The audience hadn't even recovered from one shock, when another quickly followed.
Tepo rolled on the ground, holding his head in pain. No one could see what happened, but obviously some attack injured his soul.
Meanwhile Elder Trang was still hesitating. His eyes looked between the heavily injured Tepo and the unmoving Corian.
He hoped for the aristocrat to show any sign of consciousness, giving him a reason to declare the fight a draw.
But as the seconds ticked by, Elder Trang felt his chest tighten. With soul injuries any delay could be dangerous.
Eventually, Trang knew that he had to come to a decision. He couldn't bear the blame if something happened to Corian.
Finally, the elder's reluctant voice spread in the arena:
"One combatant deemed unconscious. Tepmodus wins!"
Restrained cheers spread in the arena. Everyone was still worried as Tepo's face screamed of pain.
Somewhere in the stands Yerive finally couldn't sit still anymore. He hastily left, followed by Droa'va and Inurol'ah.
Meanwhile Tepo went through his personal hell. The forbidden spell had indeed hit him, but fortunately he had the [God's Soul] spell.
The small satellite circling his soul had bravely blocked the vicious attack.
But in the process, it was ripped apart, inflicting enormous pain.
At the same time the young man lost his hearing again. He could only judge the ongoing situation through his vision, which was dyed red from blood.
Suddenly though the world changed. Bloody figures mixed in the audience, their crazed eyes looking at Tepo like prey.
The suns in the sky transformed into large eyeballs, which Tepo instinctively associated with gods.
Demons invaded his heart, letting him see a nightmarish world.
The few shadows moved eerily, spreading tentacles which caressed the students' tender faces hungrily.
He could see the thin Elder Trang nearby, whose body appeared bloody and mangled.
Still, the old man stood upright, his mouth moving. While the students clapped slowly, the 'outsiders' among them rubbed their hands with drool dripping from their mouths.
Even the arena itself turned into a ritual site, with bloody symbols on the stone floor.
Suddenly Tepo's eyes shot wide open as he saw someone arrive in the ring.
"No… d…don't! Dangerous! Leave, Yerive!"
Tepo pressed words between his gritted teeth.
But a moment later, his rational mind told him that everything he saw was not real.
Conflicting thoughts clashed in his hurting brain.
Even for Tepo it was difficult to endure.
Yerive arrived in the arena with anger boiling in his heart. His sudden appearance finally prompted the forum's staff into action.
Is the entire forum rotten?!
Suddenly Yerive heard Tepo's words. He stopped in place, not knowing what to feel.
For a moment the young man thought that his best friend didn't want to see him anymore.
But right after a hand lightly hit the back of Yerive's head, prompting him to turn and look at Droa'va.
"What are you standing there and staring? Don't you want to help your friend?"
"But… just now…"
"Did you even listen closely? Tepo wanted to keep you out of danger. I don't know what he sees.
He must have hallucinations or something. The last attack should have heavily injured his soul."
With Droa'va's reminder Yerive finally snapped out of it. He looked at Tepo, as two pairs of eyes met.
Yerive could see the worry brewing in his best friend. He felt his heart skip a beat as he berated himself and stepped forward, asking the healer tending to Tepo:
"How is he?"
"Better than I thought. He had some sort of soul defense, which seemed to have blocked the attack."
Yerive let out a sigh of relief.
"But why… is he still like this?", asked Inurol'ah from the back.
The healer wrinkled his head, showing confusion as well.
"I'm not sure. It might be a backlash from the defense's collapse."
"So, what can we do?"
"I will give him a soul recovery pill. It should help to recover his defense. I hope this can help him."
"Such a pill… is quite expensive, right?"
Before the healer could answer, Droa'va suddenly chimed in, a small red pill in her hand:
"I still have some potent Red Tiiris Pills. Here, give him one."
The healer was taken aback:
"A Red Tiiris Pill? That's quite the overkill."
"Dora'va, you don't have to…"
"It's ok Yerive. This is what the church owes him. I have asked around for a bit and it should be Tepo who solved the dungeon."
"He did…?"
