The grand Arena Hall of the Chriss Family Palace trembled as another violent shockwave erupted across the battlefield.
Cracks began spreading across the stone tiles beneath the fighters' feet, fragments of shattered marble scattering in every direction. The spectators watching from the elevated seats could only stare in stunned silence as the duel escalated far beyond what anyone expected.
At the center of the arena stood two figures.
Eris and Nina.
Their clash had already destroyed a large portion of the arena floor, and yet neither of them showed any sign of stopping.
Eris stepped back slightly, breathing heavily. Sweat ran down the side of her face while her grip on her weapon tightened.
Her eyes remained locked onto Nina.
She's different…
Eris narrowed her gaze as she observed her opponent carefully.
"Nina has changed," Eris muttered quietly under her breath. "Her strength… it's already far beyond mine."
Despite her exhaustion, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"But I still have many tricks I haven't used yet."
Across from her, Nina stood calmly with her sword lowered at her side. Her posture was steady, and her breathing was perfectly controlled—as if the intense battle earlier had barely affected her at all.
The contrast between the two was obvious.
Yet Eris wasn't afraid.
Instead, a dark glimmer flashed across her eyes.
Without warning—
Eris disappeared.
A faint ripple of shadow spread beneath her feet as she activated a skill.
✦ Shadow Step ✦
Her body dissolved into the surrounding shadows, vanishing instantly from the arena floor.
Up in the spectator stands, Rey's eyes sharpened the moment he saw the movement.
"Shadow Step?" Rey murmured.
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze focused intensely on the battlefield.
"Did her skill Camouflage evolve…?"
Shadow Step was extremely similar to Elysa's movement technique. However, Eris had developed her own variation of the skill, allowing her to blend directly into shadows before striking from impossible angles.
Within seconds, Eris's presence vanished entirely.
The arena fell silent.
Then—
A ripple formed beneath Nina's shadow.
Eris burst out from it at incredible speed.
Her blade shot forward like lightning.
A perfect assassination strike.
However—
Nina moved.
The moment Eris launched her attack, Nina's body reacted instinctively, shifting her stance with unnatural precision.
Her sword moved in a smooth arc.
Clang!
The blades collided.
The impact echoed across the arena.
Eris's eyes widened in shock.
"That's impossible…"
Her attack had come from Nina's own shadow—a blind spot that should have been impossible to defend against.
Yet Nina had blocked it perfectly.
The reason became clear instantly.
Nina had already activated a skill.
✦ Intent Lock ✦
Type: Predictive Counter
This skill allowed the user to read the opponent's killing intent.
Whenever an enemy launched a lethal attack or activated a deadly skill:
• The user would automatically perform a parry or dodge.
• The user would also gain 1 second of invulnerability frames.
It was a terrifying counter ability.
Especially against assassins.
Eris clicked her tongue.
Tch.
"So she learned something like this…"
Before this duel, Nina didn't possess such a skill.
Yet now she had grown far stronger.
Because Eris's attack had been countered mid-movement, her balance faltered slightly after the failed strike.
That tiny opening—
Nina immediately seized it.
Her eyes flashed sharply as mana gathered around the tip of her sword.
✦ Deadly Thrust ✦
Mana condensed around the sword's tip as Nina thrust forward with explosive speed.
The attack was precise.
Direct.
Deadly.
Effect:
• Damage increased by +48% of Attack Power.
• +35% Armor Penetration.
• 28% of the damage converted into Hybrid Damage (Physical + Magic).
• If it struck a vital point, damage increased by an additional +20%.
The blade shot forward like a meteor.
Eris's pupils shrank.
The attack had come too suddenly.
Too fast.
She knew instantly that she couldn't dodge in time.
So instead—
Eris reached into her inventory and pulled out a shield.
A dark metallic shield appeared in her hand.
It was the item Tristan had given her.
✦ Black Shield ✦
Type: Shield
Rarity: Rare
Base Stats:
• Damage Reduction: 48%(including True Damage)
• HP Bonus: +150 HP
Eris immediately activated the shield's ability.
Active Effect:
• Physical Resistance increased by +65%
• Duration: 4 seconds
The moment Nina's thrust struck—
The shield glowed faintly.
At the same time, the shield's Unique Passive activated.
✦ Damage Conversion ✦
If the user receives Physical Damage and Magic Damage simultaneously:
• All incoming damage is fully converted into Physical Damage.
• Conversion occurs before resistance calculations.
