The moment Feyi stepped through the shimmering orb of the Realm Sorcery, the world twisted violently around him.
Light collapsed into darkness.
Sound faded into silence.
For a brief moment, he felt as if his body had been stretched across an endless void. Then—
THUD!
He crashed onto solid ground.
A low groan escaped his lips as pain spread across his back. The stone beneath him was rough and cold, carrying the smell of dust and age. Slowly, Feyi pushed himself upright and looked around.
He was inside a building.
But it was not an ordinary structure.
The hall was enormous—far larger than any structure he had ever seen. Tall pillars rose toward a ceiling that disappeared into darkness. Ancient symbols were carved into the stone walls, though time had eroded many of them.
A faint gray light seeped down from cracks above, barely illuminating the vast chamber.
Everything felt old.
Forgotten.
Abandoned.
"So… this is the trial," Feyi murmured.
His first encounter with the Realm Sorcery had been strange but straightforward. Back then, the mysterious force had granted him his power immediately.
This time was different.
There was no voice.
No guidance.
No system message.
Just silence.
Then—
Pain exploded through his body.
"—Ah!"
Something slammed into him from the darkness.
Claws scraped violently against an invisible barrier surrounding him.
SCRRRRRK!
His Void Shield activated automatically, blocking the attack.
Feyi stumbled backward, heart pounding. He lifted his head and finally saw what had struck him.
Monsters.
Grotesque creatures crawled from the shadows surrounding him.
Some had elongated limbs that dragged across the ground like broken puppets. Others had wide mouths filled with needle-like teeth. Their eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
More shapes moved behind them.
Five monsters.
Then seven.
Then even more.
Feyi swallowed hard.
"So the trial begins immediately…"
The creatures lunged.
Without hesitation, Feyi summoned his weapon.
A green light flashed in his hand.
"Green Goblin Sword."
The jagged blade appeared instantly, glowing faintly in the darkness.
Feyi had no formal combat training, but instinct took over.
A monster leapt forward.
He swung.
SLASH!
The blade sliced across the creature's chest, dark blood spraying across the stone floor.
The monster collapsed.
But the others did not hesitate.
They attacked all at once.
Claws struck his Void Shield again and again.
CLANG! CLANG! SCRRRRRK!
Each impact vibrated through his bones.
The shield protected him, but he could still feel the force of their attacks.
Then—
A voice echoed across the chamber.
Soft.
Calm.
Almost playful.
"Hmm…"
Feyi froze.
Someone was watching.
He looked toward the far end of the hall.
Standing atop a broken staircase was a girl.
She looked no older than twelve.
Her long black hair flowed down her back like a waterfall of shadows. She wore a dark dress that blended into the surrounding darkness.
Her pale eyes studied Feyi with curiosity.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Oh?"
Her voice echoed lightly across the chamber.
"You're still standing."
Feyi tightened his grip on his sword.
The girl raised her small hand.
The monsters stopped moving instantly.
For a moment, silence returned to the hall.
Then she spoke again.
"That's impressive."
She waved her hand gently.
Behind the first wave of creatures, the darkness stirred again.
New monsters crawled out.
Bigger.
Stronger.
Some had thick armored skin.
Others had claws long enough to pierce stone.
Feyi's heart sank.
The girl was controlling them.
She watched him with detached curiosity.
"Let's see how long you survive."
The monsters charged again.
This time, they were faster.
Stronger.
Feyi forced himself to move.
He dodged one attack and slashed another creature across the neck.
But the monsters kept coming.
Again and again, they slammed against his Void Shield.
CRACK.
The barrier flickered.
Feyi's breath grew heavy.
Minutes passed in brutal combat.
Each strike weakened his defenses further.
Then—
CRACK.
The shield flickered again.
Another hit like that…
And it would shatter.
Feyi made a quick decision.
His body vanished.
He turned invisible.
The monsters hesitated, confused.
For a brief moment, Feyi believed he had escaped.
Then the girl smiled.
"I can still see you."
His blood ran cold.
Her eyes followed his invisible form perfectly.
"Attack."
The monsters surged forward again.
Even though they couldn't see him, they obeyed her commands.
Feyi dodged desperately.
Claws sliced through the air inches from his body.
Teeth snapped near his throat.
He rolled, jumped, twisted.
His body moved faster than ever before.
All the stretching and training he had done in the academy suddenly proved useful.
Still—
It wasn't enough.
The monsters were relentless.
Then a memory surfaced in his mind.
A book.
A discarded skill.
Void Dance.
The technique he had practiced every night.
At first, it had felt pointless.
But now…
Facing death…
His body finally understood.
Feyi slowed his breathing.
His movements changed.
His steps became lighter.
His body twisted and flowed in strange patterns.
It looked almost like dancing.
A claw swung toward him—
Feyi turned slightly.
The attack missed.
Another monster lunged—
He stepped aside gracefully.
Another strike came—
He bent backward as claws sliced the air above him.
His body moved like flowing water.
This was the Void Dance.
The monsters became confused.
Even the girl narrowed her eyes.
"Oh…"
Feyi continued moving.
But the monsters were many.
Slowly…
His strength began to fade.
His shield flickered again.
His breathing grew ragged.
A claw slammed into his side, sending him sliding across the stone floor.
He crashed against a pillar.
Pain shot through his body.
The monsters approached again.
For the first time since the battle began, Feyi felt something strange.
Not just exhaustion.
But confusion.
These creatures…
They felt familiar.
A strange connection tugged at his mind.
Through the haze of pain, he suddenly shouted.
His voice echoed through the hall.
"I AM THE SOUL OF VOID!"
The monsters hesitated.
Feyi forced himself to stand.
His voice grew louder.
"The Soulless Void of the Voidless Clan!"
His eyes burned with frustration.
"Why… am I being attacked by my own clan?!"
The moment those words left his mouth—
Everything changed.
The monsters stopped.
Completely.
The girl's eyes widened slightly.
Then—
She moved.
In the blink of an eye, she dashed across the hall.
Her speed was terrifying.
Within a second, she stood directly in front of him.
Feyi raised his sword instinctively.
But the girl did something unexpected.
She smiled.
A warm, gentle smile that completely transformed her cold expression.
"Brother."
Her voice was soft.
"I've been waiting for your arrival."
Feyi froze.
"…Brother?"
The girl clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head playfully.
"My name is Lyra."
Her dark hair swayed slightly as she spoke.
"I am the Heart of the Void."
She smiled brightly.
"The Heartless Void of the Voidless Clan."
Feyi stared at her in disbelief.
Lyra continued speaking calmly.
"These creatures were never meant to kill you."
She gestured toward the monsters.
"They were only meant to test you."
Feyi's mind struggled to process everything.
"A test…?"
Lyra nodded happily.
"Of course."
Her pale eyes sparkled with excitement.
"You are the Soul of the Void."
"And I am the Heart of the Void."
She placed a hand gently over her chest.
"The Voidless Clan has been waiting for you."
Feyi lowered his sword slowly.
"Waiting… for me?"
Lyra nodded again.
"For a very long time."
She turned and began walking toward the darkness of the hall.
Then she looked back at him and smiled sweetly.
"Come, brother."
Her voice echoed softly.
"The real trial…"
Her eyes gleamed mysteriously.
"…begins now."