At the very moment Kael shouted the name of his third martial art—
the entire atmosphere inside the arena changed completely.
It was no longer just dense crimson chi or an overwhelming pressure suffocating the breath…
it felt as though something far darker had begun to form behind him.
The crimson chi erupted violently behind Kael's body, then gradually gathered into a single point above his back—a massive and distorted point—before suddenly exploding into the shape of a gigantic cross made of dark blood-red chi.
A colossal cross… terrifyingly enormous… stretching behind Kael like an execution gate that had opened inside the arena.
But it did not stop there.
Only a single moment later—
long black chains began wrapping themselves around that cross slowly, moving like dark serpents while producing faint metallic scraping sounds that made even some disciples feel chills for no clear reason.
Screeeeeech…
The chains completely wrapped around the crimson cross, as if restraining something within it… or perhaps imprisoning an overwhelming killing intent barely being controlled.
As for Kael—
he stood beneath that scene with eyes filled with madness and pressure while crimson chi continued exploding endlessly from his body.
On the opposite side… Mira's eyes slowly widened.
This time… it was no mere tension.
It was genuine fear.
She unconsciously took a step backward, then another, while the hand gripping her sword trembled slightly for the very first time since the battle began.
"This…"
She held her breath for a moment.
"…is impossible."
But then—
a very small smile appeared on her lips.
A strange smile… neither mockery nor complete despair.
Rather, it was the smile of someone beginning to accept something they had known from the very beginning.
She raised her gaze toward Kael once more, then laughed softly in exhaustion.
"Aaah…"
She breathed slowly.
"So this is it…"
Then she closed her eyes briefly before opening them again.
"So this… is truly the difference between us."
She laughed once more, but this time there was something painfully sorrowful hidden within her laughter.
"Hahahaha…"
Then she slightly raised her sword while looking across the arena, as if she was not looking at Kael…
but at someone else far away.
"I truly wish you good luck, Faiser…"
Her smile widened slightly.
"…against this monster."
Up in the stands—
Faiser narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her silently.
Inside his mind…
the book spoke for the first time since the battle began in a quieter tone than usual:
"That girl…"
Then it paused for a second.
"…is braver than I expected."
As for Mira—
she slowly lowered her head downward.
Her breathing had become heavier.
Her body was covered in wounds.
The chi flowing through her veins was unstable.
Even her right arm had begun gradually losing sensation from the continuous pressure.
But… after a brief moment—
she raised her head again.
And within her eyes appeared something new.
Something that had not existed before.
She smiled, then spoke in a low voice at first:
"But…"
A brief silence spread through the arena, then her smile widened further.
"But since this is the end…"
Tears slowly gathered within her eyes.
"…then I must not collapse now."
She tightened her grip on the sword so hard that her fingers began bleeding slightly.
"I will try to stop it…"
Her voice rose louder.
"…with whatever strength I have left!"
The silver chi around her body began trembling violently.
"I've already been heavily injured…"
Then she raised her sword directly toward the sky.
"But it doesn't matter!"
The silver chi around her suddenly exploded like cold moonlight.
"Whether his killing intent is overwhelming…"
The ground beneath her feet began cracking.
"…or his level is higher than mine!"
Tears were now clearly streaming down her face, but her smile did not disappear.
Instead, it became even crazier.
"What matters now…"
She screamed at the top of her lungs.
"…is whether I can wound him or nooooooooot!!!"
Then—
absolute silence fell over the arena.
Even the disciples stopped speaking, and even the elders fell silent.
At that moment… Mira slowly raised her sword.
She was screaming…
but within that scream, rage, sorrow, and joy mixed together in a strange and painful way.
Then—
a single tear fell from her eye.
A calm tear…
It slowly slid down her cheek before touching the silver blade.
And the moment it touched it…
the sword completely changed.
Its metallic shine vanished…
and it transformed into pure, cold moonlight so pristine that even the air around it suddenly seemed calm.
Some disciples' eyes widened.
As for the Third Elder—
he unconsciously rose halfway from his seat.
"That art…!"
Within the center of that silence—
Mira finally screamed:
"Fourth Martial Art…"
Silver light began wrapping around her body like sorrowful lunar waves.
"…Moon Tear!"
