The roar shattered the air.
The Rune Core Guardian towered over them — a walking mountain of stone and fury. Its core, glowing crimson at its chest, pulsed like a second sun. Every step it took made the ground quake.
Kaiden and Gray stood side by side, wind and frost swirling between them.
Gray's tone was steady, but his jaw was tight. "That's the Rune Core Guardian… stronger than anything we've faced."
Kaiden squinted up at it, his throat dry. "You're saying that like it's supposed to make me feel better."
Gray didn't respond. His eyes stayed locked on the creature, his hands already coated with frost.
The timer on his wrist blinked: 1:40:00.
"An hour and forty," Kaiden muttered. "If we don't kill that thing before time's up—"
"We don't need to kill it," Gray interrupted, his breath visible in the cold mist. "We just need to survive."
Kaiden let out a shaky laugh. "Cool. Easy. Totally not terrifying."
The beast roared again, shaking the trees. Then it charged.
---
Kaiden barely dodged as the creature's fist smashed into the ground where he stood, sending shockwaves through the forest. Dirt exploded upward like a bomb.
He rolled, coughing, then jumped up and thrust his blade forward.
"Zephyr Flow — Piercing Gust!"
The air cracked as a wind blast shot out, slamming into the beast's shoulder. The hit barely made it flinch.
"Great," Kaiden muttered. "It's built like a mountain."
The Guardian's chest flared red — then a beam of burning light burst from its core.
"GRAY—!"
"On it."
Gray slammed his hand into the ground.
"Frost Flow — Ice Fortress!"
Walls of frozen crystal erupted in front of them. The beam hit — and exploded, blasting shards of ice in every direction. The barrier shattered.
Kaiden covered his face, shards cutting across his cheek. "Bro, that was our shield!"
Gray exhaled, steam rising from his body. "Yeah. And it bought us three seconds. Move!"
They split in opposite directions as the Guardian swung its arm, crushing another patch of earth.
Kaiden dashed through the dust, blade glowing green.
He jumped onto a fallen tree, used it as a springboard, and shot forward — wind trailing behind him.
"Silent Sever!"
The air sliced outward in a single green shockwave — hitting the Guardian right across the chest. The rune core flickered for a second… then stabilized.
Kaiden landed, panting. "Oh come on, that should've done something!"
Gray's voice echoed from behind him. "It's armored. You have to hit the core!"
Kaiden groaned. "Yeah, just the glowing death laser on its chest, easy target!"
The Guardian roared, slamming both fists down. The ground cracked open like lightning.
Kaiden jumped, but the quake threw him off balance — he hit the dirt hard. Before he could recover, the monster's shadow loomed over him again.
Its palm rose, ready to crush him.
Kaiden froze. Too fast.
I can't—
"Frost Flow — Shatter Step!"
Gray appeared in a blur of frost, grabbing Kaiden by the collar and pulling him out just as the ground exploded beneath them.
They rolled, crashing behind a boulder.
Kaiden coughed violently. "Thanks—"
Gray didn't even look at him. His breathing was rough. "Don't thank me yet. That thing's toying with us."
Kaiden looked at him — and noticed something. His hand was shaking. Not from fear — from exhaustion.
"You've fought this thing before, haven't you?"Kaiden asked quietly.
Gray hesitated. "…Yeah."
Kaiden frowned. "You failed last year, didn't you?"
Gray's eyes darkened. "It's the same test. Same monster. Same nightmare."
He looked up, watching the Guardian's glowing core pulsing through the fog.
"Last time, I made it this far alone. I thought I could beat it. I was wrong." He clenched his fists. "Not this time. I'm ending it."
Kaiden tightened his grip on his dagger. "Then let's end it together."
Gray smirked faintly. "You're crazy."
"I'm still breathing, aren't I?"
Gray chuckled once. "Fine. Then follow my lead."
---
The two burst from cover in perfect sync.
The Guardian swung its arm — but Gray raised his hand.
"Frost Flow — Ice Chains!"
Dozens of frozen chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around the monster's legs and arms. Steam hissed as the frost spread across its stone body.
"NOW!" Gray yelled.
Kaiden nodded and sprinted forward — the air whipping around him like a cyclone.
He dashed up a broken tree trunk, leaping high into the air. The world slowed.
The wind coiled around his dagger, glowing bright green.
"Second Form: Silent Sever!"
The blade cut across the air in one clean strike — a wave of slicing pressure hitting the Guardian's chest dead-center.
BOOM!
Cracks spread across its core — glowing brighter.
"It's working!" Kaiden shouted.
Gray slammed his palm to the ground. "Then let's finish it!"
"Frost Flow — Absolute Freeze!"
The entire battlefield erupted into cold. The air turned white, snow swirling like a blizzard. The Guardian's movements slowed as ice began crawling up its arms and legs.
But the rune on its chest flared violently — red against the blue frost.
Kaiden's eyes widened. "GRAY! It's—"
"Overheating!"
The Guardian exploded in a shockwave of pure red energy, breaking free of the ice chains. The blast sent both of them flying.
