Kael moved through the dense forest, hunting down weaker beasts to earn points. He made his steps faster and quieter using his Mystic Art: Ethereal Steps. This ability allowed him to glide just above the ground, minimizing the noise of his movements and leaving no trace behind. He felt like a ghost in the forest, his form almost blending with the shadows as he darted between trees.
He ran until he saw a light ahead, a faint glow piercing through the thick foliage. Curiosity piqued, he quickened his pace, heading toward the light. As he broke through the last line of trees, he found himself in an open clearing. A huge group of about a hundred people had gathered there, forming a loose circle around two individuals who were locked in combat.
Kael's eyes were immediately drawn to the combatants. One of them had the ability to utilize the power of lightning, generating small static electric charges that crackled around him. He used these charges to startle and distract his opponent, a tactic that seemed effective at first glance. The other combatant, however, was only dodging, his movements fluid and almost lazy as he avoided each strike with ease. He mocked his opponent, a smug smile playing on his lips.
"Is that all you've got?" the dodging combatant taunted. "You're going to need more than sparks to take me down, Zane."
Zane's eyes narrowed, his frustration evident. "Keep talking, Draven. Let's see how smug you are when you're out of this virtual world."
Suddenly, Draven swung his sword from at least seven meters away. To Kael's amazement, the sword cut through the air and struck Zane. The moment of impact was followed by Draven teleporting near his opponent, finishing him off with a decisive blow and ejecting him from the virtual world.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by murmurs of shock and awe. Kael could see the fear and admiration in their eyes as they watched Draven, who seemed to exude an aura of arrogance.
"Did you see that?" one participant whispered. "He took him out with a single move!"
"Unbelievable," another replied. "He's on a whole different level."
Kael approached a nearby participant and asked, "What's happening here?"
The person, a tall young man with dark hair, turned to Kael and explained, "They're fighting to decide which group will join whom. We're divided into two groups, and those two were the leaders. Well, there is only one now."
As the crowd's whispers continued, Draven, who appeared to have space manipulation abilities, addressed the group. "Listen up! From now on, you all belong to my group. Follow me, and you'll survive this test."
His tone was arrogant, his words filled with self-assurance. But before he could continue, a girl with fiery red hair stepped forward, her eyes blazing with defiance.
"I oppose you," she said firmly, her voice carrying across the clearing. "We don't need to follow someone who rules through fear and arrogance."
Kael watched the scene unfold, intrigued by the red-haired girl's courage. She stood tall, undeterred by Draven's display of power.
The crowd grew silent, anticipating the next move. Draven's eyes narrowed as he glared at the girl, clearly unaccustomed to being challenged. "Do you really think you can stand against me?" he sneered.
The girl didn't flinch. "I do," she replied. "And I'm not alone."
Murmurs spread through the crowd as participants began to show their support for the girl. "Who is she?" someone whispered.
"She is Aria Abreon," a voice replied. "She's known for her fire abilities. No wonder she has the guts to stand up to Rylan."
Rylan's expression darkened. "You think you can rally them against me, Aria? You're delusional."
Kael looked at them. "She indeed looks a bit delusional."
Aria's gaze was unwavering. "It's not about rallying them against you, Rylan. It's about showing them there's another way. We don't have to resort to bullying and intimidation."
Kael felt a spark of respect for her bravery. This confrontation could change the dynamics of the entire group, and he was curious to see how it would play out.
Rylan laughed, a cold, mocking sound. "Let's see how long your defiance lasts, Aria."
The tension in the air was palpable as the two leaders faced off. The crowd watched with bated breath, waiting for the next move.
"Is everyone here stupid?" Kael kind of understood the situation, realizing that Draven’s intentions were far from good. Draven seemed to be using the group for his own gain. Kael wondered how they could form a group when no more than sixty participants could win. As Draven and the red-haired girl Aria argued, Kael decided to interfere.
Kael stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "Draven, I challenge you."
The crowd fell silent, all eyes turning to Kael. Darian Voss, the guy Kael had spoken to earlier, grabbed his arm, his voice low with urgency. "Are you crazy? Draven is at the peak of the Soul Alignment stage. He owns a powerful species of Parasite, Nyxaris, whose abilities are related to space manipulation. He’ll crush you."
Kael reassured him with a calm nod. "I have a way, trust me."
Draven turned to face Kael, his expression a mix of arrogance and amusement. "And who might you be, daring to challenge me?"
"Kael," he replied steadily. "I broke through the Organ Reinforcement stage a few days ago."
A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd. Draven smirked, shaking his head. "You’re challenging someone levels above you as someone who just broke through the Organ Reinforcement stage? This should be entertaining."
The other participants chuckled, clearly thinking Kael was out of his depth. But Kael stood his ground, his gaze unwavering as he faced Draven.
The tense air in the arena crackled with anticipation as the crowd murmured, waiting for the showdown to begin. Both Kael and Draven stood opposite each other, the flickering light casting long shadows over the battleground.
