The announcer’s voice returned, this time carrying a distinctly menacing edge. “Also remember! Still no killing! The rules from Stage One remain in effect! Feel free to do whatever suits you, as long as you stay true to my rules!”


    I shot a glance at Kara and Selena. “We hide and endure,” I said firmly.


    And they didn’t argue.


    I turned my attention to our circle, feeling out the subtle shifts in energy around us. There were three others inside, and, judging by the aura signatures, I pieced together the function of our space. It was more than just a boundary—it was a barrier, an isolation barrier specifically. The rules were clear: only five people were permitted within the confines of this territory. If more tried to enter, they’d find themselves unable to stay within the bounds, subconsciously pushed out by the barrier itself. To claim it was simple: the first five to step in held it. And if anyone was forced out? The territory would reset, open to new contenders.


    “With the no-kill rule in effect, we’re best off playing defensively,” I murmured, eyeing the hunters prowling just outside the boundary.


    With our combined techniques, we’d managed to create an isolated, nearly imperceptible pocket within the improvised all-out brawl arena. I felt confident in Selena’s abilities; her skill with concealment was as precise as ever, rendering us practically invisible. I was a bit less certain about Kara’s barrier—it was subtle but not entirely undetectable if someone got close enough. Still, we were lucky. For now, the other hunters were focused on nearby circles, sparring among themselves and barely noticing our territory.


    Selena leaned in close, her voice barely a whisper. “Do you think it’s safe to stay passive like this the whole time?”


    I shook my head slightly, watching the hunters beyond our veil. “No. Sooner or later, someone’s going to stumble across us. We’re in a crowded space, and it’s only a matter of time before they get curious or reckless.” I glanced at the two of them as I lowered my tone a bit. “To keep our ground, we need to eliminate threats near us when the opportunity arises. We can’t afford to sit back entirely.”


    As if to confirm my words, Kara raised her hand with a small, flicking her wrist ever so slightly.


    I watched as an aura took shape—a near-invisible bubble of pressurized air that floated over to a nearby contender, one of the mundanes caught in the middle of the melee. He didn’t even notice it until it settled around him like a silent cage.


    The effect was immediate and brutal. The air around him thinned, his face paling as he struggled to breathe. I saw his knees buckle, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for water. Within seconds, his movements slowed, and his eyes rolled back, unconscious from the lack of air. Kara didn’t let it go far enough to kill him, though she was clearly enjoying just how close she could bring him to that edge.


    She looked at me with a dark glint of satisfaction in her gaze. “Consider that a preview.”


    Selena swallowed, looking uneasy, but I nodded, meeting Kara’s gaze with steady approval. “Effective,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “We’ll need every advantage if we want to keep this territory.”


    I decided it was time to show something of my own, something strong enough to plant a warning in Kara’s mind—and, by extension, to the Troupe she represented. If they were one day considering using me as a pawn or a plaything, I wanted them to think twice.


    Despite my growing fame and my connections, personal strength was a type of power that couldn’t be looked down on no matter what.


    Turning to her, I extended my hand. “May I?” I asked, tilting my head in a polite request to hold her hand.


    Kara’s brow furrowed with wary suspicion flashing in her eyes.


    Selena, standing just behind me, let out a teasing laugh. “Reynard, seriously? You just met this woman, and you’re already holding hands? Better hope your wife doesn’t hear about this.” She raised an eyebrow, feigning an innocent look as she added, “You know she won’t take it well.”


    I shot Selena a look. “This is just a prerequisite of my ability. Believe me, it’s nothing romantic.”


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    While hiding the importance of special abilities was common sense, I didn’t mind at all. This one prerequisite was too obvious after all and I have no plans of being hindered by this one weakness.


    Kara didn’t look fully convinced, but after a moment’s hesitation, she extended her hand to mine. “Fine,” she said, though her tone held a note of caution. “But fair warning: this comes with consequences. I don’t take kindly to having my aura meddled with.”


    “Noted.” Our fingers entwined, and I activated Soul Link, feeling the distinct pulse of her aura flood through me. Her aura was strong, fierce—alive with that same edge of wind and defiance she radiated naturally. I concentrated, equalizing our auras, then drew on her wind attribute. I felt the shift within, a sensation of air currents gathering just beneath my skin, ready to be harnessed.


