Satou activated [Phantom Form], his body becoming intangible just long enough for the claw to pass harmlessly through him. He re-solidified immediately and struck again, this time a horizontal slash aimed at Vexor's midsection.

The king blocked with a conjured shield of dark energy, the [Void Fang] and corruption-magic meeting in a screaming clash of opposing forces. Reality warped and twisted at the point of contact, space itself seeming to crack under the strain.

Meanwhile, the rest of the strike team had engaged the Crimson Scales.

Grimnir faced two of the elite warriors simultaneously, his massive war axe a blur of devastating strikes. Each swing carried the full weight of his enhanced strength and decades of combat experience. The first Crimson Scale tried to dodge but wasn't fast enough—Grimnir's axe caught it across the chest, scales shattering under the impact and sending the warrior sprawling backward.

The second one lunged forward, fangs bared and claws extended, trying to grapple Grimnir while he was committed to the strike. But the big hobgoblin had anticipated the move. He released the axe with one hand, letting it spin in a wide arc, while his now-free fist shot out in a devastating punch that caught the serpent warrior in the throat.

The creature gagged, stumbling, and Grimnir finished the motion by bringing his axe down in a brutal overhead chop that split the warrior's skull. Dark blood sprayed across the tent floor.

One down.

Kelvin had taken on another two, his speed and agility allowing him to stay just ahead of their strikes. His daggers flashed in precise patterns, seeking the gaps in their natural armor, trying to find vulnerabilities to exploit.

He ducked under a sweeping claw strike, his body moving with fluid grace that came from years of training and countless battles. His left dagger came up in a rising slash that opened a deep gash along one warrior's arm, while his right dagger stabbed forward, seeking the creature's throat.

The serpent warrior jerked its head back at the last second, Kelvin's blade scoring a line across its jaw instead of piercing its windpipe. But the creature's dodge left it open, and Kelvin capitalized instantly. He spun, using his momentum to drive his left dagger deep into the warrior's side, between the scales where the armor was weakest.

The Crimson Scale hissed in pain, its tail whipping around in a reflexive counterattack. Kelvin had to abandon his embedded dagger and leap backward to avoid being caught by the muscular appendage.

The second warrior he faced pressed the attack, not giving him time to recover. Claws raked toward his face, forcing Kelvin into a defensive roll. He came up with only one dagger remaining, breathing hard but eyes sharp and focused.

This one's tougher than the patrols, Kelvin thought grimly. Actually trained, actually skilled.

He feinted left, then went right, his remaining dagger seeking the warrior's eye. The creature blocked with surprising speed, its own claws catching Kelvin's wrist. For a moment they were locked together, strength against strength.

Then Kelvin did something unexpected. Instead of trying to break free, he stepped closer, inside the creature's guard, and headbutted it directly in the snout with all his strength.

The serpent warrior's head snapped back, momentarily stunned. Kelvin took advantage instantly, his dagger plunging into the creature's exposed throat. He twisted the blade, felt it sever something vital, then pulled free and kicked the dying warrior away.

Two down.

Urgot squared off against the remaining Crimson Scale, and the young orc's eyes were blazing with determined fury. This was his chance to prove himself, to show he deserved to be on this mission.

The serpent warrior was massive—easily a foot taller than Urgot and with decades more combat experience evident in every calculated movement. It circled the young orc with predatory patience, looking for an opening, testing his defenses with quick jabs and feints.

Urgot remembered Kelvin's words during training: "Don't let them dictate the pace. Force them to react to you."

He lunged forward with a powerful overhead strike, putting his full strength behind it. The Crimson Scale sidestepped smoothly, and Urgot's weapon slammed into the ground where the warrior had been standing a moment before.

Before he could recover, the serpent warrior's tail whipped around and caught him in the ribs. The impact lifted Urgot off his feet and sent him crashing into the side of the tent, pain exploding through his torso.

Broken ribs, his mind cataloged even as he forced himself to roll aside. The warrior's claws slashed down where his head had been, tearing through the tent's fabric instead of flesh.

Urgot came up in a crouch, one hand pressed against his injured ribs, weapon held defensively in the other. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. The Crimson Scale was already moving toward him, confident now that its prey was wounded.

I'm going to die, part of Urgot's mind whispered. This warrior is too strong, too experienced. I'm not ready for this.

But then another voice rose up—the voice of his father Urgak, the orc chief who'd trained him since childhood: "Fear is natural, my son. But courage isn't the absence of fear. It's fighting anyway."

And Lord Satou's words from this morning's training: "You don't need to be the strongest. You just need to be willing to pay the price for victory."

Urgot's grip tightened on his weapon. His eyes focused with absolute clarity on his opponent. If he was going to die, he'd die like a warrior.

The Crimson Scale lunged, claws extended for a killing strike. Urgot didn't try to dodge. Instead, he stepped forward, inside the creature's reach, accepting a glancing blow across his shoulder that tore through muscle and drew blood.

But in exchange, he got exactly what he wanted—point-blank range.

His weapon came up in a rising thrust that caught the serpent warrior under the jaw, the blade punching through scales and soft tissue to pierce into the brain cavity. The creature convulsed once, its eyes going wide with shock, then went limp.

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