City lights illuminated the night, the lights of towering buildings reflecting off countless glass surfaces. People filled the sidewalks, not to walk, but to gather.
They stood still, faces lifted toward the sky with hopeful smiles, counting down the seconds to the turn of the year. Small cheers, laughter, and the sound of countdowns echoed here and there, blending with distant music.
Among the crowd, Kayen stood alone. He was not accompanied by friends, family, or anyone at all. A dark jacket covered his body, both hands tucked into his pockets. Unlike the people around him who were immersed in joy, Kayen's face looked resigned. He knew that once this night passed, he would face the greatest challenge of his life so far.
A single firework shot into the dark sky, followed by two, three, and then many more. When the countdown reached zero, countless fireworks adorned the sky. Explosions of light bloomed beautifully, illuminating the night with dazzling colors.
Children smiled happily in their parents' arms. Teenagers who already had partners hugged and kissed each other, while those who were still alone gathered the courage to confess their feelings to the person they secretly liked.
Kayen was no longer among the crowd. He was now in a park. The park was fairly quiet because everyone was on the sidewalks watching the fireworks.
Kayen looked around. Although the park was quite empty, he could see one couple being affectionate.
"*Sigh* people at my age are busy enjoying their lives, while I'm about to undergo a divine trial."
The divine trial was a test in a realm called the Divine Realm, where participants would be given a challenge in the form of a monster. If someone passed the trial by surviving or killing the monster, they would obtain a superpower called an Essence. However, if they failed to overcome the trial, they would die.
No one knew the conditions for being chosen to undergo the trial, but based on surveys that had been conducted, people selected for the trial were usually already eighteen years old, and the youngest recorded person to face a divine trial was seventeen.
"But I'm only fifteen years old! How could I possibly be chosen?"
Kayen felt that being selected to undergo the divine trial was incredibly unlucky. His entire life had been unlucky since birth, but he never expected his misfortune to reach the point of forcing him to face a divine trial earlier than normal.
The divine trials had begun fifteen years ago, exactly when Kayen was born. This made Kayen believe that his bad luck was likely caused by being born so close to the beginning of the divine trials.
Kayen let out a long breath. The sound of fireworks exploding could still be heard faintly from afar. He then sat down on a cold park bench, lowering his head to stare at the palms of his hands.
"Fifteen years old—still young, but not long from now I'll be risking my life."
Kayen did not know what his chances were of successfully completing the divine trial, but what he did know was that the divine trial was extremely dangerous. Based on government data, only 3% of those who underwent the divine trial succeeded.
"*Sigh* just thinking about that 3% already makes me fairly certain of my death… Well, leaving this world isn't so bad either. At least I might be able to meet my parents."
Kayen fell silent after saying those words. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, forming a smile that resembled acceptance.
His parents.
Memories of them came uninvited. Their faces had begun to fade, eaten away by time, and their voices were no longer familiar in his mind. They passed away when Kayen was only eight years old. His memories with them were few during those eight years, since both of them worked, but he still remembered one moment with his parents.
It was exactly like now, New Year's Eve. Kayen and his family celebrated it in the apartment they lived in, simply. There was no big party or expensive fireworks, only a television broadcasting the countdown, some snacks on the table, and warm laughter filling their small living room.
Kayen still remembered it: holding his younger sister hand as she kept jumping excitedly while waiting for the new year. His sister laughed freely, her eyes sparkling as she watched the numbers on the television screen grow smaller.
"Five.. four.. three.. two.. one!"
"Happy New Year!"
His mother hugged his sister, while his father patted Kayen's shoulder with a proud smile. At that moment, Kayen felt warm, not because of their small apartment, but because of the presence of the people he called family.
He still remembered what his father said at that time.
"My son. You are a strong and smart child. I'm sure you'll succeed in the future. But to achieve success, a person will face many obstacles. That's why I want to tell you one thing, never give up."
Those words were still etched in Kayen's mind, as if they had been spoken just last night.
"Never give up."
At the time, young Kayen had only smiled shyly. What he understood then was simply that his father was praising him as a smart and strong child.
"Really nostalgic."
Kayen opened his eyes again, his gaze returning to the quiet park. His left chest felt tight, as if something was trying to pull him somewhere from within.
"But Dad, if the obstacle you meant is this.. isn't it too cruel?"
The night wind blew gently, sweeping dry leaves across the ground. The sound of them scraping against the earth was clear in the silence, making the loneliness feel even more real.
Kayen lowered his head, staring at both of his hands. They trembled slightly, whether from fear or from something else he could no longer suppress.
"I don't know if I'm strong. Or smart. What I do know is that I'm scared."
That was when his left wrist began to feel hot again.
A faint light appeared, forming a symbol he knew all too well, a circle with an eye-like pattern at its center. This time, the light did not immediately shine brightly, but pulsed slowly.
The first pulse.
The second pulse.
As the pulses continued, the world around Kayen began to look strange. The sounds of the city started to fade away, and the frozen park lights began to disappear.
Kayen then felt his heartbeat rapidly increase. He lowered his head, clutching his chest with his hand, trying to stop his heart from racing.
But it was useless.
Instead, his heartbeat grew even faster. Kayen felt as if his heart was about to leap out of his body. His breathing became rushed, sweat pouring down his body. He tried to take a deep breath, to calm himself.
"Calm down."
The ninth pulse.
The park changed.
The bench he was sitting on began to fade away. The ground beneath his feet cracked, then dissolved into light. The trees stretched unnaturally, their shadows elongating as if being pulled by something.
Then, a voice was heard.
"Synchronization initiated."
"Name: Kayen."
"Age: fifteen."
"Mental status: Unstable."
"Does not meet one of the requirements."
"If you can see that, then why did you still choose me?!"
There was no immediate answer.
After a few moments, the voice spoke again.
"The trial begins."