Chapter 120: Trials of the Holy Sword of the Star
Could there be a second Avalon in this world?
Absolutely impossible.
It was precisely because Vivian always held this belief that she never connected Noah's choice to undergo the trial with the idea of a second Avalon.
After all, she had originally thought Noah would choose the trial rather than seek recognition.
Thus, she completely dismissed Noah's earlier mention of a second Avalon as a minor episode. When Noah declared his choice to undergo the trial, she nodded and recited the ancient incantation passed down from antiquity, initiating the trial for Noah.
Ancient incantations were far more complex than modern ones, to the extent that they seemed almost fragmented or lost to time.
Even Merlin would have frowned repeatedly upon hearing them.
However, after attaining divinity, Noah's attributes had greatly improved. Due to the divine enhancement of his soul and spirit, the power of the Star Performer within him
had also advanced significantly.
Therefore, while Vivian's incredibly complex incantation sounded intricate to others, to his ears, it conveyed an entirely different meaning.
'The Holy Sword born from the earth, its trial is set by the Crimson Moon in the sky'
'Thus, it speaks to the brave souls who will undertake this trial in the future'
Warning, He fears the radiance of the Holy Sword
Warning, He fears the existence of the Holy Sword
'Warning, this trial is His conspiracy'
'Warning, in this resplendent sky above, within the endless darkness and chaos, every star shall be our enemy, even the Crimson Moon'
'In this resplendent sky above, within the endless darkness and chaos, every star shall be our enemy, even the Crimson Moon and the burning solar wheel'
'Thus, we caution future trial-takers: be cautious, be vigilant, for we are never alone'
'At the same time, abandon this path, never partake in the trial He has set'
As Vivian finished reciting the incantation, a brilliant yet somewhat turbid and less pristine stream of light flickered once, dimmer compared to the radiance before.
Then, in the eyes of Noah, who had already taken half a step onto this path—within the confines of this small lake, the golden dust-like light vanished entirely, and the sun in the sky disappeared as well.
In its place appeared a colossal moon.
The moon gradually waxed from a crescent to a full moon.
It was as if the sky had opened its own eye, gazing directly upon this place.
If Noah had not understood the meaning of the incantation, he might not have found this scene unusual. But having comprehended the incantation, he felt the bright, clear moon in the sky seemed ominous...
These ancient incantations have now become akin to mysterious symbols, but in antiquity, they might have been secret codes or signals passed among ancient beings.
And hidden within this incantation was likely the secret history of this Holy Sword.
Crimson Moon...
If Noah did not possess memories from his previous life, he might have been utterly confused. But such a term was anything but unfamiliar to him, a transmigrator.
——————This must be referring to Crimson Moon, right?
As for the notion that every star in the sky is an enemy, with specific mention of the moon and the sun, and placing the Crimson Moon before the burning solar wheel... this made Noah recall the Earth-Moon War in the Type-Moon universe.
On this point, Noah indeed remembered a setting in Type-Moon—that in worldviews where Dead Apostles exist, Heroic Spirits do not.
But whether the Earth-Moon War erupted in worldviews where Heroic Spirits exist… he had no idea.
He only knew that in worldviews with Heroic Spirits, there was also the Jeweled Sword Sorcerer, the wielder of the Second Magic.
So…
Was this incantation hinting at the outbreak of the Earth-Moon War?
Noah wasn't sure.
But he did know that the cipher represented by this incantation had long been lost. If he weren't the Star Performer, such secrets and warnings from predecessors would have vanished in a laughable manner, forgotten on the lips!
Now he might understand why the Star Performer gained the recognition and records of the gods even during the Age of Gods.
He also understood why the Star Performer was respected even before the Age of Gods, and why the Star Performer had a contract with the creator of the magical beasts, the Primordial Goddess, allowing them to receive aid from those beasts…
Perhaps it wasn't due to any special power, but simply because of the identity as the Primordial Poet.
Thinking this, Noah shook his head slightly.
As for the content of this incantation, he wasn't willing to dwell on it for now.
After all, compared to the Earth-Moon War, he hadn't even resolved the matter of Titan Altera yet. And since Titan Altera is the second volume of the Simulation System, perhaps by the third or fourth volume, it might involve Crimson Moon and the Earth-Moon War.
As for now…
Rather than trembling in fear at the powerful enemies that emerge at the world's end, it's better to plan how to deal with the next adversary.
So.
—The trial begins!
