Chapter 318

Words : 2774 Updated : Oct 15th, 2025

Chapter 318 “Then, I hope you guys look forward to the next match!” Wrapping up her speech, Aria descended the arena under the cheers and applause of the audience. However, enthusiasm wasn’t all that she left under. Hidden within the celebrations, faint murmurs tinged with jealousy and resentment rang out. “Already talking about winning when the finals just started... she’s getting full of herself.” “She probably thinks everything will go her way. Tsk.” Though the whispers were faint, they reached her ears with unsettling clarity. And Aria wasn’t actively eavesdropping on individual voices either; her extraordinary range of perception was simply just picking up the animosity radiating from among the crowd. Woong- Despite the tens of thousands gathered in the stadium, Aria could distinctly sense who harbored goodwill and who bore hostility toward her. It was an immense amount of information that would have overwhelmed most people, but having lived with the ability for years, Aria brushed off their emotions with practiced indifference. It’s all so boring... Neither the admiration nor the hostility stirred anything within her. Feeling an intense sense of ennui, she stepped down from the arena. “Hmm?” She noticed a peculiar gaze directed at her. Turning in the direction, Aria saw a young man with dark hair and tanned skin leaning casually against the entrance, arms crossed. His silver eyes were fixed intently on her. Her curiosity sparked, Aria approached him. “Do you have something to say to me?” At her arrival, the man, Amir, straightened his posture and offered a polite nod. “I must apologize if I’ve caused any offense. I was so focused on your match that I stared without realizing it.” “Oh? Is that so?” Aria raised an eyebrow at Amir’s unexpectedly courteous demeanor. “For someone so polite, your eyes are filled with hostility.” “I’m often misunderstood; my eyes are naturally like that. I apologize if they’ve bothered you.” “...I see. I guess I was being slightly sensitive. My bad.” Seeing Amir just continue to apologize, Aria lost interest and walked past him with a faintly disappointed expression. But just as she was about to leave, Amir’s polite mask cracked and his gaze sharpened for a split second. “Oh, right.” Aria suddenly turned back, her voice calm but piercing. “Trying to read my synesthetic mindscape and thoughts is fine... but try not to do it so half-heartedly.” She locked her steady gaze on Amir. “You wouldn’t last even a second out there like that.” “...” “See you in the next match.” Making a sly smile, Aria then turned and disappeared into the hallway. What kind of monster is she...? Left behind, Amir glanced at her retreating figure with a grimace, his back drenched by cold sweat. He had come intending to scout the match winner for his next opponent but had instead revealed his unique skill, Winter Sky Eyes, to them. And unfortunately, while Aria hadn’t fully understood its capabilities, just the fact that she’d found out it existed was enough to thwart any sneaky tactics he had planned. How does Se-Hoon even deal with someone like her? Birds of a feather, I guess. Amir clicked his tongue in frustration. —And now, let’s keep the energy going for the next match! Once the stadium’s arena had seamlessly restored itself for the next round, Lan Fang’s voice immediately whipped throughout the arena—his cue. Amir stepped onto the arena, his thoughts drifting back to the bizarre sky he had observed through his Winter Sky Eyes. What exactly was that...? Winter Sky Eyes translated one’s synesthetic mindscape and inner thoughts into a metaphorical sky. Yet despite the countless skies he had seen, Amir found Aria’s sky uniquely alien. He couldn’t even see the boundaries of the heavens; a radiant golden brilliance blurred it all. I couldn’t even begin to guess what it represents... but something about it is fundamentally twisted. Amir sighed; if he didn’t uncover more before their match, what Aria had said would undoubtedly become reality: he really wouldn’t last a second. —START! Lan Fang’s announcement snapped Amir back to reality. Facing forward, Amir saw his opponent, a young man in a martial arts uniform named Yang Hong, charging at him with a fiery glare. “You arrogant brat!” Yang Hong’s eyes burned with fury as he lunged, his spear spinning with destructive force. Despite the match beginning, Amir hadn’t bothered to even assume a stance, his disinterest blatantly clear. Does he think I’m not worth his attention? How stupid of him, thinking that he’s someone important just because he’s close with Lee Se-Hoon. Having researched, Yang Hong knew that while Amir’s unique skill had a wide range of use, Amir himself lacked the mastery to take full advantage of it. Seething, Yang Hong channeled his rage into his attack. His spear crackled with raw mana, aiming directly for Amir’s torso. I’ll end this in one strike! BOOM! The spear pierced Amir’s chest, driving deep. “I got... him?” Yang Hong’s triumphant cry was cut short. He abruptly realized the protective barriers of the arena should have activated the moment such a powerful attack landed. As Yang Hong began feeling doubt creep in, a finger lightly touched the back of his head. Tap. Frost Alchemy: Ice Bloom Crackle! Unable to even react, Yang Hong was frozen solid in an instant, ice blossoming across his body. Then, with a wave of his