The Eternal Garden of Lotus Flowers had completely transformed the arena.
Almost nothing remained of the original white stone battlefield.
Now, spiritual lakes reflected the purple light of the imperial lotuses, wisterias hung like natural curtains between ancient trees, red higanbanas bloomed near the shadows, and crimson petals cut through the air like invisible blades.
At the center of that domain, the gigantic Sacred Tree of Xianhua dominated the landscape.
Its roots pulsed slowly.
Like a living heart.
And with every pulse…
Guild EXO’s mana diminished.
Kamero breathed heavily as he observed the spiritual forest around him.
The ice on his arms no longer formed as quickly as before.
Qing Ran’s mist continued draining energy little by little.
Kamero:
“If this continues… we’ll lose without even noticing.”
Aysa wiped the blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.
Aysa:
“I hate to admit it… but these girls are absurd.”
Sarina slowly spun her fans, though her arms already showed signs of fatigue.
Sarina:
“Then let’s take down their leader.”
Yashina kept her eyes fixed on Mei Lan.
The Empress of Lotus stood before the gigantic spiritual tree as though she were part of it.
Serene.
Majestic.
Untouchable.
Yashina:
“It’s not that simple.”
Kamero nodded.
Kamero:
“As long as Qing Ran maintains the domain and Zi Yue controls the sky, any attempt to approach will be punished.”
Aysa glanced toward Hitori, who lay among the higanbanas.
The boy was breathing with difficulty.
Small shadows escaped involuntarily from beneath his body.
Aysa:
“And Hua Li is still on top of Hitori…”
Sarina clicked her tongue.
Sarina:
“We have to get him out of there, and fast.”
Kamero immediately turned.
Kamero:
“The only way is to draw their attention elsewhere.”
Before they could continue—
A spiritual arrow pierced through the mist.
Zi Yue:
“Wisteria Arrow.”
Kamero reacted too late.
The arrow passed beside his head and exploded behind the group, spreading floral vines across the ground.
The wisterias immediately began to move.
Not like ordinary plants.
But like living traps.
Aysa jumped backward.
Aysa:
“She’s trying to trap our movements!”
High above the domain, Zi Yue calmly observed from a platform formed by spiritual vines.
Zi Yue:
“The more you retreat…”
Zi Yue:
“…the less space you have left.”
Yashina raised a barrier of light.
At the next instant—
Red petals collided against the defense.
Not in a straight line.
But in unpredictable curves.
Xiao Yun appeared, gliding between the cherry trees.
Xiao Yun:
“Violent Spring.”
Petals swirled around her like an elegant and deadly storm.
Every movement resembled part of a refined dance.
Every step concealed dozens of cuts.
Sarina attacked first.
Sarina:
“Cutting Gale!”
Bursts of wind shot toward Xiao Yun.
But the girl merely twisted her body slightly.
Flexible Bamboo Steps.
The wind passed by without touching even her clothes.
Then Xiao Yun appeared directly in front of Sarina.
Too fast.
Sarina blocked by instinct with her fan.
The impact made her arms tremble.
She slid several meters backward.
Sarina:
“That damn woman…”
Xiao Yun did not answer.
She simply advanced again.
Her petals began forming circles around Sarina.
Yashina noticed immediately.
Yashina:
“Sarina, above!”
Sarina looked upward.
The petals had formed a pattern.
A prison.
Xiao Yun closed her fingers.
Xiao Yun:
“Crimson Petal Slash.”
The petals converged.
Sarina violently spun her fans.
Sarina:
“Wind Cocoon!”
The collision between wind and petals spread cutting waves throughout the spiritual forest.
Branches were destroyed.
Flowers exploded into luminous fragments.
But Xiao Yun continued advancing without stopping.
Meanwhile—
Qing Ran remained behind the main formation of Guild Lotus.
The bluish leaves of the Great Willow of Heaven floated slowly around her.
Each leaf that touched a member of Lotus restored part of their injuries.
Qing Ran calmly observed the battlefield.
Qing Ran:
“They’ve begun to understand the domain…”
Mei Lan kept her eyes closed.
Mei Lan:
“Not completely.”
The golden roots beneath the spiritual lagoon began moving once again.
Mei Lan:
“Celestial Bloom.”
Gigantic lotuses bloomed near Xiao Yun and Zi Yue.
Both immediately recovered part of the mana they had spent.
Kamero noticed.
His expression hardened.
Kamero:
“So that’s it…”
Aysa looked at him.
Aysa:
“What?”
Kamero:
“The entire domain functions like an organism.”
Kamero:
“Qing Ran maintains the circulation of mana…”
Kamero:
“Mei Lan distributes energy…”
Kamero:
“Zi Yue controls the distance…”
He looked toward Hua Li in the distance.
