Stepping through the portal felt like walking into another world.

The suffocating darkness of the void dungeon faded, replaced by an eerie stillness.

A massive gate stood before me, towering and intricate, its surface pulsating with shifting patterns of blue and silver.

I exhaled slowly, staring at the structure. Something about it felt… wrong.

The air here was thick, almost oppressive, pressing down on my shoulders like an invisible weight.

Every step closer made my body feel heavier, but I forced myself forward, ignoring the exhaustion gnawing at my bones.

When I reached the gate, I hesitated.

My hand hovered over its surface, feeling the cold energy radiating from it.

[Prove Your Worth.]

The system’s voice rang in my mind, but before I could process it, I felt the ground beneath me shift.

Then I fell.

The sensation was dizzying.

I tumbled through the void, the shimmering gate vanishing above me.

When I finally landed, it was with a bone-jarring impact against smooth glass-like flooring.

I groaned, pushing myself up.

My eyes widened.

I was in a massive chamber.

The walls were lined with towering mirrors reflecting my distorted image, twisting and shifting as if mocking me.

And in the center of the room...

I wasn’t alone.

“Tobias…?” My voice came out in a whisper.

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Standing in a loose circle were my teammates, Tobias, Lily, Marcus, and Evelyn.

They all looked intact, relieved even, though exhaustion lined their faces.

Lily was the first to notice me.

Her bow hung loosely at her side, but her sharp eyes locked onto mine.

“Allen?” she asked, blinking in surprise. “You’re alive.”

I gave a short nod, scanning the others.

Tobias stood tall, his massive claymore strapped across his back, his expression unreadable.

Marcus grinned like nothing had happened, but his eyes held a flicker of something darker.

Evelyn, clutching her staff, offered me a timid smile but couldn’t quite meet my gaze.

“You guys…” I started, but Tobias cut me off.

“We thought you were dead,” he said, stepping forward, his voice firm but not unkind. “What happened? One second you were with us before we entered the portal, the next you were gone.”

I hesitated.

“I- I don’t know,” I lied. “One moment we were stepping through the portal, and the next I was alone in… somewhere else.”

The others exchanged glances, and Lily crossed her arms.

“We ended up in different parts of the dungeon. Traps, monsters, puzzles. It was a nightmare,” she said, shaking her head. “Somehow, we found our way here.”

Marcus smirked.

“Heh, you missed the fun, man. I had to disarm like fifty traps to get through. You owe me for that.”

Evelyn’s soft voice broke through.

“I-I’m just glad you’re okay.”

I gave her a small nod, but my attention was drawn elsewhere.

Beyond my teammates, near the far end of the chamber, there was something...

Someone.

Sitting on a throne-like structure, half-shrouded in darkness, was a figure.

I could see it clearly, long, thin fingers resting against the armrests, eyes like burning coals watching us with interest.

It was still, almost unnervingly so, as if waiting.

But when I glanced back at my team, they saw nothing.

They weren’t reacting.

I swallowed hard.

“Do you guys… see that?” I gestured toward the figure.

Tobias frowned.

“See what?”

Lily raised an eyebrow.

“Are you okay, Allen?”

My pulse quickened.

They couldn’t see it.

Only I could.

The figure leaned forward slightly.

I clenched my fists, feeling a wave of unease crawl down my spine.

I couldn’t tell what it was, but something not good is going to happen.

I needed to stay quiet.

Tobias turned back to the gates at the center of the chamber, oblivious to my growing anxiety.

“Whatever happens next, we need to stick together. Agreed?”

“Yeah,” Marcus said, stretching. “Not keen on getting separated again.”

Evelyn nodded timidly, and Lily sighed.

"Fine. But no heroics, Tobias.”

I barely heard them.

My eyes were locked on the figure.

It didn’t move, but I could feel it watching me, judging me.

I clenched my jaw.

Something told me that leaving this place wouldn't be as simple as clearing the highest level of a dungeon.

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to focus.

“Yeah… let’s stick together.”

But deep down, I had a feeling that this is a trial...

I don't really know.

And whatever was waiting behind that gate, whether my team could see it or not, wasn’t going to let us go so easily.