Stone and sky bled together like watercolors in the rain.
Joshua's boots met ground with force. The impact rattled his teeth, but he stayed upright. The air tasted of copper, almost thick enough to choke on.
When his vision cleared, Joshua found himself standing on a platform of obsidian that stretched maybe thirty feet in every direction. Beyond the edges there was nothing—Just swirling void that whispered with faceless voices in all directions.
"Welcome to your trial, Joshua."
Lysandra materialized beside him, her crimson hair whipping in the ethereal winds that existed here. Her expression was ice, but her posture was tense.
"Listen to me carefully," she hissed, grabbing his arm. "The entire court is watching through scrying crystals. Every demon noble, every general, every citizen who doubted my choice. If you die here—"
"You'll kill me twice. I got the memo."
"No." Her grip tightened, nails digging into his skin. "If you die here, I lose the throne. The royal court will declare me unfit to rule, and everything I've worked for dies with you."
Her words hit like a hammer.
"No pressure," Joshua muttered.
"All the pressure," she snapped. "Prove me right, Joshua Vale, or damn us both. After this trial we will head deeper into the Rift."
"The other trials, right?"
"Yes. And they will not be able to spectate us after this. You can be as sloppy as you want then. But for now… survive. You are good at not dying right?"
Before he could respond, light exploded across his vision.
[SYSTEM UNLOCK - COMPLETE]
[WELCOME TO THE BLOOD MAGIC CHEAT SYSTEM - FULL ACCESS GRANTED]
Commands now available:
STATUS - See User's Detailed Status, Spells, and Inventory
SKILL TREE - Access branching ability paths and unlock new powers
ANALYZE - Identify opponents, weaknesses, and tactical advantages
QUEST LOG - Track active missions and objectives
INVENTORY - Manage items and equipment (Currently Empty)
Joshua blinked as the translucent windows flickered in his peripheral vision.
What the hell am I looking at?
[Oh, we're finally doing this properly! I was getting SO bored with the basic interface.]
The text pulsed almost… excited?
"Did the system just talk to me?"
[I've been trying to chat for DAYS, but the safety protocols were being absolutely dreadful. Now that we're in a proper life-or-death situation once again, I can finally introduce myself!]
[I'm your Magic Cheat System - but you can call me Crimson. Since you chose blood as your archetype… that'll be our main focus. We're going to have SO much fun together!]
Lysandra frowned. "What are you staring at?"
"I couldn't explain it to you if I tried."
"Focus, prince."
The platform shuddered beneath their feet. Cracks formed from beneath their feet as the ground rumbled.
[Ooh, company! Let me show you what you're working with first. Say 'Status'!]
"Status," Joshua whispered.
[JOSHUA VALE - THE PRINCESS' CHOSEN]
[LEVEL: 6]
[ELEMENT TYPE: BLOOD]
[VITALITY: 245/245]
[MANA: 180/180]
[STRENGTH: 34]
[AGILITY: 28]
[ENDURANCE: 41]
[INTELLIGENCE: 25]
[ACTIVE SPELLS:]
Hemokinesis - Tier 1
Damage Conversion - Tier 1
[AVAILABLE SKILL POINTS: 12]
[Due to User's level progression, SKILL TREE integration now available!]
[Say 'Skill Tree' to access branching ability paths!]
"Skill Tree."
A treelike diagram bloomed on the interface, full of branching paths of power with archaic icons.
[BLOOD MAGIC SKILL TREE]
[HEMOKINESIS BRANCH]
Blood Whip (3 SP) - Form weaponized blood constructs
Crimson Shield (4 SP) - Defensive blood barriers
Life Sense (2 SP) - Detect living beings through blood flow
—Lv Requirement Not Met For Other Progressions
[DAMAGE CONVERSION BRANCH]
Pain Echo (5 SP) - Reflect absorbed damage back to attackers
Endurance Surge (3 SP) - Convert pain into temporary stat boosts
Martyr's Resolve (6 SP) - Survive fatal damage once per day
—Lv Requirement Not Met For Other Progressions
[BLOOD DOMINION BRANCH - LOCKED]Requires Level 10
[CRIMSON REGENERATION BRANCH - LOCKED]Requires Level 8
[SANGUINE ARTS BRANCH - LOCKED]Requires Specific Conditions
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Joshua's eyes widened. The possibilities were staggering.
[I recommend Blood Whip and Life Sense for immediate combat advantages! Trust me, I've run the calculations.]
Before he could respond, the platform lurched violently. A writhing mass of black mana emerged through the newly formed hole in the ground.
But as it formed, Joshua's chest clenched tight.
The manifestation wasn't a monster, a beast, or anything he's seen before.
It was him.
A flawless replica of Joshua Vale, yet corrupted in every conceivable manner. Its eyes burned with self-loathing, its posture radiated defeat, and when it spoke, the voice was his own.
"You think you deserve to be here?" the Shadow-Joshua snarled. "You're nothing. The talentless prince. The expendable son. You were sent here to die."
[TRIAL OF FLESH: FIRST MANIFESTATION DETECTED]
[OPPONENT: Echo of Self-Doubt]
[WEAKNESS: …?]
[RECOMMENDED ACTION: Prove your worth.]
The shadow lunged forward with inhuman speed; fists wreathed in dark energy.
Joshua barely dodged, rolling to the side as obsidian cracked where he'd been standing.
"You can't run from what you are!" the shadow screamed, pursuing him with relentless fury. "Weak! Useless! Unwanted!"
"What the…" Joshua's voice wavered as he brought himself back to his feet.
[User's emotional state affecting combat performance! Confidence levels critically low!]
[Crimson here - you need to fight back! Not just physically, but mentally! Show this shadow how you've grown!]
"Joshua!" Lysandra's voice cut through the shadow's taunts. "The trial feeds on your doubts—every insecurity you've buried. Don't let it reach your core. Focus!"
Joshua gritted his teeth, calling on his blood magic. Something invisible sliced cleanly across his palm. Crimson welled from the wound, lifting into the air and hardening into a deadly point.
[HEMOKENESIS - CAST]
[Vitality - 99.6%]
"Shut up." The words came out quietly.
The blood twisted into a jagged blade and shot forward like a crimson comet, piercing the shadow's chest. The being staggered, its form glitching like corrupted code.
"I survived your princess!" Joshua pressed forward, more blood rising around him. "I survived YEARS of abuse. All so I could prevent the war! I am still standing here!"
With each declaration, his attacks grew stronger, more precise. The shadow's form began to dissolve, its hateful words fading into whispers.
[FIRST MANIFESTATION DEFEATED]
[+150 XP]
But before Joshua could catch his breath, the platform shuddered again. More shadows rose from the void—dozens of them.
Lysandra's fingernails dug into her forearms as she looked straightforward.
"There are more," she whispered. "So many more."
Joshua straightened, blood swirling around him like a crimson storm, his system humming with newfound power.
[Unlock your powers, Joshua Vale. You are going to need them.]