The sky above the platform slowly lost its bluish color.
Dark clouds began forming over the great river surrounding the arena while gusts of wind shook the flags of the vessels scattered around the tournament.
But the true reason for the growing silence was not the weather.
It was Miv.
The mana emitted by the elf distorted the very space around his body.
Blue chains slithered through the skies like hungry creatures, moving unnaturally while grotesque sounds echoed from within them—distant whispers, muffled laments, drawn-out voices like souls trapped in eternal suffering.
Even the other battles around them had stopped.
Warriors from different guilds watched in silence.
Some frightened.
Others unable to comprehend such an absurd amount of mana.
The arena floor slowly began cracking beneath Miv’s feet.
The stones trembled.
Small fragments floated around him.
And beneath the platform, the waters of the massive river began spinning violently, creating chaotic whirlpools that slammed against the structure’s pillars.
Hitori clenched his fists.
The black gloves vibrated.
The dark mana surrounding his body instinctively reacted to that suffocating pressure.
As though it were being provoked.
Miv slowly opened his arms.
His silver hair danced alongside the blue chains.
A smile filled with superiority appeared on his face.
Miv:
“Tremble before the pride of the elves.”
The chains began rotating above the arena.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
More violently.
Until they formed a gigantic spiral that completely covered the skies above the platform.
The air became heavy.
Hard to breathe.
Sarina frowned while gripping her fans.
Sarina:
“What kind of sick magic is this…?”
Kamero carefully observed through the ice crystals surrounding him.
Kamero:
“This isn’t ordinary mana…”
Kirt let out a low laugh.
Kirt:
“Of course it isn’t.”
Ecti slowly drew another arrow.
Blue mana condensed around her fingers.
Ecti:
“Humans could never understand the power of their betters.”
Yashina stepped forward.
The six golden hexagons slowly began rotating around her.
Her expression remained cold.
Controlled.
Yashina:
“Arrogance always comes before the fall.”
Miv completely ignored the provocation.
The spiral above the arena expanded even further.
Then—
His mana exploded.
Miv:
“SOUL-DEVOURING CHAIN!”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The impact made the entire platform tremble.
The chains descended from the skies like monstrous serpents.
Destroying everything in their path.
Stone pillars were pulverized.
Magical barriers instantly collapsed.
Parts of the arena exploded into fragments.
Other guilds desperately fled.
???:
“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!”
???:
“GET OUT OF HERE!”
One of the chains pierced straight through an entire guild.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The warriors were launched from the platform like dolls.
System:
“Guild eliminated.”
Another chain struck the edge of the arena.
The waters of the river exploded into the sky, forming a gigantic wall of water.
Hitori narrowed his eyes.
Hitori:
“That thing is destroying the whole arena…”
Kamero immediately opened his grimoire.
Frozen runes spread through the air.
Kamero:
“Maximum Glacial Barrier!”
CRAAAAAAAAAACK!!
Gigantic walls of ice rose around Guild EXO.
But in the next instant—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The chains collided against the ice.
The entire structure cracked.
Part of the barrier exploded into thousands of frozen crystals.
Kamero slid several meters backward.
His feet sank into the shattered ground.
Kamero:
“Tsc…”
Sarina charged forward.
The wind around her began compressing violently.
Her green hair danced together with the growing atmospheric pressure.
Sarina:
“Then I’ll cut through all of this!”
She spun her fans.
FWOOOOOOOOOSH!!
A storm of compressed air blades swept across the arena.
Several chains were shattered.
Fragments of blue mana exploded across the skies.
But new chains immediately emerged.
Miv smiled.
Cold.
Cruel.
Like someone watching tiny insects trying to resist the inevitable.
Miv:
“Useless.”
The chains rushed toward Sarina.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
She dodged using bursts of wind beneath her feet to change direction in midair.
Every movement resembled a deadly dance.
But there were too many chains.
One of them grazed her stomach.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Sarina was violently launched into a rock formation of the arena.
Stones exploded around her.
Hitori felt his chest tighten.
Hitori:
“SARINA!”
He vanished from his position.
The black gloves exploded with dark mana.
The air around his fists began to distort.
Hitori:
“Get out of the way!”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A single punch pulverized several chains at once.
The shockwave crossed the arena like an earthquake.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Miv finally lost part of his smile.
His eyes narrowed.
Miv:
“This human…”
Then—
Elv appeared in front of Hitori.
His blue mana armor completely covered his body.
Much denser than before.
Elv:
“You shall not pass.”
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The two collided.
