Gaming Sword Magician

Chapter 98: Mana Snakes

The blue light expanded outwards from the zenith of the towering mountain and descended to the mountain's summit, at the very moment, the mana wall vanished.

Bam! A resounding sound echoed as heavy wind waves brushed past Whittaker's face. Due to newfound determination, he remained unfazed; however, his snowy-white hair fluttered wildly with the bluish wind gales.

Understandably, he wasn't able to detect the severity of the trial because of the mana wall formation. Right now, he understood that this trial will be the hardest one he will be facing.

He had not stepped on the wide sparkling staircase that started from the summit of the mountain and reached its peak yet he could still feel the pressure. 

"Young boy, I advise you to take each step on the staircase, slowly and steadily. Later on in the trial, it will help you." Lord Dark spirit advised Whittaker.

"I was gonna do just that!" Whittaker internally replied. Humans are being that can adapt to different environments with time. Whittaker planned to experience the amount of pressure on each step, adapt to it, and then move on to the next step.

'I will have to expend a lot of time but it will be worth it. Slow and steady wins the race, after all!' He thought about what Mother Lin had said during one of the many bedtime stories, a beaming smile formed on his face as he turned to take the first step.

There was no time limit in this trial. The only thing that matters was climbing up the staircase. There were a total of 333 steps in the first level and Whittaker needs to reach the start of the second level to complete this trial.

With a single thought, his Class weapons materialized in the physical world. 'I am not gonna take any chances.' Whittaker believed that danger lies hidden from the open. Danger could attack for his life at any time, hence he has must be prepared for it.

He thought, 'Bearing the mana pressure might not necessarily be the only danger in this trial!'

That's why he had taken out his Class weapons from the soul space. He was all set and ready to meet the unexpected danger.

Bracing himself with a thump on the chest and clutching the S-ranked sword, Blood Drinker in his hand, he stepped on the mystical marbled staircase in the middle route that connected the mountain summit to its top.

At the very first step, he faced obstructions, more specifically, the hidden danger that he was already on guard against. Three snaked suddenly shot out from within the mana pressure, aiming for his life. Although there were three thick waves of visible mana morphed into thick bluish snakes trying to obstruct his way, Whittaker showed no hesitation and smashed them with Frost Bolts. They instantly exploded. Right away, an automatic notification popped up,

First step challenge completed: Kill 3 1-star mana snakes!

Rewards received:

A: Increase in the size of mana pool

B: Can take the next step

The mana wall formation placed at the entry point of the second step of the staircase dissipated. Also, the thick mana bluish snakes that have exploded turned into tiny flickering lights and whisked into Whittaker's forehead. Right away, a system notification popped up,

[Guardian has killed mana snakes. Successfully absorbed mana pool shards. Guardian mana pool increased by 1km. The total area of mana pool = 101 km]

Whittaker was wide-eyed at the sudden surprise. "Oh Wow! My Mana Pool increased by a total kilometer. Amazing, even absorbing an entire spirit flower only increases the mana pool by one kilometer. Mana pool shard, this treasure seems even better than spirit flower! There are 332 steps left. If every step is a challenger then won't my mana pool increase by hundreds of kilometers by the time I complete the first level of this trial!" A happy smile formed on his face. The sudden reward has dispelled the previous depressing feeling surrounding his young and naive heart. Now, he just wanted to dominate this trial.

Even in the face of the blinding rewards, Whittaker did not forget what he had planned and what he must do to ensure his win!

Normally, the trial challengers who had reached this part of Zachary's trial would hold their head highs in pride. Blinded by their boosted pride they have arrogantly walked up without a pause, resulting in death; however, after smashing the mana snakes, Whittaker didn't continue onwards. Rather, he stopped and closed his eyes, just like a monk meditating under a waterfall. He exhaled in and out after closing his eyes, trying to adapt to the mana pressure bearing down on his slender yet power-packed body.

Only after a total of thirty breaths did he took the next step to climb upwards. Just like the previous time, he was met with three snakes in the second step. 

Although he effectively finished them off with a single wave of his sword. The rewards he received were the same as the first step. Instantly, he continued to the third step, as the mana pressure acting on his body remained the same.

The mana pressure acting on his body remained the same so he continued to climb without a pause.

System notifications kept on popped up as Whittaker cleared one challenge after another in the heaven-reaching staircase.

[Guardian has killed mana snakes. Successfully absorbed mana pool shards. Guardian mana pool increased by 1km. The total area of mana pool = 111 km]

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[Guardian has killed mana snakes. Successfully absorbed mana pool shards. Guardian mana pool increased by 1km. The total area of mana pool = 121 km]

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[Guardian has killed mana snakes. Successfully absorbed mana pool shards. Guardian mana pool increased by 1km. The total area of mana pool = 131 km

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The mana pressure remained the same until he reached the ninety-ninth wide step of the heaven-reaching staircase. Now, the pressure he was facing increased to a total of 1% of the total mana pressure. The total mana pressure can only be felt at the Zenith on the heaven-reaching staircase and Whittaker was 900+ steps away from it.