The beast roared again.
Its claws tore trenches into the earth as it lunged toward Zane, jaws wide enough to crush a man whole.
Zane spun his spear, barely redirecting the attack.
The impact blasted him backward several meters.
"Damn thing just doesn't quit!" he growled.
Lily slid across the ground beside him, wind mana swirling around her blade as she cut another shallow wound across the beast's flank.
But it wasn't enough.
The Level 32 Alpha Predator barely slowed.
Blood leaked from dozens of injuries now, yet its power only seemed to grow more violent.
Zane's breathing grew heavier.
"We keep this up," he muttered, "we're gonna run out of mana before it does."
Zael stood still.
Watching.
Calculating.
The beast's muscles flexed beneath armored scales. Its regeneration was slow, but its endurance was monstrous.
But that wasn't what occupied Zael's mind.
His gaze drifted briefly toward the forest ahead.
Toward the place Cassian had retreated.
He could feel them.
Three presences.
Hidden.
Waiting.
Watching.
Zael exhaled slowly.
"Zane."
"Yeah?"
"Stop holding back."
Zane frowned.
"I'm not—"
"Your spear art."
Zane paused.
"…You noticed."
Lily looked between them.
"What spear art?"
Zane sighed.
"Fine."
His stance shifted.
Mana surged through the length of his spear, lightning-like energy wrapping around the weapon.
The air crackled.
Lily's eyes widened.
"You've been hiding that the whole time?!"
Zane grinned.
"Didn't think I'd need it this early."
The beast charged again.
Before it could reach them—
Zael moved.
Void Step.
His body vanished.
Appearing directly above the beast's back.
His blade rose slowly.
But this time—
The air around him changed.
A quiet ripple spread outward.
Like invisible waves across water.
Then—
The forest darkened.
Leaves trembled.
Branches shook.
A silent pressure blanketed the battlefield.
Lily felt it first.
Her eyes widened.
"Zael…?"
Zane's grin faded.
"…Oh."
The beast roared in confusion as the world around it shifted.
Invisible lines appeared across the battlefield.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
No—
Thousands.
Thin streaks of faint silver light carved through the air like an unseen web.
Zael's voice was quiet.
"Blade Domain."
The moment the words left his mouth—
The world changed.
Within a thirty-meter radius, every fragment of mana responded to him.
Wind.
Dust.
Leaves.
Even the faint mana drifting through the air.
All of it became blades.
The beast stepped forward—
And its leg suddenly split open.
Blood sprayed.
The monster roared.
It hadn't been struck by Zael's sword.
It had walked through an invisible blade line.
Then another.
And another.
Every movement it made carved deeper wounds into its own body.
Zane stared.
"…That's insane."
Lily whispered.
"It's cutting itself…"
Zael landed lightly on the ground.
Inside the domain—
He barely needed to move.
The beast lunged at him in rage.
Zael raised his hand slightly.
The blade lines shifted.
The creature's charge carried it through dozens of invisible cuts.
Its scales cracked.
Blood exploded across the ground.
Zael stepped forward.
Phantom Split.
Two afterimages of him appeared on either side of the beast.
Each one struck simultaneously.
Night Sever.
Three black arcs crossed the monster's torso.
The beast staggered violently.
But still—
It refused to fall.
---
In the Trees
Cassian's smile had completely vanished.
He stared at the battlefield in disbelief.
"…What the hell is that?"
One of his teammates swallowed.
"That's… a domain technique."
The other whispered.
"But he's only level nineteen…"
Cassian's eyes narrowed.
Impossible.
Domain techniques required absurd mana control.
Even elite third-years struggled with them.
Yet Zael was using one effortlessly.
And worse—
The beast was losing.
Fast.
Cassian's mind raced.
If Zael killed the beast—
Then the 20 points would go to him.
And Cassian would lose the chance to seize their watches afterward.
His jaw tightened.
"Damn it…"
This was not how it was supposed to go.
He had expected the beast to kill or cripple them.
Then he would step in.
Claim the kill.
Claim their watches.
Collect 40–50 points instantly.
But now—
Zael might actually defeat the beast.
Cassian stood slowly.
"…We might need to move sooner."
His teammate hesitated.
"But if we jump in now—"
Cassian's voice hardened.
"Then we make sure the last hit is ours."
His gaze returned to Zael.
For the first time—
There was genuine tension in his expression.
"That kid…"
"…is a problem."
---
Back on the Battlefield
The beast roared again, blood pouring from dozens of cuts now.
But Zael's aura only grew sharper.
Inside the Blade Domain, every movement of the monster became a mistake.
Zael stepped forward.
His blade rose.
Mana gathered.
Resonance Strike.
The strike detonated against the beast's chest like a thunderclap.
The impact finally forced the massive creature onto one knee.
Zane laughed.
"Now we're talking!"
Lightning wrapped around his spear.
"Let's finish this!"
Lily raised her blade as wind mana spiraled around her.
But before they could move—
Zael suddenly froze.
His eyes flicked toward the forest.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Too late."
Zane frowned.
"For what?"
Zael's voice was calm.
"They're coming back."
And just as he said it—
---
The beast collapsed to one knee.
Blood streamed from dozens of wounds carved by the invisible blades of Zael's Blade Domain. Its breathing had grown ragged, each inhale shaking the ground beneath its massive body.
