The Circle of Storms did not favor the weak.
Lightning arced between jagged spires that framed the battlefield. Winds howled across the floating platform as if the heavens themselves sought to tear it apart. The tomb's voice had long since gone silent, but its presence lingered—watching, waiting.
Kaien of Green Spear Sect cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, the soles of his boots burning green marks into the storm-etched stone.
Wang Shi of Crimson Fog twirled his glaive, red mist condensing around his form, each breath he exhaled marked with the scent of sulfur.
Li Rong of White Stone narrowed her eyes, blades drawn. Her calm elegance was gone—replaced by a coiled readiness and icy contempt.
And all of them now had one target:
**Shadow.**
The disciple of the Verdant Moon Sect.
The outsider.
"You've been lucky so far," Kaien said, circling to Shadow's left. "But this is where it ends."
Wang Shi's voice was a growl, low and mocking. "It's fitting, really. A third-rate sect with delusions of legacy. You shouldn't have been allowed this far."
Shadow's eyes flicked between them. His breathing was steady. "I didn't come here to prove my sect's worth. I came to prove mine."
Li Rong scoffed. "You mistake arrogance for purpose."
"Maybe," Shadow said. "But at least I'm not hiding behind a name."
That was the spark.
Kaien struck first.
The stone beneath him shattered with his launch, a green comet crashing toward Shadow. Shadow barely raised his blade in time. Their clash sparked a concussive wave, sending both skidding.
But Wang Shi was already in motion.
Red mist burst from his back as he lunged. His glaive spun like a reaper's scythe, hissing through the storm.
Shadow ducked low, lightning arcing from his back. He blasted backward with Thunder Step, barely avoiding the sweeping edge.
And then Li Rong came.
Twin blades shimmered with crystalline light. She struck like a dancer, each blow elegant and lethal.
Shadow blocked one, parried the second, but the third cut deep into his side.
"Still standing?" she said coldly. "Let's fix that."
Shadow's blade pulsed. He met her eyes. "Try."
He twisted under the next strike, slashing low. She backflipped, boots skidding across the stone.
They were coordinated. Too coordinated.
Kaien smashed down from above again.
Shadow caught the blow with crossed arms—Qi shield fracturing, bones creaking. He was launched across the field.
Wang Shi followed up with a horizontal cleave. The glaive screamed through the air.
Shadow gritted his teeth.
His boots hit the ground. He spun—just enough.
The glaive clipped his shoulder but didn't land clean.
Blood sprayed. But Shadow remained upright.
Lightning crackled in his lungs.
*They think this is over. Let them.*
He planted his foot. Calm surged.
Kaien charged, mouth open in a battle cry.
And Shadow disappeared.
**Thunder Step.**
He reappeared behind Wang Shi—blade already raised.
**Thunder Slash!**
It struck with a roar, cleaving into Wang Shi's back.
Red mist exploded into steam. The glaive-user screamed and crashed into the stone, skidding to the edge.
Kaien and Li Rong turned, stunned.
Li Rong reacted first.
She dashed forward, but in her eyes—hesitation.
**Flash Blade Art.**
Shadow blurred past her strike, sidestepped her footwork—
—and stabbed deep.
Her breath caught.
His blade was in her side, cutting across ribs.
She gasped, eyes wide, trying to speak.
But Shadow only said, "Forgive me."
He pulled free. She collapsed.
But Kaien wasn't hesitating.
He roared again, and this time, the storm answered.
Vines of green Qi exploded from the ground, trying to entangle Shadow's legs. He burned them off with a flash of Qi, but Kaien was already airborne.
A punch crashed into Shadow's chest.
Bones cracked.
Shadow spat blood.
Kaien wasn't finished. Another punch followed—into Shadow's side. Then an elbow to the temple. Then a knee into the ribs.
Shadow collapsed to one knee, vision blurred, breath shallow.
Kaien roared louder than thunder. "DIE!"
He raised his fist for the final blow—
—but it never landed.
Lightning surged from Shadow's skin—wild, untamed, screaming.
**Echo Devour.**
The storm answered.
Shadow's entire body glowed.
He rose, blood dripping from his chin. His left arm hung limp. But his right hand—his blade hand—was still strong.
He stared at Kaien through blood-flecked vision.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance."
**Thunder Slash – Full Burst.**
The blade became a beam of living lightning.
It tore forward, splitting the air.
Kaien tried to block, to brace.
Too slow.
The slash cleaved through his chest, through armor, through every defense.
He screamed once.
Then silence.
Kaien fell.
Smoke. Blood. Stillness.
Shadow stood alone.
His sword dropped.
He dropped.
His knees hit the stone. His breath came ragged.
He clutched his side.
Alive.
Barely.
A new gate opened.
Light spilled from it.
The Final Trial.
Shadow didn't smile.
He only whispered.
"Not yet."
And he rose again.
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