Kael lunged forward, aiming for the Shade nearest the pedestal. His blade passed clean through its midsection—but it was like slicing fog. No blood. No resistance. Just a shiver of black mist that reformed the moment he stepped back.
[System Alert]Direct attacks ineffective.Hint: Find the anchor of their form. Disruption required.
"Tch," Kael hissed, retreating two steps as the six Shades circled him. "An anchor, huh? That mask?"
The cracked mask hovering above the pedestal pulsed faintly, a flicker of red glowing deep within its fracture. But he didn't have time to think—one of the Shades dashed toward him, scythe-like arms slashing horizontally. Kael ducked low and kicked upward, landing a blow to its jawless mask.
It stumbled—but didn't fall.
Another came from behind. He pivoted, barely blocking with the edge of his blade, sparks flying.
They were coordinated.
Each move forced him to defend a different angle. One high. One low. One stabbing while the other feinted. A deadly choreography of silence and steel.
Kael's breathing grew sharper, but not panicked.
He was learning.
They weren't mindless.
They responded to movement, adapted to his attacks… and worst of all, remembered.
Every time he dodged a strike, the next came faster. Every tactic, once used, became less effective. This was no simple fight—it was a test of adaptability.
Kael slid beneath a sweeping arm, rolled, and came up near the pedestal.
They all froze.
The mask pulsed again—brighter this time.
"So you are the anchor…"
One of the Shades shrieked—not with sound, but with a pulse that rattled his mind. Kael staggered back as the others surged forward, suddenly frantic, desperate.
[System Notice]Objective Discovered:Destroy the Mask of Echoes to sever enemy form.Optional Bonus: Last 3 minutes without harming the mask to unlock hidden memory.
He narrowed his eyes. "Of course there's a damn choice."
Three minutes against six memory-born monsters, with no real way to kill them… unless he broke the mask.
"Let's see what I'm made of."
He dropped into a defensive stance. The first came—he sidestepped and used its momentum to send it crashing into another. Then rolled backward over the steps of the pedestal, using the higher ground to monitor their movement.
Kael wasn't fighting to win.
He was fighting to survive.
For the next minute, he turned every dodge into a redirection. Every swing became a counter-feint. The Shades grew more aggressive, but less precise—responding more like animals than warriors.
A scythe sliced his arm—blood sprayed.
Kael grunted, bit back the pain, and kicked his attacker's knee backward. It twisted—but didn't break.
Still, it bought him time.
Two minutes…
His vision blurred slightly. The chamber began to pulse with red light—the mask was reacting to the chaos. The Shades were overlapping now, all six attacking in sync.
Kael's breathing was ragged. His legs burned. His thoughts blurred.
[System Notice]WARNING: Vital signs dropping.Memory Sync Rate: 1% → 2%
Suddenly—a jolt.
It was like a thousand voices whispered through his mind, and for a moment—he moved without thinking.
He ducked before the blade came. Spun low to evade. Kicked dust into the face of a Shade and used another's shoulder to vault over the swarm.
He landed behind the pedestal, eyes wide.
"...What was that?"
[System Notice]Synced memory:Style: Shadowstep Evasion (Lv. 1)Source: Alternate Self – Kael, Floor 8
Kael smirked. "Well… thanks, other me."
The Shades paused—as if sensing the shift.
Kael didn't wait. He dove into their formation, not to attack, but to disrupt.
Each move now carried a rhythm, a purpose—he was a blur of precise, reactive motion. He didn't need to kill them—just hold them off.
Three minutes passed.
The mask shuddered.
A ripple burst through the chamber—and the Shades screamed, crumbling to ash and mist.
Only silence remained.
[System Update]Trial Complete: Floor 2Bonus Achieved: Memory PreservedNew Memory Unlocked – "Echo of the Warrior" (Fragmented)
Kael dropped to one knee, panting, the floor slick with sweat and blood.
He looked up at the cracked mask. It slowly floated down, settling into his palm. A faint warmth pulsed from within.
He didn't understand it fully yet.
But one thing was clear—this tower wasn't just testing him.
It was shaping him from his alternate self.