[Chapter 10]
The air around Castiel grew colder, the oppressive weight of the looming figure pressing down on him like an invisible force. His heart raced as the cloaked entity continued to stand before him, its presence suffocating the very essence of the world he was in. The Rift Star's energy flickered around him, but it felt weaker now, almost as if the darkness before him had begun to drain it.
"I am not what you think," the masked figure spoke again, its voice carrying the weight of centuries, as though it had witnessed the rise and fall of entire civilizations. "I am not here to destroy you, Castiel. I am here to push you toward your true destiny."
Castiel's mind spun, the tension in the air wrapping around him like a tightening coil. His body tensed, ready for whatever was to come. His thoughts flickered back to the trial he had just passed—how he had shattered his past self, overcome his internal fears and doubts. That had been the first step toward his true potential. But what did this figure mean by pushing him toward his destiny?
"What do you want from me?" Castiel asked, his voice steady, though his pulse thundered in his ears. He had faced countless trials in the Rift Star, each one more intense than the last. But this figure—this presence—was unlike anything he had encountered before.
The figure's response came not in words, but in action.
In a flash of motion, the world around them shifted, distorting like a nightmare unfurling. The ground cracked open, and the sky above them darkened, the once swirling colors of purple and red now a deep, oppressive black. Castiel felt the pull of gravity shift, like he was being drawn into a vortex. His vision blurred, his surroundings warping until there was nothing but the figure and him.
"You are no longer in the mortal realm, Castiel," the figure said, its voice now a soft whisper. "You are in the Phantom's Grasp, a space between worlds. This is where souls like yours are tested, tempered, and forged."
Before Castiel could react, the world around him dissolved into a thick, inky blackness. The air became dense, each breath harder to take as though it were being stolen from him by unseen forces. The figure was gone, leaving only the echo of its voice behind.
He was alone.
But Castiel wasn't the type to back down. He knew that every step forward in the Rift Star had brought him closer to uncovering his true strength. Whatever this Phantom's Grasp was, it was yet another challenge that he had to face—and he would rise to meet it, no matter the cost.
"Bring it on," Castiel muttered to himself, clenching his fists, his aura flaring around him.
Suddenly, a faint light flickered in the distance, barely visible in the endless darkness. Castiel squinted, his instincts urging him forward. He took a step, and then another, until the light grew brighter, coalescing into a figure—a woman standing alone in the void.
Her features were indistinct, as if she were made of the very darkness itself, her form shifting like smoke. But one thing was clear—her eyes. They glowed with an ethereal light, piercing through the darkness as though they were the only source of illumination in the entire world.
"Who are you?" Castiel asked, his voice steady but filled with uncertainty. The figure's presence was overwhelming, and he could feel the immense power radiating from her.
The woman didn't respond immediately. Instead, she raised her hand, and Castiel felt a sudden, chilling wind whip around him. The temperature dropped to an unbearable low, frost creeping up his arms as the air seemed to freeze.
"You… you are not ready," the woman's voice finally came, a melodic whisper that seemed to vibrate through the very air itself. "Not yet. But you will be. This place… this trial… it is meant to forge your soul into something more. You are the chosen one, Castiel. The one destined to break the cycle."
"The cycle?" Castiel repeated, his mind racing. "What cycle are you talking about?"
But the woman remained silent, her eyes narrowing as if lost in thought. The wind around them intensified, the darkness thickening once more.
"You will understand soon enough," she said cryptically, her form flickering like a shadow on the verge of fading. "You must endure this trial to gain the strength you need. Only then will you be ready to face what lies ahead."
Before Castiel could speak again, the woman vanished, her form dissolving into the void as though she had never been there. The darkness that surrounded him deepened, and Castiel was once again left alone in the Phantom's Grasp.
His heart pounded as his thoughts raced. What had she meant by the "cycle"? And how was he supposed to "break" it?
The Rift Star's power surged within him, but the feeling of being drained, of something slowly leeching away his strength, still lingered. He could feel it now—the pressure of the Phantom's Grasp closing in on him. It wasn't just an external force; it was an attack on his very soul, the very core of his being.
But Castiel had never been one to back down. He clenched his fists and steeled himself.
The trial had only just begun.
This was only the beginning of the Phantom's Grasp. As Castiel moved forward, the world around him shifted once again, the air growing heavy with anticipation. The trial wasn't just about power—it was about understanding the very essence of the universe, the forces that governed the worlds, and the dark secrets buried within the Rift Star.
