For most students,
reaching the Second Realm by age eleven
was considered a
good
pace.
But for Echo...
It wasn’t
enough
.
He could feel it—
He was
on the verge of breaking through
.
The
Unified Energy Realm
was within his grasp, and once he crossed that threshold, his abilities would take a massive leap forward.
That wasn’t arrogance—
It was simply
a fact
.
Echo had never been interested in fighting for the sake of glory or recognition.
He had one goal—
To increase his energy as much as possible.
The stronger he became, the more powerful the
skills he could create
.
And his skill creation ability was something
truly special
.
Echo had spent
years
testing the limits of his ability.
By now, he had
created over 50 different skills
—each one with its own unique function.
Some gave him
speed
, others
raw strength
, and a few even granted him
enhanced perception
.
But there was a limit.
No matter how well-crafted the skill was, it could only be
as strong as the energy within him allowed
.
That was the frustrating part.
Even though he could
write any skill he imagined
, he couldn’t fully utilize the strongest ones
until he became stronger himself
.
Still...
There was another
discovery
he had made recently.
At first, he had assumed that his skills were something only
he
could use.
But after some experiments, he realized something
astonishing
Other people could use the skills he wrote.
If someone
read one of his written skills
, the words would imprint onto their mind, allowing them to
acquire the skill instantly
.
The implications were
massive
.
For the first time, Echo wasn’t just thinking about
his own strength
He was thinking about
the possibilities
.
The
wealth
.
The
power
.
If he wanted, he could sell his skills for an
outrageous
price.
Even the weakest skill he created would be worth a
fortune
to the right buyer.
The elite students of the academy—those
struggling to improve
—would
pay anything
for a skill that could push them forward.
He smirked at the thought.
"With this ability to create skills..." he murmured, his golden eyes flickering with ambition.
"
I can become an emperor.
"
A chuckle escaped his lips as he imagined it—
A world where
he
controlled the flow of power.
Where
kings and warriors
depended on
his
skills to gain an edge.
Where
entire nations
sought his favor.
Yes.
The duels had gone on for
three hours
, and yet, Echo still sat
motionless
in the stands, his golden eyes glimmering with focus.
He wasn’t just
watching
—he was
studying
.
Each fighter, every move, the way they harnessed their energy—it was all valuable
data
.
’
There are too many weaknesses. Too many wasted movements. Too much inefficiency.
’
Most of the competitors relied purely on
brute force
or their
innate talents
without truly
understanding the depth
of their abilities.
That wasn’t enough.
To
dominate
in this world, one needed
more than talent
.
They needed
precision
.
They needed
creativity
.
And more than anything—
They needed
an absolute mastery
over energy.
Echo’s ability to
create skills
had already given him an
unfair advantage
, but he wasn’t satisfied.
Watching these battles gave him
ideas
New
techniques
.
New
powers
he could develop.
’If I refine my skill creation process and integrate some of these combat styles... I could reach an entirely new level.’
A
dangerous smirk
formed on his lips.
But his train of thought was interrupted—
Because now, the
final battle
was about to begin.
The air
grew tense
as the final two fighters stepped onto the stage.
Even the students in the stands, who had been cheering moments ago,
fell silent
.
Everyone knew—
This fight would be on a completely different level.
The two
strongest
students in Trolys Academy were about to collide.
On one side stood
Timaro
, the undefeated champion.
His
white hair
fluttered slightly in the wind, and behind him, two
majestic purple wings
spread open.
His aura radiated confidence—
absolute control
over his power.
And standing across from him was
Sobako
, a warrior who was feared for his terrifying mana control.
Unlike the others who specialized in a
single
energy type, Sobako had
surpassed
the normal limitations—
He could harness
all elements
with terrifying mastery.
His sharp eyes locked onto his opponent as his lips curled into a wicked grin.
"
Hahaha! I have acquired the Destruction Element! Today, I will kill you, claim victory, and become number one!
"
The audience gasped.
The
Destruction Element
...
A power feared even among the
strongest warriors
.
It was an element that didn’t just manipulate energy—
It
erased
it.
Timaro, however, showed
no reaction
.
No fear.
Only amusement.
"
Oh? It seems we’re somewhat alike...
" he said, his voice calm yet filled with something
dangerous
.
His purple wings fluttered lightly as he smirked.
"
Because I, too, have gained an incredible power.
"
Sobako’s grin widened. "Oh? Then tell me—what is it?"
Timaro’s smirk deepened.
"
I won’t tell you... I’m not as foolish as someone I know.
"
A surge of energy erupted between them
The fight was about to begin.
A heavy silence filled the air.
The crowd held their breath.
Two of the
strongest
students in the academy stood face to face, their energy clashing violently before the battle even began.
