Project Nexus : Beyond Reality
Episode 16: Trials of the Mind
The party had made it far beyond the outskirts of Hamlet, deeper into the forest that shimmered with a strange luminescence. According to a passing NPC they encountered in a ruined tower, this region was known as the Sanctum of Echoes, a zone rumored to awaken inner fears and judge the worthiness of those who wished to reach the next level bracket. They needed to complete this "Trial of Mind" to progress toward Level 10.
As they moved cautiously, a circular ancient platform pulsed beneath their feet, forming glyphs that spun with a haunting hum. Before any of them could react, a blinding light split their surroundings, and each member was forcefully pulled into a different pocket dimension—each a mental projection of their own doubts and fears.
Renji's Trial: The Duality Within
Renji opened his eyes in a world coated in mist. He stood at the center of a battlefield littered with broken swords, echoes of past fights ringing in his ears. Before him stood a perfect mirror version of himself—smirking and covered in black armor.
"You're just a makeshift leader," the doppelgänger mocked. "Without your speed, you're nothing. Without their trust, you're a ghost."
The battle was fast and furious—slashes of his steel longsword ringing against his mirrored self's blade. Renji realized that every attack he threw was mirrored flawlessly. The trial wasn't to defeat the enemy by force—but by outsmarting it.
He paused mid-fight and whispered, "You're me… so I'll beat you with something I've never tried before."
Renji feinted left, then rolled forward low to the ground and attacked the feet—a technique he never used in previous battles. The mirror image fell. As the world shattered around him, Renji grinned, "I'm not perfect, and that's why I grow."
Kai's Trial: The Weight of Power
Kai stood alone in a foggy field, his massive greatsword strapped to his back, glowing faintly red. Around him appeared countless enemies—phantom hyenas, goblins, trolls—all charging at him in waves.
He raised his blade and fought. Every swing was powerful, a one-hit knockout. But with each swing, his blade became heavier. His stamina dropped drastically. After his 20th swing, he collapsed to his knees.
From the mist, a voice echoed: "You rely too much on strength. What happens when it's not enough?"
Sweating, panting, Kai looked up. "I don't need to swing harder… I need to swing smarter."
He waited until enemies grouped up, then used the terrain to funnel them into a narrow gap. With a single swing, he downed three foes.
The pressure lifted. Kai stood, blade light again, and whispered, "Brute strength alone… isn't power."
Airi's Trial: The Shot That Matters
Airi found herself in a quiet forest—so quiet, it felt unnerving. Shadows flitted between the trees. Her bow was drawn, but she couldn't see her enemy.
Suddenly, multiple targets appeared—moving rapidly, vanishing, reappearing. Every time she tried to shoot, doubt clouded her mind: What if I miss? What if I hurt the wrong person?
Sweat formed on her brow.
Then a soft, familiar voice echoed: "Trust your aim. Trust yourself."
She steadied her breath, channeled her Precision Focus skill, and fired three rapid arrows—each finding their mark even before the targets finished moving.
The forest opened, sunlight breaking through.
"I don't need to see everything. I just need to believe in the shot I take."
Eve's Trial: In Shadows We Trust
Eve stood in a dungeon corridor, dagger drawn. The corridor shifted constantly, doors opening and closing, torches flickering.
From the darkness, whispering voices: "You sneak, you hide. You don't belong. You're replaceable."
Suddenly, shadow copies of her friends appeared, laughing, walking away from her. She lunged forward but couldn't reach them.
Then the lights faded completely.
"Fine," Eve whispered, "if I must walk alone… I'll walk through the dark."
She activated Shadow Cloak, using stealth and instinct to navigate the darkness. Eventually, she found a wall with her own name etched into it. She pressed her dagger into it, unlocking the path forward.
"Even in shadows," she muttered, "I matter."
Leon's Trial: The Edge of Precision
Leon stood on a narrow beam stretching across a chasm of swirling wind. Below: darkness. Ahead: a single enemy—a large armored knight.
A single wrong move would mean a fall.
He stepped carefully, rapier poised. But every step made the knight mirror him, closing in.
"You're only useful if you hit first," the voice taunted. "You miss, you fall."
Leon closed his eyes. "Then I'll never miss."
He remembered his precision drills, the hours practicing thrusts. As the knight lunged, Leon spun, slid past the armor's side, and landed a critical thrust into the joint.
The beam widened. The wind calmed. He smirked, "That's how a rapier sings."
Seiji's Trial: The Weight of Healing
Seiji stood in a hospital-like hall. Beds lined the walls, each holding a friend—wounded, fading. He ran from one to another, trying to cast Heal, Revitalize, and Cure, but nothing worked.
"You can't save them all," a ghostly figure whispered. "Why try?"
Tears welled up in Seiji's eyes. He wasn't a warrior. He was always behind, always support.
"But I try… because they're alive when I do."
With trembling hands, he closed his eyes and focused. A soft glow enveloped the entire room. One by one, the beds glowed. The injured sat up, smiling.
His trial ended. He walked forward whispering, "I may not fight like them… but I'm the reason they stand."
Real's Trial: The Mask and the Mirror
Real blinked as he found himself in a darkened theater. Rows of empty red velvet chairs stretched out in front of him, and a single spotlight bathed the wooden stage. In his hand: a thin fencing blade, not the broad sword he expected. He looked down—he was dressed in a formal school uniform.
Footsteps echoed from behind the curtain. A man stepped onto the stage, wearing a mask identical to Real's own face.
"You act like someone you're not," the masked figure said, his voice sharp, taunting. "Pretending to be carefree. Pretending you don't care."
Real tightened his grip. "I don't pretend. I'm just… doing what I have to."
"No. You wear a mask because you're afraid. Afraid they'll see the real you—and not accept you."
The figure lunged. Their blades clashed, a flurry of quick and precise strikes. Real countered, weaving between attacks, sweat beading on his forehead.
"You're not just support," the figure hissed mid-duel. "You're scared to lead."
Real's blade locked with the double's.
"I'm not scared," Real said quietly. "I'm just… figuring it out."
He feinted, pivoted, and disarmed the masked version with a sudden reverse grip strike. The mask cracked, falling to the stage.
Beneath it was his own face—but smiling softly.
"You can be you," the voice said, fading away. "And still be strong."
The theater dissolved into light.
After what felt like hours, the team awoke on the central glyph circle, lying on their backs and breathing heavily.
Renji looked around—each friend dazed but stronger.
"Was that real?" Airi asked.
"It felt too real," Kai muttered.
They stood up, backs a little straighter, eyes a little sharper. The glyph beneath them stopped spinning. A chime rang out.
Trial Completed. All members gain +1 Mastery in main weapon. Stats increased. New skill unlocked.
Renji opened his menu.
Skill Unlocked: Phantom Strike – A fast dash attack dealing high burst damage.
They looked at each other, silent for a moment.
Then Kai chuckled. "I'm starving."
Eve grinned. "Let's get back to Hamlet… and maybe not almost die today."
Renji smiled. The journey was getting tougher. But so were they.