—Before Raze's turn—
Leon had stepped forward.
Before anyone could speak, he rested a hand on the sword at his waist and said calmly,
"My class is Holy Knight."
The arena stirred.
"A Holy Knight…?" "That's a rare class—" "No wonder his mana was perfect."
Leon showed no reaction. He simply walked into position.
The golem moved first.
Its fist slammed forward—
Leon didn't retreat much. He braced, boots digging into the stone as the impact pushed him back only a few steps.
"Tch."
He twisted, blade flashing.
A pale golden light wrapped around his sword.
"—Holy Strike."
The slash carved straight into the golem's chest.
Cracks spread across its stone body.
Gasps erupted.
But then—
The golem's runes flared violently.
Its posture straightened. Its movements sharpened. Power surged through its frame.
The pressure in the arena doubled.
Elden spoke, his voice calm but carrying.
"Level Two."
All eyes snapped to him.
"This golem adapts," Elden continued. "It analyzes your form, movement, and output… then raises its level accordingly."
The golem moved again—
Faster. Heavier.
Leon adjusted his stance, eyes narrowing.
But after several exchanges, the difference became clear.
Each strike grew harder to block. Each movement demanded more strength.
Leon was slowly being overwhelmed.
Finally—
The golem forced him back, its pressure unrelenting.
Elden raised a hand.
"That's enough."
Leon stepped away, breathing hard, frustration flickering across his face.
And then—
Elden's gaze shifted.
"Next," he said.
"Raze."
When Elden called Raze's name
Elden's voice echoed across the arena.
"Raze."
At that single name—
Lara's fingers paused mid-turn of a page.
Her head lifted slowly, eyes locking onto him.
They narrowed.
Sharp. Focused.
As if she had been waiting for this moment.
Elden's gaze settled on Raze.
"State your class."
Raze answered calmly.
"Body Enhancement."
A beat of silence—
Then disbelief.
"That's… all?" "Isn't that a low-tier class?" "No elemental affinity, no weapon type?"
Lara's gaze flickered—just once—her eyes widening in brief surprise before settling back into a cold, unreadable stare.
Quiet mockery followed.
Elden's expression shifted, faint disappointment crossing his face.
"Body Enhancement," he repeated.
Raze stepped forward without responding.
He stopped before the golem.
The runes on the construct glowed—
And stabilized.
Level Two.
They did not dim.
They did not reset.
The pressure in the arena remained exactly the same.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
"It didn't drop…?" "It usually recalibrates when a weaker opponent steps in—" "So why is it still Level Two?"
Elden noticed immediately.
The corner of his lips curled into a knowing smirk.
"…Interesting."
Raze stood relaxed, hands loose at his sides.
The golem raised its arm, stone joints grinding.
Level Two.
Maintained.
Elden's voice echoed once more.
"Begin."
Raze didn't move toward the weapon table.
Swords. Spears. Axes. Even daggers.
He ignored them all.
A few murmurs rose instantly.
"He's not choosing anything?" "Is he serious?" "Body Enhancement without a weapon…?"
Raze exhaled slowly.
I can't use the devoured abilities.
I can't use refined techniques.
And I definitely can't use anything flashy.
Too much attention was dangerous.
If I fight like myself—
They'll notice.
His gaze locked onto the golem.
So I'll fight like a nobody.
The golem attacked first.
Stone feet cracked the ground as it lunged, arm swinging down in a crushing arc.
Raze stepped in.
Not back.
In.
He twisted his body just enough for the strike to graze past his shoulder, the wind of it tearing at his sleeve.
At the same time—
His fist drove forward.
No mana burst. No aura. No technique.
Just timing.
Just force.
The blow landed against the golem's side with a dull THUD, pushing its massive body half a step back.
Gasps rippled through the arena.
"He… punched it?" "That was raw strength—"
Raze was already moving again.
Short steps. Tight motions. Efficient.
He slipped under another swing, planted his foot, and slammed his shoulder into the golem's torso.
