Chapter 23: Shattered Bastion
When Team 7 stepped through the portal, the air shifted instantly. Gone was the humid, marshy warmth of the forest. In its place: wind-swept ruins and cold silence.
They stood at the edge of a vast, broken city—the remains of an ancient civilization buried under dust and jagged stone. Pillars jutted from the earth at impossible angles. Floating platforms hovered in place, held aloft by forgotten spirit tech. The sky above was dark, yet no stars shone.
This was Trial Zone 2: The Shattered Bastion.
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⚠️ Trial Objective
> [ SURVIVE FOR 6 HOURS ]
[ MAINTAIN TERRITORIAL CONTROL OVER THREE KEY NODES ]
[ TIME REMAINING: 6:00:00 ]
> "Survive? That's not usually a good sign," Kale muttered, scanning the ruins.
> "Define 'key nodes'?" Jin asked. "Because I don't see any—"
> CRASH.
A slab of marble exploded beside them. From the shadows emerged a monstrous armored insect—eight-legged, silver-bodied, and with three glowing red eyes.
> [ HOSTILE ENTITY: SHARD-CLAW GUARDIAN – A RANK – UNIT 1 OF 30 ]
> "Oh. So that kind of survive."
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🛡️ Defensive Formation
Kiyanotoka reacted instantly.
> Storm Roc, air control. Fire Dragon, perimeter flame. Sylph-Hare—make us mobile.
The Fire Dragon unleashed a spinning arc of flame that pushed the beast back. The Roc flew high, scanning for more, while the Sylph-Hare blinked them between ruined pillars to avoid a charge.
> "We need to find those nodes!"
> "Found one!" Fuyue called, pointing to a collapsed watchtower pulsing with blue runes.
> "Alright. Kale, Fuyue—hold this ground. Jin, with me."
> "Why do I have to go with you?"
> "Because if you trip again, I'm the only one who can save you without crying."
> "Touché."
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🔍 The Hidden Mechanism
While Kale and Fuyue held the first node, Kiyanotoka and Jin ran through the debris-strewn alleyways of the Bastion. As they moved, the system displayed phantom projections of the old city: spirit engineers directing floating bricks, humans and beasts coexisting, trade routes lit with floating crystal lights.
> This place... was alive once, Kiyanotoka thought. But something ended it.
> "Hey," Jin whispered. "Why's that statue looking at us?"
> "It's not. Keep mo—"
The statue blinked.
> "Run."
The statue exploded into a skeletal golem—a Soulstone Warden—its head aflame with blue fire.
Kiyanotoka raised his arm.
> Pulse Guard—Activate.
> [ 1x Fatal Hit Blocked – Cooldown: 24h ]
> Ow.
The blast pushed them both into a wall, but Jin clumsily flung his dagger into the Warden's eye socket. The beast hissed, flickered, then fell.
> "You okay?" Jin asked.
> "You did something useful. I must be hallucinating."
> "Love you too."
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⚔️ Holding the Line
Back at Node One, Kale's fists glowed with fiery spirit runes. His Beastwolf darted through the ruins like a blur, biting and clawing at any shard-claws that approached.
Fuyue's Moon Serpent coiled around the control pedestal, forming a living shield. Her calm commands sent waves of moonlight bursts across the ruined square.
> "They're regrouping," Fuyue warned.
> "Then we punch harder."
Three more clawed beasts surged from the dark.
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🌀 The Second Node
Kiyanotoka and Jin reached the second control pedestal—a dome with rotating glyphs.
> "You think I can open it by screaming at it?"
> "Try not doing anything. Let me think."
Kiyanotoka watched the pattern. Each glyph matched a pulse—just like his Flame Core training. It wasn't brute force. It was resonance.
He synced his breathing. Matched the rhythm. Then placed his hand on the core.
> One… two… now.
The pedestal opened.
> [ NODE 2: ACTIVATED ]
> "You're like a magical microwave."
> "I'm going to microwave your face."
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🔥 Third Node: A Trap
The last node was deep inside a crumbled citadel. As Team 7 regrouped to approach it, something felt off.
Too quiet. No enemies in sight.
> This is a trap.
He didn't say it. But everyone could feel it.
