It doesn't connect with the original world
**Bonus Chapter: Reborn with the Infinite Gods System – The Trial of the Forgotten Realm**
Axel stood at the precipice of the vast, empty space. The swirling cosmos stretched out in every direction, stars twinkling like distant memories. Before him stood a colossal gate, inscribed with divine symbols, each glowing faintly with an ethereal light. The gate pulsated with energy, and every pulse sent a shiver down Axel's spine. He knew this was no ordinary trial.
*The Trial of the Forgotten Realm.*
The system had given him only vague information about this challenge, but from the little he understood, this was a realm where even the gods themselves had been tested. The reward for completing it was said to be unimaginable power, something even the Infinite Gods rarely granted. Yet, the penalty for failure was far worse than death—it was oblivion, a complete erasure from existence.
He had come too far to turn back now.
"Axel Teras," the voice of the system echoed in his mind, emotionless and cold. "You have been chosen to undergo the Trial of the Forgotten Realm. Should you succeed, you will unlock powers beyond mortal comprehension. Should you fail…"
"I get it," Axel interrupted, his voice steady but tense. "Oblivion."
A deep silence followed, and then the gate slowly creaked open, revealing a blinding light within. Steeling himself, Axel took a deep breath and stepped through.
---
The world inside the gate was not what Axel had expected. Instead of a battlefield or a maze of horrors, he found himself standing in a lush, serene forest. The air was fresh, the sky above was clear, and birds chirped in the distance. It was peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
"Strange," Axel muttered, scanning his surroundings. His instincts, honed from countless battles, screamed that something was wrong.
"Welcome, chosen one." A voice, soft and melodic, broke the silence. Axel turned to see a figure materializing from the shadows of the trees. It was a woman—tall, regal, with flowing white hair and eyes that shimmered like the cosmos. She wore a simple yet elegant robe, and her presence exuded an aura of ancient power.
"Who are you?" Axel asked, his guard immediately raised.
"I am the keeper of this realm," the woman said, her voice calm and soothing. "I guide those who come to face the Trial of the Forgotten Realm."
Axel narrowed his eyes. "Guide, huh? What's the catch?"
The woman smiled faintly. "The trial is not what you think, Axel Teras. It is not a test of strength or combat prowess, but of something far more... elusive."
"Elusive?" Axel repeated, suspicion creeping into his voice. "What kind of trial is this?"
"You will see in time," the woman replied, gesturing toward the path that lay before him. "Your journey begins now. Walk the path, and you will come to understand."
Axel hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. He had come this far, and there was no turning back. Without another word, he started down the path, his senses on high alert.
---
As Axel walked through the forest, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him. The trees rustled with a soft breeze, and the shadows seemed to move on their own. Yet, no matter how hard he focused, he couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary.
After what felt like hours, he reached a clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a single stone pedestal, and on the pedestal lay a small, shimmering object—a key.
Axel approached cautiously, eyeing the key. It glowed with a faint, golden light, and the moment he laid eyes on it, a voice echoed in his mind.
*The Key of Memory.*
He reached out to grab it, but the moment his fingers touched the cold surface, the world around him shifted violently.
---
Suddenly, Axel found himself in a completely different place. He was no longer in the peaceful forest, but in a war-torn city. Buildings crumbled around him, and the sky above was thick with smoke. The sound of battle echoed in the distance, and screams of the wounded filled the air.
Axel's heart pounded in his chest as he recognized the place. This was Earth—his Earth—during the height of the war with the alien invaders. He had fought here, alongside his comrades, risking everything to defend his home.
But something was wrong. The people running past him, the soldiers fighting in the distance... they didn't seem to notice him at all. It was as if he was invisible, a mere ghost in this chaotic world.
And then he saw them.
His comrades—his team—stood in the center of the battlefield, locked in a desperate struggle against a massive alien general. The sight of them brought back a flood of memories, memories he had tried to bury deep within himself. The faces of those he had fought alongside, and those he had lost.
Axel's breath caught in his throat as he realized what this trial was about.
"This is... my past," he whispered.
The battle played out before him, just as it had all those years ago. He saw himself—his younger self—fighting with everything he had, pushing back the alien forces with raw determination. But no matter how hard he fought, no matter how many enemies he cut down, he couldn't save them all.
One by one, his comrades fell. He watched in horror as the people he cared about—the people he had sworn to protect—were cut down by the alien general. The pain of their loss hit him like a tidal wave, and for the first time in a long while, Axel felt powerless.
*This is your trial, Axel Teras,* the voice of the system echoed in his mind. *To face your past, your memories, and the guilt you carry. To confront the weight of your failures.*
Axel clenched his fists, his heart aching with the weight of the memories. He had always told himself that he had done everything he could, that the losses were inevitable. But now, faced with the ghosts of his past, the truth was undeniable.
"I couldn't save them," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't..."
*But will you carry that guilt forever?* the voice asked, challenging him. *Or will you rise above it?*
Axel closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The pain was real, but so was the strength he had gained from it. He had lost comrades, yes, but he had also become stronger, wiser. He had fought to protect those who remained, and he had never stopped fighting.
Slowly, Axel opened his eyes, the fire of determination burning within them.
"I can't change the past," he said, his voice steady. "But I won't let it control me anymore. I'll keep moving forward, for their sake."
The world around him began to fade, and the battlefield dissolved into nothingness. Axel found himself once again standing in the forest, the key still in his hand.
The woman appeared before him, her expression unreadable. "You have passed the first trial," she said softly. "But there are many more ahead."
Axel nodded, his grip tightening around the key. "I'm ready."
The gate to the next realm opened before him, and without hesitation, Axel stepped through, ready to face whatever awaited him next.
The Trial of the Forgotten Realm had only just begun.