Trial of Skill
“Even the smallest among us can fell gargantuan giants with speed and agility...”
—Yun Jou
The Trial of Skill is one of the seven Trials found within the final chapter, The Dominion of Hate. It is found on the northwestern cliff of the Last Hero's Grave's southern face, parallel to the Trial of Instinct. The Earthen Heart Master is the only one capable of destroying the colossal boulder guarding its entrance.
Inside is a cavernous maze, flush with both bountiful treasure and an overly persistent adversary. The most valuable treasure to be found is the Nunchaku of the Master, the ultimate weapon of Yun Jou, Lei Kugo, and Hong Hakka.
Appearance
The Trial of Skill is a radiant, well-lit cave system made of pink stone strongly resembling rose quartz. Striking crystal stalagmites and stalactites jut from both floor and ceiling.
In the Super Famicom version, the Trial of Skill is the color of dirty chalk white, rather than pink.
Overview
The layout of the trial is a series of over a dozen hallways, all interconnected through three large primary chambers. Each of these hallways contains their own treasure chest, and at the very end is a special sanctum where the Nunchaku of the Master lie. It is pertinent that the Trial of Skill holds the most treasure out of all the Trials in the Dominion of Hate, with 15 items in total.
Each of these halls has an opening that is barred by a large boulder that, just like the one at trial's entrance, may only be overcome by the Master's skills. To bypass these obstacles, the player must select the correct technique from the master's repertoire for each boulder. Only a technique of the Earthen Heart style of kung-fu may sunder these stones, from the most fundamental moves to the ultimate Heavenly Peaks Descent; the individual techniques of the Master will not suffice. In the 2022 remake, the Master provides a hint at each boulder as to what technique is needed.
There are no random encounters inside the Trial of Skill; instead, the obese, incessant martial artist known only as "The Bountiful Heart" serves as the trial's sole enemy. He appears in every hall of the cave as a sort of guardian to each chest, making a beeline to the primary hero. If the hero so much as makes contact with him, he will drag the party into an inescapable battle. No matter how many times he is put down, the Bountiful Heart will never truly die. He will simply reappear in the next hall the party enters, just as eager to fight as the last. With careful movement, however, the Bountiful Heart may be avoided in most instances.
Boss: The Bountiful Heart
As the party enters the sanctum holding the Nunchaku, the Bountiful Heart will appear once more, and challenge the lead hero to a final showdown. He puts up no more of a fight than his previous efforts, but the battle itself may be accepted or declined. If the hero accepts and wins the bout, The Bountiful Heart will vanish from the trial, leaving the trial's treasures safe to be collected. If the fight is declined, he will allow the party to pass, but will otherwise remain present throughout the halls. Regardless, from here the party may ascend the stairs and take the Nunchaku of the Master for themselves.
After acquiring the Nunchaku, an exit portal will appear beside the party. Taking it will warp them to the base of the Last Hero's Grave.
Treasure
- Dynamite x1
- Glove of the Goddess x2
- Chest Hair x1
- Gold Hairpin x1
- Charioteer's Boots x1
- Ice Helm x1
- Holy Water x2
- Loin Guard x1
- Mermaid Tights x1
- Blood of Amon x1
- Bael's Blood x1
- Saint's Bell x1
- Nunchaku of the Master x1
Ability Guide
| x | Yun Jou | Lei Kugo | Hong Hakka |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger and Dragon's Rebuke | The two great beasts, with their powers combined... | A simple test. With left and right, the twins of power and potency, I'll strike... | The most basic technique. Twin strikes, swift and powerful, almost scolding... |
| Traveler's First Step | As shifu taught us in our first lessons, there's only one way to begin the longest journey... | No need to rush, tempting thought it is. One foot in front of the other... | I remember, shifu. Slow and steady. One step at a time... |
| Lion's Dismissal | A predator knows when to stand his ground and cast aside his prey... | The king of beasts yields to none. He would brush aside this boulder with ease... | As the king of beasts craves raw meat, I will harness my hunger... |
| Monkey's Withdrawal | Better to strike and retreat in the same moment at times... | Dancing in and out of range. A clever thief... not unlike the one I once was... | Ah, like the thief who snatches the pork bun and runs away... |
| Chipmunk's Delight | Even the smallest among us can fell gargantuan giants with speed and agility... | Never underestimate the fury of even the tiniest foes. They will surprise you... | No one would ever call me small, but I have learned to move with the swiftness of the most nimble creatures... |
| Wise Fox's Grace | With grace and wisdom... Yes, that might do it... | Grace and guile are formidable weapons. That's what he'd say if he were here... | Once, I could not move with grace and guile, but shifu showed me the way... |
| Heavenly Peaks Descent | I'm reminded of the one I split with shifu's secret technique atop Mount Aspiration... | Just like the one atop Mount Aspiration. Then, with shifu's secret technique... | Of course. You taught me how to do this, shifu. Your last and greatest gift to me... |
Gallery
The technique selection menu for breaking a boulder
The pause screen within the Trial
| Final Chapter: The Dominion of Hate |
|---|
| Characters |
| Pogo • Earthen Heart Master (Yun Jou • Lei Kugo • Hong Hakka) • The Sundown Kid • Oboromaru • Masaru Takahara • Akira Tadokoro • Cube • Oersted • Odio |
| Locations |
| Seat of the Betrayers • Silent Wood • Condemned Village • The Last Hero's Grave • The Archon's Roost • Trials (Instinct • Skill • Time • Keys • Power • Heart • Wisdom) |
| Enemies |
| Xavier • Polydectes • Oedipus • Daedalus • Teil Queen • Pawnbert • Ruby Tyrant • Cerberus • Lightbringer • Souleater • Dreadbulb • Phantom Rider • Deathfist Disciple • Chrono Legionary • Ravenous Bear • Nekomata • Mecha-Satake 98 • Earthshaker • Entomophilia • Claustrophilia • Babaliyan • Grand Visages • Dragon Killer • Ishtar • Glasya Labolas • Tsunayoshi • Pup Lord • Grammoth • Pistachio • Titanblood • Riftwalker Genzaemon • Roly Poly • Ship of Horrors • Acrophilia • Scotophilia • Hygrophilia • Helios Hound • Darkwall • Shadow • Lucretius • The Bountiful Heart • Jaggedy Jacks • Apophisphilo • Euraokos • Death Prophet • Headhunter • Eyes of Odio • Maw of Odio • Brow of Odio • Purity of Odio • Arm of Odio (Left) • Arm of Odio (Right) • Sin of Odio |
| Music |
| The Dominion of Hate • Silent Labyrinth • Illusion • Pure Odio • Armageddon • Live over Again • Live for Live • Gigalomania |
| Transcripts |
| 2022 (English) • 1994 (English, Japanese) |