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Chapter 996

[If you wish, you can remain in the Trial of Restriction: Slumber. If you choose to do so, you can obtain higher achievements.]

Minhyuk was not able to sleep properly for two straight weeks. There was this one time when he accidentally dozed off for ten minutes. Thankfully, the system allowed this much leeway.

Minhyuk’s body started to feel heavy the more time he spent inside the trial. At one point, he felt like he would immediately fall into a deep sleep if he closed his eyes just once. However, this trial where everything he wanted to eat could become a reality just by imagining them was far too sweet to pass up.

He had taken advantage of the image training and ate everything he wanted.

‘Back then, there were times when I couldn’t sleep for an entire week because of hunger.’

Yes. It did happen. Even though he wanted to sleep, his head constantly screamed at him and demanded food. He ended up getting insomnia. It was so bad that he could only fall asleep after exhaustion and no longer think of anything. That was how much eating addiction has threatened Minhyuk’s life.

‘However, this is different.’

Minhyuk had suffered from indescribable pain because of hunger and sleepiness for a very long time. However, during this Trial of Restriction: Slumber, he only needed to endure for two weeks.

Of course, no matter how great a person was, being unable to sleep for even five minutes for two weeks straight was impossible. Perhaps this was why the system allowed Minhyuk to doze off occasionally.

Besides, the situation was completely different from before. After all, Minhyuk could not sleep, but he was still happy since he could eat everything he wanted.

‘I think it’s more accurate to say that every cell in my body is awake, right?’

Because he could eat delicious meals constantly through his image training, Minhyuk did not feel he had the time to worry about sleeping. And without hesitation, Minhyuk extended his time in the first Trial of Restriction. Only after he had eaten a thousand meals did he stop and fall into a deep sleep.

***

Rocado, who watched Minhyuk fall into a deep sleep after completing the first Trial of Restriction, could see what the young man was like as a person.

‘I heard that there’s a god who likes to eat. It seems like he is that god.’

Rocado smiled bitterly. If that were indeed the case, then the second trial would be harrowing for him because the following restriction was eating.

‘I promised to reinforce whatever artifact he wants to get reinforced if he can clear two trials.’

Of course, he also had some doubts. He wanted to know why this young man came to see him.

Rocado, who was looking at the crystal ball, coughed. “Urk…?”

Red blood dripped down Rocado’s chin. He felt like time was not on his side any longer.

Although he found it surprising that the young man could clear the Restriction of Slumber, Rocado was sure that removing the subsequent trial would be impossible for him. So, he could only increase the rewards and give the young man the driving force and motivation to clear those trials.

Rocado manipulated the rewards once more, but this time, he had to set conditions for them. This reward was something no one should be able to obtain easily.

Once the second trial began, the young man would be informed of the changes. However, the conditions to obtain this reward were not easy.

‘You need to obtain 90% achievement.’

In Rocado’s eyes, it was impossible. Some couldn’t even reach 50% achievement in the Trial of Restrictions. But Rocado hoped that this man could at least get 50% achievement and come to meet him here so that he could leave Herakel in his care.

With a bitter look, Rocado turned around and left the crystal ball behind.

‘There’s no more time left.’

He sat down and continued working on his long-term project. Right in front of him were around 9,980 portraits of the same woman. It was quite a grotesque sight.

‘I have to finish 10,000 paintings before I die.’

That was the only way for Rocado to meet her again.

***

Minhyuk, who fell into a deep sleep on the bed, finally woke up. The moment he opened his eyes, a series of notifications rang in his ears.

[The second trial of restriction has begun.]

[The second restriction will be eating.]

Minhyuk frowned.

[An unbelievable hunger starts to torment you.]

[This state of extreme hunger will last for three months.]

[From this point on, you are given the choice to add restrictions in your trial.]

[If you choose to endure multiple restrictions, your achievement will significantly increase.]

[If you endure multiple restrictions, the period you need to endure will be significantly reduced.]

Minhyuk looked puzzled. He was going to be tormented by an unbelievable hunger? He waited for a moment for the extreme hunger to come.

‘Nothing’s happening, though?’

Minhyuk scratched his head. His eating addiction was a kind of mental illness that would always make him feel like he was in an extreme state of hunger. In the past, Minhyuk even resorted to eating tissue paper because of his illness. Perhaps that was why the extreme hunger set by the system did not do anything to him. Maybe it was nothing compared to the illness called eating addiction.

‘Not eating anything for three months? It wouldn’t be easy for me.’

Of course, the symptoms of Minhyuk’s eating addiction had improved significantly. He no longer had the shocking appetite from the past. However, what about the three months he had to endure not eating anything here? That would probably be very dangerous for Minhyuk.

‘It might just exacerbate my eating addiction.’

Although Minhyuk was not suffering from any eating addiction symptoms, the only reason why he was not experiencing those was because he was able to eat whatever and however much he wanted in Athenae and satisfy his raging appetite.