Hua Li remained close to Hitori.
Silent.
Like an executioner waiting for the final moment.
Kamero:
“And Hua Li eliminates anyone who falls behind.”
Aysa forced a nervous smile.
Aysa:
“Wonderful.”
Aysa:
“So we’re fighting a perfect guild.”
Kamero partially closed his eyes.
Kamero:
“There is no such thing as a perfect formation.”
Aysa immediately noticed the tone in his voice.
Aysa:
“You found something?”
Kamero observed the gigantic Tree of Xianhua.
Its roots spread throughout the entire domain.
Kamero:
“Everything depends on that tree.”
Meanwhile—
Within the field of higanbanas—
Hitori struggled to breathe.
His body felt heavy.
Distant.
The poisonous fragrance of Hua Li’s flowers made it difficult even to distinguish reality from illusion.
Hua Li walked slowly among the red flowers.
Each step caused new higanbanas to bloom.
Hua Li:
“Your body should have stopped responding by now.”
Hitori tried to lift his head.
Hitori:
“I… am still here.”
Hua Li slightly tilted her head.
Hua Li:
“That is exactly what worries me.”
Hua Li:
“You should already be unconscious.”
She observed the tiny shadows escaping involuntarily from his hands.
That was not ordinary mana.
Nor ordinary magic.
The flowers near those shadows were withering.
As though that darkness devoured even spiritual energy itself.
Hua Li narrowed her eyes.
Hua Li:
“What kind of existence are you…?”
Before Hitori could answer—
A monstrous presence spread through the domain.
The spiritual pressure was so intense that even Xiao Yun’s petals faltered for an instant.
Zi Yue immediately raised her bow.
Qing Ran opened her eyes.
And for the first time—
Mei Lan no longer seemed completely serene.
Mei Lan:
“…Interesting.”
The source of that pressure—
Was Kamero.
The young man kept one hand pressed against the frozen ground.
Icy mana spread silently through the spiritual lagoon.
Kamero:
“If the domain depends on the tree…”
Ice began advancing through the submerged roots.
Kamero:
“Then I only need to freeze the circulation.”
Mei Lan finally moved.
The roots beneath the water immediately began retreating.
Mei Lan:
“Qing Ran.”
Qing Ran slowly raised her hand.
Qing Ran:
“Mirror of Blue Flowers.”
Aquatic flowers appeared before the frozen roots.
Part of the ice was reflected.
But not completely.
For the first time—
Its luminous leaves dimmed.
Xiao Yun noticed immediately.
Xiao Yun:
“The domain weakened?”
Zi Yue fired several arrows at once.
Zi Yue:
“Don’t let him continue!”
The arrows descended like stars.
Aysa immediately rushed forward.
Aysa:
“Paralyzing Knives!”
Her blades deflected part of the attack.
Even so—
Two arrows pierced her shoulder.
Pain made her legs tremble.
But she remained standing.
Kamero continued concentrating.
The ice slowly spread through the spiritual roots.
Mei Lan observed everything in silence.
Then—
She smiled.
Not arrogantly.
But elegantly.
Like someone pleased to finally encounter resistance.
Mei Lan:
“So you truly possess value.”
She slowly raised both hands.
The entire forest responded.
The violet lotuses bloomed violently.
The cherry trees shed petals.
The wisterias illuminated the artificial sky.
The higanbanas fully opened.
Qing Ran closed her eyes.
Zi Yue drew a gigantic arrow.
Xiao Yun positioned herself before the tree.
Hua Li slowly stepped away from Hitori.
All five members of Guild Lotus raised their mana simultaneously.
Mei Lan:
“It seems we will have to reveal…”
Her voice echoed throughout the domain.
Mei Lan:
“…the true form of the Eternal Garden.”
The roots of the Sacred Tree began pulsing.
Faster.
Stronger.
More violently.
And at that instant—
Hitori heard a voice.
???:
“Are you really going to let them do whatever they want?”
His vision darkened.
The shadow beneath him slowly began to grow.
And Hua Li—
For the first time since the battle began—
Took a step backward.
The Eternal Garden of Lotus Flowers trembled.
Not because of Guild EXO’s strength.
Nor because of Kamero’s advancing ice.
But because of something far worse.
The shadow beneath Hitori slowly spread across the spiritual lagoon.
The flowers nearby withered instantly upon contact with it.
Hua Li’s higanbanas lost their color.
The golden roots of the Sacred Tree of Xianhua trembled like living organisms before a natural predator.
Hua Li took another step back.
It was involuntary.
Instinctive.
Hua Li:
“That energy…”
The shadow continued spreading around Hitori like liquid smoke.
The temperature of the domain dropped.
