Arius stood in his new form his silver hair fluttering in the cosmic void and his glowing white silver aura surrounding him like a shell of cold light He showed no emotion no movement no word only a deadly coldness that made everyone in the stands swallow their saliva in silence
Raymus muttered stunned
What is this thing
Wang replied staring anxiously with tense features
I have no explanation This is not something I have seen before
All the judges leaned forward slightly their eyes wide studying this transformation that turned the scales
As for Jain his voice came out broken as he staggered
Who are you
Arius did not respond he only stared at him for a short moment before turning and beginning to walk toward the massive arena wall as if he were in his own world His steps were calm and steady as if Jains presence before him had no value
Jains anger exploded he screamed loudly and lunged with his body burning with dark red energy rushing at him trying to crush him with a direct punch But
The surprise
The punch stopped in the air it did not even touch Arius body It stopped only because Arius eyes slowly turned toward it
With just a look Arius blocked the strike He did not move his hand he did not lift his body he only looked
Jains body trembled he retreated breathing with difficulty his eyes shaking unable to believe what was happening
Impossible
Everyone in the stands from judges and fighters to spectators froze completely What Arius did was not an ordinary power it was as if the laws of combat themselves stopped at him
In a fleeting moment Arius raised his hand with complete calmness and flicked his fingers lightly causing Jain to be thrown as if an invisible force had swept over him His massive body slammed into the shattered arena wall scattering fragments and rubble in every direction while thick dust rose to obscure everyone s vision Arius stood atop one of the elevated parts of the destroyed arena watching the scene with his cold eyes while silence filled the place and everyone in the arena tried to comprehend what had occurred
From the audience the voice of one of the judges rose with a hesitant tone
Does this mean that the Sixth World has decided the victory in his favor
But the Ruler of the Tenth World interrupted firmly as he rose from his seat
No Jain will not be defeated that easily
As if his words were the spark the dust split and scattered and Jain emerged with heavy steps his face distorted with anger and his features dripping with hatred His eyes were burning with a red flame and his voice came out broken as he screamed
Impossible That everything we did here ends this simply No I cannot fall before scum like you The Tenth World will win Will win Will win
With every scream his energy rose further until space itself began to crack Fractures of light and darkness tore the corners of the world and the air filled with a terrifying screeching as if all the universes were pressing on the chests of those present A dark crimson aura surrounded Jain making the earth shake and the sky crumble while cries of terror rose from among the soldiers and observers
Arisa placed her hand on her chest whispering with resentment and fear
Curse this creature Where did he get this power
At that moment Jain launched like a lightning bolt his body disappeared and reappeared in front of Arius with extraordinary speed His fist pierced the air the pressure wave alone almost crushed the observers but Arius moved with a calm grace evading the attacks as if they were merely slow movements However Jain did not stop but continued his violent assault his fists like successive storms and sparks flying from the collision of his energy with the walls of the dimension
A slight cold smile appeared on Arius lips then he exploded a counterattack one focused lightning punch Jain was struck with force his body flying away like a meteor piercing layers of air but he had barely touched the ground before Arius had caught up to him with insane speed to continue striking without mercy
Jain raised his fist to block the attack and at the moment of impact what no one expected happened Light exploded and the place shattered around them the transparent walls that maintained the stability of the arena crumbled and everything seemed to be pulled toward an immeasurable abyss
In the blink of an eye both disappeared
The place shook with amazement and a voice of one of those present screamed
Where did they disappear
But the Master stood calmly his eyes shining with some deep realization and said in a majestic voice
The layer of vision has been torn They are now in the inner pocket of the arena a place that cannot be entered except through the collision of immeasurable energies
Then the Master extended his hand to slit the air before him and a huge screen formed out of nowhere a vortex of broken galaxies overlapping to display the epic fight between Arius and Jain inside that strange pocket
All eyes were fixed on the screen where the two worlds appeared suddenly equal Jains strikes began to hit their target and Arius responded in kind with equal force until the battle seemed balanced in the scales of power for the first time The roar of explosions in the energy pocket filled the screens and the specters of massive energies almost swallowed even the viewers who were outside the fight
Everyone knew that this confrontation would not be just an ordinary match but a turning point that might determine the fate of the worlds themselves
In the vast pocket Arius and Jains strikes were colliding as if they were two crashing planets the energy explosions creating massive shockwaves that shook the display screen and cosmic sparks flew in every direction The arena shook and everyone stared at the scene with indescribable awe
Raymus approached Wang with a nervous voice following the overlapping of the terrifying energies
Wang what is Jains current energy level
Wang did not lift his eyes from the screen he stared long at the crimson aura surrounding Jain then answered in a deep tone
His energy now has reached 12 Septillion
