The darkness didn't stay silent for long.
Steps echoed above.
Not rushed.
Not chaotic.
Measured.
Vinh tightened his grip.
The dagger.
The long sword.
His breath was uneven.
His body—
heavy.
"…Come."
Figures dropped into the cavern.
One.
Then three.
Then more.
They didn't attack.
They spread out.
Blocking every path.
Vinh moved first.
Wind surged forward.
Unstable.
Too sharp.
He closed the distance—
The dagger struck.
A direct hit.
The blade cut through—
But not deep.
The Dejteo didn't fall.
It stepped back.
Adjusted.
"…What…?"
Vinh's eyes narrowed.
The sword followed.
A clean strike—
Blocked.
Easily.
Not strength.
Timing.
"…No…"
Another Dejteo moved.
Not to attack—
To position.
Then another.
And another.
They weren't rushing him.
They were controlling him.
Vinh stepped back.
The wind around him rose again—
Then flickered.
Pain shot through his chest.
Sharp.
His vision blurred.
"…Tch—!"
Too slow.
A strike came from behind.
He barely blocked it.
The impact pushed him forward.
Another came—
From the side.
He couldn't keep up.
Not with them.
Not like this.
"…I can't—"
The thought didn't finish.
His body moved—
but not fast enough.
Another hit.
Then another.
Each one—
precise.
Not wild.
Not killing blows.
Breaking him down.
Vinh forced himself forward.
One last attempt.
The dagger swung—
Too wide.
The sword followed—
Too slow.
A Dejteo stepped in.
Close.
Too close.
A single strike.
Clean.
Vinh's body froze.
Then—
collapsed.
The weapons slipped from his hands.
The dagger hit the ground—
Then flickered.
The sword followed—
Distorted.
Both—
vanished.
"…No…"
His voice was weak.
"…They're gone…"
No one answered.
Hands grabbed him.
Cold.
Firm.
No hesitation.
They dragged him out.
Metal walls returned.
The corridor.
The same place.
But this time—
he didn't fight.
He couldn't.
They stopped.
Then—
threw him down.
Impact.
His body barely reacted.
A figure stepped forward.
Then—
a strike.
Controlled.
Another.
Then another.
Not rage.
Not punishment.
Precision.
Vinh clenched his teeth.
"…They're not trying to kill me…"
Another hit landed.
His body shook.
"…They're testing…"
The pain wasn't random.
It followed a pattern.
Reaction.
Response.
Like they were measuring something inside him.
Then—
it stopped.
Silence returned.
The door opened.
Then closed.
Darkness.
Again.
Vinh lay still.
Barely breathing.
His fingers twitched slightly.
Empty.
No weapon.
No strength.
Only a realization.
"…That wasn't skill…"
A pause.
His eyes slowly opened.
"…It was luck…"
Silence answered him.
They didn't bring him back because he failed…
They brought him back because he was different.