Chereads / SSS-class ranker returns / Chapter 23 - Hero's Trial (2)

Chapter 23 - Hero's Trial (2)

"There he is."

The first place Rokan headed was the plaza. To be exact, I found a statue standing in the square fountain.

The statue pointing a finger towards somewhere is known only to be in the shape of an old hero, but in fact it holds a small secret.

[1123, L200, 130]

Upon checking the foot of the statue, an unknown mark was written on it.

It was a hint found by a detective maniac who had Conan's disease in Rokan's previous life. She said, 'Somewhere in the direction the hero points, his legacy will remain!'

But in the end he found it.

'It took quite a while for him to become known because of his lack of ability.'

But Rokan wasn't worried. Because he was confident.

Rokan, who checked the hint, started moving as written.

'1,123 steps in the direction the statue points. 200 steps to the left. 130 steps back in the original direction.'

Each person has a difference in stride, so there may be some differences, but there is only one alley near the designated location, so I only had to adjust the last location appropriately.

"I mean somewhere around here… … ."

Rokan's eyes narrowed as he took the last step. Rokhan's eyes flashed in search of a device said to have been found by someone who had discovered this place in his previous life.

sparkle!

At that time, a part of the wall that looked identical all over sparkled.

[I found a hidden device with the effect of the title seeker.]

The title effect has been activated.

'Lucky!'

Lorkhan, who pressed down on the wall as he reached it, immediately pushed that part with force.

Drooling!

The pushed out part went in and the wall began to change. The wall turned into a door.

A light push in revealed an endless stairway leading into the darkness.

"Use a lantern."

I tried to light the lantern, but nothing was visible.

Beyond the light, there is only pitch-black darkness.

Even though he was afraid of not knowing what was there or what might come out, Rokhan calmly went down the stairs.

* * *

'It's time to come out soon... … .'

After going down for a while, there was another uphill and another downhill. It was made to distract the senses and make it impossible to know the height and distance.

And at some point, the stairs disappeared and a path like an uphill tunnel appeared.

I walked like that for about 10 more minutes, and a not small vibration was transmitted from afar.

Kugoong! Koo Goo Goo! Kurururrururrururruru!

[The first stage of the hero's test begins.]

"You're here!"

At that moment, Lokhan ran forward, using a dash.

Then, with both hands, I blocked the huge boulder that was rolling in, filling the space.

"strike!"

In order not to be pushed back, even a skill that raises the strength level was expressed with bare hands, and Rokan was pushed back for about 10 seconds before being able to stop the rock.

"Whoa!"

I just blocked it, but my vitality was considerably reduced.

Lorkhan, who supported the rock that had become stationary with his body, took a deep breath and tried again. Then he began to roll up the rock backwards in the direction it had rolled.

"Whoop, whoop."

Even for Lokhan, who possessed enormous strength, it was not an easy task to roll up a huge boulder for dozens of minutes.

But it wasn't too difficult either. Pushing the orc warrior's steel boots into the ground with both hands and back, he finally reached the top.

[Hero's Test Stage 1. You have passed the test of will.]

'A test of will'.

Originally, it was a test to test willpower near the limit. The weight of the rolling rocks is determined according to the level and class of the challenger, and the purpose of the test is to overcome the limit by pushing a rock that is not easy to withstand in a stationary state with willpower and mental strength.

"It's simpler than I thought."

However, Lokhan was an existence that could not be judged by the general level and class. For Rokhan, rolling a boulder of this weight uphill was tedious, but not painful.

Rokhan cleared it easily with pure power, without even needing to show mental strength. It was the mistake of the developers who did not think that there would be someone with such achievements and strength figures.

"Is this the next step?"

[The second stage of the hero's test begins.]

He was kind, but he didn't tell us what kind of test it was. Like a test of will, the name itself can be a hint.

But even without telling him, Rokhan already knew the contents of the test.

A 'test of wisdom'.

It doesn't mean Wisdom, which is one of the ability points, but to see how well you use your brain.

"Being a nuisance."

After climbing to the top, what appeared was a narrow passage. There was no slope, and there were no special features. All you have to do is walk.

But there was a trap hidden here.

"Hmm, if this is the case, no matter how dangerous the country is."

Too-wook!

Rokhan lightly threw the lantern he was holding toward the road.

From here on, the light was on, so there was no need for a lantern.

Wedge love!

As soon as the lantern touched the ground, arrows flew from somewhere. Then he broke the lantern and turned the surrounding area into a field of arrows.

"Whiyu, you're bloody."

It was a real trap, a trap that would be triggered by stepping on or touching a specific location. Arrows rained down, blades flew, and flames spewed all sorts of traps hidden all over the road.

It would not be easy to avoid it unless you were a thief with trap detection and trap release skills, but this test was encouraging you to avoid it using your brain.

"Then, where shall we go?"

But even so, if you make a mistake or two, it's over. It was not in Lokhan's personality to roll his head to the point of cramps and to move forward step by step.

