The sky burns.

A streak of fire, blinding even from here, tears through the clouds, leaving a thick trail of black smoke in its wake. The roar reaches us a second later—a deep, guttural tremor that rattles through my chest, vibrating in my bones.

Then—impact.

The world flashes white.

A thunderous boom follows, splitting the air like the sky itself just cracked apart. The ground beneath us shakes violently, and even from over 10 kilometers away, I feel the pressure roll over us like a wave—hot, sharp, almost solid.

A column of fire erupts into the sky, searing the horizon, followed by a massive shockwave that races outward, tearing through the land.

The sound is deafening. A single, violent note that drowns out everything else.

Then comes the wind. A searing gust that whips past, carrying with it a wall of dust and debris. I cover my face with the helmet, shielding my face as the force sweeps over us, the ground kicking up in a swirl of dirt.

So, it's finally here.

We push forward, running toward the impact site. It's not far now.

Several minutes later, we finally arrive.

The dust and debris have mostly settled, revealing a massive crater carved into the land. The impact site sits at the meeting point where the Molten Crest's heat collides with the waters of the Isles, forming a landscape of newly forged, solid black rock—magma cooled into hardened obsidian-like formations.

And there, standing at the center of the crater, is a single creature.

A small figure, barely two meters tall.

And just beyond it, about a dozen meters away, stands something else—a set of white stairs, pristine and untouched, leading up to a glowing rectangular path suspended in midair. A gate of sorts, shimmering faintly, its destination unknown.

My gaze returns to the creature.

It has a humanoid shape, but it is far from human.

Its dark green skin is covered in layered scales, giving it a reptilian appearance. Its head is elongated, almost unnatural, with narrow, viper-like eyes that gleam with an eerie sharpness. Its knees arch forward, legs structured for explosive movement, ending in long, clawed feet that dig slightly into the hardened ground.

But two features dominate above all.

First—its two elongated tails. They extend behind it, each ending in a curiously wide, black metallic structure—almost cylindrical but flaring out slightly.

Second—its arms, or rather, what should have been its arms. Instead of hands, two obsidian-black blades extend from its forearms, seamlessly fused with its body. They share the same dark, metallic sheen as the ends of its tails, gleaming under the light.

For some reason, as I stare into its eyes, I feel something—something that calls to me, something that makes my heart pound faster. A sensation I haven't felt in a while.

My hand moves to my chest, fingers pressing against the armor as I feel the subtle vibrations running through it. This feeling.

My instincts are shouting at me. Telling me what I've been waiting to hear. Justifying every grueling hour of training, every brutal spar, every day spent swinging a sword until my body broke down and my mind begged for rest.

This creature… is worth it.

This creature… is dangerous.

I know it's wrong. I know I shouldn't be feeling like this. I know what's at stake.

But… I can't stop the smile that creeps onto my face.

"So, no more giants," Lukas says, staring at the creature.

The words snap me out of it. I blink, grounding myself, suddenly aware of the tension in my grip. My fingers relax, and I feel oddly relieved that my helmet hides my expression from the others.

"I cannot sense anything within a 21-meter radius sphere around the creature. That entire region of space is blocked to EM waves," Chiara comments.

"21 meters? You mean the size of that circle drawn on the ground?"

"What circ—oh, that one."

There, around the creature, a perfectly drawn circle marks the soil, sitting precisely at the center of the crater formed by the meteorite. The black obsidian line is thick, seamless—too perfect to be natural, as if carved with surgical precision and intention.

But what stands out the most is the fact that the white stairs are positioned just a few meters outside the circle. Meaning—

"It's an optional challenge."

"A bonus boss. What a surprise," Lukas muses, his tone light but eyes sharp. "I suppose everyone's up for the challenge?"

"Lukas… that creature is strong," Ayu suddenly says, her voice carrying an unusual weight.

I glance at her. So she can feel it too. Is it her instincts? Or something else?

"Well, that's a first," Lukas comments. "Can you tell how strong exactly?"

"I… I don't know. It's just a feeling."

Wang crosses his arms. "You think it's like the spiders in the cave?"

"No," Chiara interjects. "The spiders in the cave induced fear through EM waves. I'm detecting no such thing from this creature. And if it were some sort of non-EM waves, it would affect all of us—not just Ayu. Personally, I sense nothing."

Lukas exhales. "Well, it is the final, seventh boss, and The Tower's even giving us the option to skip it. We shouldn't expect an easy fight." He pauses, glancing around at the group before his gaze settles back on the crater. "But… we have to fight it."

I nod. If we walk away now, the later stages will be that much harder.

The others remain silent. They all know that too.

"Should we try hitting it from afar?" Arjun suggests.

"Go ahead. I'll link with you," Lukas replies without hesitation.

Arjun blinks, momentarily surprised by the quick answer, but nods. He steadies himself, charging a round before firing.

The bullet streaks through the air, cutting through the distance at blinding speed.

But just as it reaches the 21-meter rand from the creature, it vanishes.

"…That…"

"I expected it to shatter, but I guess sending it to another dimension works too," Lukas sighs, rubbing his temples. "I think the point with the circle is pretty clear—you step in, you fight. The Tower won't allow workarounds."

"I can go first," Wang suddenly says.

Lukas remains silent for a moment before nodding. "All right. But don't get close to the creature. Just step inside, fire from the edge, and then immediately get out. I'll link with you during the process."