Then she raised the sword straight above her head.
"…The Sorrowful Blade!!!"
Shhhhhhhhhhh!!
The sword descended downward violently.
And in a single instant—
a gigantic silver crescent shot across the arena.
A quiet crescent… yet carrying within it an unbearably sorrowful feeling.
Even the air split apart before it silently.
Mira smiled through her tears while looking directly at Kael.
"Yes…"
Then she laughed softly in exhaustion.
"And now…"
Her final smile widened.
"…let the curtain fall upon this final symphony, Kael."
Then she added in a lower voice:
"And let the main character… begin."
On the opposite side—
Kael slowly raised his twin swords.
But this time… there was no visible rage left on his face.
Instead, there was something far colder.
Something resembling beasts when they stop roaring just before they pounce.
Then he spoke in an extremely low voice:
"Farewell…"
He violently raised his swords.
"…you brat."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The ground beneath him exploded entirely as Kael charged forward with such speed that some disciples lost sight of him for a moment.
Then—
both of them screamed at the same time.
"Throne Cross!!!!"
"Sorrowful Blade!!!!"
And the two attacks collided directly.
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A horrifying explosion swept through the arena.
The silver crescent collided against the gigantic crimson cross amid a storm of insane chi, while the black chains began wrapping around the silver crescent and crushing it violently.
Only one second…
Then—
the silver crescent shattered completely.
Cracked.
Then exploded into scattered fragments of light throughout the arena.
Mira's eyes widened.
"No…!"
But it was already too late.
The Throne Cross pierced through her defenses directly like a merciless charging monster.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Mira's body vanished entirely within the crimson explosion.
Dust and shattered stones erupted violently into the air until the entire arena was covered.
Then—
silence spread.
A very heavy silence.
No one could see what had happened within the dust.
One disciple spoke nervously:
"What… what happened?!"
Another immediately stood up:
"Is it over?!"
Even the Third Elder narrowed his eyes sharply while trying to see through the dust.
Long seconds passed…
then the dust slowly began to part.
At the center of the arena—
Kael appeared standing there, breathing heavily while his swords were embedded into the ground.
His body carried only a few minor wounds.
As for in front of him—
Mira lay collapsed upon the shattered ground, her clothes partially torn apart, while her sword was nearly broken in half.
But… her eyes were still open.
She slowly raised her hand toward the sky, then laughed weakly.
"Hahaha…"
She coughed a little blood.
"I suppose…"
She breathed with difficulty.
"…fate is on my side this time."
Her exhausted smile widened.
"I didn't actually die…"
Then she looked briefly toward the distant sky.
"I thought…"
She slowly closed her eyes slightly.
"…that it was the end."
Then she laughed softly one final time.
"But I wanted to die after losing to this monster…"
She sighed slowly.
"…what a shame."
Then—
she immediately lost consciousness.
In the next instant—
the Fifth Elder leapt directly into the arena, appearing beside Mira within a single second before quickly kneeling down.
"Mira!"
He placed his hand directly over her heart.
A brief silence followed.
Then he finally sighed in visible relief.
"She's still alive…"
He quickly inspected her vessel, then narrowed his eyes.
"The vessel hasn't shattered…"
He sighed once more.
"…and there are no severe cracks."
Then he raised his head toward the medical staff and shouted:
"Hurry! Take her for treatment immediately!"
Several healers quickly rushed into the arena, carefully carried Mira away, then disappeared with her toward the inner sect.
As for the Fifth Elder—
he remained standing there for a moment while staring at the devastated site of the explosion.
Then he thought tiredly:
"Seriously…"
He looked toward Kael.
"…she would have died."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If not for her final attack weakening part of the power behind Kael's martial art…"
He sighed slowly.
"…she would have been split in half."
Then he rubbed his head tiredly.
"Haaah… this is truly troublesome."
He raised his head toward the stands.
"But fortunately…"
He glanced briefly toward the Third Elder's seat.
"…she's still alright… otherwise, I have no idea what the Third Elder would have done afterward… I don't even want to think about it."
Then he took a deep breath and finally raised his voice:
"After a battle…"
His voice echoed across the entire arena.
"…that nearly destroyed the arena itself!"
