Sometime later, every participant who passed the first trial received their rewards with bright smiles, yet not all were fortunate enough to come out unscathed.
Some lost their limbs while others were barely holding up with the injuries they sustained.
But hey, a win's a win.
The monolith glowed for the last time before a door portal opened to the participants, revealing the long bridge they had traversed towards the subsequent trial.
Without delay, everyone walked through and appeared on the other side.
***
Alex exhaled shortly after stepping on the bridge again. The dark space was still dark, and while they were nothing else around, Alex knew it was only a matter of time before more celestial constructs made their appearance.
"The difficulty is only going to go up from here on."
He stared at his open palm, wondering how he was going to move forward with no mana left. The only thing he could do was use his superior strength and speed.
