NOVEL NEXT Trials
“Wait, stop.”
Right before we enter, red hair stops me.
“Are you really, okay?”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Look, we have to clear whatever this thing wants us to do. So, I need to know if you’re good. I don’t know what will happen so it’s less annoying if I don’t have to watch out for you.”
“Do not worry yourself. Whatever has happened to me has passed. I am feeling perfectly fine.”
Although the problem of not remembering is still there but that is not that important.
“Fine. Can you fight?”
“No.”
“What?”
“Let me make it clearer. I will not fight. Whatever happens inside, you will have to do so on your own. If it pertains to fighting of course.”
“Now, listen here-“
“I will not listen to whatever inane speech you wish to say. I have declared it so. No matter what happens, I will not fight. You will have to figure it out on your own.”
She sighs and puts her hand on her head.
“Damn, you are so annoying.”
“Do not worry, if anything that requires not combat then I shall assist you for the time being.”
“By the time being, you mean while we are here?”
“Of course. Unless you do wish to be one of mine once we leave?”
“No thanks. Not interested in being a noble’s lapdog.”
Good. I believe in you.
“Now, we have wasted enough time with your empathy. Let us move ahead.”
“I already know what you’re gonna say. I should be in front.”
“Ah, you know me so well.”
“I don’t want to. Damn, you’re so annoying.”
We finally enter the door.
“Ah, it seems that it is already your time.”
There were a bunch of monsters waiting. There seems to be a barrier of some kind.
“Look, there’s a sign.”
The sign reads, “Test your physical prowess. One participant.”
“Good. I hope all the trials are like this.”
“Of course you do.”
“Yes. I can get the rewards without doing anything after all. Now, hurry up and go red hair. Stop wasting our time.”
“I find something weird with you.”
“Hmm?”
“You don’t look worried at all. Why do I feel like you believe in me?”
Oh? Ah, she is so smart.
“Are you joking? Me? Believe in a commoner? Surely, you are joking.”
“Whatever you say.”
She rolls her eyes as she enters the barrier and the fight starts.
“I hate fighting a lot of enemies.”
Red hair runs and kills the monsters easily. But there are a lot of them so it will take some time. The whole fight she only uses fire. There are 6 types of generalized magic. It is the usual fire, earth, water, wind, light and dark. Light and dark are rarer than the others but it is not exclusive to anyone.
“Die, you monsters!”
The protagonist only has access to one of them in the beginning of the game. Prince has access to light while red hair has access to fire. It is up to the player which element will be unlocked at certain points of the game.
“Why the hell are there still so many!?”
But that is the weird part of the protagonists. A generalized magic user should already innately know how to use their magic. Of course, it only starts in the weakest but they should have access to all of the weakest forms. It is only the protagonists who unlocks access to them later in the game. Then I hear a sound.
“Finally. There were a lot of those things. Took a while to kill all of them.”
“Yes, yes. Bravo. Good work.”
I clap.
“Come on, let’s go already. Stop clapping.”
We follow the hallway to the next room.
“This is technically the third trial, right?”
“If we consider the illusion in the beginning, this is the third one yes.”
We read the sign. It says “Test your mental prowess. One participant”
“Nice. Its not combat. Your turn then.”
“Fine.”
I enter the barrier as red hair stays behind.
“Is this really the trial?”
There was a test paper”
“Oi! What are you seeing?”
“It is a test paper.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Testing your mental prowess is just answering an exam? That’s just dumb!”
“I know but it is what it is. Now, shut up and do not make any noise. I want to concentrate.”
I answered the exam. It was just general questions about the world. Some of them were advanced but with my other self’s knowledge, I answered all of them. Then, the sound was there again.
“Finally. Waiting here watching you answer was so boring.”
“You should have entertained yourself then.”
“Entertain how though? What am I supposed to do?”
“You could make yourself laugh. You are a joke after all.”
She looked confused and it took a while for it to sink in.
“Gah. I hate how long it took me to get it.”
“See? Perfect example of a joke.”
“If we weren’t in a trial, I would definitely beat you up.”
“You do know there will be consequences to that action.”
“Shut up. I’ll think about that after I hit you. Now, come on. We already wasted time with how slow you answered.”
We moved forward.
“We had three trials where we were by ourselves. This one has to be with both of us.”
“The possibility is high. Although I will remind you that any form of combat will be up to you.”
“Fine. But don’t expect me to protect you. Because I won’t.”
Understandable. Emilia did say that this will not be truly dangerous so the risk of death is low.
“Guess I was right. This is a two person one.”
The sign reads, “Face yourself. Two participants.”
“Face yourself? What the hell does that mean?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Both of us stepped through the barrier.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“The sign did mention that we would be fighting ourselves.”
Two figures stand opposite us. So, it was red hair and I against red hair and I.