Epic of Ice Dragon: Reborn As An Ice Dragon With A System

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"Very well then. Look at this please." Aria said, as suddenly, a mass of ice shaped itself into a replica of the Frost Tower.

"The Frost Tower is said to be composed of ten different floors with ten different trials. Some are said to be easier than others, but because many had gone inside and each time they go their trials are different, it is very hard to piece together what they're all about and make a proper guide. Nonetheless, we have been able to detect four types of trials." Aria said, as a sudden mirror appeared behind her, showing several icons.

An icon resembling a man lost in the middle of a maze appeared.

"This is the Maze-type Trial. When you enter this trial, you'll have a defined amount of time to solve the maze and advance forward. The maze has traps and even monsters inside, so it is a work that require a lot of team effort." Aria added.

Secondly, another icon appeared, one that showed up a man with a sword fighting a beastly shadow.

"The second type of trial is the Challenge Trial, in this Challenge Trial, you're thrown into a battle against several groups of monsters in an extensive area separated by rooms. Often ten rooms at most, the last room usually has a very powerful boss-type monster. We have calculated that this trial's monsters strength is made to be comparable to the strongest in the party too. These trials are fairly simply, just defeat the beasts."

Thirdly, another icon appeared, this one resembled a man behind a blue shield.

"The third type of trial is the Defense Trial. This Trial is all about defense and protecting something. you'll be given a special object, often a large pillar containing a magical sphere. And an horde of beasts will come pouring from holes in the surrounding walls. You'll have to protect this item and defeat the monsters as much as you can. There is a health bar that the pillar has, if it reaches zero, you'll lose and be expelled. Be careful and try your best to protect the pillar."

And lastly, the last icon appeared in the mirror, this one had an icon showing several people pointing at one another.

"The last type of trial is the rarest but most frightening, usually it only happens once even in those parties that managed to get up to the eighth floor, which is the current record… This is the Faker Trial. When your party enters the room of this trial, one of you will be suddenly replaced by an identical copy. It will be your duty to find who is the copy and defeat them to acquire a key to move forward. Of course, this is the trial that has broken the most friendships… Be careful. It has a time limit as well." Aria said.

"That's terrifying!" Benladann cried.

"Damn… Drake, can't you just absorb this whole thing? I am not feeling like going there anymore." Sighed Miranda.

"No! I already promised I won't do that…" I sighed.

"Ah, right, I almost forgot, there's another requirement. Only two of each race can enter the Trial, and you need at least one of each race." Said Aria. "This is part of the requirements because my ancestor wanted to make people join with one another despite their differences."

"Wait, what? Races?" I asked.

"Yes." Aria said, showing some icons of each race. "The trial requires one Giant, one Human, one Beast-kin, one Elf, one Majin, and one Dwarf. There are also special icons that are not necessary, but some had said they might be bonuses. There is a strange icon of what seems to be a man lizard… I think. And another resembling a person that looks like an elf, but has red eyes. Some have theories that these two might be "lost races". Said Aria.

"Wait, I know those two races. Aria, have you never seen a Vampire before?" I asked.

"N-No, no Vampires had ever come here. And I have never moved out of the island." Aria said.

"The red-eyed person is most likely a Vampire! And the lizard is a Lizardman! They're not required to enter, but something like bonuses? So if you bring them with you, maybe the trials are reduced in difficulty or maybe you have to face less challenges?" I wondered.

"Vampire and Lizardman…" Said Aria. "Perhaps. Do you happen to know some people with such races?"

"Yes, we have some Lizardman friends we'll call right after this, and well, as of Vampires, we only had a girl that was taken… away from us. But I do have another alternative…" I said. Rose, the Vampire Ghost, might work, perhaps. It is worth a shot. "But what about me? Aren't I a Dragon though?"

"Yes, I was thinking about that as well! I pondered it for a while, and I concluded that even if you don't appear there, you're probably allowed inside due to the whole prophecy." Said Aria.

"I guess that might be right… Well, for now, we are missing a dwarf though, and maybe another elf… I don't know if Tisha counts, she's an ice elf." I said.

"She does, of course she does. But I've heard that trials are less and easier if the maximum of two per race goes inside." Aria said.

"I see… Are spirits counted?" I asked.

"Spirits? Oh, no, don't worry. They're counted as part of the user's own strength and magic, so they don't count as people, limits don't apply them and the trials do not affect them directly, but the whole user that is contracted to them. Nonetheless, people with spirits is very rare but I can see many of you have them! That's quite… slightly unfair." Sighed Aria.

"Hahaha… I guess?" I laughed a bit after thinking that something like bringing the annoying Belle was unfair. But Miranda probably also counted as a Spirit of Benladann, so that was nice, we could bring Rakasha as our second Giant then.

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