The final match was supposed to be a showdown between Team Grit and their rival, but when the big day came, the rival team suddenly withdrew. They claimed the place didn't feel safe anymore — especially after the strange appearance of the Elder and several unknown Artifacts.
In the end, Team Phantom, who had just taken third place, stepped in as a replacement.
But when the match began...
And sure enough — the entire arena changed completely.
A transparent energy field wrapped around the whole battleground, cutting it off from the outside world.
> "WHAT'S GOING ON?!" the announcer shouted, his panicked voice echoing through the speakers.
Then the sky above the arena opened — not clouds, not aircraft, but three dimensional rifts, each radiating raw energy. From within them emerged three Artifacts that left everyone speechless:
The Analyst: Perfectly symmetrical, every angle mathematically precise. Its silver surface reflected light so sharply it almost hurt to look at. Not a single part was out of balance.
The Guardian: Larger than the other two, carrying a massive shield that covered most of its body. Its deep green color reminded everyone of ancient forests, and every movement felt like a walking mountain.
The Pioneer: Sleek and aerodynamic, with wide wings that looked like they could break any limit. Its golden glow shone like sunlight, radiating pure curiosity.
> "Kaelan," three voices spoke at once — each with a different tone.
"The real trial begins now."
What followed wasn't a normal battle. The Trinity didn't attack — instead, they created three separate trial spaces within the energy field.
---
Phase One: Facing the Analyst
The Analyst created a crystal labyrinth that kept shifting shape.
> "Efficiency is the key," its voice echoed in Kaelan's head. "Every move must have purpose."
Kaelan tried different Rustbucket modes:
Battle Mode (Red): too rough — smashing crystals only made them multiply.
Recovery Mode (Blue): useless against non-organic matter.
Purity Mode (Green): actually made the crystals purer and stronger.
"I'm doing this wrong," Kaelan muttered. Then it clicked.
> "It's not about destroying them... it's about understanding the pattern."
Switching to Resonance Mode (Gold), Rustbucket began syncing with the crystals' frequency.
Moving with the rhythm of the maze, they passed through it flawlessly — without breaking a single crystal.
---
Phase Two: Confronting the Guardian
The Guardian formed an almost unbreakable wall of energy.
> "Perfect defense requires perfect balance," it said.
Kaelan tried everything:
Red Mode: bounced off.
Green Mode: had no effect on pure energy.
Gold Mode: could pierce, but not strong enough.
> "Every defense has a weakness," Kaelan remembered Scrap Queen's words.
"But maybe it's not a physical one…"
Instead of attacking, Kaelan switched to Blue Mode, using it to "heal" the imbalance within the wall itself.
Surprisingly, the wall reacted — it opened up, letting them through.
---
Phase Three: Matching the Pioneer
The Pioneer reshaped the battlefield constantly.
> "Innovation drives evolution!" it declared.
At this stage, Kaelan discovered a new mode.
As Rustbucket was about to be trapped in the shifting arena, something deep within Kaelan awakened.
Rustbucket shone brilliant white.
Harmony Mode (White) — for the first time, Kaelan truly understood the Artifact language.
Not through words, but through pure understanding.
> "You… understand?" the Pioneer asked, almost in disbelief.
"Yes," Kaelan replied. "I do."
In Harmony Mode, Rustbucket no longer fought the arena's changes — he became part of them, flowing with every transformation instead of resisting it.
---
When the three trials ended, the Trinity vanished, leaving behind a damaged arena and a crowd frozen in confusion.
The tournament was officially called off.