Five minutes before Oscherin attacked WINI’s group—

  Oscherin checked her wristband.

  “Two hundred and fifty,” she muttered. “Still too many.”

  She clicked her tongue beneath her hood.

  “I can’t afford to rest. If I slow down, the ones behind me—second and third place—will definitely catch up. No matter the cost, I need that artifact. Only then can I achieve what I want in the future.”

  Her eyes hardened.

  “A soul-matched artifact, combined with my linked skill—Silent Strike: Super Charge… my strength would increase drastically.”

  She looked toward the deeper regions of the Trial Grounds.

  “There are still three hours left. I’ll enter the inner region and rack up points before anyone else can.”

  She moved forward at high speed.

  Then she paused.

  “…Wait.”

  Instead of fearing someone overtaking her, another thought surfaced.

  “Why don’t I just eliminate the top-rankers?”

  In the next instant, Oscherin changed direction and moved back toward the boundary between the inner and outer zones, scanning for other participants.

  She spotted Aashna first.

  But after watching her fight, Oscherin frowned.

  “Glacial Veil…”

  Aashna’s skill was constantly active around her. If that veil touched Oscherin even for a moment, her speed advantage would disappear. Engaging her directly would be risky.

  Oscherin passed her by.

  Next, she encountered Carg.

  “He’s not an immediate threat,” she judged. “But his Natural Rune Soul… no one truly understands how it works. Figuring it out alone would take time.”

  Time she didn’t have.

  She moved on.

  By now, Oscherin alone had eliminated nearly four hundred students—mostly common-grade and low to mid-grade soul awakeners.

  As she continued searching, she effortlessly killed high-danger common beasts—Bloodhounds, Nether Cats—using precise Silent Strikes that consumed minimal energy.

  After running for several minutes, she finally saw them.

  Two people fighting.

  One person sitting.

  Oscherin slowed.

  “Aarna… Gonad…”

  Taking both of them at once would be difficult. Aarna kept her skill active even while fighting, making it hard to approach her directly.

  Then Oscherin’s gaze fell on the seated figure between them.

  WINI.

  “He’s circulating energy…”

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  Both of them were clearly protecting him.

  “If I eliminate him first, it might force them to show weakness,” Oscherin thought. “If it works, good. If not, I’ll crush his wristband and escape before they can counter.”

  She decided.

  The moment Oscherin moved to strike WINI, Aarna’s skill surged violently toward her.

  Oscherin was forced to dodge.

  She looked for an opening—there was none.

  At the same time, Gonad stood ready, his Tidal Dominion active, prepared to attack at any moment.

  “Tsk.”

  Oscherin clicked her tongue.

  She had already revealed herself. Retreating now would only waste time.

  Even so, she still held one overwhelming advantage—

  Speed.

  Instead of engaging Gonad directly, she shifted her focus back to Aarna, searching for even the smallest opening.

  A cold smile curved beneath her hood.

  Oscherin launched toward WINI again.

  But this time, it was a feint.

  Her true target was Aarna.

  The attack came too fast. Aarna didn’t have time to activate her refined techniques. Instinct took over.

  She recalled the skill she had faced during the Awakening Ceremony—deep within her mindspace.

  Nirvana.

  Flames erupted.

  Oscherin was already closing in and took the hit head-on.

  Even with her speed, she couldn’t fully escape.

  Her left side was scorched with burns and bruises, but none were fatal. She staggered—then steadied herself.

  Everyone was shocked by Aarna’s skill.

  Questions erupted at once—about her awakened soul, her techniques, her potential.

  Rainor calmed them, explaining what he could.

  But what truly unsettled the observers wasn’t Aarna.

  It was Oscherin.

  Even after taking a direct hit, she hadn’t retreated.

  She was preparing to strike again.

  Robert’s expression turned serious.

  “Rainor,” he said in a firm voice, “this year’s trial feels different. These students aren’t just competing—they’re fighting for something.”

  He gestured to another screen.

  “That Carg fellow with the Rune Soul just killed an aberrant beast despite taking deep scratches. He’s the first to do so in this trial.”

  Rainor explained the situation—the special prize, sponsored directly by the Council’s Elder Hall.

  Ramyas stiffened. “What? The Council is offering an artifact from the First-Grade Open Locker?”

  Evan’s eyes narrowed. “A soul-matching artifact from that locker would definitely be high-level. And it would include a soul-bound inscription to prevent theft.”

  Kaigal nodded. “With that inscription, no one could use it unless they’re an Ascendant-level inscription master.”

  Robert exhaled. “That explains their determination.”

  He paused. “Where is the elder who came to present the prize?”

  Rainor coughed lightly. “He returned to the Council earlier. Said something urgent came up.”

  Robert nodded and turned back to the screens.

  “Why are you attacking Winay?” Aarna demanded.

  Oscherin frowned internally.

  Is she serious? Doesn’t she realize I was attacking her as well?

  Oscherin spoke aloud. “Then why are you protecting him instead of chasing points?”

  Aarna hesitated.

  Why was she protecting WINI?

  She didn’t have an answer. Flustered, she snapped back, “We’re friends. That’s none of your business.”

  Oscherin observed her carefully.

  “If I force her to keep Nirvana active a little longer,” she calculated, “her energy will collapse. She doesn’t have the reserves to sustain that output.”

  She prepared her next move.

  Once again, Oscherin charged toward WINI—this time at full speed.

  Aarna reacted instantly, attempting to activate Nirvana again, even though the skill was still unstable.

  At that moment—

  When Oscherin was barely two meters away—

  WINI opened his left eye.

  The instant their gazes met, Oscherin felt as though she had stepped into a boundless, pitch-black void.

  Fear surged.

  She tried to retreat.

  Too late.

  WINI moved.

  The speed at which he crossed the distance was unreal.

  His hand closed around Oscherin’s neck.

  But WINI didn’t look at her.

  His Void Eye swept the surroundings—Gonad still fighting beasts, Aarna struggling to stabilize her flames.

  Oscherin struggled in his grip.

  It was useless.

  WINI finally looked at her.

  The void in his eye calmed.

  “Good,” he said quietly. “You’re pure.”

  Oscherin, Aarna, and Gonad froze.

  “…What?”

  WINI continued calmly. “Your thoughts aren’t impure. I’ll let you go by crushing your wristband. Consider this mercy.”

  Gonad stared at him. “WINI, what are you talking about? She was trying to hurt you!”

  “I know,” WINI replied. “But she was faking it. Her goal was always our wristbands.”

  Without further explanation, he crushed Oscherin’s wristband.

  As teleportation light enveloped her, Oscherin laughed coldly.

  “Mercy? You think you can beat my score?”

  “Try it, bitch.”

  She vanished.

  Aarna staggered.

  “WINI… Gonad… stay back,” she gasped. “I’m losing control.”

  Her Nirvana flared violently.

  Flames roared as her spirit energy burned at an alarming rate.

  “At most one minute,” she said through clenched teeth. “If I don’t stabilize this… it’ll start consuming my soul energy.”

  And that would damage her future growth.