When Marcus entered, he saw the same scene Aron had described.
He wasted no time and walked over to the console.
He placed his hand on it and answered yes to both questions that appeared.
Then he saw the same creatures Aron had described.
"Five green goblin-like creatures. Just as he said."
Marcus waited for the creatures to approach him.
Just as Aron had described, all five of them showed an angry expression on their faces the moment they saw Marcus and jumped toward him.
Marcus didn't back down.
He took the mace hanging from his waist and swung it at the green creature in the middle that was coming straight at him.
"BOOM!" The club and the mace collided in midair, creating a spectacular sight.
The club in the green creature's hand couldn't withstand the force behind the mace and flew back, hitting the creature in the head.
The creature's skull was shattered by the force of its own club, and it died instantly.
Marcus then stopped. He allowed the club blows to hit his body.
Each blow reminded him of the beatings he had received as a child before the catastrophe. It hurt, leaving a red mark behind, but that was all. Nothing more.
Marcus lifted his mace like a toy and swung it at the head of the nearest green creature.
The green creature saw the mace coming as it swung its club, but it didn't have time to defend itself or raise its club.
The mace struck its head with a disgusting sound, and the green creature's head burst like a watermelon.
Marcus then reached out with his left hand and held another creature's club in midair. He then pulled it back and lifted the green creature, who was insisting on not letting go of the club, into the air and slammed it into the ground.
The creature's spine was broken the moment it hit the ground, and all Marcus had to do was step on its head with his Rare Level boots and crush it like a rotten watermelon.
Marcus then turned his head and looked at the two green creatures that were still trying to swing their clubs at him like madmen.
He took his shield off his back and struck one of them with a powerful blow. The creature did not die, but flew back about twenty meters in a parabolic arc.
The last green creature continued to attack, but seemed to realize that its end was near.
He could do nothing but stare at the mace growing larger above his head.
The mace was powerful enough to pierce his neck.
Marcus then walked over to the green creature he had knocked into the air with his shield strike. He struck it once with the sharp tip of his shield and finished it off.
Marcus didn't even breathe.
The difference in strength between him and these creatures was so great that he didn't even need to breathe.
Marcus approached the console and read what was written there. Unlike Aron, he paid attention to such details.
[The Green Army Five of Veridia]
[Hundreds of thousands of years ago, Veridia was prosperous under the rule of Magnus the Great.
Of course, this prosperity belonged only to the Vilmarillians, the dominant race of Veridia. Magnus the Great, who led the Vilmarillians from war to war and from glory to prosperity, was known for ignoring other races outside the Vilmarillians.
It is said that he behaved this way because of some events in his childhood.
In Magnus' shadow, the other races of Veridia—especially the Gloomfang Clan, who were forced to work in the depths of the earth, in mines and furnaces—were condemned to oblivion and misery. Their lives were spent extracting the ley stones that formed the foundations of the Vilmarillians' ostentatious cities.
Each sunset heralded another day of weary bodies and broken spirits being pushed deeper into the earth. With simple clubs and primitive tools, the Gloomfangs extracted the energy that fueled the Vilmarillians' power from the heart of the planet, their own life energy being drained away drop by drop.
But even in the deepest darkness, a spark shines. From within the Gloomfang Clan, five spirits emerged who refused to bow to oppression. These were the warriors who would later be known in legend as the "Green Army Five."
Grak was the brain and thinker of the five. His frail body was filled with strategies to counter Magnus' tyranny. Grak carried the whispers of freedom to the other Gloomfangs in the dark mine tunnels. He showed them a way to regain their strength and dignity. He ignited not only a rebellion, but also the dream of restoring their clan's lost pride.
Rung was the strongest and most fearless warrior of the group. His muscles had been hardened by heavy labor underground. He wielded a large club with ease, shattering even the shields of the Vilmaril guards. Each blow from Rung was an expression of his clan's suffering and their pent-up desire for revenge. He was a storm, not only with his physical strength, but also with the boundless rage in his soul.
Borg was the silent and cunning hunter of the five. He had a unique ability to move in the shadows and trap his enemies. He had even managed to infiltrate Theron's most trusted castles. Borg's agility and intelligence played a key role in the clan's survival and strategies to surprise their enemies. His club would appear suddenly, like a hunter, stunning his enemies.
