Staring at each other for a few minutes, the cheerful green-haired girl broke the ice and said,
"Hello, everyone~"
"I am Tsuki, nice to meet you all."
Finding this an opportunity to converse and get to know the sixth one, the blonde-haired guy in a suit said calmly while looking at Tsuki,
"I'm Sebastian. Sebastian Sterling, the one that ascended first among you all."
All eyes went on Sebastian as he said that, including Lith's, even though he had no idea what ascension was being talked about.
The red-haired girl, intrigued, said softly, "the first one…"
Her eyes immediately turned murderous and flashing a small smile, she addressed Sebastian, "it's going to be interesting, first one."
Sebastian didn't feel threatened. He looked at the girl and said, "you should first introduce yourself before making a threat."
"Anne Ashcroft." The girl was soft-spoken.
Once Anne finished, the hall turned silent again.
Lith, the purple-haired samurai dude, the white-haired girl with a lance, these three showed no signs of making an introduction.
Tsuki, being the cheerful personality she was, said, "hey guys, don't be so silent. We are all in the same boat here, the least we can do is know each other's name, right?"
Everyone's attention was on her now.
Tsuki, noticing the white-haired girl look at her, said, "…please?"
"Ariel." The girl didn't say anything more than this.
"Hello Ariel~~~" Tsuki said warmly.
Ariel didn't respond to this.
Now, only two people remained who hadn't made an introduction.
Lith, feeling he shouldn't be in the limelight, made an introduction first and didn't wait to be the last.
"Lith." His introduction was short as well.
Lith purposefully didn't say his surname out loud because it may raise some suspicions. He wanted to avoid such a scenario to happen and bring unnecessary drama upon himself.
Once Lith finished his introduction, everyone turned to look at the samurai guy, waiting for him to introduce himself.
The guy closed his eyes and didn't choose to indulge in this pointless naming.
The five looked at him and except Lith, the others had a thought: 'Is he the sixth one?'
But nobody asked for a clarification as they knew it would be pointless if the guy didn't want to speak.
The six people in the hall waited patiently for the next trial to occur.
Nothing of note happened for a long time and since they were all bored, they leaned onto the pillars present in the corners, keeping a distance from the others.
The samurai guy wasn't leaning and stood straight with his eyes closed.
It was only after three more hours did he decide to lean on the pillar.
As soon as he did that, a clicking sound was heard by all and the pillars slowly shifted backwards, revealing magic circles of varied colors that lit up shortly afterwards.
It was a surprise for the ones in the hall and everyone was cursing the purple-haired guy for being a dumbass and not leaning on the pillar quicker.
They had no idea what he wanted to achieve with this seriousness, but that behavior of his was causing some problems for them.
In any case, since the trigger for the next trial was done, they patiently watched as the magic circles of shimmering light emerged from the floor and radiated the whole hall.
With each passing moment, intricate words and ornate letters rose from the ground, gracefully spiraling upward, weaving a tapestry of mystic engravings around the chosen ones.
The engravings were jumbled and were of a language nobody was familiar with.
Yet, everyone could understand some or the other thing from it and could make out that it was an ancient puzzle; a sacred riddle etched into the very fabric of the engravings.
As Lith peered deeper, the enigmatic letters and symbols danced before his eyes, creating a swirling symphony of arcane knowledge and esoteric significance.
As the engravings ascended, they began to shift and transform, pulsating with an otherworldly energy.
Each character seemed to hold a hidden meaning and a key to unlocking the puzzle's intricate design.
Lith had no idea what the other people were going through and via his own intuition, he came to a conclusion that he needed to unravel the threads of this ancient lore, which may possibly lead to something interesting.
The air crackled with anticipation and the weight of destiny settled upon their shoulders as he started solving the puzzle piece by piece.
With every moment that passed, the luminous engravings whispered the echoes of ancient prophecies which seemed like mindless chatter, but in reality were deep secrets of the divine.
With the wisdom Lith gained from the first trial, he was having an easy time solving this puzzle as it needed knowledge about balance and harmony.
As Lith's gaze traced the intricate patterns, a surge of anticipation filled the chamber.
The puzzle, a convergence of celestial knowledge and mystical artistry, was a testament to the wisdom of ages past.
It required Lith to navigate a complex network of interconnected clues, deciphering the hidden meanings concealed within each stroke of the engravings.
Lith scrutinized every minute detail, examining the glyphs from different angles and considering the symbolism they represented.
It was through this meticulous scrutiny that he discerned the underlying structure and purpose of the engravings.
Drawing upon their extensive knowledge of ancient languages and mythologies, Lith deciphered fragments of forgotten lore embedded within the puzzle.
With each piece put into place, the engravings responded to Lith's intellectual prowes and their radiance intensified.
The puzzle yielded its secrets in increments, rewarding Lith's tenacity with profound insights. Each solved clue unraveled a thread of knowledge, offering glimpses into long-lost civilizations, sacred rituals, and arcane wisdom.
