In the grand hall of Elder Lu's sect in China, a solemn atmosphere hung heavy in the air. A young disciple hurriedly entered, clutching broken fragments of glowing life stones, his face pale with fear.
"Elder Lu!" the disciple began, bowing deeply, "three of our disciples' life stones have shattered. Ning Feng... was among them."
Elder Lu's eyes narrowed, his usually calm demeanor replaced by a storm of rage. "Ning Feng? My most promising disciple?" His voice was a low, dangerous growl. "Who dared to take his life?"
"We believe it happened during their mission to locate the scroll," the disciple stammered. "The trail leads to the Philippines, but the details are unclear."
Elder Lu slammed his hand on the table, splintering the wood. "Fools! Ning Feng was not just a disciple, he was my investment! Assemble more of our elites. I want that scroll in my possession, and I want the one responsible for this insult brought to me, dead or alive."
"Yes, Elder Lu," the disciple said, bowing again before hurrying out.
As the hall fell silent, Elder Lu's eyes gleamed with cold fury. "Whoever dares to cross me will know the true meaning of despair."
Back in the ruins, The matches continued. As predicted, Han San's team won as well as Clint's. Emilia looked sad as her knights will be foods for clint's minions down the arena.
There are a few blackhorses too like the triplets, their attacks are more coordinated and more constructed. They also have combonation attacks that is related to their bloodlines.
Now the 2nd round will begin and our opponents will be strong.
"Now, ready yourselves. The 2nd round will begin soon" The aswang said as it glared at me. "Look's like I'll be having the greatest meal of my life later." The aswang added while licking his lips.
I tensed up and clenched my fist, and so will my team. The nervous looks in their eyes can be seen because this time we know, that the other team was a team of professionals and strong like Han San's team.
The aswang announced that the match will now begin. " In 3...2...1, The match has now started."
Earlier after we defeated Elder Lu's disciples, we came up with a plan. I would be the one who will initiate the fight, Emilia will support me from back-to-back, and Jose will be the one to fight the leader and the woman who can summon the sands.
Emilia emits some kind of energy in her sword and swung it, and the energy seems to be a range attack.
The enemy dodged her attack, but I follow along and punched the desert-robed fighter who was wielding the scimitar with my flame fist technique then evaded his slash with my phantom prowl.
Jose engage the fight with the two of them, and we know that Jose can handle the two when he was not holding back.
"Looks like your teammates were holding you back." The leader of the robed-desert warriors exclaimed.
Jose snorted " Well, they will be stronger with time and they are my team regardless of strength. I trust them."
Jose emits light with his tattoo followed on, his pendant also glowed some light indicating that he will use a strong move. The pendant was returned by Emilia earlier when Jose asked for it because we know that the evil spirit is really gone.
"Emilia, use that move now!" I shouted hoping that this feint attack will work.
"Got it." Emilia seems to know what I'm saying.
Emilia emits an aura covering her whole body. It looks bluish and it kind of look pretty like her. She sidestepped using some kind of movements followed by her sword emitting some kind of noise. I followed suit. While the oppenent was busy focusing on Emilia, I hid in the corner using my Phantom prowl movements hoping this sneak attack will work, and it did. I beheaded the man.
"Sh*t, Khaleed died sooner than expected. Keera summon the sands." The leader orders his remaining team.
But before Keera summons the sands, Jose came with his full strength charged at her and soon she got knocked out of the arena.
Now with the leader only left to defeat he summoned all his shadows but with our full assault eventually Emilia killed the leader indicating our victory.
Now, two more win and we could passed this trial.
"I was hoping that this was your last, looks like lady luck was on your side today" The aswang exclaimed. "But your next opponents will not be that easy than you think" He laughed loudly.
"Why is this guy so annoying." Emilia said angrily.
"I felt like this aswang and clint was in cahoots or something" I blurted out. Well, it was my speculation and instinct that told me, to-be-exact it was because I watched and read too much dramas and scheming types that I said it. And I felt like from time to time that they will glance at each other as if communicating.
"Looks like our next opponents are the triplets." Jose said as the next match was between the triplets and some kind of beastmen, they look like some kind of horse and Lion hybrid because its head was like a horse but the body could be clearly seen as Lion's, it even have a lion's mane.
After a while, The 3rd match will start. It looks like Han San's team and Clint's will not meet like I expected. My math is not that good despite majoring in engineering.
Outside the ruins the tikbalang kept attacking the barrier.
"Sorry, I was late. I was interrupting some kind of message floating outside the ruins, it felt like important to intercept it because I heard the description in the contents and it matches our young master." A figure with a body of wind in a shape of human said explaining to the tikbalang.
The tikbalang neighed. "It's okay amihan but it seems the young master is awakening his third eye sooner. I thought it will take him 2 more years. Some kind of technique is helping him awaken. It looks like from the man we encountered 429 years ago, the one that seems to dropped some scroll in the forest."
"Hurry up, the master said that the young master will need our help there." Amihan said while hurrying the tikbalang.
"Who dares to disturb the sacred ruin's trial!" A loud growl could be heard outside the ruins.
