Way of the Knights

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The Mount Olympus hike continued...

Currently, Raven's waiting for the War Gods at the 3rd Trial Gate which was definitely larger compared to the previous one. Past this Trial Gate is either another trial gate or the 1st Checkpoint where they could rest safely and restock for supplies. 

It took the group at least two weeks before they could arrive at the 3rd Trial Gate. They rested in between in order to ensure that all of them would be at their peak conditions before entering the trial gate.

Currently, the War Gods are inside the 3rd Trial Gate for a whole week now. And since there is a time difference inside the trial gates, they might as well be staying inside for years by now. 

There's nothing for Raven to do aside from waiting. The War Gods didn't allow him to participate since the trials they got so far were deemed to dangerous for Raven. Although Raven have different thoughts than them, he didn't complain nor disagree to the arrangement and patiently waited for them instead. 

As he waited, Raven continued polishing his understanding of Spacetime Laws. He was so close to mastering the first concept which is Continuum. Once he achieve his breakthrough, he be able to use Spacetime Laws more efficiently as well learn more skills along with the second concept. 

His current worries is whether he should do his breakthrough here or not. Raven was somewhat hesitant because there is definitely a strong influence of Spacetime Laws here and his breakthrough might trigger some unwanted effects. 

What he's most afraid of happening is that, he might get separated from the group. As they were being transported to parallel worlds as they climbed up due to the strange influence of Spacetime Laws here, his breakthrough might cause the Spacetime Laws here to be shaken up and transport him to another parallel world without the War Gods.

This is the last thing that Raven wants to happen since he had no idea how he'll be able to comeback. 

'Speaking of which, I wonder what the 1st Checkpoint is like?' Raven thought to himself as he waited for his teammates inside the formation. 'We're not on our Mount Olympus. We're on a different one, that much I can tell.'

'It's still storming hard. I don't think it will let up anytime soon, this means we haven't changed worlds yet. I wonder if we'll return to our Mount Olympus once we arrive at the 1st Checkpoint?' 

'Eh, no use of thinking so hard. I'll eventually figure that out anyway.' Raven thought to himself.

His thoughts went silent for a bit, he inadvertently looked at the 3rd Trial Gate and pondered to himself.  action

'I wonder what's going on inside? They're still not out after a week. Will they be fine once they come out?' Raven thought. 'Well, judging from what ended up happening to them during the first and second trial, they most likely won't come out unscathed. I just hope that their injuries won't be too severe.'

Raven then stood up and stretched his body for a bit. There were many times where he fought the urge to enter the crown space to seclude himself for a bit but he always ends up not doing it since it's too risky. He didn't want to make the others worry about his disappearance.

Raven was bored out of his mind. All that he could really do is to integrate with the recent enlightenments of his Avatars and apply their enlightenments to confirm if they were correct. 

So far, he's nearly done with all of the seals he needed to learn. It's the very reason why Raven's skill with seals were currently on par with the greatest experts on the same area. What's more is that, Raven still has plenty room to grow. Given enough time, it would be possible for Raven's skill to achieve transcendence, making him the number one expert on this specific area. 

*Woosh!*

Raven was momentarily startled by the sudden changes on his surroundings. The wind currents suddenly changed it's course and the lightning and thunder turned softer. He glanced around him and saw that the 3rd Trial Gate was on the verge of opening.

He was immediately on alert, although he couldn't help but inwardly think that the storm had an impeccable timing. It actually let up at the same time that the War Gods were about to exit. 

The 3rd Trial Gate opened and spat out four sorry figures. It was none other than the four War Gods who entered previously. 

Raven rushed over to them, yet to his surprise, despite being injured all over the place and their clothes being torn to shreds, the eyes of the War Gods were mostly clear. There's even a faint glimmer on their pupils as they stood their as if they were petrified. 

Noticing their state, Raven approached them cautiously. As he got close, Raven recognized the look on their face. It was the look of understanding. 

The War Gods received some form on enlightenment inside the 3rd Trial Gate. 

Raven made sure to not disturb them, he didn't make any noise or ruckus near them and just patiently waited for them to wake up on their own. Despite the still rather stormy climate, the War Gods were oddly serene and quiet. 

It truly makes Raven wonder what kind of trial they went through for them to be in this kind of state. 

*Weng!* *Weng!* *Weng! Weng!*

Four strong fluctuations suddenly erupted from their bodies, causing the space around them to abruptly change. 

All of a sudden, the surroundings turned black and white. There was a soul-penetrating chill that sent shivers through Raven's spine. The eyes to the War Gods turned red and their silhouettes turned increasingly monstrous as if they were metamorphosing into something completely different in Raven's eyes. 

It was then followed with mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. It was as if the world only permitted three colors to exist, black, white and bloody red. 

An imposing momentum rose from their bodies and bore down on Raven. The thick and murderous killing intent their bodies released were almost tangible, manifesting into reality. 

Raven prevented himself from gasping in fear of disturbing their experience, nevertheless Raven felt genuinely happy for the War Gods, specially now that they could officially solidify that title since they achieve the genuine Slaughter Domain. 

As Raven being a possessor of a pseudo-Slaughter Domain, the effects of their imposing auras still affected him but not as much, had it been anyone else aside from him, they'd probably be trembling on their boots once they were subjected to the stacked domains on these four War Gods. 

After quite sometime of releasing their Slaughter Domain, it receded one by one. It was then that the War Gods woke up from their stupor. 

"Oh, we're out." Theo pointed out as he saw the stormy weather and Raven who's waiting for them. 

"What happened?" Charles said in a confused tone. 

"I don't know." Henry replied, "Last thing I remember, we were hard at work. We probably fell under n illusion and was kicked out."

"I don't think so." Logan countered, he pointed behind him and said: "If we were kicked out, then how come we cleared the 3rd Trial Gate?"

"You guys don't remember anything?" Raven asked, similarly confused as the War Gods themselves. 

"Well, the last thing I could remember is we were living the life of a regular mortal." Theo replied. "We experienced different mortal lives, the longest we could live was 100 years old, after that we'll die and be born again on another parent and live on once more."

"We were on our 9th reincarnation before we woke up just now." Logan added, "I got so absorbed into it that I completely forgot that we were at a trial." 

"The same thing happened to me. I even nearly forgot about my current identity." Henry added, there was a faint nostalgia on his tone, he's probably remembering the mortal lives he experienced.

"What I don't understand is that, how the hell did we end up looking like this if that's the case?" Charles pointed out, causing the War Gods finally discover their ragged appearances. "I sure as hell don't remember fighting anything that could rip apart my uniform like some random rags." 

"I mean, maybe we were destined to not remember anything." Henry pointed out. "Maybe it's included in the rules of the trial. Also, would it really matter now that we cleared it?" 

"You've got a point there..." Charles nodded. 

"So you guys really don't remember anything, huh." Raven said as he looked strangely at the War Gods. 

"Why? Did we do something?" Logan asked, unsure what to make out of Raven's current expression. 

"Well...nothing much really." He said, still looking at them strangely. "I just noticed that when you guys came out, all of you were at a special state of enlightenment. I didn't disturb you at all and just waited until you guys woke up on your own."

"We we're at the enlightenment state when we came out?" Henry asked, slightly in disbelief. He checked himself out and said: "I don't feel any different though?" 

"I think you should." Raven said, causing them to raise a brow. "After all, you guys just got your own Slaughter Domains."

"What!?"