THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

At forty-five meters, David felt the crushing weight of the pressure intensify, as though the air itself sought to bury him beneath its oppressive force. His legs trembled, sinking slowly into the ground with every step, each one a battle against the invisible force that threatened to collapse him entirely. He could feel his body nearing its breaking point, his bones screaming under the strain, his muscles quivering in protest.

He had reached the same distance as the Earl's legendary record, an accomplishment that sent ripples of shock through the watching nobles. Murmurs filled the grand hall—surprised, impressed, yet tempered with disbelief. They knew all too well that surpassing this point was nothing short of madness.

David gritted his teeth, the air thick with tension as he contemplated his next move. The pressure was unbearable; it felt as though a mountain had been placed on his shoulders. Nightveil Embrace, the sleek black suit that had aided him thus far, was the only thing keeping his body from crumbling into dust. Removing it would mean certain death. But even with the armour's support, his body was at its limit.

His chest heaved with laboured breaths, and he questioned whether there was any reason to push forward. What was the point of taking another step? His body screamed for him to stop, to fall where he stood, and allow the crushing force to claim him.

Then, a memory long buried began to resurface. Near David's eyes, a faint, dark purple aura seeped out, swirling like a ghostly vapour. His mind flashed back to a fragment of his past, a vision that had haunted him for years.

He saw the gentle touch of a hand, the warmth of a woman's smile, and the sound of a voice, soft and loving, calling him "son." That memory sparked something deep within him, a flicker of emotion that stirred in his soul. The pain and weight that pressed on him now felt insignificant compared to the sorrow of that memory—a sorrow that ignited a new fire inside him.

Suddenly, a strange and powerful aura erupted from David, entirely different from his usual blue-dark essence. It burned bright and fierce, like an inferno of pure light. The flames of his will raged against the pressure, burning away his doubts and fears. His lips parted as he murmured under his breath, "I am the light that shall hunt the darkness." With those words, his resolve solidified, and his body surged forward, his steps no longer wavering.

David crossed the Earl's recorded distance with strength that defied reason. His aura crackled like lightning, surrounding him in a shroud of power that pulsed with each heartbeat. The memory had reminded him of his purpose, of the path he was meant to walk—to move, to fight, and, above all, to dominate. There was no room for weakness, no space for surrender. He would not let this trial defeat him.

In the grand hall, the nobles who had once been seated in quiet disbelief now shot up from their chairs, their faces painted with astonishment. Gasps of shock filled the room as they watched David shatter the Earl's long-standing record. To the nobles, what they were witnessing was nothing short of impossible. The whispers turned to hushed awe as the realization dawned—David was destined for greatness.

Even the Earl, who had maintained a calm and calculating demeanour throughout the trial, now sat wide-eyed in disbelief. He had never expected his own record to be broken, and certainly not by someone so young. Yet, as he watched David push forward, step after gruelling step, a ferocious grin slowly spread across the Earl's face. His heart pounded with excitement, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

The elder nobles seated around the Earl could feel the shift in their lord's mood. They had never seen him so animated, so alive with anticipation. The tension in the room was palpable, each noble on the edge of their seat, watching with bated breath as David continued his march toward the statue. The magical screen that projected the trial flickered with David's radiant aura, casting a glow across the hall that seemed to fill the space with an electric energy.

Even with the mysterious aura coursing through his veins, the overwhelming presence of the sovereign pressed down on David like a mountain. His vision blurred as blood began to seep from the corners of his eyes, and his body, already battered and weary, bent under the crushing weight. It was as if he were walking through a scorching desert, each step growing heavier, his feet sinking deeper into the unforgiving ground. Exhaustion clawed at him, dragging him toward the earth, but even a god could not match David's unyielding will.

With a primal roar that echoed through the towering trees, David unleashed his own aura, a surge of energy so fierce that it seemed to cut through the oppressive force around him. The two opposing auras clashed violently, intertwining and battling for dominance until, to everyone's shock, they began to merge. What emerged was a radiant white aura, blazing like a star, crackling with energy that flickered like lightning in a storm.

