CLAAAANNNGGG!!!
Altair's black sword slammed against Quartzis's crystal gauntlet, sparks of black and pink energy deafening the air. The shockwave devoured the ground, exploding cracks like a giant spiderweb.
Altair laughed loudly, his face filled with arrogance.
"HAHAHA!! Look at you, little brother—covered in senseless rage! Is that all you can show? You're just a rabid dog who's lost control!"
Quartzis did not reply. His eyes were solid red, his breathing ragged like a wild animal. The crystals on his body grew wilder, sharpening, transforming into glass thorns that pierced the air.
With a brutal roar, he charged forward.
BOOOMMM!!! His crystal fist struck Altair's steel debris shield, sending black fragments flying.
Altair was pushed back a few steps, but still laughed viciously.
"Good! That's better! But—still too slow! Do you think you can touch me with just blind rage?!"
Steel Debris exploded from his body, forming dozens of black spears in the air that immediately rained down on Quartzis.
ZRAAASSHHHH!!!
Quartzis's body was pierced by several, but his crystals wildly regenerated. He tore the spears out forcefully, blood and crystal fragments mixing together, then roared even more brutally.
"GGGRRRRAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Quartzis lunged, his fist hitting the ground directly beneath Altair.
DUUUMMMM!!!
The ground split open, crystal fragments jutting upward like a thorny forest, forcing Altair to leap backward.
Altair landed lightly, a sneer on his lips.
"Hah… my sweet little brother. You only know how to rampage, while I—I am the master of this power! You were born from weakness, while I was created to rule!!"
He slashed forward. Steel Debris spun into a black wave that cut through Quartzis's crystal forest like fragile paper.
On the other side of the arena, Nocturnus's body suddenly trembled violently.
CRAAACKK!! The skull armor on his body began to crack. From between the bones, a bloody red light seeped out, then burst—
"HAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The figure of Rex jumped out, his body still piecing itself together. His signature black leather clothing appeared, his ribs protruding from his broad chest like a horrifying symbol.
He laughed, coughing, his voice eerily piercing.
"Thank you so much, Nocturnus… riding in your body to recover my mana and energy was truly… the perfect combo… hahahaha… ugh ugh—!!"
Nocturnus wiped the black blood from his mouth, his face sour.
"Damn you, Rex… so all this time you were just taking advantage of my body! I'm half-dead from exhaustion!"
Rex grinned, his teeth grating.
"Hah! But look at the result of this genius mind—HAHAHAHAHA! My plan worked! I successfully pitted the two brothers against each other! Isn't this brilliant?!"
He coughed again, that characteristic terrifying cough echoing.
Nocturnus chuckled in satisfaction instead.
"What genius? You don't even have a brain, you empty skull!"
"Hah?! Better an empty skull than a rotten brain like yours!"
They stared at each other, then Nocturnus shrugged.
"Enough. Let's finish this—we're going up to the stands, and don't forget to bring Valerian. Now it's our turn to be spectators."
Rex snorted, then stomped the ground. Giant purple runes emerged from the sole of his foot, spreading to cover the entire arena, forming a protection circle.
"This Colosseum will be destroyed if they keep fighting. I'll put up a defense spell first… so the stage doesn't collapse before this symphony is over."
Altair and Quartzis clashed again.
The black sword slashed, the crystal gauntlet blocked.
BOOOOOMMMM!!!
The energy wave destroyed the walls below.
Quartzis roared more brutally, his blood dripping onto the ground mixed with crystal fragments. He didn't care. Fist after fist struck, each blow exploding with the sound of breaking glass.
Altair parried while continuously yapping, his voice piercing the arena.
"HAHAHA! You're truly wild, little brother! But believe me—rage is only a weapon for the weak. While I… I was born to rule! I am the KING—and you are just my shadow!!"
The Colosseum arena trembled, the ground shattered by the impact of crystal and black steel energy. Altair and Quartzis were like wild beasts, pouncing on each other regardless of their own bodies being torn.
"YOU ARE JUST A SHADOW OF MY TRUE POWER, QUARTZIS!" Altair shouted with an arrogant gaze, every step spewing sharp Steel Debris fragments that sliced the air.
Quartzis, his breath heavy, his white eyes glowing with increasingly wild crystals.
The two brothers launched their final attack. Quartzis's giant crystal formed a spear, while Altair slashed with his black Steel Debris sword that was like a shard of the world itself.
But—
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
A dense blue shield that shimmered like a starless night suddenly appeared between them. Cracks of light spread through the air, swallowing all the colliding energy.
Behind the flash, stood a figure with sweat-soaked silver hair—Feran.
His eyes now gleamed a deep dark blue, reflecting a hard light. His body was surrounded by rotating diamond fragments, like the orbit of a planet.
"Enough already! I won't let you kill each other!" Feran shouted, both hands pressing against the diamond shield that held back the impact of the two insane powers.
The explosion subsided. Quartzis staggered, spitting blood. Dense diamond flowed from his feet, wrapping around his own body, covering the wounds like hard bandages.
Altair was also momentarily restrained. Diamond thorns erupted from the ground, piercing his back and fingers, limiting his movements. He grunted, trying to break free with Steel Debris.
"WHAT IS THIS? Another weak creature comes to block my way?!" Altair spat with a look full of anger.
