A fog of absurdity clouded my judgment; I was sure of it. Regardless, I stayed composed—composed enough not to do anything foolish before the fight started, at least.
Stepping on the dueling platform's ground had never been so thrilling, so exciting, and so... enraging.
What was I so mad about? He had only disregarded the rules, hurt my newly baptized disciple, and underestimated me.
The others took me for a fool, but I could take it. They made fun of my disciple; both of us can ignore that. So why was it so irritating, so infuriating, that I only had visions of death in my mind and craved for blood to drip from my hands?
While I may not have understood the reasons for my rage back then, I surely understood how strong this unwarranted anger made me.
Meeting the gaze of my approaching prey, a single stare from me made him slightly stumble. Staring longer added weight to the atmosphere, slowing down his movement; it was crushing him down mentally.
Under the increased gravitational pressure of my fighting intent, even the referee struggled to take a step forward and announce the start of our duel.
Hesitation, fear, and doubt—all these emotions leaked out of his mouth while he asked for our names. But he didn't have any time to regret now; our fight had begun right as the last drop of sweat fell from the rock-solid referee's forehead.
''M-May the fight start!''
***
'Drop'
As the fear-induced liquid touched the ground, I also dropped my opponent to the ground with an instantaneous sweep kick. Following the will of the water, tranquilizing my mind in hopes of reducing my anger, each of my attacks flowed like a raging rain of sharpened blades.
Jumping at him like a ravenous beast, I sent a devastating downward elbow strike to his nose, breaking it instantly. Then one right hook to his chin, followed by a left straight punch to his already broken nose. One more blow to his ribcage, another to the temple, a back-fist attack to the archway. He couldn't do anything but tank all my hits; my strength was too superior for him to dodge or even escape my grasp.
Attack after attack, the rage became harder to control, and tempering my burning desire to break him even more was starting to get annoying. Letting go of the way of the serene and calm water, I instead accepted to unleash the flame in my heart to cloak my hands in a frantic heat.
Filled with an indomitable, destructive spirit, I once again lurched at my enemy, sending fury of attack after fury of attack.
Andrew was too tired and shocked to avoid any of my gunshots like punches, and the referee was from Francis's faction, so he would never stop the fight unless Andrew dropped unconscious to the ground or forfeited.
As such, my endless storm of attacks would render him incapable of talking, thus forfeiting. As for Andrew falling unconscious, I would make sure to never let him touch the ground.
Catching him by the neck, I sent him flying up 4 meters in the air, and as he fell, I kicked him with a jolting high kick to the solar plexus. On top of that, as he was still floating, I added a paralyzing knee kick to his jaw. My two attacks had broken his bones; my fire-imbued hands had reduced them to ashes.
Glancing around, I noticed in joy how stunned the public was and how silent everyone had become. The only sound remaining was that of bones breaking, muscles being torn apart, and flesh being struck heavily like a shotgun bullet fired out at a metal plate.
The satisfaction behind such actions—perhaps this was what you were looking for, Andrew. However, taking it out on my faction member was a foolish mistake. Even through my rage, I measured my strength—striking hard enough to break him but careful not to aim any vital points, ensuring I wouldn't kill him.
A minute's worth of time had passed since the beatdown had begun, yet I was far from done.
In a desperate attempt to break free from my clutch, he wobbled his legs around as if he still had the same strength as he had possessed in his fight with Neo.
'Crack'
''Your dull effort in escaping your fate bores me; why can't you muster any strength now, Andrew?'' I whispered in his ears after breaking his left leg.
Relaunching him, I caught him by his broken leg, making him yelp in excruciating pain repetitively. I thought this was the best method to keep him awake while restraining him from forever closing his eyes.
I would inflict major pain on his body consistently, and every minute I would injure him gravely to make him feel even graver suffering, which ultimately kept him awake despite the constant torture.
Just like that, seconds had bloomed into minutes, and a dozen or so blows became hundreds. After seven minutes, the fight ended. The referee couldn't bear to watch the boy's torture any longer. But this was enough. I, was, satisfied.
None of the 124 spectators spoke a word during or after the fight; the crowd was akin to an army of malfunctioning robots: bland, silent, and immovable.
Andrew's body, on the other hand, pulsed strongly due to being traumatized by the pain and wounds it had received. His two legs and arms were broken and torn. His ribcage was fully shattered, and his nose, temple, and archway were destroyed. His entire body had lost 2 kilos from the torture and was covered in blood and coated in countless holes and hematomas.
In a mere seven minutes, I had broken him beyond any hope of repair.
Looking back at Andrew's clan leader and his high-ranking members, I smiled at them wildly. Their faces were filled with anger and shock. I was glad they weren't permitted to interfere in the fight and stop it, as only referees could do so.
Due to such a rule, they were only able to watch their strongest fighter writhe in agony as I demolished his body and mind.