"Still, since you said there are no crash traps… … ."

Recalling the Trial of Wisdom for the last time, Rokhan immediately prepared to run.

'Three, two, one... … !'

"Berserk! dash!"

The next moment, Lokhan put down his weapon and started running at full speed.

Arrows and secrets flew in, spears and knives scratched his whole body, and fire magic cooked his flesh, but he gnashed his teeth and ran steadily.

As soon as the cooldown returned, I used dash repeatedly and put all my energy into escaping the trap space in the shortest time possible.

[The second stage of the hero's test. You have passed the test of wisdom.]

In the end, I broke through all the trap areas in 7 minutes.

"Whoa, cancel!"

[Lack of vitality. If you do not heal to 10% of your maximum health within 5 seconds, you may die.]

"Sheesh."

Berserk's aftereffects caused his vitality to drop in an instant, but Rokhan was not taken aback. This, too, was to be expected.

When he drank a prepared medium stamina potion and sprinkled a low stamina potion on his wound, his vitality rose rapidly.

Intermediate potions were expensive, but the effect was certain. Unlike lower-class potions that recover over time, they have an instant recovery effect, so you can raise your vitality at once.

Thanks to this, the flickering vision returned brightly, and the vitality entered the stable zone.

"After all, expensive is better."

1 gold per potion. At this point, it's an incredibly expensive price, but since it cost one life, it wasn't too wasteful if you look at it.

Of course, it was the story of completing this test.

"Shall we go now?"

Lokhan, who recovered the remaining health by raising his proficiency and using first aid, waited until Berserk's aftereffects completely disappeared before moving on to the next step.

I know there won't be a battle in the next step, but I'm in the best condition just in case.

[Hero's Trial Stage 3 begins.]

Finally, this is the final test. After passing through the door leading from the second stage to the third stage, a notification announcing the start of the test appeared along with thick smoke.

The third stage of the test is the 'Test of Temptation'.

In a sense, it was the most terrifying test, in which powerful spirit-type magic worked to seduce the challenger, and the challenger had to overcome it and find the right path to succeed.

'What will appear?'

This time, Rokan also made up his mind.

According to an interview with a person who passed this test in a previous life, a woman close to nudity may appear, all sorts of treasures or great items may appear, or a table full of delicacies may appear.

Not only does it dazzle the sight, but it also confuses the senses of hearing, smell, touch, and taste, so you have to be alert.

'Knock.'

An unexpected notification appeared to Lokhan, who was watching the front with strange expectations.

[I resisted negative mental effects with the title Indomitable Will effect.]

"… … what "

What is this again? While I blinked in bewilderment for a moment, the fog that obscured my vision disappeared and a single wooden bridge appeared across the cliff-like road.

"Was it like that?"

It was a 1,000-way precipice that seemed like it would have been the end if I stumbled while struggling with temptation.

"Shit!"

Lokhan crossed the log bridge with a strange feeling of regret. It was a narrow road that one person could barely cross, but there was no way he couldn't keep his balance.

[Hero's Trial Stage 3. You have passed the test of temptation.]

Kugu Palace!

As soon as I crossed the bridge, a notification appeared that I had passed the test.

Then, when he was on the other side, the wall that had been blocked opened and led Rokan to a place.

However, Rokhan did not move straight away.

"Summon the Servant of Truth. Is that the real road?"

[lie.]

That door was the final test.

I tried using it just in case, because the person in my previous life gave an evasive interview about the 3rd stage test, but it worked.

"As expected, there's no way you can relax."

Instead of going through the door, Lorkhan groped the other walls. No new doors have appeared, and the Bell of Truth can only be used once a day, so now you have to rely on your senses.

"Is it here?"

Kugu Palace!

Then, when I pushed the strange point with force, a space was created that I could enter by turning like a revolving door.

I don't know if this place is real. You just have to try it once.

[You have passed all of the hero's tests.]

Upon entering, a pleasant notification appeared. A large room appeared, and on the altar in the center was a helmet.

Picking it up, a new notification appeared.

[You have obtained the Sealed Helmet of the Lion King.]

[You have acquired the quest 'Finding the Lion King's Arms'.]

[Finding the Lion King's Arms][Quest]

Collect the sealed arms of Gaokan the Lion King and inherit the power of the Lion King.

Success conditions:

-Obtain the Sealed Helmet of the Lion King (Complete)

-Lion King's Sealed Breastplate 0/1

-Lion King's Sealed Pants 0/1

-Sealed Pauldrons of the Lion King 0/1

-Lion King's Sealed Boots 0/1

Reward: Unseal the Lion King Set

[Lion King's Sealed Helmet][Set][Seal]

A helmet worn by Lion King Gaokan during his lifetime. Currently, most of its power is sealed.

-Defense: 530

-Durability: 3,000/3,000

-strength +50

-HP +30

- Increases the effect by 50% when using all battle-type skills with [Lion's Roar] effect