Rydel went through the big entrance and was surprised to see the actual colosseum. It was slightly different from the one of his memories, its size was of a football field, and the stands were elevated a dozen meters above his height. The seats were packed with bored elves, Rydel wasn’t weirded out by this, if there was a need for people in the tests they were usually of the participant’s race, with very few exceptions. “It’s time for our newest participant, Rydel Elphyra, to shine! Coming straight from the training grounds wanting to demonstrate his courage!” The commentator said in a loud voice, between the excellent acoustics and his skill, the voice reached every corner of the stadium. The commentator was a young-looking elf, about 20 years old. He was an entire head taller than Rydel and was dressed in opulent clothes, with a gold vest, a tuxedo, and an extravagant bow tie. On the other entrance, a little blue slime bounced to the center of the field. Rydel had a strange face as he was forced to watch how the slime took a couple of minutes to reach the center. In the meantime, he observed his new task. [Crushing the badge ends the current test.] Rydel noted how a circular badge appeared on his right arm, he removed it and discovered that it stuck to any part of his body. He decided to put the badge on his chest under the shirt, at least it was better protected there. He moved to the center too, noting how dull the atmosphere of the stadium seemed. It wasn’t a surprise, they probably thought that he was just a newbie without any experience that would commit a few mistakes and get wounded by his first enemy. He would demonstrate how wrong they are. The slime jumped at his face, however, it passed through Rydel like he wasn’t there. Rydel evaded at extreme speeds and moved back to his initial position, he extended his finger backward and destroyed the nucleus of the slime, making it explode in a thousand pieces. “Our contestant is a tough nut to crack! An F-grade water slime wasn’t his opponent! Let’s see how he fares in the next round!” The commentator hyped the match and aroused a growing interest in the weaker members of the audience. For the next round ten slimes were called forth, Rydel didn’t want to waste his time, so he went after them. Rydel gathered spiritual energy on the tip of his finger and poked the slimes in quick succession, three slimes nuclei were destroyed at almost the same time, the first hadn’t finished exploding when the tenth died. “That’s what we are talking about! At last a worthy challenger!” The commentator shouted while murmurs sounded. The next hundred slimes appeared almost instantly, Rydel formed thick spiritual boots, and jumped in the air. He landed and stomped two slimes, he used the momentum to lunge at the rest like a cannonball, he only briefly touched the ground to kill his prey. In no time at all, Rydel was surrounded by piles of goo. Rydel was unspotted and his breathing was normal as if he had only made a light warm-up. “A hero in the making! However, his next adversary is nothing to scoff at! Can he do a miracle? We’ll shortly find out!” The commentator shouted. The audience finally had expressions of interest. Rydel puffed out his chest, the general atmosphere of the colosseum was real feedback of how well he was doing it. These elves were people with intelligence and emotions, not just some programmed AI acting out. Of course, if Rydel were to mention something about the real world they would ignore him like he’d said nothing, and if he asked to repeat what he just said they’d act confused. It was unknown if they were real people compelled by the system to act like that, or they were created out of nothing, therefore, their minds were made to act in a specific way when certain triggers were mentioned. However, even if they were made by the system, who is to say that those on the outside weren’t created by the system too? Wouldn’t they be just the same, only locked in a bigger cage? Not many people believed in the last theory, Rydel wasn’t an exception. Rydel wasn’t particularly religious in his previous life, he thought that it was more probable that life began as an unlikely probability than it occurring because of a higher being. However, with what he currently knew, with beings being able to understand the Dao and connect to a larger whole of the universe, it suddenly became a possibility again. Elves in the Afrein Peninsula believed in Mother Earth, Rydel wasn’t sure if she was a God or if she even existed, but he preferred to err on the side of caution and at least outwardly appear as faithful. Also, it wasn’t like he disliked Her teachings, she mainly preached about the importance of nature and maintaining the natural balance, something that he agreed on. Rydel prepared for the next round as a slime emerged. Although it was smaller than the previous slimes its aura was that of the E-grade. Suddenly, every last scrap of slime goo in the field flew in its direction. Rydel took a couple of steps back and watched as his opponent grew, soon, it had doubled his own height. Rydel wasn’t worried about letting a weakling strengthen itself, this was the perfect opportunity to test his power without having to worry about any wounds. “He’s too cocky, he thinks that the difference between grades is just a joke. This mistake will cost him dearly.” An experienced elf said to his son in the audience. “Indeed, each grade barrier is insurmountable, only the true elites can hope to surpass it.” A red-haired elf added. Rydel became