Scy's POV
The clash between us didn't stop.
It couldn't.
At this point, neither of us was testing anymore. Every movement carried intent, every strike had weight, and every second pushed the battlefield closer to collapse. The forest around us had already begun to give in—trees split under invisible pressure, the ground cracked deeper with each step, and the air itself felt unstable, like it was struggling to hold everything together.
But even in the middle of that chaos—
I was still holding back.
Not because I couldn't go further.
But because I chose not to.
CLANG!
Our blades collided again, the force of the impact sending a shockwave outward. I shifted my stance immediately, redirecting his strength instead of meeting it head-on.
CRACK!
The ground beneath us fractured again.
"…You're stabilizing it better," the commander said, his voice calm despite the intensity.
"…Barely," I replied.
And that was the truth.
The power inside me wasn't something I fully understood.
It wasn't just about creating weapons.
It was about form.
About shaping something that didn't originally exist.
And the more I used it, the more I realized—
it wasn't limited to what I could see.
"…You're thinking too much again," he said.
I didn't respond.
Because he was right.
For a brief moment—
I hesitated.
And that was all it took.
CRASH!
A sudden strike broke through my guard, sending me sliding backward across the ground. Pain spread through my body again, sharper than before, deeper.
"…Tch…"
I steadied myself, but my breathing had changed.
Heavier.
Less controlled.
"…You're reaching your limit," he said.
"…Not yet."
But this time—
the words didn't feel as certain.
Because something else was happening.
The more pressure I felt—
the stronger that other presence became.
That same instability.
That same pull.
"…Just a little more…"
No.
I clenched my fist.
Not yet.
I forced it down again.
"…Still resisting," he muttered.
"…Yeah."
Silence.
"…Why?" he asked.
The question caught me off guard.
"…You have the power to end this quickly."
He took a step forward, his gaze sharper now.
"…So why are you holding yourself back?"
For a moment—
I didn't answer.
Then—
"…Because I don't want to lose control."
Silence.
He didn't laugh.
Didn't mock.
Instead—
"…Good."
That one word carried more weight than any attack.
"…Then don't."
And in that moment—
I understood something.
He wasn't trying to push me into losing control.
He was testing if I could fight without it.
"…So this is your real test," I muttered.
He didn't deny it.
We moved again.
This time—
faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
CLANG!
CRACK!
SWOOSH!
Every exchange pushed me further, but this time, I wasn't trying to overpower him.
I was matching him.
Adjusting.
Learning.
Refining.
"…You're close," he said.
"…I know."
Because I could feel it.
That balance.
Between control—
and collapse.
And then—
everything changed.
"…Scy!"
Natalia's voice cut through the battlefield.
For a split second—
my focus broke.
And in that moment—
something moved.
From the side.
Not the commander.
A soldier.
He broke formation.
"…Target the weakness!"
Before I could react—
he was already there.
Right in front of her.
"…No—"
Time slowed.
Not because of my power.
But because of realization.
I was too far.
Too slow.
Too late—
CRASH!
The impact echoed.
But it didn't hit her.
It hit something else.
A blade.
Mine.
Formed instantly.
Intercepting.
Just in time.
The soldier was thrown back, his body crashing against a tree.
Silence.
The air froze.
"…Don't touch her."
My voice changed.
Not louder.
Not angrier.
But heavier.
Colder.
More dangerous.
The pressure around me shifted.
Not explosively.
But enough.
The ground beneath my feet cracked slightly.
The air trembled.
"…Scy…" Natalia whispered.
But I didn't look back.
I couldn't.
Because I knew—
That line—
I was about to cross it.
"…You see now," the commander said quietly.
"…Yeah."
"…That's the moment."
Silence.
My hand trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
But from control.
"…I told you," he continued.
"…once you step past it…"
The pressure increased.
"…you won't come back the same."
I clenched my fist tighter.
The power inside me surged.
Stronger than before.
Closer than ever.
"…Then I won't step past it."
For a moment—
everything stopped.
Then—
slowly—
the pressure stabilized.
The surge calmed.
The instability—
faded.
I stepped forward.
This time—
completely controlled.
"…But I won't lose either."
Silence.
The commander watched me.
Then—
for the first time—
he smiled.
"…Now that…"
He raised his weapon.
"…is the answer I was looking for."