With the destruction of the earth golem, the test of this tunic matrix must have come to an end, but not a portal has yet opened.
"Everyone in the whole? Because I've already lost two more swords fighting these golems."
"I think I changed the bone in my left arm, Ulric."
"How do you think your arm cracked, Nathan? It cracked or it didn't, there's no mystery about it. Are you able to move your arm?"
"Not a lot. It's kind of stuck and the internal pain is pretty big."
"He must have broken his arm, Ulric."
Great, now I have a warrior with a broken arm. Even though his aura might strengthen his recovery, Nathan will still need to let his arm rest for a while, maybe someone has a medicine or ointment that can help his recovery.
"Mile bag was destroyed before so I have to ask. Does anyone have any medicine to apply to the idiot who tried to mimic a shield warrior?"
It didn't take long for one of my other companions to get some medicine out of his bag and help apply it to Nathan's arm. The idiot moaned in pain when Vanessa cruelly applied the ointment on his arm and made him drink a tonic, which must taste horrible the face he made while consuming the tonic was enough to convey to everyone on the team the terrible taste that that one stinky tonic must possess.
While Vanessa tortured Nathan, I went to check on the rest of the wind and land golems. When searching the golems' remains, I managed to find their core or what was left of it, Elemental rock that I managed to recover is not exactly a whole core anymore, if it wasn't for the elemental energy that is still in the core fragment I would think that it was just a fragment of stone from the explosion.
I believe these fragments should be used to open the array, but it's a small problem in that. I have no idea where the elemental fragments of water and fire must be.
In reality I don't even know if the fragments are going to be whole, as far as I can deduce the sub-region of the test script, the examiners must believe that we would have defeated golems and recovered fragments, but it's obvious that reality proved different from the script.
The explosion caused by my actions must have completely destroyed the fragments. I head for the center of the explosion, But once I get there my fears become concrete.
Even though I use my eyes to see the elemental energy around me, I can't find any of the core fragments. Aside from the elemental energy that still permeates the air around me, I can't find any fragments that once belonged to the golems' core.
Looks like I'll have to find another way out of this matrix. On the way back to my teammates, I try to think of a way to open the portal without having to force it, but it's pretty hard to find a solution.
I approach some teammates, who are currently recovering from the last battle.
"We have a problem, I only have two golem core fragments with me and I need four. The golems of the water and fire element were completely destroyed, there was nothing left but a crater at the site of the explosion."
"So are we stuck here? Can't you just blow a hole in the matrix again, Ulric?"
"I can try to make a hole in the matrix. But I don't believe it's the best current course of action."
"What's the problem this time?"
"There are no new problems, but I believe this matrix has become safe. As there is no longer any danger in its virgo matrix it has become a good place to camp."
" Are you sure not but no danger here? I don't want to be attacked while I'm trying to sleep."
"Vanessa, I believe the only enemies in this matrix were the golems, without them this place became peaceful, taking away those elemental energy that is still in the air that can disturb your bell. It shouldn't even have a problem for us to camp here for a while."
After my team members found nothing wrong with my analysis of our current situation. We started setting up camp so we could rest.
Even though I'm sure this matrix has become secure, I still believe it would be better for us to keep our vigilance active. So we decided to split our group into shifts so that there would always be a pair watching the camp.
But in the end it proved useless. During the eight hours that we were camping in this matrix, there was no problem.
We all had at least six hours of sleep all recovered, even Nathan's arm I was able to heal but he only healed superficial damage without a life element mage his arm cannot be healed completely in such a short time.
After so many hours of rest all group members were much more relaxed, even though this test is longer than expected, it was proven that it is possible to rest well during the test. It may seem like a small thing, but it's much more stressful not knowing if you're able to rest peacefully than the problem of not knowing how long you've been trapped inside the arrays, and whether it's day or night.
In fact, touching on this subject, during the entire period we had in this matrix the sunlight still shone in the sky. Even after spending several hours inside the matrix the time hasn't changed at all.
Maybe this light is a feature of that matrix specifically, when we move to the next matrix we could be sure of that. I believe the next matrix will have a dark sky, as it's only been a few hours the dawn should still be a bit far away.
That's the matrix maze is really testing our adaptability. My biological clock is all messed up, and I'm sure it's the combination of the sensory stimuli I'm getting from the matrix, along with the illusion element that's subtly flowing through the matrixes.
I can barely make out this element, but its effects on me are clear.
"Ready for the new test day?"
I got a series of moans and complaints in response, it seems like not everyone is feeling well. If I hadn't realized the hidden effects the arrays are causing, I would probably be just as angry as they are.
Even something simple to know that the illusion element is affecting my body, and enough to weaken its effects. That's a really confusing element, and it's a shame I can't tell others about it.
It would be very complicated to explain how I know about the use of the illusion element, without having an affinity with this element I would have to say that it was Professor Frey who told me about this effect of matrices, but that would put me in a new wave of problems and the teacher would be drawn into this problem.
"Don't get discouraged like that, remember that all this shit we're going through now will be turned into rewards later."
With my obvious lack of skill, my teammates were not very motivated to continue the test, but they still started to break up camp while I prepared breakfast, which was more meat.
The only thing we have left in here is meat from magical animals, which is very nutritious, but since I haven't learned how to cook this kind of meat it's not able to reach its full potential in my hands.
But it's still better than nothing. After we're replenished, we're back on our way through the matrix maze.
With each matrix we went through I noticed a change, their mana and elemental energy is getting stronger. I believe we have entered the center of the maze, now I just need to find the last member for my team and we can go to the next phase of the test.
I believe mine should be the last team with a spot, when filling my team the next round of testing will be revealed.
But I had hoped that I would still have a few more hours to pray for this to happen but now I've come across a battlefield.
Passing through the last portal, we enter a matrix where there is a fight between three groups of students.
Avia a group led by an elf, dwarf and Ingredi. I didn't expect to find this kind of sena, as I held Hilda who tried to join her sister, I started to study the mixed student teams.
Most of the students here were human, but there were a fair number of elves and dwarves on the teams. On the team of the elf that appears to be Caliban, he dresses the way the thick-headed elf I interrogated described it, to three elves and four humans.
In the team from dwarf to four dwarfs and four humans. In Ingredi's team there are two women from the fox tribe, two dwarves, an elf and four humans.
Teams with really varied members, if I hadn't been thrown into the punishment aria, my team might have had that variety of people.
Normally I would study the teams and see him the best strategy to beat them all, but as one of the teams and led by Ingredi, it is already decided that I will join his side.