The scene was truly horrific; Ares stood over the unconscious Sin, blood slowly trickling from his mouth and nose, staining the polished tiles of the arena and filling the air with the heavy scent of iron.
It was a brutal sight that no one who witnessed it could ever forget — it etched itself into their very souls like an unhealable scar.
In the director's office, Alan sat watching the battle through a holographic screen, his face frozen between astonishment and seriousness.
He whispered hoarsely to himself,
> "That boy is truly on another level..."
He recalled Ares's movements during the fight — speed beyond sight, immense physical power, and uncanny precision — all of which placed him far above any student his age.
Alan narrowed his eyes, muttering thoughtfully,
> "His elemental control is remarkable, almost like a seasoned mage's... That's truly strange."
If Ares could have heard those words, he would've raised his thumb with a mocking smile.
After all, he was a magical knight, and thanks to the physique born of chaos, he possessed high control over the elements.
As for the element of darkness, he had trained in it for years until it became as natural as breathing.
In a grand palace bathed in light and silence, Arthur watched the fight on a massive screen, his expression frozen in rare shock.
> "How could he reach such a level?"
A faint trace of fear slipped into his voice — fear of an unexpected variable, one capable of turning all his plans upside down.
He inhaled deeply to regain composure and said sharply,
> "Have you gathered any information on Ares?"
A low, rough voice came from the shadows behind him, carrying a hint of submission:
> "Nothing unusual, Your Grace. Everything about him seems perfectly ordinary."
Arthur turned slowly, his gaze slicing through the darkness like a blade.
> "Is that what you've found? Even a stray dog is easier to trace than that."
The voice trembled, replying quickly,
> "My apologies, Your Grace. Everyone did their best, but everything about him... is oddly normal."
Arthur narrowed his eyes, murmuring as if thinking aloud,
> "Odd... What do you mean by that?"
> "I mean, Your Grace, how could someone with such power remain completely unknown? He's never been recorded or seen before…"
The voice trailed off, but Arthur understood perfectly.
> "Either he's hiding his power... or someone powerful is hiding him."
"Yes, Your Grace."
Arthur rested his elbow on the desk, chin on his hand, lost in deep thought.
Who could possess the strength to train and conceal someone like Ares?
But no answer came. In the Empire of the Sun, no one would dare — unless they were stronger than the empire itself, which was nearly impossible.
In a dark corner of the training ground, a figure watched silently, eyes glinting like faint flames.
He whispered with a faint smile,
> "Truly, this boy is astounding... He surprises me every time."
Meanwhile, Mei, who had been watching in shock, finally snapped out of her daze and ran toward the fallen Sin.
She knelt beside him, her face filled with anger and concern.
She shouted at Ares,
> "Ares! You broke the rules of the duel!"
Ares raised his head slightly, eyebrows arched in confusion.
> "Professor Mei, how did I break the rules?"
She snapped back, her voice trembling with fury,
> "Wasn't it obvious that causing serious injury is forbidden?!"
Ares tilted his head, voice calm like a cool breeze cutting through her shouting,
> "Really? But he's still breathing... I didn't cause any fatal harm."
Rage flared in Mei's eyes.
> "Are you joking with me?!"
Ares replied with a faint smile, eyes devoid of any remorse,
> "No, I'm not. If he's weak, he should stay home drinking milk from his mother's breast. Otherwise… how will he survive a real battlefield?"
> "But—"
Ares cut her off sharply, his tone slicing through the air like a blade,
> "Professor Mei, you must understand... They chose this kind of duel, not me. So before you speak, weigh your words carefully."
Mei fell silent, fists trembling, but she had no reply.
After all, there had been no explicit rules — technically, he was right.
Suddenly, two figures rushed toward Sin, faces burning with anger — the twins Sam and Shin.
> "Sin! Are you okay?!"
Then one of them screamed at Ares,
"Ares! I'll kill you for this!"
They charged forward recklessly, but Mei unleashed her magical aura, the air thickening around them until they were forced to stop.
> "Enough! Sin's fine. The medical team is on their way to take him to the academy hospital!"
Moments later, the medics arrived swiftly, tools emitting refreshing medicinal steam as they examined Sin.
> "His injuries aren't serious," said the doctor, checking his pulse. "With treatment and rest, he'll recover by tomorrow."
