As the bell tolled a third time, the square filled with movement. Warriors in glyph-marked armor strode through the gathering crowd, their voices ringing out with practiced command.
"All initiates above one qi point, step forward. Second Trial begins now."
Leo's breath caught. Second Trial… already?
A soldier in dark bronze armor raised a scroll and read aloud:
"Trial of the Second Floor: Group Survival. You will be placed into teams of three. Cooperation, skill, and endurance will determine your success. Survive until extraction."
A murmur passed through the crowd like a ripple through still water.
Leo's eyes instantly sought Mira and Aric. They stood off to the side, watching everything with cold focus. He jogged toward them, spear in hand, trying to quiet his nerves.
Mira saw him coming and sighed. "Here we go…"
"I want to team with you," Leo said, stopping in front of them. "You're strong. We fought the first trial together—well, sort of. You two clearly know what's going on. And I just unlocked my second qi point."
Mira's expression didn't change. Aric raised a single brow.
"…Two?" he said, his voice a low rumble.
"Two?" Mira echoed, sharper. Her tone was skeptical at first, but Leo watched her eyes flick toward his chest, where the faintest blue glow from his core still pulsed. Her pupils tightened. She blinked. The disbelief was gone—swiftly replaced with something warier, more calculating.
"You must've had a monstrous compatibility rate," Aric muttered, though his expression remained calm.
Leo frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing," Mira said quickly, recovering. She gave Aric a subtle shake of the head. "Just—surprising. Most people can't break through a second point without structured resources."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "You two… you knew what was coming before any of this started. You're not just survivors."
Mira didn't deny it. Instead, she crossed her arms and said evenly, "We were part of a pre-selection program. That's all you need to know."
Aric added, "We didn't expect someone like you to appear. But if you've already got two points... you'll be useful."
Mira glanced at him, clearly weighing something. Then she finally nodded. "Fine. You're in. But don't slow us down."
Before Leo could reply, a flash of light enveloped the square.
Trial transport initiated.
The world dissolved around them.
They reappeared standing atop a moss-covered hill beneath the canopy of a massive forest. The air was damp and cool, thick with the scent of pine and earth. Birds scattered overhead. Somewhere in the distance, something howled—long, low, and guttural.
All around them, other teams were materializing—some disoriented, some immediately moving to form defensive circles.
"This is wild terrain," Aric muttered, kneeling to touch the soil. "Unstable mana density. We'll need to find shelter fast."
Leo turned to Mira, who was already scanning the treeline. "Do they ever tell you how long we have to survive?"
"No," she said flatly. "That's part of the test."
Then a distant roar rolled through the trees.
The ground vibrated slightly.
They turned, eyes narrowing.
From the shadows beyond the tree line, a horde emerged—at least thirty figures, enormous and misshapen, charging in unison. Their skin was a sickly green-gray, their eyes glowing with malice. Tusks jutted from their snarling mouths, and jagged iron weapons gleamed in their hands.
"Orcs," Mira breathed, voice suddenly sharp with tension. "A war band."
Leo's throat tightened. "There's so many."
Aric rose slowly, water condensing around his arms in a swirling mist. "Then we don't run. We fight."
Mira lowered into a ready stance, wind tugging at her red hair.
Leo's grip tightened around the spear.
The orcs roared.
And the forest exploded into chaos.