The referee's announcement of my victory initiated the awakening of the masses of bewildered people around us. Four medical students rushed to Andrew to check his condition, fearing that the magical tree might not be able to heal him properly since he had received such critical injuries.
Bernard Christian, on his side, had also witnessed the whole scene. He was furious.
Stepping off the dueling platform, I turned away from my companions, choosing instead to confront Bernard directly. "I can see you're riled up, but I suggest you cease the fire in your heart before it consumes you. Anger me, and you'll only get burned," I said, my voice dripping with arrogance, watching him visibly swallow.
While the man stared at me in confusion and disbelief, I held his gaze, letting the weight of my words sink in, adding to the pressure before continuing, "Your so-called strongest fighter cheated during his duel with Neo. Many people can bear witness to this, and he cheated by poking Neo's eyes. Intentional or not, he took pleasure in beating my disciple when he should have lost. Worse, your referee stood by and did nothing even when he saw everything unfold before his eyes."
Bernard stumbled at the mention of the words disciple and cheating, his composure crumbling as sweat formed on his brow. "I—I wasn't infor—" he stammered, but I cut him off and concluded my warning.
"I've already handled the punishment on your behalf, as this situation concerns me directly. If something like this happens again, outside of a controlled event like this, it won't just end with a beating—someone might end up dead. I trust I've made myself clear. You wouldn't be foolish enough to hold a grudge or seek revenge, would you?"
This final sentence made him shudder.
"C-Cleary, I now get the situation... I'll make sure to discipline this fool as well..." he affirmed, much to my gratification. "Great, I'm overjoyed to hear that our relationship hasn't been broken by such a stupid accident, hahaha." I laughed mockingly and sarcastically.
His shamefully bowed head went up slowly when I moved away from him; this made the nearby followers of the Golden Sun Kingdom and its high executives surge toward him in worry.
My task being complete, I made my way back to my clansmen. As I approached our reserved seating area, my eyes scanned the crowd, instinctively searching for Jasmine. Odd, I thought, that she would be the first person to come to mind, like a bell ringing in an empty hall. But instead of her, I was met by the astounded faces of my clan members—where Jammes and Clark were the first to butcher me with a barrage of questions.
I took my time explaining the full context behind my actions. As I spoke, I could see the tension ease in their eyes, sparkling with pure intensity now, drastically opposed to the somber tone they wore a moment ago. Yet, when I looked at Kal, his expression remained heavy, almost abyssal. Sensing his concern, I decided to pull him aside for a more private conversation after I finished addressing the others.
"Kal, I think we need to talk," I whispered, leaning in close, subtly signaling that I wanted to speak in private. Together, we made our way toward the colorful woodland behind the dueling platform.
"Tell me now, what's wrong?" I asked, though I already had a sense of what weighed on his mind. His grim demeanor had been obvious since I returned. "I couldn't help but notice you've been unusually quiet and gloomy."
He hesitated for a moment before responding, his voice low and troubled. "I just can't bring myself to smile after what I saw earlier," he admitted. "It's not that I disagree with what you did, but you showed a part of yourself to the public that I didn't want you to showcase—cruel, almost bitter, was this demonstration of power." He paused, taking a breath before continuing. "And it's not because I feel disgusted by it that I am feeling concerned; instead, I feel worried about you. Your actions make me question your sanity, Aiden."
This time, it was me who found myself stuck on the roundabout of answers. I struggled to find words to reassure my friend, mostly because I was trying to be honest, yet if I did try to say the truth, then my words would be nothing but a cataclysm of storms for him.
''How long are you going to lie to yourself, Aiden? How long do you think you'll last like that?'' He said abruptly, interrupting my thought process, and he did not stop with the butchering. ''How much more of the secrets you are hiding will you continue to bury down in your heart before it all crumbles up and burns the entire forest? I told you already, and many others did too, that we were here for you.''
In an attempt to answer, I found myself stuttering, unable to counter Kal's words, ''I-I, shoot, I don't know... I...'', cutting me off again, Kal responded in my stead, ''You are clueless about it yourself? Isn't that what you typically answer when I harass you like that? This time, however, I am dead set on hearing a positive answer from you, Aiden.''
''It's not that I am lying to myself, Kal. It's quite more complex.'' I finally found words that fit on my lips and spoke them out like a wind pulse pushing against a rocky hill with all its might. ''My mind... truth be said, is in shambles. And I know for sure that it cannot be repaired. At least not through conventional means, Kal. That being said, I will tell you more once I am ready and more knowledgeable about my situation.''
I knew talking about my mental condition would work as a double-edged sword, so I only revealed insignificant details. ''And no, there's no positive answer to hear from me right now. My actions ten minutes ago—consider them proof that I care for the faction's members. As time goes on, I won't have a choice but to show more of myself, beyond the broken shell of a man I despise. I'm craving the day when people will see my real strength, as it shall be the day they'll know who I am.''
''Is this really worth your self-destruction?'' Kal asked ultimately, his words a final pledge of his worry.
