Monster Integration

I opened my eyes and saw grey mist clear around me.

I looked and saw many people were still sitting in their places in the circle.

I am in the fifth challenge called fear, and it has been the hardest one I have faced since coming here.

My back is still drenched, and tears face is wet with tears; I had experienced things that shook me, and it was fortunate that I had been able to come out in time.

Hun!

I looked at the clock and was immediately surprised to see that only twenty-eight minutes had passed.

I had experienced days inside and not even half an hour had passed.

This was a three-hour-long challenge, and I was able to wake up within half an hour. Five people had already woken up before me, four of which are Sky Sovereigns.

Two natives and two Grimms; the fifth person is Earth Sovereign. 

She is a familiar one; the same one, I had seen on a compact realm that the map had led to and pale city. The last time I had seen her was in the camp and not a one bit surprised that she was there.

Everyone who reaches this stage is capable and powerful.

Fighting them would be challenging. Some of the same stages, I couldn't defeat, like the horned woman in front of me. Despite my breakthrough, I am no match for her.

I really hope this place won't make us fight with one another.

I don't think that would happen. This place is strict and even merciless, but fair. No challenge is more difficult than one can handle; one only needs to push themselves hard to conquer them.

I looked for a second before getting up and walking toward the prizes. Attracting the eyes of all five.

I nodded at the natives before turning back to the prizes.

There were thirty-six prizes before and now there are only thirty-one. The five had already chosen what they wanted.

I looked at them and couldn't help but feel disappointed. Not because the prizes weren't good; they were extremely good, but the one I had an eye on had disappeared.

In this challenge, we have given a complete view of the prizes and their information. 

Likely to make the challenge we had to face even more difficult.

I didn't have to think which reward one I wanted; my clone had listened to all thirty-six prizes according to my needs. The first two on the list had already been taken by two of five.

A method was my first choice. I really wanted and would have helped me a lot. 

The second was an artifact; a one-use artifact, but a worthy one; seeing it would have helped me escape a realm where all doors to leave have been controlled by the enemies.

So, I moved toward the third one; a hand-sized white root. It looked like the common root of the lowest level.

One wouldn't feel anything from it until they concentrated on it hard, and only then, they would feel the extremely faint rhythm that seemed to beat with the laws of the world itself.

Usl root.

It is also called core-forging root. It is the root that specifically helps in helping the core and it is very important for me, considering how delicate my breakthroughs are.

Its level is quite high, and I wouldn't be able to use even its diluted version before I reach the peak of Earth Sovereign or even the Sky Sovereign.

"Human, interested in selling that root?" asked Lightning Hogman, whose tusks seemed to contain the lighting storm itself.

 It is not the only one who wants. The others wanted it and the moment I said yes, there would be an intense bidding war.

"Not interested," I said and put it in my core.

They looked and went back to what they were doing. Trading things: the level of things they have is above mine. Nothing surprising there. They are Sky Sovereigns after all.

I had joined them with a few things.

It is such a regret that I couldn't use all the things. I would have if I could change my face, but unfortunately, I couldn't.

So, I have to be careful, seeing I have already become a target being here. Everyone is the target of everyone; natives will hunt natives and Grimms will hunt Grimms.

The prizes here are so enticing that nobody would be safe from each other.

All Earth Sovereigns might die after getting out of here. I pushed that thought away as it came to me. It is not time to think about it; I should be more focused on the next two challenges.

Like all of them, they will be dangerous, and I will need to survive to get out of there.

I traded for half an hour before picking up a corner and closing my eyes to sleep. It hadn't been a day since I had entered the temple, but challenges have made me tired.

I could continue without it, but I didn't want to. I am taking a rest; I need to be as ready as possible to face the next challenge.

I fell asleep within a second and woke up exactly an hour later with my clone. I could have slept more since I had another hour and felt sleepy, but this feeling will vanish soon.

I freshened up myself with energy and looked around. 

Nine more people had woken up, but twenty-one had remained within a circle of grey mist.

Some have fallen down from the sitting position and are now twitching and squirming. 

Some even had froth coming from their mouths.

This challenge lets you face your fears, and the challenge is not to conquer them. From my experience, no one truly can conquer their fears; there will be fear.

The only thing one could do is to understand them enough, they could never conquer one. Only those who do that could have a chance to get out of this illusion, the mist and formation formed.

Till now fifteen had come out while the rest were still there. I hope the natives would wake up soon.

They only have an hour before it becomes too late.