The wind died.
No movement.
No sound.
Just six people standing in a broken field, all knowing the same thing—Only one side would walk away.
Hidden Condition Activated
Only One May Claim the Fragment
Alex exhaled slowly. His grip tightened.
No more uncertainty.
No more confusion.
This was simple.
Win—or disappear.
The woman stepped forward first.
Not rushed.
Not aggressive.
Controlled.
"Last chance," she said calmly.
"Turn around."
Bren let out a short laugh.
"Yeah… that's not happening."
Kael didn't speak. He just raised his weapon.
Ready. Alex stepped forward beside them.
"No more talking."
The woman studied him for a second. Then nodded slightly.
"Good."
Because the moment he said that—Everything snapped. They moved at the same time. The two behind her rushed forward instantly, splitting wide—one targeting Bren, the other Kael.
Fast.
Trained.
Coordinated.
But Alex didn't move. Because the woman didn't either. She was watching him.
Waiting.
Testing.
"…You're different," she said quietly.
Alex's eyes narrowed.
"So are you."
Then—She vanished. Alex reacted instantly.
He twisted to the side—Just in time. A blade passed inches from his neck.
Too fast.
Too precise.
But not unseen.
Battle Awareness flared.
He countered immediately—Their weapons clashed. A sharp shockwave burst outward.
The ground cracked beneath them. The woman slid back slightly— Then stopped.
Balanced.
Unshaken.
"…Good reflexes," she said.
Alex didn't respond. He attacked.
Fast.
Direct.
No wasted movement. But she matched him.
Strike for strike.
Step for step.
Not stronger—But cleaner.
More efficient.
Their blades clashed again and again, each impact sending ripples through the air.
Meanwhile—Kael blocked a heavy strike, sliding back across the cracked ground.
"Damn it—!"
His opponent didn't stop.
Relentless.
Every movement aggressive, overwhelming.
Kael barely held his ground.
Bren ducked under a sweeping attack, countering with a brutal strike to the side.
His opponent took the hit— But didn't fall.
Instead— He smiled.
"…That all?"
Bren clicked his tongue.
"…I hate these types."
Back to Alex— The woman stepped back suddenly. Creating distance. Her eyes studied him carefully now.
"…You're unstable."
Alex smirked slightly.
"Yeah."
"Still standing though."
She tilted her head.
"…For now."
The system flickered.
System Overdrive (Residual) Detected
Warning: Strain Accumulating
Alex felt it. His body wasn't fully recovered. Not even close. But he couldn't stop now.
He stepped forward again— Faster.
Pushing harder.
The woman's expression shifted slightly.
She blocked—But this time—Alex changed rhythm.
A sudden break.
An unpredictable angle.
His blade slipped past her defense—
Cutting across her arm.
A clean hit.
She stepped back instantly.
Blood fell lightly to the ground.
Silence.
For a moment—Everything paused.
She looked at the cut. Then back at him.
"…Interesting."
Not anger.
Not shock.
Recognition.
"Who trained you?" she asked.
Alex frowned.
"…No one."
That answer made her pause. For real this time.
"…Then you're even more dangerous than I thought."
The system pulsed again.
Combat Sync Increasing
Adaptation Rate Rising
Alex didn't fully understand what that meant.
But he felt it. Every movement was getting sharper.
Clearer.
Faster.
Like the fight itself was teaching him. The woman stepped forward again. But this time—Her energy changed.
Heavier.
Focused.
Serious.
"Then let's stop testing," she said.
The air dropped.
Pressure surged.
Alex's eyes narrowed.
"…Finally."
They clashed again. But this time—It was different.
Faster.
Harder.
More lethal.
Their movements blurred.
Each strike aimed to kill.
No hesitation.
No restraint.
Alex barely blocked a sudden thrust—The force sent him sliding back. Stronger…
She pressed forward immediately— Not giving him time to recover.
Alex twisted, dodging a follow-up strike—
Countering mid-motion. But she was already gone. Reappearing behind him.
Too fast—Alex barely reacted in time—
Their weapons collided again behind his back. The impact shook his entire body.
"Your awareness is high," she said.
"But your body can't keep up."
Alex gritted his teeth.
"…Working on it."
Across the field—Kael dropped to one knee.
Breathing hard. Blood running down his arm.
"…Not good…"
His opponent raised his weapon again.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
Bren slammed his opponent into the ground—But the man rolled, recovering instantly.
Both of them breathing harder now.
But still standing.
Still fighting.
Alex saw it all in a split second.
We're losing time.
And time—Was everything.
The system flashed suddenly.
Fragment Proximity: Critical
Alex's eyes widened slightly.
"…It's here."
The woman froze for just a fraction of a second. And that was enough. Because they both understood. The fragment— Was activating. The ground trembled.
Light burst from beneath the cracked earth.
A pulse—Stronger than before.
Closer.
Real.
Everyone stopped.
Just for a moment.
Instinct.
Drawn to it.
Fragment Awakening
The woman stepped back.
Creating distance.
Her eyes locked onto Alex.
"…Then this decides it."
Alex nodded.
"…Yeah."
Because now—It wasn't just about winning.
It was about reaching it first. Both of them moved at the same time. Not toward each other— But toward the fragment.
As they rushed forward— The system displayed one final message:
Final Condition
Only the one who claims the fragment…
Survives.