(A/N Big thanks to everyone for the Power stones and Golden tickets, they mean a lot. As usual, please don't hesitate to comment or drop a review. ENJOY)

---------------------------------

Caelum had been heading east since the start of the trial. The map in his head wasn't perfect, but the forest sloped up slightly in that direction, and the higher ground gave better sightlines. After the first contraction, he'd crossed a small ridge that barely counted as a mountain, enough to scatter a few who couldn't keep their footing.

Two had tried to ambush him halfway up. He remembered how quickly it ended, one charged without rhythm, the other hesitated.

'Teamwork without timing, ' he'd thought.

He'd sidestepped, used Kairos Step to slip between them, and let their own momentum finish the job. Two clean eliminations, no wasted mana.

By the time he descended on the eastern side, his band pulsed with new points. The glow had steadied at Rank18. He kept it that way. He wasn't keen on moving too fast up the ranks.

The second hour was rougher. Word must have spread that a few high-ranked participants were nearby. Groups formed. Four of them cornered him at once near a narrow stream — they had good coordination, but they relied too much on noise and intimidation. Caelum's quiet footwork and compressed steps tore through their rhythm. He remembered the look on the last boy's face when the fight ended — not fear, just confusion.

'You should've listened more, shouted less, ' Caelum thought.

He brushed the memory off and continued east.

Now, in the middle of the third hour, he faced his next pair.

A boy and a girl — both silver-haired like most from the Chronos region — sat on a fallen trunk not far ahead, sharing dried fruit and laughing like they were at recess. Their stones glimmered faintly beside them.

Caelum crouched behind a low shrub, watching for a while.

'They've been resting for too long.' He thought.

He could tell from the faint mana trail around them — calm, unworried. It almost felt wrong to interrupt.

The boy tossed a piece of fruit into the air and caught it in his mouth.

"Think anyone's close?" he asked.

The girl stretched, yawning.

"If they were, they'd be smart enough not to bother us." She replied.

Caelum almost smiled at that. Overconfidence is loud.

He moved before they even realised.

The air between him and the log bent slightly as he used a short compression, shrinking the distance in an instant. His foot hit the ground in perfect rhythm with his breath — one step, then another. The boy saw the shift too late; Caelum's palm connected with his shoulder, pushing him off balance. The girl reacted fast, swinging low with a kick, but Caelum stepped aside, letting her leg cut through empty space.

He didn't rush. Every move was measured, silent, efficient. The boy scrambled up and lunged again, trying to pin him with a half-formed Kairos Step. Caelum twisted at the perfect moment, intercepting the motion and sending the boy tumbling into his partner.

"Really?" the girl hissed at her teammate.

"Shut up and move!" The boy shouted.

Caelum's gaze sharpened — not unkindly, just focused.

'They fight like friends. Too comfortable.' He thought.

He shifted slightly, gathering the air around his arm. The subtle compression made his next strike heavier than it looked. A quick jab to the chest — not enough to injure, but enough to knock the wind out of the boy.

The girl swung again, faster this time. Caelum ducked, swept her legs, and tapped her shoulder as she fell — another hit registered on her, and she was done. The fight ended as quickly as it began.

He exhaled once, steady and calm.

"Too easy," he murmured, picking up their stones and merging them with his.

He turned to leave, but a sudden, light voice came from behind a tree.

"Well, that was efficient."

Caelum's posture stiffened slightly as Seris stepped out, her expression bright with curiosity.

"Seris," he greeted.

She smiled.

"That's me. Didn't expect to find you this far out. You've been busy, huh?" She said.

"A bit." He straightened, brushing his sleeve.

"You've been tracking me?" He asked, intrigued.

"Not exactly. I was just moving this way and saw the commotion." She said, glancing at the unconscious pair.

"You work fast." She commented.

"I try to avoid wasting time." He replied with a sigh.

Seris nodded thoughtfully, then grinned.

"You sound weirdly like Orion." She commented.

Caelum's lips twitched faintly.

"Do I?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah — calm voice, short answers, I can see why you two get along," she teased.

Caelum just shrugged.

"Mind if I tag along? The forest's getting dull." She asked.

Caelum looked at her for a moment.

"You sure that's a good idea? People might think we're teaming." He asked.

"They already think that about everyone," she said lightly.

"Besides, two people standing near each other doesn't mean an alliance. Unless you're scared, I'll slow you down." She finished with a smirk.

He gave a quiet sigh.

"You talk a lot." He pointed out.

"I get that a lot, but I find silence more awkward," she said cheerfully.

"It's not always awkward," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "It was getting there."

He didn't argue. Instead, he started walking, and Seris easily matched his pace. The forest light filtered through the branches, glinting off their silver hair.

"So, Rank 8," she said after a while.

"Holding back?" She asked.

He'd gone higher in the rankings since his initial encounter, though he hadn't checked it.

"I'm maintaining my position." He replied.

"Sounds like holding back," she said with a grin.

He ignored that, stepping over a root.

"And you?" He asked,

" I'm guessing you haven't checked the rankings. I'm Second," she said proudly.

He glanced at her. "That's… high."

"Thank you," she said, as if it were a compliment.

"You should try it sometime." She said.

"Not interested." He replied

"Right, Mr Low Profile," she said, drawing out the words.

He didn't reply, and for a moment, only the soft crunch of leaves filled the air. Despite her chatter, Caelum didn't mind her company. She was energetic but not reckless, talkative but harmless. Her presence lightened the silence he usually found comfortable — not unwelcome, just different.

"So where are you heading?" she asked.

"East. It's quieter, and the compression is pushing towards there." He replied.

"Then I'll join you till it gets boring." She said.

He gave her a sidelong look.

"You'll get bored fast." He said.

"Maybe, but for now, you're my best entertainment," she said with a smile.

Caelum sighed quietly. "Lucky me."

"Exactly," she said, pleased.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.