As Aion stepped through the second gate, the world around him shimmered and shifted. What welcomed him was a vast, enclosed colosseum, and he found himself standing right at its center. Two heavy gates stood opposite him—and as he watched, both began to creak open.
From within, a single spirit beast walked out, its heavy steps echoing across the arena floor.
Aion couldn't recognize the species of the beast at first glance, but the pressure it released made his heart tighten—it was at Level 39, a Peak Rank 3 beast, two whole levels higher than Hazel.
The creature looked magnificent and terrifying at once—a tiger with deep crimson stripes, threaded through with glimmering golden lines that pulsed faintly like molten veins. Two large fangs protruding out from its mouth, giving it a feral, domineering presence.
Aion's eyes narrowed. It looks like a Magmafury Tiger… he thought. He'd seen records of such beasts before—fire and metal affinity, and known for their comba. Even if this one was just an illusion, it felt far too real.
He exhaled slowly looking at the beast. "Well, this is going to be tough."
Above the arena, a glowing timer appeared, counting down from 15 minutes. The moment it started, the tiger's gaze locked onto Hazel—its expression savage, as though it had already decided its prey.
Aion and Hazel stood ready.
Then, the tiger roared.
A sonic wave of pure force rippled through the air, catching Hazel off guard. She stumbled, momentarily stunned—and in the next instant, the tiger pounced.
"Hazel, use Moonlight Shield!" Aion immediately shouted, but she had no time to fully summon it. Acting on her pure instinct, she sidestepped from the attack range at the last possible second. The tiger's fangs brushed against Hazel's body, injuring her in the process.
Aion's heart skipped a beat—but seeing Hazel wasn't seriously hurt, he let out a breath of relief. "Good, that you're fine. Now , create some distance!" he quickly ordered and Hazel bounded backward, widening the gap between the tiger and her.
The tiger growled low, its eyes glinting with cunning. Then, it stomped the ground—the earth split open with a web of fiery cracks, molten energy spilling through. The once-flat terrain became uneven, sharp rocks jutting up and glowing embers scattering about. Hazel stumbled slightly as the ground shifted beneath her hooves.
Aion's brows furrowed. Seeing the tiger use such skill , making the ground difficult for Hazel to move swiftly.
Before he could plan, the tiger lunged again, spewing a barrage of fireballs from its mouth.
Aion commanded Hazel to use Moonlight Shield to block and reflect the attack. Some of the fireballs were reflected, but the tiger easily dodged them. However, cracks began to appear on the shield, revealing the sheer strength behind the opponent's assault.
The tiger didn't stop—it lunged forward and attacked Hazel with Burning Fangs, and this time the hit connected squarely and cleanly. Hazel was thrown a dozen feet away, and her injuries were clearly not light. Seeing Hazel hurt like this for the first time made Aion's heart ache, but the determination burning in Hazel's eyes strengthened his resolve.
The tiger, relentless, charged toward Hazel once more. Hazel struggled to her feet, locking eyes with the beast as it pounced again, fangs gleaming. Aion quickly ordered, "Use Moonlight Shield again!"
This time, the shield held firm, absorbing the tiger's full force before reflecting the attack back. The impact pushed the tiger away, and slightly injured it.
Then Aion commanded Hazel to move back , and Hazel quickly retreated. The beast roared again, unleashing another sonic attack—the same one it had used earlier. But Hazel was ready this time; she moved swiftly out of range, though the residual shock still affected her slightly.
The beast lunged once more. With no time to think, Aion's eyes darted around the broken terrain—and then he smirked. "Hazel! Throw that rock—now!"
Hazel hooked a massive, cracked boulder with her antlers and hurled it toward the tiger. The beast smashed that rock instantly, shattering it into dust and debris- But in that moment, the tiger lost sight of Hazel's small figure, and Aion knew this was his chance. He commanded Hazel to use her most powerful attack skill — Three Horn Judgement, Third Form (S-rank skill).
Three glowing lights merged together, and when the dust cleared, what greeted the tiger was a brilliant beam of light that struck its chest, hurling it a great distance before it collided with the colosseum wall.
Aion hurried to Hazel's side. Her injuries began to heal immediately and soon disappeared completely, as if they had never existed, though she was clearly mentally exhausted.
Aion noticed that the timer had stopped, and the colosseum was dissolving, the illusion shattering around them. Standing before him now was the third gate.
He couldn't help but marvel at Hazel's battle prowess. She had defeated a beast known for its overwhelming attacks, two levels higher than her, in a direct confrontation. And she wasn't even a fighting-type spirit. Yet with just two high-grade skills—one for defense, one for attack—and her natural healing ability, she had proven herself a formidable opponent.
Aion thought to himself, If Hazel had one or two more battle-oriented skills, she would truly shine.
Shaking off his thoughts, he refocused. Those were considerations for the future. Right now, all he had to do was face whatever challenge awaited behind the third gate.