Rivion stayed on his hands and knees long after the pressure disappeared. Being able to breathe freely felt almost surreal.
The platform was quiet again.
Too quiet.
The stars above returned to their distant glow, cold and indifferent. The massive thrones stood where they had before, nine silhouettes observing in silence.
But none of them moved.
None of them spoke.
Only the sound of Rivion's ragged breathing broke the stillness. He smiled as blood dripped from his chin onto the cracked stone beneath him.
I survived.
He wasn't sure how and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
A faint chime rang inside his mind.
The same one from earlier.
The translucent interface flickered into existence before his eyes.
[Trial One Complete]
[Authority Synchronization Increased]
[Strife Authority: 20%]
Rivion froze.
Something was definitely different now.
It felt as if a sealed portion of his mind had suddenly unlocked.
The oppressive weight that had filled the chamber since he arrived felt… lighter.
Like gravity had been reduced slightly.
He inhaled. Air filled his lungs without resistance this time.
Another notification appeared.
[Next Trial Available]
[Return to Mortal Realm for Preparation Period?]
[YES] [NO]
Rivion stared at the screen.
His mind struggled to catch up with everything that had just happened.
Trial.
Gods.
Death.
He looked down at the blood covering the stone. It more was than he realized.
"That was your definition of surviving?" he muttered hoarsely.
The voice of [Strife] returned.
Calm.
Clinical.
Unbothered.
Rivion coughed again, wiping blood from his mouth. The sudden voice in his head caused him to jump.
"You almost let me die."
Rivion blinked.
"…What?"
"That's not helpful information..."
Rivion let out a weak laugh that turned into another coughing fit. He spat out a bit of blood.
He looked back up toward the distant thrones.
The nine gods were still watching.
Waiting.
Judging.
Even from this distance, he could feel them.
Their presence pressed against the edges of reality itself.
"You said he was capped at ten percent," Rivion muttered.
Rivion snapped his head in the direction of Consequence's throne. He could not even fathom what a real fight would look like.
"Then what the hell is one hundred percent?!"
[Strife] did not answer immediately.
Rivion stared at the [System] window again. He thought about how difficult the first Trial was and that the next god would wield more power.
The options remained.
[Next Trial Available]
[Return to Mortal Realm for Preparation Period?]
[YES] [NO]
"Mortal Realm…?," Rivion said quietly.
The words felt strange on his tongue.
He had almost forgotten there was a world beyond this place. A world filled with people who had no idea gods existed. Or at least he assumed so.
No idea those gods could casually erase someone from existence.
"What exactly is the mortal realm?"
Rivion chuckled weakly.
"Protect?! I barely survived the first Trial. I can't even protect myself."
He gestured vaguely toward the thrones.
"They were about to kill me. Corection: they actually killed me."
Rivion could not help but laugh at how ridiculous that statement sounded, seeing as he died.
"That's a funny way to say attempted murder."
[Strife] ignored the comment.
The idea of being able to walk among normal people and essentially train for his next Trial sounded pretty appealing.
Rivion looked down at his hands.
The Celestial Armor began fading slowly into sparks of red light.
It dissolved like embers carried away by wind.
A lighter set of armor remained in its place.
His body still hurt.
But the damage felt… distant.
As if the pain had been dulled.
"Acclimate…" he repeated deep in thought.
His eyes drifted back to the thrones.
Nine gods.
Watching.
Waiting.
Evaluating him like a broken experiment.
Something inside his chest twisted. A sense of dread began to wash over him.
He thought about the way Consequence had looked at him.
Disappointed.
Like Rivion wasn't even worth the effort.
"You know what?" Rivion muttered.
"You know what I meant." He said with a soft chuckle.
He wiped the remaining blood from his mouth and slowly pushed himself upright.
His legs trembled.
But he stood.
"I want to see this world."
A pause.
Then the [System] responded.
[Mortal Realm Transfer Confirmed]
[Preparation Period Commencing]
The black stone beneath him began to glow crimson. At the same time, the stars began to vanish.
The thrones disappeared.
Reality folded inward.
For a moment, Rivion felt like he was falling.
Then—
Warm air filled his lungs.
Sound rushed back all at once.
Wind.
Voices.
Distant laughter.
Rivion stumbled forward. Grass brushed against his boots.
He looked down.
Green fields stretched in every direction. Rolling hills as far as he could see. A dirt road cut through them.
And in the distance—
He saw a small village.
Smoke drifted from stone chimneys. Children ran between houses. Farmers worked the surrounding fields.
This almost felt normal.
Peaceful.
Rivion stared at the scene in silence.
It looked so ordinary.
And then—
A bell rang from the center of the village.
He watched as people began gathering near a small stone shrine. The shrine stood in a circular clearing. An alter placed directly in the middle.
Curious, Rivion walked closer.
Ten statues surrounded the altar.
Massive.
The statues were beautifully carved. The mason spared no expense to ensure realism. Each god was depicted.
Order.
Dominion.
Judgment.
Mercy.
Silence.
Covenant.
Threshold.
Ash.
Consequence.
And—
The former Strife.
Villagers knelt before the statues.
Heads bowed.
Hands clasped.
Praying.
Rivion felt something cold settle in his stomach. This scene did not feel right to him.
"They worship them…" he said quietly.
"They pray to them."
A woman stepped forward toward the shrine.
She lit a candle and bowed her head.
"Please," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "My son is dying."
More villagers murmured similar prayers.
Safety.
Harvest.
Protection.
Hope.
Rivion stared at the statues towering over them.
The same gods who had watched him get crushed like an insect minutes ago. The same gods who executed Strife.
Realization struck Rivion.
"They don't even know..."
Rivion's jaw tightened.
"That the gods they're praying to…"
He looked back toward the sky.
"…wouldn't lift a finger to save them."
Rivion watched the villagers kneeling before the statues. Praying to gods who had already judged humanity expendable.
His voice was quiet.
But firm.
"Yeah…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…this is definitely going to be a problem."
For the first time since the trial ended—
Rivion felt anger.
Real anger.
And somewhere deep inside him—
Something answered.
A faint warmth.
A subtle pressure.
Strife.
The System chimed again.
[Secondary Quest Available]