The air cracked like thunder.
No warning. No dream. No waking. Just silence, then a flash—
—and I was standing in an endless void.
The floor beneath me shimmered like broken glass reflecting a starless sky. Above me? Nothing. Only a dim red glow pulsing faintly in the distance.
Then the system appeared, its text glowing in pale blue light:
---
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
> New Quest Initiated: Trial of the Forgotten Blade
Objective: Survive and synchronize with inherited energy.
Area: Dimensional Space — Isolated Trial Ground.
Reward: Ability Unlock (???).
Penalty: Soul Erasure.
---
"Great," I muttered. "Death or more death. Classic."
I took a cautious step forward. The ground responded—rippling like water, yet solid underfoot. I could feel energy flowing beneath, alive, almost breathing.
Then, out of nowhere, a whisper brushed my ear:
> "Prove you are worthy of the Nightreign name."
I turned instantly, seeing nothing. My hearing ability expanded instinctively—every pulse of the void echoing like ripples in water. The space itself seemed to hum in response to my presence.
"Alright," I said under my breath. "If this is another of your tests, then let's start with what I know."
---
I closed my eyes and activated my seeing ability.
Instantly, the world bloomed in outlines—energy patterns instead of light, like I was staring through layers of x-rays. Everything within 800 meters flared alive, glowing faintly. The ground, the walls of air, the pulsing source of light—all mapped perfectly in my mind.
But after a few seconds, pain stabbed behind my eyes. The vision started flickering.
"Still not stable…" I groaned, cutting it off.
Next, I raised my hand and focused.
The solid glass floor beneath me softened, bending under my palm like molten rubber. The system reacted with a quiet chime.
---
[System Notice]
> Material Manipulation Detected.
Classification: Unregistered Ability.
Efficiency: 57%.
Duration: 13 seconds.
---
"Fifty-seven percent, huh?" I chuckled. "Guess I'm still half useless."
As the surface hardened again, I clenched my fists. The air thickened—the void pulsing with red light again. My skin began to heat up.
Rage Mode.
It wasn't something I could control easily—it came like a wave, tearing through my veins like fire. The system flickered again.
---
[System Alert]
> Ability Detected: Rage State – Primitive Berserk Form
Strength Increased by 230%
Duration: 42 seconds.
Side Effect: Mana exhaustion.
---
My body trembled, not from fear—but from energy. Every movement felt sharp, faster, heavier. I could feel my heartbeat echo in the empty void.
"Alright, let's test you properly."
The red glow ahead condensed into a humanoid figure—shaped from fire and shadow, holding a broken blade. Its voice crawled across the space like thunder.
> "Unworthy spawn… you dare call yourself a Nightreign?"
It moved before I could even blink. I ducked, barely avoiding its blade as it hissed past my face. The impact shattered the ground.
"Fast!" I hissed, jumping back, using my hearing to predict its next movement. Each swing sent waves through the air—I could sense them like ripples in water.
It came again, but this time, I moved first.
My arm slammed into its chest, my body burning with rage-enhanced strength. The entity staggered back a step.
> "You've inherited more than you know," it said.
"But not enough."
It vanished—reappearing behind me—and struck. I countered, twisting the ground into rubber just as the sword landed, absorbing the blow. The reflection of the attack exploded in a wave of energy.
I fell, breathing hard, feeling my rage fade. The world blurred. The entity raised its sword—about to end me.
And then—
BOOM.
My shadow moved on its own.
Black tendrils erupted from beneath me, wrapping around the entity and pulling it down into the void. Its scream echoed for miles before silence swallowed everything again.
The system flared one last time.
---
[SYSTEM QUEST COMPLETE]
> Reward Acquired: Inherited Will — Shadow Dominion (Lv. 1)
Description: Grants partial command over darkness and living shadows.
Caution: Synchronization unstable. Overuse may result in loss of control.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on the floor of my room—sweating, gasping, but alive.
The air around me felt heavier, denser. My own shadow… moved faintly on its own.
"Shadow Dominion…" I whispered, smiling faintly. "Looks like I passed the test."
Then a faint, hollow whisper echoed in my mind—same voice from before:
> "This is only the beginning, Selgor."
And just like that, the system faded, leaving me staring into the quiet dark.