After my defeat at Sheja's hands, I barely had time to process the overwhelming failure before the system slammed me with an alert that felt like a punch to the gut.

[System Alert: Mission Updated]

[Complete the 30-days life-taking training and defeat Sheja in a fair battle.]

[Penalty for failure: 50 years of life force will be taken]

[Reward for victory: Gain 500 levels at once.]

"Fifty years of my life?" I whispered. My heart raced as the weight of those words settled on my chest like a stone. "Are you kidding me?" I yelled, clutching my hair, mind racing. "Fifty damn years! What kind of punishment is this? And what if I don't make it? Sheja's bomb will explode in my lungs anyway… I'm doomed either way!" My breath came in ragged gasps. This wasn't just a fight anymore—it was my very life on the line.

Panic gnawed at the edges of my mind, threatening to unravel me completely. "What do I do now?" I mumbled to myself. "I need more power, more anium. I have to—"

Before I could lose myself in a spiral of doubt, a voice cut through the chaos in my head. A cold, almost amused voice.

"If you want to kill Dilah… come with me."

I jerked my head in the direction of Asia's voice, though I still hadn't fully trusted her. She stood there, watching me with those cold, calculating eyes. "Sheja defeated you easily. You can't fight her as you are. But… I know a way," she said, her lips curling into a faint smirk.

I didn't trust her completely, but the system had given me no choice. I needed power. "Fine," I muttered, "tell me what I need to do."

Asia didn't answer immediately. Instead, she smiled—a smile that sent chills down my spine. "Come with me," she said, her tone unsettling. "We're going to hell. Worldly hell."

Her words should have been the final warning, but I was desperate. Reluctantly, I followed. Whatever she had in mind, it couldn't be worse than the fifty-year penalty hanging over my head.

Suddenly, without warning, Asia spun around. Before I could react, I felt a cloth being tied tightly around my eyes. The darkness was immediate and total.

"What the—? Asia!" I screamed, clawing at the fabric. It was smooth, tight, and unyielding. No matter how hard I pulled, it wouldn't budge. "What the hell is this? Why are you doing this?"

She ignored my struggling, her voice calm and collected. "Your training begins now."

I thrashed against the blinding darkness. "Training? What kind of training involves me being blindfolded? This is insane!"

"This cloth is unbreakable," she said, her tone almost mocking. "You won't be able to remove it until your training is finished. Get used to it."

I clenched my fists in frustration. "I can't fight if I can't see! How am I supposed to—"

"You'll have to rely on more than your sight if you want to survive. Your eyes are only one part of your strength. If you can't learn that, Sheja will tear you apart." Her voice held no sympathy. It was as if she didn't care whether I succeeded or failed.

I was about to argue more when, without warning, she shoved me. I stumbled back, then suddenly found myself falling. A splash of cold water shocked my system as I hit a river. The chill numbed my muscles instantly, but my survival instincts kicked in. I flailed in the dark, gasping for air.

"Swim," Asia's voice commanded from somewhere above. "Swim toward my voice if you want to make it to the Dark Cherry Island. Use your ears. Stay focused. Lose track, and you'll drown." Her voice was fading, the sound of her rowing away haunting me.

"Are you insane?!" I shouted, but she was already too far to hear.

Blind, disoriented, I had no choice but to listen to the faint splashes of her boat. Five long hours passed. Five hours of swimming with burning muscles, the cold seeping into my bones, every sound becoming more distant, but I had to push on. I had no choice. The system penalty loomed over me, a reminder that failure wasn't an option.

Finally, exhausted beyond measure, I reached the shore. I collapsed onto the wet sand, gasping for breath, my arms like lead.

"Good," Asia's voice cut through the fog of my exhaustion. "Stand up. We're not done yet."

I wanted to scream at her, to tell her how insane this was. But I didn't have the energy. Slowly, painfully, I got to my feet. "Where now?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

She didn't answer. Instead, I felt her hand on my shoulder, guiding me forward. "We're going to the top of that tower," she said, her voice carried by the wind.

I strained my ears, trying to gauge the size of the tower by the sound of the wind whipping around it. "It doesn't sound that tall—"

Before I could finish, Asia interrupted, her voice as cold as ever. "Not from here," she said, and then she pushed me again. This time, I didn't fall into water. I fell into something far worse.

The heat hit me first—the smell of burning oil filled my nostrils, followed by the acrid sting of acid. I landed with a jarring thud, the ground beneath me burning. I scrambled to my feet, feeling the heat rising around me.

"Welcome to the Well of Hellfang," Asia's voice echoed from above. "The walls are slick with oil, and the floor is covered in acid. You'll have to climb using the central pillar. One wrong move, and the acid will melt you alive."

The moment I touched the pillar, I knew this wasn't just a climb—it was a death sentence. My hands immediately slipped against the oily surface, the pungent stench of acid burning my nose. Blind, I could only rely on the cold, unfeeling voice of Asia somewhere far above me.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Feel it, Eric. This is the test. Your anium—if you can't control it now, you'll die. Plain and simple."

