The air on the second stage buzzed differently. Platforms floated over a deep chasm, tethered only by shifting resonance lines. Each step carried weight, each misstep punished subtly by the terrain itself. Aerin's system pulsed faintly: 1.68%. The land wasn't neutral anymore—it observed, adjusted, and tested.
Ryn moved beside him, daggers poised lightly, eyes sweeping over every competitor. His movements were calm, precise, a silent language between him and the unpredictable floor. The duo stepped forward in unison, anticipating both hazards and the presence of rivals. Efficiency, not speed, dictated survival here.
Ahead, a new figure appeared—a girl, her stance casual but eyes sharp, observing both Aerin and Ryn as she assessed the floating platforms. Her resonance pulsed faintly, a pattern distinct from others. Lyra. D-rank, yet something in the way she moved suggested careful calculation. She smirked at the obstacles, almost amused by the chaos others created.
Aerin's pulse quickened slightly. "Who is she?" he whispered.
Ryn's gaze didn't waver. "Likely a participant like the rest. Keep focus."
Lyra's first step was deliberate, misjudging nothing, testing Aerin's flow with a subtle brush against one platform. It wasn't hostile, not directly, but enough to destabilize his path for a fraction of a second. Aerin reacted instantly, nudging resonance to compensate, and the thread of instability bent around him. 1.71%.
She let out a soft laugh, sharp and sarcastic. "Not bad… for a beginner." Her tone carried both amusement and challenge, forcing Aerin to notice her presence as more than coincidence.
Ryn moved slightly forward, intercepting a loose energy thread that might have knocked both Aerin and Lyra off balance. "Efficiency first," he said quietly. Aerin nodded, realizing cooperation wasn't optional if they wanted to advance.
Lyra's eyes narrowed briefly, as if judging him. She shifted her path to intersect with his, a calculated collision that tested his response. Aerin instinctively spread resonance laterally, absorbing her interference without faltering. The land beneath both of them adjusted, as if recognizing their combined influence. 1.74%.
The platforms ahead shifted unpredictably, tilting and rotating faster than before. Aerin felt the threads tangle underfoot and realized the stage demanded more than reaction—it demanded synchronization.
Lyra leapt across a gap, perfectly timing her landing to force a subtle wobble in the platform. Aerin extended resonance outward, stabilizing it mid-motion.
Her smirk widened. "Huh. You do know what you're doing." She didn't wait for an answer, already calculating the next step.
Ryn mirrored them, daggers catching light as he adjusted the flow of energy arcs around their path. The trio moved in a tight sequence, almost without communication, yet fully aware of each other. Forced cooperation became instinct. Every shift, every nudge of resonance, built subtle synergy. 1.78%.
A sudden hazard emerged—a series of narrow, rotating platforms over a deep void. Timing and weight distribution were critical. Lyra hesitated just a fraction of a second, testing both Aerin and Ryn's responses. Aerin's system flared, resonating outward to create a micro-path of balance, letting all three move forward without misstep.
"You rely too much on instinct," Lyra said, voice teasing but honest. "Try keeping up with me next time."
Aerin's lips twitched into a faint smile, though his focus never wavered. He realized that despite her sarcasm, this test forced him to grow—not just individually, but in flow with others. 1.81%.
By the final stretch, the platforms twisted, suspended energy lines crisscrossing unpredictably. Lyra adjusted on the fly, each motion challenging Aerin and Ryn, yet never crossing into reckless hostility. Aerin found himself anticipating her pattern, weaving resonance to sync with her rhythm. Together, they created a narrow path through chaos. 1.85%.
The crowd of observers remained silent, noting not brute force, but efficiency, anticipation, and subtle cooperation. Stage Two was no longer just individual skill—it measured adaptability under unpredictable, high-stakes interaction.
When the final platform aligned underfoot, the three paused, breathing slightly heavier. Lyra's smirk softened into a rare smile, acknowledging the forced yet effective collaboration. Aerin exhaled slowly, feeling the system pulse in quiet affirmation: 1.88%.
Ryn's voice broke the momentary calm. "Endurance, precision, and flow. Stage Two doesn't forgive stagnation. Next wave will be different." Aerin glanced at Lyra. "We'll need to… keep working together."
She tilted her head, smirk returning. "Try not to slow me down." And for the first time, Aerin understood fully: Stage Two wasn't just about passing obstacles. It was about synchronization, adaptability, and surviving the unseen currents of interaction—and now, he had new variables to master.