The moment Jason Wu stepped through the veil of light, the world shifted—warped—then rearranged itself in ways that made no physical sense. The ground beneath him wasn't ground at all, but a flowing river of stardust. It rippled under his feet like liquid silver, yet somehow held his weight.
The air trembled with a metallic tang. His heartbeat echoed louder than it should. Time itself felt uneven, like someone was turning existence on and off in tiny flickers.
Longwu Sword shivered irritably in his hand.["Ah. Perfect. A cosmic death trap disguised as interior decoration."]
Jason inhaled deeply. "You could at least pretend to be supportive."
["Supportive? Boy, the last time we entered a dimension this broken, your great-grandfather almost got turned into philosophical yogurt."]
Jason blinked. "…What does that even mean?"
["Don't ask."]
Before Jason could speak again, the stardust solidified beneath him, forming circular stone with ancient symbols carved into it. The engravings glowed faintly—as if watching him.
A voice drifted into existence.
Not loud.Not whispered.Just… there.
"Welcome, inheritor."
Jason's spine straightened instantly. "Who's there?"
The swirling dust rose, forming walls, pillars, a ceiling that shimmered with constellations—broken pieces of galaxies drifting like wounded spirits. At the far end of the vast hall stood a shattered throne, once mighty, now fractured into starlit debris.
Longwu muttered softly.["…So he really built this place. Insane old bastard."]
Jason swallowed. "He?"
["Your ancestor. The First Defier. The man who told fate to go choke on a star."]
Jason's palms dampened.He felt—watched.
Then the air wavered.
A tall figure stepped forth from the drifting dust. Not human. Not spirit. A silhouette made of shadow and dim starlight. No face—only two pale embers where eyes should be.
It raised a blade of condensed darkness.
Longwu whispered,["Incoming—"]
The figure appeared in front of Jason instantly.
Jason's instincts took over.He raised Longwu—
CLANGG!
The impact blew him backward, sliding across the stardust floor. His arms burned from the force.
The shadow descended again—silent, merciless.
Jason dodged, narrowly. A line of darkness sliced the ground where he'd stood, carving a scar that pulsed like a fresh wound in reality.
Jason steadied his breath.Whoever this figure was, it didn't move like a guardian or illusion. It moved with intention—as if it wanted to judge him.
He counterattacked, unleashing a slash of spiritual light.The shadow deflected without effort.
Jason exhaled sharply.The figure's blade came down again—
He blocked, sparks erupting.
"Longwu, any ideas?!"
["Yes. Stop fighting like a nervous squirrel."]
"That's not helpful!"
["Fine—he's reading every safe move you make."]
Jason frowned. "So I need to stop holding back?"
["No. You need to stop trying not to lose."]
Jason froze.Then something clicked—deep and uncomfortable.
He had been fighting cautiously. Defensive. Precise.
Safe.
Because this place terrified him.
Jason inhaled deeply, then loosened his stance.
And when the shadow struck again—
Jason didn't block.
He stepped into the attack.
The blade slashed across his shoulder, burning pain through flesh, but Jason used the opening—he lunged forward, slamming his forehead into the figure's chest.
The shadow staggered.
Jason twisted, dragging Longwu upward—
SHRRRAK!
The shadow split apart, dissolving into motes of light.
Jason collapsed onto one knee, panting. His wound ached sharply. Sweat dripped down his temple.
Longwu hummed.["…Reckless. I approve."]
Jason weakly chuckled. "I didn't die, so I'll take it."
But the chamber… wasn't finished.
Starlight flickered. The room wavered.Jason stood, breathing uneasily.
And then—
The world rearranged again.
A new scene formed around him.
Jason's heart stopped.
On the left—Lily knelt on the ground, clutching her arm, blood seeping between her fingers. Her eyes were wide with fear.
"J-Jason… help…"
On the right—Lan Yuren lay pinned under collapsed stone, spiritual veins visibly cracking, breath shallow.
"Jason… go. Don't—don't hesitate…"
Jason felt the air vanish from his lungs.
