The Sovereign Overlord: I Can See The Hidden Stats

The True Gate

The golden light snapped shut, and Chidi fell hard onto a floor made of smooth black stone. His breath left his lungs in a sharp gasp as he scrambled back to his feet, raising the Dragon Spear in front of him. The high-tech testing lab, his mother, and Ifunanya were completely gone.

Instead, a giant screen floating in the center of the dark hall pulsed with pale gray light.

[Warning: Trial Zone Activated.]

[Location: The First Sovereign's Inheritance Ground.]

[Current Rule: You cannot leave until you clear the primary trial or die trying.]

Chidi cursed under his breath, his eyes darting across the empty space. "Let me back out! My mother is still in that bunker!"

The system did not answer his voice. Instead, the giant screen shifted, showing a live camera feed that made Chidi's body go completely rigid. The screen was displaying the exact room he had just left. Through the glass window, he saw his mother locked inside the metal security capsule, her terrified eyes looking around the chaotic lab.

Outside the glass, Marcus Vance had just kicked the heavy laboratory doors open. He was followed by ten heavily armored elite fighters from the Vance family. Marcus looked at the dead shadow-hound on the floor, then his eyes locked right onto Ifunanya.

"Where is the boy, Ifunanya?" Marcus spoke, his voice carrying clearly through the system monitor. "The tracking arrays showed a massive energy spike here. Hand him over, or your father's position in the ministry ends today."

Ifunanya stood her ground, her face showing no fear at all. She stepped right in front of the security capsule, blocking Marcus's view of Chidi's mother. In the Upper Sectors, the ruling families followed strict laws regarding property, but they routinely destroyed lower-class citizens without a second thought. Ifunanya knew Marcus could not legally touch her without starting a full war between their families, but Chidi's mother had zero legal rights.

"He is not here, Marcus," Ifunanya replied, her voice remaining perfectly steady as she held a small detonator hidden behind her back. "He used a spatial rift item to escape. If you take one more step into my father's private laboratory, I will report a security breach to the Inner Core High Council."

Marcus laughed, a cruel sound that echoed through the speaker. "The High Council belongs to my grandfather, girl. I am giving you one minute to open that security pod. I know someone is inside."

Chidi hit the floating system screen with his fist, but his hand passed right through the light. The physical distance between the Inner Core labs and this ancient trial ground was completely vast. His new level-22 strength meant nothing if he remained trapped inside this stone room while his mother was captured.

[External Timer: 2 minutes and 40 seconds remaining before the security pod is forced open by Vance family tech-breakers.]

[Trial Objective: Defeat the First Trial Guardian to unlock the Spatial Return Skill.]

A loud grinding sound filled the black hall. The stone floor in front of Chidi split open, and a tall mechanical soldier rose from the darkness. Its body was made of heavy iron plates, and it held a massive silver broadsword that dragged along the stone floor.

[Guardian Enemy: Iron Trial Golem.]

[Level: 25.]

[Special Trait: High Physical Defense. Immune to standard low-tier attacks.]

The iron golem raised its massive broadsword and lunged forward with surprising speed. The heavy blade cut through the air, aiming straight for Chidi’s neck.

Chidi did not run away. The image of Marcus Vance closing in on his mother burned in his mind, turning his panic into pure focus. He dodged to the left, the iron sword missing his shoulder by inches.

"I do not have time to play games with a machine," Chidi muttered, his fingers tightening around the cold metal grip of the Dragon Spear.

He checked his updated system panel from his recent level jump. His stats were higher, but the golem's defense trait meant standard strikes would simply bounce off the iron armor.

[Sovereign Gaze Activated.]

[Analyzing target... Weak spot found: The glowing blue core behind the neck plate.]

The golem turned quickly, swinging its heavy arm to swat Chidi away. The metal fist hit Chidi's shoulder, throwing him across the stone floor. Chidi tasted copper in his mouth as he hit the ground, his new level-22 health bar dropping by fifteen percent. The pain was sharp, but he ignored it, his eyes fixed on the timer floating next to the live video feed.

*One minute and fifty seconds left.*

On the screen, Marcus Vance’s tech-breaker was already attaching a silver hacking device to the door of his mother's security capsule. Ifunanya was trying to delay them by arguing with Marcus, but two guards already had their weapons pointed right at her chest.

"Get away from her!" Chidi shouted at the screen, forcing himself back onto his feet.

The iron golem charged again, its broadsword raised high for a crushing downward strike. Chidi ran directly toward the machine, using his increased agility to slide between its heavy legs just as the blade slammed into the stone floor, creating a deep crack.

As the golem tried to lift its heavy sword, Chidi leaped onto its metal back, his left hand gripping the top of its shoulder plate. The machine shook violently, trying to throw him off, but Chidi held on with all his strength.

"Dragon Blood Suppression!" Chidi cried out.

A heavy pressure dropped over the golem, slowing its mechanical movements for two short seconds. It was the exact window he needed. Chidi raised the Dragon Spear with his right hand, pointing the sharp tip directly at the small gap beneath the neck plate.

"Soul Pierce!"

The spear point erupted with bright crimson light. The active skill bypassed the golem's physical armor completely, driving the silver tip straight into the glowing blue core. The machine gave a loud mechanical shriek as the blue light shattered, and the massive iron body collapsed forward, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

[Trial Cleared. You have defeated the Iron Trial Guardian.]

[Reward Unlocked: Spatial Return (Active Skill - Level 1).]

[Description: Allows the user to return to the exact coordinates of their last teleportation origin point. Cooldown: 24 hours.]

Chidi did not wait for the system to finish reading the text. He grabbed the spear and activated the new skill immediately. "Return!"

The golden light flared around him once more, swallowing the black stone hall.

A split second later, the air in the underground lab shattered like glass. Chidi dropped from the ceiling, landing heavily right between Marcus Vance and the security capsule. His sudden appearance caused the Vance guards to stumble back in surprise.

Marcus blinked, his hand instantly moving toward the gun on his belt. "You actually came back, you low-class trash."

Chidi raised the Dragon Spear, the tip still dripping with the blue fluid of the trial guardian. His eyes were completely dark as he looked at Marcus. "Step away from the pod."

Before Marcus could answer, the heavy steel security doors behind the Vance guards slammed shut, and a loud clicking sound echoed through the room. Chidi looked up and saw Ifunanya holding the master control pad, a cold smile on her lips.

"The room is locked from the inside now," Ifunanya said softly, her eyes locked on Chidi. "Nobody else is coming down, Marcus. And nobody is leaving."