But now, he was left in a situation where he could not satisfy that appetite for three months. This would most likely worsen his eating addiction.

‘Should I give up?’

However, the rewards he could receive were far too sweet and tempting to give up like that. He could reinforce the Sword of Aeon once, complete Evangel, and meet with one of the Eight Pillars, Jack-of-all-Trades Rocado.

Then, at that moment.

[If you achieve more than 90% inside the Cave of Restriction, you can obtain a Pillar Ingredient.]

[Achieving 90% of achievement inside the Cave of Restriction is nearly impossible.]

“...?”

Minhyuk was quite surprised. The Pillar Ingredient had not yet appeared in the world. If he could obtain an ingredient that had not yet been released, he would probably also be able to obtain a title as a reward.

‘I wonder how delicious the Pillar Ingredient is?’

The thought alone was enough to make his mouth water.

‘As expected, giving up without even trying does not fit with me.’

He could just quit if he felt like it was too hard.

‘No.’

There should be another way to tackle this. Minhyuk pondered the matter for quite a while before making his decision.

“I will take the third restriction and the fourth restriction together with the second restriction.”

If Rocado had seen what he did, he would have been shocked. Perhaps he would even shout at Minhyuk that he was crazy. However, there was no other way.

First, the notification clearly said that obtaining 90% achievement inside the Cave of Restriction was almost impossible. But the Pillar Ingredient was dangling right in front of him.

‘I need to endure this much to obtain that.’

[The third restriction is repetition.]

[The fourth restriction is darkness.]

[With the second, third, and fourth restrictions carried out at the same time, the total duration of the trial will be significantly reduced.]

[With the three restrictions simultaneously, the achievement rate will significantly increase.]

[The duration of the trial will be reduced to four weeks.]

[You have to repeat doing something for four weeks straight. If there are more than three seconds between repeated actions, the trial will be considered a failure.]

[You will not grow tired even if you don’t sleep.]

[You will not be able to see anything for four weeks.]

“...”

Minhyuk found that these Trials of Restriction had one thing in common. And that was the fact that one had to endure loneliness and solitude. In the first trial, he has to endure being unable to sleep in a space devoid of another’s presence. And now, in this space, he had to struggle against hunger, repeat an action non-stop without anyone’s support, and even be trapped in the darkness where no one would hold his hands and comfort him.

Initially, it would take a year for Minhyuk to complete all the existing trials. Although the time had been shortened, it should still be unbearable. But even so, there was still a faint smile on Minhyuk’s face.

‘I have lived in the darkness for many years.’

Of course, many people cared and cheered for him. However, during those times, he had always felt alone. After all, he was the only one suffering from eating addiction. He was the only one dying. But Minhyuk was able to step away from that world. Because of that, Minhyuk was stronger than anybody else.

[Please start the repetitive action.]

Minhyuk grabbed his sword as he slowly stood up.

‘The best way to overcome hunger is to keep moving and exercising.’

When his body was enduring the pain of working out, his overwhelming hunger often softened and disappeared for a bit. It was like a drop in the ocean, but that did not matter.

Minhyuk swung his sword.

[Darkness encroaches upon your vision. You will not be able to see anything.]

The world around him disappeared.

Minhyuk’s posture might be messy, but he continued to swing his sword in this darkness. But there was something that this trial did not know.

Minhyuk was a player who had worked harder than anybody else in Athenae. Everyone acknowledged this fact when they saw the ZTube video titled “The Burden that an Emperor Carries” and saw how much effort Minhyuk had made.

Even though he could not see what was ahead of him, Minhyuk did not stop. He just repeatedly swung his sword.

Swoosh–!

Even in a situation surrounded by darkness, Minhyuk continued to swing his sword and think about the things he lacked.

Swoosh–!

Even though everything around him had disappeared, he considered this an opportunity to study his body and awaken his senses.

Swoosh–!

How long has it been since he started this? Perhaps he had been doing this for a day? Two days? Or three days? Minhyuk did not know. However, there was one thing that he knew. The monster named hunger was gradually creeping up on him. That was why he had started to swing faster and stronger.

As for the darkness that consumed him?

‘It’s scary.’

It was still fine up until a few moments ago. However, with only the sound of his sword cutting through the wind as he continued to swing accompanying him, fear started to appear and devour him.

Throb, throb–

But that was not all. His arms started to throb and twitch from the continuous swinging of his sword. People often became vulnerable when doing something repeatedly, and it was not easy for someone to do something repeatedly for more than a few hours.

Of course, Minhyuk could still endure it since he often changed the actions he had to repeat. He would swing his sword horizontally, thrust his sword forward, and do other actions. He would repeat these actions repeatedly and change them once he started to falter. However, it was still challenging.

How long has he been doing this? He was completely unaware. He just felt like this monster-like hunger was chasing him in this darkness. The more he thought this way, the faster and stronger his strikes and the more focused he became.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh–

Minhyuk continued to swing his sword.

