Kriel stood at the precipice of madness, his figure cutting a lone silhouette against the swirling chaos of the void. The ground beneath his feet seemed alive, writhing with an unsettling energy. The very air crackled with whispers—voices of forgotten realms, the echoes of lost worlds. The King's laughter, cold and hollow, reverberated through the void, a sound so full of malice and omnipotence it could shatter even the bravest soul. It was the laugh of a being who reveled in the unraveling of existence itself.
[System Alert]
Status: Entering Phase 1
Location: The Void's Edge
Time Period: Year 1,000,000 - 1,500,000
The first trial came swiftly, without warning. A monstrous beast of shadow and bone materialized before Kriel, its form towering above him. The creature's roar was enough to shake the very foundations of reality, sending shockwaves through the endless abyss. It was no mere beast. It was the embodiment of Kriel's deepest fears, crafted from the darkness within his own soul.
[Skill Acquired]
Void Perception (Level 1)
Shadow Manipulation (Level 1)
Mental Fortification (Level 1)
Kriel didn't flinch. His eyes were cold, his resolve unshaken. In a single step, he moved forward. His fist, charged with the pure energy of the void, collided with the beast's chest. There was no grand explosion, no display of brute force. The creature simply ceased to exist, as though it had never been. Not shattered, not destroyed—just erased from reality.
[Skill Level Up]
Void Perception (Level 2)
Shadow Manipulation (Level 2)
"Interesting," the King's voice echoed from somewhere unseen, his tone both amused and approving. "But this is merely the beginning. The true test lies not in defeating monsters, but in embracing the void. Let us see if you can master it before it consumes you."
For the next 500,000 years, Kriel's trials were endless. Each challenge more daunting than the last, each victory pushing him further into the abyss. He battled countless hordes of shadow creatures—beasts formed from darkness itself. He did not just defeat them; he bent them to his will. His understanding of the void deepened with every strike, every battle. He mastered Shadow Manipulation, weaving illusions so intricate they could deceive even the sharpest minds. Void Perception allowed him to see beyond reality, perceiving the hidden truths that lay beyond the veil of existence.
As centuries bled into millennia, Kriel's form began to change. His body grew ethereal, his flesh seemingly shifting between solid and incorporeal. Yet with each passing moment, his power grew, his mastery over the void nearing perfection.
---
[System Alert]
Status: Entering Phase 1.2
Location: Void's Edge
Time Period: Year 1,500,000 - 2,000,000
The air thickened, crackling with dark energy as Kriel approached a massive, pulsating gate. Ancient runes, glowing a blood-red, danced across its surface, whispering secrets to him. The gate promised unimaginable power—but at what cost?
[Status Window]
Name: Kriel
Title: None
Class: None
Level: 0
Skills: None
Titles and skills were stripped away all current abilities are null...
"Begin the trial," the King's voice boomed, its weight pressing down on Kriel's very soul. "Let us see if you can truly wield the power of the shadows."
Phase 1: Trial of Shadows
The gate exploded outward, unleashing a swarm of shadow beasts, each one larger than mountains. Their eyes burned with a hunger for destruction, their forms an endless tide of darkness. They moved with purpose, seeking to consume all that stood before them.
Kriel stood still, his gaze cold, unwavering. The first beast lunged at him, its jaws wide enough to swallow entire cities. But Kriel felt no fear. There was only detachment as he watched its approach.
One punch.
The impact was not explosive—it was absolute. The creature's form simply ceased to exist, its body erased from reality in an instant. The surrounding void seemed to hum in approval, growing even darker in response to Kriel's power.
[New Skills Acquired]
Void Strike (Rare) - Level 1
Shadow Sense (Uncommon) - Level 1
The remaining beasts faltered. They hesitated—unsure of how to proceed. In that moment of uncertainty, Kriel moved.
His form blurred with speed. Each strike was measured, precise—no wasted motion. Where his fists connected, reality itself folded, devouring existence as though it were nothing more than a fragile illusion. The beasts, no matter their size, were reduced to nothingness, their forms erased from time and space.
For the next half a million years, Kriel fought ceaselessly. He faced more beasts, larger, stronger, and faster with each new wave. Yet he triumphed. His mastery of Void Strike allowed him to erase even the most formidable opponents with a single blow. Shadow Sense enhanced his perception, allowing him to detect and analyze every movement, every shadow-based entity, no matter how far away.
[Achievement Unlocked: First Blood]
Defeated 100 shadow beasts without taking damage
Reward: Title "Shadow Eraser"
The King's voice echoed with approval. "Impressive. But this is only the beginning. The true challenge lies in wielding the void without allowing it to consume you. You must learn to control it within yourself."
[Status Update]
Name: Kriel
Title: Shadow Eraser
Class: Void Walker (Rare)
Level: 10
Skills:
Void Strike (Rare) Level 3
Shadow Sense (Uncommon) Level 2
Dimensional Step (Unique) Level 1
---
[System Alert]
Phase 2: Monarch's Trial
Location: Abyss of Echoes
Time Period: Year 2,000,000 - 3,000,000
Reality bent and warped as Kriel stepped into the Abyss of Echoes, a realm where time was fluid, and the very fabric of existence twisted with each passing moment. Here, echoes of past battles clung to the air, lingering as haunting reminders of what had once been.
[Status Window]
Name: Kriel
Title: Shadow Eraser
Class: Void Monarch (Evolved)
Level: 50
Skills:
Void Strike (Evolved) Level 10
Shadow Legion Command Level 1
Dimensional Step Level 8
Monarch's Domain Level 1
"Show me your strength," the King commanded, his voice a mere whisper now. "Summon your legion and face the shadows of history."
A legion of shadow warriors manifested before Kriel, each one a perfect copy of legendary warriors from across time. At their head stood a towering Shadow General, a being of unimaginable power.
Kriel raised his hand. The void answered his call.
[New Skill Acquired]
Shadow Legion Command
Can create and control up to 100 shadow warriors
With a thought, Kriel summoned his legion, but he didn't wait for them to engage. In a blur of motion, he struck. His fists cleaved through the shadow warriors with ease, each blow erasing the enemies in an instant. The Shadow General charged, its blade crackling with dark energy.
"Pathetic," Kriel muttered. "You are nothing before the void."
[Skill Evolution]
Void Strike → Absolute Void Strike
Attacks now ignore dimensional barriers
Damage multiplied by user's void affinity
One strike was all it took. The General's blade shattered against Kriel's fist, and in the next moment, the battlefield was consumed by a sphere of absolute nothingness. When the void cleared, there was no trace left of the army or the General. Only Kriel stood, alone in a perfect hemisphere of emptiness.
[Achievement Unlocked: Army of One]
Defeated 10,000 enemies in under one minute
Reward: Skill "Monarch's Authority"
[Status Update]
Name: Kriel
Title: Void Monarch
Class: Shadow Emperor (Evolving)
Level: 75
Skills:
Absolute Void Strike Level 1
Shadow Legion Command Level 5
Dimensional Step Level 10
Monarch's Authority Level 1
Void Domain Level 3
The King's laughter echoed through the void once more, a reminder of the path Kriel had chosen. "Now for the true test: Can you face the darkness within yourself and emerge unbroken?"
As Kriel stood amidst the abyss, his power and resolve had grown beyond measure. But even now, in the heart of the void, he could feel the pull—an insidious whisper that promised even greater power. Yet he knew the void could easily consume him if he let it.
"I will not be lost," Kriel swore to himself. "I will master this power. No matter the cost."
The void responded in silence, and Kriel's journey continued—further into the darkness, further into himself.
[Awakening of the Choasborn...
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Chapter end]