"By breaking the game. Again."
The words hung in the humid air of the locker room, sounding a lot more confident than I actually felt.
"Breaking the game is fine," Cian said, looking up from Kaelen's massive black greatsword. He was holding his wand delicately, weaving a complex illusion spell over the dark metal. "But fooling the referees is harder. Keep still, Kaelen. If I smudge the rune, your sword is going to look like a giant baguette."
"A baguette might be less conspicuous," Kaelen grunted, holding The Prototype steady. "This thing radiates so much mana it's making my arm hair stand up."
"Done," Cian whispered, tapping the blade.
A shimmer passed over the weapon. The sleek, runic black metal vanished, replaced by the visual texture of a pitted, rusted iron slab. It looked like something you'd find in a goblin's trash heap.
"Ugh," Ria said, looking at her Phase Blades, which Cian had disguised as dull kitchen knives. "I look like a disgruntled chef. This hurts my soul, Ren."
"It keeps us in the tournament," I said, checking the time on the wall clock. We had 24 hours until the Quarter-Finals. "If Valen sees us using Admin weapons openly, he'll just delete them. We need him to think we're just... lucky."
"So, the plan," Kaelen said, sheathing his rusty slab. "We fight Lysandra. And Jareth."
"We don't fight Lysandra," I corrected. "We neutralize her. Lysandra is a Paladin archetype. High defense, high healing, devastating holy attacks against dark targets. If you clash with her, Kaelen, the reaction between Holy and Abyss mana will create a thermal explosion that will likely kill everyone in the front row."
Tybalt raised a hand. "I'm sitting in the back row, right?"
"We're all in the danger zone, Ty," I said. "The only way to win without casualties is a Ring Out. We have to knock them out of the arena bounds."
"Jareth won't be easy," Kaelen warned. "He's a bully, but he's a Pyke. They specialize in heavy cavalry tactics. And now that he's with Lysandra, he'll have buffs."
"Jareth is my problem," I said, looking at my hand where the geometric tattoo was hidden under my sleeve. "I have a new trick for him."
"And Lysandra?"
"Cian," I looked at the genius. "Can you modify the gravity spell? Instead of crushing down... can you make it push sideways?"
Cian pushed his glasses up. "A repulsive field? Theoretically. But I'd need to invert the vector. It would require perfect timing."
"We'll practice," I said. "We have the perfect dojo."
I pulled out Arthur's keycard. "Let's go back to the Backdoor. We need sleep, and I refuse to sleep in a sinkhole."
The Admin Room—Arthur's Victorian study—was exactly as we left it. Warm, quiet, and smelling of old books.
It was strange seeing my squad here. Tybalt immediately curled up on the plush rug in front of the fire. Cian took the desk, spreading out his scrolls. Ria started raiding the small kitchenette in the corner that miraculously restocked itself with tea and biscuits.
Kaelen sat in a leather armchair, staring into the fire. He looked troubled.
I walked over and sat on the ottoman opposite him.
"You're worried about her," I stated.
Kaelen didn't look away from the flames. "She's the only one who didn't look at me like a monster during the entrance ceremony. Even before my affinity was revealed. She just... nodded."
"She's the Heroine," I said. "It's in her coding to be fair."
"Coding," Kaelen scoffed. "You talk like she's a machine. She has a heart, Ren. And tomorrow, I have to humiliate her in front of the whole kingdom."
"We're not humiliating her," I said softly. "We're saving her team from Valen's manipulation. If Jareth wins, do you think he'll be a good teammate to her? He'll use her status to climb the ladder."
Kaelen tightened his grip on the armrest. "I know. That's why I'll do it. But Ren... if I lose control... if the Darkness reacts to her Light..."
"It won't," I promised. "Because you're not alone this time. You have a party."
I stood up. "Get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be loud."
I walked over to the desk. Cian was asleep, his head resting on an open book about vector calculus. I gently pulled the book away and covered him with his cloak.
I looked at the logbook on the desk. Arthur's diary.
I flipped to the end. The pages were blank. The entries stopped abruptly.
Where did you go, Arthur? I wondered. Did you log out? Or did the system eat you?
I touched the quill tattoo on my palm. It hummed, a low vibration that traveled up my arm.
[Narrative Overlay: Ready.]
[Noclip: Ready.]
[Kinetic Redirect: Ready.]
I was stacking powers. But Valen was Level 99. I was just a glitchy Level 5. I needed to be smart.
The Arena was a cauldron of noise.
The Quarter-Finals drew a massive crowd. Students, nobles, and even commoners from the city had packed the stands. The King hadn't arrived yet—Valen was the highest authority present, sitting in the Royal Box like a dark stain on the velvet cushions.
We stood in the tunnel, waiting for the signal.
"Nervous?" Ria asked, stretching her hamstrings.
"Terrified," Tybalt said, clutching his staff. "But also... kind of excited? Is that weird? I think I'm developing a complex."
"It's called confidence, Ty," I said. "Wear it. It suits you."
Footsteps echoed from the other end of the tunnel.
Squad 1 appeared.
