Ayu sat in meditation beside the lake, her calm exterior hiding the restless thoughts beneath. She had hit a bottleneck in her progress, whether it was in combat or her manipulation of EM energy. The next stage seemed elusive, just out of reach, and she knew it was going to take time to overcome. But Chiara had always emphasized that their strongest weapon was control over EM, and Ayu was determined to keep improving, dedicating hours each day to the practice.

Everyone had their own way of approaching things, though. Chiara’s mastery of EM manipulation was on another level—seamless, intuitive, and constantly evolving. Ayu admired her skill but knew that Chiara’s methods didn’t necessarily fit everyone, and Ayu was comfortable carving her own path.

For Ayu, her greatest asset wasn’t EM manipulation; it was her combat experience. She had trained all her life, starting with the basics of Muay Thai that her father had drilled into her, and later receiving instruction in Chinese mixed martial arts from her Uncle Weng. But here, in this strange place, she quickly realized that punches and kicks alone weren’t going to cut it.

She had learned to incorporate weapons, adapting her fighting style with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. That gave her an edge over the creatures and human creeps who had attacked her, but even then, it wasn’t enough.

She still remembered the brutal wake-up call that had shattered her old combat philosophies. The fight that had left her broken, bleeding, and inches away from a fate far worse than death.

She could still feel the weight of it—the terror, the helplessness, the sickening sense of losing herself. If not for Chiara, her dignity would have been stripped away, leaving scars far deeper than the ones on her skin.

It was the darkest moment of her life, a nightmare that clawed at her whenever her guard dropped. She gritted her teeth, forcing the memory back. Uncle Weng’s words echoed in her mind: one must learn to face their inner demons. She could not let them control her. Not now, not ever.

Now, here she was, meditating beside a lake full of sharks. Her eyes flickered open briefly, resting on the young man standing on the shore, deep in thought as he stared at the water.

Alonso, as Chiara had called him, was an interesting one. Their accidental encounter at the beach had been funny, but also intriguing—mostly because of his demeanor. Unlike most people here, he didn’t radiate the usual lust for her or the thirst for power and violence. There was something almost innocent about him—straightforward and seemingly unambitious. He seemed like someone who just wanted to be left alone, unconcerned with the politics of survival on the island. It was as if he was content to simply exist, undisturbed by the power struggles around him.

But at the same time... that same simple young man could transform into a killing machine when others tried to push him down. Ayu had seen it in his eyes—he wouldn't submit to anyone, yet he didn’t seek to have others submit to him, either. There was a quiet, stubborn strength in him, one that refused to be crushed but didn’t crave dominance.

It was that contrast that made Alonso fascinating to her. He wasn’t like the others, clawing their way to the top or scheming for control. He stood apart, but when provoked, he could be as lethal as the most on the island.

And so, she found herself curious to see how he would fare, especially if given even the smallest, tiniest chance to survive here in the Oasis. Beating Siddharth? That was practically impossible. Siddharth was strong—far too strong. But… who knew? Life was full of surprises, and fate had a way of flipping everything upside down. She also trusted that Chiara would intervene on his behalf, perhaps even hoping the match could be avoided altogether. That was the only good scenario out of all possible outcomes.

As she stared at Alonso, Ayu couldn’t help but wonder: how would his story play out? Would he become just another forgotten corpse in the Oasis, or would he defy the odds and survive?

But then, her mouth fell open in shock as she saw Alonso starting to... take his clothes off? Was he seriously going to swim? No way, right? Sure, she had told him about the island in the middle of the lake, with the tunnel leading down to where the spiders lurked, just to see how he'd react. But she had always assumed he would wait until the path reappeared and maybe risk an encounter with Siddharth's group.

She hadn’t expected him to take the bait so soon. The idea was to see if he would hesitate, if fear would stop him from taking the risk. If it did, she figured, he had no chance of surviving any real challenge—certainly not a duel to the death.

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But now, here he was, stripping off his gear. Boots, pants, armor, buckler—everything. He was left wearing nothing but a pair of makeshift trunks, crafted from plant fibers and vine weaves, toughened with pieces of hide.

