The first trial was finally over. Max found himself back at the trial.

He looked at the humongous gate.

"It looks a bit different." Max mumbled as he moved forward to observe the gate.

"Hm… It is indeed a bit different. It isn't as dull as the last one. There seems to be a bit of pattern emerging from the surface too"

Max turned around and his body froze. There was another gate in the distance. He tried to move towards the gate. But the distance didn't seem to be decreasing at all.

"Hahaha!!! Kid...there is no going back in this trial. You have done a good job."

The familiar voice sounded from all directions and Max stopped in his tracks. A rage flashed past his eyes.

"Don't make a face like that. Didn't you say that u were willing to do anything to become stronger?"

His voice calmed Max down and his expression turned tranquil.

"Hahaha! You have got a nice expression on your face."

"I haven't got time to waste old man. But before beginning the next trial, I need some answers."

"Well..I am in a good mood. You can ask whatever you want…" The voice replied.

"I had spent so much time in there….."

"If you are worrying about the outside world, you don't need to. Besides, do you really think you have time to worry about that? There are still various trials that can kill you with ease." The voice replied.

"I see...but honestly, I don't think anything could be worse than the previous one." Max replied calmly.

"Well you can say that in another sense as more than half of the people died in the first trial. So if you want to compare it death wise, the first trial is indeed the worst, hahaha!!!"

"I haven't got time for your lame jokes. I just got one more question and then we can move." Max said indifferently.

"Huh? What is it?" the voice asked in curiosity.

"The people, the places and the events that occurred in the world. Do they exist in the real world?" Max asked calmly.

"The people and places do exist. As for the events, they were constructed for your test. Most of the people who you interacted with, might not have been good in your eyes. But that might not be true. It might be due to the trial. So don't be too early to judge people in the real world." The voice replied.

"I can get that much." Max replied before looking towards the new gate.

"Aren't you a bit too eager?" The voice asked with a laugh.

"All these past 5 years, I kept thinking of the world to be false and led my life with a single thought of getting stronger. Why is it any different now?"

"Now that you say it, I too am curious. There are a few ways to end the trial. One way is to believe it and kill yourself. Even though it might sound stupid, it is true. There aren't many people who can make such firm decision in the world. And there haven't been many people who could do it. Second is to shatter your emotions and kill your loved ones. A person without emotion can take rational decisions. This is the way most people passed in the past. But why didn't you do it?" The voice asked with curiosity.

"If they intended to kill me, I would have not spared them. But I can't force someone to love me. As for why I didn't commit suicide? I lack time and you just gave me 5 years. Isn't that enough?" Max replied.

The time seemed to have frozen and silenced enveloped the surroundings.

The voice didn't reply.

After a minute of silence, a rumbling started to be heard.

"Clang!"

The humongous door opened itself and a bright light came out of it. Max couldn't look anything past the blinding light.

He just took a step and walked into the doorway without a shred of hesitation.

…..

Higher Dimension, Unknown Location.

"Crazy brat! He knew it and still chose to spend 5 years in that hell."

"Now that I think about it, that brat was oddly interested in things and places. What was he doing there for 5 years? I didn't pay attention."

Hephaestus kept mumbling as he started at the screen.

"Umn!!..Umn!!.."

Hephaestus didn't even turn around and just kicked the thing hanging from the ceiling.

It wasn't a punching bag. But it was Vali who was tied upside down and had been suffering ever since Max passed the first trial.

At this moment, a servant entered the room. But when he looked at the scene of Vali being kicked. He just quietly left.

'What kind of fetish is this?' The servant though as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. His heart was really pounding at the thought of getting caught.

….

God of Trial, 2nd Trial

Location: Death Desert Canyon, Ancient Era.

Max lay down in the shade of the canyon. There was a huge deep gash on his chest and the sand around him had already turned red.

"This place is different from Mistellin. There is no such place on the continent. Not to mention that thing. I am only lucky that it couldn't fly."

"The wound won't kill me if I can treat it in time. But this thirst definitely will."

Max looked around. These past 5 years weren't wasted. He had spent it all planning his next move. It wasn't time to die. He knew what he needed to do.

….

Time flew by quickly. In the blink of an eye, 7 months had passed in the real world and a few years inside the trial.

Max stood in front of the door of the 7th trial, his body covered in blood. There wasn't even a piece of clothe left on his body. One could clearly see a muscular body full of scars. But there was a calm look in his eyes.

He had grown a bit taller and the aura around him had totally changed.

As Max moved towards the next door, a voice sounded.

"You have finally passed kid!!"