he air was thick with relief. After the harrowing battle against the three-headed wolf, the surviving participants were finally allowed to rest. The ground, once shuddering under the weight of the beast, now felt peaceful, almost deceptively so. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their bodies aching, but they had made it through.

For a moment, it seemed like the nightmare was over. That is, until a cold, mechanical voice broke the silence.

"Attention: Only 100 participants remain. 10 minutes remaining."

The words hung in the air like a bombshell, and it felt like the ground dropped out from under them. The survivors exchanged confused glances, unsure of what this meant.

"Wait… only 100?" one of the participants muttered, looking at the others nervously. "We started with 600… What happened to everyone else?"

"Ten minutes? I barely have any points!" one boy exclaimed, his face pale.

Another participant, pale and wide-eyed, clutched his head. "I didn’t even get enough points... What if I don’t make it into the top 60?"

"There's no way I'll make it to the top 60," another participant muttered, wringing their hands anxiously.

People began muttering among themselves, their panic rising. Some paced anxiously, while others fidgeted with their gear, clearly not sure what to do next. The atmosphere, which had been light with relief, shifted quickly to tension and uncertainty.

Kael, feeling the heavy weight of his exhaustion, couldn’t help but chuckle at the irony. "I’m surprised no one’s killing each other for points," he remarked casually, scanning the crowd.

A hush fell over the group. Everyone went silent and stared at him as if he’d just suggested something completely out of the ordinary.

Miren, who had been silently watching the chaos unfold, shot Kael a cold glare. "Why would you say that?" she asked, her voice sharp with disbelief. "You’re the one who’s been making jokes like that?"

"Wait, you can get points from killing each other?" a young man near the front asked, his voice trembling.

"I didn't know that was allowed," another participant said, her eyes narrowing as she looked around suspiciously.

Kael blinked, confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere. "What? It’s just a thought..."

A participant nearby, who had been listening in, suddenly gasped. "Wait... Can we get points for killing each other?!"

"Hey, yeah! I bet I could take some points off this guy!" someone yelled, pointing at the guy next to him.

"Wait, no—I'm just trying to figure out how to win! No need to—"

Before he could finish, someone else launched at him, knocking him down. "Points are points!" the attacker grinned maniacally, clearly too eager to think this through.

"Oh no, you don’t!" another shouted as he jumped into the fray, fists flying.

The fight began when a burly participant with a crazed look in his eyes summoned a metal spike from the ground, his parasite ability gleaming with a sinister glow. With a swift motion, he impaled another participant, the spike driving through their chest with a sickening crunch.

"GET OFF ME!" someone screamed, only to be knocked to the ground by another person.

"Oh, you want points? COME GET 'EM!" another shouted, throwing a punch at the nearest person.

Kael watched the madness unfold, wide-eyed and bemused. "Well... that escalated quickly," he muttered under his breath. "Didn’t see that one coming."

"You started it!" Miren shot him a glare, clearly unimpressed. "Thanks a lot, Kael."

Miren, now visibly annoyed, shot Kael a pointed look. "You just had to say something, didn’t you?" She shook her head, running a hand through her tousled hair. "You just couldn’t keep quiet, could you?"

As the chaos continued, Miren turned to leave the scene. "I’m getting out of here before this turns into a full-on riot."

Kael, already feeling the aches of his body catch up to him, hesitated. Then, with a tired, almost pleading look, he called after her. "Wait, can you... carry me?"

Miren stopped mid-step and gave him a flat look. "You seriously want me to carry you?"

Kael winced, his muscles protesting every movement. "Yeah… You know... Just a little bit of a favor for helping you back there."

Miren sighed, rolling her eyes, but with a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "You’re lucky I’m not letting you rot here."

"Guess I’m getting a free ride after all," he said with a grin, feeling just a little bit smug despite everything.

"You’re insufferable," Miren muttered, but even as she said it, there was a touch of amusement in her voice.

The chaos grew worse by the second. One guy tried to swing a sword, but it got caught in a tree, and his teammate, trying to help, managed to hit him in the back with a lightning bolt.

"I DIDN’T MEAN TO!" the lightning-wielder yelled, hands up in surrender.

"Ow, my back!" the sword-swinger groaned.

Another participant, more creative, created a puddle of mud to trap his opponent, but instead, he ended up slipping in it himself.

"Wait, this isn’t how this works!" a participant screamed as he tripped over a log and fell face-first into the dirt.

Kael watched it all, a small chuckle escaping him despite the situation. "I knew it would turn into a mess, but this is next level," he muttered to himself.

