Students and supervisors observe in silence.
One supervisor calls out the qualified teams.
Upon reaching Team 117, he looks at them and says:
“Trainee Rumo… you begin.”
Rumo steps forward, straps on his wrist guards, and grips his wooden sword firmly.
The gate opens.
The beast roars and lumbers forward.
Rumo doesn’t smile, doesn’t speak—he just watches the creature’s breathing.
The first strike comes fast—he dodges.
The second grazes him lightly.
He begins moving in a circular pattern… delivers a hit.
Then another… and another…
Eventually, he completes the required five strikes.
“Passed.”
Rumo exits, drenched in sweat.
He says nothing… just returns to his team.
“Trainee Ena… you’re up.”
She enters calmly, eyes never leaving the beast.
Short sword in her right hand, knife in her left.
The beast charges—a quick strike—she evades with a side roll.
She doesn’t attack immediately… she observes… studies the rhythm.
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First hit: she targets the beast’s knee.
Then a rapid sequence—five hits, five evasions.
“Passed.”
Ena exits, glances up at the sky for a moment… then returns to her team.
“Trainee Levan… prepare.”
Levan moves forward silently, steps steady.
He carries no weapon.
Rumo (whispering):
“He’s going in unarmed?”
Ena:
“No time to guess now.”
The gate opens… the beast awaits.
Levan steps into the arena.
The beast growls, saliva dripping from its fangs.
The crowd murmurs—some notice he’s weaponless.
One student:
“Did he forget to grab something?”
Another whispers:
“Isn’t that the one… with no Tendency?”
Levan doesn’t look at anyone.
He focuses only on the ground… and the beast’s feet.
The beast lunges.
Levan sidesteps smoothly to the right.
The blow misses narrowly.
The audience gasps.
The supervisor observes silently.
The beast attacks again—Levan retreats, sliding under its right arm.
Two evasions…
Then he grabs a broken metal piece from the ground.
Levan doesn’t rush.
He waits for the right distance, strikes at the chest—light impact.
First hit… then a second to the leg.
The beast tries to shove him away…
Levan staggers, his balance falters.
The third hit lands—on his shoulder.
He crashes down.
The crowd rises to its feet.
Levan quickly gets up, breathing hard.
He glances at his wounded arm… but doesn’t back down.
He charges again—this time at the thigh—hits.
Fourth strike… then the fifth.
One more dodge left… and one strike.
The beast changes tactics—leaps.
Levan barely dodges.
Then, in a single motion, he flips back and swings the metal shard around the beast’s neck—final strike.
Not powerful… but deliberate.
Silence.
“Trainee Levan… passed.”
The crowd claps—hesitantly.
Levan exits, shoulder bleeding, face expressionless.
He rejoins the team.
Rumo:
“I thought you were done for.”
Ena (with a faint smile):
“But he didn’t miss a step.”
Levan doesn’t reply.
Up above, the supervisors gather.
Supervisor 1:
“They all passed.”
Supervisor 2:
“Team 117 is stable… but unsettling.”
Supervisor 3:
“We’ll watch them closely in the next phase.”
End of Chapter 15.