Chapter 3: Trial of the Worldshard
Mack landed in a void of shifting colors. The sky was alive, constantly changing from deep crimson to violet, streaked with silver lightning. The ground beneath him was solid one moment, then liquid the next. Time itself seemed to stretch and snap.
> [System update: Trial initiated. Difficulty: God-tier.]
[Objective: Survive and claim the Worldshard.]
A voice echoed from everywhere and nowhere. "Welcome, mortal. I am the Guardian of this Worldshard. Those who fail here are erased from reality. Are you ready to be tested?"
Mack smirked, golden energy flickering around his body. "Ready? I was born ready."
The void shifted violently. Mountains of jagged crystal erupted from the ground. Rivers of fire flowed upward. From the chaos, creatures of pure energy emerged, each more grotesque than the last.
> [Enemy classification: Reality Warden – Level: Multiversal.]
The first Warden charged. Mack raised his hand, twisting the air into a blade of light. Time slowed. He struck, shattering the creature into fragments that dissolved into data streams.
Another appeared, faster, larger, its form constantly changing. Mack's eyes glowed with the System's awareness. He could predict its moves, counter its attacks, and yet the thrill of challenge surged in him.
> [Skill unlocked: Adaptive Reality Manipulation.]
He spun, manipulating gravity and energy around him. The Warden's attacks bent and twisted, meeting themselves in collisions of impossible force. Mack laughed as he felt the rush of absolute power.
Suddenly, the void split open, revealing the Guardian itself. Towering, a fusion of shadow and cosmic light, it radiated strength beyond comprehension.
> "You have potential," it said, voice shaking the void itself. "But potential is meaningless without resolve. Show me your will, mortal!"
Mack clenched his fists. Energy spiraled around him, a storm of golden light, black lightning, and raw creation.
> "I am Mack," he roared. "I refuse to be erased. I refuse to bow. And I refuse to lose!"
He unleashed a blast of power so immense that the very laws of the Worldshard trembled. The Guardian roared, countering, yet Mack's will burned brighter. Slowly, inch by inch, he pushed the Guardian back, rewriting reality as he went.
After what felt like an eternity, silence fell. The Guardian knelt, its form dissipating into streams of light.
> [Trial complete. Worldshard claimed.]
[Power gained: Infinite.]
[System update: Mack's evolution unlocked.]
Mack looked at the glowing shard hovering before him, pulsating with raw energy. He reached out, feeling its immense power flow into him, integrating into his body, his mind, his soul.
He had survived the first trial. But this was only the beginning.
> [System alert: Multiple Worldshards remain. Difficulty increasing exponentially.]
Mack smiled, the void reflecting the multiverse in his eyes. "Then let's see who else dares stand in my way."