The air in the altered realm hung heavy with tension as Geon stood at the precipice of the unknown.
He had survived six grueling trials, each designed to break him, to push him beyond his limits.
And yet, the notification before him was more ominous than anything he had encountered.
Final Trial Initiated: God's Chosen One
Prove your worth. Win the right to exist.
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Geon read the words twice, his hands tightening into fists. “The right to exist? What kind of trial is this?”
The shadow at his side murmured, its voice almost reverent. “The final step. This is the culmination of all you have endured. Prepare yourself, Geon. What awaits is beyond anything you’ve faced.”
Before Geon could reply, a sudden wave of energy coursed through him.
Full Recovery Initiated.
Health, stamina, and energy restored to maximum.
His burns, his scars, the exhaustion from years of combat—all of it melted away as if it had never been.
Geon exhaled sharply, flexing his fingers. “That’s more like it,” he muttered, rolling his shoulders as his strength returned. But the moment of relief was fleeting. The ground beneath his feet trembled violently.
Far off in the distance, the mountains seemed to bow, their jagged peaks flattening as though the land itself was reshaping to accommodate what was to come. Rivers flowed upward, their waters spilling into the sky before crashing back to earth. The once-distant horizon pulled closer, compressing the world into a vast but finite battlefield.
The notification pinged once more.
⚠️Notice⚠️
Battlefield Designation: The Eternal Garden
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Grass as green as emeralds stretched out endlessly in all directions. The flattened terrain was bordered by distant mountains that loomed like silent sentinels. A single river snaked its way through the expanse, its surface glimmering in the golden light that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once.
Geon’s gaze snapped forward as a figure materialized at the center of the garden. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
The man—if it could be called that—was tall and broad, his frame the perfect balance of power and grace. His armor, pure white and seamless, shimmered with a golden aura that seemed to hum with latent energy. In one hand, he held a sword, its blade translucent and glowing faintly as though forged from sunlight itself.
The figure regarded Geon with eyes that burned like twin suns, their gaze piercing and unrelenting.
Enemy Identified
Adam
“I am Adam,” the being said, its voice resonating with a strange harmony that seemed to echo across the garden. “God’s Chosen One. You stand before me as a challenger, an aberration in the grand design. Prove your worth, Demon Geon, or be unmade.”
Geon felt a surge of defiance. “Unmade?” he spat. “I’ve come too far for that. If you think you can erase me, you’ll have to do better than speeches.”
Adam raised his blade in acknowledgment, his posture calm and unyielding. “Then let it begin.”
Adam moved first, closing the distance between them with impossible speed. His sword arced toward Geon, a streak of golden light. Geon barely managed to block with his Shadow Sword, the clash of their weapons sending a shockwave rippling through the garden.
The force of the blow nearly drove Geon to his knees. He’s strong. Too strong.
Adam pressed the attack, his movements precise and relentless. Each swing of his blade carried not just raw power but a calculated intent, forcing Geon to react defensively.
Geon gritted his teeth, ussing Shadow Exchange to teleport behind Adam. But before he could strike, Adam twisted fluidly, slamming an elbow into Geon’s face and sending him sprawling.
“You rely too heavily on tricks,” Adam said, his tone devoid of malice. “Such tactics will not save you.”
Geon wiped blood from his lip, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “We’ll see about that.”
The first year was a brutal dance of survival. Adam’s power seemed limitless, his mastery of swordplay and physical combat unparalleled. Yet Geon adapted, using his agility and shadow manipulation to exploit small openings.
As the second year began, Adam revealed another facet of his power. Raising his free hand, he summoned a sphere of light that hovered above the battlefield, illuminating every corner. The shadows Geon relied on were forced to retreat, shrinking under the relentless brilliance.
“Your darkness cannot hide from me,” Adam declared.
Geon snarled, sweat pouring down his face as he struggled to maintain control of his abilities. But instead of despairing, he forced himself to think creatively.
