"Guys, do you feel that?" Victor asked, staring at the leaf in front of him. He felt an odd sensation of being surrounded by such leaves while his mana was strangely recovering beyond his control.",

Elmo and Vicente ignored their injuries; their regeneration was excellent, so they would soon be 100% healthy again.

When they approached Victor and looked at the golden leaf, they didn't feel the same sensation as their companion, but they noticed that this was no ordinary leaf.

"It seems the legends are not unfounded. Dragons are truly generous to those who can withstand their trials," Elmo muttered, observing the golden leaf. He could tell Victor had gained something valuable from this trap.

Vicente could sense it, too. The mana in the leaf was simply too strong at that moment, forming a strange connection with Victor, as if it was feeding him with something powerful.

"The barrier ahead is gone. Let's move on," Vicente said, pointing ahead. The three of them were almost back to their best.

As much as they had been tested by a trap that could hurt them just a moment ago, they could all recover quickly. The place they were in had so much mana and various elements that all they had to do was stand there and absorb the circulating mana.

Victor put down his leaf and walked forward with a smile on his face, feeling rejuvenated.

Soon, they felt the barrier behind them follow their movement until they began to climb a mountain.

They noticed barriers forming on the sides of the area.

Realizing that they were about to face another challenge that apparently required them to climb the mountain, the three of them didn't hesitate this time. They immediately used their powers to the fullest, ready for whatever the next trial would throw at them.

With their powers working, they took step after step as bluish rays of light descended upon them from the sky, making them feel the weight of their bodies rising higher and higher as they moved.

Meanwhile, the ground suddenly became slippery as rocks uphill broke away from the earth, and the downward winds pushed them against the group.

Vicente used his Throne of Darkness to cause shadow demons to emerge from the shadows of the rocks rolling down the hill, causing the creatures to move the rocks out of the way.

Meanwhile, metal steps formed in front of him, but this time he couldn't manipulate the metallic minerals underground. He tried to do what he always did, but something prevented him from achieving his goal.

Elmo and Victor continued up the steps Vicente had created, with the human launching long-range attacks and the Leshy positioning himself to defend them.

As they did so, with initially excellent results, they passed the halfway point to the top of the mountain, all three of them feeling their body parts cracking from the pressure on them.

It was at this point that Vicente finally used Torne's mana, feeling if he didn't use this last card up his sleeve, he wouldn't be able to complete the challenge.

There must be some kind of prize at the top of the mountain. My efforts will not go to waste!

Feeling his strength improve a bit, Vicente increased the pace of his climb, forming a slightly larger metal ladder, while his moves to dodge the rocks coming down the path worked well.

Blood dripped from his nose as his bones began to crack with 20 steps to go. He kept going anyway, using his cardio control ability to regenerate as he was wounded by the pressure of the area.

Amid this, the rocks in their path disappeared, giving way to wooden birds that flew at them, trying to attack and push them back.

This time, Elmo could do something, using his special powers to make leaves and small branches sprout from the wooden birds, causing them to miss their movements before he was able to destroy them.

Victor helped Elmo deal with the birds, giving Vicente room to complete the mountain climb.

By now, blood was dripping from all of Vicente's facial orifices. His mana was nearly gone, and the Throne of Darkness was slowly disappearing.

With so little strength left, Vicente could faint at any moment!

But his heart continued to beat strongly, absorbing and consuming the surrounding mana to regenerate and have the strength to continue to the end.

Gritting his teeth so hard that his jaw felt like it might crack, Vicente took the last step without uttering a single cry of pain.

The moment he reached the top, a golden feather, the core of this challenge, flew toward him. Elmo and Victor, feeling the immense pressure lift, took their last steps and collapsed as the burden disappeared.

Elmo fell to the ground, the roots of his body broken in several places, and the once-vibrant leaves were now gray and lifeless. He gasped for breath, feeling the toll the climb had taken on his body.

Victor wasn't much better off, but a strange aura surrounded him, quickly healing his injuries. The golden leaf from earlier continued to radiate energy, enhancing his recovery.

Vicente ignored the golden leaf's effects on Victor, instead focusing on the magic feather in his hands. As he held it, he felt a surge of power, as if he could control the very wind around him.

'This is wonderful, master!' Torne shouted in Vicente's mind, even though he was at his limit, exhausted to the extreme.

But seeing a new essence appearing in Vicente's mind, the old ghost couldn't help but speak with great joy and expectation.

'You have just gained a new magical affinity! You now have an affinity with the air element!' The old ghost informed, feeling winds forming in the area where previously only earth, lightning and the elements of the Dark Path were present.

Vicente felt his mana suddenly rise as he held the feather, instantly recovering from the previous challenge and achieving a 5% improvement in mana reserves!

Considering that it would take him months to achieve a 5% improvement, Vicente was obviously pleased with this progress as he turned his attention to his surroundings.

Looking at Victor and sensing something compatible in the man, he ignored Elmo and the man cultivating to recover as he noticed something interesting.

'It seems that Victor's leaf and my feather complement each other somehow... I think if they combine, something powerful will emerge!' He thought as he imagined where this would lead them.