SSS Unknown: Dark Knight's Legacy

The pain hit him without warning, like an axe striking directly into his skull, sending a violent jerk through his body.

It was as if his very brain had been seared with electric fire. The sensation was unbearable, yet paradoxically, his body remained unharmed.

Panic set in as Unknown instinctively tried to rip off the helmet, desperate to escape the agony. 

But his actions were futile; it was already too late. His consciousness was dragged away as if being sucked into an entirely different dimension.

"…Where am I?"

'What the hell is this place? It feels so suffocating...'

His body felt drained, weak, and sluggish, as if every ounce of energy he had once possessed had been completely drained, regressed to the very moment he first awakened. But even then, he had been stronger than he was now.

'No, this is worse. I'm weaker than before.'

A low growl reverberated through the air. Suddenly, the room was bathed in a harsh red light. White crystal particles began to materialize, hanging in the air and slowly connecting to form a latticework of intricate, glowing threads.

From this eerie, glowing web, bones and metal started to materialize in a chaotic yet deliberate sequence. They slowly pieced together, forming a humanoid shape, its presence radiating an overwhelming aura of malice, intent on destruction.

As the form solidified, its true nature emerged. It was a knight—a grotesque, monstrous version of Unknown himself.

Heavy, bloodstained armor covered its hulking frame, and a vicious skeletal helmet obscured its face.

In its massive grip, it held a greatsword, its blade forged from pure crystallized light. The sword emanated a deadly glow, its weight a silent promise of annihilation.

This was no mere reflection of Unknown. It was something far worse—a creature of malice and destruction.

[Crimson Knight]

Before the Crimson Knight could fully materialize, Unknown reacted instinctively. His sword was sheathed with practiced speed as he assumed a fighting stance, determined to end this nightmare before it even began.

With every ounce of strength he had left, he gathered his energy for a single, decisive blow. He invoked the ancient technique, [Calamity Strike], channeling everything he could into the strike—the very same attack that could cleave Lord Centipede in half with terrifying precision.

"What's going on?!"

He swung his sword with all his might, but… nothing happened. No magic, no explosive force—nothing but emptiness.

Swoosh!

Before he could even process the failure, the Crimson Knight lunged forward in a blur, its sword cutting through the air with lethal intent. Unknown didn't even have the chance to react, let alone dodge. The blow struck with overwhelming force.

And just like that, Unknown was cleaved in two.

The entire sequence was so quick that it left no room for comprehension. 

He never even stood a chance. He died instantly—his body shredded by the vicious strike.

"?! What's this? Did I just…?"

"Die?"

A shock ran through him. The pain, the devastation of the blow—it had been so vivid, so real. His mind raced as he vividly remembered the sensation of being split down the middle. 

The agony, the unbearable torment as his flesh and bones were torn apart. His brain exploded out of his skull, and blood poured from him like a torrent, staining everything red. The memory alone was enough to send a wave of fear coursing through him.

His hand reached up, trembling, and touched his face. It was still intact—he was alive.

But everything about that death had felt real. Too real.

His heart pounded, his breath quickened. Panic seized him. For the first time in his life, he was confronted by the raw, terrifying reality of death. 

He had always believed that he wasn't afraid of dying, but the experience shattered that conviction completely.

The sensation of being so easily obliterated—his body reduced to nothing more than a lifeless shell—completely unraveled him. The sheer horror of it made his mind spin out of control.

Shaking, he spun around, desperate to escape, to find a way out of this place. His instincts screamed at him to flee. He charged toward what he thought was a door, moving with the primal fear of a cornered animal.

But before he could reach it, something felt wrong. His upper body felt unnaturally light, as though gravity itself was playing tricks on him. His vision blurred, and then, in an instant, Unknown collapsed to the ground.

His body was sliced in half. Blood and organs spilled from his open abdomen, and a sickening pool of crimson spread across the floor. The pain was unimaginable, a sharp, relentless agony that filled every corner of his being. 

His mouth filled with blood, his vision fading as he struggled for breath.

He wanted to scream, to call out for help, but there was no chance. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, the Crimson Knight swung its sword again, and this time, it cleaved his head in two.

The world went black. Unknown died once more.

Unknown died again, and again, and again.

Twice, three times, four, five—each death a repeat of the last.

