Hunter of the Lost Gates-Chapter 29 - : Echoes of the Abyss

Sai's heart still pounded as the hooded figure's words echoed in his mind.

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"The Lost Gate is not just a passage—it is a prison."

The revelation sat heavy in his chest. If the Abyssal King had locked the gate, then whatever was behind it had to be far worse than him.

Lena, still catching her breath from the battle, groaned. "I swear, if I have to fight another giant monster today, I'm gonna throw you into that abyss myself."

Sai forced a smirk. "Noted."

The hooded figure stepped forward, eyes glowing faintly. "You have proven your worth in the first trial. But the path ahead is far more dangerous."

Sai wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. "You keep talking about trials. How many more are there?"

The figure's voice was steady. "Three."

Lena groaned again. "Of course there are."

The chamber around them shifted, the stone floor splitting apart as the air grew heavier. Symbols along the walls pulsed with energy, as if awakening from a long slumber.

Sai tensed. "And I'm guessing we don't get time to rest."

The figure nodded. "The next trial will test your will. Prepare yourselves."

Before Sai or Lena could react, the world around them vanished.

The Trial of Will

Sai felt weightless for a moment before slamming onto cold stone.

His vision blurred, and when he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the abyssal chamber.

Instead, he stood in a ruined city, the sky above swirling with black and crimson clouds. Fires burned in the distance, and the streets were littered with crumbling buildings, shattered weapons, and dried pools of blood.

A distant roar shook the ground beneath him.

Sai turned, his daggers already in hand.

Lena was gone.

His breath hitched. "Lena?"

No response.

A sudden voice whispered behind him. "She is lost."

Sai spun around—only to see himself.

Standing just a few feet away was a perfect reflection of Sai, cloaked in darkness, his eyes glowing abyssal blue.

Sai's grip on his daggers tightened. "What the hell...?"

The doppelgänger tilted its head. "You are weak."

Sai took a cautious step forward. "If this is some kind of illusion, I'm not impressed."

The shadowed version of him smiled—an eerie, unnatural grin. "Then prove it."

Without warning, it lunged.

Fighting Himself

Sai barely had time to react before his clone's daggers slashed toward his throat.

He ducked, countering with a quick strike—but the shadow Sai dodged with the exact same speed and precision.

Sai cursed. This wasn't just an illusion. It was mirroring his movements perfectly.

They clashed, blades sparking as they struck again and again. Every move Sai made was countered instantly. It was like fighting a version of himself that had no hesitation, no limits—only pure, unrelenting aggression.

Sai growled. "Fine. Let's see if you can keep up."

He activated Phantom Step, vanishing into the shadows—

But the moment he reappeared behind his clone, the shadow had already turned, anticipating his move.

Sai barely avoided a dagger to the gut as he flipped backward.

It wasn't just copying him—it was learning.

His heart pounded. If he kept fighting like this, he'd lose. He needed a new strategy.

Sai steadied his breathing. If this thing was an exact copy, then it had all of his strengths... and all of his weaknesses.

That meant it couldn't handle something unpredictable.

Sai suddenly dropped his daggers.

The shadow hesitated for just a second.

That was all Sai needed.

He rushed forward—without a weapon—ducking under the clone's strike and slamming his fist into its chest.

The force sent the shadow skidding back. It recovered instantly, but Sai was already moving.

He grabbed a broken sword from the ground, spinning it like a makeshift staff before hurling it straight at his clone's legs.

The clone tried to dodge—but it was a fraction too late.

The blade slashed across its knee, disrupting its perfect form.

Sai didn't waste a second. He lunged, driving his dagger into its chest.

The shadow let out a sharp hiss as its form began to unravel, the abyssal energy dissipating.

It looked up at him, a flicker of something almost human in its eyes.

"You think you've won?" it whispered.

Then, it vanished.

The Chains of the Past

Sai stumbled backward, panting. The ruined city around him began to fade, dissolving like mist.

A voice echoed in his mind.

"The greatest battle you will fight is within yourself."

The scenery shifted again, and suddenly, Sai stood in a familiar place.

A village.

His village.

His breath caught in his throat. No. This wasn't real. It couldn't be.

He turned—and there they were.

His parents.

Standing in front of their home, smiling at him like they had never died. Like the raid that had destroyed his village had never happened.

Sai felt his hands shake.

His mother's voice was soft. "Sai? What's wrong?"

Sai's throat tightened. This is an illusion. This is a test.

But his feet refused to move.

His father stepped forward. "You look troubled, son. Come inside. We'll talk."

A part of him wanted to. A part of him wanted to pretend, just for a little while, that this was real.

But it wasn't.

Sai clenched his fists. "You're not real."

His mother's smile didn't falter. "We are if you want us to be."

A cold shiver ran down his spine.

This wasn't just an illusion.

It was a trap.

His willpower was being tested.

If he gave in—if he accepted this false reality—he might never leave.

Sai took a deep breath.

Then, with everything in him, he stepped back.

The illusion shattered.

The Second Trial Complete

Sai gasped as he snapped back to reality.

The abyssal chamber returned, and Lena stood just a few feet away, looking equally shaken.

Her eyes widened. "Sai! You're back!"

Before he could respond, the hooded figure reappeared.

"You have passed the second trial."

Sai steadied himself. "That was more than a trial."

The figure nodded. "It was a glimpse of what lies ahead. The Abyss does not merely test your strength—it seeks to break you from within."

Sai's fists clenched.

If he had failed, he might've been trapped in that illusion forever.

Lena exhaled. "Please tell me the last trial is easier."

The figure's glowing eyes flickered.

"The final trial is the most difficult of all."

Sai wasn't surprised. "What is it?"

The figure's voice was like a whisper of fate.

"You must face the Abyssal King."

Sai's breath hitched.

This was it.

Everything was leading up to this final battle.

And Sai had never been more ready.

To be continued...