[ Inside the Arena ]
At that moment, the arena was neither full nor empty. The people who were there had only two reasons to watch this fight: to see Goliath fight, and to see Alan get beaten.
Shouts from various people could be heard:
"Finish him, Goliath!"
"That's it, we want to see blood!"
"Show us who's the best, Goliath!"
These kinds of shouts could be heard constantly from the moment Alan entered the arena.
Some people who were there just for entertainment wondered why everyone seemed to hate Alan. The reason for that was actually quite simple.
Envy.
People envied Alan because they all saw him as useless and simply couldn't accept that someone like him had the potential to use magic. Because of that envy, there was also hatred.
At that moment, in the center of the arena, Alan and Goliath stood facing each other, ten meters apart.
"Looks like no one is here to cheer for you, Alan," Goliath said, giving Alan a scornful smile.
"Well, unlike you, I don't need a crowd just to show off, Goliath," Alan said.
Goliath was momentarily surprised by Alan's words, since normally he would just lower his head. But after noticing something, Goliath simply laughed.
"That's pretty funny coming from someone whose legs are shaking," Goliath said, then raised his arm and pointed at Alan's legs.
Alan looked down and saw that his legs were trembling uncontrollably.
"Damn, how did I not notice this before?" Alan thought as he lightly punched his legs, trying to make them stop shaking.
While Alan tried to calm himself, a static voice echoed through the arena.
"Alright, competitors. If you're ready, you may begin the fight."
Suddenly, the shouts of the crowd could be heard by Alan and Goliath, making Alan finally realize that the fight had begun.
As soon as the announcement was made, Goliath charged first.
There was no countdown. There was no warning.
The arena floor trembled under his heavy steps as he ran straight at Alan, his clenched fist coming in a straight line toward Alan's face.
Alan's eyes widened.
His body reacted before his mind.
He threw himself to the side on instinct, feeling the wind of the punch pass centimeters from his face. Goliath's blow slammed into the ground with enough force to crack the stone of the arena.
"Huh?" Goliath grunted, surprised.
Alan rolled across the ground and struggled back to his feet, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.
"Calm down… think… think…"Demian's words echoed in his mind.
"Even with fear, face it head-on."
Goliath smiled, spreading his arms.
"Just gonna run? I thought a 'mage' would be more interesting," Goliath said mockingly.
Alan clenched his teeth.
"Shut up."
Goliath laughed loudly and charged again, this time with even more force. Alan tried to dodge once more, but he was too slow.
The punch hit his shoulder.
"UGH!"
Alan was thrown several meters back, rolling across the ground until he stopped near the arena wall. Pain exploded through his entire arm, and he tasted blood in his mouth.
The crowd went wild.
"THAT'S IT!""CRUSH HIM!""SHOW HIM WHO'S IN CHARGE, GOLIATH!"
Alan tried to get up, but his legs failed him, and he dropped to his knees.
"Damn it… is this it…?"
Goliath walked slowly toward him, cracking his knuckles.
"What happened? Is that all you can do?"
Alan dug his fingers into the ground, his hands trembling.
"I managed to feel the mana…""I know it's here…"
He closed his eyes.
Took a deep breath.
He remembered the faint but steady sensation at the center of his body—that "core" Demian had talked about.
"Even if I can't shape it… even if it's just a little…"
Goliath lifted his foot to stomp on Alan.
"Finish it already."
Before the blow could come down, Alan felt something move.
It wasn't control.It wasn't magic.
It was instinct.
A warm sensation ran through his body, spreading through his arms and legs. His muscles tightened with force.
Goliath frowned.
"What…?"
Alan rolled aside at the last second. Goliath's foot slammed into the ground with violence, opening a crater.
Alan stood up—this time, much faster.
"I…" He was breathing hard. "I can still keep going."
Goliath snarled.
"You irritating little worm!"
He attacked again, but something had changed.
Alan's movements were still clumsy, but faster. Each step felt firmer. Each dodge, more precise.
It wasn't magic.
It was mana strengthening his body—even without full control.
Alan dodged one punch, then another, feeling his body respond better than before.
"It works… even if it's just a little… it works!"
The crowd began to grow uneasy.
"Hey…""He didn't fall…""That useless guy is still standing?"
Goliath clenched his teeth, irritated.
"Stop moving!"
He focused all his strength into a single blow, twisting his entire body. Alan saw the attack coming.
"Now!"
He gathered everything he had, without even knowing how, and stepped forward instead of retreating.
Goliath's punch struck Alan's arm—but this time, Alan wasn't thrown back.
The impact made his entire body ache, but he stayed on his feet, sliding back only a few centimeters.
Goliath's eyes widened.
"Impossible…"
Alan trembled, breathing with difficulty, but lifted his gaze.
"I… am not… useless."
Silence fell over the arena for a brief moment.
And for the first time, Goliath took a step back.
The silence that fell over the arena lasted only a few seconds.
Then Goliath smiled.
But this time, it wasn't mockery.
It was excitement— for some reason, he was feeling thrilled.
"Heh… so you weren't just all talk."
Goliath flexed his body, his muscles swelling even more as he slammed his fists together.
"This is going to get interesting."
He charged again, but now without carelessness. Every step was calculated, every strike came in sequence—jab, cross, low kick.
Alan raised his arms to defend himself.
The impact was brutal.