Draven’s arrogant smirk never faltered, his eyes gleaming with superiority. "Draven," he called out, his voice filled with disdain. "And I stand at the pinnacle of the Soul Alignment Stage. My parasite, Nyxaris, grants me the power to manipulate space itself. You’ll be nothing more than an ant beneath my boot."
Through a blend of physical and mystical enhancement, those who have reached Organ Reinforcement can manipulate their immediate environment with an unprecedented level of precision. Whether it's altering the density of the air around them to move silently or adjusting their body's internal rhythms to harmonize with the natural world. Soul Alignment stage represents the pinnacle of personal mastery. At this stage, an individual's soul and body achieve perfect harmony, granting them complete control over their abilities.
The crowd collectively stiffened, whispering about the overwhelming power Draven wielded, but Kael was unfazed.
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"Kael," he said coolly, his tone unwavering. "I broke through the Organ Reinforcement Stage just a few days ago, and I’m about to show you what that means."
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Draven chuckled mockingly. "Ha! Organ Reinforcement? You think you're even close to me? Fine, let’s see what you’ve got. I’ll give you the first move."
"Draven, peak of Soul Alignment stage."
Right after introducing themselves, Kael didn’t waste the opportunity. His eyes narrowed as he steadied his stance, and with a swift motion, he swung his Blade of Singularity at Draven.
The blade shimmered with concentrated mass, the force amplified by Kael’s mass manipulation. The weapon cut through the air, creating a forceful wave of energy.
But Draven just smirked. His body shimmered for a moment, and before the blade could make contact, he phased through it, disappearing from sight and reappearing just beyond the strike.
The crowd gasped.
Phase Shift stage can momentarily dissolve their physical form into an ethereal state. In this form, they can pass through walls, evade attacks, and navigate obstacles with unparalleled ease. However, Phase Shift requires exceptional focus and control.
"Feeble attempt," Draven laughed, his voice oozing mockery. "You can manipulate mass, but space itself is beyond you."
With a flick of his wrist, Draven conjured his next attack. The air around his hand warped, and he slashed at Kael with a Space Distortion Slash. The attack didn’t travel like a typical blade—it bent and warped the very fabric of space, striking without ever physically touching.
Kael braced himself, raising his sword to block the incoming distortion. As the attack neared, Kael’s eyes sharpened, his mind racing.
I knew it... Kael thought, grinning despite the pressure. Even though his attack bends through space, the force behind it is still just that—force. No matter how distorted it is, it can't change the impact.
Kael’s sword met the distortion. There was a loud clang, and the force of the attack shook the ground, but Kael held steady. Draven blinked in surprise. "What—"
Before Draven could fully react, Kael’s next move was already in motion. Draven's eyes widened as Kael’s expression sharpened.
"I was waiting for that." Kael’s voice was cold, filled with purpose.
The ground beneath Draven’s feet collapsed. A sudden crack split the earth wide open, and Draven lost his balance, stumbling.
Kael didn’t hesitate. With precision and speed, he launched himself toward Draven, his blade cutting through the air with terrifying swiftness. The strike landed a clean wound opening across Draven’s torso.
"Ugh!" Draven gasped in pain, stumbling back, clutching his side. His face twisted with rage. "You... you insolent fool!"
He staggered, glaring at Kael with a venomous fury. "You think that was enough? You’ve only scratched the surface of my power!"
Draven clenched his fists, his aura flaring with rage. He prepared to unleash a more powerful attack. But before he could react, Kael’s voice cut through the tension.
"Look at your pants."
Draven’s eyes flashed in confusion, and he instinctively glanced down. To his horror, Kael had subtly used his mass manipulation to alter the fabric of Draven’s pants, making them looser.
Draven felt his pants begin to slip. He grabbed for them, his face turning red in a mix of frustration and humiliation. But in that split second of distraction, Kael moved like lightning.
"Mystic arts: Ethereal steps"
His movements blurred, faster than anything Draven had ever witnessed. In that moment, it felt as though Kael’s speed surpassed even the final stage of Soul Alignment, a speed so fast it left a trail of afterimages behind him.
Draven’s eyes widened in shock, and before he could even process what was happening, Kael’s blade was already upon him.
"Dirty trick? Maybe," Kael’s voice was steady, but his words rang with finality. "But a trick that works is no trick at all."
And with that, Kael’s blade sliced through Draven’s chest.
A gasp rippled through the crowd as Draven stumbled back, his eyes wide in disbelief, before collapsing to his knees. His arrogance shattered in an instant, leaving nothing but a cold, bloody wound.
Kael stood over him, his gaze unwavering as Draven gaped at him in horror, struggling for breath.
"You were too arrogant," Kael muttered under his breath.
Before Draven could muster another word, his body began to disintegrate, and the virtual reality around them flickered. With a final scream of rage, Draven was summoned out, leaving only the fading echoes of his defeat.
Kael turned, his expression calm. The crowd erupted in stunned applause, but Kael barely seemed to notice. He had already won, and the battle was over.
