Preparation [3]

Lucian stood before the shimmering doorway of the seventh trial.

His heart raced with anticipation.

After overcoming the Reflection Trial, he felt lighter, but the looming challenges ahead promised no respite.

The system's monotone voice announced.

[Trial 7: Spatial Awareness Trial]

[Quest: Navigate the Illusionary Maze]

[Description: The maze shifts and bends, distorting reality. Rely on your spatial awareness and mana manipulation to find the exit]

[Objective: Exit the maze within the time limit]

Lucian exhaled sharply, steeling himself.

He stepped through the doorway, and the world warped around him.

When he opened his eyes, he was surrounded by twisting paths of shimmering light.

The walls of the maze pulsed with a faint glow, constantly shifting as if alive.

His surroundings distorted, creating illusions that made it impossible to distinguish real paths from fake ones.

"Let's see if you're as difficult as you look," Lucian muttered, activating his mana core.

The moment his mana surged, he felt a faint tug—a strange sensation that didn't come from his own body.

It was subtle, but it felt like the maze itself responded to his energy.

'Is it reacting to my mana?' he wondered, frowning.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, allowing his bloodline ability, Mana Sensory Field, to awaken.

Slowly, the sensation spread outward, like ripples across a still pond. Within moments, the chaos of the maze became clearer.

Through the Mana Sensory Field, Lucian could sense faint energy signatures.

The paths that led nowhere emitted weak, fragmented flows of mana, while the correct routes pulsed with steady streams.

"This is… incredible," Lucian murmured.

The field extended his awareness beyond what his senses alone could perceive.

Even the maze's illusions, which blurred the lines between reality and falsehood, couldn't hide from the refined clarity of his bloodline ability.

He stepped forward, navigating the maze with newfound confidence.

Each turn, each twist tested his focus, forcing him to adapt to the maze's ever-shifting structure.

He stumbled more than once, his senses overwhelmed by sudden fluctuations in the maze's energy.

But with each failure, Lucian refined his control, sharpening his Mana Sensory Field until it felt like a second set of eyes.

Hours passed or perhaps days.

It was hard to tell within the timeless space of the tower.

But finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lucian saw the exit.

A faint light shimmered in the distance, guiding him forward.

With a final burst of energy, he crossed the threshold.

[Trial Complete.]

[You have mastered the Mana Sensory Field]

Lucian collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat but triumphant.

"That was… exhausting," he muttered.

Yet, beneath the fatigue, he felt a surge of pride.

His Mana Sensory Field wasn't just a tool—it was a part of him, a skill honed through struggle and persistence.

But there was no time to rest.

The eighth trial's description was straightforward, yet it carried an undeniable weight.

[Trial 8: Weapon Mastery Trial]

[Quest: Sharpen Your Weapon Arts]

[Description: Defeat five magical foes using your chosen weapon]

[Objective: Use weapon proficiency to achieve victory]

Lucian gripped his sword tightly, the Resonance Sword that had accompanied him through trials thus far.

He stood in a wide, arena-like space, the air thick with an oppressive energy.

Across the field, five shadowy figures materialized, each radiating power and menace.

Their forms shimmered like mirages, weapons clutched in their hands, and their stances indicated lethal skill.

[The trial will commence in 10 seconds. Prepare yourself]

Lucian exhaled deeply, steadying his nerves.

He knew this wasn't just about defeating enemies—it was about mastering the arts his parents had passed down to him: the Resonance Sword Art and the Phantom Step Art.

During the past few days, Lucian trained with the Arts as he developed his body. 

"Time to put these arts to the test," he muttered, gripping his sword tighter.

As the countdown ended, the shadowy foes charged at him in unison, their movements synchronized.

Lucian activated his Mana Sensory Field, the newfound ability instantly highlighting their every step.

The field pulsed around him, granting him 360-degree awareness of his surroundings.

The first foe lunged, its blade slashing horizontally.

Lucian sidestepped, activating the Phantom Step Art.

His body blurred momentarily, leaving behind an afterimage as he reappeared a few feet away.

The shadowy figure's weapon passed through the afterimage harmlessly.

"Still rough," Lucian muttered. His execution of Phantom Step wasn't as fluid as he'd like, but it had worked.

Before he could catch his breath, another enemy attacked, a spear thrusting toward him with pinpoint precision.

Lucian countered instinctively, channeling mana into his sword.

"Resonance Strike!" he shouted, swinging his blade.

A faint hum filled the air as his sword vibrated with mana, the oscillations clashing against the spear's tip.

The resonance disrupted the spear's energy flow, destabilizing the attack and forcing the figure to retreat.

Lucian didn't let up.

He stepped forward, his sword still vibrating with mana, and struck again.

This time, the blade's resonance pierced through the figure's defenses, dissipating it into a wisp of shadowy energy.

[Enemy defeated. Four opponents remain]

The system's voice barely registered in Lucian's mind as the remaining foes regrouped. They spread out, attempting to flank him.

'They're adapting,' Lucian thought, his grip tightening on his sword.

This time, he initiated the attack. Using the Phantom Step Art, he blurred forward, reappearing in front of the closest enemy.

His sword hummed with resonance as he struck downward, the vibrations disrupting the figure's mana flow.

It dissipated into shadow just as the others closed in.

Lucian spun around, using the momentum to activate a sweeping Resonance Strike.

The vibrations extended from his blade, creating a wave of disruptive energy that forced the remaining foes to retreat.

By now, his body was drenched in sweat, and his mana reserves were depleting rapidly.

'Focus. Efficiency over power,' he reminded himself.

He shifted his stance, recalling the fluid movements of the Phantom Step Art.

With each step, he blurred out of his opponents' range, leaving behind afterimages that confused their strikes.

One by one, he whittled them down, combining precision strikes from the Resonance Sword Art with the mobility of Phantom Step.

The final enemy fell after a grueling exchange, its shadowy form dissipating into nothingness.

[Trial Complete]

[You have refined the Phantom Step Art and the Resonance Sword Art]

Lucian fell to his knees, gasping for air.

Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, and his mana core felt strained, but the sense of accomplishment overwhelmed his fatigue.

"That… was brutal," he muttered between breaths.

Yet, despite the exhaustion, he couldn't help but smile.