The Rise of the Black Plain

A few more months had passed, and the pair had made their way all the way to the place that the map they had conquered earlier led them to.

Unlike the crystal they had found earlier—which they still cultivated with it occasionally—this place they had arrived at a few days ago didn't have a special resource that could be taken.

What was available in the area was an opportunity that could only be seized there.

That's why, after Minos and Forfex's first few days since arriving there, they were still in this area, both amid a test of endurance.

...

In an area where magma covered an enormous terrain, which seemed to have no limits, as if it were a scorching red sea, Minos and Forfex were in the middle of a small black island surrounded by the sea of magma.

The two of them were bound by huge chains, their arms and legs stretched out, while with each passing day, the level of the magma got closer to where they were.

They were both naked, sweating profusely as they used as much of their powers as they could to feel the temperature of the area less.

Meanwhile, black stone statues with veins of magma were holding the chains, restraining them, as they passed through the scorching temperament promoted in the area.

As soon as they arrived there, the two thought it was a trap when they were attacked, their wrists and heels bound with chains that seemed indestructible. But after being at the mercy of the stone statues, they were placed in their current positions and told that they had to put up with the current situation for an entire month.

If they endured the month, they would be released and could drink the essence of the flames available in the area.

But today was the 11th day there, and they already felt like their bodies would catch fire at any moment.

Forfex was mourning as his whole body trembled, his fur having already burned completely, while his skin seemed to be burned too.

Minos wasn't as bad off as his companion, as he had similar stamina to a dragon, a type of beast accustomed to high temperatures.

Even so, he was sweating vigorously, breathing badly as he felt like he was being roasted.

'Shit! What's with the passage of time here?' he asked himself, feeling as if the seconds were passing too slowly.

Unfortunately, he couldn't use his ability to escape this situation. Whether he used his six powers to speed up time, it wouldn't free him from having to feel the month he had to endure there. As such, he wasn't using his time power, instead focusing on using his energies to refresh his body.

He could try to steal Forfex's cultivation to improve his situation, but Minos preferred not to go against the agreement he had with that alien.

"Hah... Hah... I'm thinking of giving up." Forfex shouted as he suffered, his exhausted breathing all too clear.

"Don't give up, man! If you can hold out until the end, you'll have even more strength when you leave this plane and return to your planet!" Minos said, encouraging his ally.

The truth was that, while Forfex was there, Minos himself felt more motivated to carry on, being entertained by the presence of a companion.

"Let's talk for a while to take our minds off things," Minos said, trying not to sound tired. "What were you doing before you came here?"

"Cultivating? I think everyone was doing the same, Minos."

"Haha, I misspoke. I meant, what was your situation? My group and I had just arrived on a new planet where my companions could cultivate in my absence. I imagine they're much stronger now."

"I was in my sect. I'm the leader of my force. So my people must be getting on with their lives. I went into seclusion, thinking I'd get revenge on an old enemy after my breakthrough and the situation at The Red Extreme."

"You'll be much stronger than your enemy when you leave this place."

"I'm not sure. He was a level 105 Sovereign, just as talented as me," Forfex said, his voice full of pain, but less depressed than earlier.

Remembering his enemy gave him such a gas that he couldn't help but notice the difference in talking to Minos.

"I see... Well, good luck with that. I also have some old enemies to deal with when I return."

...

Another two weeks passed...

Minos and Forfex remained firm in their positions, with the alien almost losing consciousness, while the young human had lost all the hair on his body and his skin was badly burned by now.

Minos had talked a lot with Forfex to make time pass more quickly over the last few days, but even he was too tired at this point to continue his conversations with the alien.

Still, with 25 days having passed since they started this challenge, they had to hold out until the end. There was so little left, so they couldn't weaken!

"Don't lose your conscience... Hah... Hah... If you sleep, you'll miss the chance to drink the flame essence. It will heal all our wounds and strengthen us!" Minos said with difficulty, seeing the magma only 30 centimeters away from him.

By his reckoning, he and Forfex would be thrown into the magma shortly after the month-long test ended!

'Shit! Fucking test!' he thought to himself as he tried to hold himself together.

But thinking about how strong he would have to be to get his family out of The Enchanted Realm and then protect them in Zocarro, Minos stayed strong, lucid while his body shook uncontrollably.

This was how the next five days would go for Minos and Forfex in this test of endurance, with the young human trying to cheer up his companion, interested in the continuity of the millennia-old partnership ahead of them.

Even though he was powerful, Minos wasn't foolish enough to think that he could beat the 900 competitors who might stand in his way. With allies, his path would be much smoother!

...

At the end of the five days, Minos and Forfex were about to be released into the magma, when the bubbling and extremely hot liquid in front of them revealed a bottle with a strange liquid for each of them to drink.

They didn't even have to move to drink the liquid. Those bottles opened and something similar to an orange vapor penetrated their bodies, immediately awakening two devastated individuals.