The pressure generated by the impact spread a colossal shockwave across the arena.
Hitori blocked the punch with his black gloves.
But immediately felt something wrong.
Elv’s mana armor pressed against his arms like tons of steel.
CRACK!
Hitori’s left arm cracked.
Pain.
A brutal pain shot through his body.
Hitori:
“GHH…!”
Elv smiled.
Superior.
Confident.
Elv:
“Your human body cannot withstand that power.”
Hitori gritted his teeth.
The black spheres behind him began vibrating uncontrollably.
One of them changed shape.
Hitori:
“Black Disc.”
FWOOOOOOOOOSH!!
A spinning black disc appeared from the side.
Elv’s eyes widened.
CLANG!!
His mana armor blocked the attack.
But—
It cracked.
A blue fissure spread across the armor on his chest.
Elv:
“What…?!”
Hitori instantly appeared in front of him.
The black gloves compressed the air.
Space itself seemed to sink for a moment.
Hitori:
“Fall.”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The punch struck directly against Elv’s chest.
The armor exploded into hundreds of luminous fragments.
Elv was launched through several structures of the arena.
Miv:
“ELV!”
At that instant—
Ecti drew a gigantic arrow.
The mana around it condensed into spirals.
Kamero noticed immediately.
Kamero:
“Yashina!”
She silently nodded.
The six golden hexagons began spinning faster and faster.
Yashina:
“Maximum Reflection.”
Light bounced between the hexagons.
Amplifying.
Growing.
Becoming more intense every second.
Then—
Ecti fired.
Ecti:
“Imperial Mana Arrow!”
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!
The blue arrow tore through the heavens.
Yashina raised her hand.
Yashina:
“Reflected Shot.”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The golden beam collided with the arrow.
The explosion illuminated the entire river.
The vessels rocked violently.
Several people fell to the ground.
???:
“THESE KIDS ARE MONSTERS?!”
But then—
Ecti smiled.
Yashina realized it too late.
The arrow split apart.
Yashina:
“What?!”
A second arrow passed through the explosion from the side.
Fast.
Silent.
Deadly.
Straight toward Hitori.
Sarina felt her blood freeze.
Sarina:
“HITORI!”
Hitori turned his head.
But his body was slow.
The black gloves consumed too much mana.
He wouldn’t be able to dodge.
Then—
Aysa appeared in front of him.
Aysa:
“Don’t even think about it!”
She threw several knives coated with poisonous fluids.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The knives partially altered the arrow’s trajectory.
But not completely.
FWOOOOOSH!!
The arrow pierced through Aysa’s shoulder.
The residual mana instantly burned the flesh.
Aysa:
“AAAAAH!!”
Her scream echoed across the arena.
Hitori froze for a second.
His eyes trembled.
Hitori:
“AYSA!”
She fell to her knees.
Blood rapidly flowed through her fingers.
Miv watched without the slightest empathy.
Miv:
“Humans protecting humans…”
Miv:
“Pathetic.”
The chains began growing again.
More violent.
More unstable.
The entire arena trembled.
Huge cracks spread across the platform.
Massive stones began falling into the river below. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Kamero looked around.
Kamero:
“If this keeps going…”
Yashina slightly paled.
Yashina:
“The platform is going to break…”
The enormous cracks continued spreading across the arena.
The sound of breaking stone echoed like the groan of a structure about to collapse completely.
Entire sections of the platform began sinking toward the river below, while columns of water exploded against the ruined pillars.
Other guilds had already abandoned the center of the battlefield.
No one wanted to remain near that monstrosity.
Rumel Grow watched everything from the main vessel.
Arms crossed.
His gray hair swaying with the violent wind coming from the destroyed arena.
Even veteran soldiers around him showed signs of nervousness.
???:
“Lord Rumel… should we stop the battle?”
He remained silent for several seconds.
His eyes fixed on Hitori.
Especially on the black spheres vibrating behind the boy.
Rumel Grow:
“Not yet.”
Back on the arena—
Aysa remained on her knees.
Blood slowly ran from her pierced arm.
Residual blue mana still burned her skin.
Hitori caught her before she collapsed.
Hitori:
“AYSA!”
She forced a painful smile.
Even trembling.
Even clearly suffering.
Aysa:
“I-It hurts like hell…”
Hitori looked at the wound.
The arrow had pierced completely through the shoulder.
The flesh around it had been charred by the residual mana.
Sarina gritted her teeth.
Sarina:
“That arrow…”
Kirt smiled arrogantly.
Kirt:
“Ecti’s Imperial Arrows carry continuous destructive mana.”
