The trial ---5---

(My hand...) Luke thought, his face contorted in pain as he clutched his injured hand from the impact of colliding with Fray. The intense pain radiated through his body, but he remained fixated on Fray, his expression serious and determined. "He's far stronger than I anticipated... Winning against him in this situation will be a daunting task," Luke whispered under his breath, his voice filled with a mixture of frustration and determination.

Across the room, Fray stood before Rin, his cold gaze fixed on Luke. Fray had entered his first phase, augmenting his physical abilities by a factor of thirty. While his strength was limited within the first kingdom, the first phase granted him power equivalent to that of a warrior in the Third Kingdom. As a result, facing Luke presented little challenge for him.

"Luke, please stop! This is not the time for a fight," Lisa shouted, rushing out from among the guests and casting an angry glare at Luke.