hands, Amir sent razor-sharp blades of ice through the center of Yang Hong’s frozen form, shattering him into shards and activating the arena’s protective barrier, transporting Yang Hong’s unconscious body out. Now, only fragments of ice scattered to the floor. —The winner is Amir Singh! Once again, Lan Fang’s announcement brought about a wave of cheers from the crowd. However, despite winning, Amir let out a deep sigh. If only this trick would work on Aria Myers... Bowing slightly to the audience, Amir left the arena. He couldn’t stop thinking about Aria’s strange aura and considered asking Se-Hoon for advice. But before he could decide, his phone buzzed with a message. Luize: Room 1. Come now. What now? He wondered what Luize needed him for. However, because the two of them weren’t close enough to text each other without important matters at hand, Amir reluctantly made his way to the waiting room. “What’s the matt...” He paused, feeling an icy chill envelop him. It felt as though he had opened the refrigerator door on a hot summer day. Enduring the palpable tension, Amir checked through his Winter Sky Eyes. Dozens of volcanoes were spewing out lava, the entire landscape brewing with rage. What the... Despite the icy frigid chill he was feeling, the room brewing with rage? Not fully understanding how such opposite feelings were coexisting in the small room, he headed deeper in. Inside, Luize stood with her back to him while Se-Hoon lounged casually nearby. “Uh... Brother?” Amir called out hesitantly. “Take a seat.” Taken aback by how relaxed Se-Hoon sounded despite the intense atmosphere, Amir sat beside him. And it was at that moment that he noticed Luize’s blazing blue eyes, her fury on full display. What made her so angry...? Still struggling to understand the situation, Amir was suddenly struck by a single thought flashing through his mind. Is this about Aria Myers? Thinking back to how he was also irritated by her taunt, he reckoned that Luize’s anger could also be from the same source. And a moment later, as if to confirm his theory, Luize fiercely glared at him and asked, “You’re up against her next, right?” “Yes.” “How do you plan to win?” Her tone brooked nothing but an answer. But instead of immediately answering, Amir glanced at Se-Hoon, silently asking for guidance. How should I answer this, Brother? Just play along, Se-Hoon’s expression seemed to say. Amir cleared his throat. “I’ll do my best, but she already has some understanding of my unique skill. It won’t be easy.” “She figured out what your unique skill is?” Luize frowned. “Yes. I thought I might take a sneak peek into her synesthetic mindscape, and she countered it with ease. I don’t think my unique skill can be of much use anymore.” “Ugh...” Ignoring Luize, whose irritation deepened, Amir calmly analyzed the situation. While I don’t want to admit it, the gap in our level is insurmountable. Winning is an impossible storyline as of now... In order for a surprise attack to work, one would have to know exactly how far the skill gap between them and their opponent was. And knowing how overwhelmingly powerful Aria was, Amir deemed that there was not a single chance for him to win. A real battle would likely have more weak points I could exploit... but this is all too hypothetical. At this point, he couldn’t afford to drop out of the tournament now, so he switched mindsets and began considering what possibly he could gain from his expected defeat. And upon thinking of something, he looked at Luize, whose entire mind seemed to be focused on how to beat Aria. “Do I really need to win, though?” “What?” Luize’s fiery gaze sharpened further, as if she wouldn’t allow him to give up without even trying. But Amir shrugged in response. “I mean, someone else can beat her instead of me.” “That’s...” “Yes, I mean you.” If Luize won her next match and he lost to Aria tomorrow, the two would face each other. Thus Amir’s point was clear: his fight would serve as preparation for tomorrow’s victory. “Of course, I’m going to just throw the match,” Amir added, grinning faintly. “But if losing is inevitable, I’d rather make it strategically useful for us. It’s all to help bring that smug genius down a notch.” “...” Luize’s expression grew complicated. Amir’s cocky attitude often grated on her nerves, but oddly, when facing a common enemy, he had a way of putting her at ease. Still, their relationship wasn’t quite friendship—it was more like an awkward camaraderie born of mutual distaste and begrudging respect. “Can you really pull that off?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “I wouldn’t suggest it if I couldn’t. What about you? How do you plan to fight her?” “I’ve got a few ideas, but I’ll decide after watching how you fare against her,” Luize answered, fixing Amir with a sharp look. “Anyway... are you seriously going to keep calling me ‘you’ like that?” “Then what should I call you? Miss Valente, perhaps?” “You address that guy over there respectfully, though.” “Well, that’s because there’s something worth respecting about him. You should be grateful I even bother treating you politely.” “You little...” Just as their conversation veered toward yet another argument, Se-Hoon, who had been silently watching the tournament broadcast, waved them down. “Hey, hey. Knock it off. Look who’s about to show up.” At his call, the two turned toward the screen just in time to see a familiar face appear—a