Inside the battlefield, the space around Max began to distort the moment his reflection was destroyed. The thin line that had split his opponent faded into nothingness, and the shattered remnants of the copied figure dissolved into particles of light that scattered into the air before vanishing completely.
A faint hum echoed across the arena as the trial formation responded.
Max stood where he was, his sword still lowered, his aura already returning to its restrained state. There was no sign of excitement or relief on his face, as though what had just occurred was nothing more than a simple exercise.
A moment later, a beam of light descended from above and enveloped his figure.
The battlefield blurred.
The next instant, Max's body disappeared from the arena.