This time, however, I did not hesitate to respond, "Isn't it by dying that the phoenix gets reborn through the flames? Is it not through self-destruction that a man can perfect his body and soul and better himself in the hellish endeavor? What I am doing right now is what I should have done from the beginning, Kal. By successfully shredding my mortal shell, only then will it reveal the man within. By doing so, I will be able to live as myself and let go of the persona impersonating me.''
After my last words, Kal's eyes rattled. He understood their meanings and underlying signification.
With a fluid motion, he lowered his body, inclining his head as he dipped low in reverence. What followed his unusual gesture and show of respect was even more unexpected.
''As your second-in-command, your closest friend, and loyal confidant, I vow to forever remain by your side. I will help you face every challenge, even the demons roaming the difficult roads ahead. I won't doubt you anymore, my king.''
I couldn't see them, but I was sure my eyes brimmed with pride and happiness as Kal spoke those words. ''I'm glad—so glad to hear that. But stand up. You shall bow and call me king once I truly become one.''
''Yes, my leader.'' He replied without hesitation.
Kal's doubt having been somewhat cleared and our conversation finished, we made our way back to the tournament area.
The third round was coming to an end shortly after we returned. Since all fights could happen simultaneously now, with much fewer contestants, it became way faster for the round to finish.
Once the third round ended, Clark informed me of my next enemy for the fourth round. It was the last fighter of the Radiant Dawn sect faction. Its leader, Ava Lux, had made a peculiar request just before our duel. She had asked me to lose on purpose in exchange for any resources available in their faction.
''Oh dear, oh dear, this is not a proper way of acquiring kingship, leader Ava. You must win with sheer strength if you wish to take hold of the crown; bribery won't work on me and surely won't get you any crowns.'' I spoke, my words sharp and harsh, like a tempest running amock a fragile village.
''Is that so... How unfortunate, we could've been allies...'' She tried to threaten me, but unsuccessful she was. ''Are you trying to threaten, Ava?" My words this time were as piercing as a sniper bullet drilling through her very soul.
''I wouldn't... I would never dare to!'' She responded nervously, still quivering from my cold tone. ''It better be true; otherwise, the consequences you'll face will be unimaginable.''
I left her in shock, shaking in her boots as I slowly made my way to the platform.
Disappointingly, my opponent immediately forfeited after getting hit three times in a single second. It seems he never intended to fight me properly and was forced to try his luck.
He went back crying to his quarters as if trying to attract the pity of his clansmen, only to be severely reprimanded by his co-members and leader.
Fifteen minutes later, the other 6 fighters had finished their fights as well. It was time to enter the semi-finals; only four duelists remained now.
The anti-climatic fourth round having been disappointing, I was quite looking forward to this one. In fact, I expected my luck to turn around since only the strongest fighters remained. God, I even anticipated facing off against either Liam, number one of the Ironclad Bastion faction, or Arthur Miller, who was the strongest fighter of the Eternal Horizon clan. Instead, the odds were not only in my disfavor, but they also pitted the only two people I wished to duel with against each other.
The fights were like this:
First fight:
| Aiden | - [Leader of the Heavenly Pandemonium Faction.]
Versus:
| Shawn | - [High-Council member of the Divine Ascension Sect.]
Second fight:
| Arthur | - [Third-in-command of the Eternal Horizon clan.]
Versus:
| Liam | - [Martial art instructor of the Ironclad Bastian faction.]
The second fight was evidently the most anticipated since I was assured of winning mine.
My opponent had been quite lucky with his fights and wound up here on a whim; he had a battle power of 59.
As for Liam's combat power, it has already been stated to be at 63; however, for Arthur Miller, I had no clue how high it was. But before I could inquire further, the terrain before my eyes started to transform.
Everybody retreated backward, and this caused quite a panic since everyone else from the other platforms was gathered at the fourth one, which had the most space.
The 260 people, including the traumatized Andrew, ran back due to the fourth platform expanding two times larger and the environmental surroundings taking a shape better accommodated to watch the duels take place. Now we had a proper semi-final and final dueling arena.
Marble pillars of golden carvings appeared on each extremity of the arena, and some weird cauldrons of a dark-ish, used-up bronze taint and silver embroidery could be seen at their tops. Blue flames lit up on each of four of those pots.
Magnificent ores of deep-sea sapphire color appeared on the former bland marble stairs and gave them an otherworldly aura.
Between the two front pillars was an arch, which had a rectangular wooden board that showed the names of the two first duelists. This indicated that Liam and Arthur would be the first up.
A timer formed in the shape of a clock right below the right corner of the golden archway.
They both hurried to the middle of the arena while everyone else took their seats on the many floating stages that had just fallen from the skies. Without such a height of view, we wouldn't be able to see anything that happens on the platform.
When the timer reached 1 minute, rules stating that only the martial artist who faints loses formed on the top of the arc. So if the two combatants were still standing after a bitter fight, the fight wouldn't end. One of them had to fall unconscious.
