Chapter 440: The Trial Of Seven Shadows

The shield-bearing projection charged before Raze finished smiling. He met it halfway across the circular arena. The warrior raised its shield for a collision, but Raze stepped to the side and drove his weapon into its exposed guard.

Light flashed across the shield. He drove it backward with a heavy strike, then broke through with a final blow. The warrior scattered into silver fragments, and the display changed to six remaining opponents.

Raze looked toward Kai. "That’s one for me. Try to keep up."

A thin blade flashed toward his damaged shoulder from behind, but Sera intercepted it, turning the sword aside before the strike landed. She drove the attacker backward with two quick cuts, then glanced at Raze. "Defeating one opponent doesn’t help if the next one catches you celebrating."

Raze glanced at the reinforced plate on his shoulder. "I had it under control."

"Of course you did," Kai said, avoiding a spear thrust. "That’s why Sera helped."

Lily watched from the protected station, her hand near the safety controls. "The impacts are calibrated for training, but I’d prefer you didn’t test those temporary repairs."

Aren retreated toward the arena’s outer markings as the remaining figures spread out. "I thought this was supposed to be an equipment evaluation. Why does it feel like we’re the equipment?"

Sera raised her weapon and studied the formation. "Because they want to see how we respond. Stay close enough to support each other."

...

Three projections took the center while the others circled. The spearman kept Kai at a distance, a ranged fighter sent narrow bolts of light across the floor, and a fast-moving warrior repeatedly slipped away whenever Sera approached.

Sera studied their timing. "Kai, take the center. Raze, guard our right side and don’t chase anyone. Aren, check the wall mechanisms. There has to be a reason the outer floor is marked."

Kai drew the aggressive fighter toward him. "Understood. And Raze, that means you get to protect our brilliant explorer."

Raze positioned himself between Aren and the ranged fighter. "I heard her. I’m staying here."

Sera pursued the evasive projection, but instead of trying to match its speed, she steered it toward the space between the spearman and the central fighter. When it attempted its usual retreat, Kai shifted just enough to close the opening.

Sera caught its weapon, turned with the momentum, and struck the glowing target beneath its collar. The projection dissolved, and the display marked five opponents remaining.

Kai grinned as he turned toward his opponent. "Nicely done."

"You made the opening," Sera replied. "Now finish yours."

The aggressive fighter lunged with a series of heavy blows. Kai used Class Emulation to adopt a precise duelist’s footwork, slipping past the first strike and catching the second on his weapon. The projection swept its weapon, expecting him to retreat.

Kai instead stepped inside its reach. Distortion nudged the committed strike a fraction off its intended line, just enough for the blade to miss his shoulder. He struck the exposed scoring point before the projection could recover. The third figure shattered, leaving four.

Raze glanced at the display. "You’re making this competition difficult."

Sera laughed as she deflected another incoming bolt. "Perhaps try concentrating on the opponents instead of the numbers."

...

Aren reached a panel beside the arena’s perimeter. Ancient markings identified the projection emitters and a manual safety shutter designed to protect technicians during maintenance.

"Lily, there’s a shutter here," Aren said, tracing its instructions. "It blocks one emitter sector for a few seconds without shutting down the trial. Can I use it?"

Lily checked the matching diagram at her console. "Yes, but only the marked lever. The other handle is the emergency shutdown, and I’d rather not end our test by accident."

Aren placed his hand on the lever. "I have never been more careful with a handle."

The ranged projection shifted position and aimed at Sera, who was occupied by the swordsman. Aren watched the emitter’s light brighten and pulled the lever.

A thick metal shutter rose between the emitter and the arena. The projected bolt struck it in a spray of sparks, briefly interrupting the ranged fighter’s attack pattern.

"Raze, now!" Aren shouted.

Raze moved without hesitation. He crossed the open space, caught the projection before it could reposition, and drove his weapon through its glowing target. It burst apart as the shutter lowered, leaving three opponents.

Aren threw both hands up. "Did you see that? I helped defeat one!"

Kai grinned. "We may have discovered the most dangerous ruin explorer in Nexus."

Aren looked delighted with himself. "I’m putting this in my expedition report."

Raze gave him an approving nod. "Include the part where I actually hit it."

Lily’s voice came through the speaker. "I recorded the maneuver. You can argue about the credit after the trial."

...

The swordsman, spearman, and heavy defender withdrew toward the center. A new pattern illuminated beneath their feet, and the arena announced the next coordinated training sequence.

The swordsman attacked first, forcing Kai to defend while the spearman threatened his flank. When Raze moved to intercept, the defender stepped into his path, preventing him from reaching Kai directly.

