As the ground quaked beneath their feet, Yuto and Kaito exchanged uneasy glances. The glowing tree at the center of the valley seemed to hum with an ancient power, its light pulsating like a heartbeat. The silver-haired woman, the Guardian of the Heart, stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the two of them.
"Step forward," she commanded, her voice carrying an almost ethereal resonance. "The trials await."
Yuto clenched his fists, his Saiyan instincts urging him to prepare for a fight, while Kaito tightened his grip on his sword. Together, they took cautious steps toward the tree, the air around them growing heavier with each movement. The closer they came, the more Yuto felt an unfamiliar pull deep within him—a strange resonance that seemed to reach into his very soul.
The Guardian raised her hands, and the light emanating from the tree intensified, enveloping the valley in a radiant glow. Then, without warning, the world around Yuto and Kaito dissolved into nothingness.
---
Yuto blinked, his vision adjusting to his new surroundings. The dense forest was gone, replaced by an endless expanse of swirling mist and shadows. The ground beneath him felt solid but featureless, as though he were standing on a surface that defied reality itself. Beside him, Kaito appeared equally disoriented.
"Where are we?" Kaito asked, his voice echoing strangely in the empty space.
Before Yuto could answer, the Guardian's voice echoed from the void. "The trials are not bound by the physical world. They will test the very core of your being—your strength, your resolve, and your heart. Only by overcoming these trials will you prove yourselves worthy of the resistance."
As her words faded, the mist began to shift and swirl, forming shapes that solidified into a familiar landscape. Yuto's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the scene before him—it was the village where he had first arrived in this world. The simple houses, the bustling market, and the smiling faces of the villagers were all exactly as he remembered.
But something was wrong.
The air was heavy with tension, and the cheerful voices of the villagers were replaced by cries of fear and desperation. In the center of the village, a massive beast loomed—a monstrous creature with scales that shimmered like molten metal and eyes that burned with a fierce, otherworldly light. It roared, its voice shaking the very earth, and the villagers scattered in terror.
"Yuto," Kaito said, his voice low and urgent. "This... this can't be real. Can it?"
Yuto's jaw tightened. "It doesn't matter. We have to stop it."
Without hesitation, he charged toward the beast, his Saiyan energy surging to life. The creature turned its fiery gaze toward him, its maw opening to unleash a torrent of searing flames. Yuto dodged to the side, the heat of the fire singing his skin as he countered with a powerful energy blast. The attack struck the creature's side, but it barely flinched, its scales absorbing the impact.
Kaito joined the fray, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Together, they fought the beast, their attacks relentless. But no matter how much power they unleashed, the creature refused to fall. It seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment, its roars echoing with a cruel, mocking tone.
As Yuto landed a solid punch against the creature's jaw, he suddenly felt a pang of doubt. Why was the beast so familiar? And why did the villagers' cries seem to echo with an unnatural resonance, as though they were coming from inside his own mind?
"Wait!" Yuto shouted, stepping back and holding up a hand to stop Kaito. "Something's not right."
Kaito hesitated, his sword poised for another strike. "What are you talking about? We have to finish it off!"
Yuto shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he studied the creature. The longer he looked at it, the more its form seemed to shift, its monstrous features flickering like a mirage. And then, in a flash of clarity, he understood.
"This isn't real," Yuto said, his voice steady. "The beast... it's a reflection of our fears. The trial isn't about defeating it—it's about overcoming the fear it represents."
Kaito frowned, his grip on his sword tightening. "How can you be sure?"
Yuto stepped forward, his gaze unwavering as he approached the creature. The beast snarled, its fiery eyes locking onto him, but he didn't falter. Instead of attacking, he stood tall, his arms at his sides.
"I'm not afraid of you," Yuto said firmly. "You're not real. You're just an illusion."
The beast roared, its form flickering and distorting as though struggling to maintain its shape. Yuto could feel the weight of its presence pressing down on him, but he refused to back down. He had faced death before. He had faced enemies stronger than this. And he had the blood of a warrior flowing through him.
With a final, defiant roar, the beast dissolved into the mist, leaving the village untouched. The cries of the villagers faded, replaced by a serene silence.
Kaito lowered his sword, his expression a mixture of awe and disbelief. "You were right... It was all a test."
The Guardian's voice echoed once more, her tone filled with approval. "The first trial is complete. You have faced your fears and stood firm. But the path ahead grows more difficult. Prepare yourselves for the next trial."
---
The mist swirled again, and the world shifted once more. This time, Yuto and Kaito found themselves in a barren wasteland, the ground cracked and dry beneath a sky of swirling storm clouds. In the distance, a figure stood alone, their back turned to them.
As they approached, the figure turned to face them, and Yuto's breath caught in his throat. It was a reflection of himself—identical in every way, from his Saiyan armor to the fiery determination in his eyes. But there was something dark about the doppelgänger, a shadow that seemed to cling to it like a shroud.
"Who are you?" Yuto demanded, his voice steady despite the unease creeping into his heart.
The doppelgänger smirked. "I am you. Or rather, I am the part of you that you try to ignore. The anger, the doubt, the darkness that you bury deep inside."
Yuto clenched his fists, his energy flaring. "I've faced worse than you. You're just another illusion."
The doppelgänger laughed, its voice dripping with malice. "You think this will be easy? You can't defeat me, because I am you. Every strike you land will only hurt yourself. This trial isn't about strength—it's about acceptance."
As the storm clouds rumbled overhead, Yuto realized the truth. This trial wasn't about fighting. It was about facing the parts of himself he feared the most.