"GAH!"
He was pushed back, feeling his bones vibrate with each block. Even so, his feet didn't give out.
"Hold on… hold on…"
Alan narrowly dodged a punch and landed a blow to Goliath's abdomen.
"Tch."
The strike wasn't strong, but it was enough to make Goliath step back.
The crowd erupted.
"HE HIT HIM!""THE USELESS ONE HIT GOLIATH?!"
Goliath laughed loudly.
"Not bad, kid."
He spun his body and delivered a side kick that struck Alan's ribs.
"URGH!"
Alan was thrown aside, rolling across the ground, but he got back up again, staggering.
His vision blurred for a moment.
"My mana… it's draining too fast…"
Without realizing it, Alan was constantly using mana to keep his body reinforced—something he had never done before.
On the other side of the arena, Demian watched in silence.
"Idiot… you're pushing yourself too hard."
Goliath didn't give Alan time to recover. He rushed in, grabbed Alan by the arm, and slammed him into the ground.
"Stay down!"
Alan felt the impact tear through his back. The air was knocked from his lungs.
"Gah…!"
Even so, he crawled and stood up once more.
His legs were shaking.
Not from fear.
From exhaustion.
"Why…?" Goliath asked, breathing heavily. "Why do you keep getting back up?"
Alan spat blood onto the ground and smiled faintly.
"Because… if I fall now… I really will be useless."
For a moment, Goliath fell silent.
Then he clenched his fist.
"Then take this!"
Goliath gathered all his strength into one final attack. His muscles tensed to their limit as he charged in a straight line.
Alan felt something strange.
The "core" inside him was weak. Unstable.
"Just a little more…"
He gathered what remained of his mana and charged as well.
Their blows met at the center of the arena.
The impact echoed like an explosion.
— BOOM!
Both were thrown backward.
Goliath dropped to one knee, breathing heavily, a crack spreading beneath his hand.
Alan fell onto his back.
For a moment, everything was silent.
"Hey…" someone murmured. "Who won?"
Goliath forced his body and managed to stand, albeit with difficulty.
Alan tried to do the same.
But his body didn't respond.
The warm sensation that had kept him standing vanished completely.
"My mana…"
His vision darkened.
Alan's body relaxed.
And he passed out.
For a few seconds, no one said a word.
Then the arena's static voice echoed:
"Victory goes to Goliath. The opponent has lost consciousness."
The crowd erupted into confused shouts—some celebrating, others in shock.
Goliath looked at Alan lying on the ground.
There was no longer any contempt in his gaze.
"You almost took me down."
Demian closed his eyes and smiled faintly.
"You lost…""But you fought well."
[ Arena Corridor ]
Demian walked down the corridor carrying Alan in his arms.
Alan was still unconscious, his body relaxed, breathing steadily. There was no urgency in Demian's steps—only a constant, measured pace.
A few people passed through the corridor, casting quick glances, but no one said anything.
When he reached the infirmary, Demian adjusted Alan's weight and pushed the door open with his shoulder.
"Excuse me."
He went inside and carried Alan to one of the beds, laying him down carefully.
After that, Demian took a step back and crossed his arms.
"Now we just wait."
...
[ Arena Infirmary ]
Demian was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching Alan lying unconscious on the bed.
The room remained silent, broken only by the steady sound of Alan's breathing.
"You really pushed yourself out there in the arena… I was quite surprised that you managed to use your mana in a moment of necessity."
"During those three days, you didn't make much progress, but I guess you just needed a real stimulus to succeed."
"I'm glad for you, Alan," Demian said, smiling at his friend, who was still unconscious.
"You really seem like a good friend."
Without Demian noticing, a pair of hands wrapped around his neck from behind.
Startled by the sudden voice, Demian reacted on instinct, spinning around and trying to strike backward—but he hit only air.
"Wow, how can you attack someone like that?" said a voice, now coming from his right.
Demian quickly turned toward the source of the voice. Sitting on the bed across from Alan was Mira.
At that moment, she looked completely relaxed, legs crossed, calmly watching Demian.
Demian raised his guard. He remembered that woman—the one he had seen when he first woke up in this place.
He remembered Louis's words: she was the director of this place, and the woman Alan had mentioned to him before.
"But the question now is… what does she want here?" Demian thought.
"You don't need to be so nervous. I don't bite," Mira said, approaching Demian without him even realizing how she had moved so close.
"How did she get this close?!" Demian thought.
"And why can't I move?"
Mira then lifted one of her hands and gently ran it along Demian's face as she said, "You know, you're very interesting to me. I just want to have a calm conversation with you. What do you think?"
Demian remained silent.
Mira seemed to notice something.
"Oh, my mistake. I'm not even letting you speak. How are we supposed to have a conversation like that?"
She removed her hand from Demian and took a step back.
Only then did Demian realize he could move again.
"So she was the one stopping my body from moving… but how did she do that?" Demian wondered.
"So, what's your answer?" Mira asked.
Realizing that he couldn't do anything at the moment, Demian decided to try to gain something from the situation.
"So… what do you want to talk about?"
"Maybe I'll find some way to get out of this place."
Mira stretched out her hand and wagged a finger from side to side.
"No!" Mira exclaimed.
"No?"
"That's right. Not here. Let's go somewhere else," Mira suggested.
"Where?"
Mira smiled.
"To my room."