The moment Riku stepped into the heart of Verdant Hollow, the atmosphere shifted. The mist felt thicker, denser, almost sentient as it curled around their ankles like curious fingers. A low, humming vibration passed through the soles of their feet. It wasn't threatening—yet—but it carried weight. Something was waiting for them.
"We're being watched," Kira whispered, hand hovering near the dagger strapped to her thigh.
Riku nodded. "I feel it too. The system's Danger Sense is on high alert, but not pointing to anything specific. Just... a warning."
Ahead, the path narrowed. Thick roots twisted through the stone like veins beneath skin. At the end of the trail lay the massive ancient tree that had dominated the system's map—a colossal being of bark and age, its branches like arms embracing the sky.
> [System Notice: You are approaching the Heartwood Nexus. Proceed with caution. First-Time Entry Bonus Eligible. Potential Trial Detected.]
"Trial?" Riku muttered. "I just claimed this place yesterday. Can't I enjoy the view first?"
Kira chuckled softly. "Apparently not. But hey, you wanted an adventure."
Riku stepped forward, pushing aside a curtain of vines. As soon as his boot crossed the threshold into the clearing, the air shimmered like ripples in a pond.
A figure emerged from the base of the tree. Female, tall, with bark-like skin etched in glowing green sigils. Her eyes shone with a deep, ancient light.
"Welcome, Claimant," she said. Her voice was wind and rustling leaves.
> [Trial Initiated: Verdant Guardian's Judgment] [Objective: Prove Worth as Steward of the Hollow. Face the Guardian's Test.] [Restriction: System Functions Locked During Trial. No Item Usage Allowed. Skills Temporarily Disabled.]
"That's new," Riku muttered.
"Prove yourself without the cheat codes. I like it," Kira said with a smirk, stepping aside.
The guardian raised a hand. Vines erupted from the ground, forming a wide circle. Riku found himself pulled into the center, the vines forming a cage that locked Kira out.
"Face me, not as a user of power borrowed, but as one who understands growth, loss, and perseverance."
She raised her hands, and roots shot forward.
Riku dodged, barely avoiding the first strike. His movements felt sluggish without his stat boosts. The Danger Sense was gone, and he had to rely purely on instinct.
He rolled behind a stump, gasping. "Okay... fine. Let's do this the hard way."
The guardian didn't relent. Vines slashed toward him, one cutting across his shoulder. He hissed in pain, the sting very real. He ducked and lunged forward, grabbing a sharp branch and using it to deflect a blow.
He remembered his street fights, the times he had to defend himself before the system. He focused. Survival wasn't about power, it was about adaptation.
Riku started to move differently. He didn't try to overpower the guardian's strikes. He flowed around them, turning near-hits into escapes, wounds into lessons. He began reading her rhythm.
When an opening came, he threw the branch like a spear.
It struck her in the chest. She staggered.
Then smiled.
"You remember what it means to struggle."
> [Trial Completed: Verdant Guardian's Judgment Passed.] [Rewards: +750 Points, Skill Seed: Nature Affinity Lv.1, Territory Loyalty +15%] [System Access Restored.]
Kira ran to him as the vines retracted. "That was insane. You did that without the system."
"Barely," he said, breathless, shoulder bleeding. "But it proves I can."
The guardian bowed. "You are now a true steward of this place. May your rule bring growth."
As she faded into the roots, a glowing symbol etched itself into the trunk of the tree. Riku touched it.
> [New Feature Unlocked: Verdant Hollow Base Management Console Available.]
Riku grinned. "Now it feels like mine."
As night fell, Kira patched his wounds and they rested beneath the tree. He looked at the stars above the canopy and thought about what the trial meant.
Not every battle would need the system. Not every victory required cheating.
He was becoming something more than a system user.
He was becoming a leader.