Jinu had barely caught his breath from the earlier tests when the portal shimmered again. This time, the view beyond was different: a dim, foggy cavern stretching farther than his eyes could reach. The air was damp, cold, and carried a faint, metallic scent.
[System Notification 005: Trial Level – Novice Advancement. Rank remains Novice-001. Core Energy: minimal. Objective: Navigate and survive the training cavern.]
Jinu swallowed hard. Survive…? He had only lifted a floating block and sent a tiny wisp disappearing. How was he supposed to survive this?
The floor beneath his feet was uneven, slick with moisture. Shadows danced across jagged rocks, and the echo of unseen creatures made his skin prickle.
A low growl resonated from the darkness. A pair of glowing eyes appeared—small, hunched creatures, teeth glinting. They were still weak, far from the terrifying monsters he would face later, but faster and sharper than anything in the training yard.
[Trial Engagement: Neutralize threats. Minimal Core usage recommended.]
Jinu's heart pounded. His Core trembled in his chest. He raised his hand instinctively, and a tiny surge of energy shot forward. The creatures yelped, staggered, and then vanished in sparks of light.
Step by step, Jinu learned to move, attack, and defend. Each small success increased his Core's energy slightly, and with every failed attempt, the system "paused" the trial just long enough for him to gather himself.By the time he reached the cavern's exit, he was soaked in sweat, his chest heaving, but a spark of confidence burned inside him. He had survived—not gloriously, but he had survived.
[System Notification 006: Novice Advancement Complete. Core Energy +50. Suggested progression: Small-scale combat training recommended.]
Jinu stepped out of the training simulation and blinked against the sunlight. For a moment, he wanted nothing more than to rest, to leave the system and its trials behind. He trudged home, the weight of fatigue pressing on him, but his mind drifted to his family.
His younger sister, Mei, was sprawled on the floor, drawing in a worn notebook, humming softly. His mother sat in the corner, coughing lightly, wrapped in a thin blanket. Life had never been easy, and every day was a reminder of how little they had.
"Jinu… you've been acting strange since last night," Mei said, tilting her head.
He forced a small smile. "Just tired, that's all."
A soft ping echoed in his mind—the system's latest notification—but it was still just a blank, featureless space in front of him. His heart twisted with the thought: Maybe they can see it? Maybe Mei can see what's happening.
"Mei… can you see this?" he asked quietly, pointing toward the nothingness.
She blinked, puzzled. "See what? Jinu… you're really tired. Go to sleep. You're imagining things again."
Jinu exhaled slowly. Of course she couldn't see it. No one could. The trials, the Core, the system—it was all his burden alone.
He rubbed his eyes and straightened his back. The next trial awaited. And now he understood fully: he was completely alone in this, and only he could survive it.