Two years of relentless training, meticulous calculation, and mastery of both body and mind had brought Arthur Frederick here. The boundary of the Adept realm shimmered just beyond his grasp, the pulse of the world thrumming in his veins, testing him.
This is it… the culmination of everything, he thought, drawing the subtle currents of energy into alignment with his cultivation. Every breath, every movement, every fiber of his being tuned to the rhythm of the unseen world.
For a moment, the air around him seemed to hum in response, and a surge of exhilaration ran through him. His body and mind were ready.
Then, suddenly, the energy twisted. Shadows of the fallen erupted from the void, their anger and resentment coiling around him like chains. The momentary clarity and control collapsed under the weight of the souls he had wronged, their cries and accusations shredding his concentration.
Arthur staggered, feeling a force far beyond mortal limits pressing down, choking the very essence of his cultivation. The Adept realm shimmered and withdrew as if mocking him.
What… is this? he gasped, struggling to maintain balance. The pressure intensified, and a presence, ancient and merciless, descended upon him.
You dare push against the balance, the voice thundered, yet take no responsibility for your cowardice. You must suffer. And so…
The air itself shimmered, and the chains of the Soulborne class wrapped around Arthur's mana core, strangling it completely. Pain, raw and unrelenting, shot through him. Every attempt to summon cultivation was met with resistance, every breath a struggle.
I… can't… he gasped.
Then the being's voice—deep, resonant, and unyielding—spoke again, almost inside his mind:
"Arthur Frederick… you have survived, but your survival has come at the cost of many lives. Your former best friend, Rex, trusted you, and you abandoned him. Others, too, placed their hope in you, and you faltered, leaving them to suffer. A mortal cannot escape such choices unscathed. You sought strength, yet refused responsibility. You fled from the consequences of your cowardice. And now, you must bear the weight of all you have done."
Arthur's chest heaved, his vision blurring as he tried to process the words.
"To ensure you understand, to ensure you endure, I impose upon you the Soulborne class. It is not a gift. It is a chain around your mana core, a burden upon your cultivation. You will feel the pain of the souls you wronged. You will confront their resentment. You will suffer—until you learn the cost of your cowardice and betrayal. Only then may your power awaken."
The SYSTEM activated simultaneously, its cold, mechanical voice echoing through his consciousness:
SYSTEM NOTICE: SOULBORNE CLASS
Target: Arthur Frederick
Status: Mana Core Sealed
Restriction: Cultivation & Mana Usage Disabled
Task Assigned: Dissolve the resentment of Rex, your former best friend abandoned on Earth, to unlock your mana core.
Trial Enforcement Active. Soulborne punitive feedback in effect.
Arthur's knees buckled beneath the weight. The shadows of the fallen pressed against him, amplifying every ounce of guilt, every memory of betrayal. He tried to fight, to summon his strength, to reach beyond… but the effort was beyond him. Pain, shame, and exhaustion consumed him.
His body convulsed once, twice… and then the world went black.