Jack moved like a solitary inferno. A six-star thunder drake pinned a group of Starcrest novices, threatening to devour them. Jack strolled in, eyes half-lidded. The novices shouted for help, but he paid them no mind. He unleashed Nirvana Flames in a single wave that seared the drake's scaly hide to ash. It collapsed, leaving behind a shimmering token. The novices gawked. Jack merely plucked the token from the beast's remains, offered no words of comfort, and continued forward. The watchers gasped at the near-lack of empathy. He was unstoppable, caring only for first place.
Seol-ah discovered a hidden chamber brimming with captive serpents—five-star beasts coiled in a pit of swirling mud. She frowned, sliding her sword halfway out of its sheath. The serpents hissed in unison, spitting globs of caustic poison at her. She parted them with a single motion, conjuring a swirl of wind-laced water to wash the poison aside.
