The air in the arena was tense, thick with the anticipation of the Top 50 matches. Arena crew made a show of sweeping the rings, but Micro-Perception caught a discrepancy. While Duan Qi's ring was swept clean, an aide dusted a fine, near-invisible powder across Qin Ye's assigned ring—a simple, clever counter to Silent Step.
Qin Ye didn't confront the aide. He went directly to the head clerk. "The maintenance notice specifies all rings be treated equally for fairness," he said, his voice carrying just enough for nearby officials. "I request a public re-sweeping of ring two to ensure parity."
Flustered by the procedural demand, the clerk ordered a second sweep under watchful eyes. The fine dust was cleared away. The pre-bout gambit died to a clean appeal to rules. Qin Ye took his position and ran one Spiral Breath cycle—inhale four, anchor four, exhale two. The net would not catch him easily.
⸻
At the judge's station, a prompt appeared.
[Daily Sign-In available.]
[Location: Judge's Bell Stand.]
[Sign-In? Yes / No]
Yes.
[Ding! Sign-In successful!]
[Reward: Focus Thread (Lv.1, 30 breaths) + Re-Center Token (1 use — request a mid-bout center reset per rules).]
A fresh strand of temporal clarity and a small, cool token of authority settled into storage. Tools for a duel of wits as much as strength.
⸻
Duan Qi entered with polished grace and offered a slight bow. "The edges of a career are often defined in rings like this," he said, smooth. Before the bell, he submitted a written appeal on acceptable pause durations between exchanges—a legal move designed to rattle rhythm before the fight even began.
"The rules are clear," Qin Ye replied, flat. Procedural pressure was part of Duan Qi's net.
The bell rang.
Duan Qi began weaving. He danced along the boundary, not attacking directly, but using lateral drift to control space. He raised a hand often, asking for minor clarifications—foot placement, scoring definition. Each query caused a micro-pause, breaking flow. A strategy of a thousand tiny entanglements.
Qin Ye held center. Silent Step, now undetectable, let him maintain position with minimal motion. A needle—still and sharp—at the heart of Duan Qi's swirling net. He waited.
Frustration finally pried Duan Qi forward. He feigned an appeal, then lunged into a genuine grapple, hands seeking to lock Qin Ye's sword arm in a complex tie-up. It was designed to force a clumsy, disqualifying struggle.
Now.
Qin Ye activated the Focus Thread.
Time sharpened. Vectors of Duan Qi's grasp revealed themselves. Instead of resisting, Qin Ye let the grab initiate, feeling the pressure. Impact Buffer shimmered, absorbing the first surge and giving him a perfect read on Duan Qi's strength and commitment.
In that hyper-clarity he saw the single clean counter-angle. He burned one Swift-Step Talisman. He didn't push back; he flowed, pivoting on a silent foot, turning Duan Qi's momentum hollow. His free hand tapped Duan Qi's chest, right over the heart. Clear, final point.
The bell rang.
[Ding! Micro-Goal: "Thread the Net."]
[Reward: +400,000 Spirit Stones; Appeal Resistance +5% (situational).]
Duan Qi, still ghost-holding the tie-up, stared. "The timing—the placement—" He turned to the judge in appeal.
"The Re-Center Token was available and unused," the judge said flatly, checking the log. "Sweep parity verified. The point stands." Procedure protected the outcome.
⸻
The system acknowledged the threshold crossed.
[Ding! Minor Technique Cache opened.]
[Reward: Choose One — "Quiet Pivot" (micro foot swivel for angle retention) OR "Blade Nudge" (non-damaging hilt/flat nudge to redirect guards).]
Qin Ye considered. Quiet Pivot enhanced footwork—perfect for maintaining offensive angles against power. Blade Nudge was a defensive redirection. The path ahead pointed toward raw force. He chose Quiet Pivot. A layer of micro-control stitched into his steps.
⸻
The board updated. The bracket narrowed to sixteen. Qin Ye's name sat on a path curving toward the opposite half where He Rulong waited. A ripple moved through the crowd. Whispers rose: "Inner Gate scouts are watching."
[Main Quest updated — Countdown: 0 days (Final Day).]
[Optional Objective unlocked: "Enter Top 16 Without Using More Than 1 Talisman" — Reward: Technique Chest (intermediate, locked).]
He already met the talisman condition—one Swift-Step only. Tomorrow would be the greater test.
That night, the cliff rings lay silent under a scatter of stars. Qin Ye stood in the stone circle, the Re-Center Token cool in his palm. He turned it once, felt the weight of enforced order, and stilled it. The chaos of the final day would require absolute control.
Final day.