Breaking the Chains of Illusion

Su Chen's grip on his spear tightened as the illusions of his fallen comrades surrounded him, their hollow eyes filled with silent accusation. Their words echoed in the vast void—"You failed us."

A lesser man might have wavered. Might have crumbled.

But Su Chen had already faced death once.

And this time, he refused to be bound by the past.

BOOM!

A surge of golden flames erupted from his body, shattering the illusions closest to him. The dark god's voice echoed through the void, amused.

"Interesting… You resist."

The illusions wavered, but they didn't vanish. Instead, they twisted.

The battlefield of the past transformed into something worse—

The end of his previous life.

Su Chen stood amidst the wreckage of a dying world, watching the sky split apart. From above, an evil god descended, its monstrous form blotting out the heavens. The remnants of humanity fought, screamed, and fell. And he… he had been powerless to stop it.

The dark-armored god's voice was a whisper in his ear. "You think you're stronger now?"

"You think this life will be different?"

The illusion wrapped around him like chains, attempting to smother his will. He could feel it clawing at his mind, feeding on his doubts.

But instead of despair, Su Chen laughed.

It was low at first, but it grew—a genuine, fearless laugh.

He raised his burning spear, his voice steady. "You gods love your games, don't you?"

The illusion flickered.

Su Chen took a step forward, his presence shattering the false world around him. "But I'm not the same man who died back then."

He swung his spear in an arc, flames roaring like a dragon. "And I don't need a second chance to prove it."

The illusion shattered completely.

---

Return to Reality

Su Chen's eyes snapped open. The battlefield returned in an instant.

But something was different.

He had changed.

The divine energy coursing through him was stronger, more refined. The illusion had been a test—and he had broken through its shackles.

The dark-armored god stood where he had before, watching Su Chen with an unreadable expression. The Executioners, who had expected to see a broken man, now stared at him in disbelief.

"He resisted a god's illusion?" one of them whispered.

The dark god's lips curled into a smirk. "Fascinating."

He stepped forward, his aura rippling. "You're proving to be more than a simple mortal, Su Chen."

Su Chen met his gaze, unflinching. "And you're proving to be more than a simple nuisance."

The other gods tensed, prepared for battle. But the dark-armored god merely chuckled.

"We'll meet again soon."

And just like that—he vanished.

---

The Aftermath

The remaining gods hesitated. With their strongest member gone, the tide of battle had shifted.

Su Chen turned to his allies, his voice ringing with authority. "They falter. Let's finish this."

His army roared in response.

The battle wasn't over.

But victory was now within their grasp.