Next..

[Scene: Gate 13 – The Second Trial Continues]

The screen still glowed:

KATRINA — 4.02 seconds

No music. No fanfare. Just the gentle crackle of residual heat hissing into silence.

Speaker (without turning around): "Next."

The name blinked into place on the screen.

TYLON

A tall figure stepped forward.

Not bulky. Not cocky.

Just… quiet.

His armor was bright and shiny, the crest of the Mossveil Guild on his shoulder.

Tylon cracked his neck once, whispered something that sounded like a prayer — and stepped to the line.

He didn't bounce. He didn't warm up.

He just lowered his stance, exhaled once—

And on the speaker's count, launched like a spear.

Where Katrina had glided like a phantom,

But Tylon's each step cracked against the stone like thunder.

He didn't bounce off walls. He didn't need to.

TYLON — 4.21 seconds

Panda's jaw dropped slightly.

Panda (internal):

"...Okay that guy was born in sprint mode."

The screen flickered again.

Next name:

VANNES

A wiry kid stepped forward, no older than fourteen. Gloves too big, goggles too tight.

Vannes (grinning): "Alright, alright — I've got this.."

The countdown started.

He sprinted with all his heart — fast, panicked, elbows flying.

The lava hissed.

So close.

Too close.

VANNES — 6.98 seconds

He tumbled into the chamber, rolling, gasping, legs jelly.

Alive.

Barely.

The room exhaled for the first time.

Katrina passed a bottle of water to Vannes.

Katrina (internal):

"All that noise for a 0.02 seconds save. Cute."

Then came the next name:

NYRA

She was small. Pale. Her cloak fluttered behind her like wings.

She walked to the line, didn't speak.

The countdown began.

She ran with sharp focus — a knife's edge of precision.

NYRA — 5.88 seconds

Then—

A few more names flashed.

Some stumbled in at 6.9.

Some soared in under five.

EZZAK — 6.74 JONAH — 6.12 FIRA — 6.89

One after another, the candidates passed.

Until—

The next name appeared.

And the air changed.

LOCH

He stepped forward in silence.

A scar ran down the side of his face. His guild emblem was scratched out. His stare? Empty.

He didn't ask questions.

Just stepped into position.

Speaker: "Countdown."

Loch didn't blink.

Three.

Two.

One.

Go.

He ran.

Fast.

Strong.

But something was wrong.

Halfway through, he slowed.

His leg twisted. A stumble.

And then—

A terrible sound.

BOOM.

He fell flat on the ground.

A hand stretched.

He could see the exit—

And then the lava swallowed him whole.

A flash of red and gold.

The room froze.

The screen didn't flash.

It simply went black.

Speaker (cold): "Next."