Chapter 36: DEVIL CLOAKED IN CHARM

Starting with the concealment talent student, a strange pattern began to emerge. One after another, students began finding themselves mysteriously eliminated from the competition without any clue how it had happened. Panic began to stir, especially among the more cautious participants who had avoided direct confrontations until now. But there was one strange commonality among all the victims. Each of them, at some point during their exploration, had caught a fleeting glimpse of a strikingly handsome young man—then moments later, their smartwatches vibrated, signaling their disqualification. Baffled and furious, many of them accessed the replay feature, watching slow-motion footage in hopes of identifying the cause of their elimination. And there it was: a tiny, near-invisible blood pin, hovering just inches from their head. Most didn’t even see it coming. The only reason they survived was because the event’s protective watch shield had activated in time to eject them safely. Anger and confusion quickly gave way to relief. The realization dawned that they hadn’t just lost points—they had unknowingly brushed shoulders with death. What they thought was some hidden bug or unfair trick was actually a near-fatal encounter with a monster in human skin. A devil cloaked in charm. --- Six days had passed since the start of the Valley of Conquest examination. The once-vast space had gradually shrunk in scale. The arena was being compressed little by little until everyone was forced into a tight battlefield—the final convergence zone. Now, roughly five hundred students stood packed together on a plain devoid of monsters. No hiding, no running—just students, sizing each other up for the inevitable free-for-all. Some, wary of the looming chaos, activated their watches and voluntarily exited to protect the few points they had scraped together. But the majority stayed. They knew what this was. This wasn’t just an exam. It was a battlefield—a stage for the elite to prove they deserved a seat in the top universities. Points were important, yes. But surviving and shining in the final showdown mattered far more. This was where scouts and sponsors paid attention. This was where legends could be born. "Aaron! You actually made it!" Leo called out, weaving through the tense crowd to reach his friend. It wasn’t hard to spot Aaron, even among a sea of competitors. Only one man had the confidence—no, the audacity—to stand with such casual arrogance, hands in pockets, head slightly tilted like he was expecting the world to admire him. And with that annoyingly perfect face of his, he stood out like a sore thumb. Aaron glanced sideways at his approaching friend. "I’m honestly shocked you’re still alive. Though... you look like death warmed over." Leo gave a weak laugh. "You don’t know the half of it, man." Despite the tension in the air, the two managed a moment of levity. Around them, the other students stayed alert, conserving their strength, sharpening their focus, adjusting gear, and watching for the first spark that would ignite the inferno. That spark arrived in the form of an unwanted visitor. "You bastard!" a familiar voice spat. Leo and Aaron turned to see Dan stomping toward them, fists clenched, eyes burning with hatred. He’d survived the rounds so far, but seeing Aaron now felt like fate had given him one last opportunity to strike. Dan had long given up trying to bully Aaron in the outside world. Too risky. The Highborn name carried weight and wealth he couldn’t afford to offend. But here? Inside the exam? Influence and connections meant nothing. Here, he could act with impunity. Aaron saw him and grinned. "Oh, Danny! I’ve been searching for you everywhere. I missed you," Aaron said sweetly, voice oozing sarcasm. Dan sneered. "Searching for me? Guess you still remember who your daddy is." Aaron’s expression twisted with mock realization. "Actually... seeing you again? Not worth it. You’re still brain-dead, I see." He flicked his finger lazily. Ting! Dan’s face contorted in confusion. His watch vibrated—and before he could even curse, he was gone. Eliminated. No one even saw what hit him. From the edge of the field, Draken watched with growing interest. "Huh... maybe that guy’s not just a pretty face after all." --- Aaron coughed, loud enough to draw attention. Hundreds of eyes turned his way. "May I have your attention, please?" he said, stepping onto a nearby boulder like a nobleman claiming a throne. "I know we’re all trying to catch our breath, size each other up, pretend we’re too smart to start a fight—but this is getting boring." He raised a hand, gesturing to the entire group. "So let’s get this over with. I’ll make it simple. All of you... versus me." He smiled wide. "I promise not to kill you. Probably." Silence. Then—"That arrogant bastard!!" a student roared. A burly young man with a C-rank strength amplification talent stormed forward, wielding a massive war hammer with both hands. "I’ll smash you to pieces, freak!!" Aaron didn’t flinch. "Off you go now." A single blood spike zipped through the air, hitting between the attacker’s brows. Ting! Eliminated. Aaron exhaled. "Next." It was like he was holding auditions for death. --- "I SWEAR ON MY LIFE I DON’T KNOW HIM!" Leo shouted in pure panic, backing away slowly from Aaron’s spotlight. "That’s his friend! Take him down first!" "Yeah! He’s part of the plan!" Leo’s heart stopped as dozens of students suddenly turned their attention to him. "I SAID I DON’T KNOW HIM!" Leo screamed, sprinting away as a stampede of angry competitors gave chase. One wind user—faster than the rest—lunged toward Leo, hands outstretched. Ting! Eliminated before contact. Aaron’s voice rang across the field, calm and unimpressed. "I said face me. Not him. You can’t all be this pathetic." He raised both hands. Suddenly, streams of compressed blood burst forward in rapid succession—laser-like projectiles eliminating student after student. A dozen watches vibrated at once. Dozens more froze in place, reconsidering their life decisions. "Yawn. Come on," Aaron sighed, stretching like someone waking up from a nap. "I’m getting sleepy." One student whispered, trembling, "Who... who the hell is he?" They’d all assumed he was a narcissistic idiot. A clown trying to make a name for himself through drama and noise. But now? He had just taken down over twenty people in less than a minute. "He’s... Aaron Highborn," Leo said suddenly, no longer running, his chest puffed slightly with pride. "Don’t forget that name." Aaron looked over at Leo and grinned, silently giving him a thumbs-up. Good wingman. Leo was learning. "Aaron Highborn?!" someone shouted from the crowd. "That Aaron Highborn? I thought he was supposed to be trash!" "Who lied to us?!" Aaron shrugged. "Doesn’t matter now. What matters is I’m standing right here, and I’m tired of waiting." His expression darkened, the smirk on his lips now carrying weight—dangerous weight. "This is the last time I’m going to ask. Attack me all at once, or I’m coming for you one by one." A hush fell over the field. And then... "I want your baby, Aaron!!!" a girl screamed from the back of the crowd. Aaron blinked. Leo fell to his knees, praying for the ground to swallow him.