NOVEL NEXT Chapter 453: The Stairway Trial
A shimmering portal opened before the three of them, its massive swirling light and shadow pulsing like the heartbeat of another world.
Ethan knew that glow all too well. It looked exactly like the teleportation gates conjured by master mages Ethereal, rings of magic that bridged impossible distances. Within its shifting light, he could just make out what seemed to be endless steps fading into mist.
"Does this lead to the second level?" he asked.
Micah gave a light chuckle. "Second level? No. This is just the entrance to the trial."
Ethan and Julian exchanged confused looks, but Micah only grinned. "Come on. You'll see soon enough."
Without further explanation, he stepped into the glowing archway. Ethan followed, while Julian lingered for a heartbeat longer, glancing back over his shoulder before finally taking the plunge.
---
The world blurred. A rush of light and vertigo hit, and in the next instant they were standing at the base of a colossal staircase—stone steps so vast each one could have been the size of a parade ground. The stairway rose like a titan's spine toward the clouds, vanishing into the heights of a distant mountain.
"This," Micah's voice echoed beside them, "is the true trial of the Spirit Realm, its called the Stairway to Heaven."
He pointed upward. "Every level of the Spirit Realm is connected by one of these stairways. Each has nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, and each step is forged from an unknown material etched with ancient runes. This one, leading from the first to the second level, is designed to temper the body. Only those with the strength to endure can reach the summit. Even if you can't make it to the top, every step you climb will strengthen you."
The staircase was empty now—three days had passed since the trial had opened, and most competitors had already moved on.
"Then let's go," Ethan said, striding forward.
"What about Blackie?" Julian asked, glancing around.
"Already ahead of us, I'm sure," Ethan replied, pointing to a nearby boulder. On it was a scorched hoofprint, still faintly steaming and crackling with residual lightning.
Julian crouched to inspect it. "Wind, fire, water, and electricity… this is definitely his mark." His eyes lit up. "Black Qilin made it here first."
Ethan smirked. "Told you, he's smarter than you—and luckier. He probably landed right near this place."
Julian scratched his head and muttered something under his breath.
---
A faint buzz hummed through the air. Ethan glanced up at the stairway, thinking, 'The name's not great. Back home on earth, ascending to heaven usually meant dying. Shaking off the thought, he stepped onto the first tier.
The moment his foot touched stone, it felt as though he'd plunged into deep water. His strength dropped to a fraction of what it normally was, gravity crushing down from every direction. Julian and Micah staggered under the same pressure.
Still, Ethan lifted his leg and stepped onto the second tier. The weight instantly increased, but not enough to slow him.
"Keep up," he called over his shoulder—and then, without warning, bent his knees and vaulted from the second step to the fifth. The air thickened, pressing harder, but he pressed on, skipping several steps at a time. In moments, he was a dozen tiers higher.
Micah and Julian stared after him, wide-eyed. They could already feel how each tier added to the crushing force. Nine hundred and ninety-nine steps meant the top would be punishing even for the strongest warrior. But Ethan's pace was absurd.
Still, his charge lit a fire in them both. Micah might have been a Rune Weaver, but his body was far from frail—Ethan still remembered how little damage Micah had taken when he'd clubbed him full-force during their first meeting. As for Julian, he had grown up in military camps; training his body was second nature. They exchanged a glance, both seeing the same challenge in the other's eyes.
With a pair of grunts, they surged upward, taking larger strides.
By now, Ethan was already halfway up. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but the strain seemed to only sharpen his focus. Below, Micah and Julian slowed their pace, forced to take the steps one by one. Ethan gave them a brief wave before continuing his rapid climb.
---
What the others didn't know was that Ethan was just testing himself. On this stairway, magic, skills, and weapons were all suppressed—it was pure physical strength or nothing. He wanted to see just how far he could push himself without tapping into any transformations.
Five minutes later, he stepped onto the final tier—a massive platform at the summit.
The instant he did, the weight slammed hard into him like a mountain. "Holy—!" He staggered, knees buckling. The pressure wasn't the tenfold increase he'd expected—it was at least thirty times stronger than the first step. Across the stone floor, he saw splashes of dried blood. Clearly, others had been caught off guard by the sudden spike in force.
"Whoever designed this trial is a real bastard," he muttered.
A boom cracked overhead. Before he could move, a lightning bolt speared down from the sky, striking him square on the head. His limbs locked as searing pain and numbing electricity flooded every nerve, as if thousands of steel needles were stabbing him at once.
---
[Ding… System Notification: Detected baptism by Punishment Lightning. Lightning Resistance +1%.]
"You've got to be kidding me," Ethan groaned. Sure, the bonus was nice—but this so-called baptism hurt like hell. 'Let me guess… I got zapped for insulting the architect.'
He forced himself to steady his breathing, the tingling still crawling through his muscles. That's when he noticed something, the blackened scorch marks littering the platform. Curious, he picked up a charred fragment—then quickly flung it away with a curse.
It wasn't stone. It was bone. Burnt, brittle human remains… and the faint stench of roasted meat mixed with singed feathers.
"Guess I'm not the first one who mouthed off," Ethan muttered, glancing warily at the sky.