Chapter- 16 (the locked trial)
The chapter opens in chaos — not the loud, triumphant chaos of battle drums and marching boots…
…but the suffocating chaos of a world already half-burned.
Smoke choked the heavens.
Not the thin grey strands of a distant fire — no — this was thick, suffocating, apocalyptic smoke. It swallowed the sky whole, turning daylight into a dying twilight. Ash fell like black snow, coating leaves, soil… and flesh alike.
A low growl rumbled somewhere close.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Draven's eyes snapped open.
For a moment, his vision refused to focus — the world was a blur of orange flames and black silhouettes. His ears rang violently, like bells tolling inside his skull.
He tried to move.
Pain answered first.
A sharp, electric agony shot through his ribs, forcing a ragged breath out of him. His body felt heavy… drained… as if something had feasted on his very life force.
"…Tch…"
He forced himself upright.
He was on a hill.
Not just any hill — one overlooking the battlefield below.
And what he saw…
Made his breath stop.
The forest was burning.
Entire sections of the Green Zone had turned into blazing infernos. Ancient trees collapsed like dying giants, flames devouring their centuries-old bodies in seconds.
Below the hill —
War.
Not a skirmish.
A slaughter.
Knights.
Hundreds…
No…
Thousands.
Armored cavalry units surged like an iron tide, their warhorses trampling everything beneath them.
Spears thrust forward in unison. Banners of the Eastern Empire fluttered behind them, proud and merciless.
And opposing them…
Beasts.
Draven's beasts.
Creatures of the forest — wolves, horned boars, mana serpents, shadow spiders, mutated crows — all fighting desperately.
And dying.
One by one.
A raven familiar was pierced mid-air by three arrows.
A mana wolf had its skull split open by a knight's greatsword.
A heart-bind centipede was crushed under galloping hooves, its screech cut short.
Draven's breath trembled.
Beside him —
A massive body lay collapsed.
Demon Tyrant.
The monstrous summon that once radiated terror…
Now lay wounded.
Blue demonic armor cracked.
One wing torn.
Its chest rising faintly — barely alive.
Draven's hand slowly clenched.
"…No…"
Below —
A beast he recognized — one that had followed him since the early days — leapt at a knight to protect another wounded creature…
And was impaled mid-air.
A tear slid down Draven's cheek.
He didn't even notice it.
He slapped himself.
Hard.
The sound cracked through the smoke-filled air.
"…I was too careless."
His voice was hoarse… raw.
"After escaping that world… I thought I was safe…"
Another explosion echoed below as magic artillery struck the forest line.
"I switched from survival… to enjoyment."
His nails dug into his palm, drawing blood.
"I got comfortable."
His eyes slowly ignited with killing intent so dense it felt tangible.
"…I won't let this slide."
He activated the System.
Or tried to.
A flickering blue panel glitched into existence before his eyes.
Then distorted.
Then cracked like broken glass.
[ SYSTEM LOCKED ]
He frowned.
Another panel forced itself open.
[ Host must face this trial alone ]
[ External assistance restricted ]
[ System functions limited ]
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
He tried accessing abilities.
Elemental Control — 10%
Familiar Command — Restricted
Skill Amplification — Locked
His smirk slowly returned.
"…So that's how it is."
A thought crossed his mind.
Run.
Escape deeper into the Red Zone.
Rebuild later.
Strategically… it made sense.
But then —
Another beast died below.
A raven familiar dove straight into a knight's face, clawing his eyes out before being crushed by a gauntleted fist.
They were fighting…
For him.
Protecting his territory.
Buying time for him.
The thought of running…
Disgusted him.
He dismissed it instantly.
He stood.
Slowly.
His body screamed in protest, but he ignored it.
He tore the shredded remains of his cloak.
Wrapped the cloth around his fists.
Improvised gauntlets.
He opened his inventory.
Two swords materialized — simple, standard blades.
Nothing legendary.
Nothing enhanced.
Just steel.
"Fine."
He rolled his shoulders, wincing.
"If it's raw strength you want…"
His eyes sharpened.
"…Then raw strength it is."
He jumped.
Straight off the hill.
Wind howled past him as he descended.