Everyone's attention immediately turned toward him.
"And after a fight in which both sides proved why they are considered among the most dangerous disciples of this generation…"
He raised his hand toward Kael.
"I declare the victor…"
An extremely heavy silence spread.
"…Kaaaaaaaaaaaael!!!"
In a single instant—
the arena exploded into cheers.
"Kael! Kael! Kael!"
"What a monster!"
"That final attack was terrifying!"
"Did you see Throne Cross?!"
"Damn it, even the formation shook!"
Up on the elders' platform—
the Sixth Elder tried hiding his joy, but the smile on his face was painfully obvious.
"Hahahahaha…"
Then he turned toward the Third Elder sitting beside him.
"You see? I told you there was no need to worry, Third Elder. Your disciple is fine in the end, hahahahaha!"
But—
the Third Elder's face remained frighteningly cold.
Then he spoke in an extremely low voice:
"Don't speak too much…"
A brief silence followed.
"…fatty."
In a single instant—
the Sixth Elder felt a chill run down his spine despite his smile.
As for the Fourth Elder—
he sighed lightly and began speaking while still leaning lazily backward.
"I told you before…"
He sighed lazily.
"…that this result was expected."
Then he waved his hand dismissively.
"Go check on your disciple instead of spreading your anger here."
The Third Elder stared at him for a few short seconds.
Then—
he vanished from his seat like a mirage.
As for the Sixth Elder—
he laughed within his mind in insane delight.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Kael… what an outstanding disciple!"
His smile widened further.
"You showed these fools the true difference!"
Then he raised his gaze directly toward Faiser.
"And now…"
He smiled maliciously.
"…that idiot has finally realized the gap between himself and Kael."
But—
the instant his eyes met Faiser's… his smile froze.
Faiser was staring directly at him.
Then—
he smiled.
A calm yet irritating smile… that same provoking smile as always…
before casually returning his gaze toward the arena as though nothing had happened.
The Sixth Elder's smile gradually vanished, replaced by obvious rage.
As for the Fourth Elder—
he noticed all of it, then the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Hah…"
He laughed lightly within his mind.
"This boy…"
"…is playing with that fatty however he wants."
Down below—
Shin stared at the arena in shock.
"Damn… this is truly terrifying."
As for Shirin—
she clenched her hands nervously.
"Mira almost died…"
Then she quickly turned toward Faiser.
"Don't you feel fear at all after seeing this?!"
But Faiser remained calm.
Inside his mind—
the book burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha fear?!"
Then it laughed even harder.
"This lunatic was analyzing the attack instead of fearing it!"
Faiser sighed lightly.
"Throne Cross is truly powerful…"
The book immediately responded:
"Hah? You finally admitted it!"
But Faiser calmly continued:
"…but Kael's emotional control is terrible."
The book froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Hahahahahahaha! You psychological monster!"
Inside the arena—
Kael was still standing amid the cheers.
Then slowly… he raised his hand.
And pointed directly toward Faiser.
Silence spread briefly through the stands.
It was an extremely obvious gesture.
A direct challenge.
A direct threat.
But Faiser… did not respond.
His expression did not even change.
As for the book—
it spoke mockingly inside his mind:
"Hah… looks like the dog has finally started barking at you."
Then it added:
"Want me to applaud him?"
Kael finally turned around and left the arena amid the disciples' screaming cheers.
As for the Fifth Elder—
he sighed tiredly, then raised his hand toward the shattered ground.
Chi exploded directly from his palm into the arena.
BOOOOOOOOM!
Within only a few moments—
the cracked ground began restoring itself while the formation gradually repaired everything until every trace of the battle vanished completely.
The Fifth Elder sighed once more.
"Haaah…"
Then he raised his voice across the arena.
"And now…"
Silence gradually spread.
"…let us proceed to the next fight."
He slowly opened the scroll in his hand, then declared in a clear voice that shook the arena:
"The second battle of this year's tournament…"
Everyone held their breath as a very heavy silence spread.
Then—
"Faiser… versus Shal."
At that moment—
Faiser rose calmly from his seat.
Inside his mind—
the book laughed lightly.
"Hah…"
Then its crazed smile widened.
"Looks like the real trouble… is finally about to begin."