slightly more serious. The slime threw him water lances that he dodged as he moved forward, he kicked the slime with his reinforced feet and the mucous exterior repelled his attack. Rydel tsked, he overloaded the spiritual energy of his right foot and made the energy rotate on itself like a drill. The viscous mass of the slime parted at the contact, Rydel kicked the nucleus to himself and grabbed it with one hand. He played with the nucleus as the body dissolved, the slime wasn’t dead though. The exterior body was only the medium it used to move, the true body of the slime was the nucleus. Rydel closed his hand and crushed the core. “Today we are glad to witness the rise of a genius! We have come to the next section of the test! Will the young fighter fall? Let’s find out!” The commentator screamed, the atmosphere was vibrant. “His use of spiritual energy is exquisite! That can only be done after years of practicing.” A noble-looking elf exclaimed in praise, the last two elves were ashamed of speaking after their misjudgment. “The quantity that he can produce is monstrous. His meridian’s pathways had to be partially cleared.” A rough warrior joined the discussion. Rydel was too busy to listen to the conversations, the next enemy hadn’t appeared, but the colosseum was experiencing great changes. Holes opened at the sides from where water was being ejected at great velocity, in almost no time, the water reached Rydel’s ankle height. Suddenly, a small boat materialized in the sky and fell next to Rydel, its size was barely enough for two people sitting down. He was surprised, but he jumped on the boat and stood up anyway. Soon, the water level ascended to thrice his height. “Oooh! A naumachia has been brought out! A rare occurrence!” The commentator stood up and shouted. As if timed by the announcement, two elves mounted on boats entered the field. [Lance, sword, or hammer.] Rydel was so nervous that he almost didn’t see the system message, he chose the sword out of habit. He wasn’t scared by the auras of the two elves, but it was the first time that he was forced to kill any sapient being and to add salt to the injury, they were elves. Rydel got nightmares for a week after seeing the executions in the main plaza along with the dead bodies of his clanmates. He instinctively gripped his sword and exhaled the breath that he was holding out. He was prepared for this moment, he knew that sooner or later it would come. He convinced himself that they were projections of the system, a white lie to cover his first murder. His opponents didn’t wait for him, they injected spiritual energy at the boats and rushed toward him. Rydel did the same and backed away. The elves were onto him in only a couple of seconds, both were using war hammers. They didn’t have any emotions on their faces, they were thin and their bodies were covered in scars, even then, they still exuded the aura of early E-grade. Both synchronized their attacks and aimed toward Rydel’s torso to crush his vital organs and end the battle fast. Rydel somersaulted and gently landed on the water without producing any ripples, the thick layer of spiritual energy on his feet reduced the amount of pressure he produced allowing him to walk in the water. Rydel hesitated and pierced his sword into a non-vital area of their bodies. Both grunted but they didn’t doubt to use his hesitation to inflict a quick hit with their hammers. In Rydel’s perception their movements were slowed, he could clearly see their intentions and lightly evaded each attack at the last moment. He aimed at other non-vital areas. This dance continued for a couple of minutes until Rydel was forced to see reality. “Stop playing with us, just quietly die if you don’t have what it takes to be a warrior. I was born as a slave and I’ll die as one, I refuse to be killed by a child shaming a warrior’s dignity!” One of the elves shouted with fury in his eyes. Both elves were profusely bleeding from all the wounds that he inflicted, they were dizzy, but their determination hadn’t diminished in the slightest. He thought that he was doing them a favor, but he realized that it was pure torture. Rydel’s eyes turned cold and he granted them mercy, in a quick exchange he made a clean cut in their necks. Both died with relief in their eyes, they could finally rest from all the horrors of the world. Rydel didn’t avoid the blood that splashed on him, he reflected as he looked at his bloodied hands. This is what he had become, he wasn’t proud nor was he disgusted. This second challenge put not only his fighting abilities to test, but also his resolve. Reality was cruel, and often ruled by the law of the jungle, only the strongest could survive and decide how the game was played. Rydel didn’t particularly like it, but he knew that he was powerless to change it. However, would he embark on a crusade to right the wrongs of the world? He didn’t have that resolve either, in the end, he was a selfish person, only preoccupied with what affected himself. He was like the Moon indifferently watching the worldly matters under Her shadow. Rydel grasped at the insight, but he was interrupted by an attack on his head. It seemed like there was no peace for the wicked, Rydel grumbled and tilted his head to the left before observing his surroundings. There were ten enemy boats this time and they had already circled him. He was so absorbed that he’d lost control of the real world, a mistake that could cost him his life. He lifted his sword with some regrets and aimed to quickly finish this round.