The giant's voice rolled across the ancient world like thunder.
> "I am Arcturus, Guardian of the First Trial."
> "Defeat me... or remain here forever."
The ground trembled as the colossal guardian took another step forward.
Each footfall shook the ruins beneath Lin Mo's feet.
Chen Yu instinctively drew his sword.
His hands trembled.
"How... how are we supposed to fight something that big?"
Han Qiu silently gripped his spear, his expression calm despite the danger.
Lin Mo stared at the silver watch in his palm.
The new hand—the one marked with the Roman numeral **I**—continued to glow faintly.
*"The First Hour..."*
Arcturus slowly raised his stone halberd.
"There will be no second warning."
With a single swing—
**BOOM!**
A crescent of silver energy tore through the ground.
"Move!" Lin Mo shouted.
The three scattered just as the attack split the earth, leaving a canyon dozens of meters long.
Dust filled the air.
Chen Yu looked back in horror.
"If that had hit us..."
"There wouldn't have been anything left."
Lin Mo steadied his breathing.
*Think.*
*Every trial has a purpose.*
*The Guardian wouldn't send us into an impossible battle.*
Arcturus was far stronger than any opponent they had ever faced.
There had to be a weakness.
The giant attacked again.
This time, Han Qiu leaped forward.
His spear flashed like a silver serpent, striking Arcturus's ankle.
**Clang!**
The impact echoed loudly.
Not even a scratch appeared.
Han Qiu landed several meters away.
"Our attacks can't penetrate his armor."
Chen Yu fired streams of water infused with spiritual energy.
They exploded harmlessly against the guardian's chest.
"It doesn't work!"
Arcturus stopped moving.
His glowing eyes fixed on Lin Mo.
"The Successor."
"You possess the Heart."
"But your understanding of Time..."
"...is pitiful."
The words struck deeper than any weapon.
Suddenly—
The silver watch floated into the air.
Its new hand began rotating by itself.
The world faded.
Everything became silent.
Lin Mo found himself standing in a white void.
The Guardian appeared before him.
"You've entered the First Hour."
Lin Mo looked around.
"Is this the Silent Interval?"
The Guardian shook his head.
"No."
"This is deeper."
"This is the **Hour Domain**."
"What is the First Hour?" Lin Mo asked.
The Guardian extended his hand.
A single grain of sand appeared.
"Tell me."
"What is one second?"
"A moment."
The Guardian smiled.
"And what is one hour?"
Lin Mo hesitated.
"...Sixty minutes."
"Incorrect."
The Guardian closed his hand.
"The First Hour represents **Observation**."
"Before Time moves..."
"...it watches."
The grain of sand transformed into a battlefield.
Lin Mo saw Arcturus standing motionless.
Silver lines flowed through the giant's body.
Some were bright.
Others were dim.
One thread, running through the center of its chest, pulsed far more slowly than the rest.
"The First Hour allows you to see the rhythm of your opponent."
"Every living thing..."
"Every formation..."
"Every technique..."
"...has a flaw."
"You only need to find it."
The vision disappeared.
Lin Mo returned to reality.
Only an instant had passed.
His eyes, however, had changed.
A faint silver glow filled his pupils.
As he looked at Arcturus...
He saw them.
Countless streams of temporal energy flowing through the guardian's body.
Most were stable.
But one...
One thread near the center of the giant's chest flickered every twelve heartbeats.
"So that's it..."
"Chen Yu!"
"When I give the signal, attack its left side!"
"What?"
"Just trust me!"
"H-Han Qiu!"
"Keep its attention!"
Without questioning him, Han Qiu charged.
His spear danced in wide arcs, forcing Arcturus to focus entirely on him.
The giant swung its halberd.
Han Qiu barely dodged.
Again.
And again.
He bought precious seconds.
Lin Mo counted silently.
*Eight...*
*Nine...*
*Ten...*
The glowing thread slowed.
*Eleven...*
"Twelve!"
"Now!"
Chen Yu unleashed the strongest water technique he knew.
A massive wave crashed against Arcturus's left shoulder.
The guardian instinctively turned.
For the briefest instant—
The flickering thread in its chest became exposed.
**Tick!**
**Borrowed Second.**
Time froze.
Lin Mo sprinted forward.
Everything around him became still.
He reached the guardian's chest.
Instead of attacking...
He gently pressed two fingers against the glowing thread.
The borrowed second ended.
A pulse of silver light spread through Arcturus's body.
The giant froze.
Its blue flames flickered.
The halberd slipped from its grasp.
For several terrifying moments...
Nothing happened.
Then...
Cracks spread across its stone armor.
Arcturus looked down at Lin Mo.
Not with anger.
With approval.
"So..."
"You found it."
The giant slowly knelt.
His enormous form began dissolving into countless particles of silver light.
"This was never a Trial of Strength."
"It was..."
"...a Trial of Understanding."
As the guardian vanished, a small silver crystal floated toward Lin Mo.
The Guardian's voice echoed softly.
> "The First Trial is complete."
> "Reward granted."
The crystal merged into the silver watch.
The Roman numeral **I** shone brilliantly.
A second symbol slowly appeared beside it.
**II**
But it remained dark.
Not yet awakened.
The ancient palace doors at the center of the world slowly opened.
A warm breeze drifted outward.
Beyond them lay another vast hall.
At its center stood twelve empty thrones.
Only the first throne was occupied.
Seated upon it was the translucent figure of a man wearing ancient silver robes.
His eyes opened.
For the first time in ten thousand years...
The **First Keeper** smiled.
"Welcome, child."
"I have been waiting for you."