Miren gave him a look that could freeze water. "Next time, don’t be helpful. Or at least, try not to get us killed."

Kael chuckled, trying to ignore the pain in his body. "Well, at least we know who not to trust in the next round, right?"

Miren carried Kael on her back, and Kael was surprised by how fast she was running. The trees blurred past them, and he couldn't help but marvel at her speed.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Wow, you're really fast," Kael said, trying to sound casual. "What stage are you at?"

"Soul Alignment," Miren replied, not slowing down.

Kael raised an eyebrow, wincing slightly as a jolt of pain shot through his cramped muscles. "If you're at Soul Alignment, you probably could have killed that beast alone."

Miren glanced back at him for a moment, then focused ahead. "I did kill a few beasts before," she said, then immediately bit her lip as if realizing she had said too much.

Kael stared at her, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Wait a minute... Were you the one who lured that beast there?"

Miren remained silent for a few seconds, her face tense. "No," she finally said, but Kael could tell she was lying.

"Miren," he said, his voice firm, **"I know you're not telling the truth."

She sighed, her pace slowing just a little. "Alright, fine. Yes, I was trying to get rid of that beast. But there are people way stronger than me out here. I was escaping from them."

Kael's curiosity was piqued. "What stage are they at?"

Miren's expression darkened. "Avatar Manifestation."

Kael's eyes widened. "Avatar Manifestation? No wonder you were running."

Miren nodded, her eyes scanning the area ahead. "Exactly. So let's just focus on getting out of here in one piece."

Kael and Miren made their way through the forest, the tension in the air thickened. Suddenly, a sudden burst of energy from behind them had them both instinctively duck. Before they could even react, a blinding flash of light erupted, a surge of pure electricity that threatened to tear through the air itself. Miren's instincts kicked in, and with a swift move, she shot forward, narrowly dodging the violent Volt Implosion that would’ve consumed them both.

"That was close," Kael muttered under his breath, his body still aching from his earlier battle.

They barely had a moment to regroup before a figure emerged from the shadows, standing tall with an air of arrogance and confidence. The figure stepped forward with a smirk, his eyes locked on Miren.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" The voice was smooth, almost mocking. "It’s been a while since I've had a good chase."

Miren's expression soured instantly, but she kept her cool. "Lysan Voltera," she muttered, not looking at him, "Your family only bonds with Voltrix parasites, right?"

"Ah," Lysan said with a chuckle, "So you know about me. It's almost disappointing. I was hoping for a little more fun before we get to the good part." His arrogant smile didn’t falter as he scanned them both. "You two sure have been making a mess of things. I spent a lot of time looking for you, and now you just try to run off?"

Miren's patience snapped. "Shut up," she said bluntly, her eyes narrowing as she focused on him.

Lysan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Rude. So, who’s the kid behind you, then?" He smirked, motioning toward Kael without bothering to turn his gaze away from Miren.

Miren didn’t respond, but Kael, still feeling drained but determined, concentrated on Miren, gathering the last of his energy. His hands moved in intricate patterns, channeling his power to make her body lighter and denser. The sudden boost in her speed and strength made her body hum with new energy, and she could feel the change immediately. But she didn’t comment on it.

With a swift, fluid motion, Miren lunged toward Lysan, her movements almost too fast to track. "Plasma Fist" she shouted, her fist crackling with violent energy. The attack was swift, precise, and powerful—fueled by the newfound energy Kael had lent her.

Lysan, surprised by the sudden intensity of her attack, barely managed to evade it, ducking to the side as the air sizzled with the force of the punch. "Impressive," he said, his voice a mix of admiration and annoyance. "But not nearly good enough."

Lysan retaliated almost immediately. His hand whipped out, drawing his weapon—an electric-charged whip— and with a snap, he shouted, "Plasma Lash" The whip crackled with raw energy, and it lashed toward Miren with the precision of a striking snake.

Miren was ready. Summoning her Spectral Blade, she parried the whip with a smooth motion, the blade glowing faintly as it absorbed the electric energy. The force of the clash reverberated through her body, but she held firm, not giving an inch. With a sudden shift, she pushed forward, and with a flash, her blade glowed brighter than before as she called out, "Starburst!"

The sudden explosion of light and energy surged through the air, catching Lysan off guard for just a moment. But before he could fully react, he too called out, "Electric Pulsewave!" His voice rang out, and the very air seemed to crackle as a powerful pulse of electricity exploded outward in a wide arc.

