Yū sat on the floor, trembling and cold. He still couldn’t grasp what was happening. Was this just a dream? Had he finally lost his mind? Was this yet another cruel trick his brain was playing on him? His hands shook as he ran his fingers over the card. It felt cold and metallic. Too real for a dream. His breath caught in his throat. He despised feeling so powerless. Just like in school… except this time, the stakes were much higher.

Saito Yū: “What if this isn’t a dream? What if this is all real?” His gaze fell back to the card. His unsteady fingers traced the crude numbers. “Those stats are way too low for the game…” He let out a weak chuckle, faltering as tears streamed down his cheeks. “At least I have decent intelligence, I guess?” If this isn’t a dream… I can’t afford to waste time.” Yū wiped his face. His voice trembled, but there was a flicker of something else—desperation, perhaps even hope. “I have to survive.”

Yū slowly got to his feet, his eyes scanning the bizarre arena. The distant sound of a countdown echoed in his ears, but it was the sight of the scattered weapons and armor that drew his attention. His heart raced—could any of them help him stay alive?

He stumbled toward a sword leaning against a stone pillar. The moment his hand brushed the hilt, a glowing panel appeared before him, showing the weapon’s stats:

Sword of the Garlador

Attack: 15 (Hidden stats due to class and level restrictions)

Durability: 50/50

Weight: 7 kg

Additional Information:

“This sword was once wielded by the legendary warriors of Garlador, known for their immense strength and courage. Now, it lies dormant, waiting for its true master.”

His fingers hovered over the panel, wishing for more details, but a message flashed:

“Stats are blocked due to insufficient Strength.”

Frustration gnawed at him. He released the sword and moved to a nearby shield. The same panel appeared, but this time, something felt different—blocked stats weren’t the only limitation. The shield had a glowing red warning:

“Class requirements not met.”

He cursed under his breath and backed away. Was this all there was? No hope? No escape?

Yū had spent what felt like hours searching through the arena, his hands trembling as he examined each piece of armor and weapon. Most of them displayed the same frustrating message:

Requirements: Didn’t Met!

No matter how many items he touched, his low stats blocked his access. His Strength was too low, his Speed not high enough, and his Intelligence wasn’t nearly sufficient to use most of these weapons and armors. Each time he reached for something, the same message appeared before him, taunting his weakness.

He had come across some impressive weapons—a longsword and a greatsword, both of which looked like they would be powerful. But when he tried to touch them, their stats flashed in front of him.

Blazeheart Sword

Attack: 30

Durability: 50/50

Weight: 3 kg

Requirements: Didn’t Met (Stats: Strength 25, Speed 20)

Status: Unusable

Yū’s hands shook as he stepped back. He couldn’t even lift it. The required stats were far beyond his reach. He glanced at the other weapon nearby.

Dragonbane Greatsword

Attack: 50

Durability: 80/80

Weight: 4 kg

Requirements: Didn’t Met (Stats: Strength 30, Speed 20)

Status: Unusable

He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up inside him. It wasn’t fair. These were the kinds of weapons he could only dream of using, yet his stats were too low. He couldn’t even pick them up, let alone wield them in battle.

Each passing second felt like a reminder of how weak he truly was.

But then, something caught his eye. A glint in the corner of the room. He blinked, narrowing his eyes. It wasn’t much—a simple cloak, draped over a stone pedestal as if it had been waiting for him.

He stepped closer, almost in disbelief. Could this be another item he couldn’t use? Was this just another cruel reminder of his weakness? He reached out to touch the cloak. The moment his fingers brushed the fabric, a panel appeared in front of him, and the stats glowed softly.

Spectral Mantle

Defense: 5

Durability: 30

Special: Partial Invisibility (only under certain conditions)

Weight: 0.5 kg

Requirements: Met (Stats: Intelligence 30, Speed 10)

Status: Usable

Yū’s heart raced. For the first time, the message was different.

Requirements: Met.

It was usable. He could wear it. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. The cloak had a simple yet familiar feel to it.

Saito Yū: “What does it mean… partial invisibility?” he murmured to himself. He glanced back at the countdown ticking away in the corner of his vision. Time was slipping through his fingers.

He grabbed the cloak and draped it over his shoulders. Instantly, a strange, tingling sensation coursed through him. For a moment, everything around him seemed to fade. He blinked, but nothing had changed—except for the peculiar feeling of being less visible, less present.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to concentrate, hoping for some kind of sign. A brief glimpse of the cloak’s potential. Slowly, he let his body meld into the shadows, holding his breath. Nothing. The cloak didn’t do anything spectacular, but it felt different. It was subtle, and he wasn’t sure if it was enough, but maybe—just maybe—it would give him a chance to escape for a moment.

He took a few cautious steps, scanning the room, then froze as his gaze fell on something else—a small knife resting on a stone pedestal, its blade dull and worn. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out to touch it. The stats flashed before him.

Rustclaw Dagger

Attack: 10

Durability: 15/15

Weight: 0.2 kg

Requirements: Met (Stats: Strength 10, Speed 5)

Status: Usable

It wasn’t much. A far cry from the grand swords and weapons he’d seen earlier, but it was better than nothing. He picked up the knife, feeling its lightweight in his hand. He didn’t know if it could cut through anything substantial, but it might help him defend himself against whatever awaited him in this strange place.

It wasn’t ideal, but in his current situation, it was all he had.

He turned his attention to the final item: a pair of boots resting on a stone pedestal. He walked over, his steps slow and weary. When his fingers brushed the boots, the stats appeared before him.

Shade Herald’s Boots

Power: Blink Dash (short-range teleportation)

Weight: 1 kg

Requirements: Met (Stats: Speed 10)

Status: Usable

Yū stared at the boots in disbelief. Blink Dash? It sounded like something from a fantasy novel, yet the ability was right there in front of him. With the required stats met, he could use them.

He slipped the boots on, feeling their snug weight against his feet. The moment he did, a strange sensation surged up his legs, as if they had become lighter and quicker.

He focused, picturing himself moving swiftly, and suddenly—whoosh—he was gone. In an instant, he reappeared several meters ahead of where he had been standing. The rush of wind in his ears made him stagger for a moment as he tried to regain his balance.

Yū blinked, stunned. He had teleported. The boots had given him the ability to dash forward in the blink of an eye. His heart raced with excitement, but he quickly realized that the dash had its limits. It wasn’t a long-distance teleport, but it was enough to get him out of a tight spot. It felt like he could cover a few meters with a single step, a power that would make him much harder to catch.

He looked up at the countdown again, feeling the pressure of time ticking away. The boots, the cloak, the knife—these were his tools now. He had no choice but to rely on them.

Yū’s gaze shifted to the sky once more, his heart racing as the countdown continued to dwindle. The seconds were slipping away faster than he could comprehend.

00h 00m 30s…

00h 00m 20s…

00h 00m 15s

His breath quickened. The items were equipped, but he wasn’t sure if he was truly ready. Was he strong enough? Fast enough?

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

And then, at 0:00:00, a voice, calm and emotionless, rang out from nowhere.

“The Trial is beginning. Prepare for Engagement.”

The moment the words were spoken, the ground beneath him began to tremble, and cracks spread like veins across the stone floor. Slowly, a series of stairs emerged from the earth, stretching into a dark, foreboding abyss.

Yū stood frozen for a moment, staring at the stairs, unsure of what lay ahead. He had no choice but to step forward, the only way was down. Gripping the Rustclaw Dagger in his hand, he slowly made his way toward the stairs, his breath heavy as he descended into the unknown.