The moment Sang-hoon's feet left solid ground, he was swallowed by the vortex. A sensation of icy claws dragged him downward, and the world twisted violently around him. When the chaos subsided, he found himself standing in an otherworldly plane—a desolate expanse bathed in eerie purple light. Shadows writhed and danced across the ground, their forms shifting like smoke caught in a storm.
Kaelith was nowhere to be seen, but Sang-hoon could almost feel the dragon's thoughts.
If Kaelith could speak, Sang-hoon imagined he'd say something like, "What mess have you dragged us into now?"
A chime echoed in his mind, and a translucent window materialized in his vision:
[New Mission: Trial of the Shadows]Survive for 10 minutes in the Realm of Shadows.
Objective: Defeat the waves of shadow creatures to sustain the fading light within you.
Reward: Advanced Skill: Shadowbane.
Failure: Permanent imprisonment within the Realm of Shadows.
Time Remaining: 09:59
Sang-hoon's heart raced. "This… wasn't in the game."
A guttural snarl tore through the silence, and the first wave emerged. Shadowy beasts materialized from the purple mist, their glowing crimson eyes locking onto him.
They resembled wolves, but their forms were stretched and distorted, as though torn from reality itself.
He adjusted his grip on the lance Elena had been training him with.
The weapon felt heavier now, unfamiliar and unwieldy without Elena's guidance. "Focus, Sang-hoon. Survive first, panic later."
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The Vault's chamber shook violently as the Reaver's harbinger roared again, its claws digging deep furrows into the stone floor.
Elena squared her stance, her luminous spear blazing brighter with every breath she took. Around her, Serath's shadowy henchmen moved into position, their movements deliberate and precise.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that," Elena spat, her eyes narrowing on Serath. "But guts won't save you from me."
Serath smiled faintly. "We shall see."
The harbinger lunged at Elena, its enormous frame surprisingly agile. She dodged the swipe of its claws by a hair, retaliating with a downward strike.
"Art of the Luminous Spear: Inscription One—Blazing Arc!" she cried.
Her spear arced in a blazing crescent of light, slicing through the harbinger's forearm.
The beast howled, its injured limb regenerating almost instantly as shadows stitched the wound shut.
Elena barely had time to react as Serath's henchmen surged toward her.
She spun her spear defensively, deflecting incoming strikes, but the sheer number of attackers forced her to give ground.
A shadow soldier's blade grazed her arm, drawing blood, but she gritted her teeth and retaliated with a precise thrust, vaporizing the assailant.
"Inscription Two—Piercing Sunbeam!"
A focused beam of golden energy erupted from her spear, impaling the nearest shadow soldier.
It dissolved into ash, but the others pressed on, undeterred.
The harbinger roared again, its movements more erratic.
Elena dodged another claw swipe, barely avoiding being crushed.
Her muscles screamed in protest, and her mana reserves waned.
"I've faced worse," she muttered, though her resolve wavered.
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The first wave of wolves attacked in unison, their claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed.
Sang-hoon ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the lethal strikes. He countered with an awkward thrust of his lance, managing to skewer one wolf. It disintegrated into shadows, but two more took its place.
08:32
The timer ticked down mercilessly as Sang-hoon's stamina waned.
The wolves' numbers seemed endless, their forms relentless in their assault. He tried to recall Elena's teachings, aiming for precision over brute force, but his strikes lacked the finesse she had demonstrated.
"Art of the Luminous Spear: Inscription One—Blazing Arc!" he shouted, attempting to mimic Elena's technique.
The lance glimmered faintly, but the arc of energy fizzled out before even getting close to the nearest wolf.
"Great," Sang-hoon muttered. "Guess I'm not ready for that yet."
Digging into the memories imparted by Count Arvendale, he attempted a simpler technique. He visualized light pooling at the lance's tip, then released it in a short burst.
"Arvendale's Strike!" he called, thrusting forward.
A faint beam of light shot from the lance, striking a wolf and scattering its form into mist. The effort left him winded, but the move had worked.
"One step at a time," he told himself, readying for the next wave.
06:57
A new wave appeared, larger and more menacing. These creatures were humanoid, their twisted forms wielding jagged weapons forged of shadow. Sang-hoon steadied his breathing.
The first creature lunged, its blade aimed for his chest.
Sang-hoon sidestepped, bringing his lance down in a sweeping strike. The creature's weapon shattered, but its clawed hand lashed out, catching his arm.
Pain seared through him, but he gritted his teeth and retaliated with another Arvendale's Strike. The creature dissolved, but two more took its place.
05:10
Sang-hoon's breaths came in ragged gasps. His body screamed in protest, but the timer's relentless countdown kept him moving. Another strike, another enemy felled.
The cycle seemed endless.
A notification flashed in his vision:
[Bonus Skill Activated: Arvendale's Will—Light's Resurgence]
Your stamina regenerates faster in the presence of overwhelming darkness.
Renewed energy coursed through Sang-hoon. He gripped his lance tightly, unleashing a simple but effective thrust to hold off the nearest shadow creature.
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The harbinger's claws slammed into the ground where Elena had stood moments before, leaving a crater in its wake. She leaped into the air, twisting mid-flight to hurl her spear at the creature's head.