stoic young man with an utterly cold demeanor. And at the sight of him, both Luize and Amir frowned simultaneously. “Him, huh?” Luize muttered. “Do we have to watch this?” Amir added with a sigh. If Amir and Luize’s relationship could be described as “unfriendly,” their relationship with Sung-Ha was near “hatred.” While reliable in combat or training, his abrasive personality in casual settings made them want to smack him in the face numerous times. I just can’t stand that guy. Why does he irritate me so much? Seeing the two glowering at the screen, Se-Hoon spoke matter-of-factly. “Don’t get all worked up. You three might need to work together tomorrow.” Luize and Amir immediately focused on Se-Hoon. “Wait... are you saying...” “You think we’re both going to lose to Aria Myers?” In the tournament, Sung-Ha was in Group B, which meant he wouldn’t face Aria unless it was the grand finale. And that meant Se-Hoon was implying neither Luize nor Amir would win against her. “Uh... well...” Flustered by their combined glare, Se-Hoon stammered— BOOM! A thunderous sound from the television diverted their attention. 「The winner is Yeom Sung-Ha!」 On the screen, a shocking sight unfolded. Sung-Ha was standing alone in the arena, surrounded by fragments of shattered yellow crystal. The match had ended almost as soon as it began, leaving both Amir and Luize gazing at the screen, stunned. Sung-Ha’s opponent, Manuel Ortega, was no pushover—he had even bested Luize to claim the position of second-year honor student. Just the idea that someone like him had been defeated in one blow was incomprehensible. “He... knocked him down in a single strike?” Luize asked incredulously. “But Manuel’s a prodigy from the Wu Lian Temple...” Amir muttered. Was Sung-Ha just that strong, or had Manuel been weaker than they thought? Unable to make sense of what had happened, the two turned back to Se-Hoon. “What exactly happened?” Luize asked. “Did Manuel somehow screw up?” Amir added. “Nope. Manuel didn’t make any mistakes.” Shaking his head, Se-Hoon calmly leaned back, his tone calm but definitive. “Sung-Ha just crushed him with sheer power.” The Manuel Se-Hoon knew was renowned as the Weapon Master, someone capable of adapting to any situation by wielding and transforming various weapons with unmatched skill. His ability to read opponents and respond strategically had made him a formidable opponent to anyone. But that was Manuel at his peak. Currently, his technique was still incomplete, and his alchemical weapons lacked the refinement needed to counter Sung-Ha’s Inferno Ring. With Sung-Ha’s Complete Source Resonance further enhancing his power, his Inferno Rin is on a completely different level now. Only an S-rank hero could counter it at this point. Seeing Se-Hoon’s gaze lingering on the screen, Luize and Amir exchanged glances. “...” “...” If Se-Hoon’s prediction came true and they both ended up losing to Aria, that really would leave Sung-Ha to fight her. And they could already imagine how that scenario would unfold. “Pathetic.” In unison, they pictured Sung-Ha sneering at them, his tone dripping with condescension. It was a thought neither of them could bear. “Should we... start taking this seriously, Amir?” “I was just about to say the same thing.” With a common goal, their bickering was now set aside, and the two began earnestly strategizing on how to beat Aria. Some things never change. Se-Hoon smirked at the sight of them, recalling the past. 「And now, we have another exciting matchup! A rematch of the Inoue family versus the Myers family, this time in Group B!」 His memories interrupted, Se-Hoon looked at the screen to see a black-haired girl holding a cage with a crow inside and a blond young man with a turquoise sword strapped to his waist. Erika and Jake stood face-to-face in the arena, their presence electrifying the atmosphere. His interest piqued, Se-Hoon leaned forward. Oh, this is gonna be interesting. Erika was fighting to redeem her family after their earlier loss, while Jake sought to carry Aria’s momentum forward. The family rivalry was intense, and so was the crowd’s excitement. I always wondered who’s going to win if those two were to fight. Up until recently, he believed Erika had the upper hand, but Jake’s recent growth now made it anyone’s game. However, Se-Hoon wasn’t sure if either of them would truly go all out. Erika’s a bit like Ren in that way, and Jake kind of hesitates when fighting people he knows. While the two’s emotions could escalate throughout the match, he believed the two would start out only using a portion of their strength. As Se-Hoon pondered over the match, the introductions of the two finally ended, and the two competitors assumed their stances. Rumble! Erika activated her Bound Celestial Garment, a translucent garment inscribed with intricate spells, drawing out her full power. Opposite her, Jake compressed the surrounding air, manifesting the blade of his Windchaser Sword in its sharpest form, also using his full power. “Huh?” Contrary to his expectations, the tension between them wasn’t subdued at all. In fact, they were brimming with raw hostility and fierce competition. Even at a glance, both of them clearly intended to win at any cost. And the fuse was Lan Fang’s voice. 「BEGIN!」 BOOM! The fight began with an explosive force. Perhaps I’ve provoked them too much.

Chapter 318

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