Alex didn't scream during the whole time he got rained by arrows. The pain was absurd that could easily pummel someone to the ground. Even so, Alex still managed to pass that path without letting a sound other than the talk with Eve.

However, Eve also knew how much pain he endured because his hand kept contracting and relaxing every time an arrow hit his hands.

She couldn't help but shake her head after recalling how easy people a few thousand years ago betrayed their friends because of stupid reasons. That created the unwillingness and spread the killing intent. It was the power that she fed during the past few thousand years, so she exactly understood if Alex screamed and doubted her.

There was no telling that she told the truth. There might be another safer path somewhere, and she simply didn't want to say it.

This test was meant to test the relationship between the sword and its master. The Sword Qi in this place was powering up the Sword Consciousness or the Sword Spirit to be able to communicate with their master.

Most people who failed here couldn't take it because they believed that the weapon had betrayed them. There might be some cases like that since the master themselves didn't treat their weapon well.

Either way, Alex and Eve had yet to realize the meaning behind this trial.

Alex simply took all the arrows out of his arms and tried to recuperate from his wound.

To his surprise, the wound couldn't be healed. Even after taking a pill that usually regenerated and plucked the wound, nothing happened.

Seeing this Eve wanted to stop the trial because she couldn't bear it anymore, but Alex kept holding her hand and smiled with a pale face. "It's okay. I am fine. Let's continue according to your senses."

"Master…" Eve clenched her teeth and nodded unwillingly. She forced herself to continue forward, where they met the same condition as the first one.

"So, what should I do again?" Alex asked. But when he saw the unwillingness of Eve to tell him what he needed to do, he patted her head. "Don't worry about me. Those arrows can't injure me easily, no, I should say, Rose's arrows are more painful than that. That's why, please tell me and beat this trial."

Eve walked toward the same spike with difficulty.

"Oh?! Is it the same as the first one?" Alex smiled.

Eve didn't reply to him. She kept staring at him with a complicated expression.

When Alex wanted to try it again, Eve screamed. "Ahhh!"

He was startled, but he saw Eve raising her hand before having the spike pierced her hand, creating the same wound on him.

Unlike the previous trap, she could be hurt this time, which made Alex confused. It shouldn't be possible, and her hand should pass the spike like that of a ghost, but he could see blood coming out of her hand.

"Eve! What are you doing?" Alex was worried about her instead of pondering over the mission.

"I can't…I can't let Master do this thing again." Eve let out tears. She never experienced pain like this ever since she was created, so there was no pain like this recorded in her memory. All the feelings were fresh in her mind and that made it look more painful. "I am sorry, Master. Eve is selfish."

Alex realized that this mission was for him, but Eve didn't want to let him do it because she simply couldn't bear him sacrificing himself just because he trusted her completely. No, it might be the reason why she chose this action.

There might be a chance for him to endure more and more things ahead, so if he could pass like this while she shared his burden, it would be awesome. But if it couldn't, she would feel guilty to Alex because she unintentionally ruined her master's trials.

Yet, there was no hatred or whatsoever in Alex's eyes. Instead, it was pain. He looked like he experienced the pain she endured as well, but she knew that Alex felt it because he…also couldn't bear to see her like that.

"You…"

When Eve heard another thing, she panted and slowly raised her hand, letting him see the hole in her hand.

"Master… It's a success. You won't need to endure this alone." Eve tried her best to smile, but it was too hard due to the pain.

Alex subconsciously grabbed her hand, wondering what he should do to treat her. "I need to go to a Forging Master."

"It's alright, Master. Eve is also alright."

Unknowingly, their two blood mixed with each other, and a gate appeared out of nowhere.

The energy around healed them again completely and Eve turned back to what she was before.

Word after word came into their vision.

"You are partners. The master trusts his weapon and cuts down every enemy standing in his way. The sword understands her master. And thus, the bond is created and forms a symphony between both of you. The blood and pain she experienced was everything you spilled along the way."

When Alex read this, he realized many things, including why he needed to shed so much blood. All the blood was stored just to grant her a moment to experience what he felt. If they understood each other, they would work together better because they knew what to do and what they couldn't do.

Alex and Eve exchanged looks and both smiled.

"Let's go then, Eve."

"Yes, Master."

Alex and Eve went toward the fourth gate while still holding hands.

As expected, they arrived at the same maze like before. Nothing really changed, including the pattern in this maze.

"Master. It's telling me to go this way." Eve pointed to the right.

Alex nodded and immediately proceeded according to Eve's direction. If he had fully trusted before, this trust became even more unbreakable after the third test.

Alex and Eve continued for a minute before they met their first obstacle. It was flying stones.

There was a gap between his side and the other side, and they could only pass it by stepping on the stone.

