It was time for Rune and Karin to secure their place for the night, but neither of them seemed sure who to challenge. They stood quietly, glancing around at the crowd of disciples.
Isshin observed them both and analyzed the surrounding cultivators, narrowing down who would be suitable opponents. He looked at their auras, clothing ranks, and presence. After a moment, he stepped forward and spoke quietly.
"Rune, take the one with short hair over there. His movements are calm, and he doesn't seem arrogant. A solid match."
Rune nodded and stepped toward the man, who stood with hands behind his back, eyes steady. They bowed slightly before drawing their swords.
The clash began fast—metal meeting metal in bursts of sparks. Rune's swordsmanship was smooth but firm, while his opponent's style was sharp and methodical. After a series of exchanges, the other cultivator stepped back and muttered an incantation.
"ShenLou Dragon Technique."
A shimmering dragon of Qi formed behind him and lunged toward Rune. The crowd stirred, murmuring at the sight. Rune raised both hands, forming a glowing shield of mana. The dragon hit the barrier but didn't break it. Instead, Rune twisted his body, rotating the shield like a disc—redirecting the attack.
The Qi dragon reversed mid-air, striking its original caster. The crowd gasped. Rune raised his arm, releasing several bursts of condensed mana bullets. They grazed the opponent's shoulder and leg, but he held his ground.
Then, without a word, the man lowered his weapon and gave a short nod of surrender.
Rune sheathed his blade.
Now it was Karin's turn.
Isshin had chosen a female martial artist across the arena. She stood with a quiet but commanding presence, dressed in the uniform of a senior disciple. Long black hair tied back, black eyes focused without emotion.
Karin walked toward her, her jaw clenched but posture steady. No bow this time—the woman struck first, launching into close combat with sharp, precise movements.
Karin blocked quickly, her sword clashing against the opponent's with a ringing echo. She used her sword spirit to wrap Qi around the woman's hand, trying to restrain her, but the woman broke free with a quick sidestep.
Karin stepped back and raised her hand, summoning her thread technique. Fine Qi threads lashed toward the opponent, fast and erratic, but the woman dodged with uncanny agility.
Then, her voice rang out softly:
"Mirage Blade."
She slashed through the air. Paper-thin sword auras flew toward Karin, almost invisible, but incredibly fast. Karin jumped aside, barely avoiding them.
She spun her Qi into a whip-like form and tried to trap her again—but before she could land a hit, the woman placed her sword upright before her.
"Illusions of ShenLou."
A spiral of thin white Qi burst from the sword and pulsed outward. It wasn't a physical strike—Karin felt it in her mind, like a wave of fog crashing through her thoughts.
Everything blurred. Her legs wobbled. And then, nothing.
Karin collapsed.
The sect medics were quick to intervene, placing her on a stretcher and checking her vitals.
"She's fine," one of them said. "The illusion attack doesn't cause harm—it just knocks the mind out temporarily."
Isshin stood still, watching her. His expression didn't change, but inside, he felt something tighten.
Later that evening, Karin slowly opened her eyes in a quiet room. She sat up and saw Rune standing near the doorway. Across the room was the girl she had fought, sitting calmly, watching her.
"You're awake," the girl said.
Karin gave a weak nod.
"You'll be fine. That technique doesn't hurt. Just puts pressure on your mind. You blacked out for a while."
Karin's lips barely moved. "Did… I lose?"
Rune said nothing.
The girl replied instead, "Yes."
There was a pause.
"I have a room," the girl added. "You can stay there tonight. It's allowed for guests."
Karin didn't argue. She felt numb. She followed them quietly.
Later, in that room, both girls lay on the same bed, facing away from each other. The silence was heavy, but not cold.
Karin didn't sleep. She stared at the wall, arms tucked close. Her breathing was quiet, but uneven.
"I really thought I could win," she whispered.
The girl didn't respond.
"I let him down," Karin muttered. "I trained so hard… and I still couldn't do anything."
She turned further into the pillow. The girl across from her remained silent, eyes shut, not out of coldness—but because she understood there were no words to fix what Karin was feeling.
In another room, Isshin lay awake as well, staring at the wooden ceiling. The fight replayed over and over in his mind. He had been sure it was the right choice.