Shadow Gates: Rise of Aman:
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Chapter 5: Invitation to the Forbidden Zone
[Scene 1: Academy Courtyard – Morning]
Aman sits alone under a sakura tree, calmly reading a scroll about past dungeon breaches. Serin approaches, holding two energy drinks.
Serin:
"You always this serious at sunrise?"
Aman:
"Knowledge keeps me alive."
Serin (smiling):
"Then here—fuel for the brain."
She hands him a can and sits beside him. Just then, a sleek black drone drops a glowing scroll at Aman's feet.
Scroll Message (Hologram):
"By order of the Principal and the Hunter Council, Aman is summoned to the Forbidden Training Zone. Only elite cadets may enter."
Students nearby gasp.
Student A:
"What? Even Rank A students haven't gotten access yet!"
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[Scene 2: Forbidden Zone – Outer Gates]
Massive black gates open with mechanical whirs. Inside lies a wasteland of shattered buildings, unstable mana pools, and time-frozen monsters.
Narration:
The Forbidden Zone is a relic battlefield—where laws of power are warped… and truths are revealed.
Instructor Kain (a battle-scarred Hunter):
"Welcome, Aman. You're the first unclassified S-tier to be granted entry. This zone doesn't care about talent—it feeds on fear."
Aman (flatly):
"Good. I stopped being afraid long ago."
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[Scene 3: Inside the Zone – Simulated Dungeon Trial]
Aman is thrown into a no-escape dungeon illusion, facing his worst memory—his father's death during a dungeon collapse.
He relives the betrayal. His screams echo through illusion and reality.
But he fights. And conquers the illusion with his blade and resolve.
Instructor Kain (watching via hologram):
"He resisted the mana delusion… This boy's not just strong. He's evolved."
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[Scene 4: Academy Training Center – Serin's POV]
Serin trains alone, furiously hitting a shadow dummy.
Serin (thinking):
"I need to be stronger. I won't just be someone he saved. I want to stand beside him."
She unlocks her family's ancient gauntlet technique—Crimson Lotus Bloom—a devastating counter ability.
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[Scene 5: End of Day – Forbidden Zone Exit]
Aman walks out of the gates—eyes darker, aura heavier.
Instructor Kain:
"You passed. But the gate left its mark on you. You saw something... didn't you?"
Aman (whispers):
"Yes… A shadow king... with my face."
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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