Ren spun, striking outward with shadows. Each blow was precise. Each movement measured. The creatures were relentless, adapting to his strikes. He ducked under a sweeping arm, drove a spear into a shoulder, twisted away as claws grazed his side.

Hours seemed to pass in minutes. The creatures came in waves, some leaping from the ground, others from the cliffs. Ren's breathing remained steady, but the fatigue was creeping into his muscles. Shadows coiled tighter around him, forming blades, armor, and shields in a seamless flow.

The attendant girl's voice rose for the first time. "Behind you! Two more are approaching from the cliff!"

Ren pivoted midair, striking both with twin jabs of darkness. One fell. The other scrambled back, momentarily stunned. He landed lightly, surveying the arena. The creatures paused as if sensing his control, circling, waiting for a new opening.

Nyxa laughed quietly. "Not bad, little shadow. You are learning patience as well as strength. That is what they are testing."

The air shifted again. A heavier wave approached. This time, the creatures moved with coordination. One feinted, drawing Ren's attention, while another struck from the flank. Ren countered quickly, shadows slicing through one attacker, dodging another. Pain lanced across his leg as claws grazed him, but he did not falter.

Minutes passed like hours. Sweat dripped from his brow, shadow energy burning at the edges of his control. Still, he fought, precise and relentless. Slowly, he began to anticipate the patterns, strike before they could react, collapse the waves with minimal openings.

At last, the final creature fell, its form dissolving into glowing motes of mana. Silence returned. The plateau was scarred with the traces of battle. Rocks were shattered, fissures burned, mana lines pulsing faintly in the aftermath.

Ren dropped to one knee, breathing hard, shadows retracting slowly. The attendant girl approached, inspecting him briefly.

"You survived," she said plainly. "The land recognizes strength. You may proceed."

Nyxa's voice in his mind was soft, almost approving. "Yes, little shadow. That is the way to climb. You were patient, careful, and ruthless when necessary. Remember this feeling. It will not come so easily in the next threshold."

Ren stood, brushing dirt and blood from his clothes. Below, the heart of the forbidden land stretched endlessly, cliffs folding impossibly, rivers glowing like molten glass. The wind howled sharply, carrying whispers he could not fully understand.

"This is only the beginning," Ren said quietly. The attendant girl nodded, motioning for him to follow a narrow path that led deeper into the forbidden region.

Step by step, they moved into the unknown. Every rock, every current of mana, every shadowed crevice could hold a challenge. The air was thick with anticipation, yet calm, as if the land itself was waiting, watching, testing.

Ren inhaled steadily, shadow energy coiling around his arms once more. The first threshold had been survived. Beyond it lay countless trials, each demanding more, testing every skill he had ever learned.

The forbidden land opened its heart before him, silent, alive, and infinitely dangerous.

Ren exhaled, brushing blood and dust from his clothes. He looked down toward what he thought was the entrance to the true forbidden land. The wind howled, carrying faint whispers he could not understand.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled. Cracks raced across the plateau, spreading like veins through stone. Dust fell from jagged cliffs and the air vibrated with low hums of power. Ren instinctively leapt back, shadows coiling defensively.

A single, deliberate clap echoed through the plateau. It was crisp, commanding, and somehow impossible to ignore. Ren froze, scanning the cliffs. From above, a figure emerged, stepping down from the highest ledge. He was tall, his presence heavy, his eyes like burning embers. Every step resonated with authority, and the magic in the air shifted to acknowledge him.

"You have done well," the figure said, his voice carrying clearly across the cracked arena. "Most cannot endure even the first wave. You moved with precision, patience, and strength."

Ren's body remained tense. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am one of the guardians of Veron," the man replied. "This trial was not meant to harm you but to measure your worthiness. The creatures, the arena, the endless waves… all were illusions. A test of skill, control, and resolve."

Ren looked around. Slowly, realization settled over him. The creatures had not been real. Every scar in the stone, every fracture in the earth, attendant girl, every pulse of energy had been a projection. This had been a trial designed to determine if he could enter the forbidden land at all.

The guardian continued. "You have passed. Few possess the clarity and ruthlessness needed to face what lies beyond. You fought without hesitation, but you also calculated each step. That is what marks a shadow worthy of this land."

Nyxa's voice rippled in his mind, amused. "See, little shadow. I told you it was a test. You cut through illusions like they were nothing. Now the real game opens."

The attendant girl stepped aside, bowing slightly. "The path ahead is yours to walk. Follow carefully. The forbidden land does not forgive mistakes. One mistake and you will die."

Ren inhaled, feeling shadows coil along his arms once more. He nodded silently to the guardian. Each step toward the narrow path leading into the forbidden region carried weight. Every sound, every shimmer of light, every whisper of the wind could conceal danger.

Before him, the forbidden land spread like a living maze. It was looked like earlier illusion. Rocks twisted at impossible angles. Rivers glowed with molten light. Trees with blackened bark and silver leaves swayed without wind. The air shimmered with magic, thick and tangible.

"This is the true beginning," Ren said quietly. He stepped onto the path, shadows flowing seamlessly from his body, ready for whatever awaited. Behind him, the guardian's eyes followed briefly before fading back into the cliffs. The trial had ended, but the true challenge, the heart of the forbidden land, had just begun.

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