Chapter 9: The First Test
Before Echo stood the inner gates of the Abyssal Sect's territory, rising like jagged teeth carved from black stone. Massive walls twisted unnaturally toward the sky; runes etched into their surface pulsed faintly with dark, evil energy. Echo crouched behind a broken pillar, tracking the patrol routes of the elite guards near the gates with his eyes.
These were no ordinary soldiers. Every stance, every shift of weight, every glance showed deadly skill, honed over decades. They could rival even the best-trained mages in a fight.
"This is it… the first real test," Echo whispered.
He readjusted his grip on his dagger, rolled his shoulders to loosen the joints, and ran mental calculations — angles of attack, timings of guard, environmental hazards, escape routes, and backup plans.
His first move was silent and precise.
And turning somersaults upon broken bottles without hurting oneself.
Staying near the shadowed walls, out of the torchlight.
Timing his steps with the rhythm of the guards' patrol.
It started out of the clear blue. A guard saw a flicker in the shadows — something moving where it shouldn't.
The guard lunged, the dagger aimed to kill.
Echo dodged smoothly, spinning backward to deliver a back-kick that sent the guard stumbling.
In one smooth motion, he drew his dagger and plunged it into his shoulder, stopping the guard before he could recover.
Each movement was sharp and incisive, blending martial arts skill with precise calculation.
The second guard charged at the same time, cutting off Echo's escape route. Overdrive surged within him, amplifying strength, reflexes, and perception beyond human limits.
He flipped onto a nearby ledge, spinning mid-air to strike the attacking guard's torso with a dagger and palm combination.
The guard crashed against a pillar, dazed.
Echo landed behind the first guard, twisting his dagger to disable the arm, neutralizing the threat.
He moved like a shadow, each strike pre-planned, each dodge perfectly timed.
Deeper into the compound, a small courtyard opened. Five elite guards waited, clearly warning that the Abyssal Sect did not take intruders lightly.
They moved in coordinated patterns, circling, testing his reactions.
Each of them had twin daggers, and their attacks were very precise, fast, and deadly.
Echo's mind was racing: this was more than just power; it was timing, anticipation, improvisation.
He vaulted off a low wall, spinning mid-air to land behind the nearest guard.
In a few seconds, the rain of punches and elbow strikes disabled two guards.
His dagger flashed, cutting across the third guard, disarming and incapacitating him with a speed to which he could not respond.
The remaining two then attacked together; Overdrive surged once more, fully awakening his potential.
Reflexes turned superhuman.
Strikes landed with perfect timing; no space was left for recovery.
Hand-to-hand moves flowed effortlessly into dagger throws, wall flips, and spinning kicks.
Even with this power, his body began paying the price: muscles were burning, joints aching, and sweat was stinging his eyes. Every move required enormous energy.
One guard jumped down from a high platform, hoping to strike him from overhead. Instinctively, Echo leaped off a ruptured pillar, twisting in mid-air and deflecting the attack with his dagger.
Momentum carried him into a roll, landing behind another guard.
A spinning kick sent the guard flying into a low wall.
Using a loose chain he knocked two more guards into a pit trap below.
Each sequence was a mastery of the environment: The daggers, martial arts, and terrain all combined into one unstoppable flow.
Even so, Overdrive was draining him fast. Every heartbeat felt heavier, every breath harder to take.
Muscles trembled from overexertion.
His body was smeared with sweat and blood, showing how serious the battle was.
Yet, his mind was still sharp, estimating any step and every further movement.
Then came a very swift guard, swinging his dagger horizontally at his chest.
Echo dodged, rolled, and counterattacked with his spinning palm strike and then stabbed with his dagger into the abdomen.
The guard fell, stopped by Echo's Overdrive-enhanced reflexes.
As the fight ended, Echo was stumbling forward as if maintaining Overdrive for so long was exhausting.
"This… this is just the beginning. If I face the Abyssal Sect fully, I need to control it… or I'll burn out before reaching Soso."
Echo looked around after having taken out the elite guards.
Five guards were down, all incapacitated and not killed.
Every move, every flip, every strike had been made to perfection.
He had used platforms, walls, and loose stones to his advantage.
But he pressed ahead, knowing the inner defenses were even tougher.
Overdrive was powerful but draining.
Any fight in the future would require tactics, accuracy, and judicious use of energy.
Echo glanced toward the horizon before moving deeper.
The glow of the Abyssal Sect structures in the distance hinted at their inner sanctum.
He memorized patrol patterns, terrain features, and weak points in outer defenses.
His mind, so trained by weeks of observation and self-training, planned the next phase of infiltration.
"Soso…hold on. I'm coming. No force, no magic, and no demon.can stop me."
He plunged deeper into the Abyssal Sect's territory with new determination, muscles shaking, heart racing, yet a mind as sharp as before.
The first test was over, but it had also shown him the limits of Overdrive. Every step forward would demand more from his body, mind, and determination.