https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-401-Lanchi-s-Path-to-Becoming-a-Great-Demon/12584577/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-403-Sybrian-s-Unattainable-Dream/12584579/
Chapter 402: The Great Demon Tribe Trial: Fallen Paradise
Chapter 402: The Great Demon Tribe Trial: Fallen Paradise
Within the demon tribe, should one demonstrate their absolute power and successfully overcome all nine layers of trials, even without the recognition of a single Great Demon, the strongest demon bearing nine marks would still be qualified to contend for the position of Demon King.
Conversely, even if one fails to pass a single trial, gaining the allegiance of nine Great Demons would still present an opportunity to ascend to the rank of Demon King.
Among the currently surviving Great Demons, almost all of them bear three marks.
Typically, demons without the ambition to vie for the Demon King's position would not challenge the Great Demon Tribe Trials after attaining three marks.
Nearly every Great Demon Tribe Trial presents an impossibly difficult challenge.
To attain the marks, one must truly gamble with their life.
Furthermore, due to their inherent characteristics, certain Great Demon Tribe Trials are destined to be impossible for some demons to pass.
For most powerful demons aspiring to become recognized as Great Demons, the usual path is to identify the two most suitable trials out of the nine and attempt them when their strength is sufficient, in addition to garnering the endorsement of a Great Demon.
Hellrom Prison took advantage of this very fact, placing the three Great Demons in environments that were the worst possible matches for their respective attributes, effectively suppressing them.
Even if they managed to break free from their seals and escape their cells, the entire prison, augmented with the trial rules, would become their deadly nightmare.
On the other hand, the Chief Wardens of these three layers were imperial talents who were most suited to the rules of this realm, allowing them to move about freely like fish in water. As long as they didn't trigger the true Great Demon Tribe Trials, they were virtually the absolute rulers of this layer.
Thus, even though the three inner Chief Wardens were humans, the fact that they could adapt to the content of the Great Demon evaluations meant that they were likely to be a bit mentally unstable.
Students who chose the "Hellrom Prison Warden Assessment" topic would generally be considered successful if they reached the third basement level and made it out. Very few would venture further into the inner layers.
There was even no guarantee that the Chief Wardens wouldn't take action against them.
However, for Hyperion right now, even though she really didn't want to go deeper, she had to take the risk for the sake of her mission!
"You'll need to concentrate a little more from here on out," Hyperion said, gently squeezing the Little Poet's bicep to get his attention.
Currently, there was a fifty percent chance they would encounter a mental trial and a fifty percent chance they would face a martial trial.
Even though, if the Great Demon Tribe Trials were likened to a heroic difficulty level, the Warden Assessment would only be of normal difficulty.
But normal difficulty was equally lethal for them.
"…."
"Okay," the Little Poet replied after a moment, his emerald eyes shining a little brighter as he nodded.
When he and Hyperion had chatted outside the prison, they had already gained a full understanding of what the lower three layers entailed.
Recalling his interactions with the demon teachers in the Corridor of Purgatory Academy, he was quite certain that all demons held a great deal of respect for the Great Demons. Precisely because of the trials' difficulty, many demons aspiring to become Great Demons had perished during the trials.
Humans might not be able to recognize the uniqueness of Great Demons, but the vampire tribe was extremely wary of them. Even vampire marquesses would maintain a certain level of vigilance and caution when facing Great Demons.
This was especially true for unnamed Great Demons, whom the vampires would treat as opponents requiring their full strength to confront.
After becoming a Great Demon, if one could push their innate demon magic to its ultimate limit, there was a chance they might develop abilities that could threaten the immortality of vampires.
Any miraculous magic that could potentially shake the very foundation of the vampire race was something the vampires would do everything in their power to eradicate.
Lanchi redirected a significant portion of his attention from Redmond Building in Protoroth Royal Magic Academy to the Little Poet in Hellrom Prison.
In that place, all he needed to do was listen to Chief Warden Bakas' speech and respond now and then to keep him company in conversation.
He was now little more than a companion.
A companion for their journey, to be exact.
"Let's go, stay close to me," Hyperion whispered to Little Poet.
Leading the group of Protoroth Royal Magic Academy students, Hyperion approached the deep violet, mirror-like teleportation portal, sensing the subtle fluctuations emanating from the void gate, like magic dancing on the water's surface.
As her footsteps touched the edge of the portal, her figure began to distort, merging with the surface as if melting into the water, until she completely vanished within the deep purple radiance.
The next second, Hyperion felt as if she were plummeting rapidly from the Sea of Sky, her body losing all sense of weight.
The ambient temperature shifted rapidly, and the occasional appearance of light and color intertwined, forming a bizarrely distorted landscape that blurred the line between dream and reality.
During this rapid descent, Hyperion clenched her fists anxiously until the speed gradually slowed, indicating that she was about to reach the end of this teleportation journey.
Blinding light burst forth from the exit, instantly enveloping her.
As she stepped into this Minus Fourth Layer space, Hyperion's pupils trembled slightly.
"How could it be..."
Before she could finish her sentence, her voice abruptly cut off.
Just before losing consciousness, Hyperion vaguely realized that the Minus Fourth Layer was the kind of desperate situation the Ice Snow Witch had mentioned.
Deep red light flashed on the student wristband, displaying the following information:
"In Hellrom Prison's Minus Fourth Layer, remaining alive and on duty will earn you a large number of duty points."
"Duty points can be exchanged for resources in the prison. All conditions for proceeding to the next level must be met before the duty point trading rights for the current level can be activated."
"Current location: Hellrom Prison Minus Fourth Layer, Entrance Hall."
"Job Content: Unknown, but it is imperative to maintain a state of wakefulness."
"Conditions for proceeding to Minus Fifth Layer: Successfully reach the Minus Fourth Layer Teleportation Hall, team duty points greater than 4000, and obtain permission and evaluation from the Minus Fourth Layer Chief Warden."
However, no one would have the opportunity to view this information in the first place.
The wristband merely continued to flash its lonely, solitary red light, like a solitary star whispering in the dark.
...
Under the clear sky, one could look up and behold a vast expanse of azure blue.
In the spring, the sun's warmth caressed the skin, and the sound of water from the canals was crisp and melodious.
Sitting on a bench by the street next to the Ikelite Palace, one could enjoy the enchanting scenery.
During this season, donning light casual wear felt just right, and everything was perfect for a leisurely afternoon that inadvertently invited a nap.
Hyperion opened her eyes, staring blankly at the sky.
That confused gaze, tinged with a hint of stupor, was as if she had just awoken from a long dream, suddenly finding herself back in reality, yet still reluctant to let go of the faint remnants of her slumberous memories.
"Shouldn't I be in the prison? It feels like I just had a very long dream..."
Hyperion mumbled to herself as she woke up on the bench in Ikelite, yawning,
"I even dreamed that I became a priestess in a distant land... How strange."
She stretched and stood up, feeling slightly shorter than her dream self; indeed, she had reverted to her actual self, a young girl of only thirteen or fourteen.
In her dream, it seemed to be the year 1798 of the Solar Calendar, but now it was only 1795, and everything was beautiful.
Soon, without deliberately recalling the dream, the lingering memories were swiftly swept away by her brain, leaving no trace.
(End of Chapter)
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