The courtyard had grown crowded.
Lyra, Taren Vale, and Riven stood in formation, tense but alert. Kael paced slowly in front of them, eyes sharp, hands relaxed on his knives.
"Today," Kael said, "you'll face something real."
The three F-ranks blinked.
"Real?" Lyra asked nervously.
Kael nodded. "Not deadly… but enough to push your skills. Enough to make you feel what you're capable of."
He paused, glancing at each of them. The invisible system flared briefly at his edge of vision, scanning them all.
[Custom Quest Creation — Manual]Targets: Lyra Tane, Taren Vale, Riven HoltObjective: Hit the moving training targets in perfect coordinationDifficulty: High (F-Rank Group)Failure: Miss any target, fail to coordinate, or get hit by traps
[Quest Registered]
Kael gestured toward a row of mechanical moving targets—small constructs that darted back and forth unpredictably, some perched on rails, others swinging like pendulums. Hidden pressure plates occasionally triggered harmless bursts of sparks, forcing the F-ranks to stay alert.
"Go," Kael said calmly. "Use what you've gained. Hit together. Don't hesitate."
Riven's Danger Sense flared immediately. He moved first, dodging the sparks and positioning himself. Lyra readied her bow. Taren gripped his sword tightly, eyes tracking the moving targets.
The constructs zipped and spun, forcing the three F-ranks to react instinctively.
Riven ducked and struck a target with perfect timing. Lyra's arrow split the air, hitting a swinging target dead center. Taren adjusted his stance and slashed another, keeping pace with the rhythm.
Three targets at once, coordinated flawlessly. The constructs stopped moving, lights flickering, signaling success.
Blue light flashed at Kael's edge of vision.
[Quest Complete — External Targets]Recipients: Lyra Tane, Taren Vale, Riven HoltSkill Enhanced
Lyra: Marksmanship → Enhanced Focus (Minor)
Taren: Swordsmanship → Precision Strike (Minor)
Riven: Danger Sense → Environmental Awareness (Minor)
Lyra staggered back, eyes wide. "I… I feel… awesome. I can sense the targets' movements before they even swing!"
Taren shook his head. "Everything I strike—I can feel where it will go!"
Riven grinned sharply. "I can sense every corner, every step, every trap. This is insane!"
Kael watched silently, lips twitching.
"Good," he said finally. "This is just the beginning. You survive, you grow. One step at a time."
They stood together, sweaty, breathing hard, but alive. Stronger. Ready for the next challenge.
The courtyard was quiet. For now.
But the world outside wouldn't ignore them for long.