Genesis & Oblivion: The Celestial Evolution System

Chapter 89: Chapter 88 — The Next Floor

The group left the ancient fortress behind.

The path ahead stretched across a vast rocky plain.

Unlike the previous battlefield, there were no monsters waiting for them.

For the moment, everything was quiet.

Azrael walked near the front of the group while Seraphina remained beside him.

Caelan followed a short distance behind them.

Orin carried his shield over one shoulder, while Lyanna continued examining the information she had copied from the fortress.

"So," Orin finally said, breaking the silence.

"Are we just walking now?"

Azrael glanced back.

"For now."

"That’s surprisingly peaceful."

Lyanna closed her book.

"Don’t say that."

Orin frowned.

"Why?"

"Whenever someone says that in a dungeon, something usually happens."

Orin immediately looked around.

"Then I take it back."

Seraphina laughed.

Azrael couldn’t help smiling.

After everything they had experienced inside the fortress, the simple conversation felt strangely relaxing.

But Azrael remained alert.

His Resonance Sight was still active.

The environment around him felt different now.

Before, he would have simply sensed the presence of mana.

Now he could distinguish the subtle changes within it.

The ground carried one rhythm.

The air carried another.

Even the people around him produced different resonances.

Seraphina’s was warm and constantly changing.

Caelan’s was sharp and steady.

Orin’s felt heavy and grounded.

Lyanna’s was almost impossible to notice unless Azrael deliberately focused on it.

Then there was his own.

Azrael concentrated for a moment.

His resonance contained two completely different qualities.

One felt warm and expansive.

The other was silent and destructive.

Genesis.

Oblivion.

They remained separate.

Yet neither rejected the other.

Azrael quietly wondered what would happen when both sides of his power completely awakened.

He didn’t have an answer.

So he stopped thinking about it.

There was no reason to rush.

Several minutes later, Caelan suddenly raised his hand.

"Stop."

Everyone immediately halted.

Azrael looked forward.

The rocky plain ended at a massive cliff.

Beyond it was an enormous canyon.

A bridge stretched across the gap.

It was made from black stone and covered with ancient silver markings.

At the other side stood a massive gate.

Caelan walked closer.

"There."

A symbol appeared above the gate.

Everyone could see it clearly.

Floor Eight

The Trial of Cooperation

Orin blinked.

"Cooperation?"

Lyanna looked at Azrael.

"That sounds suspicious."

Azrael nodded.

"It probably is."

The moment they stepped onto the bridge—

A deep sound echoed through the canyon.

BOOM.

The gate at the opposite side opened.

Then another System message appeared.

[Floor Eight Activated]

Objective:

Reach the opposite gate.

Additional Requirement:

All registered members of the party must arrive.

Failure Condition:

If one member falls...

The entire party will be returned to the beginning.

Orin stared at the message.

"So..."

"We all have to cross?"

Caelan nodded.

"Apparently."

Azrael looked across the bridge.

It was extremely long.

There were no visible enemies.

No traps.

No obstacles.

That made him more cautious.

The old master had taught him to question what he saw.

If the Tower wanted cooperation...

Then the challenge probably wasn’t going to be about defeating something.

Azrael activated Resonance Sight.

The bridge immediately changed in his perception.

Thousands of thin lines appeared across the stone.

Some were connected to the walls.

Others extended beneath the bridge.

Azrael’s eyes narrowed.

"It’s a formation."

Lyanna immediately stepped closer.

"What kind?"

"I don’t know yet."

Azrael crouched and placed his hand against the stone.

The formation reacted.

A faint pulse traveled across the bridge.

Then—

BOOM!

The bridge shook.

Everyone instinctively stepped backward.

A section of the stone suddenly disappeared.

A gap opened beneath them.

Orin nearly fell.

"Whoa!"

Caelan grabbed his arm.

"Careful."

Orin looked down.

The canyon below was impossibly deep.

There was no visible bottom.

Azrael immediately understood.

"The bridge reacts to movement."

Caelan looked at the remaining path.

"So we can’t simply run across."

"No."

Azrael stood.

"We need to understand the formation first."

Lyanna examined the markings.

"Then what exactly are we looking for?"

Azrael looked across the bridge.

"The resonance."

He closed his eyes.

The entire bridge seemed to become an enormous instrument.

Every stone carried a vibration.

Some were harmonious.

Others were unstable.

Azrael listened carefully.

Then he noticed something.

"The bridge isn’t trying to stop us."

Seraphina looked at him.

"What?"

"It’s measuring us."

Azrael pointed toward the stones.

"Every time someone steps incorrectly, the formation removes part of the bridge."

Caelan nodded slowly.

"Then the correct path must have a specific rhythm."

"Exactly."

Azrael looked at everyone.

"We move together."

