The sky above the sanctuary had begun to darken.
Clouds slowly gathered across the horizon, as if the world itself knew what was coming.
Jake leaned against a stone pillar, arms crossed.
Three days.
That was all they had.
Three days before a war none of them truly understood.
Nearby, Catia was examining the flying machine they had arrived in.
Metal panels shifted with soft clicks as she adjusted something inside the engine.
Joshen watched her with clear curiosity.
"So…" he said, crouching beside the device.
"You're telling me this thing actually flies?"
Catia didn't even look up.
"Obviously."
Joshen tilted his head.
"Does it explode?"
Catia finally looked at him.
"Only if someone like you touches it."
Joshen raised both hands defensively.
"Alright, alright. I'll stay away from your death machine."
Jake chuckled quietly from behind them.
For a brief moment…
Things felt normal again
The wind moved quietly through the ruins of the sanctuary.
For the first time in what felt like forever, everyone stood together.
Jake.
Joshen.
Kame.
Catia.
The moment still felt unreal.
Jake stretched his arms slightly, feeling the unfamiliar weight of his current body.
"Man… it still feels weird."
Joshen glanced at him.
"You're telling me. I spent four days in your world. I still don't understand half the things there."
Jake smirked.
"Phones aren't that complicated."
Catia blinked.
"Wait… you actually have devices that let you talk to people across the world instantly?"
Joshen nodded.
"And machines that cook food."
Catia stared at them in disbelief.
"That sounds illegal."
Before the conversation could continue—
A heavy pressure filled the air.
Everyone instantly turned.
The Barbarian of Pride had returned.
His massive figure cast a shadow over the ground as he approached them slowly.
The air itself seemed to tremble with every step he took.
Jake straightened immediately.
Pride stopped in front of them.
His sharp eyes scanned the group for a moment.
Then he spoke.
"The trial… was successful."
Jake blinked.
"Wait—really?"
Pride nodded once.
"You survived."
Joshen whispered quietly to Catia.
"That was the requirement?"
Catia shrugged.
"Seems fair."
Pride continued.
"The purpose of the trial was never to test your strength."
His gaze moved toward Jake.
"It was to awaken your Shifter force."
Jake frowned.
"Shifter… force?"
Pride raised a hand.
Slowly—
A faint pressure spread through the air around him.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly.
A thin invisible wave radiated outward from his body.
Everyone felt it instantly.
It wasn't wind.
It wasn't magic.
It was something else.
Something heavier.
Something alive.
Pride lowered his hand.
"This."
He spoke calmly.
"Is the power of a Shifter."
Catia leaned forward slightly.
"You're emitting energy… from your body."
Pride nodded.
"All Shifters possess a natural force within them."
He tapped his chest.
"It flows through the body."
Then he looked at Jake.
"But very few possess it in large quantities."
Jake scratched his head awkwardly.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Pride didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly extended his hand.
Then he released a stronger wave of force.
The air shook.
Dust lifted from the ground.
Even Joshen instinctively stepped back.
Then Pride stopped.
The pressure vanished instantly.
He looked at Jake.
"Release yours."
Jake blinked.
"My what?"
"Your force."
Jake stood there.
Nothing happened.
Five seconds passed.
Ten seconds.
Joshen coughed.
"Wow. Very impressive."
Jake glared at him.
"I don't even know how to do it!"
Pride crossed his arms.
"Exactly."
Then he spoke calmly.
"But the amount inside you…"
He paused.
"…is greater than anyone here."
Silence fell.
Catia blinked.
"Wait."
Joshen frowned.
"Greater than everyone?"
Pride nodded.
"Even greater than mine."
Jake nearly choked.
"WHAT?!"
Joshen burst out laughing.
"No way."
Catia stared at Jake in disbelief.
Kame remained quiet, but even he looked surprised.
Jake pointed at himself.
"Are you serious?"
Pride's expression remained completely calm.
"Yes."
Then he added:
"But you cannot use it."
Jake slowly lowered his hand.
"…Right."
Pride turned away slightly.
"The next three days will determine whether that power becomes useful…"
"…or completely meaningless."
He looked back at Jake.
"You will train with me."
Jake froze.
"Wait—what?"
Pride ignored the reaction and continued.
"Catia."
She straightened immediately.
"Yes?"
"You will continue training with Amanda."
Catia nodded.
"I expected that."
Then Pride looked at Joshen and Kame.
"You two…"
His voice remained calm.
"…will train under the Barbarian of Envy."
Joshen blinked.
"The what?"
Kame frowned slightly.
"The Barbarian of Envy…?"
Pride turned and began walking away.
"Yes."
Joshen looked at Jake.
"Is that another giant like him?"
Jake shrugged.
"No idea."
Pride stopped briefly.
Without turning around, he added:
"You will meet them tomorrow."
Then he continued walking.
The wind moved through the ruins again.
Joshen rubbed the back of his neck.
"So let me get this straight."
He pointed at Jake.
"You train with the scariest guy here."
Then at Catia.
"You train with Amanda."
Then he pointed at himself.
"And we go meet some mysterious Barbarian of Envy."
Catia smirked.
"Sounds exciting."
Jake exhaled slowly.
Three days.
Just three days.
He looked down at his hands.
Somewhere inside his body—
There was apparently more power than anyone else here.
But right now…
He couldn't even feel it.
Jake clenched his fists.
"Guess I don't have a choice."
The training—
Was about to begin.
And somewhere in the base…
A figure quietly watched the sky.
The Barbarian of Envy.
They smiled faintly.
"Interesting."