Chapter 713: Heat Endurance Trial

Chapter 713: Heat Endurance Trial

In the sauna room of the Tower of Suns.

The trial has started. Zaydra and Maiyo sit on the benches extending out from the walls, but on opposite sides of the room. Sweat drips from their foreheads like they have been doing strenuous exercise.

Zaydra looks down at her feet and thinks to herself. “I wish he told us how long we have to wait in here… It will be hard to endure the heat when I’m also so bored.”

“Hey, Zaydra…”

Zaydra looks up from her feet and over at Maiyo across the room, who rubs his hands back through his hair.

“…Perhaps it would be beneficial to exchange the pleasantry of words while we endure this heat. It makes me feel the opposite of magnificent. What would be the word for that? Undignified?” Maiyo wonders.

“You really are an odd one,” Zaydra replies. “Who says ‘pleasantry of words’ instead of just ‘conversation?’ Also, what’s with your obsession with the word ‘magnificent?’”

Maiyo closes his eyes as he smiles with a humming chuckle. “Hmhmhm. That’s just who I am, I suppose. But if you think about the word ‘magnificent’, you can hear how magnificent it sounds.”

Zaydra raises an eyebrow. “Did you just use the word ‘magnificent’ to describe the word ‘magnificent’?”

“Hmhmhm. Yes, that’s why it is magnificent. Any magnificent word should sound magnificent and therefore be described with the word ‘magnificent’.”

Zaydra facepalms, wiping away some sweat in the process. “I might lose my sanity soon.”

“Hmhmhm. Do you see, though? We are distracting ourselves from the undignified heat. Even while not feeling magnificent, we can still be magnificent. It's quite interesting, I must say.”

Zaydra lowers her face into both of her hands. “Goddess, help me…”

***

Meanwhile, in another room of the Tower of Suns.

Solen and Keith stand in a room with a gym aesthetic. There is a large square mat in the center of the room.

Solen thrusts his arms forward, creating five sun clones of Keith on the mat.

Solen smiles. “This will be your training room. It’s a great place to build your strength, develop new techniques, or improve strategies. These clones will serve as your training partners. Since they look like you, you can command them to do whatever you want. By default, they will just stand there, but you can tell them to move, fight, dodge, or even combine into one large clone.”

Keith smirks while rubbing his chin. “Sounds interesting. Can I also order them to get me booze from your bar?”

Solen pauses, genuinely surprised by the question.

“Uh… I suppose so,” Solen replies. “But will that help your training…?”

Keith continues smirking while giving Solen a thumbs up. “Of course! There’s nothing that increases my motivation and thinking skills like a good drink!”

Solen holds onto his abdomen as he lets out a big laugh. “HA! Then go right ahead!”

He turns around and heads for the room’s exit. “Good luck with your training.”

Keith turns his attention back to the clones, grinning with anticipation. “Alright, clones, it’s time for some training. I’m aiming for something big! Something that will set me apart from the others!”

***

Back to the Heat Endurance Trial

Sweat drips throughout Maiyo’s entire body.

“…And that is why… the history of… the word ‘magnificent’… is….”

He falls from his seat onto the floor, panting. “…magnificent….”

Zaydra is also lying on the floor, panting and covered in sweat all over. “I don’t think… your weirdness… is helping… anymore…”

“Nonsense… I just need to… do a better… job…”

Zaydra thinks to herself. “This isn’t working! No distraction will help endure this long enough to pass! There has to be something I can do!”

Narrator: Can Zaydra and Maiyo fully endure the heat, or will their hopes of becoming the next Deity of Suns end here?

Chapter 713 END

To be Continued in Chapter 714: The Mysterious Ruler