Kale wasted no time, immediately darting toward the area where the largest concentration of players had gathered. His movements were swift, precise, and lethal, slicing through the chaos with singular focus. Hero's Nandaki hummed in his hand, the blade cutting through the air with an elegance and deadliness that matched its wielder.
The players around him were no amateurs. These were seasoned fighters, each with a repertoire of powerful skills and strategies honed by countless battles in the Tower. But Kale had something they lacked: experience fighting not just monsters, but armies of humans. His trials on the battlefield had honed him into something far more dangerous than a typical climber. He moved like a ghost among them, too fast to track, too deadly to counter.
His first opponent came at him, a slender assassin wielding twin daggers. She was fast, faster than most monsters Kale had faced, but his Sage's Eyes predicted her every move. As her daggers arced toward his throat, Kale parried both strikes with one effortless motion, sending her blades flying. He stepped in close, too close for her to react, and drove Nandaki through her chest. The system teleported her out just before death claimed her.
There was no time to pause. Another opponent, this time a hulking warrior clad in thick iron armor, swung a massive hammer at Kale's head. The impact would have shattered stone, but Kale wasn't there when it connected. He ducked low, the hammer missing him by inches as it tore through the air above. With a fluid motion, he rolled to the side and slashed at the warrior's exposed leg. The blade of Nandaki sliced through his armor like it was paper, severing muscle and bone. The warrior collapsed, roaring in pain before the system whisked him away.
More enemies converged on him. Kale's eyes flickered around the battlefield, taking in every movement, every shifting stance. These weren't monsters that relied on brute force and instinct. These were thinking, calculating opponents, and they were adapting to his every move. Three players rushed him from different angles, hoping to overwhelm him through sheer numbers.
Kale didn't flinch. His Sage's Eyes glowed with a cold light as he predicted each of their attacks. The first lunged with a spear, aiming for his heart. Kale sidestepped, his footwork perfect, and caught the shaft of the spear with his free hand, pulling the player off balance. He drove his blade into the player's side and kicked him away, Nandaki leaving a trail of crimson in the air as the player was teleported out.
The second attacker, a mage, conjured a ball of fire in her hands and hurled it toward Kale. He had less than a second to react. He raised Nandaki and slashed through the air, sending a crescent wave of energy forward. The wave collided with the fireball, dispersing it harmlessly. Before the mage could cast another spell, Kale was upon her. With a single stroke, he cut her down.
The third player, a rogue, moved silently behind Kale, blades poised to strike at his exposed back. But Kale didn't need to see him. Sage's Eyes had already shown him the attack. He spun on his heel, Nandaki flashing through the air. The rogue's eyes widened in shock as the blade found his neck, and he vanished in a burst of light.
Kale exhaled, steadying his breathing. Around him, players were beginning to take notice. Word of his power was spreading, and the remaining competitors eyed him warily. But despite the growing attention, he felt no fear—only anticipation. This was the kind of battle he had been waiting for.
Suddenly, a wave of magic surged toward him, and Kale barely had time to react. A player clad in shimmering robes stood at the edge of the battlefield, their hands glowing with arcane power. They unleashed a barrage of elemental attacks—lightning, fire, and ice—all converging on Kale's position.
Kale gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn't dodge them all. He activated one of Nandaki's hidden abilities, raising the blade high. A protective barrier of energy erupted from the sword, encasing him just as the magical onslaught hit. The impact was deafening, and the ground around him was scorched and cracked. But Kale remained unscathed within the glowing shield.
With a roar, he released the energy, sending a shockwave rippling outward. The mage staggered back, caught off guard, and Kale seized the opportunity. He sprinted toward the mage, closing the distance in a heartbeat. The mage tried to cast another spell, but it was too late. Kale's blade cleaved through the air, and the mage was gone, teleported out of the trial before their death.
"This is nothing," Kale muttered to himself, his voice cold and calm. "I expected more from the Tower's heroes."
Despite his confidence, the sheer number of enemies was beginning to wear on him. The players weren't monsters—they were intelligent, adapting to his moves, working together to try and exploit any opening they could find. Kale was powerful, but even he had limits. Yet, with each passing second, his skills, his experience, and his raw power continued to widen the gap between him and the rest.
He moved like a storm through the battlefield, dispatching enemies with chilling precision. For every two that fell, another five seemed to take their place, but Kale remained undeterred. He reveled in the challenge, in the feeling of being pushed to his limits.
"If I had come here straight from the Third Floor…" Kale thought, narrowly dodging a sword aimed at his throat, "I would have been overwhelmed. Even with my strength, fighting this many skilled players would have been a nightmare."
The player who had attacked with the sword lunged again, but Kale saw it coming. He sidestepped the attack, pivoting smoothly as he brought Nandaki down in a lethal arc. The player had no time to react, their health bar plummeting as they were struck down.
"But now…" Kale continued, breathing hard as he prepared for the next wave. "I'm not the same."
The battlefield was littered with defeated players, but there was no time for celebration. The remaining fighters were far from easy prey. These were the ones who had survived the chaos, the strongest of the heroes who remained, and they were watching Kale carefully, assessing his every move.
The last twenty players stood across the battlefield, their weapons drawn, eyes locked on each other, but mostly on Kale. He had drawn their attention, their respect, and their fear.
Kale's breathing was steady despite the fatigue that gnawed at his muscles. His eyes gleamed with cold resolve. He had come too far to let fatigue or fear hold him back now. Activating Hero's Nandaki again, he felt the familiar surge of power course through his veins. This was it—the final stretch.
But just as the tension reached its peak, something changed.
A figure stepped forward from the shadows at the far end of the battlefield, larger and more imposing than any of the other players. Kale's instincts screamed at him, warning of danger far beyond what he had faced so far. His eyes narrowed as he adjusted his stance, Nandaki glowing brighter in his hands.
"Who... is that?"
The remaining players felt it too—the shift in the air, the pressure that hadn't been there before. They hesitated, unsure of whether to fight each other or to face this new threat.
The figure stepped fully into view, their presence radiating raw power. Their eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto Kale. This was no ordinary player.
And Kale had no choice but to face them head-on.
The Battle Royale had only just begun, but now, it was about to take a turn no one expected.