"Only ten will be deemed worthy. As for the rest… their fate is clear—death."
"What!?" They were all stunned by the words.
Their eyes widened in disbelief, and their hearts raced. They had thought that the number of people allowed into the Altheran world would be around one hundred or three hundred, but it turned out to be only ten!
With around five hundred people, that meant four hundred and ninety would die—nearly ninety-eight percent. The thought alone sent chills down their spines, and panic gripped them.
"Lady—no, Goddess—have you made a mistake? Only ten people? How is that possible? Isn't that too few?" The burly man asked nervously.
His once oppressive, bold demeanor was gone, replaced by a deep, raw fear. No matter how powerful, terrifying, or cunning someone was, anyone would be terrified facing a circumstance with such a high fatality rate—even Merlin himself.
"Only ten people? Are this woman and the gods behind her serious?" Merlin muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Like everyone else around him, he had assumed the test would be easy and that over three hundred people would be allowed to enter the Altheran world. However, he never expected the actual number to be just ten, meaning the survival chance was only two percent. In fact, it was even lower than the odds of accidentally stepping on dirt while walking casually!
Doubts and suspicions began to form in his mind. He wondered if Quinella's actions—deliberately killing those hundred people, along with the burly man earlier—were meant to speed up the test. Otherwise, adding those one hundred and one people would have pushed their number beyond six hundred, making the test take even longer.
In response to his question, Quinella simply smiled and shook her head.
"I didn't make a mistake. Only ten people have a chance to enter the Altheran world. As for the rest, well, death awaits. These rules have been in place for years, and I trust you understand that," she said lightly, offering no pity.
They all fell silent, their faces a mix of ashen pallor, panic, and fear. The danger of this test was evident, and none of them wanted to die. However, as sacrifices sent by their respective gods from different worlds, returning to their place of origin was not an option.
The only way to survive was to pass the test and become one of the ten people granted the chance to enter the Altheran world.
After a moment, the fear in their eyes shifted to a fierce determination. They glared at those around them with growing hostility.
"By defeating them, I can be one of those ten!" This was now their only thought.
Seeing the hostility and wariness in their eyes, Quinella couldn't help but laugh coldly. Her two golden eyes, once gentle, now gleamed with a hint of madness that was impossible to hide.
"Hahaha! This is what I've been waiting for! Fight, and prove that you alone are worthy!" She whispered inwardly, her tone dripping with excitement and madness.
What Quinella didn't realize, however, was that someone had been watching her emotional shifts—someone who was none other than Merlin.
He observed her closely, a faint, mocking smile tugging at his lips.
"I didn't expect a goddess as beautiful as her to make such a face. It's completely unexpected," he muttered under his breath, chuckling softly.
Quinella quickly regained control of her emotions, once again wearing the gentle smile she had shown before.
"Alright, I'll explain the rules and structure of this test. Please listen carefully," she said in a casual tone.
At her words, everyone immediately focused their attention on her, their expressions turning serious.
"Your test is called the Survival Test. You'll be sent to a vast area called Thaloria—a fragment of a large world destroyed thousands of years ago. Upon arrival, you'll be randomly placed in different locations. That's a brief overview of the test," she explained calmly, then added, "Any questions?"
She paused, giving everyone a moment to ask questions. After a few seconds of silence, without anyone speaking up, she continued, "The rules of the test are simple: you just need to complete the tasks or games assigned later. The tasks will be divided into seven parts, each with its own conditions and time limit."
She paused once more before asking, "Any questions about these details?"
At that moment, a strikingly handsome man stepped forward from the crowd, exuding confidence. He was tall, with slightly long blonde hair and a smile playing at his lips.
As his gaze met Quinella's, emotions of longing and love were well concealed behind his eyes.
"Goddess Quinella, I have a question," he said respectfully, offering a slight bow.
Quinella's eyebrows lifted slightly as she studied him, her gaze piercing, before nodding slowly.
"Of course, speak," she replied softly.
The man straightened and asked, "Once the tasks are completed, will there be a reward? And if any of us fail, what punishment awaits?"
His question caught the crowd off guard, and they all turned to Quinella with curiosity.
Quinella chuckled softly, a flicker of appreciation dancing in her golden eyes as she regarded the handsome man.
"Both are excellent questions," she complimented with a hint of warmth, then continued, "If you successfully complete a task, a reward will certainly await you. However, I cannot reveal it yet. As for those who fail, punishment awaits..."
She lingered for a moment, a playful glint in her eyes, before adding, "Death."
*Boom!*
Her words struck like a thunderclap, causing many to flinch in fear. While they all knew that only ten people had the chance to enter the Altheran world, the dread of death still gnawed at their hearts.
The handsome man who had asked the questions was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure, offering a gentle smile.
"Thank you for your answer, Goddess Quinella," he said gently, clasping his hands together.
Merlin, observing quietly, couldn't help but feel intrigued by the handsome man. As a skilled con artist with the ability to read emotions and discern thoughts from facial expressions, he easily detected the mix of love, affection, obsession, and respect in the man's gaze toward Quinella.
A playful smile tugged at Merlin's lips as he muttered softly, "This guy seems to want Quinella for himself. Unfortunately, his ambitions are too grand and will never come to fruition."
Although Quinella appeared gentle and kind on the surface, Merlin had quickly gathered that she was, in fact, cruel and poisonous beneath it all. Still, he wasn't particularly concerned—it wasn't his problem in the end.
Quinella nodded slowly to the handsome man before shifting her attention back to the rest of the people.
"Do any of you have questions?" she asked softly.
When no one responded, Quinella assumed they had understood the rules.
"Very well. Since you've grasped the basics of the test, there's one final thing I must explain, and it's the most important part," she said, closing her eyes and bringing her palms together.
*Whoosh!*
A golden light suddenly appeared above her head, splitting into hundreds of small orbs that flew toward everyone's heads.
In the face of the rushing lights, panic spread through the group, but Quinella's voice quickly reassured them. "Don't worry, they won't harm you."
At her words, they relaxed and allowed the lights to enter their minds.
After a brief moment, Quinella opened her eyes, a soft smile curling on her lips.
"Now, try saying 'status.'"