In the grand hall, where nobles sat in stunned silence, every breath was held. Eyes were glued to the magical screen, watching as David's aura reshaped itself, breaking the natural order of cultivation before their very eyes. His power was surging beyond comprehension, far faster than anyone had ever anticipated. David, too, was filled with surprise. He could feel it—his cultivation was leaping forward. The audience gasped as he soared past the first and second ranks, directly into the realm of a Master Swordsman, skipping ranks in a way that defied all logic.

"Unbelievable," Elder Luviania breathed, his words mirroring the thoughts of everyone around him. Heads nodded in silent agreement, eyes wide with awe. David had shattered every expectation, broken through to the Master Swordsman rank in a single, impossible leap. But even this newfound power was not enough to counter the suffocating pressure that weighed down on him as he neared the 200-meter mark.

The ground beneath David trembled, and his body quaked, the force of the statue's divine energy growing more deadly with each step. His legs buckled, and his knees struck the ground, sending shockwaves of pain through him. Yet, even then, he refused to yield. The pressure pushed him toward the earth, but his spirit remained unbroken. Crawling now, each movement slow and deliberate, he clawed his way forward.

In the hall, the Earl's heart raced. Fear gripped him as he saw David struggle against the crushing weight of the trial. The pressure was too great, and even with David's incredible breakthrough, it seemed impossible for him to continue. "Get him out of there!" the Earl commanded, his voice laced with urgency. He could no longer sit idly by and watch as his son was pushed to the brink of death.

But before any action could be taken, Elder Tyron placed a firm hand on the Earl's shoulder, his voice steady. "He's still moving," Tyron declared. The Earl's gaze snapped back to the screen, where he saw it for himself—David, defying the odds, was still crawling. His fingers dug into the dirt, his body bruised and broken, but his determination remained as unshakable as ever.

David's breath came in ragged gasps, each one feeling like it could be his last. But he didn't stop. He couldn't. The memory of the warm touch and kind smile from his past fueled him, pushing him forward even as the weight of the world threatened to crush him. The sky above began to darken, swirling with ominous clouds as if the heavens themselves sensed the unnatural forces at play.

From his seat, the Earl's eyes narrowed, a cold sweat breaking out across his brow. Something was wrong. He could feel it deep in his bones. As the skies darkened, his instincts screamed that something terrible was about to happen. Without hesitation, the Earl stood, his own terrifying aura flaring to life. The air around him crackled as he launched himself into the sky, crashing through the hall's ceiling with a deafening boom as he raced toward David.

Back on the trial grounds, David's fingers grazed the base of the statue, his goal finally within reach. He had done it. Against all odds, he had reached the statue. But as his fingertips brushed against the cold stone, the dark clouds above parted, and a beam of radiant white light descended upon him, enveloping him in its brilliance.

The nobles in the hall stared in disbelief, their mouths agape. This was unlike anything they had ever witnessed. The air was thick with tension, the atmosphere charged with energy as if something far beyond their understanding had been set into motion.

As the Earl descended with a thunderous crash at the base of the statue, his aura flaring around him like a storm, his eyes darted around in panic. "David!" he called out, but his voice seemed swallowed by the air itself. His heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the area, but David was gone. Explore hidden tales at m,v l'e-m|p y r

The statue loomed in front of him, the ground beneath it scorched where the beam of light had touched down. The Earl's mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. One moment, his son had been on the verge of victory, and the next, he had vanished into thin air.

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of it hanging heavy in the air. David had disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a lingering sense of awe and confusion. The nobles back in the hall were stunned into silence, unsure of what they had just witnessed. All that remained was the knowledge that David had surpassed everything they had thought possible, and now, he was gone—into the unknown.

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A/N: Bow before this mighty author, Mwahahaha! I humbly request super gifts from my amazing senpai readers in appreciation of the masterpiece I have graced you with… Oh, and thanks for reading, lol!