The audience was shocked even some of the judges recoiled in their seats and amazement was etched on their faces Wang pressed his fist as he continued
It is clear that Jain has reached the utmost limits of his power despite that Arius is perfectly equal with him which means Arius is now on the same level
The sound of a cold laugh was heard the voice of Karma as he leaned lightly on his throne
Oh this is truly exciting Who would have expected that two mortals could provide a performance of this magnitude
But on the other side Wang was glancing at Arleen who did not take her eyes off the screen for even a moment A strange glow appeared in her eyes a mixture of caution and certainty Wang asked her in a low voice
My lady what are you thinking about
She turned toward him calmly then said in a balanced tone
Wang do you remember that day when I told you about my strange dream
He answered quickly
Of course my lady what about it now
Arleen returned her gaze to the screen where Arius appeared in the heart of the cosmic storm his phantom shining in the center of the battle She smiled with confidence and said
I realized now that that dream was not an illusion It has been fulfilled before my eyes
She raised her hand and pointed toward Arius and said in a strong voice full of faith
This is the Metrine
At that moment the place went completely silent Judges guards observers everyone froze as if they had heard a forbidden word that should not be spoken Their gazes rose to Arleen with stiff faces while terror crept into their depths
Karma leaned forward slightly his eyes narrowing with dangerous interest then said in a hesitant voice
Arleen what is this heavy joke you are telling
But she faced him with deadly coldness and stared directly at him saying
And have you ever seen me joke in a matter like this
Her words fell like a sword stirring a shiver in the hearts of some judges who exchanged glances as fear crept into them Some began to whisper as if the name alone was enough to awaken dark memories that no one dared to mention
Amidst all this Nahira was staring at Arleen in surprise her face showing signs of confusion
What is happening here What is this Metrine you are talking about
The atmosphere remained charged suspended as if the mention of the name alone had turned the balance of the place even before anyone disclosed its true meaning
Under the heavy aura of tension silence hung over the entire council after Arleen presented her evidence that what everyone was witnessing was not just a passing transformation but a manifestation of a terrible reality Arius is the Metrine
His deadly calmness his strange silver aura his cold fighting style devoid of any emotion his rigid features that foretold death all were matching the description of the being they had heard about in the legends of the ancient rulers
Everyone went silent as if the catastrophe they hoped would not return had knocked on their doors again
Even Raymus Arisa Casper and Judy did not understand why the judges were so confused their eyes filled with amazement as they looked at the rulers who seemed more terrified than ever
Then Nahira exploded in anger and rose from her seat screaming
You fools make me understand what is happening here What is this thing called Metrine and what is its basis anyway
Silence prevailed for a moment before the Master himself descended with slow steps heavy with awe He stood before everyone looked directly at Nahira and said in a serious voice
A long time ago before you became the Ruler of the First World even before the number of rulers was limited to what it is now there was an ancient ruler different from everyone He was not like us and he was not subject to the laws of the worlds That ruler declared a complete coup against the rest of the rulers and fought under the banner of mortals against us
Nahiras eyes were fixed on him and everyone listened as if every word opened a door to a buried past The Master continued
He fought fierce wars against the rulers and caused indescribable destruction In the past there were not only ten rulers but hundreds and there were more worlds than what you see today But he eliminated most of them Hundreds of worlds were wiped out because of him and he annihilated hundreds of rulers with his own hands all in the name of the freedom and justice he believed in
Everyone shook from the impact of his words Some rulers did not even dare to look him in the eye The Master continued
What made matters worse was that he was not alone He was a solitary power beyond imagination yet he possessed a great army that submitted to him without hesitation An army that made him a sharp sword over all our heads and made his massacres against us easier
Then he lowered his voice as he added
But suddenly he disappeared He and his entire army without any trace No one knows if he regretted or was eliminated by an unknown force or if the worlds themselves swallowed him And since that day his name was erased from our councils and we called him the Metrine His mention alone was enough to plant terror
Silence pervaded the hall again The rulers were frozen in their places and fear was reflected in their faces
But then Nahira sat down slowly lowering her head thinking about everything she heard As soon as she grasped the matter she burst out laughing a loud sarcastic laugh that shook the corners of the place
She placed her hand on her stomach and said laughing to herself
Hahaha Arius That rogue who was a servant to me unable to even destroy one planet Now you tell me he is this Metrine What irony
Everyone stared at her in surprise they did not understand the secret of her exaggerated sarcasm while she sat after her long laugh with complete coldness as if nothing had happened
But despite her mockery the focus of all eyes returned to the screen and the terrifying question echoed in the depths of everyone
Is Arius truly the Metrine
As the dust scattered in the space of the torn arena the sounds of the remaining explosions from the collisions of Arius and Jain escalated
The latter pushed everything he possessed launched chains of miraculous attacks strikes where dimensions fade and the laws of existence overlap yet Arius was moving with cold steps avoiding them all as if he were taking a quiet stroll
