Min Joon blinked, his breath hitching as he stumbled backward. The chamber with its towering ceilings, stone pedestal, and eerie Guardian was gone. In its place was an empty void, a realm of utter blackness. The only thing grounding him was the faint red glow of the Eye of Mortanis, pulsing faintly on his chest.
"What is this?" Min Joon muttered, his voice echoing unnaturally in the void.
[Initiating Trial of the Soul.]
The system's cold notification startled him.
[Objective: Face the truth hidden within. Survive.]
Survive? The word lingered in his mind like a threat. His instincts screamed at him to run, but there was nowhere to go. The void was infinite, and the only movement was the creeping sensation of something stirring just out of sight.
A figure materialized from the darkness. At first, it was just a shadow—a hazy, undefined form. But as it stepped closer, it sharpened, solidified. Min Joon's heart sank as he recognized the figure.
It was him. Or rather, a version of him.
This other Min Joon—this doppelgänger—was clad in dark, bloodstained armor, his face twisted into a cruel smirk. His eyes glowed with the same crimson light as the Eye, but unlike Min Joon's hesitance, this version seemed to revel in the power.
"So, this is who I'm supposed to become?" Min Joon asked, his voice wavering.
The doppelgänger chuckled darkly. "Not 'supposed to,' Min Joon. This is who you already are. You just haven't accepted it yet."
"That's not true," Min Joon snapped, stepping back. "I didn't ask for this power. I'm not a monster like you."
"Not a monster?" the shadow sneered, its voice dripping with disdain. "Tell that to the corpses you left behind. The ones burned by the Eye when you *lost control*. Oh, wait—you don't even remember their faces, do you?"
The words hit Min Joon like a physical blow. His mind flashed back to the battle, to the cries of those caught in the Eye's destructive energy. He hadn't meant for it to happen, but that didn't erase the consequences.
"I didn't choose this," Min Joon said, his fists trembling.
"You didn't have to," the shadow said, stepping closer. "The Eye chose you because it saw what you really are. Stop pretending you're some innocent victim. Deep down, you crave power. You crave control."
Min Joon shook his head violently. "You're wrong! I just want to—"
"To what?" the shadow interrupted, its voice rising. "Be normal? Go back to your pathetic life where no one cared about you? Face it, Min Joon. You hated that life. That's why you wished to leave it. That's why you're here."
Min Joon froze. The shadow's words struck a chord he didn't want to acknowledge. It was true—he had wished to leave his old life behind. The endless bullying, the loneliness, the feeling of being invisible. But that didn't mean he wanted this.
"I might have wanted an escape," Min Joon said, his voice steadying, "but that doesn't mean I'll let this power define me. I don't want to hurt people. I don't want to become you."
The shadow tilted its head, almost amused. "Then what will you become? Do you even know?"
Before Min Joon could answer, the void around him shifted. Shadows coalesced into monstrous forms—faceless creatures with jagged limbs and glowing red eyes. They hissed and growled, circling him like predators around wounded prey.
[Trial escalation: Confront your fears.]
The system's notification was cold and clinical, offering no comfort.
The creatures lunged.
Min Joon reacted on instinct, summoning the power of the Eye. Crimson energy flared to life around him, forming a protective barrier. The first creature struck the barrier and dissolved into ash, but the others were relentless, slamming into the shield again and again.
"Fight them," the shadow taunted, circling him like a vulture. "Use the power. Show them what you're capable of."
"I don't want to use it!" Min Joon shouted, struggling to maintain the barrier.
"Then you'll die," the shadow said simply.
The barrier began to crack, the creatures' relentless assault taking its toll. Min Joon's chest burned with the Eye's power, demanding to be unleashed. His hands trembled as he fought the urge to give in.
"You're weak," the shadow sneered. "If you can't even defend yourself, how do you expect to protect anyone else?"
Min Joon's mind raced. He didn't want to become a monster, but he couldn't let himself be consumed either. There had to be another way.
And then he remembered Astra's words: *"Control doesn't mean suppressing power. It means understanding it."*
Taking a deep breath, Min Joon closed his eyes. Instead of resisting the Eye, he reached for it, letting its energy flow through him. The barrier dissolved, and the creatures lunged—but instead of attacking, Min Joon redirected the energy.
Crimson tendrils shot out, wrapping around the creatures and pulling them into the void. They dissolved into nothingness, their shrieks fading into silence.
When Min Joon opened his eyes, the shadow was watching him, its expression unreadable.
"Well, well," it said, its tone softer. "Maybe you're not as hopeless as I thought."
Min Joon straightened, his breathing heavy but steady. "I'm not afraid of you anymore," he said firmly. "You're a part of me, but you don't control me."
The shadow smirked. "We'll see about that."
With a flicker of movement, it dissolved into the void, leaving Min Joon alone once more.
[Trial complete. Returning to reality.]
The darkness faded, and Min Joon found himself back in the chamber. The Guardian loomed before him, its glowing eyes fixed on him.
"You faced the truth and emerged whole," it said, its voice reverberating through the room. "The path ahead will not be easier, but you have taken your first step."
Min Joon nodded, his resolve hardening. He didn't know what the future held, but for the first time, he felt like he might be ready to face it.
Astra and Dain appeared at the edge of the room, their faces pale with concern.
"You okay?" Astra asked, her voice cautious.
Min Joon turned to them, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I think I will be."
For now, at least, he wasn't walking this path alone.