A faint wind stirred in the obsidian silence.
The moment Ray stepped into the chamber beyond the silver gate, the air changed. It wasn't just the drop in temperature or the darkness that curled around him like a predator—it was the pressure, thick and invisible, like a great weight pressing on his soul.
[New System Prompt Detected]Initiating Trial of Ordeals – Level Synchronization Required.Scanning Host…Synchronicity: 47%. Stability: 62%.Trial Initiated.
Suddenly, the chamber shimmered to life.
A ring of light spiraled from the floor beneath him, engraving runes across the walls, illuminating ancient symbols he couldn't read. Before Ray could move, the environment shifted—the smooth stone floor beneath his boots dissolved into something akin to ash, and the walls twisted, folding into a black, starless void.
He was no longer in the vault.He was… nowhere. Or perhaps, everywhere.
Objective: Survive all 3 Phases of the Trial of Ordeals.Failure = Total Annihilation of Host Data.
That line made Ray's blood chill. Total annihilation? Was this system… alive? Was he just a pawn?
A pulse of energy radiated outward, and from the void came a scream—not of a person, but of a thousand broken echoes shrieking in unison.
Suddenly, the floor solidified beneath him, and from the surrounding gloom emerged Phase One.
Phase One: Mirror of Flesh
A single figure stepped out of the darkness.
Ray's eyes widened—it was him.
Same black hair. Same wary expression. But the eyes… were wrong. They gleamed red, alive with madness and bloodlust. His double grinned.
[Trial Phase One: Confront Your Inner Hostility]
"Nice place," the mirror-Ray said mockingly, cracking his knuckles. "But you're soft. Weak. Still clinging to your old fears."
Ray took a step back, instincts flaring.
The doppelgänger lunged.
Ray barely raised his arms in time, absorbing a brutal strike to his ribs. Pain exploded in his side. The Mirror wasn't just for show—it hit like a hammer.
He ducked under the second punch, retaliating with a kick, only to be countered and thrown to the ground.
"You hesitate," the double hissed, stepping on his chest. "You still think you're the victim."
Ray spat blood and pushed with all his strength.
[Skill Unlocked: Adrenal Surge Lv.1]Temporarily boosts physical stats by 15% when HP drops below 30%.
A rush of energy exploded in his veins.
With a roar, he flipped the mirror-Ray over and landed a clean blow across its jaw. Another punch. A third. The enemy staggered.
"You're wrong," Ray growled. "I'm not afraid of my past anymore."
The mirror's face cracked—literally. A fracture split across its skull, leaking black smoke. It dissolved, laughing bitterly as it faded.
Phase One Completed.Award: +3 Strength, +2 Willpower, Skill Upgrade: Adrenal Surge Lv.2
Phase Two: The Weight of Guilt
Without warning, the darkness bloomed into a burning city.
Ash rained from the sky. Buildings were aflame. Screams echoed from every direction.
Ray staggered back—he recognized this place.
It was Orion, the city he'd lived in before everything fell apart. Before he lost everything.
A crowd appeared, running from something unseen. In the distance, a towering figure made of fire approached, melting concrete and steel with every step.
Among the crowd, he saw them—his family.
But they were not alive.
They stood still, surrounded by fire, their eyes empty.
"Why didn't you save us?" his sister's ghost asked, voice brittle like burning leaves.
"You abandoned us," his mother said coldly.
Ray's breath caught in his throat.
He wanted to run. Wanted to shut it all out. But the system wouldn't let him.
[Trial Phase Two: Face the Guilt That Chains You]
He clenched his fists. "I couldn't save you. I know that now. But if I stay stuck in that guilt… I'll never save anyone else."
A flare of light ignited around him.
[Skill Unlocked: Will of the Unbroken Lv.1]Immune to Fear/Illusions for 10 seconds when HP is below 20%.
The phantoms howled and disintegrated into ash.
Phase Two Completed.Award: +5 Willpower, New Trait Acquired: "Resolved Heart" – immune to mental debuffs for 5s once per battle.
Phase Three: The Endless Beast
The final trial descended with thunder.
Ray stood on a floating platform surrounded by endless black water. From the depths below, ripples formed, growing wider and wider until a colossal creature erupted from the abyss.
It was a serpentine horror, its body made of bone and flame, eyes glowing like dying stars.
[Trial Phase Three: Slay the Beast That Hunts You in Your Dreams]
The beast screamed, sending a wave of fear across the platform.
Warning: Host Mental Stability DroppingInitiate Override Protocol? Y/N
"No override," Ray whispered. "This is mine to win."
The beast lunged.
Ray rolled aside, drawing a jagged shard of spectral steel from his interface.
The fight was brutal. Every time he slashed, the beast regrew. Every time he dodged, it adapted. Its tail lashed across the platform, knocking Ray over the edge—
[Trait Activated: Resolved Heart]
He blinked mid-fall. Reality paused. His body reappeared on the platform.
Ray charged with everything he had, plunging the blade into the beast's eye.
[Skill Fusion Unlocked: Adrenal Surge + Will of the Unbroken = Wrath Protocol Lv.1]Temporarily gain +30% Strength, +20% Speed, +15% Resistance for 15 seconds. Cooldown: 90 seconds.
With a cry that shook the void, he struck again.
And again.
Until the beast fell.
Until the void faded.
Until Ray was standing, panting, heart hammering, in the vault once more.
Trial of Ordeals CompletedSynchronization: 89% → 100%.All System Functions Online.Level Up Achieved: Lv. 1 → Lv. 5Unlocked Interface: Inventory, System Shop, World Map, Companion Log.
New Title Acquired: TrialbornDescription: One who conquered self, guilt, and nightmare. +5% Resistance to all mental effects. Enemies fear you instinctively.
Ray fell to his knees, gasping.
His body was soaked in sweat. His soul felt… heavier, but also stronger.
He had won.
But the voice returned—calm, mechanical, and unforgiving:
Prepare, Trialborn. This was only the beginning. The True World awaits.