They began lifting him onto a stretcher, but Ares's cold voice broke the silence:
> "Wait."
Everyone stopped, turning to him.
> "Is there another injury?" asked the doctor.
Ares shook his head calmly.
> "No, I just wanted part of the team to prepare hospital beds for the rest of the participants."
The doctor gave him a faint, approving smile.
> "Don't worry, everything's ready. Another team will arrive soon."
After they left, Ares pointed confidently toward one of the twins.
> "You, little one... Do you know what happened to the last person who said he'd kill me?"
Shin snapped irritably,
> "I don't know!"
Ares smirked darkly, his eyes glowing with a chilling light that devoured all warmth.
> "Are you stupid? It was your brother... He said that before I made him kiss the ground beneath my feet."
Both twins' faces flushed red with rage, veins bulging on their foreheads.
> "You'll regret this!" one shouted.
But Ares, with all the information granted by his King's Eye, couldn't fathom where their empty confidence came from.
Shin stormed into the arena recklessly, while Mei took a deep breath to calm the atmosphere, then announced the start of the duel.
In the same instant, Ares vanished — and reappeared behind him like a shadow.
He whispered coldly into his ear,
> "Come on... show me how you'll make me regret it."
Before Shin could even cast his spell, Ares's punch exploded against him like a thunderclap.
Punches followed one after another, echoing across the arena like roaring storms as Shin's body twisted with every blow.
For a full minute, he was nothing but a toy in Ares's fists.
He collapsed, exhausted, his face swollen, hands trembling.
Ares stepped on his hand hard, the bone-crushing pressure tearing a scream from his lungs:
> "AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Everyone shuddered at the sight — even those watching from afar felt chills crawl across their skin.
Ares spoke in a calm tone that carried the chill of death itself,
> "Next."
Sam stepped forward in fury, seeking revenge — but his fate was no different.
He became yet another punching bag in Ares's hands.
After three rounds of fighting, none had forced him to even draw his sword; none of the three were worth that respect.
> "Next."
His voice was like the pounding of war drums echoing in their chests, shaking the air with indescribable weight.
Kai laughed excitedly, eyes burning with genuine admiration.
> "Hahahaha! As expected of our leader!"
Edison shot him a cold, disdainful glance.
> "And what's so funny, you idiot?"
Kira smiled faintly and mocked Edison in a sharp tone as she tilted her head toward him,
> "What's wrong, four-eyes? Did you say something?"
Edison's face froze, anger igniting in his eyes — she had hit his sore spot perfectly.
> "You little—"
Before he could finish, a strong hand coiled around his neck from behind like a snake.
Kai's voice came out low and hoarse with fury:
> "Go ahead and mock me all you want, bookworm... but if you insult my sister again, I'll burn your precious books and use their ashes to light a barbecue in celebration of our leader's victory."
Edison froze in place, meeting Kai's gaze — those dark red eyes glowed with a cold, ember-like fury devoid of mercy.
He brushed Kai's hand off his shoulder and stepped away, muttering under his breath,
> "Damn barbarian..."
Kira stood beside her brother, smiling softly at him.
> "You know, I could've handled him myself."
Kai chuckled quietly.
"That's because you're my sister, Kira."
They shared a brief smile before everyone's attention turned toward Ares's next opponent — a short, broad-shouldered dwarf named Bofo.
Bofo stood firm in the center of the arena, his deep voice rumbling like the mountain itself:
> "Ares, you are strong, I admit that. I've never said this before... so let's have a sacred duel."
Most of the students didn't understand his words, but Mei knew exactly what they meant.
In dwarven culture, three things are sacred: forging weapons, drinking ale, and sacred combat — the highest form of respect among warriors.
Ares knew this too. He raised his head calmly and replied,
> "Then let's fight a sacred duel... and when it's over, I'll treat you to ale."
Bofo smiled faintly, respect gleaming in his eyes.
> "I hope the ale is good."
Ares smiled back, drawing his sword slowly — the metallic sound whispering through the air like a deadly promise.
His stance changed completely from before, though no one knew why — except Ares himself, who had seen something extraordinary through the King's Eye.
The smell of iron and sweat filled the arena, the air thick with heat and tense anticipation.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the ring, hearts trembling, as the outlines of the sacred duel began to form...
And Ares, with a faint smile—
_____
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