World Online

The guardian beasts slowly looked down at Father Joseph.

"The message, I have received. You tell no lies. But I must warn you. I protect the path of saints for a reason. I make sure that no one strays through these paths and loses their way. There lays much more danger here then anywhere else." The guardian beast said, its tone grave.

"I am aware of the dangers that the path has, Guardian Beast. But this is a risk that we must take. By embarking on this journey all the way here, we have already risked a lot. Unfortunately, this is the best path for us to take." Father Joseph said.

"And, the enemy will never expect us to pass through here. After all, this path has been sealed for the past five decades, and who would think that we would even dare?" He chuckled.

"It is my duty to warn you once again. But I cannot tell you what lies within, for that must be experienced on your own." The guardian beast said as it turned around and slowly started walking back into the dark cave.

As it did, Father Joseph looked at Ganshin.

"This is a path that contains great danger. There is a reason that only saints are allowed in. It is a path that only saints can cross with ease." He said.

"All of you have the right to stay here, and wait. If you are afraid of your lives being lost, then you can stand guard. There is nothing wrong with doing that. It is not cowardly to stand guard. We need to make sure that our back will not be stabbed as well." Father Joseph said, looking at everyone.

"If we were afraid of a mere path of saints, then we wouldn't have some here in the first place." One of the adventurers claimed.

"We are not afraid of death, Father Joseph. Lead the way. We will power through." Ganshin said, his face resolute as he took out his sword.

Ganshin's sword shone, as if a torch bearer.

"Put your sword down, Sword master. This is not a trial of your sword. This is going to be a trial of your mind. That is the only thing that I can say." Father Joseph said.

He then walked straight into the black cave without saying anything else.

Ganshin looked blank. But after a few moments, he also walked forward, and with that, the whole party started walking with him.

As he entered the cave, so did everyone else. They entered a lair that they knew nothing about. But Jake had a few ideas.

When he heard that it was a path of saints, he had an inkling of what that might entail. Saints were people who were above mortal struggles after all. So it would probably be something about the heart or something like that.

He wasn't sure if he could pass it though. The only reason that he was coming here without any fear is because fear of death was one thing that he didn't have. What could possibly happen to him if he died? He would have to wait a few minutes before reviving.

Why would he fear death if that happened?

Ping!

[You have entered a Perilous Zone. If you die in the zone, you will be branded, and you will lose two levels. Dying with a brand will mean that you cannot revive until two days later.]

Jake's jaw dropped.

In this dark cave that all of them just entered, with the only light source being the sword that Ganshin held out in the front, Jake was struck still.

"You have got to be kidding me. Just as I was saying it… I jinxed myself goddamn it." He cursed.

It was like the game was playing a wonderful trick on him.

"Why is the entire world playing with me right now?" Jake cursed once more as he looked around carefully.

There were silhouetted around him that marked the rest of the party. He quickly picked up his pace so that the light of the sword that led them-

The sword was gone!

Jake turned around. But the light that had marked the opening of the cave, which was the only exit that was supposed to be visible, was also gone.

He had no way to see where he was supposed to go. He had no sense of direction, and the only light that he could see right now was the time on the right corner.

The trial that this path of saints had contained, well, it already started. He was alone, and there was no one with him.

"Everyone! Where are you?" Jake shouted.

But he did not hear a response. That only confirmed it. There was no one around him, and the trial had begun.

There was only one thing left to do. Jake decided to listen to Father Joseph's words. He decided not to take his sword up.

He calmed himself down. What would happen if he did die? He would lose a few levels. But that was nothing that couldn't be regained.

Instead of fearing what would happen, it was always better to calm down and think with a clear head.

"What would a saint do in this situation? He would just calmly go through this path without panicking." Jake told himself.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, numb it, and then looked forward.

Well, looking forward was a little weird, considering that Jake could not see a thing in this dark cave.

So all Jake could do was start walking forward. He let go of everything and walked forward.

But there was something that wanted to resist him. Something that intended to stop him from doing that.

"You may not pass!" A loud and booming voice resounded in his ears as a bright white light blinded him.

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