Trail of will

The ground trembled beneath their feet as waves of dark energy surged through the hall, as if the darkness itself was awakening. Everyone took a cautious step back, except for the man standing before Jin-Won, his gaze unwavering as he silently observed the unfolding events.

"The trial has begun." The deep voice echoed throughout the chamber, as if the entire place had become a living entity.

Hori turned to Jin-Won, gripping his sword tightly. "Whatever this is, we'll face it together."

But the other man, the one who was an advanced version of Jin-Won, raised his hand. "No... This battle is his alone."

Before anyone could respond, dense shadows surged from the glowing throne, wrapping around Jin-Won and isolating him from his companions. Yun-Su tried to step forward, but an invisible force pushed him back.

"Jin-Won!" Lyria cried out, but her voice was swallowed by the swirling storm of darkness.

Inside the vortex, Jin-Won stood alone, facing a towering entity that began to take shape before him. It was unnaturally tall, its body composed of thick shadows, and its eyes burned with a fierce crimson glow.

"Who are you?" Jin-Won asked, his voice steady despite the crushing weight pressing against his chest.

The entity let out a low chuckle, but it wasn't just a laugh—it was the echo of countless overlapping voices. "I am you. I am your doubts, your fears, every weakness you've tried to hide."

Jin-Won tightened his grip on his sword, taking a deep breath. "If you're me, then that means I can defeat you."

The entity didn't respond with words. Instead, it lunged at him with unbelievable speed, a dark sword manifesting in its hand. Their first clash sent sparks of energy flying, as if the very fabric of reality was unraveling beneath the weight of their battle.

Outside, his companions watched, powerless to intervene.

The other Jin-Won—the one from the future—watched the struggle closely and murmured, "This is the moment of truth... He will either be reborn, or be lost forever."

—To be continued…