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The Forbidden Box was smooth to the touch, its surface shimmering faintly as if alive. Geon sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, the shadow coiled lazily around him, watching intently.
“Well?” it prodded, voice dripping with impatience. “Open it. You’ve earned this.”
Geon smirked, running his thumb along the box’s gilded edge. “Don’t rush me. A legendary reward deserves a moment.”
With deliberate care, he unlatched the lid. A soft glow spilled out, bathing the room in an ethereal light. Nestled inside, atop silken fabric, was a simple white ribbon. It was tied into a four-leaf clover, unassuming and delicate, like a token from a distant memory.
“That’s it?” Geon asked, raising an eyebrow. “A ribbon?”
💡Item(s) Acquired!
Adam's Wish
Rarity: Legendary
Grants the Player's deepest desire.
The shadow leaned closer, its tendrils swirling with curiosity. “Not just any ribbon. That’s Adam’s Wish.”
Geon lifted it from the box, feeling a subtle warmth radiating from the fabric. “Adam’s Wish, huh? What does it do?”
The shadow’s voice was uncharacteristically reverent. “Legends say it grants access to a realm outside reality, where your truest desires are revealed. But it’s not so simple. The cost of understanding your own heart… can be steep.”
Geon’s grip on the ribbon tightened. He had faced countless trials since the world descended into madness. His thoughts drifted to Lila—a name he hadn’t spoken aloud in weeks, but one that never left his mind. Without hesitation, he tugged the ribbon loose.
The world shattered around him.
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He found himself standing in a barren wasteland. The ground was cracked and dry, stretching endlessly into a gray horizon. Above, the sky was a swirling vortex of black and white, neither day nor night. A figure stood before him, its form draped entirely in black. No face, no features—just a void where a human presence might have been.
The air was heavy, oppressive. When the figure spoke, its voice echoed as though it came from the land itself.
“Do you desire something you need, or something you want?” it asked, its tone neither kind nor cruel, but utterly neutral.
Geon didn’t hesitate. “Something I want.”
The figure tilted its head slightly, as though considering his choice. “Are you certain? Humans are selfish creatures. What you think you want often leads to misery and misfortune. Sometimes, the rhythm of the world—the rhythm of destiny—guides you more wisely than your own heart.”
Geon clenched his fists. “I don’t care about destiny. I care about Lila. I want to know where she is, her whereabouts, her status—everything. That’s what I want.”
The figure’s robes rippled like a dark tide. “Your shadow agrees with me,” it said, and Geon blinked as the black form beside him took shape, its familiar voice cutting through the air.
“The faceless one is right, Geon,” it said softly, though its tone held an edge of warning. “If you ask for what you think you want, you may doom yourself—or her. Trust me. Ask for what you need instead. Whatever that may be, it will put you in a better position to achieve your desires without ruin.”
Geon turned sharply to the shadow. “Since when do you care about consequences?”
“Since I realized you’re still useful to me alive,” it quipped, but its seriousness returned quickly. “Think about it. Don’t throw this chance away.”
Geon stared at the ground, the cracked earth mirroring the turmoil in his heart. The faceless figure waited patiently, its presence unmoving. Finally, with a resigned breath, he spoke.
“Fine. If it’s so dangerous to follow my own heart, then give me something I need.”
The figure’s voice rumbled through the air. “Your choice is made. What you need has been granted.”
Before Geon could ask what that meant, the barren land dissolved, the gray sky peeling away like paper. He felt himself hurtling backward, and then—
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Geon gasped, his back hitting the floor of the room where he’d opened the box. The ribbon lay in his hand, now dull and lifeless. The shadow coiled beside him, quiet for once.
“Well?” Geon asked, sitting up. “What did I get?”
Before the shadow could answer, a new notification appeared, its golden text shimmering with an otherworldly glow.
🚨Special Event Triggered🚨
The 100-Year Quest
A seven-tier trial to gain strength, wisdom, and rewards beyond imagination.
Time flow altered:
10 years in the Quest equals to 10 days in the outside world.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Rewards:
???
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Geon stared at the words, his heart pounding. “Ten years,” he muttered. “And seven tiers of trials? What kind of event is this?”
“A gift,” the shadow said, its tone serious. “One that aligns with what you need. The figure didn’t lie. If you survive this, you’ll gain the power to shape your own destiny—and maybe even find her.”
The room around him began to fade again, this time into a blinding white light. Geon felt his body lifting, weightless and free, as the world reshaped itself.
The first tier of the 100-Year Quest began in a vast, sunlit meadow. The sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with drifting clouds. It seemed peaceful, almost deceptively so. Geon stood in the middle of the field, his heart ready, his shadow trailing beside him.
⚠️Notice⚠️
Welcome to The 100-year Quest.
First Trial: Beast Meadows
“What’s the trial?” he asked aloud, scanning the horizon.
As if in response, the ground trembled. A distant rumble grew louder, and from the edge of the meadow, a horde of beasts emerged—feral, monstrous creatures with jagged teeth and glowing red eyes. Their snarls filled the air, a cacophony of hunger and rage.
First Trial: Beast Meadows
Defeat the Beasts (500/500).
Kill or be killed. Good luck.
“Ah, of course,” Geon muttered, manifesting his Shadow Sword. “Nothing’s ever simple.”
The beasts charged. Geon met them head-on, his movements precise and deadly. Each swing of his weapon carved through flesh and bone, but the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. His shadow lashed out alongside him, its tendrils ripping through the ranks like a living weapon.
Enemy Defeated
Chimera Ant
Enemy Defeated
Wild Glashtyn
Enemy Defeated
Ice Wolf
Enemy Defeated
Devil Bird
For months, the battle raged. Geon’s muscles burned, his breaths came in ragged gasps, but he refused to falter. As the sun dipped below the horizon on the 180th day, the last beast fell, its body dissolving into shimmering particles.
⚠️Notice⚠️
Player successfully completed First Trial: Beast Meadows.
Completion Time: 6 months.
Geon collapsed to his knees, exhaustion threatening to claim him. “That… was just the first trial?”
The shadow chuckled weakly. “Welcome to the 100-Year Quest.”
Auto healing initiated...
Granting rewards...
A soothing light enveloped him, mending his wounds and restoring his strength. He stood, refreshed but wary.
Back in the real world, only 1 day had passed. The shadow watched silently as Geon slumbered, his body still and unresponsive. Though it had no face, there was a sense of satisfaction in its presence.
“He’ll make it,” it murmured to itself. “And when he does, the real game begins.”