Jinhyuk sprinted toward the Guardian, his breath ragged, his body screaming in protest. He couldn't stop now.
The Guardian let out a monstrous roar, its burning eyes locking onto him. Its sword glowed with dark energy, the very air around it distorting under the sheer pressure.
One more hit, and I'm dead.
But Jinhyuk wasn't running in blind.
He had a plan.
A Battle of Perception
The Guardian raised its massive sword, preparing to cleave him in two.
Jinhyuk threw out multiple illusions—
One Jinhyuk dodging to the right.
One Jinhyuk jumping over the Guardian's sword.
One Jinhyuk rolling beneath its legs.
And the real Jinhyuk?
He was already moving in the opposite direction.
The Guardian's instincts betrayed it. It slashed toward the wrong illusion—leaving its side completely open.
Jinhyuk seized his chance.
He lunged forward, channeling every ounce of mana into his fist.
Just like before, he imagined.
His fist wasn't weak. It was a hammer, a weapon powerful enough to break steel.
The moment his punch connected—reality shifted.
A shockwave rippled through the Guardian's body. Its armor cracked—then shattered.
The Guardian let out a deep, guttural snarl. For the first time, it staggered back.
Jinhyuk's eyes widened. I… I can really do this!
But it wasn't over yet.
The Guardian went berserk.
Dark energy exploded from its body, sending debris flying in all directions. The force of it slammed into Jinhyuk, hurling him across the arena.
He hit the ground hard, rolling several times before skidding to a stop. His vision blurred.
Shit…
He struggled to push himself up. But his body wasn't responding. Too much damage.
The Guardian slowly approached.
This was it. It was going to finish him off.
Jinhyuk gritted his teeth. Not yet.
If his body wouldn't move, then…
He'd make it look like it could.
The Final Illusion
As the Guardian lifted its sword for the killing blow—
Jinhyuk vanished.
The Guardian's blade tore through empty air.
Confusion flickered in its hollow eyes.
And then—Jinhyuk reappeared.
But this time—there were dozens of him.
A full army of Jinhyuks charged the Guardian from every direction.
The Guardian hesitated. For the first time, its instincts failed it.
It couldn't tell which one was real.
That moment of hesitation was all Jinhyuk needed.
The real Jinhyuk—the one who had never actually moved—
Drove his fist directly into the Guardian's chest.
This time, he imagined something even stronger.
He imagined his hand was a spear of light, piercing straight through darkness.
Mana surged.
Reality bent.
The Guardian's chest caved inward. A burst of white energy ripped through its body.
The monstrous knight let out a final, shuddering roar. Its massive form began to disintegrate, fading into nothing but dust.
Jinhyuk collapsed to his knees.
It was over.
He had won.
The Forgotten's Verdict
Far beyond the battlefield, the Forgotten watched from his throne.
A deep, amused chuckle echoed through the void.
"Clever little human."
The Guardian was dead. The Trial was complete.
A black sigil appeared in the air before Jinhyuk, glowing with eerie power.
[Trial Complete.]
You have proven yourself worthy.
Power shall be granted.
Jinhyuk's breath hitched.
And then, the sigil rushed into his body.
Pain.
Unimaginable pain.
His veins burned, his muscles twisted, his very soul felt like it was being rewritten.
He opened his mouth to scream—
And then—
Everything went black.
---
Jinhyuk's body floated in an endless void, weightless, adrift in nothingness. He felt no pain, no exhaustion—only an eerie silence stretching infinitely in all directions.
Then, a voice whispered from the abyss.
"You are not the first to stand here, but perhaps... you will be the last."
Jinhyuk's eyes snapped open.
Before him stood a towering figure shrouded in black mist. Its face was hidden beneath a tattered hood, but its glowing silver eyes bore into him, as if peering directly into his soul.
"Tell me, mortal. Why do you seek power?"
Jinhyuk swallowed hard. His instincts screamed that this being was beyond anything he had ever encountered.
Who—or what—was this?
But he wasn't the type to back down.
"I…" He clenched his fists. "I want to stand at the top. I don't want to be weak anymore."
The figure chuckled—low, ancient, and knowing.
"A desire as old as time itself. But power is never given freely. It must be earned."
The darkness around them began to shift, swirling like a living thing.
"Very well. I shall grant you a power unlike any other. But first—"
The void rippled.
"You must prove yourself… again."
Jinhyuk barely had time to react before the darkness exploded outward.
A Battle in the Void
The abyss warped, transforming into a vast coliseum—its walls stretching endlessly, shrouded in mist.
Jinhyuk staggered back as figures began to emerge from the shadows.
Warriors. Knights. Monsters. Hunters.
Hundreds of them. All powerful. All deadly.
"Face the echoes of those who have come before you."
The hooded figure's voice rang out, distant yet deafening.
Jinhyuk's pulse pounded in his ears. His body still felt weak, drained from his fight with the Guardian.
But he had no time to rest.
The first warrior charged.
A blur of steel—a massive sword swinging straight for his neck.
Jinhyuk ducked just in time, feeling the blade whistle past him. He countered with a quick feint—an illusion of himself appearing behind the enemy.
The warrior turned to strike—
Leaving his real body completely exposed.
Jinhyuk drove his fist into the warrior's gut, mana surging through him.
The warrior crumbled into dust.
But there were still hundreds more.
And they were all coming for him.
Jinhyuk took a deep breath, steeling himself.
"Fine, then. Bring it on."
He charged forward.
The Cost of Power
The battle was endless.
Jinhyuk fought. Again. And again. And again.
Every strike, every illusion, every counter—it all became instinct. His mind blurred, his body screamed in agony, but he refused to stop.
One by one, his enemies fell.
Until finally—
He stood alone.
His vision swam. His body was wrecked. But he was still standing.
The hooded figure watched in silence.
Then, it spoke.
"You have passed."
The void shattered.
Pain erupted through Jinhyuk's entire being. He let out a strangled gasp as something inside him changed.
Something awakened.
[System Alert: You have acquired a Unique Ability.]
[Skill Acquired – 'Lord of Illusions']
Jinhyuk's mind reeled.
He had done it. He had gained a new power.
But before he could process it—
His eyes snapped open.
He was back in the real world.
Lying on the cold stone floor of the arena.
His body felt... different. Stronger. Alive.
Jinhyuk slowly pushed himself up, his hands trembling.
Something inside him had changed forever.
And he had no idea what it meant.