The clock's second hand seemed to tick faster and faster as we all anticipated the upcoming duel. Time had no more meaning ever since this clock had appeared; seconds felt like hours, and each passing tick felt more and more distant, almost twisted. The space around it felt more distorted as well, as if it controlled space-time.
Nevertheless, once it ticked its last tick, this sinister pressure waned away. Liam's and Arthur's fight could start.
As I had been told, Arthur's fighting style was clever and forceful. It was not as flashy as Liam's, yet it still made sense for me to think Liam would end up victorious.
His combat power was great; he had defeated somebody 4 units in strength above him easily and was a smart, calculated, extremely experienced, and ruthless fighter. He possessed all the qualities of a seasoned veteran who had both talent and hard work under his belt.
On the other side, I didn't know much about Arthur, but he was focused on being overly defensive.
At this point, minutes had passed, and the duel had mostly been Liam being on the offensive all the time while Arthur either dodged or tanked the attacks of his adversary. We all thought that the winner was clear: Liam would face off against me in the finals.
How naive.
Liam, who had grown bored of the repetitiveness of the duel, burst out with full strength and unleashed a torrent of kicks and punches; each one of them could put to sleep people with neat and endurant build effortlessly. The sound they made on impact was surreal, matching the sound of my rampaging assault on Andrew. However, his only lasted for about 40 seconds; mine lasted multiple minutes while controlling my strength.
We expected it to be the end, but once Liam's attempt to dominate his enemy was over, what dwelt was a gasping Liam and a fresh, smiling Arthur. Catching him off-guard, Arthur sent a spinning back-kick to Liam's ribcage, breaking it as though it were made of plastic.
Liam flinched down from the pain, and Arthur punched thrice to finish him. A left uppercut to the chin followed by a right overhand to the temple, which connected with a left downward straight elbow strike to the solar plexus. The whole spinning triple attack combo felt like a dance—a wild dance so fast and brutal it felt unreal.
Arthur then marched away slowly towards the stairs, menacingly. And before he reached them, Liam fell to the ground, blood plunging from his mouth.
This result took everyone by surprise; this was unforeseen.
A round of applause still rang out nonetheless once Arthur's victory was announced.
The board indicated his victory and put his name on the final line.
It was soon my turn to go, and right before my battle started, Shawn tried to forfeit; however, a new rule appeared stating that it was not permitted. He became as pale as a ghost at the news but had no intentions of backing away now.
I immediately sprinted at him once the timer jingled. He had a good fighting sense, his stance was quite steady, and he definitely had great physical strength and the body of an athlete, but this was it.
Not showing him any mercy, I sent unforgiving, full-powered blows at him to end the fight as quickly as possible. His 80-kilogram-strong physique barely withstood ten blows, and once he quacked down, my right leg flew at light speed into his chin with a spinning hook kick.
He dropped dead in 8 seconds.
The outcome of my duel also caused a stir for how short it lasted, and it took quite a while for the public to quiet down. Ignoring their chatter and praises, I thought back about Arthur's skills and power, and something felt off.
Was someone with a strength value of 63 and who won against somebody four units stronger than himself, so weak as to lose in mere seconds and four hits to an opponent who did nothing but let himself be hit during the entirety of the fight.
'His combat power... It's at least 70. It has to be that or higher.' I reflected, forgetting to step off the dueling platform.
Once I came back to my senses, I noticed the timer on the clock had been reset; in five minutes it would be time for the finals.
Thinking back about the last three rounds, they ended way faster compared to the first two, and there were almost no pauses in between each round. Moreover, this transition was very abrupt, but much to my pleasure. It looked as though God was in a rush to wrap things up and let us go through our first ascension.
I was looking forward to it.
But before that, I had a last battle to win.
Jasmine, Noel, Francis, Jammes, Kal, Clark, and many other people from either my faction or simply allies, all cheered for my victory. It was quite overwhelming; it felt like there were clouds in my brain for a moment.
Clark and Jasmine even went as far as to hug me, which startled me. I mean, I can understand Jasmine, but damn, even Clark?
''Bring us victory, Aiden!''
''You're the worthiest candidate for kingship here; don't let us down!"
"Beat him up, Aiden!''
''Be careful of his shrewdness, leader Aiden; this guy's no joke.''
''Aiden, Aiden, Aiden!''
Many people began acclaiming me, supporting me, giving advice, and asking for me to win and to do my best. Under such positive comments, how could one be unshaken? It touched my soul for this many people to cheer me up, especially when compared to Arthur, who only had a dozen or so supporters.
"Just focus and try your best; don't stress, alright?'' Kal spoke as if he believed I would be anxious over a fight. Before I could make a joke, Clark intervened, ''That's right, no need to be anxious or afraid; you can win as long as you stay level-headed and chill.''
I wanted to speak my mind, but I was yet again interrupted, ''Yeah, they're right, Aiden. Don't fear losing, it's fine even if you do lose!''
