Chapter 21: Ten Minutes Is a Long Time
The blue system window hovered in front of Xavier's eyes.
[New Mission]
Survive 10 Minutes
Reward: Unknown
That was it.
No conditions.
No restrictions.
No helpful explanation.
Xavier swallowed.
"Survive," he muttered under his breath. "That's… comforting."
Serena stood a few steps behind him, her brows knitting together as she felt the shift in the air. This wasn't like their sparring matches. There was no playful tension, no teasing edge.
This felt heavy.
Across from Xavier, his mother—Mabel Cross, Guild Leader of Oracle—stood with her hands behind her back, posture straight, expression calm. Too calm.
Mira and Rachel had already moved to the side, Mira watching with obvious excitement, Rachel grinning as if this were some kind of free show. Veronica lingered closer, unease flickering in her eyes as she looked between her mother and brother.
"This is just an evaluation," Mabel said evenly. "Not a punishment."
Xavier let out a short laugh. "That's what all terrifying people say."
Mabel's eyes flicked to him. "You always were mouthy."
She took a step back, giving him space.
"I will remain on defense," she continued. "If you cannot survive ten minutes against that, then you were never ready to awaken alone."
The system timer appeared.
10:00
It started counting down.
Xavier didn't hesitate.
"Engine Sync."
The familiar surge roared through his body. His heartbeat accelerated, muscles tightening as invisible machinery whined to life beneath his skin. Numbers flashed through his mind.
Speed surged.
He vanished.
Xavier reappeared in front of Mabel in a blur, fist already halfway through a high-speed feint meant to bait her guard—
—and stopped dead.
Two fingers.
That was all she used.
Mabel caught his punch between her index and middle finger, the force dissipating as if it had never existed. Her feet hadn't moved. Her shoulders hadn't shifted.
The timer ticked.
9:58
Xavier's eyes widened. He twisted, reallocating stats on instinct—less Speed, more Strength—throwing a follow-up kick aimed at her ribs.
Mabel released his fist and gently tapped his ankle aside with the side of her foot.
Gently.
Xavier stumbled back, barely regaining balance.
"She didn't even block," Mira muttered. "She redirected."
Serena clenched her fists.
Xavier grit his teeth and went again.
Speed. Dexterity. Strength.
He cycled them rapidly, launching a flurry of attacks—hooks, low sweeps, sudden bursts meant to overwhelm timing and perception.
Mabel handled them all with minimal motion.
A turn of the wrist.
A step half an inch to the left.
A soft push to his shoulder that sent him spinning away.
She didn't counterattack.
She corrected.
"Your stance is too narrow," Mabel said casually, nudging his foot outward with her toe as he passed. "You're overcommitting to speed. You'll tear a ligament."
Xavier skidded back, chest heaving.
"What kind of fight gives tips mid-combat?!"
"The kind where the opponent isn't your enemy."
The words hit harder than her touch.
Xavier lunged again, frustration bleeding into his movements. He tried to force distance, tried to pressure, tried to break her defense through sheer persistence.
Nothing worked.
Every strike felt like punching water.
Serena's jaw tightened. She could see it now—Mabel wasn't overpowering Xavier.
She was controlling him.
Suppressing herself to his level and still dominating through precision alone.
"This isn't fair…" Serena muttered.
Mabel's eyes flicked briefly toward her, then back to Xavier.
"Why delivery?" Mabel asked suddenly, sidestepping another punch. "Of all things."
Xavier hesitated.
Bad idea.
She tapped his shoulder, and he stumbled forward, barely catching himself.
"Why hide?" she continued. "Why refuse to register? Why run a business instead of joining a guild?"
"Because I wanted something that was mine!" Xavier snapped, spinning and throwing a wide swing.
Mabel caught his wrist and released it just as quickly.
"And why did you think doing everything alone made you strong?"
The question hit harder than any blow.
Xavier backed away, breathing hard, sweat dripping down his temple. The timer hovered in the corner of his vision.
8:41
He was losing too fast.
Not physically.
Mentally.
He stopped charging.
Instead, he took a breath and shifted tactics.
Wisdom rose. Speed dropped slightly. He began watching—not her, but the space around her. The angles. The way she subtly positioned herself between him and the open ground.
He feinted left.
Rolled right.
Kicked up dust and used it to obscure his movement.
For the first time, Mabel's eyes narrowed—not in anger, but interest.
Xavier didn't attack.
He moved.
Circling. Repositioning. Using pillars, walls, shadows. He forced her to turn, to adjust, to react rather than simply receive.
A full minute passed.
She didn't touch him.
The system timer ticked down.
7:59
7:58
7:57
Mira blinked. "Huh. He's surviving."
Serena let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Mabel took one step forward.
The air shifted.
Pressure rolled outward like a silent wave, heavy enough that Xavier felt it settle on his shoulders. Not killing intent—but authority. Experience. Power held perfectly in check.
"Good," Mabel said softly. "Now you're thinking."
She raised her hands—not in a guard, but open.
"Let's see if you can think like an awakened."
The system timer pulsed ominously.
7:12 remaining
Xavier wiped sweat from his eyes, heart pounding.
Ten minutes suddenly felt very, very long.