Erudinia, x.x.xX Continent [1], near one of the towns owned by the Animates.

Whoos.h.!.+

Within an abandoned mineshaft, a silhouette manifested from there, radiating an aura of blood as its body was covered in red engravings that looked like blood, accentuating the aura even further. The silhouette looked around and noticed the gray magic circle behind it, making it sigh not long after. "Haah...my trial is definitely over by now."

This silhouette was none other than Herellia, who was lamenting over the fact that her special trial had already finished. Of course, she knew that the being who presided over her trial stopped the trial midway as she was not ready for it.

Then again, would Herellia think from the presider's perspective? Of course not. She just wanted to grow stronger.

She knew very well that she could not enter the inheritance at this very moment because she could still vividly remenber the words given to her by the presider. As if she was defeated, she gradually turned around opposite the magic circle and muttered, "I have to master the two skills given to me to have a chance to enter the path of becoming a Sanguine Ruler."

"But Aurus is still inside the inheritance." Herellia turned around to face the magic circle and pondered for a bit. "As the leader of the alliance, I can't really stay far from the alliance for too long, lest something bad happens."

"Alright, I'll leave a message for Aurus." After a while, Herellia made up her mind as SP started to circulate through her red engravings, creating a magic circle in her mind that could store her messages.

After a few seconds, a red magic circle out of her SP gradually started to take shape, radiating an aura that could easily catch the attention of any Inanimate even when they're not looking at it.

Making a few tweaks here and there, Herellia then placed the magic circle on the ground near the grey magic circle that served as the entrance, before putting her messages on it.

After putting her messages into it, she casted a barrier spell around the circle, giving it the ability to withstand attacks at a power level of an X-grade Inanimate. Of course, it would be extremely rare for such a being to enter an abandoned mineshaft, hence Herellia did not have to worry.

"Well then. Aurus, it seems I have to leave first." After muttering that in her mind, Herellia started to hover off the ground, morphing her body into an inconspicuous pebble in the process. She then zoomed out of the abandoned mineshaft, heading back to the Tempest Branch Alliance with the resolve to master both skills, as well as the feeling of something being off.

x.x.xX Continent, Tempest Cliff.

Within the Tempest Cliff, there existed a crudely made hut out of stone wherein a being lived inside it. The being that lived inside it was not any ordinary Animate...as it was a wolf that lived inside it.

It was also no ordinary wolf for that matter. This wolf actually came from a huge piece of stone, gaining sentience in order to transition into a living form. Not only that, this wolf was also able to start its path of power and transition to a Rank 1 Cla.s.s, the Tempest Wolf.

This wolf was none other than Chonk, one of the four great ent.i.ties that governed over Tempest Cliff beside the three Inanimate alliances.

Currently, he was waiting for a being he knew very much to come into his hut. In the meantime, he viewed the entirety of Tempest Cliff through floating orbs imbued with energy, which he made when he first transitioned into his Animate form, using it to pa.s.s the time.

"Hoh?" While looking at the floating orbs that acted as his eyes, Chonk could not help but raise his wolf eyebrow as he noticed a silhouette moving quickly through the cliff's terrain. Once he focused on the silhouette, he noticed the red engravings covering its body, making him click his tongue as he frowned.

"It's the leader of the Tempest Branch Alliance," Chonk muttered to himself with a sigh. "I did receive news that the leader of the Tempest Branch Alliance went away and I would use that time to commence my plans but...haah."

"Who knew that she would be away for such a short time?" Chonk could not help but lament. While lamenting to himself, a breeze infused with energy started to circulate throughout the whole hut, with it originating from the entrance of the hut.

Sensing this breeze, Chonk perked up his ears and wagged his tail slightly before turning around to look at a modestly sized branch that radiated an aura of pure energy. Of course, this branch was none other than h.o.r.ell.

"You're quite fast, h.o.r.ell. Making your way here within the span of a few hours," Chonk commented on h.o.r.ell's obedience, seemingly satisfied.

"Of course, how could I defy the Master's commands?" A great contrast to his calm yet friendly disposition in the Tempest Branch Alliance, h.o.r.ell responded with politeness, as if he was a servant to Chonk.

But he was indeed his servant, or slave to be more exact.

As to how h.o.r.ell become Chonk's slave, that would be a story saved for later.

"So h.o.r.ell, what do you think about the plan I sent you?" After letting h.o.r.ell come into his hut, Chonk lied down on the floor near the floating orbs and asked for h.o.r.ell's opinion.

"Hmm..." h.o.r.ell rummaged through his memories and recalled Chonk's plans, pondering for a bit before replying, "Do you really want to target the Tempest Branch Alliance first, Master? You do know how strong they are, right?"

"Of course I know," Chonk replied. "I was actually going to attack them while the leader of their alliance was away, too bad she came back early. We'll change our target to another alliance. Who do you think we should target, Blossom Breeze or Verdant Nut?"

"Hmm..." Although h.o.r.ell was somewhat shocked to hear Herellia leaving the alliance for a bit, he could not show this emotion at all as he pondered on which one of the two alliances they should target first. To be honest, h.o.r.ell was feeling conflicted as he had heartfelt feelings for the Tempest Branch Alliance, but had to leave due to Chonk's commands.

The only compromise in his mind he could make was just to delay the Tempest Branch's demise, allowing them to hopefully fight back against Chonk.

"I think Verdant Nut Alliance would be a suitable first target. Blossom Breeze specializes in illusions, which we are not prepared for as of yet." After a minute or so, h.o.r.ell finally replied to Chonk's question.

"Verdant Nut Alliance it is then." Seeing that h.o.r.ell could actually make a decision based on their current power, Chonk could not help but feel proud for the guy. He then started to circulate mana all over his body before releasing it towards the floating orbs. "Go and wait around the area for a bit, h.o.r.ell. I'll just call the others before commencing the plan."

"As you wish, Master," h.o.r.ell respectfully replied to Chonk's orders, heading out of the hut to grind some of his miscellaneous skills.

While grinding said skills, h.o.r.ell could not help but sigh and look up at the sky, muttering, "I really hope Herellia and the others can fight against Chonk. Especially Aurus, I'm sure he'll be able to do that in a matter of time."

"If I was not saved by Chonk, I wonder how my life would be?"

"Will I be...truly happy?"

Within the same continent, inside the inheritance of Area 52.

Aurus could not help but breathe heavily through his body as his mental energy was sapped dry by the instruction given to him by the inheritance. Nonetheless, he was able to look around and see how far he had come from the start of the trial.

Behind him were 8 large blocks of stone, each showing the choices he made in order to move forward and hopefully finish the trial. Surrounding it was viscous fluid that easily dissolved the other blocks of stone surrounding his choices.

To those that have an acute sense of his progress, Aurus was already finished with his 9th choice, one choice left before finis.h.i.+ng the trial. As for those who don't have that acute sense, please read the previous sentence.

"Only one block separates me from finis.h.i.+ng this f.u.c.king trial," Aurus could not help but let out a sigh as he tried to regain his mental energy, preparing for the final instruction.

"Inheritor, here is your 10th and final instruction." After a few minutes of total silence after Aurus' 9th move, the voice from the inheritance resounded once more.

"This time, you will have to choose 10 blocks out of 440 total blocks to pa.s.s the trial."

"..."

"f.u.c.k my life."

[1] I wonder when the name of the continent will be revealed. Soon? Never?