After ending his contemplation, Noah fully stepped onto the not-so-long path.
In that instant, Noah felt the moon in the sky turn into an ominous blood-red.
The previously dim yet still somewhat bright surroundings transformed into a lament of darkness and blood.
Amid the surrounding murky darkness, flowing blackness closed in on Noah, and a blood-red sharpness slashed directly toward him!
A blood-red light flickered in Noah's eyes as well.
His Observation Haki could see the future of these attacks!
Or rather… it could briefly glimpse his own future!
"Noah, should we activate Avalon?"
Mary's voice echoed in Noah's mind. Though not a participant herself and unable to perceive any changes in her own surroundings, she could share Noah's vision and see everything.
"Not yet—even you and I cannot maintain Avalon's activation for long. Activating it here isn't feasible at least for now, I'm still fine."
As Noah spoke, he dodged the first blood-red flash and steadily advanced forward.
The first ten steps posed no problem for Noah.
Steps ten to twenty had no impact either.
The positions where heroes and warriors were said to be stuck, as Vivian mentioned, were easily avoidable for Noah relying solely on speed and reflexes.
By steps thirty to forty, Noah clearly felt the pressure.
Because at this point, even if he could foresee the future, the gaps to dodge these increasingly dense attacks along this path were drastically diminishing.
As for enduring a few hits...
Under that blood-red moon in the sky, Noah had no desire to test Crimson Moon's power.
From the fortieth to the fiftieth step, Noah could still find gaps.
But from the fiftieth to the sixtieth step, Noah could understand why the gods had fallen here.
Because here, the gaps had begun to flicker.
If you couldn't see the future, you would absolutely fail to find the path. Even the slightest lack of reaction or speed would make it impossible to pass through.
But he was still managing.
The fiftieth to sixtieth steps didn't stop him.
From the sixtieth to the ninetieth step, the changes in these positions weren't too drastic—only that the gaps flickered faster and faster, demanding not only the ability to reach a hundred steps but also near-impossible requirements for speed and reaction.
However, these calculations weren't Noah's alone. He also shared the future he saw with Mary. They were two people, each calculating a portion, and with Mary reminding him of the distance and step count, they made it through.
But from the ninetieth to the hundredth step, Noah saw no gaps in the future!
The future was a sea of blood-red.
Before him, there was no trace of life left.
Moreover, the attacks suddenly accelerated, their power intensified, and all signs of life were completely severed.
It was clear that Crimson Moon never intended for anyone to obtain this Anti-Star Holy Sword!
Even at this stage, the trial left behind was no longer a trial—it was purely an attack meant to eliminate the challenger!
If it were someone else, even someone equally formidable, they would undoubtedly be stuck here.
But for Noah, this was the perfect moment.
"Mary, activate Avalon!"
He contacted Mary in his mind, and she immediately activated Avalon.
That utopia far removed from the mundane world, a magical realm even the Five Great Magics could not touch.
As it was activated, Noah—who was nearly engulfed by the blood-red tide—burst forth with an extraordinarily unique radiance amidst this crimson sea.
The blood-red tide receded from around him.
And in this process, Noah completed the final ten steps.
Then the darkness faded, the blood-red light dissipated.
The moon vanished, the night disappeared.
The world returned to its original state. The restored golden dust seemed like the world itself celebrating him, cheering for him, showering him with petals. And Noah placed his hand on the hilt of Excalibur.
He had passed the trial!
In the sole beam of sunlight, standing on the only high platform, he raised the one and only Holy Sword high above his head.
He might be the only one to ever pass this trial.
Or perhaps, he was the only true wielder of Excalibur, who chose the Holy Sword by his own will, rather than being chosen by it!
As Noah drew the Holy Sword, on the moon, a shadow opened its blood-red eyes and gazed toward Earth.
"So, that Excalibur has been drawn after all..."
He muttered this to himself first, but remained completely unmoved, closing his eyes once more.
"Forget it, the best time hasn't arrived yet, and... even the radiance of that Excalibur, if there's only one, can hardly threaten me anymore."
"Once I successfully steal the authority belonging to Gaia, what can a single Excalibur do against me, who will command both the sky and the earth?"
"Unless you have two."
"But... even if Gaia learns of my plan now, She no longer has the power to nurture another such anti-planetary weapon."
"So, for now, enjoy your final brilliance. When the time comes, the sky shall belong to us, the earth shall belong to us, all of this shall belong to us—even Gaia shall fall into the abyss."