Two days had passed since Scott’s encounter with the mysterious guardian, and he wandered aimlessly across the endless stretch of blackened sand. The trial ground had yet to reopen, and no new system notifications had appeared since his reawakening.

  As he traversed the desolate landscape, he found himself within a canyon, its jagged walls enclosing him in an eerie silence occasionally broken by the wailing wind. Shadows danced across the stone as he moved, his gaze flitting from one obscure rock formation to another, never lingering for more than a few seconds.

  This looks like the same path I took last time, but there’s no way to be sure, Scott mused, running his fingers along the canyon walls as he pressed forward.

  Three hours passed. He sat on a small boulder he had effortlessly split in half, leaning back against the canyon wall. Above him, the lustrous chains in the sky shifted, casting ever-changing patterns of light and shadow across the terrain. A near-empty water bottle lay beside him, trembling slightly as the restless wind attempted to claim it.

  Did I make a mistake coming here alone with only the arrowhead to guide me? He exhaled, tilting his head back to gaze at the sky.

  The canyon hadn’t been particularly difficult to cross before, yet this time, it felt like an endless labyrinth with no exit in sight.

  “Orion, can you hear me?” Scott called out mentally.

  Silence.

  He sighed, adjusting his position. Still nothing… Shaking his head, he tried to suppress his disappointment. Should I just use the nihilistic zone to leave? The thought crossed his mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately. The guardian’s words still lingered.

  If there really is something here for me, then this is probably my last chance to find it. He straightened, pushing himself to his feet.

  This place is even bigger than I thought. Neither I nor the judges I sent out earlier have found anything but sand and rock. Can I even find the Silent City at this rate?

  Shoving the empty bottle into his inventory, Scott continued his trek. Within minutes, he arrived at a forked path that converged into a single trail. He halted, narrowing his eyes. Isn’t this the same spot where I met those guys?

  The location felt disturbingly familiar.

  Though he had approached from a different direction this time, he was certain that the merging path was the same one where he had encountered the goatman’s party and members of The Hive.

  Shaking off his doubts, he pressed forward. One step. Two steps.

  On the third, he suddenly stopped. A slow smile spread across his lips. Without hesitation, a nihilistic portal swirled into existence beneath his feet. He submerged into the darkness and vanished from the canyon.

  Far from the lonely canyon, in a vast region dominated by howling winds and endless sand, the nihilistic portal opened once more. Scott emerged, his gaze immediately locking onto the sight before him.

  Towering, headless statues loomed in the distance, their forms partially veiled by a curtain of misty rain. Above them, an amber radiance bathed the sky, casting an eerie glow over the desolate landscape.

  Scott’s smile widened as he studied the statues. “I made the right choice sending them out,” he murmured, his voice tinged with satisfaction. He turned toward the Judge of Madness standing a few feet away.

  “Good job,” he said. “You can go now.”

  The judge remained silent, motionless, until a nihilistic portal appeared beneath its feet. Without hesitation, it vanished into the void.

  Scott approached the mist, his curiosity piqued. Would I be allowed to enter? He stretched out a hand and touched the veil.

  A system message instantly materialized.

  I figured as much, Scott thought, lowering his hand.

  He raised his gaze, admiring the statues hidden within the mist. Why would anyone build a city in the middle of nowhere? Was this land once a thriving metropolis, or was it torn from its original location and brought here?

  Questions swirled in his mind, but no answers came. The longer he stared at the ancient figures, the more he wondered about the true nature of the city, the desert, and the endless expanse that surrounded him.

  Reining in his thoughts, he sighed. I guess I’ll just have to wait.

  He stepped back a few paces, crossing his arms as he lazily observed his surroundings.

  Hours stretched into days. Scott remained stationed before the barrier, patiently awaiting the trial’s grand opening—and the arrival of other champions. By his estimates, more than a week had passed since he had awakened in the desert, yet he hadn’t encountered another living soul since his meeting with the guardian.

  Unbothered, he remained in place, seated on the back of a kneeling Judge of Madness, the creature unmoving beneath him.

  Then, out of nowhere, the air filled with the sound of rustling chains. Scott shifted his gaze toward the bound entities, his eyes narrowing in anticipation.

  Again? They’ve been quite animated lately. This is probably the fifth day in a row there’s been some sort of movement from them, he mused, watching carefully.

  The disturbance only lasted a couple of minutes before calm returned.

  As always, nothing happens, he sighed, adjusting his sitting position while yawning.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  I have never been so bored in my life, but this is a hundred times better than when I was first thrown into the nihilistic zone, Scott chuckled softly as he recalled the memory.

  I wonder what happened to that despicable elf. She’s probably crossed the Point of No Return by now, he thought, his smile brightening as Adona came to mind.

  Memories of the elf instantly elicited deep-rooted memories of his former friends. The Point of No Return, huh? I can’t wait to see what the fuss is all about.

  Midway through his wandering thoughts, loud, synchronized, pulsating hums resounded across the area. Scott lifted his gaze toward the skies, where tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of flickering clusters of light appeared.

  He suddenly stood up. Is it finally time?

  A system notification echoed, as if confirming his thoughts.

  “Finally,” Scott muttered, a smile parting his lips.

  He focused on the number of participants, and his brows shot up. What the hell happened last time to attract even more people to this crazy place?

  Still staring at the shimmering clusters, Scott silently waved his hand. The judge he sat on disappeared into the nihilistic zone. At that moment, the glowing clusters began to descend like shooting stars, scattering in different directions.

  Then came another system notification.

  Scott read through the flashing screen before focusing on the misty veil surrounding the 9th zone. The foggy barrier had begun to lift, revealing the blurred but distinct silhouettes of a massive city.

  A flashing arrow manifested before him, leading toward the ancient city. At that same moment, a series of thuds echoed from afar. Scott turned toward the endless desert before him.

  They should have landed by now; he mused before directing his attention toward the barrier. No point wasting time out here. I'd rather wait in the city than in this desolate place.

  With that thought, he reached out and touched the barrier. His vision spun, and the world shifted around him. The familiar streets and dilapidated buildings of the 9th zone came into view once more. This time, however, the area was eerily empty—no panting champions, no other figures at all.

  Scott stared at the notifications; his expression unreadable. I had no idea there were special rewards for being first...

  Despite the unexpected bonus, he felt neither excitement nor anticipation. Dismissing the alerts, he surveyed his surroundings.

  I can’t believe I was sent back to the same place, he noted, his gaze locking onto a massive domed temple just meters away.

  He approached the temple at a steady pace, arriving at the base of the pristine staircase within minutes. Yet, he hesitated, his gaze lingering on the ordinary-looking steps.

  "What am I hesitating for? I already know the transformation triggers on the twentieth step."

  Steeling himself, Scott placed his right foot on the first step—

  A system notification flared into existence.

  A powerful force repelled him, forcing him back several steps. He staggered but quickly regained his footing.

  "What the hell was that?"

  Frowning, he approached the staircase again, stopping just at the periphery. He raised his foot, hovering it over the pristine step.

  The familiar chime of a system notification rang out, but this time, the repelling force arrived even faster. Before the message could fully manifest, several nihilistic portals flared open, dispersing the hidden energy.

  Scott's foot remained suspended in the air as he studied the unmasked threat. "What changed?"

  Dropping his foot back to the ground, he considered the elf’s earlier explanation about the mysterious temple. Nothing in their account suggested one would be banned after using it to exit the trial once.

  "Could it be because no one has ever left and returned?" he speculated. "Or... does this have something to do with my encounter with the guardian?"

  Theories swirled in his mind, but no definitive answer presented itself.

  If I really wanted to, I could use the nihilistic portals to reach the top... he mused. But that would be an incredibly stupid and dangerous idea. I shouldn't go around antagonizing relics from an era beyond my understanding.

  Exhaling softly, he turned away from the staircase.

  Maybe I should've asked those elves about the 9th zone before leaving. Now that I'm here alone, I can’t even leverage my advantage.

  Spotting an empty bench partially overgrown with weeds, he cleared away the vegetation before settling down.

  No point in regretting it now. All I can do is wait.

  As he reclined, nihilistic portals spiraled open beneath his feet. From the abyss, multiple Judges of Madness emerged.

  "Explore the city. Let me know if you find anything intriguing," Scott commanded.

  The judges dispersed in different directions, vanishing into the empty streets.

  Scott’s gaze shifted toward the countdown timer. Only five minutes have passed since the trial started. I wonder when the first group will arrive.

  Minutes ticked by. None of the dispatched judges had reported anything significant, and none of the champions had arrived yet.

  Scott’s eyes remained fixed on the counter. This is even more boring than I expected—

  A chime rang in his ears. Instantly, he sat upright.

  A ten-man party of varying races materialized a short distance away.

  Finally. A smirk tugged at his lips.

  “We did it! We arrived first! That ought to be a record!” a bear-like man in thick fur armor bellowed.

  Scott’s smirk deepened into a wry smile. As the words left the champion’s mouth, a series of system notifications flickered before their eyes.

  Excitement turned to confusion. Confusion morphed into anger.

  Their gazes scoured the surroundings, searching for someone—or something.

  Scott exhaled through his nose. "Here we go again."

  They had spotted him. And they were approaching, fury unmasked.