‘How long have I been doing this?’

He still did not know. All he knew was that he was engulfed by the fear of this darkness and this terrible hunger. However, no matter how tedious it was, he repeated his actions.

***

Rocado, who had been painting since earlier, stopped. Now, he only needed to paint a few hundred more to meet with the dead Eirin. However, it would only remain as a wish. His body was telling him that he did not have much time left. He felt like his body had already started to turn stiff.

Rocado no longer had any Herb of Immortality, which had the shocking power to extend a human’s lifespan by 80 years.

“Haa… Haa…”

Just a bit longer. I just need to stay alive for a bit longer.

He just needed enough time to finish those few hundred paintings. But Rocado did not know whether he could last for two more hours.

‘My calculations are completely wrong.’

He thought that he could last for at least a few more months. However, that was nothing but mere arrogance on his part.

“Ugh!”

Jack-of-all-Trades Rocado was the Father of Dexterity who had disappeared from the world. He was also one of the Eight Pillars. However strange as it might sound, he believed in a myth. This myth said that if someone could finish 10,000 god-grade paintings, they could meet with the dead. He trusted this myth and did everything that he could to achieve it.

One of the Eight Pillars?

‘Bullshit. I’m just a normal human being.’

He was just someone who wanted to be with the person that he loved.

“Rocado, hurt. Rocado, hurt!” Herakel hurriedly ran to where Rocado was.

Rocado, sitting in front of the painting he was working on, fell on the ground just like that. ‘I should have made a potion in advance.’

Rocado did not make any potion because he thought he could meet her. But there was still a way.

“Herakel…”

He could still make potions if Herakel could pick the herbs for him. After all, he was not the Jack-of-all-Trades for nothing. He could still make potions even on the brink of his death. However, he could not open his mouth.

‘Herakel can’t pick that herb.’

The Herb of Breath could only be collected by someone with great DEX. If Rocado asked Herakel to collect such an herb and he failed to do so, then Herakel would resent himself for the rest of his life for failing to meet Rocado’s request.

“...Herakel.”

“Rocado, hurt. Rocado, die… die, can’t!”

At this moment, Rocado felt very sorry for Herakel.

‘I have to ask him a favor. For Herakel’s sake.’

That unidentified challenger who was taking on the Trial of Restriction would fail. No. Even if that man had succeeded, by the time he had walked out of that cave, Rocado would have already become a cold, stiff corpse. So, Rocado tried to tell Herakel to ask the man for a favor once he arrived here.

Thud– Thump, thump–

The crystal ball in Rocado’s arms rolled on the ground. Rocado’s eyes were drawn to the crystal ball that showed the figure of the man taking on the trial. However, what he saw in the crystal ball made his eyes widen from shock.

Notifications were flashing constantly on the crystal ball.

[The challenger took on the trial of the second, third, and fourth restrictions simultaneously.]

Rocado, who was almost at his last breath, was left in shock.

‘This– He’s crazy…!’

Did he challenge three trials all at once? How long has he been doing this?

‘No one would be able to last twenty days from that. They would have already gone crazy by then.’

Hunger, darkness, repetition, solitude—all of these combined could grind a human down and force them into madness. No matter how strong a person’s mentality, they would still be unable to endure that.

The trial was supposed to last an entire year or one whole day. However, if all three trials had been undertaken together, that time would have been significantly shortened.

‘If that’s the case, then perhaps he could still save me…’

However, Rocado realized that it was nothing but a pipe dream. Rocado immediately abandoned this dream.

‘No. He’s crazy. Maybe the trial is already over,’ Rocado thought as he focused on the crystal ball.

Then, he saw the man, covered in sweat, swinging his sword non-stop inside the darkness where nothing else was in sight.

At that moment, another notification appeared in Rocado’s eyes.

[There are two minutes left in the second, third, and fourth trials.]

“...?!”

Rocado’s eyes grew even wider. Not long after, he heard the man, still swinging his sword, mutter to himself.

[How long have I been doing this?]

[Fifteen days? Twenty days?]

Exhaustion was evident in his voice.

[I’m so hungry. I feel like dying. Please. I want to eat something.]

It was only natural. The restriction of eating would chip away at his sanity.

[I’m so tired. I feel like my entire body will burst. I think I’m going to go crazy after repeating these things over and over again.]

That was reasonable. Repeating an action non-stop would not only bring pain to one’s body but would also bring pain to one’s mentality.

[It’s too dark. So scary. How long do I have to freaking stay in this place?]

On top of that, the world around him is covered in darkness. However, despite his words, the young man continued to swing his sword. Even though he sounded so exhausted, he still kept on moving.

[But…]

Rocado’s pupils started to shake as he looked at the young man through the crystal ball. He could see a slight smile on the man’s face. And the words he uttered brought a shiver down Rocado’s spine.

[...I can do it.]