Because Nina's attack contained Hybrid Damage (Physical and Magic), the shield immediately converted all of it into pure Physical Damage.
And with the massive +65% Physical Resistance, the majority of the attack's damage was heavily reduced.
BOOM!
The impact pushed Eris several meters backward, her boots scraping across the arena floor.
Dust rose into the air.
But she didn't fall.
Instead—
Eris slowly straightened up.
A grin appeared on her face.
"You've become incredibly strong, Nina," Eris said calmly.
Her voice carried clearly across the arena.
"But I'm not done yet."
Nina narrowed her eyes slightly.
She could sense it.
Eris still had something left.
And then—
A dark aura began spreading outward from Eris.
The atmosphere around her changed instantly.
"Let's see how well you fight… without your senses."
Eris raised her hand.
Then she activated her Unique Skill.
✦ Silent Oblivion ✦
Type: Domain
Radius: 12 meters
Duration: 5 seconds
Dark energy expanded outward in a circular wave, swallowing the surrounding area like a silent storm.
The domain formed instantly.
Within the radius—
Everything changed.
Inside the domain:
• All targets lose 100% vision and hearing.
The arena fell into complete silence.
But after the domain ended—
The debuff would strike.
After 5 seconds:
• Vision recovers only 50%.
• Hearing recovers only 38%.
• Target receives Sensory Trauma.
Status Effect:
Reaction Speed -25% for 3 seconds.
A dark Domain expanded across the arena.
Within seconds, the entire battlefield was swallowed by an eerie, silent void.
Nina's eyes widened in shock the moment the domain formed around her.
She immediately realized something was wrong.
She inhaled slowly, trying to steady her breathing.
But then—
There was nothing.
No sound.
No light.
For the first time in her life, Nina found herself trapped in absolute darkness.
Her vision was completely sealed.
Her hearing was gone as well.
She couldn't detect the faintest movement or even the slightest whisper of sound.
It was as if the world itself had disappeared.
Inside the domain, Eris stood silently several meters away. Her eyes were cold and focused as she observed Nina struggling within the void.
In her mind, Eris began counting down.
Five…
The moment the number formed in her thoughts—
Eris burst forward.
Her body shot across the arena with explosive speed.
Within her own domain, Eris moved like a ruthless predator stalking helpless prey.
Her steps were silent.
Her presence undetectable.
Meanwhile, Nina tried to focus.
Even though she couldn't see or hear anything, she attempted to sharpen her other senses, trying desperately to detect Eris's presence.
But it was useless.
There was no airflow disturbance.
No sound.
No shadow.
Nothing.
Inside her mind, Eris continued the countdown.
Four…
Her body slipped behind Nina's back like a ghost.
Without hesitation, Eris activated one of her most lethal assassin techniques.
Backstab.
The dagger in her hand flashed forward.
Stab!
The blade drove straight toward a vital point on Nina's back.
But the moment the dagger struck—
A sudden burst of energy erupted.
Eris's eyes widened.
Clang!
The blade was deflected.
Inside her thoughts, Eris was stunned.
Her armor activated…?
And right now of all times…
Three seconds left.
A layer of wind magic suddenly erupted from Nina's armor, swirling around her body like a protective storm.
The wind spread outward, forming a defensive aura.
Inside the domain's darkness, Nina smiled faintly.
Even without sight or hearing, she spoke calmly.
"Eris… I didn't expect you to possess a Domain."
Her voice carried steady confidence.
Then Nina moved.
Her sword cut through the air as she activated a skill.
"Wind Slash."
Every swing of her blade released a sharp crescent of wind.
Each slash carried enough force to split large boulders apart.
Even though she couldn't see Eris, Nina began swinging her sword rapidly in multiple directions, unleashing wind blades everywhere around her.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The wind slashes carved across the arena floor, tearing through stone and sending fragments flying.
Eris's eyes narrowed.
Damn it.
The sudden counterattack forced her to retreat.
Even though Nina couldn't see her, the random wind slashes filled the surrounding area, making it difficult for Eris to approach again.
Eris dodged sideways, narrowly avoiding a blade of compressed wind that sliced across the ground beside her.
Stone shattered instantly where it struck.
As she moved, a memory suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
It was from her training with her mentor (Lunox).
Back then, Master Lunox had once explained something important to her.
"A warrior's greatest advantage is their endurance," Lunox had said during their training session.
"But compared to assassins, their speed and reflexes are usually slower."
Eris remembered nodding at the time.
