The battlefield was silent.
Blood soaked the earth.
Eden Jin's body lay still—broken, battered, and alone.
His fingers twitched.
Then his eyes opened.
A sharp gasp escaped his lips as he shot upright. The pain hit him all at once, but something was different. He wasn't in the ruins of Virella anymore. The cursed battlefield was gone.
Instead, glowing symbols shimmered around him on stone walls. He was lying on a pedestal carved with ancient runes. It was cold beneath him. The air smelled of old dust and magic.
His heart pounded.
"Where… am I?"
Suddenly, a glowing screen appeared before his eyes.
> [Welcome, Eden Jin.]
> [You have been chosen.]
> [Heir of the Fallen Gate — Rebirth Protocol Initiated.]
He blinked. "Chosen? For what?"
His reflection in the screen stopped him cold.
He was... younger.
Much younger.
Gone was the scarred warrior with vengeance in his veins. In his place stood a boy no older than sixteen — his eyes wide, his hands uncalloused, his body reborn.
He reached up, brushing trembling fingers against his cheek.
It was smooth. Untouched by war.
Untouched by pain.
A lump formed in his throat.
"Is this… my second chance?"
> [Memories retained: 87%.]
> [Core abilities sealed temporarily.]
Eden's mind flooded with memories of death. His comrades. His sister.
Their screams.
Their blood.
All because he had failed.
He clenched his fists, now small and delicate. "Not this time. I won't lose them again."
Suddenly, another screen flashed:
> [Your trial begins now.]
> [Location: Chamber of Awakening — Tier 1.]
> [Time until Collapse: 00:10:00.]
He stood. His knees buckled slightly, but he caught himself.
A door of light appeared at the far end of the chamber.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Footsteps.
But they weren't his.
A shadowy creature slithered from the wall — all bone and black mist, with crimson eyes and claws like blades.
Eden's heart dropped. He had no sword. No magic. Nothing but raw instinct.
"Damn it," he muttered, stepping back.
The creature lunged.
He rolled to the side, scraping his elbow against stone. Pain flashed, but it only fueled his focus.
Another lunge.
This time, Eden caught a shard of crystal off the floor and jammed it into the creature's eye as it leapt.
Screech!
The beast twisted in agony, dissolving into ash.
Eden stood panting, crystal still clenched in his fist.
> [Trial Progress: 10%.]
> [Enemies Remaining: 8.]
More shrieks echoed through the chamber.
He had to survive.
But he wasn't just fighting monsters.
He was fighting fate.