The cavern shook violently as the monstrous figure emerged from the abyss. Its wings scraped against the jagged stone, sending showers of dust and sparks down the walls. Two crimson eyes burned in the darkness, piercing into Rihan's very soul.
The beast stepped forward, talons clashing against the ground. It resembled a dragon, but its body was woven from shadow and mist, flickering as though it wasn't fully real.
The System's voice echoed:
[Trial Phase Three Initiated.]
[Guardian of Echoes has appeared.]
[Warning: High-level Illusory Corruption detected.]
Rihan gritted his teeth, steadying his trembling hands. "A dragon…? No, worse than a dragon. And of course, it's my job to kill it."
The Guardian roared, the sound reverberating like thunder. Instantly, the cavern twisted — the ground split into rivers of lava, and the ceiling turned into a storming sky.
Rihan gasped. "Illusion again—!"
But his passive skill flickered to life:
[Heart of Clarity Activated.]
[Illusory corruption reduced by 50%.]
The fake lava shimmered, its heat fading into nothing more than faint mist. The storm cracked above, but instead of lightning striking, Rihan could now see through it — it was all smoke and mirrors.
He clenched his glowing blade. "You're not going to trick me this time."
The Guardian shrieked, lunging forward. Its massive claw swung down, the sheer pressure threatening to crush him.
Rihan rolled aside just in time, his blade scraping against the shadowy talon. Sparks flew — real sparks. The monster was illusion and reality fused into one.
"Great. Half fake, half real. That's just unfair."
He slashed, his blade glowing with faint light. The strike cut through part of the Guardian's wing, scattering it into black mist. The creature roared in pain, pulling back.
The System chimed:
[Damage inflicted. Guardian Integrity reduced: 7%.]
"Seven percent?!" Rihan's jaw dropped. "That was everything I had!"
The Guardian reared back, inhaling deeply. Its chest expanded, shadows swirling.
Rihan's instincts screamed. "Oh no—"
A torrent of black fire erupted from its maw, crashing forward like a tidal wave.
Rihan raised his blade, yelling, "Soulbound Radiance!"
Light burst from the weapon, colliding with the dark flames. The two forces clashed, the cavern glowing in blinding contrast — light against shadow. The ground quaked, and for a moment, Rihan thought his arms would snap under the pressure.
"Not… today…!" he screamed, pushing forward. His blade's light expanded, carving through the flames until the blast shattered into sparks.
Panting, he fell to one knee. Sweat poured down his face, his muscles screaming in pain. "Damn it… that was just one attack…"
The Guardian circled, its red eyes glowing brighter. Shadows wrapped around its body, forming spears that launched toward him.
Rihan's mind raced. If I try blocking everything, I'll die. I need something stronger… something new…
The System's voice flickered faintly, almost like a whisper:
[New ability synergy possible.]
[Heart of Clarity + Soulbound Radiance → Skill Fusion Available.]
Rihan's eyes widened. "Skill fusion?"
The Guardian lunged again, wings spreading wide, ready to crush him.
He gripped his blade with both hands, heart pounding. "If there's ever a time to gamble… it's now!"
He shouted with everything he had: "Skill Fusion — Radiant Clarity!"
His blade exploded in light, but this time it wasn't blinding. Instead, it was pure — sharp, clear, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.
The illusions in the cavern trembled. The false lava, the storming sky — all of it shattered like glass. The Guardian itself screamed as parts of its body unraveled, its shadowy form flickering.
Rihan charged, his movements faster, clearer, every step certain. He dodged the Guardian's claws effortlessly, weaving through the collapsing cavern.
"Your tricks don't work on me anymore!" he roared.
With one final leap, he raised his glowing blade high and plunged it into the Guardian's chest.
The creature let out a deafening roar, its red eyes wide with shock, before its entire body erupted into light and shattered into a thousand fragments of mist.
The cavern fell silent.
Rihan collapsed to his knees, gasping for air, his arms shaking uncontrollably. His blade dimmed, but the System's voice rang out triumphantly:
[Guardian of Echoes Defeated.]
[Trial Phase Three Complete.]
[Major Achievement Unlocked.]
[Reward Granted: Skill – Radiant Clarity (Permanent).]
[System Note: User's resolve is acknowledged. Path forward unlocked.]
Ahead, the walls of the cavern shifted. The once-dark stone cracked open, revealing a glowing doorway of light.
Rihan sat there for a moment, staring at it, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Then, despite the exhaustion, a small grin tugged at his lips.
"…I actually did it."
His hands trembled as he pushed himself back onto his feet. He sheathed his glowing blade and whispered to himself, "Guess I'm not just some loser from another world anymore."
And with that, he stepped toward the doorway, his figure swallowed by the light.