When the Dullahan dissolved into dust, Ian and Ralph collapsed to the floor, lungs burning and bodies spent. Ian had lost so much blood that he could barely move a finger; Asha's hand was mangled from defending against the monstrous blows. They spent the next hours simply breathing—letting time stitch their wounds together as best it could.
After a short rest and once most of their injuries had been staunched, the three rose and pushed open the final door. Beyond it lay not another oppressive cave, but a vast, ornate hall—marble floors, high arches, and torchlight that felt almost like sunlight after the gloom they'd endured. For a moment they just stared, stunned by the change in atmosphere.
A trainer approached them, expression neutral. "Congratulations. You have cleared Trial Two. You are now eligible for Trial Three. For now, you must wait until the second trial's period officially ends. During this time you may use the rooms we've provided to rest, and the adjacent hall for training."
Ian watched the trainer go and felt something strange inside him: the once-imposing instructors no longer seemed untouchable. One trial had changed him so much that the prospect of Trial Three filled him not with fear, but with a fierce, eager hunger.
A few days later the second trial reached its scheduled end. All the surviving groups were called into the great hall. The head instructor climbed the dais and addressed the gathered contestants with a grave tone.
"Of the roughly fifty groups that entered Trial Two, only fifteen have completed it. Congratulations. Now I will explain Trial Three."
Another trainer climbed up carrying a parchment and began reading the rankings aloud, voice echoing through the hall:
"Rank 1: Arsen Dragnia.
Rank 2: Ian Gardins.
Rank 3: Ralph.
Rank 4: Fiona Dragnia.
Rank 5: Emilia Magnolia.
Rank 6: Max Shado.
Rank 7: Asha Cross.
Rank 8: —"
He continued down the list until rank seventy-three was announced. A hush fell over everyone as the names faded.
"These rankings are based on our instructors' observations during Trial Two. There is no room for dispute," the head instructor said. "For Trial Three you must form new teams. Your previous groups are dissolved. Each new group must have a minimum of five and a maximum of ten members. Before you do anything else, choose a leader—someone who will come forward and select which monster colony your group will hunt."
A ripple of murmurs ran through the hall. The instructor continued, "We have multiple colonies available, categorized by difficulty from C up to S. You may choose which colony to take on. The higher the difficulty, the greater the reward. The prize for completing a colony is the Photon Elixir."
A collective gasp rose from the contestants. Photon Elixir—just its lowest grade was worth as much as a noble family's annual income.
Ian, bewildered, turned to Ralph and Asha. "What exactly is this elixir that everyone's stunned about?" he asked.
Ralph shrugged helplessly; Asha let out a long breath and answered, "You two really don't know? I'll explain once—listen carefully. To reach four-star aura from three-star aura, you need a body capable of sustaining and channeling more mana and elemental force. In the old days, knights trained their bodies and minds for years—rigorous conditioning and meditative rites—to adapt. But the Photon Elixir changed everything. With it, one can ascend to four-star aura without years of training. There are purity grades: a low-grade elixir only grants a modest boost, while higher-grade elixirs can yield massive power. The difference between low and mid grade is enormous. So you should aim for the highest-grade elixir you can get."
Ian, Ralph, and Asha looked at one another, the decision forming itself in their minds as if by instinct.
"So that's settled," Ian said quietly. "We'll aim for an S-rank colony."
The head instructor nodded. "You have one day to form your groups and select your leader. Choose wisely—the higher the reward, the higher the danger. Consider that many groups before you failed and none survived."
As the instructors' words faded, the three of them began discussing who they should recruit. They barely had time to plan before a tide of contestants surged forward—people pushing, shouting, and jostling to form teams.
The hour had begun. Trial Three was about to start.