At the fringes of Steles Forest.

Enzo, who had just entered, was convinced that he was being targeted.

The figure before him was likely a witness to the scene on the Trial Path, driven by greed for the life-giving water in his grasp. Encountering him in Steles Forest, he could hardly contain his eagerness to confront Enzo.

In the trial space, combat was not prohibited.

And danger lurked at every corner. Death was an all too familiar occurrence.

This man regarded him as nothing more than a lamb for the slaughter.

With this thought, a cold smile crept across Enzo’s face as he retorted, “If you desire the life-giving water, let’s see if you possess the strength to claim it!”

The man scoffed, “Soon, you’ll be on your knees begging me to take it!”

As his words fell, flames erupted from the man’s body, resembling a meteor plummeting from the heavens, crashing towards Enzo and Eve with tremendous force.

Others watched in horror, swiftly retreating.

Simultaneously, a wave of sympathy washed over them for Enzo.

To provoke such a formidable foe while maintaining such an unwavering demeanor would surely lead to his demise.

Yet, they admired Enzo’s courage.

In the face of such a terrifying assault, he chose to stand firm rather than flee.

However, some scoffed, muttering, “What folly! The expanse of Steles Forest is vast, and this trial lasts a whole year. He could easily hide and wait for a more opportune moment to emerge. To sacrifice his safety for a fleeting sense of dignity is truly foolish!”

To all observers, Enzo’s aura seemed weak.

While the man’s presence radiated like the scorching sun, exuding a lethal intensity.

This time, Enzo was undoubtedly doomed.

However, what unfolded before everyone’s eyes was utterly astonishing.

The man descended from the sky, engulfed in peculiar flames, yet Enzo merely extended his hand, and orange flames erupted from his arm as he effortlessly blocked the man’s attack. With a calm demeanor, he even inquired, “Is this all you’re capable of, daring to mimic others in seizing treasures?”

This scene rendered everyone speechless.

How could this be possible!

They could scarcely believe their eyes. Enzo had actually thwarted the man’s assault.

And he did so with such ease!

A look of regret surfaced on the man’s face, for while it seemed he was attacking Enzo, in truth, at that moment, Enzo had seized him, rendering his arm immovable. The blood within him surged toward his skin, uncontrollably spilling forth, making speech a futile endeavor.

He finally grasped one truth—Enzo was not to be trifled with.

Alas, it was too late.

Enzo spoke once more, “In your next life, I hope you choose to be a better person.”

The man nodded fervently, desperate to atone, but once his head bowed, it never rose again. The flames that had enveloped him extinguished, and when Enzo released his grip, the man’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

Then, with Eve in tow, Enzo departed.

Before the ancient stele, the crowd remained silent for an extended period.

Eventually, someone broke the quiet, asking, “Who is that young man? With such formidable power, he cannot be an unknown. Could he be a genius from one of the concealed clans?”

Another replied, “Regardless, in this trial space, his reputation will undoubtedly spread.”

There were whispers among some, who, feigning mystery, remarked, “That young man is far from ordinary. On his very first day in Elven Homeland, he was personally received by Queen Daphne of the elves. This alone suggests a remarkably profound background, and it seems he has faced attacks without employing any particularly extraordinary techniques…”

While the crowd continued their discussions, Enzo had already ventured further away.

In the Steles Forest, the exact number of mystical steles remains undetermined. Yet, as one delves deeper into the woods, the sighting of these steles becomes increasingly scarce, and fewer individuals can be found pondering before them. This phenomenon is due to the unique arrangements within the Steles Forest.

Here, one’s wisdom is put to the test.

Should one’s comprehension prove inadequate and they force their way deeper, they would soon feel a disorienting dizziness.

Enzo, however, felt none of this.

Yet Eve’s complexion appeared somewhat pallid as she spoke, “Enzo, you go ahead and explore the depths. I’m feeling a bit lightheaded. I’ll remain here to meditate.”

At their current location, only a dozen individuals were present.

Not far away stood a towering stele, several meters high, where these individuals were engrossed in their contemplations.

The arrival of Enzo and Eve elicited no glance from them, clearly indicating their disinterest.

Enzo, feeling reassured, replied, “Alright, Eve, you stay here and meditate. I’ll go take a look and return to find you.”

Eve nodded, then turned her gaze towards the stele.

The moment her eyes fell upon it, a grand voice resonated within her mind, for the stele recorded spells associated with the frost element, strikingly aligned with Eve’s essence.

