The First Trial

### Chapter 2: The First Trial

Kairos stood in the vast, empty chamber, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The remnants of his battle with the armored figure echoed through his mind. He glanced at the glowing orb in his hand, feeling the surge of energy it provided. This was his first victory, but the road ahead was long and perilous.

The armored figure had not been an easy opponent. Known as the Gate Guardian, he was the first trial that every aspirant had to face to ascend the dimensions. The guardian was notorious for his brutal strength and unyielding defense. Only ten percent of those who sought to ascend ever made it past him; the rest met their end in this very chamber.

As Kairos steadied himself, he recalled the lessons imparted to him by his sensei back on Earth. Master Tsubasa had been a warrior of unparalleled skill and wisdom. Under his tutelage, Kairos had learned not only the art of combat but also the importance of strategy, patience, and mental fortitude. These teachings had been his lifeline in the battle against the Gate Guardian.

---

**Flashback: Earth**

Kairos stood in the dojo, the sound of Master Tsubasa's wooden staff slicing through the air filling the room. The elderly man's movements were fluid and precise, each strike a testament to decades of discipline.

"Your strength alone will not defeat your enemies, Kairos," Master Tsubasa had said, his voice calm yet firm. "You must observe, anticipate, and adapt. Every opponent has a weakness. Find it, and you will prevail."

Kairos had taken those words to heart. During the battle with the Gate Guardian, he had noticed a slight hesitation in the guardian's left side. Each time the guardian attacked, there was a fractional delay in his movements on that side. Exploiting this weakness had been the key to his victory. Feigning a series of attacks to the right, Kairos had forced the guardian to overcommit, leaving his left side vulnerable. In that crucial moment, Kairos struck with all his might, disarming the guardian and securing his first triumph.

---

Kairos's thoughts returned to the present. The glowing orb in his hand began to pulse, and a doorway materialized at the far end of the chamber. He knew that beyond this door lay the next challenge, the next step in his journey to ascend the dimensions.

Dimension Conquerors, those who had successfully ascended through various Realms, were revered on Earth. They were more than heroes; they were symbols of hope and protectors of humanity. Their conquests brought back rare and powerful resources, knowledge, and artifacts that benefitted all of society. As a result, they were celebrated, their deeds sung in songs and their stories told to inspire future generations.

The ranks of Dimension Conquerors were as follows:

- **Initiates**: Those who have conquered 1-3 dimensions.

- **Acolytes**: Those who have conquered 4-6 dimensions.

- **Champions**: Those who have conquered 7-9 dimensions.

- **Paragons**: Those who have conquered 10-12 dimensions.

- **Zeniths**: The elite few who have conquered more than 12 dimensions.

The higher one climbed in the ranks, the more they were revered and the greater the benefits they brought back to Earth. Yet, each new dimension posed exponentially greater challenges, making the journey perilous and ensuring that only the most formidable and determined ever reached the highest ranks.

Kairos knew that his journey would be fraught with danger. He had no illusions about the path ahead. But his motivations ran deeper than mere power. The Zenith Realm, the highest of all dimensions, was said to hold a secret—an artifact of unimaginable power capable of rewriting reality itself. The artifact was rumored to be a mirror of the soul, capable of bringing back what was lost, of restoring the broken.

For Kairos, this was not just about ascending the dimensions for glory or power. He sought the artifact to undo the past, to bring back his family who had been taken from him in a brutal massacre orchestrated by a mysterious, shadowy cabal. This was the truth he kept buried deep within, a truth that drove him to face each challenge with relentless determination.

As he stepped through the doorway, the air around him shimmered, and he felt the familiar pull of the transition between Realms. He emerged into a new landscape, a dense, ancient forest filled with eerie, ethereal light. The whispers of unseen entities filled the air, and the sense of being watched was palpable.

Kairos took a deep breath, his resolve solidifying. He was ready for whatever lay ahead. The journey to the Zenith Realm had just begun, and with it, the hope of rewriting his tragic past.

The path was fraught with peril, but for Kairos Vallis, failure was not an option.