2025-12-02 21:45:47
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 382
The southern defense perimeter stretched across the horizon like a scar made of steel and light. Tall watchtowers lined the edge of the territory, each pulsing with contained Rift energy. In the early morning haze, the air shimmered in distorted waves, the sign that a minor Rift outbreak had formed nearby.Oliver stood at the base of one tower, his armor sealed and his sigil band glowing with fresh System updates. His small team gathered around him. Iris tightened her gauntlets, her breathing steady but sharp. Rhea the medic checked her supplies twice, then once more. Two veteran Travelers waited behind them, silent but alert. Their presence alone carried weight. They were here to observe Oliver, though no one said it aloud.The mission briefing hovered in the air as a projected panel.[Objective: Contain and neutralize minor Rift outbreak. Estimated threat: Level C. Expected anomaly duration: 12 minutes.]Oliver nodded to his squad. “We move in together. Stay behind me until we u
Chapter 381
The morning sky over the Traveler Academy’s capital branch glowed with soft gold, touched by streaks of violet Rift-light that shimmered like thin cracks in the air. The city beneath it pulsed with life. Towers coated in silver plating reflected sunlight, while massive obelisks surrounded the skyline like silent guardians. Each one hummed faintly, holding back the distant pressure of Rift tides.Oliver stood on a balcony overlooking all of it, his sigil band warm against his wrist. The last three days had passed in a blur. The induction ceremony. Orientation lectures. Endless System forms. Even now, part of him felt like he was wandering inside someone else’s life.Iris stood beside him, hair tied back tightly, her uniform neat and freshly ironed. She tried to look calm, but Oliver could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She had slept badly since the survival test.“Ready?” Oliver asked.Iris nodded, though her hands trembled slightly. “As ready as I can be.”They walked together dow
Chapter 380
The coliseum slowly emptied after the last duel, the roar of the audience fading into distant echoes.The great arena that had felt like a living storm minutes ago now stood quiet, lit only by soft golden lamps that circled the walls. The surviving candidates remained on the arena floor, their bodies bruised, their uniforms torn, but every one of them stood tall. Their breaths came in slow waves as the dust settled around them.Oliver stood among them, his chest still sore from the final clash with Sol Dareth. His heartbeat had finally steadied, but his mind had not. Every moment of the duel replayed behind his eyes like a flickering memory, sharp and vivid. He felt both exhausted and sharp, like he was still halfway inside the battle.Iris stood near him, wiping sweat from her forehead with shaking hands. Her eyes were red from the stress of the day, but she managed a tired smile when Oliver looked at her. “We survived,” she whispered, breathless but relieved.“We did,” Oliver said
Chapter 379
The world returned in a burst of golden light. Oliver felt solid ground under his boots and cool air rushing past his face. A moment later, the mist cleared, revealing a huge coliseum rising around him in a ring of white stone. The rows of seats climbed so high that the top vanished into a hazy glow. Every seat was full. Students, officials, guild representatives, and watchers from the Traveler networks sat shoulder to shoulder, their cheers crashing like waves.The surviving candidates stood on the arena floor, barely fifty of them. Most had torn uniforms, tired eyes, and bruised limbs from the survival exam. Oliver felt the weight of their fear and excitement. Iris stood close beside him, her breathing shaky.“It looks like the whole world is watching,” she whispered.Oliver nodded slowly. “Then we give them something to watch.”A booming voice echoed through the coliseum. “Welcome to the Combat Phase of the Traveler Trials!”The crowd roared again. Panels of shimmering blue ligh
Chapter 378
The sky above the Trial zone changed color before Oliver even reached the clearing. The mist brushed away like a curtain, revealing a sky streaked with deep red light. The clouds swirled like fire slowly twisting across the heavens. Even the air grew hotter, as if something enormous was breathing warm gusts into the forest.Rhea stopped walking and pressed a hand to her chest. “This is not normal weather.”Iris gripped her staff tighter. “It’s the beacon. The System said it would activate at dawn.”Oliver felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. Not enough to knock him off balance, but enough to make his muscles tense. The temperature climbed with every step they took. Sweat rolled down the side of his neck, and his breath came out warm.“It’s starting,” Oliver said quietly.They stepped out of the tree line and into a vast clearing shaped like a bowl of scorched earth. Blackened grass crackled under their boots. At the center stood the beacon, a towering crystal pillar glowing li
Chapter 377
Oliver woke before the others. The sky above the camp was a soft grey, the mist still thick and unmoving. The air tasted metallic, like frozen mana. A single thought sat heavy in his mind: today would be worse than yesterday. The Trial zone grew more dangerous with distance, and the forest ahead pulsed with a strange rhythm, as if breathing in slow, uneasy waves.Iris stirred beside him, wrapped in her cloak. Rhea slept against the tree trunk, her chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. Oliver stood quietly, stretched his arms, and scanned the woods for any signs of movement.A faint echo drifted toward them from the right. It sounded like footsteps, but the rhythm felt wrong. The echoes returned a heartbeat after the steps, like delayed reflections.Iris opened her eyes and frowned. “Is that someone walking?”“No,” Oliver murmured. “Not someone. Something.”The Survival Phase had many dangers, but the Forest of Echoes was one that even veteran Travelers whispered about with ca
You may also like
System Activated: Revenge of the bullied.
Ella Chimezie25.9K viewsWhite Alchemist
David Ogiriki 20.7K viewsThe Ability Steal System
Icemaster36043.8K viewsWulin : Martial Heroes
Keikokumars22.9K viewsRe: Humanity's Second Chance
Lady Nine Tails1.9K viewsRise To Ascension: The Poor Zillionaire
Alynn L Writes 190 viewsMagic System: I am Became Strongest Person In The World
Shirogane Khoushi191 viewsReincarnated Into An Imperial Prince
Night _Glow3.8K views