When Ankit opened his eyes, he wasn't in the forest anymore.
He stood on a barren stone bridge that stretched endlessly in both directions, suspended in a void of crimson light. Above him, fire rained from a broken sky. Below, shadows slithered like ink across glass.
There was no wind, no sound—only tension, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Then, the system spoke:
[Floor 2 – Double Trial Initiated]
Trial Type: Dual Domain Test – Elemental Confrontation
Domains Activated: Shadow / Fire
Required Condition: Survive both domains and synchronize with your bloodline fragment.
Bonus Objective: Defeat Domain Guardians within the time limit (30 minutes).
Reward Tier: Variable (Based on performance)
"Two trials at once?" Ankit muttered, hand tightening around his talwar.
Just then, the world split before him.
To his left, the bridge twisted into a land of shadows—twisted trees, black soil, beasts without forms that whispered his name.
To his right, the path ignited into a burning valley of molten rock, flames roaring through the air as fire-elemental monsters prowled the magma fields.
[Choose your starting domain – Shadow or Fire.]
He didn't hesitate.
"Shadow," he said. "Let's finish what I started."
Shadow Domain
The moment he stepped in, cold air swept over him. The terrain turned murky, surreal—his own footsteps echoed in reverse. Above, a full black moon hovered like an eye.
From the mists emerged the guardian.
A shadow beast, twice the size of a tiger, with glowing violet cracks along its body. It didn't roar—it exhaled fear.
The system chimed:
[Shadow Guardian – Named Beast: Var'hul, the Echo-Eater]
Combat Rank: C
Special Traits: Fear Aura / Blink / Memory Disruption
Bloodline Affinity: 72% Match Detected
Reward (Optional): Shadow Technique Scroll (Uncommon)
Var'hul blinked—
—and vanished.
Ankit moved immediately, trusting instinct.
He ducked.
The beast's claws missed his head by inches, tearing stone.
"Too slow," he whispered—and spun, slashing with his talwar.
He clipped Var'hul's flank, black mist spraying like blood.
[Effective Strike – Shadow Creature Damaged]
Soul Weapon Sync: +4%
Shadow Link Proficiency: +5%
Shadow Suppression Resistance: Gained
Var'hul snarled and disappeared again.
You're not just physical, Ankit realized. You're part illusion.
He closed his eyes for one heartbeat—then opened his mana sense.
Suddenly, the world lit up with traces of corrupted mana.
A pulse behind him.
Ankit turned and threw his talwar.
The blade spun through the air and struck Var'hul as it reappeared mid-leap.
The beast screamed.
The shadow around Ankit trembled.
He dashed forward, calling his weapon back mid-air—a flicker of Soul Weapon Sync now reaching 90%.
With a surge of momentum, he performed a leaping slash, cutting across the beast's spine.
Var'hul collapsed into mist, howling in rage—then faded.
[Shadow Domain Complete]
Reward: Shadow Link – Stage 2 Unlocked
Bonus: Shadow Step (Movement Skill – Uncommon)
Soul Weapon Sync: 92%
Bloodline Affinity with Shadow Increased
Ankit stood, panting lightly, as the bridge beneath him twisted again.
The flames rose on the other side.
Time for fire.
Fire Domain
If the Shadow Domain was cold fear, the Fire Domain was raw fury.
Heat smashed into him like a wall. The ground was jagged obsidian. Firestorms danced along volcanic ridges. Mana flowed here like molten steel—alive, aggressive.
From the lava rose a giant—a molten humanoid, with eyes like twin suns and a hammer formed from hardened magma.
The system blared:
[Fire Guardian – Named Construct: Ka'Dor, the Ember-Forged]
Combat Rank: C+
Elemental Trait: Flame Surge / Area Burn / Armor Melt
Bloodline Affinity: 4% – Opposed
Trial Mode: Extreme
Reward: Inferno Core / Stat Boost Item (Rare)
Ka'Dor pounded its chest.
The entire domain shook.
Ankit narrowed his eyes.
"This one… won't be easy."
He charged forward.
Ka'Dor reacted immediately. It slammed its hammer, and a wave of fire exploded outward.
Ankit dodged to the left, rolling across burning stone, talwar hissing from the heat.
[HP: -3]
[Status: Singed – Minor Burn]
[Shadow Link Unstable in Fire Domain]
The shadows around his blade flickered, struggling to survive in the fire.
Of course, Ankit thought grimly. Fire burns shadows.
He needed to be faster. Smarter.
He baited the hammer again—this time, when Ka'Dor raised it, Ankit ran under its arm and slashed toward the core glowing in its chest.
The talwar struck—but didn't pierce.
Too hard.
Then, he remembered the Shadow Step.
He activated it.
[Shadow Step Activated – Short Dash]
Energy Cost: Moderate
Cooldown: 10 sec
He vanished and reappeared behind Ka'Dor—this time leaping upward and slashing at the guardian's neck joint, where lava cooled into stone.
CRACK!
The guardian roared.
He was making progress.
It became a dance of fire and steel.
Ka'Dor's swings were mighty, but slow.
Ankit became a blur—dodging, dashing, cutting, bleeding.
Finally, after minutes of battle, he struck the neck joint again—this time with a full-body spin and bloodline power infused into his blade.
SLASH!
Ka'Dor's head cracked open.
Lava sprayed—
Then the guardian fell.
[Fire Domain Complete]
Reward: Inferno Core (Rare) – +5 to Strength
Bonus: Fire Resistance (Temporary – 12 hrs)
Soul Weapon Sync: 100%
Soul Weapon Evolution: Triggered
Companion Status: Online
Shadow Link: Stage 2 Maintained
The bridge returned.
Both domains had been conquered.
And in his hand, the talwar now shimmered—its blade was no longer simple steel, but a hybrid of shadow-imbued alloy, glowing faintly with fire scars and whispering mana.
The spirit behind it stepped forward from the void, revealing itself:
A warrior spirit, eyes cloaked in shadow, body wrapped in ancient serpent-scale armor, hovering behind Ankit like a guardian phantom.
[Soul Weapon – Evolution Complete]
Name: Talwar of the Bound Echo
Form: Semi-Sentient (Companion – Dormant)
Passive Trait: Weapon Sync Bonus +15%
Active Trait: Echo Slash (Shadow Type – Cooldown: 30s)
Companion Link: Unlocked
Next Milestone: Tower Floor 5 – Full Awakening Trial
Ankit stood at the end of the trial bridge, talwar resting against his shoulder, the wind of a new world blowing across his face.
He had survived fire and shadow.
Now, it was time to ascend higher.
End of Chapter 5