Super Gene 2 Chapter 14: The Abyssal Watchers' Judgment
Stepping onto the plain, Han Sen felt an overwhelming pressure descend upon him. The towering Watchers in the distance radiated an aura that felt both ancient and eternal. Though they stood motionless, their presence made every step forward feel like trudging through a storm.
The air grew heavier with each passing moment, as if the Abyss itself was testing his will. Han Sen clenched his fists, his golden and Abyssal energies pulsating faintly around him like a protective shield.
"I've faced worse," Han Sen muttered, his resolve hardening as he pressed onward.
The Watchers Stir
As Han Sen approached the center of the plain, the Watchers began to move. Their cloaked forms glided effortlessly across the ground, forming a wide circle around him. Their faces remained obscured, but Han Sen could feel their gazes boring into him, probing his very soul.
One of the Watchers stepped forward, raising a hand cloaked in ethereal light. The ground beneath Han Sen's feet trembled, and a deep, resonant voice echoed through the air, though the Watcher's lips did not move.
"Seeker, you have ventured far into the Abyss. You carry the light of a guardian and the shadow of a destroyer. Your path is one of duality, yet the Abyss tolerates no contradiction."
Han Sen straightened, his gaze meeting the void-like space where the Watcher's eyes should have been. "I didn't come here to be judged. I came to find answers."
The Watcher's hand glowed brighter. "The Abyss does not offer answers freely. It demands understanding, sacrifice, and strength. To proceed, you must face the truth of what you are."
The Trial of Duality
The Watchers raised their hands in unison, and the plain around Han Sen began to shift. The ground cracked and splintered, giving way to a swirling vortex of light and shadow. Han Sen found himself standing in a strange, mirrored landscape where the sky was split in two—one half bathed in golden radiance, the other shrouded in Abyssal darkness.
From the golden side emerged a figure resembling Han Sen, but it radiated an aura of pure light. Its movements were graceful and serene, exuding a sense of calm and purpose.
From the dark side emerged another figure, this one cloaked in shadow. Its presence was oppressive, its movements sharp and predatory.
Both figures turned to face Han Sen, their expressions unreadable.
"Your power is your greatest strength and your deepest flaw," the Watcher's voice intoned. "To proceed, you must master the balance within yourself. Defeat your light and your shadow, or be consumed by them."
A Battle Within
The light figure attacked first, its strikes swift and precise. Han Sen countered with his golden aura, but he quickly realized that the figure was not merely mimicking him—it was a purer, more refined version of his golden energy. Each clash of their attacks sent waves of energy rippling through the mirrored landscape.
The shadow figure joined the fray, its attacks wild and unpredictable. Han Sen struggled to fend off both opponents, their combined assault forcing him onto the defensive.
"They're not just opponents," Han Sen thought, dodging a blast of shadow energy. "They're representations of my own power, amplified to test me."
Focusing his energy, Han Sen attempted to fuse his golden and Abyssal powers. The energies clashed violently within him, resisting integration. The strain was immense, but Han Sen refused to yield.
"I control you," he growled, forcing the energies to merge.
A surge of power erupted from Han Sen, creating a shockwave that pushed the light and shadow figures back. The fused energy around him glowed with a unique brilliance—neither purely light nor shadow, but something entirely new.
The Final Confrontation
The figures paused, their gazes fixed on Han Sen. For the first time, they seemed uncertain.
Han Sen didn't give them a chance to recover. Channeling his fused energy, he launched a devastating attack that struck both figures simultaneously. The impact shattered their forms, causing them to dissolve into streams of light and shadow that flowed back into him.
The mirrored landscape began to crumble, and Han Sen found himself back on the plain, surrounded by the Watchers.
The Watchers' Verdict
The lead Watcher stepped forward, its aura dimming slightly. "You have faced the duality within yourself and emerged stronger. Few possess the will to master such power. The Abyss acknowledges your strength."
Another Watcher raised its hand, pointing toward the golden door in the distance. "But strength alone will not open the door. The Abyss will continue to test you, seeker. The truth you seek lies beyond, but so too does the price of knowledge."
The circle of Watchers parted, creating a clear path toward the golden door.
Han Sen nodded, his resolve unwavering. "I'll face whatever comes. Nothing will stop me from reaching that door."
A Faint Glimmer
As Han Sen resumed his journey, he felt a faint presence lingering in the air—a whisper of approval, perhaps, or a warning of what lay ahead. The golden door seemed closer now, its light brighter than ever, but the journey was far from over.
The Abyss was vast, and its secrets were deeply guarded. Yet Han Sen knew one thing for certain: he was no longer the same person who had first stepped into this world.
With each trial, he grew stronger, and with each step, he came closer to uncovering the truth that awaited him beyond the golden door.