Raito's hand trembled. "Even if I hit reject will it even let me escape?" He closed his eyes for a moment, then exhaled sharply. "No. If I run now, then what was all this for?"
Memories of his mother's final moments flashed before him. Her weak smile, her trembling hand.
"I promised her I'd get stronger," Raito whispered. "So if I start running now, then I'll never be strong. I refuse to be the weak!"
He roared, and the system responded.
[Engagement Accepted]
Raito swiped his hand through the air, summoning his weapon. The Scorpion Stinger Dagger materialized in his grasp, its blade glowing faintly with mana.
"Well then," he said, lowering his stance. "If I'm fighting this thing, I'm leveling up for sure. This might even be the last phase of this assessment."
He smirked. "Let's see what I can really do."
The Lich raised its staff high, and a surge of dark mana exploded outward. The ground shook as dozens of figures crawled up from beneath the marble floor.
