NOVEL FROG Chapter 110: A Trial by Fire
Victor led the way through a vast hallway adorned with intricate designs of interwoven steel gears and roses, flanked by towering metallic columns that echoed the same motif. The air hummed with a faint energy, and the sound of faint machinery echoed in the distance. If he didn’t know better, he would have mistaken this place as an extremely large steampunk factory instead of a tower of magic.
Finally, they reached the expansive central chamber of the tower, where they were greeted by a breathtaking sight through a wide glass window: rows upon rows of mechanical golems, standing silent and motionless, their metal frames gleaming in the dim light.
Glancing around, Victor realized that this chamber was just the tip of the iceberg. Countless chambers and rooms of varying sizes branched off from the central space, each housing its own array of facilities. From assembly lines to lush gardens, the tower seemed to contain everything one could imagine — it felt like a small independent world of its own.
But what truly boggled Victor’s mind was the sheer scale of it all. As he looked up, he couldn’t see the top of the tower, the structure disappearing into the shadows above. There could be hundreds, if not thousands, of floors stacked upon each other, each one similar containing dozens of chambers and rooms of at least a few hundred meters in length and width, maybe even more through spatial manipulation.
This was simply too insane!
It’s just as I thought. But this… this is beyond anything I could have imagined. There was actually little information available about ancient Magus forces like the Steelrose Order. Most of their knowledge had been lost with the passage of time, wiped out along with the fall of their era. Now, only remnants of their legacy remained, scattered across the world.
Regardless of that, Victor couldn’t imagine what would happen if this pocket dimension fell into his hand. Wouldn’t he be able to conquer the world and rise to the top? With the players controlling the golems, he might very well be able to challenge the Arcane Radiance College, conquer kingdoms, or even reshape the very fabric of the world!
But he couldn’t get ahead of himself. He knew all too well that powerful Magi could flatten mountains or even destroy worlds; even though a Sigil Conversion Magus was not yet powerful enough to destroy a true plane, causing large destruction to a pocket dimension like this was a walk in the park.
Glancing at the others, Graviel, Jared, Dorian, and Elara were similarly struck speechless by the sheer magnitude of what lay before them. They stood with eyes wide and mouths agape that Victor was sure he could stuff their mouths with a watermelon each, and there would still be enough room for other fruits. As for Rowan, his beard seemed to tremble with disbelief.
Before they could react, two figures emerged from the shadows. One was a brown-haired male with a slightly tall stature, whereas the other one was a girl with snow-white hair, wearing a charming yellow dress. These people must be the overseers of this tower.
Homunculi? That word flashed inside Victor’s mind, but he couldn’t be sure. He sensed no presence or fluctuation from their bodies, so perhaps they were nothing more than an illusion or something.
“Welcome, intruders,” The male one greeted with a grin. “May I know the reason of you gentlemen coming here to this pla—?”
“Who the fuck are you people?” Jared interrupted.
“We? Then, allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Garry, and this is my twin sister Gabrielle,” the male, Garry, introduced himself and his sister with a polite gesture.
“Hello.” Gabrielle nodded with a cool demeanor.
He then continued, “As you can see, we’re the overseers of this tower as well as the entirety of the pocket dimension.”
Graviel stepped forward upon finding out that they were the overseers. “We seek the inheritance of the Steelrose Order. I have an artifact fragment here, so as per the ancient record, I should be eligible to inherit their legacy.”
Garry chuckled softly upon hearing his answer. “Ah, but to earn the legacy of our masters and command countless immortal golems, you must first prove yourselves worthy. And what better test than by undergoing a trial by fire?”
“Bullshit! Do you think we’re foolish enough to play your games?! {Azure Palm}!” As Jared chanted, his hands suddenly transformed into electric blue reptile-like skin. With a swift motion, he unleashed an electric discharge aimed at the two figures.
“Jared, what are you doing?!” Dorian yelled, alarmed by his friend’s reckless actions.
“What? If I can end them here, why worry about doing meaningless things? This pocket dimension is as good as ours then,” Jared retorted.
Clearly, it wouldn’t be as simple as that. Victor knew well that attacking a mere projection would yield no results. Graviel, too, stood by with a nonchalant expression, seeming to know the futility of the attack, but he let it all happen.
“Nice try, but it’s useless.” Garry’s voice echoed through the chamber as his and Gabrielle’s figures reformed back as if nothing had happened. “It’s just a magic projection, and we’re not truly here.”