Zane tightened his grip on his spear.
"Alright," he said, grinning. "Let's finish—"
"Nice work."
The voice cut through the battlefield.
Three figures burst from the trees.
Cassian landed lightly on the ground, crimson mana swirling around his blade. His two teammates spread out behind him, blocking the sides.
His gaze moved across the wounded beast…
Then settled on Zael.
"Thanks for doing the hard part," Cassian said casually. "Now step aside."
The air grew tense.
Zane stared at him.
"…You're kidding."
Lily's eyes hardened.
"You abandoned the fight."
Cassian shrugged.
"Strategy."
He lifted his sword slightly.
"The beast is nearly dead. Whoever lands the final blow gets the points."
His smile sharpened.
"And I'm not letting a level nineteen rookie take twenty points."
Zane laughed coldly.
"You think we're just going to hand it over?"
Cassian didn't answer.
His aura flared.
The pressure alone made the leaves tremble.
"Mythical talent users," he said calmly, "shouldn't have to ask twice."
Zael finally stepped forward.
Inside the fading glow of Blade Domain, his expression was calm.
Unbothered.
He looked directly at Cassian.
"No."
The single word fell quietly into the clearing.
Cassian blinked once.
Then chuckled.
"…Bold."
His crimson aura surged.
"Fine."
He raised his blade.
"I'll take it from you."
---
The Observers
High above the forest canopy—
A silent platform floated in the sky, cloaked in distortion fields.
Several officials watched the battlefield through floating projection screens.
One instructor leaned forward.
"…Did he just activate a domain technique?"
Another shook his head slowly.
"Not just activate."
He zoomed in on the footage.
"He maintained it while fighting a level thirty-two beast."
A third observer crossed her arms.
"And he's only level nineteen."
Silence spread through the observation room.
Finally one of them spoke quietly.
"That student…"
"Zael, from AEGIS PRIME."
The woman narrowed her eyes.
"…This camp just became interesting."
---
Back in the Clearing
The beast roared again.
But now there were six awakeners circling it.
Cassian moved first.
His speed exploded forward as crimson energy coated his blade.
He aimed directly at the beast's throat.
Trying to steal the final strike.
But Zael vanished.
Void Step.
He appeared between Cassian and the monster.
Their blades collided.
CLANG
Shockwaves blasted outward.
Cassian's eyes widened slightly.
Fast.
Very fast.
"Out of the way," Cassian said coldly.
Zael's blade remained steady.
"No."
Cassian's smile faded.
Then his aura exploded.
Crimson lightning wrapped around his weapon.
"Mythical Art."
He swung his sword downward.
Crimson Rupture.
A violent slash of destructive energy tore through the air.
Zael moved.
Phantom Split.
Two afterimages split off from his body.
Cassian's attack tore through one illusion.
The real Zael appeared beside him.
Night Sever.
A dark arc slashed across Cassian's side.
Cassian staggered backward.
His eyes widened.
He touched the cut across his armor.
"…You actually hit me."
Zane burst out laughing behind them.
"Oh this is good."
Lightning surged across his spear.
"Guess it's our turn!"
He lunged toward the two legendary awakeners.
The battlefield split instantly into three fights.
Zane vs one legendary.
Lily vs the other.
Zael vs Cassian.
And the wounded beast still rampaging between them.
---
Cassian vs Zael
Cassian wiped the blood from his side.
Then he smiled again.
But this time it was sharper.
"You're not normal."
Zael didn't answer.
Cassian lifted his sword.
"Good."
Crimson energy surged violently around him.
"Because neither am I."
His mythical talent activated fully.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he charged again.
Their blades clashed repeatedly.
Each collision sent shockwaves through the clearing.
Cassian was strong.
Very strong.
But Zael moved with unnatural precision.
Every strike.
Every step.
Perfectly controlled.
Then—
The beast roared again.
It lunged toward both of them blindly.
Zael's eyes flicked toward it.
One moment.
One opportunity.
He vanished.
Void Step.
Reappearing directly above the monster.
His blade rose high.
The remnants of Blade Domain condensed around the weapon.
Thousands of invisible blade lines converged into a single point.
Zael whispered quietly.
"Resonance Strike."
The blade fell.
The impact detonated like thunder.
The beast's skull split open instantly.
Its massive body froze.
Then collapsed.
The system message flashed on every watch.
[Alpha Predator Eliminated]
[Points Awarded: 20]
Cassian's eyes widened.
"…No."
Zael landed calmly beside the corpse.
The glow of the kill notification reflected in his eyes.
But the moment didn't last.
Because Zael turned toward Cassian again.
Slowly.
His gaze dropped briefly to Cassian's wrist.
The smart watch.
Then he looked back at him.
"Now," Zael said quietly.
"Let's talk about the other points."
Cassian's expression darkened.
"You think you can take it?"
Zael's voice remained calm.
"Yes."
Behind them—
Zane had just slammed his spear into the chest of one legendary awakener.
Lily disarmed the other with a precise wind strike.
The battlefield had shifted.
Completely.
Cassian realized it at the same time.
For the first time since arriving at the camp…
The predator had become the prey.
And Zael took a single step forward.
"Give me the watch."
Or fight me for it.
---