Not an ordinary cold.
It was absence.
As though life itself were being drained away.
Xiao Yun completely stopped her dance.
The crimson petals slowed around her.
Zi Yue lowered her bow slightly.
Even Qing Ran opened her eyes for the first time since the domain had been activated.
Mei Lan remained silent.
Watching.
Analyzing.
The voice echoed once more inside Hitori’s mind.
???:
“They have to die.”
Hitori gritted his teeth.
Hitori:
“Shut… up…”
???:
“You know you can’t protect them like this.”
The shadow pulsed.
Images crossed his mind.
Aysa fallen.
Kamero out of mana.
Yashina covered in blood.
Sarina crushed beneath the roots.
Hitori’s heart raced.
???:
“Then let me out.”
Hitori held his head.
Hitori:
“I don’t know what you are…”
???:
“But I know what you are.”
Darkness began climbing up his arms.
Meanwhile—
Kamero continued sending ice through the roots of the Sacred Tree.
But his body had reached its limit.
His right arm trembled.
Mana escaped irregularly.
Aysa noticed.
Aysa:
“Kamero!”
Kamero breathed heavily.
Kamero:
“Just… a little longer…”
Zi Yue slowly drew another spiritual arrow.
This time—
Much larger.
Wisteria vines climbed along the bow.
Zi Yue:
“Eternal Wisteria Lunar Arrow.”
The mana gathered in that arrow made even Kamero feel pressure.
The archer released the string.
The arrow crossed the domain like a blue-violet comet.
Kamero tried to create a barrier.
But there wasn’t enough mana left.
Aysa immediately stepped in front of him.
Aysa:
“No!”
Knives flew toward the arrow.
Useless.
The projectile pierced through everything.
Yashina realized too late.
Yashina:
“Aysa!”
Then—
The shadow exploded.
Not violently.
But like a black tide devouring space.
Zi Yue’s arrow disappeared into the darkness.
Consumed.
The entire domain fell silent.
Hitori stood up.
But something had changed.
Black matter now covered almost half of his body.
His eyes were completely white.
Empty of human emotion.
The shadow dagger in his hand pulsed like a living creature.
A strange face appeared.
Distorted.
Smiling.
Xiao Yun felt her body stiffen.
Not from ordinary fear.
It was instinctive terror.
Like an animal sensing something higher in the food chain.
Hua Li whispered, almost voiceless.
Hua Li:
“That isn’t magic…”
Mei Lan finally spoke.
Mei Lan:
“Everyone retreat.”
For the first time, her voice was serious.
Without serenity.
Without elegance.
Only warning.
But Xiao Yun had already moved.
Petals exploded around her.
Xiao Yun:
“Violent Spring!”
The storm of petals rushed toward Hitori.
The shadow responded immediately.
Large black spheres emerged from the spiritual lagoon.
Not defending.
Hunting.
The spheres transformed into chains and seized the petals in midair.
Crushing them like real flowers.
Xiao Yun retreated instantly.
Fast.
But not fast enough.
A black sphere appeared before Hitori.
Hitori:
“Black Matter Burst.”
The sphere fired.
Xiao Yun dodged at the last instant.
Even so, the dark energy grazed her shoulder.
Her body spun through the air before she regained balance.
The wound did not bleed immediately.
First—
The petals around the cut died.
Then the mana in that area began disappearing.
Xiao Yun landed upon a broken branch.
Her breathing faltered.
Xiao Yun:
“That energy corrodes mana…”
Zi Yue fired several arrows at once.
All vanished upon touching the shadow.
As though they had never existed.
Qing Ran immediately raised her hands.
Qing Ran:
“Great Willow of Heaven!”
Luminous leaves spread across the domain, attempting to restore her companions.
But whenever they touched the shadow around Hitori—
They were extinguished.
Mei Lan finally understood.
Mei Lan:
“Nature cannot assimilate that energy…”
The Sacred Tree of Xianhua began trembling violently.
Its roots retreated from the shadow.
Kamero watched with difficulty.
Sarina:
“Hitori…”
Aysa held her wounded arm.
Aysa:
“This is getting scary…”
Yashina:
“Kamero?”
Kamero:
“It’s not like last time…”
Kamero:
“It’s different.”
Sarina:
“What are you two talking about?”
Sarina:
“Thanks to Hitori, we’re saved.”
Yashina:
“Whatever that thing is…”
Yashina:
“It isn’t Hitori.”
Yashina:
“We have to reach him.”
Meanwhile—
Inside Hitori’s mind—
The voice continued.
???:
“See?”
Shadows spread throughout an endless void.
???:
“They only survived because of me.”
Hitori breathed heavily.
Hitori:
“What do you want?”
The entity laughed.
