The Trial of the Gods

Our equipment was ready, and we had gathered enough information about the target.

Even though we had information, there wasn’t anyone left alive who had tried and failed against it. Those who succeeded in hunting it down had left Rock Cliff.

Most of the information we gathered was secondhand, so the accuracy of the details was lower.

Still, by gathering multiple sources, we were able to improve the reliability. All that was left was to observe the monster in the field and solidify our plan.

The target monster was called the Rock Lizard, a creature that gave its name to Rock Cliff.

The Rock Lizard is a giant lizard, about 5 meters in length, whose body is armored with rock.

The walls of Rock Cliff are reinforced with the rock of the Rock Lizard, used in critical structural points to enhance their strength.

Rather than being a town, Rock Cliff was originally established as a forward base. The rock from the Rock Lizard is the source of the name.

We chose to target the Rock Lizard because it moves slower than the other monsters of rank 4 in the area.

While its armored body makes it tough to kill and it doesn’t yield as much profit as other rank 4 monsters, it’s a creature that usually goes unchallenged unless there’s a special request for its elimination.

Since our goal was to break through the level wall, we decided not to worry about the monster’s value. Al predicted that with Gonz’ overwhelming offensive power, the Rock Lizard would be manageable.

Given that, we settled on the Rock Lizard as our target because it was a slow-moving monster, which would give us a better chance of landing attacks.

Though it moves slowly, it’s still faster than other rank 4 monsters, and a 5-meter long, rock-covered lizard coming at you at high speed is terrifying. Just imagining it sent a chill down my spine.

The Rock Lizard’s habitat is far from the town, so we would need to camp in the wilderness.

We set up camp at a location some distance from its habitat, observing its behavior and waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

We prepared several days’ worth of food and set out toward our destination. Once we found a good spot, we set up camp, masked our scent, and began observing the Rock Lizard.

I activated my Stealth skill and spread out my Detection in a wide, shallow radius to locate the Rock Lizard.

About an hour later, I spotted the creature. The Rock Lizard has a vast territory and a low population, so encountering one was a rare but crucial opportunity.

One of the reasons it was chosen was that there was little risk of being interrupted by other monsters while fighting it.

I observed the Rock Lizard from a distance, my sweat starting to pour. It reminded me of when I saw the leader of the Forest Wolf pack at the goblin settlement.

The difference in strength between us and the creature was clear. My instincts were screaming that this was dangerous. Was I really going to challenge that beast…? I had to steel myself and push the fear aside.

I couldn’t afford to let fear cloud my judgment. I needed to observe the creature calmly. I kept my emotions in check and continued to watch the monster without letting my personal bias affect my perception.

It seemed that the Rock Lizard had a relatively low detection ability. I figured it would be safe for Gonz and the others to join me. For the next few days, we continued our observations of the creature.

After studying the Rock Lizard’s behavior and gathering the necessary information, I came up with a plan. Tomorrow, we would face the Rock Lizard.

I kept watch over the campfire that night, staring at the flames. To be honest, I was filled with anxiety. I might lose my life tomorrow.

The strategy we had was barely a plan. Could I even call it a strategy?

But, when considering the world’s standards, I couldn’t really argue with it. Tomorrow we would fight, and yet my mind was filled with doubt. As I watched the fire, I remembered something Al had said to me.

This world is deeply influenced by religion. On Earth, back in the medieval ages, the Church had such strong power that they could do anything they wanted.

Religion is powerful here too, but there’s a critical difference between this world and Earth.

There are phenomena and powers like magic, skills, and stats that cannot be explained without the existence of gods.

Even on Earth, where the existence of gods couldn’t be proven, there were fervent believers. What if there were undeniable phenomena here that proved the existence of gods?

Even adventurers, who were less devout, had a deep-rooted belief in the teachings of the Church, almost like a curse.

And the question remained: what exactly are levels? Why would a god create monsters if they’re supposed to be on the side of humanity? The Church, while citing their scriptures, had an answer.

Levels are a part of the divine power, and leveling up means being granted more of that power. As you level up, you get closer to becoming one of the god’s apostles.

Monsters are a trial. By overcoming the trials given by the gods, one is recognized by them and granted great power. This is how the Church defines it.

Honestly, there are plenty of contradictions and things that don’t make sense, but many people, uneducated as they are, believe in this.

Humans with higher levels are defined as people who have been granted more power by the gods. Therefore, high-level individuals are respected.

Nobles, often said to be apostles or descendants of the gods, are already considered to be noble beings. On top of that, they’ve leveled up through power leveling.

Commoners, after years of conditioning, may fear the nobles, but they never consider defying them. Even adventurers, who are often rough and wild, never dream of killing a noble.

It’s hard to believe, but powering through the god’s trials with power leveling feels like a form of disrespect toward the gods…

If you bring up such points, you’ll be tortured by the Inquisitors. It’s too terrifying, so no one dares to speak up.

This is a privilege recognized only by nobles. It’s the common “I’m allowed to do it, but you aren’t!” attitude of those in power.

Anyway, I digress. The Church holds the view that it’s unacceptable to use underhanded methods to break through the level wall, which is a trial from the gods.

I personally think that the Church and the nobility, who want to monopolize military power, are intentionally making things harder for adventurers and farmers, preventing them from gaining strength.

It is said that using traps or poison to break through the level wall is forbidden.

Even the less faithful adventurers have this psychology of not wanting to engage in underhanded tactics when it comes to the god’s trial. It’s almost like a curse.

Unlike the cowardly nobles, we adventurers crossed the wall with our own strength! It’s the pride of an adventurer. A restraint on our faith in the god’s trial.

These two things make it hard to engage in the act of easily defeating higher-level monsters.

Physically speaking, it’s also hard to set traps. For example, what kind of trap would work on a 5-meter-long lizard?

A pitfall would have to be gigantic, and if I made something that big, there would be too much evidence, and it would look unnatural. Dropping it from a high place? How could I possibly lure it?

Not only is it difficult to kill with traps, but as I mentioned before, the psychological aspect comes into play, and it ultimately leads to a choice to fight head-on.

If we’re going to fight head-on, can’t we just push through with a large group? I thought about it, but to break through the level wall, there are limits on the number of people.

If there are more than five people, you can’t break through the level wall.

If there are more than four people at the site where the monster is killed, the level wall cannot be surpassed. This condition is what supports the Church’s theory of the trial.

There was once a scholar in the Empire who presented a theory on the level wall. After a monster is killed, the mana accumulated within it is released.

The released mana has a tendency to gather in living creatures.

To break through the level wall, high-concentration mana is required, and if there are more people, the mana is dispersed, and it may fall below the concentration necessary to cross the wall. This theory was presented, but the Church labeled it as heresy, and the theory, along with the scholar, was buried in darkness.

The Empire has a rationalist side, and among the people who aren’t particularly devout, this theory has gained support.

I don’t know which theory is correct.

However, I understand that, for religious reasons, there are restrictions on fighting, and the range of tactics is narrowed.

I don’t have the wisdom or power to go against the flow of the world’s rules. I can only do what I can with all my strength.

By observing the Rock Lizard and watching its hunting habits, I’ve figured out its main attacks. Tomorrow, I’ll be facing that monster head-on.

Ignoring the ominous future that floats to mind as I watch the flames, I once again firm my resolve. Tomorrow, we will break through the level wall.