The fight ended without a clear continuation.
Reth did not attack again.
And neither did Zarek.
But the message had already been delivered.
Even under suppression—
Zarek was still dangerous.
That alone was enough.
By the time the courtyard settled, word had already begun to spread deeper into the sect.
Not as rumor.
But as concern.
Later that day, Zarek was summoned again.
This time, not to the arena.
But to a quieter section of the sect—an open training hall used for coordinated exercises.
Several disciples were already gathered there.
Zarek stepped in and immediately felt it.
The atmosphere.
Different from before.
Less hostile.
But more… controlled.
Rovan stood at the front.
Alongside him—
Two other elders.
Zarek approached without hesitation.
"…You called for me."
Rovan nodded.
"Yes."
He glanced briefly at the others present before continuing.
"A decision has been made."
Zarek's expression didn't change.
"…Another one?"
One of the elders spoke.
"You will be assigned to a unit."
Zarek's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…A unit?"
"Yes," Rovan replied. "A group of outer court disciples who train and operate together."
Zarek looked around.
The others were already watching him.
Carefully.
"…Why?" he asked.
The elder answered this time.
"To observe how you function within structure."
A pause.
"And whether you can be… stabilized."
Zarek understood immediately.
This wasn't training.
It was evaluation.
A different kind.
"You will train with them. Fight with them. Complete assigned exercises as a group," Rovan continued.
Zarek said nothing.
But inside—
He was already calculating.
A voice broke the silence.
"…You're putting him with us?"
Zarek turned.
A girl stepped forward from the group.
Her posture was firm, her gaze sharp, but there was hesitation beneath it.
"…Is there a problem?" the elder asked.
She hesitated briefly.
"…No. Just confirming."
But her eyes said otherwise.
Another stepped forward.
"…If he loses control—"
"He won't," Rovan said calmly.
A pause.
Then he added—
"…And if he does, I'll handle it."
Silence followed.
That was enough.
Zarek observed them quietly.
Five of them.
Different strengths.
Different attitudes.
But all—
Watching him.
"From this moment on," Rovan said, "you are part of Unit Seven."
The words settled heavily.
Zarek stepped forward slightly.
"…Understood."
The group didn't respond immediately.
But the tension between them was undeniable.
As the elders stepped back, leaving them to themselves—
The real test began.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"…I'm Lira," the girl said, her tone controlled.
Zarek nodded slightly.
"…Zarek."
"…We know," another muttered.
A brief silence followed.
Then Lira spoke again.
"…We train together. That's it."
Zarek didn't argue.
"…Fine."
But as they began—
The distance between them remained.
Not physical.
But something deeper.
Zarek could feel it.
Their caution.
Their restraint.
Their unease.
And for the first time—
The challenge wasn't strength.
It wasn't survival.
It was something else.
Control.
Not of power—
But of himself.
Inside, the system activated quietly.
[New Variable Detected: Social Integration]
[Evaluation Mode Activated]
Zarek's eyes darkened slightly.
"…So even this is part of it."
The game had changed.
And now—
He wasn't just being tested as a fighter.
But as something far more dangerous.