinct rang an alarm to hurry and leave the place.

[Extra Skill Puppeteer activated]

However, Soma has the advantage of his condition. The skill began to suppress all of the unease that started to plague his heart, making his eyes regain their calm surfaces.

"Kuh!".

"This is…".

Soma turned his head and found Hina and Xiao Lian were having a hard time with knitted brows while trying to suppress the oppressing feeling they felt that stung their skin.

Incidtally, Hina's gaze met Soma, who managed to keep calm ev in this situation. She bit her lips as she clutched her throbbing heart, forcefully suppressed her fear, and straighted her posture. "Fuu, Like hell, I would lose".

She already met something far more tremdous than this pressure, and if she couldn't deal with this kind of pressure, how could she stand beside Soma who stood straight undeterred in any situation.

Xiao Lian, who saw the glint of fire in Hina's eyes, oped her eyes in wide shock. She followed Hina's gaze, and she saw Soma's lips lift, seeing Hina's effort. Somehow, after seeing that sce, Xiao Lian exhaled every air accumulated in her lungs before taking a new one.

"Get rid of your uncertainty, get rid of your fear, and get rid of your own demon!". Xiao Lian muttered that in her heart as she closed her eyes. Gradually, Xiao Lian oped her eyes to show the tranquil surface of the lake, undeterred in the face of any hardships, with a straight posture.

Soma, who saw their effort, spread his lips. He was truly impressed by the girls determination. Th, he turned his atttion toward the other studts. Many of them hesitated and saw the horror of what happ if they dared to bypass the tree.

Like his promise to himself, he didn't want to wait for anyone who was already giving up, So without hesitation, Soma turned his back and gradually took steps forward, ascding the mountain.

Hina and Xiao Lian, who saw Soma taking his steps, steadily began to follow behind him. At their own pace, the two of them manage to take each step up while keeping their gaze straight. Hina with knitted brows and Xiao Lian with a sere expression, the two of them discard any hesitation and only focus their gaze on Soma's back.

Leon, Eiji, Eri, and the other studts who saw the three figures ascding the mountain unbrok felt a slight awe and respect, but at the same time, a sse of frustration began to gnaw at their stirred hearts.

"...He is amazing". Leon, who saw Soma's broad back, recalled the first time he witnessed his power. Having a huge number in strgth and magical power, he is also the bearer of the rare Lightning magic, making him the candidate with the most atttion. Ev after the announcemt on the billboard that the Academy revealed, his name stood imposingly before candidates from all over the world.

A glint of strgth began to shine in his blue pupils as the heavy pressure a his body subsided along with his strgthed heart. Slowly, Leon, Eiji, and Eri simultaneously took a step forward while, without their knowing, Lydia also followed behind.

Leon, who walked a couple of steps ahead, glanced to his back and scanned his gaze toward the other studts whose will had be shattered. He stretched his op palm and oped his mouth.

"Everyone. Let's go together!".

The words that Leon uttered seem simple. But for the studts who heard it, they saw a halo behind Leon's figure as the light began to appear on their dead eyes. With gritted teeth and slight determination, every studt courages themselves to take a step forward. Ev though their gaze is down, they must take a step forward.

The words Leon had said resonated within their heart and slightly gave their cold hearts warmth, giving them unlimited ergy to prevail in this arduous task.

Soma, who had already walked ahead in front, managed to catch a slight couraging word behind, but it was not his place to do that as he only needed one purpose at this momt. To go back home.

Each step he took seemed to accelerate the passage of time wh he saw the aligned sun begin to shift itself toward the west. The bright yellow color turned into a blazing ray of orange as the sun settled itself in the west, waiting for it to go to its slumber.

The blaze pierces Soma's eyes, making him raise his hand to block the glare upon the almost slumbering sun, bearing its fang as if saying how dare you interrupt my rest time.

"Almost there!".

As if to courage himself, Soma kept his steps steady until he arrived before the other at the summit. As he stepped into the summit, the pressure that kept him in check was gone, replaced by a sse of freedom he could never feel after that challging walk.

In front of him, there he saw a massive flat crater with no trees and rocks, only a flat land filled with gre grass that was biased by the orange light from the sun swayed by the cold breeze that passed.

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Hina and Xiao Lian, with drched bodies, feel invigorated as they feel the cooling breeze that brushes their skin.

"Ha, ha, Finally".

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Soma, who saw the two of them, couldn't help but spread his lips.

"...You guys were amazing".

"Eh? …Is that so? Hehe, thanks. Well, I'm still far away compared to you".

Hina, who was caught off guard by the sudd complimt, her rosy face turned flushed as she scratched her cheeks in embarrassmt.

"...".

Xiao Lian, who was also caught off guard by her tranquil gaze, began to let a slight ripple as a shade of red began to invade her porcelain face. She gazed down because this was a pleasant feeling for her. Unconsciously, her stiff lips curved, showing her first blossomed smile, but it was hidd from the world by her long hair.

Soma didn't say this was to complimt them, but this comes from his heart. Compared to him, who needs to rely on his skill, instead the two girls who dure the trial with sheer willpower make him guinely proud of their characters who never yield.

"We finally arrived".

"...Hic, finally".

"Yes!".

Behind them, as if they gained new strgth, cheers reverberated in this summit. Leon, who witnessed the success of the other, felt elated as if it was his own achievemt. He once again looked back toward the stairs while giving it much respect for granting him to test his will in this place.

Soma turned his atttion in front toward an empty space where there was nothing, only a flat plain that was filled with lush grass.

[Congratulations on reaching the Goal!]

[Begin the trial of Heavs Will]

A transluct window appeared before everyone's eyes as the earlier cheer vanished, replaced by a silt understanding of dread that still would come to their sides.

In the middle of the flat plain, a swirling force was created from nature, sucking every mana in the suring before a crack was formed in the empty space.

"A gate?".

Soma, who saw a familiar sight, knitted his brows. But contrary to his thought, the crack lets out a mass of ball in platinum color in the form. Th, as if it finished with its job, the crack disappeared, leaving the ball that floated in the middle of the plain.

[The Guardian Awok]

The mass of light began to twitch before it gradually took the shape of a human with complete limbs, skin, and a handsome face with no expression looking at Soma. His hair was black and stretched until his back and his body were built in medium size, with its bulging muscle mass that seemed hard as stone.

A cluster of light began to form and covered the man's naked body, transforming it into a traditional outfit of hanfu in black color.

"Damn, What short of emy we have to face now?".

{Those damn angels}

"Hm, Martial Saint?!".