The Last Trial: A LitRPG Wuxia Series, page 1
The Heavenly Throne
The Last Trial
Yuri Ajin
Lit Orange
Copyright © 2024 Yuri Ajin
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Introduced by Lit Orange
Translated by Nevena Markovich
Edited by Sanja Gajin
Edited by Teodora Pecarski
The Last Trial
The last book of the third arc. Another step toward the Heavens and becoming a deity!
Time never stands still. Kai has changed. Under his leadership, the Eternal Path Temple has evolved into the most formidable faction of the Trial Worlds.
Kai is ready to hunt down and destroy the Manticores, for which he first must establish complete hegemony over Bellum.
A great war looms on the horizon.
Kai is unaware of the twists and turns that are waiting for him around the corner. The Trial Worlds have fulfilled the purpose of their Creator, so their existence is no longer necessary.
The Masters of all three planets will face a difficult test, which only the strongest of them will survive. Kai and his followers will have to fight to the death, for the millstones of the Heavenly Exaltation Pagoda are relentless and merciless.
In this cruel place, only strength and skill reign supreme.
Cultivation is the essence of everything in this kingdom of True Masters!
PROLOGUE
Through the beautifully blooming garden walked a handsome young boy with vibrant purple eyes, shoulder-length green hair, brown woody skin that made him appear tanned, and a long tail made of twisted vines. As if sentient, Spirit Plants turned toward him as he passed by. His mere presence made them come to life.
The boy seemed to be ten or eleven years old at first glance, but in reality, only three and a half years had passed since his birth. Thanks to the peculiarities of his race, Ig’s growth rate was twice as fast as humans, but with the help of the Temple’s alchemy and Plants, the development of his body had accelerated even more.
Soon, he left the garden, reaching the edge of the island. Dangling his feet over the cliff, he stared at the vast city far below. It had been over two years since the Manticore attack on Kaiser’s Ark. Everything destroyed in the war had long been rebuilt, but the city’s reconstruction wasn’t complete. On the contrary, the destruction only served as a catalyst for change. Kaiser’s Ark was being actively restored: it became wider, higher, and more technologically advanced.
Being in his personal dimension of the Complex, Ig could zoom in and out of the parts of the city's interactive projection that interested him. Watching the inhabitants of Kaiser’s Ark in real-time, the young ent was in the clouds, looking forward to his future training. Just a few days ago, he ended his rapid growth phase and began a slow phase — the most optimal period for starting the development for ents.
Unfortunately, the boy, whose warrior layer had awakened at birth, was strictly forbidden to even try to do anything with his powers. Usually, such restrictions made little sense, but Ig’s innate talent allowed him to figure out how to control energy and start hardening through breathing by the end of the first year of his life. That was why this ban was required: so that he wouldn’t pick up things the wrong way at the very beginning of his development. After all, learning something from scratch was much easier than retraining.
No matter how much Ig wanted to start developing, he still followed the instructions.
Ig didn’t hear footsteps behind him, but he felt the grass crumpling under someone’s feet. That was why the voice he suddenly heard above his head didn’t give him a fright.
“Our lessons are done for today, yet you are still here, young master. I noticed you haven’t gone to play with your friends from the shelter for a long time.” Alfred sat down beside him. “Did something happen?”
Glancing askance at the man who raised and educated him, Ig lowered his gaze and sighed.
“You don’t want to talk about it?”
“They...They don’t seem to like me very much anymore.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes. They used to be happy when I came around. Now they hardly talk to me and they even run away when I try to join their games.”
“Did you have a fight?” Alfred asked calmly.
“No.”
“What could be the reason then?”
“I don’t know...”
“How long has it been like this?”
“I’m not sure exactly... I think they started distancing themselves half a year ago. And when I said that I might start my martial training soon, it became even worse. Did I somehow offend them, Grandpa?”
“It’s hard to say... How old were they when you met?”
“Uh...” Ig thought about it for a moment. “Most are around eight years old now. And we met a year ago.”
“I see.” Alfred nodded. “At that time, you were almost half their height, but you grew so much in just a year that you outgrew all your friends. How do you think that makes them feel? You not only grew up but also became much stronger, faster, and smarter than most of them.”
“Have they found out who I am?” Ig raised his eyebrows.
“That’s unlikely, but they must suspect something. You see, such rapid physical development is usually possible only through alchemy, which only very wealthy parents can afford for their children. In our world, status is important. And it comes with power. No matter how much anyone opposes this, the hierarchy plays a very important role in the structure of our society, associated with constant development and strength. And who understands this better than the children from the shelter? At first, you were just a funny kid for them to play with, but over time, the difference in your social status became too noticeable. Especially after the end of your rapid growth phase.”
“So what?!” Ig was outraged. “I’ve never told them who I am, and I’ve never boasted about anything. I don’t care if they’re from a shelter; I just want to be friends with them!”
