Chapter 3969: The First Step

Everyone nearby gathered around the column, which extended several tens of meters high. Minor spatial distortions seemed to appear around it, especially at the top, showing its weird connection with the Future Realm. The formation around this equipment was a hundred meters wide, and you couldn’t see a single gap between the spectators as they got as close as possible to watch.

Rean and Zonwikui entered the hundred-meter range, looking at the goal at the center. They had to make their way there using any methods necessary. Of course, they couldn’t damage the formation or attack the opponent. The point of this test was to check whether you would do well in the Future Realm or not, after all.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Suddenly, Kentucky floated above everyone, now in his humanoid form and pretending to be holding a microphone. His Divine Energy amplified his voice, making it echo throughout the area.

"We are here today to see who will reach the center of the formation and touch the Temporal Resistance Spire! On your left, we have the faraway cultivator from a barely known land called Runia, Reannnn!"

"On your right, we have an undomitable Spirit from the continent of Artufik! Say hello toooooo Zonwikuiiiiii!"

A lot of those watching were speechless by that performance, but...

"Hell yeah! 100 Rank Eleven Divine Stones on the Human called Rean!" It was then that Hose joined the fun, raising his CD and projecting the images of a betting website. He made the ID of that bet on the website very big for everyone to see.

The crowd’s eyes shone like stars. How could they lose that chance? Bets after bets began to rain into that bet ID, the number of Divine Stones soon surpassing the tens of thousands. Seems like a lot, but when you consider the number of participants and how they are all the top experts from their continents, it makes sense.

Rean looked around, laughing. "Hahaha! This is great! 1000 Rank Thirteen Divine Stones on my own victory!"

*WOW!*

Isn’t that the same value he is supposed to win from Nondux? Of course, only if he is the first to get there. Does he even have that money? Few believed so.

However, using your own ID to log into that website and putting a bet would lock you up with your creditors and debtors. If it turned out you didn’t have the money to pay, you would be forced to pay it some other way, even if it took you your entire life. In Rean’s case, because he was connected to the Divine Military Academy of the Runia Continent, it was very likely that the academy would be forced to pay for him if he lost. That’s why everyone jumped in, knowing that they would pay and be paid one way or another.

Tridaz couldn’t help but feel excited, betting another hundred Rank Thirteen Divine Stones on Zonwikui. He firmly believed the Spirit, with his higher cultivation, would win this easily.

Nondux, on the other hand, had his doubts. He didn’t think Rean was going to win, and that’s why he offered that prize to him. He wanted Rean to put his life on the line for that victory. Yet, seeing Rean betting the same value he offered made him wonder if Rean had some plan in mind. "Fuck this! What is a fart if you are already in the shit?! Another 1000 Rank Thirteen Divine Stones on Rean’s Victory!"

*WOW!*

The hype increased exponentially, and even more bets appeared.

As expected, Rean was highly underestimated, and bets were 13 to 1 in Zonwikui’s favor. Most believed Rean couldn’t overcome the cultivation gap either.

Kentucky smiled, continuing. "The bets are on! Competitors Rean and Zonwikui, are you ready?!" Kentucky seemed to be having a blast.

"YES!" Rean and Zonwikui.

"GOOD!" Kentucky looked at the Formations Master that operated the equipment. "My good sir, start the formation!"

The guy there shrugged, looking at Tridaz and Nondux. In the end, he wouldn’t truly take Kentucky’s orders. Of course, Tridaz and Nondux nodded at him. There was no point holding back anymore.

The formation started, and the column began to gather tiny bits of power from the Future Realm. That affected the entire one hundred range, including Rean and Zonwikui near the borders.

Zonwikui was the first one to react, floating forward.

"Wow! Zonwikui makes the first move! Shouldn’t participant Rean be the one to do that?! He already has a cultivation disadvantage, so why is he still only looking?!" Kentucky’s comments continued to echo all around.

Yet, Zonwikui couldn’t move more than a few meters before he began to wobble right, left, and center. Time around him accelerated and slowed in different parts of his body, and it even created images of possible futures up to a second or two around Zonwikui. Zonwikui couldn’t control himself and was forced to stop to try to get used to it.

Rean, on the other hand, just watched with a smile. Even though he hadn’t moved yet, he was still inside the formation, so the time changed and affected both his body and his mind. He looked around and saw a few versions of himself doing different things and moving in different directions. Those were all possible futures, though they showed only possibilities up to a second or two ahead as well. ’No wonder this equipment can only exist here. This ability truly matches what the Chronoblade Serpent can do.’

"What are you waiting for? Move already!" Nondux was getting nervous with Rean’s lack of action. "Wait! Could it be Tridaz contacted you through Divine Sense and offered you something?"

Rean looked back at him, surprised. "Oh! So you aren’t that dumb, now are you?"

"NO WAY!!!" Kentucky’s comments were even louder! "Does that mean Tridaz already has his victory guaranteed?! But then again, there were no rules saying that you couldn’t bribe the participants to do your bidding! Is this the end?!"

Tridaz laughed on the other side as Zonwikui managed to stabilize himself and float ahead a little more. "Hahahaha! Rean, right?! Just like I said, if I win, you will also gain a hundred Rank Thirteen Divine Stones. You can’t win anyway, so it is better to bet on my hundred Divine Stones than the one thousand from Nondux. Stay still, and the stones are yours!"

*Boooooooo!*

A lot of the spectators booed, but Tridaz couldn’t care less.

Nondux, however, was fuming as he cursed Rean! "How could you?! I’m going to hunt you down until the end of time!"

Zonwikui continued to move forward, albeit slowly. The closer he got to the column, the stronger the effects were.

Rean shrugged, asking Nondux. "Did I say I accepted his offer? I just said that he did indeed contact me to offer a reward in case I did nothing."

"Uh?!" Nondux wanted to kill Rean there and then. "Then why the hell haven’t you moved yet!"

Rean shook his head in disappointment as he watched Zonwikui. "You can’t even see that I’m first getting used to the environment. Don’t worry. We are fine. We have time."

He looked back. "Get it? Get it? We have time! Time! Do you get the joke?"

Nondux almost passed out. What kind of joke was that? Was that even a joke?

But then, Nondux was taken aback. Getting used? Then you should move already! The closer you get, the stronger the spiral’s effect, so you would get used to it faster, right?!

Zonwikui made it seventy meters ahead, only thirty away from the Spire, even if it took him a whole minute to do so. By now, no one believed Rean could win anymore.

Rean ignored all the curses of those who bet on him, looking at his own hand and nodding. ’I see, so that’s how it works. That Future Realm is truly a magical place,’ he thought.

"Wait! It is not over yet!" Kentucky exclaimed, still pretending to hold a microphone.

Everyone looked over.

Finally, Rean gave his first step!

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