Chapter 636: Transcendent Rank Skill, Conqueror Trial Begins!
The city combination finally came to an end, and Isaac slowly looked over the city from above. It had expanded by nearly thirty percent, and the transformation was visible everywhere he looked.
White buildings stood neatly among rows of trees and flowering plants, giving the entire city a peaceful and elegant appearance that was hard to ignore.
For a moment, Isaac imagined taking a picture of the city and posting it on the internet from his previous world. If that were possible, tourists would probably flood the place in no time because the scenery was simply too beautiful to overlook.
Seeing everything spread out beneath him filled him with a quiet sense of pride, because this city was now something he had built and protected with his own hands.
"Then, we will see you later," Julia said with a small wave.
Isaac nodded back at her as the force keeping him in the air gently lowered him onto the ground.
Julia and the blue sphere floating beside her stepped into the crack in the sky, and a moment later, it quietly closed behind them as though it had never existed.
The immense pressure of mana covering the city disappeared along with her departure. The folded space returned to normal, and the city’s frozen flow of time resumed naturally.
Flashes of light appeared throughout the streets, and one after another, the citizens who had vanished during the process returned to where they belonged.
Several familiar screens appeared before Isaac.
[Lord Level has increased. Level 7 → Level 9.]
[Advanced Cannon Blueprint acquired.]
[Advanced Mortar Blueprint acquired.]
[Advanced Watchtower Blueprint acquired.]
Isaac smiled in satisfaction after reading the notifications. Reaching Level 9 was a pleasant surprise, and the advanced defensive blueprints would strengthen the city’s future considerably.
It was another step toward making the city capable of standing against even stronger enemies.
Instead of heading home immediately, he activated his concealment skills and quietly moved across the city to see how everyone was responding. Since the city had expanded, enough room now existed to rebuild the areas destroyed during the battle against the Purification Cult.
Isaac had also ordered a free feast for every citizen while arranging housing for those who had lost their homes.
Many people still wore bittersweet expressions as they walked through the streets. The pain of losing their belongings during the battle would not disappear in a single day, but Isaac could still see signs that they were moving forward.
Children were already running through the newly expanded streets, workers discussed rebuilding plans with renewed energy, and families gathered around food with relieved smiles.
Seeing that made Isaac feel genuinely happy. There was still plenty of work left before the city fully recovered, but its people had survived, and they had not lost hope. For him, that was more important than anything else.
After finishing his inspection, Isaac returned home and searched for Catherine. He found her organizing supplies inside the mansion, and she looked up as he approached. Without wasting time, Isaac took an item out of his inventory and handed it to her.
"Take this," he said.
Catherine accepted the Ocular Skill Upgrade Ticket without asking where it had come from. At this point, Isaac possessing strange treasures was nothing unusual to her, and there was little reason to question it. As soon as she activated the ticket, it dissolved into countless particles of light that disappeared into her eyes.
The Ocular Skill Upgrade Ticket could only enhance eye-related abilities. Emily had already received the first one because she possessed such a skill, so the second naturally belonged to Catherine.
Isaac waited quietly until the process finished before asking his question. "How is it?"
"It’s good. Thank you." A gentle smile appeared on Catherine’s face.
Isaac nodded before speaking inside his mind. ’System, share Sis’ new skill!’
A familiar screen appeared before him.
Celestial Truth-Seeing Eyes (SSS+ Rank → Transcendent Rank)
Isaac carefully read through the updated description. The upgraded eyes had become significantly stronger, allowing Catherine to see through truths and lies hidden even behind extremely powerful equipment. In addition to that, she could now faintly sense the emotions of the people she observed.
The ability still had its limits. If someone was actively using mana, aura, or another skill that interfered with perception, reading their emotions became much more difficult. Even so, the upgrade remained exceptionally powerful because it allowed Catherine to notice negative intentions before they became actions.
Isaac immediately thought about the Florathi Kingdom. Once they arrived there, this ability would make it much easier to identify people secretly harboring hostility toward them. It was exactly the kind of skill that could prevent unexpected trouble.
