My spirit awakened from the immense effort I had exerted, and the intensity of the battle still surged within me like a storm. I looked at the key in my hand, feeling its weight as if it bore the burden of an entire world. The next door stood before me, but it appeared different, strangely distorted, as if the place beyond it did not belong to this world. The shadows dancing around it indicated that the path ahead would not be easy.
But I was not here to wait for opportunities. The next step was clear—to open the gate.
I reached for the handle and turned the key steadily. But as soon as the key touched the door, something unexpected happened. The ground around me trembled, and a strange energy emanated from the door, mixing with the shadows swirling in the air. These were not ordinary shadows; they were alive, breathing, moving as if they were sentient beings observing me.
Before I could comprehend what was happening, light exploded from within the door, and in a fleeting moment, everything changed.
Passing through the gate felt like falling into an endless abyss. My body swung in the void, but I felt a force moving through me, as if an unknown energy was absorbing and transforming me. The speed of my transformation was astonishing, and my mind scrambled to understand what was happening.
Finally, the fall ceased. I found myself in a dark place, where nothing existed except shadows moving as if they were living entities. The air was heavy, saturated with a powerful, inexplicable presence.
Suddenly, a new notification appeared before me:
[Warning! You have entered the "Shadow World" — High-risk level! Use your powers with caution.]
My heart raced. "Shadow World"? What did that mean? Was this part of the trial the Guardian had prepared for me? I had no time to answer my questions, as a strange sound interrupted my thoughts.
Appearance of the Shadow Creatures
Before my eyes, shadows rapidly coalesced into human-like forms, as if creating beings from the darkness itself. They moved with incredible speed, their eyes glowing a deep red, their bodies distorted as if oscillating between life and death.
There were many of them. More than I could fight at once.
Moments of tension swept over me, but I recalled my new ability—"Accelerated Pulse." This was the time to use it.
Using Accelerated Pulse
I vanished from the sight of the shadow creatures in an instant, then moved with astonishing speed among the shadows swirling around me. Everything in this world was strange, yet it offered me a chance to strike from within the shadows themselves. I moved as if I were part of this place, swiftly and lightly, slipping from one shadow to another.
The closer I got to the shadow creatures, the faster I became. I disappeared into the shadows and reappeared elsewhere, each time landing strikes before they knew what happened. With each blow, I absorbed more energy from the shadows I touched.
But the shadow creatures were not as weak as I had anticipated. Some resisted, retreating into the shadows only to launch more violent attacks. The battle intensified, but I was mastering the use of my abilities.
Transition to the Final Battle
As I fought, I began to notice a leader among the shadow creatures. It was taller and stronger, controlling the shadows around it. I realized that defeating it would be key to survival.
I moved swiftly, vanishing among the shadows, until I reached the spot where the leader stood. I sensed its strange heartbeat in the air and discovered that it couldn't be attacked directly as I had with the others. It possessed a shield of shadows, impenetrable unless I launched a combined attack.
I accelerated my plan. In an instant, I disappeared into the shadows and approached it from the opposite side. As in the previous battle, I utilized the momentum from my carefully aimed strikes and directed my sword toward its heart.
I succeeded.
The leader collapsed, and the shadows around it dissipated. The other shadow creatures vanished with it, leaving the world around me to gradually calm.
Rewards and Progress
A new notification appeared before me:
[Congratulations! You have defeated the "Shadow Leader."]
[Rewards Obtained:]
• +100 Energy Points
• New Ability: "Accelerated Pulse" (Allows you to greatly increase your speed for a short period, enabling rapid movement and attacks.)
• New Key: "Shadow Key" (Opens the next gate.)
I took the key in my hand, feeling a strange sense of pride.
Something inside me can't wait for the next step