The third day of the Internal Battle dawned with the weight of the universe on its shoulders.
Eight thousand candidates had been reduced to two thousand overnight. The weak were gone. The strong remained. And among the strong, ten names were on everyone's lips:
Makena. Nyx. Tovin. Brutus. Ragnar. Darius. Lin. Mira. Tovin (the necromancer). Kael.
Kafu's top ten.
---
THE BETTING MARKETS REOPEN
Across the universe, trillions of beings gathered around screens, datapads, and dimensional interfaces as the betting markets for the Internal Battle reopened.
[BETTING MARKETS — DAY 3]
Bet Type Odds Volume
Makena wins tournament 5:1 1,000 TRILLION UC
Nyx wins tournament 8:1 500 TRILLION UC
Tovin (Poison) wins 10:1 300 TRILLION UC
Brutus wins 15:1 200 TRILLION UC
Ragnar wins 20:1 100 TRILLION UC
Darius wins 25:1 80 TRILLION UC
Lin wins 30:1 50 TRILLION UC
Mira wins 35:1 40 TRILLION UC
Tovin (Necro) wins 40:1 30 TRILLION UC
Kael wins 45:1 20 TRILLION UC
Any other wins 100:1 10 TRILLION UC
The odds heavily favored the established powers—candidates from ancient bloodlines, from wealthy families, from expectation.
Kafu smiled.
---
KAFU'S BET
In the main gambling hall, a figure approached the central counter—a being of shadow, its features hidden, its purpose clear.
[BET PLACED — KAFU'S REPRESENTATIVE]
Bet Odds Wager Potential Payout
Makena wins tournament 5:1 500B UC 2.5T UC
Nyx wins tournament 8:1 300B UC 2.4T UC
Tovin (Poison) wins 10:1 200B UC 2.0T UC
Brutus wins 15:1 150B UC 2.25T UC
Ragnar wins 20:1 100B UC 2.0T UC
Darius wins 25:1 80B UC 2.0T UC
Lin wins 30:1 60B UC 1.8T UC
Mira wins 35:1 50B UC 1.75T UC
Tovin (Necro) wins 40:1 40B UC 1.6T UC
Kael wins 45:1 30B UC 1.35T UC
ALL TOP 10 WIN TOP 10 1000:1 3.459 QUADRILLION UC 3.459 QUINTILLION UC
The betting master's eyes widened. "That's... that's his entire fortune."
The shadowy figure nodded. "He believes in his students."
"But the odds... 1000 to 1... if he loses, he loses everything."
"He won't lose."
---
THE REACTION
News of Kafu's bet spread through the gambling hall like wildfire.
"Did you hear? The Absolute Genius bet his entire fortune on his top ten making the top ten!"
"All of it? Quadrillions?"
"Every last credit. If he loses, he's destitute."
"If he wins... he'll be one of the richest being in existence."
The odds on Kafu's students shifted slightly—but not much. The established powers still had too much influence, too much history, too much expectation.
---
THE ALLIES' FOCUS
In the candidates' lounge, Kafu gathered his top ten.
"You've seen the betting markets," he said quietly. "The universe doesn't believe in you."
Makena nodded. "We know."
"They believe in Makena—a little. But the rest of you? They think you're just... support."
Nyx's eyes narrowed. "Let them think."
Tovin grinned. "We'll show them."
Brutus cracked his knuckles. "I look forward to proving them wrong."
Kafu smiled. "Good. But remember—focus on your own matches. Don't worry about the others. Don't worry about the odds. Just... win."
They nodded as one.
Then Makena spoke. "Master, what about you? You bet everything on us."
"I did."
"That's... a lot of pressure."
"No." He shook his head. "It's not pressure. It's faith. I've watched you train. I've watched you grow. I've watched you become more than I ever dreamed." He met each of their eyes in turn. "You will win. Not because of luck, not because of fate, but because you've earned it."
---
MAKENA'S MATCH — ROUND OF 2000
[OPPONENT: SOLARIS — SUN GOD CANDIDATE]
Aspect Value
Name Solaris
Race Solar Being
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.1 BILLION
Specialty Solar flames, divine radiance
Solaris was a favorite—beautiful, powerful, backed by a pantheon of sun gods. He looked at Makena with contempt.
"Kafu's disciple," he sneered. "I've heard of you. You're good. But I am divine."
Makena raised her blade.
[THE BATTLE]
Solaris attacked with solar flames that could melt dimensions, with divine radiance that could blind gods.
Makena's blade sang.
