A new set of figures appeared as the glow thinned. Five crimson silhouettes stepped forward, tall and graceful, with long hair flowing behind them. Pointed ears, bowstrings gleaming in their hands, Elves.
But not ordinary ones. Their eyes glowed an unnatural red, and faint veins of crimson Essence crawled beneath their skin.
All five raised their bows at once. Crimson and green light flared as arrows of condensed Essence formed on their strings. They released together.
The air screamed.
Five arrows shot forward at impossible speed, crossing the distance in less than a heartbeat. I swung my staff horizontally, channeling Essence to reinforce it just in time.
The arrows slammed into it with enough force to shake my arms violently. My feet scraped against the path as I was pushed back several steps before the arrows finally disintegrated into sparks.
"Powerful," I muttered under my breath.
But they were already reloading, five new arrows forming, faster than before. I couldn’t afford to stay still.
"[Phantom Dive]."
My body blinked out of existence, the world stretching and twisting around me as I reappeared right behind them. Their heads began to turn in confusion, but it was already too late.
"Firestorm."
A violet tornado of fire burst from my palms, engulfing them completely. Their screams lasted barely a second before being drowned out by the roar of the flames. Within moments, nothing remained but drifting particles of Essence, scattering like dust in the glowing wind.
I lowered my staff and rushed toward the junction, my feet pounding against the glowing path.
[Level Up!]
[Level 301 → Level 302]
The notification flashed briefly before I waved it away, my focus locked ahead. I blurred forward, the wind screaming past my ears until my boots landed firmly at the center of the junction.
I turned around, breathing slow and steady, and fixed my gaze on Vaelix’s path.
He was still fighting, his figure surrounded by swirling flashes of crimson. The Elves on his path tried to surround him, but he moved through them like a storm. His movements were brutal and efficient.
When the last of the Elves fell, their bodies dissolved into fading light. Vaelix stood there for a moment, his aura burning low but sharp, before lifting his head toward me.
Our eyes met across the void.
He didn’t rush. Instead, he began walking forward, each step deliberate, the sound of his boots echoing faintly against the empty air between us.
I didn’t move either. I could feel the energy of the realm thickening around us, the silent tension of the trial reaching its peak. The three gates shimmered faintly behind me, waiting. The paths of the others were still glowing in the distance, their fights continuing.
But in that moment, it felt like everything had narrowed down to just the two of us, me and Vaelix.
Vaelix stopped a few steps away from me. The burning aura around him dimmed slightly as he spoke.
"You’ve decided then," he said. "You’ll block my path."
"I have," I replied, tightening my grip on my staff. "They’re coming with me."
He let out a quiet exhale, almost like a sigh. "You’ve let emotion cloud your judgment, human. You know it, and so do I. Taking a handful of youngsters, none even close to Transcedent, against the Eternals? That’s not strategy. That’s sentiment."
I didn’t argue right away. The red suns above us burned quietly, and the screams of the monsters from the abyss filled the air between us.
"You’re right," I said finally. "By all logic, you make more sense. You’re stronger, smarter, and already a Transcendent. The rational choice would be to send you through."
Vaelix tilted his head, waiting.
"But," I continued, "I’m still not at the point where I can separate what I feel from what I want. And what I want is to bring my friends with me."
His eyes narrowed. "So you’ll defy reason for them?"
I gave a small, tired smile. "Maybe that’s the kind of judgment this place wanted from us, to see if we’d choose reason or heart. I’ve made my choice."
Vaelix’s voice dropped lower. "And if that choice dooms them?"
"Then I’ll carry the blame," I said quietly. "That’s what judgment means to me: choosing, and living with the cost."
He shook his head slowly.
"You’re a talented human, Billion. Strong, capable, and far from ordinary. We don’t need to fight each other. The Feran race would welcome a warrior like you as an ally. We could share the rewards of this trial, walk out of here stronger together. Getting emotional at this stage doesn’t suit a man carrying power as great as yours."
I met his gaze, steady and calm. "Maybe you’re right," I said. "Maybe one day I’ll make the kind of choice you believe is right. But not today." I planted my staff on the ground, violet light gathering around it. "Right now, I’m not letting you pass. That’s final."
He studied me for a long moment.
Vaelix’s hands flexed at his sides, crimson energy flickering faintly around them. "Then I suppose we’ll see whose judgment stands."
I raised my staff, the violet glow of Essence swirling around it. "If you defeat me, the gates are yours. You can impose your own version of judgment here."
The air between us trembled as both our auras expanded.
"Then let’s end this," Vaelix said, his tone calm but his eyes burning with intent.
I gave one last look at the others. Steve, North, and Primus were still fighting their own monsters, holding their ground well enough. That was enough for me. I turned back to Vaelix, tightened my grip on the staff, and decided to go all out from the start.
"Absolute Domain."
The air rippled around me as violet Essence poured out, spreading in all directions. The entire area trembled as the space itself bent under the weight of my will.
"Node Three, activate."
A deep pulse ran through my veins. My body felt heavier yet lighter at the same time, strength and clarity flooding my mind. The violet glow spread across my skin, my Psynapse flaring as my perception expanded.
Vaelix’s brows rose. "A domain?" His voice carried surprise, maybe even a hint of respect. Then his lips twisted into a smirk. "Such gifts wasted on a human."
He lifted his hand, and blood-colored mist burst from the ground around him.
"Domain—Blood Castle."
The space around us warped again, two domains colliding. My violet light clashed against his crimson storm, the impact shaking the entire path beneath our feet.