Five minutes later, I finally pulled myself together. My breathing steadied, and my thoughts stopped scattering.
A looping trial? Most likely there's no limit to these regressions—at least, nothing like that was mentioned.
If I'm right… then everything becomes simpler. My goal right now isn't to win, but to gather information. To understand the nature of the trial. To learn all the enemies, their strength, their behavior, their timing.
For now… I'll try the most obvious option.
I head to the center. From there, it's the fastest way to interfere in any fight, and more importantly—to support an ally in a battle between second ranks. I doubt it would be anything else.
When I reached the battlefield, I saw two fighters.
Both second rank.
One wielded a long katana, the other a halberd.
It was immediately clear—my ally was losing. The katana wielder wasn't just stronger, he was more experienced. His movements were clean, precise, without hesitation.
They noticed me almost instantly.
Would I be able to interfere?
I tried to circle around, moving carefully. The fear of death still lingered somewhere deep inside, but now it was suppressed by logic. I already knew the outcome. I had nothing to oppose him with.
The katana wielder was clearly on guard.
A minute passed.
My ally was already on the verge of defeat.
Now.
I stepped in and thrust forward.
The katana wielder dodged…
And in the next instant, his counterattack severed my left arm.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
The pain was unbearable. It tore through my mind. I barely stopped myself from screaming out loud.
But even in that state, I noticed—my ally didn't waste the opportunity. He wounded his opponent.
From here on… it was just a matter of time, I thought through the pain.
And then, at the eleventh minute since I started observing, I saw…
New fighters approaching from two directions.
From the left:
A warrior with a flail and shield, and another in armor with a two-handed axe.
From the right:
One with a saber in armor, and another with two curved swords.
Damn it… I wasn't fast enough.
And without that, it won't work.
And once again—death.
…
Back to the beginning.
I opened my eyes, already calmer.
Then… let's check the right side.
I immediately moved right.
I saw an ally.
A large warrior in armor with a two-handed sword.
His opponents:
A spearman with a shield
And a dual-dagger fighter
This fight would take time…
Well then. Even if attempts aren't limited, I need to test everything.
I attacked the dagger fighter from behind.
He dodged. Fast.
I immediately used the 12 (9) Steps of the Storm.
Missed. Even the ninth strike didn't land.
Understood.
I was about to retreat, but the moment I turned—
I was struck in the back.
Fuck…
Fine.
The fight turned into a battle of attrition. I was losing.
But after nine minutes, my ally defeated his opponent.
The dagger fighter fled.
I quickly explained the situation to the swordsman.
He bandaged my wound, and we moved forward.
Now we were to the right diagonal from the spawn point.
Enemies:
A saber wielder in armor
And another with two curved swords
Ally:
A warrior with a flail and shield
We interfered quickly.
This time, the armored ally with the two-handed sword lagged behind, so I engaged the saber wielder first, holding him off with technique.
After a minute, my ally joined in.
Together, we overwhelmed him. Two and a half minutes—and it was over.
Another thirty seconds—and the second opponent fell.
And… just like some fucking script…
A second-rank enemy appeared.
Death again.
…
Hmm…
Maybe it's about timing, I thought as I started a new attempt.
I quickly formed a plan.
Left → right diagonal → center
I moved left.
Ally: sword and shield
Enemies:
Two short axes
A spear
Again, he was being overwhelmed. Two against one. The spearman controlled the distance perfectly.
This time, I targeted the spearman.
He dodged.
Again—12 (9) Steps of the Storm.
Nothing.
A battle of attrition.
After eight minutes, my ally killed one opponent.
A minute later—the second.
I moved to the right diagonal.
Too late.
My ally was already dead.
I rushed to the center.
Damn it…
They were just standing there. Watching.
Arrogantly.
Two against one. No chance.
Death again.
This time, I was killed not even by the boss…
But by a random saber-wielding bandit.
…
Again.
I made a conclusion.
The spearman is a terrible target.
I'm not an assassin. Stealth attacks aren't my path.
This time, I targeted the axe wielder.
Same as before.
12 (9) Steps of the Storm.
A wound on the right side again.
But this time, I focused. His center of gravity shifts right.
So… pressure the left.
I started deliberately attacking that side.
And finished faster.
Five minutes and thirty seconds.
No injuries.
Technique quality matters… though not as much as on higher ranks. Especially the fourth and seventh.
Not the time.
This time, I immediately helped my ally.
We finished in thirty seconds.
A minute later, I was already moving toward the right diagonal.
My ally was dead.
Nothing could be changed.
I…
DIED. AGAIN.