(A/N Big thanks to everyone for the Power stones and Golden tickets, they mean a lot. As usual, please don't hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)

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The sound came first — short, quick steps breaking rhythm across the stone.

Irelle raised a hand, and Darius stopped instantly. Niel froze half a pace behind, eyes darting toward the slope ahead.

"They're close," Niel murmured.

"Five," Irelle said.

Her spatial awareness tracked faint shifts in air and gravel, giving her an outline of their formation.

"Two front, one left, one circling right," Se said.

"Tricky," Darius muttered, rolling his neck.

"We're outnumbered." He said.

"You've been outnumbered since birth," Niel replied dryly.

Irelle ignored both. "Stay in line. They'll move first." She muttered.

They waited. The steps grew louder. Dust scattered across the ridge as five figures crested the slope. Each wore the same plain uniform. Their leader, a tall boy with cropped dark hair, raised a hand, motioning the others to fan out. His eyes landed on Irelle and her group with open challenge.

"Looks like we've got company," he said, voice rough but calm.

"We can do this easily. Drop your sigils." He said, his tone dripping with arrogance.

"Or?" Niel asked.

"Or we take them." He countered.

Darius cracked his knuckles.

"I prefer that option," Darius said, a grin on his face.

The leader smirked and gestured. "Your choice."

No signals were exchanged; both sides just moved.

The first attacker lunged toward Irelle. She shifted her weight just enough, Kairos Step activating instinctively, the perfect moment to slip aside, her palm brushing his wrist to redirect his momentum. He stumbled forward, and before he could recover, her knee struck his side; he went down without a sound.

At the same moment, the second and third came for Darius.

He met them head-on. One tried to flank, but Darius grabbed the first by the collar and swung him, using his body as a shield. The second's punch landed on his own teammate's shoulder. The crack echoed. Darius didn't stop; his elbow snapped into the second boy's chin, sending him reeling.

Niel had drawn the fourth's attention, a girl, lean and small. She advanced carefully, reading him, while he kept talking just to unnerve her.

"You know, this might end poorly for you," he said

She scowled. "Keep talking." She said.

He did, intentionally distracting her timing.

When she finally lunged, his words cut short. He sidestepped, barely avoiding her strike, then kicked her shin to offset her stance. She recovered fast, swinging again. He blocked, absorbing the hit, and countered with a jab to the ribs.

Her breath caught. He smiled faintly.

"Told you." He said with a smirk.

Meanwhile, the leader, still watching Irelle, moved in. His attack came low, aiming to sweep her legs, but Irelle had already predicted his action.

Kairos Step triggered.

She pivoted at the perfect instant, his kick missing air. Her counter landed in that same instant, a backfist to the jaw.

He stumbled back, she stepped in again, parried a desperate strike, and sent him down with a palm to the chest. He hit the ground hard.

Across from her, Darius drove his shoulder into one opponent's torso, slamming him against the ridge. The impact shook loose gravel.

The second fighter tried to rush him again, but Darius was too close. He caught the boy's arm and turned it, locking the joint. A sharp motion and the boy's grip failed.

Niel was still fencing with the girl, both breathing evenly but slower now. He feinted left, and she lunged, overextending.

He didn't hit her; he just stepped aside and tripped her with one sweep of his leg. She hit the ground, hard enough to knock the wind out of her.

Niel crouched near her with a smirk. "You talk too little."

The entire fight hadn't lasted two minutes.

The boy Irelle had dropped tried to rise, only for her to step forward again. She didn't kick or strike. She just crouched, one hand pressed lightly on his shoulder.

"Stay down," she said.

He obeyed.

Darius approached, wiping sweat from his brow. "Five of them. Done."

Irelle didn't comment. She looked around, confirming none of them were conscious enough to pose a threat.

"Collect them," she said.

Darius nodded, retrieving two sigil stones. Niel grabbed two and tossed them lightly before handing them to her.

She merged them silently, watching the faint shimmer as the stones fused. The glow dimmed again, marking completion.

Niel sat down on a nearby rock, breathing slowly.

"We're getting faster," he said, a faint smirk on his lips.

Darius leaned back with a laugh. "You mean I'm getting faster."

"You're getting louder," Niel shot back.

"Loud wins fights."

"Loud gets you killed."

"Quiet gets you bullied."

"Both of you stop," Irelle said flatly.

They fell silent immediately.

She stood at the centre of the four fainted opponents, her mind running through the last sequence, what went right, what could've gone better.

Darius's opening strike was a touch late. Niel's counters were sharper than before but lacked follow-through.

Hers? She could've ended it faster.

Efficiency mattered more than pride.

Satisfied, Irelle stepped back and adjusted her gloves. "We move after five minutes. Keep quiet until then."

They obeyed. It wasn't fear that made them listen; it was the simple fact that Irelle had always known when to stop and when to move. Her precision made her word the last one needed.

The ridge fell quiet except for their breathing.

The four fallen students had already begun fading from the trial field, their forms dissolving into faint light. Soon, only footprints and scuff marks remained.

Niel finally broke the silence. "Think anyone heard that?"

"Probably," Darius said.

"Who cares?" Darius said with a scoff

Irelle glanced toward the distance, her eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't answer.

A voice came behind them, light and almost amused.

"Whoever caused all this noise must be pretty confident," it said.

All three turned instantly.

He was just there, no sound, no approach, no distortion. Standing where no one had stood a second ago.

Silver hair. Calm expression. A faint, almost lazy smile that didn't match the silence of his arrival.

Irelle's gaze sharpened. The boys froze behind her.

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