The word ANIUM rang in my head. It was the energy that flowed within me, but unlike the strength of my muscles, it was delicate. Like breathing, it had to be mastered, balanced. I had never needed it more than I did at this moment. I felt the throbbing pulse of it, deep in my core, but could I draw on it enough to survive?

I reached out again, fingers trembling, trying to grasp the slippery pillar as acid hissed below me. The oil on the surface of the pillar was intentional—it made every movement a fight for life. My hands barely had any grip, sliding down with the weight of my own body. My heart pounded in my chest as the awareness hit me: there was no way to do this without anium. I had to focus it.

"Only 10 percent of the people who train here survive," Asia had said. "You'll either master anium or die. Simple."

I could hear the mocking cruelty in her voice, but there was a challenge beneath it. A challenge I refused to lose. Anium, I told myself. Breathe it in. Use it.

I closed my eyes—though being blindfolded made no difference. I concentrated, slowing my breath, feeling the flow of my anium pulse through my veins. I could sense it, like a warm glow beneath my skin. I channeled it into my hands, my legs, and instantly felt the change. My muscles tightened, my grip steadied. The oil still made it slippery, but the power coursing through me gave me control—barely.

Suddenly, a trap sprung to life. I heard the slicing sound of a pendulum swinging toward me, a deadly blade, cutting through the air. I couldn't see it, but my sharpened senses felt the rush of wind as it whooshed past me. One slip and you're dead. The thought cut through me like ice.

I pressed against the pillar, holding on by the smallest fraction of grip, waiting for the next pendulum to swing. Time seemed to stretch—my heart beat in time with the swinging, creating a rhythm, a pulse. This was my moment. I timed it perfectly, then jumped up, pushing with my legs just as the pendulum whooshed past again.

But the pillar had more in store for me.

Jets of fire shot from the walls, igniting the oil-coated surface. The heat was unbearable, scorching my skin even from a distance. There was no way to slow down now—if I didn't keep moving, I'd be cooked alive. I could feel my skin blistering, my senses screaming from the heat, but I pushed through, digging deeper into my anium reserves. Focus, control, survive.

The flames danced around me, and my heart pounded harder as I climbed. I felt the throbbing pulse of the anium, but my body was starting to betray me. The sweat pouring from my body made everything slippery, even my concentration. The fire roared louder. The pendulums swung faster. The acid below bubbled furiously.

Asia's voice broke through the chaos, cold and distant. "You're almost halfway. But here's where the real test begins."

Almost halfway? My muscles screamed in protest, and I could barely hold on. But then the final trap appeared: a gust of wind. It came from nowhere, powerful and violent, trying to peel me off the pillar. It was like being struck by a sledge hammer, only worse. My fingers began to slip again as the wind howled around me.

"No, no, no!" I shouted into the void, barely hanging on. The wind was relentless, and my anium reserves were draining fast. This was it. The test. The moment I would either die or transcend.

I had to push myself further. I closed my eyes—again, a useless habit—and let go of everything. I focused all my energy on my anium, drawing every last bit of power I could. My breath steadied, and suddenly the wind felt less chaotic. The fire felt less lethal. The pillar, though slippery, seemed like something I could conquer.

I began to move faster. The traps were still there—fire, wind, spikes—but I danced between them. My anium guided me, and my body became light. I moved with a precision I didn't think was possible. Every leap, every dodge, every grasp felt like it was in perfect synchronization with the world around me.

But this wasn't a victory lap. The last obstacle loomed above me, and as I climbed higher, I realized the top of the pillar wasn't just the end—it was a final trap.

The very tip of the pillar was covered in a viscous, black tar, mixed with oil and something else that smelled rancid. And above it? Razor-sharp blades, positioned in such a way that if I didn't grab the top perfectly, I'd be sliced in half.

"Are you kidding me?" I breathed, barely able to muster the words. My body was at its limit. Every muscle ached, my skin was burned, and my mind was a blur. But I had no choice. This was it.

I gathered every ounce of anium I had left, pouring it into my limbs. I felt the raw energy surge through me, giving me strength for one final push. The wind roared, the fire raged, and I leaped—my hands grabbing the oily, tarred surface at the top of the pillar.

For a split second, I was suspended in mid-air, the razor-sharp blades inches from my body. My fingers dug into the tar, slipping, sliding, but holding just enough.

And then, with a roar of desperation, I pulled myself up.

I collapsed onto the platform, gasping for air. My entire body was shaking, and I could feel the last remnants of my anium fading. But I had made it. I had survived.

The system message flashed before my eyes.

[System Alert: Training Completed. Reward: +500 levels]

[ Current Level is +510 ]

"Should I clap? Or is this pathetic display supposed to impress me?" Her mocking tone stabbed through what little pride I felt for making it up the pillar. The climb had nearly killed me, but I knew—knew—that look in her voice. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

"You think you're done, Eric?" she sneered. My heart dropped into my stomach. The pulse of danger hadn't left the air.

