As the intricate sigils of water on the floor began to radiate a soft glow, Trent began to spawn back, his form slowly materializing from what appeared to be fluid before solidifying into his human shape.

Gradually, Trent found himself fully back at the base. The transportation process seemed to have taken its toll on him, as he sank to the ground, gasping for breath.

Concerned by his state, Rose swiftly approached him, offering her assistance. "Are you alright?" she inquired.

Trent managed a reassuring smile. "I'm fine," he assured her between breaths. "Just needed a moment to catch my breath."

"I hope you're right," Rose replied, extending her hand to help him up.

Taking Rose's offered hand, Trent recounted his experience to her, describing the process of his transportation.

"Wait, so there's a chance that Klaus might still be out there?" Rose's worry was palpable.

Trent nodded thoughtfully. "While it's not a certainty, there's a possibility."

Rose's determination shone through. Despite her concern for Klaus, she realized the larger implications. "We can't ignore the fact that capturing a flag is essential for victory. Even if Klaus is out, we have to push forward. And I think I should be the one to go."

Mia interjected from the sidelines, her practicality evident. "Sending you out recklessly to save your boyfriend won't help the team. We can't afford to lose another member without a clear plan."

Rose's response was resolute. Turning to Mia with unwavering determination, she stated, "Regardless of Klaus's status, our goal remains to capture a flag. If Klaus is still active, we might work better together. Trent and you are the strongest option for defense, especially since we're still yet to be attacked. Our best chance is for me to try and disrupt other teams while they're attacking."

Trent recognized Rose's strategy-minded approach. Her focus wasn't solely on Klaus, but on maximizing the team's chances.

Indeed, at this stage, only the strongest contenders would remain in the game. Teams with weak defenses would be vulnerable if the remaining teams focused on attacking their bases. Trent understood that Rose's motivation was twofold: her emotions for Klaus and her commitment to the game's strategy.

Finally breaking the silence, Trent consented, "Alright, I'm in."

Mia's frustration was evident. "Really?"

Trent's reasoning was clear. "For now, it's the best option."

Rose's face lit up with a grateful smile, and she nodded in agreement.

After a brief moment of preparation, Rose set off, aiming to locate Klaus or seize another team's flag.

"Should we be letting her go?" one voice pondered.

"Why not? Our primary objective is capturing the flag. Decreasing their numbers works in our favor," another voice responded.

"Fair point, though she might be headed to our base."

A confident tone from the second figure responded, "That's where Lance comes in."

The figures emerged from the shadows, revealing themselves as Shade and Riley. They then ascended towards Team Lunar's tower.

Mia voiced her doubts to Trent within the tower. "Are you sure letting her go alone is the right decision?"

Trent's conviction remained strong. "She might not be the strongest, but she's very resourceful. Plus, not many teams know about her power."

Curious, Mia shifted the topic. "Speaking of powers, how can you transport your clothes as well when you do your teleporting thing?"

Trent explained, "I can change the properties of nonliving matter, turning it into water and back. When I placed the mark earlier, it also replicated my clothes as well. It's similar to creating a water clone."

"Damn, that's hella powerful," Mia remarked.

Trent nodded, revealing the cost. "Indeed, but it's very energy-intensive."

Mia's curiosity grew. "So, if you could do the same with other things..."

Trent finished her thought, "I could turn them into water and back, given enough energy."

"Wow, impressive," Mia admitted.

In a sudden shift, Trent's expression tightened as he swiftly pivoted toward the tower's entrance.

"We're under attack," he alerted Mia, who instantly readied her bow, an arrow drawn and aimed at the entrance.

Soon enough, Shade and Riley entered the scene.

Observing their readiness, Riley commented, "Impressive, Trent. Seems we actually should be more cautious around you."

Trent responded, his stance poised for confrontation. "I can't say if we were specifically targeted, but don't underestimate my team."

Riley exchanged a glance with Shade, a shared understanding passing between them. "Don't forget the plan, Shade."

Stolen story; please report.

Shade nodded, assuming a crouched position, his hands pressed against the floor.

Mia and Trent attempted to move forward, only to find themselves frozen in place, unable to move.

Perplexed, Mia voiced her confusion. "What's happening?"

Trent, looking downward, recognized that his shadow was darker. "It's our shadows. Shade's manipulating them, which affects us."

Shade's unique power allowed him to control the shadows of both Mia and Trent, effectively reversing their real-world movements with those of their shadows.

Trent continued explaining, "And we can still communicate because our shadows lack features like mouths or eyes."

Seizing this control, Shade guided Mia's shadow to release her bow and fling her quiver out of a nearby window. With a sinister intention, he then attempted to press Mia's lifeline, expecting her elimination.

Desperately, Mia struggled against Shade's influence, fighting to prevent him from reaching her lifeline.

In a critical moment, Trent summoned a small bead of water from his finger, expertly aiming it at Mia's hand. The droplet struck her palm, diverting it from her lifeline and keeping her in the game.

The strain on Shade was apparent. His arms trembled under the pressure of maintaining control over both shadows.

Recognizing Shade's vulnerability, Trent mustered his strength to resist, amplifying the strain on Shade, who teetered on the brink of losing his grip on them.

Amid this clash, Riley perceived Shade's struggle. Closing her eyes momentarily, she muttered two words.

"Gaia State."

When her eyes opened, roots of trees burst forth from the ground ahead of her, small leaves adorning them. A pointed gesture from Riley aimed them at Mia and Trent, directing the roots to ensnare them.

The roots wrapped around the pair, restraining their movements right as Shade lost his hold on them. The pair was ensnared by the roots, and a portion of these roots started inching closer to their lifelines.

