Having woken up with a clear, refreshed mind, Yi Qiang looked at his situation with new eyes.

It's possible that the objective of this stage is not something physical. Instead of an action I need to take or a requirement I need to meet, maybe this stage measures my dependence on the system.

If so, what the marksman had to do was far more unclear. How do you prove your independence from something invisible?

This was also assuming his guess was accurate, which was hardly a given. After all, that was based only on the fact that he was cut off from the system, something far from conclusive.

Still, though, Yi Qiang didn't have any better options, so he started thinking.

Maybe it's just a matter of staying calm. The sign of addiction is a strong emotional response when something is taken away, so perhaps I just need to display the exact opposite of that.

Finally given a reason to purposely relax, the marksman sat down, before tensing up again. He glanced around and raised his hands, looking at their calloused forms.

Sighing, Yi Qiang laid back down, focusing fully on his breath and on the soft grass around him.

Time was slow to pass, and yet, when he looked back, the past seemed emptier than it had ever been before. His first day consisted of idle thoughts and the occasional return to training in his mind, the marksman theorizing about new skills, techniques, training methods, and plans.

The days started to blur together. The marksman started to let go of counting the days, instead learning to appreciate the moment that he was fortunate enough to experience.

When I decided to enter Ascend... I never thought I would be in this situation. And if you had told me about it... I would have been scared.

Yi Qiang wondered at how much had changed since he entered this new world. I have a partner, for once, someone I can actually share my experiences with.

I have friends. I have a reason to live beyond my goals.

Unknowingly, a small smile made its way onto the marksman's face.

Deep down, though, he knew it couldn't last forever.

When the darkness came, he wasn't surprised. Yi Qiang had been prepared the whole time for the opportunity he was given to end, to be cast back into the hectic, busy life he had set up for himself.

It was harder to play along with it now, he realized, because he knew what the alternative was.

And yet, it also motivated him.

If whatever's trying to take over succeeds, I don't know just how happy they'll be with the players lounging around. As it is, though, this world is at its core a game - meant to help its inhabitants have fun how they choose to do so. If I want... nothing's stopping me from relaxing when this is all over.

The only thing the marksman was wondering when the world was covered by darkness was whether he failed, or, by some minuscule chance, his actions were actually what was required to succeed.

His question was quickly answered, though, when his new location was familiar to him.

Yi Qiang stood in front of the nine gates where the Absolute had originally led them. By this time, all of the other contestants had gathered - either the marksman was the only one to stay the entire allotted time, or his trial was the longest among the others.

The first thing he noticed was the pale faces of the contestants and, to a lesser degree, the Absolute.

Having already accepted the fact that he would have to drop out of the competition, Yi Qiang walked over to the group, waiting for the Absolute to speak.

I looked at the young talent of the kingdom before me.

My thoughts churned. He... technically failed...

I couldn't convince myself. As strict as the rules were, I couldn't leave this young man, who was clearly the most worthy of the group, out.

"I..." My voice faltered. He got to the final stage of the Attuned course. Even the grandmaster - hell, even the grandmaster's mentor couldn't get there.

How can I, in good conscience, let him fail? Especially considering his achievements so far...

An idea started to crystallize in my mind as I looked at the kid.

Yi Qiang studied the Absolute's face. Though it wasn't particularly revealing, the marksman could still see that the powerhouse was deliberating. What's there to think about? Just kick me out. I'm prepared for the consequences.

Finally, the Absolute spoke.

"Everyone, follow me outside." He shot a pointed glance at Yi Qiang to make sure the marksman knew he was included in the list.

Once they were all outside of the Cloud Court, the Absolute gestured for everyone to form a circle.

"We're going to take a little detour before getting to the official things we have to handle, okay?" Without waiting for confirmation, the Absolute waved a hand and Yi Qiang felt himself, along with the other contestants, be whisked through space in effortless teleportation.

They reappeared in what seemed to be a mountain, and, judging from the snow on the ground and the biting wind, pretty high up, too. Right in front of Yi Qiang was a smooth cliff face.

"This is a pretty good target." The Absolute waved a hand, a golden sheen appearing on the rock. "If you will, shoot at that with everything you have - do not hold back any of your power, or I will know."

Why, exactly, is he having me do this?

Even as Yi Qiang pondered, he put all of his newly expanded Qi pool, except for 100 points, into a bow.

Never before having put that much energy into Empyrean Dragon's Armaments, even the marksman was shocked by seeing the air distort slightly around the bow. Out of the corner of his eye, he also caught the shocked expressions of the other contestants and even the Absolute.

Putting aside any doubt he had about being able to draw it, the marksman maintained a tight rein on the construct. It was surprisingly difficult as if all the energy he had used wanted to break free. Still, though, he kept an iron grip on the Qi as he poured the rest of it into a single arrow.

The projectile started buzzing in his hand, full of pure power, as the marksman nocked it into the bow.

He took a deep breath in and out and pulled on the bow. Despite the difficulty he was having controlling his strength(describing the change from 120 in each stat to his current self as dramatic would be the understatement of the century), it was a simple enough task to draw a bowstring.

That was, a normal bowstring.

Yi Qiang's bace started to burn red as blood rushed to his head with the strenuous effort of pulling back the bow by even an inch.

The tips of his callous fingers were burning, as if the skin was going to be rubbed off by the opposing forces. Still, though, he perservered.

Even as every second required him digging deeper and deeper into his reserves of strength, even though every muscle strained, the bow eventually came to a full arc. Yi Qiang held it there for a second, angling the bow as well he could even as his back and shoulders screamed at him.

Then, he let go.