The party rested after the sub-boss fight, torches flickering against stone walls slick with moisture. The samurai sharpened his blade. The hoplite polished his shield. The priestess whispered prayers to mend wounds.
Ethan sat on a broken statue head, idly twirling his cheap katana like a pen in his hand.
The rogue glared at him. "You're not normal. You called the weak point before anyone saw it. Don't play dumb."
Ethan smiled lazily. "Maybe I've just got good instincts. Or maybe your boss monster was coded by an intern."
The samurai frowned at the word "coded." The priestess tilted her head. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing," Ethan said quickly.
The bronze gates groaned open again, revealing a corridor spiraling downward. A cold draft carried the stench of iron.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: FLOOR 5 – TRIAL OF SEPARATION]
[WARNING: PARTY DISBANDED – EACH CHALLENGER MUST PROVE THEIR WORTH ALONE]
The floor split beneath them. Bridges of light carried each member to different chambers. Ethan landed hard, alone, dust choking his lungs.
"Ah… here it is," he muttered, standing. "The forced solo trial. Classic narrative structure."
The chamber around him shimmered into a labyrinth of mirrors. Countless reflections stared back—each Ethan holding his katana differently, smirking with variations of cruelty, despair, or arrogance.
Then, the mirrors stepped forward.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: ENEMIES SPAWNED – REFLECTION OF THE SELF]
The first doppelgänger lunged, blade flashing. Ethan barely parried, the impact rattling his bones. His katana felt clumsy compared to theirs his reflections moved like perfected versions of him.
He stumbled, panting. "So this is the catch… they're me, but stronger."
For the first time since arriving in the labyrinth, panic crept in.
But then—words flashed.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: TITLE ACQUISITION CONDITION DETECTED]
[SYSTEM PROMPT: DO YOU WISH TO WRITE YOUR OWN PATH?]
Ethan tightened his grip, teeth gritted. "Write my own path… huh? Yeah. Screw the script."
He ducked under the reflection's strike, rolling across the floor. Instead of clashing head-on, he slashed low messy, unscripted, but effective. His reflection staggered, surprised.
Ethan grinned. "You fight like a polished character. I fight like an author with deadlines."
He struck again, each move unconventional, chaotic throwing pebbles to distract, using his scabbard as a shield, even headbutting once. Slowly, one reflection after another shattered.
When the last broke into shards of glass, the chamber glowed gold.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: TITLE UNLOCKED – THE LONE QUILL]
[EFFECT: You may bend fate's script slightly. Luck improves in solo battles. Gods begin to notice irregularity.]
The labyrinth shook. A booming voice echoed in his head, ancient and amused.
"One who writes his own line in our story… interesting."
Ethan wiped sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. His katana faintly shimmered not stronger yet, but no longer just a useless blade.
He smirked at the shards of his reflections. "Guess I'm officially the background character who didn't die."