Heir of Chaos

A voice echoed inside Fenix's head.

[Congratulations, you have completed the first Soul Trial.]

The voice was devoid of emotion, cold and mechanical, as if merely recounting past events.

'It sounds like the system's voice… does that mean I survived?'

But something inside him shifted.

A change so profound it couldn't be ignored.

His entire body screamed.

His muscles tensed, his bones ached, his blood boiled as if it were on fire.

'Ugh…' A strained groan escaped his lips.

Then, the voice spoke again.

[Evaluating Soul Trial…]

The words resonated in his mind like the toll of a distant bell.

[Survived encounter against Tier II Beast: DuskTusk.]

[Inflicted fatal wounds on Tier II Beast: DuskTusk.]

[Killed Tier II Beast: Shadow Wolf.]

[Survived encounter against Tier IV Beast: Frost Giant.]

Fenix's breathing was unsteady. His mind, still foggy, tried to process what he was hearing.

'So it's summarizing everything that happened…'

Then, the next set of notifications appeared.

And his blood ran cold.

[Responsible for the death of Ron.]

[Responsible for the death of Rhen.]

[Responsible for the death of Vanya.]

[All casualties have been attributed to you.]

His body froze.

'What…?!'

His vision blurred as a sharp shock of fear and confusion struck him like a dagger to the chest.

'That can't be right. I—I don't remember anything after entering the altar chamber…'

His pulse pounded in his ears.

His mind raced, struggling to grasp the meaning of those words.

Ron… Rhen… Vanya… dead?

Because of him?

It didn't make sense.

But the system didn't lie.

Desperation gripped him. He clenched his fists, his breathing ragged and uneven.

'No… No, I have to remember. I need to know what happened…'

Fenix forced his mind to rewind, digging through the fractured memories, searching for even the faintest thread of truth.

But deep inside…

A part of him was terrified of what he might find.

Bit by bit, flashes of the past began to surface.

The memories were fractured, scattered like shards of broken glass.

But they were there.

He saw it.

Something—a presence shrouded in darkness—lifting him.

He was weightless, drifting toward the altar, his body limp and unresponsive.

He saw himself laid down, placed upon the cold stone, like an offering.

And then… another vision.

Ron.

Ron turning to ash.

The flames—black, unrelenting—consuming him completely, leaving nothing behind but a void where he once stood.

Fenix's breath hitched. His body trembled, but the images didn't stop.

Something descended from the sky.

A burning shadow, an entity of pure oblivion.

It pierced through the heavens and entered his body.

And then—

Darkness.

Fenix's mind was blank.

The fragments of memory refused to reveal anything more.

There was nothing else.

Just emptiness.

His chest tightened. His thoughts swirled in chaos.

But the system didn't care.

It had no concern for his emotions.

The evaluation continued.

[You have consumed a fragment of a Forgotten God: The Fragment of Chaos.]

[Evaluation complete. Rank: Mythic.]

Fenix's eyes widened.

Mythic.

The highest rank possible in a Soul Trial.

His breathing hitched.

He should have been ecstatic.

But his mind was clouded with questions.

And yet… the system didn't stop.

[Awakening Unique Aspect: Chaos, Rarity – Mythic.]

A shiver ran down his spine.

Mythic.

The highest rarity of all.

He knew that humans with a Mythic-rank Aspect could be counted on one hand.

[Unique Title. Adquired]

[Receiving Title: Heir of Chaos.]

A strange heat filled his chest.

[Your soul is evolving… forming the First Soul Core.]

Fenix clenched his fists.

[Unique ability of the First Soul Core unlocked. Do you wish to claim it?]

'Claim.'

[You have received: The Flame of Chaos.]

A slow grin spread across his lips.

'Hehehe… I am a Mythic Awakened.'

The thought thrilled him.

Even if he had caused the deaths of three people…

Did it really matter?

They were just tools.

A means to an end.

His end.

Getting to Dark Mountain was the goal.

And if he hadn't met them, the roles would have been reversed.

He would have been the one lying dead instead.

He wasn't naive enough to regret surviving.

Still…

A bitter aftertaste remained.

Everything had felt too real.

So real that he wasn't sure if this had been just a trial… or something else entirely.

The thought unsettled him.

Even if he didn't care about their deaths,

the weight of having unknowingly caused them might still leave a scar in his mind.

Whether he accepted it or not… something inside him had changed.

[Item recived, Ashfang]

[Type of Item, Weapon, Rank: Uncommon]

'Nice, my first item too'

The system spoke one last time.

[Evaluation and rewards delivered. Continue surviving, Awakened.]

As if those were the only words that mattered.

The pain—both physical and mental—began to fade.

Little by little, his body felt lighter.

His muscles loosened, his mind cleared, and the fire in his veins dimmed into something more controlled.

His breath steadied.

And then, something unexpected happened.

Strength surged through him.

His body felt renewed.

His senses sharpened.

The world around him became clearer, crisper, almost overwhelming.

'I did it… I actually did it.'

For the first time, certainty filled his chest.

'My life is going to change for the better now.'

The last remnants of pain dissolved, leaving only power behind.

He had survived.

He had won.

And now, he was different.

As his pain faded to a dull ache, Fenix finally attempted to open his eyes.

A soft light filtered into the room.

His brows furrowed.

'Before I lost consciousness… there were no windows. Where am I?'

His gaze swept the space around him.

The room was simple, but refined.

A wooden nightstand.

A bed—where he now sat, fully awake.

A full-body mirror hanging on the wall.

Everything felt too normal… too clean.

It didn't match the ruins he last remembered.

His heart beat faster.

Where the hell was he?

Fenix swung his legs over the bed, planting his feet on the cool floor.

The sensation felt different.

Everything about him felt different.

Something inside urged him to look at the mirror.

The moment his eyes landed on his reflection…

He froze.

And then—

"WHAT—?!"

A shout of disbelief erupted from his throat.

That wasn't him.

Or rather… it was. But it wasn't.

His body…

Taller—easily around 1.80 meters now.

His once-slender frame was now defined with lean, powerful muscle.

His facial structure was sharper, almost unnaturally symmetrical.

And his eyes…

A deep crimson glow.

A color unnatural. Unsettling.

He staggered back, heart pounding.

'What… what the hell happened to me?'

BAM!

The door swung open.

A figure stood at the entrance.

A woman—probably in her early twenties.

Her gaze locked onto him immediately, scanning him from head to toe.

There was no surprise on her face.

Just calm observation.

And then, with an air of practiced professionalism, she spoke.

"Congratulations, Awakened, for completing your trial. Get dressed—you have a meeting with an agent."

Her voice was smooth, firm—authoritative.

But Fenix wasn't listening.

His brain was stuck on one word.

'…Dressed?'

His body tensed.

And that's when he realized.

He was completely naked.

In an instant, his hands shot down to cover himself.

His face flushed, a mix of shock and embarrassment tightening his chest.

"T-Thanks… I'll be out soon."

The woman simply nodded.

And before stepping out, a knowing smirk curved her lips.

A smirk that wasn't mocking, but definitely amused.

Then, the door closed behind her.

Fenix stood there, still tense, still trying to process everything.

Then, after a moment, he let out a long breath.

"Great. Just great."