Keldor stood before the participants with a stony expression, his gaze unwavering as he spoke, "The inheritance war is comprised of several trials." With a swift motion, he raised his hand, and a deep line etched itself onto the ground. The line stretched as far as the eye could see, reaching at least a mile in length. "Your first trial is to cross this line within three minutes. Those who succeed will advance to the next round, while those who fail will be disqualified. Now, let's begin!"

The crowd murmured, unimpressed with the simplicity of the task at hand.

"Is this some kind of joke?" one participant questioned.

"I thought the first trial would be more challenging," another said.

Evan scoffed at their ignorance.

"Numbskulls. The inheritance war is known for its cruelty. It can't be this easy. Keldor must have something up his sleeve," he thought to himself.

Jack, on the other hand, voiced his disappointment at the lack of challenge, exclaiming, "Well, that was anticlimactic."

At that moment, Keldor's lips twisted into a sinister grin, and his eyes glinted with malevolent delight.

As if on cue, the air crackled with energy, and the once peaceful and sunny sky was suddenly transformed into a sinister display of crimson light. The streaks danced and weaved together, forming an intricate magic symbol that glowed with an otherworldly intensity. The eerie, blood-red hue cast a haunting glow over everything below.

All around, the participants of the inheritance war stared up in terror as the symbol of a monstrous beast with razor-sharp fangs took shape in the sky. The image was so vivid and lifelike that it felt as though the creature was hovering right above their heads, waiting to pounce at any moment.

And then it happened!

Boom!

In a split second, an immense pressure descended upon the participants, causing the ground beneath their feet to fracture and break. Those who were weaker crumpled to the ground, unconscious, while others fell to their knees, their skin lacerated by the jagged shards of the shattered earth. Nausea engulfed them, and they began to retch uncontrollably, some even spitting up crimson-stained bile. They gasped and wheezed for air, their eyes and noses streaming with tears and mucus, respectively.

The scene was a gruesome spectacle that would have made even the bravest of souls shudder in terror. But for Keldor, it was a source of pleasure, evidenced by the sinister grin that twisted his lips and the dark glint in his eyes. He reveled in their agony, relishing every moment of their suffering, with a sickening tent forming in his pants.

He then proceeded to mock them, saying, "Oh, how quickly you underestimate the inheritance war."

At this moment, Keldor's expression was one of sadistic pleasure, as if he was reveling in their despair. The sight sent shivers down the spines of all who beheld him, filling them with a primal fear of the unknown and the unfathomable thought lurking within the maniacal mind of Keldor J. Lionheart.

Will they have to endure this pressure for three whole minutes? They couldn't even feel their bodies. If this continued, they might die!

Evan's blood boiled as he fought against the crushing pressure with nothing but his raw strength and straightened his back, standing tall and mighty. His gaze narrowed as he caught sight of Keldor, who was reveling in the agony of the other participants. The sight filled him with rage.

"I will wipe that smug off his face real quick," he vowed.

With a shift of his weight onto his right foot, Evan's soul energy burst forth, propelling him forward at incredible speed.

Swoosh!

In the blink of an eye, he had reached the finish line.

The other participants were left in utter shock, their eyes widening to the size of saucers as they watched Evan cross the line with ease. Their jaws dropped, touching the ground as they struggled to process what had just happened.

"What?! How did he do that?!"

"He crossed the line in mere seconds!"

"That's impossible!"

"What?!" Keldor's expression was also one of shock and disbelief, as he stood there speechless. He had never expected anyone to be able to pass through his pressure field so easily. His twisted pleasure took a hit, turning into an expression that was a mixture of frustration and admiration. "Impressive... very impressive." he grudgingly admied Evan's feat.

Keldor then proceeded to acknowledge Evan's success, saying, "Congratulations, Your Highness. You have passed the first trial."

Evan replied, "No need to state the obvious."

Keldor sneered, "Please don't get too ahead of yourself. The real challenges of the inheritance war are yet to come." His tone was polite, but it was clear to Evan that Keldor was a two-faced hypocrite.

Evan raised an eyebrow, a wry smile spreading across his lips.

"Oh, I have no doubt that the challenges will be formidable," he replied coolly, "But I wouldn't underestimate my own abilities if I were you, Sir Keldor."

Evan's attention was suddenly drawn to something fascinating that caught his eye.

A man dressed in a sleek black robe and mask caught his attention. Despite the intense pressure weighing down on him, the stranger moved with an effortless air of nonchalance, as if he were taking a leisurely stroll in the park. This enigmatic figure piqued Evan's interest, leaving him with a burning curiosity as to who he could be and why nobody had mentioned him before in the clan.

AWWWWHHHHHH!!!

However, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a piercing scream that shattered the silence and shook Evan out of his musings.

It was Jack, who had unleashed a burst of soul energy in a fierce attempt to overcome the pressure and surge towards the finish line. He fought off the pressure of the magic symbol and dashed towards the end with all his speed, crossing the finish line in less than a minute.

Many others followed suit, unleashing their soul energy to resist the pressure of the magic symbol in the sky and charging forward with all their might.