The Combat Arena shifted and took form—a warped battlefield suspended in a vast purple void. Glowing runes floated mid-air, and echoes of distant roars trembled through the air. Josh stood at the center, Blightfall clenched tightly in his right hand. Beside him, Kaen faced a group of phantom beasts swirling like smoke and shadow.
> System Notification
Weapon Area Unlocked
Sword Skills Activated: Rising Edge, Phantom Strike
New Sword Skill Unlocked: Soul Slash
Weapon Compatibility: 12%
Josh narrowed his eyes. The blade in his grip pulsed with a soft violet glow, resonating with his heartbeat. Then the phantoms attacked.
He moved instinctively—cutting, spinning, dodging. Blightfall sang through the air, its edge slicing through illusions like they were paper. With each step, Josh felt more in tune with the sword, as though it responded to his thoughts before he even acted.
A phantom lunged from above, and Josh leaped.
Mid-air, his sword blazed to life—brighter, deeper. A translucent wave, shaped like a crescent moon, burst from the blade.
"Soul Slash!"
His voice echoed like thunder.
The wave exploded outward, tearing through three phantoms in one clean stroke. The impact cracked the ground beneath, sending shockwaves rippling across the arena.
On the other side, Kaen found himself surrounded—but this time, he didn't panic.
"I got this," he muttered, igniting his palms with fiery energy. The flames danced wilder than before—controlled, focused.
He unleashed a spiral of flame at the phantom before him. It screeched and evaporated into ash.
Kaen stared at his hands in disbelief. "I... I did it. I actually did it!"
> System Notification
Level Up Achieved
Combat Power: +30%
Speed: +25%
New Sword Skill Registered: Soul Slash
Obedience Rewards Applied
Fire Power Advanced – 2nd-Level Flame Unlocked
Fogbeast Iron Fragment – Strength Bonus Increased to 45%
Josh landed beside him, both of them gasping for breath.
"That... was insane," Kaen panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Your sword just exploded with light. You didn't even flinch."
Josh gave a tired grin. "Guess we're finally getting the hang of this."
As the last phantom dissolved into mist, the purple void began to crack like glass. The Combat Arena was collapsing.
But just before the world returned to normal, the system flashed one last message:
> System Alert
Unusual activity detected.
External presence... watching.
Josh frowned, his hand tightening on Blightfall. "Kaen... did you feel that?"
Kaen raised an eyebrow. "Feel what?"
Josh hesitated. "Nothing. Let's get out of here."