“Therein lies the problem, young master. It is you, who is at the top of the hierarchy, who may be indifferent to the status of those with whom you communicate. But it’s not the same for them. They can’t afford to relax and treat those above them as equals. Society and their upbringing simply do not allow for them to do that. After all, if you’re indifferent, it doesn’t mean that others will tolerate such an attitude.”
“That’s stupid...” Ig muttered, lowering his head. “What a stupid society...”
“Unfortunately, such is the world of martial arts.”
“Can’t that be changed?”
“Changed?” Alfred was slightly astounded by this idea. “I think it must be very difficult. The Eternal Path Temple is much more tolerant in this regard since all members of the Temple are brothers and sisters in cultivation. But even so, a pronounced hierarchy still exists.”
“But why?”
“There are many reasons, but I think the main one is the very structure of our universe. The path of development allows one to gain tremendous strength, which, in turn, bestows no less power. Especially when it comes to the scale of power of True Masters. This power can be explicit or implicit. In the first case, they actively use their power to achieve goals. In the second, this does not happen, but other beings still fear such power and therefore behave submissively and respectfully. This is a natural behavior of most living beings since their very lives frequently directly depend on it. Often, it’s only in very close relationships that you can forget the other person’s status. Therefore, your friends may simply be afraid to offend you or do something wrong in relation to someone of a much higher status. At the same time, they do not understand what to do in such a situation, and that’s why they’ve become so distant.”
“So... There’s still a chance it can be fixed?” Ig lit up with hope.
“Of course,” Alfred smiled. “You just need to have a good talk with them. And one more thing... I think you should reveal yourself a little more.”
“May I?”
“I believe so, but that doesn’t depend on me. Only Master Kai can give you permission. However, I don’t think he would mind. By the way, since you touched upon such a complex topic, it would be nice to remember our recent lesson. You’ve learned the meaning of the basic titles among warriors, haven’t you?”
“Yes!” Ig answered loudly, pleased.
“Very well. When should we use ‘junior’?”
“Junior is a neutral term for a much weaker warrior. However, it can often be used as a condescending term, even if the difference in strength is quite small.”
“Younger brother or sister?” Alfred asked a second question.
“That’s how we address a weaker warrior when we want to show friendliness. If they are stronger, then we use ’elder’.”
“If we respectfully refer to the owner of a certain piece of land or to a familiar, but not a close True Master, who is approximately equal in strength to us, how should we address them?”
“Master,” the ent replied. “But if you add ‘Great’ to it, then this will
“That’s correct. How do we address a deity?”
“By their title, adding ‘lord’ before it.”
“Is there a difference between ‘elder brother’ and just ‘elder’?”
“Yes. In the latter case, this is a very respectful appeal to a close and very strong comrade. But the speaker must be significantly weaker than the interlocutor and not have a close connection with them; otherwise, such a title might be seen as mockery or ridicule.”
“What is the most common way of addressing someone?”
“Sir or lady. With the subsequent addition of a name, title, or position. It is respectful but neutral.”
“Anything else?”
“Mmmm...” Ig thought. “When addressing a teacher, we should use the word ‘mentor’.”
“Your conclusion?”
“These terms are the most common in the Ecumene, but they may still differ in different worlds and cultures,” Ig quoted from the textbook.
“Perfect. In this case...”
Before Alfred could finish the sentence, Ig suddenly jumped up. A smile appeared on his face, and his heart raced. Feeling joy, warmth, and anticipation all at the same time, he turned around.
A tall, broad-shouldered man with the same bright purple eyes appeared a couple of steps away from the boy.
He had been looking forward to this meeting ever since their previous one and was delighted. As soon as Ig saw his father, he froze, as if rooted to the spot.
“You have grown,” Kai said with a slight smile. “I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you earlier, but things will be different from now on.”
Sitting down in front of his son, Kai held out his hand.
“You are finally ready to be a warrior. Your journey to the stars begins today.”
Glancing at Alfred, Ig pushed the silly fear out of his mind and nodded firmly. Taking a decisive step forward, he grabbed Kai’s hand.
“See you later, Alfred!”
“See you, master Igdrasil.” The old man smiled warmly. A moment later, both Kai and the boy were gone.
***
Many years later...
The man’s eyelids snapped open, and the world was immediately illuminated by the light of a bright blue eye. The other, multi-colored one remained dim. Rising, Green saw the endless blue sky dotted with countless snow-white clouds below him and boundless blackness above him. Sitting atop the Heavenly Exaltation Pagoda, he had finally completed his breakthrough to the fifth level of the Divine Stage.
When he finished examining his Soul Shell, Green turned around. His gaze fell on a sparkling white crystalline hammer, hovering near the abyss above.
The Hammer of Souls.
