Stepping forward, he passed through the glowing corridor, feeling a subtle shift in the atmosphere as the doors closed gently behind him.
The Tower's interior was spacious yet strangely different, the walls faintly illuminated by embedded runes, and the floor beneath his feet solid and polished to perfection.
'Hmm, a separate space for each challenger? Are they using Space Magic or Illusion and Dream magic for this?' he wondered while looking around.
Before him, a semi-transparent figure slowly manifested. It took the shape of a young student roughly his own age, holding a slender sword and calmly watching Orion's approach. The figure was an Echo—a near-perfect replica of a once-legendary student, albeit weaker than the real deal.
Orion calmly drew Realm Guardian, adjusting its weight to increase until he felt comfortable holding it. The average weight of a longsword felt too light to him, as if he were holding a twig.
