The hall was quiet again, but Jun's mind refused to rest. Every shadow seemed alive, every whisper of wind carrying the weight of unseen eyes. He had survived the first trial, yet a lingering unease pressed against him.
The subordinate's figure loomed in the distance. "You have potential," it said, voice calm, measured. "But potential alone does not command obedience. You must understand yourself before others will follow."
Jun's chest tightened. Understand myself…? He could feel a pulse in his chest, faint but steady, like the throne itself was aware of him. His thoughts flickered, fragments of memory from a life he barely remembered, and a strange sense of… power.
Then a voice—soft, mechanical, and unmistakable—spoke inside his mind:
[SYSTEM] New Feature Activated: Status Window Accessible.
Jun stumbled back, heart pounding. A translucent panel appeared in his vision, hovering before him like a ghostly screen. Numbers, bars, and categories he didn't fully understand filled the space:
========================
STATUS WINDOW
========================
Name: Seo Jun
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
Health: 100/100
Mana: 50/50
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Intelligence: 7
Authority: 10
Perception: 8
========================
Active Quests: None
========================
Jun blinked, overwhelmed. "This… this is me?"
[SYSTEM] Hint: Authority reflects your ability to influence weaker entities. Presence increases effectiveness.
He glanced around. The hall seemed… smaller, yet alive. Shadows shifted, creatures lingered in corners, watching. Jun focused, reaching inward, projecting a presence he hadn't known he could command.
A low growl echoed from the darkness. One of the creatures from the previous trial stepped forward, teeth bared, claws scraping the stone. Jun froze—but the moment he willed it, the creature hesitated, ears twitching, gaze flicking toward him.
[SYSTEM] Observation: Creature Compliance 50%
Jun exhaled, realizing something important. This wasn't raw strength. This wasn't a weapon. It was him. His presence, his awareness, even his fear—they all mattered. They shaped the world, subtly, but undeniably.
The subordinate's voice cut through the hall. "You are beginning to grasp it. Survival is one thing. Influence is another. If you understand yourself, the throne will understand you. If you fail… it will not forgive."
Jun clenched his fists. The numbers in the Status Window pulsed faintly, as if alive. He didn't fully understand them yet, but he felt them, tethered to every breath, every heartbeat.
This hall, these creatures, the subordinate… and the throne behind it all. They were tests. They were lessons. And for the first time, Jun realized that understanding himself was the first step to controlling everything else.
He stepped forward. The shadows didn't flee—they paused. They watched. And for the first time, he felt that he could shape them.