Endless Horde: Through the Eyes of a Godking-Chapter 532 : 3rd and Final Step: Spark Searching

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A few months passed after Jormund's success; it didn't take long before a few more followed in his footsteps and achieved the passing mark for the Void Refinement Practice as well.

But just like Jormund, they too decided to not go to the 3rd step for now and instead refine their skills some more before moving on.

Now, though, Jormund and two more people have finished perfecting their skills. Their void refinement degree reached 100% yesterday, and they were informed that they would be introduced to the 3rd and final step to this project.

Knowing this, the three couldn't help but feel nervous. The closer they got to their ultimate goal, the more trepidation and pressure they felt. They were already doing their best to minimize the chances of failure, and they can't falter now. But of course, without knowing what the final step was, they couldn't be too sure about their chances, and that's what makes them even more nervous.

But that's why they're here, aren't they? They have to know somehow. The deciding moment was here.

Upon entering the place where Cedric told them to go, they were mildly surprised.

See, with everything that they've experienced, they were expecting the final stage to involve more danger. They imagined being surrounded by even denser levels of void, maybe facing Void Creatures themselves, harvesting their organs, doing something with their bodies...something along those lines. They expected the final step to be an uphill battle—difficult, exhausting, but ultimately rewarding.

But that's not what they saw here...

Instead, they found themselves in a place with clear blue skies with white puffy clouds floating about. The sun was up, illuminating everything with its gentle and warm rays. They were surrounded by nature; beneath them was a field of trimmed grass that expanded towards the horizon. There were patches of forest in some places, and there are even straw huts here and there.

Cedric was waiting for them there. They saw him sitting on a tree bench with a wooden stump serving as a table in front of him. His demeanor wasn't anything different compared to the previous times they saw him, but in this environment, he was even more ethereal.

"Come, join me." They heard his voice calling to them.

Confused, Jormund and his two fellow participants could only go towards him, maybe expecting an explanation but not really in a position to demand it.

Once they sat at the table, still maintaining a respectful attitude, which looked stiff in Cedric's eyes, they kept silent and waited for Cedric to talk.

His golden gaze bore upon them, and then he said, "Spark Searching, that is the final step to this project."

'Spark Searching,' the three of them savored those two words. Their minds were whirring into activity, trying to guess what it meant for them and what they'd have to do.

Were they going into some sort of treasure hunt in this place? Has the director hidden something around here that will help them complete their practice? What is it? What is this spark he's talking about? Why do they have to search for it?

They had so many questions, but they didn't dare to ask them now. Instead, they waited for Cedric, who seems to be determined to keep them guessing for as long as possible, to explain.

"I know what you're thinking..."

'You always do, Director.' The three of them thought of the same response at the same time in their minds.

"...you're expecting this to be difficult." He stated, "It's because of the way the first and second steps were done that it would only make sense for you if the third and final step were just as, if not more, difficult than the two previous steps."

Cedric sighed and looked a bit troubled. "Honestly, I can't blame you for it. If I were in your shoes, I'd think the same way. Unfortunately, it seems that you'd have to be disappointed because the 3rd and final step isn't difficult."

That...that was new. They didn't expect that at all.

"It's not difficult, but it's not that easy either. If anything, it will mostly rely on your personal belief, specifically towards yourselves."

This was starting to confuse them, but they didn't dare to interrupt Cedric now.

"The final step, Spark Searching, doesn't include the Void or any form of physical harm. That's why our venue is like this, peaceful and serene. It won't require you to sweat too much; it also wouldn't necessarily require your other skills."

"For this, all you need to do is to search for the 'Spark' within you."

The trio was confused, and rightfully so. They came here expecting hardships and all, yet they were told that they'd be searching for a mysterious 'spark' within them instead. How can this now throw them off?

But Cedric wasn't done talking, so they kept quiet.

"I've been observing you all." He said, "You all were told to document your experiences at the end of each day, a mandated activity included in your tasks. Those documentaries are sent to me for perusal, and I've read all of them."

Yes, everybody who participated in this project knows this. Cedric and the staff didn't hide this secret at all. Still, this outright admittance coming directly from Cedric made them feel strange.

"Now, while I do like to gossip sometimes, I know where my boundaries are." Cedric jested for a bit. "I'm not that bored to require you to write about your stories and such."

"We ask those from you because if you can remember, you all are test subjects. You are the first batch of people who will undergo this experiment. During your first day here, I admitted that this project hasn't been refined. After all, I am the first of my kind in this era."

"Collecting those documentaries from you serves as a review of this project. It will help us see our mistakes and refine the process even more as time goes by, because eventually, our goal is to canonize the Ancient Chaos Path."

"But beyond this, the reason why I implored you all to be as truthful and detailed as you can in these documentaries was because I was looking out for people who are showing promise."

Cedric's golden eyes gazed at them once more, and in front of these eyes, they couldn't help but feel extremely exposed.

"During your training sessions, and sometimes even during your resting periods, and maybe even in your dreams, you three have found yourselves arriving at a seemingly endless expanse of darkness, haven't you?"

Jormund and his two fellow participants inhaled sharply at this. While it's understandable that Cedric would know this given that he has read through their documentaries, the fact that he singled that detail out caused a strong impact on them.

"Being in that space felt strange, doesn't it?" Cedric grinned. "It's like you're having an out-of-body experience but not really. Your mind exists in a different plane of existence, but you can still feel that you're within your body."

"You feel disconnected from your physical shell, but at the same time, you know where it is. You know what's happening to it; you can feel it too; it's just that it feels distant."

The more Cedric talked, the more shocked they became. Precisely because he's describing the exact same feeling they got whenever they arrived in that place, and none of them could explain it in words, so this wasn't included in their documentaries.

"Whenever you arrive there, it feels like you've spent years in there, yet in reality, only a brief second passed. And arriving there isn't something you can control. It just happens randomly to you."

Cedric took a deep breath and said, "That place is the true venue for the 3rd and final step of this project."

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"Like the 2nd step, the final step is as straightforward as it's called," Cedric explained. "Your task is to search for a spark within that space."

"What is the spark I'm talking about? Well, it's a small thing...small as a single grain of sand...for me at least, it was like that. Maybe it's different for you; I can't use my personal experiences as the sole basis after all. But yes, it should look something like that."

"You would know if you found it. Because as soon as you came close to it, you would...should feel a deep sense of familiarity to it. Like meeting an old friend who has become unrecognizable after a very long time."

"Hold that spark and connect with it. That's all you have to do. I won't explain or give you standards for when you pass the final step, because only you would know it yourself, and you will come to me when you're ready."

"..."

"..."

"...Is that it, Director?" Jormund couldn't help but ask.

"Uh huh!" Cedric nodded. "That's the final step. See, it's not difficult, is it?"

Cedric then gestured to the surrounding area and said, "Pick any spot here that you'd like. Actually, you don't really need to be here. If you want to, you can stay in your room or even go back home to do this."

"I believe that wherever you go, once you've reached that step, you'd return to me anyway."