Life Weapons

When Orion first saw a combat film and tried to replicate the moves he witnessed, he discovered the allure of martial arts. As he watched the actors fight and attempted to mimic their techniques, his excitement grew. He felt something stirring within him—a wild curiosity and an urgent desire to emulate them, a sense of control and power he had never experienced before. 

When Orion awoke to this overwhelming feeling of exhilaration for the first time, it was new and astonishing. It wasn't mere fleeting curiosity; it was something deeper, a burning urge to surpass his limits. In that early moment, Orion realized he wanted to grow stronger. He loved this rising sensation of capability and dominance. Over time, this feeling solidified into his ultimate goal: to become powerful, stronger than anything else. It became the core of his motivations, the hidden drive behind his calm exterior and unyielding resolve. 

So, when Kai and Liana saw that faint smile curl on Orion's lips as he stood before the colossal door, they exchanged bewildered glances. They couldn't understand why he'd smile so serenely in such a situation—especially since this was the first time they'd ever seen him smile—after days of exhausting combat. But Anarak, who had been silently observing, understood completely. 

Anarak had been Orion's companion since childhood, even before Orion understood the nature of his existence. He had accompanied Orion since his earliest years, and Orion's personality had been shaped by Anarak's quiet demeanor and ancient wisdom. Anarak knew all too well Orion's hidden obsession with strength. He had watched Orion train relentlessly, always pushing to transcend his limits. 

Anarak knew Orion's smile now wasn't just about surviving the corrupted beasts. It was a silent test of his newfound power after breaking through the Flame Rank and obtaining his weapon aura. That smile reflected his satisfaction with the results, the sensation of surging strength coursing through him, and the new possibilities unfolding before him. In his mind, Orion was already envisioning how his adapted aura would fare in future battles and how he could wield it to achieve his ultimate goal. It was a smile of contentment with progress—and anticipation for more. 

After the brutal massacre, as silence finally settled over the area, the team felt an intense exhaustion weighing on their bodies and souls. Suddenly, another wave of mana rushed toward them. This time, it was different—not the overwhelming force that had preceded their recent breakthrough, but a gentle yet concentrated surge that gathered into the core of each of their mana reserves. 

The trio was startled once more by this abrupt energy influx. They felt the mana pooling inside them, though in minuscule amounts compared to what was needed to breach the Intermediate Rank. The mana accumulated slowly and steadily in their cores, as though preparing them for something ahead—a potential leap in power, but not with the speed or intensity they'd experienced before. It was like a tortoise's pace: a slow, deliberate nourishment laying the foundation for a future breakthrough. 

Orion analyzed what had just happened, then turned to Kai and Liana and said calmly, "There are two possibilities. The first is that the wave is some form of reward. The second is that killing these corrupted beasts grants a small fraction of mana, but slaughtering thousands of them gave us a larger amount." Kai and Liana nodded. Liana added, "If it's the second possibility, we'll confirm it by killing a beast alone." Orion and Kai nodded in agreement. Kai then asked, "Well, does anyone know how to open this door? Or are we supposed to knock or something?" 

Orion glanced at the door, stepped forward, and placed his hands on it. The door swung open effortlessly. He looked back at Kai and said, "Seems we're welcome," then strode inside, followed by Kai, Liana, and his shadows. Upon crossing the threshold, Orion found himself in a vast hall filled with weapons, tools, and countless incomprehensible objects. A robotic voice echoed in their ears: *[Congratulations on passing the trial. Please choose only one item.]* 

The trio turned to admire the grand hall. "What should I choose?" Liana wondered aloud. But she didn't need to think long—a golden glow emanated from among the weapons. Drawn to the shimmering object, Liana approached it. When she reached it, she saw a golden crown adorned with intricate runes and a red gem at its center. She lifted it, placed it on her head, and a bond formed between the crown and her. She gasped, "This crown… it's a Life Weapon!" 

Kai and Orion's eyes widened. They knew what Life Weapons were—indestructible arms tied to the essence of one's mana, growing stronger as their wielder did. Even among powerful families, such weapons were exceedingly rare. Immediately, Kai searched for his own weapon. He didn't need to look far: a golden chain lit up and shot toward him, coiling around his right arm as a bond formed. 

As for Orion, he listened to the whispers of the shadows, which seemed to guide him to one item. He glanced in its direction and commanded, "Come." Shadows surged toward him, climbing his arms until they formed black gloves. A bond snapped into place. Waves of information flooded Orion's mind. After a minute of processing, he learned the gloves were forged from an "Ancient Shadow" he couldn't identify. Named *[Whispers of the Ancient Shadow]*, they boosted his shadow energy efficiency by 30%, enabling faster, stronger manipulation and shadow-weapon creation. 

Each Life Weapon had unique arts. Orion's first technique was *Shadow Detonation*: gathering shadow energy around his fists and releasing it toward an enemy, creating a shadow wave capable of obliterating a beast in one strike. Other arts remained locked, requiring unknown conditions to unlock. Orion could hide the gloves from sight but chose to keep them visible, their surface resembling concealed leather. 

After selecting their weapons, the robotic voice instructed, *[Proceed to the second floor.]* A long staircase descending into darkness materialized. The trio exchanged glances, nodded, and Orion led the way. They descended spiral steps for an hour until finally reaching an exit. 

When Orion stepped out and surveyed his surroundings, he froze. A gray sky hung above, and beneath it lay withered gray grass and trees—but this wasn't what shocked them. Before them sprawled a massive city enclosed by a colossal wall, where countless races mingled and interacted. 

It seemed the trio's long journey in this enigmatic realm had only just begun.

"Hello There Iam Abdul Rahman ,I have good news and bad news which one do you want to hear first?, oh you want to hear the bad news first well the bad news is that I have exams soon after a month or a month and a half so I might only post one chapter a day or sometimes I won't post at all but don't worry because the good news is that the events of the novel are going to start to get exciting and full of mystery, puzzles and adventures, so fasten your seat belt because the events are about to get chaotic"

"Ahem sorry guys change in the plan i will be back after finishing my exams but don't worry i will write chapters while iam not uploading and i will create many chapters oh and ""free Palestine❤️"