Deep knowledge of the ancient started pouring into his mind as the pieces came together.
The secrets Lith acquired were vast and awe-inspiring.
He ended up learning the forgotten language of celestial beings, unlocking a new ability to commune with ethereal entities and harness their wisdom.
He even gained access to ancient prophecies, unveiling glimpses of events yet to come and empowering himself for the future challenges.
Lith's mind was blown after learning this new language and looking at the engravings in front.
Everything started making sense and he couldn't stop his hands from piecing everything together.
It wasn't just Lith, the five others in the hall also went through something similar.
In a matter of a few seconds, the chaotic puzzle came together with each person doing their own part.
Once the final piece was put together, the walls radiated with a bright light.
Soon, butterflies of vibrant colors appeared out of the walls and flew into the starry sky above.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Bravo, you six."
An otherworldly pressure descended onto the six people as a person with the head of a rabbit donning a formal black suit descended down on the ground.
As he landed in between the six, the youths felt suffocated and were having a hard time being able to stand properly.
The rabbit-man laughed and said, "no wonder you were the chosen ones. You stay standing even under MY pressure."
He retracted his aura after saying so and bowing slightly, introduced himself, saying, "You were cluelessly running around like wild chickens until this trial, but no worries, Chosen Ones, I, your host, Mr. Carrot, am here to guide you."
The six, now feeling normal, had disgust appear on their faces as they heard such a lame name.
In any case, some like Lith concealed their disgust to avoid drama while some like Sebastian didn't bother to hide it.
The rabbit-man Mr. Carrot then continued, "the first trial was different for each one of you depending on your own traits. For Anne, it was fighting an army of holy knights, for Sebastian it was fighting a deep sea monster, for Tsuki it was..."
One by one, Mr. Carrot listed the things that the six people here underwent.
Everyone was listening intently and from him, they came to know the name of the samurai guy.
It was Iki.
Eventually Mr. Carrot finished with it and continued, "the first trial was a test to see whether you're true to your nature or not."
"In the first chosen's case, that is, Sebastian's, he ended up showcasing his tenacity, courage, and adaptability, which he is well known for. In the same manner, the rest of you did something similar as well."
"It's good that all six passed and it's even better to see all six pass the second trial as well."
Mr. Carrot then laughed. "The Heavens had not chosen some randoms, good, good, now..."
Mr. Carrot's eyes shimmered with an evil glint.
"...the real challenge begins from here."
Staring at each other for a few minutes, the cheerful green-haired girl broke the ice and said,
"Hello, everyone~"
"I am Tsuki, nice to meet you all."
Finding this an opportunity to converse and get to know the sixth one, the blonde-haired guy in a suit said calmly while looking at Tsuki,
"I'm Sebastian. Sebastian Sterling, the one that ascended first among you all."
All eyes went on Sebastian as he said that, including Lith's, even though he had no idea what ascension was being talked about.
The red-haired girl, intrigued, said softly, "the first one…"
Her eyes immediately turned murderous and flashing a small smile, she addressed Sebastian, "it's going to be interesting, first one."
Sebastian didn't feel threatened. He looked at the girl and said, "you should first introduce yourself before making a threat."
"Anne Ashcroft." The girl was soft-spoken.
Once Anne finished, the hall turned silent again.
Lith, the purple-haired samurai dude, the white-haired girl with a lance, these three showed no signs of making an introduction.
Tsuki, being the cheerful personality she was, said, "hey guys, don't be so silent. We are all in the same boat here, the least we can do is know each other's name, right?"
Everyone's attention was on her now.
Tsuki, noticing the white-haired girl look at her, said, "…please?"
"Ariel." The girl didn't say anything more than this.
"Hello Ariel~~~" Tsuki said warmly.
Ariel didn't respond to this.
Now, only two people remained who hadn't made an introduction.
Lith, feeling he shouldn't be in the limelight, made an introduction first and didn't wait to be the last.
"Lith." His introduction was short as well.
Lith purposefully didn't say his surname out loud because it may raise some suspicions. He wanted to avoid such a scenario to happen and bring unnecessary drama upon himself.
Once Lith finished his introduction, everyone turned to look at the samurai guy, waiting for him to introduce himself.
The guy closed his eyes and didn't choose to indulge in this pointless naming.
The five looked at him and except Lith, the others had a thought: 'Is he the sixth one?'
But nobody asked for a clarification as they knew it would be pointless if the guy didn't want to speak.
The six people in the hall waited patiently for the next trial to occur.
Nothing of note happened for a long time and since they were all bored, they leaned onto the pillars present in the corners, keeping a distance from the others.
The samurai guy wasn't leaning and stood straight with his eyes closed.
It was only after three more hours did he decide to lean on the pillar.
As soon as he did that, a clicking sound was heard by all and the pillars slowly shifted backwards, revealing magic circles of varied colors that lit up shortly afterwards.
