Chapter 15 – The Trial Begins
Kaden stood before a swirling vortex of blue mana. Just standing near it was enough to feel the dense pressure and raw power it emitted.
This was the gate.
The one he had to pass through to begin his first trial.
"I'm finally here," Kaden murmured, eyes locked on the shifting portal. The journey to reach this point hadn't been easy—and the most infuriating part? This wasn't even officially part of the test. Or maybe it was... but his parents had conveniently forgotten to mention that.
"I'm not even surprised," he scoffed quietly. "I can totally see my father pulling something like this."
As for his mother... Kaden knew she had a soft spot for him. It was obvious in the way she treated him compared to his siblings. But even so, none of his brothers or sisters had ever looked at him with jealousy. Even though he had been born weaker than any typical Warborn, not once was he mocked or cast aside.
That thought filled him with quiet gratitude. And with it—determination.
He wasn't just doing this for himself. He was doing this for the family that helped a broken boy find the strength to mend.
Hufff...
He took a deep breath, centering himself.
"Let's do it."
He stepped forward—and vanished into the vortex.
⸻
Thud!
Kaden stumbled into the dungeon, his vision spinning from the teleportation. A common side effect for first-timers.
He quickly scanned his surroundings—and what he saw was... strange.
He was in the center of a wide arena. Cracked stone stretched out beneath his feet, the air heavy with the metallic tang of blood and the stench of death. Surrounding the arena was a vast, black ocean.
But as he looked closer, unease crept up his spine.
"Blood...?" Kaden whispered. He didn't know why, but that's what his instincts screamed.
Cautiously, he started toward the arena's edge, but he didn't make it past his third step before a deep rumble echoed across the dungeon.
He stopped and turned.
At the arena's center, a massive shadowy door materialized, pulsing with dark energy. It creaked open—and a small creature walked through.
A goblin. But unlike the green-skinned ones he had fought before, this one had deep, dead-black skin. Its eyes were hollow, lifeless.
Kaden had no time to process.
The goblin spotted him—and charged.
BOOM!
"Shit!" Kaden summoned Reditha and slashed downward.
CLANK—!
The goblin blocked with its steel club, but Kaden wasn't finished. He twisted, spun, and kicked the beast like a ball.
BAM—!
The goblin crashed against the ground.
Boom—!
Kaden closed in, giving it no time to recover. He raised Reditha and drove it straight through the goblin's chest.
TCHAKKK—!
"KKIEKIEK!!" the goblin shrieked, eyes wide with pain. It reached for its weapon—
But Kaden was faster.
Two blood daggers formed mid-air and pierced the creature's eyes.
"KKIAKKKAKKAKAK!!!"
Its scream turned primal. It thrashed wildly, but Kaden remained unflinching.
Another blood dagger appeared—and stabbed through its throat.
Silence.
The goblin went limp.
Kaden took a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest. This was his third fight, and still, the tension never faded.
"Is this—"
He paused mid-sentence, turning sharply as the shadowy door pulsed again.
A chill ran down his spine.
"No... don't tell me—"
Another creature stepped out.
It looked like a goblin, but larger. Broader. Its eyes were filled with rage, and it carried a massive steel club—almost as tall as Kaden himself.
A hobgoblin.
Their eyes met—and for a heartbeat, the world went still.
BOOOM—!
The beast charged, cub raised.
Kaden reacted quickly, raising Reditha to block.
But—
"Oh damn—"
BOOM!!!
The blow sent him flying. He hit the ground hard, sliding across the arena like a ragdoll.
...
Meanwhile, in the Warborn mansion...
Daela stood before her father, expression cold.
"What?" she repeated, disbelief dripping from her tone. She must've misheard.
"What dungeon did you send Kaden into for his trial?"
She hadn't even known he was attempting the trial today. And now that she thought about it... she had never heard of a dungeon existing in the northern wilderness.
So where was Kaden?
Her father's answer only made things worse.
"We sent him into a newly discovered dungeon, an unexplored one. But it was verified to be at the awakened level," Garros said casually.
Daela clenched her teeth. "Father, you know how unpredictable dungeons are. You should've checked it first."
"That was the point," Garros replied calmly as he reclined into his chair. His crimson eyes gleamed like pools of blood.
Behind him, an illusion of his legendary sword, Aegis, appeared. Not the real blade—just a projection—but the pressure it emitted was suffocating.
Daela began to sweat, but her eyes remained locked on his, without any fear.
Garros smirked. "That's my daughter," he said proudly, before letting the pressure fade softly.
"And as I said, the whole point was for him to face the unknown. Something he didn't prepare for."
"You know what we are, Daela. We are Warborns. We raise warriors. We raise the elite."
"And what if he dies?" she asked quietly.
Garros went still.
Then, without hesitation—
"He won't die. He's my son. He cannot be killed in an awakened-level dungeon."
"What if he dies?"
She repeated again, her voice cold and face expressionless.
Garros met her eyes, firm and unyielding.
"He. Won't. Die."
She stared for a moment longer. Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.
"You know the rules," Garros called after her. "Do not interfere in another Warborn's trial."
Daela didn't respond.
Her silhouette vanished around the corridor.
A moment later, Sarena stepped in.
"You really couldn't just tell her that you've already taken precautions?"
Garros grinned.
"And miss her storming in like a raging inferno? Did you see that fire in her eyes? She was ready to pounce on me. That's truly my daughter. Hahahaha!"
He slapped his thigh and laughed loudly.
Sarena sighed, arms crossed. "You're such a child, Garros."
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
—End of Chapter 15—