The pain never dulled. 

The terror never faded.

Each time he died, it felt as real as the first, each time more excruciating, more humiliating. The endless cycle of agony tore at him from within, but there was no escape.

No release.

"Someone, help me!!"

His voice cracked, desperation clawing at him. The tears flowed freely, mixing with snot as his body trembled uncontrollably. Fear had consumed him completely. 

He had never known such helplessness before, but now, as he wet himself and sobbed like a helpless child, the truth was undeniable—no one would come for him.

The Crimson Knight's sword struck again, cleaving through him as though he were nothing more than a phantom. The agony was unbearable, but even worse was the suffocating isolation that followed. No one—no one at all—would help him.

Eight deaths.

Ninth deaths.

By the time it reached the tenth, Unknown couldn't even remember how he had died. He couldn't recall the specifics. All that was left was the burning sense of betrayal, the suffocating realization that no one would ever come for him.

'No one came...'

The thought reverberated in his mind, louder with each death. He had no allies, no friends, no one for him. Even in his memories, he couldn't recall anyone who would stretch out a hand when he needed it most.

Clenching his teeth, Unknown stood still. This time, he didn't run. No more desperate attempts. No more pleading. He would no longer waste his energy on the futile hope of salvation.

The Crimson Knight swung its sword, and for the tenth time, Unknown fell, his body torn apart by the blade. But this time, something in him had shifted. The fear had burned away, replaced by something colder, something darker.

Hatred.

Hatred for the endless cycle. Hatred for the world that had abandoned him. Hatred for himself, for ever believing there was a way out of this nightmare.

'No one would come… and it made sense. It had always been this way.'

In his deepest, most twisted thoughts, Unknown realized the painful truth: He had always been alone. No one had ever come for him before, and no one ever would. Not now, not in the past, not in the future.

He was on his own, always had been, and always would be.

A bitter laugh bubbled up from his throat, raw and ragged. "Ghahhhahah..." It was the laughter of a broken man, but it was also the laughter of someone who had finally accepted the harsh reality of his existence.

He had never cried before, not once in his life. And even as he faced the tenth death, he refused to cry. He would not break. He would not be pitied.

The endless cycle would not be his end.

He didn't need anyone's pity. He didn't need anyone to save him. He would stand up by himself. He would fight, even if it meant sinking deeper into the abyss.

Even if it meant suffering forever, he would rise on his own, and carve his own path through this hellish nightmare.

No one would come to save him, but that didn't matter anymore.

He would save himself.

Twelfth Death

A deep, fiery rage ignited within Unknown, born from the destructive flames of fear that had twisted into something far darker. His mind, his very soul, was consumed with hatred—hatred for everything that sought to rob him of his right to live, his right to fight.

Thirteenth Death

Gripping his sword with a new, unrelenting resolve, he fought once again. Every death, every pain, only made the flame inside him burn hotter. No matter how many times he had to die, he refused to let it break him. 

His enemies would burn in the heat of his hatred, and he would never, ever lose.

[Limit Break] With the full force of his rage, he poured everything into this one attack, pushing past his body's limits. His muscles screamed in protest as they broke under the strain, but it didn't matter. He would fight, even if it cost him everything.

Fourteenth Death

[Accel] [Limit Break] His vision blurred as he unleashed a storm of strikes, desperate to land a blow. "Come at me, you idiot!" He didn't retreat this time, didn't fight defensively. 

No, this time, it was all-out offense. His sword swung mercilessly, and yet, despite all his rage and power, the Crimson Knight proved to be too much for him. Too fast, too strong.

Eighteenth Death

"Defend, defend, and defend…" Unknown had begun to adapt, recognizing the fighting style of the Crimson Knight as his own—enhanced and ten times stronger. But this time, he wasn't just enduring; he was fighting back with everything he had.

[Double Slash] Clang! clang! His sword met the Knight's with a deafening clash. With a surge of mana, he followed up with a flurry of rapid strikes, faster than humanly possible. Each attack cost him more, his own body slowly crumbling under the strain.

And yet, even in the face of this onslaught, the Crimson Knight did not relent. A thrust—piercing and relentless—went straight through him.

"It's not over yet…" Unknown could still feel the faintest glimmer of hope, but that was before the Knight's sword cleaved him in two once again.