"Alright then. Take these as well," he said.
Three pieces of equipment appeared one after another in front of Catherine. They were the Crown of First Command, the Blight-Steel Centipede, and the Sanguine Thorn. The first belonged to Selene as an Imperial Artifact, the second was Catherine’s Imperial Artifact, while the third was Celia’s Legendary Artifact.
Catherine stared at the equipment for several moments instead of taking it. Eventually, she looked away from the artifacts and met Isaac’s eyes with a rather complicated expression.
"I won’t ask how you managed to make copies of these, but I still think you should keep them with you. You’ll need them more than I will," she said.
"No, they suit you better than me. I still have Alcie’s Legendary Artifact, and I also have every legendary artifact we obtained from the Great Dungeon," Isaac replied.
Catherine was about to refuse again, but Isaac simply looked at her without backing down. His expression wasn’t forceful, yet the stubbornness in his eyes made it obvious that he had already made up his mind. The warmth in her chest grew because she understood exactly why he was insisting.
Her last Conqueror Trial had been brutal. Even though time had passed, she had not forgotten the scar that experience had left behind. Isaac was worried about her, since a similar trail might occur, so he was strengthening her as much as he could.
Knowing that he cared enough to prepare for her safety made it difficult for her to argue any further.
In the end, Catherine accepted the equipment. However, after only a brief pause, she picked up the Blight-Steel Centipede and placed it back into Isaac’s hands.
"I already have this one, so you should keep it," she said.
"You could still use it with your clone—"
"Take it," she said, her tone becoming slightly firmer.
Isaac gave a helpless smile before nodding. He could already tell she would become genuinely annoyed if he continued arguing, so there was little point in refusing.
Besides, keeping the Imperial Artifact with him for the upcoming Conqueror Trial wasn’t a bad idea either.
He still possessed the Spirit Contract with the Spirit of Machines. For now, he would carry the Spirit Contract into the Conqueror Trial, and if the situation became dangerous enough, he would use it himself. Otherwise, once he returned safely, he intended to pass it on to Celia.
Among all of his wives, Selene and Celia focused the least on direct combat. Because of that, Isaac believed the Spirit Contract would be especially valuable for Celia in the future.
After making one final check to ensure everything was ready, Isaac and Catherine headed toward the living room together.
Everyone had already gathered there, and the atmosphere was much quieter than usual. No one was in the mood for casual conversation because they all knew how important the upcoming Conqueror Trial was.
Eleanor looked at Isaac with a serious expression before giving him one last reminder. "Don’t push yourself too much. You have another chance to attempt the Conqueror Trials thanks to the three extra tickets. So treat this as an opportunity to get a feel for the Trial instead of forcing yourself. If things become dangerous, leave immediately. You can exit the Trial whenever you want, so make that decision wisely."
"I understand. I’ll be careful." Isaac nodded.
Alice nodded as well.
There was nothing for Isaac to disagree with because he had already been thinking along the same lines. Before, he could afford to be reckless if it meant becoming stronger. Now, he had people waiting for him to come home, and that alone was reason enough to value his own life.
After the brief discussion, Isaac, Catherine, and Alice formed a party together. Normally, parties existed so awakeners could share experience regardless of who landed the final blow, but Isaac’s group had never relied on that function because he simply gave everyone EXP Potions whenever they needed them.
This time, forming a party served only one purpose, allowing them to enter the same Conqueror Trial.
The three of them activated their Conqueror Trial Tickets together. Mana gathered before them before condensing into a single portal with a shimmering surface. Everything appeared completely normal at first, and Alice stepped forward to enter it.
Just before she reached the portal, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the room. Thin fractures rapidly spread across its surface, and blue lightning burst from every crack as the surrounding mana became wildly unstable. The sudden change caught everyone completely off guard.
Eleanor, Sera, Avery, and the others stared at the portal in disbelief. None of them had ever seen anything like this happen during the activation of a Conqueror Trial. At the same time, several system screens appeared before Isaac, Alice, and Catherine.
[Alert! Protocol 432531AAAA found in Isaac Hargraves and Alice Calloway!]
