Li Tian stood in the center of the sterile chamber, the metallic walls reflecting the cold, unyielding glow of the lights above. His body had just returned to the ship after completing the Mental Gauntlet, and the air around him buzzed with a strange tension, a palpable anticipation hanging in the air. The other recruits had also been returned to the room, their faces a mixture of exhaustion, relief, and a quiet resolve. It was clear they had all been pushed to their limits, but there was still one more challenge to face—the Trial of Will.
A sudden surge of pressure filled the room, and the temperature dropped. The walls around them seemed to shift, warping as though they were no longer bound by any material laws. Li Tian's heart raced as the voice of the scarred leader echoed in the now distorted space.
"Prepare yourselves," the voice said, deep and commanding. "The final trial begins now."
Without warning, the room shifted again, this time sending each recruit to a different environment. The cold, metallic air vanished as Li Tian found himself standing in the middle of a desolate wasteland. The sky was an ominous shade of red, and the ground beneath him was cracked and barren. The scent of sulfur hung in the air, and the wind carried with it an eerie whisper. It was as if he had been transported to a different world entirely, one consumed by decay.
He barely had time to gather his bearings before a figure appeared before him—a man cloaked in shadows, his face hidden beneath a dark hood. The man stood tall, his presence intimidating, and his voice resonated in Li Tian's mind.
"To pass this trial, you must face your deepest fears, your darkest memories, and your innermost doubts. You will be tested on your willpower, your resolve, and your ability to overcome the very things that haunt you. Surrender to despair, and you will fail. But if you persist, you will emerge stronger."
Li Tian's mind spun. He had been expecting a test of endurance, perhaps something physical, but this was different. His trial would be a battle not of his body, but of his mind. His fears, his regrets, and the things he had buried deep within himself would rise to the surface, threatening to break him. The question now was whether he could withstand them.
The figure gestured, and suddenly, images flashed before Li Tian's eyes. Memories long buried, moments of his life that he had hoped to forget. He was a child again, living in the bustling streets of his previous world—before the transmigration, before everything changed. He saw his family, their faces filled with worry, their voices pleading for him to stay safe, to not follow his reckless path. The memory twisted into a scene of chaos, of his world's destruction as the apocalypse began. His family had died in the chaos, and Li Tian had been powerless to save them.
The pain of that moment surged through him, nearly knocking him off balance. His chest tightened, and he could feel the weight of guilt and grief pressing down on him. He had failed them, failed to protect the ones he loved. How could he ever move forward after that?
---
[System Notification]
Trial of Will Activated.
Objective: Overcome your fears and doubts.
Time Limit: Indefinite.
Failure will result in permanent elimination from the trials.
---
Li Tian's breath caught in his throat. The system's notification cut through the emotional fog, snapping him back to reality. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus. He had come too far to fail now. He couldn't afford to give in to despair.
He took a deep breath, shaking off the memories of the past. His family might be gone, but he couldn't let their loss define him. He had a new purpose now. He had a mission. And there were people depending on him—people he had yet to meet, but whose lives would be forever intertwined with his own.
As if sensing his determination, the figure in front of him morphed, becoming a manifestation of his deepest fear—a beast with dark, glowing eyes, a monstrous creature made of shadows and claws. It was a physical manifestation of his own self-doubt, the feeling that he was never good enough, that he would fail, just as he had failed in the past.
The beast snarled, its voice a low growl in Li Tian's ear. "You will never be enough. You are weak. You will always fail."
Li Tian's heart raced, and for a moment, he felt the weight of those words. But then something inside him snapped. He was no longer that helpless child. He had survived his transmigration. He had passed the physical trials, the mental gauntlet. He had fought for his survival in ways he never thought possible. He was stronger now. His resolve had been hardened.
"You're wrong," Li Tian said aloud, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions within him. "I am not weak. I will not fail."
The shadow beast roared, charging at him with terrifying speed. But Li Tian stood his ground. He closed his eyes for a split second, gathering his energy, and when he opened them, he released a blast of sheer willpower, a wave of pure determination. It was a force that rippled through the air, striking the beast head-on.
The creature screamed, its form beginning to distort and break apart as Li Tian's will overwhelmed it. It dissolved into the air, leaving only a lingering echo of its growl. The wasteland around him began to shift again, the red sky clearing, the cracked earth healing itself. The landscape returned to its original state, and Li Tian found himself back in the cold, metallic chamber, his breath heavy but controlled.
The scarred leader's voice echoed through the room once more.
"You have passed the Trial of Will," he said, his tone surprisingly approving. "You have proven that you are not only physically capable but mentally strong as well. You may now proceed to the next phase of your ascension."
Li Tian's heart still pounded in his chest, but a sense of relief washed over him. He had done it. He had faced his fears, conquered his doubts, and come out stronger. The path ahead was still unclear, but for the first time since his transmigration, Li Tian felt like he was truly in control of his fate.
The door to the chamber opened, revealing a new path forward.
---
[System Notification]
Trial of Will Completed: 200 XP Gained.
Next Phase: Recruitment and Mission Briefing.
---
Li Tian stepped forward, ready to face whatever came next. He had passed the trials, but this was only the beginning. The Galactic Human Empire awaited, and he would have to rise to meet it.
---
To be continued...