From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

The monster before them had long since lost its pincers, yet its eyes remained bloodshot with rage.

Its scales suddenly stood on end, and its tail spun rapidly, whipping up sharp sand blades, much like a wall of knives in a storm.

"It's going to self-destruct!" Abu Nah shouted, his voice piercing the sandstorm. "It's going to take us all with it!"

The monster went completely mad, and its tattered yet still deadly tail spun faster and faster.

A sharp screech exploded in the air, and the sand and dust swirled into a huge vortex.

It was as if heaven and earth were responding to its dying roar, exuding a mad urge to perish together with the enemy.

Rings of blade-like sand burst forth from its body; anyone who gets too close will be pierced through by a thousand blades, leaving not a single piece of armor.

Eric's pupils contracted sharply, his voice almost swallowed by the sandstorm: "Can we...escape?"

"There's no escaping it," Abu Nach replied in a deep voice, his eyes chillingly calm.

"To run is to die. To hide is also to die."

Canod grinned, the sand on his face turning his beard grayish-white.

He gripped the sledgehammer tightly, cursing under his breath, "Then just tell me, are we all finished?"

"No." Abu Nach flung his cloak away, and grains of sand instantly slid off the fabric.

His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, as if they could pierce through the storm before him: "Its central nervous system, located in the breastplate beneath its tail, is now most vulnerable."

"In the moment before the self-destruction, all the power will be concentrated there."

"You mean," Eric muttered, his heart pounding, "we're going to charge at it?"

"Only one person can go." Abu Nach glanced at Eric, then turned to Canod.

"Another person must create a breach to loosen the storm; the rest, taking advantage of a lull in its fury, must cut open the epicenter and cause it to explode sooner."

"Detonate it prematurely?" Eric's voice trembled. "Then we'll all be blown to pieces!"

"No." Abu Nach's tone was calm, yet full of confidence. "If the blast center is torn apart prematurely, some of the energy will dissipate, and the blast radius will be reduced."

"I learned a sealing spell in Westwind Valley that can use the magic power within my body to create a temporary explosion-proof barrier."

"You're not a mage." Kanold narrowed his eyes, his face full of doubt. "That thing really works?"

"It can only last for three breaths," Abu Nach uttered, his tone leaving no room for doubt, "but that's enough."

Amidst the howling sandstorm, the three stood facing each other.

Silence as firm as iron, yet it holds a thousand unspoken words.

Finally, Eric gritted his teeth and slowly raised the longsword in his hand.

A trace of lingering fear remained in his eyes, but an even stronger conviction burned within them.

"I'll split it open at the heart of the explosion."

Kanode chuckled, hoisted the hammer onto his shoulder, and declared with a flourish, "So, I'll become a storm pathfinder?"

"You're good at resisting the wind." Abu Nach nodded, speaking very quickly, "Use your stiff body to tear apart the vortex."

"Eric, rush through the gap he created, be quick, faster than the wind, faster than fate."

"And what about you?" Eric asked in a low voice, a sudden tightness gripping his heart.

"I'll go to the center of the barrier and revitalize those three breaths of life." Abu Nach's voice was as calm as the wind, revealing no emotion.

Canod shook his head, laughed, and cursed, "You're crazy."

"Shut up, go now." Abu Nach waved his hand, his tone urging.

The storm grew increasingly violent, its howling deafening.

With a roar, Kanode smashed through the desert like a boulder, creating a raging torrent.

He charged against the wind, each step heavy as thunder, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

The sledgehammer swung wildly in his hands, slicing through the dense sand blades and creating gap after gap.

"Come on, you beast!" he roared, his face covered in blood, indistinguishable from his own wounds or those inflicted by the wind blades.

"Grandpa's going to go crazy with you today!"

The monster instinctively sensed the threat and suddenly swept its tail across with devastating force.

Kanold rolled quickly, barely dodging the attack, but the sand blade slashed his shoulder, leaving a deep gash that exposed bone.

He gritted his teeth and endured the excruciating pain, not only refusing to retreat but charging forward even more fiercely.

"Eric, now's the time!!"

Eric didn't respond; he had already dashed off like an arrow.

He felt like a withered leaf, struggling in a hurricane.

His armor was pierced in several places by the wind blades, his cloak was torn to shreds, and he couldn't open his eyes. Tears mixed with sand and dust, causing him unbearable pain.

But he didn't stop, not even a step.

Using the gap created by Kanold, he traversed this sand hell step by step.

Finally, he saw the explosive core that was about to detonate.

Beneath the carapace connected to the thick tail on the monster's chest and abdomen, a round core emitting a pale blue light is expanding wildly.

That is its lifeline, its source of energy, and also the spark that will soon engulf everything.

Eric lunged forward without hesitation.

He gripped the sword with both hands, roared, and leaped up, pouring all his weight and conviction into this final strike.

The blade pierced the soft armor fiercely, hitting the heart with pinpoint accuracy.

In an instant, the whole world changed color.

The blue light exploded with a deafening roar, flames surged wildly, and all sound was swallowed up by the explosion.

It was as if the entire desert was boiling over in an instant, with heat waves engulfing everything.

At this critical moment, Abu Nah suddenly opened his eyes and slammed his palms heavily on the ground.

He began to chant the incantation in a low, rapid voice, with an ancient rhythm.

A faint blue light spread out from his location, like a crystal bubble, covering the area behind him that was about to be affected.