With time Jain began to notice something troubling He did not feel Arius energy at all rather he felt as if his opponent was far far away as if he were fighting a mirage that could not be grasped
With every moment his steps grew heavier and his sweat poured while Arius inside him felt that his power was doubling with a speed that cannot be described
The scale began to tip and fatigue began to choke Jain Then with one movement Arius landed a direct punch on his face
The shock was terrifying One punch broke the entire energy pocket sweeping the two back to the original arena ground
The two appeared in the heart of the torn arena and in just a moment Arius extended his hand from which a massive Nighsphere was launched piercing what remained of the arena and it did not stop at that point but shook the fabric of the void in Karmas unlimited world itself
Space began to twist break then renew as if the laws of that world were unable to contain the impact
Jain screamed a cry that shook the corners of the void before hitting the ground half of his body evaporated from existence and the other half was burnt charred slowly crumbling
Arius stood atop a floating rock in that shattered space still calm as if he did not care about what was happening around him
At that moment the Master announced in a loud voice
The winner is the Sixth World Victory to Arius
Everyone froze then a scream of joy rang out from Arleen she jumped from her place waving her hands crying and laughing at the same time
Wang Raymus and Arisa exchanged looks of relief and amazement smiles etched on their faces after they were on the brink of destruction
As for the Ruler of the Tenth World he trembled his eyes wide with shock unable to grasp that the end had approached
But Karma remained sitting in his place looked at them with absolute coldness and without mercy said
Regrettably Tenth World Today I say to you goodbye
He raised one hand and slowly closed his fist
In an instant Casper the Ruler of the Tenth World Judy and all their assistants evaporated from existence
And with a click of his fingers the entire Tenth World collapsed its universes dimensions systems and creatures It vanished completely as if it had never been
Arius returned to the destroyed earth his steps steady no trace of emotion in his features There he found Jain lying on the ground his half evaporated body disappearing more and more
Despite his wretched condition Jain smiled and said in a broken voice
You were deceiving me were you not You could have defeated me from the beginning but you did not
Arius looked at him coldly and answered
And if I had defeated you from the beginning would anything have changed
Jain laughed his blood falling with the crumbs of his shattered body and said
You are truly a strange person Arius I wish I had known you a long time ago
Then he evaporated finally leaving behind the echo of his voice and his final laugh
And so the Tenth World ended forever
Afterwards everyone turned to Wang who had been silent all the time to suddenly say
I knew the result from the beginning I saw the future
Arleens anger ignited immediately she approached him and screamed
What And why did you not tell me you fool
Wang laughed lightly and answered her cunningly
Because I know that you would not ask me
Arleen remained looking at him with resentment while he laughed as was his habit as if what had just happened was nothing but a passing scene
The scattered dust rose from the ground after the battle of Arius and Jain and the scene settled on Arius standing alone in the heart of the ruins his eyes staring inward to himself as if the whole world had stopped at him
Raymus looked at his friend and said quietly but loaded with relief
Good it is finally over
Arius raised his palms slowly contemplating his condition after all that happened then suddenly he fell from his place amidst the astonishment of everyone and his screams fell into the air mixed with pain and fear of something mysterious that was tearing something away from him
Falling was not the end of the pain instead it seemed as if an old energy trapped inside him suddenly emerged letting out from his body a different aura glowing strongly before disappearing little by little Arius collapsed on the ground breathing with great difficulty his screams rising mixed with thick steam rising from his body as if he had just come out of an oven
Arius sat on the ground breathing slowly trying to control his exhausted body then Raymus Arleen and Wang approached to check on his condition Raymus arrived first and tried to grab him but Arius with a body boiling from heat and exhaustion moved away from his hand quickly and said in a voice full of pain and coldness
Do not touch me now ever
After moments the situation began to calm and the heat of his body gradually returned to normal He took a deep breath then Wang handed him a cup of water which he drank heavily like someone saving himself from the brink of collapse while Arleens eyes were examining him and she asked with concern
What happened to you
Arius answered her his features still frozen and coldness in his voice
Nothing I am fine I just need long rest
But suddenly Raymus screamed in amazement to draw everyones attention
Arius the strange mark on your back has disappeared
Arius was surprised and Wang opened a magic mirror to check the matter to indeed discover the complete disappearance of the mark Arleen asked in wonder
And what is the story of this mark
Arius answered coldly
I do not know its reality but I will discover soon
Arius rose after that and the scene was quiet but loaded with something of mystery Then Karma appeared stepping forward to shake his hand and congratulate him on the victory But Arius with a strange distance refused the handshake and said in a calm but firm voice
I am not well now so excuse me
Everyone was shocked by his stance as it was rare for anyone to dare to refuse Karma but it was just a spontaneous position to keep external distraction away from him Karma laughed and said in a calm voice
I liked this boy just a spontaneous position
