~Drip
~Drip
~Drip
Blood dripped onto the icy ground as Willa Martinez clutched his chest, feeling the warmth of his own blood.
His breaths came in ragged gasps, visible in the cold atmosphere. The deep crimson of his blood contrasted starkly with the frost-covered battlefield.
His wounds were grave this time. He could feel the warmth leaving his body. He smiled bitterly.
A part of him wanted to surrender—to simply let go and fall into the embrace of unconsciousness. But his pride refused to bow.
High above, the man in a white robe cast a wary glance at his blue-robed companion. His voice was calm, yet tinged with a faint unease. "Should we stop now? They are both valuable assets for the future."
The blue-robed man barely moved, his gaze fixed on the scene before them. "Rules are rules, my friend. Only Willa Martinez can surrender."
The white-robed man remained silent, though his fists clenched unconsciously in anticipation.
"You haven't told me about his gift," the blue-robed man continued, his tone devoid of curiosity yet carrying the weight of expectation.
"It's called the 'Eye of Oblivion.' Once activated, anyone who looks into his black eye will see nothing but darkness for five to ten seconds, depending on their mental strength."
The blue-robed man hummed in understanding. "A useful ability for one-on-one duels, especially in life-threatening situations."
"Indeed, but it has its drawbacks. The opponent must look directly at the eye.
That's why Willa wears an eye patch—curiosity alone compels most to glance at an uncovered, strange black eye."
The blue-robed man tapped his fingers on the armrest. "A double-edged sword."
The audience stirred, a chaotic mix of emotions rippling through the massive crowd.
Some were terrified by the demonstration of such a power, while others were intrigued by its potential. The bloodthirsty ones, those who thrived on violence, roared for more carnage.
Down in the arena, Willa panted, struggling to remain on his feet. His opponent, Edniot, stood at a distance, just beyond the reach of his Eye of Oblivion. Willa's heart sank.
The entire ring felt like Edniot's domain now. Every inch of the frozen battleground was under his control.
A deep breath. A decision made.
After a moment of hesitation, Willa decided to surrender.
He tried to raise his hand, but—
~Chu
An icy spike shot from the frozen ground, impaling his palm.
"Argh… wait!" he roared in pain, his voice cracking with agony.
But Edniot wasn't stopping. His eyes burned with determination, his will set. He was going for the kill.
Another ice spike began taking form.
"Stop."
A thunderous voice exploded through the arena, shaking the very foundations. The sheer force of it shattered the ice, blasting both combatants off their feet.
A heavy silence fell over the arena.
The audience trembled. Some clutched their ears in shock, others collapsed where they stood. Cups of coffee and expensive drinks spilled onto fine robes, yet no one dared to move.
A middle-aged man, known as Perverted Uncle, winced as he rubbed his temples. "Ah, fuck—my ears."
He turned toward the source of the voice, his eyes widening in recognition. "Oh shit… they were here all along."
Beside him, Thane flinched. "What the hell was that?!" His voice was the first to break the silence among forty thousand spectators.
Once again, he had unintentionally become the center of attention.
The white-robed man chuckled. "Oh, look at him. He's still holding his cup."
The blue-robed man, the one who had issued the command, turned his gaze to Thane. "Impressive willpower. Do you know him?"
"No. First time seeing him. He's not even wearing an aspirant's uniform."
Both elders examined the tall, bulky youth sitting amidst the sea of stunned spectators.
Inside the ring, Edniot lay on the ground, his ears ringing from the sheer force of the command. He struggled to rise, his legs unsteady beneath him.
As his vision cleared, he scanned the crowd, searching for the source of that terrifying voice.
His gaze landed on Thane, who sat in the audience seating, looking just as bewildered as he felt. Then, his eyes shifted toward the two robed men sitting at the far end of the second section.
Their presence alone exuded power—divine blessings clung to them like a second skin.
He locked eyes with the blue-robed man and muttered, "Headmaster…"
The man remained expressionless, but Edniot felt the weight of his silent fury pressing against him.
His gaze drifted to the other figure. 'That must be the Headmaster of Blue Leaf Academy,' he thought grimly.
Then, it hit him—Willa had tried to surrender.
He turned his head to find Willa Martinez, who was unconscious and sprawled across his own frozen blood.
A wave of shame crashed over him, drowning him in self-loathing. He had nearly killed a foe who had conceded. A mistake he would not soon forget.
Lowering his head, he turned to leave the ring. But then, he hesitated.
His eyes swept across the ice until he found what he was looking for.
He walked over and picked it up—Willa Martinez's eye patch.
Looking at his fallen opponent, he murmured, "I'll wear your eye patch to cover the wound you gave me. The same piece of leather that once belonged to someone I despised… will now be mine."
He turned and walked away, leaving behind a final statement.
"I've learned a lot."
By the time the stunned audience processed what had happened, Edniot was already gone.
In the next moment, Kitty Kat materialized mid-air, her presence light-hearted yet oddly commanding.
He winked at the perplexed crowd and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, a minor earthquake just hit our city. Please remain seated as I declare the winner.
Willa Martinez of Blue Leaf Academy is unable to continue the fight.
The winner of the Yearly Aspirant Competition's final is—EDNIOT QUINTESS!"
It took a few seconds of silence for everyone to comprehend what they just heard.
Then, the crowd erupted. The name Edniot Quintess thundered from every corner of the arena, shaking the very walls.
Thane Ironforge, however, wore a grave expression. "This… wasn't an earthquake."
His instincts screamed at him to look in a certain direction.
There—where the two robed men had been.
They were already staring at him.
Thane blinked.
They vanished.
"Hey, Pervert Uncle, did you see that?" he asked the middle-aged man beside him.
No response.
He turned—
The man was gone too.
"The heck is going on…" was all Thane could mumble.