SSS Awakening: Rebirth of the Strongest Vampire God-Chapter 137: Let’s all go skinny dipping

A couple of minutes later, Mark and Kate emerged from the black pool, looking like drowned rats, soaked to the bone and shivering uncontrollably. Yet, despite the cold, both of them were grinning from ear to ear, their eyes alight with an almost feverish excitement.

Mark’s teeth chattered as he muttered, "Holy hell, that was insane."

Kate’s crimson eyes sparkled mischievously even as her lips turned blue. "We have to do that again," she gasped, laughing breathlessly. Damon also returned from outside though he seemed to have an annoyed expression on his face.

All the eyes were on them and yet no one bothered asking anything. Clearly, they were not willing to share the information. After a while later, Robert and Mendoza seemed to discuss something.

Immediately after that, Mendoza stood up with a proud expression. "I got this." He nodded at Sylvara and the others and walked inside the cavern with his head held high and chest jutted out.

The cold instantly hit him like a truck but he opened up a potion bottle and downed it. The next second he sprinted straight into the weird ass suspiciously black pool with eyes full of determination.

For a heartbeat, there was silence, then an unholy shriek filled the cavern, echoing off the ice-crusted walls. Mendoza shot out of the black pool like a cannonball, eyes wide and mouth gaping in horror, his entire body a shivering mess.

"It’s cold! It’s cold! It’s fucking freezing down there!" he screamed, flailing wildly. Without a shred of dignity, he launched himself straight into the campfire, shattering the logs and scattering embers like fireworks, completely destroying the whole thing.

Only after Aurora cast a few spells on him, the man seemed to settle down, shivering like a drenched kitten but at least no longer screaming his head off.

"Thank you. Thank you, goddess. Ughh. It’s horrible down there. I can’t even begin to describe the cold you will face down there. I have somehow braved it and endured it but if it was someone else then even death is a real possibility."

Looking at him go on and on as if he had done a great deed, even Nevin rolled his eyes. "Didn’t you chug a potion before? Are you telling me even with cold resistance potion, you faced so much difficulty?"

Mendoza’s face changed a little but he maintained his composure. "Yes. Trust me, it is very cold down there and there is a reason for it. I put my life on the line for all of you and finally found the secret of that black pool."

"It is a secret trial!" Mendoza exclaimed loudly.

Sylvara’s brow furrowed. "A secret trial?"

Mendoza puffed his chest and continued. "A trial only the bravest of the brave can endure. It tests your willpower, your strength, your... your... everything!"

Nevin crossed his arms, unimpressed. "So you’re saying this black pool is some kind of secret challenge. What does it do exactly?"

Mendoza cleared his throat awkwardly. "That I cannot say just yet. I braved it, barely survived, mind you, and emerged with the knowledge that it’s not for the weak!" He jabbed a finger at Sylvara. "We must prepare ourselves before we even think of attempting it again."

Damon, who’d been leaning against the cavern wall with an unreadable expression, let out a quiet snort and a chuckle.

Mendoza’s face turned crimson. "Shut up!" he spat. "What? You couldn’t hide such a good place from us, could you? See. I found out everything. Now, what are you going to do?"

Damon shrugged. "I didn’t exactly plan on hiding anything. If you have the capability, dive in and take a dip. In fact, I am going to do so right now. Anyone else care to join me?" His gaze landed on Sylvara, Aurora, and Mira. "Ladies, a little tip. I think skinny dipping might give the best benefits. Don’t say I never shared anything." He winked and went right back into the black water, jumping in like it was nothing.

Damon disappeared for an entire ten minutes before emerging once again, completely drenched and carefree.

Kate and Mark looked at him with awe as they too stood up and did the same. Though both of them only managed to stay in for a couple of minutes.

Clearly, the three of them had figured out something, or at least knew more about this trial than the rest of them, but from the looks of it, they had no plans of sharing any details.

Finally, Sylvara decided to take a look for herself. "Do you have any more of the cold resistance potion?" She asked Robert, who shook his head helplessly.

"It’s fine." Sylvara took a deep breath and walked into the pool. Even though her ice affinity was high and she had been living in the freezing cold ever since she was born, this cold was completely different. It filled her with unimaginable pain.

It was as if every drop of water was a dagger, each one sharper than the last, piercing her skin and biting into her bones. Her breath caught in her throat, and she fought the instinct to thrash and surface.

She forced herself to sink deeper, determined to discover what had drawn Damon and the others back again and again.

The next second a system message flashed in front of her.

[Ding! You have entered the Trial of the Frozen Abyss.]

Sylvara’s eyes widened, her breath a ragged mist in the icy water. A powerful force pulled her deeper, and the darkness seemed to fold around her, wrapping her in a chilling embrace.

[Trial of the Frozen Abyss: The secrets of the ice are only revealed to those who dare to embrace the cold. Endure the freezing darkness, survive the pain, and unlock the legacy hidden beneath the abyss. Failure will result in severe injury or death.]

The cold intensified. She felt her bones creak under the weight of the pressure. Her mana trembled, the icy currents draining her strength faster than she could channel it. Her vision blurred, but through sheer will, she pushed forward.

Then another system message flashed in front of her.

[Ding! You have gained +1 Ice affinity]