[18th June]
Rylen stood frozen after receiving Gravion's counterattack.
His breathing was uneven.
His body trembled slightly.
To everyone watching, it looked over.
The match had already reached its conclusion.
Even the audience had begun murmuring among themselves, believing Gravion had completely crushed him.
But Gravion's eyes told a different story.
His grip around the spear slowly tightened.
His posture didn't relax even slightly.
Instead…
His stance became sharper.
Like a predator waiting for a hidden beast to finally reveal its fangs.
And just as he expected—
The real battle began now.
The reason Gravion remembered Rylen so clearly from his previous life wasn't because of his flames alone.
It was because of the gloves.
Those strange gauntlets fused around Rylen's fists.
The very symbol of the future Ranker known across battlefields as—
The Flame Monger.
Those gloves were not ordinary equipment.
They were vessels.
Catalysts capable of amplifying and synchronising with Rylen's monstrous flame affinity.
The future Rylen had once burned battlefields into seas of ash.
Entire hordes of beasts had disappeared beneath his infernos.
And the title 'Monger of Flames' wasn't given because he controlled fire beautifully.
It was because wherever he walked…
Death followed in blazing waves.
'Even though he hasn't reached his peak yet…'
Gravion narrowed his eyes.
'The strength this guy holds right now is already enough to terrify anyone below Acolyte rank.'
The temperature inside the stadium rose once more.
This time, however…
It wasn't simple heat.
The air itself began boiling.
Distorted waves rippled across the battlefield.
Several spectators instinctively backed away despite the protective barrier.
Tiny droplets of moisture evaporated in front of people's eyes before even touching the ground.
Even the referee, who had practically glued himself to the wall, was drenched in sweat.
Meanwhile, Gravion quietly circulated mana through his body to resist the heat.
For the first time since entering the tournament…
The relaxed aura around him disappeared.
Because the Rylen before him now—
Was the incomplete awakening of the true Flame Monger.
Rylen remained silent.
Then suddenly—
BOOOOM!
Flames exploded outward from his body like a volcano erupting after centuries of suppression.
The entire area around him became a blazing inferno.
Fire wrapped around his figure violently while his own body stood at the center of it all.
As though he himself had become the source of the flames.
But Gravion's guard didn't lower for even a second.
Because he knew exactly what kind of monster was about to appear.
"HAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
A ferocious scream burst out from within the inferno.
The next moment—
Something shot out from the flames.
Fast.
Violently fast.
Most people thought it was another flame projectile.
But instead of blocking it head-on, Gravion instantly shifted his footing to dodge.
And the reason became clear immediately.
The figure bursting from the flames wasn't an attack.
It was Rylen himself.
The fire coating his body peeled away slightly as his figure became visible.
The crowd gasped.
Flames clung tightly to his entire body like molten armour.
His gauntlets had fused with the blazing energy surrounding him.
Every movement released sparks and waves of heat.
Even his eyes glowed faintly crimson beneath the dancing flames.
Then—
BOOOOM!
Rylen shot forward.
His speed had doubled compared to before.
Gravion smirked beneath the damaged mask.
Finally.
Now this felt interesting.
He stepped forward with equal force.
BANG!
Rylen's flaming fist collided against Gravion's spear shaft.
A shockwave exploded outward.
Flames burst around them wildly as both figures exchanged attacks at terrifying speed.
Every strike Rylen threw carried violent waves of fire.
Each punch looked capable of reducing flesh into charcoal.
Yet Gravion continued advancing through the inferno.
Though not without cost.
Parts of his armour were already blackened.
His cloak had long since burned away.
Even the mask hiding his identity had begun cracking beneath the relentless heat.
For the first time in the tournament—
Gravion started getting serious.
Mana surged through his body.
His footwork changed instantly.
Smooth.
Sharp.
Controlled.
His spear spun through the air repeatedly, reinforced by energy to endure the terrifying heat coating Rylen's attacks.
Even then, the spear had already turned scorching red from prolonged exposure.
The heat was beginning to burn his palms through the grip.
Something he clearly disliked.
Rylen roared again.
A storm of flames poured toward Gravion like a crashing waterfall.
Gravion rotated the spear rapidly before himself.
WHOOOSH!
The spinning spear formed a defensive barrier, tearing apart the incoming flames.
Still…
The heat kept rising.
Gravion clicked his tongue inwardly.
His eyes briefly landed on the half-burned edge of his mask.
'Even though I respect you…'
His gaze sharpened.
'That doesn't mean I'll let you reveal my identity here.'
The next second—
BOOM!
He swung the spear in a massive arc.
The pressure behind the strike forced Rylen backwards several meters.
Then Gravion suddenly planted the butt of his spear into the ground.
THUD!
He stood completely still afterwards.
Like an unmoving pillar amidst the burning battlefield.
