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Zane surged forward, his boots grinding gravel, his trained body a blur as he slid low, Ruinblaze arcing toward the Whisperkin's legs, aiming to sever them clean. The Gemini leaped sideways, its faceless head tilting, claws extending like black daggers as it slashed downward. Zane raised Ruinblaze, the blade clanging against the claws, severing them with a spray of inky ichor. The Whisperkin's claws regrew almost instantly, its dark form unshaken, and it lunged, claws raking toward Zane's torso as he stood from the ground. The attack scraped across his chest, but his body—broken and reforged countless times—held firm, as unyielding as a mountain against a storm. The Whisperkin's claws left only faint scratches, no deeper than a whisper on steel.

Undeterred, the Whisperkin conjured six portals, each a swirling vortex about two and a half meters wide, their edges shimmering with unnatural light. It dove through one, emerging from another in a flash, claws slashing at Zane's side. He pivoted, Ruinblaze swinging in a blinding arc, but the Gemini vanished into another portal, reappearing behind him, claws aimed at his neck. Zane's reflexes, honed to a razor's edge, kept him a step ahead, but predicting the Whisperkin's movements was like chasing smoke. Each portal flickered, a deadly game of misdirection, the Gemini's attacks relentless, probing for a crack in Zane's defenses.

On the sidelines, the Primordials watched, their breaths heavy, weapons ready but hesitant. Celine knelt beside Ariel's cold body, her red hair spilling over her shoulders, her eyes brimming with tears. 'I should've been the one to die not her,' she thought, her hands trembling as she brushed Ariel's bloodied hair, guilt clawing at her heart. She'd stayed hidden too long, her healing spells useless when they mattered most. But it doesn't matter anymore, because no amount of healing spell could bring Ariel back now.

With his twin swords glinting, Kai stood protectively in front of Yuna, who leaned against a bent streetlight, blood matting her black crop top, her eyes fluttering with pain. He brushed raven-black hair from his face, his dragon tattoo visible, and muttered, "Now's as good a time as any to get the hell out before they're done." He glanced at Zane, dominating the Whisperkin with terrifying ease, and shivered. "That guy's got the upper hand. We don't wanna be here when he turns on us."

Kenshi, propped on his katana, blood dripping from his torn coat, shook his head, amber eyes burning with defiance. "No. We stay. Zane's not the only one who's lost someone to these monsters. Running won't help—we're Primordials. Our names are known, our movements tracked. Better to settle this here, whatever that means."

"Settle it?" Kai scoffed, twirling a sword, his boots shifting on gravel. "How? You got a plan to take on 'that'?" He jerked his head toward Zane, Ruinblaze flashing as he parried another of the Whisperkin's strikes.

Kenshi's jaw tightened, his skull tattoo sharp against his pale skin. "I don't know. But I'm not running."

Valmer, rosary beads clinking, stepped closer, his sable-rose eyes flicking between Zane and the fallen Geminis—Ragumon, Yoka, Rocksborne, Mistibeast, Dark Seraph, and Titnice—still smoldering from his [Judgement of God]. "He's not one of us," he said, voice low, "but he's no Gemini. Let's see how this plays out."

Zane and the Whisperkin danced a deadly game of tag, the Gemini's portals weaving a web of unpredictability. 'I can't tell where it'll strike next,' Zane thought, his eyes narrowing, *but it's targeting me. It won't come from the front—too risky. That leaves my blind spots.' As if reading his mind, the Whisperkin emerged from a portal behind him, claws aimed at his spine. Zane spun, Ruinblaze slashing in a spiral, the blade's red runes glinting as it carved through the air. The Whisperkin retreated into the portal, but not fast enough—its left arm was severed, inky blood spraying as it vanished.

It reappeared through another portal, meters away, its arm regenerating in a grotesque ripple of dark flesh. The Whisperkin tilted its faceless head, as if smirking, undaunted. Zane's grip tightened, his mind racing. 'It now knows my back's not defenseless. That narrows its options—above, my sides, or…' The Whisperkin did the unexpected, bursting from a portal directly in front, claws slashing at his chest. Zane's eyes flashed, seizing the moment. He thrust Ruinblaze forward, the blade piercing through the Gemini's soft, shifting ribs, straight into where its heart should be.

A chill ran through him. 'Something's wrong.' The strike felt too clean, too easy. "What's the meaning of this, Whisperkin?" Zane demanded, his voice a low growl, pulling Ruinblaze free.

The Whisperkin tilted its head, a chilling chuckle echoing in Zane's mind. "Whatever do you mean, Zane Walker?" it hissed, collapsing to one side, inky blood pooling beneath its dark form.

[System Notice]

You have slain a Gemini.

Number of Geminis Slain: 1

Rank: Elite

Race: Whisperkin

Rewards will be calculated and distributed after the Tutorial.

Zane stood over the fallen Gemini, Ruinblaze dripping ichor, his eyes narrowing. The kill felt hollow, as if the Whisperkin had played its final move. He turned, scanning the battlefield, his white hair whipping in the wind. Kai, Valmer, and Kenshi froze, weapons raised, sensing the shift. Yuna stirred, clutching her ribs, her eyes wide with pain. Celine rose, tears streaming, her voice trembling. "Zane… what, what do you plan on doing to us?"