However, Lunox had continued with a more serious tone.
"But there are rare individuals who break that rule."
She had looked straight at her when he said the next words.
"Some warriors can match pure assassins in agility and speed."
"They are known as Hybrid Roles."
Eris remembered asking what that meant.
Lunox had explained further.
"Hybrid Role users possess abilities that combine different combat roles."
"They can move with the speed and flexibility of an assassin…"
"But at the same time, their durability and attack power can surpass ordinary warriors."
Lunox's voice had grown slightly serious.
"Those who awaken a Hybrid Role usually have extremely high potential."
"In the future, their achievements can surpass most fighters."
The memory faded.
Eris's eyes shifted toward Nina, who was still unleashing wind slashes around herself.
Eris muttered quietly.
"…Is Nina one of those people with a Hybrid Role?"
Inside the domain, the countdown continued.
Only two seconds remained before Silent Oblivion ended.
Eris inhaled slowly.
Her eyes hardened with determination.
I was saving this skill for the tournament…
But this is the perfect chance to test it.
Her hands moved.
In her right hand, she gripped a dagger enveloped in fire magic.
In her left hand, she held a short sword crackling with lightning magic.
Both weapons glowed intensely.
Eris slowly brought the two magical energies closer together.
The air around her began to tremble.
Flames flickered wildly.
Lightning sparks crackled and surged.
The surrounding area within the domain started glowing with two different magical elements at the same time.
Fire.
And lightning.
Eris's voice echoed softly.
"Initial Strike… activate."
The moment she spoke those words—
BOOM!
A massive surge of magical power exploded outward.
Even outside the domain, everyone in the spectator stands suddenly felt the shockwave of power.
The dark sphere of Silent Oblivion, with its twelve-meter radius, trembled violently.
The spectators stared in shock.
Nolan's expression became serious.
"An assassin… with a Domain?"
He frowned slightly.
"That has never happened before."
But someone interrupted him.
King Carlos spoke calmly.
"No."
Everyone turned toward the king.
"In the history of the Kingdom of Christope," Carlos continued, "there once existed a warrior with a pure assassin role who possessed a Domain."
His voice was steady.
"However… that history was almost erased."
The crowd murmured.
Carlos continued.
"Most historical records no longer mention it."
"Only the archives of the Chriss Family still contain references to that Domain user."
The revelation shocked everyone present.
Among those most stunned was Tristan.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Eris never told me she had a Domain…
He immediately turned toward Willson.
"Hey, Willson," Tristan said.
"Do you have a Domain too?"
Willson stared at him like he had just heard something ridiculous.
"Are you crazy?" Willson replied.
"Since when has an assassin ever had a Domain?"
Before Tristan could respond, Elizabeth—who had overheard their conversation—spoke calmly.
"That's not entirely impossible."
Everyone turned toward her.
Elizabeth crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"Domains are usually exclusive to magic-based roles," she said.
"But have you ever considered that there are special individuals in this world?"
Tristan, Drax, Vincent, Willson, and Evelyn all exchanged puzzled looks.
Elizabeth continued explaining.
"I've researched many ancient records and forgotten histories."
"In most cases, a person's role is determined by fate the moment they are born."
She paused briefly.
"But…"
"There are rare individuals who receive greater power."
Her gaze shifted toward the arena.
"Some of them awaken a Hybrid Role."
The group fell silent.
They had heard rumors of such things before.
But none of them had ever seen it with their own eyes.
Meanwhile, Rey and Alex had also heard both King Carlos's and Elizabeth's explanations.
The two exchanged glances.
Suddenly, many strange things began making sense.
Alex leaned closer to Rey and whispered.
"Rey… does that mean Emily and Eris possess the same kind of power?"
"Hybrid Roles?"
He hesitated slightly before adding another thought.
"Could it be because they share the same bloodline?"
Rey fell silent.
He thought carefully for a moment.
"That's possible," Rey replied quietly.
"But now we know something important."
He glanced toward the domain.
"There are special individuals in this world."
"Not just Emily and Eris."
Rey's voice became slightly serious.
"So their power must remain secret."
Alex nodded immediately.
"I agree."
Then he asked another question.
"So… after this, should we arrange closed training sessions for the two sisters?"
Rey paused again.
He seemed deep in thought.
He was clearly trying to figure out how to maximize the potential of both sisters.
After a moment, he finally spoke.
"That idea might work."
"But for tomorrow's tournament…"
Rey narrowed his eyes slightly.
