The Trial Begins

The night air was thick with mist, the moon hidden behind heavy clouds. Lee Byung Hun stood at the edge of the ancient shrine, his heart pounding in his chest. He had followed the whispers, the pull of something unseen, to this ruined temple deep in the forest.

The stone pillars were cracked and overgrown, their carvings eroded by time. At the center of the shrine, a single pedestal stood, worn but intact. The markings on it pulsed faintly, a deep blue glow that seemed almost alive.

He stepped forward.

The moment his fingers grazed the pedestal, a surge of energy erupted from it, knocking him back. His vision blurred, the world around him vanishing in an instant.

When his sight cleared, he was no longer in the forest.

Instead, he stood on an endless ocean. The sky above was dark, swirling with storm clouds. The sea stretched infinitely, yet he stood upon its surface as if it were solid ground.

A deep, rumbling voice echoed through the void.

"You have come seeking power."

Byung Hun turned sharply.

Before him stood a towering figure—a man draped in tattered robes of deep blue, his eyes like the abyss of the ocean. His presence was suffocating, ancient, and powerful.

The forgotten god.

Byung Hun clenched his fists. "Who… who are you?"

The god's gaze bore into him. "I have been forgotten by time, forsaken by the heavens. But you have found me, child. And now, you will face my trial."

The ocean beneath Byung Hun trembled.

A sudden force struck him from behind, sending him sprawling across the water. He gasped, pushing himself up just in time to see the god raising a hand.

The sea surged upward, forming massive tendrils of water that crashed down toward him.

Byung Hun barely rolled out of the way before one struck where he had stood, the impact sending violent waves rippling outward.

"Fight, or be swallowed."

The god's voice was merciless.

Byung Hun gritted his teeth, gripping his sword. He had no time to think, only react. He dashed forward, slashing at the god's form—only for his blade to pass through it like mist.

A fist slammed into his gut, sending him flying back.

The pain was real. This was no illusion.

Coughing, Byung Hun forced himself up. His spiritual energy flickered weakly within him, barely responding. He wasn't strong enough.

Another wave surged toward him.

Desperate, he slammed his hands into the water, willing his power to respond.

Ice spread from his palms, freezing the surface beneath him.

The wave crashed against the ice, shattering it, but the force was weakened.

The god's eyes narrowed. "Clever. But not enough."

The sea churned violently, the water forming into a monstrous shape—a creature with glowing eyes and fanged jaws. It lunged at him.

Byung Hun barely managed to dodge, but the beast's tail struck him, sending him skidding across the water's surface. His vision blurred, pain flaring in his ribs.

He was going to die.

No.

He refused to die here.

With a roar, he forced his energy outward. The cold surged through his body, his blade glowing faintly with frost.

As the beast lunged again, he didn't dodge. He ran toward it.

At the last moment, he dropped low, sliding across the ice. His blade slashed upward, cutting deep into the beast's throat.

It howled, thrashing—then dissolved into mist.

Silence.

Byung Hun panted, his body trembling.

The god watched him for a long moment. Then, for the first time, he smiled.

"You are worthy."

The ocean stilled. The sky cleared.

And then—darkness.

When Byung Hun woke, he was back in the forest, lying before the shrine. His body ached, but something had changed.

The god's voice echoed in his mind, softer this time.

"From this moment on, you are bound to me, and I to you. You will carry my strength… and my burden."

Byung Hun clenched his fists.

He had survived the trial.

But this was only the first step.