[Isaac Hargraves and Alice Calloway can only enter individual Conqueror Trials!]
The lightning suddenly exploded outward, and the single portal split apart into three separate portals. Each one floated independently, radiating the same amount of mana as before. The party that Alice, Catherine, and Isaac made was forcefully disbanded by the System.
For several long seconds, no one said anything.
"What just happened?" Avery finally asked.
Isaac read the notification one more time before looking at everyone else. "The System says that Alice and I can’t enter a group Conqueror Trial. We have to challenge it individually."
"Pardon?" Avery muttered.
"Yes, you heard correctly." Isaac frowned slightly before asking another question. "Do you have any idea what caused this? The System mentioned something called Protocol 432531AAAA."
Avery slowly shook his head. "I apologize, but I don’t. I’ve never heard of a protocol with that name before, and I’ve certainly never seen a group Conqueror Trial split apart like this."
Isaac accepted the answer before turning toward Sera. Although she normally kept her identity hidden, this situation was unusual enough that he wanted to know whether she had ever encountered something similar. If anyone present knew anything, she was the most likely person.
"Sera, have you heard of this before?" he asked.
She remained silent for several moments before speaking. "I have heard of something like this happening before. However, even I don’t know why it happens. I only know that such cases exist."
Isaac gave a small nod. Although it wasn’t much information, at least the phenomenon wasn’t completely unknown. That meant there was probably some reason behind it instead of it being a random malfunction.
"What are your plans now?" Eleanor asked.
Isaac thought quietly for a moment before answering.
"I think we should still do the Conqueror Trial. We can leave whenever we want, and we all have another chance if this attempt doesn’t work out. Besides, it doesn’t look like Alice and I will be allowed to enter a group Trial even if we wait."
Eleanor nodded in agreement. She had already reached the same conclusion herself, since there was little point delaying something the System itself seemed determined to enforce. The others also accepted the decision, although confusion remained visible on nearly everyone’s face.
No one understood why only Isaac and Alice had been singled out. Catherine wasn’t affected despite standing in the same party, which only made the situation stranger. The obvious question was what those two had in common that caused the System to treat them differently.
Isaac reached into his inventory and took out the Soulbind Pendant before handing it to Alice. "Take this. All of my summons are inside."
Since they would be separated inside the Trials, he couldn’t help worrying about her safety.
Alice looked at the pendant before gently shaking her head. "I’ll attempt the Trial by myself."
"Alice," he insisted.
"I want to test myself this time. I can’t keep depending on you every time something difficult comes up, Isaac. If I always rely on your and your summons, I’ll never truly learn to stand on my own," she replied.
Isaac remained silent, so Alice continued speaking. "We still have another chance if this attempt fails. Isn’t that also why you aren’t bringing Avery with you? You wanted to use this Trial to temper yourself instead of depending on Avery all the time. I want to do the same."
Isaac couldn’t help letting out a helpless smile. Alice understood him so well that she had already guessed exactly what he had been thinking. That made it difficult for him to argue any further.
"Alright. But promise me one thing. If things become dangerous, leave the Trial immediately," he said.
"I will," she replied.
People often assumed the Conqueror Trial wasn’t particularly dangerous because challengers could withdraw whenever they wanted.
The truth was exactly the opposite. Since the System allowed participants to escape at any time, it compensated by making every Trial extraordinarily difficult from the very beginning.
After saying their final goodbyes, Isaac, Alice, and Catherine stepped into their respective portals. Their surroundings disappeared almost instantly, and each of them was transported to a different Trial. Before long, Isaac found himself standing alone inside a pitch-black void.
There was no visible ground beneath his feet and no sky above him, yet he remained standing as though supported by an invisible floor.
The surrounding darkness stretched endlessly in every direction until a familiar screen finally appeared before him.
[Please choose a Trial Difficulty.]
[Easy]
[Normal]
[Hard]
[Hell]
Before Isaac could make a selection, another notification abruptly appeared.