"We need to hide their true strength first."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion erupted from within the domain.
The entire arena shook.
Rey instantly sensed something unusual.
A massive surge of magical power erupted from inside the dark sphere.
Rey activated one of his abilities.
"Invisible Sight."
His vision pierced through the darkness of the domain.
The moment he saw what was happening inside—
Rey froze.
His eyes widened in shock.
"This…"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"…This is the power of a mage."
Alex immediately turned toward him in surprise.
"What?"
Alex tried sensing the magical fluctuations inside the domain as well.
But no matter how hard he concentrated—
He couldn't grasp the true source of the power.
All he could feel was chaotic magic energy scattering everywhere.
Meanwhile, Nolan quietly observed Rey's reaction.
He had noticed the moment Rey's expression changed.
Nolan smiled faintly.
Inside his heart, he murmured.
Eris…
You were daughter's of my childhood friend.
His eyes softened slightly.
I never expected that you and your sister would possess the same extraordinary talent as him…
A memory surfaced in Nolan's mind.
Back when they were young—
He had once known someone extraordinary.
A warrior so powerful that he commanded one hundred adventurers and royal soldiers.
Together, they had stormed deep into the dungeon, slaughtering monsters without mercy.
Nolan's smile grew nostalgic.
You really remind me of him… my old friend.
Inside the dark domain, the air trembled violently.
Eris stood at the center of the swirling magical storm, both of her weapons radiating immense power. The dagger in her right hand burned with blazing fire magic, while the short sword in her left crackled with lightning magic.
Slowly—yet decisively—she forced both elemental energies to merge.
Flames spiraled around the blade.
Lightning coiled through the fire like a living serpent.
The unstable fusion of the two elements caused the entire domain to vibrate with overwhelming magical pressure.
Eris inhaled deeply and focused her mind.
Then she released the attack.
The combined elemental strike erupted forward like a raging dragon, tearing through the darkness of the domain as it shot directly toward Nina.
Inside her mind, Eris whispered quietly.
The effect of Silent Oblivion has already ended…
But my attack is already heading straight for Nina.
A flicker of hesitation crossed her thoughts.
I'm sorry, Nina…
Meanwhile, Nina felt something strange.
A violent fluctuation of magic suddenly surged through the domain.
The energy was so intense that even without fully restored senses, she could clearly feel the pressure approaching her.
At that moment, the effect of Silent Oblivion finally began to fade.
Her vision slowly returned.
But only partially.
Everything around her appeared blurry and distorted, as if she were seeing the world through thick fog.
Her hearing returned as well, though it still felt muffled—like someone had wrapped layers of cloth around her ears.
Yet that small recovery was enough.
Because the instant her senses partially returned—
She felt it.
A massive magical attack rushing toward her.
Nina's eyes widened.
This wasn't just any attack.
The power behind it clearly belonged to someone who possessed a magic-based combat role.
Realization struck her instantly.
"Eris…!" Nina exclaimed.
Her voice carried both shock and disbelief.
"You're a Hybrid Role user too?!"
Hearing Nina's words startled Eris slightly.
However, she didn't respond.
Right now, all of her concentration remained focused on controlling the destructive attack she had unleashed.
But Nina had already begun moving.
Without hesitation, she summoned the shield and spear given to her by Nolan.
The moment the weapons appeared in her hands, she activated their special skill.
"Arcane Reversal."
A faint magical hum filled the air.
Nina raised the shield in front of her body.
Instantly, a translucent layer of mana formed around it, creating a defensive barrier capable of absorbing magical attacks.
Effect:
The user raises the shield and creates a mana barrier capable of blocking up to 80% of incoming Magic Damage.
When the shield is struck by magic:
70% of the Magic Damage is absorbed into the shield.
The absorbed magical energy is transferred into the user's spear.
The spear automatically launches a counter thrust toward the enemy who released the magic.
Counter Damage:
• 45% of the absorbed Magic Damage
• +65% of the user's Physical Attack
The moment Eris's attack slammed into Nina's shield—
A brilliant flash erupted.
Glowing rune symbols suddenly appeared across the surface of the shield.
The magic contained within Eris's attack was immediately drawn into those runes, flowing like liquid energy into the weapon.
Eris's eyes widened.
What…?!
The powerful elemental magic she had unleashed was being absorbed.
The runes glowed brighter as the energy transferred from the shield directly into Nina's spear.
The spear began shining with an intense blue light.
