Chapter 247 Chapter246-Twelve Trials of the Hero
At this moment, Blue Sea and Adam, standing beside him, wore faces of confusion.
John, however, was all smiles, saying nonchalantly, "You don't need to concern yourself with how I know about the existence of the Twelve Trials of the Hero. You just need to tell me if you can meet my request."
Seeing Valerie fall silent, John grew somewhat impatient.
"What's the matter? Do you want something for nothing, my lord? To acquire this item, I've paid a considerable price. If you're unwilling to agree, I have no intention of returning it to you."
A glint of icy light suddenly flickered in Valerie's eyes, and he spoke in a chilling tone, "How do I know you're not the thief who stole the Son of the Storm? Your ability to fight with Devil—even an injured Devil—suggests that your strength is considerable. Infiltrating the City Lord's Mansion should not have been difficult for you."
"Young man, I can't gauge your level, which means you're far stronger than I am. But challenging Storm City so recklessly isn't a wise choice."
Valerie's words were heavy, laden with palpable threats.
John remained unfazed, scoffing, "Am I to take that as a threat, my lord? The item was clearly stolen by Treasure Thief Rat; the attribute information says so. If you continue along this line, our transaction today will be off."
John made as if to tuck the Son of the Storm back into his bag.
Seeing this, Valerie grew anxious and hurriedly intervened, "Wait, let me reconsider..."
John looked at Valerie with a sly smile, the Son of the Storm casually sitting beside him as if he had not a care in the world that it might be snatched away.
Witnessing John's calm demeanor, Valerie inwardly sighed.
It seemed that he would not retrieve the Son of the Storm from this young man without paying a price.
Indeed, when John first produced the Son of the Storm, Valerie had wondered if this young man was the culprit who had burglarized the City Lord's Mansion.
However, the item's attribute information clearly indicated that the thief was the infamous Treasure Thief Rat on the Godslayer Continent—having nothing to do with John.
The thought of forcibly seizing the Son of the Storm from John's grasp flitted across Valerie's mind once more.
However, a simple probe earlier led him to promptly dismiss this dangerous notion.
He had accelerated his speed to its limit, yet he was still slower than John's retracting hand.
Observing John's ease and poise, it was clear he had more up his sleeve.
Unable to ascertain John's true strength, Valerie naturally hesitated to act recklessly.
"Young man, why do you wish to take part in the Twelve Trials of the Hero?" Valerie queried, his face grave.
"It's the utmost secret of my Storm Church, open only to advanced practitioners of wind and thunder attributes. Furthermore, only one person is allowed entry each year, and generally, it is a high-ranking church member eligible to be the next Pope. Do you also possess attributes of wind and thunder?"
John shook his head, saying softly, "I do not."
Valerie sighed deeply, intoning, "Then I would advise you to choose another request. If you don't possess these attributes, attempting the Twelve Trials would spell certain death. They were set up by the great god of storm himself; mortals can't defy them."
John, however, remained unswayed.
He gestured dismissively, "All you need to do is agree to my request. As for the risks involved, I will shoulder them myself."
Valerie lapsed into silence once more, retaking his seat and losing himself in deep thought.
John waited patiently on the side.
Blue Sea and Adam leaned closer together, whispering amongst themselves.
"Do you know what these Twelve Trials of the Hero are, Brother Blue Sea?"
"I haven't even heard of them."
"From the sound of Valerie's voice, it seems like some high-end trial."
"Indeed, but I wonder why Brother Galewind would suddenly demand to partake in such a trial?"
"Could he be trying to hone his own abilities?"
"What are you joking about? Didn't you hear Valerie? This trial is only for high-level practitioners with wind or thunder attributes. Others who enter are doomed. What could Brother Galewind possibly be after?"
"Brother Galewind must have his own reasons. As for the dangers... those may apply to others, but for Brother Galewind... well."
"Do you think Brother Galewind traded a hefty price to obtain the Son of the Storm from Treasure Thief Rat just for this purpose?"
"It must be so, no doubt about it."
John sat with his eyes closed, in a state of meditation, but the quiet muttering of the two men beside him still reached his ears.
A knowing smile crossed his face, tinged with a hint of helplessness.
Things weren't as complicated as the two were making them out to be.
His desire to participate in the Twelve Trials of the Hero boiled down to the ultimate prize it offered.
