Ethan's body trembled slightly as he stood at the edge of the massive gate carved into the mountain's face. Vines and moss covered its stone surface, but faint blue runes shimmered beneath the growth, humming softly with dormant power. Engraved above the entrance were the words:
"Those who enter shall lose the light, and only those who forge their own may find the path beyond."
A system notification appeared before his eyes:
[World Quest Activated: Trial of the Forsaken Labyrinth]Difficulty: Advanced (Scaling)Objective: Survive the Labyrinth and obtain the Heart of Echoes.Warning: Exit is disabled until the trial is complete.Note: Death inside the labyrinth results in soul fracture — permanent stat reduction and loss of skill slots.
Ethan took a deep breath. The System had been generous with rewards lately — stats, titles, even a Rare-tier ability — but this trial felt different. More... final.
"I'm not backing down," he muttered, stepping through the stone threshold.
The air instantly grew colder. Light dimmed behind him, and the tunnel sealed with a thunderous boom. The only source of illumination now came from faintly glowing roots embedded in the walls, pulsing like veins.
[System: Welcome to the Forsaken Labyrinth]
You are now being evaluated on the following criteria:
Survival Instinct
Adaptability
Moral Judgment
Cognitive Problem Solving
Combat Capacity Under Pressure
"Wait, what?" Ethan blinked as the text faded. "This is more than a dungeon. It's a psychological test."
He ventured deeper. The corridor twisted into multiple branching paths, each lined with strange murals — distorted images of people screaming, beasts feasting on corpses, and broken worlds aflame.
A disembodied voice whispered through the stone:
"What is strength without restraint?"
"Who said that?" Ethan turned, gripping his Spectral Dagger, only to find himself alone. The labyrinth was testing his mind already.
Suddenly, the wall next to him rippled like water, and a shadow lunged out — a four-legged beast with no face, only a gaping vertical mouth and exposed ribs.
[Enemy Identified: Devourer of Doubt – LVL 29 – Unique]Passive: Feeds on uncertainty. Gains strength if the target hesitates.Warning: Weak to rapid decisive strikes. Vulnerable after missing an attack.
Ethan dodged as the beast swiped its claws, barely missing his shoulder. He rolled, activating [Phase Step], blinking behind the creature.
"Let's see how you like this!"[Skill Activated: Shatter Fang – Rank C+]
His dagger glowed crimson as it tore through the beast's spine, splattering black ichor across the walls. The creature howled, flailing in agony, before disintegrating into smoke.
[Enemy Defeated: Devourer of Doubt]+4,900 EXP+5 Attribute Points+Passive Unlocked: Clarity Amid Chaos – Grants bonus resistances against psychological effects when HP < 40%.
Ethan wiped his blade, panting. That thing… it wasn't just a monster. It was a reflection of something inside him. A doubt. A fear. The labyrinth was literal — and symbolic.
For the next few chambers, the trials grew stranger.
One room showed a simulation of his younger self, crying in the ruins of their home after the orphanage was destroyed. A phantom version of himself — older, crueler — whispered:
"You could've saved them if you were stronger."
Ethan clenched his fists. "You're not real."
"But your guilt is."
[Inner Conflict Detected: Activating Shadow Mirror Sequence...]
The system forced him into a fight against his own stats — a clone with identical skills and items, except one: [Merciless Heart], which gave it +25% damage against weakened targets.
The battle lasted thirteen minutes.
Bloodied, exhausted, and left at 8% HP, Ethan finally stood over his other self, dagger trembling.
"I'm not perfect," he whispered, plunging the blade in. "But I won't let guilt own me."
[You Have Conquered the Mirror of Guilt]Reward:
+1 Skill Slot
New Trait: Resilient Will – Immune to Illusions and Fear-based Effects
Special Item Acquired: Echo Lantern – Reveals hidden paths and illusions
He staggered onward, deeper into the labyrinth's bowels. The next area was bathed in green light, with whispering vines that curled around the bones of past challengers.
Then the path split into three doors:
One was blood-red and pulsing with heat.
One was ice-blue and silent.
One was obsidian-black, humming faintly.
A system prompt appeared:
Choose your path, Challenger. But know this — each holds a price.
Red: Power, but at the cost of time.
Blue: Insight, but at the cost of pain.
Black: Potential, but at the cost of self.
He stared at the options. The "cost of self"? That could mean loss of memory, personality, identity...
"Insight," he whispered. "If I don't understand what I'm up against, I'm doomed anyway."
He stepped into the blue door.
The chamber beyond was filled with crystal needles, each suspended in the air, vibrating at different frequencies. As he entered, they shot into his body, pain exploding in every nerve. The system bombarded him with hallucinations: fragmented timelines, future deaths, alternate versions of himself — corrupted, broken, consumed.
But buried in the chaos… were truths.
[You Have Withstood the Chamber of Insight]
Ability Gained: Foresight Pulse (Uncommon) – Grants a 3-second glimpse into the enemy's next move every 60 seconds.
Passive: Mind Burn – Slight chance to reflect Mind-type attacks back at caster.
+1 Title: Seeker of the Hidden Pattern
Collapsing to the floor, Ethan gasped, sweat pouring from his body.
The labyrinth was reshaping him — mentally, physically, spiritually.
And he had a feeling… this was only Stage One.
Suddenly, the walls trembled. The Echo Lantern glowed, revealing a previously invisible spiral staircase descending even deeper.
[System Update: You have unlocked Layer Two of the Forsaken Labyrinth.]Estimated Completion: 37%Recommended Power Level: LVL 40+ (Scaling active)Current LVL: 31
Ethan looked at his stats. He had leveled up three times already, gained new traits, and unlocked abilities he didn't know existed a day ago.
But he could also feel something ancient watching him now. Every step deeper into the labyrinth wasn't just a challenge — it was a summoning.