Trial by Fire – Time Remaining: 61 minutesObjective: Reach the Central Flame CircleSecondary Objective: Survive
The deeper Kai and his team moved into Ashgate Canyon, the less the world felt grounded.
The sky shimmered unnaturally, light warped by Ki-rich smoke. The ground cracked with dormant flame traps. Giant stone statues, half-melted by past battles, now stood as twisted monuments to old warriors long gone.
And somewhere ahead… was the Central Flame Circle—where only the strongest teams would meet.
Or clash.
Kai moved throuhg the canyon shadows, mind sharp, vision locked. The System was running at full analysis, feeding him fragments of information.
[Team Status:]Mako Rin – 73% Health – Flame Core StableVash Tenru – 58% Health – Wind Ki disruptedKai – 89% Health – No internal damage
[Spirit Cores Acquired: 1 of 2]Source: Ash-Furred Flame Hound (defeated 27 min ago)
The first core had come after a savage fight. Vash had taken a bite to the ribs. Mako had burned his hands fending off the beast's flame maw.
They were bruised—but alive.
And then… the ground shook.
From the canyon walls, a new group dropped in—not gliders, not rogue disciples.
These were armored. Fast. Silent.
And too coordinated.
[System Alert: Inner Ring Candidates Detected]Names:— Ceris Vale | Level: ??? | Element: Void Flame— Daru Stoneveil | Level: 11 | Earth-Anchor Style— Koren Ashlin | Level: 10 | Wind Cut Form
[Designation: Candidate Killers]Mission Objective (Unknown): Interfere with Trial ProgressionEstimated Threat: Critical
Mako's eyes widened. "Those aren't tournament entrants."
"No," Kai replied quietly, fingers tightening on his blade. "They're hunters."
Ceris stepped forward—her cloak flickered, made of some unnatural black flame. Her eyes were colorless, like heatless coals.
"Three Outer Ring dogs," she said, almost with pity. "You weren't meant to come this far."
Mako raised his swords. "Try us."
But even he looked unsure.
They attacked.
Koren vanished in a blink, reappearing behind Vash in a swirl of wind. Ceris raised a hand and summoned a line of black fire that scorched the canyon wall, without even touching it. Daru stomped forward, fists wrapped in stone, his every step causing the ground to quake.
Kai darted forward to intercept Koren—Fang Step bursting twice in quick succession. He slashed—
Clang!
Koren deflected it mid-spin with a curved dagger.
"Fast," he muttered. "But not enough."
Kai gritted his teeth and activated Fang Lash, swinging again in reverse angle. Koren flipped away with a smirk.
He was just playing.
[New Passive Detected: "Killer's Play" – Opponent is not using full strength.]
But that was his mistake.
Kai used the next second to dart behind Daru, who had just slammed Mako into the wall with a stone-fist uppercut.
[Ki Surge: Ember Pulse Lv.2 – Activate]
A surge of fire exploded from Kai's palm, cracking Daru's stone guard and leaving an opening.
[Critical Hit – Backstrike Bonus + Ki Burn]
Daru roared in pain—his focus shifted. Mako, eyes burning, took the chance to rise and drive both his blades into the now-broken guard.
Daru fell.
One down.
Ceris's eyes narrowed.
"You little insects," she said softly.
She lifted both hands. The sky rippled—black flames began to descend like feathers of void.
[Danger Alert: Void Flame Veil – Spirit Drain Imminent]
Perception Check: Passed. Kai detected the core node.]
"Above us!" Kai shouted. "There's a control rune—third ridge!"
Without hesitation, he leapt, Ki focusing into his legs. Fang Step → Fang Step → Fang Step. Triple chain.
He shot up the cliff wall like a missile—drew his blade mid-air—and sliced the rune cleanly.
The void flames dispersed like dying embers.
Ceris hissed and vanished in a plume of smoke, retreating into shadow with Koren.
But not before leaving a final whisper in the air:
"You weren't meant to be seen, Kai. But now they know."
[System Update:]Trial Status: PassedBonus Objective Complete – 2 Spirit Cores gatheredCombat Score: A+
Participants advancing to final rounds: 8
[Secret Bonus Unlocked: Inner Ring Acolyte Invitation – Pending]
Kai (Rank: Unaffiliated) has been added to the Watchlist of:
— The Sect of Ash and Dawn— House Flamewind— The Inner Council of Verdane
Later that night, back at the Outer Dojo, Kai sat alone by the meditation pond. His blade rested across his knees.
Duun approached silently.
"You saw something today," the old master said. "Didn't you?"
Kai nodded. "They weren't supposed to be in the canyon."
"No," Duun said. "But the powerful never play fair. They're not here to watch—they're here to choose."
Kai didn't speak.
But his eyes burned brighter than ever.