Alpha Reborn!

Marcus reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial with three pills inside.

"Here, catch." 

He tossed it towards Evan.

Evan caught the vial thrown his way with ease, examining its contents with a light hearted smile on his face.

Inside were three pills that glowed a soft blue, emitting a faint, otherworldly energy.

The pills were perfectly spherical and about the size of a marble, and they had a smooth, glossy surface that seemed to shimmer in the dim light of the labyrinth.

The tiny vial held three Dragon\'s Breath Pill.

This pill aids cultivators in strengthening connection with their soul pockets, allowing them to control more soul energy with their soul energy manipulation technique. 

Though it shared similarities with the soul pocket refinement stone, it was far more potent.

The only catch? It took time to refine - no instant gratification here.

The speed of refinement depended entirely on the cultivator\'s innate ability to absorb the pill\'s medicinal value, making it a waiting game to see when the effects would kick in.

"This is more than I expected. I\'ve been struggling to deepen my connection with my soul pockets, but now with these pills, it\'ll be so much easier." 

His eyes shone with excitement.

He turned to Marcus, his expression grateful.

"Thank you so much for this. I really appreciate it."

With a casual wave of his hand, Marcus shrugged off his words of gratitude nonchalantly. "You deserve it."

Marcus then snapped his fingers, and a portal was created out of thin air. 

"You have passed the trial of the first floor," he said, grinning at Evan. "You are free to go above. This portal will take you beyond the first floor."

"This is it—the moment I\'ve been waiting for since the start of the first floor\'s trial."

Evan didn\'t hesitate as he stepped forward and leapt into the portal. As he passed through, a strange sensation washed over him, as if he was being lifted and carried away by an unseen force.

After a few moments, he emerged on the other side and found himself standing in a white room that was almost blindingly bright. It was like nothing he had ever seen before—completely featureless, with no doors, windows, or furnishings of any kind. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all the same pure white, as if they had been carved from a single block of pure, white marble. Even the air seemed to be tinged with a faint white glow, giving the entire room an ethereal, otherworldly quality.

Evan blinked, taking in his surroundings. He had never seen a place like this before, so pristine and otherworldly. It was as if he had stepped into a dream.

[You have arrived at the waiting room]

[The next trial will begin in 1 hour 32 minutes]

"1 hour 32 minutes? That\'s enough time to refine the three Dragon\'s Breath Pill."

Evan concentrated his mind, pouring all of his attention into the refinement of the three Dragon\'s Breath Pills. It was a painstaking process that demanded precision and patience, taking nearly an hour and a half to complete.

As Evan finished, he felt the medicinal value of the pills coursing through him, strengthening his connection to the soul pockets within his being. With ease, he could manipulate the soul energy within eight of them simultaneously, utilizing the formidable Breath of Frost Technique. This was no small feat, for it meant that he could command a massive 800 units of soul energy - enough to amplify the power of his three sword forms by an astonishing 300%!

He looked at the timer.

Only two minutes remained before the next trial would begin. Evan knew he had to act fast. He reached for the Starlight Amulet and willed it to relieve him of his exhaustion. The amulet released a holy, milky white light that enveloped him, relieving him of his exhaustion.

[Your stamina has been recovered!]

Instantly, his stamina bar filled to the brim with the energy of the amulet, and Evan felt revitalized.

"Though Lirian isn\'t physically by my side, I can still feel his presence and unwavering support, as if he\'s fighting alongside me in this war."

Evan raised his fist in excitement inside the tower. Watching Evan\'s broadcast, Lirian mirrored the gesture without hesitation. Despite being born to different mothers, they shared a bond that surpassed blood. Their camaraderie was so strong that it transcended distance, making its presence felt even through the digital interface. Evan couldn\'t see Lirian\'s response, but he could feel it, and that warmed his heart.

The onlookers who were watching the Evan\'s live broadcast were confused, unable to make sense of his action.

The timer hit 0, and a notification popped up in front of Evan.

[The second trial will soon be starting!]

In an instant, Evan\'s world turned upside down as he felt a sudden shift, and his surroundings vanished. 

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a completely different place, and he wasn\'t alone. There were many others with him.

"Well, that was one heck of a trial," exclaimed a young man with icy blue hair, hailing from the House of Blizzard. "But I did it! I succeeded!"

Beside him, a doppelganger with the same blue hair breathed a sigh of relief. 

"I almost got devoured by a spider before the trial ended and I got transported here. Can you believe my luck?" he remarked with a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Another individual, who looked almost identical to the two young men from the House of Blizzard, stepped forward from the crowd.

"I would have been devastated if my little brother didn\'t make it through the trial," he said with a hint of emotion in his voice. "I\'m just glad that we\'re all together again."

Evan\'s eyes widened in recognition as he gazed upon the three young men before him. They were none other than the infamous trio hailing from the House of Blizzard - known for their mischievous behavior and troublemaking tendencies.

He couldn\'t help but feel a sense of wariness in their presence.

He looked away from them and silently took in his surroundings.