As they activated the node, a blinding pulse erupted from beneath the stone.
> [ AMBUSH EVENT – SHADOW CORE ALPHA SPAWNED ]
A giant, void-black beast with horns made of jagged crystal and a tail like a whip of stars emerged. Its roar twisted the air itself.
Kiyanotoka didn't hesitate.
> Fire Dragon, go left! Roc high! Sylph-Hare behind!
Everyone else, follow formation beta!
We bring it down—NOW!
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🌌 Peak Synchronization
As they moved in unison, a pulse vibrated through Kiyanotoka's spine.
> [ BEAST SYNC REACHED: 35% ]
> [ NEW BONUS: TRI-LAYERED COORDINATION UNLOCKED ]
His perception of battle shifted. He could sense what his beasts saw. Felt their motions.
> This... this is real command.
The Fire Dragon exhaled fire in tandem with Kale's fists. The Roc swooped in to intercept an aerial strike. The Sylph-Hare portaled Jin out of danger just before the crystal tail lashed the ground.
Kiyanotoka dashed under the beast's legs, drew a short spear forged in heat, and plunged it into the weak joint.
> BOOM.
The Alpha collapsed with a shriek.
> [ NODE 3: SECURED ]
> [ FINAL HOUR: BEGINNING NOW ]
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⏳ Final Hour: The Gauntlet
As the countdown neared its end, wave after wave of enemies surged.
Team 7—now bloody, bruised, and half delirious—fought in a rhythm few others could manage.
They weren't perfect.
But they trusted each other now.
> "You said I was support," Jin yelled, throwing rocks and screaming. "But I am the chaos engine!"
> "Be the chaos engine elsewhere!" Kiyanotoka shouted.
> "No promises!"
Even Fuyue cracked a small smile.
> "How do we still have energy?" Kale grunted, punching a golem into the sky.
> "We don't. We're running on spite and adrenaline," Kiyanotoka replied.
> "And hot sauce berries," Sylph-Hare added with a wink. Or maybe that was an illusion. Who knew anymore?
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🏁 Trial Complete
Finally, the portal shimmered again.
> [ SURVIVAL TIME REACHED – TEAM 7: PASSED ]
[ RANKING: TOP 5 CURRENTLY – LIVE RANKINGS LOCKED UNTIL FINAL STAGE ]
They collapsed in a heap back at the staging grounds.
> "We did it," Kiyanotoka breathed.
> "We didn't even die once," Jin said proudly.
> "You did throw your shoe at an S-rank monster."
> "I maintain it was a distraction technique."
Kiyanotoka stared at his teammates.
Misfits. Maniacs. Lunatics.
But they were his misfits now.
And they were strong.
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📘 End of Chapter 23
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📊 Kiyanotoka Ash – Full Stats (Updated)
👤 Name: Kiyanotoka Ash
🌐 Class: Spiritual Beast Master (Hidden Body Cultivator)
📈 Body Level: Level 2 – Flame Core Initiate
🔥 Traits:
Core Flame Pulse (Short burst every 30 seconds)
Pulse Guard (1 fatal strike negation/day – cooldown: 24h)
Iron Breath Band Training (Passive resistance growth)
Tri-Layered Coordination (Beast and master move in joint burst mode)
Efficiency: 99%
Weakness: Vulnerable to illusion-induced doubt, emotional repression
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🐉 Spirit Beasts:
1. Fire Dragon (Juvenile)
Rank: S
Skills: Refined Fire Arc, Heat Surge
Mood: Fiercely protective
Evolution: ~61%
2. Storm Roc
Rank: A
Skills: Wing Charge, Thunder Dive
Mood: Steady, responsive
Evolution: ~48%
3. Sylph-Hare
Rank: B
Skills: Shadow Step, Spatial Skip
Mood: Cheerful troublemaker
Evolution: ~70%
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🧬 Beast Synchronization:
Current Sync: 35% (Unlocked Tri-Layered Coordination)
Next Bonus at 50%: True Bonded Command (???)
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🌍 Trial Progress:
Trial Zone 2 Complete: Shattered Bastion
Current Status: Team 7 Ranked Top 5
Next Stage: Final Elimination Trials – Location: Redacted