“Would I be able to reach the end?” Gritting his teeth, Virus wiped away some of the sweat from the temples of his forehead as he took more footsteps ahead.
By now, the coercive force was so heavy that Virus could not imagine a single person under a hundred years of age that could possibly endure it with sheer willpower alone.
True, living longer didn’t always mean having stronger willpower since willpower was even more dependent on the type of person one was and the resolutions that person had in life.
As a matter of fact, when one lived for an extremely long period, it might even have a negative influence on their determination and mentality rather than a positive one since their willpower might crumble apart as they are driven to the brink of madness due to the passage of time itself!
In fact, in his past life in the future, since humanity had long achieved immortality, one falling into a state of insanity had become a daily issue, much like a common cold in today’s world. Most were bound to catch it from time to time.
It happened every day all around the human race population. Fortunately, as long as you had enough credits or authority, they had their unique methods to help you avoid or even cure such circumstances.
Therefore, stating that abnormally long life in fact has the opposite influence on most people’s willpower wasn’t totally wrong.
However, for some unique individuals, the longer they lived, like the process of building a brick house, they would put one more brick on their construct every year as they became even more certain on the path ahead of them!
Still, willpower was an extremely messed up and incomprehensible matter that mostly had to do with one’s psyche, one aspect of which was said to be related to the soul itself which even the humanity of the future was powerless in understanding.
Returning to Virus, what was making him speechless was the fact that unless one was an extremely old monster like him who had seen nearly every type of situation in life, it would be nigh impossible for anyone beneath hundred years of age to have any hope of treading to the stairs he was standing at currently.
He was putting the criterion at a minimum of hundred years just in case some kind of horrifying freak of nature shows up when it comes to willpower alone, which was a nigh-impossible feat by itself.
And considering one requirement for entering the Invisible Ancient Fortress World was that one had to be below thirty years of age, Virus just couldn’t see how that was possible. ‘Such a weird trial…’
‘Unless it’s someone ancient like me who has created a young body and entered it, or someone old probably similar to Hu Yuexin’s new soul who has stolen Hu Yuexin’s young physique, or some other phenomena similar to ours, I don’t see how anyone could reach my current position. But even then, it’s only possible if they have been successful in building a strong fortress of willpower in their life.’ Frowning, Virus determined in some confidence. Still, when everything was said and done, Virus also knew anything was possible in this grand infinite world.
Simultaneously, examining his surroundings, Virus saw that he had been successful in going to even higher grounds as he was currently at the spot where only five panels of books with each one containing fifty books were displayed at.
However, checking the state of his Invisible Ancient Fortress World mark, Virus realized it was about to flicker out in the following few minutes perhaps!
‘Damn it, I wanted to reach the height with one panel at least if not the top, what should I do?’ Unconsciously, he concentrated even more as he picked up his pace by a negligible amount! The fire of will was so strong within his eyes that right now, nothing but the trial of staircase held meaning to him.
Soon, he was at the location of three panels, alas, based on his following calculations, the mark was about to vanish any time now!
‘Hee… haa…!’ At this point, Virus’ t-shirt was drowning in his sweat while he could barely breathe. The exhaustion was so strange and heavy that no matter how hard he breathed, it was as if he was never going to get enough oxygen at least until the pressure ceased to exist!
Earlier, when they had been about to leave the treasury room where Henna had been killed at, while Hellarose was saying her goodbyes, she had also recalled that Henna had been carrying some of her dress in case of an emergency, therefore, at the time, she had returned Virus’ t-shirt after changing up.
‘Just a bit more!’ Taking more steps ahead, Virus barely reached the staircase of two panels! He was even closer to his goal!
Meanwhile, soaring amongst the clouds, the shadow of a figure could be seen casually drinking a cup of tea while it sighed in utter amazement while watching Virus’ struggling figure. “Confounding! Who would’ve thought that kid has so much willpower at such a young age. Heck, not even most of my peers have that much determination.”
Putting the cup of tea on the floating table, the unknown figure began clapping while exclaiming in utter admiration. “Incredible! Incredible beyond belief! If I recall correctly, just three people around his age ever reached the staircase of the sole single panel with ten books. And they are all legendary geniuses of their own generation today…”
After briefly gazing at the second-highest stair with one panel and ten books placed beside it, the person’s eyes fell upon the highest stair with just a dais and a book laid down above it next, “And as to that one… no one ever achieved it. And I don’t believe anyone will ever achieve it as well, it’s just impossible even if one has the willpower since the mark is bound to last at most until the one-paneled stair of ten books.”
Indeed, just as the person was declaring right now, it didn’t matter how bold and distinct one made the mark to be because, at the end of the day, the tattoo was adjusted in a way so it would run out of ink when the participant reaches the one-paneled stair.
Shaking his or her head in some disappointment, the unperceivable person’s eyes fell upon Virus’ frame once more, “Now, the question is, will you be also able to reach the one-paneled stair as well? Or is the stair with two panels the ceiling of your limit?”
As the unidentified individual was done muttering to itself, with newfound zeal and anticipation, the person continued spectating silently after picking up the cup of tea again.
In the meantime, at various locations in the panels of several staircases, Hadelia, Hellarose, the Academician, and the two cloaked people were intently watching Virus in utter stupefaction, looking forward to just when he would reach his limits and stop.
Since they had yet to pick a book as there were a lot of options laid down in front of them, they had not been teleported out of the world of clouds just yet. Thus, currently, their attention had been drawn to the figure of the shouting Virus who looked as if he might die any seconds now!
“Come on, hot face, you can do it!” Hellarose screamed, encouraging Virus to succeed from the very bottom of her heart.
Hadelia on the other hand was just quietly observing the situation.
If one looked into her eyes, however, one would detect a strong urge to fight within those eyes of hers which she was directing at Virus’ physique.
The academician and the cloaked individuals, on the other hand, were gritting their teeth, asking themselves why it wasn’t them that was in Virus’ position right now.
Alas, all they could do was to look at Virus’ image filled with envy and other emotions blended together.
“Ahhhhh!” Meanwhile, completely absorbed in the journey of advancing even higher, Virus roared in resolution, breaking through his steel hard willpower before taking another step forward!
Bam!
With the distinct feeling of his footstep touching taller grounds, Virus was at last at the one-paneled stair!
Woefully, the instant he planted his legs there, the ghost-like mark on the back of his palm which had been barely persisting so far puffed out of existence!
