Thane, by the time the second trial ended, had become one of the rare few monsters in others' eyes.
The monster who shatters the dreams of others not by destroying them but by creating a very high standard.
The third stage was about pain tolerance. This stage frightened people the most.
Candidates were led into a massive hall filled with strange rune formations. Many looked nervous.
The bald instructor spoke. "Pain is unavoidable for warriors. Broken bones, wounds, burns, and exhaustion.
If pain alone defeats you… you will die on a battlefield."
Nobody argued. The blessed runes activated. Candidates entered individual testing circles.
Then the pain began, no physical damage occurred.
The runes directly inflicted pure, explosive pain on the candidates without a way to defend against it.
Candidates immediately screamed, some fell over. Others gritted their teeth.
The trial continued escalating, the intensity increased every minute. Many participants surrendered.
