The forest seemed alive with anticipation. Golden leaves shimmered faintly as the obelisk at the heart of the trial pulsed with mana, marking the climax of the Trial of the Forest. Sho Rione and Liyana Lufinze stood at the ready, the mist curling around them like the edge of a blade.
"They're here," Sho muttered, tightening his grip on his sword.
Liyana stretched lazily, her silver hair gleaming in the light. "Let's make this interesting," she said, twirling an apple in her fingers. Her crimson eyes sparkled with mischief and excitement.
From the fog emerged Princess Arisa Varellis, radiant in her noble armor, her sword glinting with light mana, and Saint Alisa Yurica, her holy staff glowing with pure energy. Flanking them were two elite academy students, eyes sharp and ready. The field was set.
Sho's system window blinked:
> [Hidden Objective: Domination Pulse Resonance Detected]
[Team #12 — Sho & Liyana vs Princess Arisa & Saint Alisa — Ultimate Challenge]
Sho exhaled, feeling the familiar surge in his veins. "Ready, Liyana?"
She smirked. "Always."
---
The First Wave
Arisa struck first, a blinding streak of radiant light slicing through the forest. Sho parried instinctively, mana shielding his blade. Sparks flew, cutting the air like thunder.
Liyana leapt high into the trees, landing gracefully on a branch. With a flick of her wrist, she released a crimson Fire Arc Spiral, sending the elite students sprawling as the fire twisted through the branches like living serpents.
"You're too strong…" muttered one of the elites as he barely blocked her attack.
Liyana yawned. "I'm just warming up."
Sho shook his head, amused. "Focus!"
Saint Alisa's holy energy surged in response. A radiant dome erupted, trying to contain Sho and Liyana, but Sho countered with a Mana Burst, slicing through the edge of the dome, while Liyana's precise sword strikes and controlled fire attacks made the barrier flicker and collapse in sections.
---
Liyana's True Skill Shines
Liyana moved like a phantom. One moment she was on the ground, deflecting arrows and spells effortlessly; the next, she was flipping midair, sending multiple opponents flying with a combination of fire and mana-infused sword strikes.
Even Princess Arisa and Saint Alisa, though highly skilled, had to adjust to her unpredictable movements. Liyana casually dodged a holy beam from Saint Alisa while twirling midair, her hair trailing like silver flames.
"Sho, try to keep up!" Liyana called with a playful smirk.
Sho gritted his teeth and charged, sword glowing with mana. His Arc Burst collided with a radiant sword strike from Arisa, creating an explosion that shook the trees. The force pushed both teams apart, giving Sho a moment to assess the battlefield.
> [Golden Sticks Detected Nearby: 3]
---
Domination Pulse in Action
Sho's eyes narrowed. He activated the Domination Pulse, sending a shockwave of invisible energy outward. Within a 5-meter radius, the elite students' movements slowed dramatically. Even Arisa and Saint Alisa felt the pressure on their mana flow — not enough to stop them entirely, but enough to create an opening.
Sho and Liyana moved as one. Sho's blade cleaved through incoming attacks while Liyana, almost teasingly, danced around their opponents, landing precise hits and subtle fire bursts that forced Arisa and Alisa to constantly defend.
Liyana casually flicked her wrist, releasing a Dragon Burst she usually suppressed in human form. The blast tore through the forest canopy, forcing even Saint Alisa to step back.
"Is that… all she's got?" Arisa muttered, eyes wide.
"No, she's just pretending," Sho whispered, keeping his focus.
---
The Clash Intensifies
Arisa recovered and combined her radiant sword with Saint Alisa's holy magic, sending a spiraling wave toward Sho and Liyana. The force shattered trees, sending debris flying in every direction.
Liyana grinned, spinning in midair, and effortlessly dodged while slashing Arisa's sword with a Mana-infused Counter Strike. Sho rushed in, slicing the ground to create a shockwave, pushing the elite students and opponents off balance.
The forest was alive with fire, light, and magic. Each attack and counter collided like thunder, shaking the ground. Leaves exploded, rocks shattered, and every observer could only gape at the destructive elegance of their combined attacks.
---
Final Push
Sho activated a rapid sequence of Mana Burst + Arc Burst, slicing through multiple obstacles while Liyana simultaneously cast a controlled Fire Arc Spiral, knocking back Arisa and Saint Alisa.
Arisa's sword glowed brighter, and she charged, light blazing, with Saint Alisa backing her up with a Holy Smite. Sho met her charge head-on, parrying the blade and releasing a Domination Pulse Shockwave, freezing movement around him for a few crucial seconds.
Liyana dashed beside him, her sword and fire magic moving in perfect synchronization, striking both Arisa and Saint Alisa simultaneously.
With a final synchronized assault — Sho's Arc Burst and Liyana's Dragon Burst — the opposing team was forced into retreat, barely maintaining their stance against the combined power.
