The Trial of Mental Endurance

Mark felt the ground vanish beneath his feet as the light of the rest area faded away. A wave of vertigo swept over him as he traveled between floors. When he opened his eyes, he stood in the middle of an endless desert landscape. A warm wind blew, kicking up golden dust clouds.

[[Welcome to the Second Floor.]]

[[Trial: Mental Endurance.]]

[[Objective: Advance to the final point.]]

[[Remaining distance: 100 kilometers.]]

[[Timer activated: 00:00:00]]

Mark blinked, incredulous.

— 100 kilometers?!

[Correct, Citizen Mark. You must walk without stopping. Physical endurance will be tested, but your mind will face the true challenge.]

He clenched his fists. After the brutal battles against the rats, he had expected something similar. But this time, the enemy seemed to be solitude, exhaustion, and his own mind.

— No choice. Let's move.

[Timer: 02:17:43]

The sun beat down on his skin, though he didn't feel real heat. The desert felt surreal, almost artificial. The fine sand underfoot absorbed his steps without leaving a trace. Silence reigned, broken only by the rhythmic crunch of his footsteps.

Suddenly, whispers echoed around him.

— You'll never make it... You're too weak...

Mark froze, scanning the horizon. Nothing. Just endless golden emptiness.

— Hallucinations? Xi, what is this?

[Your mental endurance is decreasing. Sensory deprivation combined with physical strain triggers illusory manifestations. Ignoring them strengthens mental resilience.]

— Easier said than done...

[[Remaining distance: 85 kilometers.]]

He pressed on, the whispers becoming a constant murmur. Occasionally, the voices shifted, adopting familiar tones—his parents, his friends, even his teachers. They all repeated the same message: give up.

Gritting his teeth, Mark trudged forward.

[Timer: 05:48:12]

Fatigue gnawed at him. His legs burned, every step a torment. The desert stretched infinitely. He glanced at the compass: the needle pointed straight ahead, unwavering.

— How much farther?

[[Remaining distance: 72 kilometers.]]

Mark groaned. Less than halfway, yet the path felt endless. Suddenly, an image materialized before him: his bedroom, untouched, inviting. His bed called to him.

— Fake. Just another trick.

He marched through the illusion, watching it dissipate like smoke.

[[Timer: 07:35:21]]

[[Remaining distance: 60 kilometers.]]

The hallucinations grew darker. Familiar figures, wounded and accusatory, glared at him. Giant rats, like those from the first floor, snarled at his heels.

Mark panted, lips cracked, eyes bloodshot. Every step was agony.

— Keep going… One more step… he muttered.

[[Remaining distance: 48 kilometers.]]

Recognizable faces flickered in and out: his mother's sorrowful gaze, his father's silent disappointment. Even classmates, sneering, mocked his apparent weakness.

Mark looked away, jaw clenched.

— You're not real. You can't stop me.

He stumbled but caught himself. The air grew heavier, each breath an uphill battle.

[[Timer: 10:22:09]]

[[Remaining distance: 39 kilometers.]]

The sand shifted beneath his feet, morphing into thick, viscous mud. Each step became a struggle against an unseen force pulling him down.

— It's all in my head… None of this is real…

The compass vibrated faintly in his hand. The needle held steady. He clung to it like a lifeline.

[[Remaining distance: 20 kilometers.]]

The hallucinations shifted in tone. Gentle, soothing voices urged him to rest, to lie down and find peace.

— No… If I stop, it's over.

[[Timer: 14:12:37]]

[[Remaining distance: 10 kilometers.]]

Mark staggered onward. He had long since passed his limits. But the compass remained true, its needle his only anchor. One step. Then another.

Dreams and reality blurred. The desert rippled mockingly beneath his weary feet.

[[Remaining distance: 5 kilometers.]]

— I'm doing this. I didn't survive all that to fail now.

His memories fragmented. Joyful moments collided with visions of despair and death.

— Almost there… he rasped, throat parched.

[[Timer: 17:45:19]]

[[Remaining distance: 2 kilometers.]]

Finally, a glowing portal shimmered on the horizon. Mark collapsed to his knees, legs giving out beneath him.

[[Congratulations! Trial complete.]]

[[Rewards: +10 Endurance, +5 Mental, 700 Credits.]]

[[Item obtained: Clarity Amulet – Reduces hallucination effects by 50%.]]

The ground vanished beneath him, and the familiar rest area embraced him once more.

Rest Area Awakening

Mark slowly opened his eyes, sprawled across the cool floor. His muscles throbbed, his mind foggy. The soft glow of the rest area felt worlds apart from the desert hellscape he had conquered.

— I'm alive…

He lay there, motionless, listening to the soothing silence until Xi's familiar voice echoed.

[[Recovery in progress.]]

[[Time until next floor: 02:00:00]]

Mark exhaled in relief. Two hours to breathe, to process what had just happened.

Slowly, he sat up, studying his trembling hands. The hallucinations had been so vivid that reality itself felt uncertain.

— Xi, show me my status.

[[Mark's Status]]

[[Physical]]

Strength: 21

Agility: 19

Constitution: 36 (+10)

Charisma: 2

[[Mental]]

Intelligence: 9

Perception: 7

Luck: 4

Mental Endurance: 15 (+5)

[[Special Items: Lost Compass, Clarity Amulet]]

Mark scanned his stats, noting the significant boosts to constitution and mental endurance. Yet the exhaustion lingered deep within his bones.

He touched the cool surface of the Clarity Amulet hanging from his neck. The mere contact seemed to calm his restless thoughts.

— This might just save my life.

Unsteady, he stood and approached the floating shop interface.

Shop Exploration

[[Shop Opened]]

Mark browsed through the categories: Equipment, Skills, Consumables. This time, he focused on the skills section.

[[Available Skills]]

Unyielding March – 800 Credits

Increases fatigue resistance during long-distance travel.

Steel Mind – 1,200 Credits

Reduces mental hallucination effects by 30%.

Second Wind – 2,500 Credits

Restores 30% stamina once per day.

Unbreakable Will – 10,000 Credits

Grants total immunity to mental manipulation for 30 seconds.

Mark hesitated.

Steel Mind sounded practical, but Second Wind could mean the difference between survival and death.

— Xi, how many credits do I have?

[[Balance: 1,200 Credits]]

— Not enough for Second Wind… I'll take Steel Mind.

[[Purchase confirmed. Skill activated.]]

A wave of clarity washed over him. His mind felt steadier, less vulnerable to deception.

Preparation for the Next Floor

Mark returned to his seat, eyes fixed on the floating countdown.

[[Time remaining: 00:15:00]]

He drew a deep breath, contemplating the next challenge. If the second floor had tested his mind, the third would undoubtedly be even more ruthless.

— I may just be human, but I'm growing stronger. One step at a time.

He clutched the compass tightly, the amulet cool against his chest.

The silence shattered as Xi spoke once more.

[[Prepare yourself. Teleportation in 60 seconds.]]

Mark stood, legs sore but mind sharper than ever.

— Bring on the next challenge. I'm ready.

Light enveloped him, signaling the next stage of his journey within the D.M.U.