[Silence followed victory.]
[Not peace.]
[Not relief.]
[Just… silence.]
[Abaksa lay where he had fallen.]
[Chest rising.]
[Slow.]
[Heavy.]
[Every breath burned.]
Abaksa Einsro— "…Still alive…"
[His arm twitched.]
[His fingers tightened around the sword.]
[The darkness around him shifted.]
[Trial 1 Complete…]
[Proceed to next layer…]
"…Of course there's more…"
[Stone groaned.]
[The ground beneath him trembled.]
[Then—]
[Light.]
[Not from above.]
[From below.]
[A faint, eerie glow spread across the cavern floor.]
[Ancient markings.]
[Runes.]
[Circles.]
[Something old.]
[Something intentional.]
Abaksa Einsro— "…This wasn't an accident…"
[This place—]
[Was built.]
[For this.]
[He forced himself up.]
[His shoulder screamed.]
"…Move."
[Step.]
[Step.]
[Each movement felt like tearing his body apart.]
[But stopping—]
[Was death.]
[The chamber widened.]
[The air changed.]
[Heavier.]
[Denser.]
[Like walking into pressure.]
[Then—]
[A sound.]
[Metal scraping stone.]
[A figure stood ahead.]
[Still.]
[Silent.]
[Waiting.]
[Humanoid.]
[Armored.]
[Head lowered.]
Abaksa Einsro— "…Another guardian…"
[The figure moved.]
[Slowly lifting its head.]
[Two hollow eyes burned faint blue.]
??? — "Trial… two…"
[Its voice was broken.]
[Like something unused to speaking.]
"Demonstrate… worth…"
[It drew its weapon.]
[A sword.]
[Unlike his.]
[Not decorative.]
[Heavy.]
[Worn.]
[Real.]
Abaksa Einsro— "…Great."
[The figure raised its blade.]
[And vanished.]
[Impact.]
[Abaksa barely brought his sword up.]
CLANG.
[The force sent him sliding back.]
[Feet scraping stone.]
[His arms shook violently.]
"…Stronger…"
[The guardian attacked again.]
[No wasted movement.]
[No emotion.]
[Perfect form.]
[Strike.]
[Parry.]
[Strike.]
[Break.]
[Abaksa stumbled.]
[This wasn't a beast.]
[This was skill.]
[Refined.]
[Deadly.]
[The blade slipped past his guard.]
[Cut.]
[Blood.]
Abaksa Einsro— "Tch—!"
[He backed away.]
[Breathing uneven.]
"…I can't outfight this…"
[His body was too weak.]
[His endurance too low.]
[His margin for error—]
[Zero.]
[The guardian advanced.]
"Failure… imminent…"
"…Shut up."
[Abaksa steadied himself.]
[Not physically.]
[Mentally.]
[Bruts' voice echoed.]
"You don't win by matching strength."
"You win by choosing where the fight happens."
[Abaksa looked around.]
[The chamber.]
[The runes.]
[The uneven ground.]
"…Environment…"
[The guardian attacked again.]
[Abaksa didn't block.]
[He moved.]
[Side-step.]
[The blade struck stone.]
[SPARK.]
[The rune beneath it flickered.]
"…There."
[The guardian turned.]
[No hesitation.]
[Abaksa ran.]
[Not away.]
[Across.]
[Through the runes.]
[The guardian followed.]
[Predictable.]
[Precise.]
[Abaksa timed it.]
[Waited.]
[One step.]
[Two—]
[Then—]
[He kicked the stone.]
[The rune shattered.]
[Light exploded.]
[The guardian froze.]
[For a fraction of a second.]
[That was enough.]
[Abaksa moved.]
[Forward.]
[Into range.]
[He drove his blade—]
[Through the gap in its armor.]
[Silence.]
[The guardian stopped.]
[Its eyes flickered.]
"Adaptation… acceptable…"
[Its body cracked.]
[Then—]
[Collapsed.]
[Trial 2 Complete…]
[Abaksa staggered back.]
[His legs nearly gave out.]
"…Two…"
[His vision blurred.]
[His body was reaching its limit.]
[But—]
[Something had changed.]
[Physical threshold increased…]
[Plot Armour: Partial Unlock Conditions Approaching…]
[His breath hitched.]
"…Finally…"
[The chamber shifted again.]
[Deeper.]
[Darker.]
[Something far heavier waited below.]
[Far above—]
[The castle.]
[Still in chaos.]
Earl Bruts— "…He's alive."
Butler Kael— "You're certain?"
Earl Bruts— "That boy…"
[His gaze hardened.]
"…doesn't die easily."
[Back in the pit—]
[Abaksa stood.]
[Shaking.]
Abaksa Einsro— "…Next."
[Because stopping—]
[Was never an option.]
[And somewhere… far beyond sight—]
[A presence stirred.]
"Interesting…"
[Ancient.]
[Watching.]
"The eleventh… has begun to change the flow."
[The descent continued.]