The Rise of the Black Plain
chapter-2732

While Gloria's group experienced their peculiar situation, a few more years passed for the group facing the second phase of the True Celestial's inheritance.

Over 55 years had passed since the beginning of this challenge, and now a group of 33 individuals remained in the inheritance.

As Minos had previously predicted, as they moved forward with the floors subsequent to the 33rd floor, the number of disputes for the rooms dropped to zero. But also, the interest in completing more than one room per floor fell to zero, with several having lost their lives because of the high difficulty of obtaining two badges after completing 30% of the tower.

Then, the first individuals unable to complete any of the challenges of the subsequent floors gradually appeared. Like them, more and more frequent battles to maintain badges emerged.

Minos and his group did not have to worry immediately about these battles. Most competitors did not want to challenge them when there were others to do so. But as they progressed through the tower, the number of alternatives diminished.

Those who were advancing were willing to challenge the first one who crossed their path!

Consequently, Minos had faced his first more serious battle since he started in this second part of the inheritance, having used much more of his powers than in previous situations.

His first serious confrontation occurred on the 51st floor, where only 4 opponents had the chance to see him in action.

Forfex and Soli had already had their individual battles, confrontations they had to face individually when they left their rooms before one of their companions left their own place. But the two reached the end of the 55th floor along with Minos and were now preparing for the 56th floor.

The passage to the 56th floor opened, and the remaining 33 individuals moved forward, landing in an area where 50 rooms were available to be accessed.

But unlike what happened on the lower floors, as soon as they arrived there, groups or even individuals without groups did not rush.

"Which room will you choose this time, Minos?" Forfex asked.

Forfex didn't want to choose the wrong room and fall into the desperate situation of failing. If that happened, he would either have to fight for the insignia of one of his 31 competitors or try one by one the rooms that no one completed. Given the little time one would have to follow this last alternative, it was not encouraging.

Failing in the first room you tried would not take away any rights or power. You could try one by one each of the available rooms until you won. But a failure did not happen as quickly as a victory in the early levels of the tower. In fact, victories that came within minutes after entering one room were no longer happening. The current challenges were taking weeks or months to complete. In the end, when one failed or succeeded, sometimes more than half of their time on the floor had already passed, and they could hardly go to more than one room.

Failing in the first room would most likely force one to fight or fail the mission and thus be eliminated from the selection!

Minos laughed at his companion's position. But he did not fear the rooms on this floor. After advancing to level 116 and improving the quality of his previous abilities before this inheritance—such as Bright Eyes, the passive ability of Devouring Art, and the dragon and seraphim abilities—Minos had improved enough for these challenges to not scare him yet.

He chose one room and entered without ceremony, helping his opponents and allies to do the same with the other options.

Minos closed his eyes and found himself in a bright world, with infinite stars and energy so dense that it condensed into clouds around him.

He could feel an alternative version of himself with at the middle of level 116, and Physique at 80% progress to change from the Celestial grade to the Absolute grade. He could feel his powers better and temporarily ignore the rules of the True Celestial behind the current inheritance.

'This phase of the selection will end on the 78th floor.' Minos thought as he noticed how the future would unfold. 'As happened in the first phase, the True Celestial will shorten the number necessary for us to reach the end of the inheritance phase. On the 78th floor, there will be no more than 10 competitors remaining.'

While he thought, the special space of his mind unraveled, unable to withstand the pressure of the True Celestial, causing Minos to open his eyes and feel all the restrictions of that space limiting him again to his usual characteristics for the competition in the tower.

"What you are doing is against the rules, you know?" Asked the voice of the True Celestial, while the body of this individual formed in front of Minos inside that room.

Minos narrowed his eyes for the first time in this situation. But he stood where he was, curious about what this being wanted with him.

"If I can do it, it's because it's within the rules. I merely evolved the powers that the senior left me to evolve." Minos replied.

The True Celestial smiled before sitting cross-legged on the floor, making a black and small table form in front of him.

"You are right. Even so, you are going beyond what I promised the others."

"That means I have surpassed them and am ahead of them in this dispute." Minos interrupted the being in front of him while sitting on the other side of the black table, recognizing what the man wanted him to do.

"You are indeed confident."

"No, actually, I am just recognizing reality." Minos saw a board form on the table. "What are we going to play, senior?"

The Celestial made over 100 pieces appear on that board and said calmly, "This is a nameless game. If you understand it by the end of this test, I will give you a hint that will help you."

"When you say test, are you talking about this room or the inheritance phase itself?" Minos narrowed his eyes.

"In the next rooms, I will play with you until you understand my game. As long as you keep me interested, I will give you the badges of the rooms you choose. If you cannot understand this game by the end of this inheritance phase, you will lose your life, the Incorruptible Heart, and the Nautilus' Compass. If you win, you will have your spot in the last phase of the inheritance and the hint I promised you." He explained.

"Alright. I understand." Minos knew this was not a proposal but a challenge he would be forced to respect.

The Celestial made his first move, curious to see if Minos would understand him, even without explaining the game's rules. "Tell me something, Minos. Do you know why I don't just give you victory and end this inheritance?" asked the individual with unfathomable cultivation, interrupting Minos's line of thought.