The corridor stretched endlessly before Eternia.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

Her vision wavered, edges darkening as the strain of Adapt continued to drain her mana at a terrifying rate. The crown of jagged, translucent spikes still hovered above her head, faintly pulsing—alive, reactive, feeding on her reserves.

"...Almost... there..."

She forced her legs forward.

Then—

Her eyes snapped wide.

"...What?"

Up ahead—

A figure burst into view from a crossing corridor.

Silver-blue mana trailed behind him like a comet.

Etherius Sinclair.

Her twin brother.

And behind him—

Two figures.

Bound.

Dragged.

No—

Chained.

Metallic restraints formed from condensed mana wrapped tightly around his teammates, their bodies being pulled forward against their will as Etherius sprinted toward the same exit.

Eternia’s breath hitched.

Of course he did.

He wasn’t just strong—

He was ruthless.

Efficient.

Focused on victory above all else.

Just like her.

Their eyes met.

Across the distance.

For a single moment—

Everything froze.

Recognition.

Understanding.

Competition.

Then—

They moved.

Simultaneously.

Eternia’s mana surged again.

Ignoring the pain.

Ignoring the drain.

Ignoring the warning signs screaming through her body.

"...I won’t lose."

Her staff rose.

Mana flowed outward.

Chains formed instantly—compressed strands of hardened wind, reinforced by her First Circle.

They lashed forward.

Wrapped.

Locked.

Leon and Kael gasped as the sudden force bound them together behind her.

"W–Wait—!"

"Eternia?!"

But she didn’t stop.

Her grip tightened.

"...Trust me."

Her voice was calm.

Cold.

Focused.

Then—

She ran.

Body enhancement surged through her limbs.

Her speed exploded forward.

The ground cracked beneath her feet as she pushed her body beyond its limit.

On the opposite side—

Etherius did the same.

Dark mana flickered around him.

His chains tightened around his teammates as he accelerated even further.

The distance between them shrank rapidly.

The exit—

Just ahead.

"...Too close."

Eternia’s eyes sharpened.

"If it’s a straight race..."

Her jaw clenched.

"...I might lose."

So—

She raised her staff again.

Mana surged.

A compressed burst of wind shot forward—

Not at the path.

At him.

Etherius reacted instantly.

A shadow flickered around him.

The wind blast struck—

But dissipated against a barrier of dark mana.

He didn’t slow.

Instead—

He countered.

Darkness erupted outward from his body.

A wave of black mana surged forward like ink spilling through water.

It swallowed the light.

The corridor vanished.

Eternia’s vision went black.

"...What?!"

Her steps faltered for a fraction of a second.

"Dark attribute..."

Rare.

Extremely rare.

Magic that manipulated shadows, obscured perception, and distorted reality itself.

"...He’s trying to blind me."

Her senses strained.

Her footing wavered.

Her speed dropped.

For just a moment—

And in a race like this—

That moment mattered.

But then—

The crown reacted.

One of the jagged spikes above her head pulsed.

Glowed and made a noise.

And suddenly—

She could see again.

She adapted.

Not perfectly.

But enough.

Shapes.

Movement.

Etherius—still ahead.

"...Adapt..."

Her lips parted slightly.

"It’s countering his magic."

Her body adjusted instantly.

Her senses recalibrated.

The darkness no longer blinded her completely.

A faint outline of the path reappeared.

"...Good."

Her speed returned.

Faster.

Sharper.

She pushed forward again.

Mana burned through her circuits.

Her First Circle trembled violently.

Her reserves—

Dropping dangerously low.

"...Almost... there..."

The exit was right in front of them now.

Light poured through the opening.

Freedom.

Victory.

Etherius raised his hand.

Dark magic gathered again.

Eternia reacted instantly.

Wind surged.

Two spells formed.

Then fused.

A sharp, compressed burst fired forward.

Etherius twisted slightly—

But the force clipped his side.

Just enough.

His momentum faltered.

But only slightly.

A small smirk formed on his lips.

He fired back immediately.

A condensed bolt of darkness shot toward her.

Eternia raised her staff—

Too slow.

The impact hit her shoulder.

Pain exploded through her body.

Her balance broke.

But she didn’t fall.

"...Keep moving."

Her teeth clenched.

Her legs forced forward again.

Both of them—

Now side by side.

Meters from the exit.

Their chains dragged their teammates behind them like weights.

Their mana nearly exhausted.

Their bodies at their limits.

But neither slowed.

Not even for a second.

"...I won’t lose."

"...I’ll win."

Two thoughts.

Two wills.

Colliding.

They crossed the threshold—

At the exact same moment.

Light swallowed them.

And then—

They were outside.

........

The arena erupted.

Gasps.

Shouts.

Disbelief.

Two figures burst out of the dungeon entrance simultaneously.

Eternia Sinclair.

Etherius Sinclair.

Both collapsed forward slightly as their momentum carried them onto the stone ground.

The chains dissipated.

Leon and Kael fell free behind her.

Etherius’s teammates dropped as well, barely conscious.

Silence followed.

Then—

Captain Varos stepped forward.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Both of you."

He glanced between them.

"...At the same time."

Eternia pushed herself up slowly.

Her breathing was heavy.

Her vision still unstable.

But her mind—

Clear.

She looked at Etherius.

He was already standing.

Calm.

Composed.

Just like before.

Their eyes met again.

No words.

No need.

They both understood.

"...It comes down to this."

Eternia’s hand tightened slightly.

The monster cores.

The mana stones.

The only deciding factor now.

If he had more—

She lost.

And losing—

Was not an option.

Not with Godfrey waiting.

Not with that promise.

That threat.

Her spine tingled.

A cold chill ran through her body.

"...If I lose..."

Her fingers brushed against her pouch.

"...Then I might as well be dead." She mumbled

Her expression remained calm.

Unshaken.

Cold.

But inside—

Her heart pounded violently.

For the first time since entering the dungeon—

Eternia Sinclair felt something close to true uncertainty.

Captain Varos raised his hand.

"Present your cores."

The moment had arrived.

And Eternia knew—

This would decide everything.