The hallways of the underground arena pulsed with heat, dimly lit by flickering torches embedded in stone walls. Yun stood in the center of the stone corridor, his breathing steady despite the metallic scent of blood in the air. He had entered the Fire Trials — a test only reserved for elite warriors — not because he sought recognition, but because someone had tried to assassinate him the night before. That attempt had been a message.
If they feared him, he would give them something real to fear.
As he walked forward, whispers filled the hall from the cloaked spectators behind the iron gates. The Fire Trials were notorious — not just for the danger, but for how they stripped combatants down to their true nature. It was said the fire didn't just burn flesh, it burned ego, lies, and secrets.
At the far end of the chamber, a metal gate creaked open. His opponent emerged. Clad in molten-black armor, with a red mask shaped like a demon's snarl, the warrior radiated an unnatural heat. The audience gasped.
"The Mask of Fire," someone whispered. "He hasn't been seen in ten years."
Yun's eyes narrowed. He didn't need to see the man's face — his energy spoke volumes. This wasn't a warrior. It was a monster wrapped in legend.
"Begin!" a voice rang from above.
The arena flared to life — walls ignited in flames, and the stone floor glowed red. The Mask of Fire moved first, hurling a wave of flame from his hand. Yun dodged sideways, rolling under the searing heat and launching a counter-attack — a spinning kick aimed at the enemy's ribs. But his foot met metal, and he was flung back.
The ground cracked beneath him as he landed, but he didn't pause. Yun had always been underestimated, always expected to fall — but this time, he refused to be just a gatekeeper.
The Mask of Fire dashed forward, his blade trailing fire. Yun met the blade with only a short dagger, deflecting it at the last moment. Sparks burst, smoke filled the air, and the clash echoed like thunder.
For every strike, Yun studied the Mask — his footwork, the way he twisted his wrist, the timing of his flame bursts. And slowly, he began to see the pattern. The fire wasn't endless. There was a rhythm to it, a source that could be interrupted.
On his next move, Yun feinted left but leapt up instead, flipping over the Mask and driving his dagger into the gap between the armor plates. The Mask let out a scream, the first sound from him, human and real.
Yun kicked off his back, landing several feet away as the Mask fell to one knee.
"Who sent you?" Yun growled, walking closer.
The Mask laughed weakly. "You were never meant to see the truth."
He collapsed.
The flames around the arena died instantly. Silence fell. Yun stood alone, heart pounding, not with victory — but with the dread of what he now knew:
Someone had trained and hidden a killer of this level. And if this was just a trial... the real war was still ahead.