The two attacks collided in a massive burst, filling the forest with a violent flash of light and an earth-shattering blast. The shockwave sent debris flying and the ground quaked beneath them as the two forces clashed in a symphony of destruction.

Kael, still struggling to catch his breath, winced at the intensity of the explosion. "They're both insane," he muttered, unable to believe how quickly things had escalated. "We really are in trouble."

Miren, still carrying Kael, glanced over at him, her expression serious despite the chaos surrounding them. "Right now, you're one stage ahead of me," she said, her voice steady. "But there's only three minutes left. We just need to survive."

Kael nodded, his body still aching from the previous fight, but he managed a tired smile. "I’m with you. But how do we survive against someone like him?"

Miren didn’t answer right away. Instead, she focused her energy, her eyes glowing faintly as she began to summon her power. "Aurora Veil," she muttered under her breath, and a shimmering, ethereal shield formed around them, a translucent dome of light. The shield seemed almost delicate, but it pulsed with an otherworldly energy that suggested its strength. It absorbed all incoming attacks, though Miren knew the veil had its limits.

The moment the veil completed, Lysan appeared from the shadows, his eyes narrowing as he saw the shimmering barrier. He smirked arrogantly, then lashed out with his whip, aiming for Kael and Miren. The electric energy arcing through the air collided with the veil—and stopped. The whip’s energy fizzled out upon impact, unable to break through the protective field.

Lysan chuckled, stepping back. "Trying to hide behind a veil? How cute." His voice was laced with mockery. "Start fighting, will you? Or do you plan to just wait until the timer runs out?"

Miren didn’t respond. She stood tall, her face unreadable, her focus entirely on maintaining the shield. Kael, though, could sense the tension. The seconds stretched on, each moment feeling heavier than the last. Lysan, now growing more frustrated, continued his relentless barrage, striking the veil with wave after wave of electric attacks. Each blow hit, and each was absorbed, but Kael could feel the strain on Miren’s body, the strain on the shield.

For a minute, Lysan’s attacks kept coming—fury and frustration building with every strike. The whip cracked, crackled, and lashed through the air, but nothing penetrated. Lysan was growing desperate. "This is pathetic!" he shouted. "Is this really all you’ve got?"

Then, with a furious roar, he charged his most powerful attack, the air around him crackling with an intense energy as he prepared for his final move. Kael’s heart pounded in his chest, knowing this was coming. He was exhausted, barely holding on, and they only had seconds left.

But Miren remained calm, standing unwavering as the clock ticked down.

"It's time," she said simply, her voice cool and controlled.

At that moment, a sudden shift in the air signaled the change. As Lysan’s powerful electric blast surged toward them, Miren raised her hand, and the Aurora Veil responded. With a burst of energy, the veil absorbed the attack, then, in an unexpected twist, reflected it back at him with double the force.

Lysan’s eyes widened in shock as his own energy, now magnified and redirected, slammed into him with devastating force. The electric shock tore through his body, and he screamed, falling to his knees as the blast continued to surge through him, a final show of his own power turned against him.

Kael watched in stunned silence, barely able to believe what just happened. The once-arrogant Lysan was now on the ground, convulsing from his own attack.

Miren turned to Kael, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I told you, sometimes the best offense is a good defense."

As Lysan lay defeated on the ground, Kael took a shaky breath, feeling the strain on his body. Miren, still carrying him, seemed just as exhausted, her energy depleted from the use of the Aurora Veil and the effort of fending off Lysan’s onslaught.

"I’m... out of energy," Miren admitted, her voice quieter than usual, as if the weight of the battle had finally caught up with her.

Before Kael could respond, the atmosphere shifted. The air seemed to grow heavier, the surrounding forest suddenly feeling much darker. He turned, his senses alert.

A figure emerged from the shadows, moving slowly toward them with an aura so dangerous it seemed to suffocate the very air. He looked to be their age, but there was something about him that made Kael’s blood run cold. His presence alone sent a chill down Kael’s spine. The way he moved was calculated, purposeful, as though he was already certain of his victory.

Lysan, still twitching on the ground, seemed to react to this new presence, but he didn’t have the strength to say anything. The stranger, with an almost mocking smirk, glanced at him. "Incompetence," he muttered, stepping over Lysan’s fallen form without a second thought.

"I am disappointed in you," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "And now, it seems I have to take care of them myself."

The stranger's eyes locked onto Kael and Miren, a sinister smile spreading across his face. Kael’s heart pounded in his chest as he braced himself for what was to come.