Sho dashed, collecting the final golden sticks.
> [Golden Sticks Collected: 10 / 10]
[Trial of the Forest Complete]
[Reward: Domination Pulse — Permanent Unlock]
[Bonus Reward: Elite Recognition & Glory]
---
Aftermath
The forest fell silent. The obelisk's glow dimmed. Sho and Liyana stood side by side, barely breathing, watching the awe-struck faces of their opponents.
Arisa lowered her radiant sword. "Sho… Liyana… that was… incredible."
Saint Alisa nodded, adjusting her staff. "I've never seen a team fight with such… precision and raw power."
Sho wiped sweat from his forehead. "We just… worked together."
Liyana smirked, brushing dirt from her uniform. "We made it look fun, didn't we?"
The system window blinked:
> [Team #12 — Rank 1]
[Domination Pulse Permanent Unlock Confirmed]
[Elite Recognition Granted]
Liyana's crimson eyes met Sho's. A faint warmth bloomed in her chest — a feeling she had never felt before while watching someone fight alongside her with such synergy.
Sho noticed the small blush and grinned. "Pretending again?"
Liyana tilted her head, smirking. "Maybe… but it was fun."
Sho Rione — Current Status
Age: 15
Class: Swordman Mage
HP: 11,500 / 11,500
Mana: 14,000 / 14,000
Stamina: 12,000 / 12,000
Active Skills:
Arc Burst: Sho channels mana into his sword, creating a slashing energy arc that extends forward; can hit multiple enemies in a line.
Mana Burst: Sho infuses mana into a blade strike to increase speed and damage, creating explosive impact on contact.
Domination Pulse (Permanent Unlock): Sends a 5-meter radius pulse controlling all living beings within range for 30 seconds; effectiveness depends on proximity; currently no known restrictions.
Passive / Special Skills:
Domination Pulse Control: Enhances precision and timing of Domination Pulse, allowing strategic battlefield manipulation.
Sword-Mana Synchronization: Sho can seamlessly combine sword strikes with mana, maximizing damage and efficiency.
Quick Reflexes: Instinctively reacts to threats, increasing dodge, counterattack, and parry effectiveness.
---
Liyana Lufinze (FAKE) — Current Status
Age: Appears 15 / True Age 3,172
Class: Swordman Mage
HP: 12,000 / 12,000
Mana: 15,000 / 15,000
Stamina: 11,500 / 11,500
Active Skills:
Basic Sword Mastery: Expert-level swordsmanship, precise, fast, and adaptive.
Mana Burst: Infuses sword attacks with controlled mana for explosive strikes.
Fire Magic (Low Level): Produces controlled flames; can be scaled to much higher destructive output but restrained in human form.
Dragon Burst (Suppressed): Releases concentrated draconic energy in a focused area; destructive potential hidden.
Dragon Breath (Suppressed): Breath attack channeling her dragon energy; not fully active in human form.
Passive / Special Skills:
Dragon Power (Concealed): True draconic strength hidden, massively amplifying combat ability.
Effortless Agility: Perfect balance, reflexes, and mobility, allowing dodges and attacks that appear effortless.
Mana Control Mastery: Can manipulate mana for spells or sword strikes with extreme precision.
Combat Awareness: High intuition to anticipate enemy movements and coordinate with allies.
Notes: FAKE stats in human form; hides full ancient dragon power; playful and teasing in combat.
---
Princess Arisa Varellis — Current Status
Age: 15
Class: Swordman Mage
HP: 9,500 / 9,500
Mana: 9,000 / 9,000
Stamina: 9,200 / 9,200
Active Skills:
Radiant Blade: Sword strike infused with light mana, cutting through multiple enemies or defenses.
Light Barrier: Creates a protective shield that blocks physical and magical attacks.
Healing Light: Heals herself or allies using concentrated light mana.
Passive / Special Skills:
Sword-Mana Synchronization: Can combine swordsmanship with mana for optimized combat efficiency.
Tactical Awareness: Excellent understanding of battlefield strategy and opponent behavior.
Notes: Elite swordswoman; strong offensive and defensive skills
---
Saint Alisa Yurica — Current Status
Age: 16
Class: Holy Mage
HP: 12,500 / 12,500
Mana: 15,000 / 15,000
Stamina: 11,000 / 11,000
Active Skills:
Holy Smite: Powerful burst of holy energy causing massive damage to enemies in a cone.
Sanctuary: Creates a protective area where allies are shielded from attacks.
Blessing: Temporarily boosts strength, speed, and mana regeneration of allies.
Mana Purge: Removes or neutralizes enemy magic within a certain area.
Passive / Special Skills:
Tactical Awareness: Anticipates enemy actions, optimizing support and offense.
Area Control Expertise: Excels at controlling large areas in battle, maintaining dominance over battlefield flow.
Notes: Elite support mage and fighter; highly adaptive; excels at controlling battlefield and team fights.