Sera recognized the arrangement. "They’re using the same timing every time we move to help each other. Switch positions on my call."

Raze shifted his grip, preparing to charge the defender. He stopped when he saw Sera watching him and waited instead.

She smiled briefly. "Good. Kai, trade places with me after the next spear strike. Raze, stay with Aren until I say otherwise."

Kai caught the spear on his weapon and moved past Sera. She slipped into his previous position, drawing the swordsman after her, while Kai turned toward the defender.

The exchange broke their coordinated timing. The swordsman swung at the angle where Kai had been standing, but Sera ducked beneath the attack and forced it toward the center.

Kai stepped around the defender and caught the swordsman’s next committed strike. He redirected it, then struck the exposed target along its side. The projection vanished in a shower of pale light.

Two remained, and Aren leaned over the arena markings. "They’re changing again. That last formation is marked as a paired defense test."

The two surviving projections moved shoulder to shoulder. The heavy defender raised a broad luminous barrier, and the spearman positioned its weapon through a narrow opening beside the shield.

Raze watched the spear flash forward. "That looks annoying."

Sera tightened her grip. "Then let’s make it their problem."

...

The defender advanced like a moving wall, its barrier scattering light across the arena. The spearman attacked through the narrow opening, withdrawing each time Kai attempted to close the distance. When Raze approached from the side, the defender turned to block him, allowing the spear to threaten Sera.

Kai struck the barrier. It absorbed the blow, and the spear countered. He retreated beside Sera, watching how the two attacks overlapped.

"They’re covering each other’s openings," Kai said. "We need to make them interfere."

Sera nodded. "I see the timing. The defender turns whenever Raze approaches, and the spear crosses its guard a moment later. Kai, draw the spear. I’ll make the defender turn. Raze, wait until the barrier moves before you strike."

Raze rolled his shoulders carefully. "I’ll wait for the signal."

Aren stared at Raze from the edge. "That’s a sentence I never expected to hear from you."

Raze gave him a brief look. "You want me to let the spear chase you instead?"

Aren edged away from the approaching projections. "Your patience is inspiring."

Kai advanced, forcing the spearman to commit to a long thrust. Sera rushed the defender from the opposite side, and its shield swung around to meet her. For a heartbeat, the spear passed across the defender’s moving guard. Kai used Distortion on the already committed attack, shifting its course just enough that the spear clipped the barrier instead of passing cleanly through the opening.

Light exploded where the weapons collided. Sera stepped into the gap and struck the defender’s exposed target. Its barrier broke into hundreds of shining fragments, and the projection collapsed.

"Raze!" she called.

He was already moving. With the defender gone, the spearman tried to recover its weapon, but Raze closed the distance and delivered a crushing strike to its scoring target.

The final projection shattered, sending silver light across the arena. The overhead display changed to TRIAL COMPLETE. COOPERATIVE EVALUATION SUCCESSFUL.

...

Aren bent forward, catching his breath. "I’ve explored dangerous ruins before, but I prefer the ones that don’t ask me to participate in a tournament."

Lily entered through the safety gate, studying the results on her reader. "The evaluation recorded seven successful eliminations. Three for Raze, two for Kai, and two for Sera. Aren received an environmental support credit."

Raze straightened immediately. "Three. I win."

Sera glanced at Kai. "He really did count them the entire time."

"I promised a competition," Kai replied. "Not that he’d understand the scoring."

Lily continued reading. "The arena also tracked teamwork, defensive coverage, and unnecessary exposure to counterattacks. Raze, your first elimination was followed by the highest individual exposure penalty."

Raze’s smile faded. "Does the final result really need to include that?"

"It also records how you listened to Sera," Lily said. "Your coverage improved."

Sera bumped his arm gently, avoiding the damaged plate. "See? You can be strong and sensible at the same time."

Raze considered that, then nodded. "Fine. Next time I’ll win without giving Lily anything embarrassing to read."

Aren raised a finger. "And next time, I want at least half an elimination for saving Sera from that ranged attack."

Kai laughed. "I’ll personally recommend that the ancient scoreboard reconsider your contribution."

Before Aren could respond, a deep chime sounded from the far wall. The seven silhouettes went dark, and a massive sealed door began rising behind the platform. Beyond it stood rows of transparent cases filled with preserved expedition equipment, gleaming metal components, and sealed containers beneath a crystal ceiling.

Raze forgot about the scoreboard immediately. "Now that’s a reward worth fighting for."

Kai smiled as the repository lights came on. "Then let’s see what the ancient explorers left behind."