'Guys... I am actually 100% confident to win this fight and am excited as fuck about facing off against Arthur; why are you saying such stuff?' Was what I badly wanted to say out loud, but nobody would let me express myself.
''Break him down, AIDENNNN!'' A sixteen-year-old girl yelled in the crowd; it turns out she was the same stuttering girl who Kal deduced had been forced to speak on stage during the leader selection vote counting.
Noel also added her own little comment after hearing the shy introverted girl yell, ''Hey, don't feel nervous, Aiden, it will be alright.''
'Gosh, even you, Noel... I still have eleven units of strength locked that I am not using...'
''Guys, stop it... I am not feeling nervous at all, so don't worry; I'll kick this guy's ass and crown myself right after. Just watch me and take notes, you brats.'' My bold remark was effective as they stopped uselessly worrying for me; instead, they began laughing and joking. ''Look at him flexing, hahaha. That's the Aiden I like to see.'' Benjamin sneered.
''Here he goes again; now we can't stop the beast.''
We lost ourselves in laughter for the last time before the Well of Ascension ceremony. This helped me calm down fully. I had not realized how fast my heart rate had been since I had stepped off the stage.
I'm guessing I did feel unconsciously nervous, after all. This would also explain how only they were able to notice my anxiousness and not me.
But now any traces of concern and unease were gone. Only the will to crush the wall in front of me lingered in my heart.
Going up the stage, thirty seconds down the clock, a crowd louder than a full stadium was causing a stir behind me; everything felt so strange yet pleasing. It hadn't even been long since the world had completely changed, and the fact that I was here, contesting for the position of a ''Region king'' wielding sovereignty over perhaps hundreds of thousands of people, was insane.
Arthur and I were finally facing off, locked in a stare, each of us returning the other's gaze in unwavering intensity. The clock's rhythm was chanting in my ears as time began to dance.
'10'
'9'
'8'
The remorseless ticking echoed like a melody.
A war song now softened to a whispering hymn.
'7'
'6'
'5'
Yet the faceless god remained unseen.
Even in the finals, his true form remained unknown.
But surely he grinned—a knower of all things.
'4'
'3'
'2'
In the end, the evergreen forest keeps its secrets,
and for those truths to unfold, fearless and doubtless,
we shall remain, as strength must prevail.
'1...'
[Global-System-Notice]: ["The final duel starts now!"]
'0'
When the countdown hit zero, I was still grappling with how to bring him down. My strength was sealed, likely making me physically weaker than him. Thankfully, he made the first move, giving me a chance to act.
'What... what is this stance?' I thought, utterly baffled. His arms were positioned as if he were wielding a weapon—possibly a spear. His body was slightly tilted forward, leaving almost no visible weak points in his defense.
Even so, I sprang into action. Quickly darting from side to side, I aimed to confuse him, landing jabs and straight punches. But no hooks or body shots were fast enough to break through his defenses.
Only then did I grasp the raw insanity of my opponent's strength, realizing too late the necessity of using 100% of mine—even if it was just 100% of my sealed power. For the sake of training, I had deliberately asked the system to restrict my combat capabilities. As a result, I was fighting with the power of a warrior with 70 units of combat strength, the same power I had shown during the cross-region meeting. Fortunately for me, I could still rely on my unique martial arts skills and experience.
Perhaps it was arrogant of me to avoid using my full power, but I believed overcoming this challenge with such a disadvantage would be a valuable learning experience.
Excitation washed over me as I charged at him with renewed energy. Arthur's face tightened in shock as each of my strikes felt like a truck slamming into him.
I targeted his vital points with precision, but he expertly countered or deflected most of my attacks. Then, with a sudden front kick, he pushed me back. He leaped forward, launching a piercing right jab from his corkscrew boxing stance. I barely evaded the spear-like jab and, seizing his arm, used it to amplify the force of my question-mark kick. His legs wobbled slightly from the impact.
By instinct and from experience, I instantly went for a leg sweep, but it was a trap. My strike hadn't fazed him in the slightest.
He caught both my legs, attempting to crush my solar plexus with a charged front kick. I twisted my body just enough to dodge the clumsy strike, using the opening to grip his left leg hard on a vulnerable vital point. Not fast enough to pull his leg back, he chose to sacrifice it and instead aimed to shatter my nose with a brutal punch.
I risked my elbow again, using it to block the incoming missile of a punch. The sheer force of the impact sent me flying four meters back, despite my trained martial artist physique. But I managed to land cleanly on my feet, though I had taken the brunt of the hit.
One elbow for one leg—it was a trade in my favor.
Limping toward me, he assumed a forceful stance and anchored his feet to the ground. He then unleashed a never-ending fusillade of mixed strikes—unpredictable back-fist attacks blended with Kyokushin's karate kicks and varied boxing punches. Each strike came from different stances, making his attack pattern even more erratic.
