My SSS-Rank Clone Talent: I Level Up Endlessly!-Chapter 58: Third Gate: Strength!

Soon, Chun Ma was led through the place and into a dark room where the other participants were.

The sixty people who were there had decreased by at least a quarter, so there were around 45 children present, which wasn’t too bad of a number.

These children already proved their perseverance and willpower, so being able to cope with poison was naturally called for.

The only reason that they were eliminated was because of inexperience and talent.

If you don’t have the bodily talent for it, then you are as good as dead.

It was a cruel reality, but this was the true reality, and the demonic cult followed this practice wholeheartedly without missing a beat.

There is a saying in the Martial World: If you don’t have resistance to poison, then it’s better to quit before you even begin.

This was due to the sheer difficulty one would face without it.

Everyone and their grandmother used poison, it was simply too useful, especially within demonic cults.

As for the other factions, they operated in a world of their own.

When Chun Ma appeared before them, the children’s expressions were filled with surprise and utter shock.

The most stunned of all was, of course, that little twerp who had been smirking with joy just moments earlier.

"Hello," Chun Ma greeted, his blue pupils scanning each of them with gleaming eyes.

"H-how are you still alive?"

The little twerp spoke with a trembling voice.

"I came from the depths of hell to kill you," Chun Ma said in a ghostly voice.

"No... no, this can’t be..."

The little twerp collapsed to the ground, his face pale as chalk.

He pointed a trembling finger at Chun Ma with disbelief. "This can’t be happening... You can’t kill me. I’m supposed to become the Heavenly Demon... I need to rule over everyone!"

"Are you sure?" Chun Ma asked, stepping forward, saber in hand, its edge gleaming from the light of the dimly lit candle, ready to strike, poised as if to sever the boy’s head right then and there.

"Y-yes," the little twerp stammered, forcing courage into his voice. He swallowed hard, his throat dry.

Chun Ma just raised his saber. With the blade, he tilted the boy’s chin upward, forcing him to meet his eyes—

"Tell me," Chun Ma said coldly, "were you the one who declared my body dead... so they threw me into that poisonous river?"

"N-No..." the little twerp stuttered with his entire body trembling.

Chun Ma fell silent. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward Rim Soo-Yun, who stiffened slightly under his questioning eyes. She hesitated, but only for a moment.

The clans within the Heavenly Demon Cult were constantly locked in competition, fighting over every scrap of power and resource to gain the upper hand.

’This could be an opportunity,’ Rim Soo-Yun thought. ’If Chun Ma truly survived the Nether River... a powerful ally, I could gain.’

So she opened her mouth and spoke in a clear, crisp tone:

"He was the first to say it."

"I see." He nodded.

"Wait—!"

Swish!

The air split apart as the gleaming saber came down, merciless and cold. With a clean slice, it severed one of the twerp’s hands.

Blood splattered across the ground. The severed hand hit the floor with a sickening thud, followed by a tense, unnatural silence.

"Ahhh—!"

The little twerp screamed, his cries loud and pitiful.

Tears streamed down his face, snot dripping as he clutched his bleeding stump.

A foul stench filled the air as a dark stain spread from his trousers, forcing those nearby to recoil in disgust.

"G-Give me back my arm..." freewēbnoveℓ.com

But Chun Ma only looked on, eyes devoid of emotion.

His cold, unblinking gaze pierced through the boy as if observing a squirming insect.

"You are still young, a child. That’s the only reason that only your hands were taken. If you fight me again, then it will be your life."

After saying that, he settled on the ground, leaning on the walls with closed eyes to rest.

Silence!

In the echoes of pain and cries of the little twerp, there was complete silence from the children; nobody spoke a single word.

The bearded man with his belly protruding grinned at the sight. He clapped his hands:

"Enough rest now, little worms. The third gate will begin from now on."

Every child’s gaze sharpened as their ears twitched to hear every single detail, all the way through.

Their life literally depended upon it.

"The third gate is: Strength. Even if you have the will of steel, determination to burn the world, and resistance to all the poisons, you still need strength to achieve this."

"So in this gate, you will strengthen your strength with all means possible, and at the end," the old man paused, "you will fight against each other."

He clapped, and the servants appeared from the door, carrying metal bracers on them. But their steps were shaky, and they sweated profusely.

One of the servants stumbled, and the bracer fell to the ground.

Bang!

It was like an earthquake had hit the ground as the bracers fell and a big bang sounded.

"Tsk, useless," the bearded man disdained, casually raising the bracers with just his two fingers. "Each bracer weighs around 10 kgs. The more bracers you wear, the more food you will get each day."

When they heard Ten kgs, an audible gulp was heard. Ten kg was no joke, especially as a bracer.

"So what will it be?"

There was a tense silence in the air before Chun Ma stood up and walked towards the bearded man.

"Give me two bracers for each hand."

"Are you sure, number 47?"

"Yes, instructor." Chun Ma gave a firm nod.

"Here."

The old man handed him the bracers, and Chun Ma caught it very casually with no problem, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

Then Chun Ma wore both braces on his right arm and moved his hand. His muscles twitched and strained ever so slightly, but aside from that, there was not much pressure:

"I need two more."

"What are you?" The bearded man’s complexion changed slightly.