Dune and the others kept channeling their Nebas into the water below. The once black liquid was now turning a deep, menacing purple, rippling with energy as Atlas's powerful Purple Zeten infused it.
Everyone was stunned as they watched the transformation. It was their first time witnessing the full force of Atlas's Zeten.
Ezra whistled under his breath. "That's something else."
Liam nodded, wide-eyed. "If Atlas finds a compatible creature for his Zeten... he could be unstoppable."
Elijah grinned, his excitement barely contained. His own Blue Zeten, just one level below Atlas's, suddenly felt inferior. But instead of envy, Elijah felt motivated. "This is getting good," he muttered, flexing his fingers. He couldn't wait to push himself even further.
Dune scanned the horizon, his body tense. He could feel the pressure of time bearing down on them as the water rose with unnatural speed. He looked around, waiting for their enemies to show themselves.
And then, as if summoned by the thought, someone burst out of the water.
The figure soared into the air, his skin an eerie blue and covered in burn marks. His armor was torn and barely clinging to his body, evidence of their struggle in the toxic, enhanced water.
Dune's instincts kicked in immediately. "That's it!" he shouted. "Go, Elijah!"
Elijah didn't need to be told twice. With a wicked grin, he launched himself forward at an incredible speed, catching the figure mid air. The two clashed in a blur of motion, Elijah gripping the man by the head as they plummeted back toward the tower.
"Let me go!" the man screamed, green Neba radiating from his body as he blasted an attack at Elijah.
Elijah twisted in mid-air, narrowly dodging the attack before catching the man by the neck. "Not so fast," he taunted. With a swift motion, Elijah stabbed him through the chest with a glowing green blade made from his Neba.
The man's body shuddered as he began to heal, his wounds closing almost instantly. But Elijah had no intention of letting him recover. Smirking, he flew higher, holding the man aloft. "Oh, you can heal?" Elijah said mockingly. "Let's see how good your healing is!"
With a feral laugh, Elijah dove back toward the water, slamming the man headfirst into the enhanced, toxic liquid.
"How does it taste, bastard?" Elijah snarled, holding the man under the surface.
The man thrashed violently, his screams muffled by the water. When Elijah finally pulled him out, his head was reduced to a horrifying skeleton, with bits of flesh clinging to the bone. The sight made Dune's eyes widen in shock. The rest of the group froze, their expressions a mix of awe and horror.
Elijah tossed the lifeless body aside and hovered in the air. "That's one," he said with a satisfied smirk.
[ Zetens 13 / 100 ]
Dune barely had time to process what had just happened when another figure emerged from the water. This one was a man with a thick beard, his dark blue armor already disintegrating under the water's enhanced toxicity. He landed on the tower, just a few feet from Dune.
"Keep enhancing!" Dune shouted to the others, his voice sharp. "I'll take this one."
The bearded man sneered, his voice gravelly. "You think you can handle me, boy?"
Dune readied his blade, his eyes narrowing. "Think? No, i know i will."
The bearded man wasted no time, lunging at Dune with surprising speed for someone in his deteriorating state. His hand glowed with dark green Neba, forming a jagged blade that crackled with energy. He swung it in a wide arc, forcing Dune to leap back to avoid the attack.
"You're not bad," the man growled, his voice thick with disdain. "But you're no match for me."
Dune stayed silent, watching his opponent's movements carefully. The man's strikes were powerful but predictable, he relied on brute strength and aggression. Dune knew that if he timed his counters right, he could turn the tide.
The man charged again, slashing downward with enough force to crack the stone beneath their feet. Dune sidestepped the blow and retaliated with a quick slash of his own. His blade grazed the man's side, drawing blood.
The man gritted his teeth, stepping back. "You'll pay for that!" He unleashed a wave of green Neba from his blade, aiming it directly at Dune.
Dune ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the attack as it smashed into the wall behind him. The tower shook from the impact, and debris rained down around them.
"Keep enhancing the water!" Dune shouted over his shoulder, his voice firm. He couldn't afford distractions.
The man smirked, noticing the others concentrating on their task. His eyes locked onto Ezra, who was focusing on channeling his Zeten into the water. his grin widened. "Let's see how well you fight when your friends are dead."
The man broke into a sprint, heading straight for Ezra. Ezra didn't notice until it was almost too late, his eyes widening in panic as the bearded man closed the distance.