It wasn’t a human laugh.
It was something deep.
Ancient.
The monstrous face appeared before him.
???:
“I want out.”
???:
“Let me out.”
Outside—
Mei Lan slowly raised her hand.
All the members of Guild Lotus understood immediately.
Mei Lan:
“Collective Suppression Technique.”
Xiao Yun steadied her breathing.
Zi Yue drew another arrow.
Qing Ran gathered mana around the tree.
Hua Li spread higanbanas throughout the lagoon.
Mei Lan closed her eyes.
Mei Lan:
“Eternal Garden…”
Mei Lan:
“Absolute Bloom.”
The entire domain shone.
All the spiritual flowers began releasing mana simultaneously.
Golden roots advanced from every direction.
Crimson petals formed a storm.
Lunar arrows covered the sky.
Spiritual mist compressed the space.
Higanbanas bloomed beneath the shadow.
The arena itself seemed to sink under the pressure.
Kamero’s eyes widened slightly.
Kamero:
“They’re using everything…”
Yashina immediately raised barriers of light.
Sarina positioned herself in front with her fans.
Aysa drew her remaining knives.
But Hitori…
Simply raised the black dagger.
The shadow responded.
Not like an explosion.
But like an abyss opening.
The roots disappeared into the darkness.
The petals were swallowed.
The arrows vanished.
Even the mist was devoured.
Then—
The shadow advanced.
For the first time—
Mei Lan lost her composure.
The Empress of Lotus stepped backward.
The Sacred Tree of Xianhua began to rot.
Not slowly.
Instantly.
Its leaves lost color.
Its roots cracked.
The spiritual flowers died.
Qing Ran fell to her knees.
Qing Ran:
“The domain…!”
Zi Yue lost her wisteria platforms.
Xiao Yun was forced to retreat.
Hua Li watched her higanbanas turn to ashes.
The shadow reached the tree.
And devoured it.
Silence.
The Eternal Garden began disappearing.
The lakes evaporated.
The petals vanished.
The roots crumbled.
The original arena slowly reappeared.
Mei Lan watched Hitori in silence.
For the first time—
There was fear in her eyes.
But then—
Hitori staggered.
The black matter began breaking apart uncontrollably.
The dark half of his body disappeared.
The shadows around him went berserk.
Hitori clutched his head.
Hitori:
“AAAARGH!”
The entity laughed inside his mind.
???:
“No…”
???:
“I still can’t come out…”
???:
“It’s not time yet.”
The shadow began pulling his body downward.
As though trying to consume him as well.
Kamero noticed immediately.
Kamero:
“Hitori!”
Aysa ran.
Yashina too.
Sarina clicked her tongue and rushed forward as well.
But Mei Lan was faster.
She appeared before Hitori.
Exhausted.
Wounded.
The Empress of Lotus placed her hand on his chest.
Mei Lan:
“Celestial Bloom.”
A soft violet light enveloped Hitori.
The shadows reacted violently.
But for an instant—
They hesitated.
Qing Ran understood immediately.
Qing Ran:
“She’s using her life force to stabilize him!”
Xiao Yun’s eyes widened slightly.
Xiao Yun:
“Mei Lan, stop! Your body—”
Mei Lan:
“If that thing fully awakens…”
Mei Lan:
“Everyone here will die.”
The shadows advanced again.
Then another light appeared.
Yashina stood beside her.
Yashina:
“Light Screen.”
A barrier of light enveloped Hitori.
Then Kamero.
Kamero:
“Partial Freezing.”
Ice sealed part of the shadow.
Aysa threw knives around him.
Sarina created circular winds.
For the first time in that battle—
The two guilds fought together.
Not against each other.
But against something worse.
The shadow emerging from Hitori.
The shadow roared.
The entire stadium trembled.
Ezergrev finally rose from his seat.
His expression had vanished completely.
Ezergrev:
“…”
The monstrous pressure spread throughout the entire arena.
Even Guma fell silent.
Nicelle lost her smile.
Mimi trembled.
Then—
The voice disappeared.
The shadows slowly retreated.
Hitori collapsed unconscious.
Silence.
The entire arena stood still.
Mei Lan breathed heavily.
Kamero fell to one knee.
Yashina held Hitori.
Sarina stared at her own trembling hand.
Aysa was the first to speak.
Aysa:
“…What the hell was that?”
No one answered.
Because no one there knew.
Ezergrev slowly entered the arena.
He looked at both sides.
Then at Hitori.
And finally declared:
Ezergrev:
“The battle is over.”
His voice echoed throughout the coliseum.
Ezergrev:
“Victory goes to Guild EXO.”
But nobody celebrated.
Because at that moment…
Everyone understood.
The true threat in that battle had never been Guild Lotus.