"Welcome, challenger," a voice reverberated through the arena, its power shaking the very air around me. I looked up, my breath catching as a figure materialized above the arena floor—a being of pure, radiant light, whose mere presence exuded an aura of boundless power and unyielding authority. "You stand at the precipice of your destiny. This trial will measure more than your strength. Only those who master their skills, body, and spirit will ascend."
My pulse quickened as the weight of the moment hit me. It wasn't just about proving myself—it was about transforming into the hero I was destined to be. I squared my shoulders, meeting its gaze with resolve.
"I am ready," I replied, my voice unwavering.
The being's voice echoed, shifting through the very fabric of the dimension. "Very well. You shall face three trials: the Trial of Strength, the Trial of Wisdom, and the Trial of Courage. Each will challenge your core, each will test your worth. Survive all three, and a divine class will be bestowed upon you, shaped by your prowess and spirit."
With a nod, I steeled myself, knowing these trials would shape my path in ways I couldn't yet comprehend.
Trial of Strength
The first trial began with an eruption of energy. The arena around me transformed, the ground shifting to a war-torn battleground, bristling with obstacles and looming threats. I felt the pulse of adrenaline coursing through my veins. The voice of the radiant being rang out again, commanding the trial to begin.
"To prove your strength, defeat the summoned creatures, and survive their onslaught."
Before I could even prepare myself, shadowy figures clawed their way up from the ground. Dark silhouettes, their eyes glowing with malevolent hunger, began to form. I assessed them in an instant with "Mana Sense"—agile, numerous, and relentless.
"Wave 1: Shadows of the Abyss—100 Weak Monsters," the voice announced.
A swarm of these creatures poured from the earth, moving like a tidal wave of darkness.
I gritted my teeth. "Let's dance, then."
With a quick flick of my wrist, I summoned a Light Orb, casting away the suffocating shadows and illuminating the battlefield. The brilliance of the sphere caught the creatures off guard, their forms flickering as they charged toward me.
"Eclipse Blade Art: Shadow Strike!"
My blade cut through the air with a bone-shuddering cleave, slicing the first of the Shadows in half. Their forms disintegrated into tendrils of darkness as I continued my relentless assault.
"Flash Step!"
In a blur, I appeared behind a cluster of Shadows, slashing through them before they could even register my movement. As the last creature fell, I took a moment to breathe, my heart pounding. The battle had only just begun.
Wave 2: Wraiths of Despair (50 Monsters)
The ground trembled, and a chilling presence filled the air as the second wave began. The Shadows of the Abyss were mere fodder compared to these new adversaries—Wraiths of Despair, their forms elongated and ghastly, gliding with unnerving silence.
Their eyes, glowing with a pale, ghostly light, locked onto me, their presence freezing the very air.
"Second form: Gale Dance!"
I summoned a vortex of wind, my blade a blur of sharp, unrelenting slashes that ripped through the Wraiths' ethereal forms. But their attacks were swift. One clawed at my arm, and I winced as pain surged through me.
I gritted my teeth. "I won't fall so easily."
I activated Nature's Embrace, feeling the soothing warmth of regeneration take hold, mending my wounds as I shifted tactics.
"Astral Mirage Clones!"
With a snap of my fingers, three identical figures appeared beside me, their movements synchronized with mine, spreading across the arena to confuse the Wraiths. While they were distracted, I picked them off one by one.
The last Wraith staggered and fell, its form dissolving into mist.
Wave 3: Beasts of the Night (30 Monsters)
The ground shook again, but this time, the earth split open, giving birth to hulking creatures—Beasts of the Night. Towering, savage, with glowing red eyes and claws that could tear through stone.
My heart raced. These beasts were no joke.
I didn't hesitate. "Radiant Nova!"
A blinding orb of pure light exploded outward, flooding the battlefield and temporarily blinding the Beasts. I took advantage of their disorientation, darting in with Flash Step, delivering precise strikes with my blade.
But these creatures were relentless, one landing a brutal blow that sent me crashing to the ground.
I gritted my teeth, clutching my chest where the wound burned. "Not today."
Quickly, I consumed a healing potion, feeling the warmth spread through me as my wounds closed.
