Imperial Martial Academy – Lower Halls, Forbidden Wing
Ashen stood before a sealed obsidian gate deep beneath the academy. The air was cold. Too still. The kind of silence that made your blood whisper.
The runes on the gate glowed faintly.
[Bloodline Verified – Virelion Lineage Confirmed]
[Trial of the Kingless Throne: Begin]
The gate creaked open, and a pressure unlike anything he had ever felt pressed against his chest. His system didn't warn him this time.
Because this trial wasn't for martial rank.
It was for legacy.
Inside the Trial Chamber
Ashen stepped into a circular stone chamber lit only by floating embers. No walls, no exits—only a cracked throne of golden rock in the center… and a figure sitting on it.
A man in ancient, blackened armor.
Unmoving.
Until it looked up.
Its face was a cracked mask, eyes hollow. Yet when it spoke, Ashen's blood turned to ice.
"You are no king."
"Yet you wear the mark of Virelion… and walk its broken path."
Ashen clenched his fists. "I didn't come here to be a king."
"Then why come at all?" the figure asked.
"Power taken without right is cursed. Power ignored is wasted."
The throne cracked further.
"Prove to me you are worthy of the name you carry."
The armored figure stood, drawing a phantom blade of flame and lightning, burning with ancestral rage.
Trial Initiated – Duel of the Kingless Throne
> Opponent: Specter of Virelion's First King
> Class: Imperial Wraith Guardian
> Trial Rank: S+
> Conditions to Survive: Endure 100 strikes or land one true blow
Ashen didn't hesitate.
He lowered his stance, breathing through his core.
[Manual Update: Martial Vein Attuned – Unlocked New Skill]
Crownless Dominion Aura – UNLOCKED
"A king without a throne still carries the weight of his people."
Effect: Reduces damage taken by 60% for a short time. Instills presence that suppresses weaker martial beings.
The specter struck first.
Slash!
Ashen twisted mid-step, the blade grazing his cheek, yet he didn't falter.
He blocked with his forearm—bone screamed—but he endured.
One. Two. Three… Ten strikes… Fifty.
Each blow faster than the last. Each step heavier.
By the 98th strike, Ashen dropped to one knee, blood dripping from his mouth.
But he still stood.
"You bleed," the specter said. "But you do not fall."
Ashen grinned through the pain.
"That's the difference between a prince… and a survivor."
With his last breath of strength, he drew in energy to his heel—
Breakstep Lunge – Chain Variant – Activated
Combined with → Fist of Scorching Faultlines
BOOM.
He struck directly at the heart of the throne, not the specter.
The golden stone shattered.
The chamber rumbled.
The specter looked down at its vanishing chest.
"You aimed not to kill me…"
Ashen panted.
"No king needs a throne to rule. I'd rather destroy the illusion than chase its chains."
The figure smiled faintly before it dissolved into glowing dust.
System Update:
> Trial Complete
> Status: Passed – Legacy Recognized
> Hidden Title Gained: Throneless King
> Bonus Skill Unlocked: Lion's Breath Strike (Sealed)
> Martial Rank: Advanced Stone Root → Peak Stone Root
> New Passive: Bloodline Echo – Slight Resistance to Mental Suppression
Ashen collapsed to the floor, his vision dimming—but before blacking out, he saw a faint figure standing outside the chamber.
Selene Veyrin.
Watching.
Not with suspicion.
With fear.
Far Above – Council Room
The Grand Instructor of the Academy slammed a hand on the table.
"Why wasn't I told the Virelion line still lives?"
An old man in golden robes narrowed his eyes.
"Because the world is not ready for a Worldbreaker."