The crowd was still buzzing with excitement as Aetheron stepped out of the arena. Even after the battle had ended, his heart was still pounding.
His fight with Riven had revealed something new about his power—something dangerous.
The Bind he had devoured… it hadn't disappeared.
It had become a part of him.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the faint traces of that energy still lingering beneath his skin. He could sense the structure of Riven's technique, almost like a muscle he had never used before.
Could he replicate it?
Would it stay permanently?
Aria caught up to him, frowning. "You pushed yourself too far."
"I won, didn't I?" Aetheron muttered.
Aria crossed her arms. "That's not the point. That… thing you did. You didn't just break out of the Bind—you absorbed it, didn't you?"
Aetheron hesitated.
Then, he nodded.
Aria exhaled. "This is bad."
Aetheron raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because if you can take abilities like that, do you really think no one will notice?"
She wasn't wrong.
There were always people watching.
People with power.
And in this place—where the strong ruled and the weak were nothing—someone like Aetheron was valuable.
Or worse—dangerous.
Before he could respond, Rael approached, his usual smirk in place.
"That was one hell of a fight," he said, clapping Aetheron on the back. "You made Riven look like an amateur."
Aetheron sighed. "It wasn't that easy."
"Could've fooled me," Rael laughed. "But listen, you might want to lay low for a bit."
Aetheron frowned. "Why?"
Rael's smirk faded slightly.
"Because someone important was watching."
Aetheron's body tensed.
Rael gestured subtly toward the upper balcony of the arena.
A figure stood there, draped in black and gold robes.
Even from this distance, Aetheron could feel it—a presence.
And then—
The figure turned.
Golden eyes.
Aetheron's breath caught in his throat.
It was the same man from before.
A Warning in the Dark
That night, Aetheron couldn't sleep.
His mind kept replaying the battle, the moment he had absorbed Riven's technique, and the golden-eyed man watching from the shadows.
Who was he?
And why was he so interested in Aetheron?
He sat up with a sigh, running a hand through his hair.
A faint noise caught his attention.
Aetheron froze.
There it was again—footsteps.
Someone was outside.
Silently, he moved to the door.
Then—
A blade pierced through the wood, stopping inches from his chest.
Aetheron barely had time to react before the entire door was kicked open.
A masked figure rushed in, dagger aimed straight for his throat.
Aetheron dodged—barely.
The blade sliced past his cheek, drawing blood.
His instincts took over.
He countered with a punch, but the assassin twisted mid-air, dodging with inhuman speed.
Aetheron's eyes narrowed.
This guy was fast.
Faster than anyone he had fought before.
No—
It wasn't just speed.
It was calculated. Precise.
Like they knew exactly how he would move before he even did.
Aetheron pivoted, aiming a kick at their ribs.
The assassin blocked effortlessly, then lashed out with another strike.
Aetheron ducked.
The dagger barely missed his neck.
He couldn't afford to keep dodging.
He had to end this.
His fingers twitched.
He could feel it—that lingering trace of Riven's Bind still within him.
Could he use it?
There was only one way to find out.
Aetheron focused, reaching into that new energy within him—
And unleashed it.
Crimson tendrils lashed out from his hands, snapping toward the assassin like whips.
Their eyes widened in surprise.
But they were too late.
The Bind locked around their arms, restricting their movements.
Aetheron lunged—
Fist connecting squarely with their gut.
The assassin coughed, stumbling backward.
Aetheron pressed forward.
Another punch.
Then another.
And another.
The assassin was fast—but now, they couldn't escape.
Not with Aetheron's new power holding them down.
He grabbed them by the collar, slamming them against the wall.
"Who sent you?" Aetheron demanded.
The assassin said nothing.
Then—
Aetheron felt it.
A sudden shift in energy.
His eyes widened.
A self-destruction technique.
The assassin's body began to glow faintly.
"No—!"
Aetheron threw them back just in time.
The assassin's body exploded into dark smoke—vanishing without a trace.
Aetheron stood there, breathing hard.
The room was silent again.
But he wasn't alone.
From the shadows, a voice spoke.
"Impressive."
Aetheron spun around.
There, leaning casually against the wall—
Was the golden-eyed man.
The Sovereign's Mark
The air in the room felt heavy.
This man wasn't just strong.
His presence alone felt like a weight pressing down on Aetheron's chest.
"Who are you?" Aetheron asked, keeping his stance defensive.
The man smiled faintly. "Someone who has been watching you for a long time."
Aetheron clenched his fists.
The man tilted his head. "Your power… it's growing faster than I expected."
He took a step closer.
"Tell me, Aetheron," he continued. "Have you wondered what happens when you devour too much?"
Aetheron didn't answer.
The man's smile widened.
Then—
Aetheron felt it.
Something inside him… shifted.
His vision blurred for a second. His body felt wrong.
Like something was pulling at him from the inside.
Then, a sharp burning sensation spread across his chest.
Aetheron gasped.
He looked down—
A mark was appearing on his skin.
Dark. Jagged. Ancient.
The golden-eyed man's voice was soft.
"A gift."
Aetheron gritted his teeth, trying to fight back the overwhelming force overtaking him.
But it was no use.
His legs buckled.
The last thing he saw before his vision faded—
Were those golden eyes.
Watching.
Waiting.
And then—
Everything went black.