Trial of Ash

The forest was silent again. Too silent.

Ash wandered until he found it: a clearing split open by claw marks. And in the middle—something massive.

An armored beast, its body plated in bone, eyes glowing crimson. It sniffed the air and roared, shaking the ground.

A boss.

Ash smirked through bloodied lips. “Perfect. Let’s see if pain’s enough.”

The fight was brutal. Each strike from the beast shattered trees. Each blow Ash landed tore his own body apart. His blood hissed, coiling, wrapping around his arms like living armor.

Every scream of pain made him stronger. Every scar fed his fury.

Until at last—he drove his blood-coated fist straight through the beast’s chest.

It collapsed. The forest went still.

Ash fell to his knees, laughing, coughing blood.

“Still alive… guess I passed the test.”