Chapter 9 The Gray Zone Boundary
892 Words
Outskirts of Raven City.
The towering energy pylons flickered in the distance.
Beyond the city’s protective barrier lay the region known as the Gray Zone.
Once the old urban district.
Now—nothing but ruins.
A buffer zone where outer creatures occasionally breached.
Phase Two of the City Trial had officially begun.
Twenty qualified participants.
Divided into five groups.
Four per team.
Objective:
Clear designated Gray Zone nodes and retrieve energy cores.
Leon’s team—
Lucas.
Ava.
And a quiet A-rank student: Karl.
Damian was assigned to another group.
But before departure, his gaze lingered on Leon.
Not anger.
Something darker.
—
The transport vehicle passed through the city gate.
The temperature dropped instantly.
The Gray Zone sky hung low and heavy.
Broken buildings. Collapsed streets.
A faint, distorted hum echoed in the distance.
Ryan wasn’t on the trial list.
He stood inside the gate, watching from afar.
“Don’t die…”
Leon didn’t look back.
The system interface appeared.
[Failure Catalyst: 13%]
A real battlefield.
Not simulation.
But still—
An opportunity.
—
The team landed in an abandoned commercial district.
Kane’s voice came through the communicator.
“Remember. Outer Gray Zone danger level: C.”
“If B-level fluctuations appear, retreat immediately.”
Ava nodded.
“We take the eastern node.”
Lucas rolled his shoulders.
“Finally, something real.”
Karl silently checked his weapon.
Leon felt the faint energy pollution in the air.
The pressure here was far more authentic than any training ground.
Suddenly—
A shadow flickered in the distance.
“Contact,” Ava whispered.
The figure leapt forward.
A Gray Carapace Beast.
Nearly two meters tall.
Stone-like armor plating.
Mid-stage C-class.
Lucas struck first.
A-rank suppression.
His heavy punch smashed down.
The beast staggered back.
Leon stepped forward.
First release.
Success.
A crimson shockwave struck its shoulder armor.
Stronger than before.
The 13% amplification was real.
The beast roared and lunged.
Leon intentionally loosened control.
Second release.
Failure.
[14%]
The shockwave shattered.
A claw grazed his arm.
Blood traced across his sleeve.
Ava instantly repositioned.
An ice-blue beam froze the beast’s hind leg.
“Don’t be reckless,” she said coldly.
Leon didn’t explain.
Third release.
Failure.
[15%]
Pain sharpened his focus.
Lucas growled.
“Are you farming right now?!”
“Yes.”
“This isn’t the academy!”
At that moment—
A deep tremor echoed from deeper within the Gray Zone.
Karl looked up.
“Second wave.”
Two more Gray Carapace Beasts burst from the ruins.
More than expected.
The communicator flickered.
Kane’s tone turned serious.
“Energy anomaly detected. Possible B-class source nearby.”
The atmosphere tightened instantly.
Lucas unleashed his A-rank domain.
Ava froze the ground.
Karl provided long-range suppression.
Leon stood on the flank.
This was the chance.
The greater the pressure—
The steadier the failure.
Fourth release.
Failure.
[16%]
Fifth.
Failure.
[17%]
The beasts closed in.
Ava glanced back.
“That’s enough! Stabilize output!”
Leon inhaled sharply.
Sixth release.
Success.
The enhanced shockwave pierced through a beast’s chest armor.
The increase was obvious.
Lucas stared.
“Seventeen percent already does that?”
From deeper in the Gray Zone—
A roar.
The ground shook.
Ruins collapsed.
A larger gray shadow emerged.
Three meters tall.
Thicker armor.
Eyes glowing dark red.
B-class fluctuation.
The communicator blared.
“Confirmed B-class entity! Retreat immediately!”
Karl’s face paled.
“Fall back!”
Lucas clenched his teeth.
“Too late!”
The B-class Gray King leapt.
Its landing shockwave blasted all four backward.
Ava instantly constructed an ice barrier.
“Leon!”
He stood up.
The system interface displayed:
[Failure Catalyst: 17%]
Not enough.
If they retreated now—
They would be chased.
He gritted his teeth.
“Hold it for thirty seconds.”
Lucas roared.
“Are you insane?!”
“Trust me.”
Leon dashed toward the Gray King’s flank.
He released under extreme pressure.
Failure.
[18%]
A claw tore across his shoulder.
Blood splashed.
Second attempt.
Failure.
[19%]
Bones rattled under impact.
Ava’s eyes shifted.
She finally understood.
He wasn’t reckless.
He was calculating.
Third attempt.
Failure.
[20%]
The system notification rang clearly.
[Base Amplification Reaches 20%]
Next release—
Success.
A crimson shockwave sliced into the Gray King’s side armor.
Penetration.
The creature roared in fury.
Lucas seized the moment.
Full A-rank burst.
Karl’s long-range shot pierced through the weakened plate.
Ava froze its movement.
Seconds later—
The Gray King collapsed.
Dust filled the air.
The four stood in the ruins.
Breathing heavy.
The communicator crackled with Kane’s stunned voice.
“Confirmed kill.”
“You’ve completed a B-class objective.”
Lucas turned to Leon.
“Twenty percent?”
Leon nodded.
“Yes.”
Ava stared at the blood running down his arm.
“You’re using yourself as fuel.”
Leon looked up at the gray sky.
“As long as it burns long enough…”
“It will shine.”
High above—
A surveillance drone hovered silently.
Elsewhere, the gray-haired man spoke softly:
“Phase Two confirmed.”
“Variable growth curve—still rising.”
“Prepare the real test.”
The screen went dark.
The wind howled across the Gray Zone.
In the distance, the city towers flickered.
Leon stood at the center of the ruins.
The system interface displayed quietly:
[Failure Catalyst: 20%]
This—
Was only the beginning.
- Writer
