Dark Akito clenched his hand—
And Arden was yanked toward him like a pulled string.
A split second later—
A devastating knee slammed into his gut, knocking the air out of his lungs before he could even scream.
He flew backward.
But mid-air, Arden twisted, landing on his feet and skidding across the ground to absorb the impact.
He stood, wincing—
And locked eyes with his enemy once more.
Then… two more figures appeared beside Dark Akito.
"Targus?… Elian?" Arden breathed out.
They looked just like them.
But something was off.
Dark reflections — hollow-eyed, twisted, like shadows warped by hatred.
Their presence felt like a whisper in the dark — hungry and cold.
"He can summon Guardians too… This isn't just some illusion.
He's a full copy of the real Akito," Arden realized, clenching his fists.
The dark versions of Targus and Elian charged.
A massive fist from Targus swung toward him — Arden dodged, caught Elian's arm, and flipped him over his shoulder.
With one foot, he struck the Viking in the ribs.
No time to breathe—
Akito was already there.
A sharp knee — Arden blocked—
But the follow-up came fast: a kick to the gut, another to the ribs, then a sweeping leg strike.
Arden dropped to one knee.
And then—
A blade slashed past his face, grazing his cheek.
He pushed off the ground and dove sideways—
Only to feel another blade pierce through his shoulder.
"Damn it…" Arden hissed through clenched teeth.
He grabbed Akito's wrist, trying to counter —
But the Dark Akito parried it with perfect ease.
He let go of the sword still buried in Arden's shoulder —
And grabbed his throat instead, lifting him into the air.
Then came a barrage of strikes.
One after another, each punch to the gut sent shockwaves through the air, shaking the ground, rattling the walls of the waterfall.
The final blow sent Arden crashing down.
He barely managed to rise onto one knee.
"Damn… what do I do?"
"He's better than me in every way. And those two…"
"There must be something—wait. Yes. If he truly is Akito…"
"Then my skill should still work!"
A confident grin spread across Arden's face.
He launched forward—
Dark Akito and his copies charged too.
Right before the clash—
"Skill Activated: [Fox's Trick]!"
In a flash, Arden and Dark Akito switched places.
Arden spun mid-air, unleashing all the power he had left—
A vicious kick to the chin.
The shockwave was so intense, it blew Targus and Elian's dark copies backward.
The ground cracked beneath them.
A crater formed.
Even the water beneath the falls seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.
Arden stood there, panting hard, heart pounding.
But Dark Akito…
He hadn't moved.
No wounds. No scratches.
He looked up slowly — those endless black eyes stared at Arden without a single flicker of emotion.
"Even that didn't work…"
The thought hit Arden hard.
He had outplayed the enemy, struck with everything he had — and didn't even leave a mark.
And then — heavy footsteps behind him.
Dark Targus slammed a palm into Arden's back, pinning him to the ground like he was made of paper.
Arden gritted his teeth, struggling to move—
But…
"…Can't break free…" he growled, feeling his body betray him.
A shadow fell over his vision.
Dark Akito raised the Chaos Blade behind him.
One second.
One breath.
The blade plunged into the ground—
Right beside Arden's head.
[You have been defeated.]
The message flashed before his eyes.
The world trembled.
A rift of light tore open—
The real Akito stepped through, appearing beside Arden's collapsed body.
He froze, scanning the ruined battlefield — the shattered waterfall, the craters, the fading blades.
His gaze landed on his fallen friend.
"…That's me," he whispered, taking a step forward.
But before he could help—
Dark Akito turned to face him.
Their eyes met.
It wasn't the look of an enemy—
It was… equal. Peer to peer.
"I'm pleased," Dark Akito said calmly, his voice deep and steady. "You're growing stronger.
Soon, we will meet… for real."
And just like that—
He vanished.
The shadows.
The arena.
Even the blades.
All faded into mist — swallowed by the waterfall's flow.
Akito stood still.
His expression was heavy.
"That must've been… the Creator."
The force behind the system itself.
He knelt down and reached out a hand.
"Get up."
Arden managed a crooked grin and grabbed it.
"Sorry, Akito… I couldn't complete the Trial.
That enemy… was too strong."
"It's okay," Akito replied, helping him up.
"I think… that trial had a different purpose."
Then — a system alert.
[Special Trial: Failed]
[You have received a system bonus]
[Choose one of the following rewards:]
• [Lapeta's Bracers]
+50% total speed
Grants Phantom Strikes — blows so fast they create slicing shockwaves that can damage enemies at range.
• [Jotun Armor]
+100% defense
Nullifies all physical damage for 10 minutes (once per day).
Akito stared at the options silently.
"…Only one, huh?" he muttered.
His eyes wandered to the field where it had all happened.
Arden stood nearby, brushing off dust and dried grass.
He moved slowly, but with purpose — no panic, no fear in his posture anymore.
"…Seems like this reward was meant for the tournament finalists," Akito said out loud.
"Arden and Targus… huh."
He looked at Arden.
And the choice became clear.
"I'll choose Arden.
He earned it — for the victory, the strength, and for the man he's become."
He tapped on the bracers.
Two sleek silver bands materialized in front of him, lined with glowing blue-gold patterns — runes etched deep into the metal like ancient threads of light.
Akito picked them up and called out:
"Hey, Arden!
Got something for you!"
The fox-eared fighter walked over, brushing his hands clean. A playful smirk curled on his lips.
"What's this — a consolation prize for the loser?" he teased.
Akito grinned, handing them over.
"More like… an investment in your next win."
He looked at Arden and thought:
"The Arden I used to know… with that sly attitude and cocky youthfulness…
He's gone."
"He's changed.
He's grown up."
And maybe—
He was stronger than ever before.
[Noxveil]
Hey there, reader!
If you've made it this far, thank you so much. I'm writing this story in Russian and translating it into English — so I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Even one small comment gives me huge motivation 💬💙
Let me know who your favorite character is so far!