The "Archmage Advanced Trial" is scheduled to officially start at 9 o'clock in the morning on May 1st, during which all participants and their assistants will be transported to a half-plane called "Rubik's Cube Island" for a week-long training, hunting monsters is the main content of the trial, but competitors who participate in the trial on the same island are likely to become a more deadly threat than monsters.

Kill and be killed—this is the eternal theme of Advanced Trials.

The square outside the Laputa Council Chamber was the meeting place for the trialists, and Roland and Nikita were the first to arrive, and before the other trialists showed up, the two sat side by side on the benches by the fountain and chatted.

"Can trialists cooperate in hunting monsters?" Roland asked Nikita.

"Of course you can, but very few trialists choose to cooperate." Nikita shook her head slightly.

"This is not surprising, after all, most mages have withdrawn personalities, and high-level mages who have the opportunity to participate in advanced trials are even more arrogant, and are more accustomed to being alone than cooperating." Roland guessed casually.

"You're too biased to say that, in fact, we mages aren't all unsociable freaks, and the reason why we rarely cooperate in trials is determined by two factors." Nikita argued earnestly.

"First of all, the environment of the trial site is not suitable for team cooperation, the entire island and the natural environment and creatures on the island are created out of thin air by legendary spells, and they are also imposed, before each trial, the eight chief masters who serve as judges will work together to adjust the terrain environment and the ecological distribution of the island, dividing the entire island into six different environments, and the six trialists are randomly teleported to different locations, and they don't know where they will be left in advance, and they don't know where the other trialists are, All teleportation and communication spells are forbidden by the Lock, and there is only a strange world shrouded in fog and full of danger! ”

"It's really hard to find collaborators in this environment."

Roland listened to Nikita's description and couldn't help but think of the strategy computer game he had played before the time travel. Different players are born in different locations on the same large map, and the entire map is shrouded in the fog of war at the beginning, and only through careful exploration can you gradually uncover your vision, hunt monsters to obtain resources, and gradually increase your own power, and finally it is possible to defeat other opponents.

"In addition to the objective environment, the rules of the trial also make it difficult for the trialists to establish a relationship of trust." Nikita's pretty face was extremely serious, "After entering the trial ground, we will first have to survive in the wild for a week, and if we are lucky enough to survive to the seventh day, we will rush to the center of the island before noon." The final proving ground' participate in a mage duel, defeat an opponent to get some points, the final one with the highest score will receive the golden Upanishads representing the archmage's lineage, under such rules, the other trialists are our potential enemies, if we meet in the wilderness, the other party offers to cooperate, will you believe his sincerity, or are you more worried that the other party is deceiving our trust, taking advantage of us to relax our vigilance and suddenly stab us in the back? ”

Roland was speechless for a long time, and finally had to admit: "I'm afraid that I will speculate on the other party's mind with the greatest malice, whether he is sincerely seeking cooperation or having a ghost in his heart, it is the best choice to kill him first, not only to avoid the risk of being plotted, but also to solve a competitor in advance and get some valuable trial points." ”

Miss Mage spread her hands and smiled helplessly: "So, who would dare to cooperate with others under this kind of trial rules?" ”

Roland couldn't help but fall into deep thought. The rules of the Advanced Trial reminded him of a fable called "The Dark Forest". In the strange and dim forest, people struggle to survive, and the first reaction to seeing strangers is not to say hello, but to shoot at each other first, so as to ensure their own survival to the greatest extent.

The trials that he and Nikita are about to participate in are, in a sense, a real-life version of the "Dark Forest". The six groups of trialists are like six groups of troubled prisoners, who have to eliminate those who share their own diseases as soon as possible in order to protect themselves.

Roland doesn't know why Beacon Mountain insists on such a trial model that fully exposes the selfishness and ruthlessness of human nature, and it is worth pondering more deeply: the reason why most mages give people the impression of indifference and isolation is the result of the education method represented by this advanced trial, or is it only by using this cruel method that the potential of mages can be maximized?

The bell of the Great Floating City interrupted his contemplation, and the other five trialists also hurried to the square one after another to gather at the sound of the bell.

The first to walk out of the "wind ladder" was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, wearing an emerald robe and holding a staff inlaid with star sapphires. He looked no more than forty years old, but his temples were gray. Roland guesses that it is probably due to his perennial focus on studying magic and overusing his brain.

"Good morning, Mr. Platon." Nikita stepped forward to greet the green-robed mage.

"Good morning, Miss Nikita, and the honorable Highness Roland." Pradon bowed slightly and returned the salute, he wanted to show enthusiasm, but his smile was a little reluctant, and his demeanor when he spoke was not very natural, and after a few polite words, he retreated to a corner of the square and went out alone, looking preoccupied.

"Pradon is the eldest disciple of the chief master of the Protective School, Ovich, a level 14 protection department specialized mage, the oldest among our young generation of high-level mages in Beacon Mountain, and the most experienced in participating in advanced trials." Nikita introduces Roland to his first competitor.

"Mr. Platon doesn't seem to be in a good mood and seems a little nervous." Roland observed the protector's face and whispered.

"Pradon is under a lot of pressure, he is the leader of the Mesozoic Era of the Protection School, but he has participated in four advanced trials, and each time he is second, he is ridiculed as the 'second in ten thousand years', and his status in the school has also been shaken, if he can't advance to the archmage this time, I'm afraid it will be difficult to maintain the dignity of the senior brother in front of his junior brothers and sisters, and next year the Protection School is likely to consider changing to a young man with more potential to participate in the advanced trial, in that case, Platon's situation will become very embarrassing." Nikita reveals Platon's predicament to Roland in a "telepathic connection".

After hearing this, Roland couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Platon, and inadvertently noticed that there seemed to be a hazy shadow shaking on the other party's shoulder, and under the prompting of curiosity, he opened the "Pupil of Destiny" to concentrate on observation.

The blurred figure above Platon's shoulder gradually became clearer, and it turned out to be a goblin who was hiding his whereabouts with "Advanced Invisibility Technique". It is about two feet tall, like a small elf, but with longer ears and thin, transparent wings. The little guy was dressed in baby green trousers, a hat with feathers on his head, and a small bow on his shoulder, and looked like a miniature "Robin Hood".