Shadow slave: Sovereign of the Unknown

The guardian's greatsword howled through the air, carving a path of destruction where Ash had been standing just a moment ago.

Ash had already moved.

His instincts roared, his body reacting before his mind could fully process the danger. Rolling to the side, he barely avoided the shockwave that followed, sending cracks splintering across the stone floor.

The spearman wasn't as lucky.

The force of the impact sent him tumbling back, barely managing to stay on his feet. He gritted his teeth, his knuckles white as he tightened his grip on his spear.

There was no time to think.

The guardian was already moving again.

Boom.

Another step. Another attack.

Ash could see it—the way the ancient construct adjusted its movements, how its greatsword shifted with terrifying precision, how its hollow gaze remained locked onto him.

This thing wasn't some mindless golem.

It was learning.

And it was hunting.

Ash's muscles coiled, his stance lowering.

His blade whispered as he drew it.

A single cut wouldn't be enough. Even if he sliced through its joints, this wasn't flesh and blood—it was stone, ancient and reinforced by whatever magic kept it alive.

If he wanted to survive, he'd have to be faster, sharper, and more brutal.

The guardian lunged again.

This time, Ash met it head-on.

With a burst of speed, he weaved through the incoming strike, his sword flashing as he unleashed a devastating counterattack.

Phantom Rend.

A blur of steel. A single, precise draw-cut aimed at the guardian's neck joint.

Clang!

The impact sent a violent shockwave up his arms. The guardian's form barely staggered, a deep gash appearing where his sword had struck—but it wasn't enough.

Not yet.

Ash's eyes burned with resolve.

If one strike wasn't enough—then he'd cut it down piece by piece.

The dance of death had begun.

The guardian's head barely tilted from Ash's Phantom Rend, the deep gash in its neck leaking a faint, eerie glow. It wasn't enough.

Ash landed, his feet skidding across the stone floor as the sheer weight of the guardian's resistance pushed him back. His arms buzzed with the impact, but he had no time to rest.

The guardian's massive sword swung again.

Ash dodged, his body twisting just in time to avoid being cleaved in two. The force of the attack sent a wave of shattered stone flying in every direction. The guardian was adapting.

'It's getting faster…'

The realization sent a chill through his spine. The trial wasn't just about testing them—it was evolving.

If he took too long, it would reach a level where he wouldn't be able to win.

He had to end it. Now.

The Abyss Fangs Back

Ash exhaled sharply, his stance shifting. His energy surged, the air around him distorting as he prepared to unleash his second trump card.

Abyss Fang.

His sword cut through the air—but no wound appeared.

Not yet.

Ash didn't need to wait long.

A moment later—

A deep, jagged slash appeared out of nowhere across the guardian's torso, splitting through its thick stone exterior. The delayed cut had landed.

The construct staggered.

For the first time, the guardian seemed to register damage—its head tilting slightly as the glow in its body flickered. Cracks spread from the wound.

Ash gritted his teeth. His breathing was heavier now, his body straining from the energy cost of using his techniques. He could feel it—he wouldn't be able to use those moves again for the rest of the fight.

But it was enough.

He had weakened it.

The guardian roared, a deep, mechanical bellow that made the air tremble. Its body surged with energy, preparing for something—something far worse than its previous attacks.

'Damn it… It's entering its final phase.'

Ash's grip on his sword tightened.

One last push.

This fight was about to end—one way or another.

The guardian's roar reverberated through the chamber, shaking the ground beneath Ash's feet. Energy pulsed from its massive form, the eerie glow within its cracks intensifying as it entered its final phase. The air grew heavy with the sheer pressure of its awakened strength.

Ash's breathing was ragged, his muscles burning from exertion. He had used both of his strongest techniques. There was no second chance, no opportunity to unleash another Phantom Rend or Abyss Fang. His energy reserves were drained—but he wasn't finished yet.

He clenched his sword tighter, his mind racing through the options. The guardian was heavily damaged—cracks lined its torso, its movements slower than before. But if he didn't act fast, it would adapt again, becoming even more powerful.

He couldn't let that happen.

The Guardian's Final Strike

The guardian raised its greatsword, and the air around it distorted.

Ash's instincts flared. This attack was different. It wasn't a normal swing—it was a finishing blow meant to annihilate everything in its path.

If he took this head-on, he was dead.

His mind sharpened, absorbing every detail in an instant. The way the guardian shifted its weight, the subtle tremors in its arm, the build-up of raw force—it was about to cleave the entire battlefield in two.

'I can't block it… but I don't need to.'

Ash moved.

The moment the guardian swung down, he kicked off the ground, dashing straight toward its exposed side.

The colossal blade crashed down behind him, splitting the stone floor in half. The impact sent an explosive shockwave through the chamber, tearing up debris and kicking up a storm of dust and rubble.

But Ash was already past it.

He was inside its guard.

The Killing Blow

Time slowed.

Ash focused everything—**every ounce of strength, every bit of skill, every fragment of his will—**into his next strike.

His sword cut through the air, aiming directly for the cracks spreading across the guardian's core.

The blade found its mark.

A deep shattering sound echoed through the chamber. The cracks widened, spreading like wildfire across the guardian's massive body. The glow within its core flickered violently.

For a brief moment, the guardian stood still.

Then—

BOOM!

Its body collapsed, breaking apart into massive chunks of stone, the energy within it fading into nothingness.

Silence.

Ash stood amidst the dust and rubble, his sword lowered, his body aching from exhaustion. His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths. It was over.

The trial was complete.

Victory... and the Price of Power

A moment later, a familiar system notification appeared before him.

[Trial Complete.]

[You have defeated the Guardian of the Abyss.]

[Calculating rewards…]

Ash barely had time to process the words before he felt it.

A strange force spread through his body—powerful yet controlled. His muscles burned, his bones vibrated, and his very being felt like it was being refined.

His Aspect activated.

Sovereign of the Abyss.

Slowly but surely, the guardian's strength was becoming his.

But something was wrong.

A sharp pain erupted in his head, causing him to stagger. His vision blurred, the world turning into a mess of shadows and distorted light. Then, darkness.

Panic surged in his chest.

He opened his eyes, but he couldn't see.

[WARNING: Severe Strain Detected.]

[Consequence of surpassing limits: Partial Vision Loss.]

A chill ran down his spine.

He had gone blind.

A Blessing in Disguise

Before the weight of his situation could fully sink in, another notification appeared.

[Due to exceptional performance in clearing the trial, a compensatory ability has been granted.]

[Skill Acquired: Observation Haki (Dormant).]

A new sensation flooded his mind—something beyond sight, beyond normal perception. Though his eyes no longer worked, he could suddenly feel everything around him.

The air shifting. The faint tremors of the stone beneath his feet. The residual energy lingering in the space.

It was like a sixth sense awakening within him.

His breathing steadied. His grip on his sword tightened.

Losing his sight should have been a crippling blow. But instead, he had gained something greater.

He smirked.

The abyss had taken something from him… but it had also made him stronger.

End of Chapter 15.