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"I am slowing down,

" I said as I looked at myself.

nI don't want to slow down, but the pressure is high enough, that I am slowing down.

nIt had been five hours and eight minutes, and I was tired. So, much, I wanted to give up.

nI immediately crushed those thoughts away and pushed my leg forward while circulating the method, which had also become a struggle.

nThe energy is so dense and powerful, that even circulating is difficult.

nI am circulating slower than I do when I practice while studying in the core.

nIt's not like, I am not trying. I am, the faster I circulate, the easier it would be for me to bear this pressure, not to mention the energy is helping me dissolve the changes in me.

nIt's just that, I couldn't despite my trying.

nThough, it didn't stop me from trying. I kept taking step after step, not how difficult it was and how much I wanted to give up.

nI am on a mission, and I have to succeed in it.

nPrime Volsnorth had trusted me to bring him that thing and I will try my hardest for it.

nThat man had helped me many times. I knew he was the reason, so many things were easier for me, and I wanted to do something to repay that.

nFor it, I will not only have to finish this challenge but do it before everyone else.

nIf I lost even a single place, ten points would be reduced. That is not good; I need to have the perfect points to get that thing, which is a first reward.

nThe other challenges would be difficult. I might not come first in them.

nSo, I need to come first in challenges, that is my strength and my soul is my strength. My soul is strong; it might be an Earth Sovereign, but it's no weaker than Sky Sovereigns.

nIts stronger and most importantly, purer.

nI had never seen any Sky Sovereign soul purer than mine. Though, I didn't soul of the top Sky Sovereigns. Even if my soul is weaker than theirs, it wouldn't be by much

nIt sure as hell won't be as pure as mine.

nSo, it would be quite shameful. If I had lost this challenge, that would have been my strength.

nThese thoughts kept my spirit burning and I kept pushing myself.

nMinutes passed and the pressure had increased further. So much, that it had doused that burning spirit.

nCurrently, the only thing, that kept moving me is sheer will. Even the purpose isn't enough to keep me going, only the will is.

nI have finished many challenges, and I would complete, this one too.

nIt is the only thing, I kept thinking. I had even sealed my clones; I did not want to be distracted by anything, including the progress of the soul method on the changes.

nI have not stopped the circulating method despite the increase in difficulty at every step.

nThe method is essential to complete the challenge. It is the only reason; I could even walk in

nit.

nThe energy was so dense around me, that I couldn't see anything. Here anything, I simply closed my eyes as I walked further.

nMy physical senses are good. I know, I am walking in a straight line.

nIf someone comes close to me; I will sense it, but that is unlikely to happen.

nIt is another thing about the challenge. I didn't dare to think about it too much as my thought might spiral out of my control.

nThe information, I have about this challenge is useless.

nThis challange was supposed to be over at four hours at my speed, but I was still walking.

nI don't know, how long, I would need to keep walking. It is already a challenge for me to do that. If I let myself get weighed by those thoughts, it would be over for me.

nI can not let that happen. I need to win it.

nSo, I moved, it was slow, but it was a constant movement. I didn't let, myself, stop even for a second.

nIt would be disastrous if I did that. I don't think, I would have any will to move again.

nFrom the moment, I started the challenge. I had decided that I wouldn't stop, no matter what, because I well and understand, what would matter if I did that.

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"Six hours,

"

nA soul rang out before the connection sealed again. I had asked my clone, to keep me informed about the time.

nI wanted to cross a certain distance at every hour. If had been a three-century challenge, I would have finished it in four hours.

nIt is not; it is a millennium challenge.

nI don't know much about it; the only thing I know about it is that challenges in it are going to be difficult.

nThey will have been as difficult as this one or more difficult and I would have to complete all. Another ten minutes passed, and I opened my eyes for a moment before closing it.

nI would have called it an illusion. If the pressure and density of energy hadn't kept increasing. Such a thing could feel through illusion if the powerhouse is good enough, but it is an illusion.

nMy clones are looking at every aspect, not to mention changes in my soul.

nIt is very hard to mess with it.

nIf the illusion is creating all that, then there is no hope, because the creator of it is so powerful, that I am less than an ant in front of it.

nI shook my head and kept.

nMinutes passed and I wanted to give up at every step, but I kept walking, opening my eyes every ten minutes.

nHun!

nI took another step as I had doing for hours, but it made me open my eyes because with this step everything disappeared.

nThe pressure and energy had cleared. Making me feel weightless for a brief moment.

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"Congratulations challenger. You are first to pass the sea of soul,

"

nThe voice said, but I didn't have even energy to smile and simply fell without care for the

nworld.

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