The audience instantly fell into confusion.
"What is he doing?"
"Why stop now?!"
"His opponent is right there!"
But among the older martial artists and veteran warriors…
Several expressions changed.
Because they recognised that stance.
He was gathering power.
Preparing a decisive strike.
Meanwhile, Rylen was already charging again through the flames.
But Gravion ignored the incoming pressure entirely.
His eyes slowly closed.
Deep inside his body…
Within the center of his dantian…
Three tiny droplets floated silently.
Dark.
Dense.
Heavy beyond imagination.
A faint strand of unknown energy swirled around them.
Gravion's expression tightened slightly.
Even he felt pain using them.
Because those three incomplete droplets…
Were the greatest achievement of his cultivation art so far.
Partial Dragon Energy.
Failed products.
Incomplete.
Yet even these incomplete remnants were terrifying enough.
'I need more mana…'
His brows furrowed slightly.
'I have to fully replace the qi inside my body one day.'
'Only then can I truly cultivate Dragon Mana.'
'Only then… will the real strength of this cultivation art awaken.'
He exhaled slowly.
One of the dark droplets trembled.
Then shot through his internal pathways instantly.
The energy surged toward his arm.
At the same time, Gravion guided mana through a complex circulation route.
The moment both energies merged—
The pressure around him changed completely.
Meanwhile, Rylen had also reached his limit.
Flames gathered wildly around his right arm.
A massive burning fist condensed before him, large enough to distort the air violently.
He lunged forward with everything he had.
The audience held their breath.
Some even shut their eyes instinctively.
Because the collision about to happen looked catastrophic.
Then—
Gravion moved.
His eyes snapped open.
A faint strand of darkness wrapped around the energy coating his fist.
Subtle.
Almost invisible.
Yet the moment it appeared—
The four spirits inside Rey simultaneously focused their attention.
Even Rey himself felt his instincts scream slightly.
But they weren't the only ones who noticed.
Somewhere high above the stadium…
Another gaze quietly locked onto Gravion.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
The two attacks collided.
But unlike everyone expected—
There was no deadlock.
No explosion struggle.
The moment Gravion's fist touched Rylen's flaming attack—
The flames shattered apart.
Completely.
Like fragile glass breaking beneath an overwhelming force.
Rylen's condensed fire energy exploded into countless fragments.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
And before he could react—
Gravion's fist pierced straight through the collapsing flames…
And slammed directly into Rylen's abdomen.
BAAAAAANG!
A horrifying shockwave erupted across the battlefield.
Rylen's body folded instantly.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Then his entire figure was launched across the arena like a broken cannonball.
CRAAAAASH!
His body slammed violently into the stadium wall.
The impact shook the entire battlefield.
The whole stadium fell silent.
No one had expected the exchange to end that quickly.
Rylen's body crashed brutally against the arena wall, cracks spreading outward from the impact point as dust exploded into the air. His flame armour shattered apart like broken glass, scattering embers across the ground before fading completely.
For a brief second…
Everything froze.
Then the cheers erupted.
The entire stadium exploded into noise.
People stood from their seats, screaming Gravion's name while others were still trying to process what they had just witnessed. Even many veteran warriors in the noble gallery were unable to hide the shock in their expressions.
Rylen wasn't weak.
Far from it.
The terrifying flame control he displayed moments ago had already surpassed what most contestants could even dream of reaching. Yet despite all of that… Gravion had overpowered him head-on.
Not through tricks.
Not through schemes.
Pure dominance.
Meanwhile, as the strange energy around Gravion's fist slowly dissipated into the air…
Far away.
Deep within a place swallowed by darkness.
An eye opened.
A massive vertical pupil stared silently into the void before turning toward the direction of the stadium.
The darkness around it trembled faintly.
The eye narrowed.
It was as if countless walls, distance, and reality itself meant nothing before that gaze.
It looked directly toward Gravion.
More specifically…
Toward the lingering trace of energy around his fist.
Silence lingered for several seconds.
Then—
The eye slowly closed once more.
The darkness returned to stillness.
As if nothing had ever happened.
But that single moment…
That single unknown movement…
Was enough to shake the entire capital if anyone truly understood what it meant.
Or more accurately—
The Duke sitting high above the stadium.
His relaxed posture stiffened instantly.
A sharp pressure spread unconsciously from his body before he suppressed it the very next second.
His eyes snapped toward the distant horizon.
'That presence…'
For the first time since the tournament began, genuine seriousness appeared in his gaze.
'No… impossible.'
His fingers tightened against the armrest.
He had only sensed it for less than a fragment of a second, yet his instincts screamed at him.
That energy…
It was something he never wished to encounter again.
The Duke slowly narrowed his eyes before extending his perception across the entire stadium once more.
Nothing.
No strange presence.
