The Founder's POV

Chapter 8: A monk

I passed out in that room before I even look around...

'How embarrassing...' I thought while looking at my watch. I would've died if there was any danger here. It was eight o'clock at night, and I had slept for over ten hours on the hard stone of the temple.

I crawled to the nearby wall to lean against it, thinking about the puzzle I solved a while ago. It was effortless, but the circumstances made it almost impossible without using a mind-enhancing skill—the first handle referred to art, the second to magic, and the last to science.

Perhaps the point is that we must use all of these aspects to achieve true success... Unfortunately, magic is not my field. The password is "Unity is formed in diversity." I am trying to understand what it means.

I don't have to think about this right now. I felt while looking at the door leading to the next room, the fourth trial. I got up with incredible difficulty. Most of the bones in my body were already broken, and standing was impossible, but I did it somehow.

I was limping, and my back was bent like a non-human creature, and I was dirty with rotting blood, dirt, and the remains of snow. If I encountered a human now, he might mistake me for an alien. I hope never to reencounter any creature. Even an ordinary human child might be enough to kill me now.

I sighed as I crossed the door. I entered a strange room, and the door behind me disappeared.

There is no way to escape anymore...I didn't know what awaited me, but nothing was ordinary in the room. The left and right walls were mirrors, and the ceiling was decorated with countless lights. The floor was paved with white tiles, and a wooden sign hung before me.<Mind's Maze>A maze made of one path, great... there is absolutely nothing weird about it. The simpler it is, the scarier it is.

I walked slowly and cautiously. A strange feeling crept into my heart when I looked at my mirror reflection, but I still crossed successfully. "Hmm?!" I became speechless when I found myself in the same place. I came back here without noticing.

I tried again, walked halfway, then walked around, and got the same result. I used the Lantern and still got the same result. After the fifth attempt, the contents of the wooden sign changed strangely.<The maze is in your mind; fix your thoughts to pass the path>

"For God's sake..." I was speechless. This was an impossible request...Fortunately, I expected something like this too. I pulled out a black device from my space ring. It was my phone, of course. I looked at the data I had previously entered and did not hesitate to click <Confirm>

The Creator's points decreased from 5.001 to 2.001, and a white pill appeared on my hand. I swallowed it without hesitation and noticed all my thoughts quickly leaving my mind. Ultimately, all that was left in my mind was one goal: to pass through these stupid trials.

This pill forced all unnecessary thoughts out of my mind and made me completely calm.

*

Cassian's figure strolled across the tiled floor, walking as if he were neither excited nor frustrated. He seemed to be just walking to walk, without any unnecessary thoughts in his mind. Ultimately, he crossed the path successfully, but he was still in that same emotionless state.

He crossed the door and entered the final trial room. It was completely black, an empty, aimless scene like space or void. Familiar white shapes appeared from the void, but Cassian did not stop at any of them.

In the end, he was forced to stop. Even though he was emotionless, he couldn't help but shudder at seeing his parents standing before the door.

"T-this can't be happening-" Cassian's body fell to one knee as if he was devoid of a soul. He did not feel anything due to the effects of the pill, but he couldn't stop trembling when he saw the two people in front of him.