The moment environment around Luca changed, something felt wrong.
The floor was different—engraved with complex geometric runes. The ceiling, higher than before, pulsed with ominous light. At the far end stood not a trial device, but a massive creature of stone, towering twice as tall as any golem he'd seen before. Thick arms like siege pillars, legs like tree trunks, and a jagged chestplate that pulsed—once, twice—like a beating heart.
This… this isn't a first-year trial.
His eyes narrowed.
This is a second-year final trial. Why the hell am I—?
BOOM.
The golem moved before he could finish the thought, slamming both fists down with earth-shattering force. Luca leapt back, narrowly avoiding the shockwave that split the ground into fractured veins.
No time to think. Focus!
He unsheathed his sabers.
