Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree

Chapter 801 - 743: Test

Duke stood still for a moment, taking in the surroundings.

He didn’t step out hastily but turned around to take a look.

Behind him, the wooden door still stood there.

Within the doorframe was the passage he had come through: stone walls, eternally bright lights, a winding corridor—all still there.

But outside the doorframe was a vast, unfamiliar beach.

He slowly took a step forward, stepping onto the beach.

The white sand underfoot was soft, sinking gently beneath his weight.

The sea breeze was stronger than before, carrying the sound of waves.

Just then, he felt something.

It was a fleeting spiritual power message, drifting along the sea wind, gentle like a feather, landing in his consciousness.

"Follow the footprints."

Duke lowered his head and looked at the sand beneath his feet.

A set of shallow footprints extended from the door’s edge, leading deep into the beach.

The footprints were small, as if left by a child.

He remembered the little girl who had given him daisies.

Duke followed the line of footprints forward.

In the distance, waves surged, and the sea breeze whispered in his ears.

He walked slowly, stepping carefully onto the shallow footprints.

Occasionally, waves washed over his feet, but the footprints remained clear, seemingly untouched by the water.

He walked for who knows how long, and suddenly a light appeared ahead.

Not like the radiance from Sky City, nor the blue light of a teleportation gate, but a softer, warmer glow, like dawn before sunrise.

Duke continued towards the light.

The light grew brighter and warmer.

When he finally stepped into the light, the scene before him transformed abruptly.

He stood before the tower gate of the Six-Ring Tower, behind him was the massive crystal door.

The brilliance of Sky City enveloped him, warm and bright, identical to the light on the beach.

Duke did not linger here; he couldn’t stay even if he wanted to, as a puppet led him out quickly.

Upon returning to the Zone 7 dormitory, he immediately entered the Light God Court to test the effects of the Black Tortoise Shell.

Duke stood in the center of a wilderness, taking out the Black Tortoise Shell from his pocket.

About the size of a palm, its dark brown surface was covered with fine patterns, edges worn, seeming like an ordinary shell from an old tortoise.

But holding it, the heavy texture and the subtle glow moving across the surface reminded him that this was no ordinary object.

He took a deep breath, placing the Black Tortoise Shell in his palm, injecting a thread of magic power into it.

Hum—

A low hum emanated from the shell.

The Black Tortoise Shell began to glow, its intricate patterns lighting up one by one, spreading from the center outwards, like ancient runes being activated.

The light was earthy yellow, warm and substantial, carrying a reassuring aura.

The shell began to expand.

From palm-sized, it grew to the size of a sea bowl, then to the size of a basin, then to a millstone.

Duke did not stop infusing magic power.

The Black Tortoise Shell continued to expand, eventually becoming a massive tortoise shell about three meters in diameter.

It floated in mid-air, slowly rotating, its surface washed in an earthy yellow halo.

Duke’s heart thought flickered.

The tortoise shell shook violently, and a gigantic virtual shadow burst forth from the shell, enveloping him overhead.

It was a virtual shadow of a giant tortoise.

Its body was massive, limbs sturdy, carrying a faintly visible mountain on its back.

The tortoise’s head was slightly bowed, its half-closed eyes gazing down at Duke, ancient and calm.

Its body was semi-transparent, glowing faintly with an earthy yellow light, yet the oppressive sensation was quite real.

This was the virtual shadow of the ancient divine beast, the Black Tortoise.

Duke gazed up at the virtual shadow, basking in its all-encompassing sense of security.

He sensed that this virtual shadow was not merely an energy projection but contained a wisp of the Black Tortoise’s essence.

It was a defense instinct from the ancient era, honed through countless ages.

Duke pondered, "I still need to test how powerful the defense truly is."

He retreated a few steps, distancing himself from the virtual shadow of the Black Tortoise.

Then raised his left hand.

The inner side of his left arm burst with a dazzling light from the Yellow Sand Crystal.

Countless metallic yellow sand surged from his body, roaring like rivers of sand towards the sky, madly gathering, stacking, and ascending on the wilderness of the Divine Court.

When the sandstorm cleared, a colossal statue towering over 350 meters stood upon the wasteland.

Its entirety composed of dark golden metallic yellow sand, shining with a cold gleam under the celestial glow of the Divine Court.

Its head bore no features, only empty eye sockets now aflame with newly ignited fire.

Duke looked up at the monster he summoned, waiting for the moment to come.

In the sky, a rift silently tore open.

This time, extending from the rift was not a black arm, but a gigantic fist covered with bronze scale armor.

Behind the fist was an arm, then a shoulder, then an entire upper torso.

This was a completely different Demon God.

Its entire body was covered with bronze scale armor, muscles knotted, brimming with explosive power.

Its head resembled an ancient beast, mouth filled with interlocking fangs, a pair of thick horns curving backward atop the head.

Its sockets burned with fiery red flames, filled with ferocity and fighting spirit.

In the Demon God’s right hand, it held a massive twin warhammer.

The warhammer was pitch black throughout, its head as large as a house, its surface flowing with dark red magma patterns.