The air in the arena buzzed with a whirlwind of reactions. Draven’s defeat was too much for many to process. Some of the onlookers stood frozen, their eyes wide with disbelief, as if they were witnessing something unreal. The once-confident and arrogant Draven had been knocked down, humiliated, by someone who barely registered in their expectations.
“What... just happened?” one spectator muttered, shaking his head in confusion.
“Impossible!” another one gasped, his voice quivering. “He’s from the Organ Reinforcement stage... and he beat Draven?”
Some of Draven’s die-hard supporters, who had been chanting his name moments before, were now cursing under their breath. Their admiration for him shattered like glass.
“That was a dirty trick!” a burly man shouted from the crowd, his face red with anger. “You can’t win like that!”
“Oh please, that was brilliant!” came a retort from a woman in the crowd. “Draven was flaunting his power. He needed to be knocked down a peg!”
Laughter erupted from some of the onlookers. The image of Draven, the great and untouchable leader, fumbling to grab his pants as he faced defeat was too much to bear. A few were even rolling with laughter, unable to hold it in.
“Ha! I can't believe it! Draven just lost to that kid!” one person yelled between bursts of laughter.
But not everyone was amused. A group of Draven’s followers—those who had hailed him as the pinnacle of strength—were boiling with anger. Their eyes blazed with fury, and some of them were already making their way toward Kael, ready to voice their outrage.
“You filthy trickster!” one of them screamed. “You don’t fight like a warrior!”
“He’s nothing but a coward who can’t win without cheap tactics!” another one shouted, his face twisted in frustration.
The crowd murmured, some nodding in agreement with the insults, others shaking their heads at Draven’s failed arrogance.
But through it all, Kael remained calm—his expression as cold and unreadable as ever. His posture was relaxed, unbothered by the venom being spewed around him. He didn't raise a hand in defense, didn’t even flinch at the insults. He had already made his point in the arena.
Kael slowly turned, his eyes scanning the crowd. Without a word, he walked forward—silent, yet exuding a quiet intensity. His boots clicked softly on the ground as he moved past Draven’s angry group, and all eyes followed his every step.
One of Draven’s followers, a tall man with a scarred face, stepped forward, chest puffed with bravado. “What, you think you can just walk away like this? You think you’re some kind of hero now?” He sneered, clenching his fists. “I’m not done with you, Kael.”
Kael stopped right in front of him, not a hint of emotion on his face. The crowd held its breath.
Kael’s voice was low, but it carried through the arena like a blade cutting through the tension. “What’s your name?”
The man faltered slightly, but quickly recovered. “Jarek,” he spat, glaring at Kael.
Kael took one more step forward, his face only inches from Jarek's. The air around them seemed to thicken, as if Kael's very presence was imposing itself upon the space. He looked up at Jarek with those cold amber eyes, piercing him with an unwavering intensity that made the man’s breath catch.
“There’s only winning and losing,” Kael said, his voice a low rumble. “And right now? You’re on the losing side.”
Some in crowd went silent. Even Jarek, who had been so quick to step forward, seemed to shrink under Kael’s gaze. His bravado wavered, and for a moment, he didn’t know whether to step back or to keep pushing.
“Wha—what is this?” Jarek stammered, suddenly unsure of himself. The energy around Kael was overwhelming. It was killing intent.
“Either step aside... or be part of the next lesson,” Kael continued, his tone even and unyielding.
Some of Draven’s group hesitated, but the fear in their eyes was undeniable.
Jarek, clearly shaken, slowly backed away, his hand twitching toward the hilt of his sword but never fully drawing it. Without another word, he turned and joined the others.
Kael didn’t even spare them a second glance. He simply turned on his heel and began walking away, as if the confrontation had never even happened.
A few onlookers broke the silence, some still laughing, others whispering in awe.
Kael's breaths came in ragged gasps as he leaned against a charred tree, his legs trembling beneath him. He had barely managed to defeat Draven. All that confident talk during the fight? Just a bluff.
He felt a wave of relief, but it was quickly overtaken by the exhaustion that had been lurking beneath the surface. His muscles screamed in protest, cramps seizing his limbs. Ethereal Steps had pushed him to his limits, and now he was paying the price.
"I was so nervous," Kael thought, his mind racing. "He almost had me... so many times. If I'd made one wrong move... Well, I would be fucked"
“I never thought I’d see Draven put in his place like that. It’s like he didn’t even stand a chance!”
“I mean, he did catch him off-guard with that pants trick. That was low, but damn... that speed—did you see it?” someone else whispered, eyes wide.
“Not just speed... that strength. He took down Draven with.”
Others, however, looked uneasy. The reality of what Kael had just done was settling in. He had taken down one of the strongest fighters in the arena—not through overwhelming force, but through intelligence, speed, and precision.
“I don’t care what anyone says. That kid is dangerous,” a voice murmured, shaking his head.
Kael didn’t care for the praise, nor the criticism. He had his goals, and this was just one step in a larger game. As he made his way off the arena floor, a cold smile crept across his lips—one that only a few could catch.
Draven’s followers might have been angry, but Kael knew they were the ones who’d been humiliated, and the reality of that was starting to sink in.
This isn’t over. Not yet.