He was throwing everything he had into this assault. His blows felt slow yet unavoidable, each packed with colossal power, seemingly producing a sonic boom with every impact. He seemed to crush the air itself, his strikes sounding like explosive bullets tearing toward me.
I kept stepping back, calculating the distance between us with precision despite my aching muscles and fatigue. When the gap narrowed to just over a meter, I jolted forward, catching him by surprise. I faked a knee strike, lifting my leg slightly. He reacted by throwing a single punch to my left side, while his stronger right hand remained poised to block.
Seizing the moment yet again, I twisted my legs in a spinning motion, generating immense speed, and in one swift breath, delivered a spinning back-fist to his exposed liver. It connected. Without pause, I skipped my stance and followed up with a side kick. He blocked it swiftly, but I retracted it halfway, baiting him to raise his guard again, preparing to strike with the same kick.
However, he opted for a double-leg takedown to bring me down. His speed had diminished, so I used his momentum against him, countering with a knee kick to his abdomen that I extended into a high kick aimed at his chin. But he didn't falter and managed to pin me to the ground.
His weight bore down on me, making it difficult to move. Still, by sheer struggle and luck, I managed to headbutt his chin, stunning him for a split second. That brief opening was all I needed. In that moment, I latched onto his right leg and locked in a heel hook. Rotating hard to break his knee joints and ligaments.
His adrenaline must have saved him from experiencing the pain because he barely twitched, but his second leg was about to give up.
Desperate to prevent permanent damage, he managed to lift me up, but this worked to my advantage. While airborne, I contracted my core, drawing closer to him, and executed the "Death Touch" technique from Dim Mak.
I targeted his jawline to disorient him and followed up with a "Sui Sha" strike to the ears, further disrupting his balance. With his legs now as feeble as a toddler's, he automatically crumpled to one knee. Embracing the opportunity to end the fight, I poured my all into a flurry of attacks to his vital points and chin. He struggled to defend himself against my ferocious assault and unyielding will to vanquish, and after a moment, I quickly found myself conquering this beast of a warrior whom I once thought invulnerable.
After what felt like hours, I finally ceased my rampage and dropped to one knee as well, totally exhausted. Gasping for breath and wiping the sweat from my brow, I coughed up a mouthful of blood. Squinting through my fatigue, I searched for my opponent, my vision half-closed.
When I couldn't see him in front of me, I lowered my gaze and found Arthur lying on the ground, unconscious.
I was victorious.
[Global-System-Notice]: ["Congratulations to the participant Aiden Glain, leader of the Heavenly Pandemonium faction, for winning the martial arts tournament.'']
***
''Have I... won?'' Aiden struggled to speak, his mouth dry and his breath stolen.
Aiden was still disoriented, his mind clouded by the adrenaline coursing through him from the fight, on top of his overwhelming fatigue. Even though he was completely drained, he didn't want to lower his guard. Thoughts of survival flashed through his mind, considering how he could defend himself if the man woke up and tried to strangle him. But then, suddenly, a voice gentle enough to soothe even the wildest of beasts calmed his frantic mind.
"Yes, Aiden, you've won beautifully.''
''You can be proud. This battle will be written in books and records; becoming a legend in our region's history.''
The voice grew clearer and louder once the forest began to heal Aiden. His vision returned to normal, and he immediately recognized the speaker. It was Jasmine.
''Argh!'' Aiden groaned, his muscles still aching from overuse.
"How foolish of me, not taking this fight seriously... I'm already half-healed yet I'm still a mess."
Jasmine chuckled at Aiden's words and offered him her hand to help him stand.
"Quite the strength you have there, princess,'' Aiden remarked as he was easily lifted by Jasmine, with only minimal effort on his part. She laughed, steadying him as they began to descend the stairs. ''I think it's just you who's very light. What are you, 60 kilos?''
"Less—57, actually."
"That's crazy! For the strongest fighter in our region, you're as light as a feather!" Jasmine joked innocently, but her words pierced right through Aiden's pride, causing him to feel slightly hurt.
''As light as a feather, huh, would you prefer it if I was a bulky, 200-kilo musclehead? I'll have you know, 57 kilos is actually...''
Aiden's explanation of why he was not as light as a feather was abruptly cut short by the sound of cheers and applause from over two hundred people.
''Look, they're clapping for you, Aiden," Jasmine said, trying to lighten his mood after realizing her earlier remark had vexed him.
"No shit, Sherlock. Of course, they're clapping for me.''
Her face turned red from embarrassment, but before she could retort, a huge crowd formed around them. Most showered him with praise, some asked questions about the fight, and some others even brought up political matters, as Aiden was now their ''King.''
Aiden handled the formalities swiftly, answering most questions. Just as he finished, something anticipated by all came to pass.
''Welcome back, humans. You have broken all records in this tournament—completing it in just five hours with 64 participants. This will bring further benefits to you all for your speed of execution, and even more for the winner, Aiden Glain.''