A huge figure could be seen and it seems to be the Bakunawa.
"Lakas Malaya, the ancient tikbalang warrior of the Malaya tribe. What makes you come here to disturb this great being." Bakunawa asked the tikbalang.
The tikbalang snorted " Why do I have to explain it to you, close the barrier and let us in, you foul looking snake!"
"How dare you call me an inferior species!" The Bakunawa growls angrily.
"Sir sacred beast, eater of the moons. Please let us in, our young master needs us. The master said he will need us there. You don't want master to come here do you?" Amihan pleaded the bakunawa as if threatening him too.
"I control these ruins, nothing could escape my eyes.But if your master said so, it means something did and maybe it was related to that guy too." the bakunawa muttered having suspicions." The bakunawa exclaimed. " Who did you come here for if I may ask?"
Amihan explained " It was our young master Jiro, a descendant of our master and his inheritor. He predicted that he will come here as if his unawakened third eye guides him here."
"I knew that guy has a great destiny coming to him, and I felt like helping him too and so did the diwata. It seems he inherited that blood talent. But he emits a different energy than your master as if it was from the practioners of immortality from China, they called themselves Cultivators right?" The bakunawa asked.
"Our young master do cultivate some kind of technique from there, but it was his opportunity and the master didn't warn us about it too. Maybe, it was not harmful to him and Lakas was always watching him too." Amihan said as she was explaining, an explosion occured in the ruins. "Looks like we had to cut our conversation here. Now let us in Bakunawa."
The Bakunawa opened a small gap on the barrier letting the two in.
"It looks like that young boy from earlier will suffer a harshful fate than I predicted, with that two with him." The Bakunawa sighed as he closed the gaps in the barrier.
Inside the ruins, the third round loomed like an impending storm. The aswang's voice boomed across the arena, thick with glee.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next match is between Jiro's team and the triplets! A clash of wills, skill, and bloodline, now let the battle begin!"
The air grew heavier as the triplets stepped into the arena. Their synergy was palpable, a seamless connection that made them move and fight as one. It was more than teamwork; it was instinct, a unique bloodline that linked their thoughts. One was a towering tank wielding a massive shield, another a nimble mage summoning elemental spells, and the third a deadly swordsman who blended speed and precision.
The pressure weighed on us. We huddled together quickly, knowing our previous strategies would be useless.
"They're linked," I whispered. "They're thinking together, moving together. We can't fight them individually."
Jose crossed his arms, his face grim. "We'll need to break their rhythm. I'll distract the tank and mage. You two focus on isolating the swordsman, he's the key to their offensive strategy."
Emilia nodded, her expression resolute. "Got it. I'll keep them disoriented with my aura. Jiro, use your Phantom Prowl to slip past their defenses."
The aswang's laughter echoed, his grin as sharp as his words. "In three… two… one! Begin!"
The triplets wasted no time. The tank slammed his shield into the ground, creating an energy barrier around their formation. The mage raised her hands, summoning a swirling storm of fire and wind that surged toward us, while the swordsman darted forward with blinding speed.
"Move!" Jose roared, charging straight into the barrier. His glowing tattoos lit up like molten gold, their energy colliding with the tank's shield in a burst of force. The shield cracked but held.
"I'm not done yet!" Jose shouted, pouring more power into his attack. With a thunderous crash, the shield shattered, forcing the tank to stagger back.
Seizing the opening, Emilia unleashed a wave of her bluish energy aura, its brilliance disrupting the mage's concentration. The storm dissipated momentarily, buying us precious seconds.
Using Phantom Prowl, I melted into the shadows, circling around their formation. The swordsman's eyes darted around, searching for me, but Emilia kept him busy with a series of ranged energy slashes.
"Found you!" I muttered as I emerged from the shadows, landing a solid blow to his side. He grunted in pain but spun around with a counterattack, his blade glinting with energy.
"Don't get cocky!" the mage hissed, casting a barrage of fireballs in my direction.
I dodged swiftly, retreating as Jose lunged forward, delivering a crushing blow to the mage that sent her reeling. The tank roared in anger, charging at Jose with his shield raised high.
"Not so fast!" Emilia shouted, intercepting the tank with a powerful slash infused with her aura. The energy rippled through his armor, forcing him back.
The triplets' seamless coordination began to falter. Their connection wavered under our relentless assault. The swordsman, trying to regroup with his siblings, was cut off by another of my Phantom Prowl movements.
"You won't win this!" the tank bellowed, raising his shield for one final stand.
But it was too late. Jose delivered a devastating blow to the mage, sending her out of bounds. Emilia, with precise timing, struck the tank's exposed side, forcing him to his knees.
Now only the swordsman remained. His movements grew frantic, desperate without his siblings to guide him. Emilia and I attacked in unison, and with one final, coordinated strike, her blade found its mark, ending the fight.
The aswang's mocking applause filled the air. "Well done, well done! But don't celebrate too soon. Your greatest challenge is yet to come!"
I glanced at my team. We were bruised, battered, and exhausted, but we won. One more victory stood between us and survival.