Tave stood absolutely still, unmoving as the Seismhorn thundered straight toward him.
To the others watching, it must've looked like suicide. He wasn't dodging, wasn't bracing, wasn't even raising his sword.
But in that razor-thin sliver of a moment, his entire focus sharpened into a single thread.
He didn't just watch the monster. He read it.
The way its front hooves slammed the ground… the uneven tilt in its stride… the slight lag in its left hind leg, it was imbalanced. That was it. That was the monster's weakness.
Its charging speed was insane, yes, but not perfect.
And its deadliest feature? That if you dodged too early, it would correct course mid-charge.
Dodge too late? The horns would explode on impact.
Either mistake meant death.
Tave inhaled sharply.
He saw the opportunity, not in brute force, but in timing.
"Fang!"
The monster was already right there! Closing in with terrifying force.
Spectators held their breath. The selection officials began raising their hands, panic flashing in their eyes as they prepared to cast a barrier, certain this boy wouldn't survive the impact.
"NOW!!"
Tave and Fang exploded into motion, splitting in opposite directions at the exact second before impact.
It happened so fast, it looked like the monster had run straight through them.
A beat later, BOOM!
A thunderous explosion tore through the back of the arena as the Seismhorn crashed full-force into the stone wall, its horns igniting the air in a scorching blast.
Tave rolled cleanly along the ground, his instincts pulling him low and out of the smoke. As he came to a stop, he looked up, just in time to catch the stunned, sweat-drenched faces of the officials.
They surely thought he'd be dead.
But he wasn't.
He wasn't even scratched!
The Seismhorn staggered, its massive frame swaying in confusion from the force of its own attack.
And now? Now was the moment everyone expected a counterattack.
But Tave stayed low. He didn't move. He didn't rush.
Because he knew. This was not the moment to strike. Not yet.
Right now, the monster was still too strong. Its muscles were still taut, its momentum still raging. Physical attacks would be useless. It would shrug them off.
No, this was a monster that had to be worn down.
"Let it keep charging," he thought. "Burn its stamina. Keep dodging. Hit it only when it's forced into recovery."
The Seismhorn roared in rage, snorting out thick, steaming air from both nostrils.
Then, with another furious bellow, it charged again. And once more, Tave and Fang stood still, like statues waiting for death.
But they weren't frozen. They were calculating. Watching. Waiting for the perfect second to move again.
Because against a beast like this, victory didn't belong to the strongest.
It belonged to the patient. To the precise. To the hunter.
BOOM!
Once again, the arena shook with force as Tave and Fang slipped away at the final second, dodging the monster's charge with surgical precision. A second explosion erupted behind them, louder than the last. Dust and smoke billowed in every direction, and the arena floor trembled beneath the weight of that impact.
This time, though… something changed.
Some of the spectators who had been slouching back in bored arrogance suddenly sat upright.
Whispers rose. Murmurs. Even confusion.
"Well, how long can he keep dodging?" someone scoffed. "He can't move like that forever."
"Yeah… clearly waiting for the beast to tire out. But he'll die first."
"It takes at least five… maybe six charges before the Seismhorn slows down," another said. "And even then, it only pauses for five seconds at most."
"And in those five seconds, who the hell can take down a monster like that?"
A few heads turned toward the source of the comment.
One older man leaned forward, eyes narrowed.
"…This kid's more prepared than I expected," he muttered. "Could it be… talent passed down from his father?"
"Please," someone nearby rolled their eyes. "If there was any talent to pass on, it all went to his little sister. He's got nothing."
"Yeah. Pathetic Gaia Apprentice. No matter how well he knows this beast, raw power is what matters in the end. And he doesn't have it. He'll burn out way before the monster does."
But then… Gasps echoed through the stands.
Because the fifth charge had ended, and Tave had dodged it again.
Clean. Precise. Perfect.
The Seismhorn skidded across the stone, smoke rising from its hooves. Its breathing grew heavier. The glint of stamina loss was visible in the twitch of its limbs.
This was it! The moment.
The one no amount of theory or textbook knowledge could prepare you for. Because knowing when a monster like this was tired wasn't just about observation. It was about instinct, nerve, and the will to bet everything on a single second.
From the stands, every eye locked onto the arena.
This was the deciding second.
If Tave misjudged this, even by a sliver. If the Seismhorn had one more charge left in it. If he misread the signals…
It wouldn't just be a mistake.
It would be fatal.
And then, Tave moved.
He and Fang launched forward, closing the distance fast, blades and fangs gleaming under the sunlight. No hesitation.
He was going in.
He had chosen this moment to strike.