    I let go of her hand and returned the portion of her aura I’d borrowed, the equalization dissipating smoothly as our connection broke.


    Kara’s eyes widened with a rare flicker of surprise in her normally controlled expression. She looked at me, unsure of what had just happened but fully aware that I’d taken something. “What… did you just do?” Her voice was low, cautious, as if calculating just how dangerous I might be.


    I smiled slightly, keeping my tone casual. “Consider it a brief exchange. I can borrow abilities if I link to someone’s aura. It’s a bit of a knack of mine.” I held her gaze, letting the meaning sink in.


    Borrowing abilities—that was putting it mildly. I could do much more than just mimic someone’s power. The wind attribute I’d taken from Kara stayed with me, even after Soul Link faded, lingering like a second skin. She probably thought I’d returned it, unaware I still held onto its essence, ready to manipulate it further. I held the wind attribute close to my heart. If I lost focus, the attribute would be lost to me.


    I turned to Selena. “I need a bit more of your aura.”


    She raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it. Selena knew my limitations—my aura pool wasn’t vast on its own, so I needed to be creative. She extended her hand, and I activated Soul Link again, feeling a rush as my aura pool expanded. I also took her disguise attribute, reimagining how her technique worked in my mind. I could feel the disguise ability twisting to my will, and I adapted it to create something… unexpected.


    Visualizing an airless bubble, I added a new twist: I tweaked the disguise so that the aura surrounding the bubble would appear to come from someone else entirely. With careful precision, I cast the bubble, targeting a hunter who’d strayed too close to our circle.


    He froze as the air around him thinned, his breath coming in short, frantic gasps. But instead of looking around wildly, his eyes locked on another hunter nearby—one who was entirely unaware of what was happening. Rage flickered across his face as he glared, clearly convinced that his rival had launched the attack.


    The effect was perfect. The two clashed with barely a second’s hesitation, each one too focused on the other to notice our veiled little territory. They fought like they meant to kill, despite the no-kill rule, each strike fueled by a misunderstanding I’d engineered.


    Kara chuckled softly beside me, clearly impressed. “Using someone else as the fall guy. Clever, Reynard.”


    I gave her a small smile, watching as the chaos spiraled. “Best to keep attention anywhere but here. They’ll wear each other down soon enough.”


    The fight continued, brutal and swift, drawing more eyes as the circle of contenders became a little more chaotic. Meanwhile, in our well-guarded territory, we remained invisible, undisturbed, and just a bit closer to that five-minute mark.


    As the seconds ticked away, I kept launching discreet ranged attacks, picking off nearby hunters and sowing further chaos among the ranks. Kara was right there with me, adding her own spells to the mix—concentrated gusts of wind that knocked unsuspecting hunters off balance. It was enough to keep the others on their toes, each of them too preoccupied with imaginary enemies to notice our little stronghold.


    Meanwhile, Selena, ever the picture of calm, lounged back on a sling chair she’d somehow conjured, half-seated, half-reclined, looking as if she were simply sunbathing. She wasn’t entirely idle, though; her disguise over our territory stayed intact, a shimmering veil shielding us from prying eyes.


    “Enjoying yourself?” I muttered, glancing over as I sent another gust toward a hunter, watching him stumble backward in surprise.


    Selena shrugged, not even opening her eyes. “Just waiting for you two to finish up. This is a timed exercise, remember?”


    Kara turned to me. “One minute left, exactly,” she murmured, her tone growing sharper.


    Almost as if summoned by her words, the announcer’s voice blared across the arena, booming with a newfound intensity. “Attention, contenders! One minute remains before the first test passers meet their five-minute mark!” An aura-infused warning flared into existence above us, casting a countdown in the air, each glowing number ticking down with an eerie, electric hum.


    The countdown seemed to stir the hunters into a final frenzy, each team vying to secure their place. The nearest circle was packed with desperate fighters, scrambling to throw each other out of bounds and claim the space for themselves.


    I shot a glance at Selena. “Keep us hidden for this last stretch. They’re bound to go for an easier target than us.”


    “Not like they can see us,” She gave me a lazy salute. “I’ve got it covered.”


    The numbers continued to fall, each one punctuated by Kara’s subtle attacks and my own steady barrage. The arena was in chaos, but we, inside our carefully crafted territory, were invisible, and for this last minute, I intended to keep it that way.