Chapter 170: The Second Trial

On the surface, the second test sounded simple: cross the courtyard and enter the main hall of the Mist Veil Palace. But the moment Marcus took in the sight before him, he knew there was nothing simple about it.

Headless warriors stood at the forefront, their towering frames encased in gleaming black armor. Each gripped a massive greatsword, the blades heavy enough to cleave through shields in a single stroke. Though their necks ended in empty darkness, their bodies radiated a silent menace, as if sight were unnecessary for creatures like these. Above them, flocks of white vultures circled in restless patterns, their pale wings cutting through the mist-choked air. The courtyard was sealed from both land and sky. Without considerable strength, passing through would be impossible.

This was a trap hidden in clever design. It was a blunt challenge and a test of pure power.

And that was not all.

Near the massive iron doors at the far end of the courtyard, several mounted figures patrolled in slow, deliberate arcs. Headless knights with heavier armour than the others, rode black warhorses that snorted pale mist with every breath. Even at a distance, Marcus could tell they were on a different level entirely. If he wanted those doors open, he would have to cut through them first.

Strangely, the realization steadied him.

If this trial truly came down to strength, then he had nothing to fear. He was not someone who relied on opportunistic tricks or blind luck. He relied on preparation, precision, and overwhelming force. Strength was his domain. It always had been.

’Alright,’ he thought calmly. ’If it’s power they want, I’ll give them power.’

A faint spark of anticipation flickered in his chest. It was time to see what he and his top-tier gear were truly capable of.

His thoughts drifted, briefly, to Lily and Amber. Since entering the Mist Veil Palace, he had been completely isolated from the outside world. No messages could be sent or received. Even Town Portal Scrolls were sealed. For all intents and purposes, he was cut off.

He wondered how their quest was progressing.

And then, inevitably, his thoughts shifted to Anya and Chloe.

He had told Anya that he was playing Dominion, only to discover she and Chloe were already in the game as well. They had planned to meet up, and he had asked her to message him the moment she logged on. If she was trying to contact him now, her messages would vanish into silence.

Anya had chosen the Fire Sorcerer class. Her in-game name was LunaWind.

The name had struck him as curious the first time he heard it. It was beautiful and refined, perfectly suited to her quiet, elegant nature. Yet it carried an unexpected similarity to the names Lily and Amber had chosen.

Lily’s name was Lily of the Wind.

Amber’s was Wind’s Darling.

Both might have even drawn inspiration from his own name, Marcus Storm. The coincidence that all three of their names contained “wind” lingered in his mind longer than he cared to admit.

With Anya playing a sorcerer, Chloe had naturally selected a knight to protect her. The choice suited Chloe’s real-life personality so well it almost felt inevitable. As he pictured her in full steel armor, wielding a longsword with that fearless confidence of hers, he found himself unexpectedly eager to see it. Chloe had always carried a presence that balanced strength and grace in a way that left a lasting impression. Translated into Dominion’s world of steel and magic, that presence would only become more striking.

He still did not know her in-game name. He had asked Anya, but she had refused to tell him.

—

At that very moment, in the bustling plaza of Dragon’s Peak Citadel, two masked women stood beneath the towering spires, quietly becoming the center of attention.

Though their ornate masks concealed their faces, their figures and bearing were impossible to ignore.

One radiated a serene elegance that made her seem almost untouchable. There was a calmness about her, a gentle composure that discouraged intrusion. People glanced at her, drawn in by curiosity, yet hesitated to approach, as though afraid of shattering something delicate.

The other wore full steel armor.

Despite the weight of the polished plates, her figure remained unmistakably graceful. The armor did not diminish her femininity; it enhanced it, outlining strength without erasing softness. She stood tall, confident, and unyielding, the very image of a female knight. It was a rare harmony of power and poise, a presence that lingered in the minds of those who passed by.

Some onlookers even whispered that she must be in the military or a cop in real life. How else could someone project such a straightforward, upright aura?

They were, of course, Anya and Chloe.

Even with their faces hidden, they commanded attention. Beauty was not confined to facial features. It was temperament, presence, the quiet force of personality that could not be masked or imitated.

Standing beside Anya’s distant elegance, Chloe’s resolute, heroic energy became even more vivid. For perhaps the first time, she was the one drawing the majority of glances, her brilliance subtly outshining even Anya’s.

“Anya, where is that perv? Why isn’t he here yet?”

The moment they logged in, they had tried to contact Marcus. Chloe, ever observant, noticed the flicker of disappointment in Anya’s eyes before she even spoke.

“The system says Marcus is in the middle of a hidden quest,” Anya replied softly. “I can’t get a message through.”

She had hurried online the instant she finished her schoolwork, a quiet anticipation guiding her. The inability to reach him left a small but unmistakable hollow in her chest.

“A hidden quest? I bet he’s off leveling with some girl,” Chloe muttered under her breath. “What timing. Let me try. His name’s Stonehaven, right?”

She sent a message.

“Hey, you jerk. You there?”

The system response appeared almost immediately.

[The player you are trying to contact is currently in a sealed space completing a hidden quest and cannot receive messages. Please try again later.]

Chloe clicked her tongue in irritation. “Of course. He could do his quest any other time, but no, he has to disappear the exact moment we log in.”

Frustration laced her voice, though beneath it was unmistakable disappointment. Whatever quest he was undertaking, she could not help thinking it would have been better if the three of them had done it together.

—

Back in the Mist Veil Palace, Marcus drew his attention fully to the courtyard.

He cast his buffs methodically, layers of enhancement settling over him like invisible armor. His gaze shifted to Pebble. The more he considered it, the more he appreciated the Temple Guardian’s presence. Sanctuary Covenant was undoubtedly a top-tier skill. The only limitation was that Pebble could summon only the Nightmare Dragon Steed and not the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King, nor could he activate Sanctuary Covenant himself. If he could, Marcus suspected there would be few forces in Dominion capable of threatening them.

With preparations complete, Marcus stepped into the courtyard.

He had intended to cast Insight on the nearest headless warrior and one of the circling vultures, but the monsters proved less patient than he was. The moment his boots crossed the invisible boundary, several of the closest enemies reacted, charging with surprising speed.

At the same instant, a system notification appeared before him.

Ding!

[Stonehaven, you have entered the courtyard of the Mist Veil Palace. You must kill 50 Headless Grunts and 50 Mist Vultures within 30 minutes. If you exceed the time limit, the Headless Grunts will awaken the slumbering Three-Headed Black Dragon Knight, and you will face an even greater crisis.]

The second trial had begun.

A translucent interface unfolded in his vision, displaying a countdown timer and a kill counter. The clock was already ticking.

One hundred monsters in thirty minutes.

That meant more than three kills per minute without pause.

Even if these were labeled Headless Grunts, clearly inferior to the mounted Headless Warriors, they were almost certainly level thirty-five or higher. Add to that the Mist Vultures wheeling overhead, constantly shifting and difficult to target, and the challenge became obvious. For an ordinary level thirty player, this would be a nightmare.

The design of the trial was ruthless. It triggered instantly upon entry, offering no opportunity to scout or retreat. It imposed a strict time limit and a fixed quota. There was no option to abandon it, no escape route.

It was a straightforward ultimatum. Kill fast enough, or face something far worse.

If the Blacklake Bloodwoods had tested a player’s defenses and composure under ambush, then this was the opposite. This was a pure examination of offensive capability.

Without overwhelming attack power, survival here would be nothing more than wishful thinking.

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