The four of them didn't linger in the second monolith. Now that they had all passed the Second Shadow Trial, there was nothing keeping them there, so they headed together toward the exit that led to the third monolith.
As they walked, the conversation naturally turned to the two shadows they had faced so far.
"The first one was strange," Ervin said.
Rakan nodded. "I thought so too."
Rosaline glanced at Max. "It wasn't overwhelmingly strong, but its battle instinct was ridiculous."
Max agreed. "That was its real strength."
He thought back to the first shadow. Even without using any major technique, it had responded almost perfectly to every sword strike. Its movements had been efficient and its defenses precise, and every time Max deliberately left an opening, it had gone straight for it.
"The First Shadow felt like it was built entirely around combat instinct," Max said. "Its cultivation was dangerous, but that wasn't what made it hard."
