Emile and Jin stood before the colossal boulder, its sheer size a daunting obstacle in the rocky mountain pass of the Trial of Strength. The rough-hewn surface offered no obvious handholds, and its weight likely measured in tons.
"Okay," Jin said, taking a deep breath and flexing his virtual muscles. "Brute force it is, then?" He stepped forward and placed his hands against the cold, unyielding stone, grunting with the effort. The boulder remained stubbornly immobile.
Emile observed the obstacle, his mind already analyzing potential solutions. Directly confronting something so massive with raw physical strength seemed inefficient, even for a seasoned warrior. He scanned the surroundings, taking in the lay of the land. The mountain pass was narrow here, with steep, rocky walls on either side.
"Hold on, Jin," Emile said, stepping forward. "Let's think about this for a moment." He circled the boulder, examining the ground around its base. He noticed that the boulder appeared to be wedged between two larger rock formations, creating a choke point in the pass.
"Think there's a way around it?" Jin asked, wiping a bead of virtual sweat from his brow.
"Perhaps," Emile replied. "Or maybe a way to shift its balance." He pointed to a section of the rocky wall on the right side of the pass, where several smaller, loose rocks were precariously perched. "If we could dislodge those…"
Jin's eyes lit up. "Avalanche it? I like your thinking, Void God!" He grabbed a larger loose stone from the ground. "I can try to knock some of those down."
"Careful where you aim," Emile cautioned. "We don't want to bury ourselves."
Jin nodded and began to hurl the stone at the loose rocks above. The first few attempts were off-target, the stone bouncing harmlessly off the solid cliff face. But with each throw, Jin adjusted his aim, his movements becoming more precise. Finally, with a satisfying crack, one of the larger perched rocks broke free and tumbled down, impacting the boulder with a resounding thud.
The colossal stone shuddered slightly, but remained in place. Several other smaller rocks followed, creating a small cascade.
"Almost there," Jin grunted, retrieving another stone. He aimed carefully and launched it at another cluster of loose rocks. This time, the impact was more significant. A larger section of the cliff face crumbled, sending a torrent of rocks and debris crashing down onto the boulder.
The ground trembled, and a deep groaning sound emanated from the massive stone. Slowly, agonizingly, it began to shift, tilting slightly to the left. A small gap appeared between the bottom of the boulder and the ground.
"It's moving!" Jin exclaimed, his face alight with excitement. "One more good push, maybe?" He rushed back to the boulder and strained against it with renewed vigor.
Emile joined him, placing his hands against the cold stone. He focused his Void energy, not to directly enhance his physical strength, but to subtly influence the forces acting upon the boulder. He visualized the point of balance, the fulcrum upon which it rested, and attempted to gently guide its movement.
Together, their combined effort, amplified by the dislodged rocks and Emile's subtle manipulation of Void energy, proved just enough. With a final, deafening groan, the colossal boulder tilted further, its base sliding out of its wedged position. It rolled to the side, crashing against the opposite wall of the pass with a ground-shaking impact, clearing their path.
[System]: Trial of Strength (Void God): Completed. Might and ingenuity prevail. Proceed to the next trial.
[System]: Trial of Strength (Jin): Completed. Teamwork and determination have overcome the obstacle. Proceed to the next trial.
"Yes!" Jin yelled, pumping his fist in the air. "That was awesome! Who needs pure muscle when you've got brains and a little bit of rock-hurling?"
Emile nodded, a faint smile gracing his lips. "A pragmatic solution." He turned his attention to the next pedestal, which pulsed with a soft purple light, its symbol depicting a pair of keen eyes.
"Looks like a test of observation," Jin mused, reading the holographic screen that appeared above the pedestal. Trial of Observation: Discern the subtle difference. The truth is hidden in plain sight.
As they both touched the pedestal, the mountain pass dissolved, replaced by a seemingly identical scene – another rocky pass, another colossal boulder blocking the way. Everything appeared exactly as it had before.
"Uh… what's the difference?" Jin asked, looking around in confusion. "Looks the same to me."
Emile carefully scanned the environment, his gaze sharp and analytical. He focused on the details – the pattern of the rocks, the shadows cast by the unseen sun, the texture of the cliff walls. Something felt… subtly off.
He concentrated on the loose rocks that they had dislodged earlier. In the previous iteration of the pass, the rocks had tumbled down from the right side. Here… they were scattered slightly differently. And the pattern of the shadows… they were falling at a slightly different angle.
"The shadows," Emile said quietly. "And the scattered rocks on the ground. They are not in the same positions as before."
Jin squinted, looking closely at the shadows. "Now that you mention it… yeah, they do look a bit different. But how can you be so sure? It looks almost exactly the same!"
"Subtle variations," Emile explained. "The angle of the light source, the precise placement of the debris… they are similar, but not identical. The truth is hidden in these minute changes."
[System]: Trial of Observation (Void God): Completed. Keen perception reveals the truth. Proceed to the next trial.
[System]: Trial of Observation (Jin): Completed. Observing the details leads to understanding. Proceed to the next trial.
"Man, your eye for detail is insane, Void God!" Jin exclaimed, shaking his head in amazement. "I would have been stuck here forever trying to find a difference that small."
"Efficiency in observation can be as valuable as brute strength," Emile replied calmly. They moved to the next pedestal, which glowed with a vibrant yellow light, its symbol depicting a stylized ear. Trial of Memory: Recall the echoes of the past. The sequence holds the key.
As they touched the pedestal, the rocky pass faded once more, replaced by a dimly lit chamber. In the center of the chamber, a series of glowing symbols flashed briefly on a stone tablet before disappearing.
A voice echoed through the chamber: "Remember the sequence. Replicate it upon the empty tablet." Another identical stone tablet appeared before them, its surface blank.
"Alright, pay close attention," Jin whispered, his eyes fixed on the first tablet as the symbols flashed. There were seven symbols in total, each glowing with a different color and intricate design. They appeared for only a few seconds before vanishing.
"Seven symbols…" Jin muttered, trying to recall them. "Red… blue… green… uh… maybe a yellow one? And a spiral… and a… a star?" He looked at Emile with a hopeful expression. "Got any of that genius memory power you've been showing off?"
Emile had focused intently on the sequence as it appeared, his mind recording each symbol and its position. He stepped forward to the blank tablet and, using his mental interface, began to replicate the sequence, selecting the correct symbols in the order they had appeared: a crimson circle, an azure teardrop, an emerald leaf, a golden sun, a swirling violet spiral, a silver star, and finally, an amber eye.
As he completed the sequence, a chime resonated through the chamber.
[System]: Trial of Memory (Void God): Completed. The past is accurately recalled. Proceed to the next trial.
[System]: Trial of Memory (Jin): Completed. Remembering the patterns unlocks the path forward. Proceed to the next trial.
"You remembered all of them!" Jin exclaimed, clapping Emile on the back. "Seven! I think I only caught maybe four. That's incredible!"
"Focused observation aids memory," Emile replied simply. Six trials down, four to go. They approached the next pedestal, a deep indigo light emanating from it, its symbol a single, winding path. Trial of Patience: Endure the winding road. Perseverance will reveal the exit.