''Let's be honest, you could have won the final round in under ten seconds had you not sealed your true strength.''
As God's voice echoed, everyone turned to Aiden, stupidly astonished. Did he really have more up his sleeves than what they had witnessed?
''I think there's been a misunderstanding; I have no idea what you're talking about.'' Aiden attempted to lie since he was still not willing to reveal his true strength to the public. But talking aloud against God was also to confirm something—was the 'God' speaking to them right now him speaking in direct, or a pre-recorded message?
''Don't worry. I won't speak further on the matter, Aiden. For now, please follow the glowing purple moths floating in the air. They will guide you to the true Well of Ascension.''
Aiden had his answer, and he was satisfied.
Without further delay, everyone slowly tagged along behind the moths.
The path led them behind the fourth dueling platform, about a hundred meters forward into the forest, then two hundred meters to the right. After this, the trail became more complex, winding through trees and tiny rivers and ending at another portal similar to the one they had used to reach the tournament's area.
What awaited them beyond the portal was a sight so mindblowing it felt like a dream.
''Is this... real?'' one man muttered, too stunned to even realize he'd spoken aloud. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces, they were equally shocked.
The former towering and imposing mystical tree, which had seemed to expand infinitely toward the sky, now stood only a few hundred meters tall. But it was even more splendid and imposing.
From the tree, still enormous in width, fell giant vines and chains that were holding many platforms on different levels of height. Each one of them had basins filled with a foreign translucent, azure-blue liquid.
'This... I feel like I know this liquid... but how is that possible? I've never seen it before...' Wondered Aiden upon seeing a cubic basin containing an unknown but seemingly familiar liquid.
Aiden's body reacted strongly to the foreign liquid as if it were reuniting with a missing part of its being.
"Alright, everyone will now receive a system notification indicating their assigned pool and how long they may stay in it. However, before you begin, I want to explain two important things. Firstly, your ability to absorb the liquid vastly depends on your contribution and progress over the last three months, as well as your mental fortitude. This will determine how much of the liquid your body can take in. And yes, this is how the Well of Ascension works. You have to bathe in the basin that was assigned to you.''
"Secondly, although more time spent in the pool theoretically allows for greater absorption, if you lack the aptitude, the process will stop even if you still have time left."
"Lastly, you don't need to perform any specific action to absorb the liquid. Simply sit cross-legged and calm your mind. The rest is for you to discover. And a warning to those who try to cheat and stay beyond their allotted time—if you remain even ten seconds too long, you will die. So stay alert and do not let any whispers or voices mislead you, they may try to force you into an eternal slumber."
''Good luck with your absorption. When everyone has completed their 'minor ascension', you will be shown the way out. As for the others who stayed at your respective factions, they will have one month to come here and submerge their bodies as well. After that, it will be too late. Goodbye and best of luck to you all, proud warriors of Shandia. We shall meet again during the next major event."
***
'And here he goes, vanishing for months again. And what did he mean by Shandia?' I thought to myself, frustrated. I wanted to know more but asking questions to God came to my mind only after he was gone. It felt like he had somehow brainwashed us into not questioning him while he was present.
Anyway, it was time to receive our reward.
Everyone opened their status windows to check their notifications, and I did the same.
[System-Notice]: - Section 'Private-Message' - God [''Your basin slot is number: 5.07.F. The number '5' indicates the floor, which means you have to go up five times by using any of the many floral elevators. '07' refers to the platform number specifically, and F is the section. Floating branches with information concerning the floors and sections can be found everywhere so you won't get lost. As for entering the Tree of Ascension, you may follow the dark stone pavement marked with golden apple symbols. It will lead you to either the first-floor elevators or the first-level basin for those unworthy of going higher."]
[-Second Notice-]: [''As for your allowed time, you may submerge your body for an hour and three minutes. Good luck."]
'Alright...' I muttered.
Knowing I always sucked at finding my way, I came up with the idea to search for Arthur instead.
Why? Because he probably had the second-highest floor allocation besides me, hence we could go together for most of the way.
I spotted him quite easily—he was still reading his message.
''Arthur, have you finished reading your notification?'' I asked, feeling a bit guilty when he glanced up at me.
''Oh, leader Aiden. Yes, I've finished ready. I'm heading to the fourth floor. May I be of help?''
'Damn, I thought he'd be mad at me, but he's not. He's quite the mature guy, good to know.'
"Well... I'm pretty bad at directions, and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind accompanying me to the fourth floor? I worry about getting lost, to be honest," I proposed. His response ended up being far more positive than I thought it would.
"Haha, who would've thought you'd still worry about getting lost with all these instructions? Sure, no problem. Let's tag along. I'm guessing you're headed to the fifth floor, right?" Arthur's kind tone was a stark contrast to the fierce atmosphere he carried during the finals.
