Damian decided to use the fate-given chance to its fullest. Even if he failed, he would gain so much knowledge of his runic circles that it would cut his research time for original spells by more than half—and he wouldn't age a single day.
First of all, however, he checked out the area he had been given for this trial. It wasn't endless; the maximum range extended 50 kilometers from each side of the river before an invisible barrier stopped him from going further. The land had many types of fruits, and fortunately, there were creatures other than those made of metal. He didn't know if the alien food was safe to eat or not, but if he died, he would just return to the desert and fail the trial. He could always try again in a few years or so. The second-ranker trial penalty was harsh—he knew that much. But he couldn't just live on fruits. Meat was a necessity if he was to survive here for a long time.