Orin raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"Match your steps."

Azrael demonstrated.

One step.

Then another.

Slowly.

The bridge remained stable.

Caelan followed.

Then Seraphina.

Lyanna.

Orin.

The five moved together.

Nothing happened.

Orin smiled.

"See? Easy."

Azrael immediately said,

"Don’t—"

BOOM!

A stone disappeared beneath Orin’s foot.

He froze.

"...Say it."

Azrael sighed.

"I was going to tell you not to get careless."

Orin looked down.

"Right."

Seraphina covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Caelan shook his head.

"Focus."

They continued.

The bridge became increasingly difficult.

The required rhythm changed every few dozen meters.

Sometimes they needed to walk slowly.

Sometimes quickly.

Sometimes two people had to move while the others remained still.

At one point, a section of the bridge began collapsing beneath Lyanna.

Azrael immediately moved.

But Seraphina grabbed his arm.

"Wait."

He looked at her.

She pointed toward the formation.

"The stones are responding to her."

Azrael activated Resonance Sight.

She was right.

The collapsing section wasn’t attacking Lyanna.

It was reacting to her movement.

Azrael quickly understood.

"Lyanna."

She looked toward him.

"Don’t move."

She froze.

"Caelan, three steps forward."

Caelan moved.

The bridge stabilized.

"Seraphina, one step left."

She followed.

Another section formed.

Azrael looked at Lyanna.

"Now move."

She stepped forward.

The bridge remained intact.

Lyanna smiled.

"I see."

They continued.

This time, everyone understood the purpose of the trial.

They couldn’t rely on one person.

Everyone had to pay attention.

Everyone had to trust the others.

After nearly an hour, they reached the final section.

The gate stood only twenty meters away.

Everyone was exhausted.

Orin looked toward the entrance.

"Finally."

Azrael looked at him.

"Slowly."

Orin sighed.

"I know."

They began their final approach.

Five steps.

Four.

Three.

Two—

The bridge suddenly shook violently.

BOOM!

Everyone stopped.

A massive crack appeared behind them.

The formation had changed again.

Azrael immediately activated Resonance Sight.

His expression became serious.

"The final section isn’t based on our movement."

Caelan looked around.

"Then what is it based on?"

Azrael listened.

The bridge.

The canyon.

The gate.

Then he realized.

"It’s based on our trust."

Seraphina frowned.

"How?"

The gate suddenly displayed another message.

[Final Requirement]

One member must cross first.

The remaining members must trust that individual to activate the gate.

If the first member returns...

The trial will restart.

Orin stared at the gate.

"That’s ridiculous."

Caelan looked at Azrael.

"Someone has to go alone."

Azrael nodded.

"Yes."

Seraphina immediately stepped forward.

"I’ll go."

Azrael stopped her.

"No."

She looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because the Tower chose this trial for a reason."

He looked at the others.

"It wants to see whether we can trust each other."

Caelan nodded.

"Then who goes?"

Azrael looked toward the gate.

"I will."

Seraphina frowned.

"Azrael—"

"I’ll be fine."

She stared at him for a moment.

Then sighed.

"Come back."

Azrael smiled.

"I will."

He turned toward the final section.

One step.

The bridge remained stable.

Another.

Nothing happened.

Azrael continued walking.

Ten meters.

Five.

Three.

Two.

One.

He reached the gate.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then the entire bridge lit up.

Golden lines spread across the stones.

The gate slowly opened.

[Floor Eight Trial Complete]

Cooperation Requirement Fulfilled

All Party Members May Proceed

Bonus Reward Granted

The others crossed.

Seraphina reached Azrael first.

"You took too long."

Azrael smiled.

"It was only a few seconds."

"Still too long."

Caelan walked through behind her.

"Congratulations."

Orin raised his shield.

"We actually did it."

Lyanna looked back at the bridge.

"I think I understand what this floor was testing."

Azrael nodded.

"Strength isn’t always about what one person can accomplish."

Seraphina smiled.

"Sometimes..."

"...it’s about what everyone can accomplish together."

The System sounded once more.

[Party Synchronization Increased]

Team Coordination: +10%

Mutual Trust: Increased

Cooperative Combat Efficiency: Increased

Azrael looked at the notification.

Then he glanced at the others.

For some reason, the small increase felt more valuable than a normal reward.

They had entered the Academy as individuals.

Now they were beginning to become a team.

The group walked through the gate together.

A new staircase appeared ahead of them.

At the top stood another enormous door.

A simple inscription was carved into it.

Floor Nine

Orin looked at the staircase.

"Please tell me the next floor is easier."

Caelan laughed.

"After what we’ve experienced?"

"I don’t think this Tower knows the meaning of easier."

Azrael smiled.

"Let’s find out."

Together, they began climbing toward Floor Nine.

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