“Good job, Rihanna...” he muttered, addressing the nothingness. “The war on Bellum and Ferox has reached its climax. The oceans of rune fog have returned to the Pagoda, and the Hammer is almost complete. Magnus’ unfinished weapon would soon reveal itself in all its glory.”
Everything was almost ready for the Harvest...
Chapter 1
NEW ERA
A huge city with hundreds of skyscrapers was illuminated by a myriad of colorful lights dispersing the darkness of the night. Despite the rather late hour, crowds of people scurried through the streets of the metropolis, while many cars piloted by artifact arrays cut through the layers of multi-level roads at high speeds.
Leaning against the window, Ig looked with fascination at his native capital, which he had not visited for a long time. Flashing past the massive combat airship, his two-seat flyer began a sharp descent. Approaching a distant three-story building, the autopilot didn’t find any empty spots on its roof and was thus forced to land the vehicle in a public parking lot on the ground. The hum of the engine died away and the door opened, allowing the only passenger to disembark.
A crowd had already gathered near the building — hundreds of people in colorful fashionable clothes were waiting in line to get into the city's most popular club. Since most of them were young Exorcists and Soul Stage cultivators, it was safe to say that those gathered here unequivocally considered themselves to be the city’s elite.
And yet, even they couldn’t ignore the arrival of the young cultivator. His long green hair, purple eyes and long vine-like tail instantly aroused the interest of those present. But it was his flyer that attracted the most attention. After all, only a select few were allowed to fly in the city.
No one tried to stop Ig as he cut to the front of the line. When he reached the entrance, he stopped in front of a pair of guards. Both were peak-level Elementalists. They wore massive combat exoskeletons and held large artifact rifles, an analogue of swords that was much more convenient against weak opponents. Of course, in such a safe city as Kaiser’s Ark, such precautions were completely unnecessary, but the owner of this establishment favored extravagance and constant emphasizing of his status, which was why the poor guards had to walk around in full uniform.
Despite the fact that Ig wasn’t wearing the clothes of a Temple Servant, he was still immediately recognized and let through without question. Outside it was lively and noisy, but inside the club, oddly enough, the atmosphere was much calmer. It wasn’t crowded; slow and relaxing music was playing, and a pleasant and dimmed purple light replaced the bright street lighting.
Ig headed to the bar. The guests sitting there were watching the motorcycle race on multiple screens with interest and excitement. The place next to the familiar figure, as always, remained unoccupied.
“Well, how was it? Have you seen Grandpa?” а young Elementalist turned to Ig.
“Of course.” He nodded, remembering Alfred warmly. “Chilling here again, Roy?”
“Why not? My favorite game is on.” He nodded to the nearest screen, where they just showed a close-up of the winner of the flying motorcycle race. “It’s boring in the inner city anyway! After these three intense years of training, fighting, and journeys, haven’t we earned at least an evening of rest?”
“Maybe you’re right...”
Despite his unusual appearance, which made him vaguely similar to a lizard, Ig’s friend was not a dorgan, but a half-breed: the child of a human and a Holy Beast. His intellect had been developed from childhood because he had been born like a human with animal features.
Like Roy, Ig had also already reached the initial level of the Elementalist Stage. However, unlike Roy, who was a Master of Seven Average Stars, Ig was already a Master of Seven Big ones. Despite that, they both had the potential to reach Seven Great Stars, thanks to which Roy became Raven Shaw’s personal student .
But their achievements didn’t end there. Just recently, both Masters finally became Legends of the first rank on Insulaii, having managed to acquire the mysterious one-third of the Exodus Right. They also acquired the Elemental Body and Soul Particles, having received money for this directly from the Temple.
When they absorbed the Particles, they embarked on the final Trial of Insulaii. Having passed it, they received valuable rewards and successfully completed the Exodus to Ferox, where the entire Eternal Path Temple had moved several years ago.
Kai passed the last Trial of Insulaii a long time ago but decided to use the Exodus Right only three years ago, when the Temple finally fully established itself on Ferox, capturing and annexing part of one of the planet’s continents. He took most of the Temple’s members with him and moved the entire Kaiser’s Ark to Ferox with the help of a monstrous array and an ocean of energy. He left only a small official branch on Insulaii, as well as Rosen’s artifact that maintained the barrier around the planet. Kai had no intention of giving up the monopoly on access to Insulaii.
The only downside to the Exodus was the revelation of the new location of Kaiser’s Ark — it was impossible to hide the movement of an entire island.
Another reason why the Exodus took place only three years ago was that it required a truly astronomical sum of money. Each Spark that Kai decided to take with him during the Exodus cost ten thousand Runes. And even though a considerable number of Temple Servants had obtained such a Right for themselves, there were still hundreds of thousands of novices and young Masters who couldn’t do so yet. There were also those who simply didn’t have enough talent to pass the almost deadly Trials. Thus, the Eternal Path Temple had to provide a lot of money to help these cultivators make the Exodus.
