Affinity: Chaos

"There's nothing here"

Someone exclaimed while looking at the vast expanse of whiteness in front of him.

"Where are the treasures?"

Another person asked in a stunned manner.

The people outside had all passed through the black door. After stepping through the door, they felt like they were transported to an entirely different location separate from the trial lands. It was a huge space and looking around, it seemed boundless. The atmosphere was heavy and dull, with mist filling the entire space.

For the majority of the people, this was the first time they were experiencing this after entering the trial land. Although they prepared themselves mentally before stepping through the door, it still left them somewhat panicky.

Looking below them, there was nothing to be seen. It was like they were all standing in the empty night sky, floating to be more precise because everything below them was pitch black nothingness. This further increased the agitation some of them were feeling towards the place.

"Where are we?"

One of the youths from the first group asked in a confused state.

"This seems to be a separate space entirely from where we came from"

The young man said while looking around curiously.

He was also curious about this place. They were supposed to find a treasure here, but now, there was nothing to be seen, at all.

The majority of the people stared at the place dismayed, the reason, ahead of them was a vast expanse of nothingness, and behind them, the so-called door they passed through seemed to have disappeared into empty space as well.

Amongst the crowd, some weren't as agitated as the majority of the crowd were though. Klaus, Reynolds, and Alice were amongst the few.

"It's just like that palace we encountered during the first period we entered the trial land"

Klaus said to his friends.

They were relatively more relaxed compared to most of the people here. Not just them, there were also a few groups who didn't seem bothered by this, seemed like they had also experienced something like the palace also.

"Yeah, only, this place feels more complicated"

Reynolds nodded.

At least at the palace, they could still see some things, this place, on the other hand, had nothing. There were no buildings, no nothing. It was like they were transported to an empire of nothingness.

Everyone felt like they had entered into an illusory space, the idea of moving forward didn't come across their minds. Under such situations, it would render one aimless even if they had the will to seek for treasures.

Boom!

All of a sudden, a huge ancient stone slab appeared out of nowhere. It was very huge, thirty meters tall, suspending in front of everyone. On top of the stone slab were lines of cracks. No one could tell how long this stone slab had existed. Apart from that, the surface of the stone slab was spotlessly clean.

"It's a stone slab!"

Someone yelled out.

A fiery red light shone off the slab. The people all squinted their eyes while staring at the stone slab.

This stone slab is most likely connected to the treasure here, so everyone held great curiosity towards it.

After some seconds, the light slowly started fading.

"Look, there are words on the stone slab"

Someone exclaimed after the lights slowly started dying down.

As the light continuously died down, more people started noticing the rows of words written on the stone slab.

When the light died down completely, the words on the surface of the stone slab showed themselves completely.

"This Old One isn't able to come to fruition in the end, this Old One's life affinity with Fire is left behind along with this Old One's legacy. When all is said and done, there are still fifty-four difficulties. This place has fifty-four ancient paths. Each path is full of danger, however, this Old One has hidden the treasure of my lifetime in the fifty-four ancient paths. Once you enter this place, you have to go through trials before obtaining the treasure left by me. And at the end of the ancient paths, there will be nine drops of Great Earth Essence Liquid left by me. Anyone with great luck will be able to obtain it"

Every golden word in the slab was strong and powerful, giving one an incomparable heavy feeling.

When everyone saw the four huge words 'Great Earth Essence Liquid', their breathing began to turn heavy, and their eyes began to blaze with desire.

They all wanted to acquire it.

"Gods! A Great Earth Essence Liquid, and nine drops. With this, we'll be able to rise to the peak. Hahaha"

The young man exclaimed in excitement.

He wasn't even bothered with the legacy which was here, what mattered more was the Great Earth Essence Liquid. This was something none of them dreamed of finding here.

It was generally known that the grade of everyone's elemental affinity was fixed. Once you're tested and your grade is pink, orange, purple, or blue, it would stay that way till the Elementalist died. But according to legends, there were extremely rare treasures that could increase the grade of one's elemental grade, and this was one of them.

One has to know, except for Grey's special ability, no one else could increase their grade. But with this liquid, they would be able to increase it.

With this, those with Blue grades would be able to reach the fabled violet grade of legends. In the history of the Azure continent, there have only been three people who had that grade, two went on to be peerless Elementalists before they died, and the last one was killed at a young age. The reason was that at the time he was tested, the Azure continent had already been divided into four empires. The youth was from the Stellar empire.

When the other empires found out, they did all they could, and after six years, they were able to assassinate him. One has to know that at the age of eighteen, the youth had already broken through to the Mid-stages of the Origin Plane.

'If I could acquire it and possibly increase my darkness element to the violet grade, then within ten years, no, five years even, I would have no equals'

The young man thought excitedly.

Since there were nine here, there was no way he would not be able to consume at least one. Given his extraordinary abilities, the family might even decide to give him three, so his strength would increase at an unrivaled speed.

His eyes had nearly turned bloodshot. Not just him, everyone here was all thinking about the same thing, they had to acquire it, greed was starting to consume their minds.

Even the youths he came with were starting to have other thoughts.

Now, the thought of not taking it back was starting to creep into their minds, they were not from the family anyway. All they had to do was go into hiding, and in the next ten years or so, they would be able to look at the family in disdain.

The young man looked at his group coldly. Sensing his gaze, they tried to hide their greed.

"You better keep your heads straight, or you'll lose them"

He said coldly.

A chill ran down their spines. Keeping their thoughts straight, they nodded. They were trained by the family anyway, and without the family, they wouldn't have been here.

"There's still no signs of Grey. Don't tell me he's going to miss this treasure"

Klaus said looking around.

They had been here for some time now, but Grey still hasn't appeared. Had the door still been visible, he would have gone back out and searched for him.

Fifty-four ancient paths suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Now, they were all thinking of which path to choose. According to the words, there were treasures and dangers in each path. Some are more fruitful, and others were more dangerous. Also, one of the paths held the legacy the man spoke about.

"Which path would we take now?"

Some asked looking at the ancient paths.

"Just pick randomly"

Another one said.

"*Sigh* There's nothing we can do about it now. Let's each choose a separate path"

Alice sighed before suggesting.

Since Grey wasn't here, they couldn't stay here and wait when others had already started picking different paths and entering.

Klaus and Reynolds nodded before each choosing a path.

Soon, everyone had picked a path and entered.

.......

Back at the valley...

"This is the place"

A youth said calmly.

Looking closer, the door was about to shut close. The youth quickly dashed towards the door and passed through before it closed shut.

Entering the space, everyone had already picked a path, the youth read the words before randomly choosing a path and entering.

Had Grey or his friends been here, they would have been able to recognize the youth. It was none other than Jonas.

After Jonas vanished, the stone slab and the ancient paths disappeared as well. It only showed how lucky Jonas was, had he come moments later, he would have missed this opportunity.