Chapter 15 – The Path of the Forsaken

The great doors of the Hall of Judgment creaked open, revealing the passage beyond. Joon-ho stood still, his grip tightening around the golden chain now coiled around his arm. The weight of the Chain of the Forsaken was unlike any weapon he had wielded before. It wasn't just a weapon—it was a remnant of fate itself.

The air beyond the threshold was thick with an unnatural silence, the kind that belonged to places where gods once walked and mortals dared not tread. The towering obsidian pillars lining the hallway pulsed with faint, golden inscriptions—runes of ancient origin, remnants of a civilization long forgotten.

His breathing slowed.

This was no ordinary floor.

Joon-ho knew this feeling—an omen before catastrophe, a stillness before the hunt.

And then—

[System Notice: You are stepping onto the Path of the Forsaken.]

This path is designed for those who defy the Tower's judgment.Enemies encountered here are remnants of divine will, once executioners, now forsaken by their creators.All rewards obtained in this trial can be permanently fused into the challenger's abilities.

A trial, then.

Joon-ho exhaled slowly. He could feel something—something watching.

"Let's get this over with."

The Corridor of the Fallen

Joon-ho stepped forward, his footsteps echoing through the corridor. The golden runes on the walls flickered, responding to his presence.

The deeper he walked, the more the silence grew oppressive.

And then—

The torches lining the passage extinguished at once.

A gust of wind howled through the hallway.

Darkness engulfed him.

And with it came the whispers.

"Condemned.""Regressor.""You do not belong here."

Joon-ho didn't react. The Tower loved its theatrics. Fear tactics wouldn't work on him.

Then the first shadow moved.

[System Notice: First Trial – The Condemned Knights]Three Forsaken Knights have awakened.Their forms are unstable. They seek absolution through battle.

Joon-ho's eyes narrowed.

Three armored figures materialized before him, their forms shifting between the ethereal and the physical. Blackened armor, empty visors, blades dripping with an unknown essence.

Forsaken.

They had once been warriors of judgment, executioners of the Tower's will. Now, they were nothing more than cursed remnants, seeking release through combat.

Joon-ho dashed forward.

Clang!

His dagger met the first knight's blade, sparks scattering as the impact reverberated through the corridor. The second knight moved immediately, its greatsword swinging in a wide arc.

Too slow.

Joon-ho twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the strike. He pivoted mid-motion, driving his blade into the first knight's visor.

[Critical Hit!]

The knight staggered, black mist seeping from its wound. But instead of falling, it let out a hollow cry.

And the chains returned.

Chains of Judgment erupted from the ground, lunging toward Joon-ho's arms, his legs—every part of his body that could be restrained.

His instincts flared.

[Shadow Veil – Advanced] Activated.

Joon-ho's form flickered, his body phasing through the chains as if he were nothing more than a shadow. He reappeared above the knights, dagger poised to strike—

But they anticipated it.

The second knight lunged, its greatsword cleaving through the air in a motion too fast for something so heavy.

Joon-ho had no time to dodge.

[Phantom Step – Instant Acceleration] Activated.

His speed tripled in an instant.

He twisted mid-air, allowing the blade to graze past him as he landed behind the knight.

His eyes sharpened.

"Now."

He swung the Chain of the Forsaken.

Snap!

The golden chain lashed forward, wrapping around the knight's armor before Joon-ho yanked with all his strength.

The knight was ripped backward, thrown into the third warrior just as it had begun to move.

In a single breath, Joon-ho moved again—

His blade struck true.

The second knight's head rolled across the floor.

A system notification appeared.

[Forsaken Knight Defeated.]

Judgment Power Absorbed.You have gained: "Fragment of the Forsaken."

The other two knights did not react. They only raised their weapons once more, their movements faster than before.

Joon-ho smirked.

"Good. Let's see how long you last."

Beyond the Trial

Far beyond the battlefield, in the hidden sanctums of the Tower, the Seven Judges watched in silence.

One of them spoke.

"He is adapting too quickly."

Another responded.

"The Chain of the Forsaken resonates with him. It should not be possible."

A deeper voice rumbled through the chamber.

"This regressor… he is an anomaly."

The Judges fell silent.

And then, in the farthest seat of the chamber, an ancient figure—one whose presence had been absent for countless ages—opened his eyes.

And whispered a single word.

"Interesting."