Quartzis roared before his mouth was sealed.
The Spectator's Reactions
Meanwhile in the upper stands:
"WHAT IS THAT?!?" screamed Sylvia, nearly falling from her seat.
"MY GOD! IT'S THE METAL KID!" Kael stood with wide eyes.
"Hahahaha, incredible! An Awakening at a critical moment, and he immediately protects his brother... I like it!" Riftbreaker clapped loudly.
Umbranox snorted enviously, whispering faintly, "Why does he have to be the one who's favored, not me…"
Spectralis jumped out of his chair, his face flushed red with burning passion. "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! I'M GOING CRAZY! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN, SO MANY SURPRISES!"
Valerian only bowed his head, kneeling calmly by his side, like a silent shadow.
"Quiet, Spectralis. You're enjoying it too much," Veyron cut in, his voice cold, then turned to Nocturnus. "And you, rest. Here—drink this regeneration potion.
From his hand, a glass bottle containing a shimmering dark red liquid was thrown toward Nocturnus.
Nocturnus caught it, his face still pale. "Hmph…" he raised the bottle, but Rex laughed hoarsely.
"Aaagh, I want to try fighting him too!" Rex's voice broke, his characteristic terrifying cough following, making his chest, which consisted only of bones, shake.
"Hey, idiot! You just recovered, and you already want to fight again?" Nocturnus retorted sharply, then gulped down the potion in one drink.
But Rex shrugged, his voice sly. "Well, anyway… if we can kill that Feran kid, then the others are DEFINITELY dead too. Look! They are all dying!"
Suddenly a heavy voice interrupted the conversation. "That's right. Too many surprises today… So, Riftbreaker, give us a surprise too. Deal with them."
All heads turned. Fulgaran opened his mouth, his tone like thunder.
Riftbreaker, who had been watching Feran from afar, smiled faintly. "Yes, Master." He stood up slowly, cracking his neck. "It looks like I'll… warm up."
Inner World and the Birth of Diamond
Returning to the moment when Altair and Quartzis were fighting fiercely.
In the center of the arena, light and darkness collided. Quartzis and Altair danced in brutality, their bodies covered in wounds, the ground shattered beneath their feet.
Feran stood at the edge, his body trembling. His eyes were wild, his breathing heavy.
"DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" his inner voice screamed. "If I stop their fight, it's impossible… But if I let it continue, one of them will die. And… if one dies, we all end up dead."
His hands clenched. His chest was tight.
"Aaaaaagh! I have to focus! How can a commander like me run out of ideas?!"
Feran took a deep breath, closing his eyes.
WOOOOSSSHHH!
When he opened his eyes, the world around him had changed. It was no longer the Colosseum. Instead, it was a simple bar room—wooden tables, chairs, and the scent of fermentation filled the air.
"Hah… I… where am I? Wasn't I just thinking? How could I be here?"
A voice was heard right behind him. "Hey, failure. Look behind you. You're facing away from me."
Feran reflexively turned his head. His eyes widened. Standing there was someone… exactly like him. The face, the body, the hair—only the clothes and the color of his eyes, which glowed a deep dark blue, were different.
"W-w-who are you?! Are you… me?!" Feran stammered.
The figure smiled faintly. "Exactly. Well, more accurately… I am your power. Just call me… Diamond."
Feran stepped back, stunned. "Wait… so you really are my power?"
"Yep. I am your Awakening."
Feran's breath hitched. "Wait, wait! Aren't you going to control me next, like Altair with his Steel Debris, or Quartzis with his Crystal?!"
Diamond shook his head lightly. "No, buddy. I'll just let you… control me."
"Wh-why? Shouldn't you also have a negative trait? Like Quartzis with his rage… or Altair with his arrogance?"
Diamond chuckled. "Huuu, your guess is absolutely right. Let me explain. The negative trait of the Awakening actually comes from the trait you cultivate yourself."
"What do you mean??" Feran asked with a confused face.
Diamond pointed toward an empty space, as if revealing a shadow. "Look at Altair. His Awakening, Steel Debris, has the negative trait of arrogance. It grew from within him—from Altair's haughtiness towards his gold power. That trait stuck, then manifested."
Feran's eyes widened. "So you mean… the negative trait of the Awakening appears because of the user himself?"
"Exactly, buddy."
Feran took a breath of relief, then chuckled. "Haha! I thought so! I must not have a negative trait, that's why I can get along with you."
Diamond clicked his tongue softly, a slight smile appearing. "Well… you're very wrong about that part."
Feran fell silent. "Huh?" he gasped.
"Yep. I do have a negative trait from you… which is Gluttony."
Feran frowned, denying it. "But… how is that possible?! I'm sure I'm not gluttony!"
Diamond narrowed his eyes, his expression mocking. "Don't lie to yourself. You even eat stale tapai. You haul chest after chest of tapai just for yourself. You've lived with that gluttony for so long, to the point where… our thoughts are the same."
He leaned in, his gaze piercing. "And I know what you're going to do after this is all over."
Feran was silent for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. "Hahahaha! So that's it… Isn't it obvious?! We're going to eat our fill once we get out of here!"
Diamond chuckled, his eyes shining brighter. "Exactly. So… let's end this. I'm already very hungry."
Feran clenched his fist, looking at the figure with determination. "Alright. Let's begin."