"Hey, I'm back."
Torahiko announced his return casually as he stepped inside.
He slipped off his shoes and switched into indoor slippers before walking down the hallway. The house was quiet except for the faint noise of a television echoing from the living room. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside.
The house had been left to them by their parents before their deaths. A modest western-style home — three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room attached to the kitchen. The kitchen led into the backyard: an open space with patchy grass and not much else except a large shed.
Before Torahiko was even born, Takayuki Jin — his older brother — had refurbished that shed into a home gym. Rusted storage racks replaced with weights. Dusty boxes replaced with punching bags. It was Takayuki's territory.
On the living room couch, Takayuki lay sprawled out in nothing but shorts, shirtless, a cigarette lazily hanging from his lips. His muscular frame was relaxed, attention glued to the television where a comedy show played. The room was faintly lit by the TV's glow.
"Yeah? Did you get your sweet older brother anything, eh, kitty?"
Takayuki's eyes shifted toward Torahiko, amused.
"No shit, Sherlock."
Torahiko tossed the bag of chips and a cold drink toward him.
"Here. Make some space."
Takayuki lazily pushed himself upright, sitting in a half-slouched position to give Torahiko room. Torahiko dropped onto the couch beside him.
Takayuki's gaze flicked toward the items in Torahiko's hand.
"Hmm? What's that? Rubbing alcohol? What, you get hurt or something?"
His tone was joking, but beneath it was a faint trace of concern.
"Nah. Not me. On my way back I saw someone with a busted knee. Walking like it was nothing. Pissed me off."
Takayuki raised an eyebrow.
"She? A girl?"
A grin spread across his face.
"What, you help her 'cause she was cute? Oh heavens… my little brother's finally stepping into manhood."
Torahiko shot him a flat look.
They sat there watching the show. Takayuki burst out laughing at every punchline, his loud, unrestrained laughter filling the room. Torahiko only smirked faintly, more focused on his thoughts than the TV.
After a while, Torahiko stood, stretching his arms overhead. He tossed the empty bottle and chip packet into the bin.
"I'm gonna sleep. Kinda tired."
"Yeah, yeah," Takayuki replied absentmindedly, eyes still on the screen.
Torahiko headed upstairs to his room.
Closing the door behind him, he lay down on his bed. The ceiling above him was dim, faint streetlight bleeding through the curtains.
He focused.
In his mind, he imagined an old rusted lock.
It clicked open.
When he opened his eye, he was no longer in his room.
He stood in a vast, endless space.
All around him — water.
Not flowing, not moving — just existing. Dense and suffocating, yet he could breathe. It was as if he stood at the bottom of an ocean, surrounded by infinite dark water instead of air. The silence pressed in from all sides.
"How do I start the trial? Maybe I should—"
"No need."
The voice cut him off.
The rabbit keychain in his pocket spoke, its stitched mouth unmoving yet undeniably alive.
"This is free information. It'd be boring if you had to pay for every little question. You'd end up a vegetable before making progress. So anything related to your wishes? I'll give you the bare minimum for free."
The keychain twitched slightly.
"To start the trial, you simply say 'Start.' That's all."
The water around him rippled faintly.
"As for the trial itself — once it begins, you'll wake up in a suitable body in another world. The world of Murim. You must survive and complete certain objectives. For every objective you complete, you earn points."
A faint chuckle echoed.
"You'll also receive a temporary leave ticket. That allows you to return to reality and later resume the trial where you left off."
The rabbit's tone shifted, almost playful.
"Once you finish the first phase, the second begins. You'll face opponents within the same martial realm as you — weak, intermediate, advanced, expert."
A pause.
"And to be exact, you won't be fighting with the body you trained in during the trial. You'll fight with your real body. The one from your world."
Silence.
"So when you get the chance, develop your actual body too. No point staying strong in another man's shell, hmm?"
Torahiko absorbed the information.
After a moment, questions formed in his mind.
Can I access my mental realm inside the trial?
Can I store and carry things from the trial back to the real world?
If I die during the trial… do I actually die?
Before he could speak, the rabbit floated out of his pocket, hovering in the dense water.
"Yes. Yes. And as for your last question… maybe you'll find out when you reach that crossroads."
A pause.
"But I can tell you this — you cannot die in your mental realm. So during the second phase? You'll be shown some mercy."
Torahiko nodded slowly.
No hesitation.
"Alright then."
He closed his eye briefly.
"I'm off."
He took a breath.
"Start."
The ocean around him distorted violently.
The water froze in an instant, ice spreading outward from his body. It encased him entirely, forming a massive frozen structure — an enormous ice statue shaped like a door.
At its center, Torahiko stood still.
Eyes closed.