The touching moment only lasted a few seconds before a voice interrupted and said, "Good, we have enough challengers to begin." The loud, boisterous voice paused and then said, "Welcome. You humanoids have been sent to this hell to face your sins. If you defeat the sphinxes in three tests, you shall return to Earth with a new lease on life."
One of the peggians stood up and yelled out, "You have no right to keep us here."
A shadow fell from the sky flapping its giant wings made of black feathers. Each flap of the wings parted the dark purple clouds. The creature's large paws landed on the mountain, causing a mini-quake as it hit the ground. Its majestic fur coat was golden along with its piercing eyes. The human head looked down upon the ignorant peggian.
"Your insolence will not be spared in my domain, insect!"
The massive sphinx released a mana attack the Avatar warrior's brain. The peggian couldn't even react in time, and it's every orifice on its head bled out. He fell over dead in a matter of seconds.
Several warriors took a step back out of fear. The feeling they got from this beast was that it was the strongest warrior they have ever met. Even Reiner gasped and whispered to himself, "This monster a level beyond even the Blacksmith, Paizel."
The 700-foot lion beast stared at the tiny insects before him. "Speak out against me again, and I shall kill you all." The lion beast clicked his teeth. With him killing the peggian, the number of pests decreased to 24, and he needed at least 25 to begin the trails.
The beast then let loose an eerie smile showcasing his large sharp teeth. "It seems new sheep have come to be slaughtered."
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Back on Earth, the Angel Corps were surrounding the pit wondering why such powerful energy was coming off of it. Usdem inspected it with his mana sense when his sixth sense told him to run.
A burst of mana exploded from the hole and engulfed the entire expedition force surrounding the hole. In an instant, the portal transported Usdem and the Angel Corps to the Sphinx Realm.
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Once they arrived, they made their way up the mountain to find the massive sphinx and company waiting for them.
Reiner gave Usdem a look that told him not to do anything stupid. Reiner tried to send a mana message, but the powerful beast blocked any kind of messaging technique.
Usdem quickly realized this beast before him, controlled this world, and it was on a level surpassing the leaders of Earth.
"Now that we have gathered everyone. Meet my children." Thousands and thousands of beast surrounded the mountain — all of them, in the shape of a lions body and human head. "You insignificant creatures will face off with my children in three tests. If you pass, you shall return to Earth. If you fail, you will be banished, and my children shall be released.
The large lioness scanned the group and gave one insect a weird look. She focused in on the human filth and realized it was a part lion and part human. It's DNA was similar to her children.
"What are you? Why do you smell like a lion beast?" The giant beast sent a mana message to Leo.
"Um...A lioness adopted me and gave me her life core," replied Leo in fear. The intenseness from the sphinx dwarfed that of Lankani and his master Urcaguary.
The sphinx gave another creepy smile. "Good, I expect great things from you half-breed," she replied with a mana message and then looked at the rest of the insects.
Then the lioness looked upon the rest and said, "Each one of you shall step up and choose the contest you wish to compete in against my children. You must pass three to return." The massive beast lifted her paw and pointed to the peggian warrior tending to the one that just died. "You decide between the trial by combat, strategy, mind, and trust."
The peggian looked up at the beast and didn't know how to respond. He looked at the remaining peggians and didn't know what to do. He looked back up and said, "I choose combat."
The lioness smiled and said," Very well." An arena appeared between the beast and peggian. "Enter the arena." The command forced the peggian to move forward and enter against his own will. "Sun Claw, face him in battle."
A lion with a male human's head and the size of a compact car entered the arena. The peggian was surprised by the beast's beard and warrior level. It was the exact same level as himself.
The lion beast strolled towards the peggian. "Prepare to be my next meal."
At once, the lion bared its teeth. The dagger-like teeth made the peggian flinch with fear. He could tell with one bite he would die. The warrior decided to strike first, brandishing his fist. The peggian's movement technique, combined with his fist attack made the wind howl. The unfathomable power increased the warrior by one whole level.
The Shattering level lion did not move. It ignored the peggian assault and just lowered its head to take the blow. The Avatar level fist attack collided with the beast's skull, and crackling of lightning encompassed the area.
The cracking sound was not the skull breaking, but the peggian's bones throughout his arm. The arm fell limp like a noodle to his side as he leaped back to put distance between him and the beast.
Sun Claw lifted his paw and executed the sphinx beast art: Lion's Grace. The beast becomes a rocket, and anything in its path becomes destroyed. The peggian closed his eyes only for a second, and in the next moment, he would never be able to open them again.
His headless corpse stood there as blood gushed out and then collapsed to the ground. Sun Claw standing behind it, crushed the peggians skull in its mouth and swallowed it.
Cold sweat drifted down Leo's back. He would avoid the trial by combat if he could. He looked over at Lucy, and both seemed to be thinking the same thing. Reiner looked on and just shook his head.
"How could this one boy always bring trouble?" Reiner told himself.
"Sun Claw is the victor. Step back down." The lion listened to the giant sphinx and walked out of the arena.
A silence fell upon the crowd, and everyone's face had a look of worry and fear. Then the massive creature chose the next contestant. The mermanian that was being pointed at started to shake and tried to escape. A high wind grabbed hold of him and threw him into the ring.
"You weren't trying to escape were you."
"Of...of course not."
"Choose your trial."
The mermanian Core Builder thought for a second and then answered, "Give me a trial by strategy."
In an instance, the arena transformed into a 3x10 chess board — the massive created then yelled out for another sphinx to step forward. A Core Builder beast by the name Green Tooth stepped up and faced off with the mermanian.
The board before them had five pawns on each side. It was the ancient game of Senet.