When the dizziness faded, the participants found themselves scattered across a wide, sunlit grassy plain. The wind rustled through tall blades of grass, carrying the faint metallic tang of tension. Every step they took made the earth hum slightly, as if the land itself had become aware of the trial's imminence.
Above, a strange ripple passed over the clouds, twisting light and shadow like molten glass. It moved with impossible fluidity, bending reality in subtle ways that made eyes ache and minds strain. Before anyone could react, a new figure descended.
It was a Herald—but unlike the first one that had appeared over Cairo. This one was broader, almost winged in silhouette, with fragments of metallic light forming plates along its shoulders and back. Its face was angular, partially obscured by jagged patterns of glowing circuitry, and instead of a single eye, three vertical eyes glowed a deep violet, scanning independently, each seemingly piercing into the participants' very souls.
The figure floated above the field silently, yet its presence pressed on every participant like a tangible weight. Even the wind seemed hesitant around it. Then, without moving its lips, its voice reached into the minds of all who stood on the plain, calm but utterly terrifying.
"Designation confirmed."
"Participant cohort 0012… all beings present are registered for assessment."
"The Trial will continue. Observation and interference rules are in effect."
It paused, and the violet eyes swept across the gathered participants. Many stumbled backward, their hearts hammering, their breaths caught in throats. Fear laced the air like smoke.
"Do not attempt to question the Trial System. Do not flee. Survival is the only metric."
A faint hum radiated from its body, making the ground vibrate slightly underfoot. Unlike the first Herald, this one didn't simply announce rules—it exuded judgment, as though it could read every heartbeat, every hesitation, every flaw in each participant's mind.
And then, again, the Herald spoke. Its voice did not travel through air, yet every mind present felt its weight like a blade:
"Now, the first trial is about survival. Species No. #100000087—Goblins—will be your opponents. This is a time-limited survival quest. You are required only to survive for twelve hours without being killed. Equipment has been provided for your use. Good luck."
The words lingered like steel in the participants' minds, sharp and mocking. Around them, the plain seemed deceptively calm. The sun reflected off the green grass, birds chirped faintly in the distance, and the horizon stretched endlessly… but beneath that serenity, the subtle, twitching shadows betrayed movement.
From the distant treeline, small, jagged shapes darted, barely more than silhouettes against the forest edge. Red glimmers of eyes shone as teeth bared and claws scraped the earth. Muscles coiled in anticipation. Their movements were swift, practiced, unnatural. The plain was no longer peaceful—it had become a hunting ground.
Every participant's heart hammered. Weapons appeared in their hands as if summoned by instinct, swords and spears manifesting with a faint pulse of energy, humming in the air. For many, that realization brought only horror: these weren't practice dummies. They were predators. Every strike, every attack, could be lethal. There would be no second chance.
Panic surged through the crowd immediately. Screams tore from lips. Some participants froze entirely, unable to comprehend the danger. Others attempted to run before it had even started.
For Kaiser, however, a faint smirk crossed his face. He didn't need to act immediately. Observation came first, analysis second, precision third. With the Eye of Judgment, every weakness, every motion, every probability was already visible.
Then, without warning, the treeline erupted. A horde of goblins burst forth, a mass of jagged teeth, glowing red eyes, and claws scraping the grass. Their chittering was sharp and dissonant, a cacophony designed to unnerve, to provoke.
Kaiser's gaze sharpened. Pale lines traced the goblins' bodies, illuminating structural weaknesses, highlighting their joints, muscles, and attack patterns. The Eye of Judgment predicted movement before it happened—each goblin's lunge, sidestep, and strike became clear as if laid out on a blueprint of inevitability.
With a single, precise slash, the nearest goblin folded under his blade. Its body collapsed unnaturally, limbs folding in directions they were never meant to bend. The air filled with the faint metallic scent of blood and the soft hiss of death.
Around him, other participants gasped, some whispering prayers under their breath. A few raised weapons and charged forward, emboldened by the display—but their confidence was naive, fragile.
"They think strength alone is enough," Kaiser thought, narrowing his eyes.
The goblins reacted with terrifying efficiency. They darted aside, countered, and attacked with coordinated brutality. Screams erupted as weapons swung too late—one participant's leg was torn apart, another's arm flung into the air. Blood sprayed across the grass like crimson rain, staining the plain. Panic spread like wildfire, infecting every mind that thought they could simply overpower the creatures.
Kaiser moved calmly through the chaos. Each strike was deliberate, exploiting every weakness the Eye revealed. He didn't dodge—he predicted. He didn't parry—he preempted. With each movement, goblins fell with surgical precision. Those who remained alive screamed, their panic intensifying as they realized the monsters' cunning.
The battlefield had become a maelstrom. Goblins lunged and tore, participants fled in terror, and in the center, Kaiser moved like a ghost of inevitability, slicing a path of calculated death. The plain was alive with motion, sound, and terror, yet his mind remained steady, detached, analytical.
After an hour, a soft chime resonated inside his mind.
[Record Notification: Level Up — Level 0 → Level 1]
{Achievement Unlocked}:
[Crimson Baptism — Epic]
(Description: Granted to participants who eliminate more than 100 monsters in the first trial.
Reward: Strength +10%, Agility +10%)
Kaiser's lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile. The trial had only begun. And still, the others didn't understand the magnitude of what they faced.
Around him, chaos reigned. Participants who had been brave, now shrieking as goblins tore at their limbs. Some scrambled to regroup, others simply fled, their legs pumping in blind terror. Kaiser could see the patterns forming—who would survive, who would fall, who would panic, and who might rise. All of it was laid bare to the Eye.
The goblins, despite their small size, moved with terrifying intelligence. They coordinated attacks, exploited hesitation, and reacted to mistakes with alarming speed. Even groups that tried to attack in formation were torn apart, their ranks collapsing like sandcastles against relentless waves.
Kaiser's mind cataloged every movement, every flaw in their attack patterns. A slight tilt in posture, a micro-adjustment in balance, a repeated habit—each was highlighted, stored, and exploited. He didn't just fight; he dictated the battlefield. Every slash, every thrust, every parry was part of a symphony, orchestrated by the Eye of Judgment.
The sun continued to climb, reflecting off the sweat and blood-slicked grass. The horizon stretched endlessly, yet each participant felt the tightening walls of the Trial. Twelve hours of survival loomed over them like a shadow. Twelve hours in which hesitation meant death. Twelve hours in which failure was absolute.
And yet, for Kaiser, it was a playground. He moved through the chaos with calm precision, his strikes cutting goblins down before they could even register their approaching doom. Each fall was inevitable, predetermined, a dance of efficiency and judgment.
By the end of the first hour, the battlefield was littered with the remains of goblins and foolish participants alike. The plain had transformed from serene, sunlit grassland into a violent testament to survival. And in the center of it all, Kaiser stood, calm, precise, untouchable—a figure the Trial itself seemed to pause and observe.