He then grabbed some vines, strapping his sword tightly to his back and securing the sling in a similar fashion. And… that was it. No hesitation, no second thoughts. He started walking toward the lake.

The sun had already dipped below the horizon, and darkness had settled over the Oasis. But Ayu knew there were plenty of bored onlookers, especially those from Siddharth’s faction, keeping a close eye on Alonso. Now… he was about to give them a show.

Alonso made a short dash forward and plunged straight into the water. There was no hesitation, no testing the temperature or cautiously easing in. One second he was on the shore, and the next, he was in the lake, his form cutting through the dark waters like a knife.

Ayu watched without expression, her eyes following his progress. She wasn’t the type to get easily rattled, but there was no denying the tension building around the scene.

The water rippled subtly—movement. The sharks had noticed.

A dark shape shot toward Alonso from below. He adjusted, not with panic but a calm twist of his body, letting the shark's momentum carry it just past him. His arms cut through the water with efficient strokes, the gap between him and the beast narrowing before it overshot. Close, but nothing out of the ordinary for someone like them.

Another ripple. A second shark approached, faster this time. Alonso barely shifted his weight, rolling off its side as if it were a mere obstacle in his path. He didn’t waste energy on unnecessary movements, simply flowed with the situation. Ayu’s lips twitched slightly, amused at how smooth the evasion was.

More sharks converged now. They came at him in bursts—one from the left, another from below. Alonso reacted late, intentionally late, using the shark’s aggression against it. One missed by a hair; he rolled off the back of another, his hand brushing its rough skin as he shifted momentum. It seemed effortless, almost… easy.

Yet, the sharks weren’t giving up. Two darted in tandem, closing the distance. Alonso dove under, using their combined speed as they collided, bodies thrashing in confusion. He shot forward, unscathed, emerging from the chaos with barely a break in rhythm.

Ayu tilted her head slightly. Why does it seem like... the sharks' aim is always off?

Another shark came next, the water around Alonso churning with its powerful approach. He didn’t react until the last possible second, flipping over the creature’s broad nose, using the force of its charge to propel himself further ahead. The motion was seamless—he was adapting to every threat as if it were part of a rehearsed routine.

Ayu almost chuckled. She hadn’t expected this level of control. He was clearly manipulating the sharks with his EM waves, guiding their movements just enough to create openings. The sharks still outclassed him in speed and raw power, but Alonso was exploiting every tiny gap, twisting and turning with incredible precision. At the same time, he was deliberately making them move where he wanted. They’d lunge, and Alonso would slip through, always just a fraction ahead of disaster.

This fool… she thought, her lips curling into a faint smile.

Another close call—this one tighter. A shark surged up from beneath, jaws wide, aiming for his torso. Alonso shifted his stroke just in time, pressing down on the creature’s side to push himself off. The force sent him spinning through the air from the friction and momentum, but he quickly regained control, his body twisting midair before splashing back into the water.

The more sharks gathered, the more chaotic the scene became. Alonso ducked under another attack, slipping through two converging predators with inches to spare. He rolled his shoulder to avoid a tail whip, then used the surge of the creature’s momentum to shoot forward, skimming the surface with surprising finesse.

A style that is based in precision guided by a refined EM control. Reminds me of Chiara.

She leaned back slightly, still watching, not the least bit concerned but undeniably entertained. It was rare to see someone survive this long in such a deadly situation, yet Alonso seemed determined to keep proving himself capable.

Another shark, then another—it was almost mechanical now. They lunged, missed, and Alonso kept moving. The waters churned with frustration from the predators, their powerful bodies thrashing behind him. He wasn’t faster, but he was always just out of reach, using every tiny gap to his advantage.

Alonso didn’t stop. More sharks closed in, but he weaved through them, his movements almost instinctual now, as if he were part of the lake itself. Each near miss seemed to fuel his momentum, and despite the overwhelming odds, there was something undeniable about the rhythm he had found.

Ayu finally let out a quiet laugh as Alonso disappeared into the distance, no longer visible. This idiot… he might really pull it off.