Ecti slowly drew another arrow.
Her eyes remained cold.
Without hesitation.
Ecti:
“Fragile humans could never endure this.”
Then—
Hitori slowly raised his head.
The air around him began to change.
The black mana fluctuated violently.
Kamero noticed first.
His eyes immediately narrowed.
Kamero:
“Hitori…”
The black spheres began vibrating uncontrollably.
The space around them seemed distorted.
As though reality itself was being compressed.
Hitori breathed heavily.
His eyes trembled.
Rage.
Overwhelming rage.
Hitori:
“You…”
The black gloves slowly began growing.
Dark matter spread along his arms like a living creature.
Climbing over his shoulders.
Moving like liquid shadows.
Sarina felt a chill run down her spine.
Sarina:
“Wait…”
Yashina immediately rushed forward.
Yashina:
“Hitori! Calm down!”
But at that moment—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Black mana exploded.
An absurd pressure swept across the entire arena.
Stones around Hitori began levitating.
The ground sank several meters beneath him.
Even other guilds looked on in terror.
???:
“W-What kind of mana is that…?!”
???:
“Is that really magic?!”
Miv watched in silence.
For the first time since the battle had begun…
His smile had disappeared.
Miv:
“This human…”
The black spheres spun at insane speed.
One of them slowly began changing shape.
Kamero immediately noticed.
Kamero:
“Another transformation…?”
The sphere elongated.
Darkened even further.
Then—
FWOOOOOOOOOSH!!
A gigantic black spear appeared beside Hitori.
The weapon seemed to absorb the very light around it.
Its surface was uneven.
Alive.
Like a curse given form.
The spectators held their breath.
???:
“That doesn’t look like magic…”
???:
“It looks like a demonic weapon…”
Hitori slowly raised his hand.
The spear vibrated.
Its sound resembled a muffled roar from the depths.
Hitori:
“I’m going to crush you all.”
Miv gritted his teeth.
The chains around him exploded once more.
More ferocious.
More violent.
Miv:
“DESPICABLE HUMAN!”
The chains attacked simultaneously.
Like dozens of monstrous serpents trying to devour everything.
Then—
Hitori vanished.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The platform exploded where he had been standing.
The next instant—
CRAAAAAAAAAASH!!
The black spear pierced through several chains at once.
Fragments of blue mana exploded through the skies like luminous rain.
Miv’s eyes widened.
Hitori appeared directly before him.
The black gloves compressed the air violently.
The spear vibrated beside him.
Hitori:
“GET OUT OF MY WAY!”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The punch struck directly against Miv’s defensive chains.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
The chains began to shatter.
The overwhelming pressure pushed the elf several meters backward.
But before Hitori could advance again—
BOOOOOOOOOM!!
Elv appeared from the side.
His blue mana armor had been partially restored by Kirt.
Even cracked…
It still radiated monstrous pressure.
Elv:
“I won’t allow it!”
The blow struck Hitori in the side.
The impact launched the boy through enormous chunks of stone.
Sarina:
“HITORI!”
Stones collapsed around him.
A cloud of dust rose into the skies.
Then—
Hitori emerged from the rubble.
Panting.
Bleeding.
His left arm trembled violently.
His bones were clearly beginning to give way under the tremendous pressure of the black gloves.
Even so—
He smiled.
A tired smile.
A mad smile.
Hitori:
“Is that all?”
Elv froze for an instant.
That human…
Was enjoying the fight.
Miv appeared above Hitori.
The chains began spinning again.
Even more mana gathered in the skies.
The air became suffocating.
Miv:
“Soul-Devouring Chain!”
The chains merged into a gigantic monstrous spiral.
The grotesque screams echoed once more.
As though hundreds of souls were suffering simultaneously.
Even other guilds retreated in terror.
???:
“WHAT KIND OF CURSED MAGIC IS THAT?!”
???:
“That thing looks alive!”
Kamero immediately opened his grimoire.
Frozen runes spread through the air.
Kamero:
“Everyone get back!”
Ice crystals began forming around Guild EXO.
Yashina, however, slowly placed her hand on her waist.
Sarina immediately noticed.
Her eyes widened.
Sarina:
“That dagger…”
A white dagger with golden details appeared in Yashina’s hands.
The moment the weapon appeared—
The atmosphere changed.
A soft light began enveloping the arena.
The six golden hexagons vibrated intensely.
Even Miv noticed.
His eyes narrowed.
Miv:
“That light…”
Yashina slowly raised the dagger.
The light grew stronger and stronger.
