The hidden piece of the second trial was revealed.
The cliff split open, redirecting the waterfall into the center.
As water filled the cave, a hidden temple beneath the dungeon emerged.
"What is that?"
The adventurers in front of the cliff were in an uproar.
"I've never heard of this before!"
"Did that little brat mess with the mirror to make this happen? Hey, kid! What did you do?!"
As the hunter with the brimmed hat aimed his gun at me, Rox was the first to spring forward, grabbing his head and slamming it into the ground.
*Bang!*
"Don't do anything stupid. Next time, it won't just be a warning."
*Step, step, step.*
Just as Rox finished speaking, a powerful presence emerged from the temple.
A tattered purple cloak, silver armor with countless scars.
Through the helmet, the skeletal face was visible, confirming he was the 'Deadroad,' known as the king of the jungle.
"Everyone, get behind me."
At my command, Rox and Cynthia's party instantly moved behind me.
Sensing danger, the other adventurers quickly began to distance themselves from Deadroad.
If they had to fight, they knew they couldn't win.
They were skilled enough to get this far, and their bodies instinctively reacted, sensing the power difference.
"De... Deadroad?!"
One of the adventurers recognized him.
"No way! I heard he rarely appears in person!"
"Yeah, I heard he only opens the path if you don't touch the dolls in the dungeon..."
"Stop talking nonsense and run!"
At the mention of the Apostle's name, the adventurers gathered in front of the temple panicked and started to flee.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
There was no battle.
They only learned the Apostle's name, but that was enough to drive them away in fear.
"Idiots."
Rox clicked his tongue as he watched them run.
I responded in a low voice while watching the fleeing adventurers.
"They're not idiots. They're wise."
"Running away without even trying to fight?"
"Knowing the difference between the enemy's strength and your own and retreating is one way to survive on the battlefield."
"..."
"And fighting an unbeatable enemy recklessly isn't bravery; it's ignorance."
"That makes me sound like an idiot."
"That might be the case."
"Whatever!"
Rox wasn't entirely wrong.
From now on, what we need to go higher isn't courage but the resolve to fight to the death.
No matter what they faced before, the upcoming trials would bring stronger enemies and more dangerous situations.
*Step, step, step.*
Deadroad walked up to the chessboard engraved on the ground. He counted the gargoyle statues on his side and then looked at me.
"Do you accept the trial?"
At his words, Alfredo collapsed under the pressure of his aura.
Cynthia gritted her teeth, enduring his presence.
'...His acting is impressive.'
Beside her, Yuda was sweating and pretending to struggle.
'In terms of skill, he's among the top five Apostles.'
Maintaining eye contact with Deadroad, I approached the chessboard and answered.
"I accept the trial for all five of us here."
Deadroad placed his palm on the ground. His sharp aura spread rapidly throughout the jungle, causing the chessboard to glow as the gargoyle statues began to move.
*Creak, creak, creak.*
'Just like before.'
Their positions were set up exactly like a chess game. The transformed figures looked like a king, queen, rooks, bishops, knights, and pawns...
"The rules of the trial I give you are simple. The pieces on this chessboard take turns moving one at a time."
Deadroad tilted his head, and a pawn moved forward one square with a loud noise.
*Rumble.*
"Unlike chess, each piece moves one square at a time. And when a piece reaches an opponent, it can attack."
I pointed at the pawn and asked.
"If attacked, do we die?"
"No, if you can withstand the attack, you can survive as many turns as you like."
The rules were the same as before.
"How do we win?"
"By killing all the enemies on the board."
"I understand. But there are five of us and sixteen of you, right? Is there no penalty?"
Deadroad smirked.
"There is none."
"So we have to take out all sixteen of them with just five."
"Yes. If you don't like it, gather more party members."
"No. I just wanted to know the rules. Let's proceed as is."
I stepped onto the chessboard with Rox. Cynthia and her party members followed us.
"Apostle, may I make a suggestion before we start the game?"
"Suggestion?"
"Fighting against such weak gargoyles might bore me."
Deadroad looked at me with interest.
"What is it?"
"You should participate in the game."
"Me?"
"You become a piece in this game and face us. Exclude one of the gargoyles."
He tilted his head and asked.
"Do you think you can win that way? My power is incomparable to these gargoyles."
"I believe we can win."
"No regrets?"
"Yes."
Deadroad laughed heartily and stepped onto the chessboard. He grabbed the gargoyle in the king's position and crushed its head.
*Bang!*
Smiling, he said to me.
"Then let the game begin."
* * *
On the 20th floor of the tower.
About one kilometer away from the center of the jungle where the trial began, an old man with black hair in black martial arts clothes scratched his head with a troubled expression.