No hidden intruder.
Only the roaring crowd and the aftermath of Gravion's battle.
Yet the unease remained.
His gaze slowly swept across the stands one final time before briefly stopping at a certain figure.
Rey.
The Duke's eyes lingered on him for a second before moving away again.
Meanwhile, Rey himself remained seated quietly among the crowd.
Outwardly calm.
Internally restless.
The tension of his upcoming match against Raviel was constantly clawing at the back of his mind. Every possibility, every movement, every weakness he could exploit… he was trying to piece them together one by one.
At the same time, part of his focus remained locked onto Gravion's battle.
Especially that final technique.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
'That energy…'
It felt different.
Not mana.
Not aura.
Not even ordinary qi.
For a brief instant, Rey tried imagining whether he himself could replicate something similar using his own mana pathways, but the thought collapsed almost immediately.
The structure itself felt foreign.
Then suddenly—
A strange pull echoed inside his chest.
Rey's expression changed.
His hand instinctively moved toward his heart as a faint pressure spread through him for a split second before disappearing completely.
"…What?"
His brows furrowed.
The feeling vanished so quickly that he almost thought it was his imagination.
He immediately opened his status panel.
Nothing unusual.
No poison.
No debuff.
No warning.
Everything looked perfectly normal.
After staring blankly for a few seconds, Rey slowly closed the panel again.
'What was that just now…?'
But before he could think further, the roaring cheers from the crowd pulled his attention back toward the arena.
Down below, Gravion had already become the center of everyone's attention.
The crowd screamed his name endlessly.
The overwhelming strength he displayed against Rylen had completely transformed the atmosphere around him. What was once the title of a dark horse was slowly turning into something far more terrifying.
A monster hidden among geniuses.
Meanwhile, Gravion calmly left the arena and entered the hallway beneath the stadium.
The moment he stepped inside, he noticed two familiar figures waiting near the wall.
Davin.
And Marin.
Davin was still covered in bandages while Marin supported part of his weight with visible irritation on her face.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Gravion sighed while walking toward them. "You're supposed to be resting."
"No, brother, I came to congratulate you first." Davin grinned despite his swollen face. "Though honestly, I already knew that guy couldn't beat you."
He pointed proudly toward the arena behind them.
"Even Marin got nervous when that flame freak entered his full-power mode."
Marin's eyes widened instantly.
"W-What nonsense are you saying?!"
Her face turned visibly red.
"I was only worried because we're teammates. Nothing else."
Davin immediately burst into laughter.
Even Gravion couldn't stop himself from chuckling.
For a moment, the tension from the match disappeared completely.
But just as they were about to leave—
A figure suddenly appeared in front of them.
Gravion's instincts exploded instantly.
His grip nearly reached for his spear.
He hadn't sensed this person's approach at all.
Not even for a second.
That alone made his heart tighten.
But before he could react further, his expression changed slightly.
The person standing before them was none other than the Host managing the tournament.
The same cold-faced man who intimidated the entire stadium earlier.
"Well…" Gravion smiled faintly while remaining cautious. "What brings the great Host here personally?"
The Host looked at him calmly.
No expression.
No hostility.
Only silence before he finally spoke.
"My master wishes to meet you."
The hallway instantly became quiet.
Gravion's eyes narrowed beneath the mask.
"My master is currently waiting," the Host continued coldly. "He requests your presence immediately."
A dangerous feeling rose inside Gravion's mind.
Someone capable of commanding an Acolyte-rank warrior like the Host…
Was not a person he could underestimate.
"Hm…" Gravion glanced sideways toward Davin and Marin before replying carefully, "Can this meeting happen later? I need to take care of my friend first."
The Host stared at him silently for several moments.
Then—
"You may refuse."
His voice remained calm.
"But opportunities like this rarely appear twice."
The meaning behind those words made Gravion's expression slightly tense.
Opportunity…
Or threat.
At this level, the difference between the two could disappear very quickly.
After several seconds of silence, Gravion finally exhaled softly.
"I'll come."
His eyes shifted toward Davin and Marin.
"You two go ahead first."
Both of them noticed the seriousness in his tone immediately.
The Host stepped aside quietly.
"My master only wishes to meet you," he said. "Your companions are free to leave."
Gravion nodded once before following behind him through the dim hallway.
Yet beneath his calm exterior…
His mind remained completely alert.
Because he knew one thing clearly.
The person waiting ahead…
Was someone capable of crushing him effortlessly if things went wrong.
And currently—
His life depended entirely on that unknown person's intentions.
Meanwhile, outside in the stadium, the damaged arena was quickly restored once again.
The tournament continued moving forward.
But hidden beneath the cheers, excitement, and upcoming battles…
New tensions had already begun quietly weaving themselves together.
And soon—
The clash between Rey and Raviel would finally arrive.