It was a surprise for the ones in the hall and everyone was cursing the purple-haired guy for being a dumbass and not leaning on the pillar quicker.
They had no idea what he wanted to achieve with this seriousness, but that behavior of his was causing some problems for them.
In any case, since the trigger for the next trial was done, they patiently watched as the magic circles of shimmering light emerged from the floor and radiated the whole hall.
With each passing moment, intricate words and ornate letters rose from the ground, gracefully spiraling upward, weaving a tapestry of mystic engravings around the chosen ones.
The engravings were jumbled and were of a language nobody was familiar with.
Yet, everyone could understand some or the other thing from it and could make out that it was an ancient puzzle; a sacred riddle etched into the very fabric of the engravings.
As Lith peered deeper, the enigmatic letters and symbols danced before his eyes, creating a swirling symphony of arcane knowledge and esoteric significance.
As the engravings ascended, they began to shift and transform, pulsating with an otherworldly energy.
Each character seemed to hold a hidden meaning and a key to unlocking the puzzle's intricate design.
Lith had no idea what the other people were going through and via his own intuition, he came to a conclusion that he needed to unravel the threads of this ancient lore, which may possibly lead to something interesting.
The air crackled with anticipation and the weight of destiny settled upon their shoulders as he started solving the puzzle piece by piece.
With every moment that passed, the luminous engravings whispered the echoes of ancient prophecies which seemed like mindless chatter, but in reality were deep secrets of the divine.
With the wisdom Lith gained from the first trial, he was having an easy time solving this puzzle as it needed knowledge about balance and harmony.
As Lith's gaze traced the intricate patterns, a surge of anticipation filled the chamber.
The puzzle, a convergence of celestial knowledge and mystical artistry, was a testament to the wisdom of ages past.
It required Lith to navigate a complex network of interconnected clues, deciphering the hidden meanings concealed within each stroke of the engravings.
Lith scrutinized every minute detail, examining the glyphs from different angles and considering the symbolism they represented.
It was through this meticulous scrutiny that he discerned the underlying structure and purpose of the engravings.
Drawing upon their extensive knowledge of ancient languages and mythologies, Lith deciphered fragments of forgotten lore embedded within the puzzle.
With each piece put into place, the engravings responded to Lith's intellectual prowes and their radiance intensified.
The puzzle yielded its secrets in increments, rewarding Lith's tenacity with profound insights. Each solved clue unraveled a thread of knowledge, offering glimpses into long-lost civilizations, sacred rituals, and arcane wisdom.
Deep knowledge of the ancient started pouring into his mind as the pieces came together.
The secrets Lith acquired were vast and awe-inspiring.
He ended up learning the forgotten language of celestial beings, unlocking a new ability to commune with ethereal entities and harness their wisdom.
He even gained access to ancient prophecies, unveiling glimpses of events yet to come and empowering himself for the future challenges.
Lith's mind was blown after learning this new language and looking at the engravings in front.
Everything started making sense and he couldn't stop his hands from piecing everything together.
It wasn't just Lith, the five others in the hall also went through something similar.
In a matter of a few seconds, the chaotic puzzle came together with each person doing their own part.
Once the final piece was put together, the walls radiated with a bright light.
Soon, butterflies of vibrant colors appeared out of the walls and flew into the starry sky above.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Bravo, you six."
An otherworldly pressure descended onto the six people as a person with the head of a rabbit donning a formal black suit descended down on the ground.
As he landed in between the six, the youths felt suffocated and were having a hard time being able to stand properly.
The rabbit-man laughed and said, "no wonder you were the chosen ones. You stay standing even under MY pressure."
He retracted his aura after saying so and bowing slightly, introduced himself, saying, "You were cluelessly running around like wild chickens until this trial, but no worries, Chosen Ones, I, your host, Mr. Carrot, am here to guide you."
The six, now feeling normal, had disgust appear on their faces as they heard such a lame name.
In any case, some like Lith concealed their disgust to avoid drama while some like Sebastian didn't bother to hide it.
The rabbit-man Mr. Carrot then continued, "the first trial was different for each one of you depending on your own traits. For Anne, it was fighting an army of holy knights, for Sebastian it was fighting a deep sea monster, for Tsuki it was..."
One by one, Mr. Carrot listed the things that the six people here underwent.
Everyone was listening intently and from him, they came to know the name of the samurai guy.
It was Iki.
Eventually Mr. Carrot finished with it and continued, "the first trial was a test to see whether you're true to your nature or not."
"In the first chosen's case, that is, Sebastian's, he ended up showcasing his tenacity, courage, and adaptability, which he is well known for. In the same manner, the rest of you did something similar as well."
"It's good that all six passed and it's even better to see all six pass the second trial as well."
Mr. Carrot then laughed. "The Heavens had not chosen some randoms, good, good, now..."
Mr. Carrot's eyes shimmered with an evil glint.
"...the real challenge begins from here."