For a brief second, he used the remaining 10% of his elemental power to slow his fall.
Then —
He crashed into the battlefield.
Hard.
The ground cracked beneath his landing.
Nearby knights froze for a split second.
A blood-covered man…
Arrows already lodged in his back…
Stepping out of a dust crater…
Smiling.
Draven moved first.
A blur.
His first sword decapitated a knight mid-charge.
Second blade pierced another through the throat.
He didn't stop moving.
He couldn't afford to.
Spears lunged.
He twisted — one grazed his ribs.
He grabbed the shaft, yanked the knight off his horse, and drove the spear back through the man's visor.
Blood sprayed across his face.
He laughed.
Not joyfully.
Madly.
He fought like a storm.
No elegance.
No technique.
Just brutality.
He used fallen weapons.
Snapped necks.
Stabbed through armor gaps.
He took hits —
An arrow struck his shoulder.
Another pierced his thigh.
A sword slashed across his back.
He didn't slow down.
Didn't even flinch.
He ripped the arrow out mid-combat and stabbed its owner with it.
A notification flickered weakly.
[ System Lock Intensifying ]
Then —
Darkness swallowed the panels entirely.
[ All abilities sealed ]
[ Magic disabled ]
[ Skills disabled ]
Only one thing remained.
Raw physical strength.
Human.
Mortal.
Limited.
Draven spat blood.
"…Even better."
Time blurred.
Minutes felt like hours.
Bodies piled around him.
Knights.
Horses.
Beasts.
Mud turned into a swamp of blood.
Despite being alone…
He carved through them.
160 knights fell by his hands.
But exhaustion crept in.
Spears stabbed deeper now.
Arrows stuck in his back like thorns.
One spear pierced straight through his chest — missing the heart by inches.
He coughed blood…
And laughed again.
Still standing.
Still fighting.
Then —
The battlefield shifted.
Knights parted.
A path formed.
Heavy hoofsteps echoed.
A warhorse clad in black iron armor stepped forward, aura radiating like heatwaves.
Atop it —
Samuel.
Knight General from the Eastern Empire.
From his perspective…
The scene was unreal.
A man stood surrounded by thousands of elite cavalry.
Body shredded.
Arrows embedded deep.
A spear lodged in his chest.
Blood pouring endlessly from his mouth…
Yet smiling.
Laughing.
Fighting.
Like a demon wearing human skin.
Samuel's blue aura flared instinctively.
"…So this is the calamity."
Draven noticed him immediately.
Their eyes met across the battlefield.
Predator to predator.
Draven slowly pushed a corpse off his sword.
Staggered forward a step.
Then another.
He pointed his blade at Samuel.
Voice hoarse.
Mocking.
"…What's the case… warrior…"
He spat blood to the side.
"I can see something leaking within you…"
He grinned wider — feral, broken.
"Its…"
A cough wracked his body.
More blood spilled down his chin.
But his eyes burned brighter.
"…fear."
Silence fell briefly across the battlefield.
Even the knights hesitated.
Samuel's grip on his sword tightened.
Not out of fear…
But recognition.
This was no ordinary enemy.
This was a man who had already decided to die…
And was dragging everyone else with him.
Samuel dismounted slowly.
His aura surged, cracking the ground beneath his boots.
"Then come," he said coldly.
"Show me the fear you speak of."
Draven rolled his neck, bones cracking.
"Gladly."
And the two charged.
Collision was inevitable.
Steel met steel.
The shockwave alone knocked nearby soldiers off their feet.
Draven was weaker.
Injured.
Exhausted.
System-sealed.
Yet his blows carried monstrous killing intent.
Samuel parried — but slid back half a step.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Insane."
Draven laughed mid-clash.
Swords rang again.
And again.
Every strike tore Draven's wounds wider.
But he didn't stop.
Didn't retreat.
Didn't defend properly.
He only attacked.
Like a beast cornered at the edge of extinction.
Behind them —
The battlefield still burned.
Beasts still fought.
Ravens still fell from the sky.
And atop the distant hill…
Demon Tyrant's eye slowly flickered open.
Watching.
Waiting.
As if this battle…
Was only the beginning of something far more catastrophic.
End of Chapter — The Locked Trial Begins