The clearing felt too small for the weight of what was happening. The battlefield buzzed with a mix of tension and adrenaline.
Atlas and I stood shoulder to shoulder, backs pressed against the towering pillar. Five tags shimmered at its peak, the ultimate prize. Yet reaching them felt like a distant dream.
My drones hovered close, their alerts pinging constantly in my interface. It wasn't just the tags at stake anymore—it was pride, survival, and whatever twisted thrill the seniors seemed to be getting out of this.
Drek Sin had already nocked another arrow, its energy-infused tip glowing ominously. Beside him, Morak Eyre's robotic puppets shifted with mechanical precision, their cold, lifeless eyes trained on Atlas and me. Each one was armed to the teeth, and Morak's smirk told me he was enjoying the control.
"This doesn't look good," Atlas muttered, his rifle steady despite the sweat on his brow.
The fifth senior was still nowhere to be seen, but that didn't mean he wasn't watching.
"I need time to recalibrate my drones for these guys," I said, my voice low and calm. "Keep them busy."
Atlas snorted. "Yeah, sure. I'll just casually take on an army of murder-bots and a guy with sniper-level accuracy. No problem."
Drek's arrow loosed, cutting through the air like a laser. I sidestepped just in time, the warning from my drone making the move possible.
"Stop dodging," Drek called, his voice cold and detached. "It's annoying."
"Stop missing," I shot back, deploying two drones to flank him. Their suppressing fire was enough to force him to reposition, but not enough to land a hit.
Meanwhile, Morak sent two of his puppets straight at Atlas, their jointed limbs moving with an unsettling grace. Atlas fired a precision shot, taking one out, but the second leapt onto his back, its claws tearing into his armor.
"Get this thing off me!" Atlas shouted, slamming himself into a tree to dislodge it.
I redirected a drone, its taser module firing and frying the puppet's circuits. "Concentrate, Atlas. We can't let them separate us."
"Yeah, because sticking together is working so well," he quipped, panting but readying his next shot.
Morak's laughter cut through the chaos. "You two aren't bad, for rookies. But you're still outmatched."
"Funny," I said, deploying an EMP burst from another drone. "I was just thinking the same about you."
The burst temporarily disabled two more of Morak's puppets, buying us precious seconds. But Drek wasn't letting up. His next arrow shattered one of my drones, the resulting explosion forcing me to duck for cover.
"Think, Noah," I muttered under my breath. I couldn't use my full power. Not here. Not with Gaia's ever-watchful eyes analyzing every move.
[System Notification: Energy Spike Detected]
Hostile Energy Output Increasing
Drek's next arrow was glowing brighter than the last. I didn't need the system to tell me it was trouble.
"Atlas, suppressing fire on Drek. Now!"
Atlas didn't hesitate. His rifle roared, forcing Drek to retreat behind a cluster of trees. But it left Atlas open.
Morak seized the opportunity, his remaining puppets converging on Atlas.
"Over here, tin cans!" I shouted, deploying my last two drones directly into their path. The drones' taser fields slowed the puppets, but it wasn't enough.
"Morak, control your toys better!" Drek called from his cover.
"They're not toys! And they're doing just fine," Morak replied, his hands twitching as he directed another wave.
Atlas and I regrouped, our backs against the pillar.
"This is bad," he said, breathing hard.
"Tell me something I don't know," I replied, glancing at my dwindling resources. "We need to take one of them out, fast."
"Easier said than—"
Drek stepped forward, nocking another arrow with the ease of a hunter toying with prey. "You're quick," he said, his voice calm, detached. "Let's see how long you can keep that up."
Atlas raised his rifle. "We'll see how fast you are when I clip your wings."
Morak's puppets surged forward at his command, cutting off any chance of a clean shot.
"Focus on the puppets," I said, deploying two drones to intercept. Their tasers buzzed to life, arcs of electricity lashing out and shorting one of the machines.
Atlas didn't need further instruction. He fired, his shot tearing through a second puppet and embedding itself in a third.
"Not bad," Morak said, his hands twitching as he sent the remaining three into a flanking maneuver. "But you're going to run out of tricks eventually."
I activated an EMP burst from another drone, the pulse rippling outward and halting two puppets mid-stride.
"That's the thing about us," I said, deploying my last drone. "We're full of surprises."
Atlas took out the final puppet, leaving Morak momentarily exposed.
"Now!" I shouted.
Atlas and I moved in tandem, our attacks coordinated. His precision shot shattered the barrier Morak tried to raise, and I launched a drone-mounted taser that landed squarely on his chest.
Morak's scream was cut short as he disintegrated into light.
One down.
Drek didn't wait. His next arrow came faster, harder, the energy coursing along its shaft a clear sign he wasn't holding back.
I dodged, the system's alerts guiding me like a second pair of eyes.
"Atlas, suppressing fire!"
Atlas unloaded, forcing Drek to retreat into the cover of the trees.
"We've got him," Atlas said, reloading.
I wasn't so sure.
The air shifted. A presence made itself known, heavy and oppressive.
[System Notification: Threat Level Critical]
Gaius (Spearmaster): S-Rank Talent Detected
The fifth senior stepped into the clearing, his spear resting casually on his shoulder. Gaius looked at us with a smile that was all wrong—too wide, too eager.
His smile was unnerving, all teeth and no warmth.
"Well, this is disappointing," he said, his tone light and conversational. "I expected more from you two."
Drek stepped back, his posture instantly deferential. "Gaius," he greeted, lowering his bow, his voice unusually subdued.
Morak's absence wasn't lost on Gaius. He glanced at the remnants of the puppets and chuckled. "Looks like you've had some fun without me."
Atlas cursed under his breath. "Gaius the fifth one. And he's an S-rank."
I tightened my grip on the controls, my mind racing. Gaius's presence changed everything.
He turned to me, his smile widening. "You've been holding back, haven't you?"
I didn't respond, my gaze steady, my drones circling defensively.
"Oh, don't look so suspicious," he said, twirling his spear. "I'm not here to judge. In fact, I like it when people hold back. Makes it all the more satisfying when they finally let loose."
He pointed the spear at me, the tip glowing faintly. "Show me what you've got, Noah. Or is this all there is?"
I clenched my fists, my drones circling defensively. "What's your angle, Gaius?"
Drek moved to speak, but Gaius raised a hand. "Stand down. This one's mine."
His laugh was sharp, almost manic. "My angle? I'm bored, rookie. I was hoping for a challenge. Do you know what it's like to win every fight, every time, without even breaking a sweat? You're different. I can feel it. So entertain me."
Atlas stepped forward, his rifle raised. "Back off."
Gaius's spear blurred, and suddenly Atlas's rifle was split in half. He hadn't even seen the move.
"Careful," Gaius said, his tone mockingly polite. "You might break before I get to the fun part."
I forced myself to stay calm, my mind calculating. Gaius wanted a fight. If I played it right, I could use that against him.
"Alright," I said, stepping forward. "You want to see what I've got? Let's fight."
His grin turned feral. "Now we're talking."
The system pinged again, my drones alerting me to every movement as the fight began.
[System Notification: Hostile Energy Levels Increasing]
Gaius lunged, his spear cutting through the air like a living thing. I dodged, barely, my mind working overtime to find a way to fight back without revealing too much.
Gaius lunged again. His spear was a blur, each strike forcing me to retreat, dodge, and think. I couldn't afford to reveal too much, but holding back wasn't an option.
The clearing became a war zone, the stakes higher than ever. And for the first time, I realized something terrifying.
Gaius wasn't just here to win.
He wasn't just powerful. He was a predator, and I was his prey.