"I'll be on standby," I say. Wang' quick acceleration bursts make him a solid option for an emergency pull, and… something inside me doesn't want Ayu to be the first one in.

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The feeling I get from this creature… for some reason, it reminds me of Siddharth.

No.

Even if Siddharth was strong… something inside me knew I had a chance. I could win.

But this?

All I can sense is—if I step inside… if I fight it one-on-one…

I will die.

"Okay, we're set. I'm linked. And… be careful, Wang," Lukas says, his tone more serious than usual.

Wang nods and walks forward, calm and measured. He unsheathes his sword as he reaches the edge of the obsidian circle—just a few meters away.

The creature doesn't react.

It doesn't even look at him.

It just stands there. Still.

I glance at the white staircase, just ten meters from where Wang stands. All it would take is a few steps, and the stage would be cleared.

I look back at Wang. He grips his sword tightly, the tendrils in his cape shifting, coiled and ready.

There's no tension in his stance. No unusual fluctuations in his body.

Is he not nervous?

Can't he feel it?

Or is he just that confident in himself?

I step forward slightly, my swords already in hand.

"Be careful."

Ayu's voice enters my mind.

I glance at her and notice—her hand gripping her blade is trembling.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she continues.

Her words hit me harder than I expect.

Ayu never says things like this.

I swallow, forcing my nerves down. Now is not the time to hesitate.

"It's okay. We'll take it down, just like the last."

Ayu nods slowly, but I can tell—my words only did so much.

And honestly? I can't even convince myself.

"Everyone, get ready." Lukas' voice cuts through the tension.

"Wang, start when you're ready."

Wang takes a deep breath.

He steps in.

"No— the link is lost. Wang, get back!" Lukas' voice snaps through the connection, sharp and urgent.

Wang doesn't react.

"He can't hear you. EM waves don't pass through," Chiara says, her tone grim.

"Dammit. Alonso, grab him and pull him—"

Before I can move, before any of us can react—

Two projectiles tear through the air.

Wang is sent staggering back, but… he doesn't leave the space.

Instead, he crashes against an invisible wall at the edge.

We freeze.

His armor is caved in where the shots landed.

But… that armor is supposed to be indestructible.

I stare, trying to process it. That's not how this works. Nothing should be able to damage that armor. So why—

No. No time for this.

I shove the thought away and move.

I grip Wang's shoulder, muscles tensing as I pull—but I can't.

It's like trying to shove a wall.

The circle won't let him out.

Wang is trapped.

Before I can even process it, two more shots slam into him—one into his shoulder, the other into his ribs.

The armor fractures again.

I follow the trajectory—I see it now.

The creature isn't moving. It's shooting.

It's shooting through its tails.

Wang jerks, trying to back away. His hand grips his sword, but I can see it—the slight tremble in his stance, the way blood starts trailing from beneath his mask.

Everything is silent.

No sound.

No cry of pain.

Just the eerie, absolute quiet inside that field.

It's like a space of its own.

My heart slams against my ribs.

I know it.

If we don't do something, Wang will die.

But I also know—

If I step inside, without Lukas' boost, alone…

I will also die.

I can feel it.

The logical choice would be to leave him. As much as I have a good impression of Wang, as much as I'd risk my life for him if there was even the smallest sliver of a chance—

This isn't a risk. It's a certainty.

I have a promise to keep.

I—

"Let's go."

A voice cuts through my thoughts, clear and fierce.

Ayu.

She's already moving.

She—

And just like that—everything in me shatters.

The hesitation. The doubt.

Gone.

Wasn't I waiting for a challenge?

The challenge is here.

Didn't we promise to reach the top together?

Then we fight.

Since when?

Since when did I become such a coward?

Since when did I start fearing death this much?

Back then—when I had nothing—I never hesitated.

No one waited for me. No one cared if I lived or died. I fought because I had to. Survived because there was no other choice. If I fell, the world would move on like I was never there.

But now—

Now there's Ayu. The warmth of her presence, the quiet moments we share, the way she leans against me like she belongs there.

Now there's Lukas, Chiara, Wang, Imani, Arjun. The long nights planning, training, joking, arguing over the dumbest things.

Now there's a future.

And because of that—for the first time, I hesitate.

For the first time, I have something to lose.

And that—that—is what makes fear creep in.

But… I can't let it.

Because if I hesitate now—I lose it all anyway.

There's no third option.

We win—

Or we die.

I let out a sharp breath—one I hadn't even realized I was holding.

I push Overdrive to the limit, beyond full-state.

And I rush in.

My boots cross the barrier. Then my helmet.

And the silence shatters.

Wang's breathing—ragged, pained.

His trembling—weak, fading.

The shifting of the creature's tails—lining up the next shot.

The solid, obsidian-like ground beneath us, cracked from impact.

The creature remains there, calm...

And yet—

My instincts scream.

They tell me to run.

To get out.

That this fight is not meant to be won.

But I don't listen.

I can't listen.

Because Ayu is about to step inside.

Because Wang is lying on the floor.

Because I know the others will follow.

A slow grin creeps onto my face.

All the pain.

All the sweat.

All that's at stake.

Show it to me.

Show me the strength my body is afraid of.

Let fear race through my veins.

Let it hammer in my chest.

Let it drive me forward.

For I will feast upon it.

For I will win… or I will die.

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