Then—
Without warning—
The spear shot forward automatically, launching a deadly counterattack straight toward Eris.
Eris's heart skipped a beat.
Her mind raced.
What?!
My attack was stopped?!
She clenched her teeth.
Silent Oblivion is about to end…
And just as she thought that—
She saw it.
A dazzling blue spear of condensed energy tearing through the air directly toward her.
The attack was incredibly fast.
Deadly.
Eris felt a chill run down her spine.
No way…
At that exact moment—
Silent Oblivion deactivated.
The dark domain shattered like broken glass, dissolving into countless fragments of fading shadow.
The arena returned to normal.
Spectators could finally see what was happening again.
Eris instinctively prepared to activate another skill—something she had been saving throughout the entire battle.
Inside her thoughts, she hesitated.
This is the most effective method…
But I don't have enough time to use it.
The blue spear of magical energy was already seconds away from striking her.
Just as the devastating attack was about to explode—
A powerful gust of wind suddenly surged into the arena.
"Enough."
Rey had moved.
With a single step forward, he swung his fist through the air.
The motion seemed simple.
Yet the force behind it unleashed a violent vortex of wind that roared across the battlefield.
BOOM!
The spiraling wind collided directly with the incoming spear attack.
In an instant, Nina's counterattack was completely swallowed by the vortex.
The glowing blue spear shattered and disappeared into nothingness.
Silence filled the arena.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
Then Nolan's voice echoed from the side of the arena.
He had arrived slightly later than Rey, but his tone remained calm.
"That's enough."
He looked toward both fighters.
"Your match ends here."
Then Nolan turned his gaze toward Eris.
"Eris… I apologize."
"But this duel belongs to Nina."
Eris slowly lowered her weapons.
Her legs finally gave out, and she sat down on the cracked arena floor.
She exhaled deeply, exhaustion washing over her body.
Then she looked toward Rey.
"Ace…"
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you."
Rey shrugged slightly.
"You're lucky I stepped in," he replied calmly.
"That attack would have been extremely dangerous."
At that moment, Nina quickly ran toward Eris.
Her expression was filled with concern.
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around her friend in a tight hug.
"I'm sorry, Eris!" Nina said quickly.
"I only activated that skill so I could escape your domain!"
Eris blinked in surprise.
Then she burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
She waved her hand dismissively.
"Don't worry about it."
She glanced toward Rey and smirked.
"Besides, nothing bad happened."
"Ace was here the whole time."
"So we can relax."
Nina stepped back slightly before bowing respectfully toward Rey.
"Duke Ace," she said sincerely.
"I apologize for going too far."
Rey simply smiled.
"It's fine," he replied.
"But from now on, you need to control your strength better."
Nina nodded immediately.
"Yes, Duke Ace."
At that moment, Nolan clapped his hands loudly.
The sharp sound echoed throughout the arena.
"Excellent!"
He looked at both of them proudly.
"Congratulations to both of you."
"That was an incredible fight."
Then Nolan's gaze shifted toward Eris.
"But Eris… do you realize something?"
Eris looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
Nolan crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"You possess far greater potential than you realize."
He continued calmly.
"You have the talent of a Hybrid Role user."
"And that means your chances of becoming much stronger are extremely high."
He gestured toward Nina.
"Just like her."
Eris blinked in shock.
"Me? A Hybrid Role…?"
Nolan then explained everything—about Hybrid Roles, rare individuals, and the extraordinary potential they possessed.
As she listened, Eris remained silent.
Her mind struggled to process everything.
Finally, she spoke quietly.
"I never imagined… that I had that kind of potential."
Then she hesitated before adding something else.
"But what surprises me the most…"
"…is that my parents also possessed the same potential."
Nolan nodded slightly.
Then he turned his gaze toward Rey.
His expression became serious.
"Well then."
"I believe it's our turn now, Duke."
Rey didn't respond immediately.
Inside his mind, a question lingered.
The magical fluctuation Eris released…
It felt exactly the same as Emily's.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Is that just my imagination…?
After a moment, Rey smiled calmly and stepped forward.
He looked directly at Nolan.
"Master of the Silver Spear."
Rey bowed slightly.
"Our match will begin now."
"I hope you can teach me something."
Excitement immediately spread through the entire arena.
Everyone present felt their anticipation rising.
Because they all knew what was about to happen.
The next battle would be something extraordinary.
Rey…
Versus
Nolan.
Two powerful masters.
About to face each other in combat.