Twentieth Death

[Blood Lance] The Crimson Knight raised his hand, summoning a series of floating red spears that hovered ominously in the air. The room seemed to freeze in anticipation.

"Fire!" The spears shot forth with incredible speed. Thwip! Thwip! Thwip! They tore through the air, each one aimed directly at Unknown.

"Dodge, dodge!"

With all his might, Unknown focused his mana into his legs, using every ounce of his energy to leap and evade. But one of the spears grazed him. 

Pain shot through his body, but he kept moving, determined not to stop. If he did, if he faltered for even a moment, the cycle would reset.

The Crimson Knight was relentless. It pursued him, its massive sword crashing through the air, seeking to end him once and for all.

But this time, Unknown did not run. He planted his feet, focused his energy into his lower body, and executed [Stinger]—a powerful thrust of his own, aimed directly at the Crimson Knight's sword. 

He narrowly avoided the fatal strike, feeling the blade brush past him, but the thrust landed, forcing the Crimson Knight back.

"Is it working?" Unknown thought, his heart pounding in his chest. Maybe my attacks are starting to have an effect.

But before he could fully process the thought, the Crimson Knight countered. The heavy sword fell with the speed of a meteor, and Unknown was caught in its path once again.

Slash!!!~~~

And once again, he died.

"This will be the last time."

The words burned in Unknown's mind as he faced the Crimson Knight once more. 

His body ached from the countless deaths, but this time, something had changed. He had grown used to its moves, its style, the deadly rhythm of the battle. 

The Crimson Knight launched its [Blood Lance] attack again, sending a volley of blood spears toward Unknown. Each one missed. He had anticipated them, dodging with ease, his focus razor-sharp.

Frustrated by the ineffectiveness of its simple attacks, the Crimson Knight raised its hand to the sky, gathering energy. In response, blood-red crystals rained down from the ceiling—each one as sharp as a dagger. The storm of crystals, known as [Blood Rain], descended upon him with deadly speed.

But Unknown didn't hesitate. He swung his sword in an arc, executing [Sweeping Slash] with fluid precision. He knocked away the blood crystals one by one, clearing his space and keeping the danger at bay. 

Yet, the Crimson Knight wasted no time. Even as the blood rain fell, it rushed toward him, swinging its massive sword with deadly intent.

Knowing he wouldn't be granted a moment of respite, Unknown focused all his attention on the Crimson Knight, carefully timing his movements. 

When the last of the blood crystals was cut down, the Knight thrust its blade forward. Unknown narrowly avoided the strike, but he didn't stop there. The Crimson Knight swung its sword with brutal force at the spot where he had been moments before, shattering the ground beneath him.

In that split second, Unknown acted instinctively. He didn't block the strike, but instead, he used the recoil from the impact to propel himself away. 

He jumped onto the Knight's sword, now embedded in the ground, and thrust his own sword through the gap in its helmet.

"Did I win?"

He could feel the sword penetrate something, but it wasn't flesh—it was hard, far harder than he expected. The resistance was overwhelming.

In this position, with no room to exert more force, he couldn't press the attack further. Despite being so close to victory, Unknown failed.

Before he could react, the Crimson Knight's armor flared with an ominous glow. The [Overdrive] ability activated, and that was the last thing Unknown remembered before his vision was filled with red as he was cleaved in two once again.

The Last Life.

'It's almost here. It's about to use its final move.' The thought echoed in Unknown's mind, a chilling premonition of what was to come.

The Crimson Knight, its fury ignited by repeated failure, glowed bright red as it prepared for its ultimate attack. 

With both of its swords raised high, it summoned the [Heavenly Greatsword of Blood], a massive sword that descended from the sky. The Knight, now more monstrous than ever, was intent on ending this fight with absolute force.

Its movements were faster than Unknown could follow. The weight of the blows was overwhelming. With each slash, the air itself seemed to crack. Unknown knew he couldn't dodge the onslaught. He was no longer trying to evade—it was a desperate gamble.

"Just block it."

The words felt like a final command to himself. He would block this attack, and he would counterattack. No more running. He would show the Crimson Knight who the real victor was.

He turned off [Accel], focusing all his remaining mana into his body. The power surged through his muscles, concentrating on his calves. 

