Broken Arts Collector

After a brief medical check and energy restoration break, Master Ryu gathered the battered team in a different section of the complex. This area was dominated by a massive circular platform inscribed with intricate geometric patterns that seemed to shift and flow like living things.

"You've seen what you're up against individually," Master Ryu began, his voice echoing in the chamber. "Now you'll learn why teamwork isn't just an advantage—it's your only hope of survival."

The patterns on the platform began to glow with a soft, pulsing light that seemed to respond to their presence. Min-woo felt something stir within him—not the Infinite One's consciousness, but something deeper, older. The bloodline knowledge that had been dormant in his family for generations.

"This is the Harmony Resonance Method," Master Ryu explained, gesturing to the platform. "The foundation technique of the Infinite Boundless Arts. When executed properly, it allows a team to transcend individual limitations and achieve collective power levels of 200 to 300 percent above normal."

The Theory Behind the Miracle

So-ra's eyes lit up despite her exhaustion. "Energy amplification through synchronized wavelength harmonics," she breathed. "The mathematical principles are... elegant."

"Theory means nothing without execution," Master Ryu cut her off. "The technique requires four elements: Perfect timing, absolute trust, unified intent, and..." He paused, looking directly at Min-woo. "A conductor capable of harmonizing disparate energies without losing control."

Min-woo stepped onto the center of the platform, feeling the ancient patterns respond to his bloodline. The others took positions at three equidistant points around him, forming a perfect triangle with him at the nexus.

"Close your eyes," Master Ryu instructed. "Min-woo, extend your energy sense toward your teammates. Feel their individual rhythms. The rest of you, open yourselves to his guidance. This requires complete vulnerability."

The First Attempt: Hopeful Beginnings

Min-woo reached out with his spiritual senses, just as he had practiced during the individual training. But this time, instead of holographic projections, he was touching the actual energy signatures of his living teammates.

Han-eul's energy was like a perfectly forged blade—sharp, precise, and unyielding. It cut through the spiritual space around him with crystalline clarity.

Dae-seong's power flowed like a deep, ancient river—steady, profound, and carrying the weight of traditional wisdom accumulated over generations.

So-ra's energy was completely different—analytical and structured, moving in precise geometric patterns that reflected her systematic approach to everything.

"I can feel them," Min-woo whispered, amazement creeping into his voice. "Their energies... they're so different, but they're all so strong."

For a moment, hope bloomed in the chamber. The platform's patterns grew brighter, responding to their initial synchronization. Master Ryu watched with intense focus, his expression unreadable.

"Good," he said quietly. "Now, slowly begin to merge your energies. Let Min-woo's bloodline serve as the bridge."

The Catastrophic Failure

What happened next was the spiritual equivalent of a four-car collision.

Han-eul's razor-sharp energy sliced through Min-woo's attempt at gentle harmonization like a sword through silk. The sudden disruption sent shockwaves through the connection, causing Dae-seong's steady flow to become turbulent and chaotic.

So-ra tried to compensate by calculating optimal energy transfer rates, but her analytical approach clashed fundamentally with the intuitive nature of the technique. Her structured patterns began breaking down the organic flow that was necessary for true harmony.

Min-woo, caught in the center of this spiritual maelstrom, felt like he was being torn apart from the inside. The Infinite One's bloodline, instead of providing control, was amplifying every discord and magnifying every mistake.

"I can't... I can't hold it together!" he gasped, sweat pouring down his face.

The energies began feeding back on themselves, creating a cascade failure that grew worse by the second. What had started as an attempt at harmony became a whirlpool of conflicting powers.

"Everyone, break contact!" Master Ryu shouted, but it was too late.

The Spiritual Backlash

The energy backlash hit all four of them simultaneously.

Han-eul screamed as his perfectly controlled sword energy turned chaotic, flooding his meridians with uncontrolled power. He collapsed, his body convulsing as his own energy attacked him from within.

Dae-seong's ancient internal cultivation techniques, disrupted by the failed connection, sent waves of searing pain through his energy channels. His face went white as decades of careful development seemed to unravel in seconds.

So-ra's analytical mind, overwhelmed by the incomprehensible feedback, simply shut down. She fell unconscious, her body's defense mechanism protecting her from the spiritual chaos.

Min-woo bore the worst of it. As the intended conductor, he had absorbed the full force of the collective failure. The Infinite One's bloodline, meant to bridge and harmonize, instead became a conduit for everyone's pain and confusion.

He hit the platform hard, his vision blurring as conflicting energies tore through his system like lightning through a broken conductor.

The Aftermath of Hubris

For several minutes, the only sounds in the chamber were groans of pain and the gradual dimming of the platform's patterns. Master Ryu moved efficiently between them, checking vital signs and ensuring that the spiritual damage wasn't life-threatening.

"Medical nanobots are stabilizing your energy systems," he announced clinically. "The damage is temporary, but the lesson should be permanent."

Min-woo struggled to sit up, his entire body feeling like it had been electrocuted. "Did we... did we fail that badly?"

"You failed exactly as I expected you to," Master Ryu replied without a trace of sympathy. "The Harmony Resonance Method isn't a technique you learn—it's a relationship you build. You tried to force unity where none existed."

Han-eul managed to prop himself up against the platform's edge. "Is it... is it even possible for us?"

Master Ryu was quiet for a long moment, studying their broken forms with those calculating eyes.

"Ask me again in 83 days," he finally said. "If you survive that long."

The ancient patterns on the platform faded to darkness, leaving them alone with their pain and the crushing weight of how much they still had to overcome.