The battlefield trembled beneath countless footsteps.
Monsters and humans clashed throughout the shadowed region, turning the entire landscape into a storm of blood, essence, and death.
Yet Jade ignored all of it.
His focus was fixed on a single destination.
The Great Monster.
Using the blessing granted by the Beast God, Jade moved through the battlefield like a phantom. His Beast Sense stretched across the entire shadowed realm, allowing him to perceive danger long before it arrived.
Every creature possessed weaknesses.
Every monster possessed flaws.
To Jade, the battlefield no longer looked like chaos.
It looked like information.
A giant web of strengths, weaknesses, movements, and intentions.
Whenever a monster lunged toward him, he avoided it before the attack was even launched.
Whenever claws slashed through the air, he was already gone.
Whenever a creature attempted to ambush him, he had already changed direction.
His body flowed through the battlefield effortlessly.
At times he appeared like a shadow.
At times he appeared like a predator.
Nothing could stop his advance.
Not because he was the strongest.
But because he could see more than everyone else.
Soon.
The monsters became fewer.
The noise of battle faded.
The pressure in the atmosphere increased.
Jade knew he had arrived.
A vast clearing appeared before him.
The ground was cracked.
The air felt heavy.
Even the shadows seemed afraid to move.
And standing at the center of that silent wasteland...
Was the Great Monster.
Jade froze.
For the first time since entering the trial, genuine shock appeared on his face.
The creature looked exactly like him.
Not similar.
Not close.
Exactly.
The same height.
The same physique.
The same messy black hair.
The same sharp eyes.
Even the faint beard growing along his jawline was identical.
It was like staring into a mirror.
The only difference was the creature's smile.
It carried a terrifying confidence.
The smile of something that knew it could not lose.
For several seconds neither of them moved.
Then the creature spoke.
Its voice sounded exactly like Jade's.
"So."
"You have finally arrived."
The monster slowly crossed its arms.
"You came to reclaim your Fate, didn't you?"
Jade narrowed his eyes.
The monster smiled wider.
"Good."
"Then let me see whether you're worthy of taking it back."
The moment those words ended—
The monster split apart.
One became two.
Two became four.
Four became six.
Six perfect copies appeared around Jade.
Every single one possessed the same appearance.
The same aura.
The same power.
The same confidence.
Before Jade could react—
They attacked.
BOOM!
The ground shattered beneath their feet.
All six rushed toward him simultaneously.
Jade instantly retreated.
His instincts screamed danger.
Yet no matter where he moved, the copies seemed to know exactly where he would appear.
A punch arrived.
Jade dodged.
Another kick followed.
Jade barely escaped.
A blade formed from shadow swept toward his neck.
He ducked.
The attacks continued endlessly.
For the first time in a long while, Jade found himself completely overwhelmed.
They knew everything.
Every movement.
Every habit.
Every fighting pattern.
It was as though they were reading his thoughts.
"No..."
Jade muttered.
"They ARE me."
The realization sent chills down his spine.
Mind Deceiver.
Jade activated the skill immediately.
Ordinarily, his opponents would unknowingly expose weaknesses while attacking him.
But this time—
Nothing happened.
The copies continued fighting perfectly.
No openings.
No hesitation.
No mistakes.
As if they already understood the skill itself.
Jade clenched his teeth.
Then transformed.
His body twisted.
Bones shifted.
Muscles compressed.
Moments later he became a giant serpent.
The snake form slithered across the battlefield with incredible speed.
Several copies missed their attacks.
Jade seized the opportunity.
He launched himself upward and wrapped around one of the copies.
His coils tightened.
CRACK!
The copy exploded into fragments.
Jade felt relief.
Only for that relief to disappear immediately.
The shattered pieces reassembled.
A new copy stood there.
Perfectly unharmed.
Jade stared in disbelief.
"What?"
The creature laughed.
A deep mocking laugh.
The remaining copies stepped backward.
Then all six spoke together.
"Did you think it would be that easy?"
Jade's expression darkened.
This was impossible.
An enemy that could copy him.
An enemy that could regenerate endlessly.
An enemy that knew all his abilities.
Then Jade made another decision.
He summoned Ant Demon.
Crimson ants appeared.
Thousands of them swarmed together.
The familiar figure emerged.
Dark armor.
Crimson eyes.
A massive shadow-forged sword.
Ant Demon materialized beside him.
But before Jade could feel relieved—
The copies smiled.
Then each one summoned their own Ant Demon.
Jade's eyes widened.
Six Ant Demons appeared.
Yet something was wrong.
Very wrong.
These versions looked larger.
Taller.
Their armor was darker.
Their presence felt heavier.
Even Jade's own Ant Demon became still.
For the first time, she appeared wary.
The six false Ant Demons looked toward Jade.
The pressure alone was terrifying.
Then something even stranger happened.
Jade's Ant Demon dismissed herself.
Without permission.
Without command.
Without explanation.
She simply vanished.
Jade was stunned.
The copies laughed again.
The six false Ant Demons disappeared as well.
Then the copies merged together.
Six became one.
The Great Monster stood before him once more.
Smiling.
Waiting.
Watching.
As though it had merely been playing.
Jade's heart pounded.
The creature's power was ridiculous.
It could shapeshift.
Copy abilities.
Replicate summons.
And somehow create stronger versions.
This was no ordinary trial guardian.
This thing was a nightmare.
A monster specifically designed to counter him.
Jade immediately reached a conclusion.
Aaron needed to know.
The convoy needed this information.
If they fought this creature blindly, they would die.
Without hesitation Jade retreated.
The Great Monster made no effort to stop him.
Instead it watched him leave.
Its smile never faded.
As though it already knew how events would unfold.
Jade hated that smile.
It felt like the creature was looking at a future only it could see.
As he traveled back through the battlefield, several monsters blocked his path.
One in particular caught his attention.
A massive creature wreathed in crimson flames.
Its wings resembled burning feathers.
Its claws melted stone.
Its body radiated enough heat to distort the air itself.
Phoenix Scavenger.
A Demon-Class creature.
Normally dangerous.
Normally worthy of caution.
But compared to the Great Monster...
It felt insignificant.
The Phoenix Scavenger screeched and attacked.
Jade stepped forward.
Three strikes.
One dodge.
One thrust.
The battle ended almost instantly.
The creature collapsed.
Its flaming body dissolved into ash.
Jade didn't even stop walking.
His thoughts remained focused on the Great Monster.
Soon he arrived near the convoy's position.
The fighting had intensified.
Aaron was still battling creatures stronger than most of the others could handle.
Yet something caught Jade's attention.
Aaron suddenly moved away from the battlefield.
Alone.
Quietly.
Without informing anyone.
Jade frowned.
That wasn't normal.
Aaron wasn't the type to abandon a battle.
Especially not now.
His Beast Sense immediately focused on him.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Jade activated Obsidian Vine Shadow.
Dark crystalline vines wrapped around his body.
They covered him completely.
His figure blended with the surrounding shadows.
His presence vanished.
His scent disappeared.
Even his footsteps became silent.
To anyone watching, he had simply ceased to exist.
Jade narrowed his eyes.
Then followed Aaron.
Secretly.
Carefully.
Without making a sound.
And whatever Aaron was heading toward...
Jade intended to find out.