As Kale stood there, blood soaking the battlefield beneath him, the remaining fighters knew they had to strike now. His body was failing him—anyone could see it. But the fire in his eyes, the unwavering defiance that screamed from his very soul, made them hesitate. He had no leg. He had no hand. Yet, he was still standing.
A group of five advanced cautiously, fanning out to flank him. Two warriors wielding swords moved in tandem with a spear-wielding fighter, while a mage and an archer stood in the rear, ready to strike from a distance. It was a perfect formation, one designed to overwhelm and break their opponent through sheer coordination.
Kale watched them through Sage's Eyes, the magical glow casting a faint light over the bloodied ground. Their movements played out in his mind before they even happened—a flicker of the archer pulling back his bowstring, the mage whispering incantations, the warriors tightening their grip on their weapons. But knowing what would happen wasn't enough. His body was slow, worn, and sluggish from fatigue. He had no margin for error.
The first warrior darted in, his blade slicing toward Kale's left side. He parried the strike, though the force nearly sent him stumbling. The second warrior was already upon him, and Kale barely managed to block the incoming slash with Nandaki. His hand shook violently from the strain, but he gritted his teeth and held firm.
Then came the spear. It thrust toward his chest with blinding speed. Kale twisted his body just in time, feeling the tip graze the side of his ribs, tearing the edge of his armor. He tried to counter with Nandaki, but the spear-wielder was already out of range, his retreat covered by the two warriors closing in again.
Kale's vision blurred for a moment, and he swayed on his feet. His whole body screamed in protest, the pain in his missing hand and leg threatening to pull him into unconsciousness. But he couldn't afford to fall. Not now. Not with victory so close.
"Come on!" Kale snarled, his voice raw and desperate. "Is that all you've got?"
The archer released his arrow.
It whistled through the air, aimed directly at Kale's head. In that split second, Kale's mind sharpened, his Sage's Eyes revealing the trajectory. He ducked just as the arrow sailed past, narrowly missing his temple. At the same time, the mage finished her spell. A bolt of lightning crackled toward him.
He couldn't dodge this one. With a grunt, he raised Nandaki, using the blade to absorb most of the impact. The force of the spell sent him skidding backward, his already weakened leg barely holding him upright. His arm, the one still holding Nandaki, burned with searing pain.
"Damn it," Kale muttered under his breath, blinking through the haze of exhaustion.
The warriors pressed their advantage. One came from the right, sword raised high for a killing blow, while the other circled to his left, looking to take him from behind. Kale's instincts screamed at him to move, but his body was slow, too slow. He parried the first attack, though it cost him—the second warrior's blade slashed across his back.
He grunted in pain, stumbling forward. His blood soaked the ground beneath him, and for a fleeting moment, it seemed like the end. The spear-wielder was charging again, his weapon poised for the final strike.
But Kale's eyes flared with renewed determination. He wasn't done. Not yet.
With a burst of desperate strength, Kale pivoted on his crutch and swung Nandaki in a wide arc. The spear-wielder's eyes widened in shock as the blade caught him across the chest, slicing deep into his armor. He was gone in an instant, teleported out of the trial.
"Next," Kale growled through gritted teeth, barely holding himself up.
The two warriors exchanged a glance, realizing that brute force wouldn't be enough to take him down. They needed precision.
The mage and archer were readying their next moves. Kale felt it in the air—the archer's focus, the tension in the bowstring, the crackle of mana around the mage's hands. He had to act fast. His Sage's Eyes revealed their intentions, but his body felt like it was moving through water. Everything hurt.
The archer loosed another arrow, and this time, Kale couldn't dodge entirely. The arrow buried itself in his shoulder, sending a wave of agony down his arm. His grip on Nandaki weakened, and for a brief second, it seemed like he might drop the blade.
But Kale gritted his teeth, forcing his hand to hold tight. He wouldn't let go. Not yet. Not until the last of them fell.
With a roar of defiance, he charged the remaining warriors, his body screaming in protest with every step. The first warrior slashed at him, aiming for his side, but Kale parried the blow, countering with a swift strike to the man's abdomen. The warrior barely had time to register the hit before he was teleported out of the trial.
The second warrior lunged at him, but Kale was ready. He ducked under the strike, spinning on his crutch, and brought Nandaki down in a vicious overhead swing. The warrior's sword came up to block, but Kale's strength, born from desperation, broke through. His blade sliced through the man's defenses, and a moment later, the warrior was gone.
Only the mage and archer remained.
Kale was barely standing now, his vision flickering between clarity and darkness. His whole body trembled from exhaustion, his muscles screaming in agony. Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling at his feet, but he refused to fall.
The mage unleashed another spell—a torrent of ice spikes that hurtled toward him. Kale reacted as fast as his failing body would allow, dodging to the side, though one of the spikes caught him in the leg. He stumbled, almost collapsing, but he pushed himself up again, breathing raggedly.
"You're… not gonna… stop me," Kale panted, his voice barely a whisper.
The archer took aim, his arrow glowing with a magical enchantment. It was a finishing shot, a guaranteed kill.
Kale's Sage's Eyes flared, revealing the trajectory. He had no time to think—only to act.
With a surge of adrenaline, Kale threw himself forward, pushing past the pain, past the exhaustion. He swung Nandaki with all his remaining strength, the blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The archer's eyes widened in shock as the sword cleaved through his bow, sending splinters flying. Before the archer could react, Kale's blade cut through him as well.
And then there was one.
The mage stood alone, panic flashing across her face. She began chanting, her hands glowing with arcane energy, but Kale was already moving. His body was on the verge of collapse, his vision tunneling, but he pressed on, driven by sheer will.
With a final, desperate lunge, Kale closed the distance. The mage's spell was almost complete, a swirling ball of fire forming between her hands.
But it was too late.
Kale brought Nandaki down in a swift, brutal strike, cleaving through her defenses. The fireball dissipated as she crumpled to the ground, teleported out of the trial like all the others.
It was over.
Kale stood there, panting, his body trembling from the effort. Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling at his feet. His vision blurred, and his legs gave out beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground.
But he had won.