How does it feel to sink into a world of darkness and eternal silence?
I was experiencing it right now.
My hearing had been sealed, followed by my sight.
All I could perceive was darkness… silent, calm, and oddly comforting.
If not for the wounds across my body—pulsing with pain and constantly reminding me of where I was—I might have truly drowned in this peaceful place.
Now that I had personally experienced Leona Starlin's abilities, I understood just how dangerous she truly was.
She could seal your hearing and your sight, and that alone was enough to render even the strongest warriors helpless.
And perhaps I would have been the same—
If I didn't possess another way to perceive the world.
More precisely, my ability.
An ability that altered my eyes, allowing me to see essence and souls, and to sense them in an incredibly vivid, living way.
I closed my eyes—if they were even open—and began counting the remaining time in my head.
[00:21:23]
The world was utterly silent.Peaceful.Still.
I focused on my senses and felt the three souls around me—where they were, how they moved, and far more than that.
I sensed how essence shifted through the air, how it reacted to their abilities, and how it carved space for their weapons and movements.
I stopped trying to hear anything.
Inside my mind, the space around me was drawn like a three-dimensional map.
Four main points existed within it.
Me—and my three enemies.
Then it began.
The three of them rushed toward me at high speed, competing for my points.
I felt the essence in front of me distort, creating an abnormal pocket of space.
Without hesitation, I swung my sword.
In the next instant, Elliot Sivrax's soul appeared there.
Using his ability, he had teleported straight to me—only to find my blade waiting for him.
My mind traced his sword, the essence wrapping around it like writhing snakes of lightning.
Before our weapons could collide, I pulled my hips back, twisted my body, and delivered a side kick.
My foot struck him, sending him flying several meters away.
At the same time, I traced a projectile of fire from Izel Ashvil racing toward me.
I moved to the side, narrowly evading it, feeling the heat brush past my face.
Then pain stabbed into my side.
Leona Starlin was there—her soul and blade carving a fresh wound into my body.
I moved, blocking her sword before it could sink deeper, then swung my other hand violently, forcing her to retreat to avoid the strike.
In the next instant, Elliot appeared beside me again.
Without giving me any time, he attacked.
I tried to evade or block—but I was just a fraction too slow.
Another wound formed.
The battle continued.
I forgot everything else as I sank into the rhythm.
Strangely enough, to me, everything was incredibly calm.
In this darkness, the only thing I truly felt was the pain from my wounds.
From the moment the fight began—long before I lost my senses—I had been pushed into a corner, forced entirely on the defensive, my body battered and torn apart.
But now, it was far worse.
I felt my body beginning to fail as I lost too much blood, and with every passing moment, new wounds appeared.
I knew both girls were fighting with everything they had.
So why…
Why was that bastard holding back like this?
Who?
Of course—Elliot Sivrax.
That man hadn't even shown fifty percent of his power yet.
Well, what did you expect from a hero blessed by the world of Etheron?
But the real question was—
Why was he holding back?
Was he saving his strength to fight the other two?
I didn't think so.They weren't his equals.
It didn't matter.
It worked in my favor, so who was I to complain?
Besides—
He wasn't the only one who hadn't shown everything yet.
Neither had I.
…
"Why… why won't this bastard fall?!" Izel Ashvil screamed as she hurled her flame-wreathed fist toward Caius, who dodged it by a hair's breadth.
They should have finished him within minutes, then settled things among themselves.
Yet to their frustration, Caius still hadn't fallen—even after twenty minutes of continuous combat.
They had wounded him, surrounded him from every direction, driven him back, forced him entirely on the defensive without a single chance to counterattack.
They had even sealed his sight and hearing—the two most crucial senses in battle.
And yet, somehow, this bastard was still perceiving the world around him, predicting their attacks before they happened.
Yes, he was being pushed back further as time passed.
Yes, new wounds formed with every moment.
Yes, he was drenched in blood from head to toe.
But—
He was still standing.
"Who is this guy?"The same question surfaced in all three of their minds.
They had never seen or heard of him before.
And that was strange.
How could someone with this level of talent and skill exist at such a young age without being known?
In terms of raw combat skill, he was even superior to them.
After all, his skills were the only reason he was still standing.
Since the fight began, he hadn't used a single ability—aside from that strange sense that allowed him to perceive his surroundings.
But what irritated Izel the most—
Was that smile on his face.
A smile that hadn't faltered since the battle began.
Even when their attacks landed and new wounds formed across his body—
He never wavered.He never showed pain.
A thought crossed Izel's mind.
"Does he even feel pain?"
Then she heard a quiet remark beside her.
"Monster."
It came from Leona Starlin.
At that moment, Elliot struck.
With the full force of his blow, Caius was sent flying several meters away.
For the first time—
He showed signs of reaching his limit.
Caius fell to one knee.
Drops of blood splattered across the stone floor.
Leaning on his only remaining sword—the other had shattered earlier and was now useless—he looked like a wounded beast breathing its final breaths.
But still…
Why—
Why was he smiling?
…
Inside the observation room—
"That was incredible from contestant Caius," Darin said."For a commoner to reach this level of skill, take first place, and hold it against three of the strongest contestants for this long… that's an astonishing achievement."
He glanced at the time.
[00:13:45]
"But it seems he'll fall here."
Several people nodded in agreement.
He had endured for more than half the remaining time, but there were still thirteen minutes left.
And in battles like these, a single minute could decide everything.
Darin looked at the screen, watching Caius kneeling on one knee, the other three surrounding him.
They glanced at one another—then back at the fallen Caius.
Their thoughts were obvious.
Each of them wanted to land the final blow, claim the points, and rise to first place.
Darin turned to the others and spoke.
"Care to place a bet on which of the three will take first?"
Without hesitation, someone answered,"I'm betting on Elliot Sivrax."
"So am I."
Another voice.And another.
In the end, everyone bet on Elliot.
And they weren't wrong.
At present, he was clearly the strongest of the three—and it was obvious he was still holding back.
Darin sighed.
"But if everyone bets on him, there won't be much of a wager."
He then turned to the only person who hadn't spoken.
A breathtakingly beautiful woman, with long white hair and crimson eyes.
She hadn't paid attention to their discussion at all—her gaze remained fixed on the screen.
Even when Darin addressed her, she didn't look away.
"Vice Director," he asked,"Who do you think will win among those three?"
Silence followed.
She didn't answer.
It was slightly awkward for Darin, but they were used to her behavior.
Then—
Her lips moved.
Her gentle voice slipped into their ears.
"Don't you think it's too early to assume that Caius will fall?"
Darin raised an eyebrow.
"And why do you think he can keep going in that condition?"
She replied calmly.
"Have you ever seen someone smile like that when they're about to lose?"
In the next instant—
Loud laughter filled the room.
But it didn't come from anyone inside.
It came from the projection.
From Caius Astroweild—still kneeling.
He was laughing loudly.
Like someone who had just heard the greatest joke in the world.
But that laughter wasn't normal.
It was distorted.
Twisted—
And tinged with madness.