Korg, the unwavering protector of the five, was like a wall. With his large size and unwavering determination, he would shield his comrades even in the fiercest moments of battle. Carrying the wounded and buying time for those retreating, Korg was a living symbol of the Gloomfang Clan's resilience and spirit of unity. His stance was a sign that his clan would never give up.
And finally, Zorg was the youngest and most passionate member of the group. With his pure belief in Grak's vision and his endless energy, he motivated the others even when morale was low. The sparkle in Zorg's eyes was the very embodiment of his clan's hope for the future. His club was not just a weapon, but a symbol of the desire for a new beginning in Veridia and the quest for freedom.
The five sparked a rebellion that began in the Ley Stone mines. With their primitive clubs, they stood against the iron-clad legions of the Vilmaris and Magnus' Ley Masters. Outnumbered and out-equipped, their rage against injustice and their fire for freedom fueled them to incredible heights. The rebellion spread, and other enslaved races united under the green banner. The Green Army Five symbolized not just a rebellion, but a revolution in which the oppressed raised their voices in Veridia. They were rebellious and dangerous monsters in the eyes of the Vilmarillians, but in the eyes of their own people, they would forever remain heroes. -Veritas]
Marcus frowned. Knowing that there was such a story behind the five made them even more memorable. However, there were a few flaws that caught Marcus's attention.
The story mentioned that the five different creatures, or rather the five creatures belonging to the Gloomfang race, had different physical and behavioral forms.
In reality, however, there seemed to be five of the same creature in front of him. He couldn't sense any differences.
Marcus thought it was "strange," but since he couldn't make sense of it, he stopped thinking about it.
He answered the next two questions on the console and waited.
A woman appeared in front of him shortly after.
She was two meters tall, with long, golden hair and golden pupils.
In one hand, she held a metal shield with a sun-like symbol on it, and in the other, she held a sword.
The only problem with this woman was that her body was covered in blood as if she had just come out of battle, and she was standing in a defensive position.
[Lyra Solara Lv11]
She was panting, her eyes scanning her surroundings with a golden light, trying to spot any possible dangers. And then she saw Marcus.
"Who are you? Where is this place?"
The woman had a loud, authoritative voice.
Marcus involuntarily wanted to obey, but he knew this was a trial. He couldn't leave it to chance.
"I guess I should ask you that. Who are you?" Marcus frowned.
"What do you mean, who are you? How can I understand you?"
The woman looked around and, seeing no danger, lowered her guard. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your language resembles that of a few planets I know, but it sounds like a common language to my ears."
She pointed her sword at Marcus. "Which world are you from? Dustfall or Bereft?"
Marcus raised his shield and mace into the air, his hands raised innocently. "Neither. This is Mortalis!"
"Mortalis?" The woman furrowed her brows. "Liar! There's no such world in the System Universe!"
Marcus shook his head. "Our world has only recently been introduced to the system. There was a great catastrophe, and billions of people died. Now we are dealing with the system's experiments."
The woman shook her head. "No... No... It can't be... It mustn't be..."
The woman then knelt down. She covered her face with her hands and tried not to show Marcus the tears streaming down her face.
"You say new, you say system... Tell me, is this the SEVENS TRIAL TOWER?" The woman shouted fiercely towards the end.
Marcus just shook his head silently.
"No. No, no! It shouldn't have ended like this." The woman's body glowed with golden light.
"Damn you, human!" Then she suddenly calmed down, just like someone suffering from a psychological disorder such as bipolar disorder.
"Well, I guess I lived a life worth living." The woman smiled, and her fierce gaze became even clearer.
"Listen carefully, human. Your world will undergo many more updates. The Seven Ancients have arranged everything. Don't think of your world as having suffered a catastrophe; this is an opportunity! I am officially dead, but thanks to the system, I am still alive here. I'm sure my memories will fade soon, but since I found a place for myself in the trial tower, I must have lived a life worth telling. Please help Solaria when you leave your planet. The Solaria front needs help..."
The woman's face suddenly changed again.
"Come here, you little punk. You won't get past me."
Marcus was suddenly taken aback and took a defensive stance against the woman who lunged at him.
"Ding!" The woman's long sword collided with Marcus's shield, and the resulting force was enough to push Marcus back two steps.
Marcus took advantage of the opportunity to counterattack and swung his mace.
The large mace hit Lyra's shield, causing a dent in it.
Lyra was knocked back by the force of the blow. Five or six meters back.
"Damn, I didn't mean to attack. Ptui." Lyra spat on the ground.