Arius sat on the ground for a bit gathering himself when everyone felt a mysterious presence on the horizon They all looked toward the edge of the castle to see three masked people standing there Suddenly one of them removed their cover revealing the figure of a woman with silver hair and purple eyes
When Karma saw her he screamed sharply
Why and how did you come here How do you dare to appear like this
The woman answered sharply
Shut your mouth you arrogant ruler
Then she turned toward Arius and said her eye fixed on him
Boy I saw your whole fight a short while ago and I admired you Therefore I offer you to join us and to leave these dark ones for they will not benefit you
Arius remained standing silent and cold featured and did not utter a single word
Karma ordered the soldiers to seize her immediately but she disappeared instantly from the place as if she had never existed leaving everyone stunned by her mysterious appearance and her mysterious threat
Raymus sat near his friend checking his strange condition and concern appeared on him from his silent actions He looked at him carefully then asked
Arius are you okay
Arius smiled a strange smile somewhat cold then said
Do not worry I am in the best state
He rose afterwards and began to move away a little from Raymus and the rest like someone who needs space to renew his internal balance Suddenly system notifications reached him and it was clear that his condition was somewhat strange when he received them The system window opened before him for a message to pop up
Forced seal broken Full potential for evolution opened
System level rose to Level 50
You have obtained
Technique building ability level B
Eye of Aroza level C
Origin of allies level S
Partial memory ban lifted
Arius stood still for a moment then began little by little to retrieve his lost memories first those he lived with Nahira He remembered all the details of his life moments of pain betrayal and finally how he fell into that dark pit previously
Arius gasped a massive gasp as if his soul which had been stripped away long ago suddenly returned to him filling his body with energy and power he had not known for a long time He stood for a moment his features swaying between coldness and determination and it became clear to everyone that this return to memory was not just a retrieval of the past but a new birth of Arius true power
Arius features began to change little by little as if his body and mind were regaining a new dimension that no one was used to What appeared in his face was not normal it was not just an angry or tense expression but a mixture of coldness suppressed anger and harsh persistence Suddenly he turned toward Nahira who was sitting on her chair amidst the rulers He glanced at her with sharp looks of disgust and said within himself
I remembered everything Damn you I thought I got rid of you when I escaped curse it but your time has not come yet I must increase in strength so I can defeat you
His look did not pass without Nahira catching it so she smiled with malice as if she wanted to say to him no matter how he tried to escape he would not be able to get away from her She ordered her assistant to move and leave and then Karma called her
Nahira where are you going Come and enjoy with us
She raised her head gracefully and said in a calm voice that carried a challenge
I am busy currently and I have already enjoyed today and I hope to see this fighter again in the future
Then she and her assistant left hurrying in a way that covered the whole horizon leaving everyone especially Arius in a state of wonder and slight confusion
In the meantime Karma invited the Sixth World to his vast palace to celebrate their victory and his orders were absolute so everyone agreed immediately But Arius stopped everyone with a short speech and announced that he would leave before launching with insane speed flying far away from the palace and celebrations leaving behind a simple disappointment in Karmas heart who wanted to get close to him but did not succeed
Arleen smiled calmly and said to those around her
Arius is a person who does not like forming relationships quickly so let us be patient with him
After his departure everyone headed to Karmas luxurious palace to celebrate their victory where the palace began to shake with joy and cheer and honoring ceremonies were held in honor of the great achievement achieved by Arius and his companions
At the celebration Arisa stood beside Raymus her eyes contemplating the royal atmosphere but she could not suppress the curiosity toward her enemy Arius so she said in a calm voice but charged with wonder
Do you not see Celestine what happened with Arius
Raymus smiled a little and said
And what of that
Arisa replied in a more urgent tone
Your close friend is not this power this sudden change he was completely ordinary and suddenly became capable of defeating the strongest fighter in the arena even his two companions
Raymus looked at her contemplating then shook his head and said
The matter does not concern me Arius is free in himself I have my own ways to surpass his level
Arisa smiled a hidden smile and said to herself
And I also have my ways one day I will control everything just wait
She moved away and sat in a corner watching the royal celebration with eyes glowing with cunning and future plans
In another place Arius was flying in deep space with amazing speed isolated from everything feeling an unprecedented power surging through his body and soul He stopped suddenly and ignited his special state for the system screen to appear before him written on it
Name Arius
Age 15 16
System Level 50
Status Not yet determined
Title Not yet determined
Current power level 800 Quintillion
Arius trembled a little from the shock then muttered in a low voice as if he did not believe himself
Is this my power level in the normal state This is impossible
He leaned slightly and began to examine every part of his body feeling raw energy flowing without limits as if all the cells of his body became in complete harmony with his new powers leaving him with a sense of awe and terror at once .