The dinner eventually came to an end.
The table that had once been filled with warm laughter and delicious food was now mostly empty, leaving behind scattered plates and the lingering smell of spices and baked bread. The atmosphere had been cheerful, but underneath that warmth was an unspoken tension.
Everyone knew what tomorrow meant.
Tomorrow, Jade would face his trial.
After helping clear the table and thanking everyone again for celebrating his early birthday, Jade quietly excused himself.
"Good night," he said softly.
Seraphine smiled warmly at him.
"Get some rest, sweetheart."
Rylan simply nodded, but his eyes watched Jade carefully, as if silently measuring his son's resolve.
Nora waved lazily. "Don't stay up too late."
Jade nodded.
But instead of heading toward his bedroom, he walked down the hallway toward a staircase that led underground.
The dojo.
The moment he opened the door, the cool metallic scent of the training room greeted him. The underground dojo was massive, filled with various training equipment designed to push the body beyond its limits.
Weapons racks lined the walls.
Training dummies stood silently in corners.
Heavy punching bags hung from reinforced steel beams.
But Jade wasn't interested in those tonight.
His gaze was fixed on a large metallic chamber standing at the center of the room.
The Pressure Crushing Machine.
It was a cylindrical chamber surrounded by glowing panels and holographic sensors. Once activated, it could simulate enormous gravitational pressure, forcing the body to endure crushing weight.
Rylan had once told him about it.
"It's not necessary for your trial," his father had said.
But Jade didn't want to rely on luck.
He wanted certainty.
He wanted to know his limits.
And if possible…
He wanted to break them.
Jade walked toward the machine slowly.
"I'll test myself," he murmured.
He stepped into the chamber.
The door closed behind him with a soft mechanical hiss.
Immediately, a holographic screen appeared in front of him.
Lines of blue light formed a digital interface.
Then a calm mechanical voice spoke.
"Pressure training system activated."
Jade took a deep breath.
"Pressure level one."
A sudden force pressed down on his body.
It wasn't unbearable, but it was noticeable.
It felt as if gravity itself had suddenly increased.
Jade adjusted his stance slightly and planted his feet firmly on the ground.
His muscles tightened.
But he remained standing.
"Pressure level two."
The force increased.
Jade immediately felt the difference.
His shoulders sank slightly under the weight.
It was like someone had placed a heavy stone on his back.
He adjusted his legs carefully, spreading them slightly apart to distribute the pressure.
His breathing grew heavier.
But he still stood firm.
"I can handle this," Jade thought.
Then the machine spoke again.
"Pressure level three."
The weight doubled again.
Jade's entire body trembled slightly.
Sweat began forming on his forehead.
His legs started shaking under the crushing force.
It felt as if invisible hands were pushing him toward the ground.
But Jade clenched his teeth.
"No…"
He refused to kneel.
But the pressure continued to build.
His muscles burned.
His bones creaked.
Still, he endured.
Then the voice echoed again.
"Pressure level four."
This time the force came down like a mountain.
Jade's knees slammed against the floor.
The impact echoed inside the chamber.
"Ugh!"
Pain shot through his legs.
Jade gritted his teeth and tried to stand again.
Slowly…
Painfully…
His legs pushed upward.
But halfway up—
He collapsed back onto one knee.
It felt as if his body was about to shatter.
His bones felt fragile.
His muscles screamed in protest.
Jade's breathing grew ragged.
His vision blurred slightly.
But one thought kept him going.
"If I can't even handle this… how will I survive the trial?"
He forced himself to push again.
His legs trembled violently.
Slowly—
He stood.
Barely.
Then the machine spoke again.
"Pressure level five."
The force slammed down instantly.
Jade's body bent forward.
His spine groaned under the invisible weight.
His arms shook uncontrollably.
Sweat poured down his face.
His legs nearly gave out again.
But Jade forced himself to stay conscious.
"I have to… endure…"
The machine continued mercilessly.
"Pressure level six."
This time Jade could no longer remain upright.
His hands slammed against the floor to support his body.
He was now crouched, barely holding himself up.
Blood began seeping from the pores of his holographic skin.
Thankfully, it wasn't real blood.
The machine simulated injuries during extreme pressure tests.
Even so, the pain felt terrifyingly real.
Jade remembered something suddenly.
He had once seen his father use this machine.
Rylan had calmly endured pressure level thirty thousand while standing casually.
At the time, Jade had thought it looked easy.
Now he realized how foolish that assumption had been.
Even pressure six felt like death.
"Pressure level seven."
Jade's body barely moved anymore.
His limbs trembled uncontrollably.
"Pressure level eight."
The crushing force grew worse.
His body felt like it was being flattened.
"Pressure level nine."
Jade remained in the same position.
Hands and knees on the floor.
Barely conscious.
"Pressure level ten."
Jade's body shifted slightly.
Now he was positioned like someone doing a push-up.
Both arms locked against the floor.
His legs stretched behind him.
His entire body strained desperately against the crushing gravity.
His vision darkened.
The pressure felt unbearable.
And then—
"Pressure level eleven."
CRACK.
The holographic body exploded into fragments of light.
The simulation ended instantly.
The chamber door opened.
Jade stumbled out of the machine.
His real body collapsed against the wall.
His entire body was drenched in sweat.
It felt like every pore in his body had opened.
Even his groin felt soaked.
His heart pounded violently.
His lungs burned as he gasped for air.
"I… actually… lasted that long…"
After resting for a moment, Jade slowly stood up.
Then something strange happened.
His body felt…
Light.
Extremely light.
It was as if the crushing pressure had removed some invisible weight from him.
Jade took a step.
Then another.
Then he began running.
At first, he jogged slowly around the dojo.
His legs still felt tired.
But after a few seconds, something changed.
His speed increased.
His steps became faster.
His body moved more smoothly.
Soon he was sprinting across the entire dojo.
His feet barely touched the ground.
Wind rushed past his ears.
Jade's eyes widened.
"I'm… faster."
Much faster.
His speed increased again.
And again.
Soon he was moving at unbelievable speed.
If someone measured it, they would realize he was running nearly as fast as a car traveling at 120 miles per hour.
Jade laughed in excitement.
"This is incredible!"
It felt like the pressure training had awakened something inside his body.
His muscles responded faster.
His reflexes sharpened.
His body felt perfectly balanced.
Jade ran around the entire training room several times.
Then suddenly—
A voice echoed in his mind.
"Stop running."
Jade froze immediately.
His eyes widened slightly.
The voice spoke again.
"I have information for you."
Jade frowned.
"What is it?"
He stood still now, catching his breath.
The voice answered calmly.
"You will be sent to your trial in the next eight hours."
Jade blinked.
Then he slowly turned his head toward the clock hanging on the wall.
12:00 A.M.
Midnight.
Which meant…
The system voice continued.
"You will enter the trial at 8:00 A.M."
Jade stared at the clock silently.
Eight hours.
Only eight hours left.
Eight hours before everything changed.
Eight hours before he stepped into the unknown.
The voice spoke again one final time.
"Your countdown begins now."
Silence filled the dojo.
Jade clenched his fists.
His heart pounded with anticipation.
Tomorrow…
His trial would begin.