Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

Kyle immediately activated [Air Steps], leaping into the air and landing on top of one of the rotating walls. From his vantage point, he could see the maze's layout. He began dashing across the tops of the walls, using his speed and agility to bypass the maze entirely.

Within minutes, he reached the waypoint and passed through the glowing arch.

[Trial Complete. Floor 12 Cleared.]

[Rewards Acquired: Ascension Orb, 2,500 Gold Coins.]

Kyle stored the coins before using the Ascension Orb once more.

This time, the environment was eerily quiet. Kyle stood in a dense forest, the trees towering high above him. The voice boomed again:

[Thirteenth Trial: Defeat the Invisible Predator.]

Kyle's senses heightened as he scanned his surroundings. The forest was unnaturally still, and the lack of sound put him on edge.

This wasn't the first time he had faced an invisible opponent. His constant fights against Void had allowed him to pick on unseen opponents easier.

'This might actually be interesting.'

He closed his eyes, focusing on the faintest sounds like usual. Leaves rustling, branches creaking.

But a faint displacement of air to his left made him snap his eyes open.

With lightning speed, Kyle drew his blade and slashed. His katana collided with something solid, albeit weakly, and a shimmering outline of a large feline creature appeared before it recoiled and vanished again.

Kyle grinned. 'Gotcha.'

The predator lunged and its form became visible for a split second as it attacked. Kyle sidestepped effortlessly, spinning around to deliver a decisive blow.

The creature roared and dissappeared into a puff of smoke.

[Trial Complete. Floor 13 Cleared.]

[Rewards Acquired: Ascension Orb, 3,000 Gold Coins.]

On using the Ascension Orb, Kyle appeared in a chamber bathed in soft blue light. In the center of the room stood a spectral figure.

[Fourteenth Trial: Convince the Guardian to Let You Pass.]

Kyle was surprised at the new development, but quickly regained his cool.

[Tower Guardian]

[Tier: 5]

[HP: 3000]

'If it comes to a fight, I should be able to beat it. But I'll just play along for now.'

The guardian interrupted his thoughts soon.

"You seek to ascend, but what will you offer in exchange for safe passage?"

Kyle considered what to say for a moment. 'Since this is a trial of wits. He can't want something material, and what could the guardian possibly want from me.'

After some more thoughts, he pulled out the [Veil of Silence] to allowed him speak:

"I offer nothing. Your trial exists to test my strength, wit, and resolve. If I am worthy, you'll let me pass. If not, I'll force my way through." Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

The guardian's form flickered, as though considering his words. After a moment, it spoke again.

"A bold answer. You may proceed."

[Trial Complete. Floor 14 Cleared.]

[Rewards Acquired: Ascension Orb, 4,000 Gold Coins.]

'Easiest trial so far,' Kyle thought before placing the [Veil of Silence] on once again and placing his hand on the Ascension Orb.

Kyle felt the now-familiar pull of the Ascension Orb as the environment around him dissolved once more. When the world reformed, he found himself standing on a narrow stone bridge suspended high above a massive chasm.

[Fifteenth Trial: Cross the Bridge Before It Collapses.]

Kyle glanced down into the abyss below, where tendrils of thick mist obscured the bottom. The bridge itself looked fragile, with cracks running along its length, and faint tremors shook it at irregular intervals.

'Simple enough,' Kyle thought, sprinting forward without hesitation.

As soon as he stepped onto the bridge, the rumbling intensified, and stones began to crumble away beneath his feet.

It didn't pose a threat to Kyle though, as he activated [Air Steps] to reduce the weight of his steps and moved swiftly, using his agility to avoid falling debris.

Halfway across, sharp wind blades began tearing through the air toward him.

'Of course, it couldn't be that easy.'

Dodging the first blade with a quick sidestep, Kyle flipped into the air and used [Air Steps] to push himself higher. A second blade grazed past him, and he quickly summoned a small lightning bolt to deflect the third.

The end of the bridge was just ahead, but the structure collapsed entirely as Kyle reached the final stretch. Without missing a beat, he leapt forward, and soared through the air, landing on the other side with precision.

[Trial Complete. Floor 15 Cleared.]

[Rewards Acquired: Ascension Orb, Spell enhancer, 5,000 Gold Coins.]

[Spell Enhancer(Consumable): Improve the power and ability of a spell by 50%]

Kyle nodded at the crystal's effect before storing it away in his inventory with the coins. It would be useful for enhancing his spells later.

Channeling his mana into the Ascension Orb, he moved to the next trial.

The next floor was a wide, open field. A single figure stood in the distance, clad in dark armor and holding a massive greatsword.

[Sixteenth Trial: Defeat the Black Knight.]

The Black Knight's aura was suffocating, and Kyle's instincts screamed danger.

[Black Knight]

[Tier: 5]

[HP: 2500]

The knight moved first, charging at him with surprising speed for its size. Kyle dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the downward slash of the greatsword, which left a deep crater in the ground.

He counterattacked with a flurry of [Frostfire Edge] strikes. Though the knight's armor was tough, it slowly chipped away with each strike.

The knight retaliated immediately, swinging its sword in wide arcs that forced Kyle to stay on the defensive.@@novelbin@@

'I'm done playing. Let's defeat this thing.'

Kyle executed [Air Steps] immediately, and at full speed he circled around the knight. Dodging another heavy strike, Kyle leapt onto the knight's back and plunged the [Aurora Fang] into the gap between its helmet and chest plate.

>CRACK!<

The knight staggered, and Kyle seized the opportunity to unleash [Blazing Impact] as well, hitting that same spot and shattering its neck. The knight collapsed from the attack, dissolving into smoke.

[Vanquished Foes: 160/2000]

[Trial Complete. Floor 16 Cleared.]

[Rewards Acquired: Ascension Orb, Black Knight's Core, 6,000 Gold Coins.]

'What's this?' Kyle examined the core, which radiated a dark energy. He decided to store it for later analysis.

The Ascension Orb transported Kyle to a large chamber filled with glowing runes etched into the walls and floor.

[Seventeenth Trial: Decipher the Rune Sequence.]

Kyle grinned. 'Another trial that plays to my strengths.'

He studied the runes carefully, recognizing some as basic patterns he had learned in Rune Making. The sequence appeared to be a complex locking mechanism, with each step requiring precise mana manipulation.

Kyle channeled mana into the first set of runes, which glowed faintly before locking into place. He moved to the next set, carefully adjusting the mana flow to match the intricate patterns.

Many minutes passed as Kyle worked through the sequence, occasionally pausing to reevaluate his approach. Finally, the last rune clicked into place, and the chamber rumbled as a hidden door opened.

[Trial Complete. Floor 17 Cleared.]

[Rewards Acquired: Ascension Orb, 8,000 Gold Coins.]

The environment shifted once more after Kyle used the Ascension Orb. When the world reformed, he found himself in a wide-open arena bathed in dim, eerie light.

The ground air was filled with a sinister energy. Spectral figures circled above with their hollow eyes locked on him.

[Eighteenth Trial: Survive the Arena of Spirits.]