The room was a vast expanse of white marble, the walls adorned with glowing constellations that seemed to shift with every breath. At the center stood the Trial Altar, its edges licked by an ever-burning flame. The air was thick with energy, as though the very fabric of reality bent to accommodate the magnitude of what was about to happen.
Hyeong Shin stepped forward, his footsteps echoing through the chamber. The divine blade rested in his hand, its edge shimmering with a faint, otherworldly glow. Cheon Ho followed close behind, his usually cocky demeanor replaced with solemn determination.
"This is it, huh?" Cheon Ho muttered, glancing at the altar.
Hyeong Shin nodded. "The Trial of Eternal Flame. If I pass, I'll gain the power to become the Zodiac Emperor."
"And if you fail?" Cheon Ho asked, though the grim answer was already evident in his tone.