Kaiden hit the dirt, rolling across jagged rocks. His arm burned, and his ribs screamed.
Gray landed hard, coughing blood. His left arm was frozen stiff — the backlash of his own Flow.
"Gray!"Kaiden shouted, struggling to stand.
Gray gritted his teeth, forcing himself up. "Don't stop! The core's exposed—go!"
Kaiden's vision blurred, but he could see it — the Guardian's chest glowing, cracks spreading wider.
He raised his dagger, green energy swirling again. "Piercing Gust!"
The wind burst forward — slamming into the cracks, widening them.
But the monster was still standing.
Kaiden's legs shook. He dropped to one knee, gasping for air. "Damn it… not enough…"
The Guardian's hand raised again, red light gathering in its palm.
Kaiden could feel the heat radiating — it was charging something massive.
Then Gray stepped forward, frost swirling around him again. His body trembled, but his eyes burned with focus.
"I won't lose to you again…" he whispered. "Not this time."
He looked back at Kaiden, smiling faintly. "Cover me."
Kaiden's heart dropped. "What are you doing—"
"Trust me."
Gray pressed both palms together. Frost climbed up his neck, his breath visible in the freezing air.
"Frost Flow — Final Art: Cryo Eclipse."
The world turned blue.
Snow exploded outward, coating everything in ice. The Guardian froze mid-step, red light dimming as frost crawled over its body.
Kaiden could barely see him — Gray standing there, surrounded by glowing sigils of snow.
"Kaiden! Now!"
Kaiden's muscles screamed, but he forced himself up. He raised his dagger — one last strike.
"Silent Sever!"
The green shockwave slashed through the frozen air, hitting the Guardian's core dead center.
CRAAAACK!
The red crystal shattered — the light vanished.
The Rune Core Guardian's roar faded into silence. Then it collapsed, breaking apart into dust and shards of glowing stone.
The forest went quiet.
Kaiden fell to his knees, panting. "Holy Sh*t—We actually did it…"
He looked at Gray — who was still standing, barely. His body was covered in frost, blood dripping from his lip.
Gray gave a weak smile. "Told you… I'd make it this time."
Kaiden frowned. "You're freezing up—"
Gray's legs buckled. He dropped to the ground, coughing violently.
"Hey! Stay with me!" Kaiden rushed over, grabbing him.
Gray shook his head weakly. "I… pushed too far. Cryo Eclipse… drains everything. I can't… move."
Kaiden looked at the timer on Gray's wrist.
00:20:00.
"Twenty minutes left. We can make it—"
Gray gave a broken laugh. "I can't walk, idiot. Go without me."
Kaiden's jaw clenched. "Shut up."
He hoisted Gray onto his back.
"Wha—Kaiden, stop! You'll slow down—"
Kaiden grinned through the pain. "Then I'll run faster."
---
They stumbled through the forest — Kaiden's steps uneven, every breath a struggle. His back burned from Gray's weight, his legs shook like jelly.
"Put me down…" Gray muttered weakly.
"Not a chance,"Kaiden said, panting. "You carried that fight. I'm just returning the favor."
Gray laughed softly. "You're insane."
"Yeah,"Kaiden smirked, "but I'm winning insane."
The wind howled. The trees started to thin — the mountain peak ahead was glowing. The finish line.
"Come on, come on…"Kaiden muttered. His whole body was screaming. Every step felt like knives.
Gray looked up weakly. "You're gonna pass, you know that?"
Kaiden shook his head. "No. We're gonna pass."
The timer blinked: 00:05:00.
The path turned into a steep slope. Kaiden's knees almost gave out. Gray gritted his teeth and pushed himself up slightly, helping Kaiden balance.
Together, they climbed.
One step.
Two steps.
The wind howled like a storm around them.
00:01:00.
Kaiden's lungs burned. The finish line glowed just ahead — a massive gate of light where a few silhouettes stood, watching.
Gray's voice was fading. "Go, Kaiden… you still have time…"
Kaiden shouted through gritted teeth. "Not without you!"
He pushed harder. His vision blurred — all he could see was that gate.
00:00:10.
They were meters away.
Gray whispered, voice trembling. "Three seconds…"
Kaiden's eyes flared with determination. "Then we'll make it in two."
He screamed, pushing every ounce of strength left in him — wind exploding from his feet, propelling them forward.
Three… Two… One—
FLASH!
They crossed the gate — collapsing as the light swallowed them whole.
The timer hit zero.
Silence.
Then — a soft chime echoed.
"Candidates #117 and #0007 — Passed."
---
Kaiden blinked slowly, lying on the ground. The sky above was bright and calm.
He turned his head — Gray was beside him, smiling faintly.
"Told you…"Gray whispered. "…second time's the charm."
Kaiden laughed weakly. "You're heavy as hell, y'know that?"
Gray chuckled. "You complain too much."
The two of them just lay there, breathing hard, staring at the blue sky above.
For the first time — they both smiled.
They'd done it.
Together.