The reason Lucius joined the Fighting Club was becoming clearer. The Rune Calamity...and perhaps even the events in Kaffal. The Demon Emperor Hades's attack that killed Caelthorn was most likely no coincidence.
The problem was that the random battle system gave Nolan poor odds. If he were to face a high-ranking Sentinel Saint, his chances of winning would be slim to none. Caelthorn had been a genius. His Hexagonal Chain was filled with magical items of unknown origin, and he certainly had a backup plan for emergencies.
Fortunately, Nolan discovered the stockpile of mana energy orbs that Caelthorn had apparently stolen from Catherine's private room.
"Caelthorn... truly a venomous snake. Hiding cunning behind your innocence and psychological scars," Nolan muttered to himself.
Suddenly, the blue token in his hand glowed.
The next second, Nolan swallowed the mana energy orb completely. This time, his body felt like it was flowing more rapidly. Without a word, he stood up, walked out of the room, and went down the stairs to the arena.
His first-round opponent was a Sentinel Master of Sequence 1, Assassin Path—a fighter who relies on stealth, speed, and lethal attacks. They typically use daggers or other small weapons that allow for stealthy, unexpected stabbing attacks.
Nolan stepped into the center of the arena. The previously deafening cheers slowly faded until they vanished. A dark mist crept over the arena—not the mist of the Demon Beast, but just as ominous.
Nolan stood still, unmoved. His heart beat steadily; he was accustomed to the atmosphere of carnage.
A flash of silver emerged from the darkness.
Instead of deflecting the dagger, Nolan caught the moment the attacker's wrist flicked, hidden in the mist. A straight punch struck a vital point. The Sentinel's body crashed to the floor.
The entire fight was over in a matter of minutes.
The second, third, and fourth rounds were much more intense. This time, the fighters remained at Sentinel Master Squeance 1–3 level. However, unlike the first Assassin, they had a more varied fighting style. This forced Nolan to move, adjust, and constantly measure his mana usage. Twenty minutes passed before the fourth Sentinel fell.
The fifth Sentinel, the Summoner's Path, was far more challenging.
A level three magic beast, a giant horned bull, emerged from the magic circle. The arena floor shook with each of its charges. Nolan hovered and twisted in the air, dodging a barrage of bone-shattering attacks.
The Summoner tried to keep his distance while concentrating on maintaining the summoning contract.
The Sentinel's biggest mistake on the Summoner's Path was maintaining his distance while failing to defend against an unexpected attack.
With a speed barely visible to the eye, Nolan appeared right behind the Sentinel. A powerful blow landed on the Summoner's back, halting the fight instantly. The Magic Beast vanished without a fight.
Five rounds in a row—a win for all!
***
"Prince Nolan, you've really caught everyone's attention! It's so cool." Lucas gave a proud thumbs-up.
Nolan only glanced at him. There was no pride in his eyes; he was focused solely on one figure. From the third-floor balcony, he gazed down at the arena where Lucius Farley now stood.
Lucius fought like a ruthless hurricane. One. Two. Five. Ten. Fifteen consecutive wins. Nolan watched unblinkingly.
He had won fourteen rounds. One more win, and they would face each other.
The balcony door opened. Lucas hurried back in.
"Prince Nolan, in the next round, Lucius will be fighting a Sequence 5 Sentinel Saint. And—" He lowered his voice and made a secret gesture. "I've got the key to his private room."
Nolan's gaze hardened. The hood returned to his head.
"Rather than meeting him in the arena," he said in a deep, cold voice, "we'd better meet Lucius before then."
The cloak that Nolan wore was a magical artifact capable of obscuring his presence in a crowd by absorbing light and blending into his surroundings. However, it didn't make him invisible. He could still be seen if someone was close enough or sensitive to auras.
Nolan pressed the access card to the balcony room door. The device beeped. The door slid open slowly and discreetly, so as not to attract the attention of anyone inside.
Lucius was there. He was standing on the third-floor balcony with a man in a fancy suit. The two of them watched the fight below. The light from below reflected their silhouettes—two shadows on the edge of a bloody contest.
Nolan approached silently.
From the sleeve of his long robe, he drew a thin, pale dagger, ready to plunge it into Lucius's back.
