Orion barely had a moment to breathe before the world twisted around him.
One blink. That was all it took.
The solid ground beneath his feet fractured, stretching into infinity, collapsing back into nothingness. His breath hitched as his own body flickered—one second he was standing firm, the next he was staggering, wounds blooming across his skin from battles he had yet to fight.
Then, just as suddenly, the pain vanished, his body rewinding. His hands grew smaller, his muscles losing years of training, his mind clouding as memories blurred. He felt himself unbecoming.
A cold voice echoed through the void.
[ Trial of the Eternis: The River of Time Flows for No One. Adapt or be Forgotten. ]
Then, the pain began again.
---
The Endless War Against Himself
Orion's instincts screamed at him to move, to defend, to attack—but who was he even fighting?
A flicker. A shape.
He turned just in time to see a figure rushing at him—himself. But older. Battle-worn. A future version of Orion, his face hardened by unseen struggles.
Future Orion was faster. Stronger. More experienced. His blade cut through the air with surgical precision, forcing Orion to barely dodge by the width of a hair.
"You're too slow." The future version of him spoke in a voice drenched with time's weight.
Another attack. Another wound carved into Orion's skin. He gasped, feeling the pain but no blood—it was as if the injuries were echoes of a battle that had already happened.
The moment he thought of counterattacking, time shifted again.
He stumbled back as his own body aged forward, his muscles seizing, his breath labored with sudden exhaustion. His vision blurred as if decades had passed in an instant.
Then—another flicker. Another shift.
He was young again. Too young. His limbs fragile, his strength drained. The sword in his hand felt too heavy, his grip barely strong enough to hold it.
Future Orion didn't wait. He struck again.
This wasn't a fight. It was a slaughter across time.
---
Breaking the Pattern
Orion gritted his teeth. This wasn't just a test of strength. The Eternis Clan didn't value raw power alone.
They were testing his mind. His ability to adapt.
The key wasn't resisting time's shifts—it was understanding them.
He let himself go still. Felt the flow. The past, the future, the present—all tangled together, looping endlessly. But there was a pattern. A rhythm.
Every shift came just before his mind could adjust. Every wound, every regression, every advancement in age—it wasn't random. It was a system, a cycle.
Orion's lips curled into a bloodied smirk.
"Time is predictable."
Future Orion lunged again, faster than before. But this time, Orion didn't retreat.
Instead, he stepped forward.
The moment time bent, he moved with it, aligning his actions with the flow rather than fighting against it. The world flickered, his body shifting once more—but this time, he controlled where it took him.
Older. Stronger. Sharper.
For the first time, he was the future.
His blade met his counterpart's, and for the first time, their clash was equal.
The trial had changed. Now, it was a battle of wits.
---
The Final Strike
Blow after blow, Orion pushed forward, his mind adapting to every shift. He anticipated the changes now, felt the rhythm as naturally as breathing.
Future Orion narrowed his eyes. "So, you've figured it out."
Orion didn't respond with words. He responded with action.
Time twisted once more—but this time, he forced his will upon it.
As the shift began, he struck, moving at the exact moment when the cycle would place him at his peak. For a single instant, he had the perfect combination of experience, power, and clarity.
His blade pierced through his future self.
The illusion shattered.
Orion stood alone in the void, panting, his body back to its original state. His arms trembled, but his eyes gleamed with understanding.
The Overseer's voice echoed once more.
[ Trial Completed. Time No Longer Controls You. Proceed. ]
Orion exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders.
"Not bad," he muttered. "But I'm not done yet."
Ahead, the next challenge awaited.