Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter33-The Witch’s Taboo
Fortunately, during his final wave of attribute allocation back in Starter Village, John had invested those attribute points into Spirit.
His Spirit resilience had long since surpassed that of ordinary people.
Otherwise, if it had been any normal person facing such terrifying pressure, they would have fallen into madness long ago, clawing out their own eyes and stabbing through their own ears.
The oppressive force continued to torture John’s body without pause. freewёbnoνel.com
"Huff!"
The torment lasted a full three minutes before it finally ended.
By then, John’s back was already drenched in cold sweat.
At that moment, even John’s Spirit felt somewhat dazed. He took quite a while to recover before slowly rising to his feet and standing upright again.
The instant he lifted his head, he saw the Crowned Witch smiling at him.
That smile seemed gentle and warm, like a spring breeze, yet it sent a chill down John’s spine.
The Crowned Witch said with a faint smile, "Not bad. To last this long—over the past six hundred years, you are the first. Your recovery speed is quite impressive as well."
The Thorn Witch scoffed and could not help rolling her eyes.
John was displeased by the fact that she had suppressed him without warning at the slightest disagreement, but given the current situation, he could only nod in acknowledgment.
At that moment, the Crowned Witch continued, "Tell me, then. How did you learn about the Trial of the First Seat?"
John remained silent.
Because he knew that lying in front of these people was meaningless. If he wanted to protect his secrets, all he needed to do was keep his mouth shut.
Seeing this, the Crowned Witch chuckled softly. "Being willing to keep secrets is a good thing. The Witch Council likes people like you—people who know how to hold their tongues."
Though she said that, the impression John had displayed in his heart was not that of someone capable of seeing through the Thorn Witch’s disguise at all.
Everything he knew about the Witch Council came from strategy posts in his previous life.
At present, although John’s attributes were originally extremely high, he lacked skills that could efficiently utilize those attribute points and bring out the true power of his high stats.
This included his Detection skill, as well as skills and items that could grant immunity to Spirit damage. In all these areas, he lacked more advanced methods.
The Crowned Witch continued to ask, "Since you have come here, I would like to ask—just how much do you know about our Trial of the First Seat?"
This time, John nodded and replied, "I only know that as long as one passes the Trial of the First Seat, one can demand any item you possess.
"In addition, you are unable to refuse."
After hearing this, the Crowned Witch shook her head. "It seems you still do not understand us well enough.
"Ever since the First Seat disappeared a thousand years ago, the Trial of the First Seat has existed for a full millennium.
"And for the past five hundred years, no one has dared to challenge us again."
At this point, a solemn look appeared on the Crowned Witch’s face. "Over these five hundred years, a total of twenty-seven members within the Witch Council have attempted the challenge.
"Among them, sixteen died on the spot. Of the survivors, seven went completely insane.
"Another three had the foundation of their class shattered, becoming completely locked in place and forever unable to change classes.
"And the only one who came out..."
The Crowned Witch pointed toward the other end of the round table, at the Stargazing Witch. "She is sitting right there."
After saying that, she added, "In addition, every one of those twenty-six challengers possessed strength comparable to all the witches present here."
Hearing this, John could not help drawing in a sharp breath.
Even powerhouses above Level 200 might not be able to pass it?
Right now, his attributes had already been cut in half.
To be honest, he was actually starting to feel a little uncertain.
Even though John possessed four-tenths of the Goddess of Space’s authority as a trump card, he did not want to use it this early.
After all, the price of using it even once was far too great.
At that moment, the Stargazing Witch seemed to notice John’s hesitation.
She suddenly tilted her head and smiled. "Hey, actually, I was one of the failures too..."
The Thorn Witch immediately picked up where she left off. "That’s right. If I hadn’t acted back then, you probably wouldn’t even have had the strength to crawl out."
A flash of anger flickered in the Stargazing Witch’s eyes, but she still maintained her smile.
Only, that smile now clearly carried a few traces of forced restraint, as though she were gritting her teeth behind it.
The Crowned Witch’s expression turned serious as she formally asked, "Adventurer, are you still certain you wish to participate in the Trial of the First Seat?
"The test just now has already proven that you possess the qualifications to enter the Witch Council."
John paused after hearing this, then said, "I am certain. I want to participate in the Trial of the First Seat."
Hearing this, the Crowned Witch no longer tried to dissuade him.
She raised her hand and beckoned. A violent surge of energy fluctuations suddenly erupted from the void.
A strangely shaped key was pulled into existence by her hand out of thin air.
The Crowned Witch looked at John and said, "This is the key to the Trial of the First Seat. It contains the specific location and related information.
"As long as you can endure inside for half a day, we will consider you to have won this trial."
John accepted the key and nodded. "Thank you."
He could sense that the Crowned Witch did not harbor much malice toward him.
In truth, based on his experience from his previous life, the Witch Council was an extremely neutral faction.
To a certain extent, it was also comparatively open-minded—an organization that was willing to form alliances.
After thanking her, John immediately prepared to leave.
At that moment, the Crowned Witch suddenly said, "Adventurer, forgive me for asking one more question, but I am very curious. Why are you willing to risk never being able to change classes just to participate in the Trial of the First Seat?"
John stopped in his tracks and calmly uttered a few words.
"The All-Class Magus class-change scroll..."
Buzz!
Before he could finish speaking, the Mirrorrealm Witch suddenly raised her hand.
In an instant, the room’s door melted away and vanished.
An enormous magic array appeared beneath John’s feet.
Before John could react, mirrors rose from the ground one after another, trapping him within.
The moment the forbidden array appeared, John could no longer break out even half a step.
This was one of the Mirrorrealm Witch’s trump-card spells.
Anyone below Level 250 could forget about escaping easily from this spatial magic array.
Beside her, the Book-Prison Witch opened the magical grimoire in her hands. Her pen moved, attempting to leave John’s true name upon the grimoire’s pages.
But the pen seemed to have been frozen in place. No matter how hard she tried, it did not move even the slightest bit.
The other witches, including the Bone Witch and the Tidal Witch, also took out their own magical relics one after another, preparing either to imprison John or suppress him on the spot.
The reason these witches reacted so violently was because the All-Class Magus class-change scroll John had spoken of was the Witch Council’s greatest core secret.
It was also the only item within the Trial of the First Seat that they needed to conceal!
It was the crystallization of all the achievements their First Seat had completed before her disappearance.
Logically speaking, this information should have been known only to the witches seated here.
So why did this adventurer know about it as well?
If the Trial of the First Seat, which had fallen silent for five hundred years, could be brought up again because this adventurer had learned of it through some obscure rumor, then how could something like the All-Class Magus scroll—a core item hidden in the deepest part of the trial—possibly be known by this adventurer?
From beginning to end, their assessment for the Trial of the First Seat had always been to endure for half a day. No challenger had ever truly cleared the trial secret realm and reached its depths.
Let alone discovered something like the All-Class Magus class-change scroll.
Just how many secrets did this adventurer know?
Ashen Witch’s surrounding ashes gradually began to ignite. Killing intent appeared on her face.
"This adventurer knows far too many secrets. He must be executed here and now, once and for all!"