Lysandra walked in front. She wore silver plate armor polished to a mirror shine, a white cape flowing behind her. She held a ceremonial rapier at her hip. She looked radiant, every bit the protagonist.
Behind her was Jareth.
He looked different.
He was wearing heavy crimson armor, but his eyes... they were glazed over. His veins were bulging, dark purple lines tracing up his neck.
And around his neck, he wore a necklace. A jagged black crystal on a silver chain.
[Observer Vision: Active.]
[Target: Jareth.]
[Status: Buffed (Berserk State).]
[Item Detected: The Soul-Leech Amulet.]
My stomach dropped. Valen.
The Soul-Leech Amulet wasn't a defensive item. It was a parasite. It drew mana from the user's life force to boost physical stats. It turned a mage into a battering ram, but it burned them out from the inside.
"Ren," Lysandra said, stopping a few feet away. Her voice was cool, professional. "I see you made it through the forest."
"Barely," I said, eyeing Jareth. "Lysandra... your teammate. He doesn't look good."
Lysandra glanced back at Jareth. A flicker of worry crossed her face. "He insisted on using a family heirloom. He says it grants stamina. He has been... intense during training."
"It's not an heirloom," Kaelen said, stepping up beside me. "It's a curse. Lysandra, he's dangerous. To you, and to himself."
Jareth stepped forward. He grinned, but there was no humor in it. Just a manic, drug-fueled aggression.
"Scared, Monster?" Jareth rasped. His voice sounded wet. "You should be. Lord Valen gave me the power to crush you."
"Valen gave you a suicide pill," I said bluntly.
"Shut up, NPC!" Jareth roared. He lunged, grabbing the front of my shirt.
Kaelen's hand flew to his sword, but I held up a hand to stop him.
I looked Jareth in the eye. I didn't flinch.
[Kinetic Redirect: Active.]
[Input: Grip Force.]
[Output: Jareth's Belt Buckle.]
Jareth tightened his grip to intimidate me.
SNAP.
His belt buckle exploded.
His armored trousers dropped to his knees with a loud clank.
Silence in the tunnel.
Ria snorted. Then she covered her mouth.
Jareth looked down, his face turning purple with rage. He let go of me to pull his pants up.
"Wardrobe malfunction," I said calmly, smoothing my shirt. "Might want to get that checked before the match."
Lysandra stared at Jareth, then at me. The corner of her mouth twitched. She looked like she was fighting the urge to laugh.
"Jareth," she said, her voice strained. "Fix your armor. We enter in one minute."
She looked at Kaelen one last time.
"Don't hold back," she said softly. "Because I won't."
She turned and walked toward the light of the arena, Jareth stumbling after her, trying to re-buckle his belt.
"You are terrible," Ria whispered to me, grinning.
"Psychological warfare," I said. "Now he's angry. Angry people make mistakes."
"SQUAD 7 versus SQUAD 1!" the announcer bellowed.
We walked out onto the sand. The sun was bright, the crowd was screaming.
Valen watched from the box. He leaned forward when he saw us.
"Ready?" I asked the team.
"Ready," they chorused.
The referee blew the whistle.
"BEGIN!"
Lysandra moved instantly. She didn't charge. She raised her rapier to the sky.
"Sanctuary!"
A massive circle of golden light expanded from her, covering her entire half of the arena. It was a zone buff. Anyone inside it got increased defense and healing.
Jareth didn't wait for the buff. He roared—a sound more beast than boy—and charged straight at Kaelen.
He was fast. Unnaturally fast. The amulet was burning his life away to fuel his speed.
"Kaelen, catch!" I yelled.
Jareth swung a massive warhammer.
Kaelen raised his "rusty" sword.
CLANG.
The impact created a shockwave that kicked up dust across the arena. Kaelen slid back two feet, his boots carving grooves in the sand.
"He's stronger than the Titan!" Kaelen gritted out.
"It's the amulet!" I shouted. "Don't trade blows! Deflect!"
"I got the flank!" Ria yelled, blurring into motion. She aimed for Jareth's exposed side.
But Lysandra was there.
She intercepted Ria, her rapier moving like a streak of light.
Ting-ting-ting.
Sparks flew as Phase Blades met Holy Steel.
"You're fast," Lysandra said, parrying Ria's strike. "But you overextend."
Lysandra thrust her palm forward. "Repel!"
A burst of holy light hit Ria, sending her tumbling backward across the sand.
"Cian! Tybalt! Crowd control!" I ordered.
Tybalt slammed his staff down. "Earth Wall!"
A stone barrier erupted between Kaelen and Jareth, giving Kaelen a second to breathe.
Jareth didn't go around it. He smashed through it. He shattered the stone with his forehead, not even slowing down.
"He's a berserker!" Tybalt shrieked. "He ate my wall!"
This was bad. Jareth was ignoring pain, ignoring tactics. He was just a heat-seeking missile aimed at Kaelen. And Lysandra was zoning out the rest of us with her holy field.
I needed to change the geometry of the fight.
I looked at Jareth. He was charging Kaelen again.
"Kaelen!" I projected my voice. "Don't block! Jump!"
Kaelen trusted me. He didn't ask why. As Jareth swung the hammer in a lethal arc, Kaelen leaped straight up.