The Twelve Trials of the Hero were essentially a vetting process used by the Storm Church to select its next Pope from among its high-ranking adherents.
It was said that the god of storm created these trials himself to instill greater bravery and devotion in his followers.
Twelve challenges in total, each one offering a unique reward—be it a baptism of divine power, special equipment, a unique skill, or even a powerful class.
Yet the rewards varied from one Storm Church follower to another.
Clearly, the god of storm had laid down a wide array of prizes within these stages.
What remained a mystery was the ultimate prize awaiting anyone who could pass the final two trials.
Across the eons, not a single follower of the Storm Church had managed to complete all twelve trials.
Even the most potent Pope in the church's millennial history, who entered the trials at a demigod level, only managed to breach the tenth stage.
And John's quest was for the final prize lying beyond the twelfth trial—a piece of genuine Divine Equipment.
Even within the Storm Church, only the high-ranking members knew about the Twelve Trials of the Hero.
Hence, Valerie's astonishment upon hearing John's request was understandable.
As for how John came to know of these trials, the tale goes back to when he acquired the Mask of Asura.
Asura, a powerful Godslayer class warrior, had killed more than a dozen deities, only to meet his demise in an ambush laid by multiple higher-ranking gods.
Upon acquiring the Mask of Asura, John found himself privy to a piece of highly guarded information.
It turned out the god of storm had also been a participant in that fateful hunt that culminated in Asura's death.
Moreover, the god of storm had acquired a piece of exclusive equipment for the Godslayer class as a spoil of war.
Born to stand in opposition to deities, the Godslayer class naturally wielded energies that negated divine power.
Unable to bring the captured equipment back to his own Divine Realm, the god of storm chose to place it within the Twelve Trials of the Hero as the ultimate reward.
Ever since John had stumbled upon this hidden lore, he had been pondering on how to infiltrate the guarded enigma that was the Twelve Trials of the Hero.
A direct assault was out of the question.
Though none within the Storm Church could rival him, the criteria to unlock the trials were notoriously strict, requiring the personal casting of a secret spell by the Pope of the Storm Church.
And while John could potentially defeat everyone in the Storm Church, subduing a devoted follower like the Pope by force was unimaginable.
He had to resort to other means.
Upon learning that the Treasure Thief Rat had stolen the Son of the Storm, John knew his opportunity had arrived.
The significance of this piece of equipment to them was beyond monumental.
Losing the Son of the Storm would mean Storm City losing its very faith, and this relic also served as the anchor point connecting the Storm Church to the god of storm's Divine Realm.
Both the Lord of Storm City and the Pope of the Storm Church would be desperate to prevent that connection from being severed.
So, it was with this desperate need in mind that John was willing to pay an astronomical price—a Divine energy gem—to trade for the Son of the Storm from the Treasure Thief Rat.
Now, this artifact became his greatest leverage to gain entry into the Twelve Trials of the Hero.
Valerie still hesitated, his expression shifting like a sky before a storm, clouded by indecision and fraught with an air of impending revelation.
Growing increasingly impatient, John finally spoke, his voice tinged with mild irritation.
"My lord, nearly half an hour has passed. Have you come to a decision? You were in such a hurry earlier; I imagine the dignitaries in the imperial capital are still waiting for us to report. How much longer do you intend to delay?"
Valerie's expression remained impassive, but his eyes betrayed a heavy melancholy.
"Young man, you are among the most formidable individuals I've encountered from unknown lands. Why would someone as strong as you choose to make such an unwise decision?"
It was clear that Valerie had recognized the true identities of John and his companions.
With a sorrowful visage, he continued, "The Twelve Trials of the Hero is one of the Storm Church's most closely guarded secrets, a privilege not even afforded to common followers. Can't you choose another request?"
John shook his head slightly, his face resolute. "I am currently communicating with the Pope. Please wait a moment longer."
With that, Valerie fell silent once again.
John quirked an eyebrow in slight surprise.
It seemed that the upper echelons of the church could communicate instantaneously through some sort of mental link.
Valerie's previous silence, he surmised, had likely been spent in such spiritual discourse.
This time, John's wait was short-lived.
After a few minutes, Valerie abruptly opened his eyes, his face a complex tapestry of inner struggle and faint relief.
"Young man, the Pope has consented to your request. Should you return the Son of the Storm to us, he is willing to open the gateway to the Trials for you."
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