[CONCEPTUAL POISON — ACTIVE]
Nihilism edge: Solaris's divine radiance lost its meaning.
Love edge: His hatred for opponents became pain.
Karma edge: Every life he'd taken, every soul he'd burned, every being he'd destroyed—returned.
Death edge: He felt his own mortality—something a sun god should never feel.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Makena]
· [Time: 8 seconds]
· [Method: Conceptual poisoning]
---
NYX'S MATCH — SHADOW DANCE
[OPPONENT: DARKNESS — SHADOW LORD CANDIDATE]
Aspect Value
Name Darkness
Race Shadow Primordial
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.05 BILLION
Specialty Absolute shadow control
Darkness attacked by making the very shadows eat Nyx.
[SHADOW CONSUMPTION — ACTIVE]
Nyx smiled.
[SHADOW GOD — ABSOLUTE]
She became the shadows. Darkness couldn't eat what he already was.
[SHADOW STRIKE — RETURNED]
Her blade emerged from Darkness's own shadow.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Nyx]
· [Time: 3 seconds]
· [Method: Shadow god technique]
---
TOVIN'S MATCH — POISON MASTERY
[OPPONENT: TOXIN — POISON LEGEND]
Aspect Value
Name Toxin
Race Venom-Kin
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.02 BILLION
Specialty Deadliest poisons in existence
Toxin attacked with a poison that had killed gods, that had ended civilizations, that had never failed.
Tovin breathed it in.
[POISON BODY — ABSOLUTE]
He analyzed the poison in an instant. Understood it. Improved it.
Then he breathed out.
[TOXIN RETURN — ENHANCED 1000×]
Toxin's own poison, enhanced a thousandfold, enveloped him.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Tovin]
· [Time: 4 seconds]
· [Method: Poison absorption + return]
---
BRUTUS'S MATCH — UNBREAKABLE STAND
[OPPONENT: COLLOSSUS — GIANT LORD]
Aspect Value
Name Collossus
Race Giant-Kin
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.2 BILLION
Specialty Absolute strength
Collossus attacked with a blow that had shattered planets, that had broken gods, that had never failed.
Brutus stood his ground.
[INDOMITABLE WILL — ACTIVE]
The blow landed. Brutus didn't move.
Collossus stared in disbelief. "How..."
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Brutus]
· [Time: 2 seconds]
· [Method: Endurance]
---
RAGNAR'S MATCH — CONTROLLED RAGE
[OPPONENT: WRATH — BERSERKER GOD]
Aspect Value
Name Wrath
Race Demon Lord
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.15 BILLION
Specialty Infinite rage
Wrath attacked with a fury that had consumed worlds, that had ended pantheons, that had never been controlled.
Ragnar met rage with rage.
[ETERNAL RAGE — CONTROLLED]
Two berserkers clashed. For a moment, they were evenly matched.
Then Ragnar's control proved superior.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Ragnar]
· [Time: 7 seconds]
· [Method: Controlled rage]
---
DARIUS'S MATCH — DIMENSIONAL LORD
[OPPONENT: SPACE — DIMENSIONAL GOD]
Aspect Value
Name Space
Race Dimension Lord
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.1 BILLION
Specialty Absolute dimensional control
Space attacked by folding a thousand dimensions around Darius—trapping him in infinite realities.
Darius's spear extended through them all.
[DIMENSIONAL THRUST — ABSOLUTE]
One thrust. One piercing. One end.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Darius]
· [Time: 5 seconds]
· [Method: Dimensional pierce]
---
LIN'S MATCH — IRON BODY
[OPPONENT: ROCK — MOUNTAIN LORD]
Aspect Value
Name Rock
Race Stone Primordial
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.08 BILLION
Specialty Unbreakable body
Rock attacked with fists that had shattered continents, that had broken gods, that had never failed.
Lin met fist with body.
[IRON BODY — ABSOLUTE]
Fist met body. Body didn't break.
Rock's eyes widened. "Impossible..."
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Lin]
· [Time: 6 seconds]
· [Method: Physical superiority]
---
MIRA'S MATCH — SOUL MASTERY
[OPPONENT: PSYCHE — SOUL GOD]
Aspect Value
Name Psyche
Race Soul Primordial
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.0 BILLION
Specialty Absolute soul control
Psyche attacked MIRA's soul directly—trying to bind it, control it, own it.
Mira's soul didn't resist. It opened.
[SOUL GODHOOD — ABSOLUTE]
Psyche's power flooded into Mira—and found something more. A soul so vast, so deep, so loved that it could never be controlled.
