Chapter 33: The Judgment of the Guardian
I pushed open the door and entered the next room.
It was a vast circular arena, bathed in a harsh, white light. The walls were smooth, without a single imperfection.
The other candidates were already there. All ten of them. They looked a little shaken, pale. They must have faced their own demons in the labyrinth. Some looked at me with a newfound glimmer of respect. Others, like Yoo-Na, with even more hatred.
The director’s voice echoed through the arena, coming from nowhere.
"Congratulations on surviving the first trial. Eleven entered. Eleven succeeded. That is a record."
His voice grew harder.
"Second trial: The Judgment of the Guardian."
The floor in the center of the arena began to open. A huge platform rose up, and on that platform stood a creature.
It was a knight. An immense knight, clad head to toe in black and gold armor that seemed to absorb the light. He held a gigantic sword, as tall as a man. His face was hidden, save for two points of red light that glowed from within his helmet’s visor.
"This is the Guardian," the director explained. "Your objective is simple. You must defeat it."
One of the S-ranks, an arrogant boy with lightning powers, laughed. "Eleven against one? Is this your great trial? We’ll demolish it in thirty seconds."
"Don’t be so sure," the director replied. "The Guardian possesses a unique ability. It adapts. Every power you use against it, it will analyze, understand, and become immune to. You can only use the same attack once."