The Titan Hound closed the distance in a blink.
Stone shattered under its paws as it launched forward, jaws wide, heat rolling off its body in suffocating waves.
Elara screamed.
"AIDEN—!"
Aiden's body refused to move.
His legs didn't exist.
His arms felt detached.
The System screamed in red:
[EVASION: IMPOSSIBLE]
[IMPACT IN: 0.4 SECONDS]
Then—
A shadow slammed down between them and the Hound.
CRASH!!
The ground cratered.
Ronan rose from the impact, blood running down his temple, gauntlets glowing dangerously bright.
"Didn't I say run?" he snarled.
The Titan Hound roared and bit down.
Ronan crossed his arms just in time.
CRUNCH—
The gauntlets screamed as metal warped under the pressure.
Ronan's boots dug trenches in the stone as he was shoved back.
Elara stared in horror.
"He's—he's being crushed!"
Aiden clenched his teeth so hard his jaw trembled.
"…Elara," he whispered, "drag me past them. NOW."
"What?!"
"TRUST ME!"
She didn't understand—but she moved.
She dragged Aiden sideways, skirting the clash by a hair's breadth.
The Titan Hound noticed.
One glowing eye shifted toward Aiden.
Ronan shouted, "HEY!"
Too late.
The Hound kicked Ronan away and lunged again.
Aiden's mark burned.
Not flaring.
Not exploding.
Sinking.
The pain wasn't heat this time.
It was pressure.
Like something deep inside him was being twisted open.
The System glitched violently:
[PRIMAL MARK — AUTHORITY CONFLICT]
[HOST EMOTIONAL STATE: EXTREME DEFENSIVE INTENT]
[CONDITION MET]
[UNLOCKING: PRIMAL RESPONSE — FRAGMENT]
Aiden's vision went white.
The world slowed.
He could see it.
The Titan Hound's muscles coiling.
The airflow bending around its jaws.
The exact point where its momentum would peak.
Aiden raised one trembling hand.
Not to punch.
Not to block.
To command.
"…Stop."
The word left his mouth like a breath.
The mark pulsed.
The Titan Hound froze mid-leap.
Its body slammed into an invisible wall of pressure, suspended in the air, snarling, struggling.
Elara's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"It—stopped?!"
Ronan stared, stunned.
"…What the hell did you do?"
Aiden's head throbbed.
Blood leaked from his nose.
The System trembled:
[PRIMAL RESPONSE ACTIVE — 5 SECONDS]
[WARNING: SEVERE BACKLASH IMMINENT]
Aiden forced the pressure tighter.
The Titan Hound screamed as its bones creaked.
"…Move," Aiden hissed at Elara.
She didn't hesitate.
She hauled him forward again, sprinting toward the tunnel.
Ronan recovered instantly and followed, throwing one last mana-charged punch that sent the frozen Hound crashing into the cavern wall.
The moment the beast hit—
The pressure shattered.
Aiden screamed as agony ripped through his chest.
[PRIMAL RESPONSE ENDED]
[NEURAL DAMAGE DETECTED]
[LOSS OF MOTOR CONTROL: TEMPORARY]
His legs went numb.
He collapsed completely.
Elara caught him before he hit the ground.
"Aiden—Aiden! Don't you dare black out!"
His vision tunneled.
"…I didn't… black out… yet…"
The tunnel ahead suddenly opened into light.
Natural light.
The Trial Grounds exit.
Ronan shoved them through the opening just as the Titan Hound roared again behind them.
The gate slammed shut.
Silence.
Then—
Aiden finally lost consciousness.
The last thing he felt was Elara screaming his name.
And the System whispering softly:
[PRIMAL AUTHORITY RECORDED]
[ERROR CONFIRMED]