A ripple of alarm spread through the spectators.
"Hell, that's reckless!" one shouted.
"He's moving too early!"
"There's no way he can bring it down in that short of a window. He's done for!"
"This is suicide!"
Because they all knew. This monster, even tired, still had brute power beyond what a Gaia Apprentice should be able to handle.
One wrong move, one mistimed strike, and Tave's body would be crushed.
It was insane. It was foolish.
Tave had made his call.
And there was no turning back.
Down in the arena, Tave moved with precision and urgency, his hands weaving through a rapid sequence of hand seals before drawing his sword with a sharp metallic hiss.
Fang, reading his partner's intent like a mirror, lunged ahead, claws tearing across the arena floor as he launched himself at the Seismhorn's rear leg, the weaker left side they had identified.
CHOMP!
Fang latched onto the leg, clamping down with a crushing grip and hanging on with all his weight. The Seismhorn roared, its massive body thrashing violently, trying to shake him off. Its muscles bulging, horns glowing again.
But Fang held on.
Every shake, every stomp, every twist, it only bought Tave more time.
Tave didn't wait. He sprinted, circling the beast, staying out of its line of sight. Then… He leapt!
A sharp exhale left the crowd as they watched him land on the monster's back, his boots gripping tightly to the thick hide.
The arena seemed to go completely still.
And then, he struck.
Tave raised his Tier 3 sword, and with a savage cry, slammed it down at the base of the Seismhorn's glowing horn, the very source of its explosive power.
CLANG!
The blade connected.
Again. And again. And again.
His entire body vibrated from the force of each strike, and the beast twisted beneath him, throwing its bulk around, trying to hurl him into the air.
One wrong move, and he'd be crushed.
But he didn't let go.
Because his blade was Tier 3, and the horn, though tough, was just below that. The difference was slim. But it was enough.
This was the monster's recovery window.
Five seconds. Now two!
He grit his teeth, pouring everything he had into his strikes. HIT. HIT. HIT. HIT!
His arms screamed, his legs burned from holding on, his body rocking violently with the beast's rage. But his focus never wavered.
He had to break the horn, or the beast would charge again, and that charge would be fatal.
No time. One second left. HIT. HIT. HIT!
Something cracked!
A flash of light burst from the base of the horn. A deep shudder rippled through the Seismhorn's body.
Did he do it?!
The answer came in a single sound!
KRRRRRAAAKKK!!!
The right horn shattered, the red glow extinguished instantly as the fragments flew across the arena like jagged shards of glass.
The Seismhorn stumbled, its balance faltering, its strength suddenly wavering.
The crowd was dead silent.
Tave landed hard, rolled across the arena floor, and without missing a beat, pushed himself into a sprint, creating distance. Fang mirrored him, leaping back from the monster's hind leg, blood trailing in the air from the gash he'd left on its weakened limb.
The right horn was gone, shattered into pieces. But the left horn still remained, and it was glowing again, hotter, brighter.
The fight wasn't over.
The Seismhorn roared, the sound vibrating through the arena like thunder. It was wounded. Angry. Still dangerous.
Tave braced himself, sweat stinging his eyes, sword still clenched in his hand, his breath ragged but steady.
And then…
BUUUUUM!
A sharp, blaring buzz echoed across the arena.
A sudden blast of light erupted from the ground. And in a blink, a massive energy shield snapped into place around the monster, trapping it in a glowing dome.
Tave froze. Fang growled low. Even the crowd fell into a confused silence.
What?!
"What just happened?!" someone in the stands gasped.
It wasn't just Tave who was shocked. Everyone from spectators to officials turned their eyes toward the edge of the arena, where one of the examiners was now standing and shouting aloud for all to hear.
"Tave, Gaia Apprentice," the man's voice rang clear, "HAS PASSED THE TEST!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Passed?!"
"The monster hasn't even fallen yet!?!"
"That's it?!"
A moment of stunned silence followed… And then, applause.
Thunderous, echoing applause.
It started slow… disbelieving… Then swelled into a full arena-wide ovation.
Because yes, he passed!
The panel had made their call.
The Seismhorn, a monster so powerful it often disqualified or hospitalized Gaia Apprentices, had lost one of its horns, the very source of its explosive power.
That alone shifted the battle. That alone proved mastery. Not just of physical power, but of strategy, instinct, timing.
He didn't need to kill it. He didn't need to fight to the death.
He'd tamed the fight. And in the eyes of the examiners, that was enough!
"Now shut up, all you dumbasses!"
They had mocked him. Laughed. Dismissed him.
But now? Now they had no choice but to watch him rise!