The light from the fourth stage faded, and Bahamut stumbled forward through a curtain of shimmering gold.
For a moment, the world around him blurred, then reformed into a vast oasis under a sun that hung unnaturally still in the sky.
Palm trees swayed gently in a phantom wind. Crystal-clear water glimmered like molten glass, reflecting the brilliant disk above. It was serene, too serene, and that alone told Bahamut something was wrong.
His bare feet sank slightly into soft white sand, still warm from the illusion's false sunlight. His breathing was ragged, his ribs ached with every exhale, and streaks of dried blood cracked across his arms. Every muscle in his body screamed, but he pushed on, flexing his fingers, rolling his shoulders.
"Fifth stage…" he muttered, his voice low, half in disbelief, half in challenge. "What now? Another worm?"
The wind answered with a low, resonant cry that rolled through the air like thunder.
SKREEEEEEEEE!
Bahamut's body tensed immediately. His senses sharpened, and then the shadow fell over him.
The sun dimmed.
From above, a creature of radiant gold dove down with terrifying speed, feathers glowing like molten light, its wingspan large enough to blanket the oasis in shadow. Its eyes burned with pure solar flame. The heat from its descent cracked the sand beneath Bahamut's feet.
A Golden Sun Eagle. Tier 1. Circle of Initiation.
The moment its aura hit him, Bahamut felt his knees nearly buckle. It wasn't the overwhelming, destructive pressure like the wyrm's; it was clean, cutting, absolute. The kind of dominance that came from something that knew it was at the top of the food chain.
He grimaced, raising his arms instinctively as a pulse of heat rippled across the field. His skin burned just from the aura alone.
"Ren… stay quiet for now," he muttered, setting the small white bunny down gently behind a rock. "Don't come out until it's over."
Ren huffed, flicking his ears in disapproval, but didn't argue.
Bahamut inhaled, drawing in air that scorched his lungs. "Alright then… let's see what you've got, featherbag."
He lunged, and the eagle met him halfway.
BOOM!
The air cracked as its golden talons slammed into the ground where Bahamut had just been, kicking up a storm of sand and steam. The shockwave nearly lifted him off his feet, but he rolled sideways, barely avoiding a second strike.
He pivoted and countered with a kick to its leg, but the impact was like striking a steel pillar. Pain jolted up his shin.
"Damn it...."
The eagle's beak came down like a spear of sunlight, grazing his shoulder. Blood spattered across the sand. Bahamut hissed, stumbling back, his body trembling from the force of the blow.
"System! Beast Trait Manifestation... activate!"
[Error. Skill unavailable.]
"…What?" He blinked, wide-eyed. "Try again! Beast Trait Manifestation... activate!"
[Error. Skill offline. External interference detected.]
"Offline?! What kind of bullshit..."
His curse was cut short as another screech split the air. The eagle's wings glowed brighter, each feather reflecting sunlight like mirrors. A heatwave swept through the oasis, vaporizing the water's surface into steam. Bahamut shielded his face with his arm, his skin blistering under the intensity.
The system's voice buzzed again:
[Warning. Illusion anomaly detected. Skill suppression in effect.]
"So it's not me… It's this place." Bahamut spat blood, his grin widening despite the pain. "Heh. Fine then. We do this the old way."
He charged forward again, ducking under another wing swipe, sand exploding under his feet. He leapt, grabbed onto one of the eagle's legs, and bit down on the tendon hard enough to draw blood.
The beast shrieked, twisting violently in the air, flinging him off like a ragdoll. Bahamut hit the ground hard, rolling over several times before stopping. His arm was dislocated. His left leg bent awkwardly.
But he was laughing.
"Damn… that hurt." He twisted his shoulder with a crack, resetting it. "Alright, round two."
He darted forward again, weaving between the eagle's talons and snapping beak. Each dodge came closer to death. One misstep, and he'd be impaled. His blood streaked the sand, his hair stuck to his face, but his eyes, those pale, blind eyes, gleamed with savage focus. The blindfold had been removed mid-battle.
The eagle slammed its wings into the sand, summoning another burst of heat. Bahamut jumped into the air, twisting mid-flight, and brought his heel crashing into the bird's face. Feathers and sparks flew.
BOOM!
He landed in a crouch, panting, his knuckles raw, his chest heaving.
The eagle staggered back, blood dripping from its beak, but its eyes burned even brighter.
"Still got more, huh?" Bahamut said between breaths, wiping blood from his chin. "Good. I was getting bored."
SKREEEEEEEEEEE!
The eagle soared into the sky, wings glowing like molten suns. Then it folded them and dove.
Bahamut braced himself.
CRASH!
The impact split the sand, sending waves of golden light in every direction.
For a few seconds, there was nothing but smoke, sand, and silence.
Then, movement.
A figure rose slowly from the crater.
Bahamut's body was battered, bleeding, and shaking uncontrollably. His knuckles were shattered. His breath came in ragged bursts.
But his grin hadn't faded.
"Still… not enough…" he whispered. "If I can't use my claws… then I'll tear you apart anyway."
...
The image flickered.
In the audience chamber, the mirage showed Bahamut staggering to his feet again as the Golden Sun Eagle circled overhead.
The disciples watching went dead silent.
"He's still fighting?" one muttered in disbelief.
The elf's silver eyes narrowed. "No. He's adapting. He's fighting beyond his circle."
The storm-eyed youth clenched his fists. "Impossible. He's human. He shouldn't be able to handle that kind of pressure."
The beastkin girl leaned forward, her pupils thin slits. "That's not human will. That's something else."
High above, on the elder's platform, Elder Hakar's expression remained unreadable.
But the faintest smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"This one…" he said quietly, "might just break the illusion itself."