"... Hira."

*Hira?* I didn't need to see to feel the thunderous steps approaching. The ground shook with every step, each one louder than the last. And even without my sight, I could sense it—a dark, towering presence. Malevolent. Powerful. Hira.

"Yes, my lady?" Hira's voice was like gravel grinding in a furnace—deep, rough, and inhuman. I couldn't see him, but I could feel the raw, deadly energy radiating from him. He wasn't just strong—he was lethal.

"Kill him."

Kill me? My heart lurched. "Wait! Wait a second! Asia, what the hell are you talking about?!"

There was no hesitation, no second thoughts. Just the cold, unwavering tone of command: "Hira, kill him."

I barely had time to register the metallic hiss of a blade before it sliced through the air. Anium charged through my veins, but I was drained, still aching from the pillar. There was no way—no way—I could dodge this.

The blade came down fast—faster than anything I had ever felt. But then—CLANG.

The world paused. My body—still intact.

"What the...?" I whispered, confusion overtaking fear. The blade didn't cut me. It couldn't. I felt something wrap around me, a force stronger than anything I'd ever known. The air around me shimmered, like a thousand invisible shields had snapped into place.

Asia's voice cut through the fog of my thoughts. "You've activated your Next stage of anium, idiot."

My anium... So that's what this was. This energy—this invincible shield—it was mine. I had done it. Without realizing it, I'd unleashed my true power. I didn't know how, but it was coursing through me now.

A cold laugh slipped from Hira's throat. "Interesting," he rumbled. "Looks like the rat's got some fight in him after all."

Fight? I could barely stand. But Asia wasn't going to let me rest. "This is your next test, Eric. Survive."

I turned toward her voice, my heart pounding harder than ever. "Survive? You can't be serious—I just—"

She cut me off with a sharp, almost dismissive tone. "I don't care what you just did. If you want to defeat Sheja, you have to beat Hira. Here. Now. Or die."

*Beat Hira? Blindfolded, drained, and standing on the brink of collapse?* The thought hit me like a hammer, but I didn't have time to think—Hira was moving again. I could hear the ground trembling beneath him, his massive form lunging at me with terrifying speed.

The hum of the laser cutter filled the air, closing in.

Move!

The anium surged, fueling my legs as I threw myself to the side. I felt the heat of the blade slice through the air where I'd just been. Too close. Way too close.

Asia's voice rang in my ears. "Stop running, idiot! Fight!"

Fight? I could barely hold myself together. But as Hira closed in again, I knew I didn't have a choice. If I didn't fight, I was dead.

Focus. Focus on the sound.

I couldn't see, but I didn't need to. Hira's footsteps were like earthquakes, his movements creating waves in the air. My anium flared, and I felt it—him. His every step, his every movement.

He lunged again, but this time, I was ready. I dodged to the side, barely evading his strike, and for the first time, I countered. My fist, fueled by the power of anium, slammed into his massive chest.

Hira grunted, stumbling back for a moment, but quickly regained his footing. "Not bad... for a rat," he growled.

I barely had time to think before he was coming at me again, faster, harder. His attacks were relentless, each one designed to kill, and I was running out of energy. My anium shield held, but I couldn't keep this up. Not for long.

"Use your power!" Asia's voice was harsh, impatient. "You think Sheja will be easier than this? You're weak, Eric! Weak and useless unless you figure out how to fight!"

Fight...

The anium pulsed inside me, but I needed more. I had to harness it, control it. Hira was strong, but I was fast. I had to outmaneuver him. I had to think.

He came at me again, his laser cutter slicing through the air. But this time, I didn't dodge. Instead, I dropped to the ground, sweeping his legs out from under him.

Hira crashed to the ground with a deafening thud, but before he could recover, I was on him. The anium surged through me, amplifying my strength as I delivered blow after blow, each strike hitting harder than the last.

But Hira was no ordinary opponent. With a roar, he grabbed me by the throat, lifting me off the ground with ease. My body screamed in pain, but I forced the anium to respond, pushing out with everything I had. A blast of energy erupted from me, sending Hira flying back.

I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. But I wasn't done yet. I couldn't be.

Asia's voice echoed in my ears. "Finish it, Eric. Or die."

I forced myself to my feet, the anium burning through my veins. Hira was already recovering, but I wouldn't let him get the upper hand again. I charged at him, my fists glowing with the power of anium.

Hira roared, swinging his massive fist at me, but I ducked under his attack, driving my fist into his gut with all the strength I had left. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and for a moment, Hira faltered.

But I didn't stop. I couldn't. I unleashed everything I had, every ounce of anium, every bit of strength, until finally, with one last scream of fury, I drove my fist into Hira's chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Silence.

I stood there, panting, my body trembling with exhaustion. But I had done it. Hira was down.

Asia's slow clap echoed through the silence. "Well, well... maybe you're not as useless as I thought."

But I wasn't listening. My body was on the verge of collapse, and all I could think about was one thing.

Sheja.

The real battle hadn't even begun yet.