Chapter 454: Endless Hell (2/2)

A completion percentage between 80% to 84% meant they were shining stars even among amazing geniuses. They had extraordinary destinies, and as long their potential kept growing, they could become Law Overlords.

85% was a major threshold. While there was only a 1% difference with 84%, the talent of those with this level of completion reached the Prima Universe's peak.

Reaching above 90% was something Zatiel thought no one but him could achieve, but The Sage succeeded.

Of course, those numbers were not definitive, and they could change in the future, growing or declining. Even Heavenly Slayer could fall in his journey or fail to keep his destinies and potential growing alongside his Rank.

Zatiel made sure to memorize those titles, and there were some he already associated with people he had a connection with.

”Start the next test.”

Ancestral Root's eyes narrowed when he heard Zatiel's words. The way the Neo-Demon acted showed the hatred he had against the number 1 Challenger.

In the end, he did nothing. Even if he wanted, he could not harm the Challengers unless the World Tree commanded it.

”Endless Hell focuses on your ability to resist agony. You will be submitted to the worst pain imaginable. There are ten levels, and each one lasts a year. The higher the level you reach, the greater your completion percentage will be. Questions?”

”Do you need to start in the first level?”

”Not really, but it would be better to start from the beginning since it would temper your willpower.”

”Start in the tenth level.”

Ancestral Root was surprised when he heard those words and saw the seriousness in Zatiel's face.

”Are you sure? Only two Challengers managed to reach the tenth level, and one barely lasted a minute before passing out.”

The Neo-Demon's eyes narrowed when he heard that. ”What about the other?”

”He completed the tenth level.”

A monstrous fighting spirit appeared in Zatiel's eyes when he heard that. He did not need to ask who was the only Challenger to complete the tenth level as he already knew the answer.

Zatiel adopted a meditative position before signaling Ancestral Root to start and closing his eyes.

Once again, he felt a finger touch his forehead, and the next second, a terrible pain assaulted him. It was so horrific that the Neo-Demon failed to maintain his meditative posture for more than five minutes and began to roll in the ground as he grabbed his head and screamed.

”¡AHHHHHH!”

The agony was much worse than when he split his soul and could compare with the pain he suffered the twentieth day of True Will's strengthening.

Even if he felt pain like this before, back then, he only needed to endure a few hours, but now he had to resist an entire year. While the True Will enhanced his ability to withstand pain, there was a limit to that help.

Despite his pitiful appearance, there was no sign of surrender in Zatiel's eyes as he resisted that inhumane torture.

Days became weeks, and weeks became months, but the Neo-Demon screams did not stop.

He would blast his head against the ground from time to time, hoping to ease the pain a little, but it did not help.

When the fourth month of pain started, Zatiel had already lost the ability to think, but he kept enduring.

Whenever he felt the desire to give up, he would stare at the first name on the wood plate, and his instincts would push him to endure and keep fighting.

Finally, after what felt like an endless amount of time, the pain stopped. Right then, the Neo-Demon relaxed for an instant and fell unconscious.

Ancestral Root stared at the young man with respect and waited for him to recover before starting the next trial.