Chapter 43 - Trials

Alright, I’ve finished adding the final touches to the Library of Knowledge’s infrastructure and furniture. Next up: creating the artifacts for the trials. Can’t have trials without the artifacts, right?

It would be pretty funny, actually. Or at least I think so—though without the artifacts, no one could enter the trials, which wouldn’t be very entertaining for me.

But that’s beside the point... which, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure of right now.

Anyway, the point of the LoK’s trial grounds is to offer a chance for obtaining knowledge through hard work. And since it’s for everyone in the universe, I need to create a massive number of Trial Artifacts. Luckily, that shouldn’t be too difficult.

You might be thinking, “But Autumn, there are only four galaxies?” And to that, I’d say, “You’re mistaken.” (A/N: Not that anyone’s actually saying that, but just in case.)

There are far more galaxies out there, though many aren’t inhabited by intelligent life or plants yet. But who knows? Something unexpected could always happen.

Anyway, let’s get started. But first, let’s step out of the LoK. Creating the Trial Artifacts inside the library might be a hassle, even if the space is more than enough.

With a snap of my fingers, a rift in space opens, teleporting me outside the library.

**“Use Major Skill: Creation to create Trial Artifacts according to my imagination and needs.”**

As usual, with a flash, billions of Trial Artifacts materialize, neatly lined up before me. Huh, I didn’t expect there to be so many, but then again, the universe (my body) is always expanding.

The artifact closest to me looks incredible. It has an ancient vibe and radiates an aura of knowledge. It’s a massive round disc made from what looks like giant sandstone bricks, adorned with some greenery. Its size is staggering—probably comparable to Earth’s moon. Though, given the scale of the universe and the LoK, it might not be that large after all.

Standing in front of it is quite an experience. However, these artifacts aren’t operational yet because I haven’t programmed their “code” yet.

And by “code,” I mean the trials, their rules, objectives, and so on. I’m trying to sound knowledgeable here, but honestly, I’m just winging it.

The trials need to be personalized for each individual, which could be a nightmare to set up manually. Thankfully, my skillset makes it manageable. I’m extremely grateful for that.

So, there’s only one thing left to do: thank the Old Universe for the opportunity and the help along the way!

**“Use Major Skill: Creation to design the trials based on the contenders’ personalities, weaknesses, fears, and desires.”**

Did you catch that? There’s a bonus if you clear your trial! You’ll likely face and overcome your fears and weaknesses.

If you don’t succeed, well, it’s not just a bad day. It’s game over—permanently. For trials based on desires, the consequences are even grimmer. Instead of a game over, you might end up trapped in a never-ending nightmare. I can’t really describe what a trial based on desires would look like, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

The objective that the contender needs to achieve and bring back will be influenced by these four factors.

Now, let’s talk about the rules I’ve set for the trials. There aren’t many, so it won’t take up much space here.

**Rule 1: There are no rules. Do whatever it takes to complete the trial as intended—achieve the objective and survive.**

That’s the only rule. How you interpret it is up to you.

And now, it’s time to send these artifacts out to their respective galaxies!