Because of possessing the black crystal, Allen's mental power is much stronger than that of ordinary people. Therefore, when he was about to step on the thousandth step, he was keenly aware that there must be something wrong with this place. It was very likely that he would

I encountered some things here that I didn't want to see.

"Can I brute force it?" He laughed to himself.

Thinking of this, he began to try to build a mathematical model in his mind and find loopholes in the rules, just like he had done before when studying "illumination", so as to break Merlins' magic.

But he soon gave up.

Merlins' magic is so complicated that even a supercomputer would take several days to construct the spell model, let alone Allen himself.

So, he shook his head helplessly and chose to climb the thousandth step.

"What is supposed to come will come." He told himself silently.

Then he heard those cold words: "Only by overcoming fear can we continue to move forward."

"Fear, I didn't expect it to be such a test... But, what is the thing I'm most afraid of... exactly?" Allen was a little nervous about this, but also a little curious, "Could it be working overtime around the clock?

?"

He laughed to himself.

The expected stern boss did not appear.

What appeared in front of him was a piece of green grass. Dotted with scattered small white flowers, they shone in the sunlight.

On the grass, a group of children ran around laughing and playing hide-and-seek games, and the air was filled with a happy atmosphere.

Allen found himself back in his childhood.

He stood on the side of the grass and silently watched the group of children playing happily, feeling yearning rising in his heart.

"Can I join you?" he heard himself ask in a childish voice.

No one responded to him.

The sun is still shining brightly and the children are still laughing.

He was alone.

The sun shone on him, but he looked very cold.

It was only then that Allen realized that what he feared most was loneliness.

…………

at the same time.

Selena Solomon is still immersed in memories, with the expression on her face changing.

"As a lady, this is the obligation you should fulfill for your family."

Her father, Duke Solomon, placed the engagement contract in front of her and said to her coldly.

Selena lowered her head and looked at the two dazzling names written on the engagement contract.

She could almost imagine her future life: ending her teenage career, getting married to an old man twenty-five years older than her, having children for him, and then wearing the widow's hat early after the old man died.

Black veil.

She thought: It turns out that the life of a so-called "lady" is no different from a grave.

"I refuse."

She took a deep breath and for the first time in her life, she mustered up the courage to speak to her father.

"Rejection is invalid," the father replied.

She laughed at herself, lifted up her skirt, made an elegant curtsey to her father, held the engagement contract tightly in her hands, and turned around to leave.

This time, her face was frighteningly pale, but she didn't shed a single tear.

…………

In the vast white mist, Howard was still falling downwards.

"Young man, cheer up!" He heard a voice whispering deep in the clouds.

But in the weightless state, Howard could no longer tell the direction. He could only feel that he was falling very fast. Maybe in the next second, he would come into contact with the ground, and then fall to his head and bleed.

"I can't do it," he replied.

"But you haven't tried it yet," the voice said.

"No."

"You are giving up on yourself."

"I have failed," Howard's voice sounded exhausted. "I have been climbing up since I was born, but the top of the mountain is too far away. It's time to rest."

"Remember that song? It's the one your mother often hums around you."

Howard thought for a moment and hummed a few words softly: "...trees will fall, swords will break, and eagles will fall from the sky; the wind will be strong, the ground will be slippery, and it will rain heavily all the way; if you fall, don't be afraid, just wipe it dry.

The tears started from the beginning..." At this point, he suddenly changed the topic, "After all, ballads are just ballads. It's easy to say it, but how many people can actually do it?"

The other party was silent for a long time, and then slowly said: "Why don't you look down?"

"down?"

"Yes. You used to just stare at the top of the mountain. Maybe looking back, you will gain something."

"But I'm afraid," Howard's voice trembled slightly, "I'm afraid that if I look back, I will be back to where I started. All my efforts will be in vain."

"It's better than falling to death."

After saying this, the other party was silent again.

So, Howard took a deep breath and tried to look down, only to feel that his adrenal glands were burning rapidly.

The fog gradually faded away, and the scenery on the ground was clearly displayed in front of him, like a colorful map heading towards him.

He saw the slums where he was born, his mother wearing a gray skirt and working hard in a textile factory;

He saw the school where he studied. Dozens of students shared a yellowing textbook, showing eyes eager for knowledge;

He saw the University of Cambridge located by the river, with the breeze blowing and the willow branches swaying, like an isolated fairyland;

…

"It turns out that I have come so far without even realizing it!" He sighed deeply from the bottom of his heart, "It seems... that it's not that difficult to start over again, right?"

Then he opened his arms.

A gust of wind blew and he flew up.

…………

Gary Buegaard fell down on the stone steps, looking at each other with his "mother".

"Mom, are you okay?" he asked, "No one is giving you any trouble, right?"

Mother held the rolling pin and shook her head: "I'm fine. Take care of yourself first."

Gharib felt his heart sinking.

He knew his mother's character: she would only take matters into her own hands and would never tell anyone, especially Gharib.

"Just wait," he said with a slight frown, "when I become an official magician, I will take you over from the colonial plane."

Mother nodded, then shook her head: "You take care of yourself first."

Thinking of his mother being alone in the colonial plane without anyone to take care of her, Garib was so angry that he wanted to stamp his feet.

Shit! This damn level actually requires him to overcome his fear!

But can he really overcome such fear?

Pooh!

If you force me like this, I will try my best to show you!

Garib stood up, looking at the invisible barrier, eager to try.

…………

"To be honest, I really didn't expect that I would be afraid of loneliness," Allen said to himself with a wry smile on his face, standing in the white mist, "After all, I have long been accustomed to living alone over the years.

."

"Habit does not mean liking," a voice echoed in his mind, "Although you don't want to admit it, I know that you long for friends and enjoy the feeling of being noticed."

"That's true." Allen did not deny it.

"But have you ever thought about it," the voice continued, "as your power becomes stronger and stronger, your friends will be far behind you, and you will be the only one left on the road ahead.

?"

"That's too far away," Allen shook his head, "I haven't thought about it yet."

"Then please open your eyes and take a good look."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sunny lawn disappeared together with the children playing hide and seek.
To be continued...