Endless ascent

As Tamer walked toward the second trial, the layout was exactly the same as the first—pure darkness. But even so, he could feel something was a bit off about this particular space. Still, he shrugged it off and wanted to start the trial and be done with it.

As he was wondering when the trial would begin, he heard three voices echoing through the distant space. Murmuring to himself, he said, "What the hell is that?"

The voices drew closer, growing louder and louder until they finally revealed themselves—three massive figures circling around him.

Tamer froze at their presence. He couldn't utter a single word while being towered over by these mysterious beings.

One spoke its name… then another… and another—like a lyrical competition.

The first judge called himself Mynos, holding the title "The One Who Holds the Scale."

Mynos was a tall and regal figure, cloaked in flowing robes of white and gold. His face was half-covered by a porcelain mask shaped like a balance scale. One of his eyes constantly glowed—a golden pupil that never blinked, as if he were staring into Tamer's soul.

"CONGRATULATIONS FOR PASSING THE FIRST TRIAL, CANDIDATE,"

Mynos spoke with a calm, patient tone—yet his presence was suffocating, like the silence before a sentence is passed.

"Uhh… well, thank you," Tamer replied.

"YOU ARE A PECULIAR ONE, HUMAN,"

Mynos said, staring intently at Tamer.

"HUMANS, ELVES, DWARVES, AND EVERY OTHER POWERFUL SPECIES HAVE TREMBLED BEFORE MY PRESENCE. IT IS… QUITE REFRESHING TO WITNESS ONE WHO SHOWS SUCH WILLPOWER."

Mynos's intense stare shifted, a subtle expression of acceptance.

The second judge, Rhadan, interrupted the exchange between Mynos and Tamer.

"Brother Mynos, we must begin the trial,"

Rhadan said.

Rhadan was a towering warrior, a judge clad in armor cracked with glowing silver runes. His helmet was sculpted like a wolf's head, with no visible face beneath it. His hands were wrapped in chains—some broken, some still intact. His voice was loud and harsh, cutting through the silence like a blade.

Tamer, ready to begin, asked,

"What will the trial be?"

Suddenly, the endless void shifted into a dense forest filled with floating runes and ancient energy.

"This is Sylvarien Grove," Rhadan said.

"A forest of endless danger. You shall pass my trial if you kill 1,000 infested monsters."

Tamer was stunned. He remembered the voice from earlier saying that physical strength wasn't a major requirement for the trials.

"A thousand monsters? That seems like a bit much," he muttered, confused.

"You have 10 days,"

Rhadan said, before teleporting them both to the entrance of the forest.

"How is this supposed to test my willpower?"

Tamer asked, shaking his head.

As Rhadan faded away, his voice echoed:

"That is for you to figure out."

"Wow, thanks for that amazing answer," Tamer said sarcastically.

Turning to face the huge forest, Tamer tried to stay optimistic. The dense canopy above blocked most of the light, and the forest gave off an aura of ancient hostility.

"Would they really give me an impossible trial?" he asked himself.

"That wouldn't make any sense…"

Upon entering, he realized just how massive the forest was—the trees towered as if they'd been growing since the beginning of time.

The deeper he walked, the more it felt like he was approaching his own end.

Still trying to stay hopeful, he muttered,

"This isn't so ba—"

He was suddenly interrupted by the blaring of trumpets, loud and unending.

"Wh… What the hell is that?"

Tamer flinched, unsettled. The trumpet sounds only grew louder.

"F…uck! Why won't it stop?! It's hurting my ears!"

He winced in pain, covering his ears. Then it hit him—

"Wait… I can block the sound using aura!"

Focusing his energy, Tamer channeled his aura to his ears to dull the deafening noise.

"Awesome, it worked."

But just as he started to regain control, the trumpets suddenly stopped.

Instead of relief, the sudden silence made his skin crawl.

His instincts screamed at him—and for good reason.

From between the trees, a massive horde of monsters began swarming toward him.

"Sh...shit".