Suddenly, my vision blurred as I felt an invisible force yanking me forward.
The entire world began to distort and ripple, like a solid solution dissolving into water.
Rush!
When my vision finally cleared, I had to rub my eyes and pinch my cheek, convinced I was trapped in a fever dream.
I was standing in the middle of an ocean—an endless, vast, and perfectly still surface of water expanding beyond the horizon.
There was no land in sight. Even more surreal was the fact that I was standing on the water.
'What the—!?'
There was no sun, yet the entire realm was bathed in a brilliant light emanating from beyond the horizon.
Strangely, despite the brightness, there was no reflection on the water's surface.
I shook my head, snapping myself out of the daze to inspect the area. There was nothing but water. But I had an idea of what this place was.
I frowned.
'A soul sea.'
It was a sea of consciousness, the purest I had ever seen.
That should have been impossible; no living soul could possess a sea this vast and pristine, which led me to believe this was an artificial space.
'Damn it!' I cursed inwardly.
I had entered artificial spaces before—that was how my master used to train me. Although physical damage here doesn't translate to reality, if your soul is destroyed in this place, you become a Hollow. A living shell.
[Commencing trial...]
A mechanical voice resonated through the vast emptiness.
I took a deep breath to steady my racing heart. The situation was sudden, but I had been trained to keep my cool and adapt.
'Okay, a trial... could this be...'
I had heard rumors that S-rank artifacts choose their owners by forcing them through trials of worthiness.
But they were just stories. Only a handful of those artifacts existed, and their owners never confirmed the tales.
'Could that staff really be an S-rank...!'
My heart hammered in anticipation, but I forced myself to stay grounded.
'Can it solve my problem?' There was only one way to find out.
The risk was astronomical, but entering an artificial space meant I had stumbled upon something legendary. The voice spoke of a trial: pass and win the prize, fail and lose my life.
That was nothing new to me. Every hunter risks their life for a living. I was no different. Opportunities like this were rare, and I was lucky to even be here.
It might be exactly what I'm looking for.
Shortly after the announcement, a staff, identical to the one I'd seen in the hall, emerged from the water.
It was a black rod etched with unusual, glowing engravings. Runes.
[Beginning in Five...]
I hurried to the staff and snatched it up; at least the trial was providing me with the tools.
[Four... Three...]
I steadied my breathing, waiting for the impact.
[Two...]
Here we go.
[One.]
Suddenly, the water beneath my feet vanished. I plummeted.
'What!?'
I didn't understand. This was a completely new experience.
I tried to thrash, to move my limbs, but my body refused to listen. I sank helplessly into the depths, a lifeless object drifting in a silent sea.
The light faded, darkness swallowed me whole, and I continued to sink until the voice returned.
[First Trial: White Korga]
The next thing I heard was a roar. A deafening, rhythmic thunder born from tens of thousands of voices braided together.
The sheer weight of the noise pressed against my skull.
"Aghh!" I gasped.
Air tore into my lungs as my body lurched forward. My knees struck hard ground, not water, but warm stone dusted with sand.
'What was that!?' I thought I was done for.
"KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!"
The high-pitched roar of a crowd snapped me back to reality.
I coughed, dragging myself upright as sensation flooded back into my limbs.
"What…?"
I looked up, stunned. I was in a living arena, vast and circular, with tiers rising to blinding heights.
Stone arches wrapped the sky like ribs. Banners of crimson and gold fluttered in a wind I couldn't feel on my skin.
Above, there was still no sun, yet light poured down as if the world itself were a spectator.
The crowd was endless. Faces blurred into a chaotic sea of motion and color, but I could feel their will.
They were thirsty for blood. And why wouldn't they be? I was standing in a colosseum.
I clenched my fingers around the black staff. Beneath my feet, the sand was stained with dark, ancient patches.
I looked around and realized I wasn't alone. Six others, men and women in the same rugged clothes as me, stood scattered nearby, clutching various "weapons."
"This is... a trial!" I muttered. I had never heard of anything like this.
A metallic chime rang out, sharp enough to silence the crowd instantly. High on a stage in the center of the stadium, a figure in royal attire gazed down upon us.
He was bulky, towering, and wore a crown that reflected the mysterious light.
Even though the colosseum was massive, the man's presence made it feel like the whole structure would melt under the oppressive weight of his gaze.
The air thick with authority, the figure finally spoke.
"Begin."
Then, all hell broke loose.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The crowd's roar tore through the sky.
Clatter!
Heavy metal doors groaned open at the edge of the arena.
"KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!"
I steadied my trembling heart and dropped into a combat stance. Only then did I realize a glaring problem.
Wait! What am I supposed to do with this staff!?
I looked at the black rod in my hands. It felt solid, but I doubted it could do any lethal damage. I glanced at the others and frowned.
They were carrying "daily essentials"—a staff, an axe, a hatchet, a knife... and a pan?
'A pan!? That guy is carrying a frying pan!?'
I blinked in disbelief. Some of those could be weapons, but from their shaky stances, I doubted they knew how to use them.
Thud!
Suddenly, the ground beneath us shook.