The moment we moved, everything else disappeared.
No more voices.
No more hesitation.
Just timing.
The creature struck first.
Fast. Direct.
I stepped in instead of pulling back.
The attack grazed past me, close enough to tear through the air, but not enough to stop me.
I forced myself forward.
"Now!" I shouted.
Rayan moved wide again, pulling its attention for a fraction of a second.
That was all we needed.
It turned.
Just slightly.
Just enough.
She moved.
Faster than before.
Not because she had strength left
But because she used everything she had.
Her strike landed.
Clean.
The creature reacted immediately, its body shifting, preparing to counter.
That was the moment.
The delay.
I stepped in.
No hesitation.
Everything I had left went into that single movement.
I ignored the pain tearing through my body.
Ignored the weight dragging me down.
Ignored everything except the opening in front of me.
I struck.
Direct.
For a split second
Nothing happened.
Then
The creature froze.
Its form flickered.
Unstable.
Like it couldn't hold itself together.
"Again!" Rayan shouted.
He didn't wait.
His attack followed immediately, hitting the same point.
The creature staggered.
For the first time
It was losing control.
Others saw it.
They rushed in.
Attacks came from all sides.
Uncoordinated.
Desperate.
But this time
They worked.
The creature tried to retaliate.
But its movements were slower now.
Less precise.
Too late.
I moved again.
One last time.
No holding back.
No second thoughts.
My fist drove forward.
And everything broke.
The creature let out a sound
Not a scream.
Not a roar.
Something else.
Then it collapsed.
Its form shattered into fragments of light that dissolved into the air.
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Unreal.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then the voice returned.
"Trial complete."
My breath slowed.
"Participants remaining will receive rewards."
Light gathered again at the center.
But this time
It wasn't threatening.
It was calling.
"…Be careful," she said quietly.
"I know."
I stepped forward slowly.
Others did too.
But no one rushed.
Not after what we just saw.
As I reached the center, the light reacted.
It wrapped around my hand.
Around the mark.
Warm.
Different.
Then
The voice spoke again.
"Reward granted: Skill Enhancement."
My vision blurred for a moment.
Then cleared.
Everything felt sharper.
More controlled.
Not stronger
But refined.
"…You got something?" Rayan asked.
"…Yeah."
He nodded.
"Same."
She stepped forward next.
The light responded to her as well.
But something was different.
It lingered longer.
Stronger.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"…That's not normal."
When the light finally faded, she looked at her hand.
Silent.
"…What did you get?" I asked.
She didn't answer immediately.
Then
"…Something new."
Before I could ask more
A presence spread across the area.
Heavy.
Familiar.
And worse than before.
The air itself felt like it was tightening.
People around us started reacting.
Stepping back.
Looking around.
"…Do you feel that?" Rayan said.
"…Yeah."
I already knew.
Before I even turned
I knew.
At the far edge of the plaza
Someone was standing.
Alone.
Not moving.
Just watching.
The same way the creature had.
But this time
It was human.
"…That's him," Rayan whispered.
The leader.
The one he warned us about.
And somehow
I could already tell.
He was stronger than anything we had faced so far.