[SOUL ABSORPTION — REVERSED]
Mira absorbed Psyche's soul power instead.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Mira]
· [Time: 9 seconds]
· [Method: Soul absorption reversal]
---
TOVIN (NECRO)'S MATCH — DEATH ARMY
[OPPONENT: MORTIS — DEATH GOD]
Aspect Value
Name Mortis
Race Death Primordial
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 1.03 BILLION
Specialty Absolute death control
Mortis raised an army of the dead—millions of souls bound to his will.
Tovin raised his hand.
[DEATH ABSOLUTE — ACTIVE]
The dead stopped. Turned. Looked at their summoner.
Mortis's eyes widened. "No... you can't..."
They attacked.
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Tovin (Necro)]
· [Time: 8 seconds]
· [Method: Undead control override]
---
KAEL'S MATCH — SPIRIT ARMY
[OPPONENT: SPIRITUS — SPIRIT LORD]
Aspect Value
Name Spiritus
Race Spirit Primordial
Cultivation Law Venerable 9
IF 980 MILLION
Specialty Absolute spirit control
Spiritus summoned a horde of spirits—angry spirits, hungry spirits, spirits that had waited eons for a chance to feed.
Kael's left eye blazed.
[SPIRIT KING — ABSOLUTE]
The spirits sensed something in him—a connection to something deeper, something older, something true. They didn't attack. They knelt.
Spiritus stared in disbelief. "They've never... they've never..."
[MATCH RESULT]
· [Winner: Kael]
· [Time: 7 seconds]
· [Method: Spirit submission]
---
THE FIRST SWORD LEGEND'S PLEA
As the matches ended and the crowd erupted, a figure emerged from the shadows—ancient, powerful, legendary.
[THE FIRST SWORD LEGEND — ARRIVAL]
Aspect Value
Name Blademaster Primus
Race Human (Primordial)
Cultivation ETERNAL SOVEREIGN 9
IF 80 QUINTILLION
Age 10 BILLION YEARS
Title First Sword Legend
He approached Kafu's box, his eyes fixed on Makena.
"I have watched your disciple," he said, his voice like grinding continents. "Her sword work is... extraordinary."
Kafu nodded slowly. "She's talented."
"She is more than talented. She is chosen." The First Sword Legend knelt—a gesture that shocked everyone watching. "I beg you. Let me become her teacher. Let me teach her the ways of the blade."
Kafu's eyes widened. "You... want her to be your disciple?"
"I have lived ten billion years. I have taught thousands of sword saints. I have never—never—seen potential like hers." His ancient eyes shone with something like hope. "Let her learn from me.Let me teach her. Let me be part of her journey."
---
THE OTHER LEGENDS
As the First Sword Legend knelt, others emerged from the crowd.
[OTHER LEGENDS — ARRIVING]
Name Title Request
Shadowmist First Shadow Legend Wants to teach Nyx
Venomheart First Poison Legend Wants to teach Tovin
Ironhide First Warrior Legend Wants to teach Brutus
Rageborn First Berserker Legend Wants to teach Ragnar
Spaceweaver First Dimension Legend Wants to teach Darius
Bodymaster First Martial Legend Wants to teach Lin
Soulkeeper First Soul Legend Wants to teach Mira
Deathwalker First Necromancer Legend Wants to teach Tovin (Necro)
Spiritcaller First Spirit Legend Wants to teach Kael
Nine of the ten greatest legends in existence, kneeling before Kafu's top ten, begging to become their teachers
Kafu looked at them—at their ancient eyes, their weathered faces, their desperate hope.
Then he looked at his students.
"It's your choice," he said quietly. "Not mine."
Makena stepped forward first. "I accept."
One by one, the others followed.
---
THE NEW DISCIPLES
[NEW TEACHINGS — ESTABLISHED]
Student New Teacher Will Learn
Makena First Sword Legend Ultimate sword techniques
Nyx First Shadow Legend Shadow god mastery
Tovin (Poison) First Poison Legend Primordial venom
Brutus First Warrior Legend Unbreakable will
Ragnar First Berserker Legend Eternal rage
Darius First Dimension Legend Dimension lord
Lin First Martial Legend Body of the universe
Mira First Soul Legend Soul emperor
Tovin (Necro) First Necromancer Legend Death absolute
Kael First Spirit Legend Spirit king
Kafu watched with pride as his students accepted the greatest teachers in existence.
"The next generation," he murmured. "They're going to be something special."