Moon stared at the large creature silently. He had suspected this moment would come. Had known since the beginning that this was the trap—force people to turn on each other, to become murderers for the promise of escape.

But he'd also been planning for exactly this scenario.

"There's a third option," Moon said quietly, his eyes never leaving the creature.

It tilted its head, curiosity in its posture. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"We kill you instead."

[-2048 Lives]

[Four Element Affinity has reached Level 10!]

[Four Element Affinity has evolved to Five Element Affinity!]

New information flooded Moon's consciousness. A fifth element, one he hadn't possessed before, suddenly became available to him.

[Five Element Affinity]

[Rank: Epic]

[Level: 1] [Max]

[Details: You have moderate affinity to the four elements. Water, Earth, Wind, Fire. Low affinity to the intermediate element Lightning. +100% Extra Control. +100% Elemental Damage.]

Moon's eyes widened as he processed what he was seeing. He had just gained an Epic rank skill before even having a first-class evolution.

Before awakening, he'd read extensively about the journeys of powerful awakeners who had reached the second sanctuary. Never, not once, had he read about any of them possessing an Epic rank skill before their first class evolution.

Most awakeners considered themselves fortunate to obtain a single Epic skill by the time they were well within their second evolution.. Some never obtained one at all, even in the second sanctuary.

Yet here he was, level thirteen, with an Epic rank skill that gave him moderate affinity to four basic elements and access to Lightning—an intermediate element that combined properties of multiple basics, known for being one of the most devastating in combat.

The power coursing through him was intoxicating.

[Time: 0:24]

Twenty-four seconds left.

Moon's smile was cold and sharp as lightning as he looked at the figure descending from its throne.

"Oh boy... You're dead."

He turned toward Selene, who stood with a complicated expression on her face—shock, confusion, wariness, and perhaps a hint of fear warring across her features. She didn't know how to process everything that had been happening.

"Selene, are you ready to leave this realm?" Moon said, his voice cutting through her thoughts.

Selene swallowed hard, then nodded with a soft smile.

"I'm ready."

The figure watched this exchange with that same unsettling smile, apparently unconcerned by Moon's declaration.

"Foolish," it said, its voice carrying amusement rather than fear. "Many have tried to fight me directly. All have failed. Do you know what I am, little human?"

"I don't care what you are, you're in my way of going home," Moon replied.

Its smile widened impossibly, revealing more of those icicle teeth.

"Then come," it invited, spreading its arms wide. "Show me what you can accomplish...human."

"I don't think you're ready," Moon grinned, before releasing his new element.

Zap!

Lightning crackled around Moon's hands, blue-white arcs dancing between his fingers with wild energy.

Both Selene and the Heart of Winter reacted with visible surprise.

Moon didn't waste the moment. He immediately wanted to test his new skill against the figure before him, to understand the power he'd just gained.

Lightning left his arms in a jagged zigzag line, travelling toward the creature with speed that made his previous fire attacks look sluggish by comparison.

Its eyeless face somehow conveyed shock as it threw itself to the side, dodging with a speed that belied its massive size.

BOOM!

The lightning strike hit the throne instead, the concentrated energy exploding on impact. The bone and ice structure shattered where the bolt landed, fragments scattering across the platform in a shower of debris.

Moon smirked at the scene. He wasn't upset about missing—in fact, he was pleased. Incredibly pleased.

The fact that this supposedly high and mighty creature had dodged meant it was afraid of his attack. It respected the threat. That told Moon everything he needed to know.

"You..." The Heart of Winter's voice carried genuine confusion for the first time. "How can you be so much more powerful than seconds ago? Were you hiding your strength this entire time?"

"Maybe?" Moon smirked, taking a step closer but maintaining a safe distance. He turned slightly toward Selene, keeping the creature in his peripheral vision.

"Let's combine our elements," Moon whispered urgently. "I'll use lightning, you use water."

Selene nodded immediately, understanding flashing in her eyes.

Moon wanted to use both elements himself, but he couldn't. Despite having an affinity toward lightning and water, lightning was demanding—far more so than the basic elements. The mana cost was higher, and the focus required was intense. He was unable to dual-cast while channelling lightning without losing control entirely.

With Selene's help, though, they could create a combination far more devastating than either element alone.

Moon gathered more lightning and sent another bolt toward the creature. It dodged again, forced to move.

Selene seized that moment. The massive sphere of water in front of her launched toward where the creature had dodged. The water ball exploded on impact, drenching the Heart of Winter entirely. Its body ran with water, pooling on the stone floor around its feet.

The attack did minimal damage—barely worth mentioning in terms of actual harm. But that wasn't the point.

It was soaked, exactly what Moon had been waiting for.

What was surprising was the fact that the creature still hadn't attacked them at all. Not once since the fight began. It had dodged, moved defensively, but never counterattacked.

Moon's eyes widened as realisation struck, as his gaze landed on the timer and thought about the conditions before the timer ended.

[Time: 0:12]

"You... you can't attack us, can you?" Moon said, his voice carrying certainty.

The creature's expression twitched for just a fraction of a second before it smoothed back into that eternal smile.

"Twelve seconds left. Not bad, that's enough time to turn you into a charred corpse."

It was bound by the trial's rules. It couldn't directly harm participants until the timer expired. That's why it had used the wolves. Why had it orchestrated the entire setup to make awakeners kill each other?

It didn't know that everything would resort to this scenario. Nobody did, not even Moon himself. So, it was now bound by the system, unable to fight them until the trial ended.

Moon decided to take a calculated risk and moved closer. Not incredibly close—he wouldn't walk into a potential trap—but close enough to ensure his lightning wouldn't miss.

The creature was fast and could dodge from long range. But physics was physics. If it were standing in water and he hit the water with lightning, dodging wouldn't matter.

"Again!" Moon called to Selene.

They attacked in tandem. Selene sent more water, this time creating a spreading puddle beneath the creature's feet rather than a direct strike. It didn't move, as if waiting for Moon's attack.

In its eyes, the attacks that Selene was sending were nothing worth mentioning. She wasn't a threat; Moon was.

Soon enough, it found itself standing in ankle-deep water that Selene had pooled across the stone floor as it waited for Moon's attack to arrive.

Moon had expected it to leap clear, to recognise the danger. But it didn't move further.

A sudden thought struck him, almost making him laugh aloud.

It might not know what happens when lightning interacts with water.

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