Before the man could reach Ezra. Predicting the enemy's move, using two nebastep, Dune dashed forward at incredible speed, his blade already raised.
"Too predictable"
*don't tell me…" The man's eyes widened. "he purposely shouted at his comrades so i could attack them instead?… *bastard… he got me!*
The man turned just in time to see Dune coming, but it was too late. Dune's blade cut cleanly through his neck, severing his head in one swift motion. The man's body collapsed to the ground with a dull thud, his head rolling a few feet away.
[ Zetens 12 / 100 ]
Ezra stumbled back, his breath shaky. "T-thanks, bunny" he muttered, staring at the lifeless body.
Dune cleaned his blade, his hands trembling slightly from the adrenaline. "Stay focused," he said firmly, his voice steady despite the tension.
The group exchanged glances, their resolve hardening. They couldn't afford to let their guard down again. The toxic water continued to rise, and Dune knew this was far from over.
Elijah landed gracefully next to Dune, smirking as he nudged Dune's shoulder with his elbow. "Good job, Dune," he said casually. "Two more to go."
Dune barely had a moment to respond before a sudden glow caught their attention. Ned and Nely's bodies shimmered with a faint red zeten. They had depleted their Zete reserves and were now forced to channel their Neba directly.
Dune's jaw tightened. This was way too risky, they might even die. Using Zeten directly meant that Nely and Ned were draining too fast. They would no longer be able to fight effectively.
*Damn it! They can't enhance their bodies without Zeten…*
Zetens possess two distinct sources of power, setting them apart from ordinary individuals. The first is Original Neba, which, like everyone else's, begins at the base level, green, and can be upgraded to yellow, orange, red, blue and lastly purple. But the old Neba doesn't disappear, you just gain a new core. Neba fuels abilities and can also be used to enhance the body, increasing strength, speed, and durability.
However, what makes Zetens unique is their Zeten Neba, a second source of power that allows them to amplify their physical abilities while dedicating original Neba entirely to their special techniques.
This dual-focus makes even an average Zeten stronger than someone relying solely on Neba.
But Zeten Neba can't be used to amplify or enhance your original Neba abilities. That's why most Zetens only use it to enhance themselves while focusing their original Neba to the abilities.
But there's a limit. Regardless of whether one's Zeten Neba is red, purple, or even blue, its true potential is restricted by the user's original Neba rank.
A Zeten with a powerful blue neba but only a stage one green original Neba will remain bound by that limitation.
To fully harness the strength of a higher-tier Zeten Neba, one must first evolve their original Neba to match, only then can they unlock their true power.
Then, as if on cue, Ezra and Liam's bodies began to glow orange. One by one, their team members were drained. Only Elijah and Dune remained at full fighting capacity.
The tension was palpable. The toxic water was now a deep, ominous purple, rising rapidly toward the edges of their platform. Dune scanned the area, his grip tightening around his blade.
Suddenly, three figures erupted from the water with a splash, their forms casting dark shadows against the eerie glow of the horizon. One landed directly in front of Dune, while the other two took positions behind him and Elijah.
Dune's heart dropped as he recognized the figure standing before him. Dark black hair, piercing purple eyes with black eyelids, it was Omen.
"You!" Dune said through gritted teeth, his voice sharp.
Omen smirked, his expression calm. He reached up, unclasping the glowing green necklace around his neck and tossing it aside. It clattered against the stone, the light fading as it hit the ground.
"It can't protect me anymore," Omen said with a sigh, his gaze sweeping over Dune and the others. "So, this was your plan? Enhancing the water with your own Zetens to overpower our artifacts. Clever, Dune. I always knew you'd be a problem."
Dune's eyes narrowed as Omen unsheathed a sleek black sword. The blade gleamed ominously, pulsing with dark energy.
"Then, let's fight to the death, shall we?" Omen said, his voice cold.
Elijah stepped forward, his sword gleaming in his hand. He was grinning. "I like the sound of that."
Dune, however, remained focused, his mind racing as he analyzed the situation. This was the final stretch, two people needed to die for the trial to end. He tightened his grip on his blade.
Omen pointed his sword at Dune, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "I'll deal with you personally, Dune," he said. "I don't need someone as smart as you to be part of the ten chosen"
Dune nodded, his eyes blazing with determination. "Then come at me."
The stage was set. The trial's final battle had begun.