The pressure did not fade.
It built.
Rahim remained standing, his breathing steady, but the strain was becoming clear. This was not a battle he could win with a single move or a sudden burst of power. It was something that tested his limits over time, forcing him to hold on while everything around him tried to destabilize him.
For the first time in a long while
He felt himself slipping
Not physically
But in control
The connection that had felt like an extension of him was no longer stable. It shifted unpredictably, sometimes aligning perfectly with his movements, other times resisting them entirely. Rahim tightened his focus, trying to maintain balance, trying to adapt faster than the change.
But this was different
This was not something external he could learn from
It was something internal
And that made it harder
A faint crack formed within his control
Not visible
But real
Rahim felt it clearly
And he understood
If that crack spread
He would lose everything he had gained
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