I struck with full speed, channeling the full force of [Omnipotent] to slice through their weapons with ease.

Ronald took a step back, jumping away with quick reflexes, and immediately began casting long-range spells. It was almost laughable. He thought they would have an impact on me, but I knew better. I chuckled softly, my focus remaining on Anaya. She was using Assassination Weapons—fast and precise, but still no match for me.

They had decent stats, from what I could gauge, but they were nowhere near my level. This wasn’t a fight; it was more like a warm-up before the tournament. They were easy prey. I toyed with them, letting them think they stood a chance as they tried to land a hit.

“You’ve adapted well to this place,” I commented, weaving between the trees and deflecting attacks from both sides with effortless grace.

Anaya growled, her voice thick with anger. “You little piece of shit. I’m gonna kill you!”

I could feel her emotions flaring. "She’s getting agitated," I thought, watching her carefully. "She'll lose her composure soon, and that will be her downfall. Ronald, though, he’s strangely quiet. Not a single word from him."

Ronald wasn’t focused on me at all. As I observed him closely, I realized he was performing some sort of ritual, something that seemed to be taking most of his attention. It was clear he had some kind of multi-mind skill—like mine. His concentration was total.

I couldn’t afford to let this continue. I quickly shifted my focus to Ronald, planning to end it with one decisive blow, but before I could strike, Anaya parried my attack. Her skills had suddenly increased.

“Or did they?” I questioned myself. The increase in her power wasn’t sudden; it had been gradual, building steadily throughout the fight. It wasn’t a spontaneous surge. Still, even with this new power, she was still nowhere near my level. But this wasn’t just an increase in skill—it was something external, something that wasn’t coming from her directly. I could feel that much.

I stood still, eyeing Anaya, trying to piece it together. She pulled out an amulet and placed it on Ronald. He remained in his trance-like state, his body moving while his mind was elsewhere.

“You were controlling him?” I asked, my voice steady.

She didn’t respond, but I understood what she meant. “That’s why, the second he stopped, you were able to tap into the power he was channeling. You were using him as a vessel.”

Anaya shifted uncomfortably, clearly caught off guard by the revelation.

“Honestly, you’re strong,” I said with a begrudging respect. “Fighting me while managing all of this? Gotta give you credit.”

Anaya didn’t appreciate my compliment, though. She shifted, clearly irritated. Maybe she realized that I’d been holding back all this time. I hadn’t used any of my real power, not yet.

“I don’t want to continue this, but that’s another conversation,” I thought, as I readied myself to attack once again.

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“Is there anyone else with you?” Anaya asked, her eyes scanning the area warily.

“Not really,” I replied, keeping my voice casual.

She hesitated. “Where did this question come from? Do you really think being alone will give you any chance of winning?”

“No,” she said quickly, glancing at Ronald. Then, in a whisper, she added, “Ronald, you’re embarrassing me.”

With a sharp slap, she snapped Ronald back to full consciousness. I felt his energy return to him, and for a moment, he seemed more alert, more determined.

“We won’t be able to beat you,” Ronald said, his voice filled with cold certainty. “But we will be able to kill you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it. “Kill me? You?” I stood there, laughing at their audacity. I didn’t even notice their coordinated attack coming for me. [Omnipotent] blocked it before I even had to think.

Ronald didn’t seem bothered by the failure. “Not us,” he said with a smirk. “We just need to stall for time. They’re coming.”

A sudden unease crept through me. They had someone else backing them up. If I didn’t finish this quickly, I might be in trouble.

I stopped dead in my tracks, suddenly determined. Anaya and Ronald hesitated for a split second, and then they launched a full-scale combined attack. It seemed like a dual skill, a last-ditch effort to overwhelm me.

I closed my eyes, trying to stop time. To my surprise, it worked—or at least I thought it did. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I knew one thing: I killed them.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself standing in a different place. Anaya and Ronald’s bodies were pinned by [Omnipotent], skewered like meat on a spit. Their insides were exposed, a grotesque display of brutality. It was unlike any other kill I had made before. It was sickening, and yet it felt… right.

I took a moment to clean my weapon, wiping the blood and gore away. As I did, I sensed a presence nearby—a powerful one. It reminded me of the raw energy I had felt on the [Transcendental Island]. It was weaker, yes, but the origin of the power was unmistakable. It had the same signature.

Before I could fully process it, I found myself frozen in place. Something was stopping me from moving, a pressure that I couldn’t shake. I struggled, trying to free myself, but it was like my body was locked in place by an unseen force.

I tried to sense the presence, to locate the person responsible, but everything felt off. I couldn’t quite pinpoint them. I was just… stuck.

“Well, well. Look who we have here,” a voice called out. The words sent a chill down my spine. I hadn’t sensed them coming, not even when they were right behind me.

The voice… it was so familiar, it almost sent my mind reeling. It was Martin—the Martin. The one who had tormented me since I first shifted schools. The one person I hated more than anyone else in my life.

I turned to face him, my face burning with rage. My blood boiled, and yet, I still couldn’t move. The pressure was still there, holding me in place.

“How can you control me?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady, but failing to keep the fury out of it.

“Control you?” Martin smirked, leaning closer. “Nah, I don’t control you. It’s just a special tool I got from a dear friend of ours.”

The words hit me like a hammer. “You might remember him. Lucas. Lovely friend of ours,” Martin continued, still grinning. “And just between you and me, we know that Pit wasn’t supposed to kill you. We’ve read your corny webnovels. Lucas loved them, even if I didn’t.”

The revelation sent a shockwave through me. Of course, Lucas knew. It made sense, and yet, hearing it out loud felt surreal.

Martin’s grin widened, his voice turning darker. “I was told I’m not powerful enough to beat you. Whatever training or situation you’ve gone through puts you above me. But I’m not gonna let Lucas be right.”

The pressure lifted. My body was free once again, and I understood what it meant. He wasn’t just here for a fight—he had his own agenda.

“We will fight,” Martin said, his tone venomous, “and I will kill you.”

With that, he brandished an assault rifle, pointing it straight at me.

I let out a long sigh, frustration evident. “Are you kidding me?” I muttered, as I summoned [Omnipotent] back into the fray.

“Neat weapon,” Martin mocked, a malicious glint in his eyes. “Soon, it’ll be hanging in my trophy collection.”