He planted his feet into the ground, anchoring himself as though he were a mountain. The magical power took hold, reinforcing his body, and locking him into the earth.

System updated

Skill point spent: 0?

Error

Error

Skill gained: [Immovable Fortress]

"I... MUST... BLOCK... IT!"

With a scream that echoed in the room, Unknown braced himself, just as the massive sword came crashing down on him. The impact was earth-shattering. 

Without the skill, he would have been flung away, obliterated by the force. But he held his ground, feeling the tremors of the strike rattle his entire being.

The Crimson Knight staggered. The force of its own attack threw it off balance, leaving it exposed for the briefest of moments.

"Dieeee!"

In that instant, Unknown seized his chance. He invoked [Stinger], focusing the last of his strength into a precise thrust. His sword slid through the gap in the Crimson Knight's helmet, driving deep into its core. 

The blow landed true, and with it, the Knight's once-mighty armor shattered into pieces, its energy expended.

The Crimson Knight stopped moving, its body crumbling to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

The disintegration began immediately. The blood-red armor melted away, its pieces dissolving into glowing sparks. The Crimson Knight was no more. The battle, the nightmare, had come to an end.

"Phew... phew... I... made it..."

With the last of his strength, Unknown let out a mocking laugh, his mouth twisted into something between relief and exhaustion. 

The adrenaline that had fueled him throughout the trial began to fade, leaving him utterly drained. His mana was depleted, and his body felt like a broken shell. 

Without warning, his legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the floor, slipping into unconsciousness.

His vision blurred, and everything around him faded to a dim, blood-red hue.

"High-level challenge, successful."

A cold, clinical voice echoed in the darkness.

"Remember, this is just a simulation. If it were the real world, you'd be dead."

The words rang hollow in his ears, but he couldn't muster the energy to respond. His body, his mind, was too exhausted to comprehend the full meaning of what had just transpired.

...

...

"Ahhh, my head hurts…"

The pain in his skull was sharp and immediate as his eyes fluttered open again.

He found himself staring at the remnants of the skull-shaped helmet he had been wearing, now turned to dust. As he sat up, confusion clouded his thoughts.

"Huh? What's going on?"

The ground beneath him shifted, crumbling away, and before he could even react, Unknown was falling into an abyss. He fell for what seemed like an eternity, disoriented and without control, but eventually, he landed on solid ground.

Groaning, he pushed himself to his feet, taking in his new surroundings. The space before him was dark, stretching endlessly in all directions. 

The only source of light was a faint, glowing key fragment hovering in the distance.

"This is a key fragment? But why is it here?"

Curious and cautious, Unknown approached the fragment. As his hand reached out, the glowing shard shot toward him, seamlessly flying into his pocket and merging with another key fragment that he already possessed.

Then, something caught his attention—a small leather pouch beneath the pedestal where the key fragment had been. He knelt down and opened it, finding a single piece of paper inside. His fingers trembled slightly as he unfolded the note.

'To the reader of this note, whether you stumbled upon this by luck or purpose, congratulations on passing that crazy trial.'

'The key fragment to the Solar Eclipse Sword is yours. As for the pouch, it's a magical item I left behind as a reward. It has the ability to store a large quantity of items. I no longer need it.'

The message was brief but clear. Unknown carefully examined the pouch in his hands. At first glance, it appeared to be just a simple leather bag.

But upon closer inspection, he noticed a hidden second compartment. Intrigued, he dropped a small object into it—a simple rock—and watched in amazement as the pouch seemed to absorb it. The rock vanished, leaving nothing behind.

The pouch's magic was unmistakable. When he reached in again, he felt the soft pulse of mana from within, and he could sense the magical space storing the item in its purest form.

"This is convenient, but what I need is power."

The pouch was useful, but it was not what he sought. What he craved wasn't a new tool, but the power to survive, to surpass his limits.

Though his body hadn't physically grown stronger, Unknown could feel the shift within him. 

The trial had granted him something far more valuable: 

Experience. 

In terms of combat prowess, he had surpassed the Crimson Knight, the monster that had tormented him for so long. His understanding of battle, and his instincts, had been honed to a new level.

The truth was, the immense power he'd gained wasn't from the pouch, nor the key fragments. 

It came from the trials—the constant rebirth through death.