Chapter 9: Phase Two Begins
The battlefield trembled as hordes of monsters charged from every direction.
Luna dashed forward, her movements sharp and fluid. With a swift roundhouse kick, she sent one monster flying, then pivoted midair to deliver a crushing punch to another. Muscke followed her lead, leaping high above the chaos. His fists clenched with raw might, he brought them down like meteors, shattering the ground and sending shockwaves that toppled waves of creatures.
Dagda stood firm amidst the chaos, breathing deeply. Light began to swirl around his palm his first time channeling his essence into an attack. The energy pulsed, glowing brighter with each passing second until it engulfed his hand in radiant gold. He lunged forward and drove his fist into a monster's chest. The creature's head was obliterated in a burst of divine light.
"Let's go!" Dagda shouted, weaving through enemies.
Luna moved beside him, slashing through the air with a radiant swipe of her hands. Her Lunar Slashes cut down monsters like blades of moonlight.
"All clear," Muscle called out, wiping dust from his fists. "Dagda your hand."
Dagda glanced down. His hand still glowed with a faint golden light. His first step into a much larger world.
At the exit of the trial zone, dozens of candidates had already gathered. A large digital timer on the wall counted down the final seconds. Aidan stood silently among them, his eyes cold and unreadable.
Luna, Muscle, and Dagda arrived just in time. Dagda met Aidan's gaze but couldn't read his expression.
"We passed Phase One," Dagda said with a grin, his heart racing.
The countdown hit zero. A loud buzz echoed across the arena.
Five candidates collapsed to their knees eliminated.
A loudspeaker crackled to life, and the announcer's voice boomed across the hall.
"Congratulations! Those who remain have successfully cleared Phase One. Now, prepare for Phase Two."
The candidates straightened up as the next instruction echoed in their ears.
"You will be transported into a circular hall. Inside, ball-launching machines will attack from all directions front, back, sides, above, and below. Each of you currently holds 100 points. Every hit you take will cost you points. If you drop to 60, you're eliminated. Survive the time limit. Good luck."
Dagda blinked. "Dodgeball?"
Luna nodded. "But these aren't your average balls. They're fast. Very fast."
Muscle grinned. "Guess we better lock in."
They stepped into the next trial room a vast, metallic hall shaped like a sphere. Dozens of ball cannons were fixed along every surface.
Dagda's eyes widened. "Seriously? They're everywhere?"
"You've got 100 points," Muscle replied. "Just don't let it drop below 60."
Alarms blared, and in an instant, the machines roared to life. Dozens of metallic orbs launched at blistering speeds.
Dagda sprinted, ducking and weaving. A ball shot from above and struck his shoulder he staggered and fell. Luna immediately caught him, dodging while holding him up.
All around them, chaos erupted. Candidates scrambled to evade the relentless barrage. Some collided with each other. Others began to panic.
Aidan, however, remained untouched. He moved like a phantom, effortlessly sidestepping every ball with terrifying precision.
Muscle bulldozed through the chaos, his fists smashing any balls that came close. "This is fun!"
"Hey Muscle!" Dagda shouted while dodging. "You're smashing them like a pro!"
Muscke chuckled. "Thanks!" A ball struck him in the back mid-laugh. "Ow okay, that one got me."
As the minutes passed, the pressure intensified. Many candidates were already down to the danger zone below 70 points. Some dropped to 30 and collapsed from exhaustion.
Dagda scanned the room. A silver-haired boy moved like lightning, dodging flawlessly.
"Who's that?" Dagda asked, gritting his teeth.
"He's using his Essence speed type," Muscle said. "Primordial, just like me."
Dagda gritted his teeth. His own points hovered at 75. Five more hits and he was out.
"No... I'm not going down here," he whispered.
Luna was still agile at 90 points. Muscle held strong at 85. But Dagda's heart pounded one mistake and he could lose everything.
"I will become a Predator," Dagda swore under his breath.
With ten minutes left on the clock, the true trial had only just begun.