Then she looked at her shield and spoke. "What level is written above my head?"
Marcus was surprised. "11."
"Hahaha, Veritas set me to level 11. Funny, really funny. Let me guess, this is your second trial, isn't it?"
Marcus shook his head.
"Damn Veritas! I should have been on the 50th floor at least!" Then the golden light in her eyes began to shine like the sun.
"Human, get ready, I'm coming." Then a golden air current appeared around Lyra and she accelerated like a truck with burst brakes.
Faced with this speed, Marcus could only raise his shield.
"BOOOM!" Lyra's shield collided with Marcus's, and a deafening sound rang out.
Marcus was thrown back dozens of meters and, before he could catch his breath, saw a long sword in front of him.
He countered the long sword with his mace.
"Ding!" This made Marcus angry, and he headbutted Lyra.
He had to take advantage of every opportunity.
This headbutt didn't have the effect he expected. Only a thin cut and a few drops of blood mixed with gold appeared on Lyra's head.
Marcus didn't stop there; he struck the dazed Lyra with a shield blow, sending her stumbling back a few steps.
He then swung his mace with all his strength, aiming for Lyra's head.
Lyra raised her sword and pulled her upper body back slightly, but she had underestimated the power behind Marcus's mace.
The mace continued its path alongside the sword and embedded itself in Lyra's armored left thigh.
"Ahhhhh!" Lyra let out a scream of pain, just like a real human, and retreated without caring about her broken leg.
However, she was off balance, which meant an opening for Marcus.
Marcus jumped with his shield and mace and landed on top of Lyra, who was dragging herself back.
Lyra saw this move.
Her body glowed with a golden light, and a shock wave spread around her.
Marcus was also affected by the shock wave and fell to the ground involuntarily as he was caught in midair. When he regained his balance, he saw a long sword in front of him again.
He raised his shield, but not fast enough.
Lyra's sword cut a deep gash in his left shoulder.
Marcus glanced at the wound, frowned, and lunged forward with his whole body.
Lyra, caught off guard by the attack, stumbled backward and fell to the ground. One of her legs was already broken, and she was struggling to stay on her feet.
She couldn't muster the strength in her body to raise her shield against Marcus's mace, which was heading straight for her chest.
"BOOOMMM!"
Marcus's mace made a large dent in Lyra's chest, and she fell back several meters.
Her long sword and shield had flown off in different directions. She was now defenseless.
Marcus came over and stood over Lyra.
At that moment, Lyra regained consciousness. "Damn it. So this is what it feels like to kill billions of people and be killed by billions of people at the same time. The next time we meet, I will not be conscious. I will be tougher, stronger, and more ambitious." She then turned her head and looked up at the sky through the invisible black ceiling of the tower.
"Veritas... you remember my youth, don't you? My fierceness? My desires?"
"Cough, bleargh..." Lyra coughed up blood from where she lay, her mouth filling with blood.
"Veritas... Please... Please help Solaria..." Then Lyra's eyes closed forever, and in a short time, she turned into pieces of light and disappeared.
Marcus confessed. He didn't know what it was about.
According to Lyra, she had recently died and been placed on the second floor of the tower.
"Just because the story is beautiful?"
Marcus shook his head.
"I'll have to think about this later."
But something inside him kept him from thinking about it. Fear.
Fear of how terrifyingly powerful this being called Veritas was.
The fact that it could take a human being who should normally be at level 50 and put them in this tower when they died...
Not to mention the fact that billions of people were dying and killing at the same time, this implied that these towers were not unique to this world, that there were billions more of them.
Marcus shook his head and approached the console.
He saw the rewards he had received.
"You killed Lyra Solara! [You earned 2000 exp!]"
"Congratulations, you passed the second trial. Reward: 200 SC + 2000 EXP]
Marcus shook his head. "That woman was very difficult to defeat. If I didn't have the advantage in strength and defense, I would have lost my arm in that attack."
Marcus turned and looked at his left arm. There was a deep cut two inches long.
He reached for his waist and pulled out a healing potion.
The wound hurt much more than he had expected.
He then looked at Lyra Solara's story on the console. "This is interesting," he thought.
[Lyra Solara]
[Lyra Solara was born in a small village during a time when the Flame Source burned brightly. She grew up to be a brave and fair child, her heart filled with a deep love for her people. She learned to wield a sword and shield at a young age, and her abilities quickly surpassed those of others. Her metal armor shone like the reflection of the Flame Source...]