Sure enough, Lucius's shoulders tensed. His left hand gripped the balcony railing. He sensed the presence of a hunter but couldn't determine who it was or from which direction the threat was coming.
"That number three fighter was only a Squeance 2 Sentinel Master just now," the man in the fancy suit said as he took a sip of wine. "But he won fourteen rounds. Only one point behind you."
"Power rank is no obstacle," Lucius replied calmly. "I rely solely on brute force. But against a Sequence 2 Sentinel Master? I'm impossible to defeat. Even a Sequence 6 Sentinel Saint, one order above me, has fallen to me."
Nolan could see Lucius breathing slowly and steadily. He knew he was being threatened, but he was waiting for his attacker to make a move. It was unlikely that Lucius didn't recognize the danger.
"I'm only Madam Bella's messenger," the man in the luxurious suit said, swirling his crystal glass casually, as if the fight for survival were mere entertainment. "You must ensure the Rune Calamity falls into our hands. The Kaffal region is only the beginning. Sacrifices are necessary, and no one expects the Demon Emperor Hades to appear there."
Nolan felt a surge in his chest. He pressed the dagger deeper into Lucius's back, just enough to make him feel threatened without actually stabbing him.
Lucius spoke without turning his head.
"Master, there's something I need to finish. I'll be back soon."
The man in the fancy suit simply nodded and cleared his throat, suspecting nothing.
Lucius moved to leave the room.
Nolan followed Lucius step by step, the dagger still pressed against his back. He led Lucius down the dark corridors to the lowest floor of the fighting club building. The light was dim—almost like being underground.
Upon reaching the deserted open space, Lucius suddenly spun around.
A mana-imbued fist slammed lightning-fast into Nolan's head.
Nolan reacted instinctively, leaning back and leaping away. The blow missed his face by mere inches. However, this evasive movement disrupted the camouflage of his cloak—his disguise vanished completely.
Now he was clearly visible:
Black robes. Dagger. Cold eyes.
Lucius smiled faintly, but there was no humor in it; it was pure killer instinct.
"So that's what you look like." He lowered his center of gravity, ready to fight at any moment. "Who are you? A Sentinel above a Saint, perhaps?"
His tone wasn't one of fear, but rather a predator's respect for another predator.
Before Nolan could open his mouth, Lucius threw a punch straight at his head. Nolan dodged to the side, and the punch left a large crack in the floor like a hammer.
Lucius was the Sentinel Saint of the Fighter Path, a master of close-quarters and mid-range combat. Nolan had seen Lucius's fighting style in the arena, and Lucius had studied Nolan's every move. This time, there were no surprises; both men faced off knowing their respective strengths.
Nolan swung his hand forward. The hexagonal bracelet's storage function activated, and his sword appeared. In an instant, the blade was enveloped in black moon. Nolan slashed forward, unleashing a wave of dark, crescent-shaped attacks.
But Lucius didn't dodge. He punched the black moon wave head-on, and it shattered like glass against concrete.
"The mana energy sphere only lasts two minutes. After that, I won't be able to hold off the Sentinel Saint," Nolan muttered to himself.
Nolan quickly raised his sword in defense as Lucius charged again. A barrage of brutal blows struck the blade one after another, forcing Nolan to defend himself without pause. In the arena, he had easily defeated opponents ranging from Sequence 1 Sentinel Masters to Sequence 5 Saints, thanks solely to the temporary power boost of a mana energy sphere, which allowed him to nearly reach the level of a Sequence 4 Sentinel Saint.
However, once the effect wore off, he reverted to a Sequence 2 Sentinel Master.
Lucius's final blow struck hard. Nolan was sent flying three meters back, his boots dragging on the floor. Still, he remained standing. He didn't collapse, but it was clear that Lucius was better suited to the brutal fighting style of the Fighter Path. His tall, well-proportioned, heavily muscled frame made each of his strikes feel like a monster's blow.
"I know you," Lucius said, twisting his left wrist as if warming up to break an opponent's bones. "You're the Sentinel who accompanied Young Master Victor—the one who won fourteen rounds."
Lucius's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Are you after the Rune Calamity, too? Unfortunately, you won't be able to steal it from me with cunning alone."
Nolan stared at him emotionlessly, his sword still raised.
"Thomas Judie."
The name fell coldly from his lips. The room fell silent for a moment.