The battlefield was shifting, but Jian was already two steps ahead.
The Spire's energy flickered, the chains recoiling like wounded serpents. The mage was off-balance, the assassin was hesitating, and the warrior—
Still charging.
Perfect.
Jian moved.
His sword flickered as he dashed straight toward the warrior. The man grinned, gripping his warhammer with both hands. "Finally fighting me head-on?"
Jian didn't answer.
One step. The warrior swung.
Jian vanished.
Shadow Step.
He reappeared above him.
The warrior's eyes widened. Too late.
Jian's sword slammed down—not at his head, but at his weapon.
A direct, overwhelming strike.
Clang!
The force rattled the Spire.
The warrior's hands buckled. His warhammer, enchanted and reinforced, shattered.
His grin vanished.
Jian landed smoothly, blade already rising. "Your mistake—"
His sword slashed.
A deep cut opened across the warrior's chest. Not fatal, but enough.
The giant man staggered back. Defeated.
One down.
---
Two Remain.
The assassin moved.
She was fast. Jian barely saw the motion before she was behind him.
But he was faster.
He didn't turn—he just stepped aside.
Her dagger missed his spine by a hair.
She reacted immediately, twisting, aiming for his throat. Jian ducked.
His counter came instantly.
A short, brutal elbow strike to her stomach.
Her breath vanished.
Before she could recover, his blade flipped in his grip. He swung the flat against her wrist—disarming her.
Her dagger clattered to the ground.
She froze, staring at him.
Jian met her eyes. "You lost."
She clenched her jaw, but didn't move.
Two down.
---
The Last Threat.
The mage stood alone.
Her silver eyes burned with frustration. But also something else.
Curiosity.
Jian walked toward her, sword lowered but ready.
She exhaled. "You shouldn't be able to do that."
Jian tilted his head. "Do what?"
Her grip on her staff tightened. "You fight like you know what's coming. You counter without hesitation. It's almost like…"
She hesitated.
"…you're breaking the script."
Jian stopped.
His expression didn't change, but inside—
A chill.
Because she wasn't wrong.
He had felt it too.
Something in the Tower was preordained. As if challengers were meant to follow a certain path, a sequence of events that had already been written.
But he was different.
He wasn't following it.
He was rewriting it.
The mage studied him for a long moment. Then, she lowered her staff.
"I yield."
Jian's fingers twitched slightly on his sword. "Why?"
She smiled slightly. "Because I want to see how far you'll go."
Three down.
---
Trial Complete.
The Spire rumbled.
The chains disintegrated. The shifting terrain settled. The energy that had filled the air faded.
Jian stood in the silence, his breath steady.
Then—
A chime.
[ Trial of the Spire: Completed. ]
A pulse of golden light washed over him.
[ Reward Processing… ]
The warrior sighed, pressing a hand to his chest wound. "Damn. That actually hurts."
The assassin rubbed her wrist, staring at Jian like he was a puzzle she couldn't quite solve.
The mage just watched. "You broke the Trial."
Jian didn't respond.
Because deep down—
He had a feeling this was only the beginning.
---
End of Chapter 43.