Like a small sun being born in her hands.
She looked at Hitori.
Even wounded.
Even barely able to remain standing…
He smiled at her.
Yashina:
“Just hold on a little longer.”
Then—
Miv unleashed the gigantic Soul-Devouring Chain upon all of Guild EXO.
The sky darkened completely.
The waters beneath the platform exploded violently.
The arena literally began splitting in half.
And at that moment—
Yashina raised the white dagger before the calamity descending from the heavens.
The monstrous chains descended like the end of the world.
The grotesque roar echoed across the arena, mixed with the distorted cries escaping from Miv’s blue spiral.
The waters below rose into violent columns.
The entire structure trembled.
Stones fell.
Gigantic cracks tore through the platform from end to end.
Even the air itself felt heavy.
Suffocating.
Kamero felt cold sweat run down his neck.
Even with the ice crystals protecting Guild EXO…
He knew.
It would not be enough.
Kamero:
“I can’t stop this alone…”
Sarina gripped her fans tightly.
Her arms trembled from exhaustion.
Her injured body barely responded.
Even so—
She charged.
Sarina:
“I WON’T LET YOU!”
FWOOOOOOOOOSH!!
A brutal storm of wind exploded before her.
Vacuum blades cut apart several chains.
Fragments of blue mana scattered through the skies.
But new chains appeared immediately.
Denser.
More violent.
As though they were endless.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The overwhelming pressure struck Sarina head-on.
She was thrown backward violently.
Her body smashed through massive stones before sliding across the ruined arena.
Hitori felt his heart tighten.
Hitori:
“SARINA!”
But before he could run toward her—
Yashina passed by him.
Her golden hair swayed together with the explosion of radiant mana around her body.
The white dagger in her hands shone like a celestial star.
The six hexagons began spinning around her.
Faster.
Brighter.
The reflected light between them increased absurdly.
Yashina:
Her voice echoed calmly.
But carried overwhelming authority.
The light began bouncing between the hexagons.
Stronger.
Brighter.
More intense.
Until even the spectators aboard the ships had to cover their eyes.
???:
“That light…!”
???:
“What is that weapon?!”
Kirt completely lost his arrogant expression.
His eyes trembled.
Kirt:
“That mana… impossible…”
Ecti involuntarily stepped back.
For the first time since the battle began—
She looked afraid.
Ecti:
“A sacred… artifact…?”
Miv gritted his teeth.
But continued descending his technique.
The monstrous chains roared even more violently.
Miv:
“IT DOESN’T MATTER!”
The gigantic spiral fell upon Guild EXO.
Then—
Yashina slowly raised the dagger.
Yashina:
“Lumos.”
FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!
A colossal wave of light exploded from the dagger.
The golden brilliance swept across the entire arena.
The chains began disintegrating instantly.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
Like glass being shattered.
The grotesque cries vanished.
The monstrous chains broke into hundreds of fragments of blue mana.
Miv’s eyes widened completely.
Miv:
“W-what…?”
Yashina pointed the dagger forward.
The hexagons began reflecting the weapon’s light.
The intensity increased exponentially.
Each reflection amplified the radiant mana even further.
Even the air trembled around her.
Kamero stared in disbelief.
Kamero:
“That amount of mana…”
Hitori silently looked at Yashina.
Even wounded.
Even barely able to stand…
He smiled.
Because at that moment—
She seemed unreachable.
Yashina:
“Supreme Reflection.”
The hexagons fired light at one another.
The beam grew.
Expanded.
Until it transformed into a colossal golden ray that illuminated the entire darkened sky.
Then—
Yashina pointed directly at Miv.
Yashina:
“It’s over.”
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The colossal golden beam crossed the arena.
Miv tried to raise his remaining chains.
But it was too late.
The light pierced everything.
The chains.
The mana.
The defenses.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The explosion illuminated the entire river.
A gigantic wave spread through the waters below.
The vessels rocked violently.
Miv and the other elves were launched into the air.
Their eyes completely widened.
Filled with disbelief.
The golden light consumed their silhouettes.
Then—
FWOOOSH!!
Their bodies disappeared from the platform.
System:
“Guild Eyalnir eliminated.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Not even the other guilds could believe what they had just witnessed.
Humans…
Had defeated elves.
Sarina slowly raised her head from among the rubble.
Her breathing was heavy.
Her hair had been thrown into disarray by the wind.
Sarina:
“We…”
Aysa began laughing tiredly, even while kneeling on the ground.