I stood tall again, the Beasts' screeches in the air. "You've got some fight in you."
Mind Acceleration heightened my senses, allowing me to move with near-inhuman speed.
"Eclipse Blade Art: Gale Dance!"
With graceful fury, I cut through the Beasts, each strike a seamless blur, until the last of them fell, its body collapsing into the earth.
Wave 4: Shadows of the Forgotten (20 Monsters)
The arena grew colder, and the shadows lengthened as Shadows of the Forgotten appeared. These monsters melded into the very darkness around them, their bodies flickering like ephemeral wraiths.
"Echo of Oblivion!" I activated the skill, sending a wave of energy that rebounded a dark energy spell back at its caster, staggering it.
"Eclipse Blade Art: Gale Dance!"
I moved like a specter through the shadows, my strikes finding their mark despite their elusive nature. But these creatures were quick and cunning. One managed to land a blow, cutting deep into my side.
Pain flared, but I quickly consumed another healing potion, feeling the familiar warmth surge through me.
"Not today," I whispered, summoning Astral Mirage Clones once more. The clones distracted the remaining Shadows, allowing me to finish them off with swift, deadly strikes.
Wave 5: Night Stalkers (10 Monsters)
Night Stalkers—shadowy, teleporting predators with eyes that gleamed with malice—appeared in a burst of darkness. They flickered between dimensions, striking from unpredictable angles.
I summoned Light Beam, the concentrated beam of light striking the nearest Night Stalker and sending it screeching back. But the others closed in on me, relentless.
"Mind Acceleration!"
My senses sharpened, and I dodged their strikes with ease, anticipating their every move. But their movements were too erratic.
"Radiant Nova!"
The orb exploded in a flash of light, disorienting the Stalkers and giving me the chance to strike. I cut down the first few, but one managed to land a blow, slashing across my chest.
I activated Nature's Embrace, healing my wounds once again, then finished off the last Stalker with a precise Eclipse Blade Art: Phantom Edge.
Wave 6: Dread Wraiths (5 Monsters)
The final wave before the boss—the Dread Wraiths—towered above me, their forms cloaked in the deepest shadows. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural malevolence, their presence sucking the warmth from the air.
"Echo of Oblivion!" I activated the skill, sending their dark magic back at them, momentarily disorienting them.
"Eclipse Blade Art: Shadow Strike!"
I struck with precision, but their combined assault nearly overwhelmed me. One of the Wraiths drained my mana with its dark energy.
I quickly consumed a mana potion, replenishing my strength.
With one final, decisive Radiant Nova, I obliterated the last of the Dread Wraiths, feeling the arena tremble as their shadows faded into the ether.
Wave 7: The Shadow Lord (1 Boss Monster)
The final challenge emerged—a Shadow Lord, a towering figure cloaked in darkness, its presence emanating pure malice.
"You think you can defeat me?" its voice boomed, the ground shaking beneath its power. "I will consume your light."
"I don't think," I replied, my voice steady as I gripped my sword. "I know."
"Eclipse Blade Art: Phantom Edge!"
I charged, my blade glowing with power, but the Shadow Lord countered with a massive wave of dark energy that sent me reeling.
"Mind Acceleration!"
I dodged its next attack, using Light Beam to strike its chest. It roared in anger, summoning dark minions to fight for it.
"Radiant Nova!"
The orb of light exploded, blinding the minions and weakening the Shadow Lord.
With one final push, I summoned my Astral Mirage Clones, distracting the Lord long enough to strike with Eclipse Blade Art: Gale Dance, my strikes landing one after another.
But the Shadow Lord wasn't finished. It summoned a final, desperate attack—a massive wave of darkness aimed directly at me.
I braced myself, activating Aura of Purity, my blade glowing with divine light as I met the attack head-on. The force of the blow was immense, but I held my ground, the power of the Divine Dragon surging through me.
With a final roar, I struck down the Shadow Lord, its dark form dissolving into nothingness.
The arena fell silent.
"You have passed the Trial of Strength," the radiant being declared, its voice warm with approval. "You are worthy of the power that awaits you."