The once-pristine trail on the mountain began to twist, riddled with sharp ridges and jagged stones. The desolation was palpable, the air thick with tension. Chen's hand tightened around the hilt of his Growth Sword, its faint hum an ever-present reminder of its connection to his evolving strength. Fenrir followed closely, the wolf's lazy stride belying its sharp, vigilant gaze.
Chen's mind churned with the remnants of the strange voice they had encountered earlier. The cryptic warning still echoed in his head: "Every step forward carries a shadow behind." His instincts told him that the peak held answers, but the cost of those answers was yet to be seen.
"Fenrir," Chen muttered, his voice low. "Stay close. I don't trust this place."
Fenrir huffed, a subtle nod of acknowledgment, its tail swishing nonchalantly. Yet, its ears were perked, every muscle tense, ready to spring into action.
As they pressed onward, the terrain grew even more treacherous. The path narrowed, with sheer drops on either side. A thin mist began to rise, obscuring their vision. The temperature plummeted, frost clinging to the jagged rocks like skeletal fingers.
Chen paused, his breath visible in the frigid air. He glanced at the glowing interface that now served as his silent guide.
---
Chen Xian
Human Realm: Level 4 (Adept)
Strength: 14
Stamina: 12
Health: 92%
Soul Energy: 10%
Abilities:
Growth Sword (Bound)
Necromancy (Basic)
Warrior's Focus
---
Chen frowned. His health had dipped, likely due to the toll of the climb. The interface's new, stripped-down format only served to remind him of the System's absence. He exhaled sharply, shaking off the lingering doubt.
"Keep moving," he muttered to himself, more to banish the silence than anything else.
Suddenly, a faint growl reverberated through the mist. Fenrir froze, its hackles rising as its golden eyes darted toward the source of the sound.
Out of the fog emerged a figure—not human, but humanoid. It was cloaked in tattered robes, its face obscured by a dark hood. In its skeletal hands, it gripped a staff that seemed to pulsate with dark energy.
"Another trial?" Chen asked aloud, his voice steady despite the unease curling in his chest.
The figure didn't respond. Instead, it raised its staff, and the mist around them began to swirl violently. Out of the vortex emerged shadowy forms—phantoms with glowing red eyes and claw-like hands.
Chen's grip tightened on his sword. "Of course. It's never simple."
The shadows lunged at him, their movements erratic but unnervingly fast. Chen sidestepped the first, bringing his sword down in a swift arc. The blade hummed as it cleaved through the phantom, which dissolved into wisps of smoke.
Another came at him from the side, but before it could strike, Fenrir leapt into action. The wolf's jaws snapped shut around the phantom, tearing it apart with a feral growl.
Chen smirked. "Nice timing."
Fenrir glanced at him, its expression almost smug, before pouncing on another attacker.
The battle raged on, the phantoms seemingly endless. Chen's movements became more fluid, each strike of his sword precise and devastating. Despite the chaos, his mind remained focused.
Then, without warning, the hooded figure raised its staff again. The ground beneath Chen trembled, and a massive shadow emerged—a creature unlike any he had faced before. It was a hulking beast, its body composed of writhing darkness, with glowing eyes that burned like coals.
"Great," Chen muttered. "A boss fight."
The beast charged at him, its massive claws tearing through the rocky terrain. Chen barely managed to dodge, the force of the attack sending him sprawling. He rolled to his feet, his sword at the ready.
"Fenrir, distract it!" he shouted.
The wolf darted forward, its agility unmatched as it weaved around the beast, snapping at its limbs. The creature roared in frustration, swiping at Fenrir but missing each time.
Chen took the opportunity to strike, his sword glowing faintly as it connected with the beast's flank. The creature howled, its form flickering as if it were struggling to maintain its shape.
But it wasn't enough. The beast recovered quickly, its claws lashing out with renewed fury. One struck Chen, sending him crashing into a nearby rock. Pain flared through his body, and his health bar dipped dangerously low.
---
Health: 38%
---
Chen gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. He couldn't afford to falter now.
"Think, Chen," he muttered. "It's made of shadows. Light… I need light."
As if in response to his thoughts, the Growth Sword began to vibrate. A faint, golden glow emanated from the blade, growing brighter with each passing second.
Chen's eyes widened. "So you can do more than just hum," he said with a grim smile.
With a roar, he charged at the beast, the glowing sword cutting through the darkness like a beacon. The blade struck true, piercing the creature's core.
The beast let out a deafening roar before collapsing into a swirling vortex of shadows. The hooded figure, its staff now cracked and useless, let out a guttural sound that could have been a curse or a lament.
Before Chen could finish it off, the figure dissolved into the mist, leaving behind only an eerie silence.
Chen stood there, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. Fenrir trotted over, its golden eyes studying him with a mixture of approval and concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Chen said, though his voice was hoarse.
The mist began to clear, revealing a new path ahead. Chen glanced at it, then at the glowing interface that floated before him.
---
Soul Energy: 15%
---
He frowned. The number had increased slightly, but it didn't feel like enough.
As he and Fenrir started down the path, Chen couldn't shake the feeling that the trials were far from over. But one thing was clear: the stakes were rising, and so was he.
With every step, the shadows of his past grew darker, but so did the light within him.