The flames crashed into the barrier, creating a dull thud. The barrier trembled violently and cracked inch by inch.

But it held on steadily for three breaths.

In an instant, Kanold lunged back with all his might, his body reeking of burning, and crashed heavily against the edge of the barrier.

Two breaths later, Eric was thrown back by the scalding shockwave, tumbling out of the barrier, his body covered in wounds and his consciousness somewhat blurred.

Three breaths later, the barrier shattered completely like glass. The last burst of wind came, but only a heat wave remained; the deadly killing intent was gone.

The monster's remains gradually turned to ashes in the wind and sand, slowly collapsing and dissipating.

After a long while, the three knelt down amidst the embers, remaining silent to each other.

Only the wind was still blowing, but it no longer had the sharp edge of the blade.

Eric finally spoke, his voice hoarse like rust scraping against stone: "Finally... it's over."

"We didn't come for nothing," Canod whispered in agreement, spitting out a mouthful of sand, his voice still trembling with fear. "Damn it, could anyone withstand a test like that?"

"This is the Thousand Faces Illusion." Abu Nach slowly looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "It tests not only combat strength, but also the team's tacit understanding and trust."

They looked at each other, covered in dust and blood, yet they stood up slowly, like true warriors.

The wind still hasn't stopped.

But they stood firmly in the wind, never falling.

The scorching heat and murderous intent in the wind are quietly receding.

The sand and dust, which had been swirling like knives, seemed to have lost their direction and fell one by one, as soft as feathers.

Eric let out a long breath, feeling as if his body had been emptied out, yet strength was slowly flowing back in.

My limbs were still heavy, but no longer sore; my parched throat felt as if it had been moistened by spring rain, and the intense thirst I had been craving for water disappeared without me even realizing it.

"I'm much better," he murmured, his fingers gently stroking the charred armor on his chest.

The cracks are still there, but the burning sensation within them has been gently smoothed out by some mysterious force.

"The illusion is healing you." Abu Nach stood beside him, gazing at the yellow earth that was gradually cracking open.

The scorching sand crumbled, revealing a dark yet solid blue stone staircase below: "This means we've passed this test."

"Luckily." Kanold sat on a collapsed stone pillar, grinning, blood still smeared between his teeth. "I almost got roasted alive."

Abu didn't respond to him, but turned to Eric, his voice low but firm: "On the next floor, we'll be parting ways."

"What?" Eric was taken aback, still not fully recovered from the shock of the battle. "Don't you have teleportation amulets?"

"Yes, there is." Abu nodded and sighed softly, "But our team's teleportation amulets are all on Vilta."

"She was eliminated. The illusion will treat us as individuals and automatically divide us into different test layers."

Eric stood there, speechless.

He looked down at his scarred hands and felt a strange emptiness rising in his heart.

Although this period of time was short, they fought side by side against phantom beasts and saved each other's lives. Even though they didn't talk much, they had already formed a bond of comradeship.

He never imagined that he would have to say goodbye so soon.

"Can't we try?" he asked instinctively, his tone pleading.

"You think I don't want to?" Abu gave a bitter smile, his eyes full of helplessness. "But the Illusion Realm is not a place where we can set the rules. It doesn't show any mercy, let alone human feelings."

Canod stood up, walked over and patted Eric on the shoulder, the force still rough, but exceptionally sincere.

"Don't act like a child. Wasn't that sword strike you just made pretty cool? Like a real warrior."

Eric forced a smile, his voice still hoarse: "Actually... I'm a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?" Canod raised an eyebrow, his tone softening.

"I'm afraid that in the next battle, no one will be there to shield me from the pain," Eric said softly, but his eyes were incredibly serious.

Canod paused, then stopped joking and nodded solemnly: "I'll remember that."

"See you next time, and may none of us die."

Abu stretched out his hand, his palm broad and strong, bearing the mark of Westwind Valley.

He gazed into Eric's eyes and whispered, "Everyone who passes through the illusion leaves behind their own wounds and insights."

"When we meet again, you will be a stronger warrior, or perhaps a completely different person."

Eric looked at him, a complex emotion flashing across his eyes, and finally reached out and grasped that hand tightly.

"I hope, not just maybe," he said softly, his voice full of determination.

Abu nodded, then turned and walked toward Kanold, and the two performed the warrior's salute.

It was a simple yet solemn embrace, shoulders overlapping, conveying the reluctance between comrades.

"Goodbye." Abu whispered, and as he turned around, his figure turned into specks of light and scattered in the wind.

Canod didn't say much, but gave Eric an exaggerated encouraging gesture.

He pulled out his hammer, humming a rough dwarven ballad, and his figure gradually turned into particles of light and disappeared.

Eric was left alone in the same spot.

He stood in the world where the wind had gradually died down, gazing in the direction his comrades had gone, remaining silent for a long time.

As if sensing his hesitation, the illusion began to slowly change its surroundings.

The wind stopped completely.

After the wind stops, this invisible world suddenly contracts violently, rotates, collapses, and is then rebuilt.

Eric was as if he had been suddenly thrown out by an invisible hand, and was engulfed in a burst of bright light and distortion.

The moment his body hit the ground hard, he heard an extremely unfamiliar and chilling sound.

It wasn't the roar of a beast, nor the sound of the wind, but the soft sound of snowflakes colliding and breaking in the air.

He suddenly opened his eyes.

There was no sand, no stones, only an endless silvery-white world, with snow falling all around and a biting cold.