Three days passed quickly.
The capital did not slow down for anyone.
Markets bustled.
Elites trained.
Political factions maneuvered in silence.
But beneath the surface—
Whispers spread.
Zhang Wei.
Regional tyrant.
Evaluation winner.
New High Commander.
And now—
Ascension Trial candidate.
I stood before the Eastern Tower at dawn.
It rose far higher than any structure in the capital, piercing the sky like a black spear. Golden runes spiraled along its surface, pulsing faintly with ancient power.
This was no arena.
No test hall.
This was something older.
Heavier.
The system panel hovered before me.
[DING!]
Location confirmed: Eastern Tower.
Event: Ascension Trials.
Energy density: Extreme.
Environmental suppression: Active.
Warning:
Trial mortality rate historically exceeds 60%.
I smiled faintly.
"Good."
A handful of figures already waited before the entrance.
Seven of them.
All High Commanders.
All silent.
Some familiar.
Chen Varek stood near the side, arms crossed.
Yan Kuro leaned against a pillar, eyes closed.
The glowing-eyed woman from the Inner Combat Domain stood straight-backed, expression calm.
None of them looked weak.
None of them looked relaxed.
This was different from the evaluation.
This was real risk.
The massive tower doors opened without a sound.
The white-haired man from the hall stepped out.
The one whose presence crushed even elders.
His gaze swept across us.
"Seven," he said calmly.
His eyes landed on me last.
"Eight."
He nodded once.
"You have been selected for the Ascension Trials because you possess abnormal growth patterns, unstable ceilings, or exceptional combat dominance."
His gaze lingered on me.
"In some cases… all three."
No one laughed.
No one dared.
"The trial has three stages," he continued.
"Stage One: Isolation."
The ground beneath us lit up.
Formations activated.
"You will be separated," he said.
"You will face your own domain."
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Ascension Trial – Stage One.
Isolation Domain.
Objective:
Survive and dominate personal domain anomaly.
Failure consequence:
Elimination.
Before anyone could speak—
The world shattered.
Darkness swallowed everything.
When light returned—
I stood alone.
No tower.
No capital.
Only an endless black plain stretching to the horizon.
The sky above was cracked, flickering like broken glass.
The air felt wrong.
Heavy.
Unstable.
The system panel flickered erratically.
[DING!]
Isolation Domain Initialized.
Domain Type:
Psychological Manifestation.
Warning:
Host internal fears may materialize.
I frowned slightly.
"Fears?"
A low laugh echoed across the plain.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
I turned.
And saw—
Myself.
But different.
Paler.
Colder.
Eyes completely empty.
No system panel hovered beside him.
No aura flared.
Just… void.
"You rely on growth," the other me said quietly.
His voice was hollow.
"But what happens when you stop growing?"
The plain trembled.
Pressure descended.
He stepped forward.
His aura—
Matched mine.
High Commander.
Equal.
The system pulsed urgently.
[DING!]
Anomaly detected.
Mirror Entity.
Strength calibrated to host peak output.
Recommended strategy:
Absolute dominance required.
I exhaled slowly.
"So this is Stage One."
The mirror me smiled faintly.
"You've always climbed through battle," he said.
"What if you lose one?"
He vanished.
I felt the attack a split second before impact.
A fist slammed into my ribs.
I flew backward across the black plain.
Pain exploded through my body.
Real.
Not illusion.
He stood where I had been.
"You can't outgrow yourself," he said calmly.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Mirror Entity adapting.
Host growth acceleration reduced.
External assistance: None.
Heat surged through my body.
My aura flared.
I charged.
Shadow Step activated.
He mirrored it perfectly.
Our attacks collided midair.
Shockwaves tore across the plain.
Each strike met with equal force.
Equal speed.
Equal precision.
It was like fighting my own reflection.
Every move anticipated.
Every strike countered.
"You grow through pressure," he said during the clash.
"But I am your pressure."
He struck.
I blocked.
He kicked.
I countered.
No advantage.
No opening.
The system flickered.
[DING!]
Growth stagnation detected.
Condition unmet:
Opponent fear absorption unavailable.
I narrowed my eyes.
Of course.
There was no fear.
He was me.
I stepped back.
Stopped attacking.
The mirror tilted his head.
"Giving up?" he asked.
"No," I said.
I lowered my aura slightly.
His eyes narrowed.
Confusion.
The first crack.
"You don't exist outside this domain," I said calmly.
"You are not a rival."
"You are a wall."
The system pulsed faintly.
[DING!]
New approach detected.
Dominion Field activation possible.
I stepped forward slowly.
Not aggressively.
Not explosively.
But deliberately.
"You're built to match my power," I said.
"But you don't have my will."
His expression shifted slightly.
For the first time—
Emotion flickered.
Anger.
He charged again.
But this time—
I didn't match him.
I surpassed him.
Dominion Field activated.
The black plain trembled.
His movements slowed.
Just slightly.
But enough.
My fist struck his chest.
Crack.
He staggered.
Impossible.
"You can't dominate yourself," he hissed.
"I don't need to," I replied.
"I just need to surpass you."
The system pulsed violently.
[DING!]
Extreme Domination Condition met.
Growth acceleration unlocked.
Power +48.
Heat exploded through my body.
My aura surged beyond its previous limit.
The black sky cracked further.
The mirror screamed.
I stepped forward.
One final strike.
My palm drove through his chest.
The void shattered.
The black plain collapsed.
Light swallowed everything.
When my vision returned—
I stood inside the Eastern Tower again.
Breathing steady.
Uninjured.
But stronger.
The white-haired man stood before me.
His eyes held faint interest.
"You destroyed your mirror quickly," he said.
"Faster than expected."
I didn't respond.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Ascension Trial – Stage One: Cleared.
Power +62.
Dominion Field upgraded to Lv.2.
Stage Two unlocking…
Around me—
Other candidates began reappearing.
Some injured.
Some shaken.
One missing.
Only seven now.
The trial had already claimed someone.
The white-haired man turned.
"Stage Two begins at sunset," he said calmly.
"Rest while you can."
I exhaled slowly.
Stage One was about self-doubt.
Stage Two—
Would be about survival.
And I had no intention of falling here.
Because I wasn't done climbing.
Not even close.