The academy's final stage loomed before them: a vast arena floating over an energy chasm, its platforms irregular, shifting with every step. Above, shimmering barriers pulsed like heartbeat monitors, forcing every candidate to adapt—or fall.
Damon, Lira, and Will stepped onto the first platform.
[System Alert: Final Stage Initiated]
[Threat Level: Extreme]
[Hidden Mode Level 3 — Active]
The exam's voice rang out:
"Final Stage: Only candidates who demonstrate mastery over self, environment, and team shall advance. Survival alone is insufficient."
Lira glanced at Damon and Will, her confidence bolstered.
"We need to work together. Cover each other, strike efficiently."
Will smirked slightly, dark eyes scanning the arena. "Follow my lead. Damon, you predict and strike. Lira, manipulate the battlefield. I'll intercept and counter."
The system pulsed in Damon's vision:
[Team Strategy Detected: Coordination Feasible]
[Recommendation: Offensive + Defensive Synchronization]
The arena erupted. Holographic enemies spawned—speedsters, brute enforcers, and elemental constructs. They moved unpredictably, testing not just skill, but team synergy.
Damon's body flowed with Hidden Mode Level 3 precision, predicting enemy patterns while Will intercepted attacks with fluid, muscular strength, and Lira manipulated energy flows to control enemy movement.
A massive brute charged Damon. He dodged, redirecting the strike toward a platform wall. Will leapt in, taking the brunt of the recoil and smashing the enemy into the floor. Lira's energy barrier redirected shards and smaller projectiles, keeping the team safe.
[Hidden Mode Alert: Coordination Efficiency — 94%]
[Neural Output: Optimized for Multi-Target Engagement]
Another enemy—a lightning-speed attacker—dashed toward Lira. Damon calculated its trajectory before it even started, signaling Will with a glance. Will intercepted, tossing the attacker into a floating platform where Lira redirected kinetic energy into a shockwave, clearing multiple smaller enemies.
The system pulsed, analyzing not just enemies, but ally movements, suggesting optimal attack angles and timing.
[Team Synergy: Maximum — Hidden Mode Progression: Level 3.5]
The holographic enemies escalated. Platforms began shifting violently. Spikes of energy shot from the floor unpredictably. The arena itself became hostile, pushing them to their limits.
Damon's system evolved mid-fight, integrating environmental hazards into attack predictions, making every strike from him and Will more precise. Lira adapted her barriers and manipulations to safeguard both, while redirecting enemy energy to their advantage.
Damon thought: This is more than an exam—it's a warzone. But we move as one.
The cloaked figure from before wasn't here—but a new variable emerged: the final holographic boss—a massive energy-imbued construct with unpredictable attacks.
Will grinned at Damon and Lira. "Let's finish this together."
[Hidden Mode Evolution Pending — Level 4 Potential Detected]
The system was ready. Damon, Will, and Lira—together—prepared to strike with synchronized precision, combining prediction, brute force, and battlefield control.
The final trial had begun.