"NO… no, no, please not this—"
The chamber whispered.
"Choose."
Jason shook his head violently. "I won't pick! I won't abandon either of them!"
The illusions trembled—suffering.Their voices echoed painfully.
"Jason…""Save… one…""Please…""Hurry…"
Jason's hands trembled.His heartbeat thundered.
Longwu spoke quietly.["…Jason. This scene… wasn't meant to be won."]
"No! I reject that!"
The ground beneath Lily began to crack, swallowing her slowly.Lan Yuren's stone cage tightened, bones audibly straining.
Jason sprinted toward Lily first—He reached out—He grabbed her hand—
And she disintegrated into ash.
Jason stared at the empty air, horror ripping through him.
"L… Lily?"
He spun toward Lan Yuren.
"Lan! Hold on—"
The floor around Lan Yuren collapsed like paper folding inward.His image shattered into shards of light.
The hall darkened.
Jason dropped to his knees.
"No… why…?"
The chamber answered.
"The First Defier faced the same choice.He chose neither.He chose the impossible."
Jason clenched his fists, shaking with grief and fury.
"I'm not him…but I'll find my own way."
A soft glow responded—acknowledgment, maybe respect.
But the chamber wasn't done.
The starlit throne shattered violently.Energy rippled outward, forming a second figure—
This time, it was Jason.
Another Jason.Same face.Same posture.Same aura—except colder.Sharper.Emotionless.
The other Jason spoke with Jason's own voice.
"I am who you become when you accept the path fate gave you."
Jason's breath froze.
The doppelgänger drew a sword of pure starlight.
Longwu hissed.["Oh great. You get to fight a version of yourself with actual discipline."]
The double blurred forward—Jason barely blocked—CLANG!
Pain shot through Jason's arms again.The double pressed brutally, each movement perfect, efficient, soulless.
Jason countered—The double copied the movement instantly, executing it better.
A slash cut across Jason's leg.Another across his chest.
He stumbled.Blood dripped steadily onto the stardust.
The double aimed at Jason's heart.
"Yield."
Jason's fingers tightened around Longwu.
"No…"
"Yield."
"NO!"
Longwu roared.["THEN WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR?!"]
Images flashed in Jason's mind:
Lily's smile.Lan Yuren's trusted hand on his shoulder.Wei Qing's soft determination.Leon's endless nonsense.His parents.His bloodline.His future child.
Everything he refused to lose.
Jason gritted his teeth, stood shakily, and whispered:
"I fight…because my path is mine."
He stepped into the double's strike—
The blade pierced his shoulder—
Jason grabbed the double with his free arm, pulled him close—
And drove Longwu through his chest.
Light erupted, blinding.
The double shattered like glass.
Jason collapsed, barely conscious.
But the chamber caught him—lifting him gently.
A golden gauntlet formed in the air—woven from fate, stars, and broken time. It descended slowly, glowing fiercely.
Longwu whispered reverently:["…The Fate Severance Gauntlet. Your ancestor's greatest rebellion."]
Jason reached out—The gauntlet fused to his arm—
And reality screamed.
Symbols flashed across his skin.The chamber shook violently.Space cracked open.
Jason staggered. "What—what's happening?!"
Longwu's voice turned sharp with fear.["Jason! The gauntlet isn't binding properly! Something's interfering—"]
A giant tear ripped open in the chamber wall.
A figure stepped through.
Tall.Clad in armor laced with rotating runic circuits.Mask etched with sigils that spiraled like living metal.
Not the masked enemies Jason had fought before.
This one's presence bent gravity itself.
Longwu whispered—terrified:["…He's not from the group you know.He's from the tier above them."]
Jason froze.
The masked figure stared at him, analyzing the gauntlet.
His voice was mechanical, cold, ancient.
"Fate Severance detected.Unauthorized inheritance confirmed."
Jason's pulse hammered.
The figure lifted a hand.
The entire chamber cracked.
"Target: Jason Wu.First-stage awakening achieved.Begin termination."
Jason's breath died in his chest.
And darkness swallowed the chapter.