The Dead Zone tightens around Raiyen.
Red clouds churn overhead as Earth's pressure intensifies. Standing atop jagged stone, Raiyen's Abyssal Vision glows—interlocking crimson-black rings scanning every fluctuation in reality. From the shadows, Korrin warns him that the full Earth system is finally engaging. Raiyen answers calmly, ready to see how far the system will go.
The first wave erupts.
Earth Defense Agents surface from multiple directions, compressing the air itself. Raiyen advances instead of retreating. His vision instantly maps energy flows, gravity distortions, and attack paths. When an agent launches a gravity spike, Raiyen sidesteps before the strike fully forms—his movement timed perfectly to the future he already sees.
A second agent attacks from the flank. Raiyen anticipates it mid-step, releasing a low-intensity Soul Flame pulse that neutralizes the blow without damaging the terrain. Every action is precise, restrained, deliberate.
From afar, the Observer watches closely. Raiyen is no longer reacting—he is predicting.
The Dead Zone turns hostile. The ground twists, red fissures split open, and floating rocks accelerate unpredictably. Raiyen's eyes highlight unstable zones in real time, guiding his footing. When a third agent emerges from behind debris, Raiyen leaps instinctively, landing exactly where the ground will remain stable seconds later.
Four agents attack together—two head-on, two from the sides. Raiyen pauses for a fraction of a second, calculating trajectories, energy signatures, and weak points. Then he moves. Step by step, every dodge is executed with flawless timing. Not a single motion is wasted.
The Second Point pulses harder. Raiyen pushes its edge just enough to gain deeper predictive clarity—but no further. Korrin warns him not to overextend.
Using a controlled telekinetic micro-pulse, Raiyen lifts one agent and traps it in a fissure while staggering the others. No lethal force. No system collapse. Just absolute control.
The Observer is visibly impressed. Edge and vision together allow Raiyen to adapt faster than Earth's design parameters.
Earth escalates.
Vibrations intensify. More agents rise from underground. Gravity warps overlap with energy spikes. Raiyen analyzes rapidly—distance, system lag, risk priority—and isolates the most dangerous agent with a single calculated strike, immobilizing it within unstable terrain.
As the battle continues, Raiyen briefly thinks of Aira. The thought steadies him. His humanity remains intact, anchoring his resolve. He must survive—not just for himself, but for her.
The Earth system adapts again, altering attack patterns mid-execution. Raiyen's Abyssal Vision immediately recalculates. He counters with minimal movement, flowing between agents with eerie efficiency—micro-pulses, Soul Flame shielding, and predictive dodges blending into seamless combat.
From the distance, the Observer realizes the truth: Raiyen is mastering the Second Point without collapse. His vision and mind are fully synchronized.
Then the Dead Zone shudders.
On the horizon, a massive energy surge begins to form—far beyond the previous waves. Raiyen steadies his stance. His eyes flare brighter. His Soul Flame pulses with warning.
Korrin whispers quietly:
This is the real test.
The screen fades to black.