If I can’t use shadows as cover, I’ll use them as weapons.
Geon began shaping his shadows into sharp projectiles, launching them at Adam in rapid succession. Adam deflected them with ease, but the strategy forced him to remain on the defensive, buying Geon precious moments to recover and strategize.
By the end of the second year, Geon had learned to weaponize his shadows in ways he hadn’t thought possible, creating constructs that could move independently and harass Adam from multiple angles.
Adam’s tactics shifted once more as he began to wield fire. With a sweep of his sword, he unleashed waves of flame that scorched the garden, turning the lush grassland into a charred wasteland.
Geon’s shadow beasts struggled to survive in the intense heat, their forms flickering and weakening. Geon himself was pushed to his limits, his body covered in burns as he fought desperately to stay in the fight.
But even in the face of such overwhelming power, Geon refused to back down. He began incorporating the environment into his strategies, using the river to douse the flames and cool the battlefield.
Adam, ever adaptable, responded by manipulating the very terrain itself. The ground beneath Geon’s feet shifted, erupting into jagged spikes of stone that forced him to stay on the move.
The third year was a battle of attrition, each combatant testing the other’s endurance and resolve.
By the fourth year, the Eternal Garden was unrecognizable. The once-vibrant grasslands were a smoldering wasteland, the river reduced to a trickle.
Geon and Adam stood at opposite ends of the battlefield, their bodies battered and broken. Adam’s armor was cracked, his golden aura flickering. Geon’s shadows were faint and sluggish, his energy reserves nearly depleted.
And yet, both refused to yield.
“This is your final chance, Demon Geon,” Adam said, his voice steady despite his visible fatigue. “Surrender, and I will make your end swift.”
Geon laughed hoarsely, blood dripping from his mouth. “You think I’ve come this far to quit? No, Adam. If one of us dies here, it won’t be me.”
Summoning the last of his strength, Geon called forth his shadow beasts one final time. Umbra, Gasgar, and Haunger materialized, their forms flickering like dying embers.
Adam responded in kind, summoning a massive spear of light that hovered above him.
The final clash was a spectacle of raw power and sheer determination. Geon used Shadow Exchange to dart around the battlefield, striking from every angle while his shadow beasts harried Adam.
Adam, in turn, unleashed devastating attacks with his spear, each strike threatening to obliterate Geon entirely.
As the battle reached its climax, Geon saw his opportunity. Using every ounce of his remaining energy, he combined Shadow Manipulation and Dark Temper to create a massive blade of pure darkness.
With a roar, he charged at Adam, his weapon clashing with Adam’s spear in a blinding explosion of light and shadow.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
......
......
When the dust settled, Geon stood alone. Adam’s form dissolved into golden particles, his voice echoing faintly.
“Well done, Demon Geon. You have earned your right to exist.”
Enemy Defeated
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Adam
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⚠️Notice⚠️
Player successfully completed Final Trial: God's Chosen One.
Completion Time: 4 years.
Level Up!
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Level Up!
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Level Up!
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Player Profile: Demon Geon
Class Global Rank Level Kill Count Demon #96100 91 4760
Health
1/11000
Stamina
0/5900
Energy
0/5800
Distribute Stat Points (0)
Power
800
Strength, affecting the damage of physical attacks.
Defense
600
Resistance, reducing the impact of incoming attacks.
Stamina
600
Endurance, dictating how long the player could fight or move before exhaustion set in.
Agility
650
Speed, improving reflexes and movement.
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Geon collapsed to his knees, his body trembling with exhaustion. The shadow spoke, its tone a mix of pride and relief. “You’ve done it. The trials are complete.”
Geon didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the ruined battlefield. He had won, but the cost had been immense.
As the altered realm began to fade, signaling the end of his 100-Year Quest, Geon allowed himself a small, bitter smile.
"Wait a little longer Lila...I will be with you soon..."