There was even an introduction to the obstacle.

Go to the other side without flying.

Alex and Eve had no problem in stepping on those stones, but Eve had another brilliant plant.

"Master, Master. The pit is too low, and the room is a bit bigger than I expected…" She paused for a moment. "Even so, I think there is something I want to try. What do you think, Master?"

"Something you want to try?" Alex tilted his head in confusion.

"Yes. Please use your Swallowing Heaven, Master. I will cross this path in that form and become a bridge, so you can "go to the other side without flying."

Alex widened his eyes, never expecting her to suggest something like this. "But it means you will be flying, right?"

"Not really. Master can just throw me there, and it's not flying." Eve shrugged.

"…" Alex scratched the back of his head. If it were the previous him, he might not agree with this plan because there were too many variables. But he seemed to understand her train of thoughts and agreed to her request.

"What is a weapon to me, huh…" Alex muttered while answering it inwardly. 'We are obviously partners that will rely on each other.'

Alex touched Eve's main body, AKA the sword, and channeled his Spiritual Energy there. The dragon appeared and was ready to be thrown.

However, Alex made sure there was nothing in the way by checking it with his Spirit Eyes.

After confirming there was no mysterious Spiritual Energy, he threw the dragon's body to the other side.

Eve grabbed the floor and stretched her body to make a solid bridge for Alex. "Master. I am ready."

Alex nodded with a serious expression and leaped on top of the dragon before walking across the gap that would lead to the void.

It was very safe and had nothing to worry about.

As soon as he reached the other side, Eve turned back to her human form and let out a long sigh. "We did it!"

"Yes." Alex smiled. They had a high-five.

"I am glad that it works."

"Of course it will work. It doesn't break any rule." Alex shrugged before remembering something. "Though, I can simply use my Teleportation to go to this side…"

Eve opened her mouth before covering it with her hand. She forgot about that because Alex had been sealing his Space Element while inside this world.

"Haha…" Alex lightly flicked her forehead and said, "Let's continue."

"Geez. You should treat me better, Master. I am still far older than you, no?" She pouted.

"Sorry, I can't see you as a legal loli."

"Well, I am a sword, not a loli." She shrugged, saying the obvious thing with a poker face.

"…"

The two then continued to the next obstacles. This tested their abilities to cope up with the situation together. At one time, Eve did everything alone. Alex also used the sword when he needed to fight against a creature that stood in their way.

This showed Eve could become his friend, partner, sharpest weapon, shield, and so on, depending on how they solved the situation.

It was a bountiful experience for Alex and Eve. The former learned how to wield a sword better by understanding the sword he wielded instead. This was a fresh approach from his perspective because he usually never cared about what sword he used back when he was still below Martial Saint.

Eve, on the other hand, understood the concept of a sword, like when she needed to release her energy, how to control the dragon better and many other things.

At one point, the two often joked around while doing the task as if they didn't feel pressured at all since they watched each other back.

After the fiftieth test, Alex took a deep breath. "How many more of this? It starts becoming repetitive."

"Indeed. I am starting to get bored. At first, it was interesting since I never experienced a thrilling adventure like this despite this place looking like the cave I was in." She nodded.

"Haha… Don't think much about it. I will lead you to see a bigger world after this, so wait for it patiently. I am sure you will be surprised by how different each world is." Alex boasted his own experiences to Eve.

"Master…I still can't understand why you are boasting to me." She rolled her eyes.

Alex shrugged. "I only told you that you would have more surprises after this, so don't say this is the best experience yet because there might be something even better in the future."

"Indeed. But I still should say this. The trial is the one thing I won't regret in the future. I feel like I can understand Master better. To think Master endure such a pain when we are fighting an opponent."

"That is if I am injured." Alex shrugged.

"Yes. That's why I will do my best to protect you."

"I am looking forward to it." Alex smiled.

They both kept walking while having this kind of conversation. Despite the numerous hassle they needed to pass, they continuously marched forward.

Until they passed a hundred tests, they ended up in a long corridor without any sign of another test.

Alex and Eve then arrived at the end of the corridor not long after, finding another gate that led them to the last stage. However, Alex remembered the riddle for this last stage was "those who qualified may enter." In that case, he didn't know whether he could reach the end or not.

Even so, it didn't stop his desire to try it. They both walked toward the gate before it suddenly opened.

What he could see was only white light illuminating the entire room.

Not long after that, a shadow gradually made its appearance.

Alex barely saw his appearance. It was a she.

"Welcome to the fifth floor. You have succeeded the test and qualify to enter the secret garden. No, I should say, I have been waiting for you to reach this place, Sir Alexander Sirius. Or should I call you, Sir Spirit God?" The woman smiled mysteriously.