[From the beginning until now, a total of 69,007 people have challenged the Heaven Stage. But only three made it through. By choosing to proceed, all life-saving support will be disabled; failing here will cost you your life.]
Darian read that, surprised. Everyone had gone all-out in the five previous floors without a care, because they knew they'd be saved from death. But this new stage was a real, deadly test.
[The supreme technique of the God Chromaraic—a path created to bring out the maximum potential of your race. With it, climbing to the heavens becomes easier. But there's not just one route to the top. So choosing to back off and forge your own path is not a bad decision.]
Darian fell deep into thought. The Array had clearly been built to train members of the Chromaraic race, so its final reward was the legacy of that god.
But he was human… or almost. The fact that the Spiritual Guardians couldn't enter the Array proved that, by becoming a High Human, he'd lost whatever was left of his Chromaraic bloodline.
From what it said, this legacy was highly specific to that race. Even if he won, there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to use it at all.
[You have five minutes to decide. At the entrance to the next stage, you'll find two buttons. One confirms your will to transcend your limits. The other will teleport you out of the Array. Upon exiting, you'll receive all your rewards and a bonus for completing the Earth Stage. Choose wisely.]
Darian let out a long breath. Quitting felt like a generous offer—but the real intent behind the Array was too obvious.
People are naturally curious and competitive. The more the Array talked in that tone of "incredible opportunity," the more it stoked the desire to go on. Those words, far from being a warning, were a disguised invitation. And that was even more true for proud geniuses who'd made it this far. Not trying would feel like humiliation.
But Darian wasn't a fool. He knew his limits. He'd already achieved more than anyone in the Empire could ever dream of—so why risk it all for something he might not even be able to use?
He walked to the end of the arena. In the earlier floors, the path to the next level had always been in the same place: the center of the wall on the opposite side.
When he got there, he found a closed door with two buttons—one black, one white. With no clear hint about which did what, the test had already begun.
'Probably symbolic,' he thought. 'White is Yang—life. Black is Yin—death. The smart choice must be white… live. Black means greed, danger, death.'
Based on the earlier messages, he really believed that. He reached out confidently and pressed the white button.
A soft click echoed.
[You have chosen to fight.]
"What?!" Darian's eyes went wide in disbelief.
[Running away or giving up out of fear is, in truth, the fastest path to internal death. Following the light of life and letting the soul's flame burn might lead to physical death, yes—but that's the path of true heroes. Your courage and will have always pushed you toward the light.]
The door opened in front of him.
"Shit… I used the logic of someone born in a peaceful universe."
He'd forgotten that this Array came from another universe, a place shaped by war, power, and survival. There, backing down meant dying inside. Anyone who didn't take every little chance to grow got wiped out. In the end, black meant giving up… and white meant fighting.
He sighed. Now that he was stronger and had gained some power, he was starting to think like a coward. He'd achieved so much—and out of fear of losing it, he hesitated to chase what was still ahead.
"Well, in the end I picked the right path anyway." He took a deep breath, engraving that lesson into himself. "I can't chicken out and take the easy road… I've gotta keep chasing the peak, no matter what it costs."
Then he stepped forward.
In the entire history of this Array, only three had survived and completed it. The difficulty of this test must be way beyond anything he could imagine.
But the moment he stepped inside…
Suddenly, his vision and consciousness faded to black…
***
Darian opened his eyes, gasping.
The first thing he saw was the dark, slightly dirty ceiling above him. He frowned, confused, and looked around. Old walls, cracked floor, a musty smell in the air… everything was painfully familiar.
"Am I home?" he murmured, dazed.
He was lying in his bed, in the same cramped room of the rundown house where he'd grown up with his family.
He got up slowly, senses on high alert. Every little detail around him felt real. On top of the dresser, an old electronic device with a cracked screen caught his eye. He froze for a second, not sure what to feel. He remembered clearly selling that thing years ago, right after his mother died, just so his siblings could eat.
The door suddenly swung open.
"Bro?"
A young, girlish voice echoed in the room. Darian turned and saw a little girl with short, light green hair. Her face was round, her voice sweet — but her serious red eyes were way too mature for her age.
It was Lucy. His sister. But looking like she had many years ago, back when she was still a small child.
"Mom's back and dinner's almost ready. Come on, everyone's waiting for you." She gave a little smile and ran off down the hallway.
Darian stood frozen, in shock. Then he took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart.
His mom was dead. This was an illusion, created by the Array using his deepest memories. Even so… seeing it all again hurt. It hurt more than any battle ever had.
He clenched his fists, feeling his body. The place was perfect. The heat in the air, the smells, the texture of everything around him — it was all indistinguishable from reality.
"What's the point of all this?" he muttered, taking a step toward the door.
But the moment he stepped forward, he felt something tight around his waist. Something that didn't belong in that memory.
He slowly reached down and grabbed the object strapped there.
His eyes widened. It was a small dagger, the blade hidden in a black sheath that was cold as ice.
He'd never seen this before. It wasn't from the past. It had been placed there by the Array — part of the test.
He studied it carefully, feeling its chill in his hand. Then, he drew the blade.
It was pitch black and ominous, and he noticed crimson words etched along the metal. Small letters, but sharp as fresh blood.
*Mortal emotions and attachments are the chains that bind you to mediocrity.
If you want power, be as cold as a blade — and let go of everything with your own hands.
Only then will the path to the top be clear*
Darian froze. The message was clear. Brutal. Direct.
That was the test.
"HEY, BRO!"
Quick footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Instinctively, Darian sheathed the dagger and hid it under his clothes. His heart was still pounding when Lucy walked back into the room.
Her little face looked a bit annoyed. But to Darian, it honestly looked kind of cute.
"You're taking forever! Come on, let's go!"
She grabbed his arm with both hands and started tugging him with all her 'strength'. He didn't resist.
He let her pull him along.
But the dagger was still there.
Heavy. Silent.
As if waiting for the moment he'd decide to use it.