On one side—
Timaro
, the undefeated champion, his two
majestic purple wings
slightly spread. His white hair gleamed under the sunlight, and his confident smirk never wavered.
On the other side—
Sobako
, the terrifying prodigy with
unparalleled mana control
. His presence alone made the ground tremble, and his sharp, focused eyes locked onto his opponent.
"Begin!"
The referee’s voice barely finished echoing before the battlefield
exploded
with movement.
Timaro raised his hand, his fingers tightening slightly.
Then—
"
Absorb.
"
The single word rang out like a command from a
god
, and in an instant,
Sobako was pulled forward.
It wasn’t just a normal pull.
It was as if a
powerful invisible force
had wrapped around Sobako’s entire body,
dragging
him toward Timaro against his will.
The ground beneath Sobako
cracked
as he tried to resist, but it was useless.
He was flying straight toward Timaro.
His eyes widened—
What kind of ability is this?!
The moment he got close enough, Timaro’s smirk deepened.
Then—
"
Repel.
"
BOOOOOM!
Sobako’s entire body was
violently blasted backward
at
inhuman speed
, as if he had been
launched from a catapult.
His body
smashed
into the ground, skidding across the battlefield like a broken doll before coming to a rough halt.
The ground beneath him was
completely shattered
from the impact.
The audience gasped.
"What kind of power is that?!" someone shouted.
Even Echo’s eyes widened slightly in intrigue.
On the battlefield, Timaro
laughed mockingly
as he hovered in the air.
"
Hahaha! You’re so weak!
"
Sobako coughed, wiping the blood from his mouth. His expression darkened.
’Damn it... What even is this ability?!’
Timaro floated there, grinning. "Come on, is that all you’ve got? Show me something interesting."
A Power That Destroys All
Sobako
gritted his teeth
.
Then—
A
sinister crimson glow
radiated from his hands.
A deep, almost unnatural
hum
vibrated through the battlefield.
The ground beneath him
melted
into dust.
The air itself
sizzled
.
A few students in the audience
instinctively leaned away
, feeling a strange pressure in their chests.
Echo’s eyes flickered with interest.
’
Oh? This is something new.
’
Sobako slowly stood up, his hands now
completely engulfed
in a deep red glow.
He lifted his gaze toward Timaro and smirked.
"
You like surprises, huh? Then let me give you one.
"
And with that—
He
vanished
.
In a blink—
He was right in front of Timaro.
His speed was
insane
.
Timaro’s smirk faltered slightly.
But it was too late—
Sobako’s
crimson hands
slammed into his chest.
Then—
BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM!
A chain of
massive explosions
erupted
across the battlefield, each blast stronger than the last.
A
shockwave
tore through the air, sending nearby spectators
stumbling backward
.
The academy walls
rattled
.
Flames and smoke rose into the sky.
Even the referee had to shield himself from the sheer
force
of the attack.
Up in the stands, Echo’s lips curled into a smirk.
"Ohhh! What an incredible skill!"
he exclaimed.
His eyes gleamed with fascination.
"He can make anything he touches explode?! This is a brilliant idea, haha!"
He leaned forward, completely
engrossed
in the battle now.
The dust settled.
Chapter 18 – The Battle Reaches Its Peak
The battlefield was in ruins.
Cracks covered the ground like a shattered mirror. Smoke and dust filled the air, swirling in chaotic spirals. The spectators barely had time to process what had happened before another
shockwave
rippled through the area.
Timaro floated above, untouched, unbothered. His
purple wings
extended slightly, giving off a majestic yet terrifying aura.
Meanwhile, Sobako stood amidst the rubble, his fists clenched. His
Destruction Element
flickered around his hands, the deep red glow
pulsing
as if eager to consume everything.
The tension in the air was suffocating.
Then—
"Hahaha!"
Timaro’s
mocking laughter
echoed across the battlefield.
"Not bad," he admitted, "I can see why you’re ranked second."
He tilted his head, his smirk widening.
"But that’s all you’ve got, isn’t it?"
Sobako’s eyes
burned with fury
.
Without another word, he
vanished
.
A sharp
BOOM
rang out as he propelled himself forward, his speed
breaking the sound barrier
. His fist, coated in
crimson destruction
,
tore through the air
, aiming straight for Timaro’s face.
Timaro’s smirk
didn’t fade
.
Instead—
"Absorb."
In an instant, Sobako’s entire body was
yanked sideways
, his balance thrown completely off.
"Damn it!" Sobako growled, twisting midair.
Timaro’s laughter rang out again.
"Still falling for that?"
Then—
"Repel."
BOOOOOM!
The invisible force
slammed into Sobako
, sending him flying
backward
. He crashed into the ground
with brutal force
, tumbling across the battlefield before finally digging his feet in to stop himself.