Ash sank beneath his feet as if it were alive.
Every step…
whispered his name.
Kim moved within the shadows.
Skill: Shadow Steps — Activated.
His presence faded.
Before his eyes…
A black castle rose from a sea of ash.
Not built of stone alone—
but of massive, charred bones.
Winged demons descended before the gate.
The doors opened.
Screams echoed from within.
Kim whispered:
"So… this is where the path begins."
And he slipped inside.
---
Inside the Castle
Long corridors.
Walls made of chains.
Bound souls lined both sides.
But no physical torture.
Each soul was forced to relive the worst moment of its life…
over and over… without end.
One screamed:
"I didn't mean to… I didn't mean to!"
Kim did not stop.
The Eye of Revelation opened slightly.
He saw a thread guiding him deeper—
toward the heart of the castle.
---
The Arena of Royal Shackles
A massive gate opened.
Beyond it—
Gigantic stands surrounding a colossal battle arena.
The ground was black and cracked.
At its center, a glowing red circle.
Above it, an ancient inscription:
"Arena of Ashen Bonds."
Its law was simple:
Two enter.
One is freed.
One is broken.
The victor—
granted conditional freedom by the king.
The loser—
stripped of their name.
Enslaved until death.
The audience was not human.
Demons.
Hybrid creatures.
Wings, horns, countless eyes.
And the throne—
Raised high above the arena.
A king sat upon it.
Royal black robes.
Face half-hidden.
A heavy aura surrounding him.
Kim felt something stir in his blood.
"Is it… him?"
But no.
Not the same signature.
Not his father.
Weaker…
but king here.
---
The Opportunity
In one corner of the arena—
A fighter was shoved forward violently.
Thin.
Eyes terrified.
The crowd laughed.
"Here's the fool!"
"Ashen weakling!"
His name was announced:
Ragn the Fool.
Heard of him?
The weakest fighter in the arena.
Always humiliated.
Always thrown in to be slaughtered.
Kim vanished into shadow behind him.
One whisper.
One clean thrust.
Fast.
No scream.
Little blood.
The body was dragged into shadow.
New Skill Activated:
Chaos Mask
Allows temporary imitation of form and energy after killing the target.
Kim's appearance shifted.
He became Ragn.
Same trembling face.
Same apparent weakness.
The Eye of Revelation closed.
He was prey now.
---
First Battle
The opponent entered.
A giant with stone skin.
"I'll finish you quickly, idiot."
The crowd laughed.
The king watched without interest.
Kim bowed like the weak do.
Trembled.
Then—
A moment.
His left eye opened halfway.
He saw a fracture in the giant's neck.
A weakness line.
A line of fate.
He lunged suddenly.
Unexpected speed.
One strike—
into the fracture.
Silence.
The giant's head fell.
The crowd froze.
Then—
An explosion of screams.
"Impossible!"
"Ragn did that?!"
The king leaned slightly forward.
Interest.
---
Second Battle
This time—
A famous fighter.
Flaming sword.
Confident smile.
"You were just lucky."
The fight was fiercer.
Blades clashed.
Ash scattered.
Kim deliberately took hits.
Played the fool.
Then—
Skill: Silent Chaos Rend.
A strike that passed through the opponent's guard.
No visible wound.
But the body exploded from within.
He fell.
The crowd fell silent.
A whisper spread:
"Ragn… changed."
---
Third Battle
Now…
A legendary fighter.
His name shook the arena:
Valkron, Breaker of Chains.
Former slave.
Slayer of hundreds.
Eyes without mercy.
"I'll expose you."
The battle became terrifying.
The ground cracked.
Black wings tore the air.
Kim was slammed to the ground.
Blood spilled.
The crowd screamed his name in mockery.
But as Valkron moved in for the final blow—
Kim smiled.
Not Ragn's smile.
The Eye of Revelation opened fully.
Time slowed.
He saw not just a fracture—
but Valkron's energy core.
He reached forward.
Grabbed the energy heart directly.
Crushed it.
Black light exploded.
Valkron fell.
Dead.
The arena was silent.
The king stood.
For the first time.
---
The Announcement
The demonic announcer screamed:
"The victor… Ragn the Fool!"
But the king raised his hand.
Instant silence.
He looked directly at Kim.
And said in a deep, calm voice:
"This… is not Ragn."
The air grew cold.
Chains rattled.
"Who are you… wearing the skin of the weak?"
Kim slowly raised his head.
A faint smile.
Shadow faded from his face.
The mask began to crack.
And he said:
"I am merely… the son of the one you seek."
The king's eyes widened.
A whisper escaped him:
"The bloodline…"
And the entire arena trembled.