Author's Note: Unedited Chapters --------------------- "In this challenge, the participants are tasked with reaching the top of the monolith or rather specifically their captains. There are two hundred slots available at the top of the monolith and to successfully pass this challenge, a Captain must make sure to acquire one of the two hundred slots. It goes without a saying that the fifty who fail to acquire a slot at the top of the monolith will be disqualified..." Handler One explained lengthily. "Does this mean only the captains will be participating?" Teemee wondered out loud. "I don't think that is the case, listen," Gustav responded. "The captains are required to take a slot upon arrival at the top of the monolith because it will not be counted if a normal member of the team or a Vice Captain does so in their stead. Everyone in the team is required to do their best to get their captain to the top before the others. There is no time limit. The challenge comes to an end when all slots have been taken," Handler One went on to say. "This challenge will be over very quickly," Yonda shook his head. Most people felt so too. It was practically just a climbing exercise or so they thought... Trrrooiiinnn~ The screens went on to display a life footage of the monolith they were meant to scale. "What the...?" Everyone displayed looks of bafflement as whatever camera that seemed to he recording this, slowly tilted to show how large it was. The monolith was like a pillar with very smooth surface that extended so high, the footage couldn't display all of it from below. The display of the footage was currently ascending along with the massive monolith. The bottom area seemed to cover a radius of more than four thousand feet but as it seemed to be get thinner the higher the footage covered. In a bit the spectators could see that it had pierced through the conducive atmosphere of Planet Ozious and extended into outer space. "Well damn, this must be why it is called the heaven monolith," Teemee voiced. "But none of us is capable of breathing in outerspace without a space suit," Matilda stated with a baffled tone. "They'll probably provide us with gear," E.E said. "Outerspace gear will not be provided. Participants are expected to be resilient enough to deal with the arduous situation using their abilities alone," Handler One loud voice instantly dashed their hopes. -"What the hell? How are we supposed to survive?" -"Some planetary species can breath in space because of their geenes this is unfair to those of us who weren't born that way," -"This is totally unfair!" A lot of participants began to yelled loud in protest. Handler One paused for a bit before speaking, "There is no unfairness in this. It is simply a part of their ability if they were born that way. No changes shall be made in regards to this," The Handler stated without a shred of sympathy. Some participants still kept chattering on and voicing out their dissatisfaction but Handler One continued regardless. "The monolith has five layers and a person from a group has to be sacrificed at each layer to allow the continued movement of the others. There will be multiple challenges in climbing to the apex of the monolith but I wish you all Goodluck in this endeavour," Handler One explained with an optimistic tone. "Sacrificed? What does that mean?" Angy eyebrows furrowed. Handler One went on to explain that by sacrifice, he meant one person would have to stay behind for the others to have access to continue climbing the monolith. Flight abilities were the only restrictions in this challenge. Participants were given a height jump limit as well. Everything else went. They could attack each other if they wanted and use every other thing at their discretion to reach the top of the monolith. "This challenge will be held on the first disk..." Handler One ended the briefing with this. The first disk was the largest disk in the entirety of Planet Ozious. However, it was surprisingly the least populated out of all the disks. The atmosphere there was said to be incredibly rich, making all living inhabitants there naturally evolve quicker than any other species. According to rumors, one was closer to immortality the longer they stayed there and the true ancients of Planet Ozious who said to be some of the most powerful beings in existence resided on the first layer. Gustav hadn't paid any heed to this since they arrived here because he didn't care about immortality. He wasn't looking to live forever. However, being on the first disk would be pretty interesting even if it was for a brief period. "The outerspace thing shouldn't be much of a problem," Gustav voiced to the others who were still worried. "It just depends on how long you can hold your breath," He added. "The challenge doesn't end till all two hundred slots are filled if I recall correctly..." Aildris began speaking with a troubled expression. "You're worried because we have no idea how long it would take for the two hundred slots to be filled," Gustav pointed out. "Yeah... what if its longer than our ability to hold our breath?" Aildris questioned. "Let's focus on getting to the top first... Since only captains are required to get the slot, it should be fine," Gustav assured them but internally he also knew that Aildris concern was not one to scoff out. The only option at the moment was to wing things. It was difficult to tell how things would turn out. Besides this, one had to also look out for those who would try to target captains. Since without captains a slot couldn't be acquired, captains were both the strength and weaknesses of a group. However, it went without a saying that some participants would definitely think twice before messing with a Captain. They were captains for a reason. Zing~ Zing~ Zing~ Zing~ Zing~ The participants were telported in successions to the first disk and soon the middle of the arena was completely empty. The screens above displayed the participants who had appeared before the Monolith. "The monolith is really very high..." E.E bent his neck to the limit, trying to see the top but it was impossible. It covered a height of more than two hundred thousand feet which was why it had pierced through the atmospheric layers above into space. Under normal circumstances people like Gustav and Angy could scale this height in a short duration but this wasn't normal circumstances. The stairs strapped to the sides of the monolith was more visible in person and it was just as smooth as the rocky pillar itself. The width of the stairs could contain twenty people moving side by side and they happened to curve around the monolith like snakes wrapping around their prey. At some areas on the monolith, the two stairways on the right and left, intersected. "A golden monolith... never thought I'd see one in my lifetime," Matilda voiced with a tone of astonishment. "Just imagine the price this would sell for on earth hehe," E.E said, nearly drooling from his mouth. "We're here to climb not rob an entire structure dumbass," Teemee slapped E.E at the back of his head. "Ouch just food for thoughts man," E.E winced lightly. Gustav could feel the atmosphere of the first disk. It was truly unlike anything he had felt before and the others felt this as well. They could feel their bloods pumping and circulating at a much higher rate... the pores of their skin taking in the magical air of the vicinity. [Host Vitality Is Increasing] [Host Vitality Is Increasing] [Host Vitality Is Increasing] Gustav stared at the notifications at the corner of his sight. ("If things keep going this way you may unlock a new ability,") The system voiced. 'Hmm? Does the atmosphere really have that much effect on living creatures?' Gustav couldn't help but be astonished by this. ("Yes... but not just living creatures... even non living things are affected,") The skies here were green and whitish. Constellations could be spotted in the distance but there wasn't much anyone could see from this part of the first disk. Elevora placed her hand on the barrier that prevented them from going further. Every single participant currently waited while staring at the massive monolith "I declare the start of the Heaven Monolith Challenge!" Handler One's voice suddenly rang out loudly. The instant the barrier vanished everyone charged forward with intensity. "Yaaaahhhhhh!" "Let's gooooooo!!!" They were like angry mobs as they made their way across the golden planted grounds to the monolith up front. Since two different stairs were constructed on the right and left sides of the monolith respectively, the mob soon split as they arrived before it. Gustav and the others immediately went right as they clustered together upon reaching the stairs. Fwwhiii~ Gustav grabbed a green faced alien on the right and flung him away the moment they arrived on the first stair.