Dust still lingered in the chamber as Yeo pushed himself to his feet. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from exhilaration. The sentinel was gone. He had won.
But the silence didn't last long.
Stone groaned and cracked. The five remaining statues, arranged in a semi-circle at the end of the hall, came to life. Their weapons gleamed: spears, axes, twin blades, a warhammer, and one carried no weapon at all—just fists wrapped in cracked stone gauntlets.
The system chimed again.
> [Phase 3 Activated: Adaptive Combat Trial]
[Enemy Levels: 10–15]
[Warning: Death is permanent.]
Yeo's throat tightened. "Perfect. No pressure at all."
He flicked his wrist, summoning the Radiant Blade again. The glow was weaker than before—his energy reserve wasn't endless.
> [Passive Skill Unlocked: Battle Instinct Lv.1]
Your body moves with increased precision during high-stress combat.
The unarmed sentinel lunged forward. Faster than the others. Yeo barely raised his blade in time—the blow sent a shockwave through the air. He flipped back, boots skidding across the stone floor.
"Can't fight them all head-on," Yeo thought, calculating. "Divide them."
He activated Flash Step, blinking behind the ax-wielding sentinel. His blade struck—but this one was ready. It twisted, intercepting the strike with the shaft of its weapon.
Clang!
The impact rattled his bones. These ones weren't mindless like the first—they were learning.
"Adaptive combat trial… they're studying me."
Yeo pivoted and slashed low, taking out a chunk of stone leg. The statue staggered. He used it as a shield, pushing it into the twin-blade sentinel's path.
"Let them fight each other," he murmured. "Turn their strength into chaos."
One sentinel swung blindly. Another moved to intercept, but the bottleneck gave Yeo an opening.
He dove forward, blade gleaming. Two clean strikes—one to the leg, one to the core.
Crack.
Another statue down.
> [EXP Gained. Level Up: 2 → 3]
[Stat Points +5]
[Skill: Radiant Blade Lv.2] – Damage increased. Durability enhanced.]
The glow returned, stronger now. The energy pulsing through Yeo felt alive, like it recognized his growth.
But just as victory seemed close, the ground trembled again. The sentinel with stone gauntlets raised both arms—and slammed them into the floor.
From beneath, a red circle etched in light erupted.
A magic formation.
"Wait… these things can use skills?"
The chamber filled with vibrating heat. The air shimmered. Something ancient stirred.
Yeo took a step back.
And the voice returned.
"If you hesitate here, you die. Fight, Yeo. Or be forgotten."
He gritted his teeth. "Then let's finish this."