''Thanks alot, I'll remember it. And yes, the fifth floor is where I'm headed''
Along the way, I noted how scarce the so-called ''Indications'' actually were. The size of the tree's interior being just as gigantic as its exterior also did not help. I would've definitely gotten lost without Arthur leading the way.
When we reached the 'Floral Elevator', we both stared at each other in awe.
It was exactly as the name implied, but more magical than we could've imagined, of course. We stood on what looked like green water, surrounded by heaps of vines and golden leaves which formed a solid wall. There was also water above us, but, just like the floor, it was rock solid even though it looked like liquid water.
On the fourth floor, Arthur and I bid temporary goodbyes. I could tell by the look in his eyes that something bothered him, but there was not enough time to dwell on it. I let the elevator carry me to the next floor while emptying my mind of doubts, as a true warrior shall.
Upon reaching my destination, I stepped out of the elevator and searched for section 'F'. surprisingly, it was quite easy to find. I simply followed the golden-paved path as per the instructions—how ironic!
And finally, after walking for a few minutes, I found it.
My basin was at the outermost, left corner of the tree. I could even see the exit portal from where I stood. That's how goddamn high I was.
I re-read my instructions one last time to ensure I wouldn't overstay my time. Then, taking a deep breath, I immersed myself in the astral-looking liquid.
Woosh
Suddenly, a rush of energy surged through me, as if super-sonic wind blows infused with vitamins were piercing my body from all directions—but there was no wind.
The liquid was doing something to my body, and I instinctively knew it was good.
I sat in the lotus position, and closed my eyes, letting myself drift through an endless ocean of energy. Yes, this was the right word to describe this feeling. It felt like I was hovering in the sky while a rain of energy fell from invisible clouds, seeping into my body.
I had never felt more alive. My mind and body were in perfect harmony—so strong and revitalized that I felt like I could jump over a mountain.
But after God knows how long, pain surfaced amidst my inner peace. My body burned, and sweat poured from me. I didn't dare open my eyes, but it felt like something squishy and liquid was oozing out of my pores.
How could I even know that?
Then, as quickly as the pain came, it subsided, replaced by a tranquil wave of comfort. And then the cycle repeated—pain, then relief, then pain, then relief, over and over again.
After what felt like an eternity, I received a voice system notice warning me that I had only one minute left.
Opening my eyes, I was taken aback by how much the water level had dropped in just under an hour. 'I must have absorbed at least 50% of it, the water only reaches up to my solar plexus now.'
Pleased by the sight, although slightly concerned by the fact that it was filled with a dark and slimy liquid, I exited the basin once the timer indicated '3 seconds left.'
Upon standing up, my body felt oddly uncomfortable, as if it wasn't mine.
''Open status window.''
[Status window]: 'Aiden Glain, 17Y, Male'
[Social Status: 'King' and Leader of Region 7. [Number of followers in total]: '????' to be confirmed.
[Martial Arts user: Boxing 'High Tier Expert' - Wing Chun 'Mid Tier Expert' - Dim Mak 'Low Tier Master' - Karate 'Mid Tier proficient' - Taekwondo 'High Tier Proficient' - Muay Tai 'Low Tier Proficient' - Kickboxing 'Mid Tier amateur']
***
'See more'
"So, this is the strength of a first stage Ascended human? How wonderful.''
[Unique-Title: 'Limit breaker'] [Unique-Title: 'The one who overcomes adversity with pride']
[Energy-Core]: ['Stage' - Dormant; 'Rank' - Bronze]
[Battle Score: 243] - 'Sealed'
***
'The adventure is truly starting now' Aiden thought to himself while approaching the edge of the platform he stood on. With awe, he noticed how clearly he was able to distinguish every person on the ground, over one hundred and fifty meters below.
'Whoosh!'
With a confident stride, Aiden made a rash decision from the overexcitement and jumped. The wind howled past his ears as he hurtled downward, the ground rushing up to meet him.
***
'Thud!'
When he landed, the force of the impact created a massive crater beneath his feet, its size being larger than two grown men combined. Liam and Arthur, who had just finished their ascensions ten minutes ago, stared in disbelief. Their eyes wide, brimming with astonishment, met Aiden's as he dusted himself off.
Aiden suddenly felt a surge of power that coursed down his entire system. It was raw, untamed, and stimulating. He clenched his fists, testing his newfound strength, and a grin quickly formed on his lips.
''This... This is true strength,'' he whispered, his voice barely audible over the murmur of the stunned crowd. And despite the thrill, a part of him still couldn't quite grasp the full extent of what he had just done.
But at that moment, as excitement and bewilderment rippled through the onlookers, one thing was certain: The world as they knew it was changing, changing ever more than it already had. Magic, monsters, and powers beyond everyone's comprehension were now becoming their reality.
A fantasy had come to life, and their fates would be woven into its ever-unfolding story. The path ahead would be anything but simple, but that was what made it exhilarating.
This was only the beginning. And Aiden knew that the true adventure, with all its wonders and dangers, awaited just beyond the horizon.