"Inscription Three—Celestial Impale!"
The spear split into three radiant projectiles, each one targeting a vital point. Two struck the harbinger's shoulders, forcing it to stagger, while the third pierced its chest. The beast bellowed in pain, its regeneration slowing.
Elena retrieved her spear with a flick of her hand, but her movements were slower now. Her arms ached, and the gash on her side burned with every step. Another wave of shadow soldiers closed in, and Elena's resolve wavered.
"Is this… enough?" she murmured, clutching her spear tightly.
The harbinger roared, charging once more. Elena planted her feet firmly, summoning the last reserves of her mana.
"Art of the Luminous Spear: Inscription Four—Sanctuary Nova!"
A dome of golden light erupted around her, repelling the harbinger and vaporizing the nearest shadow soldiers. But the barrier flickered, its strength waning. Elena gritted her teeth, holding her ground as the harbinger clawed at the barrier with relentless fury.
"Just a little longer," she whispered.
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02:14
The shadow creatures had grown more aggressive, their attacks relentless. Sang-hoon's movements slowed as exhaustion crept in, but the timer's steady countdown kept him focused.
A hulking shadow beast emerged from the mist, its massive frame dwarfing the others. Sang-hoon tightened his grip on the lance, summoning every ounce of strength left in him.
As Sang-hoon steadied his grip on the lance, the shadow beast let out a guttural roar that shook the desolate realm.
Its crimson eyes locked onto him, the malice in its gaze almost tangible. He took a deep breath, drawing on the faint memories of Count Arvendale's teachings.
"Focus... Balance precision and strength," he murmured to himself, forcing his trembling arms to steady.
He thrust the lance forward, attempting another "Arvendale's Strike."
The energy at the lance's tip flickered erratically before stabilizing into a faint glow. He released the strike, a narrow beam of light piercing the chest of the shadow beast. It staggered but did not fall.
"Damn it, not enough power," Sang-hoon muttered, stepping back as the creature lunged.
With only 01:48 remaining, Sang-hoon knew he couldn't afford to falter. Kaelith's imagined encouragement echoed in his mind: "You've got this. Just don't mess it up."
Sang-hoon darted to the side, his lance narrowly parrying the beast's claws.
His footwork, though unrefined, allowed him to evade the worst of the attacks. A notification appeared in his vision:
[Adaptive Memory Bonus: Recall of Radiant Tempest]
Effect: Temporary enhancement of agility for quick counterattacks. Duration: 30 seconds.
"Let's see if this works," Sang-hoon said, his voice steadier now.
He shifted his stance, pushing his body to its limit as the shadow beast lunged again. This time, he dodged with precision, twisting mid-step to deliver a sweeping strike. The lance's tip grazed the beast's head, the radiant energy scorching its form.
01:10
As the timer counted down, the intensity of the shadow beasts' assault increased. The smaller creatures regrouped, surrounding him and blocking any escape. Sang-hoon's muscles burned, and his breaths came in ragged gasps.
But he wasn't about to give up. With a roar of defiance, he raised the lance again, channeling all his remaining strength into one last strike.
"Arvendale's Last Light!" he shouted.
The lance blazed with golden light, a wave of energy exploding outward. The shadow beasts dissolved into the mist, leaving the hulking beast alone. Sang-hoon collapsed to one knee, his energy nearly spent.
00:15
The shadow beast staggered, its frame flickering as if caught between dimensions. Sang-hoon mustered everything he had left, gripping the lance tightly as he stood.
"F*ck you," he muttered, charging forward.
With a final thrust, he plunged the lance into the beast's core. The creature let out an earth-shaking bellow before disintegrating into motes of light.
Sang-hoon dropped to one knee, his breathing ragged and his body screaming for rest.
00:00
A notification appeared:
[Trial of the Shadows Complete.]
Reward: Skill Acquired—Shadowbane.
[Level Up!]
Your efforts have been acknowledged. Level increased by 1. Attribute points available: 5.
The notification brought a bittersweet relief.
He had survived the trial, gained power, and ascended to a new level. But his victory felt hollow against the backdrop of exhaustion and the knowledge that the Vault was still in jeopardy.
Kaelith's imagined voice ringing in his mind: "Told you we'd make it."
The air around him shimmered as the Realm of Shadows began to collapse. Sang-hoon stood on shaky legs, the glowing lance his only support.
The dark expanse crumbled into mist, revealing the Vault's outer corridor.
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Meanwhile, in the Vault's chamber, Elena's barrier shattered, and the harbinger roared triumphantly. Blood dripped from her wounds, but her spear still burned brightly in her hands.
The harbinger lunged for the final blow, but Elena, with a burst of resolve, pivoted and drove her spear into its core.
"Art of the Luminous Spear: Inscription Five—Radiant Cataclysm!" she shouted, her voice filled with fury.
The spear erupted in blinding light, engulfing the harbinger and its remaining soldiers. The room trembled, and the air filled with the sound of shattering glass as the shadows dissipated.
Elena collapsed to her knees, her spear clattering to the ground. Her vision blurred, but she forced herself to stay conscious.
"Not yet... It's not over yet," she whispered, gripping her side.
As she struggled to her feet, she sensed something shifting deeper within the Vault—a darkness far more sinister stirring awake.