[SECOND MAIN TRIAL OF THE STATUE GOD'S TEMPLE BEGINS NOW.]
[TIME REMAINING: 15 MINUTES.]
Glowing symbols flared into existence above everyone's heads, casting an eerie glow across the frozen chamber. Red. Green. The light painted their faces with fear and suspicion.
Theo, Garret, and Alden bore red marks.
Jun, Mira, Martin, and Finn—green.
The divide was instant. Jun instinctively pulled Mira behind him as he, Martin, and Finn backed away from the three marked in red.
The three with crimson marks exchanged crooked grins.
Garret sneered, stepping forward. "Come on, everyone. We should at least have trust in one another. Why are you four making distance from us?" His grin widened unnaturally, his eyes glinting with killing intent.
"Don't come closer," Finn warned, blade raised.
"Don't panic, Finn. We have the numbers," Martin said calmly, though his grip on his sword tightened.
Alden snorted, mocking. "Numbers? Are you counting those two behind you as well? An E-rank trash and a trembling little healer? Hah!"
"Finn, can you handle Garret alone? I'll deal with the other two," Martin asked, eyes narrowing.
Finn gave a sharp nod. "Don't worry, Sir Martin. I can handle him."
Theo chuckled, drawing his sword lazily. "Handle us both alone? Come on, Sir Martin, that hurts our feelings."
Alden stepped forward, aura crackling. "Even for a C-rank like you, fighting two at once isn't possible. Admit it—you're done."
Martin's eyes sharpened, red aura exploding from his body. "We'll see that… after the fight."
The air trembled as the clash began.
CLANG! Steel smashed against steel as Finn and Garret charged each other. Sparks flew, their blades locked, faces twisted in rage.
On the other side, Theo lunged from the left, Alden from the right. Martin barely twisted his body, both blades whistling past his chest.
"Tch!" He exhaled sharply, rolling away just in time to avoid their follow-up slash.
The two pressed him mercilessly. SWISH—CLANG—SWOOSH! Blades blurred, echoing through the temple. Martin's breath grew heavier with each dodge.
Jun's eyes widened. He could barely follow their movements. So this is how C-rank hunters fight… Sir Martin is being pushed back. At this rate… he won't last fifteen minutes.
Jun's gaze flicked to Mira. Right. We still have her. If Martin gets injured, she can heal. But… can she even move right now? She's still shaking so much…
A silver flash—Martin's left arm was grazed by Theo's blade. SHHHK! Blood splattered the stone floor.
"Huf… huf…" Martin staggered.
Theo licked his lips with a twisted grin. "Oops. Sorry about that, Sir Martin. Next time, it'll be a clean cut."
"Don't… talk nonsense. Come at me!" Martin growled, steadying himself, sweat pouring down his forehead.
[TIME REMAINING: 10 MINUTES.]
Alden clicked his tongue. "Only five minutes passed?"
Theo smirked. "Then we need to hurry and kill at least three of them."
Martin's eyes blazed. He surged forward with a roar, blade arcing toward Alden's neck.
"Shit!" Alden ducked desperately, the blade cutting through strands of his hair.
"Huff… huff… How did this old man recover so quickly?" Alden's eyes widened—then he noticed Martin's wound, already closing. "Wait… his arm… healed?"
Theo snapped his gaze to Mira. She stood behind Jun, hands glowing faintly green, lips trembling but chanting steadily.
"That healer…"
On the other side—
Finn slashed violently, his sword slicing through Garret's arm. SCHHHK!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Garret screamed as blood sprayed, his right arm falling uselessly to his side.
Finn's eyes hardened. He advanced slowly. "This is the end, Garret."
Garret stumbled back, panic flooding his face. "W-Wait! I don't want to die! Please! Spare me!"
With one swift motion, Finn's sword cleaved. SHHHK! Garret's head toppled, rolling across the stone floor.
Finn exhaled heavily, turning toward Mira. "Thank you, Mira."
"There's no time, Mr. Finn. You need to help Sir Martin!" Jun shouted.
Finn wiped the blood from his blade. "I was going to anyway."
Theo cursed, glaring at Jun. "Wasn't she too scared to heal before? How the hell did she recover?"
Alden spat. "That bastard… the E-rank." His glare locked onto Jun.
"Oh? You've got time to talk while fighting me?" Martin snarled, charging at Alden again.
Alden's eyes widened at the incoming strike.
CLANG! Theo intercepted, sparks exploding. Alden countered with a swing, but Martin slipped back—just as Finn lunged in from behind.
The two red-marked hunters twisted away, barely avoiding death.
[TIME REMAINING: 5 MINUTES.]
The temple vibrated with the clash of blades. Sweat, blood, and aura filled the air.
Jun clenched his fists. We just need to last until the time runs out…
[TIME REMAINING: 4 MINUTES.]
CLANG—SWISH—THUD! The battle raged on, blades screaming in the frozen chamber.
[TIME REMAINING: 3 MINUTES.]
Sparks burst as steel clashed, the chamber echoing with metal and screams.
[TIME REMAINING: 2 MINUTES.]
Mira's healing glow bathed Martin and Finn, patching wounds as quickly as they were made.
Alden and Theo staggered, exhaustion plain. Their breaths came ragged, movements growing sloppy.
"Huff… huff… if it wasn't for that healer…" Theo spat, sweat dripping into his eyes. "We would've won already."
[TIME REMAINING: 1 MINUTE.]
Desperation twisted their faces.
"NO! WE WON'T DIE HERE!" Theo and Alden screamed, aura bursting wildly as they charged. Their blades slashed with reckless fury, every strike echoing their fear.
Martin parried, Finn countered. CLANG—SWOOSH—CRASH!
"Give it up already," Martin said coldly.
"SHUT UP, OLD MAN!" Theo shrieked, his attacks becoming crazed.
[THE SECOND MAIN TRIAL OF THE STATUE GOD'S TEMPLE HAS FINISHED.]
The words boomed across the chamber.
Theo and Alden froze. Their eyes widened in disbelief. "It's… over? It's—"
GRRRRMMM.
The ground trembled. Two of the twelve statues creaked to life, their massive stone bodies rising.
"No… no no no!" Theo screamed, stumbling backward. "WAIT! PLEASE HAVE MERCY! PLEASE!"
Alden fell to his knees, sobbing. "Sir Martin! Please! Save us! Please do something! We don't want to die! Plea—"
BOOOOM!
The statues swung their colossal stone swords.
CRASHHH! Blood exploded across the floor, their bodies crushed mercilessly into unrecognizable pulp.
Silence fell.
The survivors stood frozen, the cold smile of the statue god still lingering above them.