The guardian of the forest stood motionless—its body made of twisted bark, moss, and living vines.
It radiated a strange, ancient energy, yet it made no move to attack.
"It's not going to fight us?" Rel asked cautiously.
"No," Neen said. "This isn't a battle of strength… It's a trial of the mind."
The guardian slowly raised one arm, pointing toward the glowing Blue Peach on the pedestal.
A whisper echoed through the clearing—not with sound, but directly into their minds:
"The fruit grants truth to the mind… but only to one who dares to see it."
Suddenly, a dome of light surrounded them. The world around them began to fracture—each person pulled into their own illusion, separated from the others.
Neen's Illusion
Neen stood in an endless library.
Rows and rows of books reached up into the sky. The floor beneath him was made of glass, reflecting his past—his childhood, his bullying, the loneliness.
A voice spoke:
"Are you strong enough to lead… or will fear always bind you?"
From the shelves, figures stepped forward—versions of himself, each one representing a different "what if":
What if he had never been afraid?
What if he had fought back?
What if he had chosen to walk away from all of this?
Neen clenched his fists.
"I don't regret being afraid," he whispered. "Because fear made me understand others. But now—fear won't stop me anymore."
With that, his illusion shattered into light.
The Others…
Each of his friends faced their own truths:
Nai, trapped in the memory of nearly drowning, had to choose between saving himself or saving a friend.
Shion, mocked by his own reflection, faced his fear of being useless despite all his privilege.
Rel, surrounded by laughing voices, had to overcome his deep insecurity and pride.
Hana, reliving the moment she was once saved by Neen, faced her hidden fear: that she was only strong when someone else protected her.
One by one, they emerged, shaken—but changed.
Back in the real world, the dome of light cracked and broke.
The guardian bowed.
The Blue Peach floated from the pedestal and hovered before them.
"One of the four sacred items," Shion breathed.
Neen reached out, and the peach landed gently in his palm. For a moment, their surroundings glowed with blue light—then settled.
They had passed the first trial.
"One down…" Neen said. "Three to go."
Far above, clouds stirred ominously.