The Sol: I Ascend Using System In Game-Like Arenas

Raen stepped through the archway. The air was damp and cold.

He looked back at the cracked stone arch before turning to the maze ahead.

The walls were made of bones—skulls, ribs, long bones stacked together. The ground was littered with bone debris. It crunched under his feet as he walked.

This place… it's made of bones.

He clenched his fists. That boy led me here to kill me. For food.

The thought made him angry but he stayed calm. Panicking wouldn't help.

He needed a plan.

Raen crouched and picked up a long bone. It was sturdy and sharp at one end. This'll have to do.

He gripped it tightly and scanned the maze. The walls were uneven, bones jutting out everywhere.

If I set traps… use the environment… maybe I can turn this place against him.

He gathered more bones. He wedged some into the walls to make unstable sections. Others he sharpened against the ground.

He thinks I'm weak. Let him underestimate me.

Raen's heart pounded as he worked. I won't let him win. I can't.

Footsteps echoed through the maze. Raen froze.

He's here.

The boy appeared around a corner. He looked confident but hesitated slightly.

"Raen," the boy called. "You shouldn't have run off. This place is dangerous."

Raen stayed silent, his back against the bone wall.

The boy stepped closer. "Come on, let's work together. We'll get through this."

Liar. You just want me dead.

Raen waited until the boy was close. Then he lunged, swinging the bone like a club.

The boy dodged. "You little—"

Raen feinted left then darted right. He led the boy toward one of his traps.

"You think you're clever?" the boy snarled. "I've been through worse than this!"

Raen didn't respond. He focused on his plan. He led the boy deeper into the maze toward an unstable section.

Just a little closer…

The boy stepped on a loose bone and slipped. He cursed, trying to regain his balance.

Raen shoved him hard, sending him crashing into the wall.

The bones collapsed, burying the boy under debris.

"You—!" the boy shouted, struggling to free himself.

Raen grabbed a sharpened bone and drove it into the boy's shoulder, pinning him to the ground.

The boy screamed. "You'll pay for this!"

Raen stepped back. "You brought this on yourself."

The boy thrashed but the bones held him. Raen watched as his movements grew weaker.

Finally, the boy went still.

Raen sank to his knees. I… I killed him.

The weight of what he'd done hit him hard. He felt sick.

I didn't have a choice. It was him or me.

But it didn't make him feel better.

Raen forced himself to stand. He couldn't stay here. The maze was vast and dangerous.

He began walking. The surface is worse. At least down here, I have a chance.

The maze twisted and turned, all the corridors looking the same. But as Raen went deeper, he noticed symbols etched into the walls.

They were ancient and unclear but gave him a sense of direction.

Maybe these are clues. Maybe they'll lead me out.

He followed the symbols, his steps growing more confident.

After what felt like hours, Raen stumbled into a chamber. The walls were lined with glowing moss.

In the center was a pile of supplies—dried meat, stale water, and other essentials.

Raen's stomach growled. He hadn't eaten in days.

He approached the supplies cautiously. When nothing happened, he grabbed a piece of dried meat and took a bite.

It was tough and flavorless but it was food. He ate quickly, washing it down with stale water.

This'll keep me going. For now.

As he ate, Raen's mind began to wander. The silence of the chamber pressed in on him, and the glowing moss cast eerie shadows on the walls. He stared at the carvings, his thoughts swirling.

Who built this place? he wondered. And why?

The symbols on the walls told a story, but it was one he couldn't fully understand. Figures wielding strange powers, battling monsters, and at the center of it all, the Black Sun.

Sol… the Trials…

Raen's heart raced as he pieced together what little he knew. This maze… it's part of the Trials. A test of survival, of cunning.

But why? What was the purpose of all this?

He thought back to the boy he'd killed.

Was he part of the Trials too? Or just another victim, like me?

The thought made him uneasy. How many others have been here? How many have died?

He looked down at the dried meat in his hands. Where did this come from? Who left it here?

The questions gnawed at him, but there were no answers. Only the maze, the bones, and the silence.

What am I even fighting for?

The question hit him hard. He'd been so focused on surviving, he hadn't stopped to think about why.

To live? To escape? To prove something?

He didn't know. All he knew was that he couldn't give up. Not yet.

But what happens if I make it out? What's waiting for me?

The Trials were just the beginning. He could feel it in his bones. There was something bigger at play, something he couldn't see.

The Black Sun… Sol… what do they want from me?

He thought about the voice he'd heard in his dream.

"To grasp Sol is to lose what anchors you."

What did that mean? What was he supposed to lose?

Raen shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Focus. Survive first. Answers later.

But the questions lingered, like shadows in the corners of his mind.

He felt a surge of determination. If I can survive this, I can survive anything.

After eating, Raen forced himself to move. The dried meat and stale water had given him a small boost of energy, but he knew it wouldn't last long.

He needed to find more supplies—anything that could help him survive.

He began searching the chamber, his eyes scanning every corner.

The glowing moss provided just enough light to see, but the shadows made it difficult to spot details.

He crouched near the pile of supplies, sifting through what was left.

Dried meat, water, a few scraps of cloth… not much.

Raen frowned. He needed something more—something useful.

He stood and walked along the walls, running his hands over the bone surfaces. The carvings were intricate, but they didn't help him now.

There has to be something here.

He moved to the far side of the chamber, where the moss grew thicker. The light was brighter there, and he noticed a small alcove hidden behind a cluster of bones.

What's this?

Raen crouched and peered inside. The alcove was shallow, but it held a few items. A small knife, its blade dull but still usable. A length of rope, frayed at the ends but sturdy. And a pouch, its contents unknown.

Jackpot.

He grabbed the knife first, testing its weight in his hand.

It wasn't much, but it was better than the sharpened bones he'd been using. He tucked it into his belt, feeling a little more secure.

Next, he picked up the rope. It was coarse and rough, but it could be useful for setting traps or climbing. He coiled it and slung it over his shoulder.

Finally, he reached for the pouch. It was small, made of leather, and tied shut with a thin cord. Raen untied it carefully and peered inside.

Seeds?

The pouch was filled with small, dried seeds. Raen frowned, unsure of what to make of them. They didn't look like anything he'd seen before.

Maybe they're edible. Or maybe they're poison.

He hesitated, then tied the pouch shut and tucked it into his pocket.

He couldn't afford to waste anything, even if he didn't know what it was.

Raen stood, his eyes scanning the chamber one last time. He'd found what he could, but he needed more.

I need to keep moving.

He stepped out of the chamber and back into the maze, his mind racing.

The knife and rope were useful, but they wouldn't be enough. He needed to find more—more supplies, more answers.

The maze stretched out before him, dark and endless. Raen took a deep breath and stepped forward, ready to face whatever lay ahead.