Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

The young man in front of him definitely possessed the Fragment of Pride, he was not mistaken. The aura that was coming out of him was exactly the same as the lord he used to serve, the primordial demon of pride, Samael.

But that was exactly why he was in a state of pure disbelief. He couldn't imagine the Fragment of Pride which had achieved an unimaginable rate of synchronicity with the primordial demon of pride and which refused to show up even when the other fragments were choosing new owners, suddenly acknowledging a new owner.

Just when the storm of thoughts was about to overwhelm him, from the corners of his eyes Aldebaran spotted Cecilia.

"Master'¦" Just then a thought struck him like a lightning from the ninth heavens. "Could it be'¦ but there is no way'¦ the existential core should have been'¦".

His turbulent thoughts didn't last long as he suddenly saw the young man whose body was severely injured and drained to the extreme, healing at a rapid speed from the golden light that was engulfing him.

WHOOOSH'¦ It didn't take long and before Aldebaran's dumbfounded eyes, all the injuries in his body healed and Simon slowly got back up on his feet.

Looking all around him he saw that he was still in the same place where he fell unconscious. Was he here for three whole days?

Simon contemplated and found that everyone was still present here, there was no way the trial would continue even after three whole days had passed. So what did this mean? Was he mistaken about the passage of time inside that mysterious white space or was the law of time different in the white space than in the real world?

Simon did not have an answer but what he was aware of was that the trial was still going on. Another thing that amazed him was that his body had fully recovered from those terrible injuries he had suffered from the reckless use of his magic back then.

He remembered how his astral body healed in these past three days while he was trapped inside the mysterious white space. However, that was only his astral body, not his physical body.

"Was all this the doing of that mysterious space?" he pondered. The more Simon thought, the more puzzled he got. If all this was true then he had benefited immensely. Not only was his injuries fully healed, but even his mana was also back to its peak. Now he can focus on completing his trial once again without any worries.

The moment he got up, Cecilia who was being protected within a field of energy brought her hands to her mouth and gasped. Her eyes were so excited that she even forgot all the worry and unease that she had a few moments ago.

"Big brother!!" She shouted and tried to get out of the field of energy when she was stopped in her tracks by Simon.

Simon stared at her tear-stained eyes and a pang of guilt and remorse assaulted his heart. He sought strength so that he could protect the ones he held dear and survive in this world. But in his pursuit of power, he ended up making them worry over him.

Simon silently pledged that he would never make a shameful display of himself like that once again.

With his reinvigorated powers, Simon felt the pressure that was bearing down on him lessen. Although it was still suffocating and unbearable, the condition of his body was much better than before and he knew that he had a far better chance of passing the last step of the trial than before.

He picked the crimson sword in his hand which fell to the ground after he had fallen unconscious and felt the pressure on him reduce even further.

By now, even the buff from igniting his Ancestral Symbol was gone and he had no other trump cards remaining. But that wasn't enough to discourage Simon, on the contrary, blazing flames of determination burned in his eyes as he set his sights on the last step.

Treading the tenth step was more difficult than the other steps combined. Even lifting his foot by an inch was insanely difficult.

Simon smiled, he knew that after he took the last step, he would have won the wager he made with Aldebaran. Not only that, the trial itself helped him solidify his determination and reignited his conviction to get strong once again.

His body oozed with a newfound confidence that wouldn't dampen even if he was faced with a difficult obstacle such as this one in the future.

"You have my thanks'¦ the trial will help me reach new heights" Simon slowly muttered and closed his eyes.

Swiftly, everything around his surrounding disappeared and even their presence and aura was completely gone. He had reached a focused state where all the unnecessary things from his mind vanished and the only thing that was remaining was the remnants of the pure energy that he had felt back inside the white space.

Concentrating on that energy, he circulated it all around his body and at that moment the pressure bearing down on him completely disappeared and he trod the last Tenth Step.

Right after he took the last step, Simon turned around and looked towards Aldebaran and said "Lord Alder'¦ I have completed the trial you set for me. Do I have the qualification to protect the Forest Spring Spirit clan now?".

His words like a clear bell rang out across the area. Fennel who was observing the whole event from start to finish, couldn't help but nod his head in appreciation. There was a smile hanging on his face as he looked at Simon pleased with his character.

"Being protected and regarded so highly by a person such as him, is a blessing for my entire clan. It seems that this old one has to do some work and convince the others to go along with him inside his dungeon".

Fennel tapped his aching back as he turned around and silently left.

Cecilia who couldn't hold her joy, rushed towards him and carefully inspected his body. Seeing that there were no injuries on Simon, she hugged him tightly.

"Big brother'¦ you did it, you finally completed the trial. Hehe, I knew it'¦ big brother can do anything once he sets his sights on it'¦ uwuh'¦ I'm truly glad you aren't hurt" she started sobbing midway.

Simon quietly patted her and before long she stopped crying and was back to her confident self. She pointed towards Aldebaran said in an elated tone "Did you see that? My big brother has completed the trial you set for him. He has proved his ability and prowess".

Aldebaran was still lost in his thoughts and was staring at Simon as if he had seen a ghost. This time he had clearly sensed the energy that was released out of Simon when he took the last step.

"There is no mistaking it. It is the power of the Fragment of Pride'¦ did it return after being absent for thousands of years?" Aldebaran mused.

If he was not completely sure before, now after that energy was released from Simon one more time, he was absolutely sure that the Fragment of Pride has appeared in this world once again.

"So the Fragment of pride has found a new owner" he sighed the moment the thought struck him.

A fragment choosing a new owner could mean only one thing and that was the previous owner of the fragment had died, leaving the fragment ownerless. Once the owner of the fragment dies, the fragment will automatically search for the next suitable individual worthy enough to become it's master.

He looked towards Simon one last time before closing his eyes.

"Out of all the seven, only the existential core of the Fragment of Pride was broken. It appearing once again'¦ is this the choice you made lord Samael? If so then as your loyal servant, I shall see it through for as long as I live".

Aldebaran nodded his head at Cecilia's words before saying in a booming voice "Yes, he has indeed exceeded my expectation by far beyond and completed the trial I thought would be impossible for him. Young man, you have truly proven the words you have said to me earlier. Indeed with your potential, given enough time you would be able to reach the pinnacle of this world. Keeping in mind your talent, it is not impossible to accept your request of sending the Forest Spring Spirit clan to live in your dungeon".

When she heard till here Cecilia immediately beamed in joy.

"Then let's hurry up and go. I want to tell everyone that we are moving inside big brothers dungeon'¦".

But before she could become anymore merry, Aldebaran's ancient voice which carried an added depth of solemnity, rang out.

"However, the current you is still very weak. You who was able to barely cling onto life under the pressure of my aura. It was only due to the power hidden within you that you were able to complete my trial".

"Boooo" Cecilia pouted her lips and tightly clung onto the clothes of Simon worried that Aldebaran might put him into another disadvantageous situation.

"What do you mean by that? My big brother has completed the trial fair and square.. It is too late to go back on your words" She was angered the moment she felt that the Ancient Titan Treant was going back on his words.