Jacob stepped through the portal into the fifth trial of the Tower of Leo. He knew his soul force was less than 30% at this moment, and he planned to replenish it if this trial had longer or, even better, no time.
But he didn't put his hopes up high since he knew every trial was given a time in the Tower of Leo, which made him less hopeful.
However, when he appeared in the next trial, he found himself in a grand circular chamber, and his expression instantly changed because this chamber was reminiscent of the seventh level of the Tower of Taurus!
'Wait, don't tell me the Tower of Leo only has five trials!?' Jacob was in disbelief.
Since he entered the tower after Samantha, he wasn't provided with any knowledge regarding the exact number of trials. However, since this was a tower similar to the Tower of Taurus, he thought it would also have seven trials.
However, now he had appeared in the chamber, which was very much like the last trial of the Tower of Taurus. He knew they weren't just similar because the chamber's walls were adorned with large, majestic murals!
The murals depicted a sequence of events that, while not overly detailed, seemed to tell a profound story. The first mural illustrated the birth of the celestial lion, a radiant figure of pure white light emerging from a chaotic swirl of golden and crimson energies.
The next few murals showed glimpses of Leo's journey—especially the second mural, in which Leo is shown battling a dark, indistinct silhouette. The confrontation is vague and abstract, the details blurred as if shrouded in shadows, but the intensity of the struggle is palpable. Leo fought valiantly against this obscure foe, yet the mural offers no clear resolution. But Jacob recognized it as a recurring element from the previous murals he had seen in the Tower of Taurus.
The final mural in the sequence depicted a dramatic event: the lion, now in human-like form, standing triumphantly amid a scene of cosmic upheaval.
Without hesitation, he instantly opened the Cursed Immortality to make sure he was right.
_____ Tower of Leo Level Five: The Leo's Pride
Final Challenge: Defeat the Wisp of Leo!
_____
Jacob confirmed his speculation, as he thought, 'Since all those darn challenges required the use of Soul Force, and they were all extremely deadly compared to the Tower of Taurus, then the Tower of Leo having only five trails doesn't seem unusual…'
At this moment, Jacob's thought process was disrupted, and his attention was abruptly pulled away by a cacophony of sounds and a surge of powerful magical and soul force ripples!
His instincts, honed by numerous battles, alerted him to the urgent situation unfolding before him. In the center of the chamber, a fierce battle raged.
Jacob's eyes flashed with astonishment when he saw a graceful elf wearing soft white full-body armor, which was in a sorry state, while the elf wasn't any better as her appearance was disheveled and pale. This was none other than Samantha, the elf he had been tracking all this time.
However, Jacob only glanced at her before his eyes locked on a humanoid figure with the head of a white lion bathed in ethereal white light. Its body was a blend of divine radiance and spectral energy, shimmering like a ghostly beacon.
The lion's face was regal yet fierce, its golden eyes burning with a fierce intensity. Jacob instantly knew that this was the Wisp of Leo. The Wisp's presence was both majestic and intimidating, its movements fluid and graceful yet capable of devastating power.
At this moment, the Wisp of Leo was under intense battle with Samantha. But calling it a battle was an overstatement because Leo was sending powerful punishes filled with radiating white light, causing powerful ripples throughout the chamber and making the walls shake intensely. While Samantha was on the defense, enshrouded inside a golden barrier that was giving an intent aura of soul force, and another gentle element filled with life was present in it!
Jacob instantly spotted the source of this soothing yet powerful soul force. It was a palm-sized triangular crystal hovering in front of Samantha as it revolved and released powerful soul force pulses filled with the life element.
It seemed to be a focal point of her efforts. The crystal encased a golden crystalline willow leaf, which seemed to be a source of the life-like soul force. This force flowed around her, creating a shimmering barrier of golden energy.
Not only was the crystal rapidly releasing soul force, but it was also healing her injurers at a rapid pace caused by Leo's mighty soul force, allowing Samantha to recover at an alarming rate.
Jacob instantly made a guess because he felt a familiar sense from this crystal, 'Is that a Legendary Rank Treasures? It has to be! Because this treasure would explain how she had come this far despite being only at the Quasi-Legend Rank. Furthermore, this treasure seemed even more powerful than the shield and staff I acquired, and it's a healing type of treasure. Moreover, she didn't seem to have any difficulty operating it. There has to be some kind of explanation!'
Jacob's attention was fully locked on them; he used his stealth to hide. He continued to observe their battle with great interest, as Leo attacked relentlessly. Samantha's expression was pale yet resolute as she hid under the treasure's protection.
Jacob remained hidden in the shadows, using his stealth to avoid detection. He continued to observe the battle, noting Samantha's strategy of attempting to wear down the Wisp before making her move. Her strained expression and the state of her armor showed that her previous frontal assaults had been ineffective.
Jacob marveled at the Wisp of Leo's power, realizing that it was almost on par with the Legendary Rank, with a nearly infinite supply of soul force.
Since he has never gotten any chance to fight the Wisp of Taurus, the more he observes, the more solemn he becomes. As time passed, the Wisp of Leo's light element magic became overwhelming, casting intense beams of radiant energy that clashed with the barrier, which started to shake.
Samantha's expression changed as she quickly cast a spell, and her wood magic manifested as verdant, sprawling vines and protective barriers enforcing the golden barrier. But the Wisp's light magic cut through them with relentless precision. She was no match for the Wisp of Leo!