Yerive had a complicated look as he watched his best friend, who quietened down while suppressing the bitter pain.
With no more refusals, the healer took the pill from Droa'va's hand and gently placed it on Tepo's tongue.
As the pill dissolved, Tepo felt a cold but comfortable energy streaming through his body. It even slightly eased his burn wounds before arriving in his head.
The energy circled his soul once. But since it was only slightly injured, there wasn't much to heal. Therefore, most of the cold energy found the small seed which was left of [God's Soul] and instantly animated it.
Gradually the seed grew to a small sphere again and regained its liveliness, beginning to circle Tepo's soul.
Suddenly Tepo let out a deep breath. The world around him returned to normal, the 'outsiders' vanishing.
Tepo tiredly looked at Yerive and the two women. A faint smile graced his lips.
"Thank you, guys."
With those words his vision went black as he fell into a deep slumber.
***
Only a moment passed for Tepo before he groggily opened his eyes again.
He felt a stiff couch below him, letting out a sigh as he looked at the dorm's ceiling.
"Oh? You're awake?"
Tepo blinked as he contemplated life.
Why was it that he heard this question so often?!
A self-mocking smile on his lips Tepo turned his head. The movement was fortunately painless as his body had mostly recovered.
Tepo's eyes fell on Shorey not far away, sitting cross-legged on the floor.
"Are you keeping watch? Thank you."
Despite his voice weak voice, Shorey could tell that Tepo's condition had improved a lot.
"Yeah. You caused us quite the shock."
"Sorry. But I didn't expect Corian to have such a vicious forbidden spell.
By the way, how is he? Did he die?"
Shorey raised his brow, as Tepo's question sounded somewhat ominous. Apparently, a deep grudge had been formed.
"No, he didn't. But from what I heard he's in a terrible condition and it's uncertain if he will ever recover.
Who would've thought that in a normal arena match two forbidden spells would appear…"
"Pity…", murmured Tepo, too quiet for Shorey to hear.
"Tepo, if you have some background, it's probably best to activate it now.
Otherwise, you better never leave the forum until you become a World Lord.
I'm sure the Gold family won't let this go! And on top of that many greedy groups will begin to eye your forbidden spell! Only the forum can keep you safe."
"This bad, huh…?"
Tepo fell silent as he sank into thoughts, pondering his future.
***
Meanwhile on a prominent hill of Nine Suns City.
The entire area close to the city's center belonged to the prominent Gold family. Luxurious villas stood here amidst a picturesque scene of nature.
On the top of the hill was a large manor, the gathering place for the family's most prominent figures.
Right now, a beautiful woman emitting a regal aura faced a group of men and woman, her eyes focused on her husband in the center.
"Glahn O. Gold, you have to do something! This b*stard can't be allowed to be left alive! By poor baby is suffering every day. We don't even know who long it will take for him to recover!"
A middle-aged man with fair skin, short blond hair, and a concerned look on his face hastily placated his wife:
"Don't worry. I guarantee you, if that guy ever takes a step out of the forum, he will definitely die!"
"Hmpf! I hope so!"
Getting a guarantee from her husband, the woman left the room with a prideful stride.
As soon as she disappeared, one of the older women turned towards Glahn:
"Family leader, you really want to act against this Tepmodus? We still haven't figured out his background."
"Nonsense! When did I ever say that we will act?"
"You…? Oh!"
Someone else chimed in:
"Then what about Corian?"
"I think you know what's best for the family."
"Keeping him in a crippled state?"
"Yes! For so long I hoped that someone finally deals with that troublemaker. Now it's just right!"
"What if the Far North Society complains? Corian is still the grandson of their elder."
"What does it have to do with us? We are already doing our best. If they want to have their revenge, they have to do it themselves."
"Don't you think this might shake our alliance?"
"No. Even if my father-in-law is displeased, he can't represent the entire society alone. After so many years our alliance is already tight. My marriage is only symbolic in nature.
On top of that, there is still Konstan!"
As this name fell, the group all had hopeful looks on their faces, realizing that all obstacles in front of the eldest young master were cleared now.