Rynar and Rynor stood side by side, flames and faint sparks still clinging to their bodies.

They turned around at the same time, both wearing wide, satisfied smirks.

"So?" Rynar said, hooking a thumb toward the fallen beasts. "Cool or what?"

The juniors stared at the three massive corpses on the ground.

Some nodded slowly. Others nodded so hard their heads almost hurt.

"T-That was insane…"

"I didn't even see how the third one died…"

Rynor laughed and stretched his arms over his head. "Good. Burn that image into your heads."

Rynar crossed his arms and looked at them seriously. "If you train hard, you'll get there too."

A few juniors blinked. "R-Really?"

Rynor nodded. "Yeah. No joke."

Rynar added, "We didn't train our whole lives. We've only been in the God Gym for a bit over a year."

The forest went quiet.

"…A year?"

"…That's it?"

Some of the juniors looked at each other, disbelief all over their faces.

"In my old sect," one of them muttered, "elders needed decades to reach this level…"

Rynor snorted. "That's because they trained wrong."

Rynar pointed back toward the direction of the God Gym.

"Here, we train the body properly. Every day. No shortcuts, no excuses."

He clenched his fist, a small flame flickering to life. "That's why the God Gym is different."

The juniors' eyes lit up.

"That's why it's so strong…"

"That's why Master is scary…"

Rynor grinned. "You're starting to get it."

Rynar raised his voice. "Alright. Say it with me."

He took a step forward, chest out."God Gym is the best!"

The juniors hesitated for half a second—

Then shouted together.

"GOD GYM IS THE BEST! STRONGEST!"

Their voices echoed through the forest.

Mersha pushed up her glasses and smiled brightly.

She raised her small fist and joined in, her voice clear and cheerful.

"God Gym is the best!"

Rynor laughed. "See? Even the kid gets it."

Rynar nodded, satisfied. "Good. Remember this feeling."

Meanwhile, Seira stood a little to the side, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

She wasn't smiling or even cheering. Instead she was frowning.

Her eyes stayed fixed on the three fallen beasts, then slowly shifted back to Rynar and Rynor.

The twins were already joking with the juniors, acting like what they had just done was normal.

That was the problem.

"…Just over a year," Seira muttered under her breath.

Her fingers clenched slightly.

First, she was shocked by their real strength.

Not flashy techniques, not long chants or complicated spells, but the absolute power of their bodies.

Second, the part that bothered her even more...

They had reached this level in barely over a year.

A year.

In the Shivera Clan, reaching this stage took decades.

Even geniuses needed constant resources, elders guiding them, and endless battles.

And even then, not everyone made it.

Seira exhaled slowly.

"This sect…" she thought, eyes narrowing, "it's abnormal."

She had come here with a mission.

Watch Valtor. Observe the God Gym. Report back.

That was all.

But now, standing here, she felt something dangerous creeping into her thoughts.

Doubt.

Not doubt in the sect, but doubt in her own clan.

She glanced toward the path leading back to the God Gym, where the juniors were still buzzing with excitement.

"What kind of sect," she wondered silently, "can turn people into monsters in a single year?"

Her grip tightened.

She was the Ice Princess of the Shivera Clan.

Pride was carved into her bones. Loyalty was not something she questioned lightly.

And yet…

"…If this power keeps growing," she thought, "the balance of the world won't stay the same."

Seira lowered her gaze, expression unreadable.

What started as a mission to spy was slowly turning into something far more dangerous and...

A temptation.

And she wasn't sure anymore whether she was here to watch the God Gym…

Or to seriously consider becoming part of it.

---

The rest of the three teams slowly made their way back toward the God Gym.

Along the way, Arden's group suddenly stopped.

"Hm?" Arden lifted his head, eyes narrowing slightly.

Ahead of them, two familiar figures were walking casually, laughing like they had just come back from a stroll.

"…Rynar? Rynor?"

The twins turned at the same time.

"Oh?" Rynor raised a brow. "You're here too?"

Rynar tilted his head. "Didn't expect to see you on this path."

Arden glanced between them, clearly confused.

"Wait. You two were assigned to different directions. How are you together?"

Rynar shrugged. "We met in the middle."

Rynor grinned. "Ran into each other by accident."

Arden paused for a second, then nodded. "I see."

His eyes dropped to what they were dragging behind them and froze.

"…Is that…?"

Rynar noticed his gaze and smirked. "Oh, these?"

Rynor kicked one of the massive corpses lightly with his foot. "Just today's haul."

Three third-realm demonic beasts lay behind them, bodies scorched, cracked, and clearly beaten into submission.

Arden's eyes widened just a little. That alone said a lot.

"…Three?" he asked calmly, though his tone carried genuine surprise.

Rynar crossed his arms. "Yep."

Rynor leaned forward slightly. "What about you, strategist? How many did you get?"

Arden gestured behind him. His group was carrying a single third-realm beast.

"One," he replied honestly. "That's all we encountered."

Rynor clicked his tongue. "Unlucky."

Rynar laughed. "Guess we're just better today."

Arden looked at the corpses again, then back at the twins.

"How did you even run into three?"

Rynar shrugged again. "It just happened."

Rynor grinned wider. "Maybe the beasts like us more."

Arden exhaled quietly. "Or maybe you two ran around too loudly."

The twins laughed at that.

Rynor stepped closer. "Admit it, Arden. We beat you this time."

Rynar leaned in. "Feeling pressured yet?"

Arden didn't respond.

He simply turned around and started walking again.

"Let's go back. Master will be waiting."

The twins blinked.

"…That's it?" Rynor asked.

Rynar frowned. "Hey, say something."

Arden didn't even look back.

"Competition based on luck isn't worth discussing."

Rynor stared at his back. "…Man."

Rynar snorted. "He's no fun."

Still, both twins followed after him, dragging their trophies along.

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