[Alert! Protocol 214AS214X-QQ is active on Isaac Hargraves’ World! Quest Difficulty will be automatically chosen. Difficulty ’Hell’ chosen—]
The message stopped halfway through before another screen immediately replaced it.
[Important Alert! Protocol 432531AAAA found in Isaac Hargraves. Prerequisite met. Revealing Hidden Difficulty Level.]
[Nightmare Hell Difficulty.]
Isaac frowned as he stared at the new notification.
Several possibilities immediately crossed his mind as he continued reading the notifications. Would the Trial become so dangerous that even leaving would no longer be possible. Would the Trial Exit Tickets Avery had given him stop working entirely?
Before, he would have accepted such a challenge without hesitation, but now he was responsible for far more than just himself.
His wives were waiting for him, and an entire city depended on him to return safely. Throwing his life away simply because a hidden difficulty had appeared would be unbelievably irresponsible. While he was still considering everything, one final screen appeared before him.
[According to Protocol 214AS214X-QQ, all difficulties below Hell will be locked.]
Several more system screens appeared before Isaac before he could make a decision.
[Please choose between available difficulties.]
[Hell]
[Nightmare Hell]
[Note: There is no danger of death in Nightmare Hell Difficulty. However, unknown conditions will be applied on Isaac Hargraves.]
Isaac blinked as he read the final line again. If there was no danger of death, then why was it called Nightmare Hell Difficulty?
The name suggested something far worse than an ordinary trial, yet the System was practically guaranteeing that his life would not be at risk.
He frowned while considering the warning. Whatever the unknown condition was, it clearly wasn’t something the System wanted to explain beforehand. Even so, the absence of any threat to his life changed his decision completely.
If this had carried even a small chance of killing him, he considered if she should choose a safer option. His responsibilities no longer allowed him to gamble recklessly. Since death was apparently off the table, however, he decided that taking the hidden difficulty was worth the risk.
[Nightmare Hell Difficulty chosen.]
[Condition applying: All of Isaac Hargraves’ memories, excluding a portion of his first life, will be sealed.]
Isaac’s eyes widened.
For a split second, he realized he had been completely fooled by the System. The warning hadn’t sounded particularly dangerous, but sealing almost all of his memories was another matter entirely.
"You fucking Syste—"
He never managed to finish the sentence.
An overwhelming force slammed into his mind without warning, as though a speeding truck had crashed directly into his head. His vision instantly went dark, and every coherent thought disappeared before he could struggle against it.
...
When Isaac opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in the middle of a large arena.
He blinked several times as he looked around in confusion. His mind felt strangely empty, almost as though he had forgotten something important, yet he couldn’t tell what it was. The feeling lingered only briefly before he instinctively focused on his surroundings instead.
"What was I doing until now?" he muttered to himself.
His gaze dropped toward his right hand. A sword rested comfortably in his grip, and he couldn’t remember picking it up.
He frowned slightly before lifting his eyes toward the person standing across from him.
A young man with white hair and bright blue eyes stared back at him with obvious hostility. His appearance was handsome enough to attract attention anywhere, but the furious expression on his face ruined that impression entirely.
He was so angry that one would think Isaac had slept with his girlfriend.
Unlike Isaac, the young man held a wand instead of a sword, gripping it tightly as though he couldn’t wait for the fight to begin.
Isaac couldn’t help wondering why the other person looked so angry. He couldn’t remember ever meeting the man before. The entire situation left him more confused than anything else.
He finally took a proper look around the arena. Dozens of young men and women sat in the surrounding seats, all watching the two of them with obvious interest. Their uniforms were nearly identical, making it seem as though they belonged to the same academy or organization.
’Yup, I have no idea where I am. Wasn’t I sleeping on my bed?’ Isaac thought.
Before Isaac could make sense of any of it, a loud voice echoed across the arena.
"Isaac vo—"
...
Author’s Note: This isn’t going to be a Trial that where Isaac will attempt it without his memories. Yes, it does seem like that. But the focus of this arc is different. So, please read ahead, instead of thinking of dropping the book. This is not an amnesia plot.
Thank you for your continued support!