Aysa:
“Hahaha…”
Aysa:
“That was completely insane…”
Kamero let out a long sigh as he slowly closed his grimoire.
Kamero:
“We did it…”
Yashina remained motionless for a few seconds.
The light of the dagger slowly began to fade.
The golden glow weakened.
The hexagons lost their speed.
Then—
She fell to her knees.
Hitori:
“YASHINA!”
He tried to run toward her.
But his legs failed.
The black gloves began to disappear.
The spheres behind him lost stability.
CRACK!
His right arm cracked violently.
Pain.
A brutal pain ran through his entire body.
Hitori:
“GHH…!”
The black matter slowly retreated from his arms.
Kamero immediately caught Hitori before he collapsed.
Kamero:
“You idiot…”
Hitori let out a tired laugh.
Hitori:
“It hurts like hell…”
Sarina slowly walked toward them.
Even wounded.
Even exhausted.
She was smiling.
Sarina:
“But it was fun.”
Aysa partially raised her hand.
Aysa:
“Those elves are a bunch of psychopaths…”
Yashina breathed heavily.
The use of the dagger had clearly consumed nearly all of her mana.
Even so—
She looked at Hitori.
Yashina:
“You overdid it…”
Yashina:
“Again.”
Hitori looked away.
Hitori:
“Sorry…”
Kamero looked around at the destroyed arena.
The platform was unrecognizable.
Huge craters.
Mountains of shattered stone.
Entire sections had sunk into the river.
Many guilds had already been eliminated.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Another impact shook the entire platform.
Everyone immediately raised their heads.
Hitori:
“People are still fighting?!”
A brutal gust of wind swept across the arena.
Stones slid over the ruined floor.
The whole structure swayed dangerously.
Kamero immediately became alert.
Kamero:
“That came from the center of the arena…”
Sarina narrowed her eyes.
Sarina:
“That mana…”
Yashina slowly stood up.
Even exhausted.
Even barely able to remain standing.
Yashina:
“Very strong…”
Then—
Five figures began walking through the arena’s ruins.
Covered in fur.
Their animal eyes shining intensely.
Guma smiled when he saw EXO.
Guma:
“You guys look completely wrecked.”
Hitori widened his eyes slightly.
Then let out a tired laugh.
Hitori:
“Guma…?”
Mimi appeared right behind him.
Mimi:
“We saw your fight against the elves.”
Nicelle crossed her arms while observing the destruction around them.
Nicelle:
“You caused unbelievable damage.”
Aysa let out a tired sigh.
Aysa:
“I thought I was going to die like three times…”
Yudi and Yuri appeared behind them, carrying an unconscious warrior.
Yuri:
“This guy tried to attack you from behind.”
Yudi:
“So we decided to take his points.”
System:
“Guild Beasts: +3 points.”
Sarina began laughing.
Sarina:
“These guys really are fast…”
But at that instant—
OOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The gigantic crystal above the arena emitted a deep sound.
The entire area fell silent.
Rumel Grow appeared on the main vessel.
His voice echoed throughout the destroyed arena.
Rumel Grow:
“The first day of the tournament has ended!”
The remaining battles gradually came to a halt.
The survivors silently looked around.
Exhausted.
Wounded.
Shaken.
Rumel Grow:
“Of the fifty-three participating guilds…”
Huge crystals began shining around the arena.
Rumel Grow:
“Only sixteen remain complete.”
The crystals emitted a golden light.
Several unconscious warriors disappeared from the platform.
Rumel Grow:
“You have survived the first phase.”
Hitori slowly looked toward the horizon.
The orange sky reflected upon the massive river.
The wind now blew softly over the ruins.
But inside him…
Something had changed.
The black spheres behind his back trembled lightly.
As though responding to the battle.
As though they were awakening.
Rumel Grow then continued:
Rumel Grow:
“Tomorrow, the second phase will begin.”
In the distance, a gigantic circular arena began to light up.
Rumel Grow:
“Guild versus guild.”
Sarina smiled excitedly.
Sarina:
“This is going to be fun.”
Kamero let out a long sigh.
Kamero:
“I’m already tired just hearing that.”
Aysa slowly stood while holding her injured shoulder.
Aysa:
“First, I want a bed.”
Yashina discreetly looked at Hitori.
Yashina:
“And you need to rest.”
Hitori smiled tiredly.
Hitori:
“I think I agree with you this time…”
As they slowly walked through the ruins of the destroyed platform…
None of them noticed.
Far away.
Among the shadows between the debris.
A figure was carefully watching Hitori.
Especially…
The black spheres floating behind him.