[At the Cliff of Trial]
Victor's crimson fist collided with Leona's golden fist—
BOOM!
A violent shockwave erupted beneath their feet, sending jagged pieces of stone spiraling through the air. The dark sky trembled as the sheer force of their clash distorted the space around them.
Victor's breath sharpened as his muscles strained beneath the crushing pressure of Leona's strength. His crimson eyes burned beneath the dark haze.
"Not bad." Leona's golden gaze gleamed dangerously as her fist pushed harder against Victor's.
Victor's jaw tightened.
"Not done yet."
Victor's free hand shot forward—
Leona's golden chains surged toward him—
CLANG!
Victor's fist shot through the golden chains, shattering them mid-strike.
Victor twisted his body mid-air—
CRACK!
His knee shot toward Leona's ribs.
Leona's hand shot out—
SNAP!
Her golden chains coiled around Victor's leg mid-strike.
Victor's crimson gaze sharpened.
"Tch—!"
Leona's golden gaze narrowed dangerously.
"You're predictable."
Suddenly—
Leona twisted her wrist.
The golden chains snapped downward, slamming Victor's body into the jagged ground beneath them.
BOOM!
Victor's body cracked the earth beneath him. A trail of blood pooled at the edge of his lips.
"Damn it—!"
Victor's breath sharpened. His muscles screamed beneath the pressure of the chains.
"Victor!" Ruby's crimson gaze narrowed as her crimson aura flared violently.
Leona's golden gaze darkened as the chains wrapped tighter around Victor's limbs.
"If you can't even stop me…"
Leona's golden eyes burned dangerously beneath the dark sky.
"…then you'll never survive what's coming next."
Victor's breath sharpened. His crimson gaze darkened.
"You think this is enough to stop me?"
Suddenly—
Victor's crimson aura pulsed violently.
"I don't care if it's you—"
SNAP!
Crimson light exploded from Victor's chest.
"—or anyone else."
CRACK!
The golden chains shattered into fragments beneath the weight of his aura.
Victor's body shot forward. His crimson fist blurred toward Leona's chest—
BOOM!
Leona's golden chains coiled around her body mid-strike.
CLANG!
Victor's fist collided with her guard—sending a violent shockwave tearing through the ground beneath them.
Victor's breath sharpened. His crimson gaze burned beneath the pressure of her aura.
Leona's golden gaze narrowed faintly.
"Better."
Victor's jaw tightened.
"You think this is better?"
Suddenly—
Victor's crimson aura erupted violently.
A crimson sigil ignited beneath his feet.
Victor's crimson gaze burned dangerously.
"Then let me show you something worse."
Victor's body blurred through the air—
His fist shot toward Leona's chest—
Leona's golden chains surged toward him—
Victor's fist twisted mid-strike—
CLANG!
Victor's hand slipped through the opening in her guard—
His palm shot toward her chest—
BOOM!
Leona's body shot backward through the air.
CRASH!
Her body slammed into the jagged stone wall behind her.
Leona's golden gaze darkened faintly beneath the impact.
Victor's breath steadied as he stood beneath the dark sky.
"Now…"
Victor's crimson gaze narrowed faintly.
"You still think I'm weak?"
Leona's breath sharpened. Blood pooled at the edge of her lips as her golden gaze darkened beneath the flickering light.
Slowly—
Leona's body straightened beneath the dark sky.
Her golden chains pulsed dangerously beneath her aura.
"Not bad."
Leona's golden gaze gleamed beneath the dark haze.
"But you're still not ready."
Suddenly—
Golden chains erupted from the ground beneath Victor's feet.
"What—"
Victor's crimson gaze sharpened—
But the chains moved too fast.
Victor's arms shot upward—
SNAP!
The golden chains wrapped around his limbs—lifting his body into the air.
Victor's crimson eyes burned violently beneath the pressure.
"Tch—!"
Leona's golden gaze narrowed sharply.
"You've gotten stronger."
Her breath sharpened as her golden aura flared violently.
"But strength isn't enough."
Victor's breath sharpened.
"You think I'm not strong enough?"
Suddenly—
Victor's crimson aura surged violently beneath the pressure of her chains.
"Then let me show you something stronger."
CRACK!
Victor's crimson aura exploded outward.
The golden chains trembled beneath the weight of his energy.
"Break."
SNAP!
The chains shattered into fragments beneath his strength.
Victor's crimson gaze burned.
Leona's golden gaze darkened.
"Good."
Suddenly—
Leona's body blurred through the air.
Victor's crimson gaze sharpened.
Her golden fist shot toward his chest—
Victor's hand shot upward—
CLANG!
Their fists collided mid-air.
A violent shockwave erupted beneath their feet.
Victor's breath sharpened.
"Leona—"
Leona's golden gaze narrowed sharply.
"Don't hold back."
Victor's crimson gaze darkened.
"Fine."
Suddenly—
Victor's body blurred through the air.
His crimson fist shot toward Leona's chest—
Leona's golden chains surged toward him—
Victor's fist twisted mid-strike—
CLANG!
His fist slipped through the gap in her guard—
BOOM!
Victor's palm slammed into Leona's chest.
Leona's breath hitched as her body shot backward through the air—
CRASH!
Leona's body slammed into the jagged stone wall behind her.
Victor's breath steadied. His crimson gaze sharpened.
Leona's golden gaze darkened faintly beneath the impact.
Slowly—
Leona's body straightened beneath the dark sky.
Her golden chains pulsed dangerously beneath her aura.
"Good."
Victor's breath steadied.
"You still want to keep going?"
Leona's golden gaze darkened faintly.
"You've proven yourself."
Victor's crimson gaze sharpened.
"Then this is over."
Leona's golden gaze narrowed faintly.
"No."
Suddenly—
Golden light erupted from Leona's chest.
Victor's crimson gaze narrowed.
"What the hell—"
Leona's golden chains pulsed dangerously beneath the light.
"You've passed the trial."
Victor's crimson gaze sharpened.
"Then why—"
Leona's golden gaze darkened.
"Because the real fight… has just begun."
Suddenly—
A pulse of dark energy erupted through the air.
Victor's crimson gaze sharpened.
Ruby's crimson eyes narrowed sharply.
"Victor—"
Victor's breath steadied.
"What now—"
Suddenly—
A dark crimson sigil ignited beneath the ground.
A violent pulse erupted through the air.
The dark mist parted.
A figure emerged from the depths of the gate.
Tall. Cloaked in black. Silver mask gleaming beneath the dark haze.
"Welcome…" The Guardian's voice was calm.
"…to the real trial."
Victor's breath sharpened.
"Tch—!"
Leona's golden gaze darkened beneath the light.
"Let's finish this."
Victor's crimson gaze burned.
"Agreed."
Suddenly—
Victor's crimson aura erupted violently.
The Guardian's silver mask gleamed beneath the light.
"Come."
Victor's breath sharpened.
"Let's see who survives."