Zane's gaze swept over them, cold and unyielding, Ruinblaze steady in his hand.

Zane stood alone, his white hair dusted with grit, his piercing eyes cold as he surveyed the Primordials. Ruinblaze, its silver blade etched with steady red runes, was now sheathed within his platinum ring, its absence doing nothing to dull the menace radiating from him. The Whisperkin's inky corpse lay at his feet, its death too easy, too deliberate. 'It knew attacking head-on was suicide,' Zane thought, his jaw tightening. 'So why did it?' He shook off the question, his gaze shifting to the Primordials, each one bristling with wary tension, their weapons glinting in the dim light. 'Doesn't matter. I'm not done here.'

Kai gripped his twin swords, the dragon tattoo stark through his half-zipped jacket, his raven-black hair clinging to his sweat-soaked forehead. Kenshi steadied his katana, dried blood staining his torn coat, amber eyes narrowed and dulled from loss of blood, the skull tattoo sharp against his pale skin. Valmer stood firm, rosary beads clinking, sable-rose eyes locked on Zane, his fists clenched despite the ache of his earlier battles. Yuna, slumped against a bent streetlight, clutched her ribs, dried blood matting her black crop top, her sharp eyes flickering with pain but alert. Celine, near Ariel's lifeless body, her red hair spilling over her shoulders, hazel eyes wide with dread, trembled as Zane's gaze swept over them. The anxiety was palpable, a taut wire ready to snap.

Zane's eyes lingered on Celine, his voice low, a chilling promise. "You'll be last." Her breath hitched, her hands shaking as she stepped back, her boots scuffing the gravel.

In a blink, Zane vanished, his trained speed a blur too fast for their eyes. He reappeared behind Valmer, his left foot planting firmly on the cracked pavement, his right leg snapping out in a brutal kick aimed at Valmer's ribs. The impact was thunderous, a sickening crunch echoing as Valmer's body hurtled through the air, crashing into the building where the Titnice had perched earlier. Brick and plaster exploded, dust billowing as the structure groaned under the force.

"What?" Kenshi muttered, his katana trembling in his grip, amber eyes wide. He hadn't seen Zane move, hadn't registered the attack until Valmer was gone, buried in rubble.

Valmer staggered out of the debris, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, his coat torn, his rosary beads dangling loose. He coughed, spitting blood onto the pavement, his sable-rose eyes burning with defiance. "You're tough," Zane said, his voice eerily calm, stepping forward, boots crunching gravel. "Guess you're a Primordial for a reason. That kick was meant to kill you."

Kenshi didn't wait for Zane to strike again. His body surged with resolve, his wounds ignored as he activated his skills, his katana gleaming under the fading light.

[System Notice]

Kenshi Aokawa has activated [Shadow Step].

Effect: Covers a short distance in a short amount of time.

[System Notice]

Kenshi Aokawa has activated [Faded Existence].

Effect: Becomes undetectable by sound, scent, or steps. [Requires significant stamina.]

Kenshi vanished, his form blurring as he moved behind Zane, his katana slashing in a precise arc toward Zane's neck, aiming for a lethal strike. His movements were silent, his presence erased, a ghost with a blade. But Zane didn't flinch, his head tilting slightly, as if sensing the attack's intent.

"Even if I can't hear or smell you," Zane said, his voice steady, almost bored, "it's obvious you'd go for the kill shot, especially against someone stronger." Kenshi's blade struck true, the katana's edge biting into Zane's neck—but it stopped, barely breaking skin, a thin needle-like line welling a single drop of blood. Kenshi's eyes widened, his breath catching. 'Impossible,' he thought, his arms trembling from the effort, the blade's impact reverberating through his bones.

"What…?" Kenshi rasped, bewilderment cracking his voice.

Zane turned, his piercing eyes locking onto Kenshi, unyielding, untouched by the attack. "It's not your turn yet," he said, his voice a low growl. In a flash, he grabbed Kenshi's face, slamming it into the pavement with bone-rattling force. The ground cracked, a spiderweb of fractures spreading as Kenshi's body went limp, blood pooling beneath his skull tattoo, his katana clattering beside him.

Kai stepped back, his twin swords raised, his grin gone, replaced by a grim scowl. "This guy's a damn monster," he muttered, glancing at Yuna, who struggled to stand, her hand pressed to her bleeding temple. Valmer staggered forward, wiping blood from his mouth. Celine froze, her hazel eyes brimming with tears, her hands clenched, unable to move as Zane's shadow loomed larger.

Zane straightened, his white hair whipping in the wind, his platinum ring glinting as he turned toward Kai and Valmer, his steps deliberate, each one a countdown. Yuna pushed herself up, her sharp eyes narrowing despite the pain as she prepared to use a spell. The battlefield held its breath, the silence broken only by the distant rumble of thunder, as if the sky itself awaited Zane's next move.

Author Note: Thanks to you all for your amazing support so far! The next chapter will mark the end of the Tutorials, and I hope you'll continue this journey with me. Much respect to y'all!