“Brother, the intruder this time sure is quite rude.” Gabrielle frowned in displeasure. Wait, the intruder this time?
“My apologies for my comrade’s reckless behavior,” Graviel apologized with a slight bow that was not too servile nor overbearing. “May I know what trials we must face?”
Garry nodded approvingly at the question and explained, “Very well, it seems that you have come to an understanding. Listen carefully, there are four trials that will test your combat prowess, moral fiber, wisdom, and soul potential respectively. Your first trial awaits you in the chamber ahead.”
With a sweeping gesture, the twins led the group into a chamber devoid of any adornments except for ten alcoves with mechanical statues along the walls. Only the sound of their echoing footsteps against the cold floor could be heard as they stepped inside.
“Your first trial will test your strength.” The one who explained this time was Gabrielle. Her voice was calm and measured. “Inside this chamber, you will face a series of mechanical golems. Defeat them, and you will have passed the first test.”
***
Graviel was utterly excited — the legacy buried inside the pocket dimension surpassed even his wildest imagination. Forget about being promoted in the Cult; he would even become one of the top echelons if he could claim this place all for himself!
With the knowledge and resources gathered for millennia or even eons, he would advance much faster than even the most prodigious talents in any faction. Rising to the top and controlling his own destiny would no longer be impossible. What was more important to him, he would be able to achieve his goal of resurrecting his dearest family member. Then, he wouldn’t lose her anymore.
“All for the sake of controlling my destiny; I’m willing to sacrifice anything.” Graviel’s eyes shone with cold determination. Not even the Cult would be able to take anything away from him again. Not even the whole world would make him fall to his knees. He was determined.
“I wish you good luck, challengers.” Rather than exhibiting the usual politeness, Garry smiled menacingly at them. “I hope you don’t meet your end as swiftly as those thieves who came before you. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be as entertaining. Hehehe!” With that ominous farewell, the overseers vanished, and the chamber doors sealed shut behind them, leaving the group trapped with no exit from this place.
“Fuck! They’re playing us for fools!” Jared cursed bitterly.
Soon, the trial commenced.
Sounds of footsteps echoed as the ten statues inside the alcoves turned to life and walked to face them. Graviel noticed that the golems were different than the ones they faced outside — they were all mechanical golems. Sleeker in design and adorned with the emblem of the Steelrose Order, they exuded a more ominous aura. Furthermore, all of them had long rapiers attached to their right arms. These golems must be the true guardians of this place.
As they readied themselves, the mechanical golems remained motionless and refrained from initiating any aggression.
“These golems are likely passive, waiting for us to make the first move.” Graviel reared an eyebrow as he suggested, “We should seize this opportunity to unleash our most powerful attacks on them.”
“Aren’t they underestimating us too much?” Jared grumbled once more.
“Shut your trap for a minute, will you?” Dorian glared at him, causing Jared to flinch. Graviel almost had it enough about his constant cursing himself.
“So, um,” Elara asked uncertainly, “what exactly should we do?”
While they were uncertain of the golem’s strength, they knew they shouldn’t be more formidable than the gargoyle golems. Unless the overseers made the trial to be insurmountable, their collective abilities should be sufficient to confront these adversaries. Moreover, golems that were equal to or even stronger than Elemental Adept Magus rank were extremely rare and precious. Not even the Arcane Radiance College would possess more than a few of them, and they were used as guards to protect important areas. If all else failed, Graviel still possessed a trump card he had yet to deploy.
“Well…” Graviel began, outlining a simple yet effective strategy. He designated Rowan and the lucky mercenary, Felix, as the vanguards, with the acolytes positioned at the rear. But that was only part of the plan.
First of all, the acolytes would launch a coordinated assault on select targets among the golems. Their objective was to ensure that at least some of the golems were damaged or incapacitated. Second of all, Rowan and Felix would form a defensive line to halt the advance of any approaching golems. Engaging in offensive maneuvers with their limited numbers would be unwise, so they would be going defensive. Finally, if the golems proved too resilient, the acolytes would resort to using precious magic scrolls to eliminate them all.
“Right. A direct approach like this is the best solution when there’s nothin’ that can be taken advantage of,” Rowan concurred with a resolute expression, punching his fists together.
“Does anyone else have anything to say about this plan?” Graviel asked around.
However, no one among the group members raised any objection.
“Very well. No objection from anyone, then let’s begin.”
The group nodded in agreement and went ahead to execute the plan.
