I wanted to pat my past self on the back.

For I had done well in investing more in my Wands status.

I bit my lip, the anger and guilt crushing me.

I shouldn’t have left them alone…

Of course you shouldn’t, they are children.

So anything that happens to them, it will be your fault.

All your fault.

I shook my head. I had to run faster.

It was difficult to know exactly how much it took me to reach the food court. I ran with all my speed, hearing my heart beating against my chest, the warm wind rushing against my body. The moment I entered the food court, I could already see the crowd.

People were gathered around a particular area, one that had been separated by a barrier.

“Mister…!” The moment she spotted me, Hil cried out and rushed to my side. Yet I was more surprised to meet a pair of hazel and blue eyes.

“What happened?” I asked Aída as Hil closed her arms around me, tears streaming down her face.

“I saw a commotion when I got here, but by the time I arrived he had already proposed the Duel…” There was not only frustration but guilt weighing down her words, her fits clenched.

A duel?

“Who—”

My voice died in my throat as I spotted the curly white hair within the indigo barrier.

The boy had both hands in his pockets, his reddish eyes as unforgiving as they were cold. In front of him stood the same man who I met before the First Trial, the one who wore the different cape.

“I told him to leave them alone, but Hal wouldn’t listen to me—mister, I can’t lose Hal!”

To see Hil cry and sob like that, it broke my heart. Yet the emotion was quickly replaced by rage as I noticed a new bruise forming on her wrist. I clenched my jaw.

“I will enter this duel in Hal’s place, don’t worry—”

Aída shook her head. “You can’t.”

“What? Why not?”

Before Aída even opened her mouth, as if it was listening, messages from the system popped up in front of me.

[You are witnessing a Duel!]

[You can only place bets before the Duel starts.]

There was a “+” sign on top of ‘Duel’. I clicked.

[About Duels]

- Any Self can request a Duel, as long as both parties agree with the conditions and terms.

- Once accepted, a Duel cannot be interrupted, forcibly terminated, or have its terms and conditions altered.

- Once started, a Duel must see its conclusion.

So basically, Duels were this system’s version of PvP.

I cursed under my breath, turning to Aída. “What are the conditions?”

“The winner will be decided once the opponent cannot fight anymore.”

That was too vague…

I didn’t like that.

“Aída, take Hil to the plaza. Once things are finished here, I will—”

“No!” Hil pulled away from me, wiping her tears with a new fire burning in her eyes. “I will watch and support my brother.”

Before I could say anything, Hil was already rushing toward the barrier, forcing me and Aída to go after her.

She stopped right behind Hal, and he did not even need to turn his head to know she was there.

“Go away, Hil. You don’t need to see this.”

She bit her lip, her voice quavering as she spoke with defiance. “If you didn’t want me to see it, you shouldn’t have proposed the Duel…”

“Hil…”

“I already bet all my points on you! So I will kill you if you lose, Hal.” Her last words sounded more like a plea than a threat.

Hal did not smile or blink.

“I won’t lose.”

I tried to touch the barrier, only to be burned as sparkles flew around my fingers for a second. I was really powerless.

There was a chiming sound, followed by a message to place our bets in the next fifteen seconds.

“You can’t tell me I didn’t warn you, kid!” The man in the cape shouted with a smirk. “We gave you plenty of chances.”

Behind him, I could see his group. The mother and daughter, plus the three men. None of them looked worried, although a couple of them appeared to be feeling guilty.

Hal said nothing. His body was relaxed, too confident.

Purple letters appear midair, glowing as if they were begging for attention.

[Halvard Dahl vs Bennet Hale]

“I’m looking forward to having you two as dogs.” The man said as he cracked his neck.

Halvard took one deep breath and sighed, his breath coming in pure white.

There was another chime.

Bennet Hale’s hands glowed for a moment, a crosier staff appearing from within the light. Though its tip curved, there was a symbol of a pentagram in its center, the staff’s bottom almost too sharp.

Does Hal even have an offensive skill?

does he need one?

A chill went down my spine.

Bennet charged toward Hal, brandishing the crosier as it shone with a golden light. Hal still hadn’t moved.

[Active Skill - Yappy Dog I]

[Yappy Dog is barking at you]

[Do you wish to listen? You can only do so once per day.]

What was this skill again…?

It was something about premonition, or warning about danger…

I confirmed.

“You are done now, kid!” the man shouted, aiming the sharp end of the crosier at Hal’s shoulder.

Hal didn’t move.

[Yappy Dog wines.]

As the staff made contact with Hal, his body became mist.

