Separated?

Kai took a deep breath, concentrating his power into his fists. This encounter was different; it was far less challenging than the Shadow Monsters he had struggled to defeat before. The crimson-haired man before him charged, swinging his sword with a fierce intent, but Kai easily sidestepped the attack, his cloak billowing dramatically behind him. The man's surprise was palpable, but he didn't hesitate to retaliate.

Straightening himself mid-air, the crimson-haired Magus switched his shortsword to his other hand, aiming to catch Kai off guard again. Yet, Kai dodged effortlessly once more, a small smirk playing on his lips as he watched the man's frustration grow.

"What?!" the crimson-haired Magus exclaimed, disbelief coloring his tone. But Kai wouldn't give him a chance to regroup. He surged forward, gathering electricity around his fist as he reared it back, then unleashed a powerful punch. Lightning crackled as his fist connected with the Magus's face, sending him crashing into the cavern's dark wall.

The other Magus, witnessing the swift defeat of his comrade, stepped back instinctively, fear evident in his eyes. They were finished; they had sealed their fate by watching the crimson-haired Magus fight. Kai's hand glowed with a green light as the Dragontooth Dagger materialized in his palm. He shot forward, dust swirling underfoot, and ended their lives in a heartbeat.

'It's much easier taking human lives,' Kai thought, glancing down at his dagger. Despite his previous life as a mere human, he found no moral qualms about snuffing out lives now. He had adapted to this world where power ruled above all.

Suddenly, the wall rumbled, and the crimson-haired Magus emerged, his figure engulfed in flames. Rage burned in his eyes, a fierce expression that only hinted at his fury. "How dare you do that to my teammates?!" he thundered.

"Ah, seems like a team lost two of their members," Ken's voice echoed through the cavern, dripping with malevolence. "To the… Grand Magus Killer."

The atmosphere thickened with tension as the flames around the Magus died down, leaving him visibly shaken. Kai felt a surge of annoyance at Ken's theatrics; it made him sound more like a villain than a participant in this brutal trial.

The crimson-haired Magus's throat tightened, his face drained of color. He had wanted to teach the Grand Magus Killer a lesson, but now, confronted by such a monster, words failed him. Paralyzed with fear, he could do nothing but watch as Kai advanced.

Kai stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "Don't you still want to fight?" he asked with a grin, raising the dagger high. "Hmm, don't you?"

Before the Magus could respond, Kai leapt back, sensing a shift in the air. A Shadow Monster appeared, wielding a sword, and without hesitation, it swung down toward the Crimson haired Magus. In an instant, the crimson-haired Magus's life was snuffed out, his body collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

The Shadow Monster turned its attention to Kai, shadows coalescing to life around it to form several more monsters, each wielding a different weapon. Five Shadow Monsters in total surrounded him. Though Kai felt a flicker of uncertainty, he had no choice; he had to fight.

His eyes lit up with blue energy as he traced the magical signatures in the air, pinpointing their cores situated on their foreheads. His grip tightened around the Dragontooth Dagger, and he charged forward, lightning crackling around him.

He closed the distance between himself and the first Shadow Monster, their weapons colliding in a cacophony of sound. Time seemed to slow as he observed the other monsters preparing their attacks, and Kai seized the opportunity. He swiftly disengaged from the first monster and dashed toward another wielding a dagger like his own.

Before the Shadow Monster could react, Kai thrust his dagger into its head, piercing the magic core and extinguishing its life. He yanked the dagger free and leaped into the air just as the spear-wielding shadow monster lunged for him, its weapon missing him by inches. He landed gracefully and struck, plunging his dagger into the spear monster's head as well.

As he stood amidst the fading wisps of the defeated monsters, a confident smile crossed his face. "Come at me," he taunted, ready for the next monster.

#####

Kai and Celine arrived at the end of the tunnel, facing a sealed cavern entrance that led to the second trial. But before they could catch their breath, Ken's voice reverberated through the cavern, irritation flaring within Kai.

"Congratulations to everyone for reaching your designated entrances to the next Trial," Ken announced, his voice echoing through the cavern with an unsettling cheer. "But now, I would like to change up the second Trial a bit, if you don't mind."

Kai clenched his jaw, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. 'You've already changed it enough,' he thought, frustration rising. 'Just get on with these Trials.'

"A one-man war!" Ken declared, his excitement palpable. "The cavern openings you stand in front of will hold several Shadow Monsters, as well as Shadow Beasts that you must defeat completely to advance to your next trial."

Kai's eyes widened in disbelief. 'This is madness,' he realized, panic flickering at the edges of his mind.

"And it's a one-man war," Ken continued, a cruel chuckle escaping his lips as he snapped his fingers. "So the allies who banded together to face these exams will now have to do so separately."

Before Kai could process the implications, the ground beneath Celine opened up, a dark chasm swallowing her whole. "Celine!" he shouted, desperation lacing his voice, but the sound was lost in the echo of Ken's laughter, a taunting melody that filled the cavern.

"Now that the trash has been separated from the good stuff," Ken proclaimed, "you can proceed to your second Trial!"

As he spoke, the sealed entrance before Kai shattered, creating a jagged opening that beckoned him into the unknown. Kai felt a surge of anxiety, his heart racing as the realization set in: he was completely alone now.

The darkness beyond the entrance loomed ominously, and Kai took a hesitant step forward. The memories of his battles against Shadow Monsters and the crimson-haired Magus flooded back. He had fought valiantly, but now he faced an entirely new level of danger.