"What on earth is happening?"
He couldn't grasp the situation.
Although he had successfully ascended the 20th floor trial in the jungle before, he had never seen such a scene.
'...Should I help?'
"No, that guy looks like someone even I couldn't beat."
It's impossible for a human to defeat an Apostle. That's why people climb the tower by passing the trials they give.
Following the will of the tower's master, known as a god.
'That Strange kid, is he really planning to fight the Apostle?'
I don't know what trial he received, but he won't survive a head-on clash with an Apostle.
*Sigh*
I don't want to lose such an entertaining toy in a place like this.
"Maybe I should at least give him some time to escape?"
The old man with black hair descended from the tree and drew a giant brush strapped to his back.
"Come forth, Spirit of the Earth."
*Swish, swish, swish.*
As he waved the brush in the air, black aura gathered at its tip, beginning to form a picture.
Before long, the completed drawing shone brightly.
*Whoosh!*
*Bang!*
A black rat dressed in a black gambeson appeared.
"You called, Master."
"Yes. I'll be brief since there's no time. When the battle starts, I'll take the adventurers there and escape."
"Understood."
"Your job is to stay behind and stall the enemy's leader as long as possible."
"Simple enough. In the end, I just need to fight the enemy, right?"
"It's not just fighting. Your task is to delay them."
The black rat nodded.
"Leave it to me. You know my capabilities, Master."
"That's why I called you."
After giving each other a thumbs-up, they started running at full speed along the path.
*Thump, thump, thump, thump.*
"Master, is the enemy strong?"
"Yes."
"How strong?"
"Stronger than me."
"A-An enemy stronger than you, Master?"
"This time, we face one of the tower's Apostles. It's an enemy incomparable to me."
"A...?!"
The black rat gulped.
Without asking more, he extended his claws and prepared for battle.
*Shing.*
As they neared the temple, powerful energy surrounded them. The black-haired old man, known as the master, unconsciously slowed his approach due to the tension.
If I'm not careful, I could die too. I must approach cautiously and rescue them.
With this thought, he parted the bushes and advanced.
'...Huh?'
The black-haired old man crouched low and stopped.
The black rat hid behind him, concealing his presence.
The scene before the temple was unexpected.
Deadroad was kneeling before Verdin.
No, to be precise, the Apostle was being subdued by a woman with long, sky-blue hair who was Verdin's subordinate.
The black-haired old man couldn't believe what he was seeing.
'What's going on?'
"Master, is that sky-blue-haired woman the Apostle?"
"No."
"Then is it the knight with the feathered helmet and purple cloak?"
"Yes."
"I understand. Just give the order, and I'll rush in immediately-"
"Wait."
"What?"
"Stand by for now. Something unexpected seems to be happening."
"What do you mean...?"
The master seemed quite flustered, unsure of what to do next.
'The Apostle was defeated?'
This was unheard of.
Even encountering an Apostle and surviving was considered a great blessing, so how could anyone think of fighting such an opponent?
Even Gregory, who handles the trials on the lower 10th floor, is thought to be beyond reach.
"Cynthia, finish him."
Verdin's resounding voice commanded, carrying the dignity of a high noble.
'Did Deadroad really lose?'
The black-haired old man watched them with bated breath.
A few seconds later, Cynthia's sword sliced through the air, severing Deadroad's neck.
*Thud!*
His eyes widened in shock, and his hands trembled violently.
"...Retreat."
"What?"
"It seems we shouldn't get involved in this fight."
"Master, coming all this way and just leaving feels... If I could at least clash claws with that Apostle-"
"We'd die."
"...Die?"
"Yes, we would both die. I don't know how they made Deadroad kneel, but I can't do it."
The black rat took a step back, reading the situation.
"Understood."
"This time, it ended quietly, but I'll call you again when something interesting happens next time."
"Yes, Master."
*Bang!*
With a sound, the black rat disappeared. The black-haired old man adjusted his martial arts uniform, turned his back, and left, muttering softly so no one else could hear.
"A new era has begun."
* * *
Before the chess game began.
Deadroad warned us.
"Once the game starts, you cannot leave the arena."
Standing in the king's position, I answered him.
"That's what I wanted. You can't leave the arena either, right?"
"Correct."
With a confident expression, he exhaled white smoke. It was the same ability that took us to the dream world in the first trial.
'Yes... that's right.'
The master of the tower, that guy will show us why he oversees this trial.
'In the Apostle's dream, the answer on how to win is hidden.'
I closed my eyes and accepted the smoke emitted by the Apostle. Rox and the other party members also did not resist.
We disappeared into the smoke-filled arena.
When I regained consciousness, we were in a small cabin.
"Mother, I will soon become the greatest knight on this continent."