The construct staggered.
Not from damage—
From balance loss.
Raze clicked his tongue internally.
Still too much.
I need to slow down.
The golem roared and counterattacked, stone fists hammering down relentlessly.
Raze endured.
Blocked with his forearm. Redirected force with his hips. Rolled with impacts instead of stopping them.
Simple. Crude. Human.
From the stands, Elden watched closely.
No mana flare. No skill activation. No class trait on display.
Yet—
The Level Two golem was being handled.
"…He's fighting correctly," Elden muttered.
Raze's eyes narrowed.
One more opening.
Just one.The golem moved again.
This time, it didn't swing wildly.
It stepped in—and punched straight toward Raze's face.
No feint. No hesitation.
Raze didn't block.
The fist connected.
BOOM.
His head snapped slightly to the side as his body slid back—
One step.
Two.
Stone scraped beneath his boots as he came to a stop.
Silence crashed over the arena.
"…He took that?" "Barehanded—?"
Aeron stared, disbelief flashing across his face.
"H-He endured that?" he muttered. "That punch nearly broke my stance…"
Raze slowly straightened, wiping a thin line of dust from his cheek.
The golem froze.
Its runes pulsed—once.
Twice.
Then brighter.
The markings began to shift, reshaping themselves.
The pressure in the air tightened.
"It's… changing again—" "Is it going to Level Three?"
Raze felt it too.
So it's about to scale up.
Fine.
He leaned forward, muscles coiling, intent sharpening.
Before he could move—
"Stop."
Elden's voice cut through the arena like a blade.
The runes on the golem halted mid-transition.
The pressure vanished.
Raze clicked his tongue quietly and relaxed his stance.
…Tch.
So close.
Elden stepped forward, eyes fixed on Raze—
and this time, there was no trace of amusement in his smirk.
Elden stepped closer.
His voice dropped—low enough that only one person could hear it.
"Why are you hiding your power?" he asked quietly. "You move like someone experienced."
Raze didn't look at him.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Elden didn't let him finish.
"So you think hiding yourself will give you an advantage," he said calmly. "You're wrong."
His gaze hardened.
"No matter how powerful you are… alone, you will never be enough."
For a moment, Raze said nothing.
Then Elden straightened and turned away.
"Next," he announced.
"Mia."
Mia stepped forward.
The arena felt quieter somehow.
She took a breath, then spoke softly but clearly.
"My class… is Archer."
A few murmurs followed, but nothing dramatic.
She walked to the weapons table and chose a bow—simple, light, unadorned.
The moment she stepped into position—
The golem's runes flickered.
Its pressure lowered.
"Level Two," Elden noted calmly.
Mia glanced back once.
Her eyes met Raze's.
Just for a heartbeat.
Then she turned forward.
She drew the bow.
Mana poured into the arrow—far more than expected.
Not wild. Not unstable.
Refined.
Focused.
The golem suddenly charged, stone cracking beneath its steps.
Too fast.
Too close—
Mia released.
Bang.
The arrow vanished in a flash of compressed force.
The golem's head exploded into fragments mid-stride.
Stone rained across the arena.
Silence.
Leon froze.
Tamao's eyes widened, interest sharpening.
Elden stared—genuinely stunned.
In the stands, Lara's pupils shrank.
Raze exhaled slowly.
…I should've expected that.
He watched Mia lower her bow, hands trembling slightly.
I just didn't think she'd be foolish enough to show her full power.
Cracks spread through the shattered remains.
Stone scraped against stone.
The broken pieces of the golem began pulling back together—slowly, forcibly.
Gasps rippled through the arena.
Mia stiffened.
The golem stood again.
Head restored. Runes burning brighter than before.
Before it could move—
"Stop."
Elden's voice cut through the air.
The runes dimmed instantly.
The golem froze mid-motion.
Mia lowered her bow, breathing hard.
Elden turned his gaze.
"Next," he said.
"Tamao."
And Tamao stepped forward…
and did something no one there could have expected.