Jareth's hammer hit the empty air, his momentum carrying him forward.
"Now, Ren!" Kaelen shouted from the air.
I was ready. I was standing ten feet away.
[Skill: Kinetic Redirect]
[Input: Jareth's Momentum]
[Output: Vector Shift 90 Degrees]
I stomped my foot on the ground, connecting my intent with the earth.
Jareth, mid-swing, suddenly jerked to the right violently. It looked like an invisible truck had t-boned him.
He flew sideways, tumbling across the sand, straight toward the edge of the arena ring.
"Ring out!" I yelled.
But Lysandra was faster.
She pointed her rapier at Jareth. "Chain of Light!"
A golden chain shot from her hand, wrapping around Jareth's ankle just as he went over the line. She yanked him back, hauling him into the safe zone.
"Nice try, Ren," Lysandra called out, her eyes locking onto mine. "But I did my research. You like using the environment."
She pointed her sword at me.
"Judgment."
A pillar of light crashed down from the sky, directly onto my head.
I didn't have time to dodge.
"REN!" Kaelen screamed.
The light hit me.
But I didn't burn.
[Source Code Fragment (2/5): Active.]
[Physics Override: Light Refraction.]
The pillar of light hit my skin and... bent. It curved around me like water hitting a stone, dispersing harmlessly into the sand.
I stood there, untouched, in the center of a scorch mark.
The crowd gasped. Lysandra's eyes went wide.
"Light magic... doesn't bend," she whispered.
I brushed off my shoulder.
"I'm an Observer, Lysandra," I said, my voice amplified by the silence. "I don't play by the rules. I watch them break."
I looked up at Valen in the box. He was leaning over the railing, grinning like a maniac.
That's it, his expression said. Show me the glitch.
"Cian," I said calmly. "Plan B."
Cian stood up from behind his rock. He unrolled the Infinite Scroll.
"Plan B," Cian squeaked. "Inverting gravity field."
He pointed the scroll not at Jareth, but at Lysandra.
"Zero-G Field!"
Lysandra gasped as her feet left the ground. She floated up, weightless. Her armor, usually an advantage, was now just mass without traction.
"Kaelen!" I pointed at Jareth, who was getting back up, looking confused.
"End it!"
Kaelen landed. He didn't use the rusty sword illusion anymore. He poured his mana into The Prototype. The rust illusion shattered, revealing the black, runic claymore beneath.
He swung. Not at Jareth. But at the ground in front of Jareth.
"Abyssal Shockwave!"
The black energy hit the sand. But because Jareth was standing on the edge of Cian's gravity field, the sand didn't hold him.
He was launched.
He flew high into the air, over Lysandra's head, over the boundary line, and crashed into the barrier wall of the stands.
CRUNCH.
[Jareth Pyke: Ring Out.]
The referee blew the whistle. "One contestant eliminated!"
Now it was 5 vs 1. And Lysandra was floating ten feet in the air, helpless.
"Surrender, Lysandra!" I called out. "We don't want to hurt you!"
Lysandra looked down at us. She looked at Jareth, unconscious in the stands. She looked at Kaelen, holding the black sword.
She smiled. A sad, resigned smile.
"A Paladin never surrenders," she said.
She closed her eyes. Her body began to glow. Brighter than before. Brighter than the sun.
[Warning: Holy Overload Detected.]
[Target is attempting a sacrificial detonation.]
"She's going to blow herself up!" Ria screamed. "She's channeling a Martyr Blast!"
"Stop her!" Kaelen yelled, dropping his sword. "Ren! Do something!"
If she exploded, she'd wipe us out. And herself. Valen had pushed her too far. He'd messed with her code to make her "brave" until it became suicidal.
I needed to reach her. But she was in the air.
[Skill: Noclip (Short Range)]
I ran. I didn't run at her. I ran at the air.
I activated Noclip. I stepped onto the air molecules as if they were stairs. It was glitchy, jarring, and nauseating, but I ran up into the sky.
I reached her.
I grabbed her hand.
"Lysandra, wake up!" I shouted.
I used the Source Code. Not for physics. For the mind.
[Narrative Overlay: Active.]
[Target: Lysandra.]
[Message: You are not a martyr. You are a leader. Live.]
I pushed the thought into her glowing form.
The light faltered. She opened her eyes. The suicidal glaze vanished, replaced by confusion and... recognition.
"Ren?" she whispered.
Gravity reasserted itself.
We fell.
I twisted in the air, pulling her close to shield her from the impact.
We crashed into the sand.
"Match!" the referee screamed. "Lysandra is... grounded! Ring Out by technicality!"
"Winner: Squad 7!"
The crowd roared.
I lay in the sand, staring up at the blue sky. Lysandra was lying next to me, breathing hard.
"You saved me," she whispered. "Why?"
"Because," I wheezed, my ribs aching. "The story needs a Heroine. And I'm just the editor."
I looked up at the Royal Box.
Valen was gone.
But on the seat where he had been, there was a single black rose.
And a note.
I didn't need to read it to know what it said.
Round 3. The Finale. No holding back.