The One King

Silence descended over the entire arena.

Gaya stood at one end of the arena, while Alister stood at the opposite side.

Only dozens of meters separated them, yet the tension filling the place made the distance seem like it separated two entirely different worlds.

The transparent barriers had risen around the arena, and the ancient formations beneath the competitors' feet glowed brightly.

The referee raised his hand.

He looked first at Gaya.

Then at Alister.

And said in a clear voice:

" The rules for the next stage are simple."

"Killing intentionally is forbidden."

"Leaving the boundaries of the arena means defeat."

"Surrendering or losing the ability to fight also means defeat."

Then he stepped several paces backward.

"As for techniques... you may use them freely, as long as they do not target the audience or extend beyond the arena."

The referee raised his hand.

"Are you both ready?"

Alister smiled.

"Yes."

Gaya merely nodded calmly.

"Yes."

The referee looked toward the audience.

Then shouted:

"Begin!"

The instant his words fell...

Alister vanished.

BOOM!

The ground exploded beneath his feet.

He appeared directly in front of Gaya in less than the blink of an eye, his sword gleaming with spiritual energy.

The expressions of countless spectators changed.

"What speed!"

"He moved even faster than before!"

"Even some of the judges could barely see him!"

But Gaya did not move.

The sword approached her neck.

When only a few centimeters remained between the blade and her skin...

Gaya tilted her head.

The sword passed beside her face.

Then she disappeared from in front of him.

Alister's eyes widened.

He sensed her presence behind him.

He turned instantly.

Her index finger was only a few centimeters from his back.

BOOM!

Alister propelled himself forward, narrowly avoiding the attack.

He landed on the ground and turned around rapidly.

Gaya did not pursue him.

She was still standing in the same place.

Calm.

As though nothing had happened.

Whispers began spreading through the audience.

"She only moved at the last moment."

"Did she read his attack?"

"No... perhaps her speed is simply greater than he expected."

Above the arena, Azrael watched in silence.

Beside him stood Rex, Sol, Lysandra, and Don.

Sol said:

"It's begun."

Rex smiled.

"Alister is fast."

Lysandra replied:

"But Gaya hasn't used her true speed yet."

Don remained silent.

He knew the real battle had not even begun.

Inside the arena, Alister raised his sword.

He looked at Gaya.

"It seems the rumors about you weren't exaggerated."

She did not answer.

He continued:

"But I don't think being Azrael's wife will protect you from defeat."

For the first time, Gaya's eyes changed slightly.

She said calmly:

"Don't talk about Azrael."

Alister smiled.

"Why?"

Then he raised his sword.

"Are you afraid I'll compare you to him?"

Silence descended.

Even the audience could feel the atmosphere suddenly change.

As for Gaya...

She did not become angry.

But the coldness in her eyes became far more pronounced.

She said:

"You know nothing about him."

Then she raised her eyes toward him.

"And you know nothing about me."

Alister smiled.

"Then show me."

His body exploded with energy.

BOOOOM!

The arena trembled.

A golden aura surrounded his body as his power rapidly increased.

One spectator shouted:

"He's increasing his power!"

Another said:

"That's not the speed he used during the eliminations!"

Alister launched himself forward.

This time, it wasn't a single attack.

He vanished.

He appeared in front of Gaya.

Then vanished again.

He appeared to her right.

Then behind her.

Then to her left.

His image began appearing throughout the arena.

Strike!

Gaya dodged.

Second strike!

She ducked.

Third!

She raised her arm and blocked it.

Fourth!

She disappeared from her position.

Alister was attacking from every direction.

The audience began cheering.

"Alister!"

"He's faster!"

"You can't even see his body!"

"Gaya is surrounded!"

Even Andor began smiling.

His anger toward Azrael was still there, but seeing Alister pressure Gaya restored his confidence.

He said:

"That's it."

Titania watched him.

"This is Alister's true strength."

She smiled.

"Perhaps."

Andor looked at her.

"Perhaps?"

She laughed.

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

Inside the arena, the attacks continued.

Alister changed with every passing second.

He was no longer repeating his movements.

He was observing Gaya's reactions.

Every time she dodged an attack, he adjusted the angle of the next one.

Every time she anticipated his movement, he changed his trajectory.

Even Gaya began to notice it.

He's learning during the battle.

His speed was not his only talent.

He possessed an astonishing ability to analyze his opponent.

He charged again.

Gaya appeared before him.

Alister struck directly.

But Gaya raised her hand.

BOOM!

His fist collided with her palm.

Gaya was forced one step backward.

For the first time...

Her foot moved across the ground.

The audience erupted.

"She was forced back!"

"Alister hit her!"

"He's succeeding!"

Andor smiled.

As for Azrael...

He smiled as well.

Then he began laughing softly.

Sol looked at him.

"You're laughing?"

Azrael said:

"Of course."

Then he rested his cheek against his hand.

"This is better."

Inside the arena, Alister did not stop.

He launched forward again.

This time, he managed to graze Gaya's arm.

A thin line of blood appeared on her skin.

The audience froze.

Then the stands erupted into cheers.

"He hit her!"

"Alister did it!"

"He wounded Gaya!"

Even several judges exchanged glances.

One of them said:

"He's the first person to force her to show an injury since the beginning of the tournament."

Andor smiled confidently.

"Didn't I tell you?"

He looked toward Azrael.

"Alister's talent isn't merely reputation."

Azrael did not answer.

His eyes remained fixed on Gaya.

Then he said loudly enough for the entire arena to hear:

"Good..."

Several spectators turned toward him.

A smile appeared on his face.

"That's how a true genius should be."

He fell silent for a moment.

His smile transformed into a sinister grin.