Riley's power seemed overwhelmingly dominant.

Yet, Trent remained steadfast, summoning a heightened concentration of water. The water surged from his fingertips, effortlessly slicing through the roots binding Mia and him, leaving them unscathed.

Turning towards Mia, Trent's urgency was palpable as he shouted, "Take the shot!"

Mia responded without hesitation. Snatching a branch from the ground, she wielded it like an improvised arrow, wielding her bow and racing forward to take the shot.

Riley's realization dawned on her, prompting her to summon much thicker tree roots that began sprouting throughout the room.

The trees rapidly ascended, attempting to ensnare both Mia and Trent in their grasp. However, Mia refused to yield.

She continued to maneuver adeptly, skillfully evading the encroaching roots while searching for an opportunity to strike. Yet, each potential opening was swiftly shut down by Riley's formidable ability.

Riley's prowess exceeded their expectations.

Before Mia's hope could waver, Trent turned to her with determination.

"I'll create an opening for you; just make sure your shot lands."

Mia affirmed her understanding with a nod, diligently dodging the surging roots as they surged toward her with unwavering ferocity.

Trent extended his right hand, positioning his index and middle fingers forward in a gesture resembling a gun. Gradually, water gathered at his fingertips, accumulating into a significant mass.

As Trent released his concentrated water, it ruptured and broke through the roots and branches with astounding velocity, shattering them in its path.

The water surged toward Riley through the roots, who narrowly evaded its trajectory. The attack shattered through the wall behind her and pressed forward until it gradually lost momentum and subsided.

Riley swerved away from the assault just in time, only to realize that Mia had closed the distance during the chaos, slipping through the openings caused by Trent's attack.

More roots emerged between Riley and Mia as she tried to halt Mia's pursuit.

"Does she have unlimited stamina or what?" Mia pondered briefly before a realization struck her. Her focus shifted.

Just before the gap between Riley and Mia vanished, Mia drew her bow with the twig as her makeshift arrow, aligning her aim with Riley's lifeline.

Suddenly, in an instant, her eyes constricted, taking on a focused intensity, and she released her shot.

It was True Accuracy.

As the shot was taken, it immediately struck Riley's lifeline. Riley was caught off guard by the astonishing swiftness of the attack.

The astonishment that rippled through the onlookers was evident; no one had anticipated such an impeccable shot, except for Mia.

"How?" Riley exclaimed in disbelief, fading away as her lifeline was pressed.

Mia smiled faintly as she collapsed onto the floor, instantly succumbing to unconsciousness.

Evidently, the toll of the ability was considerable, enough to induce fainting after a single use.

In this manner, Team Lunar triumphed by eliminating one of their adversaries.

Yet, before Trent could revel in their success or attempt to aid Mia, Shade emerged from the shadows and promptly pressed her lifeline—before Trent could traverse the remaining tree barriers to assist her.

"You!" Trent exclaimed in realization.

"Sorry, it seemed like the logical course of action," Shade responded.

Determined, Trent sprinted toward Shade, navigating the miniature jungle that separated them.

But Shade's energy was spent; the previous onslaught had drained him significantly, not to mention the vast power disparity between them.

As Trent approached, Shade, lacking the strength to face Trent head-on, darted through the breach in the wall created by Trent's prior attack, seeking escape.

Arriving at the breach, Trent looked down to find that Shade had vanished. Resigned, he returned to the vicinity of the flag, sitting beside it, attempting to recuperate from the intense expenditure of energy.

With a sigh, Shade muttered to himself, "Fleeing the scene, unlike me," as he retreated into the depths of the forest to find a moment of respite and strategize his next move.

Finding a resting spot beside a tree, his panting gradually subsided. He had narrowly evaded danger—so he thought.

As he collected his thoughts, contemplating the best course of action, a distant shot reverberated throughout the forest. His gaze shifted downward, revealing that his lifeline had been struck.

"What?" Shade questioned, bewildered, before his form began to dematerialize.

"Are you kidding me?" He managed to exclaim, his voice fading as he vanished completely.

Unexpectedly, several miles away, X remained perched atop the ranger tower, maintaining a clear line of sight to Shade's lifeline. X deactivated his True Accuracy, taking only a few seconds to catch his breath, underscoring his mastery of the ability and showcasing the distinct skill gap between him and Mia.

Meanwhile, deep within the forest, Rose pressed on in her quest to locate Klaus.

Having received a warning about X's position, Rose guarded her lifeline with her hands and steered clear of the areas Trent had instructed her to avoid. This strategic approach reduced the search area for Klaus, making her task somewhat easier.

After what felt like an extended journey, Rose arrived at another tower. With her priorities shifted from locating Klaus to seizing the flag from this rival team, she approached the tower with determination.

Just as she was about to enter the tower, a tap on her shoulder caused her to startle, instinctively turning her pupils pink in a bid for heightened awareness. But it was Klaus.

"Klaus," Rose exclaimed in relief, her tension dissipating. "You scared me."

"Why are you here?" Klaus inquired, curious about the circumstances.

"I was sent to check on you and provide an extra pair of hands," Rose explained, giving Klaus the idea that Trent must have thought it through before allowing her to assist.

"Well, since you're here, might as well help me capture this team's flag," Klaus suggested.

Rose nodded in agreement, their focus now aligned.

Together, they ascended the tower, only to be met by the demigod who guarded the tower upon entry.

"Greetings, Klaus Walker," the figure greeted, rising from their seat and approaching the duo deliberately.

Klaus immediately assumed a defensive posture, recognizing that this encounter would prove more challenging than usual.

"Lance Knight."