Seeing Eve immersed in contemplation, Enzo departed from the scene.

He walked with a light step, venturing deeper into the woods.

This, in turn, captured the attention of a few, who were astonished that Enzo could continue onward.

Before long, Enzo found himself in the depths of Steles Forest.

The number of people dwindled, and a profound silence enveloped the surroundings, making it nearly impossible to encounter another soul.

Yet, the steles increased in number, rising from the earth like the trees of the forest. Each stele bore simple or intricate designs, some of which required Enzo to ponder for quite a while before he gleaned any insight. The spells inscribed upon these stones were markedly more potent than those found outside.

Enzo meandered, pausing frequently to observe the steles.

However, to his disappointment, he had yet to encounter a spell formidable enough to turn the tide of a battle, until he came upon a grand stone archway.

Beside the arch stood a group of seven or eight individuals.

Enzo’s pupils dilated as he noticed one among them—a figure with curved horns protruding from the forehead, skin of a deep crimson hue adorned with black markings, fangs visible, and eyes of a dark violet. The figure’s appearance was distinctly unusual, and Enzo recognized immediately that this individual belonged to the demon race!

To his astonishment, there were indeed members of the demon race present!

Enzo’s surprise was palpable, especially when one among the group called out to him, “Hey there, young brother, are you here to await the opening of Steles Amusement Park as well?”

Enzo approached and inquired, “What is Steles Amusement Park?”

This prompted several others to turn their gaze towards him, among them a woman clad in black beast hide who asked, “Are you not aware?”

Enzo candidly replied, “I do not know.”

His words instantly elicited a vivid array of expressions from the others—skepticism, astonishment, and excitement.

The woman clad in black beast hide spoke with urgency, revealing her identity. “I am Rosanne, hailing from Sun Ridge.”

To Enzo, Sun Ridge was an entirely unfamiliar location.

Rosanne continued, “Steles Amusement Park is the very heart of Steles Forest, where the steles inscribed with formidable spells reside. Most importantly, the time flow within Steles Amusement Park has been deliberately altered, allowing for accelerated comprehension compared to other areas of Steles Forest.”

“Spending a year inside may equate to merely a day outside.”

“This presents an extraordinary opportunity; however, gaining access to Steles Amusement Park is no trivial matter. It demands a demonstration of considerable wisdom.”

Time flow altered!

A year within the paradise, yet only a day’s passage beyond!

The revelations from Rosanne left Enzo astounded, yet one statement puzzled him.

Enzo inquired, “Miss Rosanne, what do you mean by demonstrating sufficient wisdom?”

His question provoked derision from a demon race member.

He approached Rosanne, unabashedly revealing his desire, and scoffed, “Rosanne, this lad merely stumbled upon this place by chance. Do you really expect him to contribute anything?”

“If he could assist, those boars would be climbing trees!”

“How utterly laughable!”

Rosanne’s expression darkened in response.

She turned to Enzo and reiterated, “To demonstrate one’s wisdom means to exhibit the spells one has crafted. After being assessed by that stele, if the created spell holds a certain value, it can unlock Steles Amusement Park.”

Another man approached the stele and demonstrated, “Like this.”

He placed his hand upon the stele, seemingly transmitting something to it.

In the next moment, a radiant golden light erupted from the stone, dazzling in its brilliance, before transforming into several lines of text that emerged upon its surface.

[Rending Claws: Harnessing the power of spatial elements, it coalesces into a colossal claw capable of tearing apart anything.]

[Spell Rank: Level 7]

[Spell Evaluation: Superior]

[…]

At the bottom of these lines, a number appeared: fifteen.

The man continued, “My self-created spatial spell, Rending Claws, has been rated as Level 7 Superior, yielding fifteen points in the context of Steles Forest, the highest among us. However, to unlock Steles Amusement Park, we need to amass five hundred points, and thus far, we have only gathered over three hundred.”

“Some individuals have temporarily departed to other locations.”

“If you have a spell of your own creation, you might wish to try it on the stele. You may encounter an unexpected surprise.”

The man spoke casually, clearly not harboring high hopes.

In his eyes, while Enzo had reached this place, indicating a certain talent, every individual present possessed their own gifts.

Although Enzo might have talent, crafting a new spell relied on more than just that.

Thus, after speaking, the man once again opened his mouth, saying, “Wait here. I shall go and see if I might encounter anyone else.”

At that moment, the stele suddenly radiated with light.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep