The Core Node hovered between them, radiating steady white light.
The barrier surrounding the bridge shimmered softly, sealing the zone.
No outside interference.
No assistance.
Just two ranked survivors.
Han Qian moved first.
Not recklessly.
Not charging.
He stepped diagonally, testing angle and spacing.
Zhao Ren mirrored the adjustment.
Both were measuring reaction speed.
Distance: fifteen meters.
The system panel flickered briefly.
Simple rule.
Complicated execution.
The Core descended the final meter and stabilized just above the asphalt.
Han Qian accelerated without warning.
Fast.
His movement wasn't explosive like a monster's.
It was efficient.
Zhao Ren reacted instantly, stepping into interception rather than retreat.
They collided at controlled force.
No wild swings.
No wasted effort.
Han Qian pivoted, attempting to bypass instead of overpower.
Adaptive Growth.
He was adjusting in real time.
Zhao Ren felt it immediately.
Han Qian's second movement was sharper than the first.
Learning speed mid-fight.
Interesting.
Zhao Ren didn't pursue direct dominance.
Instead, he shifted tempo.
Slower.
Then sudden acceleration.
Han Qian adapted again
But slightly later.
A fraction of delay.
That was the difference.
Zhao Ren redirected him away from the Core with a clean shoulder check.
Han Qian regained balance instantly.
He didn't look frustrated.
He looked analytical.
"You absorb," Han Qian said calmly.
"Corpses."
"Correct."
"And scale through accumulation."
"Yes."
No secrecy now.
At this level, guessing was pointless.
"You adapt," Zhao Ren replied.
Han Qian gave the faintest nod.
The Core pulsed again.
They moved simultaneously toward it.
This time, Zhao Ren reached it first.
His hand touched the surface.
Han Qian closed distance immediately.
But instead of striking directly, he altered his footwork pattern.
Testing rhythm.
Zhao Ren recognized the intent.
Han Qian wasn't trying to overpower him.
He was trying to force instability.
If Zhao Ren moved even slightly away
The timer would reset.
Twenty-three seconds.
Han Qian feinted left.
Shifted right.
Light contact to destabilize.
No wild aggression.
Pure control.
Zhao Ren adjusted stance lower.
Center of gravity grounded.
Titan Regeneration stabilized micro-strain in muscles.
Enhanced Perception tracked Han Qian's shoulder rotation.
Seventeen seconds.
Han Qian increased pressure slightly.
His movements were now sharper than at the start.
Adaptive Growth activating.
He was improving in real time.
Zhao Ren changed strategy.
Instead of defending statically
He stepped forward.
Into Han Qian's space.
Reducing his ability to generate leverage.
Unexpected.
Han Qian's timing slipped for half a second.
Eleven seconds.
Han Qian attempted a sweep.
Zhao Ren absorbed the momentum and redirected it cleanly.
No damage.
Just displacement.
Six seconds.
The Core began glowing brighter.
Han Qian's expression sharpened for the first time.
He made one final calculated push.
Zhao Ren shifted weight precisely
Allowing partial contact
But maintaining one hand firmly on the Core.
Two seconds.
One.
The light expanded outward in a clean circular wave.
Han Qian stepped back immediately.
No unnecessary follow-through.
The system voice echoed across the barrier.
The barrier dissolved.
The floating structure disintegrated into light.
A new panel appeared before Zhao Ren.
Han Qian stood calmly several meters away.
No anger.
No resentment.
"You positioned well," he said.
"You adapted quickly," Zhao Ren replied.
Silence lingered between them.
This wasn't a defeat born of weakness.
It was marginal difference.
Han Qian glanced toward the fading light.
"This won't be the last forced event."
"No," Zhao Ren agreed.
They both stepped back toward their respective sides of the bridge.
No chase.
No retaliation.
The system ranking board flashed briefly.
Interesting.
Han Qian retained higher level.
But Zhao Ren now held efficiency advantage.
Power gap not widened
Shifted.
As the sun dipped lower beyond the skyline
Both survivors returned to their territories.
The Trial had escalated.
Not into chaos.
But into structured competition.
And from this point forward
Every encounter would matter more.