As the first challenger, Idas donned his armor and stepped into the field.
Although he boasted of possessing boundless strength and claimed he could wrestle tigers and leopards barehanded, that did not mean Idas was unafraid of extreme heat.
Thus, before entering the field, he deliberately wrapped his palms in cowhide to insulate them from the scorching temperature radiating from Volcanion's body.
As a construct created for labor, Volcanion was not inherently fond of combat. Under normal circumstances, it was quite gentle.
That was, however, on the premise that there was no one it regarded as an enemy.
Once facing an enemy, the powerful Volcanion could unleash terrifying strength. Using its two ring-shaped arms, it could absorb water, then expel it as water or steam.
It could rapidly heat the water stored within its body and release it through its arms, generating power sufficient to level an entire mountain.
Now, under the advance orders of the Academy of Mystra, the two Volcanion were to treat anyone who attempted to attack them as an enemy.
However, as long as that enemy left the boundaries of the field, they would not continue their pursuit.
After Idas entered the field, the two "Volcanion" paid him no heed, merely lowering their heads in silence.
Yet as he walked between them and extended his right hand, attempting to grasp the horn of the Volcanion on his right, both Volcanion instantly raised their heads.
Their once-gentle gazes transformed in an instant, fixing Idas with savage eyes.
"Roar, "
The moment Idas's right hand touched the horn of the Volcanion on the right, it let out a frenzied bellow, twisted its head, and slammed violently toward Idas.
Skill: "Take Down"!
A thunderous bang resounded!
The explosive force generated by the steam within its body granted Volcanion astonishing acceleration.
Its short-range burst speed was so terrifying that Idas had no time to evade.
He was struck squarely in the chest by Volcanion's horn and sent flying dozens of meters away, his body resembling a kite with its string cut.
Witnessing Idas being hurled away by Volcanion, Jason immediately grew tense.
The speed and power displayed by the two Volcanion surpassed that of any hero he had ever seen. Perhaps only Heracles, fighting at full strength, could contend with them.
In other words, either one of these Volcanion was stronger than Jason himself.
If the one undergoing the trial at this moment were Jason rather than Idas, Jason's performance would have been far more miserable.
"They're far too strong!"
Seeing Idas get sent flying the instant he made contact with Volcanion, Castor, the illegitimate son borne by Leda, Queen of Sparta, to Zeus, cried out in shock.
"If Idas hadn't been protected by armor, that strike alone would have been enough for Volcanion to kill him outright."
The other Argonauts, upon hearing Castor's words, all nodded in agreement.
Idas was clearly among the strongest of the Argonauts, yet the disparity in power between him and the two Volcanion was so vast that either of them could have killed him in an instant.
Seen this way, attempting to confront the two Volcanion with brute force alone was utterly impossible.
"Roar…"
After sending Idas flying with a single headbutt, the Volcanion on the right did not cease its assault.
Instead, it moved its four crimson hooves and charged once more toward Idas, who lay sprawled on the ground.
This time, it was "Stomp."
Seeing this, Lynceus, Idas's brother, standing beside Jason, shouted in panic.
"Idas! Get up and run! As long as you escape the field's boundaries, the two bulls will stop attacking you!"
At that moment, Idas was only four or five meters away from the edge of the field.
Before Volcanion could reach him, Idas had more than enough time to flee beyond the field's boundary.
And indeed, that was exactly what he did.
Though the previous collision had left him reeling, he still managed to struggle to his feet and stagger away, turning to flee.
However, at this very moment, it was already too late.
"Giga Impact!"
The Volcanion, which had long since prepared itself, unleashed one of the most powerful Normal-type skills.
The tremendous energy it had accumulated instantly granted it a violent burst of acceleration.
In the blink of an eye, it reached Idas's side and slammed into him with brutal force.
As if struck by a heavy truck, Idas's muscular body was flung out of the field like a rag doll, crashing heavily onto the ground.
When Lynceus rushed to his side in a frenzy, he discovered that his brother's entire body had been shattered by the impact, tendons torn, bones broken.
He was already beyond saving.
"Idas! No!"
Lynceus clutched his brother's corpse and wailed in despair.
The Argonauts rushed forward one after another to console him, yet none could stop his sobbing.
"So, as I said, you should give up." Aeetes also came to stand beside the grief-stricken man. "To throw away your lives for an illusory throne is not the conduct of the wise."
But before anyone else could speak, Lynceus suddenly sprang to his feet, turned around, and seized Aeetes by the collar.
The abrupt action startled everyone, and the surrounding guards immediately rushed forward, intending to separate the two.
Before they could actually reach them, however, Lynceus released Aeetes on his own.
"I won't give up!" the enraged Lynceus glared at Aeetes, enunciating every word. "I will kill those two divine bulls and avenge my brother!"
With that, he strode angrily toward the two Volcanion.
"Don't act rashly, Lynceus!"
"You're no match for them!"
Behind him, the Argonauts shouted in warning, trying to stop him.
Yet Lynceus, consumed by the desire to avenge his brother, stubbornly pressed on and entered the field regardless.
He did not even put on armor.
Faced with such an impulsive fool, the Argonauts could only sigh in despair.
According to their agreement, once one stepped into this field, the trial officially began.
Although they were allowed to challenge it any number of times, only one person could enter at a time.
If two or more people entered the challenge area simultaneously, it would be considered a forfeit.
Now that Lynceus had entered the challenge zone, all they could do was pray for him.
After all, Lynceus was not as strong as his brother Idas to begin with. Now, without armor, facing Volcanion, even a glancing blow would result in grievous injury.
How, then, could someone like him possibly contend with two Volcanion?
No one had any confidence in him. Everyone felt only sorrow at his recklessness.
Only Alaric, upon seeing him step into the field without wearing any armor at all, silently nodded to himself.