Ares drew the black sword from the altar. As soon as the hilt was in his hand, red energy exploded throughout the underground hall. The vibrations impacted the walls, causing the stones to crumble and the symbols on the floor to ignite like flowing magma.
The shadow warriors who had been charging stopped immediately. Their rusted swords fell, and their bodies knelt in unison, bowing toward Ares. A strange scream echoed, not a threat, but a salute of submission.
Ares held his breath. The sword was cold as ice, but within it he felt a wild, burning ember. A voice echoed in his head, louder than ever.
You are mine now. With me, this world can bow to you. But power always comes at a price. Are you ready to pay it?
His hands trembled. He glanced at his comrades. Lyra stood pale, her hands trembling. Ryn stared open-mouthed, her face filled with shock. Orion had already readied his bow, his cold gaze piercing Ares.
The altar shook even harder. Cracks formed in the walls. The floor glowed red, and a cold system beep filled the room.
[Bound artifact.]
[Price set: one binding soul.]
"WHAT?!" Ryn shouted. "Soul? You mean… one of us?!"
Lyra stepped back, her face tense. "Ares… let go of the sword! Don't listen to the whispers. It's a curse!"
But Ares couldn't. The sword seemed glued to his hand. The more he tried to free himself, the tighter the bindings became. The whispers became more piercing.
Choose, Ares. One soul for thousands. A small sacrifice for great freedom. You know they will only hinder you.
Ares felt his chest tighten. Images of his past returned. The cheers that had once turned to jeers. The teammates who betrayed him. The father who stared in disappointment. It all came to him at once, mingling with the whispers of the sword.
Orion stepped forward, his bow already at the ready. "If you intend to sacrifice one of us for that thing, I will stop you here."
The atmosphere was tense. Lyra swallowed, tears welling in her eyes. Ryn trembled, trying to mask her fear with a loud voice. "Bro… don't be crazy. We're a team! Don't let you—"
The system's voice echoed again, louder.
[Countdown begins. 30… 29… 28…]
The hall began to collapse. Large boulders fell from the ceiling. Red cracks spread throughout the room. Their time was running out.
Ares closed his eyes, trying to think. What choice was being asked of him? One soul must be sacrificed for this sword to be fully bound. But who? Lyra? No. Ryn? Impossible. Orion? Even the thought of it made his chest clench.
If not them… who?
The sword's whisper answered, as if it knew his heart.
Yourself.
Ares gasped.
The sword trembled, and pain lashed out throughout his body. It was as if his very soul were being drawn into the black blade.
Lyra screamed. "ARES! No!"
Ryn ran, trying to pull the sword from Ares's hand, but a black aura pushed her back. Orion was about to release an arrow, but held back, his eyes watching Ares's every move.
[Countdown: 10… 9… 8…]
Ares gritted his teeth. If he surrendered himself, perhaps they could be saved. But was that really the choice the sword wanted? Or was it a trap to keep him bound forever?
Am I willing to sacrifice myself? Or will I drag them all down with me?
The whisper of the sword pressed harder. Choose. Now.
[3… 2… 1…]
Ares raised his sword high, then slammed the tip of it onto the floor.
An explosion of red light enveloped everything.
The hall collapsed. The cracking sound was deafening. The floor shattered, the walls collapsed, and the ceiling shattered, opening a vortex of blue light above them. The bodies of Ares and his comrades were sucked in, floating amidst the destruction.
The system's voice rang out again amidst the roar of destruction.
[Third trial completed.]
[Progress: 3/7.]
[Transporting player to the next world.]
Ares felt his body being thrown into an endless vortex. His consciousness was almost gone, but he managed to hear one final whisper from the black sword.
You have chosen. You will bear it… until the end.
Darkness.
Ares's body slammed into something solid. He groaned, opening his eyes with difficulty. The first sight that greeted him wasn't the ruins of the hall, but a strange sky: half bright blue filled with clouds, half black dotted with stars. The two skies were divided by a straight line, as if crudely sewn together.
"Where are we now...?" his voice cracked.
Ryn fell not far from him, wincing as she clutched her side. "If this isn't hell, then... at least this is the waiting room to hell."
Lyra slowly stood, her face still pale but her eyes fixed on the split sky. "No... this isn't a bug or a glitch. This world... was intentionally created this way."
Orion was standing upright with his bow, his gaze piercing the surrounding fog. "Half Realm. The next test arena."
They stood on a vast plain littered with city ruins. The difference was, these ruins were still "alive"—lights in some buildings glimmered faintly, cracked streets glowed blue and red. The blowing wind carried the scent of burning metal mixed with the scent of wildflowers.
Ares gripped his sword tighter, his heart still pounding. "Half alive, half dead…"
Lyra nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes. This world is on the brink. A place where reality and illusion collide."
A tower loomed in the distance. Or at least, half a tower—the bottom was solid, but the top had simply vanished, as if erased. The air from it pressed down on their chests, making the air heavy.
Orion pointed toward it. "Our goal is clear. The fourth trial awaits there."
But before they could take their first step, the system's voice echoed again.
[Half Realm rule: every bond will be tested.]
[Individual strength is limited.]
[Only those who trust in the bond can survive.]
Ares's body immediately became heavy, his sword feeling dull. His swift swings slowed drastically. Lyra tried to summon a spell, but the light in her hand went out. Ryn cried out in frustration as her body lost its usual strength.
Orion lowered his bow slightly. "It's not about ability. This world forces us to rely on each other."
Then a thick mist rose from the ground. From within the mist, figures emerged. Not empty shadows like before—but familiar faces.
Ares fell silent. Before him stood the figure of his father, his gaze cold.
"You failed once, and now you're dragging others down with you. Is that the price of your ego?"
Lyra covered her mouth, her body trembling. From the mist emerged a woman who looked just like her, only older, with a hateful gaze.
"You're just a cheap shadow of your family. You think you can lead? You can't even protect yourself."
Ryn stiffened. Two men appeared, her former guildmates who had once destroyed her.
"Trying to be a hero again? You're just a clown lucky to be alive."
Orion froze as well. From the mist emerged a figure identical to his—silver hair, identical bow—but his gaze was cold.
"You're not me. You're just a copy who stole my name."
Ares clenched his sword, shouting to break the silence. "Don't listen to them! This is a test! They're not real!"
But the system insisted:
[Every shadow must be faced. If one falls, the bond is broken. If the bond is broken, all is lost.]
Four paths opened from the center of the ruins, each leading to a dense fog. Orion took a deep breath. "This is a personal test. We must enter… alone."
Lyra screamed, "But if we are separated—"
"There is no other choice," Orion interrupted coldly.
Ares looked at his companions one by one. He knew this was harder than any battle they had faced.
He raised his sword. "Then… we face it. And return together."
They dispersed, going their separate ways.
And in the Half Realm, the most dangerous enemy awaited: themselves.