A Kingdom on EdgeWord of the masked assassin’s attack never reached the public.

  Yet, something had changed in the city.

  The once-lively streets felt different. Guards patrolled more frequently. The air was thick with unspoken tension.

  Liam could feel it.

  The kingdom was looking for something.

  No—

  For someone.

  And it wasn’t just him.

  Deep within the royal pace, inside the Grand Inquisitor’s chamber, several men knelt before a towering figure shrouded in red and bck robes.

  The Grand Inquisitor’s eyes burned with cold fury as he read a scroll.

  "A traveler from nowhere. A man with power beyond human limits. A man who moves like a specter in the night."

  He lowered the parchment.

  "The ancient prophecy speaks of him."

  A hooded figure, one of his shadow operatives, bowed.

  "Shall we eliminate him, Lord Inquisitor?"

  The Inquisitor’s lips curled.

  "Not yet."

  His fingers tapped against the ebony desk.

  "First, let us see whether he is a blessing… or a curse."

  A Warrior’s ResolveLiam sat in a dimly lit room at the tavern, wrapping a fresh bandage around his wounded shoulder.

  Evelyn sat across from him, watching.

  "We need to leave the city."

  Liam didn’t answer. He just tightened the bandage.

  "Liam."

  She leaned forward, voice firm.

  "They’re looking for you. After that fight, it’s only a matter of time before someone figures out who you are."

  He finally met her gaze.

  "And then what?"

  "Then we get as far away from here as possible."

  Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair.

  Seraphis, his ever-gentle guide, spoke.

  "She is right. You are drawing too much attention."

  Nyx, on the other hand, ughed.

  "Let them come. If they are foolish enough to hunt you, then show them why they should fear you."

  Liam closed his eyes.

  This wasn’t just about survival anymore.

  Something bigger was happening.

  And if the masked assassin was any proof…

  He wasn’t the only one who knew it.

  The Training BeginsLiam couldn’t afford to be weak.

  Not anymore.

  That night, he and Evelyn left the city under the cover of darkness.

  They traveled into the wilderness, deep into the mist-covered forests beyond the capital.

  Evelyn led him to a pce she once called home—an abandoned monastery, hidden between jagged cliffs and towering trees.

  "No one comes here anymore," she said, stepping over broken stone tiles. "This is where I trained."

  Liam took in the surroundings. Ruined stone pilrs. Old weapon racks. A clearing under the stars.

  It was perfect.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: TRAINING MODE AVAILABLE]

  Liam’s pulse quickened.

  "Training mode?"

  [NEW SYSTEM FUNCTION UNLOCKED]

  — Combat Simution Avaible— Skill Refinement Unlocked— Physical Limit Removal Activated

  Liam barely had time to react before the ground shifted beneath him.

  Suddenly—

  The entire world changed.

  The Illusionary BattlefieldOne moment, he was standing in the ruins of a monastery.

  The next—

  He was in the middle of a war-torn battlefield.

  The sky burned crimson.

  Bdes cshed all around him. Warriors, cd in ancient armor, fought with savage intensity.

  Then, a voice echoed in his mind.

  [Welcome to the Trial of Conquerors.]

  And before Liam could even breathe—

  A massive armored knight charged at him, sword raised high.

  A Fight Against LegendsThe knight’s bde fell like lightning.

  Liam barely dodged, rolling to the side as the ground shattered beneath the impact.

  "What the hell is this?!"

  [Training Mode Engaged. Enemy: Phantom Knight of the Lost Age.]

  Liam’s body moved on instinct.

  He had no choice.

  The knight attacked relentlessly. His sword, massive and jagged, swung in wide arcs. Every strike felt like it could split mountains.

  [System Suggestion: Dodge Left. Counterattack Now.]

  Liam obeyed.

  He sidestepped—just in time—and drove a fist into the knight’s gut.

  For a moment, the knight staggered.

  Then—

  "Weak."

  The knight’s gauntlet shot forward, smming into Liam’s chest.

  Liam flew back, crashing into a broken statue.

  His ribs screamed in pain.

  Nyx ughed in his head.

  "He’s toying with you."

  Liam gritted his teeth.

  He couldn’t win by brute force.

  He needed to think.

  Breaking the ChainsAs the knight charged again, Liam’s mind raced.

  He remembered something.

  The way the assassin fought.

  They didn’t block. They didn’t match strength.

  They used speed. Precision. Fluidity.

  So when the knight’s next strike came, Liam didn’t dodge normally.

  He slipped inside the knight’s guard—so close that the massive bde missed completely.

  Then, he twisted.

  And struck precisely.

  One quick, brutal hit—right under the knight’s raised arm.

  A weak point in the armor.

  The knight staggered.

  [Enemy Status: Stunned.]

  Liam didn’t waste the chance.

  He grabbed the knight’s arm and used his own momentum against him, smming the massive warrior into the ground.

  Dust exploded into the air.

  Then—

  [SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT: FIRST TRIAL COMPLETE.]

  The battlefield shattered.

  And Liam was back in the monastery ruins.

  Gasping for breath.

  Drenched in sweat.

  But stronger.

  The Hunter’s ArrivalAs Liam recovered, Evelyn knelt beside him, concern on her face.

  "What happened?"

  Liam exhaled.

  "I think… I just got a lesson from history."

  Evelyn blinked. "What?"

  But before Liam could expin—

  A branch snapped.

  A cold wind swept through the ruins.

  And a voice echoed through the night.

  "There you are."

  Liam’s blood turned to ice.

  Standing on the edge of the monastery—

  The masked assassin.

  Their dagger gleamed in the moonlight.

  "The Grand Inquisitor sends his regards."

  And then—

  They attacked.

  End of Chapter 9