Then he said:

"But don't disappoint me, Alister."

Silence spread.

Alister heard him.

He raised his head slightly.

But Azrael said nothing more.

He knew something was about to change.

And indeed...

Inside the arena, Gaya looked at the small wound on her arm.

She touched the blood with her finger.

Then she looked at him.

She was calm.

Calm in a way that made Alister feel uneasy.

He asked:

"Is that all?"

She did not answer.

Her aura began to change.

It did not explode.

She did not shout.

But the pressure surrounding her body gradually increased.

The smile disappeared from Alister's face.

The ground beneath Gaya's feet began to crack.

Crack... crack... crack...

The audience stopped cheering.

One spectator whispered:

"What is this?"

Another answered:

"Her aura..."

Then he swallowed.

"She's changed."

One of the judges raised his head.

"Was she suppressing her strength?"

No one answered.

Gaya stared at Alister.

She said:

"I've finished testing your speed."

Alister's eyes widened.

"What?"

She vanished.

Alister could not see her.

BOOM!

She appeared before him.

He raised his sword at the last moment.

Her fist collided with the blade.

BOOOOM!

Alister was sent flying backward.

His feet struck the ground, and he slid dozens of meters.

The cheering stopped completely.

Alister raised his head.

He looked at his sword.

It was trembling in his hands.

Then he looked at Gaya.

She was standing exactly where she had struck him.

She had not moved.

She was not breathing heavily.

Her breathing had not even changed.

Alister said:

"...Your speed."

She did not answer.

He vanished again.

But this time...

Gaya knew where he would appear.

When he appeared behind her, she turned without even looking.

Strike.

Her fist slammed into his abdomen.

Alister's eyes widened.

BOOOOM!

His body was sent flying backward.

But he managed to stop himself in midair.

He raised his head.

His expression changed.

He understood.

"You..."

He fell silent for a moment.

"You were watching me the entire time."

Gaya said:

"Yes."

"You were allowing me to attack?"

"I was seeing what you could do."

His eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

She answered calmly:

"To find out whether you were worthy of me fighting seriously."

Silence descended.

Then Alister charged with all his strength.

BOOOOOOM!

His energy exploded.

Multiple afterimages appeared behind him.

His sword became covered in dense golden light.

He shouted:

"Then I'll force you to fight seriously!"

He launched forward.

This time, he was different.

He was no longer merely fast.

He was attacking with a complete technique.

The sword tore through the air.

Multiple images surrounded Gaya.

Every strike targeted a different point.

The power of the technique shook the barriers.

One of the judges said:

"That's a technique of the Heavenly Council!"

Another said:

"He used it!"

Andor's eyes burned with pride.

"Alister..."

The audience was stunned.

"That power!"

"How can someone at the peak of Immortal Ascension possess such an attack?!"

"Gaya won't be able to dodge it!"

Golden light engulfed the arena.

Gaya disappeared within the explosion.

BOOOOOOOOM!

The entire arena shook.

A huge cloud of dust rose into the air.

The audience screamed.

"She was hit!"

"Is it over?!"

Andor stood up.

Titania stared into the smoke.

Even Rex, Sol, Lysandra, and Don remained silent.

Valeria...

She stared at the arena with wide eyes.

But she was not worried about Gaya.

She was afraid of what would happen if Gaya emerged from the smoke.

She remembered the sea.

She remembered the night.

She remembered Gaya's old gaze.

Then she imagined that same gaze now...

But backed by the power of the peak of Immortal Ascension.

Her hands trembled.

Lina noticed.

"Valeria..."

She did not answer.

"What is wrong?"

Valeria whispered:

"Nothing."

But her eyes never left the smoke.

Inside her, a single question screamed:

If Gaya is this terrifying now... what will she do to me when she learns the truth?

The smoke began to dissipate.

Slowly.

Little by little...

A figure appeared inside the arena.

The audience held its breath.

First, the edge of a dress appeared.

Then her legs.

Then her entire body.

Gaya was standing.

Almost completely unharmed.

There was only a light layer of dust on her clothes.

As for her hair...

It had barely moved.

Andor's eyes widened.

"Impossible..."

Even Alister froze.

He was panting.

He stared at her as though he were looking at something he could not comprehend.

"How...?"

Gaya raised her eyes toward him.

Then she said calmly:

"Are you done?"

Silence fell over the arena.

No one dared to speak.

Then...

Azrael burst into laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

He raised his head toward the sky.

His laughter carried unmistakable madness.

Azrael said:

"This is the Gaya I know!"

He gripped the armrest of his throne.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Titania smiled.

Andor's face, however, was grim.

He finally understood.

Alister was not facing an ordinary opponent.

He was facing a woman who had learned from the man who had become the Heavenly Council's greatest sworn enemy.

Inside the arena, Alister tightened his grip around his sword.

His fingers trembled.

But fear did not stop him.

Quite the opposite...

His eyes began burning with even greater determination.

He said:

"I'm not done."

He raised his sword.

"Not yet."

A faint smile appeared on Gaya's face.

"Good."

Then she took one step forward.

BOOM.

The ground cracked beneath her foot.

"Because I haven't even started yet."

Silence.

Even Azrael stopped laughing for a moment.

Then a wide smile appeared on his face.

He said in a low voice:

"Now..."

"The real lesson begins."

On the other side of the arena, Valeria stared at Gaya.

For the first time since the beginning of the tournament...

She no longer saw the girl she had once believed she had gotten rid of.

She saw something else.

A monster standing firmly inside the arena.

A monster who had become the wife of the man she feared.

And Valeria felt a chill run through her body.

As for Alister...

He raised his sword.

And Gaya...

Slowly raised her hand.

The real battle was about to begin.

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