The path ahead was uncertain, but Castiel was more determined than ever to face whatever lay beyond.
-----------------------------------------
The silence in the Phantom's Grasp was unlike anything Castiel had experienced before. It wasn't just the absence of sound—it was the absence of life. There were no echoes, no whispers, no breath of wind. Just an all-consuming void that pressed against him from every direction. His footsteps didn't even make a sound. It was as though the world refused to acknowledge his existence here.
But Castiel was not afraid.
His heart beat steadily, each pulse reminding him that he was still alive. Still moving. Still fighting.
Ahead of him, the blackness began to twist. Shapes emerged—not creatures, but echoes. Shadows of beings long gone, their forms flickering like broken memories. Dozens of them floated in the distance, then hundreds, then thousands. Each bore faint outlines of armor, weapons, or robes, suggesting they had once been warriors, cultivators, maybe even immortals.
"What is this place really…?" Castiel whispered.
Then, a voice echoed all around him—not the voice of the cloaked figure, not the woman's—but something deeper. Ancient.
"These are the fallen. Those who have failed the trial. Their souls now drift in the Phantom's Grasp for eternity, seeking purpose that will never return."
The shadows turned to face him.
One by one, glowing white eyes blinked open in the sea of darkness.
And then, they charged.
It was instantaneous—no build-up, no roar, no warning. Just a wall of flickering wraiths screaming silently toward him, blades forged of spiritual essence drawn, intent to tear his very soul from his body.
Castiel's heart surged with adrenaline. In that moment, time slowed.
"System," he growled. "Show me what you've got."
Ding!
[New Trial Combat Mode: Activated]
[System Support Boost: 80% Combat Flow Assistance Enabled]
[Soul Qi Circulation: Unlocked temporarily in Phantom Grasp]
[Skill: Phantom Flash Step (Lv. 1) — Acquired!]
[Skill: Soul Severing Slash (Lv. 1) — Acquired!]
His instincts kicked in. The energy inside him swirled into action, pulsing with new strength granted by the system. He vanished from his original position in a burst of speed, reappearing directly in the heart of the swarm.
Slash!
His blade—summoned by sheer will—crackled with Soul Qi, slicing through the shadows with a brilliance that tore the blackness apart. The wraiths hissed and recoiled, but they didn't stop. More replaced them, wave after wave, undeterred by the losses.
They weren't alive.
They couldn't feel pain.
But Castiel could.
And yet, he didn't flinch.
Again and again, he slashed, flipped, and spun. Each movement refined with the player-like flow of combat he'd always possessed. His soul flared with every dodge and every strike, and the more he fought, the more alive he felt. The system buzzed in his mind like a silent partner guiding his rhythm.
[Combo Counter: x12]
[Soul Severing Slash: Combo Effect Boost — +20% Soul Penetration]
With a sudden upward slash, he cut through three more shades, then dropped to one knee, panting. But as the final wave of shadows approached, they froze—mere feet from him—then dissolved into wisps.
And in their place… stood the woman again.
But this time, her form was clearer. Her face was delicate, yet sharp. Ethereal yet grounded. Long flowing black hair fluttered behind her, even though there was no wind.
"You are improving quickly," she said, watching him. "Faster than most."
"Are they really gone?" Castiel asked.
She nodded slightly. "Those were only the first echoes. The remnants of the unworthy. You've proven yourself stronger."
"Why me?" he asked. "Why am I chosen for this?"
She stared into him for a long moment before replying.
"Because you are the deviation. The variable that should not exist."
He frowned. "What does that mean?"
She turned away. "You'll learn in time. For now, remember this: not every enemy can be cut. Not every truth can be accepted. And not every path leads forward."
Her hand reached out—and for a moment, Castiel felt his entire being pulled into her grasp. His vision blurred as stars exploded around him. He felt himself torn apart and reassembled, soul-first, as if his very identity was being rewritten.
Then, everything stopped.
He stood again in the real world—or what remained of it. The Rift Star was cracking apart behind him. He could feel it—his trial was over. The world that had tested him was collapsing.
A final message rang out in his ears:
[Congratulations! You have completed the Rift Star Soul Trial.]
[New Title: Phantom Challenger — Acquired!]
[New Passive Skill: Soul Resilience (Lv. Max) — Acquired!]
[Main Quest Unlocked: Rebuild the Path of Ascension]
He barely had time to absorb the notifications before a blinding light enveloped him. The world vanished again—but this time, there was no fear.
Only anticipation.