The fire breath ceased.
The flames dissipated.
Purple Hammer, who had lunged forward, slammed back onto the ground. White smoke billowed from the gaps in his Seeker's Armor, making him look like a steamed tin can.
“Trial, passed!”
Courage Aclaire lowered his head, looking at the steamed tin can before him with satisfaction.
“You have great courage, fire-seeking blacksmith. I have a newfound respect for you.”
“When facing despair and hardship, and when strength and wisdom are insufficient, only courage can allow you to seize a sliver of hope.”
“This is my Blessing Mark, the Heart of Courage.”
“Wait, why isn’t he moving?”
“You reckless brute, you overcooked him!”
Wisdom Aclaire turned his head, shouting a curse of disdain. He then lowered his head and opened his maw.
A verdant breath, brimming with life energy, erupted forth, enveloping Purple Hammer and seeping into the gaps of his armor.
Purple Hammer’s severely burned interior began to rapidly heal. The Blessing Mark from Zeno was also triggered, further amplifying the self-healing effect. In just a few breaths, Purple Hammer regained his vitality and scrambled back up from the ground.
Without a hint of embarrassment, Courage Aclaire repeated his words once more.
“Trial, passed...”
“This is my Blessing Mark, the Heart of Courage!”
As Courage Aclaire opened his mouth, a cluster of red blessing power floated toward Purple Hammer.
The power of the blessing penetrated the Seeker's Armor and landed on Purple Hammer’s chest, right over his heart.
A searing sensation radiated from his chest, and then, as if piercing through flesh and blood, it seeped into his heart.
Beneath the Seeker's Armor, a heart-shaped Blessing Mark composed of fiery lines appeared on Purple Hammer’s skin, flashing briefly before slowly fading into concealment.
“My blessing, the Heart of Courage.”
“It will keep your heart beating continuously. Even if you suffer a fatal wound—if your head is pierced or you are dismembered—your heart will continue to beat for a full day, maintaining your life signs.”
“Furthermore, when you are on the brink of death, the Heart of Courage can grant you the power to break through a desperate situation, comprehensively strengthening your power.”
Hearing Courage Aclaire’s words, Purple Hammer touched the armor over his chest.
If this Blessing Mark was paired with Lady Zeno’s Blessing Mark, his survivability would be immensely improved.
The Trial of Courage was over.
Next...
Purple Hammer looked toward the dragon head in the center: Strength Aclaire.
Strength Aclaire tested physical power, and the only physical enhancement Purple Hammer currently possessed was the blessing power from Lady Zeno.
“Lord Strength Aclaire, please present your trial.”
Strength Aclaire lowered his head and looked at Purple Hammer, appearing to contemplate what kind of trial would be appropriate.
Ultimately, Strength Aclaire simply extended a single dragon claw.
“Strength is a living being’s greatest foundation. As long as one has sufficiently powerful strength, any hardship can be easily solved.”
“Before absolute strength, courage and wisdom are both futile.”
Strength Aclaire’s words were met with cold snorts from the other two heads.
However, since it was Strength Aclaire’s turn to conduct the trial, Courage Aclaire and Wisdom Aclaire did nothing more than snort, refining themselves from starting an argument.
“My trial is difficult. Lift this dragon claw of mine, and you shall pass.”
Strength Aclaire’s body remained motionless, and the extended dragon claw was likewise still.
Yet, at this moment, it gave Purple Hammer the sensation of facing a mountain range.
To lift... a single dragon claw.
Purple Hammer walked up to Strength Aclaire’s claw.
The claw before him wasn't massive; its height reached Purple Hammer’s waist, and each talon was like a sharp longsword. The dark-red scales, resembling metal, were like layers of steel shingles stacked together.
Purple Hammer slung the Purple Treasure Mallet back onto his back, lowered his stance, and thrust his four arms beneath the dragon claw or gripped the scales tightly.
Then, he exerted a sudden burst of power!
The dragon claw did not move an inch.
Seeing this, Purple Hammer let out a thunderous roar. The veins beneath his armor bulged, his entire skeleton creaked and groaned, and the rock beneath his feet began to crack.
The power he unleashed in that instantaneous burst completely exceeded his usual limits.
But even so, the dragon claw only wobbled slightly before becoming completely immobile once more.
As for Strength Aclaire, he had closed his eyes and looked leisurely at ease, as if he had fallen asleep.
It was too heavy. With his own strength alone, it was impossible to lift.
Just as he had done when facing Courage Aclaire, Purple Hammer ceased his movements and began to think.
Courage Aclaire tested courage, so Strength Aclaire naturally tested strength.
And strength was something honed through day after day of training; there was simply no way to use clever tricks.
It was impossible for him to raise his strength by an entire tier in such a short time to lift the dragon claw.
What should he do? Was he to be stopped here?
Courage Aclaire: “Did he fall asleep?”
Wisdom Aclaire: “He controls the power of the flesh, after all. He probably saw through the limits of this fire-seeking blacksmith’s strength and knew it was impossible for him to lift it, so he just decided to sleep.”
Courage Aclaire: “Strength is the most arrogant among us, believing that strength can solve everything.”
Wisdom Aclaire: “Hmph, a muscle-brained brute with nothing but strength.”
Courage Aclaire: “Who are you calling a brute!”
Wisdom Aclaire: “I wasn't talking about you. You’re just a reckless fool.”
Even with Strength Aclaire asleep, Wisdom Aclaire and Courage Aclaire could still find a reason to bicker.
Purple Hammer then removed his Seeker's Armor. Bare-chested, he tried various postures, but he still couldn't budge the dragon claw in the slightest.
The constant attempts were rapidly depleting Purple Hammer’s stamina.
Eventually, he was forced to stop and rest while considering a countermeasure.
Strength Aclaire seemed to have fallen completely asleep, his head resting on the ground as he snored loudly.
“Absolute strength cannot be moved. Unless my strength exceeds the combined total of the three Aclaires, it’s absolutely impossible to move this dragon claw.”
Purple Hammer still hadn't given up, racking his brain for a solution.
“Fire-seeking blacksmith, you don't have much time left. Strength won't wait for you forever. The trial has a time limit. When he wakes up, he will surely eat you.”
Wisdom Aclaire, noticing Purple Hammer’s predicament, spoke with a mix of warning and prodding.
“I actually quite admire your courage. Why don't you take advantage of Strength being asleep and sneak away?”
Courage Aclaire offered a “kind” suggestion, only to be immediately undermined by Wisdom Aclaire.
“Don't believe him. Don't think that just because you received the blessing of the Heart of Courage, the Trial of Courage is over.”
“If you succumb to fear now and sneak away, Courage Aclaire will eat you instantly!”
Listening to Aclaire’s words, Purple Hammer sank into deep, labored thought.
Rate on N.U.
