The clearing had turned into a battlefield of storms.
Lightning cracked across one side as Zane's spear collided with his opponent's glowing blade. On the other, violent gusts of wind tore leaves from trees as Lily fought to control the space around her.
But in the center—
The air itself had become dangerous.
Zael's Blade Domain rippled across the ground like an invisible ocean of steel.
Every movement Cassian made left shallow cuts across his armor. Tiny streaks of blood marked his path as the invisible blade lines sliced at him from every direction.
Cassian clicked his tongue.
"…Annoying."
He kicked off the ground and shot forward again.
His crimson aura surged violently.
Their swords collided.
CLANG
A shockwave blasted outward, flattening the grass around them.
Cassian's strength had increased.
Zael felt it immediately.
Cassian grinned.
"You thought I was done?"
His aura flared brighter.
"Not even close."
He twisted his blade sideways and released a surge of crimson energy.
Crimson Rupture — Second Pulse.
The explosion shattered dozens of the blade lines in Zael's domain.
Zael slid backward across the ground.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Cassian was adapting.
Behind him—
Zane shouted.
"Hey! Focus!"
Lightning erupted as Zane drove his spear into his opponent's guard, forcing the legendary awakener backward.
The man skidded across the dirt.
"…You're insane," the legendary muttered.
Zane grinned.
"Thanks."
He lunged again.
---
Lily ducked under a sweeping dagger strike.
Her opponent was fast.
Very fast.
The legendary awakener moved like a shadow through the trees, twin daggers flashing again and again as he attempted to overwhelm her with relentless attacks.
But Lily's eyes remained calm.
The moment the next strike came—
Her body flickered.
Not speed.
Space shifted.
She reappeared two meters to the side.
The dagger cut through empty air.
The legendary frowned.
"…Teleportation?"
Lily said nothing.
Her fingers moved slightly.
The space beside her rippled like disturbed water.
The attacker lunged again.
This time Lily didn't move.
Instead—
The dagger suddenly missed by several centimeters, as if the distance between them had subtly changed.
The legendary's eyes widened.
"You're bending space…"
Lily stepped forward.
Her hand cut through the air.
The space itself folded into a thin crescent.
Spatial Cut.
A razor-thin distortion sliced across the battlefield.
The legendary barely twisted aside in time, the attack carving through the trunk of a tree behind him as if it were paper.
He landed and stared at the cleanly severed wood.
"…Alright."
His aura surged.
"Enough testing."
He spun his daggers again.
"Let's see how long you can keep bending reality."
Lily's expression didn't change.
But the space around her quietly distorted again.
---
Center Battlefield
Cassian lunged again.
This time faster.
His crimson aura erupted violently, cracking the ground beneath his feet.
Zael raised his blade.
CLANG
The impact pushed Zael back two steps.
Cassian pressed forward relentlessly.
Strike after strike crashed against Zael's defense.
Each blow heavier than the last.
"Starting to feel it?" Cassian taunted.
Zael said nothing.
But his eyes were calculating.
Cassian's power was rising.
Yet something else was happening too.
Every time Cassian attacked—
The Blade Domain adapted.
The invisible blade lines shifted subtly.
Cutting deeper.
Faster.
Cassian suddenly stepped wrong.
One of the blade lines sliced across his thigh.
He hissed.
"…Damn it."
Zael moved.
Void Step.
He appeared directly behind Cassian.
Night Sever.
A black arc tore across Cassian's back.
Blood sprayed.
Cassian stumbled forward before spinning around.
His eyes burned now.
"…You're starting to piss me off."
Crimson lightning erupted around him.
His mythical talent surged again.
The ground trembled.
Even Zane and Lily glanced toward the center fight.
Cassian's aura had doubled.
Zael felt it instantly.
The pressure pushed against the Blade Domain itself.
Cassian raised his sword.
"This ends now."
Crimson energy condensed around the blade like a miniature sun.
The air distorted.
Zael's eyes sharpened.
This attack would be different.
Cassian swung.
Crimson Cataclysm.
A massive arc of destructive energy tore across the clearing.
Trees exploded.
The ground split open.
The attack smashed directly into Zael's Blade Domain—
And shattered it.
The invisible blade lines collapsed instantly.
Dust and debris filled the air.
Cassian stood breathing heavily.
His sword still glowing.
"…Done."
But when the dust cleared—
Zael was still standing.
Unharmed.
Cassian's eyes widened.
"How—"
Zael lowered his blade slowly.
Behind him—
Two faint afterimages dissolved.
Phantom Split.
Cassian's massive attack had destroyed illusions instead.
Not the real target.
Zael stepped forward calmly.
His domain had collapsed.
But the fight wasn't over.
Cassian's breathing was heavier now.
That attack had cost him a lot of energy.
Zael raised his sword.
Mana condensed along the blade.
Resonance Strike.
Cassian's eyes widened.
He raised his weapon—
Too slow.
The strike detonated against his chest.
The explosion blasted Cassian backward across the clearing.
He crashed through a tree before collapsing to one knee.
His sword dropped from his hand.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
Zane paused mid-fight.
"…Oh damn."
Lily glanced over briefly.
Cassian coughed.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Zael walked toward him slowly.
His steps calm.
Measured.
He stopped a few feet away.
Cassian looked up.
For the first time—
His confidence was gone.
Zael's gaze dropped to his wrist.
The smart watch.
Then he extended his hand.
"Points."
Cassian clenched his jaw.
The legendary fighters fighting Zane and Lily froze as well.
Because everyone knew what came next.
If Cassian refused—
The fight would continue.
And this time…
Zael might not stop at the watch.
Cassian exhaled slowly.
Then laughed weakly.
"…You're insane."
Zael didn't react.
Cassian looked at his watch.
Then at Zael again.
"…Fine."
Slowly—
He removed it.
And tossed it forward.
The watch landed in Zael's hand.
A system message flashed.
[Smart Watch Seized]
[Points Transferred: +18]
Zael now had 38 points.
The battlefield went quiet.
High above the forest—
The observing officials stared at the screen.
One of them muttered quietly.
"…He just robbed a Mythical talent during the entrance test."
Another nodded slowly.
"And it wasn't even close."
The woman watching folded her arms.
"…Remember that name."
She zoomed in on the screen.
Zael — AEGIS PRIME
"Because the rest of this camp…"
"…is going to revolve around him."
---