At the edge of his awareness, the Echoframe sang with subtle energy. Information flooded in, not as text but as layered pulses, shifting colors, and fleeting images that only Noctis could interpret.
Strength: Heat burned across his arms—pain, grit, the echo of every blow. A sense of solidity, muscle hardened by every desperate clash.Endurance: Gold light pulsed from his legs and chest, a warmth spreading through his bones—a testament to every moment he refused to fall, the stamina forged in baseline pain.Agility: Sharpness tingled in his fingertips; flickers of white light darted through his vision, replaying dodged claws, split-second rolls, the timing that kept him alive.Wounds: Shadows crept along parts of his body, cold and heavy, reminding him where bruises lingered, where old scars would remain.Willpower: A solid, grounding pressure against his heart, a thread pulled tight and humming—his refusal to die, his drive to keep moving.
The Echoframe revealed "stats" not as numbers on a page, but as layers of sensation.
A distant hum warned of vulnerabilities: a dull ache in his left arm, cold gathering around the gashes on his thigh. Urgency pressed at the edge of his mind—advising time needed to rest, heal, adapt.
In the shimmering air, tiny glyphs flickered—each one a skill learned:
Quick Dodge: Instinct embedded in muscle memory, ready to trigger when danger flared.Pain Tolerance: Numbness overlaying old wounds, a buffer against shock.Grit: A hardness running through him, more than skill—an unbreakable stubbornness, inscribed in the Echoframe's core.
A final pulse ran through the void, color flowing into his chest—restoration, but not total.
"Next Challenge Unlocked."
A fresh thread of tension danced in the air, promising danger just ahead.
Noctis inhaled, steadying himself as the interface ebbed from his vision, echoes lingering beneath skin.
He muttered, half to himself, half to the eternal system:
"So, that's what I get for spilling blood… Not bad. Next time, maybe keep me alive a little easier, yeah?"
The Echoframe didn't answer out loud. But Noctis felt the thrum of readiness—his body, mind, and soul woven tighter than before.
He grinned, battered but new.
"Alright. I'm ready for what's next. Bring it."
And in the darkness, the next test began to form, ready to push him further.
Noctis clenched his sword, fingers tingling with the last pulses of healing from the Echoframe. The void rippled again. This time, everything felt sharper—a chill in the air, a heavier sense of danger crowding his senses.
Light twisted, and the new goblin stepped into view.
It looked similar to the last—short, mottled skin, jaws full of bite—but this one moved differently, faster, muscles cording beneath its warty flesh. Its eyes glittered, full of cruelty and vicious intelligence.
The familiar message echoed inside Noctis's mind, less of a voice and more of a vibration through his bones:
[Next Challenge: Enhanced Goblin]
Noctis steadied himself. Pain still fizzed in his side, but he forced a cocky grin.
"You're not the first," he called out, voice rough. "You won't be the last."
The goblin didn't snarl or rush. It circled him, testing for weakness, feinting moves with clawed hands. Noctis tightened his stance, tracking its motions, feeling every warning spark the Echoframe sent—chills when danger crept too close, flashes of heat where his reflexes responded.
Without warning, the goblin darted in—low and fast. Noctis sidestepped, blade swinging, but the goblin caught his wrist, twisting hard.
He yelled, spinning to break free, but the goblin was relentless. Claws raked across Noctis's ribs. He gritted his teeth, stomping the goblin's foot, driving his elbow up into its face.
"Back off!" he spat, voice brimming with pain and adrenaline.
It staggered, then lunged again, this time using both hands, swiping at Noctis's legs. He jumped, barely clearing the attack, coming down hard on his bad ankle. The pain nearly dropped him, but he swung again, blade scraping the goblin's shoulder.
Blood sprayed. The goblin hissed, giving ground—but its eyes were hungry, calculating.
Noctis backed away, breathing fast.
"You're learning," he muttered. "So am I."
They traded blows in the echoing darkness: Noctis dodged, blocked, and countered as best he could, pain biting deeper with every mistake.
The goblin scored another hit, tearing open a gash on Noctis's thigh. He gasped, vision tunneling, but the Echoframe pulsed—a surge of numbness dulled the agony, letting him fight on.
"Don't you get tired?" Noctis shouted, half desperate, half joking.
The goblin surged forward for a final, reckless charge. Noctis planted his feet and stabbed, meeting it head-on in a messy, brutal clash. Sword met heart.
The goblin collapsed, twitching, breath rattling out in a snarl.
Noctis dropped down, panting, blood soaking his clothes. The Echoframe coiled healing warmth over his wounds—barely soothing, never comfortable.
He wiped sweat from his brow, forced a tired laugh.
"One hell of a warm-up. What's next?"
The void pulsed, promising another test.
Noctis grinned, sharp and fearless, ready for whatever the Echoframe would throw at him next.
After hours fighting and bleeding, Noctis finally collapsed onto the cold void floor. His breath slowed, muscles screaming for relief. He drifted, half-dreaming, lost in a haze of pain and flickering white-gold light. For the first time in this endless trial, he slept.
It wasn't long before a whisper woke him—gentle but inescapable, brushing straight past his exhaustion.
[Echoframe: Test Paused. Recovery… Test Resumes.]
The words hummed in his ear, impossible to ignore.
Noctis groaned, blinking into darkness. Every inch of him ached. He tried to stretch, but stiffness and soreness stopped him short.
"Can't you give me five more minutes?" he muttered, rubbing his face.
That's when he heard it—a heavy, shuffling sound. Something big. Something hungry.
He scrambled up, sword in hand, still bleary. At the far edge of the void, a shape stalked closer: massive, four-legged, bristling with coarse black fur. Its muzzle dripped yellow saliva, claws clicking on the emptiness. The eyes glowed sickly green. It looked like a wolf, but larger, more monstrous, built to tear through bone, not just bite.
Noctis swore, voice echoing through the void.
"Fuck—I just wanna rest! What is this thing, a wolf on steroids?"
The beast's lips curled back, revealing jagged fangs.
Noctis gripped his sword, shoulders tense.
"Alright… you ugly mutt. Couldn't send me a rabbit first?"
The monster prowled, tail swishing, sizing Noctis up. He stared back, heart pounding—part bravado, part terror.
"Let's get it over with," Noctis said, spitting blood on the ground. "If I pass out again, tell Echoframe it's their fault!"
A chill gripped Noctis as the first monstrous wolf prowled out of the darkness, fur bristling with shadow, eyes burning green.
Before he could raise his sword, the Echoframe pulsed in his ear:
[Test Objective: Survive for 5 Minutes. Kill is optional.]
[Begin.]
Noctis's stomach dropped. "Five minutes?" He sucked in a shaky breath and eyed the wolf warily. "Just once, couldn't you give me a break?"
The world warped. The void shuddered, jagged stones sprouting from the ground, underfoot slick with phantom dew. The wolf lunged—fast and silent. Noctis barely dodged, heart pounding.
He scrambled, putting obstacles between himself and the beast. Claws scraped stone just behind him; its breath was hot on his neck.
Every nerve sang with adrenaline. Noctis darted left—wrong move. The wolf spun, cutting off his escape. Noctis threw himself behind a rock, barely avoiding jaws snapping shut inches from his face.
"Not dying here," he snarled, slashing with his blade to force space. The wolf howled, the sound vibrating through the air. Time seemed to slow—each second stretching into agony.
The Echoframe pulsed in his vision:
[04:22 Remaining]
Noctis sprinted, vaulting a ledge, the wolf hot behind him.
Pain shot through his ankle as he landed badly. "Shit!" he cursed, hopping backward. The wolf pounced, lashing out, claws scraping Noctis's arm and drawing blood.
He hissed, shoved the sword toward its eyes. "Get back, mutt!"
The wolf recoiled, lips bloody. Noctis kept moving, weaving through the rocks. Every breath burned.
[02:50 Remaining]
The beast leapt atop a boulder, tail whipping back and forth. Noctis ducked, rolled beneath, stabbing upward. His blade glanced off thick hide; the wolf yelped, jumping away.
Seconds ticked down. Noctis's vision blurred with both terror and exhaustion. He drew strength from sheer desperation, letting the Echoframe's pulses guide him—chills warning him where to run, hot flashes helping him react before danger struck.
He found a narrow gap and squeezed through, the wolf too big to follow.
[01:05 Remaining]
The wolf circled, snarling, snapping at the opening. Noctis held his sword, knuckles white, breath ragged.
He muttered, "Come on… come on…"
The time ticked away. When the wolf finally lost interest, loping around the rocks, Noctis bolted for open ground, desperate to keep moving. The wolf's claws raked his back, but he kept running.
[0:10 Remaining]
Panting, battered, bleeding, Noctis dodged one last charge. The Echoframe vibrated:
[Challenge Complete.]
The wolf faded into shadow, its snarl lingering.
Noctis collapsed, gasping, eyes wide.
He spat blood and half-laughed. "That's one. Just six more to go. Echoframe, you better save me some luck."
A cold healing warmth pooled in his wounds, barely enough to stand. Somewhere in the dark, the next test was already forming.
Noctis spent his brief rest sprawled on jagged rock, blood crusting over wounds. The Echoframe pulsed a dull ache through his muscles, barely granting relief. Every minute he forced himself to stay awake felt stolen.
He barely closed his eyes when the system chimed:
[Recovery Complete. Next Test Begins.]
He groaned, rolling upright—and the world changed.
The void wasn't empty anymore. Stone spikes erupted from the ground. Ruts and pits yawned, slick with oil and shadow. Light flickered overhead as swirling clouds closed in, making everything dim and distorted.