The Gravity Villain's Silent Return

Chapter 16: The Leader's Command

"You...your score's lower than I expected," she said cautiously, as if gauging my reaction.

I turned to her, forcing a neutral expression. "It's enough for now. The real tests come later."

She tilted her head, clearly unsure whether to believe me, but she didn't press further. Smart.

The glowing board flickered, and Owen Nile's voice boomed once again, reverberating through the chamber.

"CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE PASSED THE FIRST TEAM CHALLENGE. HOWEVER, THIS WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. FOR THE NEXT PHASE, STRATEGY AND RESILIENCE WILL MATTER MORE THAN RAW POWER. YOU HAVE THIRTY MINUTES TO REST IN THE SAFE ZONE. USE IT WISELY."

With that, the runes on the walls dimmed slightly, signaling a temporary respite. But I knew better than to relax completely.

"Thitry minutes; huh?" Lyria muttered, sinking to the floor with a sigh. She leaned her staff against the wall and rubbed her temples. "I don't know if I'll make it through this…""You will," I said firmly, cutting through her doubt. "As long as I'm here."

Her gaze shot to mine, searching for cracks in my resolve. There were none. I wasn't sure if my confidence was enough to convince her, but it didn't matter. I wasn't going to let weakness—hers derail us.

I turned my attention back to the leaderboard. Kai Astro. His name burned in my mind, an ember refusing to die out. He was a power player, no question. I'd have to find a way to use him.

The hum of the safe zone droned on. The clock ticked. Wasting time wasn't an option, and Lyria's confidence was a huge problem. If she couldn't stand her ground, she'd become a liability. I'd have to fix that—at least until we weren't partnered anymore.

The silence in the chamber was still broken only by the faint hum of the runes. As Lyria sat cross-legged on the floor, still catching her breath. And I studied her, before speaking.

"Your fire control is sloppy," I said bluntly, cutting through the quiet.

She snapped her head up, her face twisting in confusion and annoyance. "Wha-t?"

"You heard me," I replied, my tone even but firm. "Your flames are erratic. You're wasting energy on flashy bursts instead of focused attacks. You can't just throw fire everywhere and hope it works."

Her fingers tightened around the staff. "I kept that whip guy off you, didn't I?"

"You did," I admitted, pushing off the wall. "But barely. If I hadn't stepped in, he would've closed the distance. Next time, you might not be so lucky."

Lyria fell silent, chewing on my words.

"Your problem," I continued, stepping closer, "is that you're treating fire as just an attack. It's not. Fire is a tool—a versatile one. You can shape the battlefield with it. Force your enemies to move where you want them. If you learn to control it properly, you'll do more than survive—you'll dominate."

Her brow furrowed, doubt flickering in her eyes. "How do I… do that?"

I crouched down to her level, meeting her gaze. "It starts with precision. Forget about huge bursts of flame. Focus on small, controlled sparks. Build them up. Let them flow naturally, like they're an extension of your will."

I motioned for her to try. She hesitated, then raised her staff, summoning a small flame at its tip. It flickered unsteadily, like it might extinguish any second.

"Steady," I instructed. "Don't let it wobble. Control your breathing and clear your mind. Picture the flame as a thread—you're weaving it, not forcing it."

She exhaled slowly, her focus sharpening. The flame steadied, its edges smoothing out.

"Good," I said with a nod. "Now, instead of letting it burn outward, compress it. Make it dense. The smaller the flame, the more powerful it becomes."

Sweat beaded on her forehead as the flame shrank into a tight, glowing orb at the staff's tip.

"That's it," I said, my voice firm. "Now release it—slowly."

The flame extended in a thin, controlled stream, slicing the air like a blade. Her eyes widened in amazement before it dissipated as she lost focus.

"I… I didn't know I could do that," she whispered.

"You can do more than that," I replied, rising to my feet. "But it'll take practice. A lot of it."

Determination replaced the uncertainty in her eyes. "I'll work on it. I promise."

"You'd better," I said, crossing my arms. "Because in the next round, I'm counting on you to hold your own."

She nodded, gripping her staff with newfound resolve.

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The hum of the chamber grew louder as a shimmering portal appeared at the far end.

"Time's up," I said, glancing at the glowing runes. "We're moving out."

Lyria stood, brushing herself off. "What's the plan?"

I considered her question for a moment. "Stick with me. I'll scout ahead. You cover the flanks. Remember—precision over power."

She nodded again, her earlier hesitation replaced with quiet confidence.

We stepped through the portal, the air shifting to cool and damp. A sprawling, ruined cityscape unfolded before us. Broken buildings jutted out like jagged teeth under a crimson sky. Distant footsteps echoed through the streets.

"Stay sharp," I murmured, scanning the area. "We're not alone."

From behind a crumbling wall, three figures emerged. Survivors. Their weapons gleamed as they eyed us warily.

"Convoy," I muttered under my breath. "They're forming alliances."

"What do we do?" Lyria asked, her grip tightening on her staff.

I stepped forward, raising a hand. "Talk first. Fight only if necessary."

The tallest of the group, a boy with dual blades, stepped cautiously forward. "You two alone?"

"For now," I replied evenly. "We're heading to the next zone. You?"

He exchanged glances with his teammates. "Same. But we don't trust easily."

"Neither do I," I said, my tone hard. "But we can't waste time fighting each other. Not yet. If you want to make it through this, follow my lead. I've got a plan to pass this test."

"And why should we trust you?" he asked, his brow raised.

I stepped closer, letting my aura flare. "Because if you don't, you won't make it past the next round. Your choice."

He hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But if you screw us over—"

"You'll regret it," I interrupted, smirking as I motioned for Lyria to follow.

As the group fell in line behind us, I scanned the crumbling skyline. The real challenge wasn't just surviving—it was staying ahead.

Let's see who's really cut out to lead.

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