Bennet Hale turned pale.

“I told you that first day, uncle…”

Hal’s voice was ethereal, something that was there at the same time it wasn’t. His eyes began to glow, brighter by the second, as the mist that had become his body emanated its own silver light. From his pocket, the boy took out his knife.

The man took one step back, pointing the crosier at Hal’s face.

Then Hal was gone, his words echoing within the space.

[Yappy Dog smells blood.]

“…that I would make you pay for making my sister cry.”

[Yappy Dog smells death.]

“What the… y-you think this is going to scare me?!”

The golden light from the staff became stronger, Bennet turning around again and again, searching.

“So you are a coward as well, huh?! Your parents didn’t teach you manners, much less decency!”

Mist suddenly condensed a few meters behind him, and while Bennet’s colleagues kept shouting and trying to warn him, the man couldn’t hear them.

The exact moment he turned, Hal body was whole again. And before anything could be done or said, the boy ran straight at him and jumped.

Sinking the pocket knife into the man’s throat.

I saw as the crosier touched Hal’s face and shoulder, burning the skin with hunger and rage. Yet by then, Bennet Hale was already falling on his back, gurgling and choking on his own blood, trying to speak.

Hal stroke again.

And again.

I glanced toward Aída and Hil. The woman had both hands covering Hil’s eyes, yet even then I could see.

All those tears falling.

Before Hal could strike a fourth time, the chime was sounded, stopping his hand in midair.

[The Winner has been decided!]

[Winner: Contracted Self Halvard Dahl]

[The bets are being distributed now]

The barrier lowered until it was completely gone. When Hal met my gaze, I could see the skin peeling off from his face, the blisters forming at an alarming rate. Above all else, I could see the blood across his cheeks, the eerie glow within his red eyes.

Eyes that shared not even an ounce of warmth or innocence.

“What the… Hey…! He cheated! This fucking brat cheated!”

“Give me my points back!”

“That child is a monster...”

As I ignored the comments, the system was even faster to shut up and give warning signs to all those who were complaining about their bets.

I saw as Bennet’s group stared at Hal with sheer terror, their bodies trembling.

I walked over to him, my body cold and shaken. I knelt by Hal’s side, taking an item from my inventory.

I glance toward the body once.

“Open your mouth.”

It took a few seconds for Hal to do as I said. I popped the potion open and made him drink. I watched as the burns faded away, as if they had never been there at all.

“How is it? Does it hurt?”

He didn’t answer me at first.

“Not anymore.”

I ruffled his hair, giving him a weak smile.

“That’s good then.”

I kept trying not to think about it. Not think about how Hal seemed to be used to the sight of blood, how his gaze never faltered, his hands never hesitated. For people to survive these Trials, they needed this kind of mindset.

I needed this kind of mindset.

Yet the boy had not been born in this world, with bloody Trials and a nasty system. So what kind of world did he live in?

And how come its reality was so different from mine?

“Let me clean him.”

The voice came from behind me. I saw Aída holding a wet cloth, and it didn’t take long for her to rub all the bloody spots from his face.

His hands and clothes, however, were a different matter.

While Aída walked with Hil in the front, I walked beside Hal as we went to the plaza. Once we got to the fountain, I helped the boy with his hands and shirt, surprised to watch the blood vanish as it spread in the water, as if it had never been there.

I was about to suggest Aída to find a peaceful spot where we wouldn’t be seen. I was going to give the twins the chocolate crepes I had with me.

But then I received a message.

[I want to talk. Let’s have lunch.]

When I read who the sender was, I held back a curse.

[Can’t. I’m busy.]

The reply came almost immediately.

[Then make some time.]

That cocky bastard…!

“It’s captain, right?”

I was surprised when Aída spoke, the laugh and the smile doing little to weaken the sadness that flooded her eyes as she glanced at the twins.

“You knew he wanted to talk with me.” It was not a question.

She shrugged. “I was aware of something alike. You should go. We can meet you both later.”

Hal met my eyes one last time, while Hil continued to stare at the ground with a forlorn expression.

“Stop giving me that look and get lost. You are annoying me.”

I laughed at Hal’s words, taking a deep sigh before speaking. “You’re not cute at all. How about a sweet ‘thank you, mister’?”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Sure, why not. Thank you, sir. Can you leave us now, and go meet the actual cool mister?”

Hah… He really isn’t cute at all.

I agreed to send Aída a message when I was done, informing the place we should meet, walking back to the place I had just left.

Hoping they would’ve removed the body by the time I arrived.