“I wish I could see the expression on that little shrimp's face right now,” Slim laughed with wanton abandon, his gaze fixed on the blinking arrowhead pointing toward a towering dune ahead.

  Zara puckered her lips to the side, securing her windswept hair with one hand. “I didn't know you had such a petty side,” she whispered.

  “Wait until you discover he's a singer,” Scott remarked with an unseen smile.

  Zara halted in her tracks, her small mouth opening wide as her pupils dilated. “You're kidding, right?” she asked mentally, staring at Slim, who cursed at the imp while approaching the dune.

  Scott chuckled, leaving the feline brawler with a burning sense of curiosity. The trio ascended the sand dune, expending no energy as they raced to the top. Despite the absence of recent attacks, the barren land had wearied them, and they longed to leave it behind.

  “We're almost there,” Slim giggled, fixated on the flashing arrow, now seemingly fading into the earth. What kind of shelter awaits us? I don't mind if it's shabby, as long as there's a beautiful tub with pristine marble tiling, I'm good. Slim cackled as his thoughts wandered.

  The necromancer surged forward with the full might of his aching legs; a misty red aura coating his bones. At the summit of the dune, the elemental shard shielded him from the blistering heat. Though the flashing arrowhead had vanished beneath the surface, Slim remained, arms raised, mouth agape, gazing at the vast nothingness before him.

  “Where the hell is the shelter?” he muttered. The landscape beyond the dune mirrored the other side, yet the map had disappeared.

  “Slim, what do you see? Are the buildings fancy or... oh?” Zara halted abruptly, her glossy eyes scanning the surroundings with a frown. Scott joined them, his brows shooting up.

  A figure emerged from the sand, folding its arms, and glaring at the trio. “I sensed someone approaching this path. I had no idea it was you three. Tell me, how did you find this route?” the imp inquired with a frown.

  However, only Scott paid the examiner any attention. Slim and Zara couldn't conceal their disappointment; their hopes of finding a moderately luxurious shelter were shattered. They wouldn't have minded a shabby, rundown place as long as it had basic amenities.

  The imp opened its mouth to speak but suddenly froze, its attention fixed on the trio. The elemental shard's white glaze captured its gaze. “Where did you get that?” it asked, pointing at their bulging pockets.

  Then, it singled out Zara. “You, where's your cloak?”

  None of the trio bore any injuries, nor did they exhibit signs of recent battle. Instead, they resembled individuals casually strolling through the desert, their faces fresh and rosy.

  A curious notion seized the imp's mind and refused to let go. It shot a stern stare at Scott, its voice filled with gravity. “You encountered the tower traveler, didn't you?”

  Scott gazed blankly at the examiner. “Is there a problem if we did?”

  “Damn it!” the imp cursed, loud enough to rouse Slim and Zara from their stupor. The enraged creature continued its tirade, “That bastard has been ruining my day all week. Why doesn’t he go to the other test areas and leave me alone?”

  Slim interjected, “How many test areas are there?”

  The imp glanced at the necromancer but remained silent. The small creature hovered in the air; its brows tightly knitted. If looks could kill, Slim would have murdered the imp several times. However, he knew he was no match for the seemingly weak examiner.

  No wonder they found their way here. That swindler gave them a decent enough map to evade the calamities. But why would that marauding crook trade with them? This isn’t normal.

  The imp raised its head again, staring at the trio. “Well, only time will tell if it’s your fortune or misfortune running into that guy.” It clapped its hands twice, causing the trialist to shudder involuntarily. “I see. Bonehead here traded his right to ask a question. No wonder you were able to get such an item from the trader. Well, what’s done is done.” The imp sighed, its tense face relaxing, then it smiled. “Since you’ve reached the road to the second trial ground, I’m obligated to inform you of some rules.”

  The examiner gestured toward the path ahead. “I'm certain your inconsequential eyes perceive nothing but an endless sea of sand, correct?”

  Slim and Zara nodded, their excitement uncontainable as they followed the outstretched arm of the imp. They had initially suspected the trader of deception, but the imp's words dissolved the mystery. Despite their disdain for the diminutive creature's condescension, they had no alternative but to heed its words.

  “It’s too early to get excited,” Scott cautioned, his voice resonating within the minds of the duo. They instinctively turned toward the masked man, but the examiner's voice intervened before they could voice their inquiries. “As I mentioned before, this desert surpasses the capacity of your limited minds. Even if every race in the tower were cast into it, they wouldn't occupy a third of its vast expanse.”

  This time, each member of the trio found themselves equally surprised by the imp's words. The devious creature snickered, casually sauntering in midair. “Since it's impossible for a single examiner to oversee the entire trial, we're assigned specific zones to assess the champions. The shelter over there is managed by the gods themselves, and I can assure you it's nothing compared to what you've seen so far.” The imp paused, a mischievous smile spreading across its face as the trialists' expressions turned serious.

  “What exactly occurs in the shelter?” Zara inquired.

  “Just a simple race. It's better experienced than explained,” the imp replied with a grin.

  “Hey, you said you're obligated to tell us. Do your damn job,” Slim retorted, glaring at the imp.

  The imp laughed while wiggling its behind at the skeleton. “Fuck off. I was lying, alright? I was being dramatic to hook you. Ah, I almost forgot. I need to take this back.” It clapped its hands, and the darkness covering Slim's bones retreated to its fingers.

  “I forgot to mention, there's a way you can breeze through this trial, and many others, with relative ease. Interested?” the imp asked, a devious smile playing on its lips.

  “This little trickster is obviously trying to bait us. I can feel it in my bones. Bet you anything he'll tell us to buzz off if we show any interest,” Slim shared his thoughts through the party communication skill.

  “I feel the same, but we can't ignore such crucial information,” Zara said with a frown.

  “Don't worry, I'll take one for the team,” Scott volunteered. He then turned his attention to the imp. “Yeah, we're interested. What do we have to do?”

  “Well, you can start by sucking these nuts.” The imp exploded into laughter, rolling in midair.

  “I knew it. Get lost if you've got nothing useful to say, you little shithead,” Slim roared.

  Scott, however, couldn't help but chuckle. It seemed he had been waiting a long time to use that line, likely having encountered a human who used it on him in the past.

  Ignoring Slim's curses, the laughing examiner wiped tears from its eyes. “I've been waiting to use that for a while,” it admitted, feeling energized and refreshed. Then, its demeanor turned serious. “For a smooth ascent to the upper floors, you either need the power to do it yourself or cling to powers that can. However, nothing comes for free in the Tower of Champions. I won't go into details because I'm certain you'll find out for yourselves. I wish you good luck.”

  With that, the imp dived into the sand, disappearing within seconds.

  “I hate that little freak. Would it kill him to be less cryptic?” Slim sighed, readjusting his jacket. He then turned his attention to his companions. “What do you guys think?”

  “I'm curious to see what's special about the shelter,” Zara said.

  “Yeah, I agree, but I would advise you guys not to have high expectations about the shelter,” Scott warned before walking ahead.

  Slim and Zara exchanged puzzled glances. This was the second time Scott mentioned something about the Shelter.

  Did he get possessed by the spirit of the imp? How can he see beyond the barrier? Slim pondered.

  Zara wore a wry smile as she stared at the back of the man. “Let's trust him. He saw through those warriors earlier. He's probably right this time too,” she whispered.

  “I hope not. I've been looking forward to taking a bath for the last couple of hours.” Slim sighed deeply. He hadn't spent enough time to claim he knew Scott, but from their limited interactions, he gathered that Scott wasn't the type to say something he was uncertain about.

  “Are you guys coming? You can't tell if the imp will send us a farewell package. Do you want to stick around and find out?” Scott called back, breaking their conversation.

  Zara and Slim locked eyes before bolting after the masked man. As they neared the concealed barrier, the trio engaged in casual conversation, their steps cautious.

  “I can't put my finger on it, but I feel like I'm overlooking something crucial,” Slim muttered, rubbing his jaw and squinting in concentration.

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  Scott cast a sidelong glance at Zara, but the feline brawler skillfully avoided his gaze, whistling nonchalantly with her hands tucked behind her back.

  “If you can't recall it, it's likely not that significant,” Scott said.

  “Yeah, you're right. Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll remember later,” the skeleton said, flashing a whimsical grin. He draped his bony arms over the shoulders of the duo once again, adding, “How about we make a bet on how... wait a moment, I remember now.”

  Simultaneously, the trio passed through a gelatinous barrier, an enigmatic energy enveloping their bodies. Day seamlessly transitioned into night, and the scorching heat gave way to biting winds. The full moon stood resolute amid a constellation of stars, its silvery glow casting an ethereal light upon a destitute settlement nestled at the base of a towering mountain cleaved into two equal halves.

  “This place is beyond horrible. Do they even have plumbing here?” Slim muttered, eyeing the dilapidated wooden houses that had clearly seen better days. No lamps or lanterns vied with the moon's radiance, but even the luminous celestial bodies couldn't outshine the dazzling display of sparkles emanating from the divided mountain path.

  Ecstatic, Scott grinned beneath his mask, reveling in the sensation of leveling up once again. His gaze shifted to Zara and Slim, both equally astonished and elated by the flood of notifications. Before delving into their upgraded stats, another system notification materialized in front of the trio.

  Slim blurted out, "What the...?"

  “Did you guys receive offers from 30 gods too?” Zara asked, her gaze shifting between her companions and the glowing blue screen.

  Slim and Scott nodded, their minds instinctively recalling the imp's cryptic words.

  “Why would they send us offers?” Zara muttered; her senses overwhelmed by the flood of notifications.

  “Let's open them and see. There's no need for speculation,” Slim suggested.

  Scott concurred with the necromancer, clicking on one of the offers at random.

  “What the fuck?”

  Scott wasn’t the only one with the same reaction. Slim and Zara also frowned as they read through their own offers.

  Scott took a deep breath before opening another offer.

  Scott opened yet another offer, then another, and another. In less than five minutes, he had sifted through all thirty proposals. Glancing at Zara and Slim, he noticed identical expressions of incredulity mirrored on their faces.

  “Why would anyone accept this?” Slim queried.

  Scott shook his head, grappling with the lack of a plausible response. In that very moment, a fresh series of messages materialized before him.

  Scott’s mouth dropped behind his mask, his eyes quivering ever so slightly. At that same moment, another message popped up.