'For the two of you to have gotten this far… is no easy feat.'
'After all, not only have the two of you shown great tenacity and willpower while enduring against the ocean's obstacles…'
'But the two of you have also shown exemplary comprehension of your respective concepts during your defense against the wave of attacks just earlier.'
'From the performance that I've witnessed… the two of you have gained the rights to head deeper into this ocean.'
'However, whether or not you choose to head to where the second test lies is entirely your choice.'
'…For even I cannot tell you whether what remains where I reside is worth risking one's life.'
Whoosh!
Letting the words of the deep yet weary voice echo in their minds for a bit more, Valyr and Ataraxia eventually looked at each other, their expressions a mix of confusion and curiosity.
'So, if we're getting this right, what we've gone through just now seems to be a test,' said the latter through their connection. 'Specifically, a test based on our comprehension of concepts?'
'Seems that way.' Valyr slightly shrugged in response. 'After all, it did focus on that aspect when it talked about the wave of attacks we had to endure just now.'
'Aside from that… there was a test here?'
'My thoughts exactly.' Ataraxia wryly smiled at those words. 'We only came here because we wanted to improve our concepts before ascending to Rank 5.'
'Yet, just because we wanted to get to the Depths, we ended up stumbling across a test that we succeeded in.'
'…You think it has something to do with the pull we've been feeling?' Pondering over the voice's words, as well as their conversation for a bit, Valyr eventually posed this question to his other self.
'After all, if you think about it, the pull we're feeling only appeared ever since we got to this part of the ocean.'
'It's the most likely conclusion.' Ataraxia faintly nodded after giving the idea a bit of thought. 'Especially if you think about the timing of the mental attacks that bombarded us the moment we reached the Depths.'
'I suppose we're the first ones to pass the test,' said the former in return, the gears in his mind continuing to turn. 'After all, it said at the start that we're the ones who'd finally set it free.'
'With how long this place has probably existed, it's kinda weird that we're the first,' replied Ataraxia in response, to which Valyr nodded in agreement. 'But then again, is reaching this depth the only requirement to trigger the test in the first place?'
'Probably not,' replied the latter, getting the feeling that there was more to the test than meets the eye. 'Anyways, requirements aside, are we heading deeper into the ocean for the second test?'
'Is there any reason to?' Ataraxia looked back at his other self with a slightly raised eyebrow. 'I'm as curious as you are when it comes to the cause of the pull we've been feeling, but that doesn't mean we should just go for it the moment the opportunity arises.'
'Plus, you heard what the voice told us,' he continued. 'The rewards that we'd obtain from going that far might not be worth the time and effort we put into it.'
'And if it was?' Valyr raised his eyebrow in response.
'…Even if it was, we have no way to confirm that with what we know,' replied Ataraxia as he inwardly let out a sigh. 'All we have so far are the words the voice told us, as well as the speculations we've been coming up with ever since we heard them.'
Though the young man got the feeling that it would be in their best interest to dive deeper into the ocean in order to take the second test, Ataraxia's words forced Valyr to snap back to reality, forcing him to weigh the pros and cons of such a decision.
Letting the gears in his mind turn for a bit more as he pondered on what their best course of action was, the young man eventually let out a faint sigh as he gave his other self a slightly apologetic expression. 'I suppose I got a bit too ahead of myself there.'
'You're right,' said Valyr through [Soul Entanglement]. 'We have no other piece of information regarding the tests aside from what the voice told us just now.'
'Although the possibility of striking it rich is definitely there, it wouldn't matter if heading there in the first place could put our lives into danger.'
'Aside from that, we came to this ocean to deepen our comprehension.' The young man gave Ataraxia a wry smile. 'It wouldn't make sense for us to waste the limited time we have here, only for our efforts to get that far to be all for nothing.'
The latter faintly smiled in response to those words. 'Back to our original plan, then?'
'Back to the original plan…' Valyr nodded, only for a random thought related to the situation to pop up in his mind. 'For now.'
Not expecting his other self to still be thinking about the second test that resided within the deeper parts of the Ocean of Crystallized Truths, Ataraxia looked at Valyr with a mix of confusion and disbelief.
However, once he heard the reasoning behind the addition of those few words, the young man was forced to give it some thought, only to look at his other self with slightly narrowed eyes.
'You really think our efforts won't be wasted going that deep?' Ataraxia asked.
'At the very least, we'd have pushed our concepts to their limits before heading there.' Valyr shrugged in response. 'Win-win situation, no?'
'Man… fine.' Letting out yet another sigh after hearing the words he received from Valyr, the former eventually decided to relent after considering the truth in the latter's claims.
'However, you better be prepared for me to say I told you so when we don't end up gaining anything after going through the second test.'
'Don't worry.' Valyr chuckled in response as he began to swam deeper into the ocean.
'My gut's telling me you won't have the chance to say that in the first place.'