The training didn't start gently.
There were no instructions.
No warm-up.
No explanation.
The moment Kai stepped into the center again—
Three fighters moved at once.
Fast.
Coordinated.
Deliberate.
Kai's eyes sharpened instantly.
"…So this is how it is."
No reply.
Only action.
The first attack came from the front—direct and heavy. Kai blocked, redirecting the force like before, but the second strike came from the side, forcing him to shift again.
The third—
From behind.
He barely dodged.
The ground cracked under the pressure of their movements, the air snapping with every impact.
They weren't testing his strength anymore.
They were testing his limits.
Kai adjusted quickly, his movements becoming tighter, more efficient. No wasted motion. No unnecessary force. He didn't try to overpower them.
He read them.
Adapted.
Learned.
But even then—
They were pushing him back.
"…Good," one of them muttered.
Not praise.
Recognition.
Kai stepped back slightly, creating space.
Then—
He moved forward again.
Faster.
Sharper.
This time, his movements changed.
Not reactive.
Proactive.
He struck first, breaking their rhythm, forcing one of them off balance before turning into the next.
A clean exchange.
A shift in control.
The watchers around them noticed immediately.
"…He's improving mid-fight…"
"…Not just reacting…"
"…He's reading ahead…"
The pressure in the air changed.
Because now—
Kai wasn't just surviving.
He was adapting faster than expected.
Across the field, Lina watched.
Her breathing steady.
Her eyes focused.
She didn't miss anything.
Every movement.
Every mistake.
Every adjustment.
Because soon—
It would be her turn.
"…You're up next."
The voice came from behind her.
Lina turned.
A woman stood there—calm, composed, her presence quiet but sharp.
"…Me?" Lina asked.
The woman nodded.
"…You've already shown potential."
Lina hesitated slightly.
"…I don't know how to control it."
"…That's why you're here."
The woman stepped forward slightly.
"…Come."
Lina glanced once at Kai—
Then followed.
On the other side of the training ground, the air felt different.
Quieter.
More focused.
The woman stopped and turned to face Lina.
"…Show me."
Lina blinked.
"…Show you what?"
"…Your power."
Simple.
Direct.
Lina looked at her hand.
Then slowly raised it.
The faint energy appeared again.
Unstable.
Flickering.
Like before.
"…That's all I can do," she said quietly.
The woman watched closely.
"…No," she said.
"…That's all you allow yourself to do."
Lina frowned slightly.
"I don't understand."
The woman stepped closer.
"…You're holding back."
"…I'm not—"
"Because you're afraid."
The words hit immediately.
Lina froze slightly.
"…If I lose control…"
Her voice lowered.
"…I could hurt someone."
Silence.
Then—
"…Good."
Lina looked up.
"What?"
"…That fear," the woman said, "means you understand what power is."
A pause.
"…But fear alone won't help you control it."
The air shifted slightly.
"…Feel it again."
Lina hesitated.
Then closed her eyes.
The energy responded.
Slowly.
Faintly.
"…Don't push it," the woman continued. "Listen to it."
Lina's breathing steadied.
The energy flickered again—
Then stabilized.
Just slightly.
"…It's reacting…" Lina whispered.
"…Because it's yours."
The woman's voice softened slightly.
"…Not something you borrowed. Not something forced into you."
A pause.
"…It came from you."
Lina's eyes opened.
"…From me…?"
The woman nodded.
"…And that's why it's dangerous."
Silence fell.
Because Lina understood.
If it was hers—
Then losing control wasn't just a possibility.
It was inevitable.
Unless—
She learned.
"…Again," the woman said.
This time—
Lina didn't hesitate.
Her hand lifted again.
The energy gathered.
More stable.
More focused.
Not strong—
But controlled.
A small step forward.
Back in the center—
Kai's fight reached its peak.
Three against one.
Still.
But now—
He stood his ground.
Every movement calculated.
Every strike precise.
The difference between before and now was clear.
He wasn't just adapting.
He was evolving.
One fighter moved in—
Kai countered instantly.
Another—
Blocked and redirected.
The third—
He stepped through the attack and struck cleanly.
The clash stopped.
Silence followed.
The fighters stepped back.
No continuation.
No argument.
They had seen enough.
Kai stood still, his breathing controlled.
Not exhausted.
Not overwhelmed.
Ready.
The man watched from the side.
"…Fast," he said quietly.
Then louder—
"…That's enough."
The tension dropped slightly.
Kai exhaled.
Then turned—
Looking toward Lina.
And what he saw—
Made him pause.
Because she had changed.
Not completely.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
The energy around her hand—
Was steady.
Controlled.
For the first time.
"…You did it," he said.
Lina looked at her hand.
Then at him.
"…Not fully."
A small smile.
"…But I'm getting there."
Kai nodded.
"…That's enough."
But the man stepped forward again.
"…No."
They both looked at him.
"…It's not enough."
Silence.
"…Because what's coming…"
His voice lowered.
"…won't give you time to 'get there.'"
The air grew heavy again.
"…You need to reach it faster."
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"…Then we push harder."
The man held his gaze.
"…That's exactly what we're going to do."
A pause.
Then—
"…Starting now."
The ground beneath them shifted slightly.
And something deeper within the city—
Moved.
Not a person.
Not a fighter.
Something else.
Something hidden.
Something—
Waiting.
Lina felt it immediately.